Smoke Jaguar Dossier: Locust IIC

Smoke Jaguar Dossier

Type: Battlemech

Name: Locust IIC

Mech Class: Light

Weight: 25 Tons

Tech Base: Clan

Description:
One of the best known BattleMechs in the Inner Sphere for its low production and operation costs, the Locust is also well known in the Clans. In 2832, Clan Mongoose unleashed an upgraded version of the venerable 'Mech on the Clans, known as the Locust IIC. The speedy design complemented Mongoose tactics, enabling them to win many Trials. When Clan Smoke Jaguar absorbed the Mongooses, they became the owners of the production line on Circe. Since it is a second-line unit Inner Sphere MechWarriors rarely see it in action.

Armament: 
Designed as a fast and light reconnaissance vehicle, the Locust was also tasked with fast-strike raids and at least became a front-line unit in the Inner Sphere. Larger than the original Locust, the IIC gives MechWarriors comparable speed with more protection and terrifying offensive capabilities. The main armament consists of a Medium Pulse Laser, flanked by eight Extended Range Small Lasers, allowing the Locust to be an excellent anti-infantry BattleMech with capabilities to harass heavier BattleMechs. Its larger size also allows it to be a more durable weapon platform, the Locust IIC is a far more difficult enemy than its Inner Sphere twin.

Captain Nash's Analysis:  You folks have already faced one of these guys.  Just realized you never saw the dossier on it.   Might just be the scariest 25 ton mech ever created.  Keep it at arms reach and you should be ok.  When those eight ER small lasers come into play is when it gets ugly. 



Tech Readout: http://www.solaris7.com/TRO/HTMLBattleMech/BattlemechInfo.asp?ID=912

Mission #7: Prelude

Setting: Port Arthur, Southern Hemisphere, Smoke Jaguar Firebase Gamma, Primary Communications Room.  One week after the assault on his Firebase, Star Captain Gehrig is contacted by Star Colonel Giambi.

Star Colonel Giambi: Well Done Star Captain.  It pleases me that you have Firebase Gamma back up to 100%.  Now tell me of your mechwarriors and their mechs.  I have a mission for you.

Star Captain Gehrig: Sanders is fine. His Mad Dog was mostly untouched during the assault.  Sax took some significant damage in his Huntsman, but that was repaired as of yesterday.  "Tommy John" took some engine damage with his Summoner, but he took priority in the repair bay and should be fully repaired by tomorrow.  Wells is in need of a replacement, his Hellbringer was a total loss.  My Timberwolf is now being repaired, but it most likely will not be ready for about a week.

Star Colonel Giambi:  A week is too long.  My plan is for you to strike the HPG the day after tomorrow.  I'll be sending you two replacement mechs...

Star Captain Gehrig:  (Holding up his hand, interrupting Giambi) Star Colonel, I only need the one for Wells.  I still have the "Iron Horse". 


 

Star Colonel Giambi:  You still have that relic?  I have told you numerous times a non-omni mech is beneath your station.  You should be rid of this "Iron Horse".  It is from a bygone era, and better technology is available to you.


 

Star Captain Gehrig:  Respectfully Star Colonel, I am a Star Captain thanks to that relic.  Furthermore, I believe that in an assault, such as the one you are planning, the "Iron Horse" will perform better than a Timberwolf.  I feel a measure of a warrior is how he uses the tools gifted to him, not through the use of performance enhancing technology.  Just a replacement mech for Mechwarrior Wells, thank you.


Star Colonel Giambi:  Very well.  (Grinning to himself) Oh, I have just the replacement for that dezgra warrior.  He will never sit in an omni-mech again under my command.


 

Star Captain Gehrig:  It will matter little to that one.  I believe he is beyond caring... so long as after the battle, his platter full of food and his cup full of ale.  

Star Colonel Giambi:  Bah! I would ship him back to Huntress if the means available. (pauses briefly, looks down over his notes)  I'm also sending you a unit to join in the assault.  Star Commander Mattingly and the rest of his star should be arriving at Firebase gamma in a couple of hours.  Use them as you see fit.  They have recently been reassigned from the north and I know little of them...(looks up and in a sacrastic tone) Other than they pilot second line mechs, so you should feel right at home with them and your "Iron Horse".   I'll contact you in eight hours with the details of your assault on the HPG.  Giambi out. (Screen goes blank)

Star Captain Gehrig:  (shakes head, rolls eyes.  Then pushes an intercom button, which broadcasts to the entire firebase.)   This is Star Captain Gehrig,  We have a Star of Jaguar mechs inbound, should be here withing the next two hours.  Furthermore, would all mechwarriors report to the briefing room immediately, we have a mission. 

Smoke Jaguar Dossier: Warhammer IIC

Smoke Jaguar Dossier

Type: Battlemech

Name: Warhammer IIC

Mech Class: Assault

Weight: 80 Tons

Tech Base: Clan

Description:
The original Warhammer was designed as an assault BattleMech. However, it had been overrun by heavier 'Mechs, though it remained a powerful weapons platform. The Clans wisely maintained and built on this solid frame a real assault 'Mech, the Warhammer IIC. Thanks to their technological expertise, they were able to add ten tons with the same speed and firepower. The Warhammer IIC is built on an Endo Steel frame and is protected by twelve tons of Ferro-Fibrous armor. The result is a dangerous 'Mech, able to hold its own in any battle against the Inner Sphere.

Armament: 
Paired Mk. XVII ER PPCs allow the Warhammer IIC to inflict fifty percent more damage than the regular Successor States' PPCs. Added to an SRM-6 launcher and five Medium Pulse Lasers, this firepower overwhelms most 'Mechs of equal or lesser tonnage. Twenty double heat sinks keep the design relatively cool.

Captain Nash's Analysis:  It's going to start getting scary from this point on.  First of the Jaguar Clan assault mechs you guys will probably face.  Too bad you did such a number on Star Captain Gehrig's Mad Cat, recon satellites have confirmed that one of these beasts is his back up ride.  Recommendation, given the choice I would stay at range with this monster.  The twin ERPPC's are scary, but not so much as the 5 Medium Pulse Lasers, ERPPC and SRM6 it unloads when she gets close. 









Tech Readout: http://www.solaris7.com/TRO/HTMLBattleMech/BattlemechInfo.asp?ID=914

Mission #7: Mechs selected

Mechs have been chosen for Mission #7.  We will be defending the HPG firebase that we took from the Nova Cats.  There were a lot of good mechs to be taken.  A little surprised both the Warhammer and the Catapult fell through, but there really wasn't a bad choice in the bunch.

 

 A walk down memory lane, just showing the mechs you guys had used up to this point.

Current Mechwarrior Roster.  Larry is just a short story and an image away from having his 10th kill, Resetting his spawn point to 10, and earning his 3rd skill.  Four of you have the sensor skill...That will make any city fight we may have quite a bit easier.

Mitch will be out.  Fab landed a new job, so not sure of his schedule yet.  Might be a smaller group than normal.  Hopefully we have seen the end of the sub zero temps too.

Player Dossier: Walter "Maverick" Sobchak

1st Davion Guards Dossier

Type: Mechwarrior

Name:  Walter Sobchak

Callsign: Maverick

Unit: 1st Davion Guards, 7th Company

Battlemech: Penetrator PTR-4D

Specialty:  Lasers, ER Lasers

Status: KIA, Port Arthur, Operation Bulldog

Walter is a widowed alcoholic with a short temper living in the Okefenokee system with his mother and little brother (Earl). Outside of being the towns mechanic, his days and nights are spent drinking and bowling with Earl, and playing the Solaris VII, a stand-up arcade game at the bowling alley. Eventually he becomes the highest scoring player of the game. Shortly afterwards, he is approached by a Davion Guard's recruiter, named Theo.  Theo lures Walter onto a shuttlecraft, with the promise of ale and women.  But before Walter realizes what is going on, he is on New Avalon, training to be a mechwarrior at NAIS.

The game was designed as a test to find those "with the gift" and only those that score high enough get a "visit" from the Davion recruiter. Walter set the high score throughout the Federated Commonwealth.

.

Before Walter can attend his first training class, word of a pirate raid on the Okefenokee system reaches New Avalon.  Apparently the worst ever.  Walter demands that if he is to stay in the Guards, he must first go back to defend his homeworld.  Theo reluctantly agrees, going back with Walter.  Upon arrival, back in Okefenokee, Walter finds both his Mother and Brother have perished in the raid.  Walter fully commits himself to the Davion Guards at that point.  Knowing the skills he will learn will give him the best chance at revenge. 

While on New Avalon during his training, Theo introduces Walter to Nash, a grizzly old dropship captain and former mechwarrior one evening at the Officers club.  They eventually get into a drunken brawl, and each sees the strength in the other and they become good friends.  Nash gives Walter some pointers and guidance during his training on the workings of a battlemech. The 1st Davion Guards, who are very suspicious of the new recruit, who was brought in due to his skill at a video game. After the first couple battles he earns the call sign "Maverick" because of his lack of knowledge of in the ways of mechs and mech warfare, but his willingness to fight in his own way.


Maverick was assigned to the 7th company of the 1st Davion Guards upon graduation from the NAIS.  He is one of the longest standing active members of the 7th and currently pilots a Penetrator PTR-4D Battlemech.

(Written by Fab, Edit by RangeRob)

Mission #6: After Action Report (Debriefing)

Location: Briefing room, HPG station, Southern Hemisphere, Port Arthur.

Captain Nash addresing the mechwarriors after their failed assault on a Jag firebase.

  Wow, that could have gone a little better.  At least you all made it back.  Glad we got that Mechwarrior recovery hovercraft working.  She got a good workout yesterday.

Alright, you guys have faced tough tests before, this was the toughest.  Command thought you guys were on a roll, and probably put you into a situation that left too much up to chance.  I however am not of the same mind set.

You guys had this, but acted like a bunch of wet behind the ear recruits.  Here is where I see your could have improved.

1) Whose idea was it to use a gunline rather than concentrating your forces on one point?  Pushing a flank as one group might have helped.  Sure a couple might have taken the brunt of the firebase defensive fire, but that would have allowed the others to engage at short range relatively untouched.

2) Did I forget to send you the dossiers of the expected tanks at the base?  When looking at those, don't just look at the weapon loadouts.  Also look at the Armor, and how fast they are.  Lookin at the Pike and the LRM carriers, if you guys gotten to a side wall and forced them to move in order to engage at you, it might have been a little better for you.    

3) Way back in Terra's history.  Armies used to have Commisars.  They were officers, that insured the objectives of the mission were accomplished.  If a soldier retreated in the face of the enemy...he would have been an example to others as to what happens to troops that retreat during an advance.  Putting the pressure on the clanners was key.  Falling back after taking a couple of hits, or in the face of a squad of toads...not that good of an idea.

4) Toads.  I think I overstated how dangerous they actually are.  At most they can take a ton of armor off of you.  Sure if they get on the head of your mech, you are in trouble, but facing volley after volley of an LRM carrier that can strip 4 tons off...easy choice which I would rather face.

5) I must have forgotten to mention to try to take out the Power building to drop all the turrets at once rather than take each one out.

6) Movement will help keep you alive when assaulting.  Not using your max speed when in range of the enemy guns, will make you a prime target.

Anyway, rant over.  Glad you all made it back.  As you know we have been assigned garrison duty here at the HPG while we lick our wounds.  Command has given us quite the selection of heavy mechs to fill out our roster.  Some of you may notice the Mechwarrior Meech is not here at the briefing.  He took a tumble climbing out of the Venom.  Apparently there was some hidden damage on the access ladder and a rung let go on him.  He will be down at least a month (Player in Florida for next months game).

I fully expect a counter attack by many of the same forces we just faced.  They will probably leave the tanks at their base and hit us with some mechs, maybe elementals.  Be ready folks.  Look over the new mechs we have, and start familiarizing yourself with your selection.

Dismissed.

(OOC) Mitch will miss the next mission, he has given up his pick to help the team...he will get the first pick next time through no matter the killboard or dead mechwarriors.  Jay is staying in the Daikyu, so Kyle your pick.

Mission #6: Killboard, Mechbay, Roster and Mech Selection order

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 #6.

It was asked what the heck Aggressive play means.  Well it is a tool I use to help catch players up to the others, or to give some points where a player may not have earned any.  But to earn it you must play aggressively...meaning no falling back, or hiding behind a building.  Goes back to my Battletech is a long enough game don't make it longer than it needs to be speech that you all have heard many times.

Next up are the Mech losses.  Players lost a freakin lot.  Dragon Fire, Maelstrom, Peregrine, Komodo, Grand Dragon.  The Crab was also too badly damaged to repair and was shipped back to command.



Command has given us a garrison duty while we review our latest action.  We got some pretty sweet rides to use as we Defend the HPG we took from the Nova Cats.  Our new mechs are:
Marauder, Penetrator, Crusader, Grasshopper, Thunderbolt, Warhammer, Rifleman, and a Catapult.  Furlow has also taken the c3Slave out of the Venom and added back the Medium pulse laser, making it the 9K version were we don't have a C3Master to link it to at the moment.


 New look of the Mech Bays with all the changes.

Mechwarrior Roster after Mission #6

Jay, you reached 10 kills, so I lowered your gunnery, you also have a skill choice from the regular or veteran skills.

Fab and Larry, you guys are within 1 kill of your 10th.  You also have yet to turn in a Character Dossier.  Turn one in and get the bonus kill bumping you to the next level essentially.  For your dossier to count, you must have a background story, (How you got into the Lucky 7th) plus a picture or two of what your guy looks like.


Derek, you hit 5 kills.  So you can lower your piloting by 1 if you wish or wait for 10 kills (like everyone else) and lower your gunnery.  You also get to chose a 2nd skill from the regular skills list.

Here is the mech selection order for Mission #7 (Hint, we will be using almost the exact same map, only you guys will be defending)


Mitch
Jay
Kyle
Fab
Larry
Scott
Jeff (Blue Falcon)
Dereck

Lee
Gregg
Derek

Get Pickin'

After action report for Mission #6 to follow....