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[Darrian Wolffe]

Hey, we wrapped earlier than I expected (too cold to shoot some stuff)!  I'm giving a bit more detail about this fight than normal, because so much of it is a "fixed" scenario given the historical data.

From the get-go, remember, as per the canon fluff for the Somerset campaign this is effectively and intentionally not a "winnable" scenario; the point is how long you can hold on before ceding the field.

General Info
A 35x60 board looks like this (both side's forces will be spread across it fairly evenly - it's a line fight, after all):
North
[][][][]
[][][][]
South

The purpose of this battle is to hold on and keep the Falcons pinned here(ish) while the dependents and secondary forces (Rangers, for example) pack up and load onto DropShips for planetary evacuation.  The longer you can give them, the better off they'll be.  Both sides will receive significant ASF support for free, and Rangers will only be able to use ASF BSP support (assuming you don't want to leave the artillery behind).  FWIW, Clan forces are advancing to contact and will be compelled to push intelligently towards the south board edge rather than stay back at 19-23 hexes and play "moonwalking: the game".

Clan Mechs which break through the line will have a chance to cause randomly-determined casualties among Ranger units and personnel.  This chance is higher the earlier in the game they break through.  Edge can be burnt for the *person* to survive, but not equipment.  Or people without Edge.  (Thank you for the abstracted mechanic here!)

Abstract Emergency Evacuation Rules
Per exiting Mech or Elemental Point, TN8+ to cause casualties. (Mech of 30 tons or less gets a -1)
Turn 1-4 = +3 (die roll modifier)
Turn 5-6 = +2
Turn 7-8 = +1
Turn 9-10 = +0
Turn 11-12 = -1
Turn 13+ = -2

Roll 1d6 per Breakthrough Mech (Elemental Point can only roll a 3, 5-6; other numbers are lost)
1-2: Randomly determined Mech is destroyed and cannot be salvaged (not deployed in the scenario) (crew killed 1-2/6)
3: Randomly determined Combat Vee is destroyed and cannot be salvaged (not deployed in the scenario) (crew killed 1-3/6)
4: Randomly determined Support Vee is destroyed and cannot be salvaged (not deployed in the scenario) (crew killed 1-4/6)
5-6: Personnel casualties (1d6 random non-space personnel killed; 2d6 personnel if Elemental Squad with at least 3 suits remaining)


Oh, and zellbringen is not in play during this game, unless an Officer (one of yours, Andrew, Sirius, or Daphne) directly challenges a Clan unit to a 1-on-1 duel and the Clan unit accepts, in which case, the Clan forces will respect that unless zell in that duel is breached.

Command
The local CO is Reaper Lance (Tactics, +3); both other lance commanders have a lower Tactics score, and all local lance COs are LTSGs, so there's no chain of command issue.  In AtB, when the CO has been killed during a campaign, you can replace him with a new CO.  However, the new CO's skills seem to have a virtual -1 penalty for the remainder of the contract (only as those skills apply to running the unit; your Initiative Bonus wouldn't be hurt by a -1 in Tactics, for example).  Additionally, there seems to be a Morale penalty of some sort which I'm still not sure what it actually does.  Finally, Command Rights drop "down" to Integrated, if they weren't already there.

Reinforcements
Finally, any Ranger reinforcements MUST come from a Scout Lance.  The current Scout Lances which matter are:
Bright
Dancer
Freya
Midnight

It would behoove Scout Lance commanders to post into a thread somewhere what their current status is and what they can bring to a fight so soon after getting shot up in the last 2 battles.  IMO, a max of 2 lances is probably reasonable (this would make a 6v6 game viable).  Also remember that pilot damage can carry across to this fight - nobody has the opportunity to make more than a single Doctor roll per wounded pilot, since you only get the roll for "the day after".



A few Mechs were replaced with stuff that's technically "later" in the invasion (note that the Turkina and Night Gyr do appear in the CJF Sourcebook) solely for miniature availability reasons.  I also tried to make sure that nobody is getting stuff with useless variants for this sort of fight (which should explain the Atlas, along with a few others).  Alexei's Centurion is a jury-rig to replace the one he lost during the Academy Grounds fight; he will be receiving an SPA or two appropriate to his customed Mech as a reward for his sterling service there.

[Hat]

In terms of Midnight as a possible reinforcement lance, my options are limited.  On the 11th I have 2 serviceable 'Mechs - Royal Shad modified to 5/8/5 and a Mk I P-Hawk LAM.  I have extra pilots, but no useful SPA.  I'm willing, but there are likely better choices.

[serrate]

Cool scenario.

Clan Mechs which break through the line will have a chance to cause randomly-determined casualties among Ranger units and personnel.  This chance is higher the earlier in the game they break through.  Edge can be burnt for the *person* to survive, but not equipment.  Or people without Edge.

I'm assuming that units (actual mechs, not support/spares) on the field won't be subject to this random destruction, which presents an interesting conundrum for players running OpFor. The better they do with the objective, the more of their stuff gets destroyed.  

[serrate]

Do clan forces have to stay stationary in an edge hex for a turn in order to exit the board?

[Timberwolfd]

So, can we lose another Steiner commander to a headshot this game?

[Hat]

So, can we lose another Steiner commander to a headshot this game?

Interesting question. Related to that Andrew Steiner wasn’t associated with the New Ivaarson Chausseurs as far as I’m aware. Is adding him there a way to “fix” the fact that we saved him the first time around?  A bit disappointing that we won’t be able to capitalize on our earlier good fortune.

[Darrian Wolffe]

Interesting question. Related to that Andrew Steiner wasn’t associated with the New Ivaarson Chausseurs as far as I’m aware.

He's not.  But I wasn't going to create a THIRD allied force with the 2 meaningful survivors of the Academy scenario (Andrew and the Centurion pilot with all the headshots), so he got attached in to the 2nd's formation.  He could have also been attached to the 8th Arcturan and it would mean the same thing.

As for why he's here...he's the commander of the planetary defenses.  Of course he's going to be here, as long as he's alive/uncaptured.

Do clan forces have to stay stationary in an edge hex for a turn in order to exit the board?

That'll be answered when the full scenario drops.  There are still possible rerolls, after all.

I'm assuming that units (actual mechs, not support/spares) on the field won't be subject to this random destruction

This question is answered in the rules for the scenario already posted.

[Timberwolfd]

Scout Lances and Conditions
Bright - Pristine (Hasn't engaged yet)
Dancer - Looks like good shape
Freya - Some losses and heavy damage (Combat capable?)
Midnight - Mauled (2 mechs viable)

So I would recommend Bright and Dancer for reinforcements

[Darrian Wolffe]

Freya can field:
Grasshopper (8 points of existing IS damage)
Grasshopper (pristine)
Crusader (pristine)
Javelin (11 of 15 rounds remaining each of Inferno and Standard SRM ammo)

I haven't rolled out Elsa's single pilot hit yet, but otherwise, everyone is fine.

[Black Omega]

Dancer One to Ranger Commands

Dancer Actual released from MASH morning of 5/11.  Dancer Lance combat ready in standard config of:
PXH-1x
BJ-3
PXH-3Mx
GLD-4Rx

FS9-Hx also available

Dancer One out.

[Timberwolfd]

Interesting question. Related to that Andrew Steiner wasn’t associated with the New Ivaarson Chausseurs as far as I’m aware.

He's not.  But I wasn't going to create a THIRD allied force with the 2 meaningful survivors of the Academy scenario (Andrew and the Centurion pilot with all the headshots), so he got attached in to the 2nd's formation.  He could have also been attached to the 8th Arcturan and it would mean the same thing.

As for why he's here...he's the commander of the planetary defenses.  Of course he's going to be here, as long as he's alive/uncaptured.

How many pilot hitsare they starting with?

[ItsTehPope]

Interesting question. Related to that Andrew Steiner wasn’t associated with the New Ivaarson Chausseurs as far as I’m aware.

He's not.  But I wasn't going to create a THIRD allied force with the 2 meaningful survivors of the Academy scenario (Andrew and the Centurion pilot with all the headshots), so he got attached in to the 2nd's formation.  He could have also been attached to the 8th Arcturan and it would mean the same thing.

As for why he's here...he's the commander of the planetary defenses.  Of course he's going to be here, as long as he's alive/uncaptured.

How many pilot hitsare they starting with?

The centurion that got off the board on the academy mission had one (Come to think of it, nearly his entire 'Mech was without armor, and several sections), and Steiner had none.

[Ad Hoc]

Unless someone can give a strong argument to reroll weather or light, since they are the only things that can be, there will be no rerolls. I will give final decision tonight or Wednesday morning.

[Timberwolfd]

Unless someone can give a strong argument to reroll weather or light, since they are the only things that can be, there will be no rerolls. I will give final decision tonight or Wednesday morning.

I might actually recommend the worst possible weather and light. It will be a PITA and slow things down, but the mission is delaying action. Anything that slows down movement in particular is good. So trying for pitch black may be worthwhile. Especially when PB has a lower modifier for physical attacks and a modifier for PSRs. That may mean some of the clanners actually fall when kicked. Weather is more useful for reducing the weapons that can be used. Like tornados removing missiles or storm giving ballistics +2 and missiles +3. The majority of the IS mechs are primarily energy and ballistic. Weather is obviously less effective than light though.

[Ice]

I almost argue against weather and darkness- hitting them is hard enough as is for stuff like the summoner or dragonfly it's near impossible while they get great numbers to hit us still

I will look at mods after work