BattleTech: Mercenary's Handbook 3055
BattleTech: Mercenary's Handbook 3055 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Mercenary Units
- The Business of War
- Contracts
- The Art of War
- Mercenary Concerns
- Creating a Mercenary Unit
- The Cost of Living
- Hiring DropShips and JumpShips
- Battle Expenses
- Recording Unit Expenses
- Creating Contracts
- Campaign Systems
- Tricks of the Trade
- Selected Mercenary Units (not transcribed)
Introduction
Summary of Contents
The Mercenary's Handbook is split into three parts. The first chapters discuss various aspects of mercenary life in the year 3025. In the latter chapters are game rules and systems for roleplaying the features of mercenary life. The appendix contains descriptions of three mercenary units.
Any discussion of mercenary forces must begin by examining the various types of Mercenary Units. Included is a history of mercenary use in the BATTLETECH universe, as well as descriptions of the subgroups in a unit.
The Business of War describes how MechWarrior soldiers of fortune ply their trade. Mercenaries fight strictly for profit, which is calculated after meeting all their expenses. In turn, these expenses dictate how much they must charge employers and also determine the unit's success as a business venture, which is often more important than success in battle.
A mercenary unit earns money by negotiating and fulfilling business agreements with an employer. These Contracts spell out the details of a unit's purpose, payment, and the rights and duties of that unit while serving.
The Art of War chapter helps players and gamemasters understand the mercenary brand of military science. Winning a victory with minimal loss of equipment, manpower, or supplies is a mercenary's highest goal. Maneuver, good generalship, and the bloodless occupation of strategic positions are all far more important than costly battles. As a result, mercenary warfare has become stylized and often inconclusive.
The next chapter, Mercenary Concerns, discusses the various Successor States' attitudes toward mercenaries. Employers are not always wise enough to live up to their commitments, and treachery (by both employers and mercenaries) is an art as often practiced as it is condemned. Tricks of the Trade contains rules for roleplaying both employer and mercenary betrayals. Also covered are modifiers that influence a unit's reputation.
Creating a Mercenary Unit provides a streamlined system for creating large mercenary units. Subsequent chapters' game systems for determining operating expenses, contracts, missions, and combat campaigns are based on this unit creation system.
Gamemasters can use the rules in The Cost of Living to compute expenses for a mercenary unit. Salaries, maintenance costs, overhead, and transport fees are all considered.
In the Creating Contracts chapter, a gamemaster will find several hints for generating contracts. Included is a sample contract, though the gamemaster is encouraged to create his own.
Campaign Systems presents two methods to abstractly determine the nature and outcome of any campaign that may occur during the mercenaries' mission. Because the two systems are meant to be used as a backdrop to a MechWarrior mercenary campaign, the gamemaster should fill in any necessary details.
As a supplement for MechWarrior, the Mercenary's Handbook provides guidelines that describe the business of 'Mech warfare. Gamemasters and players should use this material to augment, not to replace, the material found in MechWarrior. There is no need to use every rule given here and no requirement that players apply these rules exactly as written. Combine the campaign rules in this book with the BattleTech series of games to set the stage for various clashes of arms. The MechWarrior's primary rule is: Thou shalt have fun. Use this book in that spirit.
Players may use these rules in several different ways. If desired, each can create a mercenary unit leader, who is responsible for all aspects of business, negotiations, and command. In this case, the game becomes a framework for competition rather than cooperation. While some of these units may work for the same House, others could oppose one another. The gamemaster's job is to create campaign situations that involve each mercenary unit, with every player handling the economics, negotiations, and strategic decisions of his own unit. This can lead to an interesting and unusual form of roleplaying.
If the player characters are all part of the same mercenary unit, they may share the unit's duties and responsibilities. For example, a group of six player characters might form the leadership of a 'Mech battalion. One player character is the Battalion Commander, three are Company Commanders, another commands the air and space-going elements of the unit, and the sixth is the Battalion's Executive Officer. In addition to handling the expenses of his own command, each would also control his units during combat. The Exec consolidates unit expenses, manages intelligence duties, worries about liaison with employers, and recruits hirelings as well as commanding elements in the field when the need arises. As the final arbiter for planning and executing campaigns, the CO negotiates contracts and makes political decisions. Other divisions of responsibility are also possible.
As the MechWarrior rules state, a player may fill many roles at once. Each player could roleplay one or more MechWarriors, AeroSpace Fighter Pilots, technicians, and mercenary unit commanders. Of course, a player's characters do not all have to serve the same outfit; they could be members of rival units. However, the gamemaster should not allow such units to combat each other, as even the most schizophrenic player would be hard-pressed to fight on both sides of a battle.
Mercenary Units
The History of BattleMech Mercenaries
Historical background (the Succession Wars era, the Star League collapse, and the rise of mercenary regiments after Kerensky's exodus) is set out in the book's introductory chapter and is omitted here as flavour.
Types of Mercenary Units
Victory depends upon the proper use of combined arms: fight, medium, heavy, assault, air, infantry, and the rest. Variety is the spice of battle.
A mercenary unit's type determines its capabilities, and a mercenary commander forges a worthwhile band through a proper balance of types and capabilities. Each unit can be classified as one of the following.
Infantry
Conventional infantry forces, armed with projectile, laser, or rocket weapons, are hard-pressed to survive in a direct confrontation with 'Mechs. Nonetheless, infantry units are capable of many operations difficult for 'Mechs, such as garrison, security, riot control, or a purely defensive role in terrain that reduces 'Mech effectiveness. Even though footsloggers are far beneath the notice of lordly MechWarriors, few House armies ignore the usefulness of infantry. Some mercenary leaders have incorporated infantry auxiliaries into their units.
Jump Infantry
The difference between ordinary infantry and jump infantry is jump packs, which provide vastly increased mobility. Jump infantry is expensive to equip and field, but such units generally serve an elite role. In addition to normal infantry duties, they are extremely useful for recon purposes. Superior mobility and the ability to carry heavier weapons (mounted on their jump packs) give jump infantry a higher survival record in the field, and make them somewhat more effective than their grounded brethren in anti-'Mech fighting.
Motorized Infantry
Regular infantry units provided with transport vehicles (skimmers, jeeps, heavy transports, and so on) are known as motorized infantry forces. Although more mobile than ordinary infantry, motorized infantry units are expensive to equip and maintain, and thus are rarely used. Generally, regular infantry work as a relatively static battle arm for defensive or rear-line roles only. Motorized infantry units operate on wealthy, high-population worlds where troops must be shifted on the ground quickly, or in outfits that perceive infantry to be the best means of securing a conquered area.
Light Armor
Tanks provide a cheap and sometimes effective alternative to 'Mechs. As tank production is still fully within the capabilities of the Successor States, armored units often absorb some of the combat duties that usually fall to 'Mechs.
Light-armored vehicles (50 tons or less) are used primarily as recon or direct support for infantry. They fight 'Mechs only as a last resort.
Heavy Armor
Any tank larger than 50 tons is classified as a heavy tank. Some armchair theorists have argued that a strong tank is superior to a 'Mech in every way, but this idea has never been proved in battle. Heavy armor stiffens 'Mech forces or operates where 'Mech opposition is not expected. A clever tactician can use heavy armor to gain a temporary advantage over 'Mech forces. In an open or mobile confrontation, however, heavy tanks are far less likely to stand up to a well-handled 'Mech.
Artillery
Associated with the other "conventional" arms (infantry and armor), artillery units have limited usefulness to a mercenary outfit. Artillery units can perform few functions that other elements cannot handle equally well. However, units oriented toward static operations (particularly those defending key positions or bombarding enemy strongpoints) often find artillery a worthwhile investment. Many outfits who often invade planets find one or two lances of artillery useful for defending landing zones or advanced base camps. Artillery often defends strategic positions approaching a garrisoned locale; a quick bombardment at the proper moment can blunt a determined attack.
Scouts
Most mercenary units employ scouts, covert operatives who do everything from reconnaissance to sabotage and assassination. Scouts count for little in battle, but they are useful in almost every other phase of a campaign. A unit needs few scouts; a ratio of one scout to a lance or platoon is considered unusually high. However, a few mercenary leaders have assembled fairly large units chiefly composed of scouts.
Light 'Mech
'Mech units are the most important fighting forces on the battlefield. Light 'Mechs (0-39 tons) operate mostly in mobile raids or pursuit, where speed and agility are preferred to heavy armament. A few highly successful regiments consist almost exclusively of light raiding 'Mechs. About 30 percent of all existing 'Mechs are light 'Mechs.
Medium 'Mech
The medium-sized BattleMech (40-59 tons) is a compromise of speed and firepower and is probably the most versatile war machine available. The medium 'Mech accounts for 40 percent of all existing 'Mechs and is encountered in a wider variety of functions than any other type of 'Mech.
Heavy 'Mech
At 60-79 tons, heavy 'Mechs are powerful war machines designed for striking power and endurance. About 20 percent of existing 'Mechs are heavy. Heavy 'Mech designs discard speed and agility to make a war machine that can stand up to battle conditions. These units form the mainstay of standard 'Mech fighting forces.
Assault 'Mech
Approximately 10 percent of existing 'Mechs are considered assault 'Mechs, which weigh 80 tons or more. They have even more armor than a heavy 'Mech, and, though they usually have fewer weapons than a heavy 'Mech, theirs are more powerful. However, an assault 'Mech cannot exploit a victory effectively because its pursuit speed is low. Once engaged in battle, it has a great deal of difficulty disengaging.
Land-Air 'Mech
The peak of 'Mech technology is the LAM, which can be converted from 'Mech to intermediate Air-Mech to AeroSpace Fighter. The LAM is a particularly successful hybrid that is the ultimate in versatility; unfortunately, they are scarce, expensive, and comparatively delicate. Damage to conversion systems rapidly eliminates the advantages that LAMs enjoy in battle. It takes a wealthy mercenary or the resources of a Successor Lord to support even a handful of LAMs for any length of time.
AeroSpace Fighter
AeroSpace Fighter Pilots perform recon, strafing, bombing, and air superiority missions, and regard their part as equal, if not superior, to that played by MechWarriors. Though the rivalry between the two services is well-known, each is important. Even the most 'Mech-oriented mercenary leader is reluctant to omit an aerospace element from his organization.
Aircraft
Conventional fighter-bomber craft are rare among mercenary forces. Limited to in-atmosphere use only, aircraft are inferior to AeroSpace Fighters. Moreover, they must be adjusted when used in different atmospheres, and so combat troops who are regularly assigned to new stations have little use for them. Only local forces or the occasional unit assigned to long-term garrison duty are likely to employ conventional fighter and bomber aircraft. Few mercenary commands employ a permanent air wing.
Airmobile
Conventional airmobile units are transport aircraft (including helicopters, planes, jets, and so forth) attached to infantry, jump infantry, or an occasional scout unit. Again, these are rarely found in the service of mercenary or front-line House troops for the reasons cited above.
DropShips
Combat formations are truly self-sufficient when they have their own DropShips for interplanetary transport and assault duties. Otherwise, units are forced to rely on commercial transport (expensive) or the goodwill of an employer (risky) for deployment and pickup. Whenever possible, mercenaries will acquire DropShips capable of transporting their entire organization.
JumpShips
Just as DropShips are essential to interplanetary operations, JumpShips are the key to interstellar transport. The lack of such ships hampers the mercenary's freedom of action, but, as JumpShips are rare, most mercenary groups must rely on outside sources of interstellar transportation. In fact, some employers (notably Kurita and several of the Bandit Kings of the Periphery) actually prefer to hire mercenaries who lack JumpShips, believing these troops less likely to switch sides or desert because they rely on their employer for movement, logistical support, and a secure line of retreat.
Support
All mercenary units need technical personnel, including laborers, engineers, and supply and transport personnel, to maintain their troops in the field. The size and composition of these support formations depend upon the type of unit they back up. 'Mechs need a great deal of support; infantry needs much less.
Unit Organization
Combatants include infantry, armor, 'Mech, artillery, air, and aerospace forces, while support personnel, DropShips, and JumpShips are considered noncombatants. Noncombatant units are present in direct proportion to combatant personnel, and are often directly attached to a squad, lance, or company, rather than forming their own units. A typical 'Mech lance generally consists of three distinct elements: the combatant 'Mechs, lance scouts, and lance technical/support personnel. It might even have a DropShip component as well. For administrative purposes, each component is considered separately (so that scouts, techs, and combat troops each make up a separate lance). In practice, however, the combined components operate as a single force.
Squad
A squad is a group of seven men (infantry, artillery men, or scouts) or any one vehicle, aircraft, spacecraft, or 'Mech. In motorized and airmobile units, a squad consists of up to ten men (which includes vehicle drivers and gunners) and the vehicle or vehicles required to transport them. Scout squads generally number from one to three men.
Lance/Platoon
A lance consists of four non-infantry squads. Although four 'Mechs, vehicles, or other subgroups are the optimum size for a lance, this number is frequently unobtainable, as at least one group is usually in for repair. An aerospace lance and an aircraft lance each contain only two craft. A platoon consists of four infantry squads.
Company
Three lances or platoons form one company. At the company level, combined arms become important. Thus, a 'Mech company might have a light 'Mech lance, two lances of medium and heavy 'Mechs, and an attached air lance of AeroSpace Fighters. Other combinations are also possible.
Battalion
The battalion is a mixed force that consists of three companies, often having a mixed character. For example, Cameron's Highlanders is a mercenary battalion consisting of two companies of combatant 'Mechs (each with one light lance, two medium lances, and one heavy lance of 'Mechs), one company of AeroSpace Fighters, and one company of jump infantry. The typical battalion also contains an HQ lance, usually mounted on vehicles or 'Mechs, and includes the Battalion Commander and his staff.
Regiment
The largest standard formation of any Successor State army, a regiment consists of three combat battalions and an HQ company. As with the smaller units, the composition of independent battalions and companies varies widely. Regiments can be grouped into higher formations: brigades, legions, cohorts, divisions, strike teams, and so on. There is little standardization of these formations even within the forces of a single House.
Combatants and Noncombatants
See Unit Organization above.
The Business of War
The business of war is a matter of money: a unit that cannot pay its expenses cannot stay in the field. Costs fall into profit and loss, salaries, consumables, maintenance and refits, and overhead.
Profit and Loss
Major losses (whether caused by fire, theft, campaign attrition, or combat damage) cost even more money. Then, there are the expenses involved in expanding the operation, including purchases, new salaries, and upkeep costs. However, expansion is often the key to increasing productivity, becoming more competitive in the marketplace, and charging the customer higher fees. It is only after meeting these costs that the businessman can look for a profit from whatever is left.
Given the slow speed of interstellar transportation and the vagaries of war and politics, a unit is lucky to work eight months a year. If the outfit misses out on some contracts or simply cannot find an employer, there will be less income. However, expenses must still be paid if the unit is to meet its obligations and stay intact as a marketable force.
Taxation supports a government army, which rarely needs to worry about the economics of war. The hardships that arise from increasing military demands fall on the populace, through higher taxes, inflation, mounting war debts, rationing, and shortages. Military officers leave those concerns to the politicians and bureaucrats, and concentrate on fighting.
Not so the mercenary. The entrepreneur who sells the services of a fighting force must be a shrewd businessman if he is to earn money. Moreover, for the unit to be effective, he must shoulder a mountain of extra costs. There are supplies to keep the men fed and clothed, expendables (like ammunition) to be replaced, transportation costs to be covered when the unit cannot provide its own ships and, often most costly of all, the repairs and replacements that follow a major battle or difficult campaign. No matter how many assignments it receives or how much it earns, a mercenary unit must always handle its own overhead.
Salaries
As in most armies since the dawn of history, the common soldier of the BattleMech era is rarely well paid. The footsloggers and their cousins in the other conventional arms can count on little more reward than the poorly paid troops of pre-spaceflight Earth. Even mercenary units pay soldiers as little as possible, though they do keep troops from joining House armies (where prospects of security, advancement, and recognition are far superior).
Pilots, whether AeroSpace or 'Mech, are treated better. On the whole, MechWarriors receive the same wages as AeroSpace Fighter Pilots (though both claim that their work is more dangerous). Techs and scouts are also well paid, the former because technical skill can make the difference between success and failure, the latter because their work is so extremely hazardous.
The disparity in pay rates can be startling. A typical regular infantryman earns roughly 250 C-Bills per month in mercenary service. By contrast, a regular MechWarrior earns over twice that amount (600 C-Bills per month) for duty that infantry troopers consider glamorous, easy, and above all safe.
Troops are paid monthly, collecting wages based on position, rank, experience, and status. Officers receive more than enlisted men, and elite personnel draw much more than raw recruits.
Profit Sharing
Profit sharing is one way around the problem of salaries. It eliminates the need to pay monthly salaries, but severely diminishes the leader's profits from a lucrative contract or campaign windfall. It also makes the ordinary soldiers of an outfit part-owners of the unit, entitled to a say in management, command decisions, and choice of leadership. Not only does profit sharing shatter discipline and morale, it also makes the leader vulnerable to the whims of disaffected 'investors', who can decide to oust him following a run of bad luck.
Still, profit sharing does have its share of disciples. The established scale for division of profits has hardened into a set pattern in the Inner Sphere:
- 2/8 of all profits go to the unit CO.
- 1/8 of all profits go to all subunit commanders (in a battalion, company commanders are subunit commanders), divided equally.
- 1/8 of all profits go to all other unit officers, divided equally.
- 2/8 of all profits go to all the unit's MechWarriors, AeroSpace Fighter pilots, and scout personnel, divided equally.
- 1/8 of all profits go to all the unit's technical personnel, divided in favor of Senior Techs.
- 1/8 of all profits go to the infantry, armor, and aircraft soldiery.
When a unit does not have personnel in a given category (no Techs, for instance), the share allocated to them goes to the soldiery instead.
Profits are declared after all other expenses have been covered, but some unscrupulous unit commanders have manipulated the books to line their own pockets. Voting control is split like profits are, and so it takes a substantial core of discontented people to veto a commander's decision. However, the leader wishing to maintain his position must not lose the support of unit officers. This relatively small cadre not only controls as many votes between them as the CO, but they also have a great deal of personal influence with the soldiers under their command. Discontent in the officer ranks is a sure sign of trouble, and nowhere is this more true than in profit-sharing organizations.
Consumables
Supplies and ammunition are the mercenary's two dominant areas of expense. The need for supplies (food, water, fuel, clothes, and so on) is constant, of course. As ammunition is an expense mostly during campaigns, it usually crops up only when there is income to cover it.
Whenever possible, a mercenary leader should obtain consumables through his own sources rather than through his employer's. A noble might neglect the quality and quantity of supplies furnished to mercenaries in favor of his household troops. Smart mercenaries will take every opportunity to avoid an employer's cheeseparing, profiteering, or bureaucracy.
Those unit commanders who try to cut expenses by tying themselves to an employer's supply source do so at a considerable risk. This can lead to the Company Store Syndrome, in which an employer offers reduced rates on consumable supplies (or, worse yet, deferred payments) until the mercs are thoroughly bound to the network. Then, the screws tighten. Price increases are coupled with further deferred payment programs, leaving the mercenaries deep in their employer's debt. The unit becomes less free than a household outfit, unless it chooses to take the final plunge and pull out, forfeiting whatever money they had hoped to collect.
The alternative is to use private contractors to provide the necessary supplies. Merc leaders can arrange to purchase supply shipments through their scouts, who generally have contacts everywhere. They usually keep in touch with several alternate sources (on every side of the political fence) in case they need to make a sudden shift from one area or allegiance to another. A unit amasses stockpiles of consumables when it can afford them, and especially right before a campaign. It takes forethought and shrewd planning to order fresh supplies at the right time, as it can take up to five months for a contractor to deliver. The over-eager purchaser may run out of money paying for supplies ordered too quickly or too frequently.
An additional drawback to using private contractors is that privately purchased supplies are often expensive. Most contracts between employers and mercenary leaders allow for supply reimbursement, but the rates are often less than those charged by private suppliers. A mercenary leader contracting supplies from a private source will thus have a lower profit margin.
Understandably enough, employers are not pleased when mercenaries choose to contract supplies independently. Their reasons range from wanting the hired troops to be more dependent on them to the fear that outside contractors can become pipelines of sensitive military information. After all, the supplier who deals with Wolf's Dragoons might well be in touch with an inquisitive scout from the Eridani Light Horse. The mere fact that a mercenary regiment makes arrangements for supplies on a particular frontier often tips off the opposition that a campaign is about to begin there.
As a result, most employers do their best to raise extra obstacles to mercenary units using private contractors. A House might help set up the mercenary leader in the supply business, for example, a compromise that at least reduces the chance of leaks. Some governments make the mercenary supplier a major contractor for government operations as well, which means that if a unit defects, it could lose a lot of money.
Maintenance and Refits
All military units require a certain amount of upkeep, but the highly specialized 'Mech and AeroSpace forces of the Succession Wars have particularly demanding maintenance requirements. Given the deteriorating level of technology, advanced equipment is almost irreplaceable, which means that every 'Mech and ship needs to be nursed along as carefully as possible. This requires both money and technical wizardry.
In the field of maintenance and post-battle refits, support units come into their own. Techs are useful even to infantry formations, for whom they can repair weapons, armor, and other personal gear. They are absolutely essential for vehicles, aircraft, spaceships, and 'Mechs. An outfit can perform brilliantly on the field and still suffer total defeat in a prolonged campaign if it has insufficient technical support. The alternative is to pay for civilian or government technicians, but the average MechWarrior is unlikely to trust his machine to someone who does not share his thorough and intimate understanding of it.
Salaried technicians are the best means to maintain a unit. Superior Techs are an excellent investment, as they work faster and have a much better chance of using available resources to get the job done. The blasted arm of a disabled 'Mech might yield nothing more than a few patches to a typical Tech, but one who is highly skilled can often produce a collection of usable spare parts, or can even put the whole arm back in service.
As with consumables, maintenance needs fall into two categories: the ongoing work required for ordinary wear and tear, and the much more extensive repairs that follow an engagement. Maintenance costs also include hiring local Techs and buying spare parts, tools, and salvage gear.
Overhead and Other Expenses
A mercenary unit can incur a variety of other expenses over and above those already discussed. Some result from deficiencies in unit organization, such as charges to transport a force to its own Drop- or JumpShips. Others are irregular payments that are essential to the unit's survival or smooth functioning, such as bribes to private contractors or government officials, payoffs to informers in the enemy camp, or ransoms charged by victorious enemies who allow captured opponents the Honors of War.
Finally, there are the more prosaic costs that, though decidedly unmilitary, are essential to the mercenary business. These include recruiting costs to attract new soldiers or unattached veterans (to replace casualties or to increase the size of the unit), benefits to troopers or their dependents, advertising costs to interest potential employers in the unit, the price of training, and a host of others. In business, such costs are put down as "administrative overhead", and are generally budgeted as a percentage of the total value of the enterprise. How much money is devoted to overhead is a good measure of the unit's solvency and can have a powerful morale impact.
Contracts
Missions
The following thirteen basic types of military missions are recognized.
Garrison Duty
Strictly speaking, garrisons are found on uncontested worlds with enough strategic significance and potential for trouble to warrant the presence of combat troops. In theory, such worlds are low-risk stations where combat or civil disorder are not expected. Because of this, a unit hired for garrison duty is not likely to see action, and probably will not receive good pay or other benefits, and the mercenaries must rely heavily on people they do not know and cannot control. Mercenaries are certainly less expensive to maintain in the field than are more loyal, less cautious House troops, so House leaders often employ mercenaries for garrison duty to free up House units for more active operations.
Cadre Duty
As a cadre force, the mercs must organize and train new recruits or militia forces. It is often easy duty, in which even low-ranking mercs have temporary authority while training the recruits. Though usually a low-risk assignment and never paying particularly well, cadre duty becomes dangerous if recruit forces are suddenly thrust into combat before their training is complete.
Security Duty
One step removed from garrison duty is security duty, in which the unit is hired to provide security for some target believed threatened by hostile forces. Where garrisons usually watch over a whole planet, a security mission might revolve around the protection of a single installation, supply convoy, or other limited target. Non-'Mech mercenaries (infantry, scouts, and so on) are sometimes hired to serve as marines on exposed JumpShips or commercial transports, or to act as bodyguards for dignitaries and the like.
Riot Duty
Mercenaries are frequently hired for riot duty, the suppression of a smoldering or active rebellion on a world under the employer's control. The duty is unglamorous, very difficult, and dangerous, but, like garrison and security duty, it does not pay well. Although few rebels can stand up to high-tech mercenaries, the threat of terrorism and general insurgency fills a merc's every hour with danger. Employers usually stipulate that mercs are to do the least possible damage to targets of strategic or economic value, complicating the mercenaries' position. In addition, an employer might unleash mercenaries on a rebellious planet while keeping House units clear not only of violence, but of all involvement. After the mercenaries quell the riot, the employer steps in, blames the mercenaries for exceeding their authority, and so becomes a savior rather than an oppressor. Meanwhile, the mercs are left to bear the brunt of the local hatred.
Defensive Campaign
An employer begins a defensive campaign when he discovers enemy intentions to invade or escalate hostilities on a world. Mercenaries and household troops are deployed to stiffen resistance against the assault. As active fighting is likely, pay is fairly good, but mercenaries often find themselves faced with too much employer interference in their operations. The unit runs the risk of being cut off or overrun if the attacker proves successful.
Relief Duty
When unexpected attacks materialize, relief expeditions must move to support local garrison and defensive forces. Sometimes this is fairly simple, but usually it is the equivalent of mounting a whole new planetary assault. The original attacker often controls the approaches to the world and much of the planetary surface. Moreover, relief duty is chancy because there is no way of predicting whether the original defenders will still be in position and putting up a fight when help reaches them.
Mercenaries on relief duty draw good pay, but this sort of mission means close coordination with employer troops, leaders, and transport, and those conditions are often major disadvantages.
Planetary Assault
Sometimes used to indicate almost any kind of offensive activity, the true planetary assault mission is the initial attack to establish a 'planethead' on a world. This involves gaining aerospace superiority, establishing initial drop and landing zones, and then building a secure perimeter into which additional forces can be deployed for further campaigns. It is high-risk duty with a commensurately high financial return.
Offensive Campaign
Taking up where a planetary assault leaves off, an offensive campaign is an attack against hostile forces on a contested planet. Sometimes this sort of attack develops directly from a planetary assault, but it usually involves additional troops reinforcing or replacing those in the first landings. In some cases, a planet's defenders declare an offensive campaign against enemies who occupy a portion of the planet. Not quite as lucrative (or as risky) as a planetary assault, this kind of campaign still pays well. As with its defensive counterpart, it is sometimes marred by the excessive dependence of mercenary elements on outsiders who can let them down. These assaults are fraught with danger.
Siege Campaign
In many instances, an aggressor will implement a policy of siege warfare rather than a true offensive. Sieges are conducted on a planet-wide scale to reduce enemy forces on the planet without the need for pitched battles. In a siege campaign, troops wage a war of maneuver in which most battles are minor skirmishes rather than major clashes. Aerospace superiority is exerted to deny offplanet supplies and reinforcements. However, the Davion campaign on New Kiev demonstrated how a siege could bag extra enemies by allowing relief forces to land and then starve alongside the original defenders.
Most mercenaries favor siege campaigns. There is little danger of taking heavy casualties, and the campaign is long enough to guarantee steady employment. Like most operations undertaken in the face of the enemy, pay tends to be good, and there are plenty of opportunities for independent operations untrammeled by excessive employer involvement. Periodically, such campaigns go awry and lead to major battles, but on the whole, a siege campaign is the mercenary's idea of a perfect ticket.
Recon Raid
There are several distinct missions that fall into the category of raiding, all offering a high-risk/high-gain potential that some mercs love and others loathe. Recon raids are fairly straightforward operations in which a small unit makes an assault on a planet to test local defenses and to collect information for later strikes. As in a planetary assault, raiders travel from space to a planet's surface, but the same force is expected to carry out its mission and then withdraw without further support. As recon raids are normally launched at fairly unsuspecting targets, they are less dangerous than other types of raids. Nonetheless, they are considered hazardous duty.
Like all raids, recon attacks are high-pay jobs. Because small units are used, mercenaries are rarely forced to cooperate heavily with employer forces, which is a major benefit. However, the chance of running up against unexpectedly heavy opposition or being cut off from transport ships makes the recon raid a chancy mission that many mercenaries would rather pass up.
Objective Raid
An objective raid is a limited attack to capture or destroy a specific target: a supply depot or convoy, a scientist or political leader, a specific installation, and so on. It shares many of the characteristics of a recon raid, except that it is generally carried out against heavier or better-organized opposition; a target worth raiding is usually worth guarding, too.
The water raids of the peripheral Bandit Kings (actually, water is only a minor factor in such raids, which focus on a variety of important natural resources) fall into this category of operations, as do most forms of espionage and sabotage. The raids pay well and provide a wide degree of latitude for individual command and initiative. Like any raid, however, they are high-risk affairs that can be very costly to the troops involved.
Diversionary Raid
The diversionary raid may be the most dangerous duty of any in the gamut of BattleMech warfare. These raids are mounted against enemy planets to confuse the opposition and to divert reserves away from the real target of an interstellar campaign. Small forces launch planetary assaults on several different worlds and simulate attacks. When friendly forces make their real thrust elsewhere, the diversionary forces withdraw.
Defense against a diversionary attack is often especially strong because false information has been leaked to suggest that the attack is genuine. Diversionary forces are usually kept to a minimum (to save the bulk of the army for the real drive), but they are given orders to make a lot of noise and to cover a lot of ground. One or two Houses have the reputation of hoodwinking their own troops about the nature of an attack to further confuse the enemy, so that the attackers do not realize they are mounting a diversion until expected support fails to materialize. Hanse Davion did this to great effect in the New Austin campaign of 3015.
The Kurita efforts in this direction have a less savory flavor. On several occasions, Kurita not only disguised his intentions from his diversionary forces, but he actually abandoned them to the enemy by withdrawing their transports after they were committed. Two House and three mercenary units have been abandoned in this manner in recent years, usually because they were considered untrustworthy or actively disloyal. Naturally, Houses prefer to use mercenaries rather than their own troops for diversionary raids, because mercs are considered more expendable and less loyal than House retainers.
When they know what to expect, mercenaries can earn high fees for diversionary raids. They should strive to ensure the maximum possible support from the employer. A unit that lacks its own transports should rarely undertake such a mission for any House, and never for Kurita. It is usually wise for a unit embarking on a diversionary mission to leave some troops behind as a reserve, and to encourage the employer to keep faith. The only real advantage to accepting such an assignment is the boost in reputation enjoyed by the mercenary unit that successfully carries out a diversionary operation.
Guerrilla Warfare
This is one of the rarest, most difficult, and most dangerous missions a unit can undertake. In a guerrilla warfare mission, troops infiltrate a planet (often under the umbrella of a recon or objective raid) and then remain there for lengthy periods, unsupported by other friendly forces. The object of guerrilla warfare is not only to harass the enemy, but more importantly, to recruit, arm, train, and lead discontented citizens against their overlords.
Guerrilla warfare is dangerous and difficult because it pits non-'Mech troops against enemy 'Mech garrisons. Also, it is never as easy to stir up native populations as optimistic nobles predict. Then, too, supplies must be scavenged locally or stockpiled in advance, at least until a reliable underground can set up local supply networks. Finally, if the assignment fails, there is rarely a chance for escape.
Missions of this type often arise by accident, such as when the remnants of a garrison escape into the hills after an enemy conquest and provide ongoing resistance to their opponents. When undertaken deliberately, guerrilla missions pay well and promote individual action and initiative. However, mercenaries undertake such assignments less often than do House troops, because House forces (particularly those raised from or led by native sons of the world in question) are more able to rally locals to the given cause. It is also a job for the very loyal, as the hardships of guerrilla warfare make surrender an easy and usually tempting alternative.
In addition to the mission types described earlier, one form of blanket agreement hires a unit on retainer for a given period of time, rather than for a specific operation or campaign. In this case, the contract specifies what kinds of missions are not covered by the retainer. Retainer contracts usually exclude guerrilla missions and the different kinds of raids, because mercenaries know they can use these to bargain for higher pay. Under a retainer, the unit binds itself to perform any and all missions assigned during the period of the agreement unless those missions fall into the excluded list, which must be negotiated separately.
Retainers provide long-term security and generally ensure that the unit will either receive fairly active duty or be well-paid for sitting out the contract in a garrison somewhere. They are popular with employers and mercs alike, for different reasons. Employers can be more flexible in their employment of hireling troops, and the mercenaries are glad to have an ongoing commitment. However, single-mission contracts are generally more lucrative to mercs, as such contracts are less likely to lead to unexpected circumstances.
Terms of Employment
Mercenary employment is regulated by carefully framed contracts that spell out the rights and obligations of both employer and unit leader. Mercenaries are almost universally employed on a unit-wide basis, with only rare cases of individual soldiers contracting directly with a House or other employer (except a very small concern). Unit-wide employment protects mercenary bargaining power and security. Individual soldiers or MechWarriors are completely at their employer's mercy for supplies, transport, maintenance, and support. A company, battalion, or regiment, on the other hand, is capable of furnishing many of its own auxiliary services, which raises its value (while lowering its dependence) to the employer. Moreover, a regiment of battle-tested 'Mechs or other trained veterans is far more capable of keeping an employer in line than a lone soldier who lacks the firepower that guarantees a measure of security.
Therefore, soldiers are recruited by mercenary units, and their leaders negotiate contracts with prospective employers. Each employer and mercenary outfit has various specific, often unique, terms to be inserted into contracts, and so no absolutely standard form of agreement exists. However, most employment arrangements do address certain common points.
When possible, the contract spells out the nature of the mission, because mercenaries like to know what kind of duty they can expect from a employer.
Remuneration
Basic rates of pay depend upon three major factors: the size of the unit, the nature of its mission, and the length of service intended. Additional fees may be added to cover unusual expenses or special situations, but on the whole, mercenaries are paid according to what they do, how long they do it, and how dangerous it is. Other modifications to these basics simply reflect the realities of a given campaign.
The base fee charged by a mercenary unit varies from 2,500 C-Bills to 25,000 C-Bills per squad per week, which provides for salaries, a few common expenses, and a profit. 'Safe' jobs like garrison duty net quite a bit less than dangerous diversionary raids. In addition, a unit with a good reputation can demand higher rates than can an untried force, even if the veterans are all of low quality and the newcomers elite. Until a unit has proven itself in battle, it is in no position to make exceptional demands on potential employers.
A contract must also spell out when payments are to be made. Both sides must bargain in good faith. An employer does not want to advance huge sums of money and then see the mercenaries desert. Equally, the mercs cannot afford to enter a dangerous campaign and then discover that their employer does not intend to pay up.
Once again, ComStar often fills the role of neutral watchdog for both sides. After negotiating a contract, the employer turns over the full amount of money (plus a 5 percent handling charge) to local ComStar authorities. ComStar may advance as much of this money as it sees fit to the mercenary unit (usually no more than a quarter of the total sum) for advance purchases and operating capital. Upon successful completion of the agreement, the mercenaries collect the balance (less a second 5 percent handling charge).
ComStar's reach is almost universal. If a unit fails to perform contracted services after taking an advance, ComStar can trace them anywhere in the Inner Sphere. ComStar can inform other employers of the unit's actions and threaten a House with the ComStar interdict if it hires such a band. ComStar can be trusted (usually) to return money to the original employer when a unit skips on a contract, and in the interim, to use the money for profitable investments of its own. Thus, ComStar serves not only as a communications service, but also as a mercenary guild, an inter-League criminal extradition service, and a banking house, all of which add considerably to the organization's power and prestige. ComStar may vary their customary procedures to suit specific conditions. This allows retainers to draw their monthly payment out of a larger amount on deposit with ComStar. No one is forced to use ComStar's services, and private deals can always be arranged if both sides are willing. In addition, there are other, smaller groups that offer services similar to ComStar's. Most are commercial concerns with both the ready capital and the interstellar connections to support these agreements. Though they lack ComStar's ability to coerce anyone to pay back stolen advances, these small fry are a welcome alternative when one party to an agreement does not trust ComStar. There are a substantial number of nobles and mercenaries who have their reasons for keeping their business dealings apart from ComStar's many-tentacled financial/religious/technological empire.
As with political treaties, mercenary contracts are frequently entrusted to representatives of ComStar. A panel of ComStar Precentors also hears claims and counterclaims concerning breaches of faith, and judges the veracity of the complaints. They then broadcast their findings throughout the Inner Sphere.
As the reputations of mercenary units and employers have a bearing on later negotiations involving other units or Houses, this service discourages violating contractual terms. However, many employers and a few of the better-established mercenary units have the means to bribe almost any ComStar panel to suppress evidence of wrongdoing.
Length of Service
A contract specifies the period of time that a unit will work for its employer. Specific opening and closing dates for the agreement are always included; service might not begin for several months after the deal is made. Employers prefer to stipulate that service begins when the unit is present on a given planet or base; thus, they avoid paying units while in transit. However, not all mercs will agree to this.
No contract is ever written to begin a mission in hostile territory. When undertaking an assault or raid, the unit is usually hired on a base-to-base standard; that is, the service officially begins while the unit is at a specific friendly base (on a given date), and ends after the unit returns to another friendly base (also on a stated date). If the force fails to show up in time for the beginning of a mission, it usually has to pay a penalty (often 5 percent of the agreed-upon fee). A unit in the field that cannot be relieved in time to return to the base may attempt to negotiate a new deal, or it can declare itself neutral and retire from any battles in progress. Lack of timely relief absolves the unit from any penalties imposed on troops who switch sides; ComStar would not withhold payment from a unit if it joined the other side's camp after its contract expires. If stranded on a world, a unit may be forced to continue with its old employer, often on considerably inferior terms.
Raids and similar short-duration assignments usually allow at least a month for completion. Ordinary offensive or defensive operations usually cover a three-to-six-month period, while garrison duty or other protracted operations rarely cover less than six months and often run a year or more. A retainer agreement commonly specifies employment for at least one year, and for as long thereafter as the employer is willing to pay the monthly sum (unless the unit tenders a three-month warning of intent to terminate service).
The negotiations involved in determining length of service usually favor the employer. Mercs rarely have much say in the timetables planned by the Houses, although a merc leader with an excellent reputation might convince his employer that a longer or shorter period might be preferable. Some form of compromise usually results.
Command Rights
The merc's worst enemy is usually the employer's High Command, confirm or refute excuses that the mercs might advance to cover delays or other problems. —Colonel Jaime Wolf, Commander of Wolf's Dragoons
The subject of command rights has caused more recriminations and crises than any other aspect of mercenary employment. Negotiations often bog down over this key issue, and violations of command rights clauses have been the most common grounds for broken agreements and mercenary mutinies in the history of the Succession Wars.
To the mercenary, the command rights issue is a fundamental part of existence. A soldier usually joins a mercenary unit because ordinary House units do not appeal to him. Naturally, these soldiers want to be answerable to their own officers, not to outsiders appointed by an employer.
On the other hand, employers consider it essential to place all troops under a unified command. Troops who are insufficiently coordinated with regular forces can be ineffective or even become liabilities to a carefully planned operation. Also, mercenaries (especially 'Mech mercenaries) are notorious for avoiding costly battle damage or losses. Left to their own devices, mercs might never expose themselves to danger. In addition, some House leaders fear that a poorly supervised mercenary unit might betray them in the field. Purely military considerations cannot always dominate agreements made with mercenary leaders, however. Command rights must be settled to everyone's relative satisfaction before an army can enjoy any sort of effectiveness in combat.
Mercenaries hired for raids and other duties requiring small units and little battle coordination find that command rights are a comparatively minor issue. They are usually flexible regarding garrisons and other rear-echelon assignments. It is in the middle ground (the frontline combat missions involving large numbers of troops) that the majority of disputes occur.
A mercenary leader who agrees to incorporate his unit into the regular army can win quite a few concessions in other areas, and an employer who allows a mercenary outfit freedom of action may be hard-nosed on other issues. Employer concessions in this area occur only under pressure from a unit with a superb reputation or when the unit cannot be had on any other terms.
Some form of compromise usually results. Rather than placing mercenary units directly under House command, officers from the employer's military staff are seconded to the merc outfit. Without command authority, these officers act as liaisons to confirm or refute excuses that the mercs might advance to cover delays or other problems. Like all compromises, this has some serious drawbacks. Mercenaries have little use for young, inexperienced staff officers throwing their weight around and threatening to report every slight, every obstacle, and every minor error as a breach of contract. However, employers are well aware that a liaison officer will not deter mercs seriously contemplating disobedience or treason. It would be easy enough to simply eliminate the officer and blame enemy fire.
From a practical standpoint, even the most stubbornly independent mercenary will concede that cooperation and coordination are essential to an effective military campaign. A House leader who proves both his competence and his fairness toward mercenaries can usually count on a high degree of support from mercenaries attached to his command, even those who are nominally independent. Another leader likely to garner such support is a mercenary officer who hires out his leadership abilities without necessarily having any troops under his command. Some of the most capable generals in the Succession Wars have been mercenaries, including senior officers who have struck off on their own or been 'orphaned' by the breakup of their old outfit.
Command alternatives differ quite a bit from one employer to another and even from one campaign to another. In any event, command rights must be settled to everyone's relative satisfaction before an army can enjoy any sort of effectiveness in combat.
The mercenary unit that gives up its independence risks becoming completely at the mercy of the employer. In negotiating a contract, both sides are usually so adamant in their positions concerning command rights that it is as hard to reach an agreement as it is to keep it.
Transport
Employers usually offer free interstellar and interplanetary transportation to mercenary units that join their service. Some actually prefer to provide transport, knowing that this ties the mercs closer to the House's apron strings. Mercenaries prefer to use their own transport units to avoid just that.
Whether or not the employer pays extra to units with their own transport depends upon the current needs and attitude of the employer. A hardnosed employer may refuse to pay more, prompting the unit to save wear and tear on its own transport ships by using its employer's ships. Mercenaries with their own ships and sufficient leverage can usually squeeze out commercial rates to be added to their base contract pay.
Supplies
As with transport, supply allows employers to tie a unit more closely to the House army and lets mercenaries with their own sources of supply ask for more money. Once again, employers are generally willing to provide supplies free. If the unit accepts the supplies, they become tied to the employer's supply lines and the unit may end up facing the results of bureaucracy, profiteering, and so on. The alternative is to negotiate for an extra fee by purchasing supplies privately. The standard fee is 500 C-Bills per squad per month (regardless of unit type or quality), and an extra 500 C-Bills per squad after each major battle. However, this base rate may be varied through negotiation.
Salvage Rights
Traditionally, enemy equipment taken on the field of battle belongs to the unit or units that captured it. In practice, however, this is a right that mercenaries must fight to protect. The flotsam and jetsam of war is immensely valuable, and grasping House officers are likely to claim all captured materiel. Their superiors may honor their claims, with little or no verification.
As with command rights, mercenaries can earn major concessions by signing away salvage rights on a contract. Their alternatives are either to seek full salvage rights or to submit their acquisitions to a prize court maintained by the employer. The former frequently leads to squabbles over ownership that must be settled by an appeal to higher command. The latter avoids animosity, but allows a potentially corrupt body to decide who gets the salvaged gear.
Mercs who want to guarantee a supply of salvageable gear may take recovered equipment in lieu of portions of their payment. In this case, employers assign values to equipment captured by the mercenaries. This amount is deducted from payments pledged to the outfit for its services. Exact values vary at the whim of the employers, who tend to assign an inflated worth to each item.
The Art of War
The Art of War chapter helps players and gamemasters understand the mercenary brand of military science. Winning a victory with minimal loss of equipment, manpower, or supplies is a mercenary's highest goal. Maneuver, good generalship, and the bloodless occupation of strategic positions are all far more important than costly battles.
[The chapter's opening essay on the limited-war doctrine of the Successor States is historical commentary and is omitted here, together with its in-world epigraphs.]
Grand Tactics
Strategy deals with coordinating all of an army's troops on a number of separate fronts, and tactics deals with the specific use of small units in combat. Grand tactics bridges the gap between the two and deals with how campaigns and battles are planned and brought to a successful conclusion. The scope of grand tactics in the age of BattleMech warfare embraces all operations on a given planet or across an entire star system during the entire course of a campaign.
No two campaigns develop in exactly the same way, but the underlying principles of grand tactics are essentially constant. These can be expressed through a collection of maxims that sum up the practice of war in the 31st century. It should be noted that these express the accepted rules of war and do not cover all the myriad possibilities.
JumpShips
No enemy JumpShip shall ever be attacked. As the technology to build new JumpShips is very scarce, it is a recognized convention of warfare that JumpShips are exempt from attack. If combatants were allowed to destroy these ships, all interstellar travel would be lost through attrition. No invader needs to worry about having his attack blunted upon arrival in a new system, and no defeated force need fear being cut off through the elimination of its JumpShips. However, note that bribes, treachery, reparable sabotage, and boarding attacks are all ploys that can be used to capture or neutralize JumpShips without destroying them.
Combat in Space
Interplanetary and orbital operations are considered too hazardous to receive more than minimal attention. Space is too vast to make interception of enemy fleets practical. Given limited means and the tremendous volume to be covered, no planetary defender can afford to stop an invader before he hits atmosphere. AeroSpace Fighters are preferable to larger armed ships because of their versatility and maneuverability, and are mostly employed for their threat value. Defending fighters may be lucky enough to intercept transports (hence the custom of using fighter escorts to deter them), but in most cases, the real value of an AeroSpace Fighter is in ground support duties.
AeroSpace Control
The side that maintains superiority in atmosphere and planetary orbit is most likely to achieve success, but control rarely guarantees safety. The AeroSpace Fighter and the LAM are potent weapons against targets on the ground. However, they cannot be everywhere at once, and so they cannot stop continent-wide landings unless present in massive numbers. If they are not neutralized, they can certainly contribute to ground-based defenses. Therefore, most aerospace engagements concentrate on driving the opponent from the skies.
AeroSpace Hazards
Aerospace combat is the most bloody of all operations. It is extremely difficult to practice limited warfare in space, in orbit, or in the atmosphere. The speeds at which combat occurs make careful maneuvering and the concentration of firepower difficult. Formations scatter faster than they can be brought together, and almost any sort of damage is fatal in space or in the upper atmosphere. These factors make the life of the AeroSpace Fighter Pilot short but glorious, while they make engagements in space costly in trained men and materiel. An overwhelming presence of aerospace strength will often be enough to clinch superiority without an engagement. Note that an "overwhelming presence" is relative, and may represent only a handful of fighters.
Invasions
Never invade without aerospace superiority, and always concentrate the main force of an invasion at a single landing site. A successful invasion requires a secure planethead, where fresh troops and supplies can be landed in safety. It is hazardous to split an invading army, as isolated and unsupported troops face quick defeat from better-organized defenders. Diversionary landings can be mounted to distract the enemy from a main landing, but the main strength of an invasion should be kept back for a decisive stroke. Keep an invasion force in orbit (or even further out) until aerospace superiority has been assured through groundside raids against fighter bases, bribes or treachery, or an open challenge of fighters against fighters, depending on the invader's resources and capabilities.
Raids
Mount a raid with speed and surprise. Never wait for aerospace superiority, and always disperse landings to keep the enemy off balance. Raids are just the opposite of invasions. The best strategy for a raid is to punch through any defenders as quickly as possible, achieve the raid objectives, and get out before the enemy can organize an effective reaction. Diversionary raids should simulate a full invasion, but other raiding expeditions should follow this basic precept. Even a raid with a very definite objective should employ dispersed landings to threaten several targets and to keep the enemy guessing.
Field Campaigns
Once engaged on the ground, troops should operate in close cooperation to achieve the goals of the mission. Forces spread out all over a planet's surface should not be wasted in dozens of unrelated operations. Select one primary and a handful of secondary objectives before the campaign begins, and adhere to them as much as possible. This does not mean that diversions and other threats cannot be employed, but these should always support the main operation.
Maneuver
Maneuver will usually decide any campaign. Place an enemy in a position so untenable that battle will cause his certain destruction. When outmaneuvered, the wise commander will capitulate and preserve his forces for later engagements. The vast majority of campaigns thus become carefully waged wars of maneuver aimed at creating the ideal, inescapable trap.
Skirmishes
Small unit actions that can contribute to the enemy's discomfiture are an integral part of any maneuver campaign. Although major battles are usually avoided, there are still many opportunities for combat. Retain a force to attack isolated enemy garrisons, foraging and raiding parties, recon units, and other forces. Both sides must use fine judgment when determining how large a force to detach on any subsidiary operation.
Battles
The need to fight a major battle demonstrates inferior generalship. This is a prime, unquestioned tenet of BattleMech warfare, but one that runs contrary to thousands of years of historical lessons. Military theorists have been forced to set aside the writings of Napoleon, Clausewitz, Jomini, and others who state that the destruction of an enemy's army is the central aim of war. Instead, they adopt the tenets of the schools of mechanized warfare that grew up during the early 20th century. In particular, they claim that the British theorist B.H. Liddell Hart and his strategy of the indirect approach are the key to victory in 'Mech combat. Liddell Hart never rejected battle as decisive, but his indirect approach stressed the benefits of limited war, infiltration, flank and rear attacks, and other aspects of maneuver as potentially decisive.
A few visionaries have rejected this view of battle, believing that the best way to achieve a decisive victory is to defeat enemy forces on the battlefield. Most of them are young officers who lack the authority (so far) to impose their concepts on the Successor States. Nevertheless, they must adapt their methods to the realities of modern warfare, as victories that cost 'Mechs and other equipment are unacceptable. Only those officers whose superb tactical skill, overwhelming firepower, or unmatched luck allows them to avoid costly losses can ever hope to make these aggressive policies work.
Morale
Emphasize morale and minimize brute force, for the largest army is useless if it has lost the will to fight. This harks back to Napoleon's theory that "The morale is to the physical as three is to one." The 'Mech is an instrument of terror; its resemblance to a giant man or a mechanical beast stems from the desire to spread fear among infantry and civilians. Anger is the only emotion more valuable than fear to the warlord of the BattleMech era; the enemy general drawn into an attack at the wrong time is easy to destroy. The twin aims of most generals are to sap the enemy's fighting spirit and to dominate the enemy leadership so as to dictate its every move.
Logistics
No army can function without adequate access to supplies. High-tech armies are heavily tied to depots and supply lines. 'Mechs, in particular, need huge reserves of [the remainder of this paragraph is illegible in the scan and is not transcribed].
[Transcription note: the Logistics paragraph is cut off in the scanned page; the words after "huge reserves of" could not be recovered.]
General Maxims
Adjust the End to the Means
An ambitious campaign plan will not work if sufficient forces are not available to carry it out.
Defense Is Stronger Than Offense
All other things being equal, a force on the defensive is most likely to win. This is true on all levels, from strategic down to tactical.
Defensive Campaigns Cannot Conquer Territory
Although an army that adopts a permanently defensive stance may repel every attacker who comes near, this rarely serves the ends of state policy.
Disperse to Move, Concentrate to Fight
Forces move faster if they adopt several parallel routes in supporting distance of one another (Napoleon's battalion carré). In devastation campaigns, this dispersion can spread the effects of the column over a much wider area. Concentration in the face of the enemy is essential to fight or threaten a battle and to support troops in danger of being attacked by enemy skirmishers.
Combined Arms Wins Battles
'Mechs can fill a variety of roles, but a force composed exclusively of 'Mechs is at a disadvantage when fighting mixed forces. Pure 'Mech forces are more practical for offensive operations than defensive operations; on most raids, all-'Mech outfits have an advantage. However, major operations benefit from balanced armies and combined arms attacks.
Mercenaries at War
Mercenaries adhere strictly to the principles of warfare discussed above. The professional military unit tends to be extremely conservative because heavy losses can be financially as well as tactically disastrous. With a few notable exceptions, mercenary leaders prefer to stay within the precepts of the war of maneuver. A campaign that pits two mercenary forces against each other is often as bloody as a hotly contested chess game.
Mercenaries are quick to recognize imminent defeat. Like a chess master who sees checkmate 20 or 30 moves ahead, the merc commander is apt to concede when he perceives the inevitable end looming. After all, a treaty negotiated early in a campaign often clinches terms that the victor would not consider later, when losses on one side and ill will on the other make the question of concessions much more delicate.
The tendency of mercenary leaders to look upon a campaign as a game rather than a life-or-death struggle infuriates their employers, and is part of the reason for the ongoing disputes over command rights in mercenary contracts. For their part, merc leaders regard House officers who will not face the obvious as a chess player would react to an opponent who cannot accept mate and insists on playing out each move. However, war is not chess, and many variables can play a part in events. Sometimes a determined House leader who holds on in the face of adversity can snatch a victory from certain defeat. Employers tend to play up such incidents to encourage cooperation from their mercs, but their arguments have little effect.
Mercenary troops, therefore, are rarely entrusted with sole responsibility for major operations such as campaigns of conquest. The employer uses mixed merc and House troops for crucial campaigns, and insists that command rights be resolved in his favor. Mercenaries securely incorporated into a wider command structure may not simply opt out of the campaign without orders. If they do, they forfeit payment and acquire an unfavorable reputation. Many generals prefer not to use mercs at all if they have a choice.
Logistics (Mercenary Concerns)
Supply is a recurring concern. Ammunition, spare parts, and repair services must remain available if forces are to remain effective. In an age of high-speed transport and global communications, military forces on a planet can operate from a single supply depot, but that depot must be secure if the army is to fight. It is theoretically possible to live off the land, using local resources and salvaged equipment to keep troops in action, but under normal circumstances, this will work only for small raiding forces or guerrillas. Napoleonic principles of maintaining large armies on enemy resources are simply outdated. However, supply sources can be static, distant, and separated by wide tracts of hostile territory and still support a unit. Threats to a supply line usually focus on actual attacks against supply sources, not on convoys or roads.
Mercenary Concerns
The Successor Houses
Each of the five Great Houses of the Inner Sphere has its own policies and practices regarding mercenaries. The following summaries describe the Houses' attitudes toward hired units.
The Federated Suns
House Davion has earned a reputation for moderation and fair treatment of its hirelings. Some particularly experienced and prominent mercs, including the venerable Eridani Light Horse and the Team Banzai, are on retainer with this Successor State, which is widely held to be the fairest and most just of the serpents in this mercenary Eden. Hanse Davion is well-known for his unorthodox mind. His nickname, the Fox, is a testament to his gift for trickery, and the Federated Suns has a disconcerting habit of placing hired mercs in unexpected situations. For example, when Davion hired the 12th Vegan Rangers to spearhead the invasion of New Venice, the unit found itself deprived of promised reinforcements. The planetary assault was actually an elaborate diversion that fooled House Kurita (which had agents in the Rangers) and left the real attack (the invasion of Wotan) almost unopposed. Though Davion makes amends for his stratagems in a grand way, every merc knows to look twice at a Davion mission before accepting it.
The Lyran Commonwealth
Desperate to attract good troops, House Steiner can afford to offer generous terms to mercenaries, for it is one of the richest employers in the Inner Sphere. However, the Lyran Commonwealth is not a militarily sound state. With a less centralized government than in most of the other Successor States, House Steiner suffers from a great deal of factionalism and infighting, and frequently appoints leaders based on political rather than tactical reliability. As a result, Lyran military policy has an ongoing record of defeat and withdrawal that offers slender hope for victory. Lyran generals frequently blame mercenaries for their own errors. Steiner contracts often feature clauses that put merc units under Lyran command. A few hasty Steiner withdrawals have been known to throw isolated merc units into grave danger.
The Capellan Confederation
Although it entertains grand dreams of conquest and diplomatic dominance, House Liao is the least formidable power among the Successor States. There are those who claim that Liao is less of a threat than the Bandit Kings. The poor position of the Confederation makes it unattractive to mercenaries, but like Steiner, House Liao offers excellent terms to mercenaries. Maximilian Liao's reputation for grandiose schemes and sneaky dealings makes him an untrustworthy employer, however. On several occasions, he has managed to find technical reasons to cheat mercenaries of their wages, largely out of a desire to conserve funds, which Liao needs for frontier troubleshooting. Attracted by generous offers, others have found themselves cheated in the long run.
The Draconis Combine
Mercenaries like to call House Kurita "the Snakes", due to the House's dragon's-head crest and reputation for treachery. The Combine employs many mercenaries, and to some (Wolf's Dragoons, for instance), Kurita's reputation seems largely exaggerated. Nevertheless, the Kurita forces are perhaps the most effective practitioners of the Company Store approach to mercenary employment. Many poor mercs have become so thoroughly indebted to the Combine as to be reduced to the level of House troops. Ruthless, arrogant, and ambitious, Kuritists have little respect for mercs, except those who have proven their mettle.
The Free Worlds League
Mercenaries find duty under House Marik unsettling but potentially profitable. Frequent coups and rebellions characterize the League's extreme instability, which is the Inner Sphere writ small. Opportunities to make money from rival factions abound, and there are plenty of riot duty missions that give mercs many chances to plunder civilians. However, decisions to back the wrong side in a local power struggle can jeopardize a unit caught by the winning side.
The Successor Houses in Perspective
It is ironic that the strongest and most stable employers (Kurita and Davion) are also the most unreliable. On the whole, Davion is more dependable, but mercs who want to be on the winning side often choose Kurita. The other Houses are small fry. Of the three, House Marik offers the best opportunities, and Steiner is preferable to Liao, but not by much.
Other Employers
The Great Houses are the major employers of mercenaries, but several other groups also hire them.
ComStar
Although ComStar has no direct military arm (because this would jeopardize its position as a neutral arbiter), the organization is the major broker of mercenary contracts. Although no evidence has ever been brought forward, it is whispered that ComStar hires mercs for a variety of other, covert assignments. Some people believe that ComStar's ROM agents, posing as House emissaries, hire troops to mount raids and to provoke hostilities. Supposedly, the agents sometimes renege on contracts to damage a House's reputation or to encourage the mercenaries to transfer their allegiance. Employers anxious to disclaim responsibility for violating a contract have reinforced this ComStar conspiracy theory. ComStar handles its missions under the highest possible standards of honor and integrity, fulfilling all terms of the contract to the letter. Although there is little chance for plunder or enhanced reputation, mercs highly prize ComStar security duty.
Rebels and Secessionists
Some worlds opt out of the Succession Wars by rebelling against their overlords. Without mercenaries, these groups would be helpless. Termed dead-end contracts, deals with secessionist governments are poor risks. Such employers are so weak that victory in a campaign is highly unlikely. Because they lack sufficient funds, rebels often offer land as payment, but then pay off only if victorious. The collapse of a rebel government can strand its hirelings and leave them penniless. House troops tend to mercilessly punish such mercs along with the rebels. Reputable merc units will not touch a rebel contract. However, for want of any better choices, some units hire out to these lost causes. Sometimes, they may even win a campaign.
Merchants
The large trading cartels of the Inner Sphere hire mercenaries to garrison their trading stations, to protect their ships and installations, and to wield a club against unruly locals. Most hire conventional forces, but the larger companies use 'Mechs as well. Merchant duty is dull but safe. While mercenaries are serving a cartel, contract disputes or unexpected treachery are rare. However, mercenaries have little freedom or hope of making large fortunes or fantastic reputations in these assignments.
Periphery Alliances
Lying outside the Inner Sphere, the various small states of the Periphery contract mercenaries to combat bandit kings, pirates, and Successor Houses interested in picking up extra territory cheaply. Unfortunately, the Periphery states are not well off, and as they exist beyond the bounds of ComStar's moderating influence, there are few safeguards to keep them honest. In particular, the Taurian Concordat is very untrustworthy. The Outworld Alliance is a fairly decent but unambitious and poor power. Magistrix Kyalla of the Magistracy of Canopus treats her mercenary troops well, but her involvement in the Succession Wars is potentially dangerous. If she draws too much unfavorable attention from the Successor Houses, Canopus has little chance of survival.
Bandit Kings
Lacking the resources to pay troops, the various petty tyrants called Bandit Kings rarely hire mercenaries. However, units that have disgraced themselves elsewhere may take refuge with them as prospective vassals. Joining a Bandit King's service is much easier than leaving it. Most merc leaders know that they can escape to the Periphery after a breach of contract threatens them with vengeance by guarantors and House troops. There, an ambitious leader with a competent fighting force and enough gear can set himself up as a new Bandit King. Though this does not happen often, it is an ever-present temptation to those who prize power, plunder, and pillage over honor or duty.
Dirty Deeds
Contrary to popular imagination, the mercenary is very much at the mercy of his employer. In fact, an employer who wants to place mercenaries in jeopardy has any number of possible ways to do so.
Logistics
When a merc unit depends upon the employer for supplies, it might face anything from irritation to disaster. Even the supplies for the best guards unit in a household army are subject to the vagaries of bureaucrats, profiteering suppliers, and black marketeers. Defective materials, shortages, delays in shipping, gross overpricing, and mistaken requisitions are also a part of military logistics. However, mercenaries suffer further because they are often neglected in favor of regular troops. Lack of crucial supplies can immobilize or even destroy a unit. This happens only by accident, except when some House officer wants to exact vengeance for a real or imagined slight.
The Stranded Mercenary
Mercenaries who depend on employers for transportation risk being abandoned. As a deliberate policy, the employer will sacrifice a merc unit to save House units elsewhere. In other instances, a mercenary unit may be abandoned because a ship commander panicked and pulled out, or because some senior strategist bungled, misdirecting transports intended to save the stranded men.
Diversions
Sacrificing mercenaries in a diversionary attack is an accepted part of many House military manuals. Mercs are willing to take on diversionary missions for proper payment, but, for security or monetary reasons, some employers disguise the nature of the mission until the last moment.
Invalid Contracts
Employers often seek a way to avoid paying mercenaries. With ComStar holding onto the money, however, the only way to do this is to prove that the mercenaries violated their contract. The common way is to claim that mercenaries have failed to "do their utmost in operations against the enemy." A mercenary force that has emerged from a campaign with light losses and little plunder is wide open to such an accusation. Although the charges are difficult to prove, the ComStar officials judging the case are not always above taking bribes; judgment might be bought for a lot less than a merc unit's services. An honorable House like Davion rarely makes an accusation without good cause, although jealous or anxious officers, willing to perjure themselves to find a scapegoat, can mislead any employer.
False Intelligence
Sometimes, employers betray mercs by providing false information to them. Thus can they coax mercs into taking a "safe" job and also pass the false information to the enemy through leaks, or interrogations, from the merc ranks. Misinformation generally concerns enemy strength, positions of enemy forces, military plans, and so on. Wise mercenaries build a substantial, dependable scout organization and discard 90 percent of what any employer tells them.
The Company Store
If mercenaries do not negotiate their contracts carefully, they might later discover that they will owe money after a campaign. In these instances, employers are often ready to advance the unit additional money. This is an excellent ploy to dominate a mercenary's body and soul, because such advances leave the mercs too deeply in debt to leave the employer's service. However, they can always flee out of the Inner Sphere to escape ComStar bill collectors.
Mercenary Treachery
Though mercenaries are subject to employer betrayal, they are also capable of committing shameful deeds. A fair number of merc leaders have made fortunes by knowing when to make treachery pay off. Some examples of the possibilities are noted below.
Reluctance in the Field
Mercenaries can avoid dangerous situations by deliberately moving and reacting slowly. Even Stonewall Jackson and Napoleon had their off-days, and it is easy to maintain that bad fortune prevented the unit from reaching the battle site (provided the employer does not need a scapegoat or have witnesses to suggest the truth). As long as the campaign is moderately successful, the mercs put in a few appearances, and no orders are directly disobeyed, an outfit can net an easy campaign's pay with few of the normal risks.
Surrender
Under the proper conditions, a unit can opt out of a dangerous situation by surrendering. Although this does not net much financial reward, it does preserve the outfit from certain disaster. Surrender staves off reprisals by the victors and is a good response when the merc's ex-patron abandons the unit. However, surrendering too early cuts into a unit's reputation.
Changing Sides
In a crucial campaign, a greedy mercenary unit can change sides at a vital moment, becoming a band of kingmakers. Once they have handed a big victory to their former enemies, they can almost name their reward. However, their newfound friends will not be likely to trust the mercenaries in any sensitive positions in the future. If they ensure their reward in advance (as there is no guarantee that such treachery will be paid for), they run the risk of being discovered or turned down. The truly devious mercenary commander might play a triple cross, taking money from the enemy and then remaining loyal. Obviously, a suspicious opponent will expect this.
Changing sides can net a big bonus. However, treacherous mercenaries should stipulate that the new patrons pay for only the switch in allegiance, and for the sums advanced by the unit's former employer. Without this safeguard, it can actually cost money to change sides.
Bribes
Less dramatic but potentially more lucrative than changing sides is accepting bribes from the enemy in return for information, convenient lapses in military security, or actual compliance with enemy plans. This is risky, but profitable.
Plundering Locals
Mercenaries in a rear-line role (garrison, security, or cadre) can augment their income by living off the local civilian population, conducting anything from low-key protection rackets to outright plundering. As employers frown on mercenaries treating their subjects like a conquered people, mercs should limit this treachery to backwaters and recent conquests. Mercenaries can cover up their plundering by provoking a rebellion and then crushing it so thoroughly that no evidence of misconduct remains.
Safeguards and Sureties
Without a unified Star League, there is no authority to check the excesses of the Successor Houses and other ambitious or unscrupulous people. Nonetheless, a few forces do help moderate some problems.
ComStar
As a neutral, universal power combining technical expertise with semi-religious fervor, ComStar wields vast respect and influence. It is the ideal broker for mercenary services because the organization has the capital to finance long-term investments and the power to pursue and punish wrongdoers. Anyone giving shelter to any person or group who runs afoul of them faces the ComStar excommunication. By controlling the money advanced to mercenaries, they make it much less likely for either side to break faith. In return, they reap not only monetary profit, but an indirect, almost invisible influence on events.
The Mercenaries Guild
In 2956, soldiers of fortune founded the Mercenaries Guild in the Inner Sphere. The Guild was intended to protect the rights of mercenary troops, guarantee certain conditions of employment, and avenge the wrongs inflicted on its members. However, members refused to accept Guild standards when negotiating contracts. In 2968, the annual meeting broke up into an angry brawl, and the Guild disintegrated.
In fact, the Guild had fallen victim to the organized and determined opposition of ComStar, which seems to have seen the Guild as a threat to its own preeminence as a neutral arbiter of inter-House dealings. Although considerable evidence to support this contention has turned up, no one was sufficiently interested in the organization to be concerned by its downfall. The only remaining vestige of the Guild is the scattered Guild Hiring Halls, now run independently, where mercenaries and prospective employers can seek one another out and discuss contract precedents, unit histories, performance records, and so on. Several halls have actually been taken over by ComStar.
The Conventions
More a force of tradition than of law, the Conventions are much like the medieval code of chivalry. Based originally on the Ares Conventions of 2412, the Conventions are simply a body of precepts that promote the concept of limited warfare, fair dealing, and honor. Like ancient chivalry, the Conventions are less binding than romantics and House propagandists claim. Still, employers and any mercenary with even the slightest pretension of nobility bow to most of these standards of conduct.
Creating a Mercenary Unit
The rules in MechWarrior are designed so that players can create an adventuring group and build their unit from there. The following material presents a different method, allowing the gamemaster or prospective mercenary leader to assemble a unit custom-tailored to his own concepts and means. Before creating a unit, the player must analyze the composition and costs of the units he wishes to integrate into his organization.
Although combat units are crucial, they are not the sole component of a successful mercenary outfit. A shortage of skilled Techs increases the expense of maintaining the outfit. Scouts can influence both the unit's combat performance and its inside information, and Drop- and JumpShips increase the unit's value while securing a safe retreat in case of disaster. Unit creators must also decide whether to acquire troops on a purchase or salvage basis. Although purchases are very expensive, the equipment is guaranteed to be in good condition. Salvaged equipment is cheap, but is much more likely to be in need of repair.
Players may either fully craft the nature and composition of each lance, or they can buy large blocks of troops and then split them into separate units. Either approach is acceptable. The former gives greater control over composition and costs; the latter is faster and generally easier.
Unit organization does not have to follow established norms; for example, a company may contain four lances. Ambitious leaders may experiment with different unit sizes, or mix 'Mech and non-'Mech elements at a company or battalion level. Such choices could give a mercenary outfit an edge in encounters with conformist adversaries. After creating the force, the players may use additional worksheets to describe the lower levels of the outfit's organization (each company in a battalion or each battalion in a regiment).
Unit Points (UP)
A unit's size, type, and quality can be measured by using unit points (UP). A UP is related to, but not quite the same as, the character points and credits used in MechWarrior. As a standard "currency" for creating mercenary units, UP provide a way to compare relative strengths and capabilities of units of disparate types or qualities.
Obtaining Unit Points
If the gamemaster wishes to run a unit-oriented campaign, he may use the following table. (The gamemaster should use this table when creating NPC units.) A player rolls 2D6, adding the Leadership Skill Level of the unit commander to the roll. For NPC units, roll 3D6 (rather than 2D6) and add nothing. The number that appears opposite the roll obtained is the initial number of unit points that can be invested to create the unit. Each unit point is equal to 10,000 C-Bills.
Note that this quick generation of unit points reflects years of work in building up a unit from scratch. Mercenary units are not created out of thin air, and players should think in terms of points rather than C-Bills when generating their units.
Initial Unit Point Table
| Die Roll | UP |
|---|---|
| 2 | 10,000 |
| 3 | 20,000 |
| 4 | 35,000 |
| 5 | 50,000 |
| 6 | 65,000 |
| 7 | 80,000 |
| 8 | 100,000 |
| 9 | 130,000 |
| 10 | 160,000 |
| 11 | 200,000 |
| 12 | 250,000 |
| 13 | 300,000 |
| 14 |
[Transcription note: the Initial Unit Point Table is transcribed from OCR. The values for die rolls 2 through 18 follow a regular progression in the scan; the 18 row and the 11 row are read from a page where the digits are small and should be checked against the page image.]
To create a unit, follow the steps below. Each step is described in the following sections.
- Roll 2D6, add the unit leader's Leadership Skill Level, and consult the Initial Unit Point Table to determine how many unit points the players may spend to create their unit.
- Spend UP to gain troops according to the Base Cost Table. Convert unused UP into C-Bills at the rate of 1 UP = 10,000 C-Bills.
- Allocate equipment. Roll to determine if the desired 'Mech is available. If the roll is unsuccessful, roll for another 'Mech. Repeat the process for AeroSpace Fighters and infantry weapons.
- Determine the unit's morale and reputation.
Using Unit Points
After establishing a pool of unit points, players may spend them to acquire troops and equipment. Not all acquisitions indicate that the leader has invested money or bought an item outright, especially in the case of 'Mechs and other expensive pieces of hardware. Consider some of these units to have been hired along the way.
The table below gives the basic cost in UP for various types of units. Refer to the Unit Size Table for the complement of each unit. Unless noted otherwise, units are purchased outright at the costs shown. Costs include the price of troops/operators as well as vehicles and equipment. Note that units acquired in this fashion do not own their equipment. For example, if the unit commander purchases a medium 'Mech squad, that squad's MechWarriors do not own their 'Mechs; they are the property of the unit. However, a MechWarrior could buy his 'Mech from his commander. He would then be considered a hireling and would receive a hireling's rate of pay. Refer to the Hirelings section to determine his salary.
Base Cost Table (UP)
| Unit Type | Squad Green | Squad Regular | Squad Veteran | Squad Elite | Lance/Platoon Green | Lance/Platoon Regular | Lance/Platoon Veteran | Lance/Platoon Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New 'Mechs: Light 'Mech | 230 | 460 | 1,150 | 2,300 | 920 | 1,840 | 4,600 | 9,200 |
| New 'Mechs: Medium 'Mech | 390 | 780 | 1,980 | 3,900 | 1,560 | 3,120 | 7,800 | 15,600 |
| New 'Mechs: Heavy 'Mech | 570 | 1,140 |
Base Cost Table (continued)
| New DropShips | UP | New JumpShips | UP and target number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leopard | 6,000 | Scout | 30,000, 6+ |
| Union | 16,000 | Invader | 50,000, ? |
| Overlord | 43,000 | Monolith | 100,000, 10+ |
| Fury | 3,000 | Star Lord | 75,000, 9+ (as read) |
| Gazelle | 4,000 | Merchant | 40,000, 5+ |
| Seeker | 10,000 | ||
| Triumph |
Notes to the table:
- Airmobile: by spending this amount, the players assign helicopters and planes to an infantry or scout unit, making that unit airmobile. Only scouts and regular infantry units can become airmobile units.
- JumpShips: the players must roll the target number or higher on 2D6 to determine if a JumpShip of the specified class is available. If they roll lower than the target, no such JumpShip can be purchased in the unit creation phase.
- Carrying capacities: a Leopard Class DropShip carries four 'Mechs and two AeroSpace Fighters. A Union carries 12 'Mechs and 2 AeroSpace Fighters. An Overlord carries 36 'Mechs and 6 AeroSpace Fighters. A Fury carries four infantry platoons plus 8 light vehicles. A Gazelle carries two infantry platoons and 15 heavy vehicles. A Seeker carries four infantry platoons and 64 light vehicles. A Triumph carries five infantry platoons and 45 heavy vehicles. A Condor carries twelve infantry platoons and 20 light vehicles. An Excalibur carries 100 heavy vehicles, 23 infantry platoons, and 24 [remainder illegible in scan]. A Scout Class JumpShip carries one DropShip, a Merchant carries two, an Invader carries three, a Monolith carries nine, and a Star Lord carries six.
- A light LAM lance consists of Stinger and Wasp LAMs. A medium LAM lance is composed of Stinger, Wasp, and Phoenix Hawk LAMs.
- DropShips and JumpShips are not assigned quality levels; their crews are considered average.
[Transcription note: the Excalibur carrying-capacity note and the Phoenix Hawk line in the LAM note were not cleanly legible in the scan and are marked "as printed" or "see scan"; check against the page image.]
Unit Size Table
| Unit Type | Squad Complement | Lance/Platoon Complement |
|---|---|---|
| 'Mech | 1 'Mech | 4 'Mechs |
| AeroSpace Fighter | 1 fighter | 2 identical fighters |
| Infantry | 7 men | 28 men |
| Motorized Infantry | 10 men + vehicle(s) | 40 men + vehicles |
| Airmobile Infantry | 10 men + vehicle(s) | 40 men + vehicles |
| Scout | 3 men + vehicle(s) | 12 men + vehicles |
| Airmobile Scout | 6 men + vehicle(s) | 24 men + vehicles |
| Armor | 1 tank | 4 tanks |
After acquiring his units, the unit creator should convert any unused UP into C-Bills, thus forming his unit's treasury. One UP equals 10,000 C-Bills.
Outfitting Mercenaries
Flesh out the unit at a lance or company level if player characters are involved in that particular subunit. The gamemaster should assign certain vehicles, equipment, and armaments from MechWarrior and other BattleTech source books to each unit. Thus, he should assign a specific type of weapon to an infantry platoon, a specific kind of heavy tank to a heavy armor squad, and so forth. The gamemaster should add details to individual NPCs only when necessary. For example, he would not have to create the 28 men in an infantry platoon in any detail, although he may flesh out squad leaders.
Generate the necessary skill levels for MechWarriors, AeroSpace Fighter Pilots, scouts, support personnel, and so forth by rolling on the Skill Level Table below. Note that the skill levels below conform to the MechWarrior skill system. If the players wish, they may alter the table so that it agrees with the BattleTech skill system for their 'Mechs.
Skill Level Table (roll 1D6)
| Unit Quality | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Regular | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Veteran | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | ? |
| Elite | 3 | 3 | 3 |
[Transcription note: the Veteran and Elite rows of the Skill Level Table are partly garbled in the scan; the values shown are the legible ones and should be checked against the page image.]
Determining Unit Vehicles and Equipment
Players should roll on the Availability Table below to determine which 'Mech, AeroSpace Fighter, and infantry weapons their units possess. A player may roll for any 'Mech he desires, but the total tonnage of all four 'Mechs within his lance must conform to weight limitations. A light lance weighs up to 130 tons; a medium lance, up to 200 tons; a heavy lance, up to 280 tons; and an assault lance, over 280 tons. A player must roll the target number or greater to get his desired 'Mech or fighter. If he fails, he cannot have that vehicle and must roll for a different entry until he is successful. Another MechWarrior within the player's lance may try to obtain a 'Mech that the first player failed to acquire.
For example, four MechWarriors form a medium lance in a mercenary regiment. MechWarrior I wants a Marauder, for which he must roll a 7 or greater. He fails and so rolls for his second choice, a Vulcan, which has a target of 6. He rolls a 9 and gets this 'Mech. MechWarrior II also wants a Marauder and rolls a 10. These two MechWarriors now have their 'Mechs, and the other two MechWarriors in the lance may roll on the Availability Table. A medium 'Mech lance weighs up to 200 tons. Therefore, the combined tonnage of the two remaining MechWarriors' 'Mechs cannot exceed 85 tons, as a Vulcan and a Marauder together weigh 115 tons. (Transcription note: the worked example's tonnage arithmetic is as printed and should be checked against the page image.)
AeroSpace lances have two fighters of the same class. Thus, a light lance could consist of two Sparrow Hawks or two Cheetahs, but not a Sparrow Hawk and a Cheetah.
Use the Infantry Weapon Table to determine the type of weapon used by an infantry squad or platoon. The players may either roll for every squad or may roll on a platoon level. Follow the procedure used for determining a player's 'Mech. If they fail to roll the target number or greater for the short-range missile, the laser, the flamer, and the machine gun, the infantry unit must use rifles.
Availability Table
| Combat Unit | Tons | Target | Combat Unit | Tons | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light 'Mechs | Assault 'Mechs | ||||
| Locust | 20 | 4+ | Awesome | 80 | 7+ |
| Wasp | 20 | ? | Charger | 80 | ? |
| Stinger | 20 | ? | Goliath | 80 | 10+ |
[Transcription note: the Availability Table was read from OCR of a small-type page. Several target numbers that OCR rendered as letters or symbols could not be recovered with confidence and are not reproduced from guesswork; where a target number is shown above it is the legible OCR value and must be checked against the page image before use. Entries whose target was unreadable are listed as "?" in the table below.]
Infantry Weapon Table
| Weapon Type | Target |
|---|---|
| Rifle | Always available |
| Machine Gun | 8+ |
| Flamer | 9+ |
| Laser | 11+ |
| Short-Range Missile | 11+ |
The Cost of Living
To operate a mercenary unit in the game, the player characters must determine their ongoing expenses. Although most expenses are paid monthly, additional costs crop up as a result of campaigns or disasters. Unexpected expenses (such as bribes) are mostly within the gamemaster's jurisdiction. Finally, there is the question of consumable supplies, which can be purchased either monthly or on an irregular basis, as the unit leadership sees fit.
Monthly Expenses
At the end of every month, the following expenses must be met.
Salaries
If the soldiers in the unit are on salary, they are paid according to the rates shown on the table below. Salary rates are for individuals, except where noted, and vary by unit quality. All prices are given in C-Bills.
Mercenary Salaries (C-Bills per month)
| Salary Type | Green | Regular | Veteran | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MechWarrior | 400 | 600 | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| AeroSpace Fighter Pilot | 400 | 600 | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| Infantry* | 1,050 | 1,750 | 3,500 | 7,000 |
| Armor* | 1,000 | 1,750 | 2,500 | 5,000 |
| Artillery* | 1,050 | 1,750 | 3,500 | 7,000 |
* Salary is for a squad of seven men. ** Salary is for complete ship crew of average quality. † Salary is for a Tech. Astechs and other assistants are paid the same as infantry.
Profit Sharing
Units on profit sharing do not pay monthly salaries. However, the money left over after all other expenses have been covered is split up according to the ratios below. When a unit has no personnel in a given category (no Techs, for instance), the share allocated to them goes to the soldiery instead.
- 2/8 of all profits go to the unit CO.
- 1/8 of all profits go to all subunit commanders (in a battalion, company commanders are subunit commanders), divided equally.
- 1/8 of all profits go to all other unit officers, divided equally.
- 2/8 of all profits go to all the unit's MechWarriors, AeroSpace Fighter pilots, and scout personnel, divided equally.
- 1/8 of all profits go to all the unit's technical personnel, divided in favor of Senior Techs.
- 1/8 of all profits go to the infantry, armor, and aircraft soldiery.
Profit sharing can be introduced only if the overall quality of the outfit is Veteran or Elite. It is an all-or-nothing proposition; either all troops are part of the arrangement or none of them are. In addition, the CO suggesting the arrangement must roll less than or equal to his Leadership Skill Level +5 on 2D6. Only one such roll may be attempted per month.
Maintenance
Compute maintenance costs for each squad based on its type. The Maintenance Cost Table lists the maintenance amount (in support points) needed by each type of unit. However, the presence of support personnel can offset these costs. Each support squad in a unit generates support points each month, which reflects the squad's ability to effect repairs. Apply these support points only to maintenance costs.
- A Green support squad generates 5 support points.
- A Regular support squad generates 10 support points.
- A Veteran support squad generates 20 support points.
- An Elite support squad generates 30 support points.
- An Elite BattleMech pilot generates 1 support point.
- An Elite AeroSpace Fighter pilot generates 1 support point.
After these support points are expended, the balance must be paid from other sources, such as company coffers, income, and so on. One support point is equal to 5,000 C-Bills worth of expertise, labor, parts, and equipment.
It is possible to raise the quality of salvaged equipment to that of new equipment by spending three times the salvaged equipment's monthly maintenance cost. This improvement cost is in addition to normal monthly maintenance fees. Obviously, equipment destroyed in combat needs no monthly maintenance. Though useless, such equipment can be raised to salvage quality by spending five times the equipment's salvage quality monthly maintenance cost.
Sometimes, a unit commander is forced to strip his equipment to offset other expenses. To determine the amount of support points gained by stripping equipment, refer to the following rules: a new squad generates five times its new-quality monthly maintenance cost; a salvaged squad generates three times its new-quality monthly maintenance cost; and a destroyed squad generates two times its new-quality monthly maintenance cost.
Maintenance Cost Table (support points per month; n = new, s = salvaged)
| Squad Type | Cost to Maintain/Month |
|---|---|
| Infantry | 4 |
| Jump Infantry | 2 |
| Motorized Infantry | 2 |
| Airmobile | +4 |
| Light Armor | 7 |
| Heavy Armor | 13 |
| Light 'Mech (n) | 15 |
| Light 'Mech (s) | 30 |
| Medium 'Mech (n) | 25 |
| Medium 'Mech (s) | 63 |
| Heavy 'Mech (n) | 35 |
| Heavy 'Mech (s) | 123 |
Consumable Supplies
The cost of one month's supplies (food, water, uniforms, medicines, etc.) is 500 C-Bills per squad, regardless of the squad's type or quality. As a result, a MechWarrior lives extremely well, receiving the same amount of supplies as does a seven-man infantry squad.
When purchasing supplies, simply designate the number of C-Bills being allocated at that time. Supplies are paid for when they are ordered. Deduct the C-Bills allocated to supply from the total available, then determine how long until this number of C-Bills is added to a separate record of supply C-Bills. It takes 1D6 - 1 months to receive a batch of supplies once they have been purchased, and so players must be careful to juggle available stockpiles and plan ahead. Just before a new supply shipment is added to stockpiled supplies, roll 2D6. If the roll comes up doubles (e.g. 11, 22, 33), the shipment is not received. It has been diverted, hijacked, destroyed, or lost, due to anything from enemy action to contractor fraud to meddling by nominally "friendly" forces.
Use the Supply Data Chart at the end of this book to keep track of unit supplies.
Overhead
Administrative overhead is also paid on a monthly basis. The leader can set overhead at 5, 10, 15, or 20 percent of the sum of unit salaries and supply costs. A level of 15 percent is standard. If overhead is at 5 percent, subtract 2 from the unit's Morale Level when entering a campaign or battle. At 10 percent, morale goes down by 1. There is no morale change at 15 percent overhead. Morale and its effects are discussed in the Morale section in Campaign Systems.
Note that overhead is based on the full number of C-Bills paid in salaries and supply expenses, regardless of their source.
If the unit cannot afford to pay at least 5 percent overhead costs, morale is reduced by 5, and a mutiny occurs on a roll of 2-5 on 2D6. Each month thereafter that minimal overhead costs are not met, decrease the morale and increase the chance for mutiny (if any) by 1.
Failure to Cover Monthly Expenses
Some or all of the forces in a unit may have their salaries withheld. However, when payment is in arrears, mutiny may occur and performance definitely deteriorates.
When computing monthly expenses, roll two dice. If the result is less than or equal to the number of months of back pay owed, all troops that have not been paid for that number of months or more mutiny. Roll on the Mutiny Table to see the effects of the crisis, which can spread to other troops and lead to dangerous consequences. Of course, players should keep track of which troops are paid when and may periodically pay off part of the amount due to lessen the chance of mutiny. Note that there is never a chance of mutiny when all troops are only a month behind in their pay.
In addition to the chance of a mutiny, short pay influences morale. Each month of pay owed to the troops causes the unit's Morale Level to drop by 1 when they are on campaign.
Failure to cover maintenance costs also has a direct bearing on combat effectiveness. Divide the amount of C-Bills spent on maintenance (including those generated by support personnel) by the full maintenance cost. This gives the percentage of the unit that actually can take the field during the upcoming month. Other troops will be out of action due to breakdowns, lack of equipment, and so on. If no maintenance costs are paid, the entire unit is out of action.
Elements of an outfit disabled by inadequate maintenance reassume combat readiness after monthly maintenance is paid, no matter how many months have been missed. In essence, unpaid maintenance costs do not carry over to the next month. However, a unit that suffers a major defeat in a campaign may lose all its disabled forces if those forces are overrun before they can retreat.
A unit that lacks sufficient supplies for a given month (500 C-Bills per squad) loses 1 level of morale. Maintenance costs for that month are doubled, and more units may therefore be put out of action. Each month without supplies is equivalent to a month without salaries in terms of causing mutinies. A CO might have to make two mutiny rolls in one month: one for salary and one for food. However, a unit can mutiny only once in a given month. The unit commander can use loyal troops to attack disobedient or rioting mutineers, to block an unsanctioned attack, or to protect locals. Resolve these battle situations according to the standard BattleTech rules.
Mutiny Table
The printed table is a 6 x 6 grid of letters, read by a first die roll (rows) and a second die roll (columns); the scan's header reads "Second / First Die Roll". The grid as read:
| First \ Second | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | B | C | C | B | A |
| 2 | B | A | E | F | D | B |
| 3 | C | E | A | H | G | C |
| 4 | D | F | G |
[Transcription note: the mutiny grid is read from OCR; the axis labels in the scan are partly garbled. Confirm the axis orientation and any cell marked here against the page image before use.]
Mutiny Results
- A - Morale Loss. Morale Level drops by 1D6 over and above other required reductions.
- B - Desertions. Roll 2D6 - 2 and multiply by 10. The result is the percentage of force that deserts immediately. Deduct from each unit type equally, removing hirelings first, then Green troops, then Regulars, and so on. Deserters are lost permanently, and must be rehired.
- C - Disobedient Troops. Mutinous troops refuse to campaign. On a roll of 7 or less on 2D6 (add Unit CO Leadership level to target), all other troops in the unit join them. Disobedient troops will defend themselves if attacked, but take no other action.
- D - Unsanctioned Attack. Mutinous troops clamor for immediate assault on the nearest enemy force. On a roll of 7 or less on 2D6 (add CO's Leadership level to target), other troops in the unit join them. If no enemy forces are available, treat as "E".
- E - Plunder Locals. Mutinous troops run wild and attack the local populace, regardless of allegiance. Until the mutiny ends and for 1D6 months thereafter, the unit is treated as if it were on campaign in hostile territory.
- F - Mutinous Camp. Mutinous troops run wild in camp. On a 2D6 roll of 7 or less (add CO's Leadership level to target), all troops in the unit participate. All reserve stockpiles of money, supplies, and so on are lost.
- G - Treachery. All mutinous troops surrender to the first enemy force encountered.
- H - Assassination. Mutineers endeavor to kill the Unit CO and his loyal officers. If successful, they will elect new leaders, who must extricate the unit from its present difficulties or face further trouble next month.
[Transcription note: the mutiny result descriptions are transcribed from the scan's OCR. The scan's OCR did not capture the letter label for the "Mutinous troops run wild in camp" entry; the letter F shown above is inferred from the sequence A through H and should be checked against the page image.]
Hiring DropShips and JumpShips
If a mercenary unit does not possess DropShips or JumpShips, they may either accept transportation from their employer or hire the ships themselves to get from one place to another. The following table shows the cost to hire a DropShip for a planet-to-JumpShip-to-planet trip. Listed prices are in C-Bills.
Transport Fee Table
| Ship Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Commercial DropShip | 40,000 per 'Mech or AeroSpace Fighter, including support personnel; 500 per individual infantryman; 2,500 per vehicle |
| Leopard | 60,000 |
| Union | 150,000 |
| Overlord | 400,000 |
| Fury | 30,000 |
| Gazelle | 40,000 |
| Seeker | 105,000 |
| Triumph | 430,000 |
| Excalibur | 700,000 |
A unit CO does not rent a commercial DropShip. Rather, he leases space aboard and must pay an extra 10 percent of his total fee per jump. Also, a commercial DropShip will not land in a combat zone.
The normal rate for interstellar travel is 50,000 C-Bills per DropShip per jump (up to 30 light years distant). This rate is rarely negotiable and is payable in advance. Roll 2D6 - 3 to determine the number of jumps necessary to travel to the designated planetary system. A result of 0 means that the mission will take place within the system where the unit is located. On a subsequent roll of 3-6 on 1D6, the mission will take place on the world where the unit is located.
DropShip transport prices are sometimes negotiable, as a system's stellar type affects travel time. In a system with a small star, the jump point will be closer to the planets within the system. Using hired ships in a combat situation requires ten times the fee in the table above.
Battle Expenses
A unit on campaign must spend additional C-Bills on post-battle maintenance and/or consumable ammunition. Refer to the Supply Fees section of Creating Contracts and the Campaign Outcome section of the Campaign Systems chapter.
Recording Unit Expenses
The Unit Worksheet and Unit Composition Form (photocopy the example at the end of the book) provides space to figure out component costs and monthly expenses for the unit. This can also be used to help a player figure out how much to charge an employer over a given period of time. Space for marking information on non-supply stockpiles is provided on the Supply Data Chart.
Creating Contracts
If he so desires, a gamemaster may role play the creation of a contract. In this case, he adopts the role of the employer's agent and holds out for the terms he sees fit, perhaps using the Reaction Table in MechWarrior to determine how readily the agent responds to the players' specific proposals. This process is essentially freeform and allows the gamemaster to use the negotiations to relate rumors, clues, and suggestions of things to come. No true rules can regulate this process; it requires the mixture of common sense and imagination which is the essence of good gamemastering.
Alternatively, the gamemaster can lend a certain amount of structure to the negotiation of an employment agreement by using the following system.
Negotiation System
Before presenting a potential employer to the players, the gamemaster should roll 1D6 - 1 to obtain the Diplomacy Skill Level of the employer's agent. To determine the employer's initial position on each subject usually covered in a contract, roll 2D6 and consult the Employer Position Table below. Compare the resulting employer position number with the appropriate result on the Mission Table. Repeat this process for each of the following areas: Length of Service, Remuneration, Guarantees, Command Rights, Transport Fees, Supply Fees, and Salvage Rights. Results represent the employer's position on these matters. Note each position, by description and number, on a piece of paper.
Employer Position Table (2D6)
| Die Roll | Employer Position |
|---|---|
| 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 15 |
| 4 | 25 |
| 5 | 35 |
| 6 | 75 |
| 7 | 95 |
| 8 | 85 |
| 9 | 55 |
| 10 | 45 |
| 11 | 45 |
| 12 | 55 |
[Transcription note: the Employer Position Table is read from OCR; the values for rolls 11 and 12 are partly garbled in the scan and should be checked against the page image.]
Determine the pool of negotiation points available to the players by adding the unit's reputation and 10 times the Diplomacy Skill Level of the character conducting the negotiations. Multiply the employer's Diplomacy Skill Level by 10 and deduct this from the pool. Any additional negotiation points granted as a result of employer concessions further increases this pool.
When the player characters meet the employer or his agent, he tells them only the nature of the mission. The players should then choose a position on each of the other tables covered by the contract, without knowing the employer's position on these subjects. They choose positions without rolling dice; they simply note down their choice and its number. The higher the number, the more likely it is to be granted, and so they should usually choose the highest possible. For example, when determining salvage rights, the players consult the Salvage Rights Table and decide that they wish to receive Payment in Kind. The highest possible number of Payment in Kind is 30, and so they record their choice and "30" on a piece of paper.
Resolve negotiations by comparing the employer's position to the position chosen by the players. Issues can be resolved in whatever order the players desire. Spending negotiation points lowers the stance adopted by the employer to a level that the players find suitable; 1 negotiation point reduces the employer position number by 1. If the players have chosen a position number higher than the employer position number, subtract the employer value from the player value and add this number of negotiation points to the pool available to the players. Players may not reduce the employer position number below the position number that they have adopted. When the players have spent all their negotiation points, the final terms of the agreement are the highest stances in each area (whether these are the players' or the employer's choices).
Players entering into negotiations should be aware that the order in which they settle terms is extremely important. They should settle crucially important terms first, while they still have points to influence the employer. Alternatively, they may negotiate areas where they plan to make concessions to win extra negotiation points for other matters. Although they do not have to modify an employer's positions at all, once a point has been settled and a new one taken up, they cannot go back.
Missions
All the various missions described earlier in this book have been grouped into seven major categories. After selecting a category, the gamemaster should designate a specific mission from within that category. A table for random selection has been included below, but the gamemaster may make the choice himself.
Mission Table
| Number | Description |
|---|---|
| 0-5 | Retainer |
| 6-15 | Minor Raid |
| 16-35 | Territorial Campaign |
| 36-55 | Combat Campaign |
| 56-70 | Invasion |
| 71-80 | Major Raid |
| 81-95 | Static Defense |
| 96-100 | Retainer |
Retainer. During retainer service, the unit may be ordered on a variety of different missions (at the gamemaster's discretion), but may not be sent on any kind of raid without having negotiated a new contract.
Major Raid. Major raids are Diversionary and Guerrilla Warfare assignments. They tend to take longer than ordinary raids and are high-paying missions (because they are so dangerous).
Minor Raid. This category includes both Recon and Objective Raids, which tend to be short and dangerous (though not as much as a major raid). They offer higher rates of pay than less strenuous duties.
Combat Campaign. Units given this class of mission will undertake either Offensive or Defensive Campaigns. These are considered a standard type of mission, with moderate length, hazard, and remuneration.
Invasion. This category denotes operations that require units to move against a world where enemy forces are in control of the approaches and some or all of the surface. It specifically includes Planetary Assaults and Relief Duty. Duty is short but hazardous and well-paying.
Territorial Campaign. Missions in this class are more concerned with the need to protect or seize territorial objectives than they are with battle. Specifically, the category includes Riot Duty and Siege Campaigns. Though dangerous, these operations do not provide a great deal of pay. Service length is average.
Static Defense. This category includes Garrison, Cadre, and Security Duty, all fairly low-risk, low-pay, long-service operations that are dull and inglorious.
Length of Service
The Service Length Table provides the months of service. These figures may be modified by the mission chosen (see the Mission Modifications section below).
Service Length Table
| Number | Length of Service |
|---|---|
| 0-10 | 12 Months |
| 11-20 | 11 Months |
| 21-30 | 10 Months |
| 31-40 | 9 Months |
| 41-50 | 8 Months |
| 51-60 | 7 Months |
| 61-70 | 6 Months |
| 71-80 | 5 Months |
| 81-85 | 4 Months |
| 86-90 | 3 Months |
| 91-95 | 2 Months |
| 96-100 | 1 Month |
Remuneration
Rates are given in C-Bills per squad per week. However, these rates can be modified for unusually easy or hazardous duty (see Mission Modifications). When actually filling out a contract, calculate the total due according to unit size and service length. (This table does not list the salaries collected by a squad. Refer to the Salaries section in The Cost of Living.)
Remuneration Table
| Number | Rate of Pay (C-Bills per squad per week) |
|---|---|
| 0-10 | 25,000 |
| 11-20 | 20,000 |
| 21-30 | 17,500 |
| 31-60 | 12,000 |
| 61-80 | 10,000 |
| 81-90 | 5,000 |
| 91-100 | 2,500 |
Guarantees
The following table deals with the kinds of contractual safeguards for guaranteeing that service and payment are both granted.
Guarantees Table
| Number | Guarantee |
|---|---|
| 0-5 | [name not legible in scan; the guarantee described first in the list below] |
| 6-20 | [name not legible in scan; the guarantee described second in the list below] |
| 21-40 | Minor Intermediary |
| 41-80 | ComStar Intermediary |
| 81-100 | Payment on Completion |
[Transcription note: the scan's OCR did not recover the names for the 0-5 and 6-20 entries. The guarantee descriptions below are transcribed in the order printed. The table-name mapping for those two ranges must be checked against the page image.]
Prior Payment. Full payment is made before the contract goes into effect. This is a private deal and depends upon the unit's integrity.
Advance/Completion. In this private deal, the employer pays an agreed-upon percentage prior to the start of the contract and the balance on the completion of the operation.
Minor Intermediary. An intermediary other than ComStar is selected under roughly the terms discussed above. However, the maximum advance allowed varies from one contract to another. Roll 2D6 - 2 for the percentage allowed. No observer is generally assigned to the unit, and there is little provision for the recovery of an advance.
ComStar Intermediary. The employer deposits the agreed-upon sum with ComStar, plus a 5 percent handling fee. Upon completion of the mission, the unit draws pay from ComStar, surrendering 5 percent as a further handling fee. The unit can draw up to 25 percent of the total sum from ComStar prior to completion of the contract, but the unit's leader pledges to repay the advance if ComStar judges that the unit failed to fulfill contract conditions. A ComStar acolyte may be attached to the unit HQ as an observer.
Payment on Completion. Full payment of all money owed is made on the day the contract expires. This is a private deal, and depends upon the employer's integrity.
Command Rights
The Command Rights Table shows five possible ways to define a unit's command rights. Also, refer to Mission Modifications.
Command Rights Table
| Number | Amount of Control |
|---|---|
| 0-5 | Independent Command |
| 6-20 | Mercenary Command |
| 21-60 | Liaison Officer |
| 61-80 | House Command |
| 81-100 | Integrated Command |
Independent Command. The mercenary unit is completely independent of all outside command, acting strictly on the initiative of the unit's commanding officer.
Mercenary Command. The unit is incorporated into a larger force, but under the command of an independent mercenary officer, who is less likely to use his position for acts of favoritism.
Liaison Officer. The unit is semi-independent but attached to higher command through an employer-appointed liaison officer, who may attempt to manipulate or browbeat the outfit into closer cooperation.
House Command. The unit is placed under the orders of an officer in the employer's military. The merc commander is directly answerable to this officer.
Integrated Command. The unit is incorporated directly into household forces. House troops or officers may replace or augment the mercenary forces.
Transport Fees
A unit can always accept transport provided by the employer. Such transport is free. Mercs who have some ships (but not enough for the whole unit) can use non-employer ships for those units that will use them, and accept free employer transport for the rest. Employers might reimburse units refusing free employer transport. If the unit decides to hire transport, multiply the modifier from the Transport Reimbursement Table by the transport fee to calculate the reimbursement paid by the employer. If the unit uses its own ships, multiply the modifier by what it would cost to hire its own ships.
To calculate the price of hiring Drop- and JumpShips, refer to the Transport Fee Table. Landing a DropShip in a combat zone requires ten times the normal price for a drop. Double the amount for DropShips to cover round-trip journeys. Multiply the JumpShip fee by the number of jumps required to reach the destination world. To determine the number of jumps required, roll 2D6 - 3. A result of 0 means the operation is in the planetary system where the unit was hired; on a subsequent roll of 3-6 on 1D6, there is no need for DropShip transport either.
Transport Reimbursement Table
| Number | Modifier |
|---|---|
| 0-5 | x3 |
| 6-15 | x2.5 |
| 16-30 | x2 |
| 31-50 | x1.5 |
| 51-80 | x1 |
| 81-90 | x0.5 |
| 91-100 | x0 |
[Transcription note: the 6-15 and 31-50 modifiers are read from OCR as "x25" and "x15"; they are shown as x2.5 and x1.5 on the assumption that the decimal point was lost in the scan. Check against the page image.]
Transport Fee Table (as printed in Creating Contracts; C-Bills)
| Ship Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Commercial DropShip | 10,000 per 'Mech or AeroSpace Fighter, including support personnel; 500 per individual infantryman; 2,500 per vehicle |
| Leopard | 60,000 |
| Union | 150,000 |
| Overlord | 400,000 |
| Fury | 30,000 |
| Gazelle | 40,000 |
| Seeker | 105,000 |
| Triumph | 430,000 |
| Condor | 300,000 |
| Excalibur | 700,000 |
| JumpShip | 50,000 per DropShip |
[Transcription note: this table gives a commercial DropShip fee of 10,000 per 'Mech or AeroSpace Fighter. The separate Transport Fee Table in Hiring DropShips and JumpShips gives 40,000 for the same item, and that table has no Condor entry. Both are transcribed as printed; the book does not reconcile them.]
Supply Fees
The results of supply fee negotiations indicate the number of C-Bills paid per squad each month for consumable supplies, and the same number paid per squad following each major engagement. If the unit is furnishing its own supplies, the mercenary can add the employer's supply C-Bills to the unit treasury. Multiply the modifier in the table below by 500 to determine the amount of C-Bills received for supply.
Supply Fees Table
| Number | Supply Modifier |
|---|---|
| 0-5 | 1.5 |
| 6-15 | 1.25 |
| 16-30 | 1 |
| 31-50 | .75 |
| 51-80 | .5 |
| 81-90 | .25 |
| 91-100 | 0 |
Salvage Rights
The results on the Salvage Rights Table define how salvaged enemy equipment is allocated. Roll 2D6 on the Salvage Value Table whenever salvageable gear is captured. Use the Merc Award column when the employers are establishing the value of salvaged gear turned over to mercs for Payment in Kind. Use the Employer Award column when the employers are determining the value of salvaged gear for which they have to compensate the mercs (for Employer Compensation). Multiply the appropriate value modifier by the value of the equipment in C-Bills. Mercs pay inflated prices, while employers consistently undervalue the equipment for which they compensate the mercenaries.
Salvage Rights Table
| Number | Salvage Allocation |
|---|---|
| 0-10 | Merc Claims |
| 11-30 | Payment in Kind |
| 31-50 | Prize Court/Outright Grant |
| 51-70 | Prize Court/Payment in Kind |
| 71-85 | Employer Compensation |
| 86-100 | Employer Claims |
Merc Claims. All material taken by mercenary forces belongs to the unit, in addition to normal income.
Payment in Kind. All materiel taken by mercenary forces belongs to the unit, but the mercs agree to allow the employer to assign a "fair and equitable value" to the salvaged equipment. This value is deducted from the fees owed to the mercenaries at the end of the campaign. If the mercs have already been paid in full, they must buy the salvaged material. Roll on the Merc Award column of the Salvage Value Table. Multiply the resulting modifier by the value of the salvaged gear to determine the employer's assigned value.
Prize Court. Materiel taken by the mercenaries is turned over to the employer, but their claim is submitted to a prize court that determines the disposition of all captured gear. The Prize Court Table determines the percentage of the equipment value that is actually handed over to the unit. It takes 2D6 weeks for a prize court to complete its deliberations. A prize court can award outright control of salvage, or can establish payment in kind, depending on the contractual settlement. In the latter case, use the Merc Award column of the Salvage Value Table after the Prize Court Table has set the number of C-Bills to be awarded.
Prize Court Table
| Die Roll (2D6) | Percent of Value Awarded to Mercs |
|---|---|
| 2 | 5% |
| 3 | 10% |
| 4 | 15% |
| 5 | 20% |
| 6 | 25% |
| 7 | 30% |
| 8 | 40% |
| 9 | 50% |
| 10 | 60% |
| 11 | 70% |
| 12 | 80% |
Employer Compensation. All salvaged materiel belongs to the employer, but he agrees to compensate the mercenaries in cash for the material they turn over. Roll on the Employer Award column of the Salvage Value Table. Multiply the resulting modifier by the value of the salvaged gear to determine the employer's assigned value.
Employer Claims. All material salvaged belongs to the employer without any compensation or limitation.
Salvage Value Table
| Die Roll (2D6) | Merc Award | Employer Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | x3 | x1.5 |
| 3 | x2.75 | x1.25 |
| 4 | x2.5 | x1 |
| 5 | x2.25 | x1 |
| 6 | x2 | x.9 |
| 7 | x1.75 | x.8 |
| 8 | x1.5 | x.7 |
| 9 | x1.25 | x.6 |
| 10 | x1 |
[Transcription note: the Salvage Value Table is read from OCR. The 2 row's Employer Award multiplier and the 11 and 12 rows are partly garbled in the scan ("x15", "x5", "x4" are shown here as x1.5, x.5, x.4 by inference); check against the page image.]
Mission Modifications
The nature of the unit's mission may modify a contract's Length of Service, Command Rights, and Remuneration. Apply modifications from the Mission Modification Table after negotiations are over.
Length of Service. Add or subtract the number of months shown from those arrived at through negotiations to determine the actual period of time covered by the contract. Length of Service can never be reduced below one month.
Command Rights. Reduce the final position established through negotiation by the number of points indicated for the mission in question, and use the modified result as the actual command rights terms.
Remuneration. Multiply the agreed-upon pay rate by the number shown for the type of mission being performed.
Mission Modification Table
| Mission | Length of Service (months) | Command Rights (points) | Remuneration |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Static Defense row 1: label not legible] | +6 | -50 | x0.5 |
| [Static Defense row 2: label not legible; likely Security Duty] | +4 | ? | x0.75 |
| Siege Duty | ? | ? | ? |
| Relief Duty | +3 | 0 | x1.25 |
| Planetary Assault | -6 | 0 | x1.5 |
| Offensive Campaign | 0 | 0 | x1 |
[Transcription note: the Mission Modification Table is read from OCR, and the scan's first rows are partly garbled. The Garrison Duty row and the Siege Duty command-rights entry are not legible and are left blank or "?". The Security Duty row is read as printed in OCR; check against the page image.]
Freestyle Negotiations
The gamemaster may wish to introduce a combination of the negotiation system and roleplaying. In this case, use the general system described above, but choose terms (rather than rolling for them), just as the mercenaries do. This allows the gamemaster to manipulate events to stress certain aspects of the employer's situation, such as the specific mission for which he wants to hire troops or the degree of command control he wants to impose. Gamemasters are encouraged to stress believability in freestyle negotiations, so that not every employer imposes rigid terms in all areas of a contract.
Contract Form
Once negotiations are over, the gamemaster should fill out a contract that reflects the agreed-upon terms. Obtain blank contracts by photocopying the form included on page 104. Most entries are self-explanatory and can be filled out from the various Negotiation Table outcomes. Special or unusual terms may be agreed on by roleplaying or freestyle negotiations. These might include the treatment of prisoners, the mission to be adopted by the unit if it completes its stated operation before the end of the contract period, and other such matters.
Campaign Systems
The following abstract game rules will help gamemasters create the situations that the MechWarrior faces on campaign. Use BattleTech rules to resolve small-scale combat, but use one of the following systems to resolve battles too large to well represent on a tactical level, incidents too minor to spend time on, or engagements which, though important to the adventure, do not involve the player characters enough to justify a regular battle.
There are two methods of resolving campaigns: the Basic Campaign System and the Advanced Campaign System. The gamemaster may use either one, depending on the amount of detail he wishes to bring to the campaign. Regardless of the system chosen, he should flesh out the results to make the action interesting for the players.
Instead of using the combat system in this chapter, the players may also use FASA's BattleForce game system.
Basic Campaign System
The Basic Campaign System presents a simple method to resolve campaigns. Follow the steps below to determine how a mercenary unit performs during its mission.
- Determine mission.
- Determine amount of enemy resistance for the month.
- Resolve campaign outcome for the month.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 for every month of the campaign.
Mission Resolution
If the gamemaster has not already done so, he should determine the mercenary unit's current mission. Refer to the Missions section of the Contracts chapter.
Enemy Resistance
To determine the strength of enemy forces in the area relative to the mercenary unit, the gamemaster rolls 2D6 and cross-indexes the number with the unit's mission on the Enemy Resistance Table.
Enemy Resistance Table (2D6 across; A = Assault Force, H = Heavy Force, M = Medium Force, L = Light Force, N = None)
| Mission | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadre Duty | A | H | M | L | L | N | L | L | M | H | A |
| Garrison Duty | A | H | M | L | N | N | N |
[Transcription note: this table is read from OCR and should be checked against the page image before use.]
Campaign Outcome
The next step is to determine the result of the month's campaign. Roll 2D6 and cross-index the number with the enemy force strength on the unit's mission table. The resulting letter is called the outcome code. Refer to the outcome code row on the Outcome Description Table to discover the unit's success on campaign, its change in reputation, and the amount of damage and plunder the unit receives.
Outcome Tables (rows = enemy force strength; columns = 2D6 roll 2 through 12)
[Transcription note: the outcome-code grids for the mission types below are read from OCR. Many cells were damaged in the scan and are shown as "?" where no code could be recovered. Every grid must be checked against the page image before use, and no unreadable code has been guessed.]
Cadre Duty
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | ? | N | M | M | L | ? | H | E | E | E | D |
| Light | N | M | M | M | K | ? | E |
Garrison Duty
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | M | M | M | M | M | ? | E | E | E | E | E |
| Light | N | M | M | M | J | ? | H |
Security Duty
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | M | M | M | M | K | ? | G | E | E | E | E |
| Light | M | M | M | L | J | ? | H |
Offensive Campaign
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | P | N | M | M | K | ? | G | E | E | D | B |
| Medium | Q | ? | N | M | L | ? | F |
Defensive Campaign
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | ? | N | M | M | K | ? | F | E | E | D | C |
| Medium | P | ? | N | M | L | I | E |
Relief Duty
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | ? | N | M | K | ? | G | E | D | C | B | A |
| Medium | P | ? | N | M | J | ? | H |
Riot Duty
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | M | L | J | ? | H | G | E | E | E | E | D |
| Light | N | M | M | L | J | H | G |
Recon Raid
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | N | L | J | ? | E | E | E | D | C | B | A |
| Medium | ? | N | M | M | K | ? | G |
Objective Raid
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | N | M | L | K | ? | F | D | C | B | A | A |
| Medium | N | M | M | L | K | H | E |
Diversionary Raid
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | N | M | L | K | J | H | F | E | D | C | B |
| Medium | N | M | M | L | K | J | G |
Siege Campaign
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light | M | K | J | ? | G | F | E | D | C | B | A |
| Medium | ? | N | M | L | K | ? | G |
Guerrilla Warfare
| Force | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | ? | N | M | J | H | E | E | E | D | C | B |
| Light | P | ? | N | M | J | H | E |
Outcome Description Table
| Outcome Code | Result | Reputation | Danger | Salvaged | Destroyed | Plunder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | win | +6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 10 |
| B | win | +5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 10 |
| C | win | +4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 9 |
| D | win | +3 |
[Transcription note: the Outcome Description Table is read from OCR. The reputation entries shown as "?" (for H and K) and the O and Q reputation values are damaged in the scan; the Q entry reads "+4" in the scan and is kept as printed, which may be a misreading of a negative value. Check against the page image.]
Unit Size Modifiers: Squad 1/8; Lance/Platoon 2/3; Company 1; Battalion 3; Regiment 9; Larger forces 9 per number of regiments.
[Transcription note: the Squad entry is read from OCR as "1/8"; check against the page image.]
Result, Reputation, Danger, Salvaged, Destroyed and Plunder
Result. This column of the Outcome Description Table refers to whether or not the unit completed its mission and whether or not it was successful. Add 1 to the unit's Morale Level if it won the campaign and subtract 1 if it lost the campaign.
Reputation. This number represents the amount of reputation gained or lost by each company in the unit.
Danger. Every player character and important NPC must roll this number or higher on 2D6, adding their Morale Level to the roll. If unsuccessful, the character must make a Saving Roll against his body score to avoid taking 6D6 points of damage (HTK).
Salvaged. The players determine the number of squads reduced to salvage quality by rolling on a squad, lance/platoon, company, battalion, regiment, or larger level. They must roll the number specified in the table or higher on 2D6, adding the Morale Level to the roll, for each subunit. For every failed roll, multiply 1D6 by the subunit's Unit Size Modifier to determine the number of squads reduced to salvage quality in that subunit. If the players are determining results on an individual (squad) level, a failed roll automatically reduces that squad to salvage quality.
Destroyed. The players determine the number of eliminated squads the same way that they compute the number of salvaged squads. If the players are determining results on an individual (squad) level, a failed roll reduces all of that squad's equipment, vehicles, and so forth to destroyed quality, so that a MechWarrior would become Dispossessed as a result. Refer to the Maintenance section of The Cost of Living for the value of destroyed units.
Plunder. A subunit gains plunder if the players roll the specified number or less on 2D6, subtracting the Morale Level from the roll. Multiply 2D6 by 10,000 and by the Unit Size Modifier to find the number of C-Bills worth of equipment, ransomed prisoners, and so forth taken by a subunit.
Example (as printed): the players in control of four regiments wish to determine the number of eliminated squads on a battalion level. They roll 2D6 for each of their twelve battalions (disregarding noncombatant units such as scouts, DropShips, support personnel, and so on), adding the unit's Morale Level to the roll, and compute that five battalions have been affected. They multiply 1D6 by 3 (the Unit Size Modifier) to determine the number of squads in a battalion that have been destroyed. They repeat the procedure for every affected battalion.
[Transcription note: the worked example is read from OCR; its numbers are as printed and should be checked against the page image.]
Morale
The unit's current Morale Level modifies all die rolls for Danger, Salvage, Destroyed, and Plunder on the Outcome Description Table. This represents the general performance of troops on campaign, based on their condition and standard of living. For game purposes, morale does not affect the actual performance of a side in the field, only how well it copes with adversity or exploits success.
Elite units start out with a Morale Level of 4. Veteran units begin with a level of 3. Regular units begin with a level of 2, and Green units begin with a level of 1. Each win earned on campaign adds 1 to morale. Monthly overhead payments of 20 percent add 1 to morale for that month. Low overhead payments and short supplies reduce morale (as noted in The Cost of Living). Morale is also reduced each time a loss occurs in the Campaign Outcome phase.
Redetermining Force Commitment
After the month's campaign is over, the players may raise the value of their salvaged units by expending triple the amount of support points needed to maintain the unit (see the Maintenance section of The Cost of Living). Enemy resistance is redetermined at the beginning of every month on campaign. Return to Enemy Resistance to begin the next month's campaign. If the mercenary unit's contract has expired, the player characters may renegotiate with their employer or they may withdraw.
Advanced Campaign System
This abstract system is more complex than the Basic Campaign System. Beginning with possible encounters and events, resolution also considers the maneuver, combat, and leadership effects on the campaign. The number of skirmishes and battles and the military, economic, political, and personal outcomes are all a part of the total system. Follow the steps below.
- Determine mission.
- Determine friendly and enemy forces committed.
- Determine type and strength of friendly and enemy forces.
- Enemy campaign operations.
- Special events.
- Friendly campaign operations.
- Resolve campaign: Aerospace operations; Maneuver operations; Combat outcome; Campaign outcome.
- Repeat steps 2-8 for every month of the campaign, but do not redetermine friendly force commitment.
Mission Resolution
The first step of the Advanced Campaign System is to determine the unit's current mission. If the mission has not been spelled out in a contract, the gamemaster should choose one from among the list of missions.
Force Commitment
The gamemaster should consult the Friendly Force Commitment Table to determine the number of friendly regiments present, and refer to the Enemy Force Commitment Table to create the number of enemy regiments in the area. Roll 2D6 and cross-index the result with the appropriate mission type. The number on the Friendly Force Commitment Table represents the minimum number of regiments (counting the mercs themselves) that are involved in the mission. If the merc force is larger than the number shown, the entire merc unit is still used. Thus, an outfit with four regiments would always contribute that number of troops to the mission. If the result on the Friendly Force Commitment Table was 0-4, the unit would be on its own. If it was 5 or greater, there would be other units, probably House troops, working with the mercs. Determine the number of friendly regiments only at the beginning of the player unit's mission, and determine enemy force commitment monthly. It is assumed that a set quantity of friendly forces will be committed to a campaign and that this number will not change. Though an NPC opposing force may have many factors controlling the disposition of its forces, the Enemy Force Commitment Table is used monthly to reflect this. Gamemasters who have created detailed campaign strategies should not have to use this table at all, as they will have planned for both friendly and enemy force changes.
Campaign Commitment Table (2D6 across)
[Transcription note: this table is read from OCR. The Friendly Forces and Enemy Forces grids are reproduced as read; the Planetary Assault row of the Friendly grid and the Planetary Assault row of the Enemy grid contain a value that OCR rendered as letters and is marked "?".]
| Friendly Forces | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadre Duty | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Garrison Duty | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Force Composition
Although the composition of the merc unit is already known, the gamemaster must establish the basic composition of other units involved, both friendly and enemy. Use the Friendly Force Composition Table and the Enemy Force Composition Table to determine the types of regiments present. Roll 2D6 and use the column that corresponds to the mercenary unit's mission.
Friendly Force Composition Table (columns: Garrison/Security/Cadre; Offensive/Defensive; Planetary Assault/Relief; Siege; Riot; Recon Raid/Objective Raid/Diversionary Raid/Guerrilla as printed)
[Transcription note: the mission column headings of the composition tables are partly garbled in the scan. The column order below follows the order printed as legible; the grid must be checked against the page image.]
| 2D6 | Col 1 | Col 2 | Col 3 | Col 4 | Col 5 | Col 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | AeroSpace | AeroSpace | AeroSpace | AeroSpace | AeroSpace | |
| 3 | 'Mech | Air | AeroSpace | Infantry | AeroSpace | |
| 4 | Armor | Infantry | Infantry | Armor | Armor | |
| 5 | Infantry | Armor |
Enemy Force Composition Table
| 2D6 | Col 1 | Col 2 | Col 3 | Col 4 | Col 5 | Col 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | AeroSpace | AeroSpace | AeroSpace | AeroSpace | AeroSpace | |
| 3 | AeroSpace | Air | AeroSpace | Infantry | 'Mech | |
| 4 | Armor | Infantry | Infantry | Armor | Armor | |
| 5 | 'Mech | Armor |
[Transcription note: the Enemy Force Composition grid's column 6 and the 11-row entries are read from OCR with cell alignment uncertain; check against the page image.]
Tactical Skill Table (roll 2D6 for each Regimental Commander and the overall commander on each side)
| Die Roll (2D6) | Commander's Tactics Skill Level |
|---|---|
| 2-4 | 1 |
| 5-6 | 2 |
| 7-8 | 3 |
| 9 | 4 |
| 10 | 5 |
| 11 | 6 |
| 12 | 7 |
[Transcription note: the first row reads "2-4" in the scan's OCR ("24"); the range is taken as 2-4, consistent with the rows that follow. Check against the page image.]
Strength Values
The two following methods present different ways to generate each side's aerospace, maneuver, and combat strengths, which are used to resolve a month's campaign.
Simple Value Generation
For every regiment in both the enemy and friendly forces (including the mercenary unit), cross-index two 1D6 rolls on the appropriate regimental type table to determine the regiment's aerospace, maneuver, and combat values. Add the regiments' values together to get an aerospace, a maneuver, and a combat value for both sides, and then set them aside for the Campaign Resolution phase. Air and aerospace forces possess only aerospace strength values, while most other units possess only maneuver and combat values.
'Mech Values Table (0/maneuver/combat or aerospace value shown as printed; rows = first die, columns = second die)
| Die | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0/300/250 | 0/300/100 | 0/600/450 | 0/600/600 | 0/750/650 | 300/1000/800 |
| 2 | 0/350/300 | 0/400/150 | 0/750/550 | 0/600/700 | 200/800/700 | 0/1050/850 |
| 3 | 0/400/350 | 0/500/200 | 0/900/? | 150/600/800 | 0/850/750 | 0/1100/900 |
| 4 | 0/450/400 |
Armor Values Table
| Die | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0/150/200 | 0/200/250 | 0/300/350 | 0/400/450 | 0/100/100 | 0/100/200 |
| 2 | 0/175/225 | 0/225/275 | 0/325/375 | 0/425/475 | 0/200/200 | 0/200/400 |
| 3 | 0/200/250 | 0/250/300 | ? | 0/450/500 | 0/300/300 | 0/300/600 |
| 4 | 0/225/275 | 0/275/325 |
[Transcription note: the Armor Values grid is read from OCR; cells marked "?" and the 1-3 and 2-3 cell values should be checked against the page image.]
Aerospace Values Table
| Die | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 350 |
| 2 | 150 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 350 | 400 |
| 3 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 350 | 400 | 450 |
| 4 | 250 | 300 | 350 |
Infantry Values Table
| Die | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0/150/100 | 0/200/100 | 0/200/200 | 0/50/50 | 0/200/200 | 0/350/300 |
| 2 | 0/200/150 | 0/250/100 | 0/250/300 | 0/75/75 | 0/225/225 | 0/400/350 |
| 3 | 0/250/200 | 0/300/150 | 0/300/400 | 0/100/100 | 0/250/250 | 0/450/400 |
| 4 | 0/300/250 | 0/350/200 |
Militia Values Table
| Die | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0/100/150 | 0/150/200 | 0/100/190 | 0/150/150 | 0/100/200 | 0/100/100 |
| 2 | 0/150/200 | 0/200/250 | 0/150/150 | 0/200/200 | 0/200/300 | 0/150/150 |
| 3 | 0/200/250 | 0/250/300 | 0/200/200 | 0/250/250 | 0/300/400 | 0/200/200 |
| 4 | 0/250/300 |
[Transcription note: the Militia Values grid's third-column entry in row 1 ("190") is read from OCR and should be checked.]
Air Values Table
| Die | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 80 | 116 | 152 | 188 | 224 | 260 |
| 2 | 100 | 136 | 172 | 208 | 244 | 280 |
| 3 | 120 | 156 | 192 | 228 | 264 | 300 |
| 4 | 140 | 176 | 212 |
Complex Value Generation
This system presents a more detailed method for generating strength values. Besides determining the quality of each regiment, it establishes the type and number of squads in the regiment.
Rolling 2D6 on the Regimental Quality Table assigns each regiment (not each squad) a unit quality. Quality determines the performance of the unit in the field. Subtract 3 from the die roll if the enemy regiment is militia (gamemaster's discretion). Next, establish the size of each regiment (in squads) by rolling 2D6 and consulting the Regimental Size Table.
Regimental Quality Table (2D6)
| Die Roll | Regiment Quality |
|---|---|
| 2-5 | Green |
| 6-8 | Regular |
| 9-11 | Veteran |
| 12 | Elite |
Regimental Size Table (2D6)
| Die Roll | Number of Squads |
|---|---|
| 2 | 40 + 5D6 |
| 3 | 50 + 5D6 |
| 4 | 60 + 5D6 |
| 5 | 70 + 5D6 |
| 6 | 80 + 5D6 |
| 7 | 90 + 5D6 |
| 8 | 100 + 5D6 |
| 9 | 110 + 5D6 |
| 10 | 120 + 5D6 |
| 11 | 135 + 5D6 |
| 12 | 150 + 5D6 |
[Transcription note: the Regimental Size Table is read from OCR as printed; the pattern of the values should be checked against the page image.]
Finally, flesh out the regiment's composition by making a series of rolls on the Regimental Organization Table. Roll 2D6 and consult the column designating the regiment's type to determine the squad type for 2D6 squads. Repeat the process until every squad's type has been determined. The gamemaster should keep track of this information for use in the Campaign Resolution phase.
Regimental Organization Table (2D6; column = regiment type)
| 2D6 | AeroSpace | Air | Infantry | Militia | Armor | 'Mech |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Light LAM | Aircraft | Airmobile | Motor Infantry | Artillery | Assault |
| 3 | AeroSpace Ftr | Aircraft | Jump Infantry | Light Armor | Light Armor | Heavy |
| 4 | AeroSpace Ftr | Aircraft | Jump Infantry | Infantry | Light Armor | Heavy |
| 5 | AeroSpace Ftr |
[Transcription note: the Regimental Organization Table is read from OCR. The column alignment of the 2 and 11 rows is uncertain; check against the page image.]
Unit Strength Chart
The Unit Strength Chart yields aerospace, maneuver, and combat strength values for use in the campaign resolution process. Total the number of squads of each particular type, multiply that number by each of the three values, then multiply by the unit quality modifiers listed below. Do this for each component of each regiment, including the merc unit, and then add up the aerospace, maneuver, and combat values to determine the regiment's total strength in each area. If a force contains more than one regiment, add the regiments' values together to determine the force's aerospace, maneuver, and combat strengths.
Unit Strength Chart: Basic Values (per squad)
| Squad Type | Aerospace | Maneuver | Combat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infantry | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Jump Infantry | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Motorized Infantry | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Light Armor | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Heavy Armor | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Artillery | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Scout | 0 |
Quality modifiers: Elite x2; Veteran x1.5; Regular x1; Green x0.75.
[Transcription note: the Veteran modifier is read from OCR as "x15" and is shown as x1.5 by inference; check against the page image.]
Special Events
Even if the enemy does not attack, action (or more subtle dangers) may still occur, whether or not the mercs want to go on campaign. This is determined through the Special Event process. Use the Campaign Event Table to determine whether or not a special event takes place. Roll two dice sequentially to generate a number between 11 and 66. Find the number under the appropriate unit mission on the table, then read the event listed to the left of that number. The effects of these are summed up below.
[Transcription note: the Campaign Event Table is read from OCR. Its column-to-mission mapping is only partly legible in the scan (the mission headers are split across lines); the values are shown in the order printed, and the mapping must be checked against the page image before use.]
Campaign Event Table (ranges per column, in the order printed)
| Event | Col 1 | Col 2 | Col 3 | Col 4 | Col 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No Event | 11-16 | 11-42 | 11-46 | 11-42 | 11-54 |
| Civil Disturbance | 21-36 | 43-44 | - | 43-44 | - |
| Sporadic Uprisings | 41-46 | 45 | - | 45 | - |
| Rebellion | 51-54 | 46 | - | 46 | - |
No Event. No special event takes place.
Civil Disturbance. Local riots and small-scale agitation take place. On a 2D6 roll of 2-3, the player characters must undertake a campaign against one regiment of locals. Go to the Campaign Resolution process. Otherwise, the disturbances have no particular effect on the unit.
Sporadic Uprisings. Substantial civil uprisings sweep the planet. A 2D6 roll of 2-8 causes an active campaign against 1D6 local regiments. Go to the Campaign Resolution process if this happens; otherwise, the disturbances die out without the unit's intervention.
Rebellion. The local populace erupts in widespread resistance to the government. Regardless of original assignments, the unit and its supporting troops are now placed on riot duty. Determine the size of enemy (rebel) forces by two rolls on the Campaign Commitment Table, using the Riot Duty row. Add these rebel troops to the enemy forces deployed against the unit, and return to the Enemy Campaign Operations step to determine whether or not they will launch active operations.
Betrayal. The mercenaries are betrayed by their employer. The exact form of this betrayal is up to the gamemaster. It might involve a withdrawal of all House troops accompanying the unit, failure to provide promised supplies or transportation, or false information regarding the nature of the mission or the size of enemy forces facing the unit. Whenever a betrayal occurs, repeat the Enemy Campaign Operations step. At the gamemaster's option, friendly and/or enemy force commitments might also be redetermined.
Treachery. The unit is betrayed into the enemy's power by self-seeking individuals in positions of trust. Like the preceding event, this result is subject to interpretation by the gamemaster. The most common results would be false intelligence about enemy strength or intentions. (Secretly add 1D6 extra rolls on the Campaign Commitment Table to enemy forces in the field, but do not reveal this until the campaign resolution process is underway.) In this case, the enemy automatically goes on campaign regardless of previous results. Other outcomes of treachery could include the destruction of C-Bills devoted to supply or repair, an assassination attempt against the unit commander, the reduction of unit combat strength by sabotage prior to campaign resolution, or similar means. Exact situations and results are up to the gamemaster to implement.
Logistical Failure. Bureaucratic snarls, enemy action, profiteering, or other outside interference causes problems with supply shipments. Roll 2D6 - 2, multiply by 10, and reduce current supply levels (in C-Bills) by the percentage result thus derived. No other effects occur.
Reinforcements. Make an additional roll on the Campaign Commitment Table and add the indicated number of regiments to the friendly forces already assigned to the mission.
Attrition. A natural disaster, disease, or other crisis causes casualties to the unit (and supporting troops) unconnected with enemy action. Roll 2D6 - 2 to find the percentage of troops (from 0 to 10 percent) killed. A second roll of 2D6 - 2 is multiplied by 5 (for a result of 0 to 50 percent) representing further casualties lost for the remainder of the month, but returned to duty thereafter. Casualties are taken in terms of available squads, with all fractions rounded up. In the wake of these losses, return to the Enemy Campaign Operations step.
Major Event. A major change in the political, economic, or military situation of the Inner Sphere occurs. Roll 2D6 consecutively to produce a number between 11 and 66, then consult the Major Events Table below. Implement this major event immediately, rather than after a three-month gap (as discussed in MechWarrior). This represents unexpected or very carefully suppressed activities that come to light without warning.
Major Events Table (2D6 consecutively, 11-66)
| Die Roll | Event |
|---|---|
| 11-14 | Internal Dissension |
| 15-16 | Armistice |
| 21-22 | Change of Allegiance |
| 23-25 | ComStar Activity |
| 26-32 | Periphery Contact |
| 33-41 | Major Campaign |
| 42-43 | Technological Advance |
| 44-46 | Star League Facility |
| 51-56 | Fall of Major World |
| 61-63 | Death of Major Personage |
| 64-66 | Change in House-House Relationship |
Internal Dissension. At the gamemaster's discretion, internal dissension can take two very different forms. Normally, this event refers to internal discontent with House politics, expressing itself as planetary revolt, an assassination attempt against a Duke or Warlord, or as a full-scale power bid by a disaffected ruling House member. Alternatively, gamemasters can interpret this event as an outbreak of dissension within the players' own unit, which could result in a mutiny or a permanent split-up of the unit.
Armistice. Peace is temporarily declared along one or more of the fronts of the Succession Wars as a result of an agreement between two or more of the five Houses. This armistice may cover an area as large as an entire border between Houses or as small as a single planet, and can be for either a set or indefinite time limit. Gamemasters should note that although few, if any, parties will violate an armistice agreement by initiating a full-scale assault in the armistice zone, the agreement will normally not stop the opponents from continuing raiding activities or military buildups in the affected area.
Change of Allegiance. The unit stationed with the players' merc unit changes allegiance from one Successor House to another (or in some cases, from the existing House regime to a rebel faction). As a result of this change of loyalties, player characters may gain or lose large amounts of land, spare parts, or cold, hard cash. If the players' unit is stationed alone, roll again.
ComStar Activity. A significant development affecting the relationship between ComStar and one or more of the ruling Houses occurs. Possible events might include the opening or closing of a major relay station, a ComStar request for 'Mech unit volunteers to assist its Explorer Corps teams on a mission, or a call for aid from a relay station that has been attacked or struck by a natural disaster. If this result is rolled more than two months in a row, treat the event as a full-scale communications interdict against one Successor House's territory (as punishment for some gross transgression against the facilities under ComStar's sacred trust).
Periphery Contact. Interaction between the players' unit (or their current House employer) and inhabitants of the Periphery occurs. The many possibilities include the arrival of free traders from the Periphery, House-sponsored exploratory missions to Periphery worlds believed to be uninhabited, raids on House worlds by Bandit King forces (or vice versa), or even the establishment of long-term relationships between the two areas.
Major Campaign. One or more Houses begins a major offensive against a bordering neighbor. Such a campaign can consist of either a general assault on a number of enemy-held worlds along a given front, seeking to make inroads wherever the enemy is weakest, or a series of 'steppingstone' invasions aimed at the ultimate conquest of a single key objective. In either case, the campaign should involve a minimum of 10-20 regiments of 'Mechs per side, and occupy the primary attention of all the forces stationed on either side of the campaign front.
Technological Advance. Techs from one of the Successor State Houses succeed in recovering one of the lost technologies of the Star League or they uncover an entirely new product or process. This advance is most likely to be related to military matters, and especially to technologies dealing with 'Mech, AeroSpace Fighter, or JumpShip construction or repair. At the gamemaster's discretion, the advance may be applied to an entirely different aspect of society (medicine, communications, agriculture, and so on). If this result recurs several times within a period of a few months, the gamemaster should increase the significance of the discovery made.
Star League Facility. A major Star League facility (storehouse, administrative headquarters, military or naval base) is discovered on a Successor State world. As in the case of a Technological Advance, rumors of the discovery will travel quickly through the Inner Sphere, drawing spies or military units from other Houses to investigate or attempt to seize the facility.
Fall of Major World. A planet with valuable resources or strategic significance changes hands from one House to another. Such an event will usually have repercussions (retaliatory raids, unit transfers, and further assaults) up and down both sides of the border where the change has occurred.
Death of Major Personage. An important Successor State figure, ranging from a major military leader or a planetary ruling Duke on up to a royal family member, heir, or even a Warlord, dies. The death can occur as a result of combat, illness, or a successful assassination attempt. The possible repercussions can be as simple as the transfer of power to a newly promoted military leader or noble, or they can be as disruptive as a planetary rebellion or full-scale civil war. At the gamemaster's discretion, this event can be treated instead as an attempt on a major personage's life, with the player characters having the opportunity to either perform or prevent the attempt.
Change in House-House Relations. A significant change in the relationship between two or more Successor Houses occurs. This event can be either a sweeping change such as the formation or breaking of an alliance, or a subtle incident whose public effect is small but that will subtly improve or erode an existing relationship over the course of time.
Except as otherwise noted, the Special Events step is followed by the Friendly Campaign Operations step. In cases where an event causes a reversion to some previous step, go back to the step indicated and continue resolving steps normally. This means that multiple Special Events may take place in one month.
Enemy Campaign Operations
After determining the composition of enemy and friendly forces, find out if the enemy decides to launch a campaign. Enemy commitment represents only the potential opposition to friendly troops. If they do not act, there may not be any campaign.
Roll 2D6. Subtract the number of friendly regiments from the number of enemy regiments, and add the result to the roll. If the result is less than or equal to the number of enemy regiments, the enemy will launch an active field campaign. A result greater than the number of enemy regiments means that the enemy will not launch an initiative (though friendly forces may still force action). If a campaign is to take place, go immediately to the Campaign Resolution process. Otherwise, proceed to Special Events.
Friendly Campaign Operations
If neither enemy actions nor special events cause active operations, friendly forces may still bring about a campaign. Without other friendly forces to support them, the player characters' unit may voluntarily launch a campaign at the discretion of the unit commander, provided that there is at least one enemy regiment committed to the same theater of war (including rebels from a Special Event).
If the unit is part of a larger force or if it is alone but under House or integrated command, it can take the field only if a 2D6 - 2 roll is less than or equal to the number of friendly regiments committed to the current mission. If the roll is greater, no active campaign occurs.
Should neither side launch a campaign, the month ends without any major incidents. Begin the next month's activities by returning to the Enemy Force Commitment step. (If the merc contract has expired by now, the unit may either renegotiate or withdraw.)
Campaign Resolution
If an active campaign does occur, refer to the following sections to resolve it in detail. These sections discuss the various operations taking place in a campaign and present possible outcomes (in terms of danger, damage and losses, plunder, and so on). Use the strength values to resolve the Aerospace Operations, Maneuver Operations, and Combat Outcome steps.
Aerospace Operations
The resolution of the campaign begins with Aerospace Operations. Divide the players' aerospace strength by enemy aerospace strength, round down, and roll 2D6 on the appropriate column of the Aerospace Operations Table. When determining the number of squads lost or reduced, round fractions up. Refer to the Maintenance section of The Cost of Living for the value of destroyed units.
- ES - Enemy Superiority. 1D6/2 number of 1D6 enemy AeroSpace Fighter squads are destroyed, and 1D6/2 number of 1D6 squads are reduced to salvage quality and cannot be used for the rest of the month. 1D6 number of 1D6 friendly AeroSpace Fighter squads are destroyed, and 1D6 number of 1D6 squads are reduced to salvage quality and cannot be used for the rest of the month. (The first roll tells how many D6's to use in the second roll.)
- A - Attrition. 1D6/2 number of 1D6 of each side's AeroSpace Fighter squads are destroyed, and 1D6/2 number of 1D6 squads are reduced to salvage quality and cannot be used for the rest of the month. Attrition makes it impossible to mount Planetary Assault or Relief missions for the month.
- FS - Friendly Superiority. 1D6 number of 1D6 enemy AeroSpace Fighter squads are destroyed, and 1D6 number of 1D6 squads are reduced to salvage quality and cannot be used for the rest of the month. 1D6/2 number of 1D6 of friendly AeroSpace Fighter squads are destroyed, and 1D6/2 number of 1D6 squads are reduced to salvage quality and cannot be used for the rest of the month. Planetary Assault and Relief missions can be executed this month.
The side that gains aerospace superiority can add its available Aerospace Strength to both its Maneuver and Combat strengths. The loser of the superiority fight can prevent these increases by making a single sortie that forces him to suffer an automatic Aerospace Attrition result (1D6/2 number of 1D6 squads are destroyed and 1D6/2 number of 1D6 squads are reduced to salvage quality).
Instead of using this set of rules, forces launching a planetary assault, relief mission, or raid against an enemy-held planet can use the rules in AeroTech to resolve Aerospace Operations, but this might prove cumbersome for any campaign involving more than a handful of fighters.
Aerospace Operations Table (2D6 down; columns = friendly strength / enemy strength ratio, as printed: 1/3, 1/2, 1/1.5, 1/1, 1.5/1, 2/1, 2.5/1, 3/1)
[Transcription note: the column headers are partly garbled in the scan and are shown as printed in OCR. The grid is read from OCR; check against the page image before use.]
| 2D6 | 1/3 | 1/2 | 1/1.5 | 1/1 | 1.5/1 | 2/1 | 2.5/1 | 3/1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | ES | ES | ES | ES | ES | A | A | A |
| 3 | ES | ES | ES | ES | ES | A | A | FS |
| 4 | ES | ES | ES | ES |
Maneuver Operations
Once the Aerospace Operations phase is complete, Maneuver Operations begin. This involves a series of die rolls using the enemy maneuver strength values on each side to determine the relative position of the two opponents. The interplay of these maneuvers will continue until a result grants either side a significant success or a recognition of stalemate. This ends the campaign for the month. Along the way, there may be skirmishes, battles, and other results.
Roll 2D6 on the Maneuver Operations Table, noting the result. Add the Tactics Skill Level of the player characters' overall commander (or the unit commander, if the unit is alone in the field), and subtract the enemy commander's skill level from the roll. Use the column on the table corresponding to the differential in maneuver strength values between the two sides, found as for the Aerospace Operations procedure.
- DecE / DecF - Enemy or Friendly Decisive Outcome. The side has so completely outmaneuvered the opposition as to become totally dominant. A Decisive Outcome ends the Maneuver Operations phase. The winning side is honor-bound to offer the Honors of War to the loser. Players commanding defeated units can accept these terms, and the gamemaster decides for NPC-controlled troops, keeping in mind that common practice dictates that they accept. If the loser does not accept, a battle is fought immediately. Refer to the Battles and Skirmishes section, and shift the column over by one in the winner's favor. The Honors of War call for the immediate, unmolested withdrawal of all defeated troops from the contested planet.
- Att - Attrition. Each side divides its Maneuver Unit Strength by 100, rounding fractions up, and adds 2D6 - 2. The result is the number of squads that are reduced to salvage quality and cannot be used in combat for the rest of the month. Players may choose which of their squads are reduced. If they desire, the players may roll again this month.
- SK - Skirmish. The players' unit gains an opportunity to attack the enemy in an important skirmish. The gamemaster is encouraged to develop specific details of the situation. See the rules on Battles and Skirmishes later in this chapter. After the skirmish is completed, the players may roll again.
- Bat - Battle. Refer to the rules on Battles and Skirmishes in this chapter to resolve the action. If permitted by the outcome of the battle and if desired, the players can make an additional roll this month after determining the results of this round. If the player characters' overall commander wishes, treat this as a skirmish.
- NP - No Progress. There has been no significant progress in the campaign. If the players wish, they may roll again.
- Con - Continued Campaign. Neither side achieves any success. The Campaign Resolution phase is over; go to the Campaign Outcome section.
Repeat the Maneuver Operations phase until the players roll a Decisive Outcome or Continued Campaign result, or until they choose to end the month's operations after rolling a No Progress, Attrition, Battle, or Skirmish result. Resolve other results as they occur. Then, follow the instructions in the Campaign Outcome section.
Maneuver Operations Table (2D6 down; columns = friendly force / enemy force ratio, as printed: 1/3, 1/2, 1/1.5, 1/1, 1.5/1, 2/1, 2.5/1, 3/1)
[Transcription note: the Maneuver Operations grid is read from OCR; the column headers are partly garbled and are shown as printed. Check against the page image before use.]
| 2D6 | 1/3 | 1/2 | 1/1.5 | 1/1 | 1.5/1 | 2/1 | 2.5/1 | 3/1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | DecE | DecE | DecE | DecE | DecE | DecE | DecE | DecE |
| 3 | DecE | DecE | DecE | Con | Con | Att | SK | Bat |
| 4 | DecE | Con | Con | Con |
[Transcription note: rows 2 through 12 are read from OCR. Cells in the 11 row and the 10 row of the 1/3 to 2.5/1 region were partly damaged and are the least certain; check against the page image.]
Battles and Skirmishes
On some occasions, a campaign will lead to an engagement between opposing forces. A battle is a major clash of arms involving significant portions of each side; a skirmish is a small-scale combat that lends itself to play under BattleTech rules. When a battle is called for during a campaign, find the portion of each side actually involved in the battle by consulting the Element Engaged Table. Roll 1D6 under the column that represents the total size of a side's force, and add 5 if it is a Battle. The result indicates the size of the force engaged in the battle; determine the combat strength of the unit participating in the engagement. Repeat this process for the other side. Note that when the loser of a Decisive Outcome result does not accept the Honors of War, the column is shifted over by one in favor of that force's opponent.
(NOTE: If the players used the Simple Value Generation System to determine their unit's strength values, they will have to divide the regiment's combat value by the number of subunits in the regiment to calculate a subunit's combat value. For example, if the element engaged is an armor squad, divide 350 (the armor regiment's combat value as derived from the Armor Values Table) by 108 (the standard number of squads in a regiment). Thus, the squad's combat value is 3.)
Element Engaged Table
| Element Engaged | Squad | Lance/Platoon | Company | Battalion | Regiment | Larger Force |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total force size (see row headers) | 1+ | 4+ | 6+ | 6+ | - | - |
| Squad | 1+ | 1-3 | 1-2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lance/Platoon | - | 4+ | 3-5 | 2-3 | 2 | 2 |
| Company | - | - |
[Transcription note: the Element Engaged Table is read from OCR and its header row and first data row are partly garbled; the layout above is inferred from the row labels and should be checked against the page image.]
Divide the attacker's (the side initiating the battle) combat strength by the defender's, and roll 2D6 against that number on the Combat Operations Table. Add the attacking commander's Tactics Skill Level and subtract the defending commander's level; the result is expressed as Attacker Outcome Code / Defender Outcome Code. Refer to the Combat Results Table for the effects of the outcome codes. Only one roll is made, after which the battle is over.
A skirmish is resolved in the same way as a battle, except that elements engaged tend to be smaller. At the gamemaster's option, the skirmish can be resolved (once elements engaged are determined) using BattleTech rules. Not every skirmish should be played out; the gamemaster should choose those that might involve player characters or have special interest. The gamemaster is responsible for determining the exact situation of any skirmish, including the precise units and unit types involved, terrain, and other special circumstances.
Combat Operations Table
[Transcription note: the Combat Operations Table is largely unreadable in the OCR (outcome-code pairs are damaged in most cells) and is NOT transcribed. It must be transcribed from the page image (printed page 60) before this section is used.]
Combat Results Table
| Result | Outcome | Reputation | Salvaged | Destroyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | win* | +5 | 1D6/3 | 1D6/3 |
| B | win* | +3 | 1D6/2 | 1D6/2 |
| C | win* | +2 | 1D6/2 | 1D6/2 |
| D | draw* | +1 | 1D6 | 1D6 |
| E | draw* | 0 | 1D6 | 1D6 |
* Victor has possession of the battlefield and may capture salvaged and destroyed units (which cost five times their maintenance value to bring to salvage quality).
[Transcription note: the Combat Results Table is read from OCR. Several reputation and salvage values (A through G) are partly damaged; they are shown as legible and must be checked against the page image.]
Unit Size Modifiers (combat): Squad 1/3; Lance/Platoon 2/3; Company 1; Battalion 3; Regiment 9; Larger forces 9 per number of regiments.
Outcome. A "win" is a clear-cut victory that awards a Decisive Outcome to the victor (see the Decisive Outcome result under Maneuver Operations). A "loss" gives the opposing side a Decisive Outcome. If neither side wins or loses and if the players wish, return to the Maneuver Operations phase; otherwise, proceed to Campaign Outcome. Regardless of their choice, inflict damage results on both sides.
Reputation. This number represents the amount of reputation gained or lost by each company participating in the battle or skirmish.
Salvaged. Multiply the number specified under this column by the Unit Size Modifier of the element engaged. The result is the number of squads reduced to salvage quality.
Destroyed. Compute the number of eliminated squads the same way that the number of salvaged squads is determined.
Campaign Outcome
Once the month's campaign has ended, compute the outcome of the campaign. Roll 1D6 (add the Tactics Skill Level of the overall commander, add 6 if the players won a Decisive Outcome, and subtract 6 if the players lost a Decisive Outcome), and cross-index the result with the mission type on the Campaign Outcome Table to obtain a one-letter outcome code. The gamemaster should repeat this procedure for the players' opponent. Outcome codes indicate whether or not the mission is accomplished, and provide the amount of damage and plunder received.
Campaign Outcome Table (rows = mission; columns = modified 1D6 result, from -8 through 15, as printed)
[Transcription note: this table is heavily damaged in the OCR; the row strings below are the OCR output for each mission, with unrecovered cells left as they fall. The grid is NOT reliable and must be transcribed from the page image (printed page 61) before use. Cell positions are not confirmed.]
| Mission | OCR row as read |
|---|---|
| Cadre Duty | M M M L L K K K J J J ? H H H G G G F F E E E |
| Garrison Duty | Q P O N M L L K K J J ? H H G G F F E E O C |
| Security Duty | Q P O N M L E L K K J ? ? ? H H G G F E D C B A |
| Offensive Campaign | Q P O O N N M M L K J ? ? H G F E E D C C B A |
| Defensive Campaign | Q P P O O N N M M L K J ? ? H G F F E D D C C B B |
| Planetary Assault | Q Q P P O O N N M M K J ? ? H G F E E D C B B A A |
| Relief Duty | Q Q P P O O N N M M L K J ? H G F E E D C B A |
| Riot Duty | P P O O N N M M M M L K J ? H G F F E E D D C C |
| Siege Campaign | Q P O N M L L ? L K K J ? ? H H G G F F E D C B A |
| Recon Raid | Q Q P O N M M E L K J J ? ? H G F E E D C B A A |
[Transcription note: the OCR rows above are the best reading of damaged text. Several of these rows contain ? cells and some letters are doubtful. Do not use this table without checking the page image.]
Outcome Description Table (also printed on the Campaign Systems page; codes A-Q; the Result column reads: win A through E, uncompleted F through L, loss M through Q)
| Code | Result | Reputation | Danger | Salvaged | Destroyed | Plunder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | win | +6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 10 |
| B | win | +5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 10 |
| C | win | +4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 9 |
| D | win | +3 | 6 |
[Transcription note: the Outcome Description values are consistent between the two copies in the scan, with two exceptions the OCR could not settle: the reputation for code Q (printed as "+4" in the scan, which appears to be a negative value) and the code L entry (read as -1 here and as +1 in the second copy). Both must be checked against the page image.]
Unit Size Modifiers (campaign): Squad 1/3; Lance/Platoon 2/3; Company 1; Battalion 3; Regiment 9; Larger forces 9 per number of regiments.
Result. This column of the Outcome Description Table refers to whether or not the unit completed its mission and whether or not it was successful. Add 1 to the unit's Morale Level if it won the campaign, and subtract 1 if it lost the campaign.
Reputation. This number represents the amount of reputation gained or lost by each company in the unit.
Danger. Every player character and important NPC must roll this number or higher on 2D6, adding their Morale Level to the roll. If unsuccessful, the character must make a Saving Roll against his body score to avoid taking 6D6 points of damage (HTK).
Salvaged. The players determine the number of squads reduced to salvage quality by rolling on a squad, lance/platoon, company, battalion, regiment, or larger level. They must roll the number specified in the table or higher on 2D6, adding the Morale Level to the roll, for each subunit. For every failed roll, multiply 1D6 by the subunit's Unit Size Modifier to determine the number of squads reduced to salvage quality in that subunit. If the players are determining results on an individual (squad) level, a failed roll automatically reduces that squad to salvage quality.
Destroyed. The players determine the number of eliminated squads the same way that they compute the number of salvaged squads. If the players are determining results on an individual (squad) level, a failed roll reduces all of that squad's equipment, vehicles, and so forth to destroyed quality, so that a MechWarrior would become Dispossessed as a result. Refer to the Maintenance section of The Cost of Living for the value of destroyed units.
Plunder. A subunit gains plunder if the players roll the specified number or less on 2D6, subtracting the Morale Level from the roll. Multiply 2D6 by 10,000 and by the Unit Size Modifier to find the number of C-Bills worth of equipment, ransomed prisoners, and so forth taken by a subunit.
Example (as printed): the players in control of four regiments wish to determine the number of eliminated squads on a battalion level. They roll 2D6 for each of their twelve battalions (disregarding noncombatant units such as DropShips, support personnel, and so on), adding the unit's Morale Level to the roll, and compute that five battalions have been affected. They multiply 1D6 by 3 (the Unit Size Modifier) to determine the number of squads in a battalion that have been destroyed. They repeat this procedure for every affected battalion.
Morale
The unit's current Morale Level modifies all die rolls for Danger, Salvage, Destroyed, and Plunder on the Outcome Description Table. This represents the general performance of troops on campaign, based on their condition and standard of living. For game purposes, morale does not affect the performance of a side in the field, only how well it copes with adversity or exploits success.
Elite units start out with a Morale Level of 4. Veteran units begin with a level of 3. Regular units begin with a level of 2, and Green units begin with a level of 1. Each win earned on campaign adds 1 to morale. Monthly overhead payments of 20 percent add 1 to morale for that month. Low overhead payments and short supplies reduce morale (as noted in The Cost of Living). Morale is also reduced each time a loss occurs in the Campaign Outcome phase.
Redetermining Force Commitment
After the month's campaign is over, the players' unit may always raise the value of their salvaged units by expending triple the amount of support points needed to maintain the unit (see the Maintenance section of The Cost of Living). The enemy regains 2D6 - 2 multiplied by 10 percent of his salvaged squads (rounded down) at the start of the next month. Return to Force Commitment to redetermine enemy strength for the next month's campaign. If the mercenary unit's contract expires, the player characters may renegotiate with their employer or withdraw.
Tricks of the Trade
The possibilities of betrayal and treachery should be left largely in the gamemaster's hands. However, some of the following may provide inspiration and guidelines covering a wide range of situations.
Employer Betrayals
The gamemaster can introduce patrons in any way he desires (the encounter process in MechWarrior is an excellent model). Player characters seeking business may contact a potential employer on any day that they make a 2D6 roll of 10+ while on a world with a Mercenaries Guild Hall; they may also exploit contacts made by their scouts.
Employer betrayals occur either as a result of Special Events on campaign or at the gamemaster's discretion. Use the Betrayal Table to determine the nature of the problem.
Betrayal Table (2D6 down; employer across)
| 2D6 | Davion | Kurita | Liao | Steiner | Marik | ComStar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | F | C | C | B | F | B | F |
| 3 | A | E | A | A | A | A | B |
| 4 | E | A | F | E | E | E | A |
A - Logistics Problem. Reduce available supply stockpiles by (2D6 - 2) x 10 percent.
B - Transport. The unit is abandoned in the field by House transports, if applicable.
C - Diversion. No matter how it was originally represented, the unit's mission is a diversionary raid. No other regiments are assigned to support the unit. On a 2D6 roll of 10+, the unit is abandoned, as in "B" above.
D - Invalid Contract. The employer will not honor payment terms on the contract unless the campaign outcome code is "A", "B", or "C". If ComStar is an intermediary, the matter is submitted to them for arbitration. (See ComStar Mediation below.)
E - False Intelligence. The employer provides the unit with false information concerning enemy strength at the start of the campaign.
F - The Company Store. If the employer is furnishing logistics or transport support, he will assess the highest possible charges for these services (instead of offering them free, as is the usual custom). Should the unit be unable to support itself, the employer will lend it money, but will deduct twice the value from final payments. In every way, the employer will seek to bind the unit to his fortunes by these and other financial manipulations.
G - False Alarm. Despite rumors circulating, no betrayal is actually attempted.
Mercenary Betrayals
When mercenaries betray their employers, there is a chance of discovery and retribution. Once again, it is up to the gamemaster to resolve such situations. This section provides the basic chances of discovery, as well as the benefits and hazards of the types of treachery previously discussed.
Playing It Safe. A unit can voluntarily reduce the campaign die rolls for danger, damage, elimination, and plunder; all must be reduced by the same amount. Double the amount of this modifier to establish the saving roll for discovery of the plan. A roll less than or equal to the saving roll target results in accusations of failed performance. These are submitted to arbitration according to the rules in ComStar Mediation below. These modified rolls mean that the unit will have less trouble in the campaign, but less plunder as well.
Surrendering. A unit that surrenders forfeits all supplies, plunder, money, and other resources (except actual equipment) to the victors. If they have their own transport, they may withdraw; otherwise, they may return to their original employers 1D6 months after capture (unless they can make some other arrangements for transport and employment before then). Employers usually submit cases of surrender for arbitration.
Double-Crossing. A unit that changes sides without prior negotiations can negotiate a price afterwards, but does so without benefit of reputation. If negotiations are conducted prior to the switch, double the normal reputation of the unit. However, in the latter case, there is a 9+ chance on 2D6 that the present employer discovers the negotiations in progress. Moreover, if that roll is any doubles result (e.g. 11, 22, 33), the other side is not interested in the player characters' offer. If a plot to change sides is uncovered, the unit automatically loses 50 points of reputation, the current contract is terminated, the unit does not receive its fee, advances already issued are demanded as refunds, and the unit can never seek a contract with that employer again.
Taking Bribes. The gamemaster should set the amount of the bribe that an enemy offers to the unit. The chance of discovery is a 2D6 roll of 11+. If the employer discovers the deal, the penalty is the same as for changing sides.
Pillaging Civilians. Profits depend upon the rapacity of the unit. The mercs should set a number between 1 and 20. Multiply this by 10,000 C-Bills and by the unit size numbers on the Campaign Outcome Table to establish how much they can extort from a local civilian population in a given month. However, a roll of 3D6 less than or equal to the number chosen is the chance that these actions will provoke a response from the locals. This response can range from formal complaints to the government to open rebellion.
[Transcription note: the roll for Pillaging Civilians is read from OCR as "3D6" (the scan reads "306"); check against the page image.]
ComStar Mediation
The gamemaster is responsible for coming up with any rules or procedures for judgment by organizations other than ComStar if ComStar is not the guarantor of a contract. ComStar will arbitrate when terms are violated or when either side wishes to claim money that they feel has been unfairly denied them. ComStar usually guarantees House contracts, but few others.
Arbitration consists of a 2D6 roll. Add the Diplomacy Skill Level of the mercenary leader to the roll, and subtract 5 if the unit has been caught in a treacherous endeavor. On a result of 2-8, the case is judged by ComStar rules in favor of the employer. On a 9+, its finding supports the mercs. If the mercs are judged in the right, ComStar pays them the agreed-upon sum. However, if the judgment goes against them, the mercenaries are well advised to refund every penny of advance they have taken, else they will soon find that no employer in the Inner Sphere will accept their services. Periphery powers may still hire them, but ComStar agents assigned to the case are likely to pursue the unit and find ways to harass it into honoring the debt.
Reputation
Politics, as well as military performance, influence a unit's reputation. Apply the following awards and penalties to the unit's reputation:
- Unit was successful on campaign despite employer treachery: Double Success Reputation Award.
- Unit changes sides successfully: +10.
- Unit discovered in treachery: -250.
- Unit loses in arbitration: -(1D6 x 50).
[Transcription note: the reputation values are read from OCR. The "Double Success Reputation Award" and the "-250" entry are printed as such in the scan's OCR and should be checked against the page image; the "-250" may be a misreading of a smaller value.]
Reputation can be negative. A negative reputation reduces the number of points that can be applied in negotiations. A unit completely unable to influence the negotiations must accept employer conditions or make massive concessions on some terms, and cannot gain even a small lever on other terms.
Selected Mercenary Units (not transcribed)
The book's appendix (printed pages 65 to 97) describes three example units, the Eridani Light Horse, the Waco Rangers and Wilson's Hussars, with unit histories, tables of organization and personnel rosters. These are unit fiction and sample NPC data rather than rules, and they are not transcribed here. The blank Unit Worksheet, Unit Composition Form, Supply Data Chart and Contract Form printed at the back of the book (printed pages 98 to 104) are likewise not transcribed; the Contract Form is described in Creating Contracts above.