I've been thinking about simple Chaos Campaign. My Chaos Campaign resources are Starterbook: Sword and Dragon, Historical Turning Points: Galtor, and Era Report: 3052.
Year is 3025 and Lyran Commonwealth does raid against Draconis Combine. Lyran player has company of 'Mechs and his objective is supply depot. Defending player defends it with 'Mech company. I want keep it simple & short so whole campaign can be played through in one weekend. I'm thinking about three scenarios would be sufficient. Players can pick their 'Mechs with heavy restrictions: Combine force needs at least 4 light 'Mechs, bugs and Panthers aren't limited but other light 'Mechs (I'll come up with lists later) are restricted to 3 total. Lyran force must have 2 light 'Mechs minimum but no more than 5, bugs and Commandos aren't limited but other light 'Mechs are restricted to 2 total. And so on and so forth... I'll convert C-Bill costs to Support Points (C-Bills / 10,000) and give players equal amount of SP to buy their 'Mechs. MechWarriors are veterans all around, but I need yet decide whether it is 3/4 for every 'Mech or skills by RAT in Total Warfare.
What about tracks? Opening track is Recon from Starterbook: Sword and Dragon. But I have a problem with it: objectives are given only for attacker (Lyrans). What the frak is Drac player supposed to do to get some WP? Maybe prevent Lyrans from scanning their 'Mechs, which can be simply done by getting out of the map: 75 WP for Drac player and no more than 25 WP for Lyran player for (maybe) completing Excape! objective. No different in Era Report: 3052. Not good at all! This track needs some rework... Any ideas? Any better tracks in other books for opening match?
In other tracks I'd like to have major battle, like Defend or Assault in Starterbook. Aw heck, it should be meeting engagement and winning side decides last and final track. Should Lyrans win this middle track, last track is assault against the supply depot. Supply Run in Starterbook would be fitting, except its WP cost is way too low (compared to other tracks), and defender is left again without objectives. If Dracs win middle track, last track will be Fighting Withdrawal. Again other player will be without objectives.
My house rules (so far):
I could give Combine player permission for 14 'Mechs, but he can use extra 2 'Mechs only as replacements for those 'Mechs that qualify either as destroyed or crippled. Replaced 'Mech will be out of the campaign for good. Force Size Modifier is still 3.
'Mechs can be repaired and rearmed between tracks. I could limit repairs to armor and internals only, except for totalled locations. Maybe no internal repairs for locations with 3/4 damage or more...
'Mechs are assigned to lances and whole lance must take part to track as whole. Excuse can be permitted if 'Mech in lance is being repaired. Players can determine how many lances they use in given track, and damn restrictions of track.
'Mechs that are repaired can't take part to next track. This could totally frak up rule above.
First track is limited to one lance only. All 'Mechs in lance must have walking speed 5 or greater OR Jump 4 or greater. Is anyone having funny ideas about CGR-1A1 and VTR-9B in recon? :D