Sudden But Inevitable Betrayal

Sometimes players foreshadow their own doom more effectively than you as a Dungeon Master ever could.

In a shared campaign that I am DMing, it came to the turn of character focused adventures. One character’s backstory mentioned he killed several people antagonizing him 10 years ago, giving him the nickname “Sev” (for seven). So of course, one of them survived and came back for revenge. Villain Finneous strolled into town and naturally learned everything about Sev and his adventuring party by doing the most dastardly thing possible: talking to NPCs. I think it went smashing, having a fiendish-powered warlock (and invisible familiar) threaten and kill friends and loved ones until the adventurers were nearly booted out of town because of the threats that followed them.

The real betrayal however was the DM listening to characters as they interacted during games. Especially one character that wanted revenge upon the people who stole his emotions and soul (as well as wanting a nightmare). So what does the DM do? Write up a contract and offer said played a new soul, a new patron (paladin/warlock), and a nightmare all for the low low price of abandoning his friends when they need to fight Finneous. The player said, “When else am I going to have the opportunity to have such a cool character moment?” Sev ended up dying in the confrontation with Finneous, but the player was immensely happy to have the game moments to showcase his character.

A good DM needs to be a fan of the characters. That does not mean a vorpal sword in every chest (though every chest should be a mimic), but it means really giving characters a moment to shine. I am not afraid to hurt the characters, but consent and buy-in from the players really does help. I have more character stories as the campaign continues, each one to challenge one of the characters with their past and future. I think the players are looking forward to what I throw at them.

Originally commission for Project: Fromage, the warforged colossus vs. tarrasque was really meant as a personal illustration. In the world of Eberron, I somehow found mecha and a kaiju for it to fight. Where will it end up? You might be surprised.

Farewell adventurers!

Kapteyn Withdrawal

After several hard fought engagements, the Kapteyn forces found themselves at a disadvantage and pushed into the jaws of the planet’s heaviest defensive position. The commanders conferred, and rather than grind their remaining units against the walls of a fortress, sounded a recall order to the DropShips and left Rigil Kentarus. Does this mean the end of the Kapteyn Accords?

After speaking with the players and seeing the results of the last scenario track (I believe the words “curb stomped” were used repeatedly), the Kapteyn Group has retired from the field. The final track would have pitted the two Companies against each other, with the Defenders in a fixed position. However, the Attackers had already lost 3 Mechs and lost 2 tracks in a row, they were down Warchest points, and would probably not recover.

Incidentally, I asked around to a few more veteran players and no one uses or is familiar with the Warchest or Chaos Campaign system, generally just making up their own rules for campaigns. I did find trying to adhere to the rules as written in the book were confusing, not realistic, and unclear or clearly untested. There were definitely some rules missing.

I prepared a new campaign with some interlinked points and we will probably start play in September. We will take August to build a Company list for the players.

The Super Valkyrie–did I use that joke already? Aside from the lawsuit inducing similarities to another intellectual property, the Phoenix Hawk is the fastest Introductory Medium ‘Mech available. With a movement of 6/9/6 it can compete with many of the Light scouts. It also has a Large Laser for medium range engagements and 8 tons of armor on a 45 ton ‘Mech. However, in practice, its limited amount of heat sinks come into play often as the jump jets overtax the heat system, reducing the number of weapons you can fire safely. The ‘Mech works well in close and point-blank range. Also, it is the Super Valkyrie! Nostalgia…

Until next time MechWarriors!

Pursuit

An early misstep by the invaders led to their rout. They doubted our resolve, and now we must make their retreat painful and bloody. It is foolish to consider them defeated, but if we succeed now, we may draw them into the sights of even fiercer defenses.

Scenario track 2 of the Kapteyn Chaos Campaign begins with the Attackers on the run after a loss in the first track. The Defender gets to choose the terrain for this 6 vs. 6 battle royal.

The Kapteyn forces came onto the field with the FedCom defense forces pursuing. Immediately the Kapteyn’s turned around to fight, ambushing their attackers. In the immediate melee, Kapetyn Hunchback was crippled by the concentrated fire, but in turn, the FedCom Victor was set upon. The next moments, the defense Grasshopper that stepped in to block was knocked to the ground and the Victor was cored due to an ammo explosion. The Hunchback began an orderly retreat, but the Kapteyn Raven was ravaged out in the open. Concentrating fire, the Kapteyn’s again set upon the Grasshopper, but the Wolverine was opened up and fell into the water. Compartments flooded and the pilot, Logan, was killed without being able to eject. The Kapteyn’s quit the field in a fighting withdrawal.

While available to most Great Houses during the Succession Wars, the Victor is an iconic Federated Suns Assault ‘Mech. It has good speed (4/6/4 movement) and jump jets to carry it when its legs fail it. The armament is all short range: AC/20, Medium Lasers, and SRM 4. The drawback for the armament and speed is armor. At only 11.5 tons, it is quite under armored for its size category. I was looking forward to using it in the scenario and was able to threaten with the AC/20 effectively, however it did get destroyed in an ammo explosion in the torso (only 20 armor pips in that location). It is a chunky looking ‘Mech, which appeals to my aesthetic!

Until next time MechWarriors!

Meeting Engagement

And now, again, a battle is joined.

Some believe that you get the true measure of your enemy when you first face them in combat. This is true enough to be said, and true enough to be repeated, but it is not a whole truth.

Surely, the first time your weapon strikes out at those who face you, you do not merely test the manufacture of their armor. The flesh and bone beneath it all might give sooner than the metal.

But you cannot know the measure of your enemy until you bring them close to death.

Let us see, then, who has come to face us.

The Kapteyn Chaos Campaign has begun! The first scenario track was Meeting Engagement, where the Attackers (the Kapteyn Group) lands and the Federation Commonwealth forces sortie out to meet them.

The Kapteyn force (Jenner F, Trebuchet 5N, Wolverine 6M, Cyclops Q) grounded on Rigil Kentarus in a hilly area, they were met by defenders from the Federated Commonwealth (Wolfhound 1A, Centurion AL, Guillotine 4L, Zeus 6T). Early engagements were indecisive until a Centurion was caught (bait?) out in the open and forced to withdraw (crippling damage), with the Jenner and Wolverine following after it. However, that left a badly damaged Cyclops and Trebuchet to face multiple forces. A critical PPC through the side torso destroyed the Cyclops‘ LRM ammo and the Trebuchet punched by the Wolfhound from behind found the same fate. (In Introductory rules, an ammo explosion is nearly always fatal.)

This was the first time I have ever used the Zeus. I have generally discounted this ‘Mech: it is lightly armored (11.5 tons) for an Assault ‘Mech and too many weapons for too few heat sinks. However, on closer inspection it held up well in the fight as a sniper platform, firing the PPC and LRM 15 from an elevated cover position (17 heat sinks were enough to dissipate those weapons alone). It punished the Cyclops Q (which has 17 tons of armor) from long distance. All the Introductory variants are around 1400 BV, which makes an affordable ‘Mech and a decent 4/6 movements means it can still get around the field as an Assault. Plus it looks cool!

Until next time MechWarriors!

Kapteyn Chaos Campaign

In response to the marriage of Melissa Steiner and Hanse Davion, and the alliance of the Lyran Commonwealth and Federated Suns, the Draconis Combine, Free Worlds League, and Capellan Confederation signed the Kapteyn Accords. Now war has come to the great Houses once again…

You represent a ‘Mech Company of the three signatory nations of the Kapteyan Accords, thrown together to secure a foothold (i.e. planetary assault) on Rigil Kentarus between the Lyran Commonwealth and Federated Suns. The “Kapteyn Group” is made up of the Draconis Swords of Light, Free Worlds Guard, and the Capellan Death Commandos. The planet is defended by an alliance of Lyran and FedSun forces, reinforced by their mercenary allies, the Wolf’s Dragoons.

You are the commanders of the Kapteyn Group, while I will be the Gamemaster and OpFor (Opposing Force) for this mini-campaign. We will be using the BattleTech: Chaos Campaign Succession Wars PDF for scenario tracks and rules.

That was the email I sent to our group to in preparation for our next series of linked games (i.e. campaign). People seemed to enjoy the last game with objectives, so this adds an element of continuity into the mix. Damage and injuries carry over from game to game (though they can be repaired and healed using Warchest points) and the ‘Mech destruction is permanent.

I took 25 ‘Mechs out of my Kickstarter collection and sent them off to Les to paint. Those all went into a carrying case (appropriately named MADCAT) and into a travel kit of terrain, record sheets, and rulebooks for future use with my home group. I will be looking to double up on some of these ‘Mechs for my personal units…

Until next time MechWarriors!