• Topic: 4th Succession Wars (ca. 3028).
• Doctrine: “Unity through diversity” – extreme durability, massive firepower, combined with the Marik-typical preference for standard chassis (Orion, Awesome) and combined arms (Combined Arms).

Overview

• Number of units: 52
• Number of lances: 13
• PV value (All Skill 4): 1347

Battalion staff (command lance)

Focus: Strategy and toughness.

Command Lance (Formation Bonus: Tactical Genius) This unit leads from the front. The Awesome and the Orion are the League’s trademark.

1. AWS-8Q Awesome (Sniper) – The anchor of the line. 3 PPKs, never runs hot.
2. ON1-K Orion (Brawler) – The “Mini-Atlas”, Marik’s workhorse.
3. MAD-3R Marauder (Sniper) – Classic fire support.
4. ARC-2R Archer (Missile Boat) – Long-range firing for the commander.

1st Company: “The Hammer” (Heavy/Assault Battle)

Task: Break the enemy line. Maximum armor.

Lance 1: Heavy Battle Lance

1. STK-3F Stalker (Juggernaut) – A walking missile silo.
2. WHM-6R Warhammer (Brawler) – The definition of a main battle mech.
3. TDR-5S Thunderbolt (Brawler) – Extremely robust.
4. GOL-1H Goliath (Sniper) – A quadruped, often found at Marik.

Lance 2: Fire Lance

1. LGB-0W Longbow (Missile Boat) – The purest LRM boat.
2. RFL-3N Rifleman (Sniper) – Air defense and direct fire support.
3. CPLT-C1 Catapult (Missile Boat) – Standard LRM Support.
4. BJ-1 Blackjack (Sniper) – Inexpensive fire support.

Lance 3: Mechanized Assault Lance (Combined Arms)

1. Manticore Heavy Tank (Brawler)
2. Manticore Heavy Tank (Brawler)
3. SRM Carrier (Ambusher) – Lethal at close range.
4. SRM Carrier (Ambusher)

2nd Company: “The Anvil” (Line/Trooper)

Task: Hold the line and attrition. This is where diversity shines.

Lance 1: Medium Battle Lance

1. WVR-6M Wolverine (Striker) – The Marik variant with a large laser. Very dangerous.
2. GRF-1N Griffin (Skirmisher) – Mobile firepower.
3. SHD-2H Shadow Hawk (Skirmisher) – The all-rounder.
4. CRD-3R Crusader (Brawler) – Rockets on legs, very common in the league.

Lance 2: Fire Support (Skirmish) Lance

1. HBK-4G Hunchback (Brawler) – The AC/20 threat for urban battles.
2. CN9-A Centurion (Brawler) – Reliable partner of the Hunchback.
3. TBT-5N Trebuchet (Striker) – Another Marik classic for fire support.
4. QKD-4G Quickdraw (Skirmisher) – Mobile heavy mech.

Lance 3: Mechanized Infantry Lance The infantry sits logically in the transporters.

1. Maxim Heavy Hover Transport (Striker) – Fast and heavily armed.
2. Maxim Heavy Hover Transport (Striker)
3. SRM Foot Infantry (Ambusher)
4. SRM Foot Infantry (Ambusher)

3rd Company: “The Eyes” (Recon/Cavalry)

Task: Flanking, reconnaissance and rapid advances.

Lance 1: Pursuit Lance (very fast)

1. HER-2S Hermes II (Scout) – A landmark of the FWL military industry.
2. CDA-2A Cicada (Scout) – The “big grasshopper”, popular with Marik.
3. SDR-5V Spider (Scout) – High jumping ability.
4. PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk (Striker) – The command mech for reconnaissance aircraft.

Lance 2: Light Recon Lance

1. LCT-1V Locust (Scout) – Mass-produced, available everywhere.
2. WSP-1A Wasp (Scout) – Standard Scout.
3. STG-3R Stinger (Scout) – Standard Scout.
4. OTT-7J Ostscout (Scout) – The best pure reconnaissance aircraft of the era.

Lance 3: Air Mobile Infantry (VTOL)

1. Karnov UR Transport (Scout) – Air transport. Attention: Infantry is transported as cargo!
2. Karnov UR Transport (Scout). Attention: Infantry is transported as cargo!
3. Anti-‘Mech Jump Infantry (Ambusher) – Jump troops for fast deployment.
4. Anti-‘Mech Jump Infantry (Ambusher)

4th company: “The Shield” (defense/support)

Task: rear area cover, artillery and reserves.

Lance 1: Brawler (Heavy Battle) Lance

1. BLR-1G BattleMaster (Brawler) – Command mech of the reserve.
2. VTR-9B Victor (Striker/Brawler) – Jumping melee fighter.
3. GHR-5H Grasshopper (Skirmisher) – Extremely tough zombie mech.
4. BNC-3M Banshee (Brawler) – The Banshee is a storm monster.

Lance 2: Vehicle Fire Support

1. LRM Carrier (Missile Boat) – Indirect fire.
2. LRM Carrier (Missile Boat)
3. Bulldog Medium Tank (Brawler) – Bodyguard for the LRM carriers.
4. Bulldog Medium Tank (Brawler)

Lance 3: Armored Infantry

1. Maxim Heavy Hover Transport (Striker)
2. Maxim Heavy Hover Transport (Striker)
3. SRM Foot Infantry (Ambusher) – For defense against light mechs.
4. SRM Foot Infantry (Ambusher)

Taktische Doktrin: Bataillon „Eiserne Legion“

The tactical approach of this battalion follows the classic Marik doctrine of methodical war of attrition, in which extreme synergy and steadfastness take precedence over risky speed. The core of the strategy is the formation of a “static wall of fire” (Anvil): Command Lance and 1st Company anchor themselves in advantageous terrain and use the massive armor of their zombie mechs (Awesome, Stalker, Orion) to absorb enemy fire while forcing the enemy to go on the defensive with precise long-range fire (PPKs and LRMs).

To compensate for the typical weakness of low speed, the vehicles and infantry of the 2nd and 4th companies act as an aggressive “flexible shield”. The Manticore tanks and SRM carriers seal off corridors and prevent fast enemy skirmishers from falling into the rear of the immobile assault mechs (“prevent backstabs”). The infantry occupy urban or wooded objectives and force the enemy to divide their firepower.

Once the enemy is pinned down at this defensive line, the fast units of the 3rd Company (Recon & VTOLs) initiate the “Hammer Maneuver”: they use their high movement not for direct attacks, but to act as spotters for indirect fire (IF). This allows the LRM Carriers and Archers to fire on targets without exposing themselves, before the Brawlers (Hunchback, Thunderbolt) finally advance to smash the enemy’s weakened remnants at close range.

Excursus: Quality before quantity – the skill value

In the standard list, we have assumed a skill of 4 (Regular) for all units. This is the standard for regular house troops. In Alpha Strike, however, the skill is one of the most powerful levers for drastically increasing the effectiveness of a unit – albeit at an additional cost in points (PV).

The math behind it: Alpha Strike uses 2D6. The difference between Skill 4 and Skill 3 (Veteran) seems small, but mathematically it is huge.

• Dicing a 4+ is easy.
• But modifiers are added in combat: Target movement (+2), terrain (+1), long range (+4).
• Suddenly a skill 4 mech needs an 11 to hit (chance: approx. 8%).
• A skill 3 mech only needs a 10 (chance: approx. 16%). So it hits twice as often!

Here are the best candidates from our battalion for an upgrade to Skill 3 (Veteran) or Skill 2 (Elite):

1. the snipers

Units that primarily fight at long range suffer the most from the +4 range modifier. If they miss, their high PV costs are wasted.

• Best candidate: AWS-8Q Awesome
  • Why? The Awesome is an expensive weapon platform (3 damage at long range). With skill 4, it often struggles to hit at long range.
  • Recommendation: Upgrade to skill 3, making him an absolute threat that deals reliable damage almost every round, even when the opponent is looking for cover.

2. the “glass cannons” (Short Range Strikers)

Units that deal extremely high damage at close range, but have low endurance or are slow. They often only get 1-2 chances to fire before they are destroyed. These shots must be accurate.

• Best candidate: HBK-4G Hunchback
  • Why? He must get close (short/medium range). The opponent will try to dodge it (high TMM). When the Hunchback is finally in range, the shot from the AC/20 must not miss.
  • Recommendation: Upgrade to skill 3, which guarantees that the devastating close-range damage (4 damage!) really hits.

3. the indirect supporters (missile boats)

Indirect Fire (IF) allows you to fire at enemies that you cannot see. The price for this is a general +1 modifier in addition to range and movement. This often makes IF with skill 4 inefficient.

• Best candidate: ARC-2R Archer or LGB-0W Longbow
  • Why? They should stand safely behind hills and rain down rockets. With skill 4, they often need 10s or 11s to hit.
  • Recommendation: Upgrade to skill 2 or 3. An Archer with skill 2 is every opponent’s nightmare, as he almost always hits without being able to be shot at himself.

4. fast jumpers (Jumping Scouts/Strikers)

These units often use their jump jets to get behind the enemy.

• Best candidate: SDR-5V Spider
  • Why? The Spider does little damage. Its task is often to attack in the back (+1 damage). To get in the back, it has to jump far or run. As it has little armor, every attack it dares to make must be a hit.
  • Recommendation: An upgrade to skill 3 turns an annoying scout into a deadly hunter for easy targets.

Rule of thumb for force building

It is usually better to upgrade 2-3 key units to skill 3 or 2 than to upgrade the whole battalion (too expensive) or leave them all at skill 4 (too unreliable).

Summary: List of all units & quantity

Here is the inventory list for the entire battalion (4 companies + staff):

BattleMechs (Assault)

• 1x AWS-8Q Awesome
• 1x STK-3F Stalker
• 1x BLR-1G BattleMaster
• 1x BNC-3M Banshee (Marik Variant)
• 1x GOL-1H Goliath
• 1x VTR-9B Victor
• 1x LGB-0W Longbow

BattleMechs (Heavy)

• 1x ON1-K Orion
• 1x MAD-3R Marauder
• 1x ARC-2R Archer
• 1x WHM-6R Warhammer
• 1x TDR-5S Thunderbolt
• 1x RFL-3N Rifleman
• 1x CPLT-C1 Catapult
• 1x CRD-3R Crusader
• 1x GHR-5H Grasshopper
• 1x QKD-4G Quickdraw

BattleMechs (Medium)

• 1x BJ-1 Blackjack
• 1x WVR-6M Wolverine (Marik Variant)
• 1x GRF-1N Griffin
• 1x SHD-2H Shadow Hawk
• 1x HBK-4G Hunchback
• 1x CN9-A Centurion
• 1x TBT-5N Trebuchet
• 1x HER-2S Hermes II
• 1x CDA-2A Cicada
• 1x PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk
• 1x OTT-7J Ostscout

BattleMechs (Light)

• 1x SDR-5V Spider
• 1x LCT-1V Locust
• 1x WSP-1A Wasp
• 1x STG-3R Stinger

Vehicles

• 2x Manticore Heavy Tank
• 2x SRM Carrier
• 2x LRM Carrier
• 2x Bulldog Medium Tank
• 4x Maxim Heavy Hover Transport
• 2x Karnov UR Transport (VTOL)

Infantry

• 4x SRM Foot Infantry
• 2x Anti-‘Mech Jump Infantry