3039 Kurita Mech Tactics

[salcor]

So prior to the reforms under Theo,  what would be see as normal Kurita mech tactics.  In focusing on Bushido, did the DCMS tend to fight like the clans later on, focusing on one-on-one combat.  Looking down on combined fire tactics perhaps.  I am trying to give my players a view of a traditional mech style, then I am going to spring a Ghost unit on them.

Salcor

[Marveryn]

So prior to the reforms under Theo,  what would be see as normal Kurita mech tactics.  In focusing on Bushido, did the DCMS tend to fight like the clans later on, focusing on one-on-one combat.  Looking down on combined fire tactics perhaps.  I am trying to give my players a view of a traditional mech style, then I am going to spring a Ghost unit on them.

Salcor

no, don't let them fool you in believing that.  remeber they were the first to attempt the swarm tactic.. not once but twice.  giving the use of lights in there ranks as well as heavy i suspect when using lighter matching they attempt to swarms enemy mech, but when the big boy come to play they call of the dogs and offer a formal challenge to a respected enemy.   



(forgot to add. in the first book riposete? there a scene in which battle are fought as normal then ardan came out with his victor and the kuritan with his awesome?  and they proceeded to do a formal duel which ended the fight sorry if a remeber any detail wrong)

[billtfor3]

Kurita Mechwarriors fought for honor also, and so failure in battle would sometimes lead them to commit ritual suicide to atone.   So I say they would look to duel more often than not, but victory was more important to maintain their units honor, so it is a double edged sword with the honor thing.  Before Teddy's reforms, expect BANZI charges, and straight on Mech fights, after feint attacks, gang muggings, and bombs being planted in the barracks.....

[Lysenko]

Plus, don't forget the Star League-era 'mechs from C* during teh War of 3039. Most of them were gutted, but more than a few came through with SL-weaponry intact. That can make a difference as well in how tactics proceed.

[Sir Chaos]

Kurita Mechwarriors fought for honor also, and so failure in battle would sometimes lead them to commit ritual suicide to atone.   So I say they would look to duel more often than not, but victory was more important to maintain their units honor, so it is a double edged sword with the honor thing.  Before Teddy's reforms, expect BANZI charges, and straight on Mech fights, after feint attacks, gang muggings, and bombs being planted in the barracks.....

A lot will come down to who pilots those Mechs as well. Yakuza etc won´t give a rat´s ass about honorable duels to begin with, whereas if the pilots are really old-school, they will cling to traditions like a Narc pod to a Mech, Teddy´s reforms be damned (see the battle for Teniente in "Dark Legacy").

[Demon55]

They were trying to operate better as a unit instead of fighting as individual warriors.  I remember from "Wolves on the border," where one kurita warrior blew an ambush because he wanted to draw first blood and the Catapult pilot (lance leader) thought that he was stupid.  So as for the dueling that may be hit or miss depending on the unit you are facing.

[salcor]

My group is playing the reconstituted Chisholm's raiders.  So the friend part on the campaign is training again a full time OPFOR that is biased against the Drag's so they will focus on duels,  light mech swarms etc.  Then Consonant will experience the DC counter invasion made up of a couple Cedar equipped force Which includes 1 yakuza ghost regiment and a mercy regiment. So they will operate using more integrated, less honorable tactics.

Salcor

[Isanova]

Imagine a heavy mech unit starting to fire and advance on your units, just as a light mech unit is swarming from the side.

- Attempts to divert your attention by overwhelming you in battle
- facing equal fights in SL-era style duels when applicable
- not always retreating when it's wise, glory hounds
- emphasis on mobile warfare, closing-combat / advance whilst firing


"Fear" tactics. Facing a good Kuritan force may freak a lesser unit due to their aggressive and seemingly uniform discipline, but this can backfire. Such a force will do well to break a weaker enemy, but when fighting a strong unit will often cause themselves more casualties than the normal "cautious" unit tactics.

Kuritans are at a higher risk for heavy losses when they fail, in part due to their tactics, in part due to an emphasis on mobility over armor, and partly due to their fear of admitting defeat when they should.


That's my take on traditional DCMS tactical doctrine. Your mileage may vary. Some of the Dragon's unit commanders are very adept and will fight less risky. The Otomo are fanatical defenders. Genyosha and Ryuken regiments are entirely different tactically. Legion of Vega / Ghost Regiments are almost a different military, more adept at dirty Cappellan style tactics without the adept infantry.

Again, just my 2 cents

[Hellraiser]

Few thoughts...


1.  Actually, canon is filled w/ DC warriors and their "duels".
SLDF had to start their Gunslinger program because SLDF warriors were loosing to DC warriors in single combat.
The Goons managed to distract them with Duels all day on Misery when the Dracs had the Goons out numbered and could have layed into them.

I wouldn't say that they fight like the clans do so much as I would say they are very accepting of a duel invitation.


2.  They also are known to disdain the "lesser" combat arms and don't use combined arms much.


3.  Dishonorable tactics don't seem to be the norm for them.  They seem to be the "drive you enemy before you" straight up combatants type v/s the "lure them into an ambush" type.
Teddy very much was working to cure them of this last issue.

[Mohammed As`Zaman Bey]

  While a lot has been said about DCMS units fighting using neo-bushido tactics there are just as many DCMS units that do not, such as the Ghost regiments, the Ryuken, the Vega Legions, the Arkab Legions, etc. Many of these units have also employed combined arms for centuries.

  In FM:DC (FASA 1698) the officers and soldiers of the Second Deiron "have taken the Coorddinator's reforms as a liscense to break any rule if such action would ensure victory." The DCMS has many "black sheep" units who do not adhere to the concepts of bushido at all so don't expect all DCMS units to behave like poorly-equipped versions of the Clans, ready to be suckered into a trap by a simple challenge -The DCMS has put up with battlefield perfidy by the other Houses for centuries.

[snewsom2997]

I think it would have depended on what commander you were facing. I would bet more than a few would be willing to duel, but not for control of a planet, maybe for an objective. More or less it would be a crap shoot, fight honorably keep it clean, and more than likely you would get to keep your head and possibly get to retire from the battlefield with your mech, Kell and Wolf come to mind. But tactical and strategic necessity would demand that winning at any cost is preferable to losing and retaining personal honor.

[salcor]

Hmm, looks like my post got ate by the internet gremlins.

Anyway, so we played our first game this weekend and it went well.  We played Mission: Recon, as it is stated in the Sword and Dragon/Wolf and Blake books.  Since I have three players, I had each of them choose one mech for the mission; they choose an assassin, a griffin, and a warhammer (lightest mech in that lance).  The job of course was to scan 100% of the OPFOR and escape.  The OPFOR was a locust, a jenner, a panther, and a wolverine.  I must say that I have never has some much fun playing light mechs.  So I used the Jenner and the Locust as a swarm of two, the panther as a sniper, and the wolverine as a general brawler trying to issue challenges.  In the end my group was victorious, however the griffin was almost scrap metal with two engine hits, one gyro hit, and hardly any armor and a number of systems offline.  The jenner and the locust doing most of the damage to it.  I tried hunting down the assassin, but with 4/5 pilots, trying to hit something the fast is pretty hard (even though it ended with very little armor, and at least one internal hit) the warhammer did a ton of damage, but was pretty ineffective until the end of the scenario.  And to be honest, we kind of ignored it since it was extremely powerful.  And the majority of the damage was done by the Jenner and the Locust.  It kind of surprised the Griffin player when the Jenner charged him and connected.  That did the majority of the damage to him.  Suprisingly the Jenner survived it.  And now my players have a pretty health respect for the capability of Draconis Combine light forces.  How I need to tech them respect for their heavier forces.

Salcor

[Marveryn]

in that time frame the jenner is one of the better lights around particular when it was pre wolfhound.  It has more then enough speed and jump jets to get you in a bad position and 4 med laser has enough punch to make medium mechs nervous.  srm are there as bonus.  as longas you keep an eye on your heat gauge don't cook your ammo .. be ready to dump it when it becomes a liability.  Its a pest to get rid of