Author Topic: How to set up a contested landing scenario?  (Read 1378 times)

Shin Ji

  • Warrant Officer
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How to set up a contested landing scenario?
« on: 25 May 2020, 06:38:00 »
So I play Against the Bot, but this isn't specific to that. My question here is how do you play out either of these scenarios?

1. Your Merc company's dropship (possibly with escorting Aerofighters) is setting up a landing.

2. The contract has gone south and it's time to get out of Dodge - lifting off the surface and leaving the system.

I've read through the rules a few times, but I don't understand how long it should take for either of these movements to occur. Also, how much velocity should a Union or Overlord have when entering a, say 100x100 space map with the intent to land on a planet? I know it would have been braking for most of the trip at that point.

I know the question of the possibility of intercept is a thorny one - seen some long threads on that - so I want to ignore that for now. We'll just assume that a fight happens. So, how do you set one up?

Colt Ward

  • Lieutenant General
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  • Gott Mit Uns
    • Merc Periphery Guide- Bakunin
Re: How to set up a contested landing scenario?
« Reply #1 on: 30 May 2020, 09:40:19 »
I did a contested landing scenario once through MM- I use the advanced movement btw.

The landing forces came in from the left side of the map.  Defending/intercepting aero forces come from the bottom of the map.  To be considered 'landing' the reinforcements had to exit the right side (considered atmo/space boundary) of the map under control and with a velocity under the escape velocity or able to get within it in 1 turn's burn of exiting.  FREX a Union with a velocity of 4 can complete a burn to drop below escape velocity.  A heavy aerofighter with a velocity of 20 but a speed of 5/8 would not be able to shed enough speed to safely enter the atmosphere under control.

It created some interesting quandries on the reinforcements trying to get down the gravity well.  They could not speed up too much trying to get past the intercepting flotilla or they would not be able to enter the atmosphere . . . too slow and they would be exposed to the enemy fire.  My intercepting dropships and fighters took some damage- basically 'unavailable' due to damage for the next battle but pulled off a strategic victory.  I expected to strip the fighters and maybe dink the enemy dropships.  I did get most of the defending fighters with the remaining ones down from damage like my fighters . . . and my Leopard's armor got a bit thin, but I smashed one if his Unions with a heavy company on board.  I was surprised to take out 1/4 of the reinforcements by kicking in the nose of a Union.

To be fair, neither my opponent or I were very used to aerospace combat so it was a learning game and by the time the Union realized its danger to the nose, it was having to stabilize its flight to re-enter the atmosphere.
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

Col Toda

  • Captain
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Re: How to set up a contested landing scenario?
« Reply #2 on: 13 August 2020, 02:59:47 »
Space /Atmosphere interface is the best time to strike. Have very fast ASF feint by appearing to intercept the dropship as far from the planet as possible  . If they reflex launch their ASF you attempt to keep range on those . So when they reach the interface the fighter escort has a little less fuel to play with against the main body of your ASF .