ilClan Scenario- We Shall Drive Them Into the Sea

[Colt Ward]

The Wolves split their forces with those jump capable doing a combat drop behind the RAF militia force holding the edge of the city.  Now Wolf forces do not run to jumpers unlike the Falcons- but MOST the BA DOES jump- so you can split forces pretty well.

Question comes, for campaign purposes . . . would you want your Omnis doing the drop, or standard battlemechs in Wolf inventory like Tundra Wolves, Blood Reapers, Crucibles, Thresher Mk II, or other regular Clan secondlines?  IMO since they get placement, this is where those standard mechs with their slower speeds (IE, Tundra Wolves' 4/6/4) works out because they generally have heavier armor and larger weapon loads than designs that are faster at the same weight.

IF you keep your Omnis in non-jump configurations, what is the acceptable force ratio?  2-1 Outside vs Insertion force for mechs?  Because in the urban set up they drop into, the BA are going to be in good shape dodging into buildings.

For the forces outside the RAF lines- would you want fast forces to close the vice?  Like Wulfens and Ice Ferrets, Timber Wolves & Gargoyles at the slowest.

[Colt Ward]

Oooookay . . . has anyone played this scenario?

[wantec]

I haven't played this scenario, but looking at the rules and descriptions, I'd want the dropped units to have weapons geared for urban combat. Units that give up range to hit harder (heavy lasers, 20-class ACs, SRMs). Speed is important with either force, but I think the jump jets in the dropping force should help off-set the urban terrain disadvantages.

[Colt Ward]

Yeah, but what I was seeing the Crusader Wolves might drop would be along the lines of . . . Tundra Wolves of all flavors, Blood Reaper (1s, not 2s b/c they remove JJ), any Sojourner Omnis, Summoners, Grand Summoners, Timber Wolf S & TC, Mad Dog S . . .

 . . . Wolves did not go in for jumpers much, and still packed long range weapons.  The Summoners with their UAC/20s work, the TWolf S & TC get pulse/SRM on targets.  Honestly, the BA dropping into the urban setting is going to have a pretty big impact- though I really want to drop Longinus C mounted on the mechs.

[JimberWolf]

In the spirit of the classic/stereotypical Clan mindset, I ran this with Omnis performing the combat drop. More danger = more glory. The warriors winning that bid are more likely to be ristars and proven badasses. While the Omni-bias is arguably long gone by this point, they are still more advanced machines and are more likely to be helmed by the best, especially in the low-Omni Delta Galaxy.

I took jumping Warwolf configs leading jumping T-Wolf configs, Gargoyles in the J loadout, and the harder-hitting Summoners and Novas.

Victory was achieved, but those standard Wolf BattleMechs probably would have made it less costly.

[wantec]

Here's some jumping options I like:
Warwolf C
Wulfen B & C
Gargoyle J
Crucible 3 (the others can jump as well, but I like this one's weapons better)
Phoenix Hawk C 2
Savage Coyote A, C, J, or W
Night Wolf

[Colt Ward]

In the spirit of the classic/stereotypical Clan mindset, I ran this with Omnis performing the combat drop. More danger = more glory. The warriors winning that bid are more likely to be ristars and proven badasses. While the Omni-bias is arguably long gone by this point, they are still more advanced machines and are more likely to be helmed by the best, especially in the low-Omni Delta Galaxy.

I took jumping Warwolf configs leading jumping T-Wolf configs, Gargoyles in the J loadout, and the harder-hitting Summoners and Novas.

Victory was achieved, but those standard Wolf BattleMechs probably would have made it less costly.

Two things, it is not a bid . . . it would seem to be the cluster's Star Colonel, Galaxy Commander or even the Wolf task force CO (I think it was the saKhan?) said all jumpers, so it was not just a few stars out of the cluster bidding.  Alaric already set the 'bid' for Terra.

Your reason is why I flipped it . . . the Omnis will be more valuable in the coming campaign than to be lost in the opening battles.  Their ability to reconfigure for the terrain or logistics requirements will be important and the faster/easier to repair mechs means you can maintain force strength easier IF you have a supply of weapons & equipment in Omni pods.

In fact, their low-Omni percentage might be why the specific galaxy was tasked for the attack.

wantec . . . yeah, the Phoenix Hawk IICs I had sort of forgotten about, but large ATM racks?  paired UAC/10s on the first variant?

[wantec]

Two things, it is not a bid . . . it would seem to be the cluster's Star Colonel, Galaxy Commander or even the Wolf task force CO (I think it was the saKhan?) said all jumpers, so it was not just a few stars out of the cluster bidding.  Alaric already set the 'bid' for Terra.

Your reason is why I flipped it . . . the Omnis will be more valuable in the coming campaign than to be lost in the opening battles.  Their ability to reconfigure for the terrain or logistics requirements will be important and the faster/easier to repair mechs means you can maintain force strength easier IF you have a supply of weapons & equipment in Omni pods.

In fact, their low-Omni percentage might be why the specific galaxy was tasked for the attack.

wantec . . . yeah, the Phoenix Hawk IICs I had sort of forgotten about, but large ATM racks?  paired UAC/10s on the first variant?

I had meant the C 2 Phoenix Hawk, the 45 tonner in a recent Rec Guide, but now that you mention the IICs, I like the 4 & 7. The 4 has quad ATM9 racks while the 7 has paired LB 10-X and IJJ with paired SSRM4 and ERMLs.

[Colt Ward]

Yeah, the PXH Cs I remember had the light UACs, but it reminded me that the IIC existed . . . and a city fight like that- breaking up a enemy line from behind using jumping mobility and big guns- would play into the strengths of that design.

[wantec]

Oh I'm thinking of the PHX C 2 from Rec Guide 11. It moves 6/9(12)/6 with a LPL, 2x MPL, 2x AP Gauss, and a Targeting Computer.

[Cannonshop]

The Wolves split their forces with those jump capable doing a combat drop behind the RAF militia force holding the edge of the city.  Now Wolf forces do not run to jumpers unlike the Falcons- but MOST the BA DOES jump- so you can split forces pretty well.

Question comes, for campaign purposes . . . would you want your Omnis doing the drop, or standard battlemechs in Wolf inventory like Tundra Wolves, Blood Reapers, Crucibles, Thresher Mk II, or other regular Clan secondlines?  IMO since they get placement, this is where those standard mechs with their slower speeds (IE, Tundra Wolves' 4/6/4) works out because they generally have heavier armor and larger weapon loads than designs that are faster at the same weight.

IF you keep your Omnis in non-jump configurations, what is the acceptable force ratio?  2-1 Outside vs Insertion force for mechs?  Because in the urban set up they drop into, the BA are going to be in good shape dodging into buildings.

For the forces outside the RAF lines- would you want fast forces to close the vice?  Like Wulfens and Ice Ferrets, Timber Wolves & Gargoyles at the slowest.

I'd say put yourself in the shoes of a Galaxy or Cluster commander, and pick the most optimal mix you can find from your available forces, because unlike Jade Falcons, or pretty much anyone else, canonically that's what a Wolf officer would do.  this situation is, after all, not an honor trial, it's playing for the marbles...or in this case, that big blue marble mankind evolved on.

and nothing is more honorable, than victory.

[Colt Ward]

Well, they are set to Honor Rules 1 so . . .

But yeah, I was more asking what folks considered the best mix.  Trying not to have my opinion bleed over and influence what other say but my inclination would be to keep the Omnis for the campaign . . . if I had the choice between sacrificing a Tundra Wolf or one of my (rare) Timber Wolves, with the rest of the campaign I would expect to be waging I would want to preserve the Timber Wolf.  When you factor in most of the Timber Wolf configs are long range shooters while the Tundra Wolf 1 has 4 ERMLs, SSRMs and a ATM9 w/3 tons that you can make 2 HE & 1 Std . . . plus the armor & JJ?

Heavies are not the biggest concern as the Wolves have that size pretty well represented- Timber Wolf, Gargoyle, Warwolf, purchased Savage Wolf, Tundra Wolf of 4 flavors, 2 Blood Reapers, and the Orion C & C 2.  Mediums are bigger concerns b/c they were not building any Omnis . . . the Sun Cobra is meh, a real glass hammer . . . Conjurer whatever number, Griffin C, and a few others as conversions . . . and for Omnis, they have what Ice Ferrets, Phantoms, Stormcrows, Novas, and Vipers remained in inventory or could be bought.  Or the Skinwalkers that were part of the touman.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

I thought the wolves through our honor and all that when then started the trial?

They have a lot of jumping C mixed tech refits of variety of mediums and lights. Those would probably be the best bet of holding out until actual reinforcements can arrive, and does so without sacrificing real clan mechs.

[Colt Ward]

Scenario says Level 1 so . . .

But yeah, for such a long campaign I would be trying to preserve my Omni forces as much as possible . . . they are your most useful because of their ability to be modified on the fly.  Flip-side of that is no point preserving something if you never use it.  But the first battles, against entrenched positions held by lesser troops?  Yeah, I am going to use second or third tier troops.

[tassa_kay]

and nothing is more honorable, than victory.

I do appreciate a good DS9 reference. :)

[Colt Ward]

I am going to try to run this on Saturday in April . . . I have buildings, I have a felt hex map, and I have a solution for the bay- blue transparency attached to 'docks' to hold it in place though I need to build that and the 3 hex template evac ships . . .

And I want a real big battle . . . 63k or so each side.

Clan side
15 mechs- 2A/8H/1M/4L
     random Clan veteran rolls for skills
10 BA points

IS side
20 mechs- 4A/6H/7M/3L
12 vehicles- 2A/2H/6M/6L
8 BA squads
    random IS vet rolls for skills

But if I can find folks who want to play I will be able to break down or add as needed.

[Natasha Kerensky]

The scenario is reminiscent of vertical envelopment tactics pioneering by the Rhodesian military.  More here:

https://therli.com/history/fire-force

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fireforce