Barron's Bandits received a ... discrete offer from a local landlord. Seems some Kurita unit has been making trouble for the landlord's business interests. The mission was straight-forward: Kill the interlopers. Put the snakes in their place (*Annihilate*) and take out their commander (*Priority Targets*). Shirou's Samurai were likewise given a simple task by their Dragon masters- make a show of force by marching their heavy lance through the landlord's territory (*Guantlet*, *Forced March*) while *Discouraging Pursuit*.

Unfortunately for Shirou, Na'Teisha Barron's unit practiced ambushing Clans on Tukayyid. A slow-advancing line of heavy brawlers concentrated fire on the lead *Lancelot*, with Auntie's camouflaged *Highlander* popping out of a stand of woods to create a wall of armor the Samurai couldn't break through. A pair of reckless scouts rushed in for rear shots, luring Shirou's *Battlemaster* out from behind intervening heavy woods. The Samurai were given an ultimatum of leaving the assault mech on the field as a war prize or face destruction, but they attempted an orderly, honorable retreat... costing the commander his ride and pride. With half the Kurita force down, including the *Priority Target*, Barron's Bandits let the remainder retreat with their commander in a medivac, and returned to base with a handsome 7mil paycheck (tax free, of course).

(Screenshot from Battle Reports channel of shared Discord)
#Halvarmechs
4/

Realizing I didn't follow up on this, so a recap from months 2 and 3 of Force Command #HalvarMechs.

In Febuary, my assigned opponent had a ComStar ROM force of roughly equal battle value, even a backstory of "tracking down equipment/personnel to risky to allow the Clans to acquire," so I poked 1/

Last month kicked off the newest #HalvarMechs campaign, an entire unit in Force Command instead of single pilot like last year. Stories drive me (a big part of why I quit Magic is the worldbuilding of a cohesive IP dying to Fortnite-ification), so I'm putting more emphasis on narrative than play. 1/

Let's kick off a #HalvarMechs resurgence in my nerd posting because MH requires a change.

A couple folks I've gamed with for the past 17mo have adapted a Battletech Force Command system for a new monthly campaign. So let me tell you about Commander Na'Teisha Barron's pirate company. 1/

Over the years, my special interests have been Battletech, Star Wars EU, football, and Magic. Football died a long time ago when I gave up coaching (parents are horrible) and Magic's corpse is currently twitching on the floor.

Y'all are about to get Mech'd if you don't mute #HalvarMechs.

We're at the endgame, wrapping up a year-long Battletech campaign, with a three-part, damage and supplies carry over series as subcontractors to Kell Hounds and Wolf's Dragoons for the defense of Luthien.

I missed last month due to family stuff and hot-dropped in this week. 1/
#HalvarMechs

A criticals-layout view of a custom mech, showing 3 Clan large pulse lasers, 2 Clan medium pulse lasers, 4 jump jets, and an additional 10 Double Heat Sinks. Every critical space is taken.

A mech customization app showing a Marauder variant with XL engine, 22 double heat sinks, 4 kump jets, and 14 tons of armor.

A mech customization app showing 3 clan large pulse lasers and 2 clam medium pulse lasers in a weapons loadout, making it a Battle Value 2316.

My character and Marauder are pretty tricked out at this point. All Clan pulse lasers, Gunnery 2, Pilot 3, with special abilities to
1) double-tap a weapon like an Ultra AC
2) improve my cluster rolls for that Rapid Fire
3) Burst of Speed to run a Marauder at 5/8/4
#HalvarMechs

Monday I had my monthly Daddy Parole to continue the Battletech campaign.

With the salvage & experience the Ope Brigade has racked up fighting the Jade Falcons, we were paid to "train" some hotshot Free Worlds League, role-playing Clan forces. More like paid punching bags 🤣
#HalvarMechs

Last night, the Ope Brigade redeployed to Twycross, having attracted notice of a FedCom force led by none other than Prince Victor.

Rigged with special sensor units, we waded into the Diabolis storm to rescue a lost battalion command lance. 1/2
#HalvarMechs

I realized I haven't updated (the 3 of you who care 😆) that monthly #HalvarMechs has continued, and been amazing for my mental health. Our DM is great and it's hand-flapping good to live out the stories I've read for decades. 1/

Battletech table with an array of miniatures, dice and record sheets. Battlefield shows a large array of Inner Sphere mechs preparing to meet an incoming Jade Falcon Star.

Battletech table with an array of miniatures, dice and record sheets. Nearly a full company is tearing into a star of Jade Falcons.

Battletech table with an array of miniatures, dice and record sheets. Most of the initial Jade Falcon star is destroyed and removed from the table. A larger star of reinforcements un inbound from the edge of the map.

A list of weights and names for 16 Battlemechs. 100 Devastator 95 Sagittaire 50 Nightsky 35 Spector 65 Thunderbolt 45 Blackjack 40 Cicada 35 Firestarter 65 Crusader 55 Griffin 35 Wolfhound (x2) 75 Marauder 55 Wolverine 35 Panther 35 Jenner

The Ope Brigade has its revenge!
Monthly Daddy Parole campaign combined all 10 of our pilots on one table, reinforcing a heavy lance of Twycross March Militia, and securing our first victory against the Jade Falcons.

I've been slowly building up a collection to run my own games, too!
#HalvarMechs

Timeline cleanse:

My eldest is fully hooked on Battletech. I added laminated record sheets for his clan star and showed him damage location rolling at 7yo.

His mission tonight: destroy fleeing FedCom command trucks and any enemy units encountered. He got both vehicles & two kills!

#HalvarMechs

A young, pale child with light brown hair (face blurred) moves Battletech minatures around a map while playing on a dark carpeted floor. The map and floor ar covered in various representative dice.

I am sad to report that "Clan Lion" decimated the Minnesota March Militia tonight due to a special "rage ability" that made a Blackjack's reactor explode, taking my Marauder out with it.
I'll need to check if that was legal 😂.

I love that he's old enough for this now!
#HalvarMechs

The Ope Brigade successfully raided a Clan supply depot (unfortunately, while the TMM company in our area was being wiped out). Damn, even these "second-line" guys hit hard! I tied up the commander in a batchall and he went toe-to-toe with my new Marauder in a medium!
But, I lived!
#HalvarMechs

Monthly Daddy Parole tonight, back into the breach with #HalvarMechs Battletech.

I'm frantically working with Twycross Tamar March Militia to scrounge up a heavy mech because the Falcons showed up in-system and burning hard for our AO.

Expect to have a blast getting my face pummeled again!

I think I need to make a conscious effort to both tag and diversify what I am willing to post here. Reskeets on current events and neurodiversity abound, but mute or follow as you choose:

#HalvarMtG Magic
#HalvarVents useless rants
#HalvarTeaches Education
Adding #HalvarMechs for Battletech.

A #HalvarMechs follow-up & cleanser.

I played the part for this mission so well that our GM allowed me plot armor. Apparently, a retreating tank platoon found me near the wreckage and I woke up in an infirmary on our way to the jump point. Our contract even had partial insurance on my mech 😂.
1/

Some geeky joy to break up your timeline: #HalvarMechs!

The monthly Battletech campaign saw the Ope Brigade meet some "weird pirates" on Steelton. Cocky with my newly salvaged Thunderbolt, I stormed in to teach these Falcon guys a lesson and... promptly died.
It was so much fun!
1/