SIMULATOR CAMPAIGN This month's Battle Tac column describes the Battle of Kilgour, in the Corellan system along the Davion-Liao border. MechWarriors desiring to sharpen their strategic and tactical skills may wish to use this engagement to generate training simulator combat modules. Those with access to FASA's new campaign simulator BattleForce may wish to use the information presented below for the 2nd Kearny Highlanders and the Scotian Highlanders to recreate the entire second day's battle at Kilgour. Several specific tactical incidents in that battle are then presented as standard BattleTech combat modules. These various modules may be set up independently of one another, or they can be combined into a grand tactical and strategic recreation of the battle. TIMING THE PROPER MOMENT Timing is all-important in the successful handling of a full-scale battle. At Kilgour, the Scotian Highlander plan required that one section of the defending force hold superior numbers at bay until the attackers had been drawn into a vulnerable position. If the Scotian commander waited too long, however, his center would be broken, his army divided, and his force defeated piecemeal. If he struck too soon, the surprise effect of having fresh 'Mechs strike the enemy rear and flanks would be minimized by the fact that the enemy still had large numbers of fresh 'Mechs in reserve. This scenario allows opposing players to judge the proper timing of Kilgour's second day for themselves. The special rules outlined below are designed to balance play, allowing for the fact that, in the real battle, neither commander knew what the other commander was up to or how large his forces were. Second Day: July 6, 3027 Corella II GAME SET-UP The map represents the terrain south of the town of Kilgour, on Corella II. MechWarriors who do not have access to fully programmable holographic simulators may recreate the terrain of the battle by transferring the map below onto a blank hexgrid sheet, or they may use the map sheets provided in BattleForce, with the important terrain features (woods, ridges, hills) marked lightly in pencil or indicated using counters, transparent overlays, or cut-out sections of blank hex grid paper. The Table of Organization for both the 2nd Kearny Highlanders and the Scotian Highlanders are provided on the following pages. Players should use BattleForce counters or make counters of their own. The initial set-up is determined by the players, within the following framework: 2nd Kearny Highlanders: Both the 2nd and 31d Battalions begin the battle on or west of Kilgour Heights. Scotian Highlanders 1st Battalion: On or behind Sumner's Ridge 2nd Battalion: Hidden in the woods on or southeast of Grierson's Hill 3rd Battalion: Hidden in the woods on or east of Venable's Ridge All hidden units mustbe positioned within dense woods hexes. During the night of July 5th, Colonel Graham redeployed approximately half of the strength of both his 2nd and 3rd Battalions to the center of his line. The players should feel free to introduce their own variations to this initial deployment. In particular, the Scotian Highlander commander may wish to redeploy more or fewer of his forces, to adjust the balance of 'Mechs held in reserve.  VICTORY CONDITIONS Players use the standard BattleForce victory conditions. In addition, the Kearny commander must attempt to conserve his forces on planet. The total tonnage of the Kearny BattleMechs exceeds 3600 tons. Once the Kearny forces have lost BattleMechs totaling 2000 tons (over half their force, or an average of 8 to 12 'Mech lances), then further Kearny operations on the planet will be compromised, and the Kearny forces must retreat off the north or west side of the map area. Such a retreat is considered to be a decisive victory for the Scotian Highlanders, whatever their own losses. Once the Scotian Highlanders have lost BattleMechs totaling over 2000 tons, then the Davion forces on the planet are considered to be broken and will be of little further use in the campaign. If the Kearny Highlanders can inflict such casualties on their opponents without taking similar losses themselves, then the Kearny Highlanders are considered to have won a decisive victory. However, the Scotians will win even if they lose over 1000 tons worth of Mechs, provided they inflict similar losses on the enemy. This fact may be an additional motive for the Kearny commander to hold half of his forces in reserve and to attempt to break the Scotian line with a single Battalion... Just as it almost happened in the actual battle. SPECIAL RULES Both commanders are operating under certain handicaps which deter- mine the nature of this battle. The Scotian commander must carefullyjudge the best time to unleash his hidden reserves. The Kearny commander suspects a trap set by his opponent and must withhold sufficient forces to counter any unexpected attack by the enemy's reserves. Training simulations of the Battle of Kilgour should use the following re- strictions: Scotian Commander At the beginning of the simulation, those units designated as "hidden units" have their positions secretly noted by the Scotian player. They are not placed on the board, and their locations are not revealed to the Kearny player. These hidden units are stationary and well-camouflaged in the woods north and south of the main battlefield. They may not move, and they may not engage in combat unless activated by an enemy unit. Once a unit is activated, it is placed on the map at its designated location. It may then move and fight normally. At any given point during the battle, the Scotian commander may choose to activate his reserves. At this time, all hidden units are placed on the board in their designated hexes. They may then move and fire normally. Scotian Tactics: The Scotian Commander can pursue any of several possible courses of action: He may wait as long as he dares in hope that the Kearny Commander will release some or all of his reserves against the center, trusting that his reserve forces will be large enough to trap the entire enemy force. He may choose to hold his line on Sumner's Ridge, hoping to inflict sufficient casualties on the enemy that the Kearny forces will be forced to retreat (see: Victory Conditions, below). He may activate his hidden units and use them as mobile reserves, threatening or attacking the enemy reserves or targets of opportunity (such as small numbers of Kearny 'Mechs moving up to the battlefield from the rear). If the battle has moved east of Sumner's Ridge and the enemy reserves are still at Kilgour Heights, this mobile reserve could interpose itself along Sumner's Ridge in order to interdict Kearny reinforcements. Kearny Commander At the beginning of the action, the Kearny commander places his 3rd Battalion forward and holds his 2nd Battalion in reserve. At any time, the Kearny Commander may release all or part of his reserves to join the battle. What he cannot do is blindly probe the woods on the Scotian Highlanders' flanks. Before entering the heavy woods to the north or south of the Scotian center, the Kearny forces must use infantry or light scout forces (such as the Scout Platoon of Norris's Rangers) to discover the enemy positions. Each time a Kearny scout unit enters a hex adjacent to a heavily forested hex, the Scotian player secretly rolls 1 D6. On a roll of 1, he must activate all units in any adjacent hexes. On a 2 - 4, he must activate any one unit in any adjacent hex. On a 5 - 6 (or if, in fact, he has no forces in that hex), he says nothing. The Scotian player always has the option of deliberately activating any of his units at any time, at which point they are placed on the board. Activated units may engage in combat with the scouting forces, or they may move to an adjacent hex and "vanish." Their new position is recorded by the Scotian player, and they are deactivated. Units remain activated so long as they are engaged in movement or combat or as long as enemy scouts are in an adjacent hex. Once the Kearny commander has exposed the positions of at least three different Scotian BattleMechs, he may, if he desires, attack the position normally. Scotian 'Mechs will remain hidden until a Kearny 'Mech enters an adjacent hex or until the Scotian player chooses to reveal them by moving or attacking. Kearny Tactics The Kearny commander knows there are Scotian forces in the woods. He does not know how strong those forces are or precisely where they are located, and to charge in headlong with valuable 'Mechs is irresponsibly foolhardy. He must choose between several courses of action: He may hold his reserves in order to guard against a Scotian counterat- tack. He may scout the approaches to the Scotian flanks, then attack to engage the hidden Scotian reserves. He may ignore the flanks and concentrate on the Scotian center, hoping to break the enemy line before the Scotians can muster their reserves. Map 2nd KEARNY HIGHLANDERS The 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 2nd Kearny Highlanders began the second day's battle deployed west of the line of ridges south of Kilgour, along a gentle rise known locally as Kilgour Heights. As shown on the simulator maps, the 2nd Battalion was held in reserve on Kilgour Heights until too late to be of any use in the battle. MechWarriors engaged in their own simulations of the battle of Kilgour may deploy the Kearny forces along Kilgour Heights as they choose. The Kearny T.O. appeared as follows: 2nd Battalion Battalion Headquarters-11(16)/9-3 5 Vet Major Martell Longheart; Elite Atlas Brian Stewart; Veteran Vindicator Jean McPherson; Veteran Phoenix Hawk Morton Johnston; Veteran Commando Kernighan's Company Command Lance -11(13)/8-3 4 Elite Captain Robert Kernighan; Elite Stalker Charles Douglas; Elite Vindicator Ian Telford; Elite Vindicator Pamela Kernighan; Veteran Commando Fire Lance-9(12)/8-3 5 Regular Lieutenant Stuart McDonald; Veteran Archer McCauley Peterson; Regular Shadow Hawk Quentin McFarland; Regular Vindicator Charles Gunn; Green Commando Recon Lance-8(10)/5-2 6 Regular Lt. Angus MacLeod; Veteran Warhammer Morton Kernighan; Regular Commando Ruben Skeat; Regular Stinger Patrick Mifune; Green Locust Braxton's Company Command Lance-11(13)/8-3 5 Veteran Captain Fergus Braxton; Elite Crusader Ian Fraser; Veteran Rifleman Charles MacKinnon; Regular Vindicator verard McKenzie; Regular Spider Fire Lance-9(13) 7-3 5 Regular Lieutenant Ramsay Stuart; Veteran Rifleman Gregory Kirk; Regular Vindicator Angus Braxton; Regular Phoenix Hawk Marcus Ullman; Green Commando Recon Lance-4(7)/6-2 7 Green Lt. Gordon McNair; Veteran Shadow Hawk Douglas MacLeod; Green Spider Erland Talcott; Green Wasp Kathleen McNair; Green Locust Minoku's Company Assault Lance-12(16)/8-2 4 Veteran Captain Ohiro Minoku; Veteran Charger Kathleen Stewart; Veteran Marauder Dennis MacGregor; Veteran Warhammer Gregory Freeman; Regular Vindicator Attack Lance-9(13)/8-3 5 Regular Lieutenant Marcia Horowitz; Veteran Archer Jahled Hammadi; Regular Shadow Hawk Douglas McClintock; Regular Phoenix Hawk Andrew O'Hara; Regular Commando Recon Lance-5(8)/6-2 7 Green Lt. Toshiro Redfield; Veteran Phoenix Hawk Siegfried Kirchner; Green Spider David Ross; Green Wasp Stewart MacCleod; Green Locust 3rd Battalion Battalion Headquarters-13(16)/8-3 5 Vat Major James D. Cochraine; Elite Stalker Angus McDonnell; Veteran Warhammer Jeremy Nourse; Veteran Wolverine Gordon Cochraine; Veteran Commando McFarlane's Company Command Lance-7(13)/8-3 5 Elite Captain Stewart McFarlane; Elite Grasshopper Heinrich Nicholson; Elite Hatchetman Ramsay MacLeod; Elite Blackjack Manuel Gonzalez; Veteran Ostscout Fire Lance-7(10/8-3 6 Regular Lt. Robert MacDougall; Veteran Shadow Hawk Megan McFarlane; Regular Vindicator Adam Gomez; Regular Phoenix Hawk N'Gama M'botu; Green Cicada Recon Lance-6(10)/6-2 7 Regular Lt. Kathleen McDonnell; Veteran Phoenix Hawk Arthur Kent; Regular Spider Kirk MacNab; Regular Commando Francois DuPlessis; Green Wasp MacDouglall's Company Assault Lance-12(15)/9-3 4 Veteran Captain Angus MacDougall; Elite Marauder Niki Carter; Veteran Archer Marshall Corrigan; Regular Rifleman Ramsay James; Regular Shadow Hawk Medium Lance-9(12)/8-3 5 Regular Lieutenant James Corrigan; Veteran Crusader Ian MacDougall; Regular Shadow Hawk Pamela Edwards; Regular Vindicator Giles Howard; Green Spider Recon Lance-4(7)/6-2 7 Green Lieutenant Morgan Li; Veteran Shadow Hawk Michael Gunn: Green Spider Kathleen MacDougall; Green Wasp Douglas Cromartie; Green Locust Prate's Company Command Lance-11(15)/9-3 4 Regular Captain Richard Prata; Veteran Thunderbolt David Kingsley; Regular Catapult Cameron MacCorrie; Regular Rifleman Ivan Toruchev; Regular Shadow Hawk Fire Lance-9(12)/8-3 5 Green Lieutenant Cecil Wyndham; Regular Ostroc, Yashar Eisenstein; Green Vindicator James MacRae; Green Vindicator Kathleen Fraser; Green Commando Recon Lance-5(8)/6-2 7 Green Lieutenant Sharon Gray; Veteran Phoenix Hawk Tristan McFarland; Green Spider Charles McDonald; Green Stinger Stewart Kirk; Green Locust At Kilgour, the Kearny Highlanders had numerous non-'Mech armored units attached to the 2nd and 3rd Battalions as scout or recon groups. It was one of these units (the Scout Platoon of Norris's Rangers) which made contact with hidden 'Mechs of Graham's right flank force. According to the best reports, these forces were held in reserve with the Kearny 2"1 Battalion or deployed towards the enemy flanks in attempts to determine the Scotian Highlander's positions. MechWarriors using this information to set up training simulations of Kilgour may deploy these light forces as desired. Norris's Rangers Command Platoon-8(7)/10-3 Q Green Captain Charles Norris; Regular Rommel James Kellogg; Green Patton Karl Doenitz; Green Rommel Jameth Black; Regular Patton Fire Platoon-10(8)/7-3 4t Green Lieutenant Ivar Tomlinson; Regular Manticore Jeremy Wolf; Regular Manticore Shari Cramiston; Green Manticore Strepan Josslic; Green Manticore Scout Platoon-5(5)/4-1 8h Regular Lieutenant Kannic Franklin; Regular Pegasus Brad Hadley; Regular Pegasus Andrew MacDonald; Regular Skimmer Morgan Bearclaw; Regular Skimmer Unattached Scout Platoon-5(5)/4-1 8h Vet Lieutenant Scot Kendall; Elite Pegasus Americ Penric; Veteran Pegasus Arturo Gonzales; Veteran Skimmer Charles Smith; Regular Skimmer Unattached Fire Platoon- 10(8)/7-3 4t Reg Lieutenant Raymond Grissman; Veteran Manticore Zelas Newton; Regular Manticore Ian Fairfax; Regular Manticore Kalis Burton; Regular Manticore Unattached Light Platoon-4(3)/4-2 4t Regular Lieutenant Jordan Helmuth; Veteran Galleon Charles Grenville;. Regular Galleon Michelle Rochmont; Regular Galleon Robert Durant; Regular Galleon SCOTIAN HIGHLANDERS The Scotian Highlanders began the second day's action deployed along the line of hills and ridges south of Kilgour. Though afull three battalions are listed, the unit had entered the campaign understrengthed and had already suffered considerable losses during the intiial Liao invasion and during the first day's fight for the town. Graham placed the 1st Battalion in the center along Sumner's Ridge, as shown in the simulator maps of the action. The 2nd Battalion was hidden in the woods covering Greirson's Hill to the south, while the 3rd Battalion was positioned in the woods along Venable's Ridge and Graytop to the north. In both cases, approximately half of the flank battalions' strength was then drawn to the center to reinforce the 1st Battalion. According to the best available information at this time, the Scotian combat T.O. appeared as follows: 1st Battalion Battalion Headquarters- 12(14)/7-2 3 Elite Colonel Ramsay Graham; Elite Stalker Gregory McPherson; Elite Marauder Ross McDonnell; Elite Rifleman Company A-Randall's Raiders Command Lance-8(14)/8-2 5 Elite Captain Stuart Randall; Elite Victor Lieutenant Kara Stewart; Elite Shadow Hawk Douglas Graham; Elite Phoenix Hawk Larry Murdock; Veteran Vulcan Fire Lance-5(8)/6-3 4 Veteran Lieutenant Ryan Kelly; Elite Shadow Hawk Randal McPherson; Veteran Enforcer Ross Cromartie; Veteran Valkyrie Recon Lance-4(6)/5-2 6 Veteran Lieutenant Ian Douglas; Veteran Panther Jean Fife; Veteran Stinger Douglas Keith; Veteran Wasp Kazuko Matsumil Veteran Locust Company B-Macarron's 'Mechs Command Lance-9(13)/8-3 6 Elite Captain Ian Macarron; Elite Archer Lieutenant Andrew MacRae; Elite Dragon Philip Thatcher; Elite Phoenix Hawk Charles Gordon; Veteran Spider Fire Lance-6(10)17-3 5 Veteran Lieutenant Angus Hawkins; Elite Shadow Hawk Robert Keith; Veteran Enforcer Donald Fife; Veteran Valkyrie Megan Radcliff; Veteran Commando Recon Lance-5(6)/4-2 5 Regular Lieutenant Brian Graham; Veteran Whitworth Russell Morton; Regular Spider Ian McFarland; Regular Locust Company C-The Black Douglas Command Lance-14(17)/8-3 -4 Veteran Captain Keith Douglas; Elite Warhammer Lieutenant Heather Fife; Veteran Archer Ramsay Douglas; Veteran Rifleman Kirk McIlvain; Regular Rifleman Fire Lance-5(9)/6-2 8 Regular Lt. Angus Macarron; Veteran Phoenix Hawk Robert MacRae; Regular Cicada Stuart MacLeod; Regular Ostscout Toshiro Kogo; Regular Spider Recon Lance-4(7)/5-2 7 Green Lieutenant Gregory McKenzie; Veteran Panther Douglas Fairfax; Green Spider Charles Keith; Green Wasp Roberta Douglas; Green Locust 2nd Battalion Fraser's Company Command Lance-6(10)/5-2 4 Elite Major Laurie Carlisle; Elite Charger Captain Kendric Fraser; Elite Rifleman Eric Stewart; Veteran Assassin Fire Lance-7(12)/8-3 6 Regular Lieutenant Ian Keith; Veteran Shadow Hawk Agnes McFarlane; Regular Enforcer Gregory Fife; Regular Phoenix Hawk Robbie McNair; Green Cicada Recon Lance-3(5)/3-1 Regular Lieutenant Dan Raeburn; Veteran Cicada Grayson Campbell; Regular Spider Beth Ann Gregor; Regular Locust McFarland's Company Command Lance-11(15)/9-3 5 Veteran Captain Angus McFarland; Elite Archer Rodney Smith; Veteran Rifleman Charlie Cromartie; Veteran Shadow Hawk Lee Stuart; Veteran Phoenix Hawk Fire Lance-6(10)/7-2 4 Regular Lieutenant Jeanette Ramsay; Veteran Wolverine Victor Vlad; Regular Enforcer Milton Coroleone; Regular Phoenix Hawk Recon Lance-3(6)/4-2 6 Green Lieutenant Stuart McLean; Regular Cicada Lewis McDonnell; Green Ostscout William Sutherland; Green Spider 3rd Battalion Keith's Company Command Lance-7(11)/6-2 4 Veteran Major Kirk Livingston; Elite Victor Captain Heather Keith; Veteran Dragon Brian McPherson; Veteran Scorpion Fire Lance-4(7)/5-2 5 Veteran Lt. Gregor MacRae; Veteran Phoenix Hawk Louise Crawson; Veteran Assassin Milo Sorenson; Veteran Ostscout Recon Lance-4(7)/5-2 8 Green Lieutenant James Fraser; Veteran Cicada Rhett Stewart; Green Ostscout Russel Greene; Green Spider Jess Mason; Green Locust McKenzie's Company Command Lance-4(10)/5-2 4 Regular Captain Sam McKenzie; Veteran Warhammer Lieutenant Russell Douglas; Regular Quickdraw Douglas Ridley; Regular Locust Fire Lance-4(7)/6-2 5 Green Lieutenant Keith Fraser; Regular Wolverine Jame Fairfax; Green Shadow Hawk Doran Alberts; Green Locust Recon Lance-2(4)/3-4 4 Regular Lieutenant Bradley Carlisle; Regular Assassin Henry McDonald; Regular Spider At the Battle of Kilgour, the following armored units were attached to the Scotian Highlanders. Though normally fielded with specific companies, they were held in reserve on the Scotian Highlander's northern flank, against the possibility of a Kearny infantry attack or flanking move. The Scotian comander may field these units as he pleases in combat simulations. Opple's Raiders Command Platoon 10(9)10-3 4t Green Captain Hap Oppenheimer; Regular Patton Ardan Griffith; Green VonLuckner Valery Biggs; Green Patton Vince Marcuso; Green Patton Fire Platoon 9(8)9-2 4t Regular Lieutenant Douglas Innes; Regular Rommel Valery Chernenkov; Regular Rommel Jarvis Haggsworthy; Regular Rommel Roger Hammer; Regular Rommel Light Platoon 4(3)5-2 4t Lieutenant Grath Davias; Regular Galleon Hatsuko Grady; Green Galleon Silas Smith; Regular Scorpion Paula Fraser; Regular Vedette Unattached Scout Platoon - 4(3)4-2 4t Vet Lieutenant Jason King; Elite Galleon Ahmed Khaled; Veteran Galleon Stanley Osserman; Veteran, Galleon Robert Langley; Veteran Galleon Unattached Scout Platoon - 5(5)/4-1 8h Reg Lieutenant Jamie Kendall; Regular Pegasus Hans Leider; Regular Pegasus Josef Waldheim; Regular Skimmer Bradley Simmons; Regular Skimmer More BattleTech Simulator Introduction Optional Rules Variant 0101-B: MechWarrior Training and Experience Battle of Kilgour: BattleForce Campaign Randall's Charge at Bloody Field Scenario Holding the Line Scenario Deep Trouble Scenario Back to BattleTechnology Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1987 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com