Would the WoB take revenge

[Demon55]

If a small mercenary or house unit interfered with the plans of the WoB, say destroying a small special forces type unit would the WoB take revenge on said unit? 

If so how would the WoB exact their revenge?

Thanks and have a fantastic day!

[Sharpnel]

A most definite yes. A small unit might be taken in a non-public manner such as assassination r destruction of JumpShip while it is travelling between worlds. Most likely, it would be a false flag operation or they would use one of their own merc units as a proxy.


See: Destruction of Outreach and the near total dismantling of the Wolf's Dragoons and its AMC allies.

[Demon55]

A most definite yes. A small unit might be taken in a non-public manner such as assassination r destruction of JumpShip while it is travelling between worlds. Most likely, it would be a false flag operation or they would use one of their own merc units as a proxy.


See: Destruction of Outreach and the near total dismantling of the Wolf's Dragoons and its AMC allies.

So the little unit should expect to be engaged by a proxy merc unit, this unit in particular already has nearly destroyed two other small units whose survivors likely bear a grudge against them? 

As for destruction of a jumpship would that be done via dropship/warship or suicide bomber/planted bomb?

[Frabby]

The WoB seemed to prefer underhanded tactics. Don't expect an open battle or even a fighting chance. A small mercenary unit earning the WoB's wrath would end up killed dead by means of poison, sabotage and treachery, and their equipment stolen or booby-trapped for their allies. Basically, unless you can slip under the cover of the AMC or ARDC then you don't openly oppose the Word. They've made it crystal clear that to oppose them means to die.

[Maelwys]

On the other hand, Avanti's Angels messed with the WoB's plans in the Periphery and the WoB pretty much ignored them until the Angels started to take contracts in the Protectorate area after the Jihad kicked off, and even then it seemed to be more of "We're attacking a hostile military unit," rather than "Rawr, kill these guys!"

It might also depend on who the destroyed SF unit was exactly. Apollyon might not care if it was frails, while an attack on the MD might result in murderous and overt aggression.

If it was a WoB Militia unit, or a ROM unit, Cameron St. Jamais might take it personally, or might just consider it a cost of being in the war, rather than "I must dedicate a Division to hunt down some mercenaries that beat us."

Then again, maybe nothing militarily will happen, but your next contract takes you to the Davion Outback where you find yourself right in the path of some ticked-off Snow Ravens.

Or they might be unlucky enough to be jumping through a system where the WoB has a couple of Q-ships lying around.

It all just sort of...depends.

[Archangel]

On the other hand, Avanti's Angels messed with the WoB's plans in the Periphery and the WoB pretty much ignored them until the Angels started to take contracts in the Protectorate area after the Jihad kicked off, and even then it seemed to be more of "We're attacking a hostile military unit," rather than "Rawr, kill these guys!"

Actually MSU (p26) clearly states that the Blakists struck at Avanti's Angels while they were still on Joppa while under contract to the Magistracy.  It is even stated that complicity by Magistracy official with the attackers forced the under to break their contract.  It was after this attack on Joppa that the unit returned to the Chaos March/Protectorate area and would be forced to weather further Blakist attacks.

[Kidd]

Wasn't Avanti's Angels on the hitlist of Precentor Beric and his Opacus Venatori themselves?! Thats practically unwanted WOB attention of the highest order!

Think of the most underhanded, soul crushing TPK conceivable, think Lannister, think "we always pay our debts"... and you're probably 80% of the way to a Blakist revenge plan. That being said, is this for a campaign? You don't want to throw your players into the blender for the sake of being utterly WOBlike, surely...

[truetanker]

You don't want to throw your players into the blender for the sake of being utterly WOBlike, surely...

I do, and they love it! I let them play my AU clan, Iron Dolphin. They get to fight Society and MD demons on a regular basis. Next assignment has them fighting the Word for more information on where the Inner Sphere is located. (The clan lost the tech info to go back. )

TT

[Maelwys]

Actually MSU (p26) clearly states that the Blakists struck at Avanti's Angels while they were still on Joppa while under contract to the Magistracy.  It is even stated that complicity by Magistracy official with the attackers forced the under to break their contract.  It was after this attack on Joppa that the unit returned to the Chaos March/Protectorate area and would be forced to weather further Blakist attacks.

Sure, but that could've been part of the general harassment of the Magistracy, rather than directed at the Angels themselves. We know little of the fighting in the Magistracy, but the writeup for the 34th Division states "ROM forces had already crippled local interstellar communications and unleashed numerous minor forces and free agents against the unsuspecting population," so the attack on Joppa and the Angels could've been part of these actions, rather than a dedicated assault on the Angels. Its not like the WoB hit them with a Division, or nukes, or a bioweapon. So yeah.

They had been hit by the WoB, but I'm not sold on it being a dedicated hit against the Angels, rather than it being part of the general harassment of the Magistracy in the early years of the jihad (dedicated forces didn't seem to move into the Magistracy area until later on).

Wasn't Avanti's Angels on the hitlist of Precentor Beric and his Opacus Venatori themselves?! Thats practically unwanted WOB attention of the highest order!

During the novel in which the Angels feature, they went up against St. Jamais in the Periphery and messed up his plans to increase the WoB's power in the area. Merc Supplemental Update says that there are rumors St. Jamais has a grudge against them, but that the appearance of the grudge could also be because of the unit's ties to the AMC.

[Natasha Kerensky]

If so how would the WoB exact their revenge?

In the...

Periphery -- Bandits on the Blakie payroll

Chaos March -- Mercs on the Blakie payroll

Successor States -- Covert ROM or MD assassination or false flag raid

Terran System or The Five -- Orbital bombardment or WMD disguised as natural accident

FWIW...

[Archangel]

Sure, but that could've been part of the general harassment of the Magistracy, rather than directed at the Angels themselves. We know little of the fighting in the Magistracy, but the writeup for the 34th Division states "ROM forces had already crippled local interstellar communications and unleashed numerous minor forces and free agents against the unsuspecting population," so the attack on Joppa and the Angels could've been part of these actions, rather than a dedicated assault on the Angels. Its not like the WoB hit them with a Division, or nukes, or a bioweapon. So yeah.

They had been hit by the WoB, but I'm not sold on it being a dedicated hit against the Angels, rather than it being part of the general harassment of the Magistracy in the early years of the jihad (dedicated forces didn't seem to move into the Magistracy area until later on).

MSU clearly states that that the WoB "struck at the Angels as part of their pogrom to scourge the AMC."  What isn't clear is whether they struck at Avanti's Angels only because they joined the AMC or whether St. Jamais' personal grudge played a part as well.  Further reinforcing the idea that it was a directed strike rather than simply general harassment was the complicity by local Magistracy officials.  If it was general harassment then there would have been no need for any intrigue.  You go in, do as much damage as you can and leave chaos in your wake.

[CrazyGrasshopper]

I think the answer heavily depends on the circumstances. If the mercenary unit that opposed the WoB team did so as a part of a contract and did not go on a Wobby-killing crusade, then it is possible that merc unit will simply be added to a "kill-on-a-oppurtunity" list. In the end, in BTU such things happen mundanely and even the WoB should not have very hard feelings. On the other hand, if the eliminated special team were Manei Domini, then the revenge is possible. As for the way the revenge will be exerted, it would probably be something sly as sabotage or assassination or the actions of some proxy. If your mercs are not a primary military target or a subject of an intense grudge, they should not become a target of a dedicated military action. Of course, unless WoB kills two birds with one stone by eliminating your unit with a direct assault and achieving some other military goal at the same time.

[Kidd]

I do, and they love it! I let them play my AU clan, Iron Dolphin. They get to fight Society and MD demons on a regular basis. Next assignment has them fighting the Word for more information on where the Inner Sphere is located. (The clan lost the tech info to go back. )

TT

My impression of being utterly WOBlike is more "rocks fall, everybody dies" really... but I'd accept 3-to-1 odds if any player can stomach that  >:D

[idea weenie]

Do the players have their own Jumpship, or do they rent?

Have the WoB put crew onto the Jumpship, give the PCs a mission to explore X uninhabited rock for Lostech, then take the Jumpship.  Leave the PCs (and rest of the unit) to die of old age.

Hope the PCs can find an HPG in the ruins, or someone stops by in-system.

[Demon55]

Do the players have their own Jumpship, or do they rent?

Have the WoB put crew onto the Jumpship, give the PCs a mission to explore X uninhabited rock for Lostech, then take the Jumpship.  Leave the PCs (and rest of the unit) to die of old age.

Hope the PCs can find an HPG in the ruins, or someone stops by in-system.

They rent, but they do not take exploration contracts.  It would be a nice move on WoB's part though.

[idea weenie]

They rent, but they do not take exploration contracts.  It would be a nice move on WoB's part though.

Do they take Raids or Pirate Hunting missions?  Just fudge the coordinates a bit, or find evidence of pirates on a planet (the pirates are long-gone), and send the PCs on the mission.

[truetanker]

No, better idea is to have the Pirate hunting gone bad.

Intel said there be Pirates here, there was. What Intel forgot was there was a Batlion using not old mechs, but off the line front quality mechs from a  unknown benefactor!

TT

[ANS Kamas P81]

The Word of Blake does not hold a grudge so much as it does caress it, pet it, feed it, pose it just right, paint it up carefully, set it on the mantlepiece, and stare lovingly into its eyes whispering "soooooon..."