March 2025 Schedule

March 1st
The Men who would be King (modified)
America War of Independence - South Carolina Campaign
Jeff Johnson

March 15th
Field of Glory Renaissance - Samurai
Jim Fitzgerald

March 29th
BattleTech - Alpha Strike
Terry Ollila

All Games at the Source Comics and Games
Setup begins at 10:30 AM and play soon after.
No Figures or Experience are Required to Play

Alpha Strike - Nov 30th

 Date: January 3037

Location: Cursa (Free Worlds League)

Background:  Phase 2 of the War of Andurien Succession was the retaking of breakaway systems by the Free Worlds League (House Marik) starting in 3035. The last invasion of 3036, launched on 4 December, the “liberation” of Cursa was expected to be as easy as that of Ingomish or Leyda. Indeed, a succession of clashes with the garrison troops ended in the invaders’ favor and the two units—the 

green Twenty-fifth Marik Militia and the elite First Free Worlds 

Guards—prepared for an uneventful occupation.

 The bomb that ripped through the Guards’ command center 

a month after the invasion was a complete surprise to the FWLM 

troops. The experienced Guards were effectively decapitated 

by the strike and were ill-prepared for what followed: an all-out 

assault on their positions by Andurien troops, and not the plan-

etary garrison but rather elements of the Fourth Defenders of 

Andurien who had been on-world when the invaders landed but 

who had remained hidden.

Game Scenario: Players will be playing as either the 25th Marik Militia or First Free Worlds Guards, with each player controlling a lance of 4 battlemechs or combat vehicles.  The players will plan and execute a hasty defense against a mass surprise attack by Andurien forces.  

The Andurien forces will be controlled by the Aces open beta playtest system.  This opfor will be set and not adjusted for the number of players.  

Special Rules: To represent the chaos caused by the decapitation strike by Andurien operatives, players will suffer a -1 on the initiative role rach turn, and automatically lose ties, until a 12 is rolled by the players for initiative.  This represents the point when Force Commander Alfred Gradjeda takes command of Marik forces and restores order.

Force Building:

Since this is an asymmetric battle, we are going to try something a different for building a lance.  There are actually two different Marik units to choose from for this game by the players.  The Twenty-fifth Marik Militia are rated Green for experience level. The other Marik force, First Free Worlds Guards, is rated Elite for their experience level. 

●) Using the first chart here, players will determine what weight class of lances they will have available to them.  

This will give a result of 3 lance options that will apply to the next step. 

●) Using the chart below, roll to see the composition for each of the lance types that were the result of the previous chart.

Using these results, use what miniatures you have to fill out the lance(s) that you choose.  Nothing newer than 3035 though to keep within canon.  Also, keep in mind you will only actually field one of those lances.  

●) Finally, assign each individual unit within the lance a skill rating by rolling on the following chart.  Reminder, Marik Militia lances are rated as Green and use that line.  Free Worlds Guards are rated as Elite and use that line.

Useful links:

Availability -

http://www.masterunitlist.info/Era/FactionEraDetails?FactionId=30&EraId=256

Alpha Strike Force Builder-

http://www.masterunitlist.info/Force/Build

Painting Guide (1st Free Worlds Guards)-

https://camospecs.com/unit/1st-free-worlds-guards/

Painting Guide (25th Marik Militia)-

https://camospecs.com/unit/25th-marik-militia/

-Terry

August 31st - Alpha Strike

 Date: 9 July 3031

Location: Betelgeuse (Capellan Space)

Background:  Due to the lack of Free Worlds League participation in the Fourth Succession War a political crisis arose within the League.  The Duchy of Andurien took the opportunity to use this discord and officially succeed from the Free Worlds League on 11 September 3030.  The Duchy, along with it's ally The Magistracy of Canopus, invaded the Capellan Confederation in a bid to claim legitimacy as a minor House power.  As part of that bid, the primary Duchy objectives were the occupation of the Grand Base and Betelgeuse systems.  These systems were the remaining production sources left to the Capellan Conferation in the wake of the war with the Federated Suns.

Spurred on by an early lack of response by House Liao, Duchy of Andurien forces landed on Betelgeuse on 2 December 3030.  These forces were opposed by Warrior House Kamata and planetary Home Guard units. Due to the inability of Duchy forces to achieve victory, they were further reinforced by the mercenary regiment Tooth of Ymir on 9 February 3031.  This tipped the balance in favor of Duchy forces.  Until on July 9th, Warrior House Hiritsu conducted a surprise combat drop on the rear area of Andurien forces.

Game Scenario: Players will be playing as Warrior House Hiritsu with each player controlling a lance of 4 battlemechs.  (While they are still rebuilding after the Fourth Succession War, the Warrior Houses are still some of the most preeminent units of House Liao.)  The players forces will deploy via combat drop on to the game area during the first turn of the game.  The goal for the players is to inflict maximum carnage upon Andurien rear area elements and then withdraw once Andurien forces start to react to their presence.  

The Andurien forces will be controlled by the Aces open beta playtest system.  This opfor will be set and not adjusted for the number of players.  

Force Building:

Since this is an asymmetric battle, we are going to try something a different for building a lance.

●) Using the first chart here, players will determine what weight class of lances they will have available to them.  

This will give a result of 3 lance options that will apply to the next step.  Because this is House Liao, and they are still rebuilding from the Fourth Succession War, treat the 'Assault' result as a 'Heavy' result instead.

●) Using the chart below, roll to see the composition for each of the lance types that were the result of the previous chart.

Using these results, use what miniatures you have to fill out the lance(s) that you choose.  Nothing newer than 3031 though to keep within canon.  Also, keep in mind you will only actually field one of those lances.  

●) Finally, since Warrior House Hiritsu is a scratch battalion in the middle of rebuilding after being destroyed by House Davion, roll for the skill rating for the pilot for each of your mechs.  Warrior House Hiritsu is rated as 'Veteran', so use that line on the following chart when rolling.

Useful Links:

To check mech availability (nothing newer than 3031)

http://www.masterunitlist.info/Era/FactionEraDetails?FactionId=5&EraId=256

Alpha Strike Force Builder:

http://www.masterunitlist.info/Force/Build

My email if you have any questions

battlestarto@yahoo.com

Intelligence Briefing:

Betelgeuse - this system is the second largest military manufacturer in the Confederation, and is responsible for a third of the consumer goods produced.  It is also the home system for Warrior House Kamata.

First Defenders of Andurien - this is a vetetan combined arms regiment and is considered to be the best unit within the Duchy of Andurien forces.  Though their specialty is defensive operations.  Like all Duchy forces, they full embrace and promote combined arms warfare.  As a result, expect, at the very least, to see some form of mixed rear area security elements in or near your landing zone. 

Tooth of Ymir - this is a mercenary regiment hired by the Duchy of Andurien to supplement their forces for operations against House Liao.  While the unit is experienced in defensive operations, they are also very aggressive when it comes to offensive operations.  And have pushed Warrior House Kamata back during their short time on planet.

-Terry

June 2024 Game Schedule

June 1st
Spearhead - World War II
Battle for Carentan - 15mm

June 15th
Napoleonics Game
10mm Napoleon's Battles 2nd Edition or Field of Glory Napoelonics 3rd Edition

June 29th
BattleTech - Alpha Strike
Sci-Fi Saturday

All Games at the Source Comics and Games
Setup begins at 10:30 AM and play soon after.
No Figures or Experience are Required to Play

Battletech - Saturday July 15th

Setting: Galtor III

Time: late May 3025 (3rd Succession War)

The campaign itself ran from 25 May to 27 Sept.

The game will take place during the early chaos of the Galtor III campaign.  From the back cover of The Galtor Campaign:

The inhabitants of Galtor III, a sleepy little planet on the Davion/Kurita border, had nothing to interest their neighboring superpowers. Nevertheless, the manipulations of Hanse "The Fox" Davion and the bitter rivalry of two Kurita Military District Commanders engulfed Galtor in one of the largest battles in recent memory.

Davion planned to lure a couple Kurita regiments onto Galtor with rumors of a newly discovered Star League storehouse and then ambush the Kurita forces with his own secret reinforcements. Everything went according to plan until five regiments landed and Davion engineers discovered a real Star League installation. Soon Davion units were fighting for their very existence.

Scenario:

(Davion forces) The remnants of the 33rd Avalon Hussars, and McCulloch's Battalion from Alpha Regiment of the 12th Vegan Rangers, have been ordered to fallback to the Middle Way Pass in order to help secure one approach to the real Star League depot.

(Kurita forces) General Yoriyoshi has ordered elements of his 17th Benjamin Regulars to pursue and harrass the 33rd Avalon Hussars as they retreat from the fake Star League depot.  Likewise, General Samsonov has ordered elements from a badly mauled 21st Galedon Regulars battalion to keep pressure on the battalion from the 12th Vegan Rangers that are withdrawing from New Derry towards the Middle Way Pass.  In addition, both Generals realize that securing that pass instead of the Davion forces would go towards ending the campaign with a victory, but are also competing against each other.

Build rules for this game:

If you want to use your own minis for this game, only mechs that are available in 3025.  With a total PV (points value) no higher than 150.  Since this is an introductory game, no special pilot abilities nor special command abilities.  A good resource for both researching mech availability and using its Force Builder, is the Master Unit List site:

http://www.masterunitlist.info/

Units provided by Terry Ollila

Kurita:

17th Benjamin Regulars.

Lance

•Dragon (2), Dragon (4), Catapult-K2 (3), Archer-2K (4) PV: 148

Company(-)

•Wolverine-6K (3), Shadow Hawk-2K (4), Jenner (5), Panther (4), Panther (4), Panther (5)  PV: 150

Lance (from the Regimental Battlegroup)

•Cyclops (2), Orion (4), Lancelot (4), Rifleman (3)  PV: 148

21st Galedon Regulars.

Lance

•Warhammer-6K (2), Dragon (3), Dragon (4), Archer-2K (4)  PV: 148

Company(-)

•Phoenix Hawk (3), Centurion (4), Wolverine (4), Spider (4), Jenner (5), Panther (5)  PV: 150

Davion:

33rd Avalon Hussars

Lance

•Victor (2), Griffin (3), Enforcer (3), Valkyrie (3)  PV: 143

Lance

•Warhammer (2), Archer (3), Phoenix Hawk (3), Valkyrie (4)  PV: 144

Lance

•Marauder-3D (2), Grasshopper (3), Blackjack (3), Valkyrie (4)  PV: 146

12th Vega Rangers

Lance

•Marauder (1), Crusader (2), Valkyrie (2), Locust (4)  PV: 148

Lance

•Orion (2), Thunderbolt (3), Wolverine (3), Wasp (4)  PV: 148

Lance

•Grasshopper (1), Enforcer (3), Phoenix Hawk (2), Stinger (3)  PV: 141

* the number in brackets is the skill level for that mech's pilot.  The lower the number the better the pilot.

Schedule for July 2023

July 1st
Regimental Fire and Fury
First Day of Gettysburg

July 15th
Alpha Strike
Battletech

July 29th
World War I - Aircraft
Don Glewwe - Experimental Rules