Ronin!

Ronin! (title suffix: Szenarioband - 3034 A.D.) is an original German publication by Fantasy Productions, the publisher of the German line of BattleTech products. It was never translated or published in another language.

The cover re-uses the picture previously used for the Wolf Pack novel, but the Wolf's Dragoons crest on the left leg of the Archer in the foreground was removed. The rich interior artwork is original art by Hartwig Nieder-Gassel and depicts scenes from the scenarios for the greater part. Many of these pictures include unseen BattleMechs (as does the cover artwork).

Canonicity

Although an official product and created under a valid license, the book does not meet the criteria for Canon sources because it was never published in english. As a consequence, it does not contribute canon. However, it was used as a basis for the much shorter coverage of the Ronin Wars in the (canonical) subsequent Historical: Brush Wars sourcebook. Said book canonized some of the original information from Ronin!, namely the general events and locations described in the campaigns, the pre-fabricated Kiudo garrison base and the Camerons Legion mercenary unit; however, the canonicity status of the many details that were not explicitly repeated in Brush Wars (such as many trivia about the Ronin Wars, maps of the worlds involved, names and numbers of participating military units or the exact layout of a Kiudo fortress) remains ambigous.

Content

Ronin! is a scenario book set in and expanding on the Ronin Wars. An introductory section details campaign rules and how to play through the book's scenarios, and also provides a history section explaining the reasons behind the Ronin Wars, the motivations for certain units to refuse orders and also the historical course of the conflicts.

For certain terrain features, installations or units used in the scenarios, black-and-white counters are printed on the last page. The book encourages players to make six photocopies of that page and cut out the counters. The page contains wall elements and gun towers for the Kiudo fortress, four "power assembly" counters, four "damaged power assembly" counters, and one counter each for "rubble", "fusion reactor", "breakthrough" and "turret locked". In addition, a loose cardboard sheet was included in the book that had colored cut-out counters for six "Flechtenbäume" type wood hexes (German: Lichen-trees, a native growth from Predlitz), six one-hex AA gun/flak emplacements, a two-hex HPG station (notable for being a two-hex building with different height levels - elevation 1 in one hex and elevation 2 in the other) and a seven-hex Union-class DropShip.

Three campaigns consisting of interconnected scenarios are presented, with the results of each scenario affecting subsequent scenarios. Players have the option to play the "historic" forces that supposedly fought these battles, but are encouraged to use their own company-sized BattleMech unit for a campaign game.

Each campaign has a detailed introduction explaining the role of this particular world within the Ronin Wars and the nature of the local conflict (written from an omniscient perspective), and each scenario has an introductory piece of fiction and an after-action report on the "historical" outcome.

First campaign: Bruben

When the formation of the Free Rasalhague Republic was announced on Bruben, Chu-sa Miato Kekkonen announced that the local DCMS garrison, consisting of the the 937th tank regiment and the 3592nd infantry regiment, would be disbanded and moved off-world. Erik Davidson, the new military governor of Bruben (and hitherto, the local Tyr leader for many years) hired Camerons Legion (or alternatively, the players' unit) to oversee the removal of the old garrison and provide security.

Scenario 1: Banzai!

Bruben, 2 May 3034

Background information

The old Chu-sa of the DCMS garrison on Bruben died seven days before the approaching DCMS DropShip makes planetfall to pick up the last garrison troops. His successor assured the government that all will proceed as planned, but ComStar Demi-Precentor Corvin Mantyrius has asked the inexperienced new military governor to commit some troops to guard the HPG compound. Davidson issues orders to the mercenary unit's light lance to guard the HPG, together with some militia.

Fiction

As he approaches the shoreside HPG compound from the lake in a hovercraft, Tai-i Marcus Hirimatsu ponders his treachery and how he and the other officers killed Chu-sa Kekkonen to become Ronin. His emotions equally dampened and elated by TekkRokk music, he again experiences death-wish feelings at the beginning of the battle reminiscent of those he had when he survived the destruction of his unit by Lyran Aerospace Fighters on Kirchbach.

Scenario

Ronin hovertanks (four Condors and Maxims each), carrying two laser rifle platoons, attempt to seize the HPG compound without damaging it. Camerons Legion's light lance, consisting of a Valkyrie, two Jenners and a Stinger supported by a militia Ontos and three Bulldog tanks, defend the compound. ComStar has one assault rifle platoon's worth of guards.

Outcome

An after-action report from Demi-Precentor Mantyrius reveals that a warning by Precentor Zilya Armanowitscha of Rasalhague had allowed Mantyrius to prepare for a possible Ronin attack. He stresses that the guards platoon was insufficient and that only the presence of the mercenaries prevented the desecration of the station by unbelievers.

Scenario 2: Drache im Schafspelz

(Dragon in Sheep's Clothing) - Bruben, 2 May 3034

Background 

Marcus Kurita was fully aware of the role that ComStar had played in the formation of the Free Rasalhague Republic and did not hesitate to declare their installations military targets with the intention to capture them intact. This would allow the rebels to maintain communication even against ComStar's wishes, and they also hoped it would disrupt the cordial relationship between ComStar and Theodore Kurita. Hence the first attacks were against the HPGs on many planets, most of which were seized. Although this led to surprsingly few casualties and no installation was damaged, Primus Waterly later used these events to justify a re-arming of ComStar against internal resistance.
Sho-sa Ito Hanaka, successor of the (murdered) Chu-sa Kekkonen, requested and was granted permission to parade his withdrawing DCMS garrison forces through the center of the planetary capital, Nystaad, on their way to the starport. It is obviously a bad idea (to be blamed on the military governor's lack of experience) to allow heavily armed troops to parade through a city full of hostile civilians, and worst of all the remaining elements of Camerons Legion minus the light lance sent to the outlying HPG station are ordered to escort the parade.

Fiction

From the cockpit of his Warhammer an unhappy Colonel Thomas Cameron watches the parade; he can see the DropShip waiting to pick up the garrison troops at the starport. Just as the protests begin to turn into a riot Cameron receives a scrambled message from his troops at the HPG, half drowned in ECM noise. Realizing that his worst suspicions are coming true, he orders his troops to power up for a fight just as a Demolisher's twin guns swing in on him.

Scenario

In a concerted action, and simultaneously with the attack on the HPG (scenario 1), the parading garrison troops open fire on the mercenaries. The parade train consists of four Devastators, four Schreks, and altogether six platoons of motorized infantry, half of them with MGs and the other half with SRMs. The Union-class DropShip deploys a 'Mech lance in support of the Ronin attack, consisting of a Shadow Hawk, a Wolverine, Hunchback and a Whitworth.
Camerons Legion is present with their Alpha (Warhammer, Marauder, Grasshopper, Zeus) and Beta (Hunchback, Assassin, Griffin, Wolverine lances, and the Bruben milita supports them with two Rommel tanks and four platoons of motorized rifle infantry.

Outcome

The fighting amid the amassed protesters in the middle of Nystaad caused massive damage, but had no clear winner. The DropShip withdrew into space at some point with what remained of its 'Mech lance. 493 civilians were killed, including more than 100 children who died when the defending mercenary Marauder piloted by Ron Dexter destroyed a school building during combat. May 2 became a memorial day on Bruben.

Optional RPG scenario: Der Schwarze Mann geht um

(Bogeyman on the loose)

The Ronin DEST assassin who killed Chu-sa Kekkonen attempts to kill the mercenary unit's leader at their HQ in the militia barracks in preparation for the attacks of May 2. If the assassin is captured alive, the players might uncover and solve the murder case of Sho-sa Kekkonen. In any case, they might uncover a plot to assassinate Erik Davidson during a reception at the city hall on May 4 and possibly even thwart the plan. Davidson survives in any case, as he continues to issue orders to the mercenaries.

Possible additional scenario: ComStar HPG-Station, Die Zweite

(ComStar HPG Station, Revisited)

If the Ronin forces managed to occupy the HPG compound the first scenario, the players can try to retake the compound. Both sides may commit any and all of their forces, but losses will obviously not be available in the next scenario. The players can already commit the four motorized infantry platoons here which they are to use in scenario 3, but these, too, will not replenish losses.

Scenario 3: Aufräumkommando

(Mop-up squad) - Bruben, 15 June 3034

Background

The Ronin forces have retreated into a Kiudo fortress 20 kilometers south of Nystaad. They claim that their continued presence on Bruben is neccessary to protect the asian population from transgressions, and by now such transgressions are actually taking place. In fact, many civilians with asian features had to flee to the relative safety of the Ronin fort. The damage incurred from the fighting in Nystaad's city center has soured relations between the mercenaries and the government, and they are ordered to take the fortress with strict orders to avoid civilian casualties at all cost.

Fiction

In preparation for the upcoming assault on a heavily fortified enemy position, Löjtnant Sven Gunnarson examines the Kiudo fortress through his binoculars, then mounts his Yamaha Milcountry to ride into battle...

Scenario

The entire mercenary company (minus losses from the previous scenarios), reinforced with four motorized laser platoons, attacks the Ronin Kiudo fortress that is defended by four Galleons and four rifle platoons; the defenders may have additional forces from previous scenarios. Four "platoons" of civilians are also present in the fortress, unless they could be convinced to leave the base.

Outcome

In a first-semester lecture at the Nagelring Academy in 3038 the teacher tells his class about how a mixed unit of mercenaries and milita had to storm a weakly defended Kiudo fortress, hampered by civilians who were to be spared. In the end, the attackers succeeded without hurting a single civilian, but it cost them all but four of their 'Mechs.

Optional RPG scenario: Verhandlungsbasis

(Basis for negotiation)

If the mercenaries seek to negotiate with the Ronin, Chu-sa Hanaka will arrange a meeting but insist that Mejin Watanabe, Spokeswoman for the civilians, is included as well. Hanaka is basically prepared to bring the civilians out of the line of fire, but he demands guarantees that the asian population will be protected - something the mercenaries cannot possibly guarantee. Watanabe, on the other hand, does not want to abandon the fortress as it is the last refuge of her people on a hostile world. Ultimately, the players might be able to convince the civilians to leave the fortress when it comes under attack so that they stay out of the line of fire.

Possible additional scenario: Wir kommen wieder!

(We'll be back!)

If the players fail to overcome the fortress in their first attempt, they may try again. Depending on the outcome of the previous scenarios, the repair rules may favour one side or the other in-between such attacks. The Ronin can repair armor damage, but cannot replenish ammunition or personnell.

Second campaign: Predlitz

After the surprising fall of Radstadt to the Tyr Regiment in the Fourth Succession War the regional administration center was moved to the city of Stalholm on Predlitz after the war, in part because of the world's unwavering loyalty to the Draconis Combine. The creation of the Free Rasalhague Republic was a shock to Predlitz, amplified by the arrival of the rebellious old district administration who had fled Rasalhague followign the murder of Warlord Ivan Sorenson before the Free Rasalhague Republic had even been declared. Then Marcus Kurita appeared to fill the power vacuum in the rebel ranks, but he too was murdered. The weak Ronin hold over the administration eroded, and on June 2 the notorious Tyr Regiment landed on Predlitz to eradicate this center of resistance against the new republic. War had come to Predlitz for the first time. A stalemate evolved that was finally tilted against the Ronin when a 'Mech company (3rd Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Sword of Light Regiment) arrived in late July 3034.

Players are encouraged to use their own mercenary unit instead of the named House unit.

Scenario 4 (AstroTech): Ein heisser Empfang I

(A hot welcoming) - Predlitz, 28 July 3034

Background

The Draconis Combine maintained a fighter base at the mining colony on the moon of Predlitz, Krakau, which reportedly joined the Ronin traitors. They have now established aerospace superiority in the system now and loyalist reinforcements have to break through.

Fiction

A specialist operating the long-range sensors reports to Chu-i Tanaka that the Combine has sent House troops to deal with the Ronin. Tanaka, realizing that he will fight his own former brothers-in-arms when the ship arrives in two days, wonders if he did the right thing in joining the Ronin.

Scenario

In order to make planetfall on Predlitz, the Union-class DropShip Osaka, escorted by its two Transit aerospace fighters, must push past the (former) 628th Fighter Group which consists of two Sholagars, two Shilones and two Killers and deploy its company of 'Mechs.

Outcome

In his 3036 book "The Ronin Wars", Dr. B. Banzai recounts how the approaching DropShip destroyed both Sholagars, cowing the other fighters enough to achieve a breakthrough to Predlitz.

Scenario 5: Ein heisser Empfang II

Predlitz, 28 July 3034

Background

Two heavy Ronin lances have broken through the starport's defenses to intercept the newly arrived reinforcements. Two Thunderbolts, a Catapult, a Dragon, a Marauder, a Crusader, a BattleMaster and an Atlas (all with combat damage from their breakthrough) with fighter support from two Shilones and two Killers attack the Osaka as it is unloading its 'Mechs, bent on destroying the DropShip. Opposing them is the Sword of Light company (Locust, two Stingers, Jenner, Griffin, Shadow Hawk, Hunchback, Whitworth, Warhammer, Rifleman, Thunderbolt, Victor) and the Osaka with her fighters.

Fiction 

Scenario 

Outcome 

Scenario 6: Heimlich, still und leise

(On the quiet) - Predlitz, 5 August 3034

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Fiction 

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Outcome 

Scenario 7: Alte Bekannte

(Old Acquaintances) - Predlitz, 5 August 3034

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Fiction 

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Outcome 

Scenario 8: Old McDonald had a farm

Predlitz, 7 August 3034

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Fiction 

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Scenario 9: Flüchtlinge

(Fugitives) - Predlitz, 7 August 3034

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Fiction 

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Third campaign: Krakau

Scenario 10: Neumond

(New Moon) - Predlitz, 30 August 3034

Background 

Fiction 

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Outcome 

Scenario 11: Vollmond

(Full Moon) - Predlitz, 30 August 3034

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Fiction 

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Outcome 

Scenario 12: Mondfinsternis

(Lunar Eclipse) - Predlitz, 30 August 3034

Background 

Fiction 

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Outcome