OBT Forum

Since when is a Jaguar sane???

Moving a million people that far is going to be very demanding in terms of logistics.

Thirty-two Odesseys is 128 dropships, so an average of 3125 civilians per dropship. Minimum mass of this is 6.5 tons per person (5 for steerage accomodation, 1.5 for food and water (I'd prefer 2 tons personally to give a margin of error but given clan austerity...)) so that's 20,312.5 tons per dropship. I'd suggest 21875 since the Scorpions can't count on civilians living off the land until at least one harvest after they arrive. So this is possible although it's going to require quite a high number of Mammoths and Behemoths. And then presumably a lot of material will need to be aboard for improving the local mines.

Assuming an even split between Mammoths and Mules, total capacity is 2,936,704 tons. Allocating space for civilians and their food leaves only 136,704 tons for equipment aboard the jumpship transports.

The two Potemkins of the naval stars can carry another 50 dropships, but they're carrying 50% more civilians. That's 12,000 per dropship or a minimum of 84,000 tons each - unlikely as even a Behemoth can't carry that many. Still, if the dropships are ALL Behemoths and carry 10,000 each that's 500,000 civilians and the two Potemkins can carry around 50,000 each.

So the civilians numbers are attainable but it's going to require a large number of Mammoth and Behemoth sized dropships. Do the Scorpions have that many? If not, how are they getting them? New construction, trials of possession? And then there's probably going to need to be an immense stock of equipment for mines and factories taken with them, requiring even larger dropships....

Here are the Clan replacements for the Mule/Mammoth that I am using.

Auroch

Overview: 

Based upon the Inner Sphere Mule-class DropShip, the Auroch is the standard cargo transport of Clan Goliath Scorpion.  Lightly armed, this design is capable of hauling up to 7,250 tons of cargo in an efficient and cost-effective manner between star systems.  It is the principle civilian DropShip of the Clan's Fleet, with two hundred and forty currently in service (as of 3041).

Capabilities:

The Auroch is a spheroid DropShip design massing 11,200 tons.  Five engines in the lower decks of the ship provide sufficient thrust for this cargo ship to accelerate safely at 1.5-g's and acheive a maximum thrust of 2.5-g's for short periods of time.  Like many (but not all) Clan ships, the Auroch is lightly armored (36 tons of ferro-aluminum plating) and armed (with a dozen ER Large Lasers, twelve LRM-10 launchers with Artemis IV, eighteen ER Medium Lasers, and twelve Streak SRM-4 launchers spaced over the vessels hull).  Despite this firepower, the ship is not intended for combat operations--these guns are for self-defense only.

Crew consists of three officers, four ratings, and nine gunners, with passenger quarters for up to fifteen personnel.  Most of the crew belong to the Merchant and Technician castes, although all Aurochs incude at least one Warrior (normally too old for front-line or second-line service) who directs any defensive operations.  Six escape pods are fitted to the hull in the event of a crew having to abandon ship.

Cargo space consists of 7,250 tons of cargo divided amongst three seperate bays.  As part of the many contingency plans that the Scorpions have, the Aurochs are supplied with sufficient parts and material stored in warehouses throughout enclaves of the Clan; these stores can convert the cargo holds into passenger quarters.  Cramped, and spartan, each of these so-called 'evacuation Aurochs' is capable of lifting up to 1,000 passengers, plus food, water, and life support for twelve months, in addition to 250 tons of cargo (providing each passenger with 250 kilograms of supplies).

                    AeroTech 2 Vessel Technical Readout
                                  VALIDATED

Class/Model/Name:  Auroch
Tech:              Clan / 3050
Vessel Type:       Spheroid DropShip
Rules:             Level 2, Custom design
Rules Set:         AeroTech2

Mass:              11,200 tons
Length:            158 meters
Power Plant:       Standard
Safe Thrust:       3
Maximum Thrust:    5
Armor Type:        Ferro-aluminum
Armament:         
   12 ER Large Laser
   12 LRM 10+ArtIV
   18 ER Medium Laser
   12 Streak SRM 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class/Model/Name:  Auroch
Mass:              11,200 tons

Equipment:                                                            Mass 
Power Plant, Drive & Control:                                        2,050.00
Thrust:  Safe Thrust: 3
      Maximum Thrust: 5
Structural Integrity: 10                                               224.00
Total Heat Sinks:    159 Double                                         41.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps:                                                     776.00
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters:                 84.00
Fire Control Computers:                                                   .00
Food & Water:  (180 days supply)                                        27.00
Armor Type:  Ferro-aluminum  (904 total armor pts)                      36.00
                           Standard Scale Armor Pts
   Location:                            L / R
   Fore:                                240
   Left/Right Sides:                 240/240
   Aft:                                 184

Cargo:
   Bay 1:  Cargo (1) with 2 doors                                    2,400.00
   Bay 2:  Cargo (1) with 2 doors                                    2,400.00
   Bay 3:  Cargo (1) with 2 doors                                    2,450.00

Escape Pods:  6 (7 tons each)                                           42.00

Crew and Passengers:
      2 Officers (2 minimum)                                            20.00
      4 Crew (4 minimum)                                                28.00
      9 Gunners (9 minimum)                                             63.00
     15 2nd Class Passengers                                           105.00
Weapons and Equipment      Loc        SRV    MRV    LRV    ERV  Heat    Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 ER Large Laser           Nose     2(20)  2(20)  2(20)  2(20)   24      8.00
2 LRM 10+ArtIV(60 rounds)  Nose     2(16)  2(16)  2(16)     --    8     12.00
3 ER Medium Laser          Nose     2(21)  2(21)     --     --   15      3.00
2 Streak SRM 4(50 rounds)  Nose     2(16)  2(16)     --     --    6      6.00
2 ER Large Laser           FL/R     2(20)  2(20)  2(20)  2(20)   48     16.00
2 LRM 10+ArtIV(60 rounds)  FL/R     2(16)  2(16)  2(16)     --   16     24.00
3 ER Medium Laser          FL/R     2(21)  2(21)     --     --   30      6.00
2 Streak SRM 4(50 rounds)  FL/R     2(16)  2(16)     --     --   12     12.00
2 ER Large Laser           AL/R     2(20)  2(20)  2(20)  2(20)   48     16.00
2 LRM 10+ArtIV(60 rounds)  AL/R     2(16)  2(16)  2(16)     --   16     24.00
3 ER Medium Laser          AL/R     2(21)  2(21)     --     --   30      6.00
2 Streak SRM 4(50 rounds)  AL/R     2(16)  2(16)     --     --   12     12.00
2 ER Large Laser           Aft      2(20)  2(20)  2(20)  2(20)   24      8.00
2 LRM 10+ArtIV(60 rounds)  Aft      2(16)  2(16)  2(16)     --    8     12.00
3 ER Medium Laser          Aft      2(21)  2(21)     --     --   15      3.00
2 Streak SRM 4(50 rounds)  Aft      2(16)  2(16)     --     --    6      6.00
1 Lot Spare Parts (2.50%)                                              280.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS:                                              Heat: 318      11,200.00
Tons Left:                                                                .00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        445,229,120 C-Bills
Battle Value:      8,659
Cost per BV:       51,418.08
Weapon Value:      10,122 (Ratio = 1.17)
Damage Factors:    SRV = 402;  MRV = 316;  LRV = 61;  ERV = 0
Maintenance:       Maintenance Point Value (MPV) = 41,278
                   (23,348 Structure, 11,750 Life Support, 6,180 Weapons)
                   Support Points (SP) = 16,094  (39% of MPV)
BattleForce2:      MP: 3,  Armor/Structure: 15 / 15
                   Damage PB/M/L: 15/15/7,  Overheat: 0
                   Class: DL;  Point Value: 87
                   Specials: sph

Mastodon

Overview:

The heavy Mastodon is Clan Goliath Scorpions standard heavy-lift cargo DropShip.  Based on the Star League Mammoth design, this capable craft is able to deliver an immense amount of supplies in a single trip.

Overview:

Massing 52,000 tons, the Mastodon is a spheroid design with five (not four) engine pods on the exterior of the hull, providing for a safe-thrust of 1.5-g's and an emergency maximum acceleration of 2.5-g's.  Crew consists of three officers, ten ratings, nine gunners, and ten bay personnel, with the capacity to embark up to twenty-eight passengers (twenty-five 2nd class and three steerage).  Normally, these ships operate with a crew from the Merchant and Technician castes, but each always carries a single older Warrior, who directs any defensive actions.

Although the Mastodon carries fifty-tons of ferro-aluminum armor, the actual protection provided to these ships is less than that of the smaller Auroch-class.  Armament is almost identical to the Auroch as well, lacking only a two aft-firing ER Large Lasers.  Two small craft are carried as personnel and cargo shuttles, and ten escape pods are fitted in case the ship must be abandoned.

But the largest difference between the two is in the capacity to lift bulk cargos:  the Mastodon carries up to 36,000 tons of cargo in three bays.  The Scorpions have one hundred and eighty Mastons in their possession, but only sixty are on active duty.  The remaining one hundred and twenty are normally assigned to the Scorpion's Dagda Naval Cache.

Like the Auroch, the Mastodon has an 'evacuation' configuration.  This version allows for the transport of up to 4,000 civilians, food, water, and life support for a year, in addition to 7,000 tons of bulk cargo.

                    AeroTech 2 Vessel Technical Readout
                                  VALIDATED

Class/Model/Name:  Mastodon
Tech:              Clan / 3050
Vessel Type:       Spheroid DropShip
Rules:             Level 2, Custom design
Rules Set:         AeroTech2

Mass:              52,000 tons
Length:            277 meters
Power Plant:       Standard
Safe Thrust:       3
Maximum Thrust:    5
Armor Type:        Ferro-aluminum
Armament:         
   10 ER Large Laser
   12 LRM 10+ArtIV
   18 ER Medium Laser
   12 Streak SRM 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class/Model/Name:  Mastodon
Mass:              52,000 tons

Equipment:                                                            Mass 
Power Plant, Drive & Control:                                        9,516.00
Thrust:  Safe Thrust: 3
      Maximum Thrust: 5
Structural Integrity: 20                                             2,080.00
Total Heat Sinks:    147 Double                                         24.00
Fuel & Fuel Pumps:                                                   1,539.00
Bridge, Controls, Radar, Computer & Attitude Thrusters:                390.00
Fire Control Computers:                                                   .00
Food & Water:  (180 days supply)                                        54.00
Armor Type:  Ferro-aluminum  (776 total armor pts)                      58.00
                           Standard Scale Armor Pts
   Location:                            L / R
   Fore:                                200
   Left/Right Sides:                 200/200
   Aft:                                 176

Cargo:
   Bay 1:  Small Craft (2) with 2 doors                                400.00
   Bay 2:  Cargo (1) with 2 doors                                   12,000.00
   Bay 3:  Cargo (1) with 2 doors                                   12,000.00
   Bay 4:  Cargo (1) with 2 doors                                   12,000.00

Escape Pods:  10 (7 tons each)                                          70.00

Crew and Passengers:
      3 Officers (3 minimum)                                            30.00
     10 Crew (10 minimum)                                               70.00
      9 Gunners (9 minimum)                                             63.00
     25 2nd Class Passengers                                           175.00
      3 Steerage Passengers                                             15.00
     10 Bay Personnel                                                     .00
Weapons and Equipment      Loc        SRV    MRV    LRV    ERV  Heat    Mass
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 ER Large Laser           Nose     2(20)  2(20)  2(20)  2(20)   24      8.00
2 LRM 10+ArtIV(60 rounds)  Nose     2(16)  2(16)  2(16)     --    8     12.00
3 ER Medium Laser          Nose     2(21)  2(21)     --     --   15      3.00
2 Streak SRM 4(50 rounds)  Nose     2(16)  2(16)     --     --    6      6.00
2 ER Large Laser           FL/R     2(20)  2(20)  2(20)  2(20)   48     16.00
2 LRM 10+ArtIV(60 rounds)  FL/R     2(16)  2(16)  2(16)     --   16     24.00
3 ER Medium Laser          FL/R     2(21)  2(21)     --     --   30      6.00
2 Streak SRM 4(50 rounds)  FL/R     2(16)  2(16)     --     --   12     12.00
2 ER Large Laser           AL/R     2(20)  2(20)  2(20)  2(20)   48     16.00
2 LRM 10+ArtIV(60 rounds)  AL/R     2(16)  2(16)  2(16)     --   16     24.00
3 ER Medium Laser          AL/R     2(21)  2(21)     --     --   30      6.00
2 Streak SRM 4(50 rounds)  AL/R     2(16)  2(16)     --     --   12     12.00
2 LRM 10+ArtIV(60 rounds)  Aft      2(16)  2(16)  2(16)     --    8     12.00
3 ER Medium Laser          Aft      2(21)  2(21)     --     --   15      3.00
2 Streak SRM 4(50 rounds)  Aft      2(16)  2(16)     --     --    6      6.00
1 Lot Spare Parts (2.50%)                                            1,300.00
10 Bay Personnel Quarters                                               50.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTALS:                                              Heat: 294      52,000.00
Tons Left:                                                                .00

Calculated Factors:
Total Cost:        731,573,696 C-Bills
Battle Value:      8,781
Cost per BV:       83,313.26
Weapon Value:      9,064 (Ratio = 1.03)
Damage Factors:    SRV = 383;  MRV = 302;  LRV = 55;  ERV = 0
Maintenance:       Maintenance Point Value (MPV) = 198,878
                   (171,118 Structure, 22,032 Life Support, 5,728 Weapons)
                   Support Points (SP) = 23,747  (12% of MPV)
BattleForce2:      MP: 3,  Armor/Structure: 13 / 13
                   Damage PB/M/L: 15/15/7,  Overheat: 0
                   Class: DL;  Point Value: 88
                   Specials: sph


Yeah, moving people in BT is no joke. Something I've become entirely too aware of in the Disapora

Hall of the Khans, Katyusha City
Strana Mechty, Clan Homeworlds
September 1, 3042

“This plan devised by the Adders and Scorpions is a travesty, ilKhan Hazen!” thundered Leo Showers from the well.  “The force these two Khans advocate bringing against the Inner Sphere is far too excessive; all sixteen Clans operating on a broad front from Newtown Square in the Lyran Commonwealth to Bjarred in the Draconis Combine.  Sixteen Clans!  The plan originally advocated by Elias Crichell and myself called for FOUR Clans in the same space!”  The Jaguar paused and he glared at Nikolai who sat calmly at his desk.

“Tell, my Khan of the Scorpions, are you that great a coward that you feel you must have overwhelming force to achieve your objectives!”

The Scorpion stood amid an absolutely silent Hall.  No one even dared to draw a breath.

“If the Khan of the Jaguars believes his accusation to be true, he is welcome to test that assertion on the field of battle,” Nikolai said in a clipped voice.  “But perhaps he should do well to remember instead the last time a Scorpion Khan faced the Jaguars in direct battle?  Who needed the overwhelming force on that occasion?”  The corner of Nikolai’s mouth curved into a smile that revealed his teeth.  “Of course, that same overwhelming force did not prevent Mikhail Kirov from killing Lucien Moon, quiaff?”
   
A soprano voice cut into the debate before Showers could respond.  “Enough!  Both of you!  This is the Great Hall of the Khans, not some hastily drawn Circle of Equals!”  Yvonne Hazen stood and she walked to interpose herself between the two men.  At Nikolai nodded and he sat, and then Leo Showers found his seat as well.

“Khan Showers, the plan you and the Khan of the Jade Falcons propose is too . . . constricted.  In this, the arguments made by the Goliath Scorpion and Star Adder Khans are correct.  It is folly to propose that the governments of the Inner Sphere will fold in the face of our superior technology . . . remember the Taurian Campaign of the Reunification War?  They did not—we cannot depend upon these modern powers to collapse either.”

“And yet, I cannot endorse what Khans Truscott and Djerassi have presented to us:  sixteen Clans, each committing no less than three-quarters of its touman!  No, that would commit far too much of our resources to this Invasion.  The logistical burden alone, even with our seizing the Chainlaine Isles would be . . . beyond imagination.  No Clan, not even the Sharks, has a merchant Fleet large enough to support such an endeavor.”

She paused and looked out over the assembled Khans.  “Therefore, I suggest a compromise.  We will retain the assigned corridors, but instead of sixteen lanes, we will consolidate to EIGHT.  Eight Clans will have the honor of assaulting the Inner Sphere—and we will determine those eight in a series of Trials.”  She lifted a remote and the image shifted, the sixteen invasion corridors merging into eight.  “Corridor Alpha in the Lyran Commonwealth,” and the western most invasion route lit, followed by each succeeding lane in sequence until the final one illuminated and shone a brilliant gold, “to Corridor Eta in the Draconis Combine.  The Clan who performs best in the Trials will choose one of these Invasion Corridors, with the next seven finishers behind him.  For this Trial, I am limiting each Clan to one Cluster of troops—no more than eighteen Stars in total strength.  Not, I am certain, that any of the Khans here today would even consider building a new Cluster to greater strength, quineg?”

A few of the Khans answered the ilKhan, “Neg.”

Yvonne frowned.  “I cannot hear you, my Khans.  Quineg?”

“NEG!” the Khans roared back and she nodded, smiling slightly.  “The eight Clans who prove their prowess in battle will be given the honor of assignment to an Invasion Corridor as an active participant.  But, not with three-quarters of our touman—nor with the lowest possible bid against the cutdown.  Each active Clan will be asked to assign three Galaxies of troops, up to fifteen Clusters, plus any command Keshiks, of their touman.  There will also be a call for Provisional Garrison Clusters, and I agree with the Adder and Scorpion Khans on this point—active Clans will contribute one-half of their total PGC strength to garrison the worlds that they seize.”

“As for the remaining eight Clans of Kerensky, you are not forgotten.  Each Invasion Corridor will haveboth  an Active Clan and a Reserve Clan.  Each Reserve Clan may commit two Galaxies to the Invasion, which may be activated by Khan of the Clan that shares their invasion lane.  In addition, each Reserve Clan will also commit one-half of their total PGC strength to this operation—and reserve PGCs may be activated separately from the Reserve Clans front-line forces.”  Yvonne held up a hand to forestall the protests.  “If they are so activated, the world which they garrison will be deemed as belonging to the Reserve Clan.”

The mumbled whispers died away as each of the Khans began to calculate—the active Clans would need the Reserve, that much was clearly evident in the scale of the attack.  And if they were then given the worlds they were charged with holding—without suffering the casualties of battle to begin with . . . several Khans slowly nodded their agreement, while others scowled their displeasure.

“Of course,” Yvonne smiled as she spoke directly to Leo Showers.  “Any Clan that does not wish to use their Reserves does not have to activate them.  I have no intention of forcing any Khan to do so.”

She ascended the dais again and took her seat.  “Since it is imperative that the Clans operating together, Active and Reserve alike, in a single lane do so with one purpose; there will be no bidding by the eight Reserve Clans for a lane.  Each Active Clan may request a Clan of the Reserve to join in their Corridor—the Khan of the Reserve Clan may select which offer he feels best suits his Clan.  In the event that no Clan selects a Reserve Clan, that Clan will be assigned by ME and my staff.”

“There are more details, of course, but my Khans,” Yvonne said with a coquettish smile as folded her hands together in her lap.  “I believe this compromise is most fair.  The architects of our first and second plans are all displeased with it—which leads me to believe that we can reach a consensus.  Now, as soon as this plan is approved, we can start arranging for the multiple Trials that will undertaken here on Strana Mechty to determine your status as either an Active Clan or a Reserve Clan.”

“Shall we call the vote, my Khans?”

If the Scorpions use every single ship that they have, loading cargo on the WarShips and the 22 JumpShips assigned as supply ships for the 'military wing', using the Potemkins and all 100 Merchant Fleet JumpShips for passengers, (plus the 3 Trackers), they can move 1.215 million people total, plus 5.513 million tons of cargo (not including a year's worth of food, water, and life support for the passengers).

That would be with 22 WarShips and a total of 180 JumpShips (863 DropShips).  They would have all 29 Clusters, but NO PGCs.  Total Strength as of January 1, 3041, at 100% of book value (which almost NO unit, especially in the wake of the Burrock Annihilation will be), is as follows: 1,363 ‘Mechs, 4,915 Elementals, 1,228 Aerospace Fighters, and 22 WarShips.  7,506 Warriors, exclusive of those assigned to WarShips, JumpShips, and DropShips, or those used as training cadre for sibkin.

How does that compare with what we know of Kerensky's Exodus?

Master Arminas

The Star League cites 1349 transports (jumpships presumably) and 402 warships carrying 100 divisions and their families. That's at least 30,000 battlemechs, 6,000 aerospace fighters and 226,800 infantry for the divisions, possibly twice as many. Plus the support staff, plus the families.

Operation Klondike claims 2 million SLDF personnel and 4 million civilians.

Hall of the Khans, Katyusha City
Strana Mechty, Clan Homeworlds
September 3, 3042

Yvonne stood at the podium, but two tables, one each on her right and left, had been moved on the dais as well.  Each table held a single opaque ceramic basin with a narrow mouth barely larger in diameter than Yvonne’s forearms.  “The Trials of Position will be determined randomly, my Khans.  In this container are eight tiles, marked with the designations of the eight Clans who as of today field the largest touman.”  She tapped the second basin.  “Eight more tiles, representing the remaining Clans are within the second container.  I will draw one tile from each—and those Clans shall meet to determine whether or not they will be an Active Clan or a Reserve Clan.”

She paused and looked out over the assembled Khans.  “Unless, that is, one of you wishes to challenge me to a Trial of Refusal over this method of selection?”

No one voiced any objection, and Yvonne nodded gravely.  She unbuttoned her jacket, and a servant took it away; she then rolled up both sleeves of her blouse to her elbow and showed the Khans her bare hands and forearms—bare except for the codex the encircled her right forearm.  She lifted one container and shook it hard; everyone could hear the tiles bouncing around; then she did the same for the second.

And then she placed her right arm in the first container, and extracted a single tile.  “Clan Steel Viper.”  She plunged her left arm into the other container and glanced down at the tile in her hand.  “Your opponent is Clan Cloud Cobra.”

“Clan Star Adder shall face off against Clan Nova Cat.”

“Clan Ghost Bear will fight Clan Diamond Shark.”

“Clan Jade Falcon, your opponents are . . . Clan Ice Hellion.”

“Clan Coyote will trial against Clan Hell’s Horses.”

“Clan Fire Mandrill your opponent is Clan Blood Spirit.”

“Clan Smoke Jaguar will face Clan Snow Raven.”

“And finally, Clan Wolf will meet Clan Goliath Scorpion in battle.”

The Great Hall was still as each Khan digested this, and Yvonne nodded.  “These Trials will begin seven days from today.  You have a week to bring to Strana Mechty the Cluster you have chosen to fight for your honor in securing a place in the Invasion.  Then, these Trials will occur one per day, until all eight have been fought and won, my Khans.  The Ebon Keshik will preside over each Trial in turn.”

Yvonne paused.  “Fight well; fight with honor—and may victory show the truth; and yield unto the victor the prize.”


Brandt Alpine Trail Grounds
Strana Mechty, Clan Homeworlds
September 18, 3042

“Khan Kerensky, your 3rd Battle Cluster has been chosen to represent Clan Wolf in this Trial, are you prepared?” Yvonne asked.

“The Wolves of Kerensky are always prepared, ilKhan,” Ulric answered.  Star Colonel Conal Ward grinned broadly as he stood beside the Khan.

Yvonne nodded.  “Khan Djerassi, you have chosen your 25th Scorpion Cuirassier to fight for Clan Goliath Scorpion today . . . but Star Colonel LeClair is not present?  Can you explain?”

Nikolai winced.  “ilKhan Hazen, Star Colonel LeClair was admitted to surgery last night for an emergency appendectomy.  saKhan Posavatz is ready and willing to assume command of her Cluster in her absence.”

Yvonne frowned.  “If Clan Wolf agrees, it will be permitted.”

Ulric Kerensky bared his teeth, and his eyes were as hard as flint in the early morning light amid the high alpine valley selected for this Trial.  “No other Clan has permitted its Khan or saKhan to fight in this Trial, ilKhan; by a strict reading of the regulations you set forth for this series of Trials, saKhan Posavatz is not assigned to the 25th Cuirassier—and thus cannot participate.  To ensure that the fight is fair, I will remove one Warrior from the Silver Devils to match your own loss, Khan Djerassi.  Star Colonel LeClair piloted one of your Summoner II heavy OmniMechs, quiaff?”

“Aff,” answered Nikolai.

“Well then.  I will withdraw Warrior Gregor and his Line Backer.  A fair trade, quiaff?”

“Aff,” Nikolai said once again, but the word left a sour taste in his mouth.  The Line Backer was five tons lighter than LeClair's Summoner II, and devoted much of its tonnage to a powerful engine that granted it speed, but left little room for weapons.  It looked fair, but in reality it was far from it . . . and Ulric well knew that.

“Then this combat will begin in one hours time.  Khans Kerensky and Djerassi, you may join me in the observation bunker for this Trial.”  Yvonne paused.  “If you have any words for the Star Captain that will command your Cluster, Khan Djerassi, now is the time.”

Nikolai bowed low.

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“Star Captain Nelson Elam, reporting as ordered, my Khan!” the commander of Trinary Beta barked as he came to attention in the presence of his Khan and saKhan.

“Star Captain Elam,” Nikolai said, “there is no delay for the Trial—you will command the 25th Cuirassier during this contest.  Answer me truthfully, Nelson—are you ready to accept this responsibility?”

“I am, Khan Djerassi,” the twenty-three year old warrior answered in a solemn voice.  “I have performed as Star Colonel LeClair’s tactical deputy for the past six months.”

Nikolai nodded and he stepped close to Nelson.  “Then I will remind only of this, Scorpion Warrior:  trust your instincts, listen to the Scorpion within you.  And fight well.”

“Aff, my Khan!”

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The two Clusters entered the Trial Grounds and each cautiously moved over the rocky and heavily wooded alpine terrain, searching for their opponent.  Overhead, the aerospace fighters of both sides opened the engagement in a furball that pitted forty-two modern OmniFighters against each other.  Laser beams cut through the sky; PPC bolts illuminated the hanging clouds like artificial lightning; missiles crossed each other’s paths and slammed home, trailing smoke and flame, as rapid-fire autocannons barked out their fury.  Within minutes, neither Wolf nor Scorpion had air cover, as less than a dozen survivors broke away, hoping to reach a friendly airbase while fuel remained in their tanks.

But the clash of fighters was not in vain; for each side had spotted the other below—and they had radioed the locations of the other force to their commanders.

The Wolves and the Scorpions moved to contact, the lighter elements probing towards each other, finding their foes in the dim woods and dozens of separate battles erupted.  Both commanders urged their main forces onward and the two Clusters slammed together in the primeval mountain forest.  Among the best Warriors of their respective Clans, neither Scorpion nor Wolf granted quarter—nor asked for it.  And amidst the ancient trees, now scarred by weapons fire, a long and bitter feud was resolved.

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Nelson swallowed heavily as the Ice Ferret he faced collapsed; his Mongrel IIs lasers having cored out the engine of the Clan Wolf design.  Both OmniMechs had massed 45-tons, but the Ice Ferret was slightly faster, whereas his own Mongrel II featured jump jets.  Nelson knew the constricting nature of the forest in which they would fight; and he had outfitted the design in Configuration D:  four ER Medium Lasers and ten ER Small Lasers; all tied into a targeting computer.

The towering trunk beside him exploded as another opponent fired an Ultra AC-20 at Nelson and missed!  The young warrior stood on his jump jet pedals and his OmniMech lifted into the air, twisting around to land behind the 80-ton Gargoyle.  Nelson easily kept the medium-weight war machine on its feet, and his thumb slid the selector switch forward as he squeezed the trigger.  Ten small lasers spat out emerald beams, each bearing as much energy as a standard Inner Sphere medium laser.  The rear armor of the Clan Wolf assault Omni before him began to melt as the beams cut through—and then its autocannon magazine exploded!

The Gargoyle staggered under the force of the munitions lighting off, even though most of the blast was directed away from the vulnerable internal components.  Still, the pilot slammed like a pinball into three different trees before he came to a halt, leaning against one—and Nelson advanced directly behind him, sending another fusillade of laser beams burning deep into the back of the Wolf before him.  The Gargoyle crumpled to the ground as its reactor core went dead.

Nelson took a moment to wipe away the sweat and he looked down at the display—and he blanched.  Out of the two Clusters who began this fight, only four icons remained.  Four!  And three of those were the gleaming crimson of Clan Wolf, converging on his location.

“Scorpions of the Veil, report,” Nelson broadcast . . . but only silence greeted him.  He grimaced and adjusted his display to a higher resolution.  The OmniMech’s command computer reset the screen, and analyzed their signatures—and Nelson at last what they were.  A Pouncer, a Line Backer, and a Timber Wolf.

“Stravag!” he cursed.  But his OmniMech had now shed its excess heat and he had taken relatively light damage to his armor.  He pushed the throttle forward and began to sway side-to-side as he darted in and out of the towering forest, pushing towards a ravine nearby—if he could get to the far side, the Line Backer and Timber Wolf would have to go around; only the Pouncer had jump jets to match his own.

But the Wolves were cutting in ahead of him—they were closer to the ravine than he was.  But he could see no other option; well, he could run, but that wasn’t an option.  Not really.

Then his radio crackled.  “Alpha Five Lead to Beta One.  Inbound on your position—request target information.”

Nelson smiled.  One of the Scorpion OmniFighters—the sole surviving Visigoth of the Command Trinary—had gotten back into the air.  “Three Wolf OmniMechs at grid 14-37-12, Alpha Five Lead.  I’ll draw them into the open.”

The radio clicked twice in reply and Nelson pressed his Mongrel II forward through the forest.  He broke into the clearing approaching the ravine, and immediately came under missile fire from the Pouncer.  Thirty LRMs streaked out towards him—seven contacted against the side of his OmniMech.  The Pouncer had already crossed the ravine, and prowled the other side, and from the north and south the remaining two Wolf OmniMechs rapidly approached.

Nelson pressed the throttle to the stops and he zigzagged across the clearing, returning fire towards the Pouncer with a quartet of medium lasers—three contacted with the lighter OmniMech, which once again flushed another thirty missiles and salvoed its own four lasers in reply.  Nelson staggered as twenty missiles slammed home, and two lasers burnt deep into his right arm, tearing through the armor and into the vulnerable myomer strands and internal structure beneath.

He managed to keep his OmniMech standing, however, as his threat display lit up—Alpha Five Lead was inbound.  The Wolf OmniMechs stopped, their torsos swiveled and then the Timber Wolf salvoed every weapon he had—because he was the Visigoth’s target.  OmniFighter and OmniMech released their weapons at the same instant, and the fire converged in mid-air, then struck both.   The Scorpion fighter lost control and he pancaked into the ground and Conal Ward screamed as the disintegrating OmniFighter rolled into him and the fuel tanks erupted.  Neither the Scorpion pilot, nor the Wolf Cluster Commander emerged from the fireball.

Nelson whispered, “Thank you,” and he jumped across the ravine, triggering his small laser battery in mid-flight.  The barrage of energy tore through the Pouncer and it staggered as one of the missile magazines erupted; tearing away the left arm and sending the Warrior inside off-balance; the Wolf scrambled, but the slippery rocks afforded his metal feet no purchase, and the OmniMech plunged down into the ravine to shatter on the rocks eighty meters below.

The Scorpion turned towards his final opponent as a pair of PPC bolts ripped into his hip, and he heard a sharp CRACK as the actuator separated from the torso.  The Mongrel II fell hard, but Nelson managed to stay away from the brink of the ravine.  He shook his head as red lights flashed in the cockpit—the leg was ruined.  He raised both arms and fired his medium lasers into the distant Line Backer, but although three hit, he wasn’t able to burn through the heavy OmniMech’s armor.

The Wolf Warrior fired his twin PPCs again, and Nelson’s helpless OmniMech rocked, more red lights appeared and his engine showed heavy damage.  He pushed the war machine into a sitting position, but two more PPC bolts slammed into him, and his auto-eject system threw him clear of his OmniMech as sensors detected a core breach.  His Trial was over . . . and he had lost.

Goodbye Conal. Glad to see that windbag go out like a punk.