Mercenary Campaign Rules (2024)

Mercenary Campaign Rules Version 2

Starting Stuff

Just getting into the game? First, you gotta set up your unit! All values used are per HMP and HMV.

-Start on Galatea(later entries may start on Outreach after 3039)

The year is 3035. Life is war; death is the only true peace.

Mack Maloney walks away from the office where he had finally obtained an honorable discharge from the AFFC after 8 years of sterling service, fighting countless battles, especially in the heated 4th Succession War. His hands in his pockets, he whistles as he ponders his options in the private market. He had managed to amass quite a hoard of riches from careful looting of nobles on the Capellan worlds he had fought on. Several bags of jewels, some stocks in Aldis Industries, and raw cash in unmarked C-bills. It was worth about 30 million in all, enough to buy a lance of mechs, he hoped.

All mechs and vehicles are purchased at HMP prices. No price modifiers at this time. Only L1 3025 units allowed, plus certain other L1 units that did not appear in the TROs, like the Raven, Cataphract, and Wolfhound. No L2 tech at all in 3035. And no, the Blackjack doesn't count. All available prototypes are in the grubby hands of the NAIS.

Tip: Go for solid generalist machines, not specialists. Purchase specialists only when the unit is large enough, about a company in size.

Mack looks carefully at the list of mechs available. There's a fair selection for him to pick. He decides on a medium/heavy weight lance, suitable for garrison jobs. He doesn't want to risk it too much in the early going. He goes for the below mechs.

Pilot/Crew Recruitment

You must purchase pilots and crew for your units. Vehicle units are unique to a particular vehicle, and cannot swap out for another vehicle. Mech pilots are fully interchangeable. It is acceptable to have more staff or less staff than units. In addition, staff can also be fired after every turn.

After placing his orders for the mechs, Mack now has to find pilots. He pores over the warrior listings he had managed to pick up at a small outsource office for a hefty fee, trying to find pilots he can fit into his unit. Good pilots are hard to come by; they know their worth and are difficult to hire. Throw in signing bonuses, kill bonuses, and sundry other details, and Mack's head was soon swimming in figures as he worked into the night by a dim light in his motel room.

The next morning, drowsy from lack of sleep and eyes rimmed with fatigue, he decides on the following pilots. He calls up the outsource office, and informs them of his selections.

Dropship/Jumpship Purchase

Dropships and jumpships can be purchased, though not at the start of the game. Owning a dropship offers an unit considerable leeway. While they cannot engage in combat, an investment in transport often pays off in the long run as being cheaper than rented transport. Furthermore, certain missions extract exorbitant prices for transport, and in rare cases, ships owned by the Houses have been known to ferry mercenary units to places where they had not been contracted to fight. Owning dropships and jumpships mitigates some of these risks. The dropships cannot transport more tonnage or number of units beyond the stated limits. For example, a Leopard cannot carry 12 Centurions, even if their combined tonnage is 600 tons.

For jumpship ownership advantages, certain missions will be available, as well as specific bonuses to reflect the additional initiative boost for some scenarios. For example, for assault and raiding missions, a mercenary unit with its own jumpship may receive an initiative bonus or a choice of mapsheets as a result of using pirate points to get to the planet quickly, whereas rented transport is often left using the usual ho-hum z/n points.

In addition, owning larger jumpships with larger carrying capacities will also offer options not available to other units.

Mack takes one look at the dropship prices and scampers away. There's no way in hell he could afford those!!!

He returns to his motel room, and totes up his cash outlay, since he could not afford an accountant. He finds that he has spent 21.5 million C-bills, and has 8.5 million left in the kitty. He intends to keep the money as a failsafe.

House Affiliation Selection

After unit creation, a merc unit has the option of signing a retainer contract with a Great House in exchange for preferred bonuses and discounts. The flip side of such a contract is that the mercenary unit has to answer emergency summons, abandoning all other obligations and available contracts.

Each retainer contract runs for 3 years, by which time the merc unit may opt for a contract extension or to sign on with another house.

Breaking affiliation and the retainer contract earns the unit a negative mark against its rating.

Tip: Sometimes earning a negative mark is preferable to dying against outrageous odds...

"So Mack, you made your decision?" Billy asked.

"Yup, I figured you've always been a straight shooter with me, so I trust you not to throw us to the wolves. I'm going on retainer for you guys."

"Once in the AFFC, always in the AFFC."

"Don't be too sure. You screw me once, I'm outta here."

Upkeep and Retrofits

Length of Turn

Each turn can be anywhere from 2 months to 4 months, depending on the year and situation. In slow business times, turns will tend to be longer. Intense full scale wars will have much shorter turns. This will be indicated in the briefing for each turn.

Each turn will also have a chapter name, to reflect the ongoing situation in the Inner Sphere(Eg. Into the Dragon's Maw, Sword Gleaming, Season of the Limping Eagle). Finally, there will be news reports on the current state of events, hinting at changes to come and breaking events. Your mercenary has the potential to affect the flow of events; ready for the challenge?

Tip: Forget everything you ever knew about Battletech history. This is an alternate timeline. BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

Maintenance/Monthly Costs

Maintenance costs, including ammunition loads should be paid at the beginning of each turn, before the selection of contracts, except the very first turn where the unit is created. Take the base monthly costs, and then multiply by the length of the turn(2 months, 3 months etc). Ammunition loads are the exception, paid by turn and not by month.

Ammunition: Every start of a turn, all units with ammunition must pay the cost for the ammunition loads as per BMR(R), unless otherwise specified in the turn briefing. Prices of weapons and ammunition MAY fluctuate. No hoarding is allowed.

Units unable to purchase reloads means that they cannot carry loads of that ammunition type for that turn's missions. Units are allowed to have ammo for one weapon but not the other if they have insufficient funds.

Below is the table for retrofit classes for weapons. Only weapons of a specific class can be swapped out for another within the same class. Weapons cannot be removed, not even with a few smaller guns for a single larger weapon. For example, a mech has 2 med lasers and a large laser. It cannot swap out all three for a PPC, but it can downgrade the med lasers to small lasers, and the large laser to a PPC by freeing up tonnage elsewhere.

Heat sinks and armor points are fully adjustable. They can be added on or removed to free up or use up tonnage for weapons. For jump jets, they can be removed, but not added on if the base design does not have them at all in the first place. For example, a Shadow Hawk 2H with 3 jump jets can add on another 2, but a Hunchback without any jump jets in the first place cannot.

No change in engine rating, internal structure, physical weapons, myomer allowed.

Cost of retrofits would be [(base cost of modified unit on HMP x 1.3) - (Base cost of initial unit)]. Only one such retrofit is allowed per mech. A mech cannot, for example, modify its AC/5 to an AC/10 one turn, then a few turns later upgrade it to an AC/20. Modified mechs must be indicated on the HMP file and record sheet, as well as the unit roster.

For all of the above, there are exceptions. Mech can change their engine ratings, internal structure, weapon loadouts etc in the event of refit packages available through the House upon completion of contracts or as reward for retainer service. Such offers are one time only from the employer. Modified mechs can be further modified under such circ*mstances. The exact details of the refit package(weapons allowed, engine type, cost) may be decided by the employer, or may be unrestricted and decided by the mercenary.

Also, by certain dates, refit packages may also be available on the market.

Technology advances will be reflected in the unique alternate storyline, and may be affected by the actions of the mercenary units. Cost of advanced technology will be included in updated versions of this document, and also indicated in the turn briefing. Also, lostech devices may not work perfectly the first go-round; use at own risk!

Contracts/Missions

Contracts

Contracts are listed at the start of every turn. Each contract will have the following details, with the explanations in parenthesis.

If an unit does not own jumpships and/or dropships, the employer will provide transport rated at a certain C-bill cost per unit transported, regardless of weight. The cost may vary from contract to contract, but is often quite expensive compared to owned transport. Also, transport for salvage will also be factored in at the end of missions.

The cost of transport will be deducted from the mercenary unit's final payout. In the event of a failed contract(secondary objective not achieved), the mercenary unit will still have to pay 50% of the transport costs.

Typical transport costs for a mercenary unit are about 1-20 million C-bills per unit, depending on the extent of the rented transport and how far they're travelling. Units with dropships but no jumpships will of course pay less than a unit without any transport, while an unit with its own transport assets will simply pay upkeep costs for its own ships. There is no difference between vehicle and mech units for transport. In certain cases, the House may waive transport costs entirely. All this will be stated in the contract details.

In addition to the above, there will be various other 'background' details that will be revealed only when the contract is taken up. For example, a garrison contract may not offer any action at all. Or an assault may suddenly turn into extraction, and units with their own dropships may suddenly find themselves with an advantage (initiative bonus, choice of mapsheets etc).

Each unit can place any number of bids for missions within the contract ranges. Units with only 1 contract bid will definitely get that contract. Otherwise, first unit ratings, and then second, tonnage of units entered, will be the basis for determining which units get the contracts.

Units with units left over and unable to participate in the contract will have to link up with the rest of the unit after those elements have finished the contract in the location phase.

Non Contract Missions

Some very specific circ*mstances may arise in which frequent opponents with a grudge may launch an attack on the mercenary unit. Such attacks may come before the unit sets off on its contract or after it has finished its mission for the turn, or even when it is just idling and not doing anything.

The converse is also possible. Mercenary units may launch non contract attacks on enemy units, and even other mercenary units. In this case, the units involved cannot be involved in contracts for the turn. Also, the target unit must be within jump range as stated in Locations. Such missions will require the GMs to decide if it is possible.

Such grudge missions have no remuneration, but full salvage rights for the winner, if any.

Location

The location of the mercenary unit is noted in the last contract it took(stand down point). This is not the same as the place where it fought to accomplish the terms of the contract.

Mack's unit took up a garrison contract with the AFFC to garrison Landsmark. The contract states that when the contract is finished, they are left on site.

Then, while on Landsmark, he takes up a raiding mission to hit Proserpina. After the mission, the contract states that his stand down point is Robinson.

From stand down points, mercs can opt to stay where they are or to proceed to a nearby world. The exact maximum distance they can travel depends on the length of the turn. Remember, some of that time in the turn is spent on getting to the place of contract and carrying out the mission itself.

To calculate the costs of transportation to a destination after a mission,

1. Determine if unit has dropship assets. If not enough dropships, calculate excess required capacity according to rental fee on chart. Decide which units are taking 'public' transport. Public transport fees are calculated by tonnage moved.

2. Determine if unit has jumpship assets. If not enough jumpships, calculate excess required capacity according to rental fee on chart.

3. Calculate distance in light years from location to destination. Just a rough estimate will do.

4. Pay required amounts. If an unit has full transport capacity in jumpships and dropships, it only needs to pay maintenance for the ships during upkeep.

Mack decides to travel from Robinson to Mallory's World. Since he does not have any transport assets, he has to pay the full rental cost for getting to Mallory's World.

Units with different sub units are also allowed to split their units up. However, in this case transport assets, if any, has to be denoted carefully as part of the sub unit.

For starmaps of the Inner Sphere, here're some links.

http://heim.ifi.uio.no/~oysteint/ISMP.html

And

http://www.geocities.com/area51/vault/2493/

Another useful link.

http://www.solaris7.com/Planets/PlanetInfo.asp?ID=2019

Combat

Ejection

1 individual edge point for each mini that matches the mercenary design fielded (Wasp mini for Wasp unit, etc). This edge point is unique to the mini itself, and can only be used for that unit only, either defensively or offensively. For the Unseen designs, Reseen minis would be allowed.

For vehicles, matching minis will also receive individual edge points.

For opposition edge, edge points will be counted as below, taking into consideration the number of mercenary edge points.

Oppo edge can be used on all units, but can only be used defensively.

Artillery rules are in effect: If artillery is involved, include off board attack phase. Smoke rules are not in effect.

Battlemech lifting: Not in effect.

Cargo carriers: Not in effect.

Clearing Woods: Not in effect.

Dropping troops: To be specified according to mission.

Dumping ammunition: Units can dump ammunition.

Ejection: Pilots with auto ejection on will eject on ammunition explosion during any physical attack phase. Otherwise, pilot can only manually eject during movement phase.

Fire: Not in effect.

Flak: LB-X cluster flak against VTOL. A –3 from base-to-hit number instead of –1 applies. Artillery flak rules not in use.
Quads: All quad rules in effect.

Hidden units: To be specified according to mission.

Hostile environments: To be specified according to mission.

Improved Positions: To be specified according to mission.

LRM Indirect fire: In effect for units with LRMs.

Minefields: In effect for units who wish to utilize them.

Night combat: To be specified according to mission.
Flipping arms: In effect for mechs without lower arm actuators. Must flip both arms.

Underwater Operations: In effect.

Infernos: Vehicles struck by inferno SRMs no longer make saving rolls on 8 and above. This is now changed to 6 and above to save the vehicle. This is to extend the longevity of opposition vehicles during missions. Also, vehicles destroyed by infernos are not salvageable. They are considered to be completely destroyed.

Forced Withdrawal: Half the BV of an unit forced to withdraw as a result of limb loss or engine/gyro hits are counted as XP to the mercenary unit that fires the shot that forces withdrawal.

Post Combat Debrief

Sale of Unit Assets

Unrepaired units will be sold at 30% of base unit value as shown in HMP.
Otherwise, units can be sold at 60% of base HMP price to the 'bank'. For sale of units to other mercenaries, the minimum price is 60% of the base price.

Internal Structure damaged-Pay full amount for any location damaged.
For armor, replace armor and calculate by rounding up to the nearest ½ ton.

After every battle, mercenary pilots and crews gain experience depending on the amount of pilot/crew adjusted BV they have destroyed, as obviously defeating an elite pilot in a high BV machine earns a warrior more XP than killing swarms of rookie low BV tanks.

1 Battle Value(BV) is equivalent to 1 eXperience Point(XP). XP can be funneled into either gunnery skill or piloting skill. The difference between gunnery skill and piloting skill can never exceed 1. So 3/4 pilots and 4/3 pilots are allowed, but not 2/4 or 4/2 pilots.

The table applies to both vehicle crews and mechwarriors. Infantry BA squads use only the gunnery skill column.

Dragoons/MRBC Rating

This rating refers to the value and worth of the unit. High ratings often allow access to tougher missions and better paychecks. Unit rating is calculated at the end of every turn, in order for the unit to prepare for the next turn.

Below is a sequence of events for a turn, indicating what steps are possible at which stage, and what to do. A turn is divided into several phases, and each phase has a particular purpose and actions associated with it.

For starting players, phases 2 and 3 do not apply. However, new players during startup may purchase mechs from other players already in game in order to get discounts they might not otherwise receive. This is to encourage new players to join their friends.

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