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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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 Posted: 12-Jan-2012 11:40 Post subject: Non-Mech Campaign? |
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This is something that I've been thinking about for a while.
Suppose, for a moment, that *none* of the players in your group, for whatever reason, chose to be mech jocks; instead, they're all either tank jockeys, infantry, intel, support, or something similar.
How'd you run the thing?
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 12-Jan-2012 17:08 Post subject: Non-Mech Campaign? |
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Infantry-based campaign mission idea -
The characters are a mix of irregulars representing part of the planet's reserves. They're out doing maneuvers when the invasion takes place, and so because they're just a squad (or so) of nobodies with minimal equipment (maybe a truck or two) they initially go unnoticed. They hear word that the invasion's gone down, but contact is lost soon after. As far as the party knows, they're the last force of defenders on the planet.
**
possible missions -
1. Escape & Evade:
A patrol of Ferrets with their infantry complements are dispatched to patrol a specific area in which the party is traveling. If the Ferrets spot the party (re: come within five hexes), then the Ferret that spots the party will attempt to engage; the rest will radio for assistance and then drop off their infantry complements to try and block the party's escape. The party wins if they can safely make it off the other side of the map or succeed in downing all of the Ferrets.
2. A Bridge Too Near:
A five-man enemy patrol and their jeep (which has a machine gun and tacked-on armor) are guarding a nearby bridge; two soldiers are in the jeep, and the other three are on foot. The party must either take out the defenders to clear the bridge or find a way to go around.
3. Down On The Farm:
A small homestead has been turned into an impromptu outpost. POWs and unruly farm workers are being kept prisoner in the barn, while the OPFOR soldiers and "cooperative" farm workers are staying inside the house and out buildings. Four APCs and a Karnov service the site. The soldiers are focused on guarding the prisoners, and so do not expect an external attack.
4. Breaking & Entering:
The local police forces were largely disarmed in the aftermath of the invasion, with many officers & security guards being detained by the invading forces. If the party can "liberate" a police department, 10% of the liberated officers will join the party as NPCs; the rest will fade back into the city.
Thoughts?
Thanks.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Vagabond
Mercenary
Mr. Referee
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 5800
Location: United States
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| Posted: 12-Jan-2012 18:02 Post subject: Non-Mech Campaign? |
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i actually think that running a non-mech campaign is easier than a mech campaign. Its becomes a lot like Shadow Run and more conventional fantasy RPGs at that point (except more sci-fi). A group can be a tank crew or a ship crew which is ten times easier to run then the single pilot mechs because everyone can be involved (even a basic character can stand in a machine gun coupe-la and fire the MG). An all infantry group instant turns in a spec op group for hire (thus Shadow Run). The game becomes very difficult to run as soon as you involve mechs UNLESS everyone is a mech pilot. The very nature of mechs simple precludes non-pilot involvement in a simple manner.
With my group with my friends, I actually wish none of them had been mech jocks because only half of the group wanted to be one. It was so damned challenging to have an infantry man in a group of tanks and mechs.
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one must work hard to cultivate the mind and body. and one must always cultivate the mind.
//^(^_^)^\\
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master arminas
Clan Goliath Scorpion
Star Colonel
Joined: 07-Mar-2007 16:14
Posts: 718
Location: United States
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| Posted: 13-Jan-2012 14:57 Post subject: Non-Mech Campaign? |
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Special operations, like DEST or the Rabid Foxes or Loki . . . .all of these would easily fit into a such a campaign and be into the universe of BattleTech, even without 'Mechs.
Master Arminas
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All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing--Edmund Burke
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 13-Jan-2012 20:42 Post subject: Non-Mech Campaign? |
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5. New Toys
The party ambushes a heavy weapons team (sniper team, mortar crew, machine gun crew, or someone similar) before they can finish setting up shop. This means that the team now has at least one heavy weapon, a quantity of ammo, and a transporter vehicle (such as a truck or van) at their disposal.
The question is - what do they do with it all?
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-Jan-2012 20:21 Post subject: Non-Mech Campaign? |
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I've figured out both what story I'm going for and how the campaign will take place.
The sum total effect of some previous campaigns I've run, when put together, will be that the Jihad doesn't quite go as planned: some planets simply never fell because a key factor was missing or present, while others only fell after additional forces were called upon. This resulted in a number of Blakist forces being out of place, what with a number of reserve units having to be front-line forces and a number of front-line forces having to temporarily handle garrison duty.
The first part of the campaign takes place on a Prehiphery world that was hit in the onslaught, with 90% of the planet's garrison either being destroyed or captured in the fighting. 8% of the garrison has retreated to a single sector on the last free continent, taking what civilians they could with them; the headquarters / dependents' quarters is on an island that's been fortified, and the two ground approaches to the island (cliffs that have bridges which connect to the place) have also been fortified.
The party is part of the 2% that didn't get hit but didn't make it back to that one particular sector. They were on routine maneuvers when the invasion went down, and so were spared the worst of the fighting because the Blakists didn't realize they were even there.
The Blakist commander was so confident of his initial assault being a success that he permitted an "inferior" unit to use the warship he'd been assigned to help pacify a nearby star system; now that he's run up against a stubborn resistance, he can't afford the loss of prestige he'd suffer by asking for it back. As a result, a bloody stalemate has ensued between his forces and the 8% that have become entrenched. This has left an opening for the party, like the rest of the 2%, to do some damage.
The party's mission will initially be a mix of "evading patrols" and "hitting targets of opportunity". Once the party gets better equipment, and perhaps even NPCs, they'll be faced with a choice: they can either stay where they are and start clearing the Blakist forces out of their sector, or they can try and make their way to the other 8% and flank the Blakist lines.
Due to the snafu with everyone and everything being out of place, there won't be any reinforcements for some time; whatever damage the party does, the Blakists won't be able to compensate for.
How's that sound?
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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innersphere3050
Federated Suns
Corporal
Joined: 12-Jan-2011 18:43
Posts: 69
Location: United States
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| Posted: 24-Jan-2012 22:37 Post subject: Non-Mech Campaign? |
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That sounds like a good storyline.
I actually played some of my first battletech out of the cockpit as an infantry soldier using the original mechwarrior rules. Playing as infantry raiding a building, patrolling a forest is fun but you almost have to play using self built terrain or miniatures. Mapsheets just don't cut it.
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