BattleTech 35105 - Brush Wars.pdf

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE BLOOD SNOW 4
INTRODUCTION 6
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK 6
ANTON MARIK’S REVOLT 7
SEEDS OF REBELLION
Kyalla Centrella
48
Trondheim
105
Maximilian Liao
49
Predlitz
105
Romano Liao
49
Kandis
105
Thomas Marik
49
Heiligendreutz
106
Duncan Marik
50
THE DRAKØN’S BITE
(APRIL-MAY 3034)
7
PHASE 1: THE INVASION OF THE
CAPELLAN CONFEDERATION 51
3030: The New War 51
3031: Escalations 57
3032: Counterblows 62
3033: Of Mice and Men 65
3034: Death Knells 66
3035 (January-June): Object Lessons 67
3035: Crucible
106
PERSONALITIES OF
ANTON’S REVOLT
Rasalhague
106
11
Skandia
107
Janos Marik
11
Trondheim
107
Anton Marik
12
Bruben
107
Vesar Kristofur
13
Svelvik
108
Maximilian Liao
14
Numki
109
Jaime Wolf
15
THE DRAGON’S ANGER
(MAY-JULY 3034)
Joshua Wolf
16
68
109
OPENING MOVES
18
PHASE 2: THE RECAPTURE
OF ANDURIEN (3035-3040)
Alshain
110
REBELLION
18
70
Rasalhague
110
Nova Roma
20
3035: The Year of Raids
70
Predlitz
110
Emris IV
21
3036: Hammerblows
72
Engadin
111
Matheran
22
Thomas’ Re-appearance
73
Diosd
111
Sophie’s World
23
Thomas’ Campaign
75
Bruben
112
Other Actions
23
3038: Preparations
76
Kandis
112
FALTERING STEPS
24
3039: The Year of Two Wars
77
Kempten
113
Sophie’s World
24
The War of 3039
78
Tukayyid
113
Matheran
24
Andurien and Everything After
79
Orestes
113
Abadan
26
First Blood
80
Memmingen
114
Berenson
26
The Occupation
82
END OF HONOR
(AUGUST-OCTOBER 3034)
New Olympia
26
AFTERMATH
83
115
Other Actions
27
The Free Worlds
83
Predlitz
115
COLLAPSE
27
Capellan Confederation
84
Ko
115
Calloway VI
29
Magistracy of Canopus
84
Kempten
115
Vanra
29
Other Players
84
Memmingen
117
Tiber
30
DEPLOYMENT TABLES:
ANDURIEN SECESSION
Radstadt
117
Other Actions
30
85
RIPPLES AND SHOCKWAVES
(OCT 3034-DEC 3035)
FINAL MISTAKE
31
THE RONIN WAR
90
118
New Delos
31
A SAMPLING ACROSS
THE SPHERE
DEPLOYMENT TABLES:
RONIN WAR
ASHES OF REBELLION
32
90
119
Park Place
32
RULES ANNEX
INTRODUCTION
92
122
Emris IV
32
Overview
92
ANTON’S REVOLT
122
Other Actions
32
PERSONALITIES
OF THE RONIN WAR
Equipment Ratings
122
AFTERMATH
32
94
Force Special Abilities
124
DEPLOYMENT TABLES:
ANTON’S REVOLT
Haakon Magnusson
94
Battleforce 2 Command Lists
(Anton’s Revolt)
32
THE ANDURIEN WARS
Theodore Kurita
94
127
40
Takashi Kurita
95
Inner Sphere in Flames Annex
(Anton’s Revolt) 127
ANDURIEN WAR RULES 129
Equipment Rating
THE MARCH TO WAR
40
Marcus Kurita
95
The Andurien Problem
40
Vasily Cherenkoff
96
The Humphreys Clan
40
Christian Månsdottir
96
129
The Home Defense
Act and Its Repercussions
Tor Miraborg
97
Battleforce 2 Command Lists
(Andurien Wars)
42
Myndo Waterly
98
134
The Reign of Janos Marik
42
Ivan Sorenson
98
Inner Sphere in Flames Annex
(Andurien Wars)
The Fourth Succession War
and the Free Worlds
REBELLIONS AND INTRIGUE
98
134
43
Dealing with the White Devil
99
Leaders and Factions
136
The “Death” of House Liao
43
Declaration and Consequences
100
RONIN WAR RULES ANNEX
136
Strife and Secession
45
TREACHERY AND TREASON
(MARCH 3034)
Equipment Ratings
136
Focusing the Mind
45
102
Force Special Abilities
142
Succession Crisis
46
Polcenigo
103
Leaders and Factions
143
PERSONALITIES OF THE
ANDURIEN CRISIS
INDEX
Rasalhague
104
144
47
Engadin
104
Janos Marik
47
Memmingen
104
Catherine Humphreys
47
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CREDITS
Writing
The Blood Snow
Chris Hartford
Introduction
Herbert A. Beas II
Anton Marik’s Revolt
David L. McCulloch
The Andurien Wars
Chris Hartford
The Ronin War
Ben Rome
Game Rules
Herbert A. Beas II
Chris Hartford
David L. McCulloch
Ben Rome
Special Thanks
To Randall for surprising me with
this project, and to Ben, Chris, Dave,
and Øystein for being such sports about
it. To our esteemed playtester and fact-
checker apparatus, who helped get the
project finished ( on time, no less !) The
four “Herblets”: Annie, Oscar, Merlin,
and Meggie. And, of course, Rebecca
“Beckie” J Beas, who looks for these
nods in every book now…
©2006 WizKids Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Historical: Brush Wars, Classic BattleTech,
BattleTech, ’Mech, BattleMech, Classic
BattleTech RPG, and WK Games are reg-
istered trademarks and/or trademarks of
WizKids, Inc. in the United States and/or
other countries. No part of this work
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, without the prior permission
in writing of the Copyright Owner, nor be
otherwise circulated in any form other
than that in which it is published. Printed
in the USA.
Product Development
Herbert A. Beas II
Development Assistance
Randal N. Bills
Product Editing
Jason Hardy
BattleTech Line Developer
Randall N. Bills
Proofers
Rich Cencarik, Jeff Morgan and Patrick
Wynne
Production Staff
Art Direction
Randall N. Bills
Cover Art
Klaus Scherwinski
Cover Design
Adam Jury
Layout
Adam Jury
Historicals Graphic Design
Jason Vargas
Illustrations
Ray Arrastia
Robert Atkinson
Alys Sjardijn
Brad McDevitt
Maps
Øystein Tvedten
Playtesters/Fact-Checkers
Brian Alter, Daniel M. Ball, Ron
“Steel Hawke” Barter, Paul “Blackhorse”
Bowman, Rick Casarez, Rich Cencarik (and
the Steel City MechWarriors ), Ben “Hawk”
Disher, John “Quentil” Dzieniszewski,
Dan Eastwood, Bruce Ford, Jon Frideres,
John “Worktroll” Haward, Glenn Hopkins,
Ken’ Horner, Rodney Klatt, Peter La
Casse, Edward “TenakaFurey” Lafferty,
Ed Lott, Darrell “Flailing Death” Myers,
Louis “Nukeloader” Myers, Andrew
Norris, Aaron Pollyea, Simon “Big Ken”
Pratt, Max “Medron Pryde” Prohaska,
Christopher K. Searls, Paul Sjardijn, Joel
Steverson, Michael “GuruMike” Stouffer,
Rob Strathmann, Geoff Swift, Øystein
Tvedten, Chris “Chinless” Wheeler, Chuck
“IronSphinx” Wilson, Patrick “Roosterboy”
Wynne, Andreas Zuber.
Published by FanPro LLC
1608 N. Milwaukee Suite 1005
Chicago, IL 60647
Find us online:
Precentor_martial@classicbattletech.com
(e-mail address for any Classic BattleTech
questions)
http://www.classicbattletech.com
(official Classic BattleTech web pages)
http://www.fanprogames.com
(FanPro web pages)
http://www.wizkidsgames.com/mechwarrior/
(official MechWarrior web pages)
http://www.wizkidsgames.com
(WizKids web pages)
http://www.studio2publishing.com
(online ordering, sales and distribution)
Acknowledgements
Historical: Brush Wars draws most
directly upon the works of the following
people: Thomas Brendel, Hartwig Nieder-
Gassel, C. R. Green, Guido Günther,
Walter H. Hunt, Donna Ippolito, Frank
Lenzer, Richard K. Meyer, Jim Musser and
Boy F. Peterson, Jr.
Find expanded campaign move-
ment maps for Historical: Brush Wars at
www.classicbattletech.com.
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THE BLOOD SNOW
Balzan Mountains,
Xanthe III,
Duchy of Andurien
4 February 3037
pack—it was thin but would help a little—and began pulling it on over
his dark leather boots. One leg went in easily, but as he stepped with
the other and bent to pull the outfit to his waist several craters appeared
in the snow around him, sending showers of crystals into the air.
He dived clumsily into the hole he made when he fell, twisting
onto his left side as he did. The Andurien trooper who’d fired was per-
haps 50 meters up the slope and dressed in shell-like combat armor.
He wouldn’t be cold , Duncan mused, not after trekking up the moun-
tainside in all that gear . Without thinking, he drew his pistol and fired
several shots back toward the approaching trooper. The range was poor,
but the laser bursts gave the soldier reason to pause and he ducked
behind a rock. Duncan wriggled onto his back and pulled the jumpsuit
up to his waist, then slipped his left arm into the sleeve. Transferring
the pistol to his off hand, he pushed his right arm in and pulled up
the zipper. He shivered. It was still damned cold, but hopefully the suit
would give him enough protection to survive until help arrived.
As if hearing Duncan’s thoughts, the Andurien trooper sent another
volley down the hillside, causing new fountains of snow. It was half-
hearted, however, and the trooper ducked back when Duncan returned
fire. Duncan then reached down into the pile of ration packs and equip-
ment deposited in the snow and grabbed the miniature comm unit. He
could try speaking, but feared the cold and wind would prevent any com-
prehensible words. Instead, he triggered the emergency transponder, a
backup to the one on the Orion that he suspected had been obliterated
in the ammunition explosion. That done, he took a deep breath—almost
immediately regretting it in the biting cold—and began scooping up the
scattered gear.
His mind raced. How long before support would get here? He had
no desire to die out here on these frigid slopes. He had a war to fight
and a throne to secure. Damn Catherine Humphreys for seceding, and
damn Thomas Marik for surviving the bomb that killed his father and
brother and was supposed to secure Duncan’s place on the throne. And
damn Janos, whatever hell he was in, for secretly installing that milksop
boy as his heir. If Duncan had been able to take the throne at the start
of this whole mess matters would be over and done with by now, but no,
the boy wonder had to be in change and take a softly-softly approach to
bringing errant Andurien back into the fold. Save the Free Worlds from
military incompetents, Duncan thought. Speed and aggression were
often the keys to victory, even more than preparation and strength. An
enemy who was forced off balance found it difficult to counter you, no
matter his other advantages. Andurien could’ve been steam-rolled in
short order had a true military commander like Duncan been allowed
his head, and perhaps the FWLM could’ve continued the Secessionist’s
goals by crushing the hated Liaos and bringing the Capellan worlds into
the Free Worlds League. But now it was too late for all that. Andurien
and Liao were battle-hardened, and the wunderkind had reappeared on
Atreus, unraveling Duncan’s plots. His only chance now was to win, and
win decisively, demonstrating his strength over the weakling.
His attention snapped back to the battlefield and he shook his head.
Damn it, the cold was already affecting his brain. More lapses in attention
like that and Thomas wouldn’t have to worry about the succession and
bringing him to trial. He fired a burst back up the slope toward the trooper
who was undoubtedly hunkered down, waiting on his squadmates.
The ground rumbled and the snow shifted. A dark shape emerged
from down the slope, a Locust striding effortlessly across the snow.
The bird-like ’Mech angled toward him, the markings of the Tenth Marik
Militia clearly visible on its haunches. Its chin-mounted laser flashed,
and up the slope the rocks exploded. The trooper ran across the snow
but the Locust ’’s weapons tracked him. Machine guns chattered, and
the Andurien collapsed, the snow darkening with his blood.
There was a hissing of pressure seals and the ventral hatch of the
’Mech opened. A ladder dropped down and a face appeared.
“Colonel Garibaldi’s complements Captain-General. You’d best
hurry. It’s a bit busy round here.”
The transition was shocking. One moment Duncan was bathed in
heat and acrid smoke, surrounded by the blinking tell-tales of multiple
system failures. The next he was propelled into the frigid air, wreathed
in swirling snow. The rockets of the ejector seat pressed him down into
the couch as solidly as a dozen men. His arms were pinned in his lap
by the g-force; thankfully they were already resting there after pulling the
firing shield over his head. His neck ached, the weight of the neurohel-
met pressing down on his shoulders, though the restraints that held the
helmet in place saved him the agony of whiplash.
Then the pressure was gone as the motors cut out and the seat
coasted to its apogee. It felt like the rockets had burned for hours when
in fact if was only a few seconds. A sense of weightlessness replaced
the immense pressure, and then he was falling, slowly rotating onto
his back under the weight of the seat. There was a click behind and
below him, followed by a whirring and a loud hissing of jets firing. The
seat wobbled as the gyros and thrusters fought to keep it stable. A sick
feeling crept into his stomach as gravity tugged at the seat and Duncan
felt his gorge rising. There was a second sound, like tearing cloth as
the canopy deployed. He braced for the sudden jerk but even so was
shocked by the sudden return of gravity. Straps dug into his shoulder
and torso as the sudden deceleration attempted to throw him out of the
chair. Instinctively he reached up for the risers to steer his decent, then
realized the futility of the task; the bulky helmet obscured his downward
vision and his altitude was insufficient to allow him much steerage while
the weight of the seat and the efforts of the gyro and jets fought him.
Instead, he braced for the impact to come.
It was sooner than he expected—the swirling snow impeded his
depth perception—and he was thankful of his preparations. The chair
hit ground and fell forward. One of his feet struck a solid object, per-
haps a rock or a tree trunk. The other met brief resistance, then sank
into the snow. Duncan and the chair rolled onto their left side, impact-
ing the drift with considerable force. He gasped and sucked in the cold
air, which immediately triggered a burning sensation in his lungs and
provoked a coughing fit. Ice granules grated on his exposed skin, so
cold they seemed to burn. He hit the harness release, freeing himself
from the ejection seat, then struggled in the snow, the combination of
weighty helmet and unsure footing causing him to flounder and lending
him the air of a drowning man. He undogged the helmet, pushing the
bulky apparatus off his head then struggled to his feet. He was met by
nothing but silence.
For an a few heartbeats the only sound was the whistling wind, driv-
ing snow onto his bare arms and legs. Then, from down the slope, there
was a deep rumble as his dying Orion succumbed to its wounds and fell
into the snowy slope. Flames licked at the war machine like a funeral
pyre, sending out clouds of smoke that burnt Duncan’s lungs as much
as the cold air had. For an instant the Orion burned, then it appeared to
convulse as the flames reached the ammunition bins. The blast tore the
machine apart and sent pieces flying across the slope. Even a hundred
meters away Duncan felt the heat of a blast, a brief respite from the
biting cold, before the shockwave knocked him back into the drift.
The Captain-General of the Free Worlds—one of them, at least—
struggled upright, spitting out a mouthful of snow. He glanced down at
the depression he’d made in the drift, noting several bloody patches. He
scanned his body and saw numerous grazes and cuts from the ejection
and the battle. None were serious, at least not compared to the danger
of freezing to death on this mountainside. His skimpy shorts and vest,
while ideal for working inside the often scorching ’Mechs, were a liability
here. He pulled open the emergency pack, tipping its contents onto the
snow. He grabbed the lightweight jumpsuit that formed the bulk of the
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