BattleTech Field Manual: Mercenaries

Expansion for BattleTech Expansion for BattleTech: Mercenary's Handbook 3055

BattleTech Field Manual: Mercenaries Rulebook

Table of Contents

Rules
Running a Mercenary Unit

Rules

This section provides new rules that assist in regular campaign play and that often reflect the unique strengths and weaknesses of mercenary commands. These rules are for use with BattleTech and MechWarrior, Second Edition (MW II) as noted in the text.

Creating Scenarios includes rules and tables for quickly generating BattleTech scenarios, while Unit Generation (p. 120) offers a quick-and-dirty way of creating mercenary commands for a pick-up game. Mercenary Commands (p. 123) provides optional rules for simulating the unique characteristics of the independent mercenary commands described previously in this manual. Training (p. 131) contains special rules for creating MW II characters who have attended the Outreach Mercenary Training Command (OMTC). Mercenary Battle Armor (p. 133) provides descriptions and game information for battle-armor troops.

Creating Scenarios

Unless noted otherwise in the specific rules for each scenario type, the following rules apply to all BattleTech scenarios created with this system.

Number of Players. The mission-generation rules are written for two-player scenarios. If more than two individuals are playing, simply divide all players into two opposing teams.

Map Selection. Select scenario mapsheets with the Selecting Mapsheets rules beginning on page 118. The total playing area of a scenario is referred to as simply "the map," whether it consists of single or multiple mapsheets.

Force Selection. In most scenarios, the forces on each side will be equal. For example, each side might consist of one Veteran heavy lance, or of one Elite light lance and two Regular medium lances. If both players agree, the composition of each side can be generated randomly using the tables in Unit Generation, p. 121.

In general, forces created in this manner will be roughly balanced, but only if both sides are Inner Sphere forces or both sides are Clan forces. If one player is using Clan forces and his opponent is using Inner Sphere forces, the resulting match-up may be quite unequal because Clan 'Mechs and MechWarriors are superior to their Inner Sphere counterparts. Players can address this problem by giving the Inner Sphere side a two-to-one numerical advantage over the Clan side; the Clan player should have half the 'Mechs normally assigned according to the scenario.

For a more detailed system for balancing forces, see the Point System (pp. 58-60, First Strike!) or the Battle Value System (pp. 99-124, Maximum Tech).

Movement and Retreat. Scenario maps are fixed once play begins. Unless otherwise noted, units that exit the map at any edge other than their home edge are considered destroyed. Units that exit the map from their home edge have retreated—they remain out of play for the remainder of the scenario and cannot return. Units that retreat do not count as destroyed units when determining victory.

Units may exit the map by intentionally moving off the map or being forced off by an opposing unit using a push, charge or death-from-above attack.

Half-hexes along the edge of the map, even those with hex numbers in them, are not considered part of the map. A unit that enters one of these half-hexes for any reason automatically exits the map.

Set-Up. Both players roll 2D6 to begin. The player with the higher result chooses his home map edge—the edge of the map where his units will enter. The opposite edge becomes the opposing player's home map edge. A player's units can safely exit the map only through his or her home edge.

Roll Initiative for the first turn per standard rules. All units start play off the map. A player's units may enter the map on any hex along the player's home edge. Each unit must enter the map on a full hex nearest the home edge, and that hex counts as its first hex of movement.

Ending the Game. Generally, a scenario ends when all of one player's units have been destroyed or have retreated off the map. At that point, the opposing player wins. Depending on the specific scenario type, however, a player may need to achieve additional or alternate goals to claim victory.

Scenario Type

If desired, one player may roll 1D6 and consult the Scenario Type Table to randomly generate a scenario type to play. Brief descriptions and victory conditions for each scenario type follow the table. Alternatively, players may simply select a scenario type or use the types as models to create their own.

Scenario Type Table

1D6 Roll	Scenario Type
1	Stand-Up Fight
2	Hide and Seek
3	Hold the Line
4	Extraction
5	Breakthrough
6	The Chase

Stand-Up Fight

In a stand-up fight, two forces of roughly equal size square off against each other. Only one side will leave the field alive. The scenario ends when all the units on one side have been destroyed or have retreated off the map. The surviving side wins the scenario.

Hide and Seek

In the hide-and-seek scenario, one player assumes the role of attacker and the other becomes the defender. The defending player is "it"—his forces hide, and the attacker attempts to find and destroy them.

Set the attacking force at twice the size of the defending force. For example, if the defending player controls a single lance, the attacking player may use two lances. Players may use any size forces they wish, as long as the attacker's force is twice the size of the defender's.

Use half the number of mapsheets (rounded up) recommended in the Selecting Mapsheets rules (p. 118). If possible, avoid using the Large Lakes or Lake Area BattleTech mapsheets. Urban mapsheets are ideal if the maps contain buildings. Otherwise, avoid these mapsheets as well, because they provide few hiding places for the defender's units.

After the attacking player selects a home map edge, the defending player sets up his units using the Hidden Units rules (p. 89, BTC:RoW; or p. 53, CityTech, Second Edition). The defending units may be placed on any hex of any part of the map, except for Clear and Paved hexes. Additionally, the defending player may set minefields (see p. 93, BTC:RoW; or p. 54, CityTech, Second Edition). For each BattleMech or unit in his force, the defender may set one single-hex conventional minefield. For example, if the defender's force consists of a single four-'Mech lance or a single four-tank armor lance, he can set four minefields.

The scenario ends when all of one player's units have been destroyed or retreated off the map. The player whose forces control the map or simply survive at the end wins the scenario.

Hold the Line

In a hold-the-line scenario, the defending player must stop a larger attacking force. Set the attacking player's force at twice the size of the defender's force. For example, if the defending player controls a single lance, the attacking player may use two lances. Players may use any size forces they wish, as long as the attacker's force is twice the size of the defender's.

Set the experience levels of the defending player's forces at one level higher than those of the attacker's forces. For example, if the attacking force consists of Regular units, the defender uses Veteran units.

The defending units may not intentionally leave the map for any reason.

The scenario ends when all the units on one side have been destroyed or retreated off the map. If the defenders destroy a number of opposing units equal to the number of defending units that started the scenario (or more), the defending player wins. For example, if the defending player begins with a single lance, he can claim victory if he manages to destroy four or more attacking units. In all other cases, the player whose forces survive or control the map at the scenario's end wins.

Extraction

In an extraction scenario, the attacking player attempts to extract a target, such as a secret weapon, an important diplomat or a computer memory core, from behind the defender's lines.

After the players roll dice and select their home map edges, the attacker secretly chooses a target hex for the extraction. The target hex must be within 4 hexrows of the defender's home edge and cannot be within 4 hexes of any other map edge. The attacker then writes down the target hex's number and mapsheet name on a slip of paper, which he folds and gives to a neutral party for safekeeping (or the defending player can simply put the paper in his pocket without looking at it).

The attacking player can reveal the target hex to the defender during any End Phase. Any attacking unit can pick up the extraction target simply by occupying the hex during an End Phase. Additionally, a unit that retrieves the target can pass it to any friendly unit in the same hex or an adjacent hex during any End Phase.

If a unit carrying the extraction target is destroyed, place the slip of paper in the hex occupied by the unit when it was destroyed. Any unit in play can retrieve the extraction target by occupying that hex during any End Phase.

If the attacker can move a unit carrying the extraction target off his home map edge, he wins the scenario. Otherwise, the defender wins.

Breakthrough

In a breakthrough scenario, the attacking player's forces have become trapped behind enemy lines. To reach safety, his units must cross the scenario map and break through the defender's forces.

Use one more mapsheet than the number recommended in Selecting Mapsheets, p. 118. For example, if eight 'Mechs will be in play, use three mapsheets rather than two. When setting up the mapsheets, place them in a single, long row with their short edges touching.

Next, both players roll 2D6. The player who achieves the higher result may choose to be the defender or attacker for the scenario. The attacker then chooses one of the narrow edges of the map where his forces will enter. The attacker's home edge is the one opposite the edge where his forces enter. (The attacker's objective is to exit his forces at his home edge.)

The defender may set up his forces in any hexes on the map. Additionally, he may position up to half of his units (round down) using the Hidden Units rules.

The scenario ends when all the defending units have been destroyed or retreated off the map, or when all attacking units have retreated or been destroyed or crippled. For the purposes of this scenario, units become crippled when they lose one or more legs or their gyros are destroyed. Attacking units may intentionally exit the map only at their home edge.

If all the attacking units survive and exit at their home edge, the attacking player wins a complete victory. If all the attacking forces are destroyed or crippled and none exit at their home edge, the defending player wins a complete victory.

If neither of these conditions is met, consult the Breakthrough Victory Points Table to determine each player's Victory Points. The player with the most points wins a marginal victory. If both players achieve equal numbers of Victory Points, the scenario ends in a draw.

Breakthrough Victory Points Table

Points	Awarded for
Attacker: 2	Each attacking unit that safely exits at home edge
Attacker: 1	Each defending unit destroyed
Defender: 3	Each attacking unit destroyed or crippled (destroyed units forced off map only count for 2)

The Chase

In a chase scenario, the attacker's forces must race across the map to reach their DropShip before a larger force of pursuing defenders can reach them. Chase scenarios use the same rules as breakthrough scenarios, with the following exceptions.

Set the defender's force at twice the size of the attacking force. For example, if the attackers form a single lance, the defending force contains two lances.

The defending player does not deploy his forces before Turn 2. During Turn 1, the attacking units may enter the map and move unopposed per standard rules. The defending units enter the map during the Movement Phase of Turn 2, from the same map edge where the attacking units entered.

Selecting Mapsheets

After selecting a scenario type, determine the terrain for the scenario by selecting mapsheets. Certain scenarios call for specific types of mapsheets in their descriptions. In most scenarios, however, players can simply select whichever mapsheets they like or make dice rolls and consult the appropriate mapsheet tables to randomly select mapsheets.

Before selecting mapsheets, determine how many mapsheets you want to use. For most BattleTech play, one mapsheet for every four 'Mechs or units works best. For example, a scenario that pits one lance of attackers against one lance of defenders (eight 'Mechs total) will work best with two mapsheets. A scenario that pits one company of attackers against a company of defenders (twenty-four total 'Mechs) will work best with six mapsheets. Different scenarios may work best with other mapsheet/unit ratios, so check the scenario-type description.

Using the Mapsheet Tables. Players may use one of two groups of mapsheet tables to randomly select mapsheets. When using the Terrain-Specific Mapsheet Tables, one player rolls 1D6. The result indicates which terrain table is used. For example, on a result of 1, use the Flatlands Terrain table; on a result of 2, the Hill Terrain table; and so on. (Alternatively, the players may simply select a specific terrain.) Note that the Urban terrain type is set off from the others. Generally, urban terrain is only suitable for scenarios involving buildings, so players may simply select it when appropriate.

Next, select mapsheets from the appropriate table by rolling 1D6. If using two mapsheets, roll twice; if using four mapsheets, roll four times; and so on.

When using the Random Mapsheet Tables, make two 1D6 rolls for each mapsheet. The first roll indicates the specific Random Mapsheet Table from which the mapsheet is selected. For example, on a result of 1, use Random Mapsheet Table 1. The second roll indicates which map from the table is used.

All of the mapsheet tables assume that players possess one copy each of BattleTech Map Sets 2-5. (For easy reference, each mapsheet name is followed by an abbreviation of the map set or boxed game that contains the mapsheet.) If any roll result indicates a mapsheet that is unavailable, simply repeat the roll.

Terrain-Specific Mapsheet Tables

Table 1: Flatlands Terrain (1D6 / Mapsheet)

1D6	Mapsheet
1	Open Terrain #1 (MS5)
2	Open Terrain #2 (MS5)
3	Desert Hills (MS2)
4	City Ruins (MS2)
5	City Street Grid/Park #1 (MS4)
6	City Street Grid/Park #2 (MS4)

Table 2: Hill Terrain

1D6	Mapsheet
1	Desert Hills (MS2)
2	Rolling Hills #1 (MS3)
3	Rolling Hills #2 (MS3)
4	City (Hills/Residential) #1 (MS3)
5	City (Hills/Residential) #2 (MS3)
6	Large Lakes #2 (MS4)

Table 3: Mountain Terrain

1D6	Mapsheet
1	Mountain Lake (MS2)
2	River Valley (MS2)
3	Desert Mountain #1 (MS3)
4	Desert Mountain #2 (MS3)
5	Large Mountain #1 (MS5)
6	Large Mountain #2 (MS5)

Table 4: Badlands Terrain

1D6	Mapsheet
1	Desert Sinkhole #1 (MS3)
2	Desert Sinkhole #2 (MS3)
3	Moonscape #1 (MS5)
4	Moonscape #2 (MS5)
5	Desert Mountain #1 (MS3)
6	Desert Mountain #2 (MS3)

Table 5: Wetland Terrain

1D6	Mapsheet
1	Scattered Woods (MS2)
2	Lake Area (MS2)
3	Large Lakes #1 (MS4)
4	Large Lakes #2 (MS4)
5	River Delta/Drainage Basin #1 (MS4)
6	River Delta/Drainage Basin #2 (MS4)

Table 6: Wooded Terrain

1D6	Mapsheet
1	Scattered Woods (MS2)
2	BattleTech Map (BT, MS2)
3	River Valley (MS2)
4	Rolling Hills #1 (MS3)
5	Heavy Forest #1 (MS4)
6	Heavy Forest #2 (MS4)

Urban Terrain Table

1D6	Mapsheet
1	City Ruins (MS2)
2	CityTech Map (CT, MS2)
3	City (Hills/Residential) #1 (MS3)
4	City (Hills/Residential) #2 (MS3)
5	City Street Grid/Park #1 (MS4)
6	City Street Grid/Park #2 (MS4)

Abbreviations: MS = Map Set, CT = CityTech boxed game, BT = BattleTech boxed game.

Random Mapsheet Tables

Table 1

1D6	Mapsheet
1	Scattered Woods (MS2)
2	Desert Hills (MS2)
3	City Ruins (MS2)
4	Mountain Lake (MS2)
5	BattleTech Map (BT, MS2)
6	CityTech Map (CT, MS2)

Table 2

1D6	Mapsheet
1	River Valley (MS2)
2	Lake Area (MS2)
3	Desert Mountain #1 (MS3)
4	Desert Mountain #2 (MS3)
5	Desert Sinkhole #1 (MS3)
6	Desert Sinkhole #2 (MS3)

Table 3

1D6	Mapsheet
1	Rolling Hills #1 (MS3)
2	Rolling Hills #2 (MS3)
3	City (Hills/Residential) #1 (MS3)
4	City (Hills/Residential) #2 (MS3)
5	Heavy Forest #1 (MS4)
6	Roll both dice again

Table 4

1D6	Mapsheet
1	Heavy Forest #2 (MS4)
2	City Street Grid/Park #1 (MS4)
3	City Street Grid/Park #2 (MS4)
4	Large Lakes #1 (MS4)
5	Large Lakes #2 (MS4)
6	Roll both dice again

Table 5

1D6	Mapsheet
1	River Delta/Drainage Basin #1 (MS4)
2	River Delta/Drainage Basin #2 (MS4)
3	Deep Canyon #1 (MS5)
4	Deep Canyon #2 (MS5)
5	Large Mountain #1 (MS5)
6	Roll both dice again

Table 6

1D6	Mapsheet
1	Large Mountain #2 (MS5)
2	Moonscape #1 (MS5)
3	Moonscape #2 (MS5)
4	Open Terrain #1 (MS5)
5	Open Terrain #2 (MS5)
6	Roll both dice again

Laying Out the Mapsheets. To begin laying out the mapsheets, the players roll 2D6. The player with the higher roll places the first selected mapsheet on the table or floor. The other player then places the next selected mapsheet. The players continue to alternate laying out the remaining mapsheets.

Each mapsheet must be placed with one of its short edges touching the short edge of a mapsheet already placed or with one of its long edges touching the long edge of a mapsheet already placed. Additionally, the mapsheets must be placed so that they form a single, continuous rectangular or square playing area. Within these and any guidelines provided in the scenario-type description, players may arrange the mapsheets as they see fit.

(The printed page shows diagrams marked YES and NO illustrating correctly and incorrectly joined mapsheet layouts.)

Unit Generation

After selecting the scenario type and mapsheets, generate the units that will take part in the scenario. Players can generate their forces in two ways. First, they may simply assemble any units they wish based on the descriptions provided in the Unit Briefs Database (p. 124 of this section). The battlefield strength of a unit is determined by its size, weight class, equipment level and experience level, and so players who want to create evenly matched battles should take note of these factors when assembling their forces. Players should also select appropriately sized forces for the chosen scenario.

Alternatively, players may use dice rolls to randomly generate forces. When using this system, players perform three steps: determine their forces' composition, assign BattleMechs and set unit experience levels. This system may not always produce evenly matched forces, but players may increase the likelihood of generating balanced forces by setting a specific weight class, equipment rating and experience level for both forces before rolling the dice.

Though the tables used in this system assume that players' forces will consist entirely of BattleMechs, these tables can be easily adapted to accommodate armor, infantry and other units.

Force Composition

Begin assembling forces by determining the size of each side. Often, the specific conditions of a scenario may suggest a particular size. Players may wish to consider available playing time as well—larger engagements may take considerably longer to complete than smaller ones. Most engagements pit two four-'Mech lances against one another, but players are free to use any size forces they desire.

After determining the size of each force, determine its weight class. For lance-sized forces, roll 2D6 and consult the Lance Type section on the Random Weight-Class Table. For company-sized forces, roll 1D6 and consult the Company Type section of the table. If a company-sized force contains more than three lances, use the Lance Type section to determine the weight class of the extra lances.

After determining the weight classes of the lance(s) in each force, use the Lance Composition Table to determine the weight classes of the BattleMechs in each lance.

Random Weight-Class Table

Random Lance Type (2D6 Roll / Weight Class)

2D6 Roll	Weight Class
2-4	Light
5-6	Medium
7-9	Heavy
10-12	Assault

Random Company Type (1D6 Roll / Lance Weight Classes)

1D6 Roll	Lance Weight Classes
1	1 Light, 2 Medium
2	1 Light, 1 Medium, 1 Heavy
3	2 Medium, 1 Heavy
4	1 Light, 2 Heavy
5	3 Heavy
6	2 Heavy, 1 Assault

Lance Composition Table

Light Lance Composition (1D6 / 'Mech Weight Classes)

1D6	'Mech Weight Classes
1	4 Light
2-3	3 Light, 1 Medium
4-5	3 Light, 2 Medium
6	2 Light, 1 Medium, 1 Heavy

Medium Lance Composition (1D6 / 'Mech Weight Classes)

1D6	'Mech Weight Classes
1	1 Light, 2 Medium, 1 Heavy
2-3	4 Medium
4-5	3 Medium, 1 Heavy
6	3 Medium, 2 Heavy

Heavy Lance Composition (1D6 / 'Mech Weight Classes)

1D6	'Mech Weight Classes
1	1 Medium, 3 Heavy
2-3	4 Heavy
4-5	1 Medium, 2 Heavy, 1 Assault
6	3 Heavy, 1 Assault

Assault Lance Composition (1D6 / 'Mech Weight Classes)

1D6	'Mech Weight Classes
1	3 Heavy, 2 Assault
2-3	2 Heavy, 2 Assault
4-5	1 Heavy, 3 Assault
6	4 Assault

(The printed page shows YES and NO diagrams illustrating appropriately and inappropriately joined mapsheets.)

Assigning 'Mechs

After determining the weight classes of the BattleMechs in each force, use the Random 'Mech Assignment Table to determine the specific 'Mech designs.

To use the table, the players must first set the equipment ratings (A, B, C, D or F) of their forces. If playing lances or companies from specific mercenary regiments, consult Unit Briefs Database, p. 124, to determine the equipment rating of each force. Alternatively, the players may simply set equipment ratings for their forces (Equipment Rating C is average). Or the players may each roll 1D6 to determine the equipment rating; a result of 1 provides a rating of "A", a result of 2 a rating of "B," and so on. On a result of 6, repeat the roll. Keep in mind that using similar equipment ratings for both sides will increase the likelihood of an evenly matched battle.

After determining the equipment rating, roll 2D6 to find the specific 'Mech. If the result indicates two 'Mechs separated by a slash, roll an additional 1D6. On a result of 1-3, use the first 'Mech; on a result of 4-6, use the second 'Mech.

Though players can use the Random 'Mech Assignment Table in this book to determine the composition of any Inner Sphere force, it is designed specifically for use with mercenary units. When playing scenarios with other types of units, use the Random 'Mech Assignment Table from the appropriate BattleTech Field Manual for more accurate force composition.

Assigning 'Mechs in MechWarrior. The Random 'Mech Assignment Table can also be used to assign the starting 'Mech for a new MechWarrior character who joins a mercenary unit. In this case, use the table below instead of the standard MechWarrior 'Mech-assignment table (p. 20, MW II). Base the character's equipment rating on the unit with which the character last served.

If the character has not served in a unit, assume he has an Equipment Rating of F. Increase the rating by one level for each of the following advantages the character possesses: Land Grant or Title.

Random 'Mech Assignment Table: Mercenaries

Light 'Mechs (2D6 / Equipment Rating A, B, C, D, F)

2D6	A	B	C	D	F
2	HM-1 Hitman	OW-1 Owens	SCB-9A Scarabus	SDR-7M Spider	OTT-7J Ostscout
3	OW-1 Owens	HMR-3M Hammer	PNT-10K Panther	OTT-7J Ostscout	FS9-H Firestarter
4	PNT-10K Panther	SDR-5V Spider	VLK-QD Valkyrie	LCT-1V Locust	LCT-1E Locust
5	JR7-D Jenner	JR7-D Jenner	SDR-5V Spider	COM-2D Commando	WSP-1A Wasp

Medium 'Mechs (2D6 / Equipment Rating A, B, C, D, F)

2D6	A	B	C	D	F
2	TR1 Wraith	END-6Q Enfield	SNK-1V Snake	GRF-3M Griffin	SHD-2H Shadow Hawk
3	SR1-0 Strider	STH-1D Stealth	BJ-2 Blackjack	WVR-6R Wolverine	GRF-1N Griffin
4	TBT-7M Trebuchet	HCT-3F Hatchetman	HBK-5M Hunchback	BJ-1 Blackjack	SCP-1N Scorpion
5	ENF-4R Enforcer	GRF-1N Griffin	VND-1R Vindicator	TBT-5N Trebuchet

Heavy 'Mechs (2D6 / Equipment Rating A, B, C, D, F)

2D6	A	B	C	D	F
2	WHM-7M Warhammer	DGR-3F Dragon Fire	GAL-1GLS Gallowglas	WHM-7M Warhammer	CRD-5M Crusader
3	AV1-O Avatar	TMP-3M Tempest	WHM-7M Warhammer	CRD-3R Crusader	JM6-D JagerMech
4	MAD-5M Marauder	MAD-3R Marauder	CRD-5M Crusader	ARC-2R Archer	CPLT-C1 Catapult
5	ON1-K Orion	AXM-1N Axman	ARC-2R Archer	CPLT-C1 Catapult

Assault 'Mechs (2D6 / Equipment Rating A, B, C, D, F)

2D6	A	B	C	D	F
2	T-IT-N10M Grand Titan	NSR-9J Nightstar	GUN-1ERD Gunslinger	VTR-9K Victor	AS7-D Atlas
3	SD1-O Sunder	ALB-3U Albatross	BNC-5S Banshee	ZEU-6S Zeus	ZEU-6S Zeus
4	AWS-9M Awesome	STK-3F Stalker	SHG-2F Shogun	BNC-3E Banshee	CGR-1A1 Charger
5	AS7-D Atlas	VTR-9B Victor	ZEU-6S Zeus	CP-10-Z Cyclops	CP-10-Z Cyclops

Experience Level and Skills

After determining the 'Mech designs employed by each force, the players determine the experience levels (Green, Regular, Veteran or Elite) of their forces. If the players are using units from specific mercenary regiments, they can consult the Unit Briefs Database (p. 124). Alternatively, the players may simply set any experience levels they wish, or use the Random Experience Level Table. (Players can help ensure a balanced battle by setting the same level for both forces.)

After determining his forces' experience level, each player determines the Gunnery and Piloting Skills of his MechWarriors. If the players agree, they can simply assign all MechWarriors the standard starting skill levels (Piloting 5, Gunnery 4). Alternatively, each player may use the Random Skills Table to randomly determine the skill levels of his MechWarriors. To do so, each player makes two 1D6 rolls for each MechWarrior in his force. (Add 2 to each roll result for Clan MechWarriors.) The first die roll result determines the MechWarrior's Piloting Skill; the second, the MechWarrior's Gunnery Skill.

Random Experience Level Table

2D6	Experience Level
2-5	Green
6-9	Regular
10-11	Veteran
12	Elite

Random Skills Table (Expanded)

1D6 (Green)	1D6 (Regular)	1D6 (Veteran)	1D6 (Elite)	Piloting	Gunnery
1	—	—	—	7	6
2-3	—	—	—	6	5
4-5	1-2	—	—	6	4
6-7	3-4	1-2	—	5	4
8

Finishing Touches

If all players agree, they can fine-tune their units by shifting 'Mechs between lances after they have generated all their 'Mechs and MechWarriors, though MechWarriors may not be removed from their assigned 'Mechs. Fine-tuning a force in this manner enables a player to group 'Mechs with similar movement capabilities in lances and arrange effective C3 networks.

Commanders

In some cases, players may wish to designate lance, company, battalion or regiment commanders within their forces. Usually, the MechWarrior with the highest skills and/or heaviest BattleMech in each unit is the unit's commander, but players may use any criteria they want when designating commanders. After selecting commanders, each player should identify command units as such on those units' record sheets.

Mercenary Commands

Each mercenary command possesses certain specialties and skills based on its experience and the abilities of its commanders. The regiment descriptions in the Unit Briefs Database discuss these characteristics in detail. The following game rules simulate these characteristics, and are intended to supplement existing BattleTech and MW II rules. They should add variety to and enhance game play, but not give unfair advantage to players, and so gamemasters and players should all agree on any supplemental rule before using it in play. Similarly, players should feel free to modify any rule that seems inappropriate for their campaign. All of the following rules are considered Level 3 rules, and are inappropriate for tournament play.

Many of the following rules are specifically designed for use with the Creating Scenarios rules (p. 116). Players should feel free to use them in other game situations if appropriate. Unless otherwise stated, the following rules apply to BattleTech games only.

Using Hidden Units Rules

Certain regiments can use the Hidden Units rules (p. 89, BTC:RoW) to set up part or all of their forces when scenario circumstances allow. If a scenario offers no such opportunity, the regiments cannot exercise this option. In a chase scenario, for example, both sides move right from the start, so neither side can employ these rules. In a stand-up fight scenario, however, one side can use the Hidden Units rules. Players must decide for themselves if a scenario accommodates the use of hidden units; in all cases, both players must agree before using the rules in a scenario.

If the rules for a scenario type already call for hidden units, ignore the regiment's special ability to set up hidden units.

Overlapping Abilities and Advantages

If opposing forces possess identical abilities or advantages, the advantages cancel each other out. For example, if two opposing units both have the advantage of choosing the side of the map from which they enter, ignore the advantage and instead determine entrance edges using standard rules.

Off-Map Movement

Some mercenary units are proficient in tactical movement behind the lines of combat. Commands with the off-map movement ability may move units off the map during play. These units re-enter play at a predetermined map edge. This ability may only be used if the scenario type allows for it. For example, an offensive force may not use this ability in breakthrough scenarios; in a hold-the-line scenario, the defending force cannot use off-map movement.

To use this ability, the controlling player writes down the exit hex and mapsheet of each unit moving off-map. The controlling player then writes down the hex, mapsheet and turn at which each unit will re-enter. Before re-entering the map, an exiting unit must remain off the map for the amount of time it would take to travel from its exit hex to its entrance hex. To calculate this travel time, count the number of blank half hexes along the map edges between the entrance and exit hexes. Then divide this number by the unit's Running/Flank MP rating (rounding fractions up). The result is the minimum number of turns the unit must remain off the map. The controlling player can delay the unit's re-entry beyond this period if he desires, but must select the re-entry turn when the unit leaves the map.

Each returning unit re-enters the map in the End Phase of the turn noted on its "written orders." At that time, the opposing player can check the unit's orders to make sure the move was legal. If the move was illegal, the unit is considered destroyed and removed from play. (A move is illegal if the unit does not remain off the map for the required travel time or does not enter at the location and turn noted on its written orders.) In a campaign setting, these "destroyed" units may be brought back into play in a later battle, since they are actually lost rather than destroyed.

If a returning unit is supposed to enter the map in a hex containing an enemy unit, or containing a friendly unit that would violate the stacking limits of the hex, the returning unit is placed in a hex of the opposing player's choice adjacent to the intended entry hex.

Once the returning unit has re-entered the map, any enemy unit adjacent to it may immediately attack it using the rules for Point Blank Shots from Hidden Units (p. 89, BTC:RoW). This attack does not restrict the attacking unit's ability to make attacks in the following turn.

Units off the map cannot engage in combat. If the opposing force destroys all the units remaining on the map before off-map units return, the battle is lost.

Equipment Ratings

The name of each of the following mercenary commands is followed by a letter in parentheses. This letter is the unit's equipment rating, which represents the unit's access to advanced BattleMechs and other equipment. This includes access to refit kits, exceptional salvage, the purchase of new designs and preserved Star League-era technology. Players can use the rating when assigning 'Mechs to a unit with the Random 'Mech Assignment Table, or when building a mercenary unit according to the rules starting on page 135.

If using an alternate generation method (see Commander's Option, page 143) or if exercising a commander's prerogative to choose 'Mechs, the equipment rating can serve as a guideline for those choices.

Named Merc Units Equipment Rating Table

Rating	Description	Example
A	Heavy Upgrades	Barber's Marauder IIs
B	Good Upgrades	Blue Star Irregulars
C	Fair Upgrades	Avanti's Angels
D	Average Upgrades	Mobile Fire
F	Poor Upgrades	Canopian Highlanders

Unit Briefs Database

The following entries give each named mercenary command's equipment rating in parentheses, followed by its special abilities as printed in the Rules chapter.

Ace Darwin's Whiplts (F)

No enemy unit may fire at the Whiplts' designated commander if that unit has a line-of-sight to a closer Whiplt 'Mech (regardless of whether or not modifiers make hitting the closer 'Mech impossible). Warriors or mercenary commands with a special ability to identify and target enemy commanders are exempt from this rule only if modifiers make hitting the closer BattleMech impossible.

Warriors who participate in three missions with Ace Darwin and put the Whiplt insignia on their machines may consider Ace a 1-point contact per MWC rules.

Avanti's Angels (C)

Any merc unit fighting against this command must inform the Angel commander of any specialties its members have, after which the tailored fighting style of the Angels gives its commander two options. The first option allows the commander to take a +2 initiative bonus. The second option allows him to take a +1 initiative bonus, and apply a one-point penalty to any special ability possessed by the opposing unit that generates a modifier.

If forced into a defensive position—by losing more than half of their starting units, rounding down—the Angels lose all bonuses and suffer a -2 initiative penalty. This penalty is cumulative with any bonuses the enemy unit receives.

Barber's Marauder IIs (A)

This command may choose to field a force consisting entirely of Marauder BattleMechs (any desired Inner Sphere configurations, including Marauder IIs) rather than generating 'Mechs in the usual way. This choice must be made before the scenario type has been selected.

In a conflict where conventional vehicles are part of the Marauder II command, and each side contains more than one lance, the Marauders player may use one lance of vehicles to "divert the enemy." This lance stays off the map for up to three turns, during which time one lance of the opponent's 'Mechs or vehicles may not enter the scenario. The opponent's lance enters through its home map edge in the turn following the return of the Marauder vehicles, which also enter through their home map edge.

Battle Magic (A)

Battle Magic has one of the Inner Sphere's premier technical-support crews, renowned for their customization and repair skills. The unit therefore receives a +3 bonus to dice rolls when using Scavenging and Repair rules (see pp. 94-95, BTC:RoW or pp. 56-63, Maximum Tech). Also, garrison and cadre duty pays twice the standard fee for this mercenary command. Additionally, all warriors automatically receive the Technician/'Mech Skill at Level 1. If a character already has the skill, this advantage does not apply.

The Black Omen (D)

The Black Omen is adept at night fighting, and so this unit's members suffer a +1 penalty for night combat instead of the usual +2. Additionally, if any enemy unit fires a point-blank shot using the Hidden Units rules (see p. 89, BTC:RoW), the Black Omen gains a +2 initiative bonus for the next 2 rounds of combat.

Clan Ghost Bear warriors receive a +2 initiative bonus when fighting the Black Omen.

Blackstone Highlanders (C)

When fighting this unit, the opposing force gains no bonuses for terrain or mission type unless the normally appropriate bonuses exceed +3; in this case, apply a -2 modifier and recalculate the bonus. If the opposing force suffers any numerical penalty because of the terrain or mission type, add an additional penalty of -1 to reflect the Highlanders' ability to exploit this weakness.

Blue Star Irregulars: 1894th Light Horse (A)

The 1894th gains a +2 initiative bonus when fighting against any Jade Falcon units, and a +1 initiative bonus against any other Clan. They have incredible staying power and cannot be intimidated. If infantry units are part of the force, the Light Horse commander may veto any single dice roll result or choice by the opposing commander with regard to terrain selection and force a re-roll or a different choice.

In any scenario in which the Light Horse is the attacker, the Light Horse commander may use the unit's rapid strike advantage. The Irregulars move onto the map as normal, but only half the opposing starting forces may deploy in the first turn. The remaining enemy forces are divided into two equal-sized groups that move onto the map from their home edge on Turns 3 and 5. The group moving onto the map is chosen at random. The controlling player chooses the specific units that do not deploy in the first turn, as well as the composition of the two undeployed groups.

Blue Star Irregulars: 21st Rim Worlds (A)

The 21st Rim Worlds receives a +2 initiative bonus against the Jade Falcons and a +1 initiative bonus against any other Clan. As with the 1894th Light Horse, they do not succumb to intimidation.

The First Battalion gains a +1 initiative bonus for night combat. In any given turn, units of the Second Battalion can choose to take a +1 to-hit penalty for weapon attacks in order to gain a corresponding -1 to-hit modifier for physical attacks. Third Battalion receives no modifiers.

Brion's Legion: First Regiment (A)

Because of ComStar's involvement with this unit, the Legion possesses several Star League-era 'Mechs. For every 4 'Mechs in the Legion player's starting force, the player randomly exchanges one of them for a Star League 'Mech of the same weight class.

First Regiment receives a +2 initiative bonus against Green or Regular troops, which drops to +1 against Veteran or Elite commands. Because of the Legion's historical disgrace (see Mercenary Unit Briefs, beginning on p. 44), Legion units will not retreat and cannot be intimidated until they have taken at least fifty percent casualties. The unit suffers a -1 initiative penalty when playing on Hill, Mountain or Wooded Terrain maps (see Terrain-Specific Mapsheet Tables, beginning on p. 119).

Brion's Legion: Second Regiment (A)

As with the First Regiment, the Legion's Second Regiment possesses several Star League-era 'Mechs. For every 4 'Mechs in the Legion player's starting force, the player randomly exchanges one of them for a Star League 'Mech of the same weight class.

Against Regular or Green troops, this command can employ a special intimidation tactic. At the beginning of each turn, count the total 'Mechs on each side. If the Legion 'Mechs outnumber the opposing 'Mechs by two-to-one or better, or if the opposing side includes no 'Mechs, the Legion player may intimidate the opposing force during the turn. If he chooses to do so, the Legion's 'Mechs may not move faster than Walking speed. However, the opposing forces cannot combine fire, and so only one opposing unit can attack each Legion 'Mech. Also, opposing units cannot move more than one hex closer to the Legion's home map edge from the hex in which they began the turn.

Bronson's Horde (D)

If the Horde destroys more than one-sixth of the opposing force's 'Mechs in a particular turn, during the following turn the opposing force suffers a -2 initiative penalty. If, during any turn, half of the remaining enemy 'Mechs are destroyed, the remaining enemy force must either retreat directly toward that player's home edge at maximum movement or move normally, but at only half MP (rounding down). This retreat continues for the rest of the scenario. The controlling player can only stop it or regain full movement by an enemy commander's successful rallying of the troops. If playing MechWarrior, the enemy commander uses his Leadership Skill; the controlling player may make one Skill Roll per End Phase. BattleTech players must make a 2D6 roll and achieve a result of 8 or better.

Bronson's Horde may use off-map movement.

Burr's Black Cobras (D)

The Black Cobras may use off-map movement. The required travel time is double that of normal off-map movement calculations, however, to account for the Cobras' lack of expertise. Also, the Cobra commander must move at least one-third of his forces onto the map during Turn 1 from his home edge and thereafter maintain at least a third of the Cobra forces on the map. This amount is determined only at the end of a Movement Phase in which unit(s) leave the map, before weapons fire, so battle attrition during that turn and thereafter does not affect it.

Canopian Highlanders (F)

The First Battalion gains a +1 initiative bonus when acting as the defenders in a scenario. The Second Battalion prefers drawn-out engagements, and in a refereed campaign gains a +1 initiative bonus for every battle fought immediately after the first. The maximum bonus is +3, gained in the fourth battle. If there is a break of more than twelve hours between two battles, begin counting the bonus again from 0.

21st Centauri Lancers (B)

The Lancers gain a +2 initiative bonus for all terrain types except wetlands, mountains and woods; these types of terrain limit the bonus to +1. This unit also receives an additional +1 initiative bonus in night or non-standard gravity conditions.

Crimson Crusaders (A)

The warriors of this command can fire at long range almost as well as at medium. Instead of the usual +4 long-range attack modifier, apply a +3 modifier. However, they are correspondingly less skilled at close-in fighting. Crusaders suffer a +2 modifier for all physical attacks; also, the minimum range of a Crusader's weapon is extended by one hex. If more than half the Crusaders or the Crusader commander are engaged at close quarters (within six hexes of an enemy 'Mech), the command suffers a -1 initiative penalty.

The Dioscuri (C)

The warriors of this unit's Second Battalion may employ erratic piloting, making them harder to hit. For the cost of 1 Movement Point, a 'Mech takes a +1 weapon attack modifier but also increases its target movement modifier by +1. The controlling player may spend up to 2 Movement Points in this way, except for the command lance. For that lance, the player may spend 3 Movement Points, but must immediately make a Piloting Skill Roll to keep his units from falling.

If the Dioscuri contains any VTOLs in its forces at the beginning of the scenario, these units may use off-map movement at double the standard travel time.

The Furies (F)

The Furies can use their exceptional skill at outflanking their opponents to aid them in choosing the battlefield. In any randomly generated scenario, the Furies player may choose the placement of all mapsheets (but not the mapsheet types) or choose which map edge to use as his home edge.

If Chris Fury's Second Company is in play, then the unit containing the enemy commander is always known, even if the Furies normally would not have that information.

When using MW II rules, every warrior in the Furies has the Technician/Mechanic skill at Level 1.

Gray Death Legion (B)

When using the Random 'Mech Assignment Table, the Gray Death's controlling player may exchange any Clan 'Mech rolled for another Clan 'Mech of the same weight.

The Legion gains a +1 initiative bonus on any terrain, and can never be intimidated. When the Legion is outnumbered, the designated command unit may forgo half its Movement Points (rounding down) in order to make its weapon attacks at the end of Movement Phase instead of during the Weapon Attack Phase.

If at any time the number of Legion 'Mechs destroyed is greater than the number of enemy 'Mechs destroyed, the Legion warriors make all Consciousness Rolls with a +1 modifier to the die roll result. (In MW II, Legion warriors perform as if they have the Toughness advantage.)

The First Gray Death Armored Scout Detachment may use off-map movement.

Grim Determination (F)

The Grim Determination may create a reserve unit. At the beginning of the game, the Grim Determination's controlling player may designate any number of units as a reserve; these units do not deploy in Turn 1. In any subsequent turn, the controlling player may move the reserve unit onto the map during the Movement Phase, anywhere along his home map edge. The entire reserve unit must move onto the mapsheets in the same turn.

If the Grim Determination is the defender, its commander may place up to one-fourth of his available units using Hidden Units rules.

Hansen's Roughriders (D)

The Roughriders gain a +1 initiative bonus for every edge of the map they control. Control is defined as having at least one-sixth of the surviving Roughrider forces (round up to the nearest whole unit) between the map edge and the enemy unit closest to that map edge. (The Roughriders usually start out with a +1 initiative bonus for their home edge.)

If fighting in urban terrain with infantry as part of the initial Roughrider force, the unit gains an additional +1 initiative bonus. Additionally, pointblank shots may not be fired against the Roughriders.

Hell's Black Aces (B)

If deployed with two or more wings of fighters, or a single wing backed by the Titan carrier, the Aces intimidate the opposing force and automatically win the initiative for the first three turns. Additionally, Hell's Black Aces intimidate others whenever the Aces outnumber their opponents and they destroy two enemy units in the same turn. If both these conditions are met, the opposing force suffers a +1 to-hit modifier against the Aces in the following turn.

First Wing and Second Wing gain a +1 initiative bonus when fighting in vacuum. Third Wing gains a +1 initiative bonus in atmosphere. When making strafing attacks against ground targets, members of Third Wing receive a -1 target number modifier.

Jacob's Juggernauts (D)

The Juggernauts may use Hidden Units rules for armor units unless the scenario precludes it (for example, breakthrough scenarios). Captain McDaniels' tactical ability grants the command a +1 initiative bonus, providing that the starting force at the beginning of the scenario is no larger than a strengthened company.

Kell Hounds: Unit Command Lance (A)

When using the Random 'Mech Assignment Table, the Kell Hounds player may exchange any Clan 'Mech rolled for another Clan 'Mech of the same weight class.

If the Hounds' command unit is on the map, the Hounds automatically win initiative for the first two turns.

When choosing maps randomly, allow the opposing commander to make all the necessary dice rolls. The Unit Command Lance allows the Kell Hounds commander to add or subtract 1 from any die roll result. If not using the Random Mapsheet Tables, the Command Lance player gets to choose the mapsheets; however, home map edges are still randomly determined.

Kell Hounds: The Wild Hunters (A)

When using the Random 'Mech Assignment Table, the Kell Hounds player may exchange any Clan 'Mech rolled for another Clan 'Mech of the same weight class.

The Wild Hunters have a variety of special abilities. Beginning in Turn 5, the opposing force loses any initiative bonus it may have had, unless it outnumbers the Hounds two-to-one at the start of a turn. When the Wild Hunters are two battalions strong or better, they may send out flanking units using off-map movement, though it may never so deploy more than one-third of its current force.

The third company of First Battalion are expert fighters in urban environments, and so no pointblank shots may be fired against them in urban terrain. The third company of Second Battalion gains a +1 initiative bonus when fighting on any wetlands terrain (see Terrain-Specific Mapsheet Tables, p. 119), or when fighting underwater. The third company of Third Battalion gains the same +1 bonus in wooded terrain. The company's 'Mechs may also choose to torso twist at any time during a turn, even between shots during the Weapon Attack Phase. However, each 'Mech may only make the standard single torso twist per turn.

Kell Hounds: The Scrapping Pack (A)

When using the Random 'Mech Assignment Table, the Kell Hounds player may exchange any Clan 'Mech rolled for another Clan 'Mech of the same weight class.

If fighting the Scrapping Pack at night, an opposing force loses any initiative bonuses it normally receives for terrain or mission type. Also, every warrior of the Scrapping Pack takes a +1 to-hit modifier instead of the usual +2 penalty for night fighting.

The 213th Company gains a +1 initiative bonus in zero-G or low-G combat. In standard gravity, this unit receives a +2 to-hit modifier rather than the usual +3 for jumping.

When the 223rd company is the attacker in a scenario, it automatically receives initiative for the first three turns, and also receives a +1 initiative modifier so long as its numbers equal more than half of the opposing force. Additionally, enemy units can only move at Walking/Cruising speed during those first three turns, except for Elite troops.

The 233rd gains a +1 initiative bonus in harsh weather conditions (see p. 11, Maximum Tech), such as fog or heavy rain, and an additional +2 bonus if fighting in a non-standard hostile environment such as swamp, jungle or ultra-heavy woods (see p. 10, Maximum Tech).

The 251st Pathfinders may use off-map movement.

1st Khorsakov's Cossacks: Warriors of the Steppes (C)

Mikhail Khorsakov's tactical guidance gives the Warriors a -1 initiative penalty on mountain, hill, badlands and wooded terrain. If at any time the Warriors field more 'Mechs than the opposing force, however, they gain a +1 initiative bonus from sheer intimidation. If they destroy three enemy BattleMechs in a single turn, they automatically win initiative in the next turn. The fighter wing also gains an intimidation bonus if matched against less-experienced pilots; in this case, the opposing force suffers a +1 to-hit modifier.

2nd Khorsakov's Cossacks: Rubinsky's Light Horse (C)

Any Light Horse unit that does not use its full MP (whether walking or running) during the Movement Phase gains a +1 bonus to any Piloting Skill Rolls made that turn. If a Light Horse 'Mech runs and does not use 2 or more MP, the Light Horse player can trade this bonus for an additional +1 target movement modifier applied to enemy units attacking it.

The First Battalion's second company can use off-map movement.

Kristen's Krushers (C)

Kristen Marik has a sixth sense on the battlefield; she instinctively recognizing dangers and tactical advantages, which negates any ambush or surprise advantages listed in opponents' unit descriptions. Also, Kristen's 'Mech does not count for purposes of order of movement. She may move whenever her controlling player wishes, regardless of initiative. However, the Krushers' commander may not interrupt the movement of another unit.

In low-visibility conditions, such as night combat, fog or dusk, the Krushers receive only half the usual to-hit modifier for these conditions, rounded up.

Lindon's Battalion (A)

When using the Random 'Mech Assignment Table, the Battalion's controlling player should re-roll any time a dice roll result indicates a 'Mech design created later than 3050. The second roll result is valid, regardless of the 'Mech acquired. For this purpose, the year of a 'Mech design's creation is the date of the Technical Readout in which the 'Mech appears, and is also listed on the 'Mech's record sheet.

When using the Random Mapsheet Tables (p. 119), the commander of Lindon's Battalion may alter any dice roll result by 1 or 2 points. The result to be changed must be chosen before the roll is made. Before play commences, the Battalion player may hide up to half of his or her forces using Hidden Units rules. In scenarios that normally preclude hidden units, such as a chase scenario, the player may hide up to one-fourth of the force, but the concealed units must be the fastest units available (i.e., have the highest Running MP). Hidden units are forbidden only in breakthrough or similar scenarios that specifically describe the enemy as trapping or getting ahead of Lindon's Battalion.

Lindon's Battalion may hide BattleMechs in Clear hexes, but not Paved ones. A unit hidden in a Woods hex cannot be found unless the enemy attempts to move through that hex. For the purpose of finding a Lindon's Battalion 'Mech hidden in a Light or Heavy Woods hex, the effective range of a Beagle active probe is halved (rounding down).

Little Richard's Panzer Brigade (D)

The rough tactics for which the Panzer Brigade is infamous gives them an ability to intimidate opposition that cancels any opposing force's initiative bonus whenever the Brigade destroys more enemy 'Mechs than it loses to the opposing side. Once the opposition loses its bonuses, the Brigade player can generate his own bonuses through total 'Mech "kills." For every lance of BattleMechs destroyed by the Brigade in excess of those destroyed by their opponents, the Brigade receives a +1 bonus.

Enemy units may not fire point-blank shots against the Brigade on any Flatlands Terrain (p. 119), and the First Battalion may also ignore the standard +1 modifier for firing at multiple targets.

The Brigade player can give up initiative in Turn 1 in exchange for selecting his home map edge. The Second Battalion wins the initiative automatically for the first three turns in any urban terrain if its initial force includes VTOLs.

Third Battalion may use off-map movement.

Longwood's Bluecoats (D)

Provided the scenario type allows for it, the Bluecoats may deploy any of their units hidden if the scenario takes place in urban terrain. If, at the end of any turn, no enemy has a valid line-of-sight to a given Bluecoat 'Mech, that 'Mech may hide in any building within three hexes of its current position so long as that position is also out of the enemy's line-of-sight. Have an independent observer verify that the movement is legal, or write down the starting hex and the hiding hex so that line-of-sight can be checked when the 'Mech is revealed. Units hidden this way even in the middle of combat may make pointblank shots per the rules on p. 89, BTC:RoW. If the Bluecoats have infantry deployed in the city at the start of play, the enemy may not set up hidden units or pointblank shots.

In wetlands or flatland terrain, the Bluecoats suffer a -2 initiative penalty and a +1 modifier to all their to-hit numbers.

Mobile Fire (C)

First Division may deploy up to half its units using the Hidden Units rules, within the restrictions set by the scenario type.

Second Division may ignore the to-hit modifiers for night combat, fog and heavy rain. In daylight operations on flatland terrain, an enemy gains a -1 to-hit modifier against Mobile Fire's Second Division.

Third Division gains a +2 initiative modifier if they are the defenders in a scenario, which rises to +3 if the unit is also operating in urban terrain. The unit receives a -1 modifier to the Piloting Skill Roll target number required to avoid skidding after turning on pavement.

Narhal's Raiders (B)

The Raiders gain a -1 to-hit modifier for all physical attacks. However, their long range to-hit modifier is +5 rather than the standard +4.

Quint's Olympian Groundpounders (F)

When using the Random Mapsheet Tables, the commander of this unit may reject any single map or map type. Opposing forces may not use Hidden Units rules unless they are Veteran or Elite, and then may set up only half as many hidden units as normal. If armor and infantry are part of the initial Groundpounders force, those units may be placed as hidden units rules unless the scenario type precludes it.

Ramilie's Raiders (D)

If more than twelve 'Mechs are part of the initial Raiders force, the commander may chose to have up to 20 percent (rounding down) of his force enter along any map edge during the Movement Phase of Turn 5, rather than deploying them as normal for the scenario.

Romanov's Crusaders (C)

The Crusaders cannot be intimidated unless the designated commander's 'Mech is destroyed. If this happens, the unit also automatically loses initiative for the next two turns. Thereafter, the unit suffers a -1 initiative penalty.

Rubinsky's Renegades (C)

If the scenario allows for it, the Renegades may place up to a third of its initial forces as hidden units.

Anyone attempting to fire on a Renegades machine that has partial cover or anything obscuring the line-of-sight to it (such as trees) suffers an additional +1 to-hit modifier. At any range less than seven hexes, this penalty no longer applies. At six hexes or closer, the Renegades gain a -1 modifier for weapon and physical attacks.

If the designated commander's 'Mech is destroyed, the Renegades suffer a +1 modifier to all attack and Piloting Skill Roll target numbers for the remainder of the game.

Smithson's Chinese Bandits (B)

The Bandits cannot acquire Clan 'Mechs. When using the Random 'Mech Assignment Table, re-roll any result that indicates a Clan 'Mech.

In wetlands or wooded terrain, the Bandits gain a +1 initiative bonus, and the total to-hit modifier for any terrain such as woods or partial cover is reduced by 1. However, for every two Bandits 'Mechs destroyed in battle, the unit suffers a -1 initiative penalty as the commander tries to hold the force together.

Stalwart Support (C)

The troops of this command cannot be intimidated so long as two-thirds of its force remains operational. If VTOL units are directing artillery fire, once a target hex has been successfully hit, any of the six adjacent hexes may also be hit automatically by subsequent artillery attacks, in addition to the target hex per the Targeting rules (p. 78, BTC:RoW).

Storm's Metal Thunder (B)

Elements of Third Battalion may be held in reserve and enter the game during any subsequent Movement Phase, but must enter the map from the controlling player's home edge.

Any time Storm's Metal Thunder beats the opposition in an Initiative Roll, the Thunder player may move one 'Mech after all other units have moved in the Movement Phase, or fire one 'Mech's weapons before all other units fire during the Weapon Attack Phase, for every 2 by which that player's result exceeds his opponent's. (Damage from weapon attacks takes effect immediately.) One unit may use both of these options; for example, if the Thunder player's Initiative Roll result exceeds his opponent's roll by 4, the Thunder player can move a single unit last and also have it fire first.

4th Tau Ceti Rangers (B)

At company strength or stronger, the Tau Ceti Rangers receive a +1 initiative bonus. Unless the designated commander's 'Mech is destroyed, no Ranger can be intimidated.

Enemy units cannot fire pointblank shots against First Battalion in flatland terrain, and First Battalion units may ignore the usual +1 attack modifier for firing at multiple targets. In mountains, badlands or woods, any pointblank shot that destroys a First Battalion 'Mech throws the entire battalion into confusion, and the unit suffers a -1 initiative penalty the next turn. During that turn, First Battalion MechWarriors can move no faster than Walking speed and suffer a +1 to-hit modifier to all attacks. However, their increased alertness means that enemy units cannot fire point-blank shots at them.

While Second Battalion is in the field, any advantages an enemy possesses (or gains late in the battle) that confer initiative bonuses no longer apply after one turn's use. Also, the Rangers player may choose one Second Battalion 'Mech to fire at the end of a turn's Movement Phase, provided that the 'Mech spent no MP that turn. Damage from this attack applies immediately.

The Hard Air wing gains initiative automatically for the first turn of aerospace combat, and receives a +1 initiative bonus for every turn thereafter. When firing at an enemy craft for the first time, the Ranger fighter receives a -1 to-hit modifier to all weapon attacks that turn.

12th Vegan Rangers: Alpha Regiment (D)

So long as half of Alpha Regiment's initial force remains intact, the unit cannot be intimidated.

Alpha Regiment receives a +1 initiative bonus regardless of terrain type and may torso twist at any time, including between shots during the Weapon Attack Phase. Per standard rules, Alpha 'Mechs may only make one torso twist per turn. In urban terrain, the initiative bonus increases to +3 and enemy units may not fire pointblank shots against them. In addition, Alpha MechWarriors receive a -2 modifier to all Piloting Skill Rolls to avoid skidding when turning on pavement.

Up to one-third of the Alpha force may use off-map movement. However, the departing hex must be along the 12th Rangers' home map edge.

12th Vegan Rangers: Beta Regiment (D)

So long as half of Beta Regiment's initial force remains intact, the unit cannot be intimidated.

Beta warriors receive a -1 to-hit modifier to all weapon attacks made at medium range, and may ignore the standard +1 modifier for firing at multiple targets. Like Alpha Regiment, Beta 'Mechs may torso twist at any time, including between shots during the Weapon Attack Phase.

Third Battalion may use off-map movement. The battalion's conventional vehicles suffer a +1 to-hit modifier for attacker movement, even if the attacker is running or jumping.

12th Vegan Rangers: Gamma Regiment (D)

So long as half of Gamma Regiment's initial force remains intact, the unit cannot be intimidated.

The First 'Mech Battalion and First Armor Company take only half the standard modifier from the following visibility conditions: Night Combat, Smoke and Light or Heavy Woods. Add up all such modifiers and divide the total in half, rounding down. To gain this advantage, Gamma 'Mechs and vehicles must move at Walking/Cruising speed or slower, and must have a valid LOS to their chosen target.

The Third Armor Company gains a +1 initiative bonus in mountains and woods. Any weapon fired by a Third Company vehicle at short range receives a -1 to-hit modifier; additionally, weapons with minimum ranges have that range reduced by one hex.

Vinson's Vigilantes (F)

First and Third battalions suffer a -1 initiative penalty.

Waco Rangers (D)

The Waco Rangers can never be intimidated. At the beginning of any turn, the Rangers may choose to go on an all-out offensive for the rest of the scenario, which gives them a -1 to-hit modifier for all weapons attacks. However, the target movement modifier for attacking Ranger units is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 0.

Wannamaker's Widowmakers (F)

Cheryl Wannamaker is an instinctive tactician in small-scale conflicts. To reflect this, if a scenario involves no more than a company (12 units) on each side at the start of play, the Widowmakers gain a +1 bonus to initiative rolls. Members of this command receive one extra Advantage point during MW II character creation.

Wilson's Hussars (F)

The Hussars have developed several close-range combat specialties. By spending two Movement Points at the end of a turn's Movement Phase, a Hussar 'Mech can deny any enemy 'Mech the ability to move into or through any of the three hexes adjacent to the Hussar 'Mech in its front arc. This advantage does not work against jumping units, however, unless the blocking Hussar 'Mech has functioning jump jets.

The Hussars receive a -1 to-hit modifier to all attacks made at a range of less than three hexes.

Wolf's Dragoons (A)

When using the Random Mapsheet Tables, the Dragoons player may alter his or her dice roll results by up to 2, and may alter an opponent's roll result by 1. Dragoons units may also ignore the standard +1 to-hit modifier for firing at multiple targets. The Dragoons cannot be intimidated unless more than three-quarters of their initial force is destroyed.

When using the Random Mech Assignment Table (p. 122) to determine forces for a scenario, the Dragoons player may add +1 to the die roll result. If the total result is 13, the Dragoons player may choose any Inner Sphere or Clan 'Mech from the same weight class.

Wolf's Dragoons: Alpha Regiment (A)

Alpha Regiment automatically wins the initiative for the first turn of combat, and has a +1 initiative bonus for each turn thereafter regardless of terrain type. Enemy units may not fire point-blank shots at Alpha Regiment in flatland terrain. Alpha always selects its home map edge, and up to a third of its initial force may use off-map movement.

The Brush Stalkers Elemental unit receives a -2 to-hit modifier when making swarming attacks.

Wolf's Dragoons: Beta Regiment (A)

Beta Regiment may use off-map movement. Opposing units may only leave the map through the Dragoons' home map edge.

The Kneecappers Elemental unit receives a -1 to-hit modifier for anti-'Mech leg attacks.

Wolf's Dragoons: Gamma Regiment (A)

Enemy units may not fire point-blank shots against Gamma Regiment under any circumstances. The regiment's Able Battalion receives a +1 initiative bonus in night combat, fog and/or heavy rain, and the total to-hit modifiers for these conditions are also reduced by 1.

Wolf's Dragoons: Delta Regiment (A)

Any initiative bonuses gained by an enemy beginning in Turn 4 do not apply against Delta Regiment. If using 'Mechs, VTOLs and infantry assets combined, Delta receives a +2 initiative bonus from Turn 4 onward.

The command company specializes in close-range assaults, receiving a -1 to-hit modifier for any weapon attacks made within a range of six hexes.

Wolf's Dragoons: Epsilon Regiment (A)

Epsilon units may use off-map movement.

Any negative initiative modifier that applies to an opposing force is further reduced by 1 when fighting against Epsilon Regiment; for example, a -2 initiative penalty becomes -3. If Epsilon's designated commander's 'Mech is destroyed, Epsilon forces suffer a -2 initiative penalty for the following four turns.

Able Battalion receives a +1 initiative bonus when fighting with combined-arms forces.

Wolf's Dragoons: Wolf Spider Battalion (A)

Before play commences, the Wolf Spider Battalion player may set up as many hidden units as he or she wishes, regardless of the scenario type. Wolf Spider units may also use off-map movement.

Wolf's Dragoons: Zeta Battalion (A)

If the designated commander's 'Mech is destroyed, Zeta Battalion receives a +1 initiative bonus for the remainder of the game. Unlike most units, Zeta Battalion does not succumb to shock upon its commander's defeat; instead, the unit fights with cold, contained fury against the enemy. If Zeta Battalion destroys the opposing commander's 'Mech, the opposing side suffers a -1 initiative penalty.

Zeta MechWarriors receive a -1 to-hit modifier for punching, clubbing and charging attacks.

Wolverton's Highlanders (F)

The Highlanders may use off-map movement at double the required travel time.

Training

The following rules supplement the standard MechWarrior Skill Packages provided in MW II and MechWarrior Companion (MWC). These rules enable a player to accurately simulate the skills a character may learn from the Dragoons at the Outreach Mercenary Training Center, and also include guidelines for the Dragoons proving grounds. The OMTC and proving grounds are described in detail in Outreach, beginning on page 15.

Before using these rules to create a character, a player should perform Steps 1 and 2 (Assign Priorities and Assign Attribute Points) of the standard character-design process (pp. 13-15, MW II). The player should also calculate Attribute Saving Rolls and Characteristics as they may be needed to advance to certain courses. Gamemasters must ensure that characters meet all requirements for a course.

Consider the standard academy and university package rules (p. 18, MW II) as a guideline when using the Skill Packages in this section. The MOS skill lists in the following entries combine the skills from Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training and Fields of Study for each program. A character should pick only one MOS and choose skills from that list.

Some programs described below grant a character extra skills upon graduation. Players cannot increase these skills beyond their stated level during character creation unless otherwise noted.

Outreach Mercenary Training Command (OMTC)

All OMTC programs except for the BattleMech program require that a character purchase an Advanced Academy Package or one of the university packages (pp. 16-19, MW II). However, bonus skills and abilities often depend on the actual package bought.

Most packages contain at least one special elective. These are open slots that allow the player to choose any single MOS or FOS skill from any other package.

Advanced Training Package. In addition to the three Training Packages that players may purchase in accordance with MW II rules, the OMTC offers a special Advanced Training Package. It costs 6 Skill Points and 1 Advantage Point, but nets the character +1 bonus levels in any three skills as well as a free Edge Point. These bonus levels may not be combined with other bonuses and cannot be used to purchase new skills, but they may raise existing skills above the usual maximum starting level of 3. The Edge Point may be traded for a minor (1-point) contact, per the Contact advantage (p. 12, MWC). This contact is with the Dragoons and useful for most anything a character might need to do on Outreach.

Characters who have graduated from an OMTC program must make a Mental Saving Roll in order to purchase this advanced package, but with a -2 modifier to the target number. Characters who received their training elsewhere must also make the Mental Saving Roll, but without benefit of the modifier.

OMTC Advanced Training Package — 6 pts: +1 level to any three skills; 1 extra Edge Point or a 1-point Contact.

Aerospace Program

A potential aerospace fighter pilot must purchase an Advanced Academy Package or any university package for the Aerospace Pilot MOS. The DropShip MOS and JumpShip MOS require a Basic or Advanced University Package.

All aerospace program students automatically receive the Special Interest/Naval History Skill at Level 1, which can be raised per standard rules if the player desires. If the player purchased an Advanced University Package, his character receives this free skill at Level 2.

Aerospace Pilot MOS. Required: Gunnery/Aerospace, Medtech, Piloting/Aerospace, Small Arms. Electives: Gunnery/Spacecraft, Special Elective, Survival, Technician/Aerospace, Unarmed Combat, Zero-G Operations. Bonus: A character choosing this MOS may purchase Extra Edge at 2 Edge Points for 1 Advantage Point.

DropShip Pilot FOS. Required: Leadership, Medtech, Piloting/Spacecraft, Zero-G Operations. Electives: Communications/Conventional, Computer, Gunnery/Spacecraft, Small Arms, Survival, Tactics. Bonus: If the player purchases the OTMC Advanced Training Package and uses its benefits only to raise the skills listed for this FOS, his character is considered to be skilled in tactics against WarShips.

JumpShip Pilot FOS. Required: Computer, Leadership, Navigation, Zero-G Operations. Electives: Gunnery/Spacecraft, Piloting/Spacecraft, Strategy, Tactics.

Bonus. If the player purchases the OTMC Advanced Training Package and uses its benefits only to raise the skills listed for this FOS, his character is considered to be skilled in tactics against WarShips. If the character has at least Level 2 skill in all electives, he also has a working familiarity with WarShip piloting, combat tactics and strategy.

Battle Armor Program

To qualify, an applicant must have a Build Attribute of 5 or better, an Athletic Characteristic of 7 or better, and a Physical Characteristic of 8 or better. The player may purchase the Advanced Academy Package or better for the Armored Infantry MOS. The Armored Infantry Command MOS requires a university package.

All students in this program automatically receive the Special Interest/Military History Skill at Level 1.

Armored Infantry MOS. Required: Gunnery/Battlesuit, Medtech, Piloting/BattleSuit, Small Arms, Technician/Battlesuit. Electives: Blade, SI: Military History, Survival, Tactics, Unarmed Combat. Bonus: If the player purchases the OTMC Advanced Training Package and uses its benefits only to raise the skills listed for this MOS, the character may trade the free Edge Point for a +1 bonus to his or her Build Attribute, to a maximum of BLD 7.

Armored Infantry Command MOS. Required: Gunnery/Battlesuit, Leadership, Medtech, Piloting/BattleSuit, Small Arms, Tactics. Electives: SI: Military History, Special Elective, Strategy, Survival, Unarmed Combat. Bonus: All graduates automatically receive the Training Skill at Level 2. If the player purchases the OTMC Advanced Training Package and uses its benefits only to raise the skills listed for this MOS, the character may trade the free Edge Point for a +1 bonus to his or her Build Attribute, to a maximum of BLD 7.

BattleMech Program

The BattleMech program is by far the largest program administered by the OMTC. Applicants may purchase any of the four regular Skill Packages, even the Basic Academy Package, at 1 Skill Point less than the normal cost. The BattleMech Officer FOS requires a university package.

All graduates of this program automatically receive the Tactics Skill at Level 1, thanks to the heavy amount of simulator time required to complete the course.

BattleMech Pilot MOS. Required: Gunnery/BattleMech, Medtech, Piloting/BattleMech, Small Arms. Electives: Leadership, SI: Military History, Special Elective, Tactics, Technician/BattleMech. Bonus: If a player purchases the Advanced Academy or Advanced University packages, his or her character receives two extra skills at Level 1. Characters may also spend an Advantage Point to increase their Reflexes by 1, up to a maximum of 7.

BattleMech Officer FOS. Required: Gunnery/BattleMech, Medtech, Piloting/BattleMech, Small Arms, Strategy, Tactics. Electives: Protocol, SI: Military History, Special Elective, Training. Bonus: If the player purchases the Advanced University Package, his or her character receives two extra skills at Level 1. If the player purchases the OMTC Advanced Training Package and uses its benefits only to raise the skills listed for this FOS, the character receives four +1 skill bonuses rather than three.

Cavalry Program

Because this program is not yet fully developed, the Advanced University Package cannot be used with it. All program participants automatically receive the Special Interest: Military History and Tactics skills at Level 1.

Cavalry MOS. Required: Drive/Ground or Piloting/VTOL, Gunnery/Conventional, Medtech, Small Arms. Electives: Gunnery/Artillery, SI: Military History, Special Elective, Survival, Tactics.

Infantry Program

The OMTC is not set up to handle infantry training for the hundreds of thousands who typically pass through the doors of a regular infantry academy. Instead, the OMTC trains specialists in recon, demolition and artillery—the kind of soldier who can work alone or in small groups. The OMTC therefore offers a basic infantry program that each warrior can tailor to his or her own desires.

The Infantry Specialist MOS requires the Advanced Academy Package or Basic University Package. The Officer Specialist requires the Advanced University Package.

Infantry Specialist MOS. Required: Medtech, Small Arms, Unarmed Combat. Electives: Stealth, Survival, Tactics, up to 2 Special Electives. Bonus: Graduates of this MOS receive a +1 bonus in any one skill. However, this bonus may not raise a skill above the standard starting level of 3.

Officer Specialist MOS. Required: Leadership, Medtech, Small Arms, Tactics, Unarmed Combat. Electives: SI: Military History, Special Elective, Strategy, Training. Bonus: This MOS automatically grants the character the Special Interest: Military History Skill at Level 2.

Technical Program

Of all the OMTC programs, this one is the most selective. Every merc unit—and every Successor State military, for that matter—wants Dragoons-trained techs with their knowledge of Clan equipment. Applicants from mercenary units must make a Mental Saving Roll with a +1 penalty applied to the target number. For other applicants, this penalty rises to +3. A character may bypass the Mental Saving Roll by spending 2 Advantage Points. Spending 3 Advantage Points also gains the character a 1-point Contact (see p. 12, MWC) in the Dragoons technical branch.

Characters must purchase the Advanced Academy Package to join this program. As the field of study does not involve combat, it includes no officer program, and so university packages may not be used. Players may, however, use the OMTC Advanced Training Package. For required courses, the term "Technician" refers to any Technician Skill that the character wants to study. Graduates automatically receive the Special Interest: Technology Skill at Level 2.

Technician Specialist MOS. Required: Medtech, Small Arms, Technician, Tinker. Electives: Computer, Communications, Engineering, Security Systems, SI: Technology, Special Elective, Training. Bonus: If the player purchases the OTMC Advanced Training Package and uses its benefits only to raise the skills listed for this MOS, the character is considered expert in Clan as well as Inner Sphere technology. Otherwise, the character only has a reasonable working knowledge of Clan tech and must apply a -2 modifier to all results of dice rolls dealing with Clan technology.

Practice Fields

The practice fields on Outreach are open to all and provide no special benefit to player characters. They are, however, a good place for unaffiliated warriors to catch the eye of hiring commanders, and for new merc units to impress the headhunters who watch from the observation towers. A Dragoons contact or a well-placed bribe to the Field Coordinator will ensure that a character or unit is observed by whoever is there on a given day. It is then up to the character or unit to show their mettle.

Tetsuhara Proving Grounds

The Tetsuhara Proving Grounds are reserved for the Dragoons and their invited guests. Getting on the guest list takes some doing; a unit or character must somehow favorably impress the Dragoons before obtaining such a privilege.

Characters can impress the Dragoons in two ways. They may do favors for them, directly or indirectly. Direct favors can only be arranged through a contact within the Dragoons. Indirect favors stem from the fortunes of war—for example, being on the right planet at the right time to save a Dragoons command from ambush. The second method of impressing the Dragoons is to accomplish something so noteworthy in battle that word of it reaches Outreach and impresses the upper levels of the Dragoons' command. Gamemasters and referees should remember that when a character or unit receives a favor from the Dragoons, whether through a contact or not, that character or unit is effectively spending any favor it may have earned. The Dragoons are more apt to invite a unit to the proving grounds that first proves it can stand on its own feet.

Mercenary Battle Armor

Currently, only three mercenary commands are known to employ battle armor troops in any significant quantity: Wolf's Dragoons, the Kell Hounds and the Gray Death Legion. In most cases, these battle armor units function like standard Inner Sphere battle armor (pp. 66-69, BTC:RoW, and p. 98, MWC). The Kell Hounds normally field standard four-man squads of battle armor, though they are experimenting with the Clan-style formation of five-trooper Points. In either case, treat Kell Hounds battle armor like the standard Inner Sphere model.

The Dragoons' Clan origins has given them a good supply of Clan battlesuits, as well as Clan-bred Elementals to wear them. Unless a scenario specifically states otherwise, treat Dragoons battle-armor units like standard Clan models, deployed in Points of five troopers.

The Gray Death Legion has been fielding battle armor longer than any other Inner Sphere mercenary unit (apart from the Dragoons). Their own techs have tinkered with the basic design acquired from the Federated Commonwealth, and they have developed two models of battle armor to suit their needs.

The standard Gray Death battlesuit has recently acquired an anti-infantry weapon on the left arm, to more closely match the firepower of Clan battlesuits. This suit functions identically to standard Inner Sphere battle armor in BattleTech games, and its wearers operate in squads of four troopers. In MechWarrior play, the suit is equipped with an additional secondary weapon, which adds the cost of the secondary weapon to the cost of the armor.

The second type of Gray Death battlesuit, light scout armor, is significantly different from standard Inner Sphere armor, and is described in detail on page 134.

Gray Death Light Scout Armor

The Legion's redesigned "scout suit" strips away half of the protection and the anti-'Mech weapon of standard battle armor in exchange for increased mobility and a complex sensor array.

The Legion organizes its battle-armor troops into four-man squads and three-squad platoons.

BattleTech Game Rules. Gray Death scout armor units can jump up to 4 MP. Every light scout suit has an Armor Value of 4 points, plus 1 additional point that represents the trooper inside.

Scout armor units do not carry anti-'Mech weapons, but rather are armed like standard infantry. Therefore, they attack in the same way as unarmored infantry units, making a single attack with a single damage amount based on the unit's armaments and the number of surviving troopers. Scout armor units can carry any standard infantry weapon. Scout armor units are also equipped with long-range communications gear and a sensor pack that functions like a Beagle active probe.

Battle Values (Anti-'Mech Trained)*

Weapon	Battle Value
Rifle/Flamer	63
Machine Gun	65
Laser/SRM	74

*For a complete explanation of Battle Values, see p. 99, Maximum Tech.

MechWarrior Game Rules

Tech Level: 3
Availability: D
Legality: C
Cost: 275,000 C-bills
Energy: 1/2
Ballistic: 1/2
Melee: 3/4
Coverage: Full
Damage Capacity: 50
Movement: Full, with jump
Physical: +0
Athletic: +1
BLD: +1

Unlike most types of battle armor, a Gray Death light scout suit has no integral weapons. Instead, it has two fully functioning, five-fingered hands. A character wearing such a suit can therefore use any weapon that a character not wearing battle armor can. Use the appropriate skill (Small Arms, Support Weapons, Blade and so on) rather than Gunnery/Battlesuit when making attacks with such weapons.

The sensor package in light scout suits functions as a combined portable radar sensor and portable heat sensor (see pp. 104-105, MWC).

Creating a Mercenary Unit

The following system enables a player or group of players to create a mercenary command from scratch. The system lets players determine all the components of a unit, including its 'Mech complement, secondary air and ground assets, technical and support staff, and any special skills possessed by its pilots.

This unit-generation system is designed to simulate the "organic" process of mercenary-unit creation depicted in numerous BattleTech novels and sourcebooks. Rather than starting with a large sum of money and simply purchasing the different components of the unit, one founding player-character sets the ball rolling by proposing a new mercenary group and persuading other founding members to join him and serve as his sub-commanders. The commander's background—his military service, friends and family—determine whom he attracts. Similarly, the founding members spread the word of the new unit and bring in their own former unit mates, friends and family members. Next, these founding members begin open recruiting—hiring outside troops to bolster the group's strength and assemble the unit they want. Then the unit's commanders purchase any equipment still needed (generally, recruits supply their own 'Mechs, vehicles and aerospace fighters), acquire DropShips and/or JumpShips for the unit, and hire support personnel.

In addition to simulating the organic unit-generation process described in BattleTech fiction, this system also lets players create units that better reflect the backgrounds and abilities of their characters.

For guidelines on operating a mercenary unit after its formation, see Running a Mercenary Unit (pp. 149-59).

Unit Creation

The general procedure for creating a new mercenary command is outlined below. The system is designed to work with BattleTech and MW II games. However, MW II rules should only be used in gamemastered roleplaying campaigns.

Players should read through the entire system at least once to get a basic idea of how it works before using it, and gamemasters should feel free to modify any rules to produce fair and believable campaigns for their playing groups.

Procedure Outline

Step 1: Create a Leader
Step 2: Assemble Founding Members
Step 3: Open Recruiting and Battlefield Experience
Step 4: Obtain Equipment
Step 5: Buy DropShips/JumpShips
Step 6: Determine Payroll, Maintenance Costs and Support Requirements
Step 7: Name the Mercenary Command and Establish Standing Funds

Unit Paperwork. The Standard Form 3068 (Simplified) is used on Outreach to provide a brief description of the personnel, assets and history of a mercenary command or any of the unit's battalions, regiments or other component units. A blank SF 3068 (Simplified) is provided at the back of this book. Players can use it as a worksheet to keep track of a unit's personnel, assets and history while creating a mercenary command, and as a convenient reference during game play.

Resolving Conflicts. When a group of players join together to form a single mercenary command, disagreements often arise over such issues as who will command or the order of recruiting. Players can resolve such conflicts with one-on-one simulator battles using the map and unit quick-generation procedures beginning on page 120 of the Rules section.

Levels of BattleTech. At various points in the unit-creation process, it will be necessary to distinguish between levels of BattleTech and the technology associated with them.

All BattleTech rules now carry a Level One, Level Two, or Level Three designation. Level One BattleTech rules represent the basic level of play described in BattleTech, Fourth Edition, and use the technology available in 3025, including all 'Mechs and weapons described in Technical Readout 3025. BattleMechs, conventional vehicles and aerospace fighters are considered to use Level One technology if they are equipped only with weapons and other equipment found in the BattleTech, Fourth Edition rules. Generally, the machines described in Technical Readout 3025 and Technical Readout 3026 have only Level One equipment and may therefore be used regardless of technology available.

The table below summarizes Level One equipment. For purposes of the technology base, vehicles with cargo space may be considered Level One.

Level One Equipment

AC/2, AC/5, AC/10, AC/20; Armor (standard); Cockpit (standard); Engine (standard); Flamer, Flamer (vehicle); Gyro (standard); Hatchet; Heat Sink (standard); Internal Structure (standard); Jump Jet (standard); Large Laser, Medium Laser, Small Laser; LRM 5, LRM 10, LRM 15, LRM 20; Machine Gun; PPC; SRM 2, SRM 4, SRM 6.

Level Two BattleTech represents the rules used in most BattleTech tournaments and MechForce-level competition. Level Two BattleTech is defined by the rules contained in BTC:RoW, which includes all Level One rules and the technology available in 3059—the 'Mechs, vehicles, equipment and other technology described in Technical Readouts 3026, 3050, 3055, and 3058.

Level Three BattleTech play may include any of the optional rules presented in various BattleTech products, as well as in the MechForce Quarterly magazine. These rules are always specifically identified as Level Three. Players may use Level Three rules as they see fit. Generally, Level Three rules are not used in tournament play.

Step 1: Create a Leader

A mercenary command typically begins as the aspiration of a single character, who must persuade others to join his or her new group. To do so, the potential leader must "sell" recruits on the proposed command, convince them that he or she is a competent commander, that joining the group will be beneficial and profitable to them, or that the cause that has inspired him to form the group is worth fighting for. The main criteria new recruits use when judging these matters are the backgrounds of the commander and other important unit officers.

Keep in mind that only one character may lead a group. Even if several players are jointly creating the mercenary command, they must select a single commanding officer. If necessary, the players can fight it out in simulator battles. Once the leader is determined, the player controlling the leader character should run through the rest of this step alone. Other players come back in to the process at Step 2: Assemble Founding Members.

Commander's Background

First, the commanding officer's controlling player determines the character's background by selecting the desired training and service from the Training and Service Table. These choices will determine the character's age and Piloting/Gunnery Skills, as well as his effectiveness at recruiting new members to the mercenary unit. If the character already has an established background, simply select the options that most closely reflect that background.

Training. The character may choose one, two or three types of training. Each type may be chosen only once. A warrior must choose at least one, and may choose three provided that one of them is Family-trained. Academy Dropout denotes a short term at a state academy and precludes any additional training except for Private Academy or Family-trained. The State Academy selection requires a minimum six-year term in a House army. To choose University training, a character must have previously graduated from an academy and served as least one term of military service.

MW II players who purchased an academy or university package during character generation must select State or Private Academy and University training as appropriate.

Training and Service Table

Training	Age Modifier	Piloting/Gunnery Target Numbers	Member Modifiers	Influence
Family-trained	+2 yrs.	7/6	+3 Family	+0
Academy dropout	+2 yrs.	6/5	-1 Family/+1 Friends/-1 Unit	-1
Private academy	+3 yrs.	6/5	+1 Friends/-1 Unit	+0
State academy	+4 yrs.	6/5	+1 Friends	+0
State university	+2 yrs.	5/4	-1 Family/+1 Friends/-1 Unit

Military Service	Age Modifier	Piloting/Gunnery Modifiers	Member Modifiers	Influence
One term	+6 yrs.	-0/-0	-1 Family/+1 Friends/+4 Unit	+1
Two terms	+8 yrs.	-1/-1	-1 Family/+1 Friends/+3 Unit	+2
Three terms	+10 yrs.	-2/-2	-2 Family/+2 Friends/+2 Unit	+3
Four terms	+12 yrs.	-3/-3	-3 Family/+2 Friends/+2 Unit	+4

Military Service. The player may choose only one Military Service listing, indicating duty in a regular House army, an established mercenary command or both. State Academy and University graduates must complete at least one term of service in a regular House army. Otherwise, military/mercenary service is not required.

MW II players should select a term of service that produces the closest possible match with their characters' MW II Piloting and Gunnery Skill target numbers.

Age Modifier. Initial training for MechWarriors begins at age sixteen. MW II players may make a Mental Saving Roll to reduce this age. A success reduces the character's starting age to fifteen. A Critical success—a total of 12 on any two dice—reduces the starting age to fourteen. BattleTech players may roll 2D6 to reduce the starting age of their characters. On a result of 8-10, the starting age is reduced to fifteen; on a result of 11 or better, the starting age is reduced to fourteen. Add the age modifier for each selected training and service option to the starting age to determine the character's age at the start of play (or at the start of Step 3: Open Recruiting and Battlefield Experience, if that step is used).

Piloting/Gunnery. Piloting/Gunnery Skills generate target numbers for BattleTech players. These ratings are also useful when determining the quality of recruited troops. If using MW II rules for character creation, disregard the Piloting/Gunnery target numbers and modifiers in the Training and Service Table.

Member Rating. To determine the Member Rating of a character, combine all the Member Rating values for each training and service option the controlling player selects. The Member Rating is used when determining the founding members of the mercenary group in Step 2.

Influence Rating. A character's Influence Rating reflects the character's prestige, network of military contacts and overall persuasiveness. It is used throughout the unit-creation process for such purposes as recruiting special command members and searching for DropShips and JumpShips. To determine the Influence Rating of a character, add the Influence values listed for each training and service option selected for the character.

Quality Rating. To determine the expertise of a character, consult the Quality Rating Equivalency Table. For BattleTech characters, use the quality rating that corresponds to the character's final Piloting/Gunnery Skills. For MW II characters, combine the character's Piloting and Gunnery skill target numbers (not Skill ratings) and check the total against the table.

BattleTech gamemasters may also allow players to create special characters by finding the character's quality rating, then using the table to set appropriate combined Piloting/Gunnery target numbers. The player can then split the combined numbers' value between Piloting and Gunnery in any way he desires.

Quality Rating Equivalency Table

Quality Rating	Piloting/Gunnery Skill Ratings	Combined Piloting/Gunnery Target Numbers
Green	6/5	10 or greater
Regular	5/4	8-9
Veteran	4/3	6-7
Elite	3/2	5 or less

Special Advantages

When using the MW II rules or the BattleTech Level 3 Advanced Abilities rules (p. 46, Maximum Tech), players can provide their commander characters (or any other characters) with special advantages that give them unique abilities on the battlefield.

Even if players are not using the Advanced Abilities rules in their games, a player may still acquire abilities for his character solely for the purposes of unit creation. In such cases, every character receives 3 points to purchase advantages; controlling players may obtain additional spending points by raising the Gunnery or Piloting Skill Ratings of their characters. For each point by which one of these skills is raised, a character receives 1 additional advantage point to spend. The cost of each advantage is listed on the Advantage Modifiers Table, p. 138.

After determining a character's special advantages, consult the Advantage Modifiers Table to find the modifiers that correspond to each advantage possessed by the character. Apply the appropriate modifiers to the character's Member and Influence Ratings. When determining special-advantage modifiers for multiple advantages, negative modifiers are cumulative but positive modifiers are not. Instead, select the single highest positive modifier from each column. For example, a character with Bull's-Eye Marksman and Sixth Sense would receive a +3 advantage modifier to his Family Member Rating.

If desired, the commander character may hide his or her special advantage from other characters. In this case, the commander does not receive any positive modifiers provided by the advantage, but all negative modifiers still apply. For example, a commander character might choose to conceal his Sixth Sense from his potential recruits. Consequently, he receives the -1 Friends modifier but does not receive the +3 Family modifier or the +2 Unit modifier.

Clan Origins. This special advantage applies to Clan characters who have defected to the Inner Sphere. If the character is a MechWarrior, the character starts play with a second-line Clan 'Mech. Reduce by half all age modifiers from the Training and Service Table; additionally, Clan characters may only select Academy Dropout or State Academy for their initial training. Apply all appropriate member modifiers from the Advantage Modifiers Table. A character with Clan origins also suffers a -1 modifier to his Initiative Rolls when facing Clan opponents.

For MW II characters, the Clan Origins advantage automatically applies if the character's controlling player selects any Clan affiliation or package during character generation.

Advantage Modifiers Table

Advantage	Cost	Source	Family	Friends	Unit	Influence
Bull's-Eye Marksman	1	MT	+1	+2	+2	—
Clan Origins**	0	—	-2	-2	-4	-2
Combat Sense	2	MWC	—	—	+1	—
Edge*	1-3	MT/MWII

MWII: MechWarrior, Second Edition. MWC: MechWarrior Companion. MT: Maximum Tech.

*The value "X" indicates the number of points spent on the advantage. **Apply if character has Clan origins as part of his history.

Step 2: Assemble Founding Members

The core of any mercenary group consists of the commander character's family members or friends he has made during his training, previous military service or even childhood. Additionally, potential commanders who are currently serving in military units may also attract members of those units to defect and join their new merc groups. In fact, most new mercenary commands require such support if they are to establish themselves and remain viable military forces.

The following rules allow players to generate these founding members and incorporate player-characters into the group. First, the commander recruits founding members using the Founding Members Table. Then the commander creates the unit's special recruits. Next, special recruits may recruit new members. Finally, Identifying Forces covers the rules for determining the abilities and specialties of new recruits without training and service records.

Recruiting Founding Members. Make three 1D6 rolls, one for each Member Rating category on the Founding Members Table. Each roll result determines the number of warriors the commander character recruits from his family, friends and former unit.

Apply all appropriate modifiers from Step 1 to the results. If a modified result is lower than 1, the character receives no recruits from that category.

Founding Members Table

Modified Roll Result	Family	Friends	Unit
0 or lower	0	0	0
1	0	1	1
2	0	1	2
3	1	2	3
4	1	2	3
5	2	3	3
6	2	3

Player Assignment #1. If additional players are helping to form the new mercenary group, they can join now or wait until later player assignments. If added now, they should determine their connection to the unit commander—through family ties, friendship or joint membership in a former military unit—and work that connection into the unit's history. These characters are subtracted from the commander's appropriate member categories. Extra recruits beyond those controlled directly by players become the first of the unit's non-player characters (NPCs).

Step 2 (continued): Special Recruits

Special recruits are new unit members who can help the commander recruit additional members or recruit new members themselves. Additionally, special recruits may possess Special Advantages, as described in Step 1. Generally, special recruits are other player-characters in the unit, but NPCs may also serve as special recruits.

For each special recruit he adds to his unit, the commander character must spend 1 Influence Point. Special recruits with special advantages cost 2 Influence Points. The commander's Influence Rating determines how many Influence Points he may spend per step.

Generate training and service backgrounds for all special recruits by using the background-generation system described under Commander's Background in Step 1. If a character already has an established background, simply select the options that most closely reflect that background.

Commander characters must spend the required Influence Points for all special-recruit characters controlled by players before they can create special-recruit NPCs. Once a commander has spent all his Influence Points, no more characters may receive training or service records or special advantages.

Special recruits are not restricted to quality ratings below those of their commander, a very useful exception to later rules that will make such recruitment difficult. When creating training and service records for their characters, controlling players should record all modifiers per Step 1 rules. Determine and record a character's Influence Rating by adding all appropriate Influence modifiers.

Special recruits who have been assigned special advantages and subordinate command positions (executive officer, battalion commander and so on) roll on the Founding Members Table (p. 138) to determine how many additional recruits each character brings into the command. For all other special recruits, reduce by half the modified roll result before determining the number of new members those characters bring in.

If the commander does not have enough Influence Points to pay for all player-character special recruits, he may spend his last remaining Influence Point to allow all remaining characters to join the unit. However, player-characters purchased in this manner may not record any modifiers and cannot bring in additional recruits.

MechWarrior Characters. All MW II player-characters are automatically considered special recruits and may purchase advantages per standard MW II rules.

Player Assignment #2. After all eligible special recruits have rolled on the Founding Members Table, additional players again have an opportunity to join the mercenary command—this time as family, friends or recent unit-mates of the special recruits. These players and all additional recruits do not receive training and service records. Instead, their abilities are determined by consulting the Identification Table (p. 140).

Identifying Forces

Use the Identification Table to generate quality ratings and equipment for all recruits without service and training records. The commander character makes a dice roll for each such character he recruited personally, and each special-recruit player-character rolls for the new troops he recruited. For ease of identification and organization, organize these recruits into groups of four. "Leftover" recruits are placed in a single group of 1-3 soldiers, and the lance or platoon is filled out in the next step.

The controlling player for each four-warrior group makes three 1D6 rolls for each group. The first roll identifies the recruited unit's Type. Same simply means the troops are the same type of warrior as the character rolling—MechWarrior, armored infantry, aerospace pilots and so on. Complementary means that the lance's specialty complements the rolling player's specialty. For example, an armor commander who rolls a 2 or 3 has recruited an infantry platoon. A MechWarrior who rolls a 2 or 3 has recruited a four-member aerospace unit. On a Distant result, the specialty of the new unit may be more distantly related to the controlling player-character's specialty. For example, an aerospace pilot who rolls a Distant result would have to decide between an armor or infantry platoon.

The second roll determines the recruited unit's quality rating. A Veteran commander may add 1 to his roll result, and an Elite commander may add 2. However, the quality rating of a recruited unit may not exceed that of the special character who recruited it. If the roll result indicates a higher quality rating, the recruited unit receives the same quality rating as its recruiter. After determining the quality rating of a recruited unit, consult the Quality Rating Equivalency Table (p. 137) to determine the Piloting and Gunnery Skills of these units.

The third roll determines the weight class or infantry type of the recruited lance/platoon. (For aerospace fighters, consider a result of Assault as Heavy.) After determining the type of a recruited infantry platoon, consult pages 66-69 and 75-77 of BTC: RoW and randomly determine the platoon's equipment with the aid of the gamemaster or referee. Jump infantry platoons are comprised of three squads, not four, so if jump infantry is indicated on the table, move one trooper from this group to another group of less than four or roll separately for the single squad.

Identification Table

Roll	Warrior Type	Quality Rating	Weight/Infantry Type
1	Distant	Green	Light/Foot
2	Complementary	Green	Light/Foot
3	Complementary	Regular	Medium/Motorized
4	Same	Regular	Medium/Jump
5	Same	Regular	Heavy/Anti-'Mech*
6	Same	Veteran	Assault/Battlesuit
7

*If rolled, roll again to determine the specific type of infantry.

Step 3: Open Recruiting and Battlefield Experience

At this point, the mercenary unit most likely consists of disparate forces and is nowhere near as large as the commander desires. Furthermore, some player-characters may still be waiting to join the unit. The commander can expand the size of his unit and sign up remaining players through open recruiting. After open recruiting, the unit may enter regular game play. Or the commander may decide to provide the unit with mission experience by rolling on the Mission Experience Table (p. 142). This second step provides an opportunity to increase the number of personnel in the unit and advance the members' Quality Ratings. If desired, the commander may continue to build the unit by repeating the open recruiting/mission experience step.

If the commander character feels that his group is ready for action, the players may bypass open recruiting/mission experience and proceed to Step 4.

Organization. Before open recruiting, the commander and his staff should organize the recruited troops into sub-units. Generally, this means combining the lances and platoons from Step 2 into companies and perhaps battalions. Assign player-characters or special NPCs subordinate command positions (lance or company commanders) as desired. At this point, do not be concerned if companies or lances are undermanned—vacant positions can be filled later in the unit-creation process. Use copies of SF 3068 (Simplified) to record the composition of each battalion or company. Then proceed to Open Recruiting, below.

Open Recruiting. There are always warriors on Outreach looking for employment, so recruiting troops is a simple job of screening applicants to find those with the capabilities desired. Most new units post WARRIOR WANTED notices on the screens at the Hiring Hall and then slog through scores of applications and dozens of combat records. After selecting perhaps ten warriors for tests on simulators and/or the local proving grounds, the recruiters generally hire the top three or four. Less discerning commanders could conceivably hire more, but doing so can weaken unit cohesion and seriously lower the general expertise of the unit because most warriors-for-hire are discipline cases or desperate, Dispossessed MechWarriors looking for a break.

During open recruiting, any character in a command position with the unit can recruit new members for his sub-unit. The group's overall commanding officer can recruit members for any sub-unit within the command. The commander may also veto the hiring of any individual recruited by one of his sub-commanders.

To recruit a new member, the recruiting character must spend 1 Influence Point and make a Recruiting Roll. Influence Points spent for this purpose are replenished at the beginning of every recruitment period. Company and battalion (or squadron/wing) commanders without Influence Points may make a single attempt to recruit. Any unit member with Influence Points can "loan" points to his immediate superior or to any unit member below him on the chain of command for the purpose of Recruiting Rolls. However, loaned points are worth only half their value; therefore, 2 loaned points are required for a single Recruiting Roll.

Before creating new sub-units within the command, all vacancies in under-strength units should be filled. Once this has been accomplished, the commander or sub-commanders can start new lances or companies by reassigning a warrior or lance of warriors to form the core of the new unit. (Replacements for these reassigned personnel should be hired before they take their new posts.)

The Recruiting Roll. To recruit a new member, the recruiting character rolls 2D6 against a Target Number of 8. (MW II players make a Social Saving Roll.)

Before making the roll, the recruiting player must specify the characteristics of the warrior being sought. These characteristics determine the target modifiers for the roll, as shown on the Recruiting Modifiers Table, p. 141. Also, the recruiting character may spend Influence Points to lower the target number. For each Influence Point spent, reduce the target number by 1. Any special recruit can "loan" Influence Points to his immediate superior or to any unit member below him in the chain of command for this purpose. However, 2 loaned Influence Points are required to reduce a target number by 1.

If the roll fails, the recruiting character fails to find a suitable recruit. All subsequent Recruiting Rolls made by that character must have lower target numbers.

Recruiting Modifiers Table

Category	Modifier
Type
Infantry	-2
Vehicle Crewman	+0
MechWarrior	+1
Fighter Pilot	+2
Weight Class
Dispossessed	-4
Light	+0
Medium	+1
Heavy	+2
Assault	+3
Technology Level

Recruiting Modifiers. Recruiting modifiers are divided into four categories—type, weight class, infantry type and quality rating.

Type refers to the type of recruit—infantry, vehicle crewman, MechWarrior or fighter pilot. Battle-armor units are considered infantry.

Weight class denotes the weight class and technology level of the recruit's 'Mech, fighter or vehicle. Recruits with Clan technology have second-line 'Mechs, not OmniMechs. The Specific Design option provides the recruit with any desired 'Mech, vehicle or fighter design within the weight class and technology selected.

Infantry type provides modifiers for infantry recruits, based on the type of infantry unit in which the recruit will be serving. Remember to apply the Anti-'Mech Training modifier to battle armor-equipped infantry if the squad is anti-'Mech trained (they usually are).

Finally, quality rating denotes the recruit's quality rating relative to the rating of the company commander to whom the new recruit will report, regardless of who is doing the actual recruiting. For example, if a new Green recruit will be reporting to a Veteran company commander, the recruit's quality rating is two levels lower than the commander's Veteran level, so the quality-rating modifier is -2. The modifier to add an Elite recruit to the company would be +3, because Elite is one level higher than Veteran.

Consult the Quality Rating Equivalency Table (p. 137) to set skill ratings for new recruits, based on their quality ratings.

Optional Rule: Settling for Less. If the roll fails, the recruiting character may "settle for less." In this case, the system works in reverse—the commander starts with the actual Recruiting Roll result, then chooses new weight class, infantry type and quality rating options from the Recruiting Modifiers Table that produce a target number equal to or lower than the roll result. Note that the recruiting character may not change the type of the desired recruit. Furthermore, the recruiting character must spend 1 Influence Point. If the unit has no Influence Points available for the step, then the recruitment attempt simply fails.

This system intentionally makes hiring experienced warriors difficult. When a unit wants to build itself up quickly, it is generally forced to rely on Green or Regular troops.

Example. A Veteran company commander attempting to recruit a Veteran MechWarrior with a Heavy, Level 2 Inner-Sphere 'Mech will need to make a successful Recruiting Roll against a Target Number of 12 to recruit the MechWarrior:

Modifier	Value
Base Target Number	8
MechWarrior	+1
Heavy 'Mech	+2
Inner Sphere Level 2 technology	+1
Same Quality Rating	+0
Modified Target Number	12

If the roll produces a result of 10, the recruitment attempt fails. However, the recruiting player could settle for less by accepting a recruit with a Light, Level 2 Inner-Sphere 'Mech, or a Medium Level 1 machine, or a Green MechWarrior.

Player Assignment #3. Additional BattleTech players may assume the character of any warrior recruited during this step. If the commander is satisfied with the combat personnel he has accumulated at this time,

he can proceed to Step 4.

Alternatively, the command staff can provide mission experience for the unit. This provides another opportunity for recruiting additional combat personnel, as well as a chance to improve the unit members' quality ratings.

Mission Experience

After initial recruiting, a mercenary command goes to work. Most new mercenary groups can't afford to spend long periods on Outreach recruiting personnel and training—they need to earn money. And that means going on missions.

Mission experience provides an opportunity for a mercenary group to gain experience—reflected by improvements to the quality ratings of unit members—and do some battlefield recruiting. Of course, every mission is potentially dangerous, and a unit may lose personnel. All of these factors are simulated with dice rolls on the Mission Experience Table.

The unit commander rolls 2D6 for each mission and consults the table to determine the assignment and outcome. Next, the unit's company and squadron commanders make 2D6 Personnel and Quality rolls for their sub-units. (The overall unit commander makes these rolls for companies and squadrons led by NPCs.) The target number ranges for these rolls are listed in the Mission Experience Table, below.

If a company/squadron's Personnel Roll fails, the sub-unit loses personnel. Reduce the company/squadron's personnel by the roll's margin of failure. For example, if a sub-unit's roll fails by 4, that sub-unit loses 4 members. Re-roll any result that would kill off a MW II player character, unless the only characters left in the company/squadron are player characters. In this case, the gamemaster decides what happens. Player-character deaths at this stage are certainly undesirable, so gamemasters may rule that player-characters suffer injuries and must sit out the next unit mission while they recover.

If the Personnel Roll result is higher than the target number range, the company/squadron gains personnel. Increase the company/squadron's personnel by the roll's margin of success. For example, if a sub-unit's roll succeeds by 4, that sub-unit gains 4 members.

Assume that BattleMechs and other equipment are lost or gained with each warrior. Determine the characteristics and equipment of new personnel by using the force-identification process and Identification Table described in Step 2 (p. 140).

The results of Quality Rolls determine how much a company/squadron improves during a mission. A roll's margin of success determines how many unit members advance to the next Quality Rating level (advancement has no effect on Elite warriors). Failed Quality Rolls have no effect.

MW II player-characters do not advance in quality rating. Instead, they receive 3 Adventure Points and 10 Skill Points which may be used however the character's controlling player desires.

Mission Experience Table

Roll Result	Mission Type/Outcome	Personnel Roll Target Number	Quality Roll Target Number
2	Contract Default	—	—
3	Assault/Defeat	5-10	8
4	Garrison/Loss	5-11	10
5	Raid/Defeat	6-11	9
6	Garrison/No action	—	11
7	Garrison/No action	—	11
8

Player Assignment #4. Battlefield recruitment offers the last chance for players to join the mercenary command during its formation. Players may assume the characters of any recruits gained as a result of successful Personnel Rolls.

Repeating the Cycle. If desired, the mercenary unit may return to Outreach and repeat the open recruiting/mission experience cycle. Each repetition is considered a new step and all unit-member Influence Ratings are replenished. The cycle may be repeated until the unit's desired strength is reached.

Each cycle takes 1 year to complete. Keep track of the years spent in this process—this information can be used when fleshing out the unit's history and determining characters' ages. The information will also be used in later unit-creation steps.

Beginning in the second "year," the mercenary command can search for a DropShip or JumpShip in place of open recruiting. See Step 5: Buy DropShips/JumpShips (p. 144) for more information.

Step 4: Obtain Equipment

To speed up and simplify the unit-creation process, all troops are considered fully equipped with their own BattleMechs, vehicles, aerofighters, infantry weapons and so on when they join the mercenary unit. Weight classes and technology ratings of all equipment are set during Step 2 and Step 3.

Unit Technology Rating

The technology rating refers to the percentage of a command's machines that are equipped with advanced equipment as designated under Level 2 BattleTech rules. (Even if the players agree to use Level 3 equipment, do not include such equipment in the unit's start-up forces. Level 3 equipment is acquired after initial unit creation, if at all.)

To calculate a unit's technology rating, start by determining the entire unit's average quality rating (exclude infantry assets) with the method described in Dragoons Rating (Running a Mercenary Unit, p. 149). Regular infantry units do not require technology ratings, and Inner Sphere battle-armor units use standard battlesuits (p. 69, BTC: RoW) unless the unit has recruited armored infantry with Clantech per the rules in Step 3.

After determining the unit's average quality rating, consult the Technology Rating Table to determine the base technology rating. Then find the appropriate technology modifier, based on the unit's mission-experience years from Step 3. Add the base technology rating and the technology modifier to find the unit's overall technology rating. If the unit commander has the Title or Well-Connected advantage, add an additional +5 percent modifier to the rating.

Technology Rating Table

Average Quality Rating	Base Technology Rating
Green	10%
Regular	20%
Veteran	30%
Elite	40%

Mission Experience	Technology Modifier
0-2 years	+0%
3-5 years	+5%
6-10 years	+10%
11+ years	+20%

Optional Method. If desired, separate technology ratings may be generated for a unit's component battalions, aerospace wings, companies and squadrons. To do so, start by determining the entire sub-unit's average quality rating (exclude infantry assets) with the method described in Dragoons Rating (p. 149).

If a sub-unit's commander has the Title or Well-Connected advantage, the sub-unit receives an additional +5 percent modifier to its rating. Subordinate officers with either of these advantages gain another +5 percent modifier for sub-units directly under their command. This bonus is cumulative, to a maximum of 10 percent. For example, an aerospace wing led by a commander with the Title advantage would receive the +5 percent modifier. If a squadron within that wing is led by an officer with the Well-Connected advantage, that squadron receives an additional +5 percent modifier, for a total modifier of +10 percent. The squadron's bonus may not exceed this, even if it belongs to a mercenary group led by a Well-Connected commander.

When using this method, the technology ratings of all supporting forces are reduced by 10 percent to reflect the natural bias toward the command's main force. For example, if the command considers its BattleMech assets its main force, all of its aerospace and armor forces suffer this penalty.

BattleMech Assignment

To assign the actual 'Mechs owned by a new command, first consult the Equipment Rating Table. (For fighter and vehicle assignments, create your own fighter or vehicle Equipment Rating Table modeled after the one supplied below or use the Commander's Option rules.) Locate the listed technology rating that most closely matches the unit's or sub-unit's overall technology rating. Record any difference between the two figures—this number will be used later in the unit-creation process. If the unit's or sub-unit's overall rating falls exactly between two ratings listed on the Equipment Rating Table, the unit's or sub-unit's commander may choose between them. Then find the corresponding equipment rating. Using this equipment rating, consult the Random 'Mech Assignment Table (Rules, p. 122) and roll for BattleMechs by weight class.

For MechWarriors recruited with advanced technology or a Clan upgrade during Step 3, simply select an appropriate BattleMech design from the table. If a MechWarrior was assigned a specific design during recruitment, simply add the machine to the unit's equipment profile. Pay attention to the various 'Mechs' deployment histories in the Technical Readouts when selecting designs—some machines are simply not available to the average mercenary as of 3059.

Equipment Rating Table

Technology Rating	Equipment Rating	Description
80%	A	Heavy Upgrades
60%	B	Good Upgrades
40%	C	Fair Upgrades
20%	D	Average Upgrades
10%	F	Poor Upgrades

Commander's Option. If desired, commanders can take a more hands-on approach to choosing the unit's war machines. However, this option should only be used in conjunction with the optional method for generating technology ratings.

Divide the command into the same battalions, aerospace wings, companies and squadrons used while generating technology ratings. Each sub-unit's technology rating indicates the percentage of that sub-unit's total number of 'Mechs (not specific machines) that may be equipped with advanced Level 2 technology. (This distinction prevents commanders from designating all their heavy BattleMechs as upgraded designs and leaving their light machines as Level 1 designs.) The tonnage breakdown for a unit with a Technology Rating of 50 percent would look like this:

Level 2 Inner Sphere technology: 50 percent
Level 1 Inner Sphere technology: 50 percent
(total = 100 percent)

If desired, a commander may designate a portion of his unit's advanced BattleMechs as Clan designs instead (doing so will reduce the unit's total percentage of advanced technology, however). To do so, the commander assigns a portion of the technology rating to Clantech. This portion is divided by 4 and then used normally.

If the commander of a unit with a Technology Rating of 50 percent decided to use 20 percentage points of that rating for Clantech, the unit's tonnage breakdown would look like this:

Level 2 Inner Sphere technology: 30 percent
Level 2 Clantech: 20 ÷ 4 = 5 percent
Level 1 Inner Sphere technology: 65 percent
(total = 100 percent)

If a MechWarrior with advanced technology, Clantech or a specific design was recruited in Step 3, consider his BattleMech a standard-technology design for this purpose.

Upgrades and Customization

Any mercenary command will gradually amass a stockpile of salvaged equipment that unit personnel can use to customize their machines. Generally, such stockpiles are created during game play, but if the unit has amassed mission experience during Step 3, it may start with a stockpile. The stockpile's base value is 10,000 C-bills times the total number of BattleMechs and vehicles in the command, times the number of years the mercenary command has been in operation.

To find the actual amount of value in salvage, multiply the base size by a modifier of 15 percent plus or minus the percentage the command lost or gained when rounding its technology rating to the nearest one listed on the Equipment Rating Table (p. 143). For example, say a command has an overall Technology Rating of 55 percent. The closest technology rating listed on the Equipment Rating Table is 60 percent (Equipment Rating B). The difference between the two technology ratings is 5 percent, and so that amount is subtracted from the 15-percent modifier for a final modifier of 10 percent.

After determining the stockpile's final value, the unit can use this money to buy any desired equipment. (Prices appear on p. 124, BTC:RoW). Any Clantech equipment must be purchased at double its listed cost. Stockpiled equipment can be installed immediately in any of the command's machines with no dice rolls required. Alternatively, the equipment can be kept for later use in repairs or refits. If the players agree, they can use the customization rules in Maximum Tech (p. 62).

Any C-bills left over from this process are added to the unit's war chest at the end of Step 7.

Step 5: Buy DropShips/JumpShips

Hiring a DropShip or JumpShip is one of the largest expenses a mercenary command faces. Furthermore, the need to hire transport makes a mercenary unit dependent on outsiders and reduces its control over its own fate. Therefore, a mercenary unit may want to buy its own DropShips and JumpShips despite the high cost of doing so.

DropShips

An attempt to locate and buy a DropShip must be substituted for an open recruiting session in the recruitment/mission cycle described in Step 3 (p. 140). This simulates the time and money needed to obtain a DropShip. Instead of making Recruiting Rolls, the Influence Points of all the unit's commanders and special recruits are transferred to a single unit member, who makes a DropShip Acquisition Roll. (Other unit members eligible to recruit may each make a single attempt to recruit a new member at this time, but without the help of their Influence Points.)

Before making the dice roll, the players should consult the DropShip Availability Table to determine the target number for the DropShip the unit desires. In the case of a split target numbers, the first number refers to the obsolete variant of the ship and the second number refers to the current variant (see Technical Readout 3057). The players MUST select the DropShip variant they want before the player of the selected unit member makes the DropShip Acquisition Roll.

The target number may be reduced if the unit's members possess any of the following advantages: Title, Well-Connected or Reputation. Each advantage is worth a -1 target modifier per Advantage Point spent to acquire it, up to a maximum of -7. If two characters have the same advantage, the advantage counts only once. Furthermore, any character who loans an advantage to the designated DropShip buyer for this purpose may not make any Recruiting Rolls during the DropShip search.

After determining the appropriate target number, the selected unit member makes the DropShip Acquisition Roll by rolling 2D6 against it. If the roll succeeds, the unit acquires the DropShip in one of the two following ways. If the roll would have succeeded with only half of the modifiers applied to the target number (rounding down), the unit has purchased or acquired the DropShip as spoils of war, and the vessel belongs to the unit. If the roll matches the target number or exceeds it only because it was reduced by more than half of the modifiers, the ship actually belongs to its own captain and is considered part of the unit's auxiliary forces rather than a unit asset.

Crew requirements for DropShips are listed on the DropShip Availability Table as a convenience. For complete information about these spacecraft, see Technical Readout 3057.

DropShip Availability Table

DropShip Class	Target Number	Crew Requirement
Achilles	12/14	30
Avenger	11/15	15
Behemoth	14	50
Buccaneer	9	12
Claymore	16	15
Condor	9/12	24
Excalibur	12/15	50
Fortress	13/16	42
Fury	10/14

Advantage / Target Number Modifier: Title, Well-Connected, Reputation — -1 per Advantage Point spent to acquire each Advantage, to a maximum of -7.

JumpShips

JumpShip purchases follow the same procedure as DropShip purchases, with the following exceptions.

First, a unit may make only one attempt to obtain a JumpShip during the unit-creation process. Second, a JumpShip search requires three recruiting/mission cycles rather than one. During this time, the Influence Points of all unit members are consumed by the search, and each unit battalion and company commander may make only a single Recruiting Roll without aid of Influence. Furthermore, any character who loans an advantage to reduce the JumpShip Acquisition Roll target number may not make any Recruiting Rolls during the JumpShip search. These restrictions simulate the difficulty of acquiring one of these rare vessels.

The selected unit member makes the JumpShip Acquisition Roll during the third recruiting/mission cycle of the JumpShip search. If the roll succeeds, the unit acquires the JumpShip in one of the two following ways. If the roll would have succeeded with only half of the modifiers applied to the target number (rounding down), the JumpShip is purchased or acquired as spoils of war and belongs to the unit. If the roll matches or beats the target number only because it was reduced by more than half the modifiers, the ship actually belongs to its own captain and is considered part of the unit's auxiliary forces rather than a unit asset.

A unit may also modify a JumpShip Acquisition Roll by offering one of its DropShips as a bargaining chip. The DropShip must belong solely to the unit—DropShips that are auxiliary forces cannot be used for this purpose. Offering a DropShip adds a +3 bonus to the roll result. If the JumpShip Acquisition Roll succeeds, the unit acquires the JumpShip but loses its DropShip. If the roll fails, the unit retains the DropShip.

Crew requirements for JumpShips are listed on the JumpShip Availability Table below as a convenience. For complete information about these spacecraft, see Technical Readout 3057.

JumpShip Availability Table

JumpShip Class	Target Number	Crew Requirement
Invader	14	24
Merchant	12	20
Monolith	16	30
Scout	11	18
Star Lord	15	30
Tramp	13	21

Free DropShip Search

If the mercenary command did not make any rolls for a DropShip or a JumpShip during Step 3 in place of recruitment, the unit may make a single roll for a DropShip at this point. Follow the rules given above for DropShip acquisition, but the unit receives an additional -2 modifier to the target number.

Step 6: Determine Payroll, Maintenance Costs and Support Requirements

The following section outlines how to determine the unit's payroll, maintenance costs and support requirements. All costs listed are in C-bills.

Payroll

To determine the salaries of unit members, multiply the appropriate base salary and Quality/Expertise multiplier from the Salary Table. For example, the yearly salary for a Veteran MechWarrior is 39,000 C-bills (19,500 x 2). Record the salaries of all personnel in the appropriate spaces on the unit's or sub-unit's SF 3068 (Simplified).

The number of crew members required to effectively operate a ground vehicle is equal to the tonnage of the vehicle divided by 15 (round fractions up). More information about vehicle crews appears in Maximum Tech.

In the case of artillery crews, assume that each artillery piece requires a squad of seven troopers to operate it. Therefore, a lance of four artillery pieces is crewed by a 28-man infantry platoon.

Specialist Infantry is a catch-all category for personnel who do not fit into the other categories, such as combat engineers.

Salary Table

Position	Base Salary Yearly	Base Salary Biweekly
MechWarrior	19,500	750
Aerospace Pilot	19,500	750
Vehicle Crewman	11,700	450
Regular Infantry	9,750	375
Artillery Crew	11,700	450
Specialist Infantry	12,480	480
Scout Infantry	13,650	525
Vessel Captain	19,500	750
Vessel Crew

Quality/Expertise	Multiplier
Green	x 0.75
Regular	x 1
Veteran	x 2
Elite	x 3
Anti-Mech Infantry Training	x 2 (in addition to Quality Rating modifier)

Maintenance and Support

Military forces require constant attention from technicians, mechanics and engineers. Though mercenary contracts may include some indemnity for technical support, they rarely cover full expenses. Therefore, mercenary units usually have to pay for their maintenance and support requirements.

The Maintenance Cost Table lists the maintenance costs and support requirements for BattleTech combat units. These costs include the replacement of tools and all materials needed to keep equipment in good working order. They do not include technician salaries or the cost of repairing battle damage. All maintenance costs are for single machines, except for the Infantry Platoon cost. To determine the maintenance costs of motorized infantry units, combine the Ground Vehicle and Infantry Platoon maintenance costs.

The formulas given under Weekly Support Requirement are used to calculate the required weekly tech support in man-hours for each type of BattleTech unit. Standard infantry have no support requirement because infantrymen take care of their own equipment. Only special types of infantry units require support. Similarly, DropShip and JumpShip crews perform maintenance on their vessels.

Record the maintenance costs and support requirements for the unit on SF 3068 (Simplified).

Maintenance Table

Sub-Unit Classification	Biweekly Maintenance Cost (C-bills)	Weekly Support Requirement (man-hours)
BattleMech	150	40 + (tonnage ÷ 5)
OmniMech	200	40 + (tonnage ÷ 5)
Aerospace Fighter	125	40 + (tonnage ÷ 2.5)
OmniFighter	250	40 + (tonnage ÷ 2.5)
Ground Vehicle	50	20 + (tonnage ÷ 5)
Infantry Platoon	50	—
Battle Armor Suit	100	5 + (armor value x 2)
VTOL	125	30 + (tonnage ÷ 5)

Hiring Technicians. After determining the unit's support requirements, the unit must hire technicians to perform the required man-hours of labor. Units must hire at least enough technicians to provide 30 percent of the weekly requirement of man-hours to prevent breakdowns. (Technicians rotate so that every machine is inspected every three weeks.) However, commanders may want to hire more technicians to meet the expanded support needs created by combat (see Maintenance, p. 157 of Running a Mercenary Unit).

Technician Productivity/Salary Table

Quality Rating	Skill Roll Target	Man-Hours per Week	Salary Yearly	Salary Biweekly
Astech	10	20	6,240 (5,200)	240 (200)
Green	9	30	8,320 (7,280)	320 (280)
Regular	7	40	12,480 (10,920)	480 (420)
Veteran	6	45	16,640 (14,950)	640 (575)
Elite	5	50	24,960 (22,360)	960 (860)

The weekly man-hours of service provided by technicians vary according to the technicians' quality ratings, as shown on the Technician Productivity/Salary Table. Skill Roll target numbers and salaries vary as well.

Technicians are required for BattleMechs, aerospace and conventional fighters and battle-armor units. Conventional vehicles may be maintained by mechanics, whose base salaries are listed in parentheses.

To operate at full effectiveness, a technical staff must include at least one astech for every two technicians. Reduce by fifteen man-hours the productivity of any technician who does not have an astech's assistance in a given week.

After determining a unit's technical staff, record all technicians, mechanics and astechs, as well as the man-hours they produce and their salaries, on the unit's SF 3068 (Simplified).

Double Duty. Combat personnel often have some expertise in the maintenance and repair of their machines and equipment. To simulate such abilities, MW II characters must acquire the appropriate Technician Skill in accordance with standard MW II rules.

BattleTech players may simply assign an Astech or Green tech rating to any warrior. However, combat personnel expected to act as techs must be paid one-half the appropriate technician salary, in addition to their warrior pay. These individuals must receive their biweekly technician salaries even if their services are not required. In a combat theater, these individuals can produce only half of their standard man-hour output of work before the quality of their work begins to deteriorate and they risk causing a breakdown (see Breakdowns, p. 157 of Running a Mercenary Unit).

Personnel Support

For convenience, non-combatant, personnel-support staff is divided into three categories: Administrative, Specialist and Medical.

Administrative personnel are the secretaries and accountants who handle the unit's routine bureaucratic business and paperwork. Every command should have one administrative officer per company or platoon, and one for every ten technicians.

Specialists include high-level administrators and contract negotiators. Commands should always have one high-level administrator per battalion, and at least one negotiator for the unit. (A unit without a skilled negotiator surrenders bargaining power to the employer during contract talks, which will become particularly important in Operations.) Multiply the appropriate base salary by the appropriate quality-rating multiplier to determine the salary of a specialist.

Medical personnel help keep the unit in good physical condition. Without them, the command can expect serious problems with illness cutting into the unit's normal operations. One medic for every twenty unit members is a good rule of thumb.

Double Duty (Personnel Support). Combat personnel may also perform administrative, contract negotiating or medical tasks. MW II characters must acquire the appropriate skills per MW II rules to do so. Under BattleTech rules, only battalion commanders may perform high-level administrative duties. However, any personnel with a Green or Regular Quality Rating may serve as a negotiator. Add one-half of any appropriate salary to the standard pay rate for such characters. However, in combat theaters these characters do not perform their secondary jobs.

Personnel Salaries

Position	Yearly	Biweekly
Administrative	8,320	320
Specialist	15,600	600
Medic	8,320	320

Quality Rating	Multiplier
Green	x 0.75
Regular	x 1
Veteran	x 2
Elite	x 3

Step 7: Name the Mercenary Command and Establish Standing Funds

After determining the support staff for the unit, the commander and his officers can name the unit and calculate their standing funds, or war chest. Once these tasks are accomplished, the unit is ready to begin regular game play.

Name. Many commands take at least part of their names from their commanders, and those that are former House units often retain their former military designations. In any case, a unit's name should inspire confidence in potential employers and fear in enemies. A moniker such as David's Daffodils is unlikely to accomplish either aim.

If stuck for ideas, take a look at the mercenary unit names listed on page 160 and use them as models.

War Chest. Any profits left over after paying for supplies, repairs and salaries goes into a unit's war chest. These funds are used to support the command between contracts.

The initial value of a unit's war chest depends on the unit's size and experience. Use the following formula to calculate a unit's war chest:

(Number of combat companies) x 10,000 x War Chest Multiplier

To determine a unit's War Chest Multiplier, first calculate the average quality rating of the unit's main body of troops per the Dragoons Rating rules (Running a Mercenary Unit, p. 149). The main body of a BattleMech command is its 'Mech assets; the main body of an aerospace group would be its aerospace assets. Then consult the War Chest Multipliers Table.

War Chest Multipliers

Average Quality Rating	War Chest Multiplier
Green	.75
Regular	1
Veteran	2
Elite	3

Running a Mercenary Unit

Creating a mercenary command takes a professional soldier only halfway to independence. Once a unit has been formed, its commanders must deal with the small matter of survival—and the battlefield cares nothing for honorable intentions or a command's bottom line.

This section sketches out the basic considerations of running a mercenary unit. Dragoons Rating provides guidelines for generating this important rating, while Contract Offers (p. 150) and Contract Negotiations (p. 151) lists rules for generating and negotiating contracts. Missions (p. 156) explains such considerations as contract advances, preparations and transportation rates, and Maintenance (p. 157) provides rules for maintaining the combat readiness of the unit's machines between contracts. Finally, Unit Specialization (p. 159) offers rules for generating unit-wide game advantages and specializations like those found in the Unit Briefs Database (Rules, p. 124).

Dragoons Rating

The Dragoons Rating indicates a mercenary command's state of readiness and its ability to respond to different situations. The rating system employed by Wolf's Dragoons employs three main components—Mercenary Unit Descriptions (MUDs), Unit Briefs and the Dragoons Rating. Explanations of all three appear in the Outreach section. The following paragraphs explain how to determine a mercenary command's initial Dragoons Rating and update it during the unit's career.

Dragoons Rating Table

Total Points	Rating
0-45	D
46-85	C
86-120	B
121+	A

Finding the Rating. To calculate a unit's Dragoons Rating, add the appropriate point values for the following categories as shown in the formula. (Explanations for calculating each point value follow.) Then consult the Dragoons Rating Table to find the letter rating that corresponds to the total. Exclude independent units when calculating the Dragoons Rating of a mercenary command; instead, calculate separate Dragoons Ratings for such units. Recalculate the rating any time one of the category values changes.

Dragoons Rating Formula: Quality Value + Command Value + Combat Record + Transportation + Technology + Support = Dragoons Rating

Quality Value. Allocate a unit's quality value based on the average quality rating of the command's component fighting units, as follows:

Average Quality Rating	Quality Value
Green	5 points
Regular	10 points
Veteran	20 points
Elite	40 points

If the quality rating of a fighting unit has not been determined during unit creation, calculate it as follows. First, assign all personnel in the unit a numerical value based on their individual quality ratings. Green warriors receive a 0; Regular warriors, a 1; Veteran warriors, a 2; and Elite warriors, a 3. Add all the values, then divide the sum by the total number of warriors in the unit. Round to the nearest whole number to find the unit's average quality rating.

Recalculate a unit's average quality rating after any mission or campaign that creates a change in the quality ratings of individual unit members or alters the unit's personnel roster.

Command Value. To determine the command value, multiply the unit commander's Influence Rating by 3. If using MW II rules, add the commanding officer's Leadership, Tactics and Strategy Skill levels (not the skill target numbers).

Recalculate the command value if the commander's Influence Ratings or MechWarrior skill levels change.

Combat Record Value. To calculate a unit's combat record value, add 5 points for every mission the unit has successfully completed. Subtract 10 points from the sum for each failed mission, and 25 points for any breach of contract. If the unit-creation system was used to create the unit, count missions from the unit's mission experience in Step 3 (Creating a Mercenary Unit, p. 142) when calculating the combat record value.

To successfully complete a mission, a unit must achieve all the primary objectives defined in the mission contract. If the unit achieves none of the primary objectives, the mission has failed. If the unit achieves some but not all of the primary objectives, the mission is considered a partial success and does not affect the combat record value. Secondary mission objectives also do not affect the combat record value.

Only the Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission (in game terms, the gamemaster) can determine if a unit has committed a breach of contract. If playing without a gamemaster, the players involved should select a neutral judge or panel of judges to decide the matter, present their cases to the judge or panel and then abide by the judge's decision.

Every three years of uneventful garrison duty counts as one 5-point completed mission, regardless of how long the contract actually runs. If a contract covers several missions, treat each mission as a separate contract for purposes of determining a unit's combat record value. However, a breach of contract on any single mission of a multi-mission contract nullifies the entire contract.

Recalculate the combat record value any time a unit successfully completes or fails a mission or commits a breach of contract.

Transportation Value. To determine a unit's transportation value, allot 5 points for every 10 percent of the unit's total DropShip transport capability that exceeds fifty percent. (For example, a unit with 70-percent DropShip capacity would have a Transportation Value of 10.) Add 10 points for any JumpShips or WarShips the unit possesses.

A unit's DropShip capacity is simply the percentage of the command's component sub-units that the unit's DropShips can carry (BattleMech, aerospace and vehicle lances and infantry platoons). For example, a mercenary command that consists of one standard-size BattleMech company, one standard-size aerofighter lance and one standard-size infantry company consists of 7 sub-units:

3 'Mech lances + 1 aerofighter lance + 3 infantry platoons = 7 sub-units

If the unit's DropShips can accommodate the 'Mechs and fighters but not the infantry platoons, the unit would have a DropShip capacity of 57 percent (4 ÷ 7 = .57). The percentage is rounded off to the nearest ten (60 percent), which gives the unit a Transportation Value of 5. A unit cannot receive more than 25 points for its DropShip capacity, even if that capacity exceeds 100 percent.

Add 10 points to the transportation value if a unit possesses any JumpShips (the award remains the same no matter how many JumpShips the unit has). Add another 10 points if the unit has any WarShips without DropShip-carrying capacity. Increase this award to 20 points if the unit has any WarShips with DropShip-carrying capacity.

Technology Value. To calculate a unit's technology value, allot 5 points for every 10 percent of the unit's technology rating that exceeds 30 percent. For example, a command with a Technology Rating of 100 percent would receive a Technology Value of 35.

A unit's technology rating is the percentage of a unit's BattleMech, vehicle and fighter tonnage that is constructed with advanced technology (Inner Sphere Level 2 or Level 3, or mixed-tech Clan and Inner Sphere). See Step 4: Obtain Equipment (Creating a Mercenary Unit, p. 142), for more information on determining a command's technology rating.

For the purposes of this award only, full Clantech designs count for double the standard percentage in determining a unit's technology rating.

Support Value. To determine a unit's support value, allot 5 points for every 10 percent of required maintenance support the command can generate in excess of 60 percent.

To find the command's support percentage, first divide the total support the command's technicians can generate during a standard work week by the total required weekly maintenance. Then multiply the result by 100. These totals should be written down on SF 3068 (Simplified) for new units, or can be calculated using the rules in Step 6 of Creating a Mercenary Unit (p. 146). The maximum award for a command able to support 100 percent of its regular weekly maintenance is 20 points.

Contract Offers

Contracts are set with a series of three dice rolls. The first is made on the Contract Offers Table (p. 151) to determine how many offers a unit receives in a given month. The second, which may involve one or two dice rolls, is made on the Master Employer Tables (p. 151) to determine who is offering the contracts. The third is made on the Master Contracts Table (p. 151) to determine the mission of each contract. After these rolls are completed, the unit's commander must decide which contract, if any, to accept.

If a mercenary command declines all offers, it may not roll again for a contract for a full month. However, the unit incurs all standard maintenance and payroll costs during its month of inaction.

Offers. To determine how many contract offers a mercenary command receives in a month, roll 2D6 and consult the Contract Offers Table. Apply the Dragoons Rating modifier to the roll result.

Contract Offers Table

Modified Roll Result	Offers
2-3	0
4-5	1
6-9	2
10-12	3
13+	4

Dragoons Rating	Modifier
A	+3
B	+2
C	+1
D	+0
F	-2

Contract Employer. To determine a contract's employer, first roll 2D6 and consult Master Employer Table A. If the roll result indicates a Periphery or Inner Sphere employer, roll 2D6 again and consult Master Employer Table B to determine if a Periphery or Inner Sphere state is offering the contract.

If the initial roll result indicated a corporation, either create one or select one from any BattleTech product. Alternatively, players can generate a corporate employer by rolling on any random 'Mech-generation table, then looking up the manufacturer of the generated 'Mech design in the Technical Readouts.

Master Employer Table A

Roll	Employer
2-4	Periphery
5-10	Inner Sphere
11-12	Corporation

Master Employer Table B

Roll	Inner Sphere State	Periphery State
2	Free Worlds League	Independent World
3	Free Rasalhague Republic	Independent World
4	Word of Blake	Marian Hegemony
5	Lyran Alliance	Marian Hegemony
6	Capellan Confederation	Magistracy of Canopus
7	Federated Commonwealth	Magistracy of Canopus
8	Draconis Combine	Taurian Concordat
9	ComStar	Taurian Concordat

The Mission. To determine a contract mission, roll 2D6 and consult the Master Contracts Table. Locate the mission type that corresponds with the contract employer and roll result. If the initial result is "Special," roll again and refer to the Special column for the contract mission.

Master Contracts Table

Roll	Inner Sphere	Periphery	Corporation	Special
2	Special	Special	Cadre/Garrison	Guerrilla*
3	Cadre	Security	Cadre/Garrison	Guerrilla
4	Security	Planet Assault	Objective Raid	Cadre/Garrison
5	Planet Assault	Objective Raid	Objective Raid	Recon Raid*
6	Garrison	Objective Raid	Extraction

*Offered with Planetary Assault contract, to begin immediately at termination of first contract.

Select mission targets within the closest Successor State, Clan occupation zone, Periphery realm or corporation that is hostile or potentially hostile toward the contract employer. Consider the mission type and political conditions when setting targets. Corporate employers are most likely to authorize missions against other corporations.

See Contracts (Employment and Contracts, p. 20) for descriptions of mission types.

Responsibilities. Primary responsibilities for the various contract missions are fairly standard (see Contracts, page 20). Gamemasters should create more specific responsibilities based on the particular contract. For example, if a mercenary unit will be serving as part of a larger planetary-assault force, the unit's contract might specify particular targets.

Contract Negotiations

After accepting a contract, a mercenary command must negotiate contractual rights with the employer. Contractual rights include the length of the contract and payment, as well as the other rights explained under Contractual Obligations (p. 22). A mercenary command lives and dies by the contracts it negotiates, so players should read and understand this system before using it in an ongoing campaign.

The Contract Worksheet (p. 167) provides a convenient way to keep track of contract offers, payment and other contract details.

The employer negotiation tactics and typical mission contracts described in Employment and Contracts (p. 17) are simply suggested roleplaying guides for gamemasters. That information is not part of the following bargaining system.

Bargaining System

Bargaining is a give-and-take process in which both negotiating parties must compromise—neither can get everything it wants, so each side must give in on certain points to persuade the other party to grant concessions on others.

To reflect this give-and-take, mercenary contracts are negotiated with a Bargaining Pool. First, a mercenary unit receives a fixed pool of Bargaining Points. Then the unit's negotiator and the employer's negotiator bargain over the contract rights, one at a time. The negotiators add to or reduce the Bargaining Pool to win particular terms governing each contract right.

Bargaining Pool. A unit's Bargaining Pool is equal to the unit's Dragoons Rating point total plus or minus 10 percent per point difference between the skill targets of the mercenary and employer negotiators. For each point by which the mercenary unit negotiator's skill target exceeds the employer negotiator's, increase the unit's Bargaining Pool by 10 percent. For each point by which the employer negotiator's skill target exceeds the mercenary negotiator's, reduce the unit's pool by 10 percent.

For example, a mercenary command whose negotiator's target is 2 higher than the employer negotiator's, increase the Bargaining Pool by 20 percent.

Negotiators. The skill target of the mercenary unit's negotiator is based on the negotiator's quality rating. If the unit has its own staff negotiator, the negotiator's quality rating is set during the unit-creation process (see Personnel Support, p. 147).

Mercenary units may also hire freelance negotiators. The fees these individuals charge to negotiate a single contract are listed on the Negotiator Table. However, freelance negotiators are not as motivated as staff negotiators, so apply a +1 penalty to their skill targets before determining the Bargaining Pool for a contract.

The quality rating and skill target of an employer's negotiator is based on the quality rating of the mercenary unit. For example, an employer dealing with a Green unit will use a Green negotiator, while an employer dealing with an Elite unit will use an Elite negotiator.

Additionally, an employer's negotiator may receive a modifier to his skill target based on the employer's negotiation practices and experience. These modifiers are listed in the Employer Negotiator Modifiers Table.

Employer Negotiator Modifiers Table

Employer	Negotiator Skill Target Modifier
Lyran Alliance	+1
Periphery states	+1
Free Worlds League	-1
Federated Commonwealth	-1
ComStar	-1

Negotiator Table

Quality Rating	Skill Target	Freelance-Negotiator Fee
Green	6	1,800
Regular	5	2,400
Veteran	4	4,800
Elite	3	7,200

Setting the Agenda. Any time a negotiator subtracts or adds to the Bargaining Pool to obtain a particular contract term, he reduces his bargaining power for the remaining contract rights. Therefore, the order in which contract rights are negotiated becomes extremely important.

Generally, the two negotiators take turns deciding which contract right they will bargain over. The mercenary negotiator selects the first contract right, the employer negotiator selects the next, and so on.

However, the mercenary negotiator may "seize the agenda" and make a consecutive selection by spending 5 Bargaining Points. The mercenary negotiator can retain control of the negotiations and continue to make consecutive selections, but the cost increases by 5 points for each contract right. The mercenary negotiator can release control of the negotiation and let the employer negotiator select a right at any time. If the mercenary negotiator decides to seize the agenda again, the cost starts back at 5 points and increases by 5 for each consecutive right.

Marla Tomasen, the negotiator for Hell's Black Aces, wants to negotiate salvage rights near the end of the bargaining process. She believes, however, that the Lyran Alliance's negotiator will want to bargain command rights and then salvage rights up front. So she decides to seize the agenda right away. She spends 5 points and dictates that payment rights be discussed first. After the payment issue is settled, she relinquishes control of the negotiations, and the Lyran negotiator dictates the discussion of command rights. Marla then chooses transportation rights, which they quickly settle. She then seizes the agenda again, paying 5 points to negotiate remuneration rights. After remuneration rights are set, she pays another 10 points retain control of the negotiations and dictates that they set the contract length.

At this point, Marla considers paying 15 points to keep control of the negotiations and bargain for support rights, but she decides against it and relinquishes control. That leaves the Lyran negotiator in a tricky situation as he selects salvage rights. To win the rights to all salvage, the Lyrans will have to add considerable points to the Bargaining Pool—and that will give Marla plenty of points when bargaining for support rights. In fact, the mercenary negotiator may have enough Bargaining Points remaining at the end of the process to re-open the negotiations on salvage rights and bargain from a position of strength.

Length of Service. The employer initially sets the length of service based on the contract descriptions in Employment and Contracts (pp. 20-25). Note that the length of service does not include the mercenary unit's travel time. Typically, a contract does not start until the mercenary command reaches the destination world or, in the case of raids and assaults, until it reaches a secure staging area. An employer may reimburse a unit for some travel expenses under transportation rights, but contract payment is based on a length of service that starts after arrival.

If an employer sets the length of a contract under one year, the mercenary representative may negotiate it. By spending 5 Bargaining Points, the mercenary negotiator can add or subtract a month to or from the contract. Each additional month's change costs another 5 points, but the negotiator cannot change the contract length by more than three months. Employer negotiators can negate any or all of this change by paying 10 points back into the Bargaining Pool per month.

On combat contracts, longer lengths benefit mercenary commands because they produce good payment modifiers during extra months of preparation beforehand or months of repair afterward. Employers usually bargain for shorter contracts and rely on the Emergency Powers Clause (Employment and Contracts, p. 24) to extend contracts if necessary. An employer can use the Emergency Powers Clause to extend a contract for one month at a time, and can invoke the clause only three times per contract. During the first month's extension, the employer must pay the unit 110 percent of its monthly payment. On the second extension, he must pay 120 percent. On the third extension, he must pay 130 percent.

Payment. Payment is initially determined in accordance with the standards set by Wolf's Dragoons in the Outreach Accords and then modified, based on the employer and the mission type.

To calculate the monthly contract pay, first add the monthly salaries for all combat personnel in the command or in the sub-units that are actually taking the contract. (Biweekly salaries are listed on the Salary Table, p. 146 of Creating a Mercenary Unit. Double these figures to calculate monthly salaries.) Do not include the salaries of support or administrative personnel. However, do include the salaries of support or administrative personnel who perform double-duty in combat positions.

Next, multiply this base pay by a multiplier based on the unit's Dragoons Rating, as follows:

Dragoons Rating	Multiplier
A	3.0
B	2.7
C	2.4
D	2.1

Then consult the Contract Payment Multiplier Table. Find the multipliers that correspond to the contract employer and mission type and add them together; the result is the Contract Payment Multiplier. Multiply the combat personnel salaries by the Contract Payment Multiplier to determine the unit's monthly contract payment. In the case of a corporate employer, roll 1D6 and refer to the appropriate multiplier.

Add .5 to the multiplier of any mission against the Clans to reflect the added danger and the Clans' hatred of mercenaries.

By subtracting 5 points from the Bargaining Pool, an employer can raise the Contract Payment Multiplier by .2. The employer cannot increase the multiplier by more than 1 in this manner. Such pay increases provide a convenient way for the employer to "buy down" the Bargaining Pool and reduce the mercenary unit's bargaining power.

Once the employer negotiator has modified the multiplier, the mercenary negotiator can increase or reduce the Contract Payment Multiplier. By subtracting 5 points from the Bargaining Pool, the mercenary negotiator can increase the multiplier by .1. By adding 2 points to the pool, he can reduce it by .1. However, the mercenary negotiator cannot change the multiplier by more than 1.

Contract Payment Multiplier Table

Employer	Multiplier	Mission	Multiplier
Federated Commonwealth	1.2	Cadre	.75
Lyran Alliance	1.4	Cadre/Garrison	1.3
Draconis Combine	1.3	Defensive Campaign	1.5
Capellan Confederation	1.4	Diversion	1.8
Free Worlds League	1.3	Extraction	1.6
ComStar	1.3	Garrison	.9
St. Ives Compact

Command Rights. For purposes of negotiation, Bargaining Point values have been assigned to the different command arrangements—independent, liaison, House and integrated. (See the Command section in Employment and Contracts, p. 22, for a full explanation of the various arrangements.)

The employer negotiator makes the opening offer. When offering liaison, House or integrated command, the listed points are added to the Bargaining Pool. If the employer negotiator offers independent command, subtract 30 points or one-half of the pool's remaining points, whichever is less. Make these adjustments to the pool before the mercenary negotiator makes his counter-offer.

Command Rights Table

Command Level	Cost	Buy-Back Multiplier
Independent	-10*	x 1
Liaison	+0	x 5
House	+5	x 3
Integrated	+15	x 2

*See preceding text.

If the mercenary negotiator wants a different command level, he must spend Bargaining Points to "buy back" the level. To calculate the buy-back cost, subtract the base cost of the mercenaries' desired command level from the base cost of the level offered by the employer. Then multiply the difference by the buy-back multiplier that corresponds to the command level offered by the employer.

For example, if an employer offers integrated command, the mercenary negotiator would have to spend 20 Bargaining Points to buy back the right to House command ([15 - 5] x 2 = 20). Buying back liaison command would cost 30 points ([15 - 0] x 2 = 30), and independent command would cost 50 points ([15 - 10] x 2 = 50).

Mercenaries may surrender command rights for bargaining power on other rights, but mercenaries cannot force an employer to provide a commander. But if an employer offers independent command, mercenaries may request a liaison to have a representative of the employer along. No employer can refuse this request; however, it only adds 10 points to the Bargaining Pool.

Remuneration Rights. Remuneration covers the 5-percent overhead reimbursement that employers normally provide for out-of-pocket expenses. If this right is received in a contract, do not make the deduction.

This is a minor right, so whichever side elects to negotiate remuneration simply decides if remuneration is included in the contract or not. If it is, reduce the Bargaining Pool by 10 points. If it is not, add 10 points to the Bargaining Pool. The other side cannot reverse this decision.

Salvage Rights. The four levels of salvage rights—none, exchange, shared and full—are each assigned a point cost for purposes of negotiation. The employer makes the initial offer. For exchange rights and no rights, add the appropriate cost to the Bargaining Pool. Offering full rights allows the employer to subtract 30 points from the pool or half of the remaining points, whichever is less. These additions or subtractions are made before the mercenary negotiator makes his counter-offer.

Salvage Rights Table

Level	Cost	Buy-Back
Full	-10*	x 1
Shared	+0	x 5
Exchange	+5	x 3
None	+15	x 2

*See preceding text.

If the mercenary negotiator wants more favorable salvage rights, he must spend Bargaining Points to buy back the desired level. To calculate the buy-back cost, subtract the base cost of the mercenaries' desired salvage level from the base cost of the level offered by the employer. Then multiply the difference by the buy-back multiplier that corresponds to the salvage level offered by the employer.

For example, if an employer offers no salvage rights, the mercenary negotiator would have to spend 20 Bargaining Points to buy back exchange rights ([15 - 5] x 2 = 20). If the employer offered exchange rights and the mercenaries want shared rights, getting them would cost 15 points ([5 - 0] x 3 = 15). Buying back full rights after an initial offer of shared rights would cost 50 points ([0 - 10] x 5 = 50).

If the mercenaries are in need of Bargaining Points in other areas, their negotiator can accept less favorable salvage rights than those offered by the employer. In this case, the mercenaries add to the Bargaining Pool a number of points equal to the cost difference between the offered level and the desired level. No multipliers are applied. For example, if the employer offers full salvage rights, the mercenaries can accept no salvage rights instead and add 25 points to the Bargaining Pool.

Support Rights. The employer may offer straight support, battle-loss compensation or both. If the employer offers both types of support rights, subtract 20 points from the Bargaining Pool or one-half the remaining points, whichever is less.

If the employer offers only one type of support rights, the mercenary negotiator can change the type by spending 10 points. By spending 15 points, he can add both types of rights to the contract. Alternatively, if the employer offers both types of support, the mercenary group can reject one type and add 10 points to the pool.

Straight Support. An offer of straight support assumes that the employer will supply 50 percent of the unit's straight-support costs. To find those costs, determine the total amount spent by the merc unit on maintenance for one month. This includes the regular maintenance costs for all machines and equipment and the salaries of the support staff. Include medic salaries, but exclude salaries for administrative personnel and specialists. (See Step 6 in Creating a Mercenary Unit, p. 147, for personnel salaries and maintenance costs.) Salaries and costs are listed in biweekly figures, so double them to calculate monthly expenses. If any member of the support staff receives extra pay for an auxiliary duty, include that amount here.

By subtracting 1 Bargaining Point from the Bargaining Pool, the employer can raise the standard 50-percent offer by 2 percentage points, up to a maximum of 70 percent of the unit's straight-support costs. The mercenary negotiator can also raise the percentage by subtracting 1 Bargaining Point for every 5 percentage points. Alternatively, the merc negotiator can lower the percentage by 4 for every 1 Bargaining Point added to the Bargaining Pool.

Battle Loss Compensation. Battle-loss compensation sets the amount of reimbursement the employer agrees to pay for equipment destroyed or damaged and ammunition expended in combat. Battle-loss compensation may cover anywhere from 2 to 50 percent of the cost of equipment and ammo.

The mercenary negotiator makes the initial offer, spending half a Bargaining Point for each battle-loss percentage point. By adding Bargaining Points to the Bargaining Pool, the employer may reduce this amount by up to half. Each Bargaining Point added reduces the battle-loss percentage by 1.

The employer may reduce the compensation by an additional quarter, to a minimum of 25 percent of the mercenary unit's original offer, by adding 2 Bargaining Points for each 1-point reduction in the compensation amount. However, in this case the mercenaries may raise the battle-loss percentage by 1 for every 3 Bargaining Points they subtract from the Bargaining Pool.

Transport Rights. The range of transportation reimbursement depends largely on whether the employer offers transportation and whether the mercenaries are using chartered vessels or their own vessels. The reimbursement percentages for owned and chartered vessels are different and must be negotiated separately.

Before proceeding to negotiation, first determine the optimum number of DropShips it takes to move the entire command, and the optimum cost for any combination of DropShips. To determine the optimum number of DropShips, calculate the fewest DropShips needed to transport one-third of the command (or the portion that is accepting the contract), whether or not such ships are available. Multiply this number by 3. Compare the result to the actual number of ships that will be transporting the command (whether chartered or owned). The lower of the two numbers is the optimum number.

To determine the optimum cost, find the lowest cost for a combination of DropShips capable of transporting the entire command. Consult the standard DropShip transport rates (DropShip Transportation Rates Table, p. 157 of this section); when calculating optimum cost, players need not confine themselves to the DropShips used for the optimum number. Remember to account for a 50-percent increase in cost per DropShip per jump needed for estimated travel to the assignment, travel while under contract, and travel back to Outreach.

Once the players have determined the optimum DropShip number and optimum DropShip cost, both sides may proceed to negotiate transport rights.

Owned Transport Vessels. A mercenary command can always use its own DropShips or JumpShips at no Bargaining Point cost. However, the reimbursement the employer offers for the use of such ships is a negotiable point.

Reimbursement for the use of owned JumpShips is based on the number of DropShips they will carry or the optimum number of DropShips it takes to move the command, whichever is less. The full rate is 50,000 C-bills per DropShip per jump. Remember to count the jumps necessary to reach the assignment post, the estimated jumps while under contract, and the jumps back to Outreach. For DropShip reimbursement, compare the optimum cost with the actual cost as if chartering the owned DropShips (see DropShip Transportation Rates Table). The full rate is the lower of those two costs. Once you have determined the DropShip and JumpShip rates, add them together. Reimbursement is expressed as a percentage of this value.

If the employer did not offer full transport, the reimbursement starts at 30 percent. The mercenary unit may raise this amount by up to 25 percent (to a maximum of 55 percent), at a cost of 1 Bargaining Point per 1-percent increase.

If the mercenary unit rejects an offer of full transport, the reimbursement starts at 10 percent. The mercenary command may increase this amount by up to 25 percent (to a maximum of 35 percent) at a cost of 1 Bargaining Point per 1-percent increase. The employer may reduce the reimbursement rate by any amount desired, to a minimum of 10 percent, at a 1-percent decrease for every 2 Bargaining Points added to the Bargaining Pool. The mercenaries may then raise the reimbursement percentage again, to the 35-percent maximum, at a cost of 4 Bargaining Points for every 1-percent increase.

Chartered Transport Vessels. If the employer does not offer transport, add 15 points to the Bargaining Pool. However, the mercenary command must spend 10 Bargaining Points to charter private JumpShips or DropShips.

If the employer does not offer full transport, reimbursement starts at 40 percent. The mercenaries may raise this amount by up to 10 percent more, at a 1-percent increase for every 2 Bargaining Points subtracted from the Bargaining Pool.

If the employer offers full transport rights but the unit elects to contract its own private carrier, the employer must reimburse the unit for its transport costs at a base rate of 30 percent. The mercenaries may raise this amount up to 10 percent more, at a 1-percent increase for every 2 Bargaining Points subtracted from the Bargaining Pool. The employer may buy back any portion of the reimbursement rate increase, returning 1 Bargaining Point to the pool for every percentage bought back.

The actual C-bill costs of chartering transport are calculated as follows.

For chartered JumpShip costs, subtract the number of DropShips being carried by the unit's own JumpShips from the optimum number of DropShips previously determined (if the result is negative, the unit cannot charter private vessels). Compare the result to the number of DropShips being carried by the chartered vessels. Use whichever figure is lower to calculate the full JumpShip charter cost, according to the following formula:

Number of DropShips x Number of jumps x 50,000

For chartered DropShip costs, subtract the cost as if chartering the owned vessels (if any) from the optimum DropShip cost (if the result is negative, the unit cannot charter DropShips). Compare this with the cost to charter the private DropShip carriers. Add the lower of the two values to the cost for chartered JumpShips to determine the total charter reimbursement.

Leftover Bargaining Points. If any points remain in the Bargaining Pool after all rights have been negotiated, the mercenary negotiator has two options. He can re-negotiate one of four allowed contract rights per the following rules or convert all leftover Bargaining Points into a signing bonus for the mercenary unit.

To re-negotiate a contract right, first reduce by half the Bargaining Points remaining in the pool. Then select one of the following areas: command, salvage, support or transport rights. To improve command or salvage rights, the mercenary negotiator must spend a number of Bargaining Points equal to twice the standard improvement cost. (See Command Rights, p. 154, and Salvage Rights, p. 154.)

For support rights, the improvement rates are 5 percentage points per Bargaining Point for straight-support reimbursement and 1 percentage point per 3 Bargaining Points for battle-loss compensation. Transportation rights may be improved at a rate of 1 percentage point per 4 Bargaining Points (both owned and chartered vessels).

Any Bargaining Points remaining after re-negotiation are again reduced by half and converted into a signing bonus for the unit.

Signing Bonus. To convert leftover Bargaining Points into a signing bonus, divide the points by 2 and round up fractions. The resulting value becomes the signing bonus, which is a percentage of the full-contract payment that the employer pays the unit for signing a contract. The bonus is paid up front, directly to the mercenary command in addition to regular payments, so the unit can use the bonus to prepare for its mission if desired.

The Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission is not involved in signing bonuses, so it does not receive its usual 5-percent handling fee.

Total Payment. The unit's total payment consists of three parts: the total contract payment, total support payment and total transportation reimbursement.

To determine total contract payment, simply multiply the monthly contract payment (see Payment, p. 153) by the length of the contract in months. The total support payment equals the unit's monthly support costs multiplied by the number of months in the contract, further multiplied by any straight-support reimbursement percentage. To calculate the total transportation reimbursement, multiply the transportation costs for both owned and chartered vessels by the appropriate reimbursement percentages (see Transport Rights, p. 155).

The sum of these payments represents the total payment the command will receive for completing the contract, though battle-loss compensation payments, fees and overhead costs may alter the exact figure.

Missions

After the contract is signed, the mercenary command must finish preparations, arrange for transport and get on the job. Fortunately for the mercenary commander (who, by now, may be ready to walk into the nearest recruitment office and join a regular military unit), these tasks are relatively simple.

Advances and Preparations

Once the total contract payment is placed in trust with the Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission, the commission immediately deducts a 5-percent handling charge. Another 5 percent of every contract payment is automatically deducted for overhead expenses such as port taxes, mundane supplies and ammunition for training exercises. (If a unit has remuneration rights, its employer covers these costs.) The mercenary command may also withdraw up to 25 percent of the full contract payment to pay for supplies, transportation expenses and salaries. Any signing bonus is also paid at this time.

After making sure all travel expenses can be met, many mercenary commands lay in a fresh supply of spare parts and extra ammunition. (No unit wants to run out of either halfway through a contract.)

During the second month of its contract, a unit can withdraw some additional funds for general upkeep and equipment maintenance. If the contract runs longer than six months, the command may begin to withdraw an amount equal to the remaining balance of the contract payment divided by the remaining months left in the contract. If more funds are required to meet expenses, the unit must take out a loan, the terms of which must be arranged through the Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission.

A-rated mercenary commands, however, can withdraw the entire remaining total contract payment by paying the commission an additional 2-percent handling fee.

Transportation

The costs of chartering private JumpShips and DropShips are quite high. Even if an employer agrees to pay 50 percent of the bill, the mercenary unit will only see 25 percent of that reimbursement up front. Therefore, units can expect to foot considerable transportation bills. (The unit's "war chest" is designed to help meet these types of expenses, which provide a good reason for units to replenish or even increase their war chests after every contract.) If a unit cannot pay for its transportation after receiving its advance, it must take out a loan or go back to the negotiation table. In the latter case, the unit must automatically accept employer-offered transportation and receives a 25-percent loss in Bargaining Points as the entire contract is re-negotiated.

The following table lists the costs for chartered DropShip service, which includes transport to a JumpShip, a single jump and transport to a planet. Extra jumps raise the price an additional 50 percent of the normal charter cost. For example, hiring a Union-class DropShip for a two-jump run would cost 225,000 C-bills.

Regardless of DropShip type, JumpShips charge 50,000 C-bills per DropShip per jump. At the gamemaster's discretion, JumpShip fees may drop as low as 30,000 C-bills per jump when recharging space stations are available en route.

DropShip Transportation Rates

DropShip	Rate (C-bills)
Achilles	750,000
Avenger	500,000
Behemoth	8,400,000
Buccaneer	250,000
Condor	300,000
Excalibur	700,000
Fortress	4,000,000
Fury	30,000
Gazelle	40,000
Intruder	1,000,000
Leopard	60,000
Leopard CV	80,000

The Job

A contract is played out as a series of one or more BattleTech scenarios as determined by the gamemaster. If playing without a gamemaster, players can generate opponents using the unit generation tables in this or any other Field Manual (see Unit Generation, p. 135 of Creating a Mercenary Unit) or the point systems in First Strike! or Maximum Tech.

During each scenario, mercenary commanders should pay close attention to the losses their units are taking and remember that sometimes winning a battle is not worth the cost in casualties and damage. No merc unit stays in business by fighting for a lost cause.

Maintenance

Between battles and contracts, mercenary commanders must keep their units fit. This generally involves repair time, purchasing parts and pieces for damaged equipment, and a lot of work for the command's technicians.

The following rules govern the generation of man-hours by a merc unit's technical support staff for general upkeep of the unit's equipment. Exact prices and extensive rules for repairing units are provided in BTC:RoW and Maximum Tech.

Keeping Fit

Man-hours are spent in much the same way as C-bills. A mercenary command's technical staff generates a set number of man-hours, which are spent on regular maintenance and battle repair. Maintenance can be put off in favor of repair, but at the risk of equipment breakdown (see Breakdowns, p. 158). Fortunately, the regular maintenance schedules are padded to take just such time-saving into account.

A mercenary command can also hire freelance technicians when the repair time stacks up, but these come at a premium price. (Units must return to Outreach to hire permanent staff technicians—units cannot hire local techs for a month's salary and fire them when repairs are completed.)

Employers may offer assistance in the form of technicians and sometimes equipment, but the costs of such support will be recorded and presented to the Mercenary Review and Bonding Commission, which deducts the amount from the unit's pay and returns it to the employer.

Technician Overtime. A unit commander can increase the man-hour output of his technical staff by extending the staff's work week to 60 hours or even 80 if the unit is in a combat environment.

To determine the productivity of such overtime, first find the average man-hours the support staff can generate per 10-hour period by dividing the normal weekly man-hour total by 4. Then consult the Overtime Table to find the Work Factor for each 10-hour block of time, or fraction thereof, greater than 40 hours the technicians will work during the week. Multiply the Work Factor by the average man-hours to determine how many man-hours of support the unit's technicians generate during each 10-hour period.

To generate overtime man-hours for a freelance technician, calculate the tech's average man-hour output for a 10-hour period. For every 10-hour block of time or fraction thereof greater than 40 hours worked in a single week, multiply the average man-hour production by the Work Factor to determine the increase in support for those 10 hours. Also find the corresponding Overtime Rate of each 10-hour period. Multiply the tech's standard fee by the rate to determine the tech's hourly rate for the overtime work.

No technician—staff or freelance—can work more than 10 hours of overtime in a single work day. And commanders who routinely extend their technicians' work weeks when not in combat will find their salaried technicians demanding better pay or quitting for better employment elsewhere.

Freelance Technician Fee Schedule

Technician Quality Rating	Rate
Regular	10 C-bills per hour
Veteran	15 C-bills per hour
Elite	20 C-bills per hour

Overtime Table

Time	Work Factor	Overtime Rate
+10 hours	.8	1.5
+20 hours	.6	1.5
+30 hours	.4	2.0
+40 hours	.2	2.5

Breakdowns. If technicians are forced to work too much overtime, they may be unable to provide the unit's weekly maintenance requirements or may perform sloppy repair work. Any BattleMech, vehicle or aerospace fighter that does not receive required maintenance or is repaired by a technician working overtime is vulnerable to breakdown.

If overtime prevents a unit's technicians from providing the weekly maintenance requirements, the unit's commanding player may designate which machines do not receive maintenance. The players should already know the individual man-hour maintenance needs of each machine (see Maintenance and Support, p. 146), so the commanding player must select a machine whose combined man-hour requirements equal the man-hours of required maintenance not provided in a given week.

Battlefield Breakdown. To determine if a vulnerable machine breaks down, the unit's controlling player must make a 1D6 roll for each vulnerable machine the next time it enters combat. Add a +1 modifier to the roll result for each week the machine does not receive its required maintenance.

If the machine received a repair during a 50-hour work week (10 hours of overtime), add a +1 modifier. For machines repaired during a 60-hour week, add a +2 modifier; for machines repaired during a 70-hour week, add +3; and for machines repaired during an 80-hour week, add +4.

On a result of 9 or greater, the machine breaks down. A result of 9 denotes one breakdown; a 10, two breakdowns; an 11, three breakdowns, and so on. If a machine breaks down, the player must make a second 1D6 roll for the machine. The result of this roll indicates the turn in which the machine breaks down. For example, on a result of 2, the machine breaks down during Turn 2.

At the beginning of the breakdown turn, the controlling player must roll on the appropriate hit location table for the unit (use the "front" column of the table) to determine the effect of the breakdown. The rolled location is not destroyed, but it stops working as if it had received a critical hit and must be repaired by a technician per standard repair rules.

Gamemastered Breakdown. If playing with a gamemaster, the gamemaster may make the breakdown rolls for vulnerable machines and conceal the results from the players until the actual breakdown occurs.

Additionally, players need not wait until a vulnerable machine breaks down before repairing the machine in gamemastered play. If desired, a player can have his techs perform extensive maintenance checks on machines. To perform an extensive maintenance check, the controlling player must allocate extra technician man-hours to the machine. Allocating twice the weekly required man-hours reveals 1 potential breakdown; allocating three times the weekly required man-hours reveals 2 potential breakdowns; and so on.

Any potential breakdown discovered in this manner can be repaired by an average Technician Roll and ten man-hours. For detailed times and difficulty factors, consult the repair rules in BTC: RoW or Maximum Tech.

Unit Specialization

This section provides guidelines for generating command-wide specializations and advantages like those found in the Unit Briefs Database (p. 124). For the purposes of these rules, a "campaign" is defined as a contract in which multiple battles occur. A single assault or raid does not constitute a campaign.

Command Advantages

Typically, command advantages take the form of initiative bonuses or similar bonuses a command receives when it fights in a specific terrain type (such as mountains or forest), in a general terrain type (restricted or open), under particular conditions (night or zero-G) or using particular tactics.

To gain a specialization or advantage, a unit must spend time developing it. For example, a unit that wants to specialize in mountain fighting must fight in mountainous terrain and experiment with tactics appropriate to that environment.

Whatever bonus the command is trying to gain is first applied as a penalty. After five campaign victories in which the penalty hampered the command, the penalty is eliminated. Another five victories generates the lowest bonus possible. If the command wishes to increase this bonus further, another five victories will increase the bonus by 1 point (see example). A unit may develop multiple advantages at one time, but only if they logically go together.

After gaining an advantage, a unit must use it at least once during every five campaigns or else lose the advantage.

After deciding to specialize in city fighting, the Granite Gang mercenary command spends five city campaigns running their BattleMechs on pavement nearly all the time, which adds a +1 penalty to their Piloting Skill Rolls. The unit also takes on a -1 initiative penalty. After five city campaign victories, those penalties no longer apply. After five more victories, they can run on pavement without making Piloting Skill Rolls, and they also receive a +1 initiative bonus. After another five victories, the group receives a +2 initiative bonus when fighting on pavement.