Catalyst 35607 - Operational Turning Points - The Red Corsair OEF.pdf - [2008-......] - Catalyst - trzeci

A bAttletech sourcebooks compAnion

[OPERATIONAL TURNING POINTS: THE RED CORSAIR]

UNEXPECTED GUESTS .................

Burton’s redouBt

deia, Federated Commonwealth

19 J u n e 3055

Reinforcements were coming—Clanners or some nonsense. Not

that Zvi bought that. He’d signed on to ight the Clanners. Not

with them.

The range quickly fell to less than two kilometers, close

enough for the Enforcer ’s optics to start painting accurate imagery

across his heads-up display. Zvi studied them, magnifying each

’Mech and then backing his scale of until he saw the whole

force. They all showed signs of damage. They hadn’t taken the

time to reit since their last skirmish near Shasta. Not that they’d

granted the Zouaves any time, either.

“Listen up,” he said, using a general freak so the Deia boys

and girls could hear him too. “They’re tough—Hauptmann

Beaker learned that the hard way.” Not as hard as Sagetsky would

have, the drunken bastard . “But we’ve got the high ground, and

there’s only this ford across the Speke within forty kilometers.”

“That’s only an hour,” Parson cut in.

“An hour we’d be pacing them and raining ire on them,” Zvi

said patiently.

“Sorry, Leftenant.”

“No blood, Sergeant,” Zvi said. “We’ll hold them here, keep

them interested, until the Kommandant gets out here to relieve

us or our reinforcements get here.” He consciously kept his eyes

from licking down at his ammunition counter for

the Enforcer ’s big autocannon. He already knew

what he’d ind: three cassette-rounds

remaining. Luckily the big ChisComp 43

didn’t need ammunition.

“How long, Leftenant?” Parson

asked.

“Until it’s over.”

“We’ll hold ‘em,” Carerra put in.

Missile alarms screamed

quietly at Zvi. He directed

his attention back down

at the plain across the

river—the Corsair

’Mechs were close

enough for long-

range missile ire,

but the Enforcer ’s

sensors were

only detecting

fire-control

radars—

not missile-

guidance. He

frowned.

Then

Leftenant Zvi Aras watched the waters of the Speke River

low past, sixty meters below the clif’s edge where his Enforcer

stood. The water was dirty brown, moving toward pale purple

as it cleared and revealed the stones beneath. Deia really was

a beautiful world. He’d come to like it since the Zouaves landed

to support the militia in garrison. He’d come to like the women,

too… Erica …

“There, Leftenant,” Sergeant Parson said. His oft-repaired

Dervish pointed with its left-arm box launcher. Zvi frowned.

Parson was right handed —the Dervish didn’t have a right arm.

Damn it . He was getting punchy… too long in the cockpit. Too

long since the Kommandant’s ’Mech went down without its

leg. Zvi directed his sensors along the path Parson indicated,

out across the Speke. A cloud of dust was climbing into the

sky. The pirates .

“Get ready,” he told his lance. Acknowledgments lickered on

his screen as they squawked their transponders. Zvi backed a

few steps away from the edge and dialed a diferent frequency.

“Adam, they’re coming again.” He looked to his left, where the

tanks and two ’Mechs of the Deia Militia were dug in.

Sergeant Adam Carerra was the senior man

left. “You guys ready?”

“Hot and locked,” Carerra said.

The squat Manticore wagged its

turret at him.

Good man .

The Enforcer ’s computer

pinged at him as it began to

identify individual ’Mech

models. Mongoose .

Wyvern . Champion .

BattleMaster .

Whoever these

raiders, these

Corsairs, really

were, they were

well-equipped.

Better than the

hand-me-downs the

Zouaves got from the

Kell Hounds. Zvi patted

his command couch’s

arm gently. Nothing

personal, girl .

Zvi’d seen the

news. He knew they’d

smashed the garrisons on

Kooken’s Pleasure Pit and

Pasig. Kommandant Zimmer

had given a good speech

when they’d come in-system.

smiled.

They didn’t

have any missiles. They’d

stripped out most of

their ammunition-based

weaponry in favor of

energy weapons. Without

[OPERATIONAL TURNING POINTS: THE RED CORSAIR]

UNEXPECTED GUESTS .................

good bombardment weapons the Corsairs would ind it near-

impossible to dislodge the Zouaves. Finally—things are going

to turn around . He chuckled as Parson raised his Dervish ’s arm

and ripple-ired ten long-range missiles at the raiders. Carerra’s

Manticore did likewise, but neither barrage hit home. The pirate

’Mechs just stood there, barely in range.

I’ve got nothing but time , Zvi gloated.

Static crackled in his helmet. “Aras!” Zvi started and adjusted

his com.

“Sir!”

Kommandant Zimmer’s voice was tense. “You’ve got

incoming, son,” the CO said.

Zvi checked his sensors—the skies showed clear. “I show

only the raiders in front of me, sir,” he said. “We can hold them.

They can’t get across without us taking them hard, sir.”

“It’s not the raiders I’m worried about,” Zimmer said.

“Sir?”

“There are ships coming down in your sector, Leftenant.

Clan forces. They’re supposed to be our reinforcements. I’ve got

clearances from Lyran State Command and Prince Victor himself

on it.”

“ O k a y …”

“They refused to come down behind the raiders in front of

you. They’re coming down on top of you.”

“We’ve got this line held, sir—“

“They might be hostile.”

“What?”

“I said they may be hostile. I’ve just gone over the

recordings—I think he challenged me for possession of the LZ.”

The whoosh of iring missiles made Zvi’s eyes focus in front

of him. Carerra and Parson again—the raider ’Mechs just backed

up, out of range. Maybe some gravel from the explosions hit

their armor. If luck was with the Zouaves. And it doesn’t sound

like it is—

“Sir, I can’t hold against a Clan assault.” Zvi looked down the

line—the Deia Militia Griin was toeing the edge of the clif,

putting PPC ire into the ground in front of the bandits. I’ve got

to get the line turned —“Sir, you’ve got to get them sorted out.”

“Son—“

The Enforcer ’s sensors pinged a warning. Zvi looked up,

craning his neck to try and see through the Enforcer ’s polarized

transpex. Dots appeared through the low clouds—drop packs.

Shit . He cut the Kommandant’s signal and jerked the Enforcer

around. “Parson—hold the line. I’ll be back.”

“Leftenant?”

“Hold this ground, Sergeant!” Zvi pushed the Enforcer into a

run toward the rear, across the mesa. The ground was broken,

purple-brown boulders strewn about across a ield of shard rock

and meter-wide crevasses. His computer painted the nearest

LZ barely ive hundred meters away. He saw the ’Mech come

down—olive-drab paint atop a pillar of ire. It disappeared

behind a rock.

“Identify yourself,” Zvi sent.

“I am MechWarrior Sarn,” a calm voice said. The ’Mech stepped

around the rock, and his sensors quickly identiied it: a Lancelot .

Heavy weapons, good speed, practically no armor. “I challenge

you to a combat of warriors, mercenary.”

“We’re on the same side—“

“Do you surrender?”

Zvi brought the Enforcer up short. “The raiders are behind

me,” he said. “I’ll pass you through our lines if you want a crack

at them—“

“I will deal with that scum later, mercenary. Do you surrender?”

“No, I—“

The sensor lock warning shrilled a quarter-second before

the PPC ire washed across the Enforcer ’s chest armor, rocking

the already-damaged ’Mech. Zvi jerked his controls to the

side, trying to clear the line of ire. The big 43 laser’s crosshairs

lickered atop the Lancelot and Zvi ired, burning a scar on its

chest armor.

Four more olive-drab ’Mechs strode into view, halting when

they saw the Lancelot already engaged. Zvi ignored them,

praying the laser would cycle while his ingers played across the

com board. A zip-squeal to battalion, then —“Parson! Action rear!”

“Leftenant!?”

“The Clanners—they’re host—“ Another PPC shot slammed

into the of-balance Enforcer , escorted in by laser ire. The Enforcer

crumpled as the last of its right-leg armor was annihilated and

its knee actuator exploded. Zvi braced himself in time for the fall

and stabbed at his controls. He jabbed the laser muzzle in the

ground and brought the big Federated autocannon to bear. The

slam-slam-slam of the weapon cycling shook his couch where

it hung sideways, digging his restraints painfully into his side

through his cooling vest. Zvi held the trigger down.

“You have spirit,” the Clanner said.

“Son of a—“ The ground shook as the other four Clanners

pounded past his ’Mech. “Parson!”

“I don’t understa—what the— look out !” An explosion illed

the com lines. Zvi screamed, adjusted his aim. The Lancelot shook

beneath the pounding but broke into a run as the Enforcer ’s

autocannon ran dry. Zvi let the ’Mech fall back, trying to get it

up on its right arm now that the cannon was useless.

“Goodbye, mercenary,” the Clanner said. A shadow

brightened all the red alarm lights in Zvi’s cockpit. He looked

up, saw the Lancelot ’s gun-arms descend. Screams replaced the

explosions on the com line, and a window popped up on his

HUD as Parson’s ’Mech stopped broadcasting. Carerra’s tank was

sending gun-camera footage, and its gun was still facing the

raider ’Mechs.

They were still standing there, watching.

[OPERATIONAL TURNING POINTS: THE RED CORSAIR]

INTRODUCTION ...........................

one of the landmark conlicts of the Inner Sphere’s tumultuous history. The Operational Turning Points series is slightly

diferent from the standard Jihad or Historical Turning Points PDF exclusives; although still ofering the same great gameplay

opportunities; a Operational Turning Points expands the Track section into a more robust campaign setting, using both Mission and

Touchpoint Tracks to let players ight a full-ledged, multi-world campaign.

The general information contained in the atlas and Combatants sections gives players the tools needed to ight an ininite

number of engagements, while the track section gives details on some of the more pivotal battles of the campaign. The track

sections can be used with stand-alone games set in 3055.

The atlas section presents a global overview followed by some quick facts about some of the planets visited in this campaign.

Included in this section you will ind terrain tables broken into various categories. These tables can be used as a random chart

to determine the maps used in the tracks, or simply as a guide to give you ideas of the types of terrain found on the world. This

section also contains a list of various additional terrain types, environment and other rules that can be used to enhance your game

experience. All players should agree whether or not to use any or all of these features before play begins.

The Combatants section gives details of the units who participated in the conlict and can be used by players who wish to add

authenticity to their game. While the units who actually participated in the battles are noted, in most cases the numbers on each

side are left undetermined. This allows the players to pursue the Tracks with diferent forces as they wish. The rough ratio of forces

on each side is provided as a guideline. Players should feel free to balance the forces in each track as they see it, whether by battle

value, tonnage, total number of ’Mechs, or whatever else suits them.

The tracks section presents both Mission and Touchpoint tracks, allowing player groups to build full-ledged campaigns set

during the events listed. A general guideline for how to begin ighting the historical campaign is included in how to use the

Campaign . Each of the Mission Tracks is reusable, and the Touchpoints cover several key battles that occurred during the campaign,

though they are not the only ones. Players wishing to incorporate these tracks into their Chaos Campaign campaigns should use

the Warchest Points (WP) listed in the brackets. Optional points are awarded only if the group achieves at least one Objective while

using the listed option. Objective points are cumulative as they are achieved, unless otherwise noted.

The annex section contains two oicial Record Sheets. The irst is the famed custom BattleMaster of the Red Corsair, followed by

the custom Man O’ War OmniMech coniguration of Conal Ward.

CREDITS .....................................

Project Development: Ben H. Rome

Factchecking/Playtesting: Joel Agee, Paul Bowman, Glenn

Hopkins, Mike Miller, Michael Pister, Aaron Pollyea, Craig Reed,

Andreas Rudolph, Geof Swift, Øystein Tvedten, Chris Wheeler

and Patrick Wynne.

BattleTech Line Developer: Herb A. Beas II

Writing: Jason Schmetzer

To read the story of the Red Corsair, see the novel Natural

Selection by Michael A. Stackpole, and read more about Nelson

Geist in “Ghost of Christmas Present” available at BattleCorps.com.

Production Staf

Cover Design and Layout: Matt Heerdt

Evolved Faction Logos: Jason Vargas and Matt Heerdt

Portraits: Ray Arrastia and Brent Evans

Unit Logos: Ray Arrastia

Record Sheets: David L. McCulloch

Map : Øystein Tvedten

battletech, battletech, battlemech, ’mech, and Wk Games are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of the

topps company, inc. in the united states and/or other countries. catalyst Game labs and the catalyst Game labs

logo are trademarks of inmediares production, llc.

STAR LEAGUE ERA

CLAN INVASION ERA

JIHAD ERA

SUCCESSION WARS ERA

CIVIL WAR ERA

DARK AGE ERA

W elcome to Operational Turning Points: Red Corsair, a campaign book designed to give players the opportunity to ight in

[OPERATIONAL TURNING POINTS: THE RED CORSAIR]

ATLAS ........................................

KooKen’S PLeaSure PiT

Deia

noble ruler: Archon Melissa Steiner-Davion

appointed ruler: Duke Abelard Meyers

Star Type (recharge Time): G5V (186 hours)

Position in System: 4

Time to Jump Point: 7.47 days

number of Satellites: 1 (Joy)

Surface Gravity: 1.0

atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)

equatorial Temperature: 30° C (Arid)

Surface Water: 43 percent

recharging Station: Zenith

HPG Class Type: B

Highest native Life: Mammal

Population (3055): 192,340,000

Socio-industrial Levels: C-C-D-C-B

noble ruler: Archon Melissa Steiner-Davion

appointed ruler: Landgrave Emmet Horn

Star Type (recharge Time): G5V (186 hours)

Position in System: 6

Time to Jump Point: 7.47 days

number of Satellites: 1 (Honor)

Surface Gravity: 1.0

atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)

equatorial Temperature: 24° C (Arid)

Surface Water: 79 percent

recharging Station: None

HPG Class Type: B

Highest native Life: Reptile

Population (3055): 235,900,000

Socio-industrial Levels: C-C-B-B-C

When Theophilus Meyers’ colonist convoy landed on the

world that would be named Kooken’s Pleasure Pit it seemed

likely that the people knew how their world would come to play

out. Positioned strategically astride the travel lanes between the

always-hot border the Lyran Commonwealth shared with the

Draconis Combine, Kooken’s was an easy place for troops moving

between the Commonwealth’s interior and the front to stop of

and rest or reit. The LCAF quickly established a forward logistical

base on the world and various private industries established

training areas, testing facilities, major media and entertainment

industries, and all of the “soft” industries that support soldiers

when they’re not on active duty. By the time the Second

Succession War erupted the Pleasure Pit really was just that. When

Archon Alessandro Steiner built up Kooken’s tourism trade in

the 3000s to compete with the Malthus family on Dustball, most

residents shrugged and kept on doing what they were doing.

When the Clan Invasion cut a swath through the Lyran half

of the Federated Commonwealth, Kooken’s went from rear-area

rest and relaxation post to frontline garrison world. Always a

population friendly to soldiers, and boasting a ’Mech-equipped

militia made up of retired soldiers who’d relocated to Kooken’s

because of fond memories, the AFFC quickly sent in frontline

forces—a regiment of Robinson Rangers from the Davion half

of the realm and the Grave Walkers, a long-serving mercenary

regiment. After the Truce of Tukayyid these two regiments

placed themselves in long-term garrison and began supporting

the many irregular operations on Clan-held worlds. The Red

Corsair’s attack was the irst serious attack on the world, and she

managed to blood the Robinson Rangers and shatter Kooken’s

Reserve Militia before escaping.

After the attack a number of Militia MechWarriors were listed

as missing in action, including the commander, Kommandant

Nelson Geist. It is believed that the Corsair’s band captured these

warriors and is using them as slave labor, perhaps in preparation

for later demanding ransoms. The many military families on-

world are already beginning collections to assemble the funds

for such ransoms.

Although the initial settlers on Deia weren’t all Deists, the

hardships of founding an initial colony soon killed of nearly

all of the other groups who irst landed, leaving the largely

pragmatic Deist survivors in position to afect the growth of

their world over the next several centuries. Given its largely

secure position in the Lyran Commonwealth’s interior during

the Succession Wars it was never a major battleground site—

until the coming of the Clans in 3050. The Jade Falcons quickly

cut a swath through Lyran territory that placed Deia near the

new front lines—and forced the world to accept larger AFFC

garrisons supported by mercenary forces.

Once the Truce of Tukayyid halted the invasion, Deia found

itself again lightly defended as the weakened AFFC shored

up direct border worlds and left the second-tier of systems

uncovered. The Deian government quickly ofered garrison

contracts on several mercenary markets, keeping at least a

battalion of troops on-hand at all times to supplement their

small-but-growing militia. They also secured emergency

response contracts from nearby mercenaries such as the Kell

Hounds, who sponsored Zimmer’s Zouaves, the mercenary

battalion on-planet when the Red Corsair attacked Deia after

irst hitting Kooken’s Pleasure Pit, Pasig, and Zhongshan.

The people of Deia are by and large hardworking, quiet folk.

Although only lightly populated compared to the Lyran core

worlds, Deia is a near-paradisical planet. What keeps more people

from settling are the insular natives, whose natural reticence is

not understood by outsiders, and the simple pragmatism of its

natives, who choose to keep their birthrates low and keep Deia

a peaceful, beautiful world. It has only been since 3052 that a

larger segment of the government has begun advocating for

increased defense spending and military immigration—insular

they may be, but they are smart enough to know they cannot

keep the Clans away without help.

Catalyst 35607 - Operational Turning Points - The Red Corsair OEF.pdf

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika: