Pro Scrub's Stuff

Sometimes art comes out of my hands. ☕ https://ko-fi.com/professionalscrublord 🙏 Ask me about 2D/3D art commissions. Miniature commissions?

[professionalscrublord]

Drew up an infographic to introduce my Battletech players to the next arc.

New employer, new battlefield.

C-bills await!

ISmap from Gruese.de/innersphere

Regional/Planet data from Sarna.net

Satellite map drawn by me (pixelated, players may get an aerial scan at higher resolution through negotiations)

[professionalscrublord]

Metal Dice pt2 (d4)

i maed dis (Teenage Mutant Ninja Urbies in the background)

1d4 I made the week after the 2d6, rounded-rectangle style, because a metal pyramid-style d4 would instantly kill me if I stepped on it.

SUNLIGHT!

[professionalscrublord]

Metal Dice pt1 (2d6)

i maed dis

I work in a machine shop now and recently I've been blessed with a lull in work and a cool supervisor, so I made myself a pair of dice out of some metal scrap that was going to be recycled anyway

2d6 for Battletech, naturally. Yes, they were very loud to roll. 22mm and 86g each! Dice tray mandatory! Battle report to follow.

Started off cutting some 7/8" cubes, rounded the edges with a Radius tool, sketched out the appropriate spacing for the pips, marked them on the dice to make sure I didn't mess up which face got what later (Opposite sides must add up to 7!) Then drilled the pips and chamfered them. Pip depth varied to try to even out the weight distribution on each face (not by a visible amount, only measurable)

[professionalscrublord]

Got a whiteboard at home, sent a Wolverine WVR-6R to scout it out

[professionalscrublord]

Capitol Battle drawn up!

We have: - Pilot "Chicken" narrowly ejecting from the Orion ahead of the King Crab's AC/20 headshot by the skin of his teeth - Wolverine at ground zero of enemy pilot "Sabretooth's" self-destruction, after having been repeatedly humiliated and not willing to accept yet another capture - Quickdraw and Thunderbolt in support by Capitol and roadway - Enemy Ostscout jumping around being annoying - Davion ASF bombing a crippled Assassin over yonder (leg too damaged to approach the fight closer than LRM long range) - St. Ives SRM infantry blasting away from a wall tower, and tanker crew bailing from a busted Condor

Link to the battle report:

Op.SGBK Finale, P6: Capitol Liberation

Phase 6 map, half regular size, close quarters! Lines drawn for the limits Davion units can be ordered to without negotiating for additional

[professionalscrublord]

Pink Panther

Here it is next to the last Rifleman

Also added House Davion flair to the front hexface on the Rifleman.

They're the same picture.

[professionalscrublord]

Davion Rifleman RFL-3N

New mini paint fresh out of the art station! Mud was done with Old Rust + Fresh Rust technical paints, dabbed the first on with a worn, splayed-out brush, then drybrushed the second lightly around it.

Check out that freehand House Davion logo, did it with some tiny nail art brushes my partner gave me

WIPs before Wash+Drybrush

[bitterxalmonds]

⚠️ SCAMMER WARNING – ARTISTS BEWARE! ⚠️

Hey fellow artists! I just encountered a scammer who is trying to trick people into giving out their PayPal emails. Here’s how they operate:

• They offer way more money than your actual commission prices (e.g., $200 when my max is $30).

• They have almost no posts or engagement on their Tumblr, likely a throwaway account.

• They keep demanding a PayPal email instead of using my PayPal.me link (which is safer).

• They use this picture in their scams

This is likely an overpayment scam or a way to send fake PayPal receipts. If someone does this to you, do not give out your email, refuse overpayment, and don’t start work until payment is confirmed.

Please share this to protect other artists! If you see someone with similar behavior, be cautious! Stay safe!

[professionalscrublord]

Just received another one of these scam attempts from the account @Leemart1902

These guys are pathetic

[professionalscrublord]

Naval Base hand-drawn map

From the last game

[professionalscrublord]

Battletech 4th SW After-Action Report: Week 3 of Nov 3028

Liao naval base. Made in MegaMek!

The Setup:

The mercenaries had previously uncovered a secret submarine shipping lane which was keeping the otherwise cut-off CCAF contingent to the northeast of Valencia supplied.

This development immediately made a Liao naval base off the Valencian coast a priority target.

Davion-St.Ives forces push on the cornered holdout.

The Contract:

St.Ives Merc Liaison Lin Tseng offers this follow-up contract to the Scouting mission:

Naval Base, St.Ives vs Liao Base Pay: 100% (890wp) Primary Obj: Disrupt supply operations (+200) Secondary Obj: Control island (+100) Salvage: 50%

Brief: "We've located a small island port receiving more shipments than appropriate for the local detachment, and suspect the cargo submarines are docking here to supply the Valencian coast. We want you to sabotage the base, or capture it if you can."

AO: Small island surrounded in increasingly deep water. East: Liao surface shipping lane (known) West: Liao underwater shipping lane (expected) North or South: Suggested entry

Support available: Cheetah F-11-R scout plane

Negotiations: St.Ives is short on cash, but will offer perks such as supplying hardware, repair, and resupply instead. The mercenaries chose to negotiate for armor repairs and a Cheetah scout plane loaded up with sensor drones.

I drew the map out onto a vinyl battlemat with wet-erase markers. Behold my 3d-printed bunkers and melon-baller radar dish.

The Battle:

The mercenaries chose to deploy a lance comprised of: Catapult CPLT-C1 Grasshopper GHR-5N (Custom refit before mass-production) Griffin GRF-1N+ (Upgraded with Double Heat Sinks) And the King Crab KGC-000b on its maiden deployment.

Deploying into deep water as part of negotiations, they began an underwater hike towards the target from out of surface sensor range.

They chose to approach from the East, encountering a submarine departing the island. The more advanced mech sensors detected the aquatic support vehicle before it detected them, and they elected to hold still and let it pass by. The submarine then passed them by, blind.

Their approach was timed to arrive shortly after their scout plane did a flyby with sensor drones netting them an idea of what they were up against. They detected a few large entities on the outer islands that were assumed to be mechs, and three 30-ton objects *inside* the main island.

The mercs rise out of the shoreline, attracting the attention of a Mongoose, Merlin, Crockett, and Chameleon mech, as well as two Manta fast-attack submarines engaging them with torpedoes.

One Manta is immediately shot in the Front, hull breached, and takes severe motive damage immobilizing it. Surviving crew start bailing out.

Mongoose about to get it from the Grasshopper and Catapult. A small truck has gunned it away from the satellite building towards the main complex's cavern entrance.

They dispatch the Mongoose in short order, advancing on the Crockett, which had been plinking away at them with ER Large Lasers and an LB-10X.

The Grasshopper and Merlin face off, jumping cover-to-cover, cooling in water, blasting at each other.

The King Crab attempts to bring weapons to bear but the Chameleon in front of it scrambles for cover, to avoid the twin AC/20s.

The second Manta rushes to rescue the first's crew, and leaves the AO for safety once the mercs make onto land.

Enemy Crockett has 4 stacks of PSRs from taking 96 damage this turn! A platform has opened atop the main island and a transport VTOl emerged, being immediately blown away by the mercs. 6 labcoat-clad individuals fell out, two of them dead. One of them hits a panel and they retreat back down the hangar elevator.

The mercenary Catapult had loaded Incendiary LRMs and ignited all the infantry firing positions before they ever entered range of man-portable LRMs, causing the platoons to run further inside the complex.

Merc Catapult also fired up every stand of trees the defending Liao mechs attempted to take cover in, smoking them out of hiding and building up heat.

The mercenaries scrap the Crockett in a hail of lasers, missiles, and autocannon fire, the pilot staying inside the wreck while surrounded in flames.

The enemy Merlin and Chameleon attempt to run inside the complex, the King Crab giving chase into close quarters.

The KGC sees a hidden waterway running through the island where another Seahorse Cargo Sub is docked, along with three large holding tanks, two with red stripes and one with black. The enemy mechs are attempting to hold onto the sub for an escape, but one volley from the AC/20s is enough to sink the sub and force a surrender. Remaining infantry are in no shape to fight without mech support and surrender as well, many of them with severe burns.

The labcoated civilians turned out to be scientists working on an experimental sealant chemical, stored in the black-striped holding tank. The red ones were full of fuel.

The Aftermath:

Defenders got hit hard.

Merc Grasshopper took a beating, the rest got off lightly.

The contract is served with full bonuses after capturing the island. The mercenaries decide to treat the surrendering infantry and then discuss what to do with the other captured pilots and scientists.

3/4 scientists attempt to bargain for release with safe-handling procedures for the sealant chemical, shushing the 4th.

[professionalscrublord]

Battletech 4th Succession War Campaign, Nov 3028: "Triple-Dipping"

Map: Holth Forest, from the Tukayyid map pack. Edits by me!

The mercenaries consider their options after receiving a message from the AFFS Marshal in charge of the Davion push into the St.Ives theater of operations:

To the Kinetic Solutions board of directors and their crew,

I had expected, given your origins in the Federated Suns's territory, that you would show more loyalty to your nation than to the nearest bag of C-bills. In light of your recent contracting for House Liao, it seems my expectation was misplaced.

In recognition of your key contributions towards Operation SIEGEBREAKER and our current hold on Valencia, I will not be designating your group as a terrorist organization at this time. I suggest you do not test my patience further, or I will change my mind.

Now that the prospect of exclusive business is no longer viable, I must regretfully inform you the prospect of exclusive business rewards too, are going by the wayside. You will have to prove your loyalty to House Davion once more if you wish to see another invitation to a major Operation and access to our Lostech stores.

On that note, rest assured, if we find our former weapons pointed back at us: We will be repossessing them.

Cordially, Marshal Joseph Goff

Next Moves:

The Leopard still has more holes than swiss cheese, with the Chief Engineer feeling a breeze in the engine room. It isn't spaceworthy. Field repairs would be extremely difficult without gantries and lifts, and they don't exactly have a mechbay big enough to park the Leopard in... They weigh their options. At least the injured flight crew will recover soon.

-Davion representatives ask for an absurd amount, which the mercenaries's Accountant notes is the exact cost of replacement for the lance they took out in the last mission.

-St.Ives Compact, sensing an opportunity (and a veiled way to one-up House Davion), offer to repair the Leopard for free... If the mercenaries sign on to their open Scouting contract for 0 base pay. A favorable deal to the cash-strapped St.Ives, but one the mercenaries can't afford to refuse.

-The Chief Engineer raises the possibility of looking around for independent spaceport crews, but cannot guarantee any levels of Good/Cheap/Fast work in these war-torn times...

The mercenaries decide to take the offer from St.Ives. Why not fight for all 3 sides in the war?

Holth Forest's default look. I added topographical lines and water.

The Contract:

Base Pay: 0% (Special agreement- Leopard repairs) Salvage: 100%* (If you can extract with it… Difficult infil/exfil)

Brief: The Liao position in the forest/coastal areas Northeast remains strong, despite projections that they should have run out of supplies by now. Find out where said supplies are coming from. We suspect a hidden cache or supply route in this area.

Objectives: Primary: (+100) Discover source of supplies. Secondary: (+% of 50) If possible, sabotage source.

Support available: Cheetah scout plane Can load sensor drones in bomb bay to scan ground targets with. Light weapons/armor (2 M.Las, 1 S.Las, 13 Frontal armor.) Without command rights, will stay at high altitude and not engage.

The mercs chose to negotiate for sensor drones and armor repairs.

The Battle:

The mercenaries decide to take St.Ives's transport into the mountains and hike south to the AO. They pile in with a WVR-6R, QKD-4H, CPLT-C1 (traded in their -C4 for it at a sale), and ASN-21. Peeking over the cliffs, they spot a lone Vulcan surveying the skies. They tell their scout plane to hang back when they determine the mech is armed with Flak AC/2 rounds.

Epic monitor table put together by a player who also DMs D&D for us.

The mercs storm the field, fanning out and combing the forests, sensors sweeping. They spot a supply truck and destroy it on their way to engage the Vulcan. One of the mercs detects 250 tons of metal beneath the water on their Magscan sensor. They decide to investigate.

They find a Seahorse cargo sub that was attempting to rendezvous with the cargo route. They also beat the hell out of the Vulcan and force it into retreat, with a Whitworth tagging in, engaging the mercenary lance with LRM fire.

A Whitworth, Crusader, and eventually Zeus come running up from the base to the south to reinforce their rear supply line. The Catapult lays covering fire with LRM-15 Smoke rounds, delaying Liao's counterattack while the Quickdraw and Wolverine deal with the submarine, jumping into the water to blast it with point-blank lasers and fisticuffs. It tries to fire back with its side-mounted Long-Range Torpedoes, but they are unable to hit targets so close. Tearing apart the hull, the mercenaries watch as crew bail out of the sub in panic and the vessel sinks.

Thinking the day won, the Catapult, Wolverine, and Assassin make their way up the cliffs once more, jumping to relative safety, while the Quickdraw makes a small detour to snag a supply crate, eager to keep the mysterious contents for themselves with that sweet 100% salvage clause.

Pilot "Fuji" is accosted by Crusader and Zeus, being knocked over by missile fire, and hit in the head twice! "Fuji" clings to consciousness and makes his mech stand, spotting for the hidden Catapult to cover with Smoke indirect-fire, then jumping up the cliff where the Liao hitters can't follow. 5-ton crate secured!

The Aftermath:

Assassin and Wolverine took light damage, with the Wolverine experiencing a seawater breach of the Right Arm while it went after the submarine, causing the Quality to degrade as rust develops inside the structure.

Catapult took no damage, taking a rear-line support role this mission.

Quickdraw got messed up, with the head almost being destroyed, and half the mech being peeled of much of its armor, and "Fuji" glad to be alive.

Follow-up:

-Their salvage crew finds 2t of LRM Artemis missiles, 2t of SRM Artemis missiles, and 1t of medical supplies, which help with treatment of Fuji's moderate injuries.

-The accountant comes to the boardroom with uncomfortable news: Money has been going missing. As far back as Op.FOGHORN, ammunition costs have been increasing to unreasonable levels, always when buying from Davion-linked suppliers. When asked about the subject, Quartermaster Conrad and Lead Mechtech Henriette point fingers at each other, saying the other's ineptitude is responsible. Just what is going on?

-The St.Ives spaceport crew finishes repairs on the Leopard, but Chief Engineer Tamir wants to do a pressure test to verify it's spaceworthy. He asks for time to lock up the Leopard and run it, the longer the better, but no one can come in or out of the ship for the duration.

-Several mechs have progressed on refit orders submitted earlier, involving Double Heatsink upgrades to the Grasshopper, Griffin, Phoenix Hawk, and Orion.

-St.Ives Merc Liaison Officer Lin Tseng offers a follow-up contract, which involves going after a naval base they've located that is likely to be further up the supply chain for Liao loyalist forces. Its destruction would cut the enemy off at the knees all along the coast, relieving pressure on Valencia. As it is, the ferocity of lingering combatants in the NorthEast of the city outskirts has died down sharply, with encircled forces backed up against the mountains and running short on ammunition.

[professionalscrublord]

4th SW Campaign, Week 4 of Oct 3028

The current state of the city.

The mercs decided to double-dip on the conflict, taking a contract for their prior enemy, demonstrating that in true Mercenary fashion their loyalty is to the almighty C-Bill above all else.

The Contract:

-----4: Stem the Tide (Liao vs Davion)----- Sao-Wei Samuel Lu, Capellan Confederation Base Pay: 100% Salvage: 0%

Brief: "Illegal occupiers have set up a reinforcement route through Lengjing pass. Rid this beautiful valley of the Davion dogs. Destroy their checkpoint and any assets/supplies you can to relieve pressure on Valencia."

Objectives: Primary: (+100) Breach gatehouse (At least 1/4 of 100CF hexes destroyed) Secondary: (+5/+10ea) Destroy/Steal 5t supply crates.

AO: Mountain pass

North: To Davion FOB South: To Valencia northern outskirts (Davion-held) East/West: sheer cliffs (+3 elevation to extract, requires Jump movement, or Climb check)

Support available: 2x Warrior Attack Helicopter (AC/2, SRM-4, standard ammo) (Non-ASF airborne targets get +1 evasion) Limited command rights: -Must attempt to maintain a +4 TMM (Move at least 10 hexes) -Won't approach closer to enemy than Mercs -Stays outside enemy formation limits

No Negotiation power (Negative reputation with Liao)

Revisiting Lengjing Pass (Pozoristu Mountains mapsheet)

The Setup:

Kinetic Solutions dropped off the Davion technical team who had been studying the Star League Royal KGC-000b for the past two weeks. They received a copy of the data as agreed: a pile of technical documentation, precise measurements of various parts, material samples of armor, structure, hydraulic fluids, coolant, myomer, software tests, instrumentation data, engine power and cooling circuit tests, wiring diagrams, and the like.

Then then had their Manatee cargoship lift off from the Davion airbase it had been parked at for Op.SGBK, to go hang out on the moon where they'd likely have plenty of advance warning of anything approaching.

Then... It was on to the contract.

The Battle:

KNTX Tactical Officer Wren Jensen suggested deploying beyond the mountain peaks to the East or West, then hiking over via mech. He estimated Davion would set up in the narrowest part of the valley, the Yellow circled area. Ofc. Jensen suggested making a crossing from the Blue zone for a sneakier approach, or the Red zone for a dynamic entry where they'd be spotted quickly.

The team had other ideas.

"Unidentified dropship, state your intentions."

A Davion mechwarrior's voice comes over the radio, as the mercenary Leopard is screaming in directly towards the AO. They blast loud music back over the radio in response.

"This is a restricted area. Vacate the premises or be fired upon."

The mercenaries come over the ridge to see several anti-air mechs with weapons trained on them... And Leopard pilot Abasi Zegema now needs a new pair of pants.

Merc Leopard does a hot-drop, deploying their Lance at Altitude 1. The Scorpion has no jump jets with which to cushion a fall and must wait for the next turn to walk out of a landed Leopard.

A Rifleman, Jagermech, Blackjack, and Centurion open fire on the Leopard as mechs drop out of its belly. It goes down hard, the pilot unable to keep level flight, crashing just barely clear of the deploying Lance. Metal screeches and folds up as the aft is nearly crunched into unusability, the ship barely able to limp away from the field of battle.

Scorpion pilot "Witness" is feeling tense, not having any way to cross the mountain peaks and extract without help.

Ouch!

A fierce battle ensues, the Quickdraw barrelling towards the objective, covered by the Scorpion sniping from woods near the LZ, while the Griffin carefully jumps cover-to-cover towards the enemy Rifleman plinking away at them from high ground.

The Grasshopper crosses the peak near the gatehouse, triggering ammo explosions in the Jagermech and forcing the pilot's auto-ejection.

Automated laser turrets pop up from beneath the snow, but do little more than annoy the mercs. A radio tower on the peak rotates...

Boom!

Quickdraw and Scorpion make short work of the enemy Centurion, seeing the pilot bail out as they close ranks on the Blackjack.

The Grasshopper jumps behind the gatehouse to find supply crates stashed out of sight of the road, just avoiding landing on one.

The Griffin gives the Rifleman a Death-From-Above, knocking it down and demanding surrender. The Rifleman pilot only curses.

Downed Jagermech pilot makes a run for the roadway, starting to clamber down a cliff side.

A jet streaks over the battlefield, answering a reinforcement call from the radio tower, making a strike at the Scorpion and missing with all weapons. A brief, disappointed-sounding greeting reveals this to be the same Lightning aerospace fighter pilot that had been assisting them throughout Op.SGBK.

"I thought you guys were cool..."

They offer him a chance to be cool, for THEM, and money!

"I don't know, I get paid pretty well," the jet pilot answers, streaking off into the sky and circling back for another pass. Perhaps he is one of those weirdos who actually likes his country.

"Surrender!"

Quickdraw and Scorpion light the gatehouse on fire, blowing a hole in the doorway soon after.

Grasshopper interrupts the Jagermech pilot's escape, who wisely accepts capture when faced with the Heavy Mech alone, unarmed.

The Blackjack rescues the downed Centurion pilot and escapes.

Seeing his lancemates defeated, the pilot of the crippled Rifleman surrenders too, having no chance of turning the battle around now and not wanting to find out how long it'll take for his own exposed ammo bins to touch off.

The Lightning ASF makes one final parting shot, dumping a load of bombs on the Scorpion as the mercs all fire back at it, but not doing any more than minor structure damage, it leaves before it catches any more concentrated fire, heading back to the Davion FOB to the north.

The mercenaries blast the radio tower for good measure.

The Damage:

All in all, not too much damage. Except for the Leopard. And the Liao helicopters I forgot to mention because they died immediately upon arrival.

The Leopard limps back to the AO to extract the lance, much to the relief of Scorpion pilot "Witness". Unable to RVZ with the Manatee due to the hull breach, they hide out in the wilderness and plan their next move.

The mercenaries decide to sue House Liao for an extra 50,000 C-bills over some ambiguous wording around the contract terms "Assets" and "Destroyed", saying they expect to be paid for the destroyed radio tower. Their legal department succeeds.

[professionalscrublord]

KGC-000b BattleROM, Oct 2nd, 3028

Chief Engineer Tamir Kjyilli succeeded in decrypting and transcribing the King Crab's blackbox data from the P6:Capitol battle.

Spoken records are in Chinese, Fuji has translated it for any crew that don't speak it.

Post by @professionalscrublord · 14 images

💬 0  🔁 2  ❤️ 6 · Op.SGBK Finale, P6: Capitol Liberation · Phase 6 map, half regular size, close quarters! Lines drawn for the limits Davion

Hearkening back to this mission, above.

Source Info:

Chassis: King Crab KGB-000b, "Star League Royal"

Serial No.: 000072

Manufacture date: 9/3/2743

Comms system: Dalban Comline

Targeting-Tracking system: Dalban HiRez-B

Data Log:

SYSTEM: Reactor online. Sensors online. Weapons online. All systems nominal.

WARNING: Ammo low in AC/20 bins 1 and 2.

WARNING: Unrecognized ammo in AC/20 bins 3 and 4.

<Local>: Yeah, yeah, whatever.

WARNING: Warnings cancelled.

230.3hz: Ready to go?

<230.3hz>: What do you think?

230.3hz: I'll take that as a yes. Deploy in 5.

<230.3hz>: At least you'll be able to find me if, or when something goes wrong, huh?

230.3hz: You? Psh. We'll know where the right leg is, anyway.

<230.3hz>: That is SO reassuring.

SYSTEM: Braces away.

SYSTEM: Freefall registered, 0.352s.

SYSTEM: Sensors, Seismic. Impact registered, 100t, 0m.

SYSTEM: Sensors, Seismic. Contact, 55t, 30m North.

SYSTEM: Acceleration, forward, 80%.

SYSTEM: Left turn, 30 degrees.

SYSTEM: Acceleration, forward, 100%.

SYSTEM: Top speed reached, 54km/h.

SYSTEM: Lance team frequency established, 276.5hz.

SYSTEM: Lancemate linked on frequency 276.7hz, chassis: Wolverine WVR-7H

<276.7hz>: You're lucky this is a priority mission and nobody else could fill that seat. Expect punishment for what you've done when you get back.

276.7hz: I am already serving my punishment.

<276.7hz>: Just remember the target. Focus. Even if you see HIM. I've seen your records, you have to let it go. For the Chancellor. For Capella.

276.7hz: I am at peace.

<Local>: Damn idiot is going to get me killed… He dishonors Yunchang's mech with his presence.

SYSTEM: Right turn, 30 degrees.

SYSTEM: Acceleration, forward, 60%.

SYSTEM: Sensors, MagScan. No contacts detected.

<Local>: Where are you…

SYSTEM: Deceleration, full stop.

SYSTEM: Sensors, Seismic. Contact: 45t, 200m SouthWest, 40m down.

<Local>: Your FedRat husband taught you how to hide, has he?

SYSTEM: Lancemate linked on frequency 276.9hz, chassis: Ostscout OTT-7J

276.9hz: I'll be there once I clear these tanks off the flank.

SYSTEM: Lancemate linked on frequency 277.1hz, chassis: Assassin ASN-21

277.1hz: Hip damage is slowing me down. Won't be much more than LRM support, I fear.

SYSTEM: Acceleration, forward, 20%.

SYSTEM: Sensors, Radar. Contacts: Pegasus scout hovertank, Galleon light tank.

<276.5hz>: Understood. I see them, I'm going in.

SYSTEM: Acceleration, forward, 100%.

<276.7hz>: As for you, you'd better not do anything stupid, or I'll deal out your punishment myself.

276.7hz: I will not be humiliated again.

SYSTEM: Weapons fire, AC/20, AC/20.

SYSTEM: Sensors, Radar. No Contacts.

<Local>: Hmph.

WARNING: Armor damage, RA, RT, LA.

SYSTEM: Sensors, Radar. Contacts: Orion ON1-K, Thunderbolt TDR-5SS.

SYSTEM: Weapons fire, AC/20, AC/20, Large Laser.

SYSTEM: Sensors, Radar. Contacts: Thunderbolt TDR-5SS.

<Local>: Is that all you've got??

WARNING: Armor damage, CT, RT, RA.

SYSTEM: Left turn, 60 degrees.

SYSTEM: Acceleration, forward, 50%.

SYSTEM: Weapons fire, AC/20, AC/20, Large Laser, LRM-15.

WARNING: Heat.

276.9hz: I'm here, signalling for artillery!

WARNING: Danger-Close: 130m SouthEast.

SYSTEM: Acceleration, forward, 80%.

SYSTEM: Weapons fire, AC/20, AC/20, Large Laser, LRM-15.

WARNING: Ammo low, AC/20.

WARNING: Armor damage, LT, RA, LL.

SYSTEM: Sensors, MagScan. Contacts: Thunderbolt TDR-5SS, Wolverine WVR-6R.

<Local>: Oh, no.

<276.7hz>: Don't do it. So help me, I will shoot-

SYSTEM: Sensors, Radar. Contacts: --SENSOR OVERLOADED--

<276.7hz>: NO!!

SYSTEM: Acceleration, reverse, 100%.

SYSTEM: Sensors, Seismic. Impact registered, 275t, 100m East.

SYSTEM: Lancemate unlinked, WVR-7H.

<Local>: (Slamming sound)

SYSTEM: Torso twist, full lock, right.

<Local>: Get back here!

SYSTEM: Weapons fire, AC/20, AC/20, Large Laser.

WARNING: Ammo empty, AC/20.

WARNING: Armor damage, CT, RT, RA, LL.

WARNING: Structure damage, CT, LL.

SYSTEM: Torso twist, return to front.

SYSTEM: Sensors, Radar. Contact: Lightning G-14 ASF.

277.1hz: Aahhh!!

SYSTEM: Lancemate unlinked, ASN-21.

<Local>: Fuck-!

SYSTEM: Left turn, 120 degrees.

SYSTEM: Acceleration, forward, 100%.

WARNING: Structure damage, CT, RA, LL

WARNING: Gyro damaged, Right Upper-Arm actuator damaged, Left Leg destroyed.

SYSTEM: Sensors, Seismic. Impact registered, 100t, 0m.

WARNING: Armor damage, LT.

<276.9hz> I need evac!

276.9hz: There's too many of them-

<276.9hz> Coward!

276.9hz: It would only get us both killed… I'm sorry.

SYSTEM: Lancemate unlinked, OTT-7J.

<Local>: So that's how it is.

SYSTEM: TDR-5SS hailing on Open Frequency.

OpenFreq: Surrender, and we'll let you live.

WARNING: Engine safeties disabled.

<Local>: (Angry scream. Slamming sound.) Chancellor forgive me…

SYSTEM: Engine safeties enabled.

SYSTEM: Shutdown sequence initiated.

[professionalscrublord]

4th Succession War: Headhunting

Battle report: Oct 14th, 3028

Western Gate: same maps as "Phase 5: Hold The Line" from Op.SGBK

Sitrep:

Contract chosen: Headhunting Objective: Kill/capture unknown enemy commanding officer. Map control around AO: -North: Davion (Mercs infil here) -South: Davion (Encircled airport, no ground escape route, requires Leopard pickup for 50wp if used to extract) -East: Liao (Pressured in-city forces) -West: Liao (Bulk of Capellan Army)

Contract:

--Lt. Col. Daniel Legsworth, Federated Suns-- Base Pay: 90% Salvage: 10% (+5% good rep bonus, can be put towards either pay or salvage)

Brief: Line combat has begun in the western fields. Liao and Davion armies are clashing in a pitched battle. Travel down the line and target any leadership elements you can find.

Objectives: Primary: (+100) Capture or eliminate enemy lance leader. Secondary: (1/2 dmg dealt) Attrition

AO: Grasslands

Support available: Hunter light support tank (off-map) can provide LRM-20 Indirect Fire.

Negotiations:

Mercs chose a small pay bump, a bit more salvage+insurance, and as many fire-support strikes as they could gather.

Mechs fielded:

Thunderbolt TDR-5SS, piloted by "Blitz" Quickdraw QKD-4H, piloted by "Fuji" Orion ON1-K, piloted by "Bub" Grasshopper GHR-5H, piloted by "Bunyan"

The mercs take to the field, boldly diving into the unknown.

A quick scan of the gatehouse outskirts from the mercenaries reveals nothing on thermal scopes, leaving Blitz and Fuji reasonably confident there weren't infantry hidden amongst the trees.

Orion and Grasshopper scan further afield, spotting 35t of metal behind the gatehouse, suspecting a light mech.

The light mech turns out to be their old friend the Ostscout, who escaped from them intact after they downed the King Crab during the capitol defense. It sees them but doesn't fire at first... Thumper artillery guns fire in the distance, it was spotting for fire support!

Enemy Ostscout is escorting a Centurion running out of the gate towards:

An Awesome powers up in the woods, from an elevated cover position, already facing them... It's like the pilot knew there'd be an attack coming. A hostile Crab soon bolts in from the rear, swooping in to assist. It's an ambush!

The mercs join battle, focusing fire on the Awesome, suspecting the lance leader to be inside.

Awesome downed, two Engine crits, one Gyro, and several heatsinks destroyed quickly forcing it into emergency shutdown too.

They swiftly deal crippling damage to the Awesome, crowding it in and bringing it down, taking only potshots at the others. The Centurion seems to be hanging back, sprinting along the map edge towards the main Liao line westwards, while the Ostscout stays a hard target, jumping at high speed. The Crab tries and fails to protect the Awesome, whose pilot bails out, searching for a friendly mech to run to.

A dropship is spotted on sensors, flying in at high speed from the North.

It's not a warcrime if there's no body... Right??

Centurion and Crab rush to the downed Awesome pilot's aid, but before they can rescue him...

*FWOOOSH!!*

The Thunderbolt incinerates the pilot with flamer fire, leaving only a glowing red-hot patch of the Awesome's armor behind.

The Centurion shakes its fist at the Thunderbolt in impotent rage before it and the Crab hastily make an exit off to the west, with covering fire from the larger Liao element beyond discouraging further pursuit.

The Ostscout is downed just shy of freedom, having ALL left leg actuators crit up and down at once. After several failed attempts to stand, the pilot surrenders, unable to join his remaining lancemates.

The mysterious dropship flies overhead, painted white with green highlights. An image of an armored knight with arms held in a muscleman-like pose is on the side. It continues straight past, heading southwards.

Postgame carnage report: Mercs

Postgame carnage report: what remains of the CCAF deployment

A Davion ASF comes flying in, evidently chasing it. The pilot rings the mercs up on the radio, recognizing their livery, and, seeing Thumpers firing from up there, offers to go after the artillery guns harassing them. They accept. It diverts to blast away at something beyond the trees to the southwest, and the Thumpers fall silent.

The captured Ostscout pilot, and the Awesome pilot (before he was atomized by plasma exhaust) were both wearing standard uniforms. Interrogation revealed the commanding officer was the Centurion.

This was a rescue mission. Liao forces in-city had their back to the wall, unable to hold ground against the combined St.Ives/Davion assault. The nimble Ostscout had made entry into the walled city, accompanying the withdrawing Centurion who was running back to the main Liao army line, with the Crab and Awesome providing cover fire. for it. The Centurion had stayed back from combat until one of his lancemates was in mortal danger, going for the rescue to be thwarted at the last second.

Legal Matters:

House Liao filed a war crime report with ComStar, alleging KNTX Thunderbolt pilot "Blitz" killed a non-combatant.

Legal counsel Estela Rina, Esq., submitted TDR-5SS BattleROM footage of the incident as evidence.

ComStar dismissed the case, ruling the pilot had failed to indicate intent to surrender, and thus was still considered a valid target.

Misc news:

-The mercs took 1wk off after the all-day Operation, with all hands on rotating breaks to keep things running. They also bought/sold a handful of mechs on the open market in this time.

-They accepted Davion's offer to study the KGC-000b, but on the condition that it be done aboard their own Leopard. Davion agreed for half the previous fee.

-They turned in two Liao pilots to Davion for salvage buyouts (KGC pilot "Pinchy" among them), and one to Liao for cash.

-They honored "Pinchy's" request to send the KGC BattleROM data to Liao. They kept a copy for themselves, it was encrypted but company techs have begun decrypting it.

In answer to questions from Davion: -KNTX allege comms officer "Chatterbox" succumbed to injuries after P3:AirSuperiority and that's why he wasn't aboard the prisoner transport. -In answer to the dead Pegasus crew in P2:SupplyRaid, KNTX say they did not have foreknowledge of friendlies in the tunnel when they opened fire, the crew were among enemy combatants and were unfortunate collateral damage.

[professionalscrublord]

Intermission II: Downtime, Prep

Kinetic Solutions take stock and weigh their options.

-----

The current state of Valencia city, planet Spica, according to their St.Ives mercenary liaison Lin Tseng. The siege is lifted, but the city is not yet free of occupiers. Active mercenary contracts are registered by all involved sides.

-----

KNTX's tactical officer Wren Jensen found a handful of contracts across the Inner Sphere, should they want to leave the Spica system.

------

Quartermaster Conrad Lyubov scours the local listings and collates a list of mechs for sale, noting prices are currently rather inflated given the unsurprisingly high wartime demand. The slim pickings sees several hardware issues amongst the sales offers:

LCT-1V, in worn-out condition Another with a damaged Large Laser PNT-9R, with a malfunctioning Large Laser generating extra heat SHD-2D, with engine damage Another with 2 faulty Medium Lasers SHD-2H, with minor armor damage PXH-1, with a broken Large Laser Another with a wonky Large Laser GRF-1N, with half the engine heatsinks broken

Now would be a good time to be selling mechs, fetching a better price.

*Fun fact: These mechs and wear conditions were rolled for on RATs (Random Assignment Tables) and the Campaign Operations maintenance issues table, and yes, I did get a ton of doubles...

-----

Meanwhile, Manatee pilot Jarno Henriksen complains that his deckhands are having a hard time finding room for all the mechs they've salvaged recently. They've already had to take several mechs' arms and legs off just to find space, and stepping over/around all the spare parts strewn in the halls is getting old. They need to sell some hardware or the inefficiencies will start to pile up, costing them time and money.

-----

The crew are tired but in good spirits following their victory. Some say they could use a break from the fighting, but many others are still ready for more, it could go either way. Their next course of action will come down to a crew vote.

[professionalscrublord]

Intermission: Op.SGBK Debriefing

KNTX Tactical officer Wren Jensen raises his arms in triumph to the mechwarriors gathered in the Leopard's war room.

"We did it! The contract is complete, and with not a mech or warrior lost." He nods to pilot Chicken who ejected only a fraction of a second clear of an incoming AC/20 round. "This calls for a celebration!" he exclaims proudly, gesturing to security teams. They open a case of whiskey labeled with the Sword-and-Sun crest of House Davion and hand out glasses to the crew.

"Courtesy of the Marshal. He'll be addressing us soon."

====INCOMING TRANSMISSION====

Marshal Joseph Goff of the AFFS congratulates the members of Kinetic Solutions on a job well done, raising a tumbler of whiskey in toast. Standing with him is Lin Tseng, the St Ives mercenary liaison officer. Muffled, distant explosions can occasionally be heard in the background through the holo-call.

"Money well spent. With your assistance we've made inroads much faster than anticipated otherwise. Valencia city is not yet freed of the CCAF's presence, but we can take it from here. We appreciate your assistance, and hope you enjoy your payday. I will be passing along my report of your performance to the MRB. This concludes my personal contract with you, though some of my subordinates have allocated discretionary budgets towards contracting out cleanup work. Officer Tseng can put you in contact with them. If you will excuse me, I must attend to other matters." He gestures towards her, then walks out of frame.

Lin bows. "The capitol building is shaken and will need extensive renovations, but it is still standing," she says. "A symbol of our people in these trying times." Her face darkens.

Suddenly, a new view opens up, an in-cockpit view of a man and a woman inside a mech in motion.

"Duchess!" Lin says, hurriedly taking a knee and bowing her head.

"If only someone could have taken out those dreadful statues," the woman in the back says, wearing a brilliant green and gold dress beneath a mechwarrior's harness and coolant vest. Old, healed-over scarring from shrapnel and burns peek out from under her collar on the left side, and down her left arm.

"What, you don't like them?" Says the man in front, wearing a neurohelmet and green military uniform with teal shoulderpads beneath his mechwarrior gear. "I think they really tie the place together, my love." He adds with a big grin on his face.

"Oh, shush, Justin." Says Candace Liao, the former heir to the Liao throne, at least before she made a deal with the longstanding enemy of the Federated Suns to salvage what she could of a uniquely precarious position. "How would you like to see a reminder of your failure memorialized outside your front door? Truly, my father IS a madman."

Her bodyguard-turned-enemy-turned-lover Justin Xiang curls his lip. "Would that I had only known who I was fighting that day..." he answers somberly.

"Would you have done any different, Justin Allard?" she says, using his Davion name. Silence hangs heavy in the cockpit for a few moments. Both of them had found themselves torn between freedom and duty many times.

Tac Ofc. Jensen coughs awkwardly. Candace faces forth, and bids Lin rise to her feet with a hand, then faces the team.

"So you are the mercenaries I've been hearing about. I saw your work at the Capitol firsthand. It is a shame about the entrance hall, but perhaps it is time for renovations. Some St. Ives-specific heraldry to replace the old Capellan decor, hmm?" she smirks.

"I am afraid our coffers may not be as bountiful as those of the Federated Suns in this time of need, but we have registered some of our own contracts as well. Lin will also keep you apprised of those." Candace looks to Lin, who nods quickly.

"Perhaps we shall meet again, mercenaries. Farewell." Candace reaches for her copilot console and closes the call as Justin gives a short wave from half out-of-frame.

Lin visibly relaxes when the Duchess hangs up. "I have some reports to pass along," the liaison officer says, reaching for an unseen panel with a flicking motion. Icons with the Sword-and-Sun logo of the Federated Suns, as well as the Horse-and-Battlements of St. Ives Compact pop up on a terminal by Ofc. Jensen.

"As well as some questions..."

==== . . . ====

-Mercs want to buy out P6 salvage, House Davion asks for it to be paid in captured pilots' ransom value as information could be more valuable than money to them now.

-Davions want to hang onto the KGC-000b for up to a month to study a rare piece of history, offering modest weekly rent for the Star League Royal upgrade variant.

-P2 Cargo Raid's missing Pegasus crew was found shot by MG fire, but the Liao infantry teams were armed with laser rifles, what happened?

-A comms officer was reported captured in P3 Air Superiority but was not on the prisoner transfer shuttle, did he escape?

-Captured Elite King Crab pilot "Pinchy" requests a copy of the KGC's BattleROM be sent to House Liao. There is nothing she can offer in return, only a request, warrior-to-warrior, since the mercs have proven themselves honorable thus far.

[professionalscrublord]

Op.SGBK Finale, P6: Capitol Liberation

Phase 6 map, half regular size, close quarters! Lines drawn for the limits Davion units can be ordered to without negotiating for additional Command Rights.

The Contract:

====Phase 6: Capitol Liberation==== Base Pay 140% (833wp)

Brief: Relieve embattled SIMC forces and secure Capitol grounds.

Primary: Protect Capitol Building. (+200wp -40/collapsed hex)

Secondary: Escape capitol grounds with VIP if building destroyed. (off NW edge, opens P7)

Modifiers from previous phase results:

-P2 Supply Raid:

4/5 crates captured, St. Ives forces at 80% ammo, enemy low on direct-fire ammo

-P3 Air Superiority:

AA destroyed, Friendly ASF support available

Airstrips destroyed, enemy ASF support absent

-P4 Breakthrough:

3/3 gates opened, Davion reinforcements present (Pegasus hover tank, Galleon light tank, infantry sapper team+HoverAPC)

-P5 Hold The Line:

2/4 mechs stopped, possible extra resistance.

The Choices:

The mercs negotiated for dedicated LTN-G14 AeroSpace Fighter support, sizeable insurance coverage, and some LosTech shares.

They chose to field:

Orion ON1-K (no assigned pilot, Griffin pilot "Chicken" dropping in)

Thunderbolt TDR-5SS, piloted by "Blitz"

Wolverine WVR-6R, piloted by "Bub"

Quickdraw QKD-4H, piloted by Veteran pilot "Fuji"

The Intelligence Report:

A captured Liao communications officer from P3: Air Superiority gave them the specs for a responding Scout Lance. Three of those mechs have been seen, but an Ostscout OTT-7J was unaccounted for.

The Comms Officer also said that 100t of transport capacity was reserved to bring a combat unit to the NorthEast gate, but didn't know the composition of said drop weight.

The St. Ives mercenary liaison and Federated Suns marshal had made offhand mention of a "VIP" to extract in the event of P6's failure, with the P7 contingency plan to be enacted if the Capitol building was destroyed.

The state of Valencia City's held ground just prior to P6.

The Battle:

The mercenaries arrived at the capitol grounds with no enemies on sensors. They had a few moments to prepare, scanning the surroundings in all directions, looking over the small capitol park grounds to the skyscrapers beyond.

They detected a 45t mech right beneath the Capitol building. The metal pinged clear as day on Magscan, but the mass appeared to be barely moving, only occasionally showing up on Seismic sensors.

A statue of a Vindicator and Blackjack locked in combat sits before the capitol building, with a dedication "To the Immortal Duchess" in the year 3017.

In the distance, they detected a 100t and 55t mech on the expected NE approach route, seeing a massive blip through the metal girders of the surrounding skyscrapers

They readied weapons towards the enemy.

King Crab makes a big entrance!

A KGC-000b bursts out from between the skyscrapers, making its 50kph top speed straight down the road towards them. A WVR-7H is close behind, the same one from P5 judging by the damage.

The voice of Sabretooth, the pilot the mercenaries repeatedly trounced and insulted with below-value ransoms during the Valencia campaign, comes over the radio, the rageaholic's voice oddly calm:

"I will not be humiliated again."

Mercenaries order the two Davion tanks to the front while they take up defensive positions by structures further back. Infantry ready man-portable LRMs from a fortress wall nearby, firing as fast as they can reload.

BOOM! BOOM! The King Crab obliterates the tanks instantly, firing lasers and missiles at the mercenaries beyond. It walks past the infantry, ignoring them.

The Thunderbolt detects a light mech moving at high speed jumping from roof to roof over the skyscrapers to the West. The allied Wolverine moves into position to support.

On the sidelines, the Quickdraw and enemy Wolverine engage in scattered fire, though the enemy Wolverine suddenly loses interest when it sees the Mercenary Wolverine, even ignoring the capitol building it was supposedly sent to destroy...

BOOM! BOOM! The claw-mounted AC/20s roar, pincers opening and closing taking down the mercenary Orion with an immediate Gyro hit, grounding pilot "Chicken" despite covering fire from the nearby Thunderbolt.

The King Crab is upon him. "Chicken" grabs the ejection handle, staring down the barrels of the smoking AC/20s as the crab chambers follow-up shots.

BOOM! BOOM! The King Crab obliterates the head of the Orion, but "Chicken" had just barely made it out in time. "Blitz"'s Thunderbolt moves in to rescue him.

Enemy Ostscout joins the fray from the West, staying at speed, taking potshots at the Capitol as distant Thumper artillery guns fire... It's spotting for fire support!

The enemy Wolverine tunnel-visions on the allied Wolverine, its weapons running dry, going for a grapple! Head-to-head, merc Wolverine pilot "Bub" sees "Sabretooth" in the flesh at the helm of the other Wolverine... "Sabretooth" closes his eyes, looking finally at peace.

The enemy King Crab backs away, knowing something the mercs don't, as they see their radar screens momentarily white out with radiation from all directions...

FWOOOOM!! A rush of superheated air bursts out from inside the WVR-7H as the enemy pilot self-destructs the fusion engine! The capitol building is rocked by the explosion, as is the allied Wolverine, though luckily it is still standing, its arms and legs having taken the brunt of the kamikaze attack.

Artillery shells continue to land on the battered Capitol, collapsing the entranceway, the rest of it starting to look shaky too. The King Crab draws ever closer, with the Thunderbolt carefully dancing just out of range of the KGC's main guns while able to fire back itself.

An Assassin limps up the road, also from P5, a hip critical keeping it at the edge of combat firing LRMs indirect. The Davion Lightning ASF swoops in and blows it to smithereens with a strike from the rear, finishing it off before it can do much damage.

The mercenaries complimented the ASF pilot's skills. It had helped them greatly during the Valencia campaign. Torso twist arrows used here to mark the ASF's flightpath/direction.

Just before the King Crab can round the final corner, the main guns run dry. With 3 mercs still standing, 2 allied mechs down, and dwindling fire support, it decides the objective is lost and starts a retreat.

The Thunderbolt puts a stop to it, blowing off a leg with a lucky crit and landing a Gyro hit for good measure. Trapped in a crippled machine, the mercs convince the Elite pilot that surrender is in their best interest, seeing the KGC shutting down.

The enemy Ostscout is still jumping around in good shape, but with the pressure from the Quickdraw and Wolverine, the Capitol building would take too long for it to destroy without the support of the artillery guns that had gone quiet. As the KGC goes offline, it jumps to the East over the park grounds, flipping off the Mercs as it bounds away. The Wolverine takes a few potshots at it but doesn't land a good hit.

Victory!

Operation: Siegebreaker is a success! LosTech shares can be turned in for payment, and salvage from previous phases can be collected.

State of the allied mercs post-battle.

Accountant's Report:

Pilot EXP: Chicken 6>7, Blitz 4>5, Bub 3>4, Fuji 2>3

Choices: (2)ASF Standby, (2)Insurance, (1)LTShares (now 40 banked)

Base Pay: +833wp (contract 140%)

Results: +160wp Victory bonus (1/6 Capitol hexes lost, 200-40)

---Repair costs: -200wp (380wp -180 insurance)---

ON1-K (184wp)

(60) "Chicken" Medical bills, from 3>2 injuries (will need another 30wp next week for 2>1 inj.)

(57) 57 armor

(18) 9 structure

(9) Head replacement

(20) Cockpit

(5) Sensors

(5) Lifesupport

(10) Gyro repairs (300-rated Engine)

QKD-4H (20wp)

(20) 20 armor

WVR-6R (65wp)

(60) 60 armor

(5) 1pt Engine shielding repairs

TDR-5SS (111wp)

(83) 83 armor

(28) 14 structure

---Operating costs: -35wp (not covered)---

ON1-K (15wp)

(5) AC/10 1t std ammo

(5) SRM-4 1t std ammo

(5) LRM-15 1t std ammo

QKD-4H (5wp)

(5) SRM-4 1t std ammo

WVR-6R (10wp)

(5) SRM-6 1t std ammo

(5) AC/5 1t std ammo

TDR-5SS (5wp)

(5) SRM-6 1t std ammo

Initial balance: 4021wp

Total income: 993

Total costs: -235

Profit: 758wp

Subtotal balance: 4779wp (before End-Of-Day maintenance)

Assets gained:

Elite pilot "Pinchy", 2/3[2], valued at 400wp ransom (total ransom value aboard: 600wp)

10 Lostech shares (total 40LTS)

State of the enemy mechs.

Where will Kinetic Solutions Co. go next, will they stick with the battle for planet Spica, or strike out across the Inner Sphere?Join us next time to see what the mercenaries do with their payday following the completion of their biggest contract yet!