Wieczorek's Archers mercenary unit and the Wyatt Militia

[Failure16]

Never a bad idea. Civil affairs is a vital--if often overlooked--part of expeditionary operations.

[ANS Kamas P81]

Hearts and minds, indeed.  Well, I have my administrators and a vague number of medics among them, plus a three-theater MASH unit, so there's definitely medical personnel available.  The MASH can be loaded up in an THAPC and deployed in a crisis area, and the idea of helping out the citizens appeals to Mirage's 'honorable' nature.  "The Lyran government may have abandoned these people, but I will not!"

I guess that makes her a bit of a goody two-shoes, oh well.  Dammit, I can have a good guy team too!  The things I fight with myself over.

Still need to settle on engineering stuff, though the Büffel VIII is in production on Arcturus and would be easily available.  They're only 801,000 C-bills, too, which is definitely in the 'affordable' category.  They're also capable of transporting a crippled Archer, so that's a plus - maybe a pair of them plus an engineer platoon or two since they both have four tons of cargo space.  I suppose I can push the Uni into helping out with engineering stuff when I'm not using it as a hauler.

[DOC_Agren]

Found the thread.  It starts here with Adrian Gideon's declaration.  They should pin a thread or something to make it official, rather than leave it in there.

On that note...

I like that no explaining why the change is made or why other units with real names are or aren't going to be changed.   

Housekeeping is the First Tamar Jaegers job, who are on-planet at their last known location.  As far as the DropShip goes, it's pretty well stuffed with all my stuff, so I figured I'd use it as a central hub and run stuff out to whatever base that KGr W gets assigned to for its garrison contract.

Okay..  But I had recalled you were talking at one point about setting up "basecamp/logistic hub" near the dropship

I suppose Ranger is a misleading title, they're not special forces guys so much as they are artillery spotters to sneak around and call down fires.  They're Forward Observers, primarily, they just have nice laser rifles to take on things Way Over There rather than get exposed to close range antipersonnel fire.  And if they're fighting directly, something has gone Slightly Wrong(TM) for my spotters.  As far as rescue of personnel goes, it's not like I'm in a foreign, hostile country.  And again, I've got the First Jaegers LCT on-planet to do rescues if it comes down to it.  Having an R&R capability is an important thing to consider, however, I think I can rely on the First Jaegers and whatever they're set up for their own troops.

If you are not planning on them engage at range, you could drop them down to "SMG" and a Tag Unit.   With that Rifle and the Scope and some height - they can do long range spotting and "direct" guard force to issue before ground team sees them or engage on their own if needed.  You might not consider it a hostile world, but there are those who went over to the "New Overlords" and support them.  Otherwise the 21st Lancer and you would not be here to kick them off, the locals who out number them could have already broken them.
Hostage Rescue, They might not be the best choices but they are your people
and By R&R I was not refering to fully setting up your own R&R Site, but when back from the line and off duty they could go on R&R.   

Well, the extra assets are going to eat into my supplies, since I only have so much room in the DropShip.  I'll look and see what I can finagle out of it, however.

Like I said it's a service most frontline small Merc won't have and you can make $$ off and make friends to.
Same thing if you have extra Medical support you can contract it out to the locals/other units or run a clinic to increase the heart and mind operations.

Not sure what you mean by that.

So that Clan Tech Goblin gets destroyed/battle damaged in the field, what % of the cost does contract pay you.

[ANS Kamas P81]

I like that no explaining why the change is made or why other units with real names are or aren't going to be changed.   

I was wrong in my interpretation of what was said, the Rommel still exists and will remain named as such.  It's just not going to appear in a Rec Guide or the Merc kickstarter.  No retcons are being made.

So that Clan Tech Goblin gets destroyed/battle damaged in the field, what % of the cost does contract pay you.

80% of battle damage on my current contract.

[Daryk]

With that insane multiplier, would it not be cheaper to buy regular Goblins and a supply of LPLs?

[ANS Kamas P81]

With that insane multiplier, would it not be cheaper to buy regular Goblins and a supply of LPLs?

That's how I'm doing it.  My maintenance cost is still going to be high, but the Gobs were initially procured as IS tanks, and I'm getting LPLs from the Sea Foxes along with their highly overpriced maintenance service contract.    And of course a buttload of SRM6s and LRM10s; the Archers and Goblins both use Clan-tech versions of those.

[Daryk]

Ah, cool... 

[ANS Kamas P81]

Shuffling units around and deleting things so I can have a combat engineer unit is difficult...

[DOC_Agren]

Shuffling units around and deleting things so I can have a combat engineer unit is difficult...

little chop here and a little chop here.. here a chop there a chop... everywhere a chop chop

your unit got so much help from us huh

[ANS Kamas P81]

Yes, yes it absolutely did.  My thanks again to you all for the skull sweat.

[Daryk]

This is one of the best parts of the game! 

[DOC_Agren]

This is one of the best parts of the game! 

Yep
and we all come from different play groups and history but when we see something we can help with we offer input

[Failure16]

This is one of the best parts of the game! 

Best part, Hell. It's about the only part left, for me. But it is, indeed, one of the best parts, that much is spot on.



I still believe you should tank the ARCs and reconfigure it all for Bombardiers....



  I'll see me way to the door.

[ANS Kamas P81]

This is one of the best parts of the game! 

Best part, Hell. It's about the only part left, for me. But it is, indeed, one of the best parts, that much is spot on.

In all honesty it's more fun to create units than it is to smash them together on the tabletop.  Heresy, I know, but c'est la guerre.

So I dropped the Uni CargoMech as well as one lance of tanks and infantry from Bravo Company.  Now it's three lances of a pair of Goblins and a pair of jump infantry squads each, which is my primary mobile security force.
 Charlie Company is my site security infantry, plus a pair of Rifleman IIC.  Sierra Company ended up with two lances of tracked HAPCs and a pair of Buffel VIIIs from Arcturus as well as a platoon of combat engineers. 

Alpha Company is still three lances of two Archers and two Goblins.  Like Daryk's portable Hobgoblin artillery unit, I'm loading two tons of Thumper ammo and a tech team to handle reloading in each of the ISVs.  I originally had a platoon of Jump Infantry here but I moved them to Charlie Company, for four platoons plus the Rifleman IICs.

I think at this point I'm just shuffling units around for something to do, so I'm gonna call it done pending any gameplay I get in or whatnot.  Maybe I'll price out the fully Clan upgraded version for laughs, just to see how expensive it gets.

I still believe you should tank the ARCs and reconfigure it all for Bombardiers....

Bite your tongue sir!  There are good variants of the Bombardier, namely the 05A and the 14C and 14K models.  Perhaps 'good' stretches a bit, but they're not as bad as the original 'Mech.  Besides, I like the look of the Archer better by comparison, even if the Bombardier's clearly visually based on the Archer.

The 05A reminds me I need to add a battery of Arrow IV Archers to go along with the tube guns.  I'll need some more Goblins for that company, but I don't see much of a need to increase the rest of my infantry or support tanks with the extra battery of artillery. 

[Daryk]

In all honesty it's more fun to create units than it is to smash them together on the tabletop. 
*snip*

You are not wrong, good sir! 

[ANS Kamas P81]

It's fun trying to cut things down to fit under budgets, and I've been doing that with Kampfgruppe Wieczorek.  I'm building it as a snapshot of the group post-Battle of Pandora, when they start their garrison contract on the planet and going from there.  I nipped the two Rifleman IICs since they'd enter the unit later, as well as the clan tech upgrades to the rest of my force - I'm still going to do them, I'm just going to leave it as a future plan after the current contract ends and I can put my 'Mechs and tanks into their repair bays for a few weeks.  It also gives me time to save up some C-bills to pay the Sea Foxes...always an important thing, that.

And then there's Wieczorek's Archers, the original mercenary group.  I ended up with cutting two Archers out of the command lance, so it's just a two-element formation; this let me stock up on ammunition and boy freakin' howdy do ARC-2Ss go through LRM ammo.  198 tons is only enough for two full reloads for my BattleMech forces.  I'm also thinking of scrapping the artillery Archers, and just rolling with a mixed battalion of Archers and Rommels.  It would fit with the background I wrote for Mirage; she'd gotten the idea for artillery-equipped Archers from watching the Clans try to deal with arty during the Battle of Tharkad rather than from something her grandaunt did.  Alternatively, I could keep four of them as a single short battery, stock up on a logistics battalion, and have Mirage take the idea from her namesake after all...

And then there's the idea of mixing in more Rommels with the Archers, doing three companies where it's six mechs and eight tanks.  Just can't shake the mental image of the tanks rolling past the Archers is in my head, for some reason.

Next unit I make is all energy, I swear.  Ammo is expensive.

[Daryk]

Ammo is VERY expensive, yes... even when you're just in garrison.

And totally agreed about budgets!  I eventually bumped my Glenmora Planetary Militia up to 151,000,000 (and yes, there was a rum joke in there).

[ANS Kamas P81]

Ammo is VERY expensive, yes... even when you're just in garrison.

When you go through the unit creation process and start adding up all the 'Mechs and tanks, it's kind of an eye opener going from "Oh, it's an Archer" to "twenty of them have HOW many tons of LRM ammo?!" 

And totally agreed about budgets!  I eventually bumped my Glenmora Planetary Militia up to 151,000,000 (and yes, there was a rum joke in there).

Hah!  I managed to keep Wieczorek's Archers down to its budget of 300 million, spending all but 204 C-bills on the following:

Code: [Select]

Command Team
ARC-2S Archer Veteran
ARC-2S Archer Elite

Artillery Battery
ARC-2ST Archer Veteran
ARC-2ST Archer Regular
ARC-2ST Archer Regular
ARC-2ST Archer Regular

Alpha Company
Command Team
ARC-2S Archer Regular
ARC-2S Archer Regular
Fire Support Lance
ARC-2S Archer Veteran
ARC-2S Archer Veteran
ARC-2S Archer Green
ARC-2S Archer Veteran
Tank Lance
Rommel Veteran
Rommel Elite
Rommel Elite
Rommel Veteran
Infantry Platoon
Motorized Infantry Squad Elite
Motorized Infantry Squad Green
Motorized Infantry Squad Veteran
Motorized Infantry Squad Green

Beta Company
Command Team
ARC-2S Archer Regular
ARC-2S Archer Regular
Fire Support Lance
ARC-2S Archer Regular
ARC-2S Archer Veteran
ARC-2S Archer Veteran
ARC-2S Archer Regular
Tank Lance
Rommel Green
Rommel Regular
Rommel Veteran
Rommel Veteran
Infantry Platoon
Motorized Infantry Squad Veteran
Motorized Infantry Squad Veteran
Motorized Infantry Squad Veteran
Motorized Infantry Squad Green

Charlie Company
Command Team
ARC-2S Archer Regular
ARC-2S Archer Veteran
Fire Support Lance
ARC-2S Archer Veteran
ARC-2S Archer Regular
ARC-2S Archer Veteran
ARC-2S Archer Regular
Tank Lance
Rommel Green
Rommel Regular
Rommel Veteran
Rommel Veteran
Infantry Platoon
Motorized Infantry Squad Veteran
Motorized Infantry Squad Regular
Motorized Infantry Squad Regular
Motorized Infantry Squad Regular

Transport Company
Transport Lance
Wheeled Heavy APC Elite
Wheeled Heavy APC Veteran
Wheeled Heavy APC Elite
Wheeled Heavy APC Veteran
Transport Lance
Flatbed Truck Veteran
Flatbed Truck Regular
Flatbed Truck Veteran
Flatbed Truck Regular
Transport Lance
Flatbed Truck Elite
Flatbed Truck Veteran
Flatbed Truck Veteran
Flatbed Truck Elite
I realized that between the Rommels and Archers I was distinctly lacking in antipersonnel capability, and decided on cheesing it up with Daryk's AR++ combo system, giving me some effective antipersonnel infantry without losing the mobility of Motorized troops to dual Support weapons.  The range is meh, but I can live with it, and while I don't have dedicated infantry carriers I can live with the 3 MP movement on ground - and in cities, the mix of Rommels and infantry is gonna be brutal.

So a total of 24 Archers, 12 Rommels, and 12 squads of infantry for fighting the Kuritans, and then taking on the Clans when they show up.  I'm still iffy on the artillery Archers; as expensive as they are I could ditch those and make each company a reinforced force of ten Archers in 2x4+2, with a lance of Rommels and a platoon of infantry to support them.  That's the kind of organization I'd expect with a unit named "Wieczorek's Archers" to have.  I had enough C-bills left over looking at that group that I filled out the battalion command team to a command lance...I'm mixed on the idea because while it's much more worthy of the name...having the artillery mechs was a neat thing.  I've got both organizations on a spreadsheet to decide on at some point.

I can always satisfy my Big Gun craving with the Krazy Ws, if I need to.  I dunno.

[Daryk]

If the WAs don't have the Thumper Archers, where do the KW's get the idea?

[ANS Kamas P81]

I was thinking Mirage saw how artillery forces could ruin a Clanner's day while she was at the Nagelring, first in the training and then seeing it happen in person as she fought alongside her classmates during the Wolf/Falcon invasion of Tharkad. 

I admit I like the origin story of it being a WA thing that she "reinvented" by choosing a Mech with better mobility than the 210-engined Archer 2ST that the WAs used.  Following in her grandaunt's footsteps is something that appeals to me, and makes it very much a family thing.

[Daryk]

Me too, hence my asking...

[ANS Kamas P81]

I'm easy, artillery for Wieczorek's Archers it is.  Guess Mirage grew up hearing about how cool the Big Guns were when they went off, and maybe the House defenses include six Thumpers, which would be where she got the guns to mount in the Archers.  The infantry that transported them followed her into the mercenary trade, forming the core of her infantry force.

[Daryk]

Cool! 

[DOC_Agren]

I like the idea that grandma had the idea 1st...
that also means Mirage, isn't inventing the Archer Thumpers but using already prepped and battle tested ideas

Daryk AR++ are a nice setup...

If I was going to set up a unit to play on the tabletop, I would gladly ask for help..  Hell I asked for Daryk help to update my Scout/Snipers and I have not yet put them on the table.

[Daryk]

I look forward to when you do! 

[ANS Kamas P81]

So Wieczorek's Archers ends up spending all its money except 260 C-bills, and is a nice reinforced battalion and thinks of itself as a battalion.  Three companies of 3x4+2, with 6 Archers, 4 Rommels, and 4 squads of infantry armed with Daryk's AR++ in each company, and a stockpile of AR++s for personal weapons for everyone but the DropShip crew.  One lance of four artillery Archers, because custom stuff is expensive (even custom infantry!  those squads cost 2/3 of a Rommel...) and they're 23 million each.  Aunty Mirage is going to need to find a contract quick, because she's only got two months of back pay and supplies, but with the unit cost payment she can charge, nearly anything will leave the Archers flush with cash due to their large size.

Looks like all the action in the 3000s is against the FWL, at least until the 4SW starts.  So while we've a family homeworld of Zoetermeer, the fighting is on the rimward border of the LCAF.  I can roll with fighting the FWL for a while before relocating to take on the Kuritans in the 4SW.  Plenty of raids and battles to fight down there, plenty of contracts to gather up.  I'll pick a year and say 3012 for their formation; that gives the Archers a 38 year long career before they get wiped on Zoetermeer.  That'd make the first Mirage Wieczorek born in, oh, 2980; she'd be pushing 70 when she took her final trip out in her ARC-2S, and would have been 144 had she lived to see her great-great-grandniece assume her mantle.

Reading up a bit on Zoetermeer again, I don't have the Jade Falcon sourcebook but Sarna says that the Emerald Talon Naval Star threatened to bombard the defenders into submission; the 10th Donegal Guards and part of the 12th Star Guards surrendered to the Falcons.  Not the kind of Saitou Benkei on the bridge ending I had in mind for the Archers, especially since the commander of the naval Star was under direct orders to not fire on the planet.  If the ETNS had deployed its fighters against the Archers, that would have been 86 top end Omnifighters against 24 3SW 'Mechs and a dozen tanks; that's more than enough for a slaughter to happen without resorting to orbital bombardment.  I suppose I can live with that for a quixotic end to the original Archers.

[Daryk]

Just make sure you give the Archers some Flak ammo so they can take a few dirty clanners with them... 

[ANS Kamas P81]

Just make sure you give the Archers some Flak ammo so they can take a few dirty clanners with them... 

You can do that with regular HE, it gets Flak tags.  That and...well, a lot of LRMs being thrown around in that last battle, the Falcons won't get away entirely unscathed. 

EDIT: As far as the history of Zoetermeer goes and the Wieczorek family, they managed to escape aboard the family's modified Triumph DropShip, along with some of the unit that was providing an honor guard - some of the infantry, I suppose, maybe a liason force with the family's own house guards.  That puts the granduncle aboard the DropShip, and makes him able to tell the stories of fighting the Mariks and Kuritans and finally the Falcons, as well as telling her how awesome the Tamar Pact was, to little Mirage.

As far as the Falcons go, it's not stated in Sarna but they were searching for a Star League facility on the planet.  They were unsuccessful; in this canon it was an abandoned facility that didn't have much except starmaps and some old records from pre-Amaris times.  That's what led Mirage to Erdvynn in the first place, and whatever small outpost there was was empty otherwise.  So there'd have to be some kind of Falcon garrison on Zoetermeer, with some Warriors to go search around for the facility and come up empty-handed.  The Emerald Talon Naval Star withdrew after the 10th Donegal and 12th Star Guard forces surrendered, but there's no mention of a PGC being moved in place...but there were defenders to fight the Wolves for the planet in 3070.

New idea: they never surrendered to the Emerald Talon Naval Star, but instead of being brought down by a swarm of aerospace fighters the ETNS jumped out and ground forces were brought in immediately afterward.  Mirage decided to stand and fight, taking on the second-line forces in guerilla style battles before eventually being run to ground and destroyed by the Falcon garrison troops.

This would explain some of how the rest of the family escapes; they waited until the WarShips left before making a break to a waiting JumpShip at a pirate point.  Mirage would have sent her tech and admin troops with them, after loading up as much ammunition as she could handle with the infantry driving the trucks; it's one of these techs that ends up being little Mirage's favorite granduncle.  He'd have intimate knowledge of just how to shove a Thumper into an Archer and make it fit if he was one of those Techs that fled the world with the family dependents.

I'm liking this idea better, honestly, partly for granduncle being one of the 'Mech Techs and because it means I can someday game out the bitter end of Wieczorek's Archers...with a big emphasis on 'someday.'

As far as Kampfgruppe W, well, I suppose I should work up a company of 21st Centauri Lancers from the RATs in FM3145, and add in offboard fire support with the howitzers.  I just wonder how much salvage that'll net me, since I have a full salvage subcontract with the 21st.  Considering it's Totally Destroyed if the CT is cored with an AE weapon, and unsalvageable, I'm gonna have to be careful with my fire...and rely on my tanks for getting me shiny goodies.

[Daryk]

Sounds good to me! 

[ANS Kamas P81]

Wild stupid idea for Wieczorek's Archers back in the 3000s.  I can knock it back to two fighting companies plus the two command 'Mechs and 4 artillery 'Mechs, which frees up enough of a budget to add two more custom Archers to the list.  I can add two artillery Archers to the list, and bulk up what becomes third company into a reinforced company of transports and IndustrialMechs.  Say one Uni CargoMech for salvage, a DemolitionMech for clearing buildings/obstacles, Lumberjack for more of the same, and an Engineering Vehicle to round out the lance. 

I had a thought of converting an Archer into a combat engineer/salvage 'Mech, especially one that could haul off a hundred and forty tons with a battery of lift hoists and a backhoe replacing one hand.  It would still have one LRM15 and one SRM4, plus a couple lasers, so it wouldn't be completely useless in a fight.  I don't feel like paying for the custom machine though, as neat an idea as it might be, so I'll let it go.  Besides, 'Mechs can't mount bulldozers anyway, so boo.