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Redarrayfinal PDF
Redarrayfinal PDF
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1
Operation Red Array
or
Fifty Thousand Kroner for a Working IFF
A Classic Battletech Scenario
Art—Robert S. Frank II
Writing—Robert S. Frank II
Layout—Robert S. Frank II
Playtesting—Battletech Redneck of Bakersfield, CA
Robert “Hawkeye” Frank
John “Ace” Hallum
Lance “Ion Tiger” Hughes
Opalin “The Keeper” Pickens
Cameron “The Kid” Spears
The Cavalier Cavalry and it’s characters within the Battletech Universe
is the intellectual property of Cavalier Cavalry Productions, and Robert
S. Frank II. The Ace Wrecking Crew belongs to John D. Hallum. Lance’s
unit is already made up of other people’s work, so we’re not claiming
them.
2
Table of Contents
Opening Scenes Page 4
Master Campaign Map Page 7
About Operation: Red Array Page 8
3
LCDS Mary Ellen Carter, Colos- both men, displaying a schematic
sus Class Dropship of the Inner Sphere with a single
Round Rock Spaceport, Texas world highlighted, could view its
Aberystwyth, Timbuktu Theater, screen.
Lyran Alliance
29 October 3071 Sergei felt that the time to
break the silence had come. “Sir,
The red light over the why have I been summoned?”
bulkhead shone down suddenly
upon Captain Sergei Chereneko, Douglas tapped the
indicating that the Colonel was screen.
now waiting within for his pres-
ence. He’d known the Colonel all Sergei leaned closer. The
his life; his father and the Colonel middle of the Inner Sphere was
went far, far back, before the beginning to be stained by the
Clans had invaded the Inner gold-trimmed white of the abomi-
Sphere. He knew that the Colonel nation known as the “Word Of
didn’t say much, he showed you a Blake Protectorate”. “Chara III?
progression of data and if you did- Pacifica? I know that world, Colo-
n’t reach the right conclusions, nel. It has been peaceful there for
well, the conclusion might as well close to half a century. I take it
be that you just weren’t the right that the ‘Wobbies’ have chosen to
person for the Colonel’s time. Pro- make it less so.”
motions were won and lost in the
crucible of Douglas Glendower’s Douglas nodded and
silence, and that’s where he’d handed over the veriagraph. Ser-
been summoned. gei scanned it. “Archon has re-
quested our support, hmmm.” Ser-
Sergei stepped inside, gei thought about that for a mo-
doffing his garrison cap in respect ment. “Seeing how I am here and
to the man behind the desk. Push- Mary Ellen Carter is not boosting
ing seventy now, Colonel Glen- for space, there must be a compli-
dower’s hair was silver, a beard cation, some reason to deny re-
framing his stern face with it’s quest from Archon.”
deep set eyes that seemed to be
wells at which the twinkle of wa- Narrowing his eyes
ter could just be barely seen at the slightly, Douglas tapped a control
bottom. He motioned Sergei to sit, on his computer highlighting a
and he placed his smallish frame line between a pair of star sys-
into one of the office chairs. On tems. Sergei whistled in amaze-
the desk was the glossy form of a ment. “Archon is trying the old
ComStar veriagraph, with the ‘carrot, stick’, eh? Shifting the
prominent logo of the Archon’s of- Sixth Guard closer to Aberyst-
fice emblazoned on the bottom. wyth while making a ‘request’ is
The monitor for his computer was not very subtle, even for this Ar-
swiveled half way around, so that chon. We cannot leave Aberyst-
4
wyth under this blatant threat,
sir. A team we could spare, but
certainly not more.” Camp Snoopy (Temporary Bar-
racks, Ace Wrecking Crew)
Nodding his approval Dixie, Cavanaugh Theater
while tapping on his keyboard, Lyran Alliance
Douglas displayed orders to Team 13 November 3071
Two to this effect. “Why am I
here, sir, instead of Lieutenant “Josh, wake up and haul
Colonel MacKenzie, sir? It’s his ass to CnC. We gotta broadcast
team.” from the Nadir jump point coming
in.”
The Colonel made a small Josh Edwards rubbed the
motion, moving aside a piece of sleep from his eyes and resolved
paper, revealing a box of Lieuten- then and there to kick John Doz-
ant Colonel’s insignia. Sergei ier’s butt at the next available op-
looked at them, and at the screen, portunity. Not that there wasn’t a
and thought hard before saying a stockpile of previously earned
word. butt-kickings… whatever. He
pulled on his leather jacket and
“Father MacKenzie does walked over to the Quonset that
not wish to leave with the Guard held the in-system commo gear.
unit coming closer. For some rea-
son, you want me to assume the “What the hell is worth
duty of leading Team Two on this disturbing my sleep in garrison,
mission.” guys? Are we being invaded? If
we’re being invaded why are there
The small smile that no sirens and asses-in-‘Mechs?
played across his commander’s Since y’all are here and it’s quiet,
lips let Sergei know he’d been cor- I’m assuming we’re not being in-
rect. “But one team will not be vaded. Kinda brings me back to
enough, sir. Am I presuming too my original question here.”
much in thinking you have
thought of a way around this Josh looked down at the
problem as well?” screen and saw the spiky-haired
form of the diminutive Sergei
A button was pressed and Chereneko. “We get a broadcast
the map returned, tracing an er- from a Captain of an LCAF spec-
ratic line toward the Chara sys- ops formation, and I’m awakened.
tem, revealing the data about Y’all want hazard pay too much.”
units stationed on several of the
systems enroute. It would figure “C’mon Josh,” said Major
that after fifty years of warfare, Dozier. “We’d played it cool if it
the old man would be able to call wasn’t important, but a: It’s Colo-
in these kinds of favors. nel Chereneko now and b: he’s
calling in one of Douglas’ favors.”
5
tard again. I could have gone a
“Shit.” thousand years without hearing
the name Douglas Glendower
“Yeah, well, we’re just do- again. Every time he’s involved in
ing garrison time here on a short any operation…”
term transitional contract waiting
for Tharkad to pull its collective “Things go wrong?”
head out of its collective nether
region.” “Reina, he plans things to
go wrong. He’s got this thing
“So you mean Doug isn’t about ‘bringing order out of chaos’.
asking for it all, plus New Ava- It’s just that when he sees order
lon?” he didn’t set up, there’s chaos.”
8
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9
Scenario: ONE – Drop Zone have done without this test of his
abilities and really could have
LCDS Yarmouth Castle, Overlord used the weight of the entire Cav-
Class Dropship alry in this situation. But the
In Final Approach Colonel had used his connections,
Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom allies, and friends to build for Ser-
Theater gei this coalition of troops to lead.
Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake But as the azure bolts of PPC fire
Protectorate) rose to meet his troopers over the
1 January 3072 southwestern peninsula they were
trying to secure, it was the Colo-
Wrapped in the tight shell of his nel’s enemies he worried about.
ablative drop cocoon, Sergei
Chereneko felt the weight of three Situation:
worlds lift off his shoulders to be
replaced by the gut-swirling sen- Allied command decided to drop
sation of free-fall. There wasn’t on the remote southwestern pen-
any space-borne opposition so the insula of Chara III’s only conti-
dropships were granted a free nent. It’s location promised a
ride. Off to the east, the LCDS minimal resistance level and a de-
Concordia was discharging the fensible position if the situation
black and red ‘Mechs of Major became untenable. But ‘minimal’
Vought’s command. To the south isn’t zero, and the some of the
west, the Irian registered FWLS dropping ‘Mechs would encounter
Texas Hold ‘Em was laying out it’s opposition patrols. Mostly light
load of warriors from the Ace recon ‘Mechs, they would be a
Wrecking Crew. Despite the calm danger if the survivors could get
look of the dropping ‘Mechs, Ser- back and report about the scope of
gei knew that orbit’s cold shoulder the Allied invasion force. As the
would be replaced with a warm ‘Mechs dropped also tended to be
welcome on the planet below. The toward the lighter end of the
third planet in the Chara system, weight scale, these initial fire-
Pacifica hung below the falling fights could go either way.
tons of war machines, including
his own TR-1 Wraith. Archon Force Composition:
Steiner had ordered some support
in taking this planet back for the Allied units:
Alliance, in case there was some-
thing the Blakists knew about the Players deploying Allied units
SLDF facility that had been over- may use any 160 or 240 ton lances
looked forty-five years ago. So now at their disposal.
he was leading Team Two of the
Cavalier Cavalry and a coalition Opposition units:
of additional forces in to this fra-
cas. Damn the shifting of the Players deploying Opposition
Sixth Lyran, Sergei really could units field the same number of
10
Combat Area
Scenario One: Drop Zone
11
lances as Allied lances. Opposition and direction have been selected,
units cannot field a 240 ton lance player will roll a D6. On a one, the
until the Allies field their second drop will drift. Roll a D6 for direc-
240 ton lance. The skill level of tion (1 = north on combat area), a
Opposition ‘Mechs will be the D6 for distance, and a D6 for final
same as Allied skill levels, except- facing (relative to player’s selec-
ing the number one Opposition tion). If the drift carries them out
160 ton lance, which will have a of the Combat Area, the ‘Mech can
skill level one higher than the Al- enter the Combat Area on the be-
lies number one lance. ginning of the fourth turn, in the
hex the player drifted out of.
Deployment:
The map layout and Opposition
Opposition ‘Mechs deploy first, Deployment Zone is illustrated on
each lance occupying a different Page 11
section of the center area of the
combat area. Each lance must de- Post Scenario:
ploy as a unit, with no ‘Mech more
than three hexes from a lance- If the Allies defeat the Opposition,
mate. go to Scenario TWO (2)
If the Opposition deals the Allies
Allied ‘Mechs then deploy. Allied a defeat, go to Scenario THREE
player will select any hex to drop (3)
his ‘Mech into play. Once the hex
12
Scenario: TWO - Battle at the but I am afraid it is not a pleasure
Isthmus circus.”
Allied units deploy within three If the Allies trump the Opposition,
hexes of the southern edge of the move to Scenario Four (4).
Battle Area in any land hex. If however, the Opposition deci-
mates the Allies, move to Scenario
Opposition units deploy within (5)
three hexes of the northern edge
of the “Open Terrain 1” map.
15
Scenario THREE: Hold The for your introduction to Nikolai,
Isthmus and you can discuss this. Until
then, we must win.”
Clarke Isthmus
Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom He snapped off the comm
Theater angrily, but was rewarded with
Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake the sight of the Ace Wrecking
Protectorate) Crew’s axe wielding lance move
3 January 3072 out to bolster the line. And he
suddenly had a new appreciation
“What are you using for for the commanders who’d put up
intelligence, Red Star Six? Magic with him in the past with his own
Eight Balls? Ouija Boards? A deck reckless attitude. Not that he’d
of Nova Cat playing cards? Mar- been that bad, of course. Pushing
garet Olsen’s Do-it-yourself Home his Wraith to its top speed, he set
Séance kit? Over.” off to join the battle.
16
Combat Area
Scenario Three: Hold the
Isthmus
17
Force Composition: Opposition forces start within the
first seven hexes of eastern edge
Allied Forces: of Combat Area
18
Scenario Four: Securing the In its drive inland, Allied
Township command realized that it’s supply
line would get longer as the oppo-
Northwest of Arvin sition’s got shorter. To help offset
Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom this, a push was made to capture
Theater the small town of Arvin with it’s
Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake facilities for maintaining the in-
Protectorate) dustrial ‘Mechs, now called
3 January 3072 “’Mech-it Lube”, and move a sub-
stantial part of the supplies for-
Missiles arced over the ward. This would allow for faster
small buildings impacting on a action and more daring assaults
‘Mech trying to find cover from to shorten the invasion timetable.
the relentless pursuit of the Allied
command. Eight of the LRM’s ex- Force Composition:
ploded across its chest, but de-
spite the best efforts of the Arte- Allied Units:
mis IV FCS, two missiles
slammed into a house, setting it Consists of any units
on fire. available to players
20
Scenario Five: Coastal Inva- sea as they ran to their waiting
sion: hovervan, Jim saw a cowl-covered
blue and black ‘Mech emerge from
Dockweiller Beach the ocean. Soon joined by others
Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom painted in silver, blue, and green
Theater the ‘Mech strode onto the beach
Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake and to his delight he saw it smash
Protectorate) his sand castle just before his dad
7 January 3072 put him in the hovervan and sped
off.
Young Jim Wilson was
carefully putting the finishing ******
touches on his latest masterpiece.
The budding architect had just Sergei Chereneko said a
added the final tower to his copy brief word of prayer as the small
of the Triad, and now three some- family van moved off. His forces
what identical cylinders of sand wouldn’t shoot it; not being able to
stuck out of the beach. He was tell if it really wasn’t a family on
very proud of it, and started build- holiday, but word was about that
ing connecting walls to his sand the opposition might not be so dis-
castle in preparation for getting at criminating. But this action was
that bad Nondi Steiner when the necessary. While some of the Al-
time came. Suddenly, however, he lied elements had kept the timeta-
heard a funny noise, one he didn’t ble, the force was being bottled up
associate with the beach, but far by a significant ‘Mech force. A
beyond his eight years of knowl- tough nut to crack, but Sergei de-
edge. He turned around to look cided to try and keep to the origi-
out over Pacifica’s inland sea to nal thrust of the campaign
see the water beyond the breaks through the southern tier of the
was, well, bubbling. continent and ordered this auda-
cious move, a seaborne invasion.
“Mom! Dad! Something If successful the campaign would
funny is happening in the ocean!” be back on track. If not… well,
he’d be able to resupply the scouts
Dave Wilson’s head still here but they’d have to come
snapped up and looked out over up with a new plan. As his TR-1
the sea. A veteran of the Clan in- Wraith shifted, grounding the for-
vasion, he had a good idea what it gotten sandcastle into the beach,
was. He thought that this area he watched in amazement as a
would be safe from the fighting ‘Mech emerged from the woods.
beginning to rage again across They’d have good intel on the en-
Pacifica, but apparently he’d emy today he was sure. It was his
guessed wrong. He told Dori to father’s ‘Mech, the “Marshal Zhu-
grab their stuff and ran to Jim kov”, moving toward his force.
and picked him up. Looking back
over his father’s shoulder to the Situation:
21
Combat Area
Scenario Five:
Seaborne Invasion
22
Opposition Units:
Pinned on the coast road, ele-
ments of the Allied force are un- Consists of matching total
able to continue around the oppo- force weight of the Allies, without
sition. HQ orders a flanking at- individual lance weight restric-
tack to be made through the shal- tions. (May use 320 ton lances)
low waters of Pacifica’s inland
sea. Intel’s forward scouts have Deployment:
already reconned the area, giving
the Allies a significant advantage. Opposition lances set up first, on
In addition, Nikolai Chereneko eastern halves of either “Open
himself has taken to the battle- Terrain” maps.
field to help the invasion force.
Allied lances then set up, placing
Force Composition: ‘Mechs on any level 1 water hex
on “Coast” maps.
Allied Units:
Map layout with deployment ar-
Consists of any 160 or 240 eas illustrated on page 22
ton lance available to the players.
In addition, Allied team may field Post Scenario:
the 80 ton “Marshal Zhukov”
Charger variant piloted by Nikolai If the Allies storm the beach and
Chereneko (G2, P3 Edge) take out the Opposition, go to Sce-
nario SEVEN (7)
“Marshal Zhukov” stats If the Opposition forces the Allies
found on page ** to swim back in defeat, go to Sce-
nario EIGHT (8)
23
Scenario Six: Crossing the but it didn’t look very promising.
Straits He had decided to hedge his bets
and send a force to the other arm
Goran Straits of the continent separated by
Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom Pacifica’s Sundering Sea. If he
Theater could shift the axis of his attack
Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake maybe the opposition would be
Protectorate) caught off guard. It still felt like
5 January 3072 dancing to someone else’s tune.
24
Combat Area
Scenario Six: Crossing the
Straits
25
forces from one side to the other Deployment:
as events warrant. Lack of control
would push them inland, isolate Allied units begin on any non-
them from the LZ, and make re- building hex adjacent to a water
supply more difficult. hex on the “Seaport” maps
26
Scenario Seven: Meeting En- Militech’s engineers, Sergei
gagement in the Forest Chereneko lit the jump jets up on
his ‘Mech and pierced the canopy
Archon National Forest of the forest they were marching
Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom through. From his lofty perch he
Theater could see the bright blue and gold
Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake Wolverine belonging to the secu-
Protectorate) rity detail from the Canopian
8 January 3072 Pleasure Circus he’d picked up.
Bright flares coming from it’s
“Goddamnit.” large pulse laser suggested it’d
found something. Whatever it
“Roger that, Red Star was, fighting it in this snarl was-
Six.” n’t going to be a walk in the
woods.
Sergei Chereneko looked
surprised; he hadn’t realized his Situation:
com was on when he uttered the
oath. As the Allied command
tried to gain a superior position by
“Thank you for responding marching through the southern
so quickly, Tovarich Dozier. But I forest, the opposing commander
am afraid the command knows came up with the same brilliant
now that I am in a bad mood.” idea. The two forces would engage
in a deadly game of cat and mouse
“Hell, Serge, y’all just under the trees of Pacifica.
commed what we’ve all been
wanting to for the last hour, hour Force Composition:
and a half.”, John Dozier joked
back. “It’s just that none of us can Allied units:
exactly call you to task on it, espe-
cially me. I want Doug to tell the Consist of any units available to
Archon to pay me.” the player
28
bat area on the “Heavy Forest”
map Post Scenario:
Opposition units start within If the Allies burn the woods down
three hexes of eastern edge of the around the Opposition, go to sce-
combat area on the “Heavy For- nario NINE (9)
est” map If the Opposition uses the Allies
for kindling, rather than the
Map layout and deployment zones trees, go to scenario TEN (10)
are illustrated on page 28
29
Scenario Eight: Gunfight at much… *crackle*”
the Inventor’s Hut
Sergei hit his com, “Hold
The Inventor’s Hut on MacShane! We’re coming!”
Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom
Theater As he neared the fighting,
Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake Sergei saw the tall industrial
Protectorate) building known as ‘the Inventor’s
8 January 3072 hut’. Its ferrocrete face had been
pockmarked with stray autocan-
Sergei Chereneko’s com- non rounds and missiles. Carbon
mand lance was speeding north- scoring testified to the presence of
ward across the northern half of laser and PPC fire. Still the build-
Pacifica’s continent, trying to as- ing looked sound but the hulks of
sist in the capture of a facility ‘Mechs littered before it did not,
that had become vital to the cam- however. Some were from the op-
paign. Jason Youngblood of the position, yes, but too many were
Kell Hounds had passed on the from his own command. As the
information through Noelani enemy made another push across
Vought; on the off chance he the open yard, Sergei took one
would need it. With parts of the look at the wrecked form of Lt.
campaign failing around him, the Ian MacShane’s Blackhawk-KU,
facility would give his forces a for- leveled his large pulse laser, and
ward base of operations again. planned his revenge.
But the opposition had good intel
on his movements, and while they Situation:
may not have understood the sig-
nificance of the structure, they Desperately needing a base of op-
had a good grip on the idea of erations other than the grounded
shooting up his command. dropships, Allied command races
north to a structure known locally
“To any Allied ‘Mechs! as “The Inventor’s Hut” but the
This is Cav Two-Three-One! We’re Opposition apparently has dis-
under heavy fire! We need assis- cerned this action and raced some
tance! We’ll not be able to hold of it’s faster screening forces north
30
Combat Area
Scenario Eight: Gunfight at
the Inventor’s Hut
31
to intercept the Allied strike. edge of “Heavy Woods”
32
Scenario Nine: Strike at En-
“Walking Bear, keep
emy HQ
marching south. We might need
you to cover our retreat if this
Northeast of Pacifica City
goes badly, and if it goes well, you
Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom
might be needed to mop up resis-
Theater
tance in the city. If we could wait,
Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake
we would, but…”
Protectorate)
10 January 3072
“Don’t worry, Colonel. I
knew that I’d get left behind every
“YEEEEEE-HAW!” came
now and again when I started
booming out of the loudspeakers
driving this old Stalker. We’ll get
of one of the ‘Mechs from the Ace
there though to either save your
Wrecking Crew as the forest
bacon or sweep up the ashes. The
thinned and the faster elements
kitchen help’s job is never done.”
began to stream across the plain.
Despite being a little un-
“Douse that chatter! All
easy talking to Captain Stephen
strike elements, forward at 70
Walking Bear, after all, a month
KPH!”
ago they’d been the same rank,
Sergei smiled at the banter… and
The trees left behind him;
edged the throttle out just a little
Sergei Chereneko had to resist
more.
the urge to accelerate his ‘Mech to
its top speed of 120 KPH. Here
Situation:
was a chance to devastate the mo-
rale of the enemy. The opposition
Opposition HQ is now ex-
had set up their forward HQ in
posed as the front has crumbled.
the southern capital, and the Al-
Allied command has sent in a
lied forces had just broken
quick strike force to disrupt C3
through. Sure to be heavily
operations before reinforcements
guarded, Sergei was sure this was
can set up a new line of defense.
a chance worth taking.
But the HQ has a sizeable body-
guard unit in attendance as garri-
son.
33
Combat Area
Scenario Nine: Strike at
Enemy HQ
34
Allies deploy within three hexes of
Force Composition: northern map edge on either
“Open Terrain” map.
Allied units:
Map layout with deployment
Consists of any 160 or 240 ton zones illustrated on page 34
lance at the players disposal
Post Scenario:
Opposition units:
If the Allies squelch the Opposi-
Consists of Allied weight +80 tons tion HQ, go to scenario TWELVE
per three lances of Allied force. If (12)
Allies deploy less than three If the Opposition HQ keeps rock-
lances, add one ‘Mech within the ing the airwaves, go to scenario
50 to 70 ton range to the OpForce. TEN (10)
Deployment:
35
Scenario Ten: Held Up on the We shouldn’t be rude just because
Coast Road we’re short of mats.”
37
Map layout and deployment areas Scenario Eleven: Strike South!
illustrated on page 37
Northern Tidal Plain
Post Scenario: Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom
Theater
If the Allies push through, go to Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake
scenario TWELVE (12) Protectorate)
If the Opposition stop them cold, 10 January 3072
go to scenario THIRTEEN (13)
“Ensign Blackwood, you’ll
take east flank. Lieutenant Quar-
terman, you’ve got point. The
main body will fall in behind you.
There’s a chance we can reinforce
the southern drive and do some
good, but we’ve got to be quick.”
40
Scenario Twelve: End Run mike. Behind him, the Allied
main body surged forward across
Northwest of The Citadel Ruins the plain. Chuck Hamlin’s aero-
Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom space fighters had ID’d the com-
Theater mand element of the opposition
Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake force. The cream of that force was
Protectorate) holding the southern approaches
13 January 3072 to Pacifica’s main starport.
Quickly assembling the strike
After a quick pass through force, Sergei decided to break the
the ruins of the old Common- morale of the enemy by eliminat-
wealth Citadel, Sergei had ar- ing their best troops in a lightning
rayed his force on a broad front to strike. As LRM’s streaked over-
swing north toward the spaceport. head illuminated by the flares of
PPC fire, the battle was joined.
“Ace Wrecking Crew,
status.” Situation:
41
Combat Area
Scenario Twelve:
End Run
42
Deployment: Scenario Thirteen: Plains of
Woe
Allied force deploys within five
hexes of west edge of “Battletech” Great Northern Plains
map. Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom
Theater
Opposition force deploys on east Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake
halves of either “Open Terrain” Protectorate)
maps. 13 January 3072
Situation:
44
plains, the Allies are interrupted
by a strike organized after they’d Deployment:
been spotted. Low on replenish-
ables, the Allies turn to defend Allied force starts anywhere in
themselves. the center section of the combat
area, deploying first.
Force Composition:
Opposition force deploys within
Allied units: three hexes of ANY map edge af-
ter the Allied force is deployed.
Consists of any lance at the play-
ers disposal. For every unit, roll a Map layout with deployment
D6. On a 1, the unit has a full zones illustrated on page 44
ammo load. On a 2, 3, 4 the unit
has a ¾ ammo load. On a 5, the Post Scenario:
unit has a half load. On a 6, the
unit has a quarter of it’s usual If the Allies survive, go to scenario
load of ammo. FIFTEEN (15)
If they fall to the Opposition, go to
Opposition units: scenario SIXTEEN (16)
45
Scenario Fourteen: Destroy Situation:
the Word Of Blake Linchpin
Force Shedding their proxies in
the fight, the Word Of Blake itself
Southeast of Melissa Steiner Me- defends the spaceport against the
morial Starport allies. A heavy force, and totally
Chara III (Pacifica), Freedom fanatical, they will lay down their
Theater lives to stop the Allies from secur-
Lyran Alliance (Word of Blake ing Pacifica.
Protectorate)
15 January 3072 Force Composition:
48
Combat Area
Scenario Fifteen:
BETRAYAL!
49
Deployment: Scenario Sixteen: Isle of Hope
50
Combat Area
Scenario Sixteen:
Isle of Hope
51
Force Composition:
Allied units:
Opposition units:
Deployment:
Post Scenario:
52
Scenario Seventeen: Extreme
Sanction Opposition units:
Force Composition:
Allied units:
53
Combat Area
Scenario Seventeen:
Extreme Sanction
54
Scenario Eighteen: Last Stand
at the SLDF Facility Opposition units:
55
Combat Area
Scenario Eighteen:
Last Stand at the
SLDF Facility
56
GAME NOTES: For those of you who’d like to try your
hand at playing or running Red Array,
OPERATION: RED ARRAY started as I’m giving it away in PDF format to all
one of those “what if” ideas. We really who want it. No cost. My way of giv-
couldn’t do long, drawn out campaigns ing back to the Battletech Community
with resource tracking or salvage or with more than designs, artwork, or bad
combat points or such, but we wanted comments on the message board. I’ve
to do more than “pick-up” games. The been playing this silly game for twenty
solution hit us when we picked up an years now, missed out on the Bat-
old, tired copy of Origin’s Kilrathi tleD****s years, and have been a loyal
Saga and were reintroduced to the joys Lyran since the beginning. Crescent
that were Wing Commander I. Inside Hawk’s Inception was important in de-
the manual was the one thing we’d for- fining that image, so that’s why we
gotten about the game, the “mission came back to Pacifica III.
tree”. It descended from a single start
point to a winning and a losing ending. Special thanks go out to Westwood As-
It even had the guide to the possible sociates (defunct) for putting out CHI
outcomes of the game. If it would work way, way back in the day. Mike Stack-
for the Vega Sector, why couldn’t it pole for writing novels worth reading.
work for the Freedom Theater? Loren Coleman, despite his facination
with all things Capellan, for continuing
Writing, layout, art, all that naturally the work better than many gave him
devolved onto me. I’ve been running credit for. Robert Thurston for giving
the fights for years, so it wasn’t like the us a different look at the Clans. Bob
others were going to do it, but that’s Charrette for the Dragoons and Com-
ok. Heck, I like to write. My job was to bine novels. Randall Bills for keeping
keep it somewhat realistic, and to make the dream alive.
it interesting enough to play. Supris-
ingly enough was that when we did be- Finally, I thank my crew for putting up
gin to play test it at Gaming Experi- with this obsession that’s garnered me
ence, people began to take notice of us about ten thousand Kroner… er DOL-
five or six BattleTech Rednecks in the LARS worth of sourcebooks, minis,
back room. Some people have just got- and novels. My nephew Cameron “The
ten hooked on the story. I guess that Kid” Spears. My girlfriend Opalin
means I done good. “The Keeper” Pickens for picking up
the game. My friend Lance “Ion Tiger”
I left O:RA pretty open. It’s a structure, Hughes for saying “Well, since
and is easily adaptable to salvage, and FASA’s Star Trek game went under,
force tracking, and all those compli- why don’t we play this robot game…”
cated strategies that people want to and getting me back into the life. And
play. But it’s a framework and a cam- John “Ace” Hallum, for following my
paign, you don’t need any of that be- lead and trying out my weird ideas for
cause it’s the battles that determine these twenty years.
where one goes from there, so you can
just take a company and play on Robert “Hawkeye” Frank II
through if you’d like. Battletech Commando 184
BATTLETECH REDNECK #1
57
BattleMech Technical Readout
Mass: 80 tons
Chassis: Wells 990 Standard
Power Plant: 320 Ford Light Fusion
Walking Speed: 43.2 km/h
Maximum Speed: 64.8 km/h
Jump Jets: 4 Chevron I Standard Jump Jets
Jump Capacity: 120 meters
Armor Type: Krupp 200 Standard
Armament:
8 ChrisComp 39 Medium Lasers
1 Holly LRM 20
Manufacturer: Monolithic Heavy Industries
Location: Aberystwyth
Communications System: Colmax 90
Targeting & Tracking System: Dalban AQ
--------------------------------------------------------
Type/Model: Marshal MSHL-3F
Mass: 80 tons
Internal Armor
Structure Value
Head: 3 9
Center Torso: 25 38
Center Torso (Rear): 12
L/R Side Torso: 17 26/26
L/R Side Torso (Rear): 8/8
L/R Arm: 13 26/26
L/R Leg: 17 34/34
58
Weapons and Equipment Loc Heat Ammo Crits Mass
--------------------------------------------------------
1 Medium Laser RA 3 1 1.00
1 Medium Laser LA 3 1 1.00
5 Medium Lasers RT 15 5 5.00
1 LRM 20 LT 6 12 7 12.00
(Ammo Locations: 2 LT)
1 Medium Laser HD 3 1 1.00
1 Targeting Computer RT 2 2.00
CASE Equipment: LT 1 .50
4 Standard Jump Jets: 4 4.00
(Jump Jet Loc: 2 CT, 1 LL, 1 RL)
--------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS: 30 69 80.00
Crits & Tons Left: 9 .00
Calculated Factors:
Total Cost: 14,799,240 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,899
Cost per BV: 7,793.18
Weapon Value: 3,277 / 3,277 (Ratio = 1.73 / 1.73)
Damage Factors: SRDmg = 37; MRDmg = 16; LRDmg = 5
BattleForce2: MP: 4J, Armor/Structure: 6/5
Damage PB/M/L: 7/6/1, Overheat: 0
Class: MA; Point Value: 19
Specials: if
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