Making exchanges were always a tricky thing.

You had two groups who's natural inclination was to shoot each other, trying to suppress those inclinations.  For at least as long as you needed to finish the exchange.

This exchange was suppose to be bloodless though.  The Combine wanted a cermonial sword of some sort back, that they considered important, and Nate wanted Pegan and the salvage team back.

The exchange was suppose to take place out on a little used road.  No one was suppose to shoot each other was the theory that was worked out.

---

Map
http://artzone.daz3d.com/azfil...8pl6rzwoym2-full.jpg

Situation:  The Draconis Combine has captured the Liason Officer assigned to the Eridani's along with a salvage team.  A trade has been arranged to swap the Eridani personnel, for a ceremonial sword captured from the convoy.  An Draconis APC will be present with the captured Eridanis ready to swap for a sword that will be bought in by an Eridani VTOL.  Once clear the Combine's company of mechs will withdraw north to their base, the Eridani's will withdraw south towards their base.

Setup:
The Combine commander is roughly 100 meters north from the APC with the Eridanis.  The rest of the Combine mechs are set up North of his position.

The Eridani commander is roughtly 100 meters south from the APC with the Eridanis.  The rest of the Eridani mechs set up South of his position.

Options:
There are no options on for this scenario.

Primary Objective:
Complete the swap and recover the Eridani personel (worth one prestige and 15 unit experience points)

Secondary Objective:
Honor the terms of the truce, and do not fire on any combine mechs unless fired upon (worth one prestige and 10 unit experience)(+0 Prestige/10 unit experience ~ Complete for negotiations/Failed on Withdrawl)

Tertiary Objective:
All of the Eridani mechs can be fully repaired with only their assigned repair pools (worth one prestige and 5 unit experience)

---

Rolls. . .

Intiative for this mission will be Intiative TN+2.  You must exceed your base intiatve roll by +2, to gain initiative.

Caitlin and Devlin need a 6+ to gain initiative.  Everyone else needs a 7+.

Crispin also needs to make a Tech-Use Roll, to make use of the Raven's EW.  A successful roll will give him information on...(Pick One)

Scan the Enemy units for variants / modifications (Base TN)
Scan the for general presence of units West/North/East of current map (Base TN)
Scan the enemy bunkers on the North Map (TN+1)
Scan the enemy bunkers on the South Map (TN)
Scan the APC for Salvage crew (you must be within 5 hexes of APC) (TN+2)
Record the events taking place as evidence of a double cross (Auto)

You may suggest your own use to use the Raven's EW for.

---

Experience
16 xp Unit experience (Objectives and (1) Turrets)
1xp for Gregory (Remembering RP Plot)
1xp for Caitlin (Suggestion to resolve primary objective)
2xp for Crispin (Resolving Hostage situation, completing primary objective)
1xp for all Characters (Secondary objective)
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:02, Tue 13 Sept 2011.

Crispin was still ironing out bugs in the Raven as he walked himself up into position to wait for the exchange.  Flipping some switches and engaging some of the scanning gear that was now in his mech he sought to make sure that when Nate did the exchange they were just walking into a big explosive trap.  He had to admit, though, that for as buggy as the system was it was quite good...when it worked that was.

16:08, Today: 2nd Lt. Crispin McAlister rolled 8 using 2d6. TN +2 Scanning APC for Salvage Crew.
16:08, Today: 2nd Lt. Crispin McAlister rolled 11 using 2d6. Initiative.

Kitten Notes:
Crispin has intiative and may move after the Combine's movement.

Crispin has detected roughly a squad or so of people around the APC, about half a dozen of them are in Eridani fatigues, and Parkas.  You're not going to get more information without being on top of them.
(This concludes you pre combat EW scans)

Starting hex - 2144, SE of Nate and facing NE
This message was last edited by the player at 23:17, Sun 11 Sept 2011.

His cup holder was holding a can of illicit beer and his ash tray should really be emptied out sooner then later. Gregory chuckles as he takes a drag from the cigarette he had gotten as a present from Baily and scans the enemy across them. There was this urge to put the bastards on fire but direct orders where kinda hard to ignore. He scanned all system indicators to make sure all was operational as it should and leans back ready for the enemy to break their word.

22:17, Today: MW Gregory Asgard rolled 12 using 2d6. init.

also i assume we come from the south and at least have checked out those bunkers and woods directly next to the road.

Starting Hex 1844 facing North
This message was last edited by the player at 20:46, Sun 11 Sept 2011.

Amos check the HUD. Everything seem to be going as planned. He had heard the Snakes were honorable in their strange ways, but he wasn't sure. He decided to take a wait and see stance. He tucked his mech in an area with some light cover. He wasn't surprised that five of the Snakes had also taken cover. "These guys are in cover and spread out. You sure they're going to hold their end of the bargain?"

10 using 2d6. INIT
Starting Hex 0748, Light Woods

Tense moments were ticking off as the two units were within shooting range of one another.  It was a modest comfort to have confirmation from Crispin that there were people with Eridani colors in the APC.  They just had to hope they werent a bunch of snakes looking to play trick and treat.

"We're in a pretty Frakked up neighborhood if this drops in the pot.  Their base of operations is only about a klick or so North of us.  Regardless of what happens we do not move in that direction."

There was a short pause as Lt. Armstrong checks something.

"I count only five snakes on this grid.  L.T., what do you have on that fancy piece of hardware of yours on what's around us?"

---

Callsigns would be nice btw.

Scenario officially starts tommorow night, anyone not placed, will be standing on the road when the scenario starts.  Anyone who has not rolled for intiative, automatically loses it tommorow.

22:58, Today: Kitten rolled 11 using 2d6. Nate's Intiative (tn 6+).
This message was last edited by the player at 02:58, Mon 12 Sept 2011.

Crispin was glad that it appeared that the salvage team was waiting to be picked up but when it came to the Combine and dealing with Mercs they had this irksome tendency to view them as less than honorable opponents and thus it was allowed to not stick to their code of conduct.

"Just hope they are ours and not Dracs dressed in our gear," replied Crispin speaking out loud what Nate was thinking, "...checking now on the confirmed ones and looking for others..."

Shunting power from the precise bandwidth that he was using to pick out their people he widened the net to cover the area around them.  If no one started firing he'd soon be scanning the ground behind them as well in a circular pattern first looking for mechs and vehicles and then focusing down on the bunkers.  While part of him wanted to focus on simply recording what was going on in the event of a double cross such data wouldn't be worth much of anything since barring them using something outlawed in the Ares Convention and Accords no one would bother with a simple double-cross over mercs...even as well known as the Erdani

---

For when he has a moment to spin some more dials...
22:40, Today: 2nd Lt. Crispin McAlister rolled 10 using 2d6. Scanning for General Presence TN.

Cat found it hard to relax. So many weeks fighting the snakes and now a prisoner exchange for a worthless hunk of scrap iron. Still she was happy to see so many returned.

She kept her eyes peeled to the scanners waiting for any signs of a break in the peace. The Snakes delegation seemed to have a heavier presence here than she would have preferred to see, to Cat that meant only one thing. The Snakes intended to break the truce.

"Lieutenant, Rabbit here. You think the Snakes are on the level with this? Frankly they can get a million pieces of sharp metal for the cost of one APC. It's a good chance for them to take out a large mech force for little in way of expenditure."



21:35, Today: MW Caitlin Mallory rolled 8 using 2d6. Initiative.
Beats the +2 mod, so I might have won initiative?
Put me at 2745 facing North

"We out number them seven to six... at least so far.  Let's not get caught on the road though, fan out and take cover.  If this turns into a pissing contest i want everyone in cover.

Ferret, it's looking like a Green Light down here, you're cleared to pick up our package.  Stay Frosty.  There are snakes all over the place."

Initiative

(w) 0748n  Amos
(w) 2144ne Crispin
(w) 1844n  Gregory
(w) 2745n  Caitlin


Devlin (pending)
Thanos (pending)

http://artzone.daz3d.com/azfil...x6omu2wx5va-full.jpg
This message was last edited by the player at 03:34, Mon 12 Sept 2011.

"Roger Enforcer.  It's a pretty cold night.  No worries about me staying frosty."

Bailey started making her final approach with the small VTOL.  A pair of the Stallions best men were in the back with some lethal looking guns, and a fancy sword of some sort that was suppose to get their guys back.  Sounded like a good trade to her.

Beneath her the Wild Stallions, were manuvering for manuvering position opposite their Combine counter parts.

---

Map updated msg #8.

So far everyone has won intiative.  Waiting on Devlin and Thanos to roll intiative and place themselves on the map.

Meanwhile, Big-T was doing the calculations in his head. If this doesn't work, things are so going to be not good.




Location: 3045, N
Initiative: Yes
You rolled 10 using 2d6 ((5,5)).
This message was last edited by the player at 04:43, Mon 12 Sept 2011.

"Thank you for stating the obvious T.  Now fan the Frak out like i told you."

Devlin takes a post in the woods next to Amos, hoping this goes well.  If not, there's gonna be Hell to pay and he intends to be the collector.


Starting Hex 0848 facing N

06:21, Today: Cprl. Devlin Masters rolled 8 using 2d6+1. Initiative.

Nate sat in the cockpit of his Enforcer, the crosshairs of his mech have had a very long time to line up a shot on the APC, and lethal death for it was just an alpha strike away.  That wasnt what they were here for though.

Bailey's VTOL comes down and lands a dozen meters or so from the APC.  One of the Eridani's infantry comes out of the Ferret as the other covers him with a sniper rifle.

There are several long and brief moments as the Eridani with the sword has a short discussion with his counterpart out at the half way point between them.  From where you sit in the cockpit it seems to take an awful long time to make the exchange.

Bailey chirps in over the unit comm, "Enforcer, we've got a problem.  That's our salvage crew, or most of it, but Pegan isnt among them.  Do we have a go, or no go for the exchange?"

---

Meanwhile, Crispin does a scan of the surrounding battlefields and notes that there is roughly a lance west and another one east of their current position.  There are no mechs north of their current position but there are alot of buildings and fortifications.

http://artzone.daz3d.com/azfil...h3lq0camueu-full.jpg

Everyone has intiative.  None of the Combine mechs are in motion, so if you fire on them, they have range and cover for modifier, but no movement modifier.  Players need to decide if this is a shoot out type of moment.

Devlin will speak for the Command Lance and Crispin will speak for the Recon Lance.

Crispin relayed his findings, "I got two more lances...one east and one west of us but I can't get a fix on thier types just number Enforcer."

The situation was slowly deteriorating as Crispin piped across the comm the word to not engage, "Recon lance holding position and holding fire...the odds just got jacked"

Spinning a number of dials now that he was doing a full sweep of the area he knew that they needed to know if the way behind them was a pit of traps since fighting their way past any one of the lances would mean the one present would get in their licks and good.  Sifting the wide beam to the south he brought the sensors down on the fortifications to see what sort of navigation they would have to do to get out of there in tact, even if it wasn't spotless.

"Either they have her and don't want to give her up or they don't and she's still hiding.  Sounds like an op better suited for special forces or our continued scans to see if she's still evading patrols."

---

Next round EW Scans to the south and the bunkers...
09:55, Today: 2nd Lt. Crispin McAlister rolled 9 using 2d6. Scanning Bunkers to the south TN.

Gregory grumbles and shakes his head in brooding silence as he slowly backpedals his mech into the soft cover behind him. That was still holding position in his book as he asks over their secure channel.

"Wasn't there a 'The scientist is not supposed to fall into enemy hands at any cost order?"

Crispin noted his ire over the comms and had no problem with Asgard giving himself a little more cover with a strained smile as he worked to give them as much information as possible, "Now don't you wish you had invited her to your BBQ instead of letting her traipse around in the muck?"

Nathan Armstrong sat in him mech, drumming his fingers on the armrest as he mulled it over.  It would have been too easy to have everything go off nicely and to sleep in late for Christmas.  It would have also been too easy to just shoot everything in sight.  Sure... The Dragon, Hunchback, and pack of Panthers would have been a great brawl, but blowing up the APC was probably going to get people killed.  He was pretty certain the Combine was targeting Bailey's Ferret the way he was targeting their APC.

"Options anyone?  I have a six pack of beer for anyone that can get this resolved without our people on the field ending up dead.", Nathan was pretty good at shoot first and ask question diplomacy.  He was also pretty good at not being afraid to ask for help when he knew he was ill suited to a situation.

---

Nate, is a reluctant officer, he was promoted up because all of the previous ones were killed off in previous engagements.  He's laid back and not known to stand on protocol.  Some would call him lazy, he would describe it as an appreciation of personal intiative.

Players are free to roleplay through the current section with what ever dialogue they believe to be appropiate.  Crispin and Devlin as 2nd in command and only NCO have significant leeway in directing dialogue in the current mission, though any player may step up that is willing to take a crack at resolving the current problem.

It wouldnt be battletech if there wasnt shooting going on, though at the moment, if you look at the objectives, it's how much you can get done before it becomes a shooting match.

And yes, there was a keep Pegan out of Combines hands even if you have to shoot her orders in effect.

(* Gives Gregory an experience point for remembering that*)

Footnote:  Characters are free to move around on the map as they see fit (till this becomes a shooting match) as long as they stay south of Nate and North of the White line.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:08, Mon 12 Sept 2011.

"I sure hope no-one is going to hand over the sword until those morons make good with the scientist. She's still one of ours. kinda. temporarily." Cat checked her sensors, this wasn't going well at all, and the snakes had enough force present to try to push the issue. "At least ask where she is. Face it she's not in hiding. She'd have made herself known by now."

Command Lance, stay in the no fire zone but take up defensive positions.  This could get ugly fast. But we will NOT be the first ones to fire.  I do intend we are the LAST to fire if shooting starts.

Devlin switches over to the a private channel to Crispin.

Well Crispy, this is another fine mess we've gotten into.  Can you raise that Corporal and see if he can find out where out package is? You know Molasses will be a while deciding anything.

(* Gives Caitlin an experience for RP and suggestion *)
This message was last edited by the player at 15:25, Mon 12 Sept 2011.

"Well, whatever she is, she isn't a davion officer, and she'd be wearing Eridani clothing right? So she's either a civilian scientist...and entitled to come with us, or she's an Eridani and also entitled to come with us. He's talking out of his rear. Make her part of the trade too, or we both go home. If he pushes the issue threaten to break the sword."

---

Kitten Note:
Actually, Pegan was 'officialy' the Davion Liason Officer for the Eridani's so she does where Davion fatigues and rank insignias and stuff.  She's actually a 2nd Lt. in the Davion military, though it's honorary and mostly so she can be listed as a Liason Officer for the Eridani.  At the moment she's just a low ranking officer to them.

A person of modest interst and potential Intel, they havent figured out she's a R&D scientist/technician.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:38, Mon 12 Sept 2011.

"Great...", Bailey muttered as she made certain her side arm was loaded and that she was ready to bail if things got hot.  The sniper in the back was prone and shouldering his rifle to scope out the situation when the Stallions chirped in over the radio.

"Um... Fed Ex here.  Sorta of a little busy at the moment can i take a message?", she comments over the Stallion's Comm.

What the frak did they want?  Couldnt they tell she had her hands full at the moment trying not to become a statistic?

He didn't like it but the lowest common denominator was looking to be the best option, "We don't have the forces to take on a company plus, but at least we know where our resident Bambi is.  I'd give them the sword but keep the scabbard, tell them when they return the eye candy and person signing our checks they can have the thing that isn't a sword since they want to play symantics with us.  We'll collect her up later as I'm certain they will want that scabbard too..."

Shifting his scrambled comm band using the superior EW gear over to Nate and Devlin he added, +"Let's keep Bambi a Bambi...harmless for the moment and 'recovering'.  Sounds like a job for Baker and Foxtrot being the closest we got to a MI6 set of squads to get her out...or follow protocol if they can't."+ he added after a moment considering something he didn't want to.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:58, Mon 12 Sept 2011.