Maps:Open Terrain 2.....Scattered Woods......Rolling Hills 1
Woodland............City Suburbs...........Open Terrain 2
Open Terrain 1.....Woodland...............Lake Area
DeploymentFedCom Force 1: Deploys after FedCom Local Forces, anywhere in the Grey Zone shown on the map. FedCom Force 1 units may not deploy in the same hex as FedCom Local Force units, nor may deploy north of any Local field gunner units.
FedCom Local Forces: Deploys first, anywhere desired in the Blue Zone shown on the map, prior to deploying FedCom Force 1 units. They may deploy on top of, but not inside of, buildings.
FedCom Force 2: Enter the board on their initiative on turn 1. Force 2 units must enter through the Red zone, and only 1 lance from Force 2 may enter onto a single mapsheet.
Ranger Forces: Deploys after FedCom Force 1 and Local Forces. Deploys within 5 hexes of southern board edge.
Ranger Reinforcements: May either deploy by walking onto the board though the Purple Zone on their initiative during their arrival turn, or may deploy anywhere on the middle three mapsheets via airdrop on Turn 2. They are being dropped from high altitude (so the DropShip may not be fired upon from the ground) and will therefore spend a turn in freefall, actually landing on the board on their initiative on Turn 3; meaning they can be fired upon while airdropping as per the normal StratOps rules (+6 hexes range, +3 TMM on Turn 3, +3 TMM on Turn 4). The decision whether or not to airdrop must be made prior to the beginning of deployment, but the specific map/hexes upon which the Rangers may airdrop need not be made until the
end of the movement phase on Turn 2.
FedCom Reinforcements: Enter the board on their initiative, along the western edge of the middle mapsheet.
Environmental ConditionsHigh Gravity (1.3-g): Jumping MP are not affected by 0.7-g conditions. Recalculate all Walking/Cruising MP values to the following, and then figure Running MP from there:
Move 1/2 = 1/2
Move 2/3 = 2/3
Move 3/5 = 2/3
Move 4/6= 3/5
Move 5/8 = 4/6
Move 6/9 = 5/8
Move 7/11 = 5/8
Move 8/12 = 6/9
If Jumping MP are used, make a PSR at the end of that move, using all standard modifiers, (but no inherent high-gravity penalty). If the unit fails, each leg takes 1 point of Structure damage to each leg for EACH "lost" Walking MP suffered by that unit (in this case, each leg of the Grasshopper reduced to 3/5 from its normal 4/6 speed would suffer 1 automatic Structure damage), and a Determining Critical Hits Table roll is made for each leg. VTOLs and WiGE units do not modify their MP and are therefore not subject to this internal damage as long as they spend airborne MP.
All Piloting skill rolls to stay standing and avoid skidding suffer a +1 penalty; this DOES effect VTOLs, WiGE units, and penalizes the TN to send an ASF out of control (or shootdown checks) by 1 as well.
All direct-fire ballistic and missile weapon attacks suffer a +1 penalty to hit. This is a change from standard rules; TacOps says that for every 0.2g above or below 1g OR FRACTION THEREFOF, to suffer a +1 penalty. Mathematically, this means that a 1.00001g world incur a penalty, which is ludicrous. Hell, for that matter, you'd suffer a penalty by being on a mountain instead of at sea level, because the gravity is lesser up high. I'm overriding it to say for every FULL 0.2g above or below 1g.
All BattleMech fall damage is increased by 1 point (including, potentially, applying a 3rd grouping), and the PSR to avoid damage from falls is increased by 1 point (a TN 5 PSR is a 6, instead).
BattleMech Fall Damage from a failed airdrop is multiplied by 1.3, rounding up to the nearest 5-point grouping, and the +1 PSR from gravity very definitely applies to the landing roll.
Battlefield SupportRangers: The Rangers have up to 36 points of battlefield support available to them; no artillery unit may fire more than three times. If you choose to make an airdrop. you may denote up to 4 ASFs. These
must purchase Air Cover options and are used solely to defend the DropShip. (Note: Ranger players should have the DropShip record sheets in attendance.)
FedCom Forces: FedCom forces will have 28 points of battlefield support available to them. They may have the option to purchase a limited number of air attack options which may be used solely to attack the DropShip on Turn 3 when it makes its airdrop pass.
Victory ConditionsRangers1) Scout the North edge of the map (within 3 hexrows) and return at least one of the scouting units to the southernmost board edge (ending the game once the final qualifying scouting unit exits the board). Scouting a board edge takes 1 full turn being stationary (ie, no "immobile target" TN modifier) within 3 hexrows of the target board edge. The scouting unit must end the game south of the green line, with no enemy units within 3 hexes, in order to count as a scoring unit.
2) At the end of the scenario, ensure that you have at least 8 total Ranger units capable of spending MP.
3) Ensure the Liaison unit survives and is capable of spending MP at the end of the scenario
OPFOR1) Prevent any units which have successfully scouted the north board edge from exiting the southern board edge (this is automatically achieved if the north edge is not successfully scouted).
2) Destroy, cripple, or render incapable of spending MP, at least 8 Ranger units.
3) Render the Liaison incapable of spending MP.
MISCELLANEOUS
1) Exiting the battlefield requires a unit to remain stationary at the board edge for 1 turn. Only a single spent MP is required to move offboard (ie, the environmental MP penalties doesn't apply; or, more specifically, the Minimum Movement rule overrides it).
2) OPFOR MechWarriors will attempt to capture any ejected Ranger MechWarriors in this scenario, unless a Ranger BattleMech target in LOF is equally as close (or closer) than the ejected MechWarrior, or the Ranger BattleMech target is within 8 hexes and subject to a valid LOF in any case.