combat manual: mercenaries

Sample file TableTable ofof ContentsContents

FILTHY PLIGHT 5 ERIDANI LIGHT HORSE 36 RAMILIE’S RAIDERS 60 Light Horse Command 37 Command Lance 60 Twenty-first Striker 37 Command Battalion 60 SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE 11 Seventy-first Light Horse 37 Assault Battalion 60 MERCENARY HISTORY 12 151st Light Horse “Dark Horse Regiment” 37 Sky Pirates 60 Star League 12 THE FILTHY LUCRE 38 SEVENTEENTH RECON REGIMENT 61 The Succession Wars 13 Blood Money 38 Scout Company 61 Present 14 Weregilt 38 SCREAMING EAGLES 62 HIRING HALLS 16 FUCHIDA’S FUSILIERS 39 First Screaming Eagles 62 Galatea 16 GLORY WARRIORS 40 Second Screaming Eagles 63 Outreach 16 Second Skallevoll People’s Mechanized 40 Diving Eagles 63 77th Heavy Armor 63 Solaris VII 17 GRAVE WALKERS 41 Nested Eagles 63 Lesser Hiring Halls 18 First Grave Walkers 41 Antallos 18 SIMONSON’S CUTTHROATS 64 Second Grave Walkers 41 Astrokaszy 19 SMITHSON’S CHINESE BANDITS 65 GRAY DEATH LEGION 42 Herotitus 19 First Smithson’s Chinese Bandits 65 Headquarters Company 42 Noisiel 19 Second Smithson’s Chinese Bandits 65 Armored Scouts 42 Westerhand 19 12TH STAR GUARDS 66 Death Eagles 42 THE BUSINESS OF WAR 20 Guard Primary 66 Gray Death Infantry 42 Contracts 20 First Regiment “Rivers Gamblers” 66 GRIM DETERMINATION 43 Necessities 20 Second Regiment “Ohell’s Heavies” 66 Plain Determination 43 Survival 21 Third Regiment “Paget’s War Ponies” 67 HANSEN’S ROUGHRIDERS 44 Oversight 21 Seventh Regiment “Scovy’s Ironmen” 67 Roughriders Air Support 44 Valley of Despair 67 MERCENARY Roughriders Armor Support 45 4TH TAU CETI RANGERS 68 Roughriders Infantry Support 45 Hard Air 68 COMBAT COMMANDS 23 Death in the Arroyo 45 WACO’S RANGERS 69 Combat Command Briefs 23 ILLICIAN LANCERS 46 Ranger Command 69 BLUE STAR IRREGULARS 24 Lancers Command 46 Air Rangers 69 1894th Light Horse 24 59th Strike Regiment 47 12TH VEGAN RANGERS 70 Avatars of Painful Death 25 4th Illician Rangers 47 Alpha Regiment 71 Twenty-first Rim Worlds 25 9th Illician Rangers 47 Beta Regiment 71 BRION’S LEGION 26 21st Illician Rangers 47 Gamma Regiment 71 21ST CENTAURI LANCERS 27 KELL HOUNDS 48 Delta Regiment 71 Lancers Command 27 Kell Hounds Command Lance 48 WILSON’S HUSSARS 72 17th Armored Recon Company 27 First KellSample Hounds file 48 Escape from Kimball VI 72 21st Centauri Armored Lancers 27 Second Kell Hounds 48 WYLIE’S COYOTES 73 21st Centauri Security Lancers 27 Hard Place on the Rock 49 WOLF’S DRAGOONS 74 CRANSTON SNORD’S IRREGULARS 28 KILLER BEES 50 Alpha Regiment 75 Rhonda’s Irregulars 28 Stinger Company 50 Beta Regiment 75 H’Chu’s Diggers 28 Yellowjacket Squadron 50 Gamma Regiment 75 Delta Regiment 75 Shorty’s Scavengers 28 Swarm Company 50 Epsilon Regiment 75 CRESCENT HAWKS 29 Bumblebee Company 50 Zeta Battalion 75 DEREK’S DEVILS 30 LANGENDORF LANCERS 51 Independant Units Void Devils 30 LEXINGTON COMBAT GROUP 52 (Operational Commands) 76 Pit Fiends 30 Lexington Combat Group Command 52 Black Widow Company 75 THE DIOSCURI 31 32nd Recon Combat Group 52 Castor 31 180th Dragoon Combat Group 53 RULES ADDENDUM 79 Pollux 31 241st Battle Combat Group 53 FORCE BUILDING 80 The Brotherhood 31 LINDON’S COMPANY 54 Force Building Terms 80 DISMAL DISINHERITED 32 Lindon’s Air Wing 54 SELECT POINT VALUE TOTAL 80 LITTLE RICHARD’S PANZER BRIGADE 55 First Dismal Disinherited 32 CHOOSE AN ERA 80 Second Dismal Disinherited 32 LONE WOLVES 56 CHOOSE A FACTION 80 Third Dismal Disinherited 33 MARSHIGAMA’S LEGIONNAIRES 57 CHOOSE A COMBAT COMMAND 81 The Battle for Dromini VI 33 Ju-Lei’s Queens 57 Unit Organizations 82 15TH DRACON 34 The Pretty-Boys 57 BattleMech Organization 82 First Battalion 35 NORTHWIND HIGHLANDERS 58 Aerospace Organization 82 Second Battalion 35 First Kearny Highlanders 58 Armor Organization 82 Third Battalion 35 Second Kearny Highlanders 59 Infantry Organization 82 Fourth Battalion 35 MacLeod’s Highlanders 59 Artillery Organization 83 The Battle for Ares 35 Stirling’s Fusiliers 59 Aviation Organization 83

2 Miniatures Painting & Photography CamosSpecs Online: Ray Arrastia, George Bluoin, William Burt, Roy Carl, Chris Dolega, Paul Eckes, Matt Edwards, Dave Fanjoy, Todd Farnholtz, Matt Frederiksen, Joel Hardwick, Phil Hays, Ross Hines, Michael Holzapfel, David Kerber, Frederic Lagoanere, Steve Livingston, Mark Maestas, Steve McCartney, Ryan Peterson, Brian Plunkitt, Mike Raper, Ben Rome, Lance Scarinci, Paul Sjardijn, Edward Smith, Allen Soles, Drew Williams, and Peter Wort. CombatCombat Manual:Manual: MercenariesMercenaries

BUILD A COMPANY 83 PLAYER-GENERATED BUILD FORMATIONS 84 COMBAT COMMANDS 94 Step 1: Choose Formation Type 84 Force Composition 94 Step 2: Choose Units for the Formation 84 Skill Rating and Special Command Abilities 94 Credits Standard Lances 84 Availability Lists 94 Availability Lists 84 Special Rules 94 What if I Just Want to Start Playing? 85 Unique Character 94 Development Step 3: Select Skill and Modify PV 86 MERCENARY OPFOR (OPTIONAL) 95 Ray Arrastia Step 4: Assign Special Pilot Abilities 86 Select Formations 95 ASSIGNING MERCENARY LANCES (FORMATIONS) 94 Development Assistance SPECIAL COMMAND ABILITIES 87 New Lance (Formation) Types 94 Joshua Franklin Determine Force Experience Rating 87 Standard Lances 94 Determine Number of UNAFFILIATED 98 Writing Special Command Abilities 87 TECHNICAL READOUT 99 Geoff Swift Assign Special Command Abilities 87 LCT-1V Locust 100 SUPPLEMENTAL MERCENARIES 87 OTT-7J Ostscout 102 Rules and Additional Writing MERCENARY SPECIAL SHD-2H Shadow Hawk 104 Ray Arrastia COMMAND ABILITIES 90 WHM-6R Warhammer 106 Joshua Franklin Environmental Specializations 90 Optional Game Setup: GUNS FOR HIRE 108 Editing Environment Conditions 90 Aaron Cahall Enemy Specializations 90 MERCENARY New Special Command Abilities 91 FACTION LISTS 114 BattleTech Line Developer Randall Bills Assistant Line Developer Ben H. Rome Products Developer Special Thanks to our Review Team Ray Arrastia Alex Aguila, Miguel Alvarez, Joel Bancroft-Connors, Roy Carl, Rich Cencarik, Brent Enzel, Stephan Frabartolo, William Gauthier, Keith Hann, Jason Hansa, Art Direction John Haward, Ross Hines, Alex Kaempen, Chris Marti, Josh McCarthy, Mike Miller, Brent Evans Chris Negelein, William J. Pennington, Joshua Perian, Luke Robertson, Andreas Rudolph, Rick Sardiñas, Jason Schmetzer, Colin Toenjes, Chris Wheeler, Matthew Cover Art Wilsbacher, Peter Wort. Anthony Scroggins Miniatures Painting & Photography Todd Farnholtz, Joel Hardwick, Phil Hays, Michael Holzapfel,Sample Ryan Peterson, Peter file Wort. Illustrations CamosSpecs Online: Ray Arrastia, George Bluoin, William Burt, Roy Carl, Chris Dolega, Ray Arrastia Paul Eckes, Matt Edwards, Dave Fanjoy, Todd Farnholtz, Matt Frederiksen, Joel Hardwick, Phil Ken Fairclough Hays, Ross Hines, Michael Holzapfel, David Kerber, Frederic Lagoanere, Steve Livingston, Mark Mark Hayden Maestas, Ryan Peterson, Brian Plunkitt, Mike Raper, Ben Rome, Lance Scarinci, Paul Sjardijn, Alexander Immerzeel Edward Smith, Allen Soles, Drew Williams, and Peter Wort. David Allen Kerber Chris Lewis Printed in USA. Marco Mazzoni Published by ,an imprint of InMediaRes Productions, LLC. Florian Mellies PMB 202 303 91st Ave NE E502 • Lake Stevens, WA 98258 Jeff Porter Anthony Scroggins FIND US ONLINE: Eric Williams Web Site: bg..com/ • CatalystGameLabs.com Online Store: battlecorps.com/catalog Design and Layout Facebook: fb.com/battletechgame • Twitter: @CGL_BattleTech Ray Arrastia Evolved Faction ©2016 The Topps Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Combat Manual: Mercenaries, Alpha Strike, Classic BattleTech, BattleTech, ’Mech, BattleMech, MechWarrior and Topps logo are registered trademarks and/or Logos Design trademarks of The Topps Company, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. No part of this work Ray Arrastia, Matt Heerdt, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the Jason Vargas prior permission in writing of the Copyright Owner, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other than that in which it is published. Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo are trademarks of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.

3 Miniatures Painting & Photography CamosSpecs Online: Ray Arrastia, George Bluoin, William Burt, Roy Carl, Chris Dolega, Paul Eckes, Matt Edwards, Dave Fanjoy, Todd Farnholtz, Matt Frederiksen, Joel Hardwick, Phil Hays, Ross Hines, Michael Holzapfel, David Kerber, Frederic Lagoanere, Steve Livingston, Mark Maestas, Steve McCartney, Ryan Peterson, Brian Plunkitt, Mike Raper, Ben Rome, Lance Scarinci, Paul Sjardijn, Edward Smith, Allen Soles, Drew Williams, and Peter Wort. Filthy Plight

Sample file

4 Filthy Plight

ajor Myron Carpathia squinted at his viewscreen, cursing the enemy missile that had hit his ’Mech’s head and damaged his sensors. Static-filled monitors and a targeting reticle that Mfuzzed in and out on his HUD mocked his need to target the enemy accurately. Aiming as best he could, he tightened his grip on the control sticks of his grandfather’s Warhammer and pressed the firing studs for its twin PPCs. He swooned in the sudden wash of oppressive heat and struggled to observe the effect of his weapons fire. Coruscating blue bolts traced their way through air made dusty by the tread of BattleMechs. The left beamSample passed harmlessly file over the fleeing enemy Grasshopper’s shoulder, while the right made a ruin of its left arm. The damage was insignificant, though. The Langendorf Lancer ’Mech poured on the speed and left Carpathia’s Warhammer behind. The Grasshopper was one of the slower raiders, but now it joined their ranks in the city’s edge, disappearing from view behind the homes and apartment buildings of the city’s residential quarter. Almost in unison, Carpathia’s comrades in the Filthy Lucre slowed their ’Mechs to a halt outside the city and beyond enemy range. Their garrison contract required them to protect the world of Dixie from Free Worlds League raiders like these fellow mercs. Pursuing the enemy into the city, especially the nearby civilian district, would go against their pledge to safeguard the locals. The raiders had grounded their DropShips on the far side of New Wichita before making an end run at the supply depot in the old Castle Brian. Once the Filthy Lucre Battalion had repulsed the raiders, the retreating enemy had walked right into the clutches of Carpathia’s own Blood Money Battalion. Unfortunately, the speedy raiders evaded his heavier battalion’s weapons. The lucky shot on the Grasshopper’s arm was the only damage he had managed to inflict, and that was less meaningful than the Grasshopper’s own missile shot to the Warhammer’s head.

5 FilthyFilthy PlightPlight

Luxuriating in the rapidly cooling air of his cockpit, Carpathia the sound of cooling metal pinging throughout the ’Mechbay. toggled his comm system to the command channel. “Colonel, As he hailed the head technician, a quartet of hovercraft pulled Carpathia here, over.” into the bay entrance in a swirl of dust. Coughing, and waving “Major Carpathia, why have you and your command ceased his hands to clear the air, he could barely make out the squads pursuit?” The voice that crackled through his comm was not the of security troops dismounting in full kit and surrounding him stern tones of Colonel Karl Timson. This voice was higher pitched and his MechWarriors. and carried the whining tone of someone used to getting his “Major Carpathia?” the helmeted master sergeant asked politely. own way at all times suddenly faced with disappointment. It was “Yes, what’s this about?” the voice of Kommandant Mandingo Gluck. With Hauptmann- The sergeant sounded apologetic as he answered. “You’re General Miguel James and his XO Leutnant-General Jean under arrest, sir.” Andrews in the arctic on a training operation with the Dixie TMM, “Arrest?! For what?” Carpathia clenched his fists—but kept Gluck was the senior officer in the area. He had not let the Lucre them clear of his sidearm as the squad trained their rifles on officers forget that fact. him. His fellow mercenaries wisely kept their own arms held out Carpathia took a steadying breath before answering to avoid to their sides. saying something he’d regret. “The Lancers entered the city, sir.” “Kommandant’s orders, sir. You’re accused of dereliction of The last word came out as a growl, despite his best efforts. duty, breach of contract, and cowardice. I’m afraid you and your “I fail to see the reasoning, Major.” Gluck’s tone was command are ordered to surrender peacefully, sir.” condescending at best. Wide-eyed, Carpathia felt the blood drain from his face. No “Civilian homes fill this entire district.” He didn’t elaborate. one had ever called him a coward. He wanted to kill someone. Clearly that said it all. He looked around. The looks on his fellows’ faces made it clear “I don’t care about who lives where, Major. You were ordered they felt like he did. But none of them had their weapons drawn, to prevent the escape of the raiders. Move in and end their and all were clad just in cooling vests and undergarments. The retreat!” security troops wore body armor and held their rifles in steady “You can’t be serious, sir.” Where is the Colonel? Why is Gluck the grips. only one on the channel? Carpathia swallowed hard, but could not clear the lump in his “I am absolutely serious, Major.” throat to form a response. He nodded, and was quickly placed in “It’s too risky. Better to let them go. We’ll get ’em next time.” restraints before being hustled gently into the waiting hovercraft “Next time? So rather than do your duty, you push your job along with his men. off on your successor?” The Filthy Lucre’s contract on Dixie was up at midnight,Sample and file  an extension had not been offered by the Commonwealth. Carpathia knew from the colonel that a new offer was on the Colonel Karl Timson was not in a pleasant mood. He swung table. He had asked everyone’s opinion on the contract, which down the ladder from his Marauder and stalked into the would take the Lucre out of Lyran employ for the first time in headquarters of the Dixie TMM. He glared down the troopers almost two centuries. The kommandant was making the choice who considered slowing his progress, cowing each of them easier, though nothing had been finalized yet. into silence. He burst into Kommandant Gluck’s office without “How can you care so little about your own people?” bothering to knock. “How can you care so little about your honor?” “What in the hell have you done?” Timson managed not to “It’s our honor that keeps us from risking the lives of your shout, instead growling out the question. people!” Carpathia could not help it. He was frustrated at his Gluck didn’t even bother to turn and face his uninvited guest. failure to contain the Lancers, and now he was angry at the He remained at the large picture window overlooking the ridiculous order being issued over the battalion’s comm channel. spaceport grounds. His fellow MechWarriors were keeping quiet, but he knew they In the distance were the barracks and ’Mechbays of the Blood could all hear. Money Battalion. Instead of the normal activity, the windows “I’m warning you, Major...” The tone in Gluck’s voice had were dark and the bay empty. Guards were visible at the bay changed from one of outrage to cold fury. doors. Everyone in the battalion had been arrested, even the “Warn all you want. We’re returning to base.” Carpathia clicked technicians and supply clerks. off his comm rather than listen to the kommandant’s reply. He “Your men failed to carry out a lawful order by their wheeled his Warhammer about and proceeded around the city to commanding officer.” the Blood Money Battalion’s base on the edge of the spaceport. “I am their commander and they have never failed to—” An hour later, he climbed down the ladder from his cockpit to

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