General Background In May 3050, a mercenary unit in service to the Draconis Combine conducted a reconnaissance mission on the world of Bjarred. Formerly a member of the Pesht District of the Combine, Bjarred had been an early casualty of the Coordinator's war against the Smoke Jaguars, a Clan with a reputation for ruthlessness, as evidenced by the massacre on Turtle Bay. Far behind the invader's front lines, it was thought that Bjarred would prove an ideal world for the Kanrei's new stroke against the Clans. The mercenaries sent to pull the job were an elite company of commandos know to only a few as the Redcoat Renegades. The identity of the Smoke Jaguar cluster defending Bjarred is known only to the ISF, but it is certain that a frontline unit had been left behind to deal with unexpectedly fierce popular uprisings. Game One Game One Background: The Rapid Advance Team (RAT) of the Redcoat Renegades entered the city of Kango minutes after dropping into the low hills to the North. With most of the world's defenders occupied by the aerial bombardment taking place at Kango's spaceport, the RAT easily penetrated the city and reached the armory which served as the command base for the Smoke Jaguar cluster. Four of the command star's five 'Mechs were inactive and easily stolen. The fifth 'Mech, which was walking sentry, put up a fight, along with the star of Elementals guarding the armory, but the RAT managed to escape with their prizes. Game One Setup: Use the map from CityTech and place a hardened building at the center to represent the armory. Sprinkle buildings around in a general pattern but leave room for the four parked 'Mechs in front of the armory. Defender: Security Star, and the sentry for the Command Star of the unknown cluster Five points of Elementals armed with small lasers Vulture (primary) Piloting: 4, Gunnery: 4 Defender Deployment: The defender must place the four 'Mechs he is guarding (Daishi, Koshi, Phoenix Hawk, 0stscout) on the North side of the armory in close formation. Two points of Elementals must stand watch at the feet of the BattleMechs. The defender may arrange his remaining Elementals in any pattern. He may declare two of his Elemental points to be hidden infantry. The Vulture must begin the game on the South side of the city, at least six hexes from the armory toward the south edge of the map. The Vulture is the last unit to be positioned on the board. Attacker: The RAT lance of the Redcoat Renegades Lieutenant Savich, Elite, VTR-9K Victor Piloting: 3, Gunnery: 1 RAT # 2, Elite, GLT-5M Guillotine Piloting:4, Gunnery: 3 RAT # 3, Elite, MAD-5D Marauder Piloting: 3, Gunnery: 3 RAT # 4, Elite GHR-5J Grasshopper Piloting: 2, Gunnery: 3 Attacker Deployment: The attacker places his units after the Elementals have been positioned. The attacker may place his 'Mechs no closer than three hexes north of the armory. Victory Conditions: Defender: Prevent even one Clan'Mech from being stolen. Attacker: Capture all four Clan 'Mechs without taking losses. The Clan 'Mechs can only be captured after all enemies in the immediate area have been destroyed. This doe not include hidden infantry who have not attacked by game's end. Each RAT 'Mech contains two pilots, the second being a yakuza who has skill in stealing 'Mechs by cracking their passcodes. GameTwo Game Two Background: Having stolen four Clan BattleMechs, the Redcoat Company begins its run to a mine several kilometers north of Kango. Upon arrival, they will board their DropShips and escape with their prizes. Between the company and their DropShips are two Smoke Jaguar Stars who who hope to slow the company, allowing the pursuing battalion to gain ground on them. Game Two Setup: Place three BattleTech maps upside down and end to end. As the maps unfold, the middle crease divides each map into four sections. Looking at the maps from the side, designate the left most two sections to be south, and the right most sections to be north. There are no terrain features in this scenario. Defender: Three lances of the Redcoat Renegades and Team Delta Command Lance Capt Ricky Rhodes, Elite, BNC -3E Banshee Piloting:1, Gunnery: 1 Optional: Remove small lasers, place C3 link in head Lt Juan Rico, Elite, CP 1 1-A Cyclops Piloting: 2, Gunnery: 3 Optional: Downgrade LRM 10 to LRM 5, Drop 1 ton of LRM ammo.Install C3 link Havermack, Elite BLR-1G BattleMaster Piloting: 3, Gunnery: 3 Optional: Remove medium laser, place C3 link in head Butcher, Elite CGR-3K Charger Piloting: 2, Gunnery: 3 Optional: Downgrade pulse laser to standard place C3 link in head,install NARC homing missiles in LRM racks Fire Lance Fire #1 Elite, CRM-5M Crusader Piloting: 2, Gunnery:3 Optional: Install NARC homing missiles in LRM racks Fire #2 Elite, ON 1-M Orion Piloting: 1, Gunnery: 3 Optional: Install NARC homing missiles in LRM/SRM racks Fire #3 Elite, RFL-5M Rifleman Piloting: 3, Gunnery: 2 Fire #4 Elite ARC-4M Archer Piloting: 4, Gunnery: 2 Rapid Advance Team As described in Game One. If Game One was not played, then allocated 20 to 120 (2D6 times 10) points of damage randomly to RAT 'Mechs in five-point lots. Deduct 2D6-2 rounds of ammunition from each weapon. Team Delta Yakuza, Green Daishi (Primary) Piloting: 4, Gunnery: 7 Attacker: Two Reconnaissance Stars of the Smoke Jaguars Recon 1 1A, Green, Koshi (Primary) Piloting: 4, Gunnery: 6 1B, Regular, Black Hawk (Primary) Piloting: 5, Gunnery: 4 1C Regular, Black Hawk (Primary) Piloting: 4, Gunnery: 4 1D Regular, Puma (Primary) Piloting: 5, Gunnery: 4 1E Green, Puma (Primary) Piloting: 6, Gunnery: 5 Recon 2 2A, Regular, Koshi (Primary) Piloting: 3, Gunnery: 4 2B Regular, Black Hawk (Primary) Piloting: 4, Gunnery: 5 2C Regular, Black Hawk (Primary) Piloting : 3, Gunnery: 4 2D Green, Puma (Primary) Piloting: 5, Gunnery: 5 2E Green, Puma (Primary) Piloting: 6, Gunnery: 6 Deployment: The defender positions his units anywhere in the two sector agreed on as being south. Alternate placement with attacker. The attacker positions his units anywhere within the two sectors called north. At the start of the game, neither side should be able to reach the other with long- range weapons. Victory Conditions: Defender: Move the Daishi off of the north edge of the map in under twelve turns, or destroy all attackers. Attacker: Prevent the Daishi from leaving the field of battle. If you can hold the Renegades for twelve turns, then they will be caught by the pursuit forces of your cluster and destroyed. Special Rules: One BattleMech may provide partial cover for another by placing itself in the line-of-sight to an attacker. The attacker may either target the interfering 'Mech normally, or attack the covered 'Mech at a -3 penalty 'to hit'. Game Three Game Three background: Having broken through the recon stars, the Renegades are almost at their goal. Ahead, at the edge of the forest through which the road passes, lies a Clan ambush. AeroSpace fighters have bought the Renegades two extra minutes in which to fight their way through. Game Three Setup: Set up and designate three BattleTech maps as in Game Two, that is, place three BattleTech maps upside down and end to end. Designate the left most two sections to be south, and the right most sections to be north. The middle sectors represent the edges of the forest. Consider the three hexes closest to the side of the maps to be heavy forest. Defender: As in Game Two. If Game Two was not played, allocate 60-360 (6D6 x10) points of damage randomly to the Renegade company in five-point lots. Also allocate 1 D6 x10 pts points of damage to Team Delta in five-point lots. Deployment: Place all 'Mechs in the two southern sectors. These sectors are considered not to have forest on either side. The defender places all Mechs on the map before the attackers appear. The defender continues to advance toward the north hexes of the board until the attacker shows his 'Mechs and attacks. Attacker: A Fire Star of the Smoke Jaguars #1, Veteran Masakari (Primary) Piloting: 4, Gunnery: 3 # 2, Veteran Vulture (Primary) Piloting: 3, Gunnery: 3 # 3, Veteran Vulture (Primary) Piloting: 2, Gunnery: 4 # 4, Regular Ryoken (Primary) Piloting: 4, Gunnery: 4 #5, Green Ryoken (Primary) Piloting: 4, Gunnery: 5 Deployment: Before the defenders set up, select forest hexes in which to hide the Clan attackers. Write hex numbers and element hidden in each on a piece of paper. These hexes must be 'deep' in the forest (ie, the hexes must be hidden from the defender' line-of-sight by at least two heavy forest hexes). Special Conditions: Attacker does not actually place your 'Mechs on the board until you are ready to spring the trap. Then he shows the piece of paper with his hiding places written on it to defender and places the Smoke Jaguar 'Mechs on the map. On the first round of the attack, the defender moves all of his 'Mechs first, then the attacker moves all of his. Fire is resolved normally. On the second round of the attack, the attackers automatically gain the initiative. On the third and succeeding rounds of the attack, all normal rules of initiative and combat apply. Otherwise, the same rules apply as in Game Two. Victory Conditions: Defender had 24 turns to get the Daishi across the north edge- hexes of the map. If Game Two was play, deduct the number of turns it took to complete that scenario from the total number of turns allowed defender in this scenario. If Game Two was not played, deduct 2D6-4 turns. 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. 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