MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries/Paper Tiger

Paper Tiger

MechWarrior’s Campaign Journal

August 22, 3046

Received my new orders from Fukuzawa today. It’s a good plan, but will they fall for it? If none of the 1st Chasseurs leave the landing field to assist the truck, I’ll be facing a full lance of heavy ‘Mechs. I might stand a chance in city fighting or a jungle hunt, but on the open tundra against a lance of heavies? Not a chance. I think I’m starting to understand why some people don’t like to work with the DC. Their battle plans are good, but too risky for anybody but a merc.

September 15, 3046

After nearly two days of traveling and dodging FedCom recon satellites, I have finally arrived in the target area. The ice pillars are truly a unique formation. It takes over a decade for them to form, growing higher and higher with each snowfall. For some reason, they grow in only certain areas and, unlike ordinary snow, they have a high melting point, allowing them to survive New Ivaarsen’s warmer summer months. I hope they’re strong enough to deflect enemy fire, because they’ll be the only thing between me and anybody who comes to rescue the FC supply truck.

Briefing

Code Detected – ISF protocol BV5690

Kobo Fukuzawa, DC Mercenary Liaison Officer: Begin by destroying an FC supply truck to draw the enemy away from the landing field, your true target. Evade other enemy ‘Mechs in a small field of ice pillars that stand close to the base. Destroy the landing field, and then escape as quickly as possible to a mountain pass at NAV EPSILON. Two attack helicopters will cover your retreat. As usual, you will be tapped into enemy combat channels.

• Codename: Paper Tiger
• Planet: New Ivaarsen
• Terrain: Tundra
• Time: Afternoon
• Mean Temperature: -20 Celsius
• Mission Pay: Bounty only
• Expected Resistance: 1st Chasseurs
• Your Call-Sign: Strike-Alpha

Fukuzawa: Find and destroy the FC truck. Then maneuver into the ice pillars. Move through the ice pillars, destroy the landing field at NAV DELTA, and flee to NAV EPSILON.

Objectives

• Target: Destroy the landing field
• Bonus: Destroy the FC Convoy
• Return: Escape to NAV EPSILON

During Mission

Truck: Base, this is Truck Zero-Three-Niner. I am under attack. I need help.

Base: Roger that. Stay cool, Zero-Three-Niner. ‘Mechs are en route. ETA thirty seconds.

Attack Helicopters: Strike-Alpha. Head for the mountain pass at NAV EPSILON. We’ll cover your back.

MISSION SUCCESSFUL

Aftermath

Debriefing

Code Detected – ISF protocol BV5690

Kobo Fukuzawa, DC Mercenary Liaison Officer: You succeeded in destroying the landing field, and escaped before you could be identified or captured. Your efforts over the last month have shaken the Commonwealth’s belief that New Ivaarsen is adequately protected, and already FC ‘Mechs are making combat drops into the area. I congratulate you on a job well done. You will soon be extracted from New Ivaarsen by a Draconis DropShip and returned to Outreach.

New Ivaarsen Radio KIVA-78.3 News Transcript 8/22/46

New Ivaarsen welcomed the 19th Arcturan Guards today. Their DropShips set down in small groups all over New Ivaarsen, hoping to evade and then counterattack the huge pirate company that has ravaged Commonwealth facilities for over a month. New Ivaarsen Militia units joined with the 19th in hunting for the pirates, but so far their efforts have been “disappointing,” according to the 19th Arcturan Guards’ Colonel Deltra.

The pirates refused to engage these new units, as they have refused to engage the 1st Chasseurs in the past. The pirates’ tactical style has been a series of hit-and-run raids whose apparent purpose is to capture war materiel for more serious battles to come. Why the pirates are waiting to begin the battle is unclear. Their motives remain as hidden as their secret base.

Meanwhile, the diplomatic war between the Commonwealth and the Draconis Combine has heated to dangerous levels. Draconis diplomats stormed out of yesterday’s meeting after an angry debate over the activities on New Ivaarsen. Draconis diplomats seem most concerned at the number of Commonwealth ‘Mechs on New Ivaarsen, which is very near the Commonwealth-Combine border. With little over a regiment of Commonwealth ‘Mechs, weighing in at close to 3,000 tons of military hardware, the Draconis Combine has threatened to increase the ‘Mech regiments on its own borders, in violation of several peace treaties, if the Commonwealth doesn’t withdraw its units from New Ivaarsen and end its military buildup along the border.