Looking to do a late Christmas scenario

[Charistoph]

So, I got agreement late to engage a Christmas present for my BT group, but I want to give them out with a fun scenario as a surprise.  It's going to take a few weeks for it to arrive so I have time to finalize it.

Basically, their job will be infiltrate a somewhat well-defended bunker complex and get a tech crew in to bring their present online.  The base is technically unmanned, and on automatic defensive standby.

I'm looking to have a series of defensive turrets at a series of points around the map with 2-3 centered around each bunker that is storing a powerful "unknown" mech.  I'm also thinking on having several Robotic Drone Combat Vehicles be deployed.  I have 3 each of J. Edgars, Pattons, and DropZone Shaltarii beginner hover tanks.

I'm planning this to either be a general scrum or broken up in to 2 maps with our normal game manager running the second table.

As such, I'm looking to have the following ideas for force organization and deployment:
This is intended to be in the latter part of the 2nd Succession War so units limited to Inner Sphere of the Early Succession Wars.

To keep things within time frame Players will choose 4 Mechs or Combat Vehicles.

This will be a rapid deployment Lance, so they will need to be a Striker/Cavalry Lance Formation: All units must have a Walk/Cruising of 5+ and 2 must have a Striker or Skirmisher Roles.  To add on to it, I will be adding on a requirement that at least 1 unit with the Scout Role be added to the Lance.

Deployment: Players will only deploy one unit at a time.  The first unit must either be a Scout or their fastest unit.  When a Player's unit is destroyed, yeets, or retreats, they will be able to choose a unit to deploy.

I'm debating on having a Support Vehicle for the Tech Team and Mechwarrior to drive the gift be part of the game they need to protect or cover (i.e. it can't move closer to a turret than the Player's Mech), or just leave it out and all to require is one of their mechs to finish 2 End Turns on the Bunker to activate the "present".  The "Present" can them be deployed in to the fight.


I have a couple questions and welcome constructive criticism.

1) Which objective should I allow:
a) cover the Support Vehicle;
b) cover the Bunker for a Turn; or
c) allow either option with the Support Vehicle activating the following Turn, but the Mech can capture it after 2 turns, but is effectively dismounted?

2) Where is the best place to find rules for turreted buildings?  We don't use them regularly and I would like to make sure I have any rules regarding them well in hand.  Failing sufficient access, I will just make some "Immobilized" Tanks as a stop gap.  Either way, ammunition stores will be randomly depleted.

3) About what level of BV do you think should be good?  I'm thinking about 6000 BV with 3/4 for free and allow for one 2/3 at a 1.32x modifier.

4) The "Present" will be an Assault Mech that is heavy on Ammo.  Should I allow it to start fully stored, have their ammo partially depleted, or stored dry with only their lasers available?

[idea weenie]

One idea might be encouraging use of a Scout that is faster than 5/8, and the defending installation activates a defensive vehicle every X turns.  So if the Scout can get in close enough and fast enough, it can shoot at Immobile Drone vehicles rather than active drone vehicles.  This encourages the use of light and fast units and shows a useful advantage of them.


1)c) The Support vehicle contains the techs to activate the Mech.  The players might not like an escort mission, but they will have full control over the Support Vehicle.  Give it a speed of 4/6 or 5/8 to match the rest of the force.  Have a small hill blocking the view of some of the automated turrets to give the players an idea that they can sneak the Tech team in from one side if they get rid of certain turrets first.

2) Tactical Operations, Advanced Rules.  Page 131 has rules for Automated Weapons (Advanced Buildings -> Advanced Building Equipment -> Automated Weapons).  They basically fire at the closest non-friendly unit, and pick a random target if two are the same range.  It lists a Gunnery Skill of 5, but you can change that if you wish.

3) The key is to make it fast and easy to set up, so you might instead go with 5000 BV, and tell the players that if they want a pilot that is 2/3 rather than 3/4, you will be deploying additional defenders.  Keep the math hidden so the players don't have to worry about it.

4) Start the prize with no ammo (there is no reason to keep ammo stored in a Mech that has been in storage).  But give it a good energy weapon (PPC).

Bonus - have one drone vehicle that was hidden by a small hill be something big and nasty.  When it activates, play some theme music for it.  Make it slow (3/5 tops), give it maybe 1 Large Laser, but lots of armor and short-range stuff.  Make it smart enough to head towards the Tech vehicle, while shooting at whichever Mech is closest if it isn't in range of the Tech vehicle.  Give it good off-road capability so if the Tech vehicle tries to flee along the road it can cut off the Tech vehicle.

[Charistoph]

One idea might be encouraging use of a Scout that is faster than 5/8, and the defending installation activates a defensive vehicle every X turns.  So if the Scout can get in close enough and fast enough, it can shoot at Immobile Drone vehicles rather than active drone vehicles.  This encourages the use of light and fast units and shows a useful advantage of them.

If they want to use a Charger as their Scout, that's up to them, however, if they bring Phoenix Hawks, it won't be first.

1)c) The Support vehicle contains the techs to activate the Mech.  The players might not like an escort mission, but they will have full control over the Support Vehicle.  Give it a speed of 4/6 or 5/8 to match the rest of the force.  Have a small hill blocking the view of some of the automated turrets to give the players an idea that they can sneak the Tech team in from one side if they get rid of certain turrets first.

I know I didn't make this clear, but there will be a storage bunker for each of them, not one singular bunker.  The "Objective" will be coming in 2 forms, so they get to choose in order of whoever gets theirs first.

2) Tactical Operations, Advanced Rules.  Page 131 has rules for Automated Weapons (Advanced Buildings -> Advanced Building Equipment -> Automated Weapons).  They basically fire at the closest non-friendly unit, and pick a random target if two are the same range.  It lists a Gunnery Skill of 5, but you can change that if you wish.

Thanks.  I assume Advanced Units covers construction rules, then?  I was planning on a GS of 5 to balance their inherent lack of movement and general stupidity of AI.

3) The key is to make it fast and easy to set up, so you might instead go with 5000 BV, and tell the players that if they want a pilot that is 2/3 rather than 3/4, you will be deploying additional defenders.  Keep the math hidden so the players don't have to worry about it.

The hardest set up will be for the table(s).  We communicate over the store's Discord and provide the scenarios several days in advance so people aren't creating them on the spot.  I and our "Battlemaster" also tend to bring an extra list (and I would be bringing two in this case), just in case someone is new or just didn't have time to set up a list.

4) Start the prize with no ammo (there is no reason to keep ammo stored in a Mech that has been in storage).  But give it a good energy weapon (PPC).

That would require modifying it.  While I have don't generally have a problem with this, I want them to get some experience handling the base version.  Still, swapping out the heavier ACs with Enhanced PPCs and DHS might work...  I'll have to think on it.

Bonus - have one drone vehicle that was hidden by a small hill be something big and nasty.  When it activates, play some theme music for it.  Make it slow (3/5 tops), give it maybe 1 Large Laser, but lots of armor and short-range stuff.  Make it smart enough to head towards the Tech vehicle, while shooting at whichever Mech is closest if it isn't in range of the Tech vehicle.  Give it good off-road capability so if the Tech vehicle tries to flee along the road it can cut off the Tech vehicle.

Or as an alternative, when they activate the "Present" (or 2) a Super-Heavy tank gets activated for them to deal with...  I'll have to think on it and run it by our "Battlemaster" game coordinator and see what he thinks.

[Kerfuffin(925)]

One of the Shrapnels, maybe #2, had a christmas scenario.

not sure if 11 does as well

[Mendrugo]

One of the Shrapnels, maybe #2, had a christmas scenario.

not sure if 11 does as well

#7 has “The Christmas Eve Coup”
#11 has “Comin’ to Towne”

[idea weenie]

If they want to use a Charger as their Scout, that's up to them, however, if they bring Phoenix Hawks, it won't be first.

I know I didn't make this clear, but there will be a storage bunker for each of them, not one singular bunker.  The "Objective" will be coming in 2 forms, so they get to choose in order of whoever gets theirs first.

Thanks.  I assume Advanced Units covers construction rules, then?  I was planning on a GS of 5 to balance their inherent lack of movement and general stupidity of AI.

The hardest set up will be for the table(s).  We communicate over the store's Discord and provide the scenarios several days in advance so people aren't creating them on the spot.  I and our "Battlemaster" also tend to bring an extra list (and I would be bringing two in this case), just in case someone is new or just didn't have time to set up a list.

That would require modifying it.  While I have don't generally have a problem with this, I want them to get some experience handling the base version.  Still, swapping out the heavier ACs with Enhanced PPCs and DHS might work...  I'll have to think on it.

Or as an alternative, when they activate the "Present" (or 2) a Super-Heavy tank gets activated for them to deal with...  I'll have to think on it and run it by our "Battlemaster" game coordinator and see what he thinks.

The goal with using a Fast Scout is so they can pick off deactivated drones.

Ah, that makes better sense for the players, but not for security.

No problem.  You could even have it where if the players take out a defense turret, then one of the drones will peel off to defend that building.  So if there are four buildings each with 3 Turrets, and ~10 vehicles, then destroying two of the turrets around one building will cause two drones to divert to protect that building instead of maneuvering to engage the PC units. Good way to distract one of the vehicles?

Advanced Rules does cover Construction, but you might just go with giving the Turrets a Construction Factor (hit points), a gun or few, and say that their power is provided from underground access (so the players don't get the idea to shoot the power cables).  They are basically stationary mooks with a gun, so treat them that way.  They shoot at whoever is visible and closest to the building they are protecting.

Make one of the recovered Mechs be an Awesome with ERPPCs and Double Heat Sinks?

Half the Presents being the trigger for the Keeper being activated would make lots of sense.

[Charistoph]

One of the Shrapnels, maybe #2, had a christmas scenario.

not sure if 11 does as well

Sadly, I don't have much access regular access to Shrapnel due to concentrating on rulebooks and miniatures at present.

The goal with using a Fast Scout is so they can pick off deactivated drones.

True, but I don't plan on deactivated drones being on the table.  We have 4 hours, so while that can be enough time, some are... slower in their decision making process.  So the drones will either be present on the table with them or activate at certain decision points and become engageable at that point.

Ah, that makes better sense for the players, but not for security.

Sometimes attempts at security can be as much scientific test, as otherwise.  It could just be that the dispersed bunkers were set to minimize signal leakage.  Either way, it is a game mechanic to provide a staggered activation (potentially) as well as a challenge.

No problem.  You could even have it where if the players take out a defense turret, then one of the drones will peel off to defend that building.  So if there are four buildings each with 3 Turrets, and ~10 vehicles, then destroying two of the turrets around one building will cause two drones to divert to protect that building instead of maneuvering to engage the PC units. Good way to distract one of the vehicles?

That might work as an "AI" instruction set.

Advanced Rules does cover Construction, but you might just go with giving the Turrets a Construction Factor (hit points), a gun or few, and say that their power is provided from underground access (so the players don't get the idea to shoot the power cables).  They are basically stationary mooks with a gun, so treat them that way.  They shoot at whoever is visible and closest to the building they are protecting.

Yeah, ECM will disrupt the moving drones (IF they bring them), but the defensive structures will have hardlines that can't be disrupted.  I'm looking at basic firepower, AC/5, SRM-4s (or maybe -2s), and LRM-10s with randomly diminished ammo stores.  I debated on having Lasers installed, but if they do it will probably not be mixed.  The "AI" will be focused more on the combative elements, but the PLAYERS don't need to know that.   >:D

Make one of the recovered Mechs be an Awesome with ERPPCs and Double Heat Sinks?

Nope.  It's already been planned and ordered, and based on a certain unit recovered in a related game that is considered stored by a Minnesota Tribe drop off.

Half the Presents being the trigger for the Keeper being activated would make lots of sense.

Thanks for the idea.