Scenario package: Wolcott’s trap

Scenario package: Wolcott’s trap

Background: The planet Wolcott is a death zone of swamps and fog. The Smoke Jaguars have landed with superior firepower, but Hohiro Kurita has prepared the battlefield. Instead of hiding, the troops of the Draconis Combine(DCMS) exploit their mobility and the arrogance of the Clanners. The jaguars’ sensors are compromised by jammers and metal-laden flora, negating their range advantage.

Global special rules (the “great equalizers”)

These rules apply to all 4 missions to compensate for the PV difference of 100+ points:

1. Dense fog of the Sakkaku: The maximum line of sight is 18 inches. Attacks over 10 inches receive an additional modifier of +1.
   • Why this helps: Clans pay a lot of PV for high damage on “long” range. These points are worthless here.
2. Treacherous swamp: The entire area outside of roads is considered difficult terrain.
   • Clan: Pays +2 inches movement cost per 1 inch of movement (they do not know the safe paths).
   • DCMS: Pays normal movement costs (they have mapped the paths).
   • Nozzles: Function normally for both sides.

Mission 1: The provocation

Situation: A small unit of the DCMS shows itself open to lure the vanguard of the Jaguars into a bottleneck. The Jaguars want to crush these “pesky flies”.

• Defender (DCMS): 200 PV
  • Focus: Fast units (hover, light mechs).
• Attacker (Clan Smoke Jaguar): 300 PV(+100 PV difference)
  • Focus: Fast OmniMechs (Dasher, Dragonfly).

Layout: Long, narrow pitch. DCMS starts on one short edge, Clan on the opposite edge.

Goals:

• DCMS (cat and mouse): The DCMS player must move his units beyond the clan starting edge (“Breakthrough”).
• Clan (Destruction): Destroy all DCMS units.

Special rule “Knowledge of the terrain”: The DCMS player automatically gains an additional +1 TMM (Target Movement Modifier) on all his units each turn due to perfect local knowledge, as long as they have moved at least 2 inches.

Winning condition:

• The DCMS player wins if at least 50% of his PVs leave the playing field via the opponent’s edge.
• The clan only wins if it prevents this.

Mission 2: Stuck in the mire

Situation: The Jaguars have followed the vanguard and are now stuck in the deepest swamp. Heavy DCMS units are blocking the only fixed path.

• Defender (DCMS): 250 PV
  • Units: Heavy mechs with good armor (e.g. Grand Dragon).
• Attacker (Clan Smoke Jaguar): 360 PV(+110 PV difference)
  • Units: Medium and Heavy OmniMechs.

Setup: The clan starts in the center of the table, completely surrounded by swamp. The DCMS is distributed along the four edges of the table.

Goals:

• King of the Hill (Inverse): There is a target marker (supply goods/data core) in the center of the table.
• DCMS: Must capture the marker (end of a turn within 2 inches of an enemy unit).
• Clan: Must hold/defend the marker

Special rule “Mud Hell”: Due to the deep mud, all clan mechs that run (not jump) must make a Piloting Skill Roll (Skill + d6; dice value must be greater than Skill to succeed) every turn. If unsuccessful, they receive 1 point of damage to the structure (falls/actuator overheating) and their movement ends immediately. The DCMS is not affected (they stand on prepared platforms or know the fixed locations).

Mission 3: Zellbrigen (The Duel of Honor)

Situation: The main forces clash. Hohiro Kurita openly radios the Clanners and challenges them to duels. The proud Jaguars cannot refuse, even though they are at a tactical disadvantage.

• Defender (DCMS – Genyosha): 300 PV
  • Special feature: Elite pilots (improve skill!). Min. 50% of all units skill 2 or 3.
• Attacker (Clan Smoke Jaguar): 420 PV(+120 PV difference)
  • Special feature: Massive firepower.

Setup: Standard “Battleline” setup.

Goals:

• Destruction: Whoever has destroyed more enemy PVs at the end wins.

Special rule “Forced honor (cell brigade)”: This is the key to victory for the losing DCMS.

1. The clan player must declare his attacks before the DCMS player does.
2. When a clan unit opens fire on a target, it is “bound” to this target. It may not fire at any other target until it is destroyed or leaves the playing field.
3. The DCMS player does not have this restriction. He can use Focus Fire (3 DCMS Mechs shoot at 1 Clan Mech).

Tactic: The DCMS player can use a very fast mech (high TMM) to “bind” a heavy clan mech (the clan mech barely hits it), while the rest of the DCMS army takes out the other clan mechs one by one.

Mission 4: Payday (Capture the Flag)

Situation: The battle is decided, the jaguars retreat. But Kurita wants his wager: the OmniMechs. The DCMS troops try to immobilize the fleeing Clanners in order to recover the machines.

• Defender (DCMS): 350 PV
  • Objective: To paralyze mechs (“Mission Kill”).
• Attacker (Clan Smoke Jaguar): 500 PV(+150 PV difference)
  • Objective: Retreat to the landing zone.

Setup: The clan must cross the pitch from edge A to edge B. The DCMS may line up on the long side flanks (pincer attack).

Goals:

• DCMS: Gain 1 victory point for each clan mech destroyed, but 3 victory points for each clan mech that is “immobilized” (0 MV or shutdown) but not completely destroyed.
• Clan: Receives points for each mech that reaches edge B (percentage of PV).

Special rule “Aimed shots & EMP”: To compensate for the PV difference, the DCMS has loaded special ammunition.

• Each successful hit by the DCMS forces the clan unit to make a roll on the Critical Hit Table (even if the armor has not yet been penetrated). This represents EMP mines and “sticky ammunition”.
• This drastically increases the chance of clan mechs slowing down (MP hits) or losing weapons without the DCMS player having to shoot away the massive clan armor completely.

Victory condition: The DCMS player wins if he collects at least 6 victory points (which corresponds to capturing 2 OmniMechs). The clan wins if it can save more than 60% of its PV from the board.

Design note: The appeal of inequality

Why I break the balance

In most games of BattleTech Alpha Strike, players strive for mathematical perfection: both sides post exactly the same number of points (PV) to guarantee a “fair” game. This is good for tournaments, but it rarely reflects the reality of military conflict or the drama of BattleTech lore.

In a real war, the starting position is almost never symmetrical. A defender is often outnumbered, but knows the terrain. An attacker may have the better weapons, but supply problems. This scenario package is a deliberate attempt to make this asymmetry playable.

The experiment: PV vs. tactics: I confront the DCMS player with a massive material inferiority (100 to 150 PV less). On paper, this is a sure loss. But PV only measures pure combat power (armor, damage,…). PV does not measure:

• Strategic positioning.
• The advantage of dense fog against long-range weapons.
• Psychological restraints of the opponent (like the clan-typical cell brigade).

In this package, the “balance” is not to be found in the army lists, but in the victory conditions and special rules. The Clan player must win by using brute force; the DCMS player wins by playing smarter, avoiding combat and luring the opponent into traps. The goal is to create the feeling of a Desperate Stand, where victory through tactics tastes sweeter than any victory through sheer dice power.

Example of possible units

1st attacker: Clan Smoke Jaguar (Beta Galaxy)

Concept: High technology, massive firepower, arrogance. Few units, but they are extremely expensive.

Total pool (from which the missions are selected):

1. Dire Wolf (Daishi) Prime – The Leader (Dietr Osis)
   • The monster on the battlefield. Massive armor and firepower.
   • PV: 56
   • MUL Link: Dire Wolf Prime
2. Timber Wolf (Mad Cat) Prime – The Icon
   • Fast, deadly, versatile.
   • PV: 54
   • MUL Link: Timber Wolf Prime
3. Summoner (Thor) Prime – The Knight
   • Mobile thanks to jump nozzles (important in the swamp!), good range.
   • PV: 43
   • MUL Link: Summoner Prime
4. Stormcrow (Ryoken) Prime – The Hunter
   • Very fast for a medium mech, high firepower.
   • PV: 43
   • MUL Link: Stormcrow Prime
5. Mist Lynx (Koshi) Prime – The Scout
   • Jumps far, ideal for finding DCMS units.
   • PV: 27
   • MUL Link: Mist Lynx Prime
6. Elemental Battle Armor – The Toads
   • Can hold on to OmniMechs (Mechanized Battle Armor). Deadly in close combat.
   • PV: 15 (per squad)
   • MUL Link: Elemental Battle Armor [Laser]

2nd Defender: Draconis Combine (Genyosha / “Yuutsu”)

Concept: experts in the terrain, close combat specialists and fast flankers.

Total pool:

1. Hatamoto-Chi HTM-27T – The Samurai
   • The anchor of the line. Looks like a samurai, can withstand a lot.
   • PV: 39
   • MUL Link: Hatamoto-Chi HTM-27T
2. Grand Dragon DRG-5K – The workhorse
   • Very fast for a Heavy, perfect for outmaneuvering Clanner and falling in the back.
   • PV: 33
   • MUL Link: Grand Dragon DRG-5K
3. Catapult CPLT-C1 – The swamp lurker
   • Indirect fire (IF1). Can shoot across forests without being seen.
   • PV: 32
   • MUL Link: Catapult CPLT-C1
4. Jenner JR7-F – The speedster
   • Extremely fast, well armored for a light mech. No ammunition that can explode.
   • PV: 32
   • MUL Link: Jenner JR7-F
5. Panther PNT-9R – The sniper
   • Slow, but jumps. Has a PPC for long-range shots. Makes maximum use of cover.
   • PV: 19
   • MUL Link: Panther PNT-9R
6. Saladin Assault Hover Tank (Standard) – The Glass Cannon
   • Extremely fast (Hover), carries a massive AC/20. Deadly, but dies on the first hit. High Risk, High Reward.
   • PV: 19
   • MUL Link: Saladin Assault Hover Tank