Stated Objectives 'What Now, Mechwarrior? is a wargame prepared as a set of training exercises by order of Archon Melissa Steiner Davion as part of an ongoing effort to merge the military doctrines of the former Federated Suns with those of the Lyran Commonwealth. The Archon has requested that Battle Technology reprint selected scenarios from ever-expanding lists of cases so that other allies in the fight against the Clans may benefit from the experiences of the past. The scenarios presented are versions of historical battles along with the decisions of the unit commanders. The scenarios are intended to be used to prompt discussions. Each of the participants offers their recommended actions at each of the decision points, then the group discusses the relative strengths and weaknesses of the offered solutions. In BattleTechnology's test of the workability of this method, we discovered that such discussion are apt to become quite heated, so we recommended that they be conducted in a relaxed, informal atmosphere conducive to the free exchange of opinions. (We also recommend that qualified medical staff be located nearby.) It is worth noting that there are no 'right' or 'wrong' answers to the problems presented. The historical information simply shows how one commander handled the situation problem. Someone may well come up with a better solution. The information contained within these scenarios is not classified or considered militarily sensitive. BattleTechnology magazine wishes to thank Captain Roquan of the New Avalon Military Information Center for his help in providing the information presented in this article. Copies of standard simulator programs are available for 100 C- bills from your BattleTechnology software distributor. Please include the scenario name and programming language you want when ordering. A Matter of Priorities You have been given command of a lance of light BattleMechs that are being sent on a deep penetration raid. You objective is to destroy a small manufacturing facility in an urban setting on a world held by an enemy House. During your mission briefing, you receive the mission particulars. The target is an optical system plant that is involved with producing small pulse lasers. You need to destroy a single reinforced concrete building approximately one quarter of a kilometer long. Intel indicates that only light infantry security troops are present at the site. The planet you are landing on is close to Terran Standard with an average temperature of 220 C and is far enough from active war zones so it should have only light anti-'Mech defenses. Your DropShip should be able to land within five kilometers of the target and no AeroSpace forces are expected. It sounds easy to you, and you wonder why a lance of BattleMechs are being used on this assignment. In the next part of the briefing you find out. You'll be piloting your venerable Jenner, a good serviceable machine and an excellent choice for city work. You have a Wasp assigned to you, recently outfitted with pulse laser technology. The other two 'Mechs are both Javelins, seemingly an odd choice to destroy a manufacturing facility. Then you find out that both Javelins carry twin Streak SRM systems in their left torsos. You are informed that part of your mission is to field test the effectiveness of the Streak systems. This makes you wonder if perhaps there may be more involved than you are being told. What now, MechWarrior? (Recommended discussion items: The suftability of the 'Mechs for the assigned mission, what sort of information the off icer should request, status of the pilots, evaluation of the mission priorities) Historical. The lance commander requested additional recon data and had her request denied. She found that the two Javelin pilots were R&D staff with minimal battlefield training, though the Wasp pilot was a veteran from a top line mercenary unit under long term contract. During her transit out to the target system, she spent her time hacking into the Wasp's onboard system, finding that Intel indicated the 85% possibility of a force of Light 'Mechs being present at the target city. During the transit to your target, you spend the time getting to know your lance mates. You find nothing to contradict your first impressions. You also manage to find out that there is an 85% likelihood of encountering enemy 'Mechs within the target city. Though you're not too enthused about leading green troops (R&D techs, at that) into combat, you have little choice. Your jump into the target systems goes as planned, and after six hours of in system travel you land on the planet's surface. As the cargo bay doors open, you see the city, looking just as it did in the recon photos you were shown. Most of the buildings are of concrete and steel construction, tending to be approximately twenty meters high, though some are over one hundred meters high. You have about six hours of daylight left, and a light rain is failing, obscuring visual observation. The Wasp pilot informs you that you are 4.2 km from your target on a 15% east from planetary north bearing. The streets seem deserted, and no moving vehicles are visible. Ground troops from your DropShip are setting a defensive perimeter. What now, MechWarrior? (Recommended Discussion Items: Effect of rain on sighting and heat dissipation, 'Mech placement for the advance, optimal course to reach objective, the use of jumping as opposed to wakling to move through unknown urban setting.) Historical The unit leader instructed the Wasp pilot to serve as forward scout, ranging out about four blocks. She took a position twenty meters in front of the two Javelins, figuring that if they were all moving forward, they were less likely to be ambushed from behind. The Wasp was instructed to jump as needed while she and the Javelins walked. This was based on her assessment of the experience level of the Javelin pilots. She selected a course of 20% east of north in an effort to disguise their true objective. You have set your 'Mechs in the formation described above, and are proceeding through the seemingly deserted streets. You have covered about three kilometers towards your goal, and there have been no signs of enemy resistance. The scouting Wasp continues to report all clear. You round a corner and proceed up a long avenue. Suddenly, twin impacts rock your 'Mech. It feels like a pair of missile hits in your back armor. What now, MechWarrior? (Recommended discussion items: Initial response to a sneak attack from the back or flank, Mission objectives and defense of the Javelins) Historical. The commander turned with all weapons ready. Nothing was there but the two Javelins. A hurried radio conversation revealed that one of the Javelin pilots had gotten bored and was practicing with locking the Streak System on the Jenner's back. He accidentally hit the fire control while the system was locked. The commander told the pilot to stop playing with his weapons and to keep formation. The 'Mechs continued their advance. After administering a surgically brief dressing down to the over-enthusiastic Javelin pilot, you continue your mission. Soon the crackle of small arms fire announces your arrival at the objective. As slugs bounce harmlessly off the armored skin of your 'Mechs, you tear through the chain link fence that blocks access to the manufacturing facility. The building looks as you were told in the briefing, and none of the defending troops seem to be armed with anything larger than automatic rifles or light machine guns. What now, MechWarrior? (Recommended discussion items: How best to destroy the objective, possible problems from the defenders, guarding your back and flanks while attacking the building) Historical. The commander had the Wasp cut a few holes into the building with its laser while she scattered the defenders. Once that was completed, she had the Wasp watch for approaching units while she and the Javelins began work in earnest on the building. Plumes of smoke rise from the expanding sear of rubble that once was a pulse laser manufacturing facility. The building is about three-quarters demolished; still the heaviest weapon that has been brought to bear on you are a few truck-mounted lasers. The two Javelin pilots are happily jabbering about the effectiveness of the Streak systems and wishing for a mobile target. They get their wish. The squat silhouettes of two UrbanMechs waddle into view from approximately due north. At the same time, the Wasp radios that something big is closing fast from the south, blocking off retreat. The UrbanMechs fire their autocannons, and though the first barrage only adds to the rubble around you, you know that it will only get worse. What now, MechWarrior? (Recommended discussion items: Relative mission priorities, the need to evacuate before additional enemy units arrives, using green troops in combat) Historical. The commander ordered the Wasp to assist the two Javelins with the UrbanMechs, then to evacuate in four minutes, or when either Javelin took substantial damage or both UrbanMechs were destroyed. She went to iinvestigate the bogie closing from the south, to clear the line of retreat. The Wasp engaged the UrbanMechs, giving the Javelins time to close to SRM range. With the Wasp leaping madly across the battlefield, drawing the fire from the two UrbanMechs, the Javelins close to optimal range and begin firing with their SRMs. You tune out their radio chatter to deal with deal with your own appointed task. You Jenner rises on a column of super heated steam and arcs over a line of buildings. The landing jars you and your magnetic sensors wail. Lumbering around a corner less than fifty meters away is a hulking Vindicator, the charging coils of its arm mounted PPC glowing blue. Before you can react, artificial lightning rips from the Mech's particle projection cannon and blows apart the building behind you. What now, MechWarrior? (Recommended discussion items: Use of terrain when fighting a single foe in close quarters, mission objectives with regards to evacuation, how best to fight a single target that's larger and better armed) Historical. The commander knew she had to disable the Vindicator to withdraw her unit. She decided to try to knock out the Vindicator's jump capability. By jumping at random, and firing off flights of SRMs, she was able to distract the Vindicator pilot long enough to target her opponent's legs with her lasers. After approximately 120 seconds of combat, the Vindicator fell, its right leg shot away. The Vindicator collapses, its right hip now ending in a tangle of broken cables and shattered 'Mech bones. Your Jenner has lost its right arm and your armor is breached in the center torso and right leg, and nearly gone on the head. The Wasp pilot informs you that one of the UrbanMechs is down and both Javelins have sustained non-critical levels of damage. His sensors indicate two more targets closing from the east, most likely new 'Mechs. What now, MechWarrior? (Recommended discussion items Deciding when to run, overall mission objectives, damage assessment to the unit) Historical The commander ordered an evacuation of the unit before the new 'Mechs could arrive. She jumped back to help the rest disengage from the last UrbanMech and their combined fire took the UrbanMech down. They used their jumpjets to evacuate, and reached the DropShip without further incident. Once back from the mission debriefing, she lodged a formal protest for the lack of information she was given and attempted to resign her commission. Her resignation was refused and she was given a commendation and promotion. Back to BattleTechnology 19 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1992 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com