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[Darrian Wolffe]

26 September, 2779


The campaign has nearly ended.  General Patrick Scoffins surrendered what remained of the Unity City defenses to General Kerensky ten days ago, and the hunt for the usurper himself was on.  Intelligence was completely fooled; via a brilliant electronic and physical deception campaign, every SLDF analyst believed fully that Stefan Amaris lay somewhere inside the city on the Puget Sound.  Now, practically every WarShip, DropShip, Areospace Fighter and Conventional Aircraft makes frantic trails across the sky, searching for the most wanted man in the Inner Sphere.

For you, it's as if you've come full circle.  Spared combat duty after the hell of the Anchorage Landings, you played rear-echelon security while fresh elements secured Alaska and swept south through the Yukon.  In June, the remnants of the 741st Striker were ordered to cantonment at an improvised DropShip landing site where you spend the next two months on "ready-response" alert; far enough from the battle lines not to be caught up accidentally, but a mere hour or so's DropShip flight time from the forward combat zone north of Vancouver.  The view from Chevron Peak is astounding, and on clear, sunny days you can look down into the valley between your camp and Mount Storrs with your binoculars.  Though you argue amongst yourselves regarding it, you all harbor the sensation that the lee side of a very large rock in that valley looks very familiar.  Thirteen years ago, you think, you were very grateful for the shelter which that boulder provided as you took count of your pitiful band of survivors.

Vancouver fell on 15 July, and Portland on 20 August.    You redeployed further south, to Spokane, on the 23rd of August, to help guard the rear of the SLDF Armies that should make the final assault on Unity City.  And there you sit, recovered and recuperated, but out of the fight, simply because there isn't room for another regiment to operate in the Unity City invasion.

And so now the campaign has nearly ended.  Unity City surrenders, and the hunt for Amaris is on.  You sit around the makeshift hangar and twiddle your thumbs; usually metaphorically, occasionally literally.  All of you look desperately forward to the end of the war which has consumed your lives for fifteen years. 

Which is when Lieutenant Reed, passing by the sleek, idling form of WO Banzai's Land-Air-Mech with bottles of bourbon pinched between his fingers, two to a hand, hears the radio squawk to life.

"Jon?  Jon?!  It's Peri!  From Omega-3.  Are you out there?  We need help!"

Two bottles of very good bourbon meet their end on the pavement as Reed swarms up the boarding ladder, one hand tapping the comm bead at his throat and calling for Banzai to get on the tacnet.  Banzai sprints to the nearest radio as Reed tunes the incoming message in to the company network.

"Peri, this is Banzai.  Good to hear your voice.  Are you okay?"
"It's bad, Jon.  We need help here, and fast.  We're being hit by a force of Rim Worlds raiders.  Rebecca and Roger have been trying to delay them with some of the Wasp LAMs we have here, but Rebecca's hurt and we're out of fuel for Roger.  I saw your IFF on the satellite feed, and - "
"It's OK, Peri, we'll get help."
"Jon, you don't understand.  We've got two hours, tops, before they're on top of us.  You've got to get out here.  We've got..I can't say over a channel.  It's something that'll help the war - something that can take down Amaris.  You've got to help us!  Anybody else would go through channels and they'd take too long getting out here.  But you -"

A powerful vibration rumbles the tarmac, and you recognize the sound of a DropShip warming up its engines.  Freund's voice breaks into the feed.

"Everybody load up.  Banzai?  Let's not keep the lady waiting.  Liftoff in five."

[Darrian Wolffe]

26 September 2779
The skies above South Dakota

The frantic squawking of 17th Army command has faded in the light of Major Freund's revelation that you're answering a plea for help from a secret weapons lab.  You're unsure whether they agree with you or are simply unwilling to expend the effort of scrambling fighters to shoot you down.  In any case, you're looking at a combat drop against unknown and hostile forces in rough terrain.  The plan is simple.  Set down without breaking your Mechs too severely, shoot any combat unit that isn't you, and get the civilians back to the DropShip.


ALL DAMAGE IS REPAIRED, ALL EDGE IS REFRESHED.

1) Battleground: The combat area will be 3x2 mapsheets in size.  The north end will contain the PC's DropShip.  The South end will contain the entrances to the underground base.

North
[][]
[][]
[][]
South

2) Deployment:  PCs will deploy on the north and central mapsheets via low-altitude drop.  They are coming in from a low enough altitude that the NPCs will not have the opportunity to fire upon them.  

NPCs will deploy on the central and south mapsheets before the PCs deploy, but will only mark occupied hexes.  Then the PCs will drop, and then NPCs will be placed.  Accidental DFAs as normal.

3) Rescue: There are three objective markers in this scenario.  There are two wrecked LAMs on the board, one where Rebecca Buck crashed her LAM when she passed out from her injuries, and one where Roger Bannon ran out of fuel and deadsticked into something resembling a landing.  Finally, there is the entrance to the underground Omega-3 base.

Either of the LAM pilots can be rescued by spending TWO CONSECUTIVE End Phases adjacent (and on ground level) to the crashed LAM.  Once an SLDF Mech moves within 6 hexes of the base entrance, the remaining staff will make a run for it in a vehicle (Piloting 5) during the following Movement Phase.

Objective Points are awarded for bringing the rescued pilots adjacent to the PC DropShip (landed on the north Map), and by moving the scientist's vehicle adjacent to the DropShip.

4) DropShip: The hurried nature of your departure left many of the DropShip's crew on the ground.  The Union DropShip has no gunners aboard, and thus may not fire weapons.

5) Badlands:  The terrain in the Badlands is notoriously poor.  
-Any Piloting Skill rolls to remain standing or avoid skidding (including for WiGEs) are at a +2 penalty (+1 for NPCs, as they have had time to acclimate to the footing).  Yes, this applies to the combat drop.  No, the LAM doesn't have to actually "land".
-In addition, ANY use of Jump MP requires a PSR to remain standing at the end of the movement; penalties apply as normal (including the "Badlands" penalty).  
-Finally, the winds ripping across the terrain create dangerous wind shears; any Flank MP expended by a WiGE vehicle results in a PSR at the end of a movement phase where the WiGE unit remains above ground level.  Failure on this PSR means that the WiGE unit "skids" 1 hex in a random direction; if this intersects terrain, take damage as though from a 2-level fall in the direction struck (and check for pilot damage), but the WiGE retains its facing and may move normally the next turn.

6) Bigger Targets: NPC units may not fire at the ground vehicle if there is a nearer SLDF mech/LAM unit within range and LoS.  If modifiers create a to-hit of that nearer unit of 13+, then the nearer unit does not count.  NPC units may not fire at the downed LAMs.

SLDF Objectives:
1) Rescue the Scientists.  4 VP per LAM Pilot rescued.  8 VP for the scientist's vehicle rescued.
2) Destroy the enemy!  1 VP per unit destroyed.

RWR Objectives:
1) Silence the Facility: 10 VPs for destroying the scientist's vehicle.  4 VPs for destroying an SLDF Mech containing a LAM pilot
2) Destroy the enemy!: 2 VPs per enemy unit destroyed (not cumulative with Objective 1)

[phlop]

MSgt Schwepps has been using the time in bivouac to work on his piloting skills. His ability to handle his mech has been a bit lacking and figured this down time was as good as any to better his ability to handle his beloved Ostroc.

OC: spend 100 XP to raise the piloting to +6 from 5. Reduces his piloting to 2.   Got it.

[Riegien]

Hawker grits his teeth as the dropship goes skyward.  As the G's drop, he starts checking in with the others. 

"Lt Reed, could you get on the horn with Intel and see if they know who's operating in this region?  Banzai, can we see if your people can forward me any radio intercepts they have of their hostiles?  I'm guessing they've got the equipment that they may be able to do that if they can pick up your IFF from here and I want to see if I can work over their encryption and narrow down their frequencies while we're en route.  Reverend, do you have any stored music of the Black Watch Regimental Band handy for when I break their comms?"

[Hat]

Yamamori completes his system checks for a second time, still amazed at times that all systems are green.  The parts issue had finally gotten resolved and so his readings weren't constantly showing something in the red.  His luck really had changed.  He spent a moment looking at the picture of his wife before tucking it away, the end of his readiness prep.  Comms sounded with Hawker's inquiries and while waiting for a reply from the LT or Banzai, he added his own request.

"Major, what's the plan based on current intel? Am I correct in expecting that the LAM pilots will be a priority for the trailing element on the way in and lead the tactical withdrawl with cover fire?"

[agustaaquila]

I'm not a musician, but there may be something in the Mechpilots book of smarts and songs.  Let me see and recall what intell reports I read on this area.

(GM, career:soldier roll to see if I can recall intel reports and briefings on known or suspected opfor in the area.  I have no idea what to roll for the music.)

[Riegien]

Ah, I'm sorry.  You had the bagpipes that you executed in front of us.  I assumed you were a fan.

[Darrian Wolffe]

From the information you get back from the base, it seems as though they're being assaulted by an Amaris-aligned mercenary unit, though one you're not familiar with.  Fortunately, the base has extensive sensors throughout the area to track weapons tests.  You're facing the following forces:


FS9-H Firestarter
STN-3Lb Sentinel
ENF-4R Enforcer
ENF-4R Enforcer
SHD-2Hb Shadow Hawk
EXT-4Db Exterminator
EXC-B2b Excalibur
ST-8A Shootist
WHM-6Rb Warhammer
WHM-6Rb Warhammer
VTR-9B Victor
BNC-3E Banshee

...and a pair of areospace fighters, who have spent time orbiting the area at high altitude keeping a recon on the area to watch for fleeing personnel.  They seem to be a pair of SL-21 Sholagars, weighed down with external ordnance or some sort.

A small vehicle column idles to the southwest of the base - likely their support units - but being several kilometers back from the FEBA will serve no significant role in the fight.

(OOG: All of these sheets need printing.  All Mechwarriors are Gun3/Pilot3.  All ASF pilots are Gun4/Pilot3.)

[serrate]

Freund allows the initial chatter to die down before he bothers to say anything. These guys are seasoned vets, and often their initial gut-check reactions indicate crucial areas of concern.

"Look, the way I see it, those LAM pilots are exposed and vulnerable. They're the initial priority. The scientists in the bunker are safe right where they are, for a couple minutes at least. We drop in with our brawlers up-front. Our spread deployment allows us to move quickly in a traveling overwatch, with snipers and fire support covering the brawlers.

"We need our fastest units to pick up these pilots and get them out, while the rest work to clear the field." Freund points to Banzai, and then Reed, "That means you guys. Banzai, you take whichever one is further out, but don't outrun your fire support on the way in. Get those pilots out, get them back to the dropship and then get back in the fight.

"For all of us, we don't slow down for anything. Once Banzai and Reed have the pilots, we push forward with all haste to the science base. When they see us coming they're likely to run for it, and at that point we'll have to make sure we give those Rim Worlders something else to shoot at. Once those scientists are behind our front line, we begin to pull back towards the dropship. Keep it tight, no one gets left behind. Questions?"

OOG:
1) This scenario should be sub-titled, "Rob tries to finally kill Steve's LAM."
2) The way I see it, no one should get close to the base (within 6 hexes) until those pilots are secured and on their way back to the dropship AND until we've got enough firepower up-front to deal with protecting that vee.
3) Rescuing the pilots: Rob's rule states that a mech must remain adjacent for 2 consecutive turns. The rule does NOT state that the mech must remain in the same hex, or that it can't otherwise use it's available movement to create a modifier.

4) Lastly, I will NOT be at this game. I stated this in my post on June 28th (http://forums.cincybattletech.com/index.php?topic=439.msg4299#msg4299), and have mentioned it at the last 2 games as well, but I wanted to be sure it had been noted. I asked John to run my PC and he seemed surprised by this news, so I'm restating so that no one else is surprised/irritated on Saturday. Sorry I can't make it, I really wish I could.

[Black Omega]

ooc  sheets printed

"Hawker, I found a couple of music files that might work.  Both are over 1000 years old.  The first is by some guy named Wagner--The Ride of the Valkyries.  The second is by a guy named Williams--The Imperial March."   (^_^)b Good NEW stuff is SO hard to find. 

[Ice]

"I have a bad feeling about this one guys." an anxious Moon manages to say after serious thought. He waits a few minutes longer and asks "What unit is this and what kind of fighting have they seen? Does anyone have any ideas?" He contemplates asking about how long will we have until other units get there but remembers why we are going in the first place. The other units are simply to far out. "I guess we know why the lab was hidden where it is. The terrain and conditions there are horrid. Why are their support units idled so far away though? Are they artillery units possibly and are we walking into a trap?" The questions continued to come to his mind about this coming battle. "Is there anyway to figure out what kind of ordnance those fighters have? I really do not want to be vaporized by some last nasty surprise." He paces back and forth now refusing to sit down. He just keeps thinking and trying to calm his nerves for the battle to come. He continues to think "Somebody know something...anything" He stops and looks at the rest feeling that odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. "If anyone has any thoughts I will be recording some last second things. I think now is as good a time as any to update the last log and will" He leaves the room headed for one of the quarters. After a few minutes of walking his thoughts clear he enters the room and starts his recording. "For whom may receive this message. Yeah you know who this is I made it this far hopefully so have many others of our family. Just doing the normal run through before a battle missed a few as of late though. I leave the will as previously written except for the part I retrieved from General Babcocks command chair. I want that to go to dad or joseph.I do have words I need to express to you all. I want to let everyone know that I fought until the end and have seen the bitter battles most will come to read about. I want you all to be proud of our family instead of thinking about what happened previous to the war. I want you all to have hope again. Hopefully this war will come to and end soon and hopefully nobody ever has to get this message. Sometimes you have that feeling and can not shake it. You know the one in the bottom of your stomach like something will happen. Maybe it will not be this battle maybe it will not be the next. Hopefully it is just outright wrong." Allan pauses the feed saves and sends. He thinks "That is about all I can really say."

[agustaaquila]

Notice to the 741st:

Per Lt. Hanney's request, any memorial service will be postponed until Stefan Amaris, the pretender Lord, is brought to his right and just end.  Any seeing his fellow chaplain's are encourage to ask after their health, and to sing them the following song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQTmtEcrNuI   (yes, this is a christian hymn)

[Ice]

The ride back from the battle was a long one full of sad and uneasy thoughts. He looks around at the empty space that used to be filled. "I had that bad feeling. I guess it was for a reason. I just wish I had been entirely wrong." He gets up and walks to his quarters.

[serrate]

OOC: Could someone provide a brief AAR?

[ItsTehPope]

OOC: Could someone provide a brief AAR?

Lances deployed by the numbers, command lance retrieving the LAM pilot closer to the base in canyon, lance 2 swapped out Schwepps for Hanney with Lance 3 and pushed the base to escort the vee out.  3 Lance deployed to retrieve LAM pilot 2

Command lance dropped fine and retrieved the pilot but got bogged down in terrain and heavy fire, but was able to eventually exfiltrate.  Heavy damage reported to Osprey and other units.  LAM actually went airborne at one point.

Lance 2 pretty much did what was needed and called it a day.  Excalibur was lost due to damage clustering

Lance 3 fell flat on its face by the numbers during their drop.  Pilot recovered while under heavy fire from a Banshee that loved to kick things.  Hanney was killed when he attracted the attention of two passing Shologars when they bombed him to death.  Biron made said fighter regret his decision in career choices however.

I'll finish this later