MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries/Dust River

Dust River[edit]

MechWarrior's Campaign Journal[edit]

June 10, 3048[edit]

After Drevenshire I was sure we were done. We took control of the water and cut the Dread Legion off from their DropShips. Ordinarily, the Dread Legion would sue for peace, and after some macho posturing and angry negotiations the Dread Legion would give the Combine some cash or 'Mechs or both and then the Combine would allow the Dread Legion to depart. But not this time. Fukuzawa wants the Dread Legion dead. Every last one of them.

June 25, 3048[edit]

I have arrived at the pass, a dry riverbed. The river cut a deep gorge in the continental shelf even after it had entered the ocean. The surface of the continental shelf is too windy for a DropShip to land safely. The Dread Legion 'Mechs that couldn't scale the cliffs or descend on jump-jets will have to come down the pass, and that's where I have to stop them.

June 26, 3048[edit]

The Dread Legion doesn't know it yet, but they're about to be betrayed by one of their own. Brian Barrington, who pilots a 65-ton Catapult, has decided that the Legion can't escape Gravenhague alive, so he's willing to turn on them at my say-so in exchange for transportation off-planet. He better have stockpiled a lot of C-Bills, because no one will hire him after this.

Draconis Combine – Mercenary Briefing[edit]

Kobo Fukuzawa, DC Mercenary Liaision Officer: Now that we control the water, the Dread Legion has been forced into retreat. We must now prevent the Legion warriors from leaving Gravenhage. The Dread Legion will have to rely on a single ravine to reach the safety of their DropShip.

Fukuzawa: We have been contacted by a Legion MechWarrior who knows he cannot escape. In return for safe passage from Gravenhage, he will turn against his unit when you inspect his ‘Mech.

  • Codename: Dust River
  • Planet: Gravenhage
  • Terrain: Dust Estuary
  • Time: Day
  • Mean Temperature: 30 Celsius
  • Mission Pay: 500,000 plus bounty and bonus
  • Expected Resistance: Dread Legion
  • Your Call-Sign: Rattler

Fukuzawa: Stop the Dread Legion ‘Mechs from reaching their DropShip. Destroy all enemies that try to escape, or destroy the DropShip. Inspect the Dread Legion Catapult to activate the traitor.

Objectives[edit]

  • Target: Hold the pass against the Dread Legion

Or

  • Target: Destroy the Dread Legion DropShip

Aftermath[edit]

Debriefing[edit]

Kobo Fukuzawa, DC Mercenary Liaison Officer: You succeeded in holding off the Dread Legion at the ravine, and they are now trapped on the continental shelf, unable to access the safe landing zones on the evaporated ocean’s floor. The Combine thanks you for your courage and devotion in this difficult battle. Continued success may earn you a substantial cash bonus upon completion of the campaign.

Fukuzawa: Now that you have repulsed the Dread Legion, they must find another route off-planet. Several lances of their light ‘Mechs managed to scale the cliffs, using their jump-jets in a controlled free-fall to land in the evaporated ocean. The Legion’s larger ‘Mechs and light ‘Mechs without jump capability will be searching for another method of escape. We have heard reports that the Legion has offered you several hundred thousand C-Bills to allow their escape. We will be watching you very closely.

ComStar News Service – June 26, 3048[edit]

The Dread Legion met with another defeat on Gravenhage today, as several of their heavy BattleMechs tried to push past Draconis mercenaries and arrive safely at their landing zones in the evaporated sea. The mercenaries held their ground and inflicted serious casualties on the Dread Legion, a clear victory for the Combine.

While tactical details remain sketchy, it is clear that the Dread Legion must attempt to escape Gravenhage by another route. Most likely, they will attempt to land their DropShips on the windy and hazardous beaches of the continent, which are plagued by powerful winds which can wreak havoc with a DropShip’s landing patterns. The Dread Legion has already lost one DropShip there, and will have to risk many more if they hope to rescue their forces from Gravenhage.

Aftermath (failure)[edit]

MISSION FAILED

Kobo Fukuzawa, DC Mercenary Liaison Officer

Because of your failure to hold the ravine, several Dread Legion 'Mechs escaped to their DropShips. The Combine cannot maintain control over its mercenaries if their crimes are allowed to go unpunished. This failure will cost you your bonus and a percentage of your pay.

ComStar News Service - June 26, 3048

A serious defeat for the Combine occurred today on Gravenhague at approximately 2:35 local time when several Dread Legion units overcame Draconis mercenaries to arrive with few casualties at landing zones in the evaporated sea. For the Dread Legion the battle was a major victory as they can now abandon the continental heights and move all of their heavier BattleMechs and equipment down to the safer landing zones in the ocean basin.

For the Combine this brings the end of the campaign. Draconis aerospace fighters will no doubt continue to harass Dread Legion DropShips as they take off, but the battle is over for the ground forces, a relief to Draconis and mercenary MechWarriors who have been exhausted by high temperatures and limited water rations.

Dust River (alternate)[edit]

This version occurs if the player failed the previous mission.

MechWarrior's Campaign Journal[edit]

June 20, 3048[edit]

I was sent on a scouting mission today, then called back ten minutes after a DropShip evacuated the Draconis unit I was operating with. I have been ordered to link up with a smaller support unit ten klicks to the south. I will lift off with them. Without water, the Draconis assault on Gravenhague is finished.

June 25, 3048[edit]

It's night now. I missed three lift-off points today, primarily because of the heat. My 'Mech isn't responding well to the high temperatures and the thick dust that coats everything on this dung heap. The dust has been clogging my heat sinks, making the heat all the worse.

June 26, 3048[edit]

Last chance. The last Draconis DropShip has agreed to meet me this morning for a final attempt at a pick-up. All I have to do is get off the continental shelf and down into the ocean basin. I have already had brief contact with the Dread Legion. One of their scout 'Mechs, a Jenner, buzzed my position this morning while I was sleeping. My radar woke me but he was too quick and got away. This trip to the LZ won't be easy. I hope I'm around to keep writing this.

Draconis Combine - Mercenary Briefing[edit]

Kobo Fukuzawa, DC Mercenary Liaison Officer

We have lost control of the water supply. We must leave Gravenhague before we run out of supplies. Most of the other Draconis units have already fled off-world. A DropShip is waiting to transport you back to Outreach, but it can not land on the windy heights above the ocean floor. Follow the riverbed to the dry ocean floor and make your way to the DropShip waiting for you there. The Dread Legion may attempt to block your escape.

  • Codename: Dust River
  • Planet: Gravenhague
  • Terrain: Dust Estuary
  • Time: Day
  • Mean Temperature: 32 Celsius.
  • Mission Pay: 100,000 plus bounty.
  • Expected Resistance: Dread Legion
  • Your Call-Sign: RATTLER

AVOID DREAD LEGION PATROLS and ESCAPE to your DROPSHIP at NAV ALPHA.

Objectives[edit]

  • Target: ESCAPE TO NAV ALPHA

Aftermath[edit]

MISSION SUCCESSFUL

Kobo Fukuzawa, DC Mercenary Liaison Officer

You succeeded in escaping Gravenhague with the Draconis Combine forces. While we are less than happy with your performance over the course of the campaign, your orderly withdrawal did allow other Draconis units to escape. However, the Dread Legion has still not been punished for their transgressions against us.

ComStar News Service - June 26, 3048

The Draconis Combine was routed from Gravenhague today, chased off by less than two companies of the Dread Legion. Military analysts are calling the entire campaign a "fiasco" and a "comedy of errors." This comes as another embarrassment to the already damaged reputation of the DCMS (Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery).

Combine officers place the blame not on their own troops but instead on the Combine's recent heavy use of mercenaries. One Combine officer who preferred to remain unnamed claims that several mercenary units on Gravenhague failed to fulfill their mission orders, costing the Combine men, time and material to make up the lost objectives. This internal Draconis source also hinted that the Combine will rely on mercenaries less in the future.

Several mercenary units that have worked with the Combine tell a different story, pointing to the Combine's unfair payment polices, their lackluster support of mercenaries in the field and their long record of challenging payments at the ComStar Review Board as reasons for mercenary failure in Draconis wars.

Aftermath (failure)[edit]

MISSION FAILED - YOU ARE MAROONED

--YOUR CAREER IS OVER--

Colonel Daniel "Jungle Tiger" Brenner, Dread Legion

Well, you almost made it to that DropShip, but NOT quite. We've already offered to ransom you to the Combine, but they seemed happy to leave you here. Hey, I have to show a profit. I hope you like living here on Gravenhague.