"We'd set down a good twenty klicks apart from the 4th Deneb, see? Redfield's Renegades were supposed to be operating in support of the 4th , but things were kind of screwed up, know what I mean?" "No, I don't know what you mean." "Hell, you know. The change in plans." 'What change in plans?" "Look, I already told you! The top CO, Marshal Drivers. He decided the invasion fleet should split up. He took the Fourth Guards up to the north part of the planet. The 4th Deneb he sent south. Redfield's Renegades were attached to the 4th Deneb. We were supposed to back 'em up. Support, see?" "What was your objective?" "Uh... I really don't know..." "You want to tell us, MechWarrior Paderewski." "Uh... yeah. Sure. But I don't know. I'm just a MechWarrior, y'know? I... ah, Ahh!" "What was the Renegades' objective?" "Aw, cripes, mister! You don't have to do that! I told you, I don't know! We were lost... our whole company!" "You expect us to believe that? You were masquerading as Liao 'Mechsl It was a trick!" "No! Please! You got it wrong! We were lost! We ran into your people by accident!" "At the pass." "Yeah. Campo Pass. The Liao 'Mechs were stringing out along the pass. Like they was settin' an ambush or waitin' for somebody! Only we blundered into them from another direction." "Who told you the Liao 'Mechs were there?" "Nobody! I told you, we blundered into 'em! We didn't... ah!" "You want to tell us, Private." "I do! I swear I do! Please, keep your hand off that button! Please!" Partial transcript of taped recording discovered among the files of Colonel Janus Wu, agent of the Capellan Maskirovka. Tarling, Aldebaran V, August 25, 3028 Situation: 1520 hours, August 23, 3028 Aldebaran V Battle of Campo Pass The plans for the invasion of Aldebaran had long Oeen set and agreed to. For reasons still not entirely understood, Marshal Eugene Drivers divided his invasion force, ordering simultaneous invasions of Aldebaran V's principal north and south continents. Drivers, in overall command of the entire operation, would take his Fourth Guards RCT to the original landing zone near the important city of Chouchu. He ordered Marshall Vernon Fredricks, commander of the 4th Deneb FICT, together with the mercenary Redfield's Renegades, to redirect his landing to Aldebaran's southern continent. Such last-minute reorganizations in any large-scale military plan invite disaster. Drivers' plan was probably an attempt to react to recently-acquired intelligence which suggested that the Liao forces on Aldebaran had also been divided between the two continents. However, the immediate result was confusion among the lower-ranking commanders of both groups. Targets and objectives had to be assigned and reassigned, often with an incomplete understanding of the terrain or the strategic background. The southern force, in particular, was forced to operate in terrain for which they had inadequate maps and only the sketchiest of firsthand reports. Fortunately for the Davion offensive, Drivers' decision seems to have confused the Liao defenders as much as it did the attackers. They did not immediately realize that the mercenary unit known as Redfield's Renegades had landed some distance away from the main southern invasion group orthat itwas operating more or less independently. As a result, local Liao forces belonging to Warrior House Ijori, commanded by Major Thomasina Frou, deployed a battalion of light and medium 'Mechs to ambush the Davion force, unaware that Redfield's Renegades were moving parallel to the Davion column, on a collision course with Frou's force. Frou, though heavily outnumbered, had settled on a plan which promised an excellent chance of success. Her 'Mechs would strike from ambush time and time again, fading into the well-known hilly, wooded terrain when the Davion 'Mechs concentrated their forces, and reappearing at another point when they dispersed. Such hit-and-run tactics, she realized, might wear the invader down by sheer attrition. Her first attempt did not reckon with Redfield's Renegades who were, in fact, completely lost... GAME SET-UP Lay out the BattleTech maps as shown. With the exception of the heavy black lines marked 1, 2, 3, and 4, all terrain is considered to be clear. The black lines are contour lines for the south wall of a valley, representing elevations. Line 1 is at an elevation of 1, line 2 at an elevation of 2, and so on. The clear ground along the south edge of the mapboard is clear, flat ground along the crest of a ridge. The ground north of the terrain lines is the floor of a valley, called Campo Pass. Players who prefer to use the Optional Variants 0204-A and 0204-B may dispense with the map. The battlefield should incorporate an area at least 1000 meters long (east to west) and 450 meters wide (north to south). Defender The Defender controls forces representing Warrior House Ijori under the command of Major Thomasina Frou. Frou has deployed one battalion of 'Mechs along the crest of a ridge, through which a large Davion column is expected to pass within a few hours. Her object is to lie in wait for the Davion column, ambushing it from the crest of the ridge as it moves along Campo Pass. This scenario represents Frou's extreme right during her initial deployment. The 'Mechs available to the Defender, belonging to two of Frou's mobile lances, are the following: Lieutenant Harold van Buren Veteran Vindicator Piloting 4, Gunnery 4 MechWarrior Roger Schubert Veteran Enforcer Piloting 4, Gunnery 5 MechWarrior Kim Yu Pak Veteran Clint Piloting 5, Gunnery 5 MechWarrior Yvonne Logan Veteran Blackjack Piloting 5, Gunnery 5 MechWarrior Carlos Young Veteran Vindicator Piloting 4, Gunnery 5 MechWarrior Karl Oberhoff Regular Assassin Piloting 5, Gunnery 5 MechWarrior Bradley Fitzpatrick Regular Stinger Piloting 5, Gunnery 5 MechWarrior Karen Almundssen Veteran Stinger Piloting 4, Gunnery 5 The Defender sets up anywhere along the ridge south of Campo Pass. 'Mechs may be positioned anywhere and at any elevation desired. However, no Defender may move until it is released, as described in the Special Rules. Attacker The Attacker represents elements of the mercenary unit known as Redfield's Renegades. They include the following: Lieutenant Matthew Fairchilde Elite Phoenix Hawk Piloting 4, Gunnery 4 MechWarrior Cindi Theisson Veteran Phoenix Hawk Piloting 4, Gunnery 4 MechWarrior Terrance Larrimore Veteran Hatchetman Piloting 4, Gunnery 5 MechWarrior Kathy Corabella Veteran Valkyrie Piloting 5, Gunnery 5 MechWarrior Wallace Halvid Veteran Stinger Piloting 4, Gunnery 5 MechWarrior Opie Paderewski Veteran Locust Piloting 5, Gunnery 5 The Attacker rolls 1 D6 to determine where he will enter the mapboard on Turn 1. On a roll of 1-2, he enters on the south edge of the western map sheet. On a 3 - 4 he enters on the south edge of the eastern map sheet. On a 5 - 6 he enters anywhere on the east edge of the eastern mapsheet. Special Rules The Liao forces were setting a trap for a Davion force expected to appear on the floor of Camp Pass, coming from the east. Redfield's Renegades, lost and searching for their main body, encountered the ambushing forces from behind and were not immediately recognized as Davion'Mechs. To represent the initial confusion, the Liao 'Mechs may not move or fire until they are released, or until they, or any other 'Mech within 4 hexes (120 meters) of their position, are fired on. On each turn, roll 2D6 for each unreleased Liao 'Mech. On a roll of 9+, the 'Mech is released and may move or fight normally. Unreleased 'Mechs count towards the Defender's victory conditions. 'Mechs which are fired upon (even if the fire misses), or which are within 4 hexes of any 'Mech (friend or foe) which is fired upon, are free to move and fire normally during the next turn. Victory Conditions The Defender wins by accumulating points for enemy 'Mechs destroyed and for friendly 'Mechs kept on the ridge above Campo Pass. He receives 1 point per ton of enemy 'Mech destroyed, and I point per ton of friendly 'Mech which remains unreleased. The Attacker accumulates 1 point per ton of enemy 'Mech destroyed, and 1 point per ton of friendly 'Mech which remains operational on the ridge by the end of Turn 15. The side with the higher number of Victory Points at the end of the game wins. Tactical Notes The Defender must maintain as many 'Mechs as possible in an unreleased condition, awaiting the arrival of the main Davion force. He will have to balance his forces, attempting to destroy the attacking 'Mechs with the smallest tonnage of his own 'Mechs he can manage. The Attacker must attempt to engage all of the Attacker's 'Mechs, forcing them to abandon the ambush. The more Attacker 'Mechs which survive the engagement the better, of course. Back to BattleTechnology 6 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1988 by Pacific Rim Publishing. 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