Smoke Jaguar Dossier: Howler (Baboon)

Smoke Jaguar Dossier

Type: Battlemech

Name: Howler (Baboon) 

Mech Class: Light

Weight: 20 Tons

Tech Base: Clan

Description:
The Howler was first observed among Clan Jade Falcon second-line units, though it has since been proven to be much more widespread. The BattleMech the Inner Sphere dubbed the Baboon is moderately fast for a 'Mech its size, topping out at 119 km/h. Its armament is at least partially enabled by the use of an Endo Steel structure and three tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor.


Armament: 
The Howler is a potent missile boat for its size. Meant to provide fire support to light garrison Stars, the 'Mech carries three LRM-5 launchers and three tons of ammunition.

Variants:
Howler 3 is a prototype in use by the Smoke Jaguars.  Apparently impressed with the capabilities of the Inner sphere Hollander battlemech the Smoke Jaguars scientists looked to improve upon the single weapon light mech design.  The Howler 3 exchanges the standard engine with an XL and adds MASC.  The saved weight allows for the 3 LRM's to be replaced by a single ERPPC with a Targeting Computer.  This design makes for a very capable sniper style mech.




Captain Nash's Mission #2 Analysis: If the Jags have any of these Baboons around, just get close and and crush them.  If they happen to the Prototype with the ERPPC...get close fast and crush them.

Tech Readout: http://www.solaris7.com/TRO/HTMLBattleMech/BattlemechInfo.asp?ID=894

NARC, TAG (tweaked rules) and Missile selection

Little post about some Rules for the campaign.  These may impact which mech a player will take.

With the Raven secured after Mission #2, our Sensor expert, who just happened to have the 1st pick selected the Raven.  How will this impact the game?  Here is the Raven Stuff (Some of this has been posted before)

1) ECM - Essentially will create a 24" Bubble around the Raven that will mess up enemy electronics (Artimus, Narc, sensors, etc...)

2) Probe - along with it's spotting hidden unit ability, it will give one extra level in the Mechwarrior sensor skill tree.  (So Poe will now have the SENSOR ADVANCED skill)

Name: SENSOR ADVANCED
Type: general
Description: Can spot Active units out of LOS within 36”, can tell if those units are Vehicle or Battlemech.  Must have SENSOR Basic Skill.

3) NARC - Magnetic homing beacon, when attached will increase the number of missiles that hit the target mech.  This will stack with any missile skill you may have, but will not stack with Artemis.  you must have Narc tracking missiles loaded (LRM or SRM)

4) TAG (Tweaked rules) - Normally TAG is only for Arty spotting, Seeing as how I have no intention of using Arty in the campaign...I had to make this useful so here goes...  TAG will work with every weapon system in the game.  Before the Fire Phase, the Raven can attempt to TAG a target.  If the target is hit, all weapons shot at that target can ignore the targets movement modifier.  For LRM's to use this you will have to loadup with Semi-guided missiles.  Semi-guided LRM's can fire indirect with out indirect fire modifiers at a TAGged target.

EDIT: in order to use the TAG tweaked rules, you must have the Sensor mechwarrior skill.  Otherwise the TAG works as written in the rulebook.


So this means you will have to select which type of missile ammo you are loading before each mission.
A) Regular
B) Artemis equipped (Needed if you have artemis attached to the launcher)
C) NARC Homing (To seek after a Narc homing beacon)
D) Semi-Guided (LRM's only)
That's all for now...

Mission #2: Killboard, Salvage, Mechbay and Roster

First up the Killboard. This is it set in stone, don't like it too bad.  Kills are awarded for bold actions, doing or saying something that makes most or everyone in the room laugh, and whenever I feel like it.  Anyways here it is for Mission #2.

Click for larger image

Next up are the Mech losses.  Players lost a Panther, Whitworth and Valkyrie.  So Josh, Poe and Caster are are mechless at this time.


  We didn't get any salvage from this mission but there is quite a bit of good news.  First the Bad news, Merloni wasn't forthcoming on his injuries from the dropship crash.  Turns our he has a broken leg, and a pretty bad concussion, without proper medical facilities he won;t be piloting a mech for quite a while.  That puts the Raven in our Mech Bay. 

  Next up, Tech Juan Manillo is quite the weapons expert.  Turns out he worked in an AC factory before becoming a mech tech.  He was able to piece together an Clan Ultra AC2, from the parts of the 11 Ultra AC2's we faced in the first battle.  That along with the other clan salvage, and the Koshi cockpit that Maverick grabbed means we can add a Koshi D to our Mechbay at this time.

  Finally the best news of all.  While you were on mission, Viper was approached by a the heads of a couple of local cattle farming families.  As Port Arthur was being over run in 3050 by the Smoke Jags there was a Kuritan lance of the 1st Sword of the light that trapped on world.  They hid their mechs in the barns of the Okajima and Matsuzaka farms.  The Mechwarriors were later captured by the Smoke Jags, but the mechs were never found.  They have sat there for almost 10 years.  The Matsuzaka and Okajima families have no love for their Smoke Jaguar oppressors, and while they are not thrilled about handing over the mechs to a Davion unit, they see this as the best chance to strike at the Jaguars.  They may smell a little ripe, but they will help us take the fight to the Jags.  We now have a Phoenix Hawk, Shadow Hawk, Wolf Trap and Wyvern...four solid medium mechs added to the mech bay. 

  Mechwarrior Roster after mission #2

Poe and Josh need to pick their second regular bonus skill from the mechwarrior skill list.  They also need to choose with they want to spend the 5 kills to improve their piloting or wait til they have 10 kills to improve their gunnery.

Here is the mech selection order for mission #3 (Corrected)
Poe
Josh
Jeff - Lower tonnage current mech tiebreaker
Caster - Bumped up two spots for two player kills (Blue Falcon Rule)
Pillsbury
Mitch
Viper

Maverick
Larry

That's all for now...