Final Results of Operation Jagermeister

lets aim for tonight (Weds) at... what... 7pm EST sound reasonable? It shouldn't take too long.

 

Still need Delta Lance to resolve the final events of Jagermeister. If I get no resolution by Tues, I will have to do your rolls for you and resolve it the best I can on my own.

 

Thanks for the update, Sheo. Much appreciated. I will let the die roll mostly decide the outcome. Generally speaking, a more favorable roll will have a better outcome, though, if needed I may still do a little "GM intervention" to keep things from going pants-on-head retarded. Will post the outcomes here a bit later.

 

But, it's so in keeping with the 'Borg Tradition to go pants-on-head retarded. Then I have an excuse to pull this link:
[video=youtube;tb2Ct3yyB4g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb2Ct3yyB4g[/video]

 

skillcheck formula = (Target Number - Skill Level + 4 modifier) = To-hit Number

Negotiation: convince Shepard that her best chance of survival is to cooperate with you.

• Sheo rolled 10 = +4 (major success!)
• She is visibly moved by your words. She appears to offer no resistance to your questioning.

"Tell us everything you know about the Tamar Union rebels."

She tells you that it is best if she starts from the beginning. She met her commander later when she was first training as a cadet Mechwarrior, but the story goes back further than that. It all started the day her commander, Joshua Fowler, met Baron Adelbert Gustav Von Schlesingen.

At the time, Fowler was a young and promising Lieutenant showing great potential fresh out of officer school. Unfortunately, early into his first deployment against Draconis Combine forces, he had violated a direct order from a well connected but incompetent Lyran commander. Despite overwhelming odds, Fowler saved half of his company from destruction, but in the process gained a powerful enemy. Fowler was charged with insubordination and was placed under house arrest until the day of his trial. Despite the weak supporting evidence of the charge, Fowler was worried his career as a Mechwarrior would soon be over before it began. It was during this time, that Schlesingen approached him with an offer he couldn't refuse: all charges would be dropped and he would soon be given a battalion command of his own. All that Schlesingen asked was for Fowler to be one of his "eyes and ears" in the Lyran military. The offer seemed almost too good to be true, but Fowler readily accepted the terms. Unfortunately, the day would come when he would regret this decision.

At first, Schlesingen's requests seemed relatively small and harmless. Meet some people here, deliver some supplies there, attend the occasional fancy party, etc. However, over time Schlesingen's requests began to evolve into demands. It took many years, but eventually Fowler had become subservient to his master's bidding. It was around this time that Shepard first met him. From the beginning she could tell he was an honorable man and gifted leader, but there were also signs that he was haunted by some inner demons. Shepard was a naturally gifted Mechwarrior herself. Eventually, she earned a position in his command lance and that is when the truth began to become clear to her; that he was a well-intentioned, but greatly troubled man. In many ways, she both admired and took pity on him. One day, he made her swear that she would never fall victim to the same mistakes he had made.

After the Federated Commonwealth had ceded Lyran worlds to the FRR, Schlesingen saw a new opportunity. A resident of the Tamar March and a long-time member of Duke Selvin Kelswa III's court, Schlesingen was certain that reclaiming lost Tamar worlds would gain him the Duke's favor and stronger political clout. Schlesingen got Fowler's battalion reassigned to Kobe and gave him orders to begin spreading anti-FRR sentiments along the border. Although Fowler was not enthusiastic about creating civil unrest, he had no love of the FRR either and reasoned with himself that at least he was committing to a cause that was undoubtedly pro-Steiner.

Fowler proved to be a natural for the job. He started by encouraging key civilian leaders to promote non-violent anti-FRR demonstrations. In turn, Fowler would "make a good show" of opposing these demonstrations and keeping order. Arrests would be made on occasions, but prisoners were always released soon after. FedCom regional command began to be annoyed by Fowler's light touch to the protests, but violence had been kept at a minimum and so they were content to watch and not act. Over time, the anti-FRR sentiments began to infect Kobe's militia and later, regular FedCom troops. Months later, these same sentiments had begun spreading to nearby planets. Soon a name had surfaced for this movement; the Tamar Union was born.

Fowler had succeeded spectacularly in his mission, but had also lost control of the movement as the Tamar Union grew. Civil disobedience had devolved into open violence. Most of it was directed at pro-FRR sympathizers on both sides of the border, but it soon expanded to anyone who wasn't outright pro-Lyran or pro-Tamar Union.

Schlesingen was aware of all this happening and had promised military assistance in strengthening Fowler's control of the region. That was the last, anyone heard of Schlesingen. A month later, FedCom regional command had finally had enough and ordered Fowler to stop all Tamar Unionists activities by any means necessary. Rather than bring violence to a movement he had helped to create and with still no word from Schlesingen , Fowler did the only acceptable thing he could think of and withdrew his battalion to the wastelands of Kobe. He had hoped to parlay any hostile actions with the Tamar Union and negotiate peace. A few months later, he was making progress in negotiations and peace looked to be within reach. However, it was not to be... Kobe was soon assaulted by a hostile company of FedCom special forces... and the Skjaldborg Commandos. It soon became obvious to Fowler and Shepard that the FedCom's mission was to kill all involved in the initial insurrection and, somehow, they knew exactly who was involved. For the sake of the lives of his own men, Fowler had no choice but to side with the Tamar Union and fight a war they had little chance of winning.

Did Baron Schlesingen betray them? Perhaps he is already dead himself? How did FedCom forces find out? These are questions that Shepard does not know.

 

She is bitter and angry about you (she points her finger at Dihm/Otack) betraying her commander under a white flag.

"Unlike you, we are not heartless bastards. Your pilots are alive. We rescued them from the northern frozen wastes on Kobe. Jax Thorsen only had minor wounds but Dave Little was severly hurt and unconscious. He would have died if not for our medical assistance. Since then, our fight on Kobe has not gone well. We are losing on every front. We had hoped to hijack a transport to get off planet and escape, but that option is lost to us now. The FedCom has made it clear that they see us as traitors deserving only death. We have no place to call home anymore. Thorsen had convinced us that our last chance of survival was to surrender to the Skjaldborg and seek political asylum in the FRR... what cruel irony... It was a gamble, but we saw no other option... and then you had to shoot our commander... we were going to surrender, damn you all!"

*She pauses and regains her composure.*

"I don't have time for this... assuming our remaining soldiers haven't shot your pilots outright, there is a chance they may still be alive. We set a rally point before we left in case everything went to shit. Whoever is still alive will likely be there by now... your pilots too."

*She shows you the coordinates.*

"We will have to move quickly to rescue them. We should be able to detour our route and be back on the approach to the capital before the FedComs notice... and they CAN'T notice. That would be... awkward... for all of us."

 

skillcheck formula = (Target Number - Skill Level + 4 modifier) = To-hit Number

Scrounge: maintain vigilance on approach to designated waypoint.

• Gihzmo rolled 6 = -1 (minor failure)

During travel to the designated waypoint your guard is lowered and Shepard takes this opportunity to escape! She knocks out her guard and steals a motorbike from your support crew. She quickly gains distance from you in the tight city streets before anyone can respond.

Leadership: assess all your tactical options

• Dihm rolled 12 = +6 (PERFECT EXECUTION!)

Pursuit seems unwise. You worry more for the lives of your captured comrades and order a fast approach to the waypoint at best speed.

Luck is on your side though; you receive word from Jax Thorsen (Hunter Gamma). He is alive and well (did he escape?). Even better he knows the location of where Dave Little is being held! The coordinates are not the same as what Shepard had given you, but they are close. You alter your heading and proceed forward. You order Lance Hallberg (Gihzmo) to scout ahead while Lars Saknussen (Sheo) and Skwisgaar Faderlos (Skwi) successfully create a diversion to distract FedCom attention away from your actions (creative communication + ECM + sensor decoys).

You arrive at the coordinates given to you by Thorsen; a large warehouse in an abandoned industrial park.



Scrounge: assess area for signs of traps or hostiles.

• Gihzmo rolled 9 = +2 (success)
• no signs of traps or hostiles

As Lance (Gihzmo) approaches the scene he picks up an SOS signal emanating from the warehouse. Using the capable sensors of his Phoenix Hawk to assess the area, he sees no sign of any trap.

"Delta Actual, this is Delta 4. I'm at the coordinates. Confirming no sign of enemy hostiles. Picked up a SOS beacon. Investigating now."

Carefully, he uses the hands on his mech to force wide open the large double doors of the warehouse. Turning on his external lights, he discovers the warehouse to be recently vacated; freshly disturbed snow and muddy tire tracks stretch into the warehouse's cavernous main area from the entrance. Discarded bins and boxes litter the floor.

"Delta Actual, the chickens have flown the coop. Repeat, chickens have flown the coop."

Frustrated, Lance exits his mech in a huff to continue investigating on foot. However, soon his attention is directed towards a suspicious large tent; a weak light radiates out one opening. He draws his firearm and approaches carefully. Lance whispers on his short range comlink.

"Delta, I may have something here".

He reaches the wall of the tent and pauses while drawing a breath. Then, with quick and deliberate precision, he enters the tent preparing to fire at anything that moves. Nothing... except for some containers and...

A hand rises weakly from a cot on the far side of the tent. It takes a minute for Lance's eyes to adjust, but as he approaches he quickly realizes it is Dave Little. The last missing pilot has been found. Dave is wrapped in multiple bloodied bandages and is connected to an IV, but he's alive. A note has been written and pinned to the wrappings around his chest.

"Hey, Lance. Glad you could make it."

"Yeah, no prob Dave. Thanks for waiting for me."

"Shepard... the redhead... wait... she didn't have red hair anymore... I can't ... what happened?... She told them... leave me here. Said you all were coming."

Lance stares at Dave and then at the note as the rest of Delta Lance enters the warehouse.

"Hang in there, buddy. You are going to be alright now."

Lance reaches for the note and opens it.

(to be continued)

 

awe I hoped we could keep her, good news we got our guys back, hope no one notices she is suddenly still alive

 

The not reads:

Lance realizes only too late. Before he can shout a warning, C5 explosives trigger in the superstructure above.

Girders fall. Everybody dies.

except a mechanic named Bender... for some reason...

UPDATE - skip to here to see the "real" outcome:
http://www.theskjaldborg.com/index....peration-jagermeister.5442/page-4#post-116722

 

nooooOOOOOOOO!!!! wait does this mean I can get their shares for the last mission? cause I have an awesome mod list waiting for The Harmless One

 

Worst. Ending. Ever.

 

heheh...

the real conclusion will be posted later when i'm less tired.