Scenario: LosTech Hunt

’Mech Brawl 3030’s sixth scenario is the most complex one in the initial set. My initial idea for it was a scenario where objectives needed to be retrieved and carried off of the board. That gave a nice focus on mobile ’Mechs with hand actuators. Then I got the idea of putting the objectives into buildings to encourage forces to also bring enough firepower to destroy the buildings. Then I got another idea for giving the buildings guns. At that point, the scenario was complex enough that I forced myself to stop adding new things to it.

While this scenario requires being familiar with building rules, those rules are all included in the BattleMech Manual. I also decided to deviate a bit from the standard rules for carrying objects since I wanted to let ’Mechs be less hindered while holding an objective and also allow an option for ’Mechs without hands to still claim an objective (even if it is a very risky option).

Scenario 6: LosTech Hunt

In LosTech hunt, an ancient Star League base has been discovered in disputed territory. Both players’ forces have been ordered to retrieve any potentially useful LosTech from the ruins. In addition to having to compete with one another, the forces will need to bypass some of the ancient facility’s still functional defenses. As a raid for treasure, this scenario favors ’Mechs with hands.

Setup

Choose two 17 × 15 mapsheets and lay them out so that they meet on their long sides forming a 17 × 31 battlefield. Alternatively, a single 17 × 31 mapsheet or BattleMat can be used.

Deployment

The two players roll off and the player with the highest roll is the Attacker. The other player is the Defender.

The area that is in the middle 11 columns of the map and more than 2 hexes in from the long edges is the location of the abandoned facility.

The Defender chooses one hex in that area to place a storage facility building. Then the Attacker places another storage facility in the area with at least 2 hexes between it and the first facility. Then the Defender places a third storage facility in the area with at least 2 hexes between it and the two other facilities.

With the buildings placed, the Attacker chooses a short edge of the battlefield to be their home edge. The opposite edge is the Defender’s home edge.

The players move their forces on to the battlefield from their home edge during the first turn’s Movement Phase.

Scenario Rules

The storage facilities are level 1 medium buildings with a Construction Factor of 40. When a storage facility is destroyed, place a piece of LosTech in its hex. Storage facilities never have basements.

Each storage facility has an automated turret equipped with 2 medium lasers. During each Weapon Attack Phase, the turret will fire both of its medium lasers at the closest visible ’Mech (break ties by randomly choosing one target). The automated defense turrets have a Gunnery skill of 6.

Once placed on the map, a piece of LosTech can be picked up by a ’Mech with at least one hand actuator that is in the hex at the end of its Movement Phase. The ’Mech picking up the objective cannot make any weapon or physical attacks that turn. A ’Mech carrying the objective cannot fire any weapons in the arm carrying the objective or make physical attacks with it, but it is otherwise unencumbered by carrying the objective. A ’Mech can carry one piece of LosTech per hand.

Alternatively, a player may declare that a MechWarrior is retrieving the LosTech themselves when their ’Mech is in the hex with it at the end of their Movement Phase. When taking this option, the ’Mech is considered immobile and cannot move or make attacks for the remainder of the turn. After the End Phase, the MechWarrior returns to their cockpit with the LosTech. A ’Mech can carry any number of pieces of LosTech in this way.

If a ’Mech carrying an objective loses the hand actuator carrying a piece of LosTech or is destroyed, place the LosTech in its current hex.

Victory Conditions

At the end of the turn, a player wins the game if they have moved two or more pieces of LosTech off of their home edge. If neither player is able to accomplish that, then the game is a draw.