ON THE HUNT AGAIN…
It is the Dark Age—3139—and the famed mercenary regiments of Wolf’s Dragoons have returned to the employ of House Kurita after a century of bitter enmity. Somehow, mercenaries and Kuritans must find a way to work together in a combined invasion of the Dragon’s oldest enemy, House Davion.
Thrust into the middle of this new conflict, Colonel Henry Kincaid is surprised by the commonalities—duty, honor, expediency—the Wolves and Combine forces share.
But as the Wolves’ lightning tactics and unstoppable drive brings world after Davion world under the Dragon’s banner, old hatreds arise anew, and with them come insidious plots engineered to cause the mercenaries’ downfall.
Throughout the campaign, Colonel Kincaid struggles to reconcile what he thought he had always known about the Kuritans with the truth he discovers while actually working with them. But when his forces are trapped on a Davion world with no way to escape and the regiments of House Davion closing in, can he pull another bit of genius from his hat, or will the battalions of Wolf’s Dragoons be destroyed?
[Schmetzer, Jason. Battletech: Redemption Rift. Catalyst Game Labs]
Redemption Rift: Chaos Campaign
This is a series of Scenarios designed to be either played as stand alone engagements or as part of a Chaos Campaign. It follows the Wolf’s Dragoons Spider Web Battalion’s invasion of the Reach and the Federated Suns.
You can find the Chaos Campaign rules in the free Chaos Campaign or Chaos Campaign: Succession Wars available as pdfs in the Catalyst store.
All files to play this scenario on MegaMek can be found at the below shared files link
Historical Note
During the Jihad Wolf Dragoons suffered terrible losses at the hands of The Word of Blake and their old enemies the Waco Rangers. After the Wolf Dragoons failed attack on the Word of Blake shipyards on Mars in 3067, a force of Word of Blake backed mercenaries led by Wayne Waco and his Waco Rangers attacked the Wolf Dragon home world of Outreach.
The fierce fighting in the city streets of Outreach’s capital, saw the death of both Wayne Waco and the leader of Wolf Dragoons, Jaime Wolf. The Word of Blake were unable to defeat the Wolf Dragoons with conventional forces, and instead results to plan B NUKES (it’s worth noting that plan B for the Word of Blake is always NUKES!). The survivors of the Word of Blake attack on Outreach were saved from complete destruction by a task force sent by Clan Wolf-in-exile.
In 3072, the remains of Wolf Dragoons fought alongside Adam Steiner against the Word of Blake forces to liberate the Lyran capital of Tharkad but were reduced to a single regiment by the end of the battle.
Wolf’s Dragoons slowly rebuilt over the next 50 years, taking in war orphan’s from the Jihad and using their Iron Wombs. Based out of Arc Royal, the Dragoons engaged in several battles as Clan Jade Falcon raided the Lyran Commonwealth throughout the 3130’s. Forming an alliance with the Spirit Cats, Wolf Dragoons were able to retake their home-world of outreach in 3132
By 3132 Wolf Dragoons had rebuilt to three Regiments: Alpha, Gamma and the Wolf Spiders. During the HPG Blackout the different regiments were scattered across the InnerSphere with no means of communication.
In a surprising turnabout, under the Command of General Thomas Brubaker, Wolf Dragoons accepted a contract to work for the Draconis Combine Warlord Kanrei Toranaga in 3139. The Combine had a strained relationship with the Dragoons after their campaign on Misery during the 4th Succession Wars, but many in the Combine respected the Dragoons for their intervention, alongside Kell’s Hounds, in the Clan Smoke Jaguar and Nova Cat attack on the Draconis capital, Luthein.
There first mission – to retake The Reach, 10 planets contested planets that were taken from the Draconis Combine by the Federated Suns.
[Sarna.net]
[Era Report 3145]
Spider’s Web Battalion TO&E (3139)
CO: Colonel Hack Kincaid
Average Experience: 4+ (Veteran/Elite)
Unit Abilities: Spider’s Web Battalion drill extensively in co-ordinating with the Elementals they carry. BattleArmor that is deployed from a ‘Mech may move and attack in the turn in which it is deployed. BattleArmor may load onto non-Omni BattleMechs and Vechicles.
“On an unseen cue, all twenty-five battlesuits dropped to one knee atop the tanks. All fifteen tanks cut their fans and dropped to the tarmac in a unified clang.
Castle’s Cauldron-Born rippled a burst of green laser fire at the sky from both arms, flickering the terminal in a green-tinted strobe for two instants.
All of that happened in less than a second.”
[Schmetzer, Jason. Battletech: Redemption Rift (p. 15). Catalyst Game Labs.]
Notes: The legendary Spider’s Web Battalion, modelled after Black Widow Company once led by Natasha Kerensky, is a Strike Battalion, crewed by the best equipment and toughest veterans this Company is often tasked with being the point of the spear, always in the front lines of combat. It uses a mixture of InnerSphere and Clan tactics, using a combined arms force of Clan Mechs (Many of them Omni-Mechs), Elemental BattleArmor and rapid hovertanks and assault VTOLs. Spider’s Web Battalion Elemental BattleArmor has been modified to include Magnetic Clamps.
Hit them hard, hit them fast, hit them once, because that’s all you need to knock them down!
Command Star
Colonel Hack Kinkade (2/3) – Guillotine IIC
Nina Slade (2/3) – HellStar
Thistle (3/4) – Pack Hunter 4
Lt Ramsey (3/4) – Linebaker A
Caitlin Roth (3/4) – Linebaker Prime
Alpha Company
5 Front Line Omni-Mechs
5 Points of Elementals (3/5)
15 Donar Assault Helicopter (Clan) (One Lt 3/4, the rest are 4/5)
Beta Company
Major Ellie Chan (2/3) – Black Hawk Prime
John Cutter (3/4) – Mad Cat C*
Erica Kyle (3/4) – Nova Prime*
Gunther Johansson (3/4) – Ryoken D*
Brad Thatcher (3/4) – Puma Prime*
5 Points of Elementals (3/5)
15 Regulator Hovertanks (Gauss) (One Lt 3/4, the rest are 4/5)
Charlie Company
Captain Nathan Castle (2/3) – Caudron Borne B
Chun (3/4) – Thor Prime
Wagner (3/4) – Ryoken Prime*
Fraser (3/4) – Grendel Prime
Garcia (3/4) – Mad Cat Prime
5 Points of Elementals (3/5)
15 Regulator Hovertanks (Gauss) (One Lt 3/4, the rest are 4/5)
[*These units are not mentioned in Redemption Rift and have been added to the TO&E]
Scenario 1 – The Battle of the Pass
GALWAY, MARLOWE’S RIFT, THE REACH
14 FEBRUARY 3139
“Marlowe’s Rift was nominally Federated Suns space. Although both the Combine and the Suns claimed the world, just like the other nine Reach worlds, on Marlowe they could claim to actually control it. The Kurita presence on Marlowe was limited to demonstrators and a healthy ISF contingent.
Because of that unity, the Marlowe planetary militia was a somewhat formidable force. They maintained a full two companies of ’Mechs at Favor, although only ten of the machines were true BattleMechs. The rest were ’Mech MODs, IndustrialMechs retrofitted with armor and weaponry. Another mechanized battalion mixed armor and infantry as a reaction force, and both Ashoka and Favor had municipal-level defense forces comprised of armor and more infantry.
If they’d retreated behind fortifications, Hack would have needed a lot more than just the Spider’s Web Battalion to dig them out. If they’d retreated.”
[Schmetzer, Jason. Battletech: Redemption Rift (p. 21). Catalyst Game Labs.]
Situation
The first planet struck by Wolf’s Dragoons in their campaign to retake The Reach was Marlowe’s Rift. As soon as the Overlord-C drops ships touched down, Colonel Kinkaid set a perimeter and destroyed the Davion scout hover tanks when they approached.
Once the forces were fully deployed, Kincaid led his Command Star, supported by Alpha, Beta and Gamma Companies to secure the Davion Militia barracks at Favor. The Wolf’s Dragoons aerospace fighters quickly gained air superiority, while Kincaid marched his force forward.
Colonel Robert McShane arranged his forces several kilometres outside of Favor City at the pass in the Ironridges, where the I-43 cut through them on the way to Ashoka.
Knowing his forces lacked technological superiority, the local militia heavy armour entrenched in the hills, and the infantry company concealed themselves in the wooded areas.
His force only consisted of 4 true BattleMechs, with 8 ForestryMech MOD’s armed only with light auto-cannons, although their chainsaws could take the head off a ‘Mech.
Setup
Terrain Setup: Light to Heavy woods. Road.
Set up with 3 x 2 map sheets (3 sheets running north to south and 2 sheets east to west). The I-43 highway 4 lane highway should run north to south.
Attacker (Wolf’s Dragoons)
Wolf’s Dragoon’s Forces deploy within 3 hexes of the southern map edge.
The attackers consist of Colonel Hack Kincaid’s Command Star plus 5 Donar Assault Helicopters (from Alpha Company) and 5 Regulator Hovertanks (from Beta Company.)
All Elementals can be mounted on non Omni-Mech’s or Vehicles.
| Unit | MechWarrior/Crew (G/P) | PV |
| Guillotine IIC 2 | Colonel Hack Kinkade (2/3) | 4565 |
| Hellstar (Standard) | Nina Slade (2/3) | 5181 |
| Pack Hunter 4 | Thistle (3/4) | 1659 |
| Linebacker A | Lt Ramsey (3/4) | 2970 |
| Linebacker Prime | Caitlin Roth (3/4) | 3147 |
| Regulator II Hovertank (Standard) | Lt Dylan Cardew (3/4) | 1882 |
| Regulator II Hovertank (Standard) #2 | Klára Vojtek (4/5) | 1426 |
| Regulator II Hovertank (Standard) #3 | Nhunguyen Teoh (4/5) | 1426 |
| Regulator II Hovertank (Standard) #4 | Karla Høgli (4/5) | 1426 |
| Regulator II Hovertank (Standard) #5 | Gary Ori (4/5) | 1426 |
| Donar Assault Helicopter (Close Support) | Lt Chut-Njadin Kim (3/4) | 768 |
| Donar Assault Helicopter (Close Support) #2 | Ju-yi Men (4/5) | 582 |
| Donar Assault Helicopter (Close Support) #3 | Alleen Martin (4/5) | 582 |
| Donar Assault Helicopter (Close Support) #4 | Jay Habib (4/5) | 582 |
| Donar Assault Helicopter (Close Support) #5 | Carl Kedia (4/5) | 582 |
Defender (Davion Malitia)
The Davion Malitia may deploy anywhere in the center or northern map sheets. They may retreat from the northern map edge.
Davion Planetary Malitia TO&E
CO: Colonel Robert McShane
Average Experience: 1 (Regular)
Unit Abilities: Most of the Marlowes Rift Davion Planetary Militia pilot ForestryMech Mods with great skill. the receive -2 to physical attacks with their chainsaws.
Notes: The Davion Malitia only has 4 true BattleMechs, the rest are made up from modified ForestryMechs. They are also backed by considerable armor and a company of infantry.
| Unit | MechWarrior/Crew (G/P) | BV |
| Warlord BLR-2G | Colonel Robert McShane (2/3) | 3415 |
| Shockwave SKW-6H | Lt Joganasson (3/4) | 1800 |
| Griffin GRF-6S | Raimondo Torrigiano (4/5) | 1781 |
| Rook NH-2 | Giuliana Ugolino (4/5) | 1525 |
| ForestryMech MOD | Crystal Morvan (4/5) | 239 |
| ForestryMech MOD #2 | Donna Nguyen (4/5) | 239 |
| ForestryMech MOD #3 | Huong-Lan Davis (4/5) | 239 |
| ForestryMech MOD #4 | Pin Thuy (4/5) | 239 |
| ForestryMech MOD #5 | Philippijntje Tauscher (4/5) | 239 |
| ForestryMech MOD #6 | Yasmine Tyagri (4/5) | 239 |
| ForestryMech MOD #7 | Roberto Rodríguez (4/5) | 239 |
| ForestryMech MOD #8 | Michelle Ramaprasad (4/5) | 239 |
| DI Morgan Assault Tank (Standard) | Captain Paola Lessing (3/4) | 1835 |
| Marksman MBT M1 | Lt Lisa Hirai (3/4) | 1946 |
| Marksman MBT M1 #2 | Danijela Kaneko (4/5) | 1474 |
| Brutus Assault Tank (Standard) | Hanna bin Shafeeq (4/5) | 1115 |
| Brutus Assault Tank (Standard) #2 | Mea Canalo (4/5) | 1115 |
| JES III Missile Carrier (Standard) | David Kriz (4/5) | 1037 |
| Striker Light Tank (Standard) | Pepron Tung (4/5) | 564 |
| Striker Light Tank (Standard) #2 | David Sauvage (4/5) | 564 |
| Striker Light Tank (Standard) #3 | Paul Bell (4/5) | 564 |
| Striker Light Tank (Standard) #4 | Abid Kundi (4/5) | 564 |
| Condor Heavy Hover Tank (Upgrade) (Laser) | Lt Agathe Leirvåg (3/4) | 1580 |
| Condor Heavy Hover Tank (Upgrade) (Laser) #2 | Gishyang Ye (4/5) | 1197 |
| Condor Heavy Hover Tank (Upgrade) (Standard) | Chiah-jen Ching (4/5) | 965 |
| Condor Heavy Hover Tank (Upgrade) (Standard) #2 | İbrahim Basar (4/5) | 965 |
| SM1 Tank Destroyer SM1 | Tai fat Hor (4/5) | 1506 |
| SM1 Tank Destroyer SM1 #2 | Keun-ho Kim (4/5) | 1506 |
Warchest
Track Cost: 500 WP
Optional Bonuses
+500 “Dug in” The Davion Militia may start in hidden deployment in forest hexes.
Objectives
+300 Push them back – 25% of enemy BV destroyed or crippled.
+600 We’re going to break them – 50% of enemy BV destroyed of crippled.
+300 Don’t let them get away –75% of enemy BV destroyed or crippled before they withdraw.
+50 Target their BattleMechs –+50 per enemy non-command BattleMech destroyed or crippled (max of +150).
+10 Watch out for those chain saws! – for each ForestryMech MOD destroyed (max of +50).
+100 Bring him down – Destroy or cripple Colonel Robert McShanes WarLord.
+100 Try to capture him alive – Capture Colonel Robert McShane alive.
Special Rules
The following rules are in effect for this track:
Forced Withdrawal
The MechWarrior/Crew of any ‘Mech or vehicle which receives crippling damage should eject at the start of the movement phase of the next turn.
“The signal is Jericho”
When the Davion Malitia reach 50% of BV destroyed, they retreat from the Northern Map Edge
“You’re our prisoner, sir”
If the Colonel ejects from his ‘Mech he is placed in the hex behind his ‘Mech. He is unarmed, and has a movement of 1.
If a Spider’s Web Vehicle, ‘Mech or Elemental finishes in the same hex in which Colonel Robert McShane Ejects into, he is captured.
If a friendly vehicle, or infantry division enters that hex he is rescued and either joins that vehicle crew or platoon. A ‘Mech with hand actuators can also pick up the Colonel.
If a vehicle carrying the Colonel is destroyed roll 1d6, he survives on a 1-4. If a platoon carrying the Colonel is destroyed, the Colonel survives and can be picked up from that hex. Each time that a ‘Mech carrying the Colonel is hit on that arm, roll 1d6, on a 1-4 the Colonel is killed (automatically is a hand actuator critical).
Aftermath
Colonel Robert McShane and several Davion Malitia were captured after the defeat at the Battle of the Pass and is transported to a prison facility at Hardcastle, outside Marv.
A group of surviving Davion Malitia continue to fight a guerrilla campaign using the thick woods for cover. Charlie Company are dispatched to locate and destroy these forces.
Scenario 2 – Ambush in the Woods.
Optional Scoring for Player vs Player
In Player vs Player stand alone scenario, rather than Player vs GM Chaos Campaign, it’s recommended that all WarChest Options are in effect and the Davion Forces to score for the following:
+300 Push them back – 25% of enemy BV destroyed or crippled
+600 We’re going to break them – 50% of enemy BV destroyed of crippled
+300 Don’t let them get away – Retreat at least 25% of the force from the northern map edge
+50 Target their BattleMechs – Per enemy non-command BattleMech destroyed or crippled (Maximum +200)
+100 Bring him down – Destroy or cripple Colonel Hack Kincaid’s Guillotine IIC
+100 Try to capture him alive – Capture Colonel Hack Kincaid alive
ComStar 