Introduction
This scenario has two parts. Part I is for the moderator, and/or the person who will be playing the Defense. Part I is Eyes Only for the moderator! Part II is "flavor," the orders given by House Steiner to rectify the problem on their colony planet, New Horizon and the orders given by the Pirate leader to his troops. Players should not know the other side's strengths if at all possible.
This scenario is meant to be fast and dramatic: the less each side knows about the other, the better!
This scenario can also serve as a quick convention game. It has been designed to begin with unequal forces, then tilt the balance back towards center. How far to center can't be predicted. Just like in real combat, luck will determine much of what happens in this battle.
Part I: Game Set-Up
Background
The year is 3025. A Steiner colony just outside the Inner Worlds periphery, New Horizon, has been raided by pirates. Unlike most pirates, however, these seem to be looking for a permanent home. Perhaps they hope Steiner will overlook their intrusion. Maybe they're just stupid.
Whatever the case, House Steiner isn't going to let the Pirates retain control of their colony, however small. Such laxness would only encourage other raiders, not to mention damaging Steiner expansion efforts beyond the periphery.
Scenario Details
This is a quick, short BattleTech scenario, Technology is 3025; nothing fancy. Initial number of Mechs: 6. (alternately, technology and tonnage can be adjusted to fit personal tastes; see below). Sides: 2. Live bodies: 2-5. Time to play: 1-3 hours (assuming a reasonable amount of rules savvy). Moderator: if a player, must play for the Defense.
Before play, the person who is most excited about getting his or her pals together to run this scenario should prepare the record sheets.
Map
See drawing. The buildings should be placed one hex apart for convenience, not for realism. Note that one long map-edge is impassable cliff-face with some navigable hills near the center of the map-edge.On the hills in the center of the map are jutting cliff hexes. 'Mechs with Jumpjets can land atop these level 2 hexes, but 'Mechs cannot walk or run to the cliff-top hexes, The Defense also places one or more hexes of 'Mech wreckage five to ten hexes from the buildings. The wreckage does not affect movement.
Defenders
'Mechs: Phoenix Hawk, Catapult (or substitute with 2 'Mechs totaling 85 tons).
These 'Mechs are battered and patched. Before play, roll randomly a successful hit from an LRM 15 against the Catapult (or largest 'Mech). Ignore any result that would clean the armor entirely off one area (re-roll any target locations that would result in this event). also reduce the Catapult's LRM ammo by about 1/3.
The Pirate pilots are veterans: their piloting and gunnery skills are 1 better than average, or 3 Gunnery and 4 Piloting.
Depending on skill level of the participants, 3-6 platoons of Rifle infantry may be added to the Defense, each reduced by 1-6 soldiers.
Defender Deployment
The 'Mechs begin the game hidden (not literally on the map), along with the Infantry. Players on the Defense should note, by hex number or relative position of other terrain, the position of their units. The Defense should also deploy a six-sided die on one of the buildings to designate their "HQ."The Defense is also responsible for placing 1-3 hexes worth of 'Mech wreckage on the field.
Attackers
'Mechs: Shadowhawk, Centurion, Hatchetman, Quickdraw (or substitute with 4 'Mechs totaling 160 tons)
These House Steiner 'Mechs are well-maintained and of course fully stocked. The 'Mech pilots, however, are average, with Piloting of 4 and Gunnery of 5.
Attack Deployment
After the Defense has set up the map, the Attackers must pick 1 or 2 map-edges from which to enter.
The long map-edge designated as "cliff" cannot be selected.
Victory Conditions
Defenders: destroy at least 1 House Steiner 'Mech and then escape. The Infantry can disperse and escape, but at least 1 Pirate 'Mech must also escape.
Attackers: destroy or capture the enemy. Contain the enemy: do not allow the enemy to escape. Lose no 'Mechs or end with 4 'Mechs under Steiner control (capturing a Pirate 'Mech intact or at least functional makes up for losing a 'Mech).
Special Rules
Visibility: Visibility is 16-21 hexes due to light, patchy fog. (15 + 1D6 Hexes)
Who Plays What: The players who adopt the role of Attacker in this scenario should not pick individual 'Mechs at the beginning. Instead, the Steiner-side players should take turns moving all the 'Mechs on their side until contact with the enemy.
The Bomb
The Pirates have rigged a damaged 'Mech engine to explode with great force upon a radio command. The bomb inflicts damage to all units within five hexes of the bomb hex, The bomb can be placed (by the Defense) in any hex with 'Mech wreckage in it.
The Defense can decide to detonate the bomb at any time, but the damage is resolved immediately after fire combat (if any) is resolved The bomb automatically destroys any 'Mech in the same hex, For other 'Mechs within the radius, the damage is resolved in 5 point increments using the facing of the 'Mech (for example, if a 'Mech has it's back turned directly to the origin of the blast, the damage is resolved as a Rear Attack).
Damage done by the bomb, out to 5 hexes: 1=75, 2=60, 3=45, 4=30, 5=15. Beyond 5 hexes from the center of the blast the bomb does no damage.
Danger! Having your 'Mech destroyed by a bomb can be traumatic and no fun: that's why the House Steiner players should not select their 'Mechs until after contact with the enemy (and an exploding bomb counts as "contact!")
Infantry and Infantry Morale: Any Infantry platoon that loses more than 10 strength points immediately shatters: the unit is immediately removed from the board. Players who are unfamiliar with the Infantry rules can substitute 4-7 small lasers rigged in makeshift, camouflaged 360 degree turrets on the building roofs, Each can be targeted normally after it shoots, and each takes 10 points of damage to put out of commission.
Tweaking Play Balance
In the event the bomb knocks out more than one House Steiner 'Mech, the Attackers can't fulfill their victory conditions. If the bomb does truly tremendous damage, one option is to inform the House Steiner team that the best they can hope for is a draw. Supply the team with a new 'Mech (just use the sheet for a 'destroyed' 'Mech) and declare it to be an officer's 'Mech coming to help at the last minute. Let the fight go forward: if the Attackers can deny the Pirates victory, then the battle is a draw (but the Pirates will have won the most bragging rights!) In the event the bomb fails to tilt the odds in the Pirate's favor, the Pirates are out of luck. Moderators wishing to increase the 'fun' factor can increase the number of Infantry platoons, implement simple mine fields "as if they were always there," or even duplicate the Phoenix Hawk light 'Mech for the Defenders. Victory for the Pirates should be made more difficult as a result, but that's War!
Aftermath
If House Steiner loses one or more 'Mechs (and fails to capture any 'Mechs intact to make up for the loss,) then their border colonies are in for a few years of opportunistic raiding. If the Pirates are soundly defeated despite their rogue tactics, then House Steiner will enjoy quiet borders...for awhile, at least in that sector
Part II: Player Briefings (House Steiner)
Part II: Player Briefings (Pirates)
Scenario Maps
Back to Shadis #31 Table of Contents
© Copyright 1996 by Alderac Entertainment Group
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