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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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 Posted: 22-Sep-2006 21:17 Post subject: Trying to design a shakedown mission. |
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I had the idea for a mission to teach new players hit-and-run techniques and combined-arms strategy.
The situation is this. The OPFOR has just initiated a major offensive. In order to blunt the offensive, the player's side has managed to get some troops into the OPFOR's flanks. However, they're alone, outnumbered, and lightly armed.
The unit consists of three 3055 Karnovs filled with infantry. The infantry in two Karnovs have machine guns; the infantry in the third have SRMs. The infantry are all regular, and the Karnov crews are veteran.
The unit is responsible for engaging any and all OPFOR units that pass through a particular sector. This is a very large sector (I'm thinking at least two maps) and the OPFOR is filtering through at irregular intervals, meaning that the infantry has to kill quickly.
Here's where I need help.
1. Which map sheets should I use? I was thinking about using some maps that would make for close-quarters combat, allowing the party to have some chance of success.
2. How many waves of OPFOR should I have, and how should I compose those waves? I was thinking that one wave would be cargo haulers and escorts, but I wanted the others to actually consist of fighting units.
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Nightmare
Lyran Alliance
Kommandant-General
Joined: 03-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 2214
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| Posted: 23-Sep-2006 00:14 Post subject: RE: Trying to design a shakedown mission. |
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Quote:
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On 2006-09-22 21:17, Kraken wrote:
I had the idea for a mission to teach new players hit-and-run techniques and combined-arms strategy.
1. Which map sheets should I use?
2. How many waves of OPFOR should I have, and how should I compose those waves?
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Karnovs or not, I fail to see how infantry could be called hit-and-run. 
How about picking a few different maps that the players have to clean out in some order? Ambush in Box Canyon, fly to Heavy Woods. Battle at Heavy Woods, leave for Standard Map etc. This way your players get to see different terrain and they have to think about how to conserve forces for a full sweep of the flank.
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Seraph
Blighted Sun Battalion
2nd Company
"Seraph's Slaughter"
Major
Joined: 11-Mar-2004 00:00
Posts: 1744
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| Posted: 24-Sep-2006 07:54 Post subject: RE: Trying to design a shakedown mission. |
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Maps that have LoS blocks will work wonders for the Karnovs to fly in low and drop off the inf without getting shot down. Remember if you use double blind rules you cannot see an enemy unit unless one of yours has a valid LoS or you have sensors that can detect them.
As for how many waves. I will say that start with two and if your new guys are still in good shape then add another. If they are still in good shape then add another. Plan, for at most, 5 waves.
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 24-Sep-2006 15:22 Post subject: RE: Trying to design a shakedown mission. |
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The question is - how should I comprise each wave? What sort of forces?
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Seraph
Blighted Sun Battalion
2nd Company
"Seraph's Slaughter"
Major
Joined: 11-Mar-2004 00:00
Posts: 1744
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| Posted: 25-Sep-2006 00:34 Post subject: RE: Trying to design a shakedown mission. |
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depends on the forces that are moving through the area, are they remants of forces? are they main forces? are they support foorces?
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 25-Sep-2006 08:04 Post subject: RE: Trying to design a shakedown mission. |
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One wave would be supply vehicles, one wave would have a command vehicle, and another wave would be an LRM carrier with escorts.
I have no idea what to have the other two waves be.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Seraph
Blighted Sun Battalion
2nd Company
"Seraph's Slaughter"
Major
Joined: 11-Mar-2004 00:00
Posts: 1744
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| Posted: 25-Sep-2006 21:47 Post subject: RE: Trying to design a shakedown mission. |
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One wave can be transports carrying injured troops. Gives the players a moral dilema to play with. One wave can be rear guard forces in retreat from an advancing allied front. Catch them in the middle kinda thing.
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Nightmare
Lyran Alliance
Kommandant-General
Joined: 03-May-2002 00:00
Posts: 2214
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| Posted: 26-Sep-2006 03:43 Post subject: RE: Trying to design a shakedown mission. |
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I suspect one group would be a few fast hovercraft or a light mech come to find out what happened to the previous wave. That could be your signal to pack up and go home.
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A tree fall in the forest, and no one is around, and it hits a mime. Does anyone care?
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 12-Oct-2006 23:00 Post subject: "Three Bridges Too Far" |
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This would be an offshoot of the mission in the opening post.
Due to the infantry's efforts in the last mission, the offensive in one sector has been blunted. The commander of the friendly forces in that sector intends to take advantage of this by launching a counter-offensive against those forces.
The OPFOR has seized three bridges that span a rapidly moving river.* Due to the speed of the river, it is difficult for units to cross unless they have some sort of bridge. The unit's bridge layer is in the rear area, so if they wait for the bridgelayer to be brought to the front the commander might lose his momentum.
The infantry unit who participated in the last mission is given a day to rest and reload, then they are to be sent out. This time, they aren't alone. Another Karnov will be depositing a towed Thumper cannon with a regular crew just off the combat map, giving the infantry some fire support. In addition, a light SRM carrier (50% ammo, 75% armor) that was trapped behind the lines will make contact with the infantry while they're en route and agree to link up; they will arrive six turns into the mission.
What they don't know is that the OPFOR has rigged two of the bridges (OPFOR player's choice); they will be blown when the infantry attack. The defenders for the three bridges will converge upon the one that is still standing and defend it fiercely.
So long as one friendly unit (either an infantry unit, the SRM carrier, or a Karnov with the Thumper) survive, the friendly forces can seize the bridge.
So - what should the OPFOR consist of?
*Due to the speed at which it flows, quad mechs and amphibious vehicles suffer a +1 penalty when attempting to enter; bipedal mechs suffer +2.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 12-Mar-2007 13:21 Post subject: |
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New Mission Idea:
A sizeable OPFOR unit is going to be "allowed" to traverse a river canyon that seemingly leads around to the flanks of an important outpost.
In reality, it's an ambush. Once the OPFOR passes a certain point, the party will emerge to open up on them.
The catch is this: there's three possible points for the party to set up at.
The first point is a dry river bed; this river used to feed the one in the valley until its course changed. It would allow the party the chance to hit the OPFOR shortly after they enter, but it would give the party little cover.
The second point is a wet river bed; this is the river's new course. It would give the party partial cover, plus allow them a chance to quench their thirst and even fish while they're waiting. However, if the OPFOR hits this point then it means they're a good distance in.
The third point is a clump of heavy trees. The party would be able to fire down on the OPFOR while having the trees as cover. Thing is, the OPFOR is now pretty close to the base itself.
How does this sound as an idea? It would give the party a choice in how to handle the situation in question, and therefore they'd feel like they weren't being railroaded into a particuar course of action.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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AWAD
Draconis Combine
Chu-sa
Joined: 06-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 766
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| Posted: 12-Mar-2007 19:04 Post subject: |
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What rule set are you using? That makes a difference.
AWAD
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 12-Mar-2007 21:42 Post subject: |
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| AWAD wrote: | What rule set are you using? That makes a difference.
AWAD |
Probably standard BTech rules; I don't go for house rules unless I either cannot find the official ones or I think the official ones don't properly cover something.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 19-Mar-2007 21:00 Post subject: |
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These are two mission ideas I had.
1. A Boomerang spotter plane sent a distress signal before being silenced. A unit has been diverted from its mission to investigate, and has encountered a screening force intended to keep this unit away from the area.
Friendly: 4 * Scorpion tanks
OPFOR: 2 * Vedette tanks
For this one, the idea is to teach swarm tactics. Although the Vedettes are larger and have thicker armor, the fact that there are twice as many Scorpions means that the party could win if they concentrate fire.
2. A recent skirmish has left a mechanized infantry unit with wounded and a crippled APC carrier. A Karnov with escort has been sent in to retrieve the wounded, and on the way back to base has encountered OPFOR interceptors. The Karnov needs to make it out of the engagement area to be safe.
Friendly: Karnov (3058), 4 * Ferret VTOL
OPFOR: 4 * Ferret VTOL
This one is to teach the party that sometimes the best way to achieve a goal isn't to stand and fight. If the party rushes through to the target map edge then the Karnov will be safe even without the escort having to shoot down any of the OPFOR.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 14-Apr-2007 15:46 Post subject: |
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This is another one I'm thinking about.
The party is sent to investigate the remains of a civilian industrial facility.
In the process, they discover that is is being used as an OPFOR forward observatory.
OPFOR -
2 * Savannah Masters
1 * Hover APC
1 * platoon infantry.
The OPFOR was intending to use this site in order to observe the movements of any unit coming and going. As such, capturing it will result in the OPFOR in that region being thrown into some tactical confusion for a few days.
Additionally, when some engineers are sent into the site to inspect it, they'll discover that the factory used to make assault rifles; once the factory is up and running, it will not only provide jobs for the civilians but also weapons for the allies.
_________________
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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