MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries/Fire Fight

NEWSFEED

WOTAN UNDER ATTACK

On Wotan, Federated Commonwealth bases have been attacked by anonymous ‘Mechs reported to be a new mercenary or pirate band. An unnamed FC official alleged this is another in a string of attacks arranged by the Draconis Combine. DC High Command would not respond to the allegations.

Federated Commonwealth Contract – Battle

The Commonwealth has an immediate need for a small but well-armed unit of mercenaries on its outer periphery. An unknown attacker has shut down several colonies, and cut off contact with a periphery defense unit. Job is high-risk, high-gain, paying 1,000,000 C-Bills, already on deposit with ComStar. The Commonwealth will pay for all reasonable ammunition expenses.

ComStar Contract Evaluation

• World: Periphery Worlds
• Duty: Battle
• Begin Date: May 1, 3049
• End Date: June 1, 3049
• Maximum Pay: 1,000,000 C-Bills plus bounty and bonus
• Minimum Pay: 200,000 C-Bills plus bounty

Fire Fight

MechWarrior’s Campaign Journal

May 24, 3049

I have a feeling something strange is going on that Dougherty isn’t telling me about. “Unidentified enemy force?” If the FedCom’s intelligence system can’t identify it, it doesn’t exist. They must be sending me on some kind of “sensitive” political mission that’s supposed to be hush hush. Maybe if I figure out the details, I can squeeze a nice bonus out of them in exchange for my silence.

June 2, 3049

We’re in orbit around Wotan now, preparing to drop on-planet. I still haven’t been able to find out who I’m really going to be fighting. Could this be some kind of insurrection they want kept quiet? A renegade FC officer they need eliminated? The DropShip Captain doesn’t seem to know any more than I do, and she says that no one knows who attacked the Wotan bases, but the survivors are saying that their ‘Mechs were faster and more powerful than anything they’ve seen. What the hell have I gotten myself into?

Briefing

Tamara Dougherty, FC Dept. Of Mercenary Relations: Ten days ago, and unidentified enemy force attacked our bases on Wotan. Most of our ‘Mechs were either destroyed in combat or escaped, but one company was cut off from the landing site. They are still on-planet, badly damaged, but still defending the remains of their base.

Dougherty: I have hired you to drop into the area and engage the enemy so that we can save the damaged ‘mechs and send in a DropShip to get you all out.

• Codename: Fire Fight
• Planet: Wotan
• Terrain: Plains
• Time: Morning
• Expected Resistance: Unknown
• Your Call-Sign: Paladin

Dougherty: Defend our damaged ‘Mechs, identify and destroy the force commander, then destroy all other ‘Mechs.

Objectives

• Target: Destroy force commander
• Bounty: Destroy the remaining ‘Mechs

Aftermath

Debriefing

Tamara Dougherty, FC Dept. of Mercenary Relations: We were able to save the rest of the ‘Mechs and evacuate Wotan successfully, thanks to your backup. We never were able to ID those ‘Mechs, but our intelligence reports suggest they were probably a new pirate band or merc team. Your pay has been deposited on Outreach. I look forward to dealing with you in the future.

Wotan Planetary Sentinel – June 7, 3049

After the mysterious attack on several Federated Commonwealth military installations last week, one company of FC ‘Mechs was detained on Wotan by the unidentified invaders. A mercenary team hired to aid the damaged unit landed today, and after a short, pitched, battle, succeeded in fending off the mystery attackers long enough for the damaged ‘Mechs to fight their way to a DropShip and escape off-planet.

Since the dramatic escape, no one has seen the anonymous raiders, leaving the citizens of Wotan speculating on their origin. One noted local eccentric has spread the rumor that they are, in fact, an invading race from another galaxy, preparing to take over the universe and enslave the human people. In response, Dr. Mohammed Newman, a researcher at the Helena Observatory, replied, “Yeah, right. Little green men in BattleMechs.”

Although Dr. Newman’s sarcasm was unnecessary, we concur that the people of Wotan have nothing to fear. Tamar Dougherty, the officer in the FC Dept. of Mercenary Relations, who hired today’s heroes, assured reporters in a press conference earlier today that the attackers were most likely a newly formed and still unknown pirate band.