Battletec Issue #5beta

6
NAME: Yamamoto Main Battle Tank Technology Level: 2 (Inner Sphere) Weight: 65 Ton !re": 5
INCOMING!
Movement: Let me start out by saying I'm writing Issue #5 $ after a nice break. I hope you loyal readers didn't !r#i e: get discouraged when Issue 5 didn't show up for %lank: 6 a good while. Things should get pretty much 26' (L )'*' back on track around here, and you should expect&ngine: !ontrol: +*5 an issue e ery !5 days or so. "ight. #ow let's get '*' those keys plunking and send me some good,o"er -mpli.ier : Li.t &/#ipment: '*' stuff. '*' $nfortunately, after reformatting my hard0eat Sink : )' ingle Internal Str#ct#re: 6*5 dri e, I accidentally deleted the reader mail I 2*' recei ed after Issue #!. %nyway, this issue we T#rret: take a look at the latest de elopments in &lan 'host (ear's arsenal, do a thorough looking o er )$*' %erro1%i2 (25)pt *) of the %tlas (attle)ech, and of course there are -rmor: th the usual combat scenarios found in ! *ar and Armor Distribution +mall $nit %ctions. "ound #, of the -aguar T.% comes at you with 6) a )%++I/0 battle in a mountain pass. This%ront: th round, the ! 1ragoons get some unusual alliesSi3e : 55455 in their war with the 2th -aguar 1ragoons and the5ear: $' !!th #o a &at &a aliers. +mall $nit %ctions hasT#rret: $' an unusual battle on +olaris, and the !th *ar takes the fighting into inner space with a water fight. Weapons & Ammo WEIGHT LOCATION ,,! 6*' (T#rret) Opening Shots: #one this month due an error on my part3 Light 7a# 5i.le (T#rret) %ccidentally posted with a pre iously used one. -MS '*5 (T#rret) L5M 5 (%ront) L5M 5 (%ront) The Vehicle War-Book )*5 (5ear) 4This section highlights new vehicle S5M 2 !-S& '*5 (Bo3y) designs being produced across holdings in the Inner Sphere and Clan space. )*' (Bo3y) Submissions to this feature should have a S5M ammo (5') )*' (Bo3y) good background and fluff text to explain L75 ammo ()6) L5M ammo (2$) )*' (Bo3y) what purpose the vehicle serves.]
(attleTech is a "egistered Trademark of 5%+% &orporation. .riginal (attleTech material &opyright by 5%+% &orporation. %ll "ights "eser ed. $sed without permission. %ny use of 5%+% &orporation's copyrighted material or trademarks in this file should not be iewed as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. The sole purpose of this publication is to raise the le el of popularity, and awareness of (attleTech
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man ay that it i more than po i2le; given hi geni# .or vi ion o. 3e ign*
CAPABILITIES: The Yamamoto "a peci.ically 3e igne3 to meet; engage an3 3e troy the MacArthur MBT* To that en3; @r#pp an3 cre" rea one3 2y that the 2e t co#nter to the MacArthurB pee3 "a har3 hitting; eCtreme range capa2ilitie * Dtili?ing the ne" Martyr Tech Light 7a# 5i.le technology allo"e3 Slip1Sho3 to give the Yamamoto a range a3vantage on it peci.ic enemy* 8#t1ranging even the clan1 OVERVIEW: tech ga# ri.le an3 &5 ,,!; the Martyr The appearance o. the MacArthur # #ally allo" the Yamamoto to get it one (3e cri2e3 el e"here in thi i #e) MBT in or t"o telling .ir t12lo" * gro"ing n#m2er among !lan 7ho t Bear %la h1%ire Limite3; a 3ivi ion o. Slip1 .orce came a a hock to 5a a#lha#g Sho3; "on the contract .or the ,article .orce * >ot only "a the !lan # ing a ,roEection !annon that it i3ecar to the vehicle in .ront1line .ighting; the light ga# ri.le* Thi ,,! i kno" .or itB MacArthur com2ine3 3ea3ly .irepo"er #n# #al green h#e "hen .ire3; 2#t "ith ama?ing pee3* other"i e act a mo t ol31tech ,,!B in Slip1Sho3 ,ro3#ction ; Inc* "a #n3er 3amage an3 range* - B#rro" F Ive Tr#e1 contract to the @#ng arme to pro3#ce Trak -nti Mi ile Sy tem "a a33e3 to tank that met c# tom peci.ication * co#nter the MacArthurB L5M rack* When 2attle1rom o. the 3ea3ly ne" !lan - highly #n# #al choice o. t"o Aoom1 tank "ere given to the 3e ign team at Slip1 B#3 L5M15 pack "a a33e3 to the tankB Sho3; the .actory imme3iately 2egan to .or"ar3 .ire envelope* The e la#ncher are retool their @#ng arme pro3#ction line* #n# #al only 3#e to the .act that they "ere Le than .ive 3ay a.ter vie"ing the vi3 ; incl#3e3 to # e a peci.ic tactic: Th#n3er the .inal pec .or the Yamamoto MBT #21m#nition * It "a hope3 that thi tactic "ere 3i tri2#te3 to the line .oremen* "o#l3 allo" the Yamamoto to lo" 3o"n Aetractor in i t that thi #nhear3 o. the .a ter Mac-rth#r; making the clan t#rn aro#n3 time co#l3 only 2e attri2#te3 machine ea ier to target "hile keeping the to the pro2a2ility that a nearly i3entical .a ter tank a"ay .rom the minim#m range tank m# t have 2een late3 .or relea e envelope that i the YamamotoB 2igge t .rom Slip1Sho3 the coming year* 0arol3 "eakne * @r#pp; chie. engineer o. Slip1Sho3; 3enie Mo#nting ome o. the thicke t armor the e acc# ation ; an3 tho e "ho kno" the een on a ne" tank; the Yamamoto can
tan3 everal hit even .rom high13amageman like % is yelled, it was usually wise to clan "eapon * - S5M 2 pack "a a33e3 tolisten. the rear o. the tank; an3 thi i # #ally Three other figures were seated in the same arme3 "ith In.erno ro#n3 .or /#ick anti1booth as % is, though most patrons would ha e vehicle p#rpo e * &ven tho#gh !-S&been hard pressed to name any of them. #ot that protect the cre" compartment; thethe dim light shining on the table between them pro pect o. carry the highly volatileallowed for much study of their features. *hat amm#nition # #ally make the YamamotoB was apparent, howe er, was a distinct lack of concern among the other occupants in regards cre" nervo# * Ae pite thi ; 3#ring im#late3 2attle % is's outburst. again t vario# .oe ; everal Yamamoto 0xceedingly long and thin fingernails were the cre" 3evelope3 the tactic o. # ing the only clue to the nationality of one of the shadowy in.erno to tart .ire along their line o.figures, as he raised his hand calmly. >&ontain yourself, % is. 7ou must admit, retreat* Thi o.ten gave the Yamamoto #perior concealment "hile 3enying the 8ouse :urita's Panther (attle)ech is truly cover the 2#rning "oo3 "o#l3 haveformidable, as light machines go. 8e did not mean to slight your 8ouse +teiner's Commando provi3e3 to the tankB p#r #er * battlemech. The (attle)ech of your parent nation has a respectable history, in its own right.> % is ga e the &apellan a scowl, before again HISTORY: taking his seat. Test runs ha e pro en the durability and ranged firepower of the 7amamoto, and se eral >1amn right, it does3> he grumbled. >.f course, weaknesses as well. 8owe er, the machineI bet you think your &apellan Raven is Aust a recei ed the go9ahead from the :ungsarme earlylittle bit better than either of ours, though. *ellB> in ;<=<. The "asaulhaug military has deployed The smile that graced the &apellan's lips had tell9 se eral of these tanks with raiding units tail traces of pride, despite his attempt to act humble. operating within 'host (ear territory. %s of this writing, reports are filtering in of a >If that it so, then I must concede it is because battle fought between MacArthur and Yamamotowe &apellans designed it after studying both your )(T's is desert canyon terrain on )annadorf'sand our esteemed 1raconis patron's militaries in southern continent. *e can only wait for the action.> >@ardon my defiance,> the :uritan now spoke results of this engagement. up, >but I must refute your logic. The Raven can hardly be classified as a true (attle)ech. Small Unit Actions @erhaps the label of reconnaissance ')ech would "7ou're off your nut3> the rough9looking fellow be more appropriate. The Raven is hardly a threat barked. % silence filled the smoky bar, and all to an experienced Panther pilot.> The &apellan's eyes settled on the small booth. )ost of theexpression soured, but before he could reply, the people in the ta ern recogni?ed % is @erunnetti.fourth person in the booth spoke. 8is face was on e ery gambling license on >*ellCI got to admit, the Panther packs some +olaris 2, and few people on the gaming world serious ranged punch, and the Commando is fast held as much official power as he did. *hen a and a great in9fighter. The Raven...well, it's Aust a
bigger, hea ier Commando, really. #ow, for all9 The 1a ion warrior reached into his Aacket and around ersatility, there's not much you fellowsthrew a wad of &9(ills on the table. can really say when you compare your 8ouse's >I' e had enough of the lip. 7ou guys talk bigC arious designs to our Valkyri. I mean, comeand I smell a wagerC> onCwe can out9range any of you, we're nearly as fast, and we can out9Aump all of your designs.> % is barked a sharp laugh. SITUATION: >.h come off itConce a Commando got past your Valk's missile umbrella, your ')ech'd be 5our extremely wealthy Fand slightly patrioticG taking a dirt9nap in no time.> power9moguls of +olaris92 ha e bet a >7our Valkyri would ha e a considerablyconsiderable amount of &9(ills that their 8ouse's difficult time e en acDuiring a lock on a Raven>standard light (attle)ech is top dog of the Light the &apellan chided. (attle)ech class. @ooling their resources, the >% particle cannon could penetrate the armorfour ha e acDuired their fa orite light ')echs and on any of your mechs with but a single shot.> purchased time in a &lass ; arena. intoned the :uritan. >&an't penetrate a mech like the Commando ifSETUP: you can't hit itC> It was now the 5ederated +uns warrior's turn to 0ach of the four players reDuired for this intercede. scenario places one map of his choice on the >Let's keep it calm, friends. *e' e all spenttable. "oll ,d= for each player. The player with more time in ')ech cockpits than most of the the lowest score places his map on the table first. warriors who fight on +olaris these days. %nd we The next lowest score must place his map either all know each of the machines has its own long edge to long edge or short edge Fnot corner special role to play in our arious militaries.> tip to corner tipHdiagonallyG to short edge next to >'i e us a break, 1ristole. 0 eryone herethe first player's map. knows you piloted a Marauder. 7ou don't know This continues until all four maps ha e been 'Aack' about using a light mech3> placed. 0ach player positions his (attle)ech on >.h 7eahB> snapped the 1a ion. his 8ouse's home map in the corner hex directly >8ai3> opposite of the hex corner where all four maps >Eao3> meet. >1amn right, 5ed9"at. 7ou're long past your prime.> Though each was once a formidable soldier or >% is9samaCyou are not exactlyChow dogladiator, all of these mechwarriors ha e seen your kin put itCa 'summer9chicken'B> better fighting days. 0ach now has a 'unnery >I'm young enough to whip 7.$" butt, Toshi.> +kill of ! and a @iloting +kill of 5. The :uritan glowered at the Lyran official. >@erhaps both of you would do well to remember that I was a 8ouse Liao champion.Mech Units: That makes me more of a threat to you than % is @erunnetti F+teinerG &.)9,1 Commando 0rick &romwell F8ouse 1a ionG /L:9I% Valkyri anyone present does.> the &apellan chided.
Toshi .??awa F8ouse :uritaG @#T9J" Panther 'ow 5eng F8ouse LiaoG "/#96E Raven K
0 er since I took command of a @halanx &luster, I ha e had a lot more free time on my [For game purposes, the 4-crit ECM suite listed on the 1X's official record sheet used hands. I ha e capable execs, and my warriors can by the earlier Raven gives all other players a pretty much take care of themsel es these days. %nother bonus, the 'host (ears do not ha e any -1 hit penalty at all ranges, representing targeting and tracking difficulties (as read in enemies really capable of offensi e action right now, so I do not ha e many battles to fight. the novels). This is not an official FASA 'i en my lack of things to do lately, I ha e rule, but then again, there is no official rule started getting in contact with some of my I'm aware of in regards this rather heavy piece of ECM equipment. If anyone has an +ibkin. 'rant Mthe 'uillotineN is off on frontline official rule on this item, let me know and I'll duty in %lpha 'alaxy, so I ha e been ha ing some interesting con ersations with my +ibkin in amend this scenario.] the ci ilian sector. I had lunch with +amantha the other day. +he is a scientist in the "O1 department, and her VICTORY CONDITIONS: )ac%rthur brains ha e done Duite well for both her and our &lan there. *e had an interesting The last mech standing wins. This is a Le el 69 con ersation, going o er old times in the +ibko tech battle, with the exception of the Raven, soFthose many years agoCoh how thirteen years only munitions from that era may be usedweigh on a warrior.G Falthough Infernos may be used in any non9 +treak +") launcher as per the ()"G. +he was telling me of some of our &lan's latest technical de elopments. .ne of them will VARIATIONS: really surprise warriors in the Inner +phere as well as conser ati es in the &lans. +amanthaPs 8ouse )arik is missing from the line up. di ision re iews old (attle9roms to de elop new +hould players wish to make it a fi e9way battle,ideas and techniDues. .ne thing kept coming up the )arik pilot should use a +T'9;" Stinger,in re iews of our battles with the 1raconis *+@96% Wasp or L&T96/ ocust F#. .#0&ombine. Their &; systems allow them to should be forced to use the ')' ocustCGcoordinate effecti e supporting fire against our (attle)ech, which starts in the centre hex whereunits, and the employment of these systems has all four maps Aoin. This scenario would also workbeen fatal to se eral of our units. +amantha eDually with other tech le els. considered our &lanPs doctrine of cooperation and brotherhood, and reali?ed that 'host (ear warriors could make highly effecti e use of such C tting !"ge a system. By Bob "it don't fit the pattern!" Richter 4!rom the desk o" Star Colonel #evon MacArthur$ %%nd Phalan& Cluster$ Clan 'host (earL #ow, two years later, the 'host (ear ersion of this highly effecti e coordination system is almost ready for deployment to the front lines. +amantha took the basic design from old +tar League records, but she was able to add in our
own ad anced communications systems,as Lyran Q)ech units. +cientists Duickly reali?ed miniaturi?ing the units significantly, she alsothat this had much to do with the ehiclePs caught on to the two basic disad antages of the superior armor, and the fact that, unlike most 1& system. The loss of the central &; computer inner sphere tank units, Rommel and Patton tanks could knock out the entire network, making thewere fitted out like a frontline unitCeDuipped carrier Q)echs high9priority targets forwith a fusion engine. opponents. +amanthaPs solution was to decentrali?e the network. Thus began @roAect )ac%rthur Fnamed, sadly, @art of the work she has done has also shielded for an old 0arth general, much as the Rommel the system against most 0&) systems.and Patton had been, and not for my august $nfortunately, all of these impro ements came at bloodline.G The idea was to build a tank suitable a small cost. .ur ersion of the &; networkfor frontline combat duty. The first priorities cannot link more than ten units at a time, limiting were to fit it with an extra9light engine, and to their use to (inaries of Q)echs or stars ofbuild it on the sturdy frames used by the Rommel 5ighters or Tanks. 0lementals can find no use for and Patton tanks. The new tanks were fitted with this system, as their armor cannot possiblya 'auss "ifle as their main gun. The scientists accommodate the bulky communications gear. saw it as a good compromise between the %&H6<s and the %&H,<s of the Rommel and %nother new de elopment, particularlyPatton designs, with both hea y firepower and gratifying to myself, has been the MacArthurlong range. % Ten9tube L") system takes the )ain (attle Tank F)(TG. This is gratifying for place of the old 59tube system on the Lyran two reasons. 5irst, because I am the commander tanks, and an %rtemis system has been mated to of a @halanx unit, and this )(T represents a shiftthat. in doctrine that may e entually see our like % )edium @ulse Laser now rides on the front deployed on the front lines. of this monster tank, pro iding it with extra The second is that I was in ol ed in thefirepower should the fighting get close. 5erro9 proAectPs inception. In ;<52, I led a small raiding 5ibrous armor allowed our scientists to impro e party onto the -ade 5alcon world of *otan. *e the protection o er what the original chassis were almost unnoticed as we smashed our wayenAoyed, as well as lighten the load somewhat through the defenders in the midst of the colossal and the extra9light engine increased its flank clash between the *ol es and the -ade 5alcons speed to an incredible R;.2 kph. #eedless to say, for that world. *hat we retrie ed, among other I would lo e to see this thing in combat, and I things, were se eral (attle9roms, which Duicklymay get the chance soon, as all of the first came under examination by our scientists. limited production unit has been assigned to the ,,nd @halanx. .ur scientists were highly impressed by the effecti eness of Lyran armor against -ade 5alcon The MacArthur is also modular enough to (attlemechs. #ow, the -ade 5alcons are notallow some modifications, and my technicians known for superior prowess, but e en theyare already playing with a ariation that trades should be able to mop the field with an armor the 'auss "ifle for a Large @ulse Laser. That unit. The Lyran Rommel and Patton tanks,should pro e interesting. howe er, accounted for themsel es nearly as well
.ne more Aewel of ours is slightly more This system acts like a standard &; system, pedestrian. The Panther II&, howe er, may pro eexcept that it has no central component and can to be the sal ation of our rear9echelon forces in only incorporate ten members. &on entional the near future. #ot because it is an especially0&) suites cannot Aam it Fthough an %ngel may effecti e Q)ech, of course, but because it isAam it if using le el ; eDuipmentG already rolling off production lines on %lshain. *hen our forces took that world, we disco ered TonnageS , an intact Panther battlemech factory. &ritical +lotsS , %s scientists had been rather impressed by this MacA#th # MBT: :urita design, they decided to retool the factoryTonnage: 65 only slightly, to produce a ariant more Movement Type: Tracke3 compatible with our technology. The result was a Panther II&. .ne of the reasons the retooling !r#i e Spee3:5 was carried out so fast is that little was changed. %lank Spee3: < They replaced the LordPs Light , 0" @@& with !omponent one of our more ad anced weapons of the same &ngine: +25 (L %# ion )2*' type. The +") system was upgraded to a +treak9 !ontrol +*25 =. *e also installed 5erro95iber armor, )yomer 0eat Sink : )' '*' %ctuator +ignal &ircuitry, and an ad ancedInternal Str#ct#re 6*5 Targeting &omputer to help pilots hit distantT#rret )*5 targets with the @@&. -rmor26: %erro1%i2re )$*' The net result is a ery tough little thirty9fi er that can be a real headache for hea ier Q)echs. A#m$# Dis%!acement: Its standard fusion engine and hea y armor make %ront 5< it especially long9li ed on the battlefield, and itsL45 Si3e 5+45+ weapons complement, while not especiallyBack $5 powerful, can still be effecti e. T#rret 5' The )%+& system and the internal Aump Aets gi e the Q)ech a lot of maneu erability that a lot Wea%$ns&Amm$&E' i%ment of other Q)echs its speed simply donPt ha e. ItPsType Location also a Q)ech that can be rushed Duickly to7a# 5i.le T#rret )2*' production to compensate for our shortage ofL5M)' %ront eDuipment as compared to warriors. I recei edMe3* ,#l e La er %ront the first of these machines for my unit last week,%lamer 5ear and I am ery pleased with them so far. -rtemi I= %!S %ront -mmo (75) 2$ Bo3y -mmo (L5M) )2 Bo3y Game R !es: C"c: Panther IIC
Component Tonna e
Ton 2*5 2*' '*5 )*' +*' )*'
R
Tonnage: +5 Internal Str#ct#re &ngine: )$' Walk: $ 5#n: 6G<H I#mp: $ 0eat Sink : )'G2'H 7yro: !ockpit: -rmor %actor: )): Interna! "tru#ture 0ea3 + : !enter Tor o4(rear) )) 54L Tor o4(rear) < ))45 54L -rm 6 )2 54L Leg < )6 '*' 2*' +*' 6*5 Armor $a!ue )546 +5 +*5 5*'
Weapons & E%uipment Lo#ation Tonna e &5 ,,! 5Streak S5M 6 !T Targeting !omp#ter Streak -mmo ()5) 2 + 5T LT 6*' 2*' 2 )
Criti#a!
2*' )*'
Low9armored Warhammers and Marauders were ery common back thenCenough that players held the Atlas in awe, and many actually followed the T". fluff about assault mechs being extremely rare, so they'd gi e you a frown if you wanted to play one. #ow days assault mechs are much more commonCusually as common as medium mechs for some playing groups. %nd a few assaults actually pack )."0 armor than the Atlas F;<2 for the )hunderhawk and Pillager, to name twoG. The Atlas has again returned to rare use, mostly because there are better9designed assaults out there, e en if you include the new ;<5< Atlas*s. The first real assault Q)ech to gi e the Atlas a run for its money came with the Wol" #ragoons sourcebook, in the form of the excellent )%19 !% Marauder ++. The +mp and Shogun also threatened the Atlas's position as king of the assault Q)echs. The T".S ;<,5 original printing said that a well9designed assault Q)ech was bad9 ass, but most assault Q)echs were not well designed. This seemed pretty accurate, though the Atlas seemed to break out of this mold in most respects. "()* VARIANTS: AS+,D:
#Mech o$ the Month AS7 ATLAS
@erhaps this paragraph should be called ;<,5 *hen the T".S ;<,5 hit the shel es, one Q)ech /%"I%#T, as there is only one Atlas design in really scared the hell out of players. That was the operation during the !th +uccession *ar. (aring Atlas. #ot only did it look like the 'rip "eaper in the ')echs mentioned abo e, and perhaps the metal, you Aust couldn't get o er all the masses of ;<,5 (anshee '+' and the standard %*09RI little circles that represented its armor on the Awesome, there are few Q)echs that stand much record sheet. .bser ers at a game con ention chance of sur i ing a toe to toe bout against an would ask you what the 'ri""in was, and you'd %+291 Atlas. )ech like the (attlemaster are show them your armor diagram. fearsome, but Aust don't ha e the armor or staying Then you'd show them your enemy's sheet and power reDuired to challenge this machine. all the Atlas armor therein, and e en a non9player The %+291 is an assault mech in the purest who'd ne er fired a @@& in his life would say sense, mounting incredible armor and many short '-esusChe's got a lot more than youC>
range weapons systems, perfect for ratting outoften means the Atlas pilot is forced to run the entrenched mechs and armor. The cornerstone ofentire game to bring his primary weapons9 this mech's assault capabilities is the massi e en elope on line. *ith enough L") ammunition %&H,< housed in the %+291's right torso. In theto last the length of a standard game, the %+291 ;<,5 era, no other weapon instilled such terror, will remain a threat to nearly all the units that it the %& making the Atlas one of the fewfaces. decapitators of the ;<,5 generation of *ith so many heat sinks needing to be placed battlemech. in the body, the Atlas enAoys some protection in It may be precisely a lack of head9snuffingthe form of fairly unimportant critical slots next weapons in ;<,5 that made the Atlas soto more ital ones. )ost notably, the empty head ferocious. .nly the Victor and ,unch-ackslot is filled with a heat sink. The arms also place battlemechs possessed similar one9shot killa heat sink next to the medium laser stored in potential. 5ighting the Atlas usually meant youeach. This, with the abundance of arm actuators, were in for a long, drawn9out battle of armourmeans you ha e a great chance of keeping the attrition. lasers burning till someone pop's off your arm. %ugmenting the de astating %& are a pair of %nother great benefitS ha ing usable hands arm9mounted medium lasers and a crit9seeking means you can punch and club your foe Fwhen's +") =9pack. The ,< heat sinks Fa rare numberthe last time you actually saw someone in one of any ;<,5 mechG allow the %+291 to fire all itsyour games use a tree as a clubBG. % ,<9pt. club front9facing short range weapons and run withattack following a blast of %&H,< will rock the impunity. biggest clanner's world. #ot that you're going anywhere ery fast. #one .ne maAor problem with the %+291 Fmost of of the Atlas9class (attle)echs are exactlythe Atlas (attle)echs, reallyG is the grouping of imbued with ga?elle9like grace and speed. F.ne; ammo slots in the left torso. True, these are gigantic ;<,5 game I hosted in the basementnear a lot of other non9explosi e crits, but ha ing lasted three weekendsCthe Atlas saw all of twothree ammo in one location is Aust asking for rounds of combat, the rest of the time trying to trouble. Losing the left torso also kills the long reach the city maps in the middle of the game range firepower of this brute. This is actually tableG. more plausible than the armour suggests, as the .f course, being a 6<<9ton assault Q)ech, speedrear side torso armour of all %tlas models is a is hardly the primary factor to base Q)ech design mere 6< pts., while it's front side torso armor has around. %ttacking the %+291 in close from anya whopping ;, pts Fmaybe a shift of two points direction is dicey, as the mech sports twin would make the rear armor passable at 6,G. medium lasers firing to the rear. )ost %t TJ,=,=,<<< O 6,552 (/, you spend a lot of (attle)echs carry at least one weapon able tocash for a high range (/ F8igh (/ for ;<,5, outdistance a medium laser Fsurprise9surpriseCanywaysG. 8owe er, the mere presence of this the other two head9chopping (attle)echs ofle iathan adds more to its alue than suggested. ;<,5 1.#'TCG, and the Atlas is no exception. *atch a typical game of regular players % large L")9,< rack allows the %+291 to sometime where the %tlas is featured on one side. return fire at long range, which is fortunate, for The %tlas often has a 'bubble' around it where the Q)echPs real weakness, lack ofplayers refuse to enter willingly. This multiple hea y9hitting ranged weapons systems,intimidation factor can be used to good effect to
6<
herd slower hea y Q)echsCyou're also sure to +tanding in water to cool is much more iable draw ranged fire as the inexperienced enemy will in ;<,5 than later eras. *ith the ! heat sinks treat you as a big threat, e en if your still two placed in the feet, the %+291 can ent a great turns away from %& range. deal more heat and becomes totally heat efficient with its forward arc weapons Fand face it, a grinning deaths9head Q)ech rising from a watery TACTICS: bog is a kick9ass imageG. %lthough it's called an '%ssault' Q)ech and certainly fits the image in most people's minds,S-S: %lthough it's slow and lacks truly deadly the Atlas actually ser es better in the defensi eranged attacks, the %+291 will turn any other role, where the Q)ech can be kept from wa es of ;<,5 into lots of expensi e fodder faster than the ranged fire. If you need something guarded, and %& can fire. If you're guarding an obAecti e, or the terrain reDuires the enemy to come in and need a steady mount to transport someone fight to win, there aren't a lot of ;<,5 Q)echsthrough a hot ?one without a time limit, the %tlas that will fill the bill as well as an %+291. fills the bill admirably. +tay out of open terrain If you must attack, make sure your other forcesfights, though, or you'll find yourself being don't out9strip the Atlas in a sprint across thesniped to death Funless drawing fire was part of field, at least while time permits. The Atlas thatyour brilliant planCG is allowed to keep pace with its allies will ha e a much greater alue in the game than one that's "(*(. Va#iants: wandering like an orphan in the woods while its light and medium allies are getting their flabbyAS+,/: buttocks kicked. *hile there were some great impro ements The %tlas is big and scary in appearance. $sewith new technology for the %tlas ':', they were that to your ad antage. 8erd slow hea y andoffset by some serious flaws. The role of the assault Q)echs into areas they fight poorly in. If%+291 was totally reworked into a new mech you can close with ranged fighters likethat attempts to excel at ranged combat. The Marauders and Warhammers, you'll kick the drekhead9chopping ability was maintained, and is out of them and make them fight at the rangese en more lethal due to the great range of the their @@&'s and %&'s suffer. .f course, smartnew gauss rifle. 0ach arm's medium laser was players will seldom let you get that close, if they traded in for the white9hot 0"9large laser, greatly can help itCafter all, a Warhammer walksincreasing ranged firepower. $nfortunately, the backwards almost as fast as an %tlas can run. single heat sinks were kept, making the %+29:'s Later years offer significantly more threat to use of this extra firepower impractical. the %+291. The older Atlas is outgunned by the Twin medium pulse lasers replaced the many 'auss laden hea y and assault mechsstandard rear9facing models, though the loss of found throughout the '+phere. %nd battle armorrange the mediums pro ided seem more of a presents a newer and ery deadly threat, as the handicap than can be compensated by the pulse's Atlas can usually be caught easily by most battlehit bonus. @erhaps the worst trade off is the use armor. Leg attacks by these ad ersaries canof a EL engine, which greatly reduces the cripple an Atlas's mobility and turn the Q)ech Q)echPs life span. &oupled with the fact that a into little more than a limping ;<9foot target. huge amount of crits in the right torso are taken
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up by a olatile gauss rifle, one good shot to the better assaults that are cheaper Fthe ,ighlander, rear right torso of this mech will spell doom for .mperor and Awesome, to name but a fewG. the %+29:. (ut at least you' e got &%+0 in both torsos. To top it off, the crit slot in the head is empty. AS+,S: .ne would ha e though placing 6 of the 'auss .ne of the few later Q)echs of the Atlas series "ifle's tons of ammo, or perhaps a leg's heat sink,that radically impro es on the older Q)ech, the would ha e been feasible. If you lose the right %+29+ should be the Atlas you take in most arm, you effecti ely lose the gauss rifle, as bothcircumstances. The 2+ takes ad antage of double tons of ammo are stored there. %n %)+ in theheat sink technology and best of all lacks a EL left arm seems unusual for its location, but can engine. The weapons profile keeps much closer engage more missile attacks due to its widerto that of the older design, being nearly identical. firing arc than an %)+ located on a torso. %dditional pairs of +treak +")9, launchers +omething had to be sacrificed for the hea ywere hammered into the design, allowing you the weapons upgrades, and that something was the ersatility of using infernos on the +") =rack +") =. This has dampened the close assault and normal ammo on the +treaks, with irtually power of the %+29:, as you won't be firing both no loss in damage potential. The old medium 0" large lasers together most likely. %t least they laser pair still guards your rear. kept the L")9,< pack. .n the downside, there are a few problems %t T,,,52=,<<< H6=!J (/, you're paying a hellwith the 2+. *e see the old ; crits worth of of a lot more for a machine that is only ammo in one location again. *orse, each leg also marginally better (/9wise than the older %+291.holds a ton of explosi es, threatening to blow The lefto er cash from purchasing two of the your legs out from under you at an inopportune older Q)echs more than makes up for themoment. %nd there's no &%+0 to pre ent the increased range of the head chopper on the 2:, stuff from spreading and de ouring your mech. as you can load out a few ho ercraft to go%nd then there's my personal pee e, the empty hunting with the big Q)echs.. head crit slot. TACTICS: TACTICS: The %+29: is designed to fight at range, and *ith a weapons load9out almost identical to its that seems to ha e narrowed its alue of use parent mech, the same tactics apply. 8owe er, considerably. 8a ing masses of armour going toyou no longer ha e to worry about heat build up waste as you sit a mile back seems a shame. (utwith all your forward weapons, e en while that's basically what your going to do with the running, so don't bother with the stand9in9water 2:. 0 en so, the punch of this Atlas, a eraging atactic. TJ,J5!,<<< H6=RR (/ keeps the respectable ;5 pts if you want to stay cool andcommanders happy, as the purse strings are not fire only one 0"9large laser., cannot be ignored really stretched to buy the newer 2+. by enemies. S-S: S-S: % fairly worthwhile upgrade o er the older 21, % lacklustre (attle)ech of Duestionablesince the price is ery close and the weapons impro ement o er the older Atlas. There aredamage is higher. If you don't mind ha ing
6,
ammo in the legs and an empty co9pilot slot, take *eapons selection is close to the ':' and '&', the 29+ brute for a ride. though they had to drop a 0"9large laser to free up weight for the &9;. (ut the & at least put AS+,C: something in the head. T,5,62=,<<< H6J25 (/ &9; systems make for interesting fights, and makes this hayseed Q)ech a pricey mistake. though I think the &9; is a bit o er9powered, it is a alid piece of Le el , eDuipment. Thus itTACTICS: comes as a surprise that there really are ery few +tay back and do your Aob of guarding your stock Q)echs that are published using this erylance's &9;. 0 en your massi e armor won't stop powerful item. them from coming at you from your left flank The %+29& is really Aust a 2: that's dropped a once they know where the &9; is contained. medium pulse laser and added a &9; +la e to the head and an extra heat sink to the centre torso. S-S: $gh. (uy a /aginataCthey fight better at This may not seem like much of a trade9off, butrange, cost half as much, and ha e sensible &9; the flexibility brought to a company of Q)echs placement. by any single additional sla e unit astly impro es the alue of this Q)ech o er the 2:. C!an Va#iant: %t T,,,J=<,<<<H6=5< (/, this is a prime example of how the (/ system does not take AS+,D 0C1: 0 en though this deadly clan field into account the true alue of &9; systems. This upgrade comes in six tons under the old %+291, Q)ech is but a single (/ o er the 2:, and the there's no comparing the two combat wise. 5irst price is ery close as well. appearing as a lift9kit for the Atlas in ')he (attle "or )wycross* scenario pack Fstill my personal TACTICS: fa ouriteG, the %+291 F&G mounts nearly double +ince it's the same mech as the 29: at heart, use the true close9ranged firepower of the 291. it the same. 7our shots should be noticeably %t least once you take into account its lack easier most of the time with the 29&, howe er,minimum range for the clan tech L"), the thanks to the &9; network. +treak = rack, and the double burst from an $ltra %&9,<. If you forego the double burst, the ,< AS+,CM: singles allow you to fire all the big stuff and still % poorly designed attempt at a )aster &9;not take a mo ement penalty next round. That's a carrying assault Q)ech, I almost choked when Idamage potential a eraging 5! damageCas high saw where they put the &9; &omputer on this nagas =, if you roll hot with the L")'s. That's of an %ssault )ech. *hat designer in their right frightening at any tech le el. mind would put the most aluable piece of &%+0 and no EL, and ; tons of $ltra ,< eDuipment perhaps in the 29&)'s entire lanceammo, means this walking fortress isn't going to into an armB Fhe he okCso maybe someonedie DuicklyCor alone. The increased range of the might argue that you increase the ability to use+treaks and the $ltra ,< gi e you a longer range the &9;'s T%' function, but that kind ofo er the Inner +phere mech, too. %t T6<,5,<,<<< comment will cause players at a con ention to H6RR2 (/, if you could find one to buy, it'd be perform an 'assault' of their own on your egg9well worth it. Luckily for the clan garrison shell thin craniumCG. forces, money is no option.
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TACTICS: 0ssentially the same weapons as the Q)ech it replaces, the F&G should be used the same way, 4K/ote that this rating is -ased on an over0all though the longer weapons ranges listed abo ecomparison o" 1Mechs "rom a similar tech era. might mean you can surprise typical players whoAlso -ear in mind that the rating applies to think their safe at 6< hexes. &%+0 makes this 1Mechs o" roughly the same weight class. A *2* assault sur i able, so don't be afraid to get inrated 1Mech o" heavy design might or might not there and mix it up e en when outnumbered. -e a match "or a *2* rated medium mech. )he num-er rating "rom this ga3ette is not meant to S-S: %t least the &lanners got it right when theyreplace (V$ -ut to provide the reader with some tweaked the 21. #ow what could they ha e "eel o" how the 1Mech stacks up when comparing really done with those other six tonsB its inherent strengths and weaknesses.L H$ se R !es: The %+2 has a few notable abilities that could be The %th War used in home rules. The &ommunications The 8auptman let a long billow of smoke system allows the Atlas to send and recei e as farescape his lips as he studied, through half9closed out as some Aump9ships might orbit. This caneyelids, the Aunior officer sitting across the ha e almost the same effect as the &ommandrosewood desk. 0 en combat9hardened eterans &onsul, though the effects would be U6. sDuirmed under the 8auptman's ga?e. It was the In addition, players might wish to treat the pale blue of the man's eyesCthey ga e his L")9,< as ! L")95's. The Atlas player wouldangular face a wolf9like Duality. @eople felt he state how he wishes to use the L") prior tocould look straight through them. The Lyran firing it. This would allow the Atlas pilot moreofficer's gra ely oice completed the impression. chances to hit a particular target, and follows the >.k. 5rom the top, Leftenant. -ust what the hell fluff text about how the L")9,< actuallyhappened out thereB> launches a series of ! bursts of fi e missiles The young officer Aumped at the words, but each. didn't meet his superior's ga?e. +tories of Atlas (attle)echs picking up >*ell, sirCwe entered the obAecti e sector right Locusts and throwing them down with one hand on our time9table. The 1rac 8I had stopped are seen in se eral articles. To represent this greattransmitting about the same time we triangulated physical strength, Atlas ')echs can be consideredits location. +ure enough, they built it in the to ha e twice their normal lighting strength,delta, like +pec .ps Intel figured.> allowing the machine to lift ,< tons. The 8auptman began to pace around the desk, then stopped and stared out the window. Troops were marching on the parade grounds, but he OVERALL RATINGS 02#$m 3,3(14: paid them no heed, taking another drag off his AS+,D 5 6 pipe. AS+,/ 5 7 >'o on.> AS+,S 5 8 >The swampy terrain in the delta was god9 AS+,C 5 * awfulCbut we humped it like we were taught,
AS+,CM AS+,D 0C1
5 5
* +
6!
and managed to keep some semblance of a >7eahCI mean yes sir. *ho'd ha e thought the combat formation. :irggy...err...@ t. :irigan was&apellans would ha e a drink9baseB The on point. *e'd Aust hit a wide channel of the Monitors had done some good damage to the rest delta, when the @ t. got hit. 8is Commando Austof the troops, enough that +gt. &oe al's Phoeni& exploded right there on the shore.> ,awk and @ t. 'reen's Centurion weren't going >That's when the first Monitor fired on yourfor a swim any time soon.> unitB> >I assume you mean they had too many >7es sir. It opened up from its hiding spot in a breaches in their armor to enter the water.> large section of wetlands grassCyou know the >0xactly so, 8auptman. If they had entered the kind, sirCabout 6<' tall and thick as Aungle. *e water o er waist le el, )andy would ha e ne er e en saw the boat 'till it blasted :irggy. suffered immediate engine shut down. 8er torso The (ossCum, that's what we call 8auptman armor was, wellCAust gone. LomackChe ordered us to sink the Monitor as >%nd all 'reen had that could effecti ely fast as possible, but the boat took off up the engage underwater was a medium laserChis %& channel.> would ha e filled with water, too, since it had no >%nd he ordered you to pursue the craftB> armor as well. 8e'd be worse than useless as rear >7es sir. In fact, he took the lead. That's when guard or point man. I felt it was better for him to the second Monitor ambushed 8auptmanguard our escape route.> Lomack.> >+o, you entered the water alone, a single >%nd that I when your commander was killed.> Warhammer (attle)ech, carrying out a solo >7es sir. 8is Wolverine took both barrels to thestrike on a submerged base which may or may spine.> not ha e been defended by an unknown # of >*here upon you took command, being the enemy combat units. %nd then whatB> senior officer. Is this correctB> >I found the base, nestled in among a coral >7es. They weren't my normal lance mates, trench. The floor was sandy, but surprisingly firm since I was on special assignment as hea y fire as I approached itCfish all o er the place. I was support, but they didn't gi e me any guff when Iin pretty deepCits funny, you can hear a took control. *e managed to pour enough fire(attle)ech make strange noises underwaterC into the second Monitor to send it to the bottomsometimes it sounds like a groan when your of the channel. The other one didn't return.> armor starts to stress with the pressure. .ther The Leftenant shifted in his seat, an action times, it's like9> noted by the older officer. 'ood. !ear can spark >+pare me the atmospheric embellishments, memory -etter than com"ort. Leftenant. -ust tell me what happened.> >*e continued on with the missionCwhat else The young man didn't look up. 8e was was there to doB *e were Aust a bit more cautiousentranced in the memory of the mission. of the other tributaries. The ector we got >*ell, the place was tiny, really. It was no taller showed the 8I was Aust ahead. *e rounded athan my ',ammer and didn't look too sturdy. I turn in the channel and thatPs when we saw the knew a few well9placed shots would cause the ocean. > thing to suffer structural collapse. "ight before I >%nd that's when you knew the base was an reached optimum @@& underwater range, I saw a aDuatic command post.> big shapeCand I mean bigC loom up behind the command center. It was a /eptune.>
65
>7esCthe submarine.> I used that brief moment to make a wading >7eah, it was a sub, alright. (efore I got another dash through the shallowsCwell, a hurried walk ten meters, its front bays opened and a spread of at leastCby the time he reali?ed what was going torpedoes popped out, lea ing their telltaleon and ga e pursuit, I could see the surface Aust a bubble trails. 8ell, a mech's bad enough in a few feet abo e my ')ech's canopy. The water9fightCbut a /eptuneB They may be slow/eptune's &... was ballsy, I'll gi e him that. 8e on the surface, sir, but in the water a sub can brought that big fish in closer to the shore than I literally run rings around a mech. would ha e dreamed possible. &lose enough to %nyway, I braced for impactCnot a whole lotfinish me. 8e le eled out Aust below the surface, of choice. The torpedoes shook me like a rag dollto gi e his gunners optimum planes for firing the in a rott's mouth. The sediment and sand from the torpedoes on dead reckoning. explosions blocked our sight for a momentC That's when )andy dropped out of the highest enough time for me to regain the ' ,ammer'speak her AumpCbrought her Phoeni& ,awk balance and head for shallower water. .f course Istraight down with both feet close together, like a ne er would ha e made it. The /eptune wouldbolt of steel lightning. 8er ',awk's feet instantly ha e ripped through my back armor long before Iflattened the coning tower of the sub and pierced hit the beach.> the /eptune like some damn giant spear gun. I >%nd what action did you take in this couldn't tell if she was laughing or screaming the seemingly impossible situationB> whole way down. It was the most bi?arre >I used my assets to my best ad antage. I found moment I' e e er witnessed in combat, sir.> a place in the coral drumlins that would reDuire >+he 15%'d the +ubB> 5or the first time in his the /eptune to come in close. 8e wasn't buyingcareer, the 8auptman was at a complete loss for it. *e both knew he had a hell of a lot more air words. than I did. 8e took his time and sent a few more >+he sure as hell did, 8auptman. (ra est thing torpedoes my way. .ne breached my right armI' e e er seen. +he crushed the bridge and dro e and flooded the @@& there. (ut I had alreadythe #eptune down hard enough to wedge it into made up my mind. the sandy bottom. +he died, of course. 8er I 'm not a coward, sir. I' e e en displayed whatQ)ech shut down and had become hopelessly some people might call courage from time to meshed with the sub's shell. #ot that it would time on the field of battle. (ut )andy was in a ha e mattered. %pparently the impact broke her class by herself. +he didn't hesitate when I told neck.> her my plan, e en when she knew it would The 8auptman stared at the now silent probably kill her.> Leftenant for an uncomfortably long time. >*hat was the your solutionB> 5inally he spoke after taking a long puff on his >I had 'reen lay down as much of a barrage as pipe., but his oice seemed almost gentle. he could on the water's surface near the sub. The >%nd after the +gt.'s successful execution of momentary distraction seemed to work longyourC'solution'Cyou reentered the water and enoughCwith the Centurion's L")'s going off,destroyed the baseB> and hea y %& rounds ricocheting off the surface, >7es sir. That's it. That's all there is to report.> the sub commander had to stop and e aluate the >/ery well. 7ou're dismissed, Leftenant. "eport new threat. to the chow9hall and get some dinner.>
6=
The young man stood, saluted and executed a smart military about9face, happy to be lea ing the office. %lone with his thoughts again,SETUP: 8auptman (aron &oe al stared back across the Lay out two of the 5%+% swampHdelta maps Duickly darkening parade ground, a single smalllong end to long end. The map where the delta tear lea ing a damp path down his weathered opens into large water should be the faceC southernmost map. The 1efender sets up first, hiding his Monitor /aval Vessels in any water hex, or hex that has a ri erbank touching it. These ehicles use the standard hidden unit rules. The defender also SITUATION: places a Le el 6, 6 hex )edium building in any th 1uring the opening phases of the ! le el , or le el ; water hex that is #.T part of +uccession *ar, 8ouse +teiner's initial thrustthe delta channels FI0 it must be placed in the sent many :urita units reeling in retreat. +ome open water hexes at the ery south of the mapG. units, howe er, met unexpectedly coordinated % /eptune9class submarine also guards the resistance. This was usually the result of keystructure, and may be placed anywhere within ! command posts that were missed in the +teinerhexes of the 8I, though it must start at the forces initial attacks. )any of these commandlowest depth in that hex, and is re ealed if it posts were hidden, making attempts to neutrali?emo es at all, e en underwater. The attacker them ery difficult. .n the planet Last +top, one enters the board from the north on Turn #6. %ll such command post went undetected in a marshynon9water hexes use swamp rules for mo ement delta that exited into the sea. bog9down rules to see if units get stuck. th % reinforced scout lance of the ,! Lyran 'uards was sent to find and silence the &ombine #.T0S +t is highly suggested that the vehicle post, as it was thought that the hidden 8I was rules "rom Ma&imum )ech 4 -e used i" possi-le. responsible for the difficulty the 'uards were experiencing in making headway against the tenacious :urita defenders. #ot wishing to draw attention to the site, and since mech assets were needed on the front lines,ATTAC/ER: the &ombine command left only three watercraft to defend the well9concealed facility. % pair of The %ttackers are elements of the ,!rd Lyran Monitor /aval Vessels and a /eptune9class'uards, on special assignment to locate and submarine was concealed in the delta and under destroy a hidden 1&)+ &ommand @ost. They water in a coral ra ine near the base. ha e an additional hea y ')ech as fire support *hen the base suffered a transponder for this mission. malfunction that caused the coded messages to bleed into other communications freDuencies, theAlpha ance$5% Company56 (att.5%7 yran 'uards +teiner Listening @osts managed to triangulate 8auptman /incent Lomack F!H5G */"9=" Wolverine the location of the base within a mile, and the+gt. )andy &oe al F!H5G @E896 Phoeni& ,awk waiting +teiner lance mo ed into action. @ t. 0ric :irigan F!H5G &.)9,1 Commando
nd rd rd
@ t. %mos 'reen F!H5G
&#J9% Centurion
62 current series deals with a Trial of Annihilation we played out among the "mo#e $aguars.H
KLeftenant (en 1o er F!H5G
*8)9=" Warhammer
FKTemporarily assigned to lance as fire supportG (roken ,ope Pass$ )urtle (ay Smoke 8aguar 9ccupation :one #one of these units may use ballistic or; #ecem-er$ 6<;= missile weapons underwater, since they were not expecting underwater action and thus they were *)his man is not what + e&pected .' The thought not loaded with torpedoes flashed through +tar &aptain Torc's mind yet again as he studied the Inner9+phere mercenary. DE9ENDER: Torc had though, like most &lansmen and &rusaders especially, that a warrior who accepted The defenders are watercraft assigned to +ectormoney to fight was not truly a warrior at all. ;, of the Trodheim +wamp, garrisoning an+e eral &lans, &lan 'host (ear in particular, underwater 8.I. This garrison unit acts astreated mercenaries e en worse than they did the auxiliary units to the more glamorous 8ouse&lan bandit caste. :urita line units. Torc had seen the results of &lan brutality regarding mercenaries more than once, and he'd Tai9I #eekuma F;H!G Monitor /aval Vessel ne er felt guilt or e en pity when his 1ragoons Tai9I Tanaka F!H5G Monitor /aval Vessel engaged them. This mercenary in particular had +ho9+a "iggs F;H!G /eptune9&lass +ubmarine special interest for Torc, howe er. 8e was the Vict$#: C$n;iti$ns: commander of The 1irty 1o?en, and the +tar The %ttackers win a decisi e ictory if they&aptain's !th -aguar 1ragoons had met these destroy the 8I and lose two or fewer Q)echs. exact warriors more than once on the field of They win a marginal ictory if they destroy the battle. command post and lose ; or more Q)echs. %ny 1espite winning his battles against the elite other result is a loss. Inner9+phere sell9swords, he had ne er been able The defenders win a decisi e ictory if they to completely destroy them. The man stood with destroy all (attle)echs, the command postone foot leaning on the right angle Aoint of his sur i es, and at least two ehicles sur i e. Theytowering Marauder (attle)ech, e aluating Torc win a marginal ictory if the command postAust intently as the clan leader slowly sur i es and less than two ehicles sur i e. If the approached. Though warriors in the &lans were command post is destroyed, there can be no young by human standards, the age of most Inner ictory for 8ouse :urita. +phere warriors still came as a shock to Torc. &olonel -ames '-immy' "ichards had sil er highlights on his temples, and small bits of white flecked his goatee. (ut he cut an impressi e figure of a man, none the less. Torc approached Campaign CO&N!&: within half a do?en feet, neural9helmet tucked GThe following is #2 in a series of battles actually under one arm. 8e paused for a moment, staring fought in my house campaign. Forgive any major off into the hills behind the older warrior, to deviations from official! sources you may find. The where the remainder of the Inner9+phere (attle)ech &ompany waited.
6R
Two tracked tanks, lacking turrets of any kind,of the Inner +phere. In truth, I am surprised you sat waiting near the southern9most tip of theare here.> mercenaries' hill. %lthough the machines were The colonel's hand went back to the comfort of rather flimsy compared to a (attle)ech, the his hip as he took another drag. many holes that were launch tubes perforating >I'd be lying if I said I was here out of the their front showed that they packed easily askindness of my heart,> 8e laughed > but I am a much or more firepower that a similar weighted professional soldier. 7ou're offer was too ')ech could generate. interesting to pass up. If your people alued %part from Torc's command star, another ,;money as we do, you'd understand.> .mni)echs and ,nd line clan (attle)echs stood >%h. )oneyCyes, I understand its use among opposite the Inner +phere force, forming a wide a people that are without the caste system. I trust arc that crossed a goodly section of the plains the offer of sal age appeared as lucrati e as between the mercenary's hill and a similar terraincurrency.> feature half a mile behind Torc. >I5 we 1. win, it will be more than any mid9 The mercenary commander reached up and si?ed unit I personally know has earned.> The grabbed the thin cigar from his mouth, flicking colonel mo ed away from his mech and Torc ashes into the weed9strewn clay that formed the walked besides him. floor of the earth on which they stood. 8e made >I had a bit of a time getting some of the lads to no mo e to speak, merely stared at Torc. Therego for this. They really don't like you was nothing in that ga?e that resembledclansmenCespecially the +moke -aguars. %nd I friendship, nor was there what could be trulythink you know why.> called hatred. *Acknowledgment. )hat is what + Torc nodded as he walked. see in this man*s eyes. And perhaps respect.' Torc >It is understandable. I am sure many of the thought. warriors that fell in our freDuent engagements '#oes he see the same in my eyes> !or surely it still hold fresh places in the hearts of your must -e there as well as anything else he warriors. If it is any consolation, I held no malice "athoms. (oth o" us see each other as warriors$ and only the greatest respect for your unit's and acknowledge the other*s skill$ "or we have fighting skills. They fought like the -aguar.> tested the other many times in com-at. +t is a >)y men are soldiers for hire first, &aptain credit to his pro"ession that he maintains Torc. I'd be lying though, if I said they don't hold composure$ considered all he has lost in our a grudge. (ut e en they know a good deal when previous encounters. + am ama3ed he even they see it. *hen I told them I'd recei ed an offer acknowledged the hyper0pulse message.' from 7.$, they all looked shell9shocked. #one The mercenary colonel now stood on both feet, of us ha e e er heard of any clan, especially a and offered his hand. +hocked, Torc hesitated forcrusader clan, hiring mercenaries. The fact that it what must ha e been an uncomfortably long time was the +moke -aguars, and the ! th 1ragoons to for the Inner +phere warrior. %fter a moment, the bootCwell, you could ha e heard a pin drop.> &lan warrior reciprocated the custom. The two men stopped and ga?ed off to the >+tar &aptain Torc, I presume.> 8e said, with amountain pass half a mile to the south. 0 en slight smile. from here, the narrowness of the canyon was >&olonel "ichardsCit is strangely comfortingob ious. It opened out like a stone funnel onto to see the face of my nemesis among the warriorsthe plains where the two units stood.
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>I assume you chose this particular site for a The Inner +phere warrior regarded the clan reason, TorcB> leader with something akin to growing >%ff, colonel. The canyon the 2 th will comeadmiration. through is too narrow for them to come at us >7ou're not planning on fighting to the last with any speed. They will ha e difficulty')ech, are you, TorcB> na igating the narrow neck of the pass with more The clan warrior did not meet the mercenary's than one or two .mni)echs at any time.> Torcga?e, though his face took on a hard look. turned and pointed to where the 1irty 1o?en >This is a Trial to the last warrior on either stood. side, colonel. (ut if there is anything I ha e >*here your men are assembled, they will learned in my battles with your kind, it is that ha e a clear shot down into this alley>, 8e there is no honor standing your ground and being looked at "ichards's face. >I ha e seen your slaughtered, when there are other options. *e are warrior's skill at ranged attacks. #e er ha e Igreatly outnumbered o erall in the trial. .nly a seen its likes before. 0ither within the &lans orfool, or perhaps a -ade 5alcon, would try to Inner +phere.> defeat his enemy in a stand up fight when so "ichards frowned at the compliment. Then outmatched. ' spoke. >That is why I ha e spread this Trial out, so >&aptain, I can understand how the pass can that the enemy, who is not forbidden from work to my men's ad antage, but I don't see how making bids, will weaken himself to the point your unit can gain by it. *on't you be using your where we ha e a chance to win. %lthough they clan's rules of duelingB> may oice anger at your presence here, the Torc shook his head. dishonor they would feel in losing to mercenary >#o, &olonel. This is a Trial of %nnihilation. warriors will keep them from breaking their bids. The 2th -aguar 1ragoons and the !!th #o a &ats %t least, that is what will happen if I ha e will engage us with e erything they ha e. Audged the enemy commanders that we will face +a agely, colonel. There are no rules ofcorrectly. 7esterday, the !th defeated our enemy Vellbrigen in such a trial.> in the #orthern 8emisphere, so it appears I ha e >That sounds like a pretty tall order to defend been at least partially accurate in my against, +tar &aptain. I donPt enAoy the idea of assessment.> being targeted by massed clan firepower.> >I hope the hell your right, +tar &aptain. If th >That is why the ! will bear the brunt of ouryou're wrong, we won't li e long enough to tell enemy's initial thrust. 7our men will ha e se eralyou about it. There's one more Duestion I ha e.> moments of firing without fear of reprisal. > Torc turned after a moment of silence to face >They're not Aust going to ignore us.> the mercenary. >#o, but to the 2 th and !!th, the obAecti e of this >1oes the '*hy' really matter to youB> Torc Trial is to destroy the !th 1ragoons. %nd they alsoasked. will undoubtedly iew your unit as less >7ou ha e to admit, +tar &aptain. 7our actions honorable targets. In any instance, if things goare about as unclan9like as anything I' e seen. badly, your men will ha e the best opportunity ofI' e heard of free9born warriors making they way escape.> through the Inner +phere to fight as mercenaries or e en as gladiators on +olarisCbut ne er a line9unit.>
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% smile graced Torc's mouth, something that the other. Lyndel saw the ruse for what it was, almost ne er happened, e en in ictory. and that is when he made all of his plans know to >%mong my people, it is considered disgraceful us. 8ow we managed to sur i e and return from to Duestion authority. )embers of a lower caste that mission still eludes me. may e en be executed for it. I ha e done things It was ob ious to me at that point that the in my career that would no doubt shock and leadership of &lan +moke -aguar had lost the appall you, a seasoned warrior. %nd ne er had I ision the :erensky's had so re erently entrusted gi en it any thought. I am not the original leader to us. $nfortunately, Lyndel was killed in his of this unit, colonel. There was another, thoughattempt to win a (lood9#ame, though he he is long dead. 8e taught me the meaning of managed to kill his opponent in the final round. true honor. #ot Aust a warriorsP honor, but that of&ommand fell to me after I defeated another a human being.> among us who was also in line for the now9 >.ur people exist to fight, and in ways, that is acant leadership. the most honorable thing one can expect. (ut to I found, while packing the colonels belongings, fight without a cause is shamefulCa waste ofa holo9disk with my name and the name of the materials and manpower that was considered +tar &ommander I defeated. Lyndel intended to anathema to the ision of #icholas :erensky.see the fruition of his plans e en from beyond the The former leader of the !th knew this. That isgra e if necessary, and I ha e followed those why he reDuested, and was happily granted,plans. *e do not intend to return to the clan, dominance of what you would label malcontents.should we win this Trial. (efore you ask the *e ha e a word for it among the &lansS 1e?gra. reason why we did not lea e without a battleC 8e fashioned the worst of all the -aguar well, that of a human being might o ershadow warriors into what is perhaps the finest -aguarthe honor of a warriorCbut it is honor none the unit in many generations of our clan. *hen our less. %nd these are warriors we face. #ot command learned of this, they sent the 1ragoonsinnocents like at 0do.> on the most dangerous of missions. (ut the !th The colonel looked flabbergasts. has always pre ailed when it counted the most, >*here will you goB> and so our reputation began to outweigh our >That remains undecided. It will surely be inherent disgrace. somewhere in the Inner +phere. (ut that is a goal +tar &olonel Lyndel had always towed the line, far from here, along a difficult path. There is but his obAection to the destruction of 0do, one ery chance we will fail, but I intend to make this ery planet, destroyed any burgeoningour former brethren pay for their atrocities, acts respect for the unit. Those of the truest &rusader that ha e dri en us from our clan. sentiment demanded we be relegated to garrison I found it only fitting that some small amount duty, assigned the use of what are consideredof honor be returned to the name of the +moke obsolete (attle)echs. -aguar, on the ery planet our honor was taken The colonel demanded a Trial of "efusal, andfrom us.> we won the battle at considerably long odds. (ut the upper echelons of command were hardly finished. $sing the most disgraceful of tactics,(roken ,ope Pass02 hours later deception, the 1ragoons were sent on a mission that would guarantee its destruction, one way or
,6
&olonel "ichards keyed his tac9com once Torc's comment about accuracy had been again, opening a direct feed to his men. correct, but there was more to it then his men's >%ll right, people. The !th's point9guard Austskill. They were all good pilots, a few could be sent a priority9red tight9beam. Looks like theconsidered elite, but it was the &ommand, #o a &ats and enemy -aguars are on the prowl.&ontrol and &ommunications #etwork that was Look's like the '&ats are taking a turn at leadingresponsible for the facts of Torc's opinion. the assault after the '-ags botched it up north. The &9; #etwork allowed his unit to use each "emember, we concentrate on Q)echs as theyother's targeting telemetry, effecti ely bringing come out of the box. Lea e those who get pastthe enemy much closer for firing purposes. our designated kill9?one for the !th.> "ichards almost felt a little guilty not telling Torc %s he spoke, a ?oshi .mni)ech with a largeabout the network, but the -aguar commander red '!th' on its right shoulder9Aoint burst from thewas still a potential enemy, and the colonel did mouth of the canyon at full sprint. The machine not wish to gi e up an edge should his warriors nearly lost its balance on the broken ground at and Torc's meet as enemies again. the alley's mouth, but the pilot kept the machine >&olonel "ichards, this is +tar &aptain Torc. upright. In less than ten seconds, the small Q)ech7ou ha e undoubtedly seen the return of our crossed through the line of the gray9spotted scout. 8e reports line9of9sight contact with our '-aguars assembled on the alley floor below. enemy. They are seconds behind him. %re your >.k, one last check of #etwork coordination warriors readyB> systems. 8a elock, how do you read meB' >They are, &aptain.> %fter a moment he added The midnight9black Wraith, looking small from>'ood hunting, +tar &aptain.> this height, turned and wa ed its arm back >%ff, colonel. %nd you.> toward the rest of the '1o?en. Lieutenant % pair of dark gray .mni)echs bolted out from 8a elock and +ergeant +palding, in his Phoeni& opening of the twisting canyon, barreling in ,awk, had taken up positions relati ely close to toward the waiting defender's line. the mouth of the pass, far to the left of the ! th's >8a e at 'em3> "ichards shouted. (efore he line. finished the sentence, the hea y and assault >I read a direct beam to you guys>, 8a elockQ)echs of the 1irty 1o?en's other two lances responded. >-ust make sure you guys shoot whatopened up with e ery thing they had. The closest we target. 8is ner ous laugh betrayed the uneaseenemy .mni)ech, labeled 'Ryoken' by the and excitement the Wraith pilot felt. 8e had#etwork, recei ed the hail of gauss slugs, front9row seats to what promised to be aparticle beams and cluster rounds. The Ryoken spectacular light show. had only started to achie e a target lock, when its >1on't worry your head about that. 7ou tag pilot saw the wa e of death approaching. 'em, we bag 'em.> % oice broke in. "ichards 5our particle beams arri ed a split second grinned. /ero's 'unslinger would most likely getbefore Aust as many gauss slugs hit the medium the first kill, with its paired gauss rifles. Twomachine, all impacting on the left side of the more ')echs of 8a elock's scout lance wereDuick ')ech. )ost of a flight of =< long9range hiding a ways behind the !th's battle9line, in themissiles from the '1o?en's Salamander found only co er the alley offered. They reportedtheir marks, followed by what seemed an endless linking in and clear, and the rest of the unit did wa e of missiles and smoke that led back to the likewise. '1o?en's ehicle contingent.
,,
$nbalanced by the barrage, the machine hop9rained down death and destruction, but there stepped to the left and the pilot fought a hopeless were so many targets that many escaped hits and battle against momentum and gra ity. Therushed the !th's line. machine hit the ground and plowed a ten9meter % (lack,awk bolted past the Wraith's position trench of earth through the tough clay. where it hugged the hill, and 8a elock poured The other machine, a #ragon"ly, dodged andpulse energy9Duarrels into the back of the #o a darted through the firestorm, clearing the kill9&at machine, followed a split second by the large ?one of the Inner +phere ')echs with armorlasers of the nearby Phoeni& ,awk. intact. $nfortunately, its speed pro ed no match +moke boiled out a slash in the (lack,awk's for the waiting line of enemy .mni)echs.rear torso, but the deadly .mni)ech did not go Though there was a distinct dislike for the use of down. The sDuat machine brought its right arm Inner +phere 'wolf9pack' tactics among the !th'saround and lashed back at its tormentors with warriors, none hesitated when Torc ga e thehalf a do?en medium lasers, slashing Aagged, word to fire. blackened furrows in the legs of the Wraith as %s impressi e as the opening sal o from the 8a elock Aumped the machine up and back to the mercenaries had been, one could hardly deny the(lack,awk's right. effect of more than twice that many .mni)echs % luckless 'oshawk, knocked prone by the firing at the same time. )any of the ! th'smassed fire aimed at the mouth of the pass, fell weapons missed their mark as the agile machine ictim to its fellow clansmen as a pair of #aishi bucked and dodged, but the sheer olume of fire assault .mni)echs stepped on the medium doomed the enemy .mni)ech. The #ragon"ly'smachine, dri ing it a meter into the clay and medium pulse lasers and +") were still out ofcrushing its torso. $nmo ed or simply uncaring, range when the machine fell, an arm and the pilots of the #aishi continued their charge out opposite leg blasted loose from the crippled claninto the open field. ')ech's torso. % star of #o a &ats attempted to flank the ! th's The colonel breathed in with a small pang of battle9line, crossing into the hills near the left of regret, as he saw the badly damaged and out9 the pass's mouth. *hen they had committed to gunned Ryoken start to struggle to its feet. 8ethe act, three '1ragoons .mni)echs aulted the keyed the microphone again. hills and landed in the rushing #o a &at >5inish it up.> formation's rear. The lead ,ellcat sent 2 medium %nother sal o of fire erupted from the Innerpulse lasers into the rear of the trailing !enris, +phere's position, blowing the Ryoken up and outsetting off an ammo explosion that blossomed of its trench, literally ripping the Q)ech apart. into a fusion reactor detonation. >8ate to break up the party, colonel, but here The white fire of the fusion blast engulfed comes the rest of the -aguars.> 8a elock sent. another #ragon"ly, which in turn erupted, 5rom his ad antage point, "ichards could see destroying an adAacent )hor @AB. The resulting what looked like an endless line of enemyconcussion ra aged the armor of the !th's two .mni)echs, a snake9like procession that wasclosest .mni's, but they remained in the fight. nearly pushing each other o er in their attempt to Torc's MadCat paced the line of his formation, get at the waiting enemy in the alley beyond. %sending bolt after bolt of particle energy into the few of the faster machines bolted out ahead of attacking ')echs. +warm munitions almost went the main column, and the Inner +phere ')echs
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haywire trying to pick the closest tragets in the one section of the map link to another in a !9map mouth of the pass. chain. If using the white side of a map, that map, The Warhammer9II&s, Marauder9II&s andonly the center two hex rows of this map may be #aishis of the !th pummeled the ad ancingused, and L.+ exists to the alley only on the ')echs, but were beginning to take losses of theirlast four hexes at the western edge of this map. own. The mounting enemy's si?e and number were starting to tellC The remaining four maps should be as followsS the middle two maps should each ha e at least 4KThis actually happened in the game, as one large hill and few trees. To represent the we were using the engine explosion rules twisting confines while using the white back of a map, limit fire into or out of the eastern map's from the Tactical Handbook.L *est +ide to 2 hexes. The western9most maps should ha e smaller hills and regular amounts of SITUATION: trees. In any e ent, it should take at least se eral +tar &aptain Torc chose a mountainous terrainrounds to get all the attacking ')echs onto the for the second battle in the Trial of %nnihilation. east board's far edge, since only one ')ech may (roken 8ope @ass was cut millions of years past occupy a hex. through some of the roughest terrain on Turtle (ay. 1eclaring +afe9&on for the 2th and !!th, the attacking units beha ed exactly as predicted,ATTAC/ER: performing a combat drop on the reported The attackers are elements of the !!th no a &at location of the !th,treating the !th as if they were&a aliers and the 2th -aguar 1ragoons. They bandits and ignoring the honorable offer of +afe9 enter the eastern map on Turn #6, though it may be se eral turns before all of the units finally &on. There was considerable agitation among the make it onto the map. #ote that se eral of these 2th's warriors when they disco ered the ! th wasunits are not front9line .mni)echs, and not where they were supposed to be. They had represent (attle)echs that were stationed close left a clear trail where they had gone, howe erCenough to reach the Trial in short order. #one of through the pass known as (roken 8ope. Thethe attackers are prohibited from using massed first #o a &ats and +moke -aguars to exit the far fire. side of the pass were in for a rude shockS Inner N$<a Cat 9$#ces: +phere mercenaries were assisting the !th. GThe n#m2er in parenthe e are SETUP: 7#nnery4,iloting Skill Level H Lay out fi e (attleTech maps with as shown. E!ements $2 Gamma St#i=e# Ga!a>: # 3st T#ina#: 0The 9!amin? 9ists1 F+ome units ha e been bid awayG The 0astern9most map should be turned o er soC$mman; S %e# N$<aFminus 0lementalsG that the white hexes show. .r four Ishiyama map +tar &aptain @icard F,H;G (ehemoth )* *esley F;H;G Cauldron (orn '%' sections if these are a ailable, set so that only
)* La5orge F;H!G /ova Cat @rimary
,!
)* Troi
F,H;G
(lack ,awk '%'
)* 'yro
F,H!G
Ryoken '('
Gamma Sta#
+tar &om. "yker F,H;G #aishi '*idow9maker' )* &alloway F,H;G /i-ori0/in '(' )* "o Laren F;H;G Vulture @rimary
A!%ha Hamme#:
+tar &om. :illroy F,H;G )* (illyboy FBG F;H;G )* -iggly F;H5G )* "a?y F;H!G )* -ingle F;H5G Ryoken '(' Phantom '&' Pouncer @rimary !enris @rimary Puma @rimary
Ome?a Sta#
+tar &om. 1ata )* )c#ight )* .gawa F;H;G F;H;G F,H!G #aishi '%' /aga '(' 'ladiator '%'
A!%ha An<i!:
+tar &om. %nAina F,H;G )* -uno F;H;G )* (ra o F,H!G )* 'alaleo F,H;G )* (yron F,H;G Man 9*War '%' #aishi '%' (lack ,awk @rimary (lack ,awk '%' Viper
N$<a Cat )n; T#ina#: 0The She,De<i!s1 C$mamn; Sta#

+& -ill )* :elly )* +tephanie )* 8ellen )* 1awn F,H;G F,H!G F,H!G F;H;G F,H5G Mad Cat @rimary Ryoken '%' #aishi '%' )hor '&' #ragon"ly '%'
S %%$#t Sta# Rh$

+tar &om. :risti )* %ndrea )* )arie )* 0mily )* &orey F,H5G F,H;G F,H5G F,H;G F;H;G #aishi @rimary Supernova Ri"leman ++C Viper Mad Cat '%'
De2en;e#: The defenders are elements of the ! th Aaguar 1ragoons and the 1irty 1o?en )ercenary &ompany. They set up prior to Turn #6 in the following mannerS the ! th sets up in a straight battle line at least 6, hexes away from the western9most edge of the east map, on either of the two center maps. %lpha &law sets up anywhere on the southern center map using '8idden $nits' rules. +tar &aptain Torc may be set up anywhere on either map, as long as he starts within fi e hexes of the main -aguar line. The 1irty 1o?en set up anywhere on the north9most center map. The Wraith and Phoeni& ,awk from the "econ lance must set up within 6< hexes of the opening that leads into the eastern map. The other two ')echs from this lance, the 8uron *arrior and &lint, may set up anywhere on the map using '8idden $nits' rules, as long as they are at least 65 hexes away from the eastern map. The +") &arriers may be set up with '8idden $nits' rules anywhere within 5 hexes of the '1o?en's hill.
Attac= Sta# Phi

+tar &om. )ichelle F,H;G )* )ystah F,H!G )* )ellinda F,H!G )* %manda F,H;G )* -ennifer F;H!G (ehemoth Viper Warhammer ++C Ryoken '(' )hor @rimary
E!ements&Rein2$#cement Sta# 0Ente#T #n @61

+tar &om. -erro )* 5innigan )* .tter )* 'rinch F,H;G F;H!G F;H!G F;H!G Masakari @rimary Super /ova Vulture '(' 'ladiator '%'
B The Di#t: D$Cen B Me#cena#: C$m%an:: (-ll BattleMech are mo3i.ie3 ( ome more than other ) to accommo3ate !1+ !omponent * Mo t o. the e 3e ign have o..icial !1+ co#nterpart in the T%&' ()*). %eel .ree to # e the e i. yo# 3onBt "i h to take the time to mo3i.y eCi ting heet *) SAPPHIRE LANCE
E!ements $2 the +th Aa? a# D#a?$$ns: S %e# N$<a A!%ha Fminus 0lementalsG
+tar &apt. /ural )* :ing )* -ohnson )* /icious F6H;G F,H;G F,H;G F,H!G #aishi '&' Mad Cat '%' Masakari '&' Masakari @rimary
,5
&olonel -ames "ichards F6H6G MAD,7A Ma#a ;e#,II
4Richard's+tar &om. (ill Marauder has dropped 10 of its 29 heat sinks and replaced the remaining 19 )* (osha with double-strength units. The PPC's have been upgraded to ER variants. A )* @lumb master C-3 unit sits in each side torsoL
Lieutenant /ero F,H;G GUN,3ERD

@ t. %lberto F;H!G
4Replace one medium pulse laser with a regular medium laser. Add a Slave to the right torsoL
)* Trash G ns!in?e#)* 1ruppi

[Replace
F,H;G F,H;G F,H!G F;H;G F,H!G
(attlemaster 6W Stalker ++C Stalker ++C Masakari *C* Warhammer ++C @S8B
ALPHA POUNCE: +tar &om. (arkley F,H;G ?oshi '%' F;H!G Shadow Cat '%' @ t. +mith F;H!G PTR,7D Penet#at$# 4Replace one )* 8ooter )* -abba F;H!G +hadow Cat '%' medium pulse laser with a regular medium laser. Add a Slave to the right torsoL )* (ull F,H!G Puma '%' )* &higger F;H5G !enris '1' ONYD LANCE: BRAVO COMMAND STAR: Lieutenant @arish F,H!G Ri2!eman IIC F,H!G Ri"leman ++C F+al agedG 4Replaced one large pulse laser with a clan ER-medium laser. +tar &om. @yra )* Twist F;H!G Ri"leman ++C Add a C-3 Master to the right torso L )* 1oeth F6H,G Masakari '&' +gt. 8orner F;H!G WHR,+M Wa#hamme# [Replace one Streak SRM-2 with a Slave unit. Add 4 pts of armor to each )* :ruger F,H;G Crusader ++C leg.] )* &rush F;H!G Crusader ++C @ t. %motto F,H;G BER,FL Be#se#=e# [Replace the
PPR,*S
Sa!aman;e#
one medium laser with a Slave to the right torso]
Large Pulse Laser with a Clan large Pulse Laser, add a Slave unit to the left torso.] BRAVO PURSUIT: @ t. 1obbs F;H;G HB/,7H H nchGac= [Add Endo+tar &om. +tone F,H;G Steel to the 'Mech, CASE in the torso housing ammo, and remove the small )* 8awk F;H!G laser and install a Slave unit in the head. Upgrade the medium lasers to )* #o a9&at F,H;G pulse lasers, and 4 pts of armor to each leg.]
)* &rumb )* Tumor
@657B F,H!G
Ryoken '%' Ryoken '%' Mako @rimary Mako @rimary (lack ,awk '+'
EMERALD LANCE: Lieutenant 8a lock F,H;G +gt. +palding F;H;G
[Replace a+tar &om. %cex medium pulse laser with a standard medium. Add a Slave Unit to the )* -ones Wraith's right torso.]
TR,3W#aith
BRAVO CLAW: )* %xe F6H6G F,H,G F,H;G ,ellcat @rimary ,ellcat @rimary )hor '('
PDH,"M Ph$eni> HaH=
[Replace the AMS and ammo with a Slave Unit to the 'Hawk's right torso. Add 4 pts. of armor to the legs.]
@ t. -enkins F,H,G HUR,WO,R7L H #$n Wa##i$#

[Replace the Large Laser with a C-3 Master Unit in the ' Warrior's RT]
Vict$#: C$n;iti$ns:
@ t. @otter F!H5G CLNT,),"U C!int [Replace a medium laser with This is a Trial of %nnihilation. The last sur i ing ')ech, or the a Slave Unit in the Clint's head.] last ')ech on the board should one side retreat, wins. 8istorically Fon the game table in my basementG, the !th and the 11 retreated, dealing out massi e damage before retreating to the last COPPER LANCE 0VEHICLE SUPPORT1 battleground Ffor next issueG. The 2 th and !!th paid a horrendous +gt. .wens F;H!G SRM Carrier price for the pyric ictory. ,R of the attacking units were +gt. Vuken F!H5G SRM Carrier destroyed, while J of the !th's .mni)echs suffered a similar fate. 2 of these warriors died due to cockpit destruction. 5our of the 1irty 1o?en's units lay shattered, including the two +") &arriers. 0 en though the defenders did massi e damage, 7th Aa? a# D#a?$$ns attrition started to take its toll when Torc ordered the withdrawal to &laidonia +pace @ort, for the final show down with the enemy. ALPHA COMMAND STAR +tar &aptain Torc F<H<G MadCat *A* +ome of the mechs used in this scenario were customs on both )* +tilleto F,H;G Marauder ++C sides. I ha e replaced these on the #o a &at and 2 th 1ragoon's )* 5o??y F;H!G #aishi *A* side with mechs of similar tonnage or close capability. Those )* 1lake F,H!G #aishi *S* customs used by the !th are detailed below. The Mako appeared in )* "eece F,H!G Ryoken Q%P last issue's opening scenario. ALPHA ASSAULT: S%ecia! E' i%ment:
,= I#mp Eet LL ) )*'
NAME: 0ell!at (7rey Wol.) 8mniMech

T8>>-7&: 65 T&!0>8L87Y L&=&L: !lan 1 Level 2 (8mni1Mech)
B=: +;''' A:
&5 Large La er &5 Large La er &5 Me3i#m La er &5 SM-LL ST5&-@ S5M 6 ST5&-@ S5M 6 ST5&-@ S5M 6 ST5&-@ S5M 6 Streak -mmo (+') Streak -mmo ()5) L50 !T LLT 55T LT 5T ) ) ) ) 2 2 2 2 2 ) $*' $*' )*' '*5 +*' +*' +*' +*' 2*' )*'
E%uipment
Mass
$*'
Internal Str#ct#re: 1 &n3oSteel &ngine: +65 (L ):*5 Walking M,: 5G)'H 5#nning M,: < I#mping M,: ' 0eat Sink : )5(+') 1 Ao#2le 5*' ,o3 Space: 2$*5 7yro: $*' !ockpit: +*' -rmor %actor: 2+) %% )2*' Interna! "tru#ture 0ea3 + : !enter Tor o4(rear) 2+ 54L Tor o4 (rear) )6 54L -rm )2 54L Leg )6 Armor $a!ue +64)' 2$4< 2$ +2
B=: 2+5<
): L5M 2' L5M 2' Me3* ,#l e La er Me3* ,#l e La er Me3* ,#l e La er Me3* ,#l e La er -5T&MIS I= %!S -5T&MIS I= %!S -MS 0 L5M -mmo (6) L5M -mmo (6) 5L L5M -mmo (6) 5T -MS -MM8 (2$) B= 25)2 5T LT 55LL5T LT ) LL ) ) !T $ $ ) ) ) ) ) ) '*5 ) )*' )*' ) 5*' 5*' 2*' 2*' 2*' 2*' )*' )*' )*' )*'
Weapons&Ammo Lo#ation Criti#a! Tonna e' %iCe3: M-S! LT + +*' &>A8 5T 2 111 &>A8 55 111 %&558 LT 2 111 %&558 L5 111 Primar(: Me3* ,#l e La er Me3* ,#l e La er Me3* ,#l e La er Me3* ,#l e La er Me3* ,#l e La er Me3* ,#l e La er Me3* ,#l e La er &51Small La er !T &!M S#ite T-57&TI>7 !8M, A0S 5T I#mp Eet I#mp Eet I#mp Eet I#mp Eet LLL5550 ) LT 5T 2 5L 5L !T LL ) ) ) ) ) ) ) '*5 ) + )*' ) ) ) ) 2*' 2*' 2*' 2*' 2*' 2*' 2*' )*' +*' )*' )*' )*' )*'
C:
&5 ,,! L&5 ,,! 5&5 Small La er &5 Small La er &5 Small La er &5 Small La er &5 Small La er Targeting !omp#ter T-7 0 2 A0S 5T ) A0S LT ) A0S !T ) A0S LL 2 2 LLL555T ) $ ) ) ) 6*' 6*' ) ) ) ) ) + )*' 2*' )*' )*' )*' '*5 '*5 '*5 '*5 '*5 +*'
,2 ) A0S 5L ) )*'
When h#nting me3i#m cla BMech ; the BAB variant i the +ellcat o. choice .or mo t BIag#ar pilot * It limite3 "eaponry make tackling heavy an3 a a#lt BMech very 3icey in the BAB pilot; 2#t .or it a igne3 role; the !la 2' Dltra a#to cannon i # #ally crippling in one alvo* &l# ive light an3 me3i#m JMech an3 2igger #nit can 2e peare3 "ith the &5 large la er at a a.er range*
B=: 26:$ D:
Dltra -!42' 5T &5 Large La er &5 Large La er &5 Me3i#m La er &5 Small La er -! -mmo ()5) < L50 !T LT )2*' ) ) ) ) + $*' $*' )*' '*5 +*'
G>8T&: I. # ing level + tech; the Watch3og replace the -ctive ,ro2e or &!M*H
y tem
De%!$:ment:
Thi machine i een primarily among the $th Iag#ar Aragoon ; "ho are almo t never een in 2attle "itho#t it*
B=: 2)+< FK /o lower arm5hand actuators on A/Y variants.G
The $th Aragoon have # e3 +ellcat in many 2attle v * @#rita #nit * In every 2attle; the machine ha acco#nte3 .or at lea t t"o kill ; # ing it M-S! an3 E#mping to leap 2ehin3 a @#rita a ailant an3 arm1.lip .or OVERVIEW: The +ellcat (7rey Wol. among the !lan ) i a Smoke1 a hot at the Araconi BMechB rear armor* Iag#ar 8mniMech 3e igne3 .or .ighting the Inner1Sphere on it o"n term : Dp !lo e* The BIag#ar ; gr#3gingly impre e3 "ith the pee3 an3 .irepo"er o. !lan Wol.B Tim2er Wol. 3e ign; # e3 that .amo# mech a a 2a e NAME: !5A1+ (!) !r# a3er II! 3e ign .or the +ellcat* ,hy ically; the clo e t 3e cription T8>>-7&: 6' an Inner Sphere "arrior might give i that the 0ellcat T&!0>8L87Y L&=&L: Level 2 (!lan 5e.it) re em2le a Mad ,at; min# the telltale mi ile po3 * What might look like a -ulture ,rimaryB arm are al o E%uipment Mass een on the +ellcat* Internal Str#ct#re: 1 &n3oSteel +*5 &ngine: 2<' )6*' Walking M,: $ 5#nning M,: 6 Ca%aGi!ities: I#mping M,: ' In it ,rimary con.ig#ration; the +ellcat i p#re0eat Sink : )$(2<) 1 Ao#2le $*' meanne ; incorporating M-S! "ith a mon tro# +65 (L 7yro: +*' engine an3 E#mp Eet ; it po e e #nprece3ente3 pee3 !ockpit: +*' an3 mane#vera2ility* 6 me3i#m p#l e la er provi3e the -rmor %actor: 2)) (%erro1%i2ro# ) ))*' 2ite #p clo e "hen mate3 to the +ellcatB targeting comp#ter* The 3e igner note3 ome Inner1Sphere mechB a2ility to arm1.lip; an3 o they a33e3 thi # e.#l Interna! Armor tech to the +ellcat* The ,rimary variant eCcel in city "tru#ture $a!ue .ighting; mo#nting either an active pro2e "hen attacking 0ea3 + : or an &!M #it "hen 3e.en3ing in #ch terrain* !enter Tor o4 (rear) 22 +$4< The B-B variant i an eCcellent .ighter at all range * 54L Tor o4 (rear) )5 224< Thi ver ion eem to o"e it con.ig#ration to the Timber 54L -rm )) 2' .olf A* The BBB variant o. the +ellcat i the #pport 54L Leg )5 +' ver ion; mo#nting a pair o. L5M 2'B an3 -rtemi %ire #pport* - /#artet o. me3i#m p#l e la er en #re acc#rate .ire again t anyone "ho 3eci3e to come in clo e* Mo#nting energy "eapon an3 a targeting Lo#ation Criti#a! comp#ter; the ! variant i # e.#l .or prolonge3 Weapons & Ammo Tonna e operation a"ay .rom #pply line * L5M 2' LT $ 5*'
Batt!e Hist$#::
,R
L5M 2' 5T Me3i#m ,#l e La er Me3i#m ,#l e La er Streak S5M 6 LL Streak S5M 6 LL -MS 0 -rtemi I= -rtemi I= L5M 2' -mmo ()2) L5M 2' -mmo ()2) S5M -mmo ()5) 5T S5M -mmo ()5) LT -MS -mmo (2$) 5T $ L52 2 ) 5T LT 5T LT ) ) ) 5*' ) ) +*' +*' '*5 ) ) 2 2 )*' )*' )*' Ai array met a toni hment a the clan machine "eathere3 a torm o. L5MB that "o#l3 have annihilate3 Inner Sphere ,rusader ; clo ing to the IS machine * 8nce in clo e; the #perior clan tech prove3 .atal to the #pport lance an3 e..ectively en3e3 the Black 0ole Ban3it BMechB attempt at completing their mi ion* Ironically; .or once clan tech "a e..ectively # e3 in a .a hion it "a not 3e igne3 .or; clo e1in .ighting*
2*' 2*'
)*' )*' 2*' 2*'
The only kno" variant remove the anti1mi ile y tem an3 ammo an3 a33 an &51 mall la er to the hea3 an3 another heat ink* Thi 3e ign i totally heat e..icient*
$ariants:
O$E*$IEW:
%ir t enco#ntere3 on the Steel =iper "orl3 o. Ia2#ka; T8>>-7&: <5 the ,rusader //, "a an #nplea ant #rpri e .or Inner T&!0>8L87Y L&=&L: Level 2 (!lan 5e.it) Sphere mercenary rai3er * >ot E# t a .iel3 #pgra3e; thi machine; like the more common "hadow0+aw# //, an3 Mass 1riffin //, mech ; i a completely ne" 3e ign; #perior to E%uipment Internal Str#ct#re: 1 &n3oSteel $*5 itB parent machine in nearly every "ay* &ngine: 255 )+*' Walking M,: + Capabi!ities: While the ,rusader //,; like other econ31line re.it ; 5#nning M,: 5 ha ha3 t "eight altere3; the =iper have kept the I#mping M,: ' :*' ,rusaderB p#rpo e very clo e to the original com2at 0eat Sink : ):(+<) 1 Ao#2le 7yro: +*' role* The !5A1+ (!) i .ir t a mi ile #pport mech; !ockpit: +*' e/#ippe3 "ith ma ive 3#al L5M 2' la#ncher mate3 to )6*5 the -rtemi 1I= mi ile y tem* Streak technology ah -rmor %actor: 26+ 2een replace3 the ol3er; ine..icient S5M16 rack ; an3 Interna! Armor ,#l e technology ha 2een a33e3 to the alrea3y1eCcellent "tru#ture $a!ue la er y tem * 0ea3 + : While the ,rusader //, i no more mane#vera2le that 26 $24)2 itB inner1 phere co#nter part; it r#n m#ch cooler in !enter Tor o 4(rear) 254)) com2at; pack a greater #pply o. mi ile an3 it 54L Tor o 4(rear) )< )$ 2< impre ive armor; -nti1Mi ile Sy tem an3 lack o. an 54L -rm )< +6 eCtra1light engine g#arantee thi 3e ign incre3i2le 54L Leg 3#ra2ility an3 an eCcellent com2at1li.e* Weapons &Ammo Lo#ation Tonna e Dep!o(ment: &5 Large La er L) $*' To 3ate; the machine ha con.irme3 ighting among &5 Large La er 5) $*' the Steel =iper ; !lan Wol.; Ia3e %alcon an3 the >ova Me3i#m ,#l e La er !T ) !at * Me3i#m ,#l e La er 0 ) L5M 2' LT $ 5*' )att!e Histor(: L5M 2' 5T $ 5*' The Inner Sphere got it .ir t ta te o. thi machine on Streak S5M 6 LT 2 +*' the Steel1=iper "orl3 o. Ia2#ka* &lement o. the Black1Streak S5M 6 5T 2 +*' 0ole Mercenary 5egimentB 2n3 !ompany; KSon o.-rtemi I= LT ) Th#n3erK; "ere con3#cting g#erilla rai3 again t the -rtemi I= 5T ) =iper garri on o. T#log"a* L#ring the =iper econ31line L5M 2' -mmo ()2) LT 2 machine into a .ore te3 pa ; the SonB #pport lance; L5M 2' -mmo ()2) 5T 2 con i ting o. Archer an3 Trebuchet ; picke3 theS5M -mmo ()5) LT ) oncoming machine la2ele3 a ,rusader .or their .ir tS5M -mmo ()5) 5T ) target* OVERVIEW:
NAME: ST@1+ (!) Stalker II!
Criti#a!
2*' 2*'
)*' )*' 2*' 2*' )*' )*'
,J
The "tal#er "a the mo t common o. a a#lt JMech pack that o..ere3 2attle .rom BattleTech prior to the &Co3# * It goe "itho#t aying; then that great many "ent "ith 7eneral @eren ky "hen he .iction* Thi JMech i 3e igne3 aro#n3 the re.itte3 3attlemaster* -n 3eparte3 kno"n pace* @no" .or making relentle ; i. 5e3 !or airB ome"hat lo"; a3vance ; the "tal#er "a highly a3epteCcellent 3e ign "ell "orth a look; an3 the at engaging the enemy at every range* Thi le3 to the "tal#er 2eing ver atile; 2#t har3ly a threat to the more cenario pack ainBt that 2a3; either*** mi ion12a e3 3e ign ; "hich co#l3 o#t1cla the "tal#er at "hatever range they "ere 3e igne3 to .ight at* While NAME: BL51+W Battlema ter it packe3 a large amo#nt o. "eaponry; it co#l3 har3ly .ire all the "eapon on 2oar3 "itho#t .ear o. imme3iate T8>>-7&: <5 T&!0>8L87Y L&=&L: Level 2 (!lan 5e.it) h#t3o"n*
Ca%aGi!ities:
Dn.ort#nately .or the Inner Sphere; The "tal#er //, 5D>: 6 #..er none o. the e 3e ign .la" ; ave lack o. pee3* IDM,: ' Mo#nting a pair o. eCten3e3 range large la er an3 a 3#al L5M12' rack po"ere3 2y -rtemi I= g#i3ance; the &>7I>&: +$'(L )+*5 "tal#er //, po e e range3 .ire po"er .e" JMech can 7Y58: $*' match* The 3anger E# t get "or e "hen a #nit clo e 0&-T SI>@S: 2$ ($<) "ith the "tal#er //,***t"in treak 6 rack an3 a pair o. I>T&5>* ST5D!TD5&: G&>A8H me3i#m p#l e la er a33 to the carnage #..ere3 2y any -5M85: 262 pt*G>ormalH )6*5 enemy o. the "tal#er //, .ace3 "hile clo ing "ith thi 3ea3ly machine* 0: : !T4(5): $'4)$ De%!$:ment: ST4(5): 2<4< The e machine are a common in clan garri on -5M: 2< cl# ter a they are in Inner Sphere armie * &very clan L&7: +6 # e the "tal#er //,*
W-L@:
)$*' $*5
WEAPON"&E+,IPMENT Wei ht
Batt!e Hist$#::
Lo#ation
6*' 6*' 556*' 2*' 2*' 2*' 2*' )*' )*' )*' !T LT LT 5T 5T 0 LT 5T
&51,,! "tal#er //, JMech a" inten e action 3#ring 8peration &51,,! Large ,#l e La er B#ll3og; an3 there i at lea t one acco#nt o. the e Me3i#m ,#l e La er machine engaging each other among >ova !at an3 Me3i#m ,#l e La er Smoke Iag#ar .orce 3#ring the operation* Several mercenary #nit have capt#re3 "tal#er //, 3#ring rai3 Me3i#m ,#l e La er Me3i#m ,#l e La er into Ia3e %alcon an3 Steel =iper pace* Several are r#more3 to 2e among the !lan Wol. in &Cile .orce on -rc &51Me3i#m La er &51Me3i#m La er 5oyal* &51Me3i#m La er
Va#iants
There are no kno"n variant o. thi JMechLeither the clan 3onBt "i h to tinker "ith a #cce .#l 3e ign; or they .eel the machine i not "orth re o#rce that "o#l3 2e 2etter # e3 re.itting or re3e igning ne" 8mniMech *
B=: 2$<2
Va#iants: B/nboundBM li te3 a >ova !at variant that "eigh 65 ton ; ha a 54< move; an3 replace the &51,,!B "ith &51Large )ATTLEMA"TE* The BL51+W Battle Ma ter appeare3 in La er * 5#nB a 2it hot; 2#t a 3attlemaster B/nbound2; an M&!0%85!&1D*@* cenariomoving that .a t must look cool*
;<
'A&TING S(OTS:
*ellCwe' e made it through what's turned out to be a semi9important milestoneCa fifth issue3 %s always, I take this opportunity to ask for contributions, especially interesting scenarios. If you're not much of a writer F%s if + wasBG, Aust send it in with a few details and I'll try to adlib Fnot butcherG your exciting battle Fno mail9 bombs, please3G. #ext Issue, we run the risk of fan hatred when we re iew the *arhammer (attle)ech. It's about time we did a column that allowed fans to oice some of their ideas. F.ptional "ules for things like mine fields getting a free crit check on a leg when they get stepped onCcome on, feet get blown off by mines all the time in the no elsCG % special thanks to those who contributed to this IssueS nice work guys. :eep it coming and wePll lead the way into the new millennium with whate er it is that makes (attleTech so kick9ass special3 'Till next, may honor sharpen your steel, )ech*arrior3

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6

-MS ammo ()2) !8ST: 9:;6)<;'+$ B=:

Ton 2*5 2*' '*5 )*' +*' )*'

#Mech o$ the Month AS7 ATLAS

AS+,CM AS+,D 0C1

@ t. %mos 'reen F!H5G

KLeftenant (en 1o er F!H5G

(lack ,awk '%'

N$<a Cat )n; T#ina#: 0The She,De<i!s1 C$mamn; Sta#

S %%$#t Sta# Rh$

Attac= Sta# Phi

E!ements&Rein2$#cement Sta# 0Ente#T #n @61

Lieutenant /ero F,H;G GUN,3ERD

)* Trash G ns!in?e#)* 1ruppi

F,H;G F,H;G F,H!G F;H;G F,H!G

one medium laser with a Slave to the right torso]

EMERALD LANCE: Lieutenant 8a lock F,H;G +gt. +palding F;H;G

PDH,"M Ph$eni> HaH=

@ t. -enkins F,H,G HUR,WO,R7L H #$n Wa##i$#

,= I#mp Eet LL ) )*'

NAME: 0ell!at (7rey Wol.) 8mniMech

B=: 2)+< FK /o lower arm5hand actuators on A/Y variants.G

)*' )*' 2*' 2*'

NAME: ST@1+ (!) Stalker II!

)*' )*' 2*' 2*' )*' )*'

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