Sample file
Transcription
Sample file
file le mp Sa 9 781555 603922 ISBN# 1-55560-392-0 $22.00 le mp Sa file CONTENTS le file AFFC ROSTERS 1st Aragon Bord erers: The Pride of New Aragon 1st Argyle Lancers: The Fast and Furious 1st Capellan Dragoons: Roar of the Lion 1st Fede rate d Suns Armored Cavalry: Point of the Sword 1st Kestrel Grenadiers: Eterna l Flame 1st Kittery Bordere rs: The Pride of Ki ttery Avalon Hussars: Honored Service 11th Avalon Hussars RCT: The Galloping Eleventh 17th Avalon Hu ssars RCT: Dragon's Bane 20th Avalon Hussars RCT: The Sa ndbaggers 22nd Avalon Hu ssars RCT: The Stre ngth of Tradition 39th Avalon Hussars RCT : Swift Wind 41st Avalon Hussars: Restless Spirit 42nd Avalon Hussars RCT : Sons of the Federation Chisholm's Raiders: Unorthodox Tactics 1st Chisholm's Raiders RCT: The Green Giant 2nd Chi sholm's Raiders RCT: The Apaches Cetl Hussars: Grand Experiment 1st Ceti Hussars RCT: Three Headed Serpent 2nd Ceti Hussars RCT: Three of Diamonds 3rd Ceti Hu ssars RCT: Three of Spades Crucis Lancers: Pride of the People 1st Crucis Lancers RCT : New Avalon Lancers 2nd Cruci s Lancers RCT: Kestrel Lancers 3rd Crucis Lancers RCT: Achernar Lancers 4th Crucis Lancers RCT : Point Barrow Lancers 5th Crucis Lancers RCT: Remagen Lancers 6th Crucis Lancers RCT: Tsam ma Lancers 7th Crucis Lancers: Broken Whee l Charioteers 8th Crucis Lancers RCT: Islamabad Lancers Davlon Brigade of Guards: The Prince's Strength Davion Assault Gu ards RCT: The Crushers Davion Heavy Guards RCT: Strength of the Davions Davion Light Guard s RCT : Swift Foxes 1st Davion Guards RCT: The Strength of Alexander 2nd Davion Guards RCT : Wrath of the Free 3rd Davion Guards RCT: Don't Tread On Me mp 4 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 14 14 14 15 17 17 17 18 18 18 19 19 21 21 21 22 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 32 35 35 35 36 36 36 37 37 38 38 39 40 40 40 41 41 41 42 42 Sa HOUSE OF CARDS INTRODUCTION EVOLUTION OF THE FOX Birth of a Sun Pact Against the Devil Fateful First Blood Dynasty Deficient Prince of the People Civil War Revolution Reformation Golden Years In Bed With A Dragon The Devi l And His Due Towne and Kentares / War Throughout The Ages Suns Dominant The Fox Ascendant ConquE(ring The Stars A New Age Of War End of Innocence Sabres Rattli ng Familial Avarice To Stave Off The Inevitable THE FOX'S DEN Command Structure First Prince Marshal of t he Armies AFFC High Command Military Departments Regional Commands Temporary Combat Commands Combat Organizations. Force Structure Regular Army Un its Mil it ia Units Training Units Mercenary Units Force Composition BattleMech Units Infantry Units Battle-Armor Units Conventional Armor Units Aeros pace Units Naval Units The AFFC Uniform AFFC Uniforms AFFC Rank Structure Awards and Decorations AFFC PROFILES SHARPENING THE CLAWS Enlistment Basic Military Training Specialty Schools MIlitary Academies Standards of Treining Albion Military Academy NAIS College of Military Sciences Warrior's Hall Robinson Battle Academy Sakhara Academy Armstrong Flight Academy Point Barrow Military Academy War College of Goshen Kilbourne Academy Filtvelt 'Military Academy Tikonov School of Military Discipline REGIONAL TRAINING BATTALIONS Combat Training Centers 2 43 4S 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 4th Davion Guards RCT: Dragon's Bane 5th Davion Guards RCT: The Bent Sword Brigade Deneb Light Cavalry: Strength Through Tradition 4th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT : Eveline's Originals 8th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT: The Green Leopards 10th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT: The Cheetahs 12th Deneb Light Cavalry: The Blur-Snakes 15th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT: The Whip Bears The Federated Commonwealth Corps: Strength Through Unity 1st FedCom RCT: Guardians of a New Order 3rd FedCom RCT: The Penitants 5th FedCom RCT: The Black Rats 6th FedCom RCT: The Tiger Baiters 7th FedCom RCT : Spectral Menace 8th FedCom RCT : The Katzbalger New Ivaarsen Chasseurs: Pikemen 1st New Ivaarsen Chasseurs: The Wings 2nd New Ivaarsen Chasseurs: The Swords Robinson Rangers: Honor Through Vengeance 1st Robinson Rangers: The Vols 2nd Robinson Rangers: The Patriots 3rd Robinson Rangers: Death or Glory Boys Syrtls Fusiliers: Pride and Prejudice 5th Syrtis Fusiliers RCT: The Evil Eye 6th Syrtis Fusiliers RCT: The Duke's Own 8th Syrtis Fusiliers RCT: The Snow Cobras AFFC March Militias Capellan March Militia Alcyone Capellan March Militia Kathil Capellan March Militia New Syrtis Capellan March Militia Ridgebrook Capellan March Militia Sirdar Capellan March Militia Valexa Capellan March Militia Warren Cape\\an March Militia Archernar Sarna March Militia Nanking Sarna March Militia Crucis March Militia Anjin Muerto Crucis March Militia Islamabad Crucis March Militia Kestrel Crucis March Militia Malagrotta Crucis March Militia Marlette Crucis March Militia New Avalon Crucis March Militia Remagen Crucis March Militia Tsamma Crucis March Militia 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 109 110 110 111 111 112 112 113 113 114 114 115 115 116 116 117 117 118 ~ /,,::~ -"'.. ... ~./ . f,l'. : FIELD MANUAL: FEDERArED SUNS ! , . ~ ACADEMY AND TRAINING UNITS MECHWARRIOR RULES Rank Trait Addition al Life Paths Infiltrator Mk. " Battle Armor Cavalier Battle Armor 128 128 129 129 129 130 130 131 131 132 13 2 133 1 34 134 135 136 137 137 140 140 140 140 140 141 141 141 141 142 142 142 143 143 144 145 145 145 146 146 14 7 147 .... ~ . . ~ . . 1 58 158 159 161 161 1 61 163 C RED ITS Author Christoffer "Bones· Trossen Chris Hartford Project Development Randa ll N, Bi lls Development Assistance Bryan Nystul Project Editing Wyn Hi lty Davidson Cole Special Thanks To: Bryan Nystul , for being fo olish enough to give me this book; Chri s Hartford, for putting in the extra effort and for creati ng the templates for both of us to use; both Br yan Nystul and Randall BillS, for not carrying through on their t hreats as the deadlines passed; Loren Coleman, for making me incredibly late Uust kiddi ng, buddy!) but at the same ti me giving me all those wonderful excuses to use; both Chris and Loren for setting the standard and helping me to (hopefully) reach it; and finally, all my file 127 New Equipment Rotary Autocannon Autocanno n Special Munitions Targeting Computer BattleM ech Variants TLR1.Q Templar Avalon-Class Light Cruise r 8attieTech Line Developer Bryan Nystul le 119 120 120 1 21 121 122 122 123 124 124 125 126 126 127 Editorial Staff Ed itori al Directo r Donna Ippolit o Managing Editor Sharon Turner Mulvihill Associate Editor Robert Boyle Assistant Editor Davidson Cole mp 1 19 family and friends, especially the members of the Milwaukee Emergency Services Squadron, for letting me neglect you while I spent (nearly) my every free waking hour working on this project_ Sa Draconls March Militia Addicks Draconis March Militi a Bremond Draconis March Militi a Bryceland Draconis March Militia Clovis Draconis March Militia Dahar Draconis March Militia Kilbourne Draconis March Militia Mayetta Draconis March Militia Mill igan Draconis March Militia Raman Draconis March Militia Robinson Dracon is March Militia Albion Military Academy Cadre 1st Albion Training Cadre 2nd Albion Training Cadre College of Martial Sciences Cadet Cadre 1st NAIS Cadet Cadre: Warriors of Virtue 2nd NAIS Cadet Cad re : Warriors of Skill 3rd NAIS Cadet Cadre : Warriors of Honor Training Battalions 1st Brockton Training Battalion 1st Bell Training Battalion 1st Conroe Training Battalion Filtvelt Academy Training Battalion Goshen War College Training Battal ion Kilbourne Academy Training Battalion 1st Kittery Training Battalion Point Barrow Academy Training Battalion Robinson Battle Academy Training Battalion Sakhara Academy Training Battalion Tikonov Martia l Academy Training Group TABLE OF ORGANIZATION AND EQUIPMENT RULES Unit Assignment Tables Assigning 'Mechs and Vehi cles AFFC Regiments Using Hidden Un its Rules Overl apping Abilities and Advantages Forcing the Initiative Off-Map Movement Overrun Combat Banking Initiative Equipment Ratings Unaffiliated AFFC Units Avalon Hussars Chisholm's Raiders Ceti Hussars Crucis Lancers Davion Brigade of Guards Deneb Light Cavalry The Federated Commonwealth Corps New Ivaarsen Chasseurs Robi nson Rangers Syrtis Fusiliers Capellan March Militia Crucis March Militia Draconis March Militia . Acknowledgements: Art Staff Art Direct or Fred Hooper Assistant Ar t Di rector John Bridegroom Project Manager Brian Maslouski Cover Art Doug Chaffee Cover Design Bri an Maslouski Interior Color Section Peter Bergli ng Franx Vohwinkel Illustrations Loston Wall ace Christina Wald Matthew Plog Brad McDevitt Layout Brian Maslous ki Production Matt Green Andrea Franc Both Chris Trossen and Chris Hartford would like to thank Bryan Nystul, Randall Bills and Dan "Rake" Grendell for spending all those late nights creating the spreadsheet , and the art department for making everything fit. The rotary autocannon is based on an original weapon design by Jos Williams, Much of t he material found in this book is based on t he work of t he following authors, who have successfully shaped a livi ng and breathing universe over the course of the past fifteen years: Adventure Arch itects, Randall N, Bills, Jim Brunk, Alex BURd, l oren l . Coleman, 149 Robert Cruz, Tara Gallagher, C. R, Green, Dan "Flake" Grendell, Thomas S, Gressman, Chris Hartford, Karl Hiesterman, Todd Huettel, Christ opher Hussey, Donna Ippolito , Evan Jameson, J, Andrew Keith, William H, Keith, Jr., Dale l. Kemper, Jeffrey Layton, Michael lee, Sam Lewis, Sh aron Turner Mulvihill, Jim Musser, Bryan Nystul, Mike Nystul, Blaine Lee Pardoe, Geof f Pass, Tom Peters, Boy F, Petersen, Jr., Diane Piron-Gelman, Rick David 156 157 Stuart, John Thiesen. Robt. Wells, and last. but certainly not least, L Ross Babcock, Jordan 148 149 149 I 3 ! Weisman and Michael A. Stackpole, (Whew!) HOUSE OF CARDS mp le file Radcliffe Kathil, Capellan March Federated Commonwealth 0248 Local Time, 1820 TST 16 November 3062 into this mess ? Katherine Steiner, that 's how! Alre ady the two companies belonging to the Eighth FedCom RCT- cod enamed Redfox Group-were approaching attack range , and Zi bler' s air support was still some thirty long second s away. "Badger Battalion, fall back to position Echo ." As the remainder of his battalion began to retreat, weapons fire lit up the advancing line. Zibler unconsciously braced in his command couch, dropping his cross hairs over the silhouette of an approaching Salamander. Jim ... Jim Wendt. He was a royal ass at the academy, but .. . Damn it! How did this ever happen? He squeezed the firing stud before he even realized what he was doing, the thunder of his Gauss rifle further adding to the cacophony of the battlefield an instant before his own 'Mech was engulfed in a ball of fire. He felt more than a dozen missile impacts send chunks of armor and myomer flying, while four t imes that many exploded around him. He's trying to take this out on me! Is that entire unit full of lunatics? Ordered to relocate to Halloran V, the Eighth RCT had instead launched a surprise attack on the Kathil CMM , claiming to be enforcing Archon Katherine 's rightful rule over Kathil. Zibler's was one of the first Militia forces hot-scrambled to intercept the Eighth's advance toward Radcliffe. Four of his 'Mechs were on the ground, unmoving. Two others and a tank rapidly were being consumed in a hail of missile explosions . A few more had simply broken formation and fled. I don 't blame 'em. In a stand-up battle, we're a match for the Eighth. Ambushed like this, though ... Swiftly closing the distance , the Eighth's ' Mechs began scoring more hits upon Zibler's rapidly thinning ranks. He punched down on hi s firing stud again. And again. And yet again, loosing a hypersonic slug each time into the enemy advance . The enemy. I graduated with him . He unconsciously stopped his own retreat, standing his ground astride a demolished mansion. How did it come to this? No more! Beside him, one of his JagerMechs erupted into a ball of fire. He stabbed down one more time on the firing stud , smashing shards of armor from the torso of Wendt's Salamander before the paired la sers of an Eighth F-C Penetrator severed the mangled remains of his own Victor's right leg, sending him crashing to the ground. Ba re ly awa re of t he alarms warning him of his reactor ' s rapidly degenerating magnetic bottle, Leftenant Colonel Zibler watched as th e entire enemy advance burst into the tel ltale wall of flame th at only an incendiary bomb could produce. The two Milit ia Corsairs climbed away on their own tongues of blue flam e. The center of the advance, once occupied by Wendt's Salam ander, spit forth only a staccato of debris. In that moment, the heat within the cockpit became so searing that Leftenant Colonel Damien Zibler no longer felt a thing. No more! Sa "CAPFlight 4825, this is Badger 320 . We have concentrated Redfox activity eight-five-zero mikes due north of our position,grid zed-three-seven . Request special inspection. " "Roger three-two-zero, stand by for inspection. Two vipers inbound. ETA: forty-five seconds. " Leftenant Colonel Damien Zibler could barely make out the acknowledgement of his request over the din of the battle. Off to his right, a lance of JagerMechs churned out a steady ha il of projectiles into the midst of an enemy formation, their tracers eerily lighting the pall of smoke hanging over the battlefield . A lightning bolt suddenly lashed out from one of his JagerMechs, briefly illuminating the scene of destruction as it slammed into a Zeus, showering the enemy group with sparks. Zibler watched flames erupt from the massive BattieMech's torso, soon engulf· ing the entire machine as its ammunition bins cooked off. Behind him, he heard a succession of sonic booms, followed by the unmistakable spark-crunch of the hypersonic nickel slugs fired by his Alacorns slamming into the already bel ea'guered group. They won 't last long against that fusillade. He quickly turned his attention back toward the hills ahead of him and the two companies of fresh BattleMechs approaching his battered battalion. If those fast-movers don't do something soon , we're history! He made the mistake of glancing at a secondary monitor, which showed him just how bad off his own Victor was . Armor had been breached in almost every location, and he didn't need His computers to tell him his reactor shielding was barely maintaining containment. Unfortunately, he knew the rest of his battalion was faring little better. How the hell did we get ourselves 4 INTRODUCTION Sa mp le file Victor, These past several years have not been kind to us or to the nation that we have served for so much of our lives. We are virtual pariahs within that nation now-at least, so your sister would have everyone think . The truth, the whole truth, lies Just below the layer of deceits your sister has built up within the Lyran Alliance and the Federated Suns. I certainly do not need to tell you that-Jerrard's report from early this year has already provided you with a clear and concise briefing on the current state of affairs within the former Federated Commonwealth. What you do need to know is that many of the men and women serving within the AFFC and the LAAF are beginning to see the cracks in the foundation-those who are willing to look beyond the rosy picture painted by Katherine ' s extensive public-relations staff, that is. During the past year, we have seen a polarization grip the former Federated Commonwealth. And with the events of the past few weeks, we have reached a turning point, one with a bleak outlook no matter which way we head. The information contained within this document will help us forge ahead over the next several years. I strove to paint as nonpartisan a picture of the current state of the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth as I could, giving all those concerned a true glimpse of the strengths and weaknesses gripping our nation's military. The first section of this document, entitled Evolution of the Fox, details the history of the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns. The second, The Fox 's Den, briefly analyzes the structure of the current AFFC, while the third, Sharpening the Claws, provides a look at the training and education provided our troops. The fourth and final major section reviews every major combat command traditionally associated with the AFFS. Only approximately half of the units serving within the Federated Suns State Command are actually covered within the pages of this report. As I understand it. Grand Duke Kell's people have taken a similar approach to their report on the LAAF. Per your request, I have forwarded Morgan all the information we currently possess on the LAAF and the traditionally Lyran units operating within the FedSuns. As you know, I have delayed this report for some time, constantly updating it with the most current information available from our sources. But I am afraid that t he time to disseminate this information has finally come. Please do not misunderstand. I love the Federated Suns. I stood by your parents through some of the worst fighting this galaxy has ever seen because I understood it was for the best, even though in my heart I only wanted to see the bloodshed end. I did not take action against Katherine because to do so would only have plunged the FedCom into civil war. It has now gone too far, however. Since the Solaris incident, many troops loyal to you have begun a passive rebellion against Katherine by reverting to the use of the traditional Federated Suns ranks. I believe we can no longer stand by and watch our homeland be destroyed from the inside. I do not want to see even one innocent lose his or her life because of your sister. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that if we do not take action now, more will suffer in the long run. It is the decision of the damned, and the man who makes that decision is the chief damned soul. God help us. God help us all. Ardan Sortek, Major General Director of Operations, SLDF 6 December 3062 5