Battle Magic

Revision as of 05:26, 2 September 2019 by Pserratv (talk | contribs) (Captain-Tech Jena Nakitsu character created)

Template:InfoBoxMercUnit

An elite group of technicians, the Battle Magic mercenary unit specialized in upgrading and refitting military hardware. The unit was destroyed while fighting the forces of Wayne Waco on Outreach,[1] but their development of the advanced Multi-Missile Launcher ensures that their name lives on.[2]

History

The soon-to-be mercenary unit started as Mech Magic Inc., a BattleMech customization and refit shop on Outreach in 3047. Quickly acquiring a reputation as miracle workers, the elite techs of Mech Magic Inc. began training with the staff of Wolf's Dragoons on how to work with New-tech and Clan-tech in 3051.[3]

In 3054 the group formed its own mercenary command, Battle Magic, to acquire materiel to modify their customers' equipment. The bulk of their missions were made up of militia training and refit as well as tech extraction raids. Shortly after its formation the unit was noted for its willingness to engage in the particularly high-risk but highly lucrative field of Clan-tech extraction raids,[3] before the large volume of Clan-tech flooding the market after Operation Bulldog and the Jade Falcon Incursion made it more cost-effective, not to mention much less risky, to pay the market price.[4]

While intentionally staying out of the FedCom Civil War, Battle Magic made a healthy living selling its technical expertise to broken mercenary forces that streamed back to Outreach to rebuild. Not sitting still during this combat lull, Battle Magic underwent training in the still rare field of Battle Armor maintenance and repair, as well as working with the Blackwell Corporation to develop an inexpensive and reliable battle armor design for the mercenary market.[4]

The unit also took advantage of the higher availability of Clan-tech to investigate modifying or reverse engineering the newer Clan weapons, such as the Advanced Tactical Missile system. Deciding to ignore the three ATM missile types in light of the variety of missile munition types developed by various Successor States, Captain-Tech Nakitsu directed the unit to focus on the launchers and the possibilities of a single launcher capable of firing both LRM and SRM missiles, the Multi-Missile Launcher.

Battle Magic's innovative new MML racks had just reached the working prototype stage in late 3067 when Wayne Waco and his followers launched their sneak attack on Harlech. Several of these prototypes saw action as the unit fought and died supporting the Dragoons, attracting the eye of the Word of Blake who soon recovered the technology. Battle Magic never lived to see their innovation spread across the Inner Sphere.

Officers

Rank Name Command
Commanding Officers of the Battle Magic
Captain-Tech Jena Nakitsu 3060 - 3067[3][4]

Tactics

In combat the unit favored using its 'Mechs to create a diversion, then to send in the vehicles and infantry to raid enemy bases or salvage equipment from downed machines.[3] By 3067 the infantry that had been incorporated into the Tech Raiders, along with several Bandit OmniVehicles, increased their tactical flexibility considerably. This left the unit with few situations it couldn't handle[4] until the attack on Outreach during the opening stages of the Jihad.[1]

Support

Battle Magic had more than enough technical support generated by the skills of the various unit members, but owned no transport assets. They preferred to hire DropShips and JumpShips as needed.[4]

Mercenary Rating

3060

Dragoon Rating: A+[3]

3067

Dragoon Rating: A+[4]

Composition

3060

Battle Magic (1 Company/Elite/Reliable)[3]

  • CO/Support Commander: Captain-Tech Jena Nakitsu

- The support company numbered 49 technicians, divided into 5-man squads; these squads deployed as 3-squad platoons, each headed by a senior technician.

Battle Magic 'Mechs (2 Lances/Veteran/Reliable)[3]

- The Battle Magic 'Mech lances included 3 Inner Sphere OmniMechs. Each 'Mech not only used a Clantech XL engine, but many of them had been specifically modified for speed in the interests of raiding, particularly tech-extraction raids. All of the weapons were advanced Inner Sphere or Clantech as well, with the 'Mechs capable of being quickly reconfigured to meet the preferences of their respective pilots.

Battle Magic Air Support (2 Lances/Veteran/Reliable)[3]

  • Wing Commander: Captain Simon Klause

- Although none of the heavy fighters that made up the Battle Magic Air Support in 3060 were true OmniFighters, all of them were fitted with Clan OmniFighter engines, as well as advanced weapons and high-tech components that could be reconfigured quickly.

Battle Magic Tech Raiders (1 Company/Veteran/Reliable)[3]

  • Armor Commander: Captain Regina Quaid

- The Tech Raiders' vehicles in 3060 were hover vehicles configured not just for combat but also for cargo duty. Whenever Battle Magic were engaged in tech-extraction raids, the Tech Raiders used their hover vehicles to pick up technology and retreat under the cover of the other Battle Magic units.

Note: At this point in time the unit was stationed on Outreach. [5]

3067

Battle Magic Support Group (1 Company/Elite/Reliable)[4]

  • CO/Support Commander: Captain-Tech Jena Nakitsu

Battle Magic 'Mechs (2 Lances/Veteran/Reliable)[4]

- The unit's 'Mech compliment consisted of advanced Inner Sphere designs, one lance of modern BattleMechs and one of Inner Sphere OmniMechs. All of the 'Mechs have been extensively modified and rebuilt to showcase advanced Clan-manufactured components.

Battle Magic Air Support (2 Lances/Veteran/Reliable)[4]

  • Wing Commander: Captain Simon Klause

- The unit's air support primarily consisted of venerable heavy AeroSpace Fighter designs modified with Clan and advanced tech, though prior to the unit's destruction a pair of Lockheed-CBM Corporation's Eisensturm OmniFighters replaced two of the patchwork upgraded designs.

Battle Magic Tech Raiders (2 Companies/Veteran/Reliable)[4]

  • Armor Commander: Captain Regina Quaid

- The Tech Raiders' company of hover vehicles, a mixture of classic designs along with several of the Dragoons' Bandit OmniVehicles, are configured for speed and cargo duty as much as combat, while the infantry unit contained a number of Inner Sphere Standard Battle Armor Suits.

Rules

BattleTech

  • Battle Magic receives a +3 bonus to dice rolls when using the scavenging repair rules detailed on pp87-94 of the BattleTech Master Rules'[7]
  • Battle Magic earns twice the standard fee for garrison duty or cadre duty.[6][7]

MechWarrior

  • All Battle Magic warriors receive the Technician/Mech skill at Level 1. If the character already has the skill, this advantage doesn't apply.[6] This is if using the MechWarrior, Second Edition ruleset.

Notes

  • Battle Magic's uniforms and equipment used a gold-on-black color scheme. The unit's insignia was a black lightning bolt spread over a circular gold field that was worn as a shoulder patch on uniforms or painted on 'Mechs. Vehicles and battle armor units placed this insignia wherever the warrior or his crew desired.[3]

Gallery

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Mercenaries Supplemental Update, p. 11
  2. TechManual, p. 229
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 37
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised, p. 43
  5. Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 114
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Field Manual: Mercenaries, p. 125
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Field Manual: Mercenaries Revised, p. 128

Bibliography