Mission #3: Recon Photos

Here are some quick overhead shots of the farms.

Entire Battlefield

Okajima Farm

Matsuzaka Farm

River that separates the two farms.

Players will enter from either corner by the roads.  Players may split their force any way they wish.

River is one level deep.  Bridge has a CF of 50. 

See yah next Friday.

Sensors, Moving units out of LOS and how it will work.

Ok this will be the first mission where the sensor skill will really come into play with regards to enemy units.

Here is how it will work.

If you have a Mech in Line Of Sight and within 54" at the end of the a given active enemy units movement phase, the enemy unit miniature will be placed on the board.  (I came up with the 54" from the longest range weapon you have available. The clan Ultra AC2 on the Koshi)

Yes this may create some times where you move around a corner first to reveal what is behind there, then the enemy moves back out of LOS during it's move, I will place a wooden block to mark the unit.  I don't expect this to happen in this battle, but will be much more likely if we get into a city fight.

I will use common sense for this as well.  If during movement an enemy unit zooms from one piece of cover to another through an open field that is within LOS of 3 or 4 of you guys, then yes I'll probably place a wooden block marker.

Your mech is not like a WWII tank you do have some good computers and sensory equipment on it.  If an enemy unit is not in LOS, but within 12" at the end of the movement phase, I will place an enemy unit marker (A wooden block).  That way you will know where they are.  I will use the wooden block for movement the next turn.

But what about the Sensor Skill and Active Probes?

Now for sensors.  Anyone with the sensor basic skill or an active probe on their mech has the range increased from 12" to 24".  Pillsbury has an Active Probe on the Koshi so his non-LOS spotting will be 24".

The Sensor Skill stacks with the Active Probe.  So Poe has the Sensor Skill and the Raven has an Active Probe He will have a Non-LOS spotting of 36".  In addition Poe will be able to tell if the unit is a Vehicle, Infantry or a Battlemech.  (At higher levels he will be able to tell the weight class of the mech or vehicle, or even the exact unit at the top sensor level)

The idea behind these rules is to add suspense and a level of tactics to the game.  They don't come into play often, but when they do you will see having the sensor skill is quite handy.

Smoke Jaguar Dossier: Jenner IIC

Smoke Jaguar Dossier 

Type: Battlemech

Name: Jenner IIC

Mech Class: Light

Weight: 35 Tons

Tech Base: Clan

Description:
The Jenner was first fielded in 2784, the same year the Exodus fleet that would eventually become the Clans left the Inner Sphere. How exactly they acquired this design is not known, but what is known is that the Clan version fields Clan weaponry, so it is known as the Jenner IIC. This second-line BattleMech is still a fast light that is now capable of delivering plenty of short-range missiles. To achieve this, it uses an XL Engine, Endo Steel structure, and mounts only three and a half tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor. It also carries enough jump jets to leap up to 210 meters at a time. This results in an expensive garrison 'Mech, but one that is still in production nonetheless.

Armament: 
This fast striker carries a Streak SRM-4 and two SRM-6 launchers. This hail of missiles can quickly overcome a light 'Mech, though it does leave the Jenner IIC vulnerable to opponents who mount an Anti-Missile System.

Variants:
Jenner IIC 2 - This support variant replaces the short-range missile launchers with an ER Large Laser and an LRM-5. A Small Pulse Laser provides defense against conventional infantry and other units that stray too close. Its jumping capacity is increased to 270 meters.

Captain Nash's Mission #2 Analysis:  Clan SRM boat.  Would be more scary if thee clanner's didn't stick to one on one duels.  Very little armor on this thing.  If it slows down enough to hammer it, do so.


Tech Readout: http://www.solaris7.com/TRO/HTMLBattleMech/BattlemechInfo.asp?ID=875

Smoke Jaguar Dossier: Manticore Heavy Tank

Smoke Jaguar Dossier       

Type: Vehicle

Name: Manticore Heavy Tank

Vehicle Type: Tracked

Weight: 60 Tons

Tech Base: Inner Sphere

Description:
The Manticore is one of the best-designed and most powerful tanks ever created, built to combat BattleMechs in support of infantry formations. Although the Manticore mounts a variety of weapons to handle a variety of combat roles and ranges, and is heavily armored for a vehicle of its weight, it is not equipped to deal with the raw firepower of super-heavy vehicles such as the Demolisher or the Behemoth. Despite this lack, the popularity of the Manticore has remained high, even during the Succession Wars era with its use of a expensive and rare Fusion Engine.

Originally developed by TechniCorp during the Reunification War, the destruction of the companies head office on Terra during the Amaris Coup spread the Manticore across the Inner Sphere as other manufacturers absorbed their facilities.

Armament:
The tank's main weapon is the Parti-Kill PPC, backed up by a SureShot Mk VI SRM-6 rack. The SRM is mounted on top of the main turret, just above and behind the particle cannon. It is mounted on vertical and horizontal swivel mounts, giving the pack a full 120-degree arc of fire independent of the turret. Both PPC and SRM are supported in their respective range brackets by a Far Fire Medium Missile Rack and OMI High Burn Medium Laser. 

Variants:
3058 - With the rediscovery of Star League lostech, Defiance Industries developed an upgraded version that focuses using advanced tech to improve the tanks weapon array, while retaining as much of original design as possible to ensure easy field upgrade of existing Manticores. The PPC was replaced with a Large Pulse Laser, trading a slight reduction in range for increased accuracy. The removal of the medium laser and associated heat sinks in exchange for a Streak SRM-2 rack freeing up space and weight to add Artemis IV FCS to the original SRM and LRM racks. For increased survivability, Defiance increased the Manticore's protection by upgrading its armor to Durallex Super Ferro-Fibrous.


Captain Nash's Mission #1 Analysis:  Solid all around tank.  Capable at all ranges.  You can bet that the solohama units that have these are using the upgraded variants with the Large Pulse lasers.  Getting around to the rear armor will be your quickest way to eliminate this threat.

Tech Readout:
http://www.solaris7.com/TRO/Vehicle/VehicleInfo.asp?ID=660

Vehicle Rules refresher

So I know we screwed up the rules for vehicles the first time through in Mission #1.  This post is to give a little refresher to you and me about how Vehicles work.

The new Total Warfare rules changed how Critcals worked on vehicles with a new chart and everything.  It differs quite a bit from how critical work on battlemechs.  Here are the main points.

1) When rolling damage location on a vehicle and you roll a 2 or 12 you automatically get a roll on the crit chart.  If you are shooting at the vehicle from the side You will also get a crit roll with an 8.  So get to the sides of those vehicles for crits on 2, 8, and 12.

2) Each time you do internal structure damage you get roll on the crit chart.  Not a roll on how many crits you do like with Mechs.  You get one roll on the crit chart.

3) The Crit chart varies with shot location with 4 charts (Front, Side, Rear, and Turret)  You roll 2d6 and check your result.  2-5 on the chart is no effect.  6-11 does various damage to the vehicle, 12 destroys it outright.  You can hit the ammo on an 11 with shots from the rear or turret which will take out the tank unless it has case.  So No real easy way to take out a tank with crits.

Then there is the Motive system damage chart.  The motive chart is kind of like a crit chart the impacts only the vehicle's movement.

1) When rolling damage location if you roll a 3-5 or a 9 you get a roll on the Motive damage chart.  "TRACK HIT!!!"

2) Again you roll 2d6. A 2-5 is no effect, 6-11 slows the vehicle down to various degrees, 12+ immobilizes it.

3) 12+? you say.  Yes you get modifiers to this chart depending upon the type of vehicle and the direction of the shot.  +3 to the chart for hovercraft, +2 for shots from the side, etc... So yeah shooting hovercraft from the side gets your +5 to the roll...7 or better immobilizes it.

A vehicle is considered destroyed if you take out all the internals in one location, or get a critical result that says vehicle destroyed.  The new tables make vehicles a little more tough, but easier to immobilize.  Remember a hovercraft that is immobilized over a water hex is destroyed.  Also there is a -4 to hit an immobilized vehicle (or building, or overheated mech) so there is your easy route to offing tanks.  Immobilize them, then pummel them..

Mission Briefing: Mission #3

Mission 3: Defend the Farms  

Primary Objectives:
+ Defend Matsusaka Cattle Facility
+ Defend Matsusaka Farmhouse
+ Defend Okajima Cattle Facility
+ Defend Okajima Farmhouse

Secondary Objectives:
+ Destroy all Smoke Jaguar forces

Mission Briefing:
  Got to respond fast to this one folks.  One of the workers on the Okajima farm apparently became a Smoke Jaguar informant.

   Tojo Matsui had worked on both the Matsuzaka and Okajima farms for the past 5 years, all under the Smoke Jag oppression.  Apparently Matsui went to the city of Kobe to celebrate his birthday, with his good friend Wataru Nomo.  While there he had a few adult beverages and starting talking.  He spoke of the farms uncovering hidden Battlemechs to the bartender, and how he didn't want to rock the boat as it were.  He liked his life working with the Smoke Jaguars and didn't want to see it change. Turns out, a Smoke Jaguar official was sitting just down the bar from Matsui.  Before Matsui knew it he was taken away to the local Smoke Jaguar Barracks.  Nomo, who happened to be in the restroom, snuck away as Matsui was being taken into custody.  He returned at once to the farm to inform Masters Okajima and Matsuzaka of what had happened.


    It is reasonable to believe the the Jags will strike hard at the farms.  They must be being pressed hard in the Northern Hemisphere and can not afford to have the populace rise against them in the south.  I'm betting they will attempt to make an example of the two farms.  We can't let that happen.  We are the reason the farms are now in danger we must protect them.  There is also political dangers of two Kurita family's falling to the Jags after helping a Davion force.  Not protecting them might damage the newly founded Star League.  Besides, this is a great chance for some quality Clan Salvage.  No telling what all the implications will be if we fail to protect these Farms.    

Expected Jaguar forces:
  We have to hope that most of the heavy and assault Jaguar Forces to have been re-deployed to the north.  I wouldn't imagine that they would send too big of a force to destroy the farms.  Betting some tanks and maybe a light-medium Star of Clan Mechs.  I would guess most of the mechs you saw in our last encounter with the Jags will likely be part of the force.  Just hope that Star Captain Gehrig in his Mad Cat doesn't decide to tag along..


  Will relay recon photos of the area to your mech's while you are your way.  All four buildings are relatively close to one another.  The two farms a separated by a shallow river (one level deep) that can be easily crossed by mechs.  Not knowing which way the Jags will be coming I would suggest keeping a force near by each of the farms, assuming the Jaguars don't beat us there.

Good Luck!

- Nash out -

Mission #3, Primer

  When the Clans began their march to Terra they carved a large swath of territory through the Inner Sphere.  The Smoke Jaguars were brutally efficient on some worlds, Port Arthur being one of those taken in just a couple of days.  The majority of Draconis Combine forces were pulled for the defense of Port Arthur before the Jaguars arrived in the system.    

  Those many loyal to House Kurita were left behind, commanded not to cause trouble with their new Jaguar oppressors.  They were to await the return of Combine forces to retake the world.  The theory being to retain the infrastructure of the Port Arthur. The other reason was to avoid another incident like Turtle Bay, where the Jaguars destroyed all major cities on world from orbit using their Warships. 

  Two long time farming houses were ones that stayed behind.  The Matsuzaka family and the Okajima family had been raising cattle on Port Arthur since it's founding.  The planet has a climate and rotation very similar to Terra.  The soil is very fertile and flora from earth had little trouble adapting.  This opened the door for the importing of terran livestock.  The Matsuzaka farm produced a Kobe style beef, the Okajima specialized in raising a mid-western north american style black angus.  The two families had been producing some of the best quality, most sought after beef in the Draconis Combine.  Now under the jurisdiction of the Smoke Jaguars, they are merely a meat market.  The Jags only care about output and that the bellies of their soldiers are full.    

Tsi-i (Captian) Kumiko Matsuzaka

  The most recent generation of the families each had a member serving in the Combine forces on Port Arthur.  Both remained as part of a token resistance force.  Kenji Okajuma was a mechwarrior for the 1st Sword of the Light, he fell in battle with initial contact with the Smoke Jags.  Kumiko Matsuzaka was a lance commander for the 1st Sword of the Light.  Her lance was all that remained of the resistance force left on Port Arthur.  Rather than have the mechs in enemy hands she returned to her childhood home to hide them.  She and her fellow mechwarriors were later captured in the nearby city of Kobe and are believe to be bondsmen for the Smoke Jaguars.

  Now, almost eight years later, the heads of the two farming families, Joji Okajima and Masahiro Matsuzaka, have contacted the 7th company of the 1st Davion Guards.  They had become aware of the return of Inner sphere troops to Port Arthur and that major battles are being fought across the Northern hemisphere.  It didn't take them long to figure out that the dropship that crashed landed in the forest that borders their farmland was part of that invasion force.  After a lengthy discussion Joji and Masahiro agreed to reveal the mechs and offer them to the stranded unit.  It was time to be rid of their Smoke Jaguar overlords and this was the one way that they could help achieve that end.