Collaborative Merc Unit

[Elmoth]

Crazy money for FedCom is fine. Can also be part of a series of say, 3 raids on Irian by 3 separate commands, with ours being the important one (or so we are made to believe).

Transport for Oberon as a related contract looks OK to me. repeat as a promise if we work well (nothing solid) can also be there. periphery guys always need muscle, even if they are pirate kingdoms.

Maybe we can have the garisson work be a kind of floating contractor job? have a base but act as a series of small merc fire brigades along the border to attack opportunit pirates and peroiphery powers that try to press now that the FWL regular troops are out doing their IS stuff against other IS dudes.

FRR job can be edited ehole if you want. Suggestions?

[AlphaMirage]

Leave it for a different PC to fill in (@Shrapnel or @Daryk)

I think the Garrison job would be for a smaller facility that has only a modest threat against it.  We can bring the infantry and tanks along.  They can sign over on site so we didn't technically fire them they just took a new job that we get paid to bring them too. 

Tematagi is my suggested planet if that's the case

[Elmoth]

I just noticed that by 3035 the Andurien crisis is in full swing. It is when Andurien is invaded by the FWL after the defeat of the Andurien-Canopian alliance against the capellans.

So it would seem that Anton is not acting like the rebellious son he thinks he is, but has been kicked out of the area by concerned parents that have *encouraged* this rebellious attitude to get their son out of the line of fire. ryan and her jump infantry will be fair veterans as well, then. I can see them grimacing at the idea of working for the FWL, but the merc life has those things. If anyone runs the scene take this animosity in mind :)

[Daryk]

The Irian job isn't for a 'mech lance.  It has nothing but Forza Deici going in low profile written all over it.  Grab the scientists at home (possibly along with their families to keep them loyal once they're over the border), and sneak out the way you came in (on commercial shipping).  And don't forget the simple "bribe them to cooperate" angle.  Some of the scientists just might turn coat if given an offer they can't refuse (the other reason to have Forza Deici do it).

The FRR can punch the enemy noble in the gut without a crime against humanity.  I'll need to think about it a bit, but I'm sure there's another way.

The garrison contract is in the FWL, where Stefano is still wanted.  It's not a problem if the unit chooses that mission.  He'll just be given an offer he can't refuse by the Fallones, and you'll have the Locust to keep the unit at a lance.

The Oberon contract raises the hair on the back of my neck.  Getting hired by pirates to hunt other pirates?  And we thought the Triad/Tong/Mafia vibe was bad...

[Elmoth]

As said, all these are just ideas, so they can be modified happily. Feel free to do so 8) The FRR job can be to break the favourite doll of the Kurita's daughter, or to paint a graffiti that reads "you are a bad person" in his summer lake house.

In several novels we have forged identities for people. Can't Stefano get one? He certainly has the connections. It could solve the FWL thing while at the same time leave a potential hook for further adventure or plot twist if we want to use it.

I like having some unsavoury contracts. We are a new mercenary venture. We are not getting the cool stuff of "go out on a leisurely stroll for 100k build points per mechwarrior!" like the Hounds and their likes. :) Hell, we just worked for the mafia and everybody is reeling about it. AND I LOVE IT just for that reason :D Working for pirates against pirates? hell yeah. Another contract that would force us to work with the mafia again? Sure. If you wanted easy stuff go beg for a job with the Highlanders; this is real merc work. Still, no all of them need to be unsavoury. Unsavoury pays better though.

Cheers,
Xavi

[Elmoth]

So,potential total changes.

1. Fedcom. Kidnap some scientists from Irían. Use of Mafia resources recommended. Can effectively be a trap, but money is really good. "Goo" as in "we can buy a medium or heavy mech after expenses."

2. Valkyriate vs Oberon Conf. Pirate vs pirate stays the same. Promises of further work immediately after this one. Linked with a transportation contract for supplies they need in the periphery.

3. FRR. Suggestions?

4. FWL garrison contract. We can get Stefano a fake ID for 1 BP. How does it sound? Garrison duty and expected to counterpunch pirate raids, that are sure to increase since regular troops are being pulled towards the CC border (Andurien Crisis). Can also be paired with a transport contract for some central IS products.

[Daryk]

I looked at Alternate ID in AToW, but it was prohibitively expensive.  If all it takes is 1 BP, 9 are in the briefcase vice 10.

[Daryk]

Kitsune, I was going with Moro's wounds being from the 'mech engagement per Elmoth's post, not the mob. :)

[AlphaMirage]

So,potential total changes.

3. FRR. Suggestions?

We could change it to the Magistracy of Canopus and augment Kossandra Centrella's MAF against Romano's CCAF.

[Daryk]

Heck, just add that mission.  It sounds interesting, and I've got the day off, so I can work on FRR ideas.

[Elmoth]

Magistracy: let's see.... Maybe we can consider the Magistracy a Major power (minor is Lothian League, Marians and their ilk, not the Taurians, Canopians or IS).

That would mean that the reasoning for the FWL can be kept more or less intact: the Magistracy is looking for mercs to garrison its anti-spinward (western) border (the Marian Border). they are moving troops spinward to face the Andurien/Capellan crisis and need mercs to fill the void that they are leaving behind. They are already starting to suffer pirate probing raids (in a lot of cases Marian involvement is suspected) and need mechpower in the field. Nice payment and a secondary contract to bring spares for some of their mechs to be picked along the way. The command will have a liaison officer and they offer 50% of mech salvage or equivalent payment (1BP per point cost of the mech in Alpha strike).

Suggested planets: Thraxa, Vixen or Marantha.

Obviously the offer will not be worded like this, but this is what is really happening more or less as you heard it from the rumours.

[Sharpnel]

I'm bowing out. The whole process has blown right by me. I'll write the pilots out somehow.

[Elmoth]

Pity to see you go. If you ever want to chime in, feel free to do so :)
Leave the pilots. It is nice to have them and can be used as NPC.

[Daryk]

So here's one thought for the FRR job (spent more time than I expected on the Double Deuce today, sorry):

The Kuritan noble has a favorite race horse stabled 20 km outside the capital.  It's guarded by a combined arms company consisting of:

Up-armored Jenner (JR7-F) (Veteran lance leader just before retirement; a Mustang)
Panther (Green noble being broken in)
Javelin (Regular following the lance leader from their last assignment)
Stinger (Green noble on a second assignment after not doing so well on the first)

Machine Gun Variant Goblin (Veteran crew transporting the infantry, below)
2 Hunters (Regular crews not sure why they were picked for this tour)
1 Heavy Wheeled APC, modified to carry horses (Elite driver with the Speed Demon SPA, Regular gunners)

1 platoon of Veteran Foot Rifle infantry (out to pasture just before retirement, they are "getting too old for this ****")

The defenders will immediately radio for help, and it will be forthcoming as quickly as the reinforcements can traverse 20 km (i.e., the hover tanks show up first (J. Edgars at 11/17), followed by the 8/12 lance (Cicada leading Locusts), followed by the 5/8 lance (Dragon leading some 55-tonners), followed by the 4/6 lance (whatever we're foolish enough to hang around to see)).

The defenders will also move to load the horse into the Heavy APC and run toward the city (i.e., toward the inbound reinforcements).  The rest of them are there to screen the APC.  The horse just might survive destruction of the APC, so a kick to the carcass of the vehicle will be necessary (unless it's destroyed by a kick).

[Elmoth]

Nice escenario. A hell of a security detachment for a horse! xD

[Daryk]

I figured it had to be something meriting hiring a medium lance of 'mechs... :)

[Elmoth]

So now we have angered free capella and the fedcom. We also have issues with the FWL as well. And now we might anger the mob as well by pointing fingers at them. We are really good at this. Maybe the unit we will end up in the periphery just because nobody likes them in the IS, hahaha

[Elmoth]

So the contracts and pricing:

Fedcom irían science job.
1 month expenses plus 60 pts.
Full command and salvage rights.

The horse job.
55 points.
Full command and salvage rights

Magistracy garison thraxa.
50% salvage. Liaison. 6 months contract.
Pricing covers basic monthly expenses + 10 points per month. Related 20 point job to transport supplies.

Pirate war job.
Supply raid on a Depot.
Monthly expenses to get there (no return ticket)+ 45 points.
Full command (we go on our own)
Related job to transport supplies as well. 15 points.
Promise of further work.

[AlphaMirage]

So who's getting axed before we start this next mission?

I for one don't think we don't need the security platoon or its light tanks, we should replace them with a pair of heavier tanks. (Pikes or Pos) 

I think we should let the Aeropilots go as well to save on their support.  Right now proper Aerospace fighters are still only in limited numbers and used for critical missions, if we get in and out we might even evade Conventionals.  One of the small craft bays can be modified to be carry a pair of heavy vehicles and the other left for transport

We need a new Mechwarrior for the Locust as well, we should have no problem finding a dispossessed and desperate merc on Galatea.

[Sharpnel]

Especially since you are upgrading the Locust to the 1E variant, which is the best variant of the introtech variants

[Kitsune413]

I recommend that If the security platoon is scrapped that problems ranging from fights between personel to enemy infantry seizing the dropship happens.

[Kitsune413]

Actually I think I like an astech sabotaging mechs the most. Just random criticals applied to the weapons. (Part of the previous post about scrapping the security troops.)

(Or dependents getting kidnapped!)

(Or! A mechwarrior, being a cowboy goodguy because there is no security gets injured doing security work and can't participate in the next mission!)

[AlphaMirage]

Actually I think I like an astech sabotaging mechs the most. Just random criticals applied to the weapons. (Part of the previous post about scrapping the security troops.)

Qasim's techs carry weapons when allowed (and sometimes when they're not) but don't know about your guys.  We still have Lt Cornelia Ryan's Jump Platoon (whose job is literally to protect Anton), our techs (6 squads I think now that the Aerofighters are gone), plus the ship's 8 crew.  Sounds like plenty of guns on our side even without additional infantry.

[Kitsune413]

Yeah, I was going to say the jump troops could do it. But got back to work in the clinic.

[Kitsune413]

You know. Until those troops are deployed. A tech with a gun isn't super useful really... and when they get shot up your down a tech. The platoon with the paramedics can do guard duty. But then you still have the issue where, if the jump troops and paramedics are deployed the ship is suddenly super vulnerable to covert attacks.

[AlphaMirage]

You know. Until those troops are deployed. A tech with a gun isn't super useful really... and when they get shot up your down a tech. The platoon with the paramedics can do guard duty. But then you still have the issue where, if the jump troops and paramedics are deployed the ship is suddenly super vulnerable to covert attacks.

Lock the doors after the combat units roll out, I expect the ships crew to act in their self interest first then we're a distant second.  I don't think Cornelias platoon is going to be doing that much time in the field unless they need to SAR for Anton.

Im not going to deploy the team in open battle outside their vehicles (they are going to be in a VTOL or Tech vehicle Martha)

[Kitsune413]

I mean it really comes down to the type of game that's being run. High fantasy battletech then security forces don't matter. Why do we even have infantry?

If we're being more realistic then "locking the hatches." Isn't actually a solution against infantry with explosives.

Our last adventure literally involved a whole building made out of locked doors and it didn't slow our engineers down.

[AlphaMirage]

Those locked doors weren't part of a fusion powered spaceship capable of burning everything and everyone within a 150 meter diameter into ash.  Nor were they made of Battlemech quality armor

I think we have infantry to smash and/or grab with greater precision, nothing like the human touch. 

The tanks are better at site security, they have better sensors and bigger guns.  Nothing like a 50 Cal or frag missile to ruin some poor saboteurs day

[Kitsune413]

So you are telling me our combat engineers and jump troopers cannot seize an enemy dropship? They can't get through the doors?

[Kitsune413]

Supplementary question... how do boarding parties in battles pace work?