Thunder in the Mountains

A tactical Scenario for Heavy Gear

Dennis D. Kirkpatrick

Lieutenant Beauteax of the Republican 5th Calvary Legion, Gear Company C, relaxed into his chair among his other cadre-mates. Another cadre team from the MILCIA's 11th Gear regiment sat on the other half of the room. Beauteax sat quietly amid the various pranks and wisecracks made by the filling the small, stuffy briefing room. After a short night of uneasy rest, he bemoaned the prospect of another mission. The Southern advance into the mountains had not been a cakewalk. The northern forces were more familiar and much better equipped for this type of warfare.

"Alright pilots," Major Ames called out over the mild ruckus. "Let's get this briefing started."

"What rock-climbing expedition are you sending us on this time Major?" a certain Sous-Lieutenant Gustav of the 11th Gear regiment jested. The room laughed in chorus.

"Sous-Lieutenant! On your feet! Did I just experience a hallucination or did you, a Sous-Lieutenant, actually try to make a joke out of me?" Major Ames cleared his throat and let his words sink in. "Sous-Lieutenant Gustav, either you quit flapping that tongue of yours or you will discover an amazingly unpleasant way to perform grounds cleanup, one lick at a time."

"Yes sir," the Sous-Lieutenant responded, leaping up to attention. "Sorry sir."

"Excuse me," Major Ames rebuked, raising his eyebrows.

"I am sorry sir," Gustav responded again, this time saluting.

"I don't think your daft, little brain understands what I am asking," the Major rebuked again.

"Huh?" Gustav inquired.

"Lieutenant Beauteax, would you enlighten this bewildered Sous-Lieutenant exactly what I meant when I told him to shut his trap."

Standing to attention, Beauteax replied promptly, "Yes sir. You want his to remain quiet sir."

"That's right," Ames affirmed. "Thank you Lieutenant. At ease. Now Gustav, what do my orders mean again?"

"Ah...," Gustav replied, trailing off at the end, realizing his error. There was a long pause with Gustav wearing a pained look under the Major's stern stare.

Finally, the major spoke. "You can nod can't you?"

Gustav stood there silent for a second, this time thinking first before he nodded in affirmation.

"Good," the Major acknowledged. "This insubordination will go into your temporary file. Is that clear?" The major stared intently at Gustav till convinced that the Sous-Lieutenant wouldn't be stupid enough to answer. "Good, you may sit." Gustav obliged, while a bit of snickering arose from the ranks. Major Ames just turned to face the tactical screen in the front of the room. "Dim-witted MILICIA hotshots," he thought to himself. "High command must really hate me to give these gearheads, just give me regular army any day." The major paused, looking at the tactical display in front of him. Finally, he spoke. "Commander Beauteax, is your cadre ready for another mission."

"Yes sir," Beauteax acknowledged. "We are ready."

"Good," the major responded turning to look Beauteax straight in the eye. "I've decide on a change of plan. Your team will take the primary mission."

Mission Background

Northern artillery striders fortressed in the Westridge range just south of the Gamma Maglev have been holding back the Southern advance. Southern command had hoped that weak supply lines and air strikes would force the strider squadrons to retreat away from the Neil's pass after a few days. However, most of striders are entrenched too deeply for the bombing runs to be effective, and apparently, Southern command's intelligence on Northern supply lines was wrong. The striders continue to hold out and show no signs of falling back. Southern command wants all Northern hostile forces eliminated. A commando cadre of the Republican 5th Calvary Legion Gear Company C has been deployed to break the supply line and destroy as many striders as possible. The commandos will be outgunned at least 2 for 1. Still, it is important that the commandos make this ambush look like a large Southern force. If nothing else; it is hoped this will force the striders to retreat and open Neil's pass for Southern forces to advance on to Fort Neil and Prince Gable further north in the Westridge Range.

Mission Conditions

              Scale:  Tactical - treat woodland as Rough terrain
            Terrain:  Mountains with Rough mining roads
            Weather:  Clear
        Time of Day:  Dawn

Mission Objectives

Southern forces get a partial victory by destroying the support vehicles before retreating. Southern forces win a full victory for destroying the striders and the support vehicles. The Northerners get a partial victory if they retreat with over half of their forces off the northern edge of the map. The Northern forces get a full victory if the striders successfully retreat North with three support vehicles.

Southern Forces

Razor Fang BM*                  1 x level 4     TV 3187
Brawler BM*                     1 x level 3     TV 1870
Spitting Mamba*                 2 x level 2     TV 1612
Long Fang BM**                  1 x level 2     TV 1188

*APGLs are loaded with smoke.
**One missile pack is loaded with smoke.
                                        
Total:  TV 7857

Northern Forces

ThunderHammers                  3 x level 3     TV 15626
Polar Grizzly                   2 x level 2     TV 1534
Mountain Jaguar                 1 x level 3     TV 1937
Alpine Hunter                   2 x level 1     TV 346
Engineering Grizzly (Claw)      2 x level 2     TV 242
Springer (w/ smoke launchers)   2 x level 1     TV 20
Antelope (w/ 37mm GL)           1 x level 2     TV 50

Total:  TV 19513

Map Setup Instructions

The terrain is mountainous with level two, three and four elevations. (A few level five are good for interest.) There should be winding mining roads laid out in the crevasses and valleys. All Northern forces must be on the southern half of the map. Southern force may enter from any side on the southern half of the map.

Author's Note

The Alpine Hunter VCS statistics are available here in an earlier APAgear Issue.

APAGear II Archives

Volume 3, Number 8

September, 2001