From Interview, Lt Kahil Holt, Team Banzai February 18, 3029 Interviewed by Maddelena Brandt, Battle Technology WeeklyNews BT: About the 'Mech, Lt Holt? Holt: The modified Rifleman, yes. BT: There's a lot of advice on the battlerecorders over the last several days of the fighting concerning this experimental 'Mech. Holt: Yes, Doc Banzai ... (swallows) the Doc was testing a new type of heat sink. My lance mates gave me all kinds of grief about it. The advice was mostly, "Don't let it overheat! "It's a powerful 'Mech, but it's a hot one. BT: During the action at the river island, didn't you run into problems with the 'Mech? Holt: (Flushing angrily) If you call it a problem when my 'Mech shuts down while the snakes are slaughtering us! I could determine the position of the two larger 'Mechs with my MAD. They were hidden on the island, but there was so much noise I couldn't tell anyone. I had to watch the Battlemaster from the Bravos walk right into the trap, and I couldn't move! BT: What was the noise? Holt: Everybody was yelling! The Highlanders were chasing down four 'Mechs, just the two of them, screaming something in Gaelic; I heard later it was "Biood for blood revenge!" Look, we were from three different units; we had only time to set one frequency between us. There was no clear line of command... BT: You got control of your 'Mech back and then... Holt: Then I got into the rhythm of it, and used the Rifleman right. You have to move and fire, move and fire. Then you can burn out a nest of murdering snakes. Are you reporting what they did to Dr Banzai? Are you telling what they did to those two cities, poisoning their water with bacterials? Are you? BT: We'll be reporting those incidents, yes. Any last words about the Rifleman? Remember, some of our readers may be in those modified 'Mechs soon! Tales Your Mother Never Told You This scenario represents one of the most interesting small battles to take place during the fight for the planet of Northwind. Six routed 'Mechs from the 36th Dieron Regulars chose to make a stand in a gully with steep walls. They were able to hide two of their most powerful 'Mechs until opponents were upon them. Had they faced enemies who were less able or less motivated, the history of this action might have been different. Game Set-Up: Lay out BattleTech maps as shown, or use blank hex paper. All land terrain is rough, representing the dangerous footing at the bottom of the ravine. Defender: The defender represents elements of the 36th Dieron Regulars. They are routed troops, and so demoralized. All 'Mechs have taken some damage. Lt Daniel Shane, Wolverine: Piloting 3, Gunnery 4 (AC 5 gone). Sean Crane, Hunchback: Piloting 5, Gunnery 3 (Left Arm inoperable). Mikial Zortek, Panther : Piloting 3, Gunnery 4 (3 heat sinks destroyed). Dack Carawthord, Javelin: Piloting 3, Gunnery 5 (sensor hit, + 1 to to-hit roll) Mick Stevens, Locust A : Piloting 3, Gunnery 2 (2 pts armor gone from CT, 1 from LT) Rick Stevens, Locust B: Piloting, 3, Gunnery 5 (3 pts armor off RT, 1 off CT, 2 off LT) Defender Set-up: Wolverine in Level 2 area or on island. Javelin on Level 3 area or on island. Other 'Mechs are around Lake in various positions. Attacker: Attackers consist of elements from Team Banzai, Bradley's Bravos, and Marion's Highlanders. Samuel Trath, Bradley's Bravos, Battlemaster: Piloting 3, Gunnery 3, SRM 6 gone Kahil Holt, Team Banzai, Modified Rifleman: Piloting 2, Gunnery 1, no damage Doug McLain, Marion's Highlanders, Archer: Piloting 3, Gunnery 5, 6 pts armor gone, LT Hanse Forrester, Marion's Highlanders, Vindicator: Piloting 3, Gunnery 2,Left Arm gone All attackers but the Rifleman enter from North end of the board at the same time. The Rifleman shows up two turns later. Victory Conditions: Neither side will back out of this battle. The Highlanders have just heard of the use of bacterial warfare on their civilian population; Dr Banzai is badly injured; the Bravos took a pounding earlier, and now all are out for blood. If the 36th Dieron Regulars win this fight, they will escape to their DropShips and be able to leave Northwind. The attackers will fight until all defenders are dead. The defenders will escape at all costs. Modified Rifleman Mass: 60 tons Internal Structure: 6 Tons Engine: 11.5 Tons Walking MPs: 4 Running MPs: 6 Jumping MPs: 0 Heat Sinks: (2 are double) 12 2 Tons Gyroscope: 3 Tons Cockpit: 3 Tons Armor Factor: 120 Points 7.5 Tons Head: 3 6 Points Center Torso: 20 22/4 Points Rt/Lt Arm: 10 15 Points Rt/Lt Torso:10 15/2 Points Rt/Lt Leg: 14 12 Points Weapons & Ammo Type Loc Crit Tons Large Laser RA 2 5 Large Laser LA 2 5 PPC RA 3 7 PPC LA 3 7 Medium Laser CT (R) 1 1 Medium Laser LT 1 1 Medium Laser RT 1 1 Back to BattleTechnology 8 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1989 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