Detroit: (Operation: Sandman)

[Liang Yun]

Perception: [roll]2d6[/roll]/ (7 Base TN)
JIC: Add up to 2 JIC rolls here

Active Effects:

”I’ll take good care of your mom.”
”Be better than the sim.” Nimiko’s sing song voice and words kind of freeze Fitz in place as he looks to Liang, for a moment unsure of what to say. After a brief second he smiles at the child, ”Absolutely, I will.”

"I am afraid she gets some of that from me." she smirks, "and you little one, be good while I am gone. and promise me you won't throw things?" she asks and gives the child a kiss in the forehead and a hug.

****************
on the drop ship:
"Understood Commander. We will focus on securing the area for you and your team." Liang says with a nod. It seemed straight forward enough. As a tanker she knew the hazards of infantry and just how scary mechs were. Even in a tank they were something to be avoided.
Once they started to plan she listens as best she can and puts her thoughts in. Better to leave an option for bluto and Perun to speak up as well.

That is, of course, just my suggestions.”

"Watch each other's backs out there, mechwarriors. Looks like a damn trap to me."

“Not a bad plan. That area to the south is more open. Easier for a drop ship to land us and provide cover while we deploy, Ideally I would like the scouts to land outside the area and check it before we land the dropship if we can.” she agrees.

“It definitely has a lot of ambush spots. The lack of mech tracks gives me the feeling not many mechs other go into the area. Or at least if they do many don't get out of there.” she studies the map. Too many blind spots and turns for my taste.

Bluto leans in closer to the map, his eyes scanning the terrain. He might not be an intellectual, but he knows how to kill folk. "How high are the cliffs? Could we lob LRMs over them?" He points at the . "If they got gun turrets, I'd rain hell from there. All day. Every day. If I had something with enough LRM's and a scout spotting em."

"See... Jazz... It's a good plan, buT... I'm pretty sure the Panther is faster. Not sure about going jumpy jumpy in that mess, but the mech I'm in should be ahead of the big clunky Griffin."

"LRMs over the mountain would need a spotter, Not a bad plan though. That is a good trick to remember if we need to start withdrawing. or need to ambush." she nods, "I'll keep that in mind."
“Call is yours on who goes with you. Just be careful. Bluto has a point those mountains are ideal trap and ambush locations.”she gave the scout a nod. “The rest of us will go in on your clearance and set up as JC suggests once we get eyes on the buildings and secure that Any questions, concern or ideas to add-on?” she looks to the team. Provided no one speaks up.

“Alright then lets stay alert and Lets get the job done. I do not like paper work, so no one get killed or injured.” she grins.

It was not exactly what she had in mind, but was a good start. One more importantly with a reasonable suggestion The idea of leading with the heavy was great if they wanted to start a fight. JC's idea open up the idea of ambushing the enemy if they were spotted first. Maybe even tap into the enemy communications.

[Perun]

=======================
Perception: 3d6-L+4: [5, 1, 5]-L+4 = 14 | (7 Base TN)
JIC: 2d6: [5, 1] = 6
JIC: 2d6: [1, 4] = 5

Active Effects: (Good Vision, Good Hearing, Patient)
=======================
So there is a potential fracturing of the coalition that is holding together the worlds that united to fight the pirates in the area... If it falls apart, then we must assume that the relative strength of the pirates will increase. And also that there may be some unnecessary inter-planetary fighting that arises... Godspeed and good luck CPT Fisher... I hope your mission is successful. And certainly sounds to be even more important than the one we currently are undertaking.

As the discussion of deployment unfolds and people voice their opinions, Perun finds himself leaning most closely with JC's assessment, but still feels like something is not right and that they are all seemingly making the situation more difficult than it needs to be.

Fearful and anticipating a trap, the lance seems to be coalescing around deploying to the south and then walking up the high cliff pathways to the facility. But the logistics specialist wonders if the others in his lance are forgetting of the other resources they have, too focused on their ground assets.

"The most obvious landing zone (LZ) looks to be adjacent to the complex. And is likely the one used by the pirates. We will be approaching in a dropship." Perun pauses a moment, looking around at the others with a moment of emphasis on the term. He isn't trying to merely state the obvious. But rather is trying to encourage them to think about the dropship as an additional resource. The OpFor dropship certainly played a role in his encounter at the supply depot. Bristling with weapons, he knew that if he got too close, even his medium mech would be obliterated in short order.

"Why don't we scout using our approach with the dropship? Head toward the complex and thruster burn hover for a moment. If there is an ambushing force, it would almost certainly show themselves and try firing on the dropship. Because from their point of view, once the dropship lands, they will need to face a dropship plus whatever mechs are deployed from the dropship. If there are weapons embankments, they would also almost certainly begin opening fire with the approach of a dropship." Perun looks around.

"We can assess how hot of an LZ the spot next to the complex is." Perun summarizes.

"If it is not hot, I think we are better off landing right there. And deploying directly adjacent to the complex." Perun states plainly.

He breathes in a short intake of breath before explaining his logic, "A dropship has onboard weapons. And adds to the firepower of the mech lance. If it is OUR dropship at the complex LZ, then we gain the benefit of the additional firepower. If we leave the complex LZ vacant, then the OpFor can land their dropship at that location and make for a much more difficult fight for us."

Gesturing in the direction of Commander Donovan, "Commander Donovan and the inspection team need to make their way into the complex once it is secured. They are almost certainly not hoofing it from an LZ further down the mountain. That would rapidly degrade their fighting capability. So our best course of deploying them was to land at the complex LZ anyway!"

Perun points emphatically at the LZ adjacent to the complex, "Let's not overthink this because we just got our business-end handed to us by Tiger Lance in simulation. Scout the complex LZ by making a dropship approach. If the LZ is not hot, we land there. We deploy. Secure a perimeter. And Commander Donovan and forensics team makes their insertion into the complex."

He then gestures with a lazy wave indicating that his lack of a desire to repeat the valid points others have made already, "If the complex LZ IS hot, then I agree that we should deploy to the south and fight our way to the complex before securing it for the dropship to relocate to the complex LZ to deploy Commander Donovan's ground team."

[Bluto]

((Rolls carried))

Bluto doesn't add anything as his intellectual betters discuss this and that. When the plans are concluded he does his best to understand what's expected of him.

As the team prepares for the mission, Bluto slips into a methodical routine. Though he's unlikely to need it, his infantry training isn't easily forgotten. He checks his Serrek Auto-Pistol, ensuring it is loaded and secured in his hip holster. His Imperator assault rifle, a well-worn and menacing weapon, is also loaded with extra magazines.

With a wink, Bluto fills his beer-dispensing neurohelmet with two cans of cold beer, ensuring a steady supply of 'coolant' during the mission. He then restocks his cockpit beer cooler, just in case. For emergencies, there's always his hip flask, which is likewise filled with a hearty ration of whiskey.

Bluto is ready. Or at least, as ready as he can be.

[Liang Yun]

Why don't we scout using our approach with the dropship? Head toward the complex and thruster burn hover for a moment. If there is an ambushing force, it would almost certainly show themselves and try firing on the dropship. Because from their point of view, once the dropship lands, they will need to face a dropship plus whatever mechs are deployed from the dropship. If there are weapons embankments, they would also almost certainly begin opening fire with the approach of a dropship." Perun looks around.

"Hovering over in a drop ship is going to alert forces on the base if anyone is still there. By landing on the outside of the base area where the enemy Dropship lands we may get ignored. Those ambushing will not likely be directly on the base and there is a chance JC and Smolders will spot them first. If they scout before we arrive we can deal some of the enemy out of the equation faster. Perhaps we can get lucky and intercept their communications use that to our advantage." she pauses ignoring his comment about not walking far non-sense, "Once we secure the area the Forensic team can deploy over the base and not have to go far."

"I do like your Hover over idea though. Were I sure it was abandoned I would do a hover over. Something is off. This too good a location not to use for something. I just can't point to anything concrete yet. you're the closest thing to a detective we have here. what do your instincts say?" she replies.

[JC (Johnny)]

(Rolls Carry Over)

He breathes in a short intake of breath before explaining his logic, "A dropship has onboard weapons. And adds to the firepower of the mech lance. If it is OUR dropship at the complex LZ, then we gain the benefit of the additional firepower. If we leave the complex LZ vacant, then the OpFor can land their dropship at that location and make for a much more difficult fight for us."

"I do like your Hover over idea though. Were I sure it was abandoned I would do a hover over.

JC looks between the others as they speak paying close attention. "Perun, I like your idea as well. However, we don't know what anti-aircraft capabilities they have." He then moves his attention to Liang. "I also agree with you regarding a high altitude fly over. I'd also have the dropship circle nearby in case we do need the air support Perun mentions."

He then looks to Smolders a little sheepishly. "Sorry about leaving you to walk in my initial plan. I hadn't realized you weren't Commando this mission."

[Margret Smolders]

[Rolls carried]

"Jazz already said he wanna come." She says to Liang as her gaze passes person to person as they say what they have to say about their roles and the grand likelihood of an ambush, something that can't be denied would be perfect where they're going today.

"Jazz,"She sets a hand on Jazz's shoulder. "If I was doing that I would've brought up the Monkey." She winks before walking toward the Panther mech. "But you still chose to deal with me."

"Blato," She stops before climbing up to the cock pit and calls to Bluto, "A beer per shot that hits my target if we find ourselves in a find a pickle sound good?" Might increase the chances of us going home with that.

[Bluto]

((Rolls carried))

Bluto, busy prepping his own mech, looks up when he hears someone calling. When Margret makes her offer a playful grin spreads across his face.

A beer per shot? Nice. "Deal," he shouts back. Though he planned to do it anyway, a little extra incentive brings a smile to his face.

As he straps in, he talks to himself. "It's 'Baron Bluto,' not 'Blato.'" Nobody gets me. Some don't even get my name. Or title. Oh well.

Bluto pats the beer cooler strapped next to his seat, and it's comforting feeling. "At least I have you," he says, a hint of pride in his voice. "You won't let me down."

[Perun]

((rolls carried over))

He breathes in a short intake of breath before explaining his logic, "A dropship has onboard weapons. And adds to the firepower of the mech lance. If it is OUR dropship at the complex LZ, then we gain the benefit of the additional firepower. If we leave the complex LZ vacant, then the OpFor can land their dropship at that location and make for a much more difficult fight for us."

"I do like your Hover over idea though. Were I sure it was abandoned I would do a hover over.

JC looks between the others as they speak paying close attention. "Perun, I like your idea as well. However, we don't know what anti-aircraft capabilities they have." He then moves his attention to Liang. "I also agree with you regarding a high altitude fly over. I'd also have the dropship circle nearby in case we do need the air support Perun mentions."

Met with some push-back about his approach suggestion, Perun feels something that he had never felt before when cloistered with his numbers and spreadsheets as a logistical specialist. Agitation. Unlike previously where his role was primarily to keep the gears of war greased by ensuring logistics ran smoothly, he himself was going to be dropping into combat. And as he had just experienced with Barus, death can be brutal and short in combat. So he did not want to be put into a disadvantageous situation.

"The way I see it," Perun begins in response, "And please correct me if I am wrong, but the name of the game is military intelligence. The more we know, the better decisions we can make about combat. And the better chances we emerge alive and victorious on the other end."

Gesturing in the shape of the dropship, "Your concerns about the well-being of the dropship are valid. But it should be counter balanced by what such damage buys. If making an approach tells us that the camp is heavily defended by both anti-aircraft and ground forces, then we regain altitude before the dropship suffers much damage and relocate to a different LZ for the drop. But that information is vital in understanding what our OpFor is. Might change how we approach, how we fight."

"My understanding is that dropships have no concept of stealth associated with them. Dropping from space, burning through atmosphere, all dropships are spotted by sensors well before they hit their LZ. If they are performing a fast hot-drop, the trajectory can be determined well before reaching their LZ. So if there are defenders at the complex that wish to contest the landing, they will contest the landing."

"I'm arguing that we don't perform a hot-drop. Burn some thrusters to slow the descent. Sure that gives the defenders time to show up and activate defensive weapons. But in a slower descent, we can change directions. Change the LZ target. If we meet too much resistance at the complex LZ, then we drop further down the mountain."

Just say what you're thinking this entire time... Perun chides himself as he seems to be building himself up into a frothing rage.

"Let's not be scared and stupid. Don't give up the complex LZ without probing it." Perun states plainly, returning any challenging gazes with a steely glare of his own. Definitely risking getting punched for talking back. But the way he sees it, better bruised in the face for speaking one's mind than dead because the mission was made artificially more difficult because the lance purposely put itself into disadvantage because they were too afraid of an 'ambush' to set down at the obvious LZ next to their target.

[Sum of All Fears]

5 February 3026
1200 hrs
Winter; 10०F
Clear

Nimiko pouts a little, "I promise..." Liang is unconvinced at her daughter's response.

---

On board the ship everyone puts forward their ideas for tackling this mission. They eventually move to a full conference room where they can project the imagery and get into the finer details. Commander Donovan is present for most of the details of the panning process. She watches silently allowing Sigma to talk amongst themselves and create the plan for attacking the facility. With still having differences in opinion on how to land the ship, Commander Donovan chuckles from the other side of the room. Realizing she just broke the atmosphere around Sigma's discussion she stands, "My apologies, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just found your disagreements intriguing. I can see you are all still getting used to one another as a team. Differences in opinions and ideas can be a good thing as long as the leader can still make a call at the end of it, and that the others can respect the leader's decision even if they don't agree with it." She moves over to the map. "A fly over at one thousand meters would allow for a good visual inspection of the target area and keep the ship outside of effective ground weapons range."

Before she can speak any more, a soldier bursts into the conference room, "Commander! Sigma! We've received an urgent distress call from the near by city of Ford. They have unknown mechs closing on them ETA is 45 minutes. The mech's have demanded the city provide them a man named Maurice Shellburn. A financial advisor for the Detroit Mining Corporation or DMC. They have threatened to level the city of 3 million people if their demand is not met by the time they arrive. We're about 30 minutes out from Ford."
Commander Donovan looks puzzled, "That's an oddly specific request. Doesn't sound like your run of the mill pirates." She looks at Sigma for a moment, "Well looks like we have some tough calls to make. You could divert all forces to engage the unknown mechs to protect the city, you could only send half the force to engage while the other half continues on it's original mission, or you could ignore the call for help and forward it to another unit. Though with the last option I believe we are the only ones close enough to intercept the mechs before they reach the city. It's your call Sigma."

Successful Streetwise or Tactics/Mech or Tactics/Land will provide more

The demand for the specific individual sounds more like a kidnapping plan failed or an asset extraction. It's not something a pirate crew would use. It's likely one of the great houses.

Ok Decision time!!! What to do now???

[JC (Johnny)]

Perception: 2d6+2: [4, 2]+2 = 8 / (7 Base TN)
JIC: 2d6: [5, 3] = 8
JIC: 2d6: [4, 6] = 10

Active Effects: (Good Vision, Good Hearing)

s the leader can still make a call at the end of it, and that the others can respect the leader's decision even if they don't agree with it." She moves over to the map. "A fly over at one thousand meters would allow for a good visual inspection of the target area and keep the ship outside of effective ground weapons range."

JC smiles at Donovan’s interruption. Nice way to guide both Liang and the rest to being a better team. He looks up at Liang and points a thumb at Donovan. ”I like her.” He then looks to Donovan. ”Very nice. You can sit by me.” Crap, that’s a really old movie. Hope someone gets the reference.

Commander! Sigma! We've received an urgent distress call from the near by city of Ford. They have unknown mechs closing on them ETA is 45 minutes. The mech's have demanded the city provide them a man named Maurice Shellburn. A financial advisor for the Detroit Mining Corporation or DMC. They have threatened to level the city of 3 million people if their demand is not met by the time they arrive. We're about 30 minutes out from Ford."…. "That's an oddly specific request. Doesn't sound like your run of the mill pirates."

Being pulled out of his thoughts of Spirit Dragons and lucky crickets, JC furrows his brow. ”level a city of 3 million? With mechs? Either they don’t realize that’s not possible, or they have a much bigger force than we do.” To reinforce Liang’s position he stands up straighter and looks to her. ”What are your thoughts, Lance Leader?”

[Bluto]

Perception: 2d6+1: [2, 3]+1 = 6 (7 Base TN)
JIC: 2d6: [6, 2] = 8
JIC: 2d6: [3, 2] = 5

He watches the exchange impassively, thinking Perun is making a lot of sense.

On board the ship everyone puts forward their ideas for tackling this mission. They eventually move to a full conference room where they can project the imagery and get into the finer details. Commander Donovan is present for most of the details of the panning process. She watches silently allowing Sigma to talk amongst themselves and create the plan for attacking the facility. With still having differences in opinion on how to land the ship, Commander Donovan chuckles from the other side of the room. Realizing she just broke the atmosphere around Sigma's discussion she stands, "My apologies, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just found your disagreements intriguing. I can see you are all still getting used to one another as a team. Differences in opinions and ideas can be a good thing as long as the leader can still make a call at the end of it, and that the others can respect the leader's decision even if they don't agree with it." She moves over to the map. "A fly over at one thousand meters would allow for a good visual inspection of the target area and keep the ship outside of effective ground weapons range."

Bluto smirks as Commander Donovan's chuckle breaks the tension in the room. "Intriguing?" he mutters under his breath. That officer speak for something else?

Before she can speak any more, a soldier bursts into the conference room, "Commander! Sigma! We've received an urgent distress call from the near by city of Ford. They have unknown mechs closing on them ETA is 45 minutes. The mech's have demanded the city provide them a man named Maurice Shellburn. A financial advisor for the Detroit Mining Corporation or DMC. They have threatened to level the city of 3 million people if their demand is not met by the time they arrive. We're about 30 minutes out from Ford."
Commander Donovan looks puzzled, "That's an oddly specific request. Doesn't sound like your run of the mill pirates." She looks at Sigma for a moment, "Well looks like we have some tough calls to make. You could divert all forces to engage the unknown mechs to protect the city, you could only send half the force to engage while the other half continues on it's original mission, or you could ignore the call for help and forward it to another unit. Though with the last option I believe we are the only ones close enough to intercept the mechs before they reach the city. It's your call Sigma."

Being pulled out of his thoughts of Spirit Dragons and lucky crickets, JC furrows his brow. ”level a city of 3 million? With mechs? Either they don’t realize that’s not possible, or they have a much bigger force than we do.”

"What are 3 million civvies gonna do against mechs?" he asks rhetorically. "Sure, that's .. uh .. a lotta people, but what are they gonna do to fight back? Line dancin'?"

His tiny mind turns the problem over, and he comes up with an elegant solution. "We gotta blow those mechs to hell," he declares, his voice sounding predatory and dangerous. He is a simple man with simple solutions, but his bravery is absolute. His eyes light up with the sort of foolhardy bravery that had seen him knighted and awarded a barony for past deeds. If only he had a brain.

[Bluto]

((Rolls carried))

OOC Comments

Woohoo new Quad! Thought I'd throw a funny one in to kick off the new season.

Bluto leans back, his eyes scanning the room. As his intellectual superiors debated tactics, his mind wanders. This time not to potatoes and their myriad of uses, but something actually related to the problem at hand. Oh how Bluto is growing as a person! Leadership he privately muses, Fisher's not here, and he kicked our butts in the sim. What we need is...

His eyes land on a book. It is a leadership guide, written by a famous figure in the galaxy. Bluto never really cared for books, but the prospect of more defeats at the hands of their enemies ignites some interest in his mind. Fisher said I gotta think more and contribute. Huh.. umm OK. This is my ticket!

While everyone is engrossed in the discussion, Bluto quietly slips away. He takes the book off the shelf and begins to flip through the pages, a sly grin spreading across his face.

Oh yeah, this doesn't look hard.

Indeed, in this masterpiece, Captain Zapp Brannigan, a notorious commander of the Inner Sphere, offers his unique perspective on leadership. With his unique brand of bravado and confidence, Zapp lays out his "foolproof" strategies for success.

Bluto reads, his mouth moving silently as he reads each word.

The Importance of Charisma and Confidence: the most important qualities for a leader are charisma and confidence, even if they have no idea what they're doing!

"I can do that," the mechwarrior murmurs. He glances at Liang. "Think she's doin it now."

If anyone notices Bluto, he places the book out of sight in his jacket to read later when there's no interruptions.

[Margret Smolders]

Perception: 2d6+2: [1, 1]+2 = 4 (7 Base TN)
JIC: 2d6: [1, 4] = 5
JIC: 2d6: [3, 1] = 4

While in the conference room and the images more convientiently up, Margret shows no problem interacting with them, treating them more as interactive maps then static images as she adds her two cents. Her head snaps to look a the Commander when her voice adds to the conversation then back to the imagery. "Eeh. We're makin' it work."

Her head falls back and she stares at the ceiling of the dropship when a distress call is called out and her eyes move to look in that direction while her head remains stationary and listens, mouth open like it's already been a long day. Her mouth slowly closes as she slowly levels her head after as she thinks. Is that normal? No... Maybe? Training says....

Streetwise: Taurian Concordant 2d6+1: [1, 2]+1 = 4 /TN 8

Regardless the conclusion she comes to, swift and violent response is the way she knows to handle a threat like that and looks to Liang, the last say in what does where. "How 'bout, me and Jazz still go to the first site, like we said we would-" Her head turns to Bluto and back, "And the dancin' man used to "negotiate" in Ford. Maybe drop Tango's big gun and its guard with us so we aren't just completely alone on the mountain?"

[Jackson Cooper]

Perception: 2d6+3: 2d6+3: [4, 1]+3 = 8
JIC: 2d6: [4, 1] = 5
JIC: 2d6: [6, 3] = 9

(Active effects: Compulsion/Stubborn, Fit, Good Vision)

Jackson, halfway out the door, nearly collides with the soldier running into the conference room.

Before she can speak any more, a soldier bursts into the conference room, "Commander! Sigma! We've received an urgent distress call from the near by city of Ford. They have unknown mechs closing on them ETA is 45 minutes. The mech's have demanded the city provide them a man named Maurice Shellburn. A financial advisor for the Detroit Mining Corporation or DMC. They have threatened to level the city of 3 million people if their demand is not met by the time they arrive. We're about 30 minutes out from Ford."
Commander Donovan looks puzzled, "That's an oddly specific request. Doesn't sound like your run of the mill pirates." She looks at Sigma for a moment, "Well looks like we have some tough calls to make. You could divert all forces to engage the unknown mechs to protect the city, you could only send half the force to engage while the other half continues on it's original mission, or you could ignore the call for help and forward it to another unit. Though with the last option I believe we are the only ones close enough to intercept the mechs before they reach the city. It's your call Sigma."

Well, hell. This sure got a trifle more complicated. The young mechwarrior thinks to himself. Memories of his escape off Balthazar III flood into his mind. Billowing smoke, burning buildings, twisted metal. He never saw the looks on the faces of the other farmers in his little community as he left them behind. Jackson knew that if he'd stayed and fought that day, he'd have been captured or worse, but in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but feel he'd run away with his tail between his legs like a coward. Could he have saved them if he'd stayed? Could he have saved Griff? Maybe. Maybe not. But he sure as hell wasn't about to let it happen again.

"What are 3 million civvies gonna do against mechs?" he asks rhetorically. "Sure, that's .. uh .. a lotta people, but what are they gonna do to fight back? Line dancin'?"

His tiny mind turns the problem over, and he comes up with an elegant solution. "We gotta blow those mechs to hell," he declares, his voice sounding predatory and dangerous. He is a simple man with simple solutions, but his bravery is absolute. His eyes light up with the sort of foolhardy bravery that had seen him knighted and awarded a barony for past deeds. If only he had a brain.

Jackson nods and pats Bluto on the shoulder. "Bluto ain't a man of many words, but he's right. We can't leave those folks to fend for themselves."
Jackson scratches his chin as he surveys their options. "I think we oughtta drop our heavier elements near Ford and meet 'em head on. Show 'em what happens when they pick on the little guy."

Streetwise: Periphery 2d6+1: [5, 1]+1 = 7

[Liang Yun]

Perception: 2d6: [4, 3] = 7 / (7 Base TN)
JIC:
Career/Pirate 2d6+1: [4, 1]+1 = 6 / 7 SB (Why are they going after this guy? Seems more work than needed)
Administration 2d6+2: [6, 5]+2 = 13 / 7 SB (To understand how the Cargo ships work around Ford)
Streetwise/ federated suns 2d6: [3, 4] = 7 /8 CB
Protocol/ federated suns 2d6: [5, 1] = 6 /9 CA
Active Effects:

"What are 3 million civvies gonna do against mechs?" he asks rhetorically. "Sure, that's .. uh .. a lotta people, but what are they gonna do to fight back? Line dancin'?"

"Unless that is 3 million people with good rocket launchers it won't end well. that is for sure." she adds.

"How 'bout, me and Jazz still go to the first site, like we said we would-" Her head turns to Bluto and back, "And the dancin' man used to "negotiate" in Ford. Maybe drop Tango's big gun and its guard with us so we aren't just completely alone on the mountain?"

"Good call we can take the Treb and Centurion with us. They can move pretty fast and can manage CQB if needed." she nods.

"Bluto ain't a man of many words, but he's right. We can't leave those folks to fend for themselves."
Jackson scratches his chin as he surveys their options. "I think we oughtta drop our heavier elements near Ford and meet 'em head on. Show 'em what happens when they pick on the little guy."

A lot of people and if the pirates do take down a city they will need to hit a reactor or gas line. Something that will chain react. she thinks. then speaks up.

"that sounds like a good idea. Bring Perun with you he may be able to negotiate with them or get info out them. If not send them to the after life with Sigma's regards. Perun, While you are at the city see if you can connect to there comm system and get what you can on this Financial advisor. Pirates normally don't make a request like this with out a plan. Its easier just to snag them in transit or kidnap a target outside of mechs. I suspect they are hired to get him that way or Maurice Shellburn is somehow tied into the pirate's. Find out how." she says.

I have a suspicions but I will need proof before I can say for sure. If Shellburn is working with the pirates to disappear having him get kidnaped or exchanged would be one method. she thought,

"Jackson, take Bluto with you. if this turns in to a fight Perun will need you two. Take two of Tango lance with you if they agree to split up with us. I recommend The Javelin and Riflemen, They should be able to provide good fire support for you." she agrees with Jackson.

"A fly over at one thousand meters would allow for a good visual inspection of the target area and keep the ship outside of effective ground weapons range."

"That would be ideal. If you can fly over and send us the visual it will help. Drop us at 10-12 klicks outside of the mine. It should help give us an element of surprise. I am going to guess transports run cargo in and out of Ford? so a passing Drop ship won't be uncommon? do we have a list of the supplies that were left at the mine before it was abandoned?" She asks. Places like that have explosives. and even civilian or industrial explosives can be deadly. An avalanche or rock slide is as good as a landmine or turret. the pirate thinks to herself

[Bluto]

((Rolls carried))

"Bluto ain't a man of many words, but he's right. We can't leave those folks to fend for themselves."
Jackson scratches his chin as he surveys their options. "I think we oughtta drop our heavier elements near Ford and meet 'em head on. Show 'em what happens when they pick on the little guy."

"Jackson, take Bluto with you. if this turns in to a fight Perun will need you two. Take two of Tango lance with you if they agree to split up with us. I recommend The Javelin and Riflemen, They should be able to provide good fire support for you." she agrees with Jackson.

Bluto listens intently as Liang lays out a plan. Being a simpleton often has its drawbacks, but even he can understand the logic. Splitting the forces is the only way to be in two places at the same time. He glances at the others, and wonders.

But we got two lances don't we?

Why split us up with half of Tigers? Tigers know how to work together but not with us. And... well I dunno how to work with Sigma anyway I guess so all the same to me.

He thinks about the pilots who are heading to Ford. Jackson is solid, and Perun has great ideas.

He pulls out Zapp Branagan's leadership guide and flips to a random page. His eyes fall upon a section titled "The Spirit of Leadership." He begins to read.

Zapp Branagan's Guide to Leadership: The Spirit of the Leadership

"A true leader must have the spirit of a warrior, a heart of gold, and a taste for the finest beverages. For it is in the glass that we find the true essence of leadership."

• Winston Churchill: This legendary statesman was known for his love of whiskey, particularly the brand Johnnie Walker Black Label. His ability to lead Britain through the darkest days of World War II was undoubtedly fueled by his unwavering spirit and his favorite tipple.
• George Washington: The Father of America was a man of many talents, including a discerning palate for whiskey. He was known to have his own personal still at Mount Vernon, where he produced his own brand of whiskey.
• Dwight D. Eisenhower: The Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II, Eisenhower was a fan of scotch. He often enjoyed after a long day of planning and strategising.

"As you can see, great leaders throughout history have shared a common bond: a love of strong drink. So, the next time you're feeling lost or overwhelmed, remember the words of these wise men. Raise a glass, take a sip, and let the spirit of leadership guide you."

A lightbulb goes off in Bluto's head. NOW I GET IT! Whiskey! He reaches for his hip flask. He takes a long swig of the whiskey, savoring the burn.

I gotta step up. Get into shape. No more beer for me. Well, maybe LESS beer. And.. more of this! He looks at the brown leadership liquid in his flask. Now I know what they meant in training about having The Right Stuff. It's this!

But Bluto has decided. He is on a mission to become the greatest leader in the galaxy, one whiskey bottle at a time. He reholsters his flask 'leadership juice' and thinks about the situation.

Indeed. He thinks hard.

He feels a buzz.

It might be the whiskey. He takes another sip. If anyone asks, he says "Oh this? It's leadership juice. Makes you think better. Want some?" If anyone wants some, Bluto shares. Then he gets back to thinking.

Yep. He feels a stronger buzz. Hey this is working!

Is it? It might be a stroke. That'll make me smarter right?

Bluto's eyes suddenly widen, his pupils dilate as an original thought sparks in his mind. For a moment, his face contorts in a way that suggests a stroke is imminent. But then, a grin spreads across his face. He just might have an idea.

Tactics (Land) 2d6+1: [6, 6]+1 = 13 9 CA (CRIT!)

[Margret Smolders]

[Rolls carried]

She lets the rest of the plan be discussed, mission defined and prepare for, even with the slight alteration. Collect Maurice if he's there, escort Forensics, hope for no resistance. Pirate bullshit."

"Me without my glass." She says to herself at the suggestion of whiskey. She takes the offer of some, shaking her head with a scrunched face to the bite of a good whiskey. The change of expression on Bluto's face causes her head to tilt as she wonders the condition of the alcoholic mech pilot. she waves a hand in front of him briefly. "You good?"

[Jackson Cooper]

(Rolls carried over)

"that sounds like a good idea. Bring Perun with you he may be able to negotiate with them or get info out them. If not send them to the after life with Sigma's regards. Perun, While you are at the city see if you can connect to there comm system and get what you can on this Financial advisor. Pirates normally don't make a request like this with out a plan. Its easier just to snag them in transit or kidnap a target outside of mechs. I suspect they are hired to get him that way or Maurice Shellburn is somehow tied into the pirate's. Find out how." she says.

Jackson nods at Liang's orders. "A-firm."

He glances over at Bluto and Perun. "We'll be comin' up on Ford soon. Let's get to the mech bay and start preparations. I want us-"

Jackson pauses for a moment, his mouth dropping open slightly as he watches Bluto's episode play out. "Aww shit... Dumb bastard is gonna kill himself before we get to where we're goin'." He unintentionally tilts his head to one side as he watches Bluto's body go limp and then suddenly resuscitate.

"Christ almighty." Jackson snatches the flask from Margret's hand and takes a long swig after her. He then tosses it back to the big man. "Get your asses to your mechs. I want us ready to drop ASAP."

Jackson stops in the doorway and turns back to the group. "See ya on the other side, Sigma. Y'all come back in one piece, y' hear?"

[Bluto]

((Rolls carried))

With his mind swimming in whiskey, it acts as a kind of unstoppable cleansing river. The booze purges his mind, like the Augean stables by the River Alpheus! A kind of mental enema takes place, and the cobweb, rust and filth are temporarily washed away. It can't possibly last long, but for the moment the mechwarrior experiences a moment where great truth is revealed.

He thinks about the threats leveled at the city of Ford by the pirate force. And something dawns on him.

I've heard this before, where? He thinks. And then comes a revelation. He realises at this moment the threat to millions in a city is not what a pirate force would do. It is more like what one of the Great Houses would do.

Great Houses. Bluto thinks some more. His mind flashes to his time as a Knight in Davion. Of deeds of heroism that won him a baronial title. Of battles, smoke and blood, against... Then Bluto sees the connection. "It all makes sense," he mutters to himself.

He looks at his lance mates. "No pirate turd is gonna waste a city for one of their own. They don't have the gear or the guts to pull that off." He looks at Jackson like a crazy man. Crazy like a fox! "This is a Great House. And I'll bet every can of beer I own I know which one."

Bluto takes another swig of whiskey, the burning taste is gone. It tastes of sweet nectar to the drunken mech pilot. Mental lubricant!

"I was a knight in Davion, and I was good at it. Fought a lot of different guys. And there's one special type of jackass that makes threats like this one on Ford. Kuritans! I've heard the same kinda threats from Kurita in our fights with them. I know it."

Bluto raises his voice, and sounds... well, commanding. "It's a Kuritan lance coming at Ford. This far out in the periphery and so far from Kuritan space they won't give a frag about casualties. Only getting what they came for, this Maurice Shellburn character."

He thinks on the demands more. "Probably a kidnapping plan failed or an asset extraction. And you know, there's always blood and honor mixed in with these jerks."

With wide red eyes he looks at every one in turn, silently daring anyone to doubt him. "If I'm wrong you can have all my beer. If I'm right, I get first dibs on any Kurita mechs I scrap."

He adds, "Who owned the mine we're dropping at anyway? Anything to do with Shellburn's company?"

Bluto screws the top of his whiskey flask back on, and a satisfied smile spreads across his face. He gives the flask a affectionate pat before returning it to his pocket. "Now let's kick their asses," he says, raising a meaty fist.

[Jackson Cooper]

(Rolls carried over)

Jackson stares wide-eyed into the bloodshot eyes of the crazed madman before him, the collar of his uniform firmly clutched in Bluto's hands. He slowly moves his own hands up to loosen the drunken mechwarrior's grip.

"Okay, pardner. Take it easy, now. Maybe what you're sayin's true, maybe it ain't. But it don't change nothin'. We're gonna go in there and stomp whoever's fixin' to glass the town. Great house or not, y' hear?"

Jackson gives Bluto a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We'll give 'em what for. Don't you worry."

Despite his outward appearance, Bluto's mad ramblings had sent a shiver down his spine. Pirates in scrappy mechs were one thing, but full on Great House lances? Jackson had to admit that he didn't know a whole lot about the Kuritans, but the way they seemed to rile up his lance mate was enough for him to know that this wouldn't be a cake walk like last time. Some of the best mechwarriors around were on the dole of the Great Houses. He knew that.

I've got a bad feelin' about this one. Jackson thought to himself.

[Perun]

=======================
Perception: 3d6-L+4: [4, 6, 6]-L+4 = 16 | (7 Base TN)
JIC: 2d6: [5, 5] = 10
JIC: 2d6: [3, 2] = 5

Active Effects: (Good Vision, Good Hearing, Patient)

Streetwise/Periphery. 2d6+2: [3, 3]+2 = 8
=======================
Commander Donovan agreeing with him on utilizing the drop ship is quickly forgotten when the runner bursts into the room to convey the urgent distress call from Ford.

Nothing to it. Detroit Defense Force means we need to respond. Closest assets and only ones that can deploy in time to make a lick of difference. Perun mentally deduces.

"that sounds like a good idea. Bring Perun with you he may be able to negotiate with them or get info out them. If not send them to the after life with Sigma's regards. Perun, While you are at the city see if you can connect to there comm system and get what you can on this Financial advisor. Pirates normally don't make a request like this with out a plan. Its easier just to snag them in transit or kidnap a target outside of mechs. I suspect they are hired to get him that way or Maurice Shellburn is somehow tied into the pirate's. Find out how." she says.

I have a suspicions but I will need proof before I can say for sure. If Shellburn is working with the pirates to disappear having him get kidnaped or exchanged would be one method. she thought,

"Jackson, take Bluto with you. if this turns in to a fight Perun will need you two. Take two of Tango lance with you if they agree to split up with us. I recommend The Javelin and Riflemen, They should be able to provide good fire support for you." she agrees with Jackson.

"Roger that. Good deployment." Perun agrees, nodding along at Liang's recommended deployment suggestion. "Sounds like a good mix."

As much as the logistics specialist wants to weigh in on potential tactics, he isn't confident enough in what he has picked up so far.

What he can work on is who this Maurice Shellburn might be. He grabs a portable computer with him to the cockpit of the Griffon even though such actions might result in a damaged or destroyed computer by battle's end. "Mounting up in the Griffon for drop."

While prepping for the drop, Perun will also access the computer and try to find out more information about who the financial advisor is. Whether or not he seems important enough that the kidnapping is meant to target the corporation or if the issue might have a more personal motivation behind it.

Investigation. 2d6+3: [1, 6]+3 = 10

[Bluto]

(Rolls carried)

(Rolls carried over)

Jackson stares wide-eyed into the bloodshot eyes of the crazed madman before him, the collar of his uniform firmly clutched in Bluto's hands. He slowly moves his own hands up to loosen the drunken mechwarrior's grip.

"Okay, pardner. Take it easy, now. Maybe what you're sayin's true, maybe it ain't. But it don't change nothin'. We're gonna go in there and stomp whoever's fixin' to glass the town. Great house or not, y' hear?"

Jackson gives Bluto a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We'll give 'em what for. Don't you worry."

Despite his outward appearance, Bluto's mad ramblings had sent a shiver down his spine. Pirates in scrappy mechs were one thing, but full on Great House lances? Jackson had to admit that he didn't know a whole lot about the Kuritans, but the way they seemed to rile up his lance mate was enough for him to know that this wouldn't be a cake walk like last time. Some of the best mechwarriors around were on the dole of the Great Houses. He knew that.

I've got a bad feelin' about this one. Jackson thought to himself.

Bluto laughs, his voice filling the room. "Worried? Man, I'm looking forward to killing them all."

Bluto tries his best to reassure and warn his new lance mates. It’s like watching a monkey use a tool for the first time, but at least it’s about mech fighting.. something Bluto knows well.

He addresses any mechwarriors present.

Leadership roll (TN 8): 2d6: [6, 3] = 9 (Success? WTF?!)

Bluto leans back, a serious expression on his face. "Listen. These aren't pirates. These are Kuritans. Trained, equipped, and dangerous. They don’t pilot junk pirate mechs and they don’t scare easy. And they’re coming."
He pauses, wondering if anyone believes him. "But they'll make great spare parts," he adds, a hint of humor creeping into his voice. "Just don’t underestimate ‘em, though. These guys are pros."

Where’s Perun? He’d know what to do. Bluto looks left and right. “Hey Perun, you here?”

[Perun]

((rolls carried over))

Bluto leans back, a serious expression on his face. "Listen. These aren't pirates. These are Kuritans. Trained, equipped, and dangerous. They don’t pilot junk pirate mechs and they don’t scare easy. And they’re coming."
He pauses, wondering if anyone believes him. "But they'll make great spare parts," he adds, a hint of humor creeping into his voice. "Just don’t underestimate ‘em, though. These guys are pros."

Where’s Perun? He’d know what to do. Bluto looks left and right. “Hey Perun, you here?”

"I like where your head is at," Perun confirms, seemingly lifting his wallflower camouflage. "House forces do seem most likely. And I would love to do some research about Maurice Shellburn, but we simply don't have the time before we need to deploy."

So we really don't have an idea for how badly they want this individual. And/or how much resources they are willing to commit to the cause of apprehending him.

"What we do have is somewhat the element of surprise. But I imagine if we drop in the city and prevent the OpFor from advancing into the city, we are playing defender regardless of Mr. Shellburn's guilt." Perun reasons. "But it is a 'no-brainer'. We are Detroit Defense Forces. The city of Ford is part of the planet Detroit. So we defend it against hostile mechs... with our mechs."

[Liang Yun]

Tapping her commlink and connect to Tango and sigma. shakes her head. I should deal with this before I have to report dead lance mates because they were sloppy or not taking the mission seriously. then considers her words so no one was offended, insulted or felt targeted. Messages like that went through better than ones that made a person go on the defense. Leaving Jackson to manage Bluto was probably wise, but she needed to cover her bases.Mech warriors and Infantry are the same basic mold. One just has a bigger maintenance bill. the Tanker reminds herself hoping she did not.

"This Yunn to Sigma and Tango lances. I remind you all On this mission, like any other, to take any and all threats seriously. Even if it appears to be a simple pirate with a damaged mech or a house mech. All it takes is one lucky shot to get disabled or Killed. both teams keep your heads in the game. I do not want to be reporting back to HQ that we lost pilots and Mech warriors because we were sloppy." she pauses.

"Remember the 7 P's: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents piss poor performance. That is all, Yunn out." she closes her comm's mic. she looks back to Margret and JC, "I know why you two like to run solo as a scout." she grins.

"If this is a house operation then we have some serious Opposition. Even if its not we still need to be careful. I can think of two clear ways I would destroy a city with a mech. one is a nuke and another is to hit something explosive and big in the city. she then gets an idea.

"Commander Donovan, what does the city of Ford use for its power generation and is there any highly volatile factories or plants near or in the city that could be targeted to harm the population?" she asks. A nuke reactor or chemical plant would be an ideal target. something with gas and toxins would be perfect she thinks.

[Sum of All Fears]

5 February 3026
1200 hrs
Winter; 10०F
Clear

As you all progress through your planning of this joint operation, Commander Donavan opens a line to Dustoff IV and gets Tango Lance into the conversation so they know what’s going on. They keep to themselves as you all continue on. When it comes to the final deployment Ivy nods to the screen, ”Copy that. We’ll be ready to drop. Lets go Tango!” She yells as she turns away from the screen to go get ready.

The meeting breaks up with everyone heading to their vehicles. Those going to Ford mount up first. Jackson, Bluto and Perun are all greeted with the familiar voice of the computer, "REACTOR...ONLINE...SENSORS...ONLINE...WEAPONS...ONLINE...ALL SYSTEMS NOMINAL.". The hum and vibration of their real mechs feels miles better then the simulators.

Everyone can feel the ships maneuver into a descent as the warning lights and klaxons sound. The ship rocks back and forth as it settles on the ground and the doors open. Liang, JC, and Margret watch as the others depart the ship in their mechs. Liang catches Fiz saluting as they exit.

For those supporting the defense of Ford continue Here


The remainder of Sigma feel the shifting of the floor plates as the ship takes off and begins to head to their other destination. After about 30 minutes they arrive at their predetermined landing zone 10k away from the facility.

Sigma exits the ship and forms up with Tango lance. ”Sigma this is Tango. You have Kit and Singai as your escorts.” Liang can tell Kit is in the Centurion and Singai is in the Trebuchet. It will take Liang’s force ten minutes to reach the base of the facility where they can start their climb through the narrow mountain paths.

[Margret Smolders]

Perception: 2d6+2: [5, 3]+2 = 10 (7 Base TN)
JIC: 2d6: [4, 6] = 10
JIC: 2d6: [3, 5] = 8

Singai? What's a Singai? Her head shifts to look at which mechs were coming, hoping that it would help identify them. Seeing the Centurion and Trebuchet didn't really tell her the answer she wanted. "Welcome."

She takes The Panther she's in up the mountain swiftly, scouting head into the likely hood of an ambush or nothing at all. She's here eyes on what's around her for signs of anything potentially out of place and hopes the screens of the mech's sensors can confirm or deny any suspicion of a mech, some other vehicle she may not necessarily expected on the mountain, or even something explosive left for the unfortunate who would step on it. Traps like a simple draw string would be harder to pick up on any of the systems.

Sensor Operations: 2d6: [2, 5] = 7 /TN8

The mountain having the winding paths it does, she trusts in the mech's navigation system, if any, to keep her from getting lost on the comparatively short journey to the mine Forensics wants to ensure is clear before they begin their operation.

Navigation: Ground: 2d6+1: [1, 1]+1 = 3 /TN8

[JC (Johnny)]

Perception: 2d6+2: [1, 2]+2 = 5 / (7 Base TN)
JIC: 2d6: [5, 3] = 8
JIC: 2d6: [2, 2] = 4

Active Effects: (Good Vision, Good Hearing)

Sigma exits the ship and forms up with Tango lance. ”Sigma this is Tango. You have Kit and Singai as your escorts.” Liang can tell Kit is in the Centurion and Singai is in the Trebuchet. It will take Liang’s force ten minutes to reach the base of the facility where they can start their climb through the narrow mountain paths.

JC follows standard dismount procedures and moves to create a security ring around the jump ship. He looks left and right at the team with him. Ok, Kit in Centurion and Singai in Trebuchet. Not the 6 member team we planned for, but….

He opens his mic specifically to Liang. ”Ok Chief. Looks like they threw a wrench in our plan by mixing it up. What is your approach…….?”

She takes The Panther she's in up the mountain swiftly, scouting head into the likely hood of an ambush or nothing at all. She's here eyes on what's around her for signs of anything potentially out of place and hopes the screens of the mech's sensors can confirm or deny any suspicion of a mech, some other vehicle she may not necessarily expected on the mountain, or even something explosive left for the unfortunate who would step on it. Traps like a simple draw string would be harder to pick up on any of the systems…..The mountain having the winding paths it does, she trusts in the mech's navigation system, if any, to keep her from getting lost on the comparatively short journey to the mine Forensics wants to ensure is clear before they begin their operation.

JC sees Smolders take off at a run before the full team is ready to move out. ”…what the F@c%? Sorry Chief, I got her.”

JC takes off after Smolders. His MUCH FASTER medium mech catching up easily. He does his best to watch for ambushes, mines, or traps as he catches up. ”Hey Smolders, going solo or you want to wait for the rest of the team? Unlike me, not everyone is faster than you and able to keep up.”


Sensor Operations (2D6+2): 2d6+2: [6, 1]+2 = 9 /TN8
Navigation - Ground (2D6+1): 2d6+1: [6, 2]+1 = 9 /TN8
Driving - Mech (2D6+4): 2d6+4: [5, 1]+4 = 10 /TN8
Driving - Mech (2D6+4): 2d6+4: [5, 6]+4 = 15 /TN8

[Liang Yun]

Perception: 2d6+2: [4, 6]+2 = 12 / (7 Base TN)
JIC:
Career/Comms Officer 2d6+1: [4, 1]+1 = 6 /7 SB
Career/Pirate 2d6+2: [1, 1]+2 = 4 /7 SB
Sensor operation 2d6+1: [6, 3]+1 = 10 / sa/8 (to find target locations, not necessarily fire)

Active Effects: Tech Empathy +3 (if it applies)

Ok Chief. Looks like they threw a wrench in our plan by mixing it up. What is your approach…….?

"Yunn here , Ya most plans go that way, JC. Murphy is having a good day today. Let's keep this simple. The scout team will take point and if they encounter resistance fall back to us. When they do we can ambush whoever was following our scouts. we can set up ambush points on the main trail that leads to the mine after. fastest unit further out to draw in the enemy." she answers. Her days as a pirate certainly was evidence of Murphy's law. Murphy must have had terrible luck to get it named after him. But do you have to make my day bad? I meet you murphy I will let Nimiko use you as target practice.

"Singai and Kit stick close to the tank until the scouts spot a target. Kit, if you need to assist the scouts engage as needed. Singai, you stay close to the tank you are guard and support fire." she taps, comms. This was not ideal and was about to second guess her choice to split squads. Clenching a fist on the sighting device for the turret she shakes off the doubt. Now was not the time. The choice is made and I only had to deal with it. Hopefully no one under my command would get killed today. There is no reset button here...

"Fitz, I am leaving the forward gun to you. I will manage missiles and try to jam communications. You good with that?" she asks. as she starts to look for signals and identify them. "Lets see if a passive scan across the local bandwidth finds anything."

[Sum of All Fears]

5 February 3026
1225 hrs
Winter; 10०F
Clear

Kit acknowledges Liang's orders, "Copy Leader. We're here to assist." Kit and Singai flank the tank and more with Liang as a proper escort should. It actually highlights things Sigma needs to work on. The team aspect and professional soldier aspects. While they have lots of raw talent, Sigma may need people to follow directions a little better in the future. Fitz nods to Liang, "You got it Commander. I'll make sure I let the others keep pace with us. Fitz smoothly gets Jenny moving.

As the Margret takes off to lead everyone to the mountain Kit chime's in, "Sigma. I have out target path to the facility 36 degrees farther to our right. Are we taking a different path?"

After ten minutes everyone is at the base of the mountain ready to make the climb. The sensors remain quiet as they have the entire ride up here. It's very unnerving. The lack of anything on the sensors. It's not like they're being blocked. It's just this place is so remote no one would come here with out some kind of reason.

The scout mechs begin their climb. Liang lags behind them as they stagger themselves up the path. Halfway up there has been no response from the facility.

Liang, just a bit behind the rest spots something nestled in the corner of a rock face. Her turret gives her more control of her view. As she looks at it it looks to be a ground sensor. And it looks like it's transmitting.

It's your turn...