Version 0.2
Copyright, 1994 by Stephane I. Matis
(Permission to reproduce this document in electronic form has been
granted.)
James McKenna declared us Homo Stellaris: Starmen. The change in designation assumes some sort of adaptation or advancement. Hardly. Our physiology hasn't modified to compensate for space and our social structures are straight from the Dark Ages. The only things that increased are our ego and our ability to destroy.
- The Fall of the Empire of Man, Professor Christopher Dewitt, Ph.D., NAIS Press, 3057
WOLFNET ARCHIVE FILE: 44876-RZ9-35/1/78
The Contessa Validour, head of the military overview council for Prince Victor Steiner-Davion, looked somewhat perplexed.
"Professor Dewitt, what do you propose instead of the additional warships, larger vehicle units or NBC warfare?"
The Professor absently picked at his nose. "Off the top of my head, I would say an elite cadre of pilots. But they would be more than just a select group of combat pilots based on experience and skill. No, they would also be chosen by their personal disposition toward the community. We would choose people who would willingly die to reduce the death toll in war."
The Contessa looked even more perplexed. "You mean to indoctrinate people to act on behalf of their nation? Somewhat like the orphan Loki agents?"
"No", said the Professor categorically, "We will not indoctrinate, beguile or re-educate anyone. The selection process calls for people who willingly position themselves as defenders. Much like the Knights of the Inner Sphere."
"What is the benefit in that? I thought such romantic nonsense has no impact on the battlefield."
The Professor flashed a brief smile, "No Milady, that is not the case. An example is the Star League Gunslinger program. Designed originally to combat the secret war waged by Lord Urizen Kurita, it later became the hallmark of certain Royal units. In fact, the legendary Star League Royal Black Watch was staffed by MechWarriors who had completed their assignments as Gunslingers." The Professor fell silent as he eyed the coffee mug. The cold coffee was not inviting anymore.
"So, you propose to follow-up with this?", asked the Contessa as she finished the last morsel of her blueberry cheesecake.
"Yes, we believe a slow top-down pyramid distribution of such personnel would allow us to take advantage of inherent Clan honor. Rarely has the Clans refused the challenge, "zellbrigen" in Clan terms, of a lone warrior of rank. Only we need to rank our challenge warriors high enough to tempt any Clan officer. The challenge would then be for the same objectives as the regiment the gunslinger represents."
"Later, as more gunslingers graduate, we can establish battalion, company and even lance level support." added the Professor. "With another avenue of promotion among MechWarriors, soon we will have a progressive wave of soldiers that will opt to train for the difficult gunslinger position instead of leadership. I admit, only a slight shift form Clan ideals, but a significant one."
"Of course, the Clans could always throw better men and personnel against our Gunslingers as we stand. That's where technology developed at Dark Mirage comes in. By cutting the Clan advantage down, inch by inch, millisecond by millisecond. Furthermore, by training our pilots under harsher conditions, like forcing them to train with outdated designs, the impact should be dramatic enough to make the Clans take the offered challenges. Lets remember that Wolf's Dragoons can achieve great effect and that Phelan Kell did too."
Exhaling her breath, Contessa Validour mumbled "Professor Dewitt, how much is this going to cost us?" The Contessa slowly lifted her head with a smile creeping around the corners of her mouth. "And can we popularize it through the media?"
The Professor's laugh was short and choppy. "Milady, you do mean to make this cost effective. Well, then, you should utilize any secret investment funds and agents in the media to start a Western revival. Then again, we should not concentrate on a single style, but focus on the multitude of heroic imagery. Knights, sheriffs, gunslingers and such."
"So you have a plan Professor?"
"Yes, my staff and I have already worked out a ten year plan. It is based on the collective writing of Colonel Daniel Allison, the most decorated Star League gunslinger. We acquired his notes when Tikonov was invaded in the 4th Succession War. The Colonel had joined Kallon Industries as mechdesigner. Unfortunately, his notes were encrypted in a standard SLDF High Command code. Prince Hanse Davion recuperated the first part of the code during the Halsted Station affair, while the second part became available with the cracking of Camelot Command's main computers. I must say, it was time."
The Contessa focused on her notebook, as she began taking shorthand notes. "So, how much will it cost and what will it be named?"
"The main training facility will be situated on Broken Wheel, codenamed Pax Sierra. The project will cost ten billion FedCom kroners a year for the first five years, a billion thereafter. The price already contains the research and production of BattleMechs, simulators and other special course material."
"Dark Mirage is committed to twelve advanced designs in the next seven years. We can certainly spare some time and augment that by two or three and ensure that some BattleMechs will be designed with individual combat in mind. Under Pax Sierra budget of course."
"Of course. Then it's settled. After a short break, we will finalize the papers to authorize the project, pending the Prince's signature."
The Clans customarily fight according to a set of rules aimed at reducing the ravages of war. Much like the Ares Convention, which made war an acceptable low-impact solution among the Successor States, the Clans use their ritualised confrontations to keep intra-Clan trouble low.
Ordained by tradition and blinded warrior ambitions, the Clans charged toward Terra in holy war to reclaim the sacred grounds. They wanted to fight according to their code of chivalry, but fighting at a great technological disadvantage, the Inner Sphere resorted to every trick and ruse to defend their territory. Such cowardly conduct lead the Clans to ignore their code and the war began to heat-up. Thankfully, the military zealots of Comstar challenged and won against the invading Clan army in a pyrrhic victory, that cost many men and material.
The war's final conflict was only postponed. Men and material are frantically being prepared for the upcoming conflict. The Inner Sphere military apparatus works hard on many and varied solutions, to defeat the Clans once and for all. With an eye toward reducing casualties, the Federated Commonwealth has begun training some exceptional Mechwarriors as Gunslingers. These men and women act as champions of their units, challenging Clansmen to fight proxy duels within their own rules.
The Federated Commonwealth promotes the majority of pilots into Gunslinger positions. Young, inexperienced pilots find it much harder to qualify as they require exceptional physical, mental and social attributes. Most states have not formed Gunslinger-like training cadres, using already established units or a Solaris VII stable instead.
The Federated Commonwealth call them Gunslingers. Thomas Marik's Knights of the Inner Sphere differ only slightly in theme and purpose. Other organizations exist for similar training reasons, with differing amount of emphasis on single man combat. The following are short descriptions of the most known and their pre-requisites to qualify.
By financing the Pax Sierra project, the Federated Commonwealth has openly adopted the SLDF Gunslinger training practices. Approved without fanfare, the public's knowledge of the project is still low. Prince Victor's only comment was to ensure that Dispossessed MechWarriors would get even chance to qualify. The only possible flaw of the project is in forcing pilots to forfeit their command positions now and in the future. As of yet, no information is available about the advanced systems planned for teaching or fighting.
Requirements
Compatible Philosophy: Believe in self-sacrifice for the greater good. Defend the unit.
Thomas Marik's romantic views on civilized war is the reason he created the Knights of the Inner Sphere. Many of his critics and allies believe that the name was chosen to indicate his willingness to branch-out or franchise the unit's name and concept to the other Inner Sphere leaders. So far though, the unit has only been able to make itself look self-important with their flashy uniforms and ceremonies. Only time will tell if Marik's Camelot will be as legendary as the original.
Requirements
Compatible Philosophy: Defend Thomas Marik. Defend the unit. Defend the common-man. Defend the Free Worlds League.
Few Inner Sphere combat professors would believe that the Periphery has a few well tuned MechWarrior training facilities. Although decidedly low tech in its approach, the Randis Brotherhood has managed to establish a very good Knight-Templar like pseudo-religious MechWarrior order. Established in 2988 on Randis in the Hyades Rim which borders both the old Broken Wheel Combat Region of the Federated Commonwealth and Outworlds Alliance. Here, following an almost religious dictum of teaching, the Masters of the Brotherhood train some of the most impressive MechWarriors of the periphery.
Requirements
Compatible Philosophy: Fight honorably. Defend the Brotherhood.
The Warrior Houses of the Capellan Confederation owe their existence to the disbanded Lorix Order. Based around precepts of loyalty, professionalism and elitist ideals, the original Lorix order failed when its acolytes proved hard to discipline. Later, Colonel Hiritza Hikaru revised the warrior concepts to sooth commanders and found sponsorship in House Liao. The twelve Warrior Houses are directly loyal to House Liao and its leader Sun-Tzu Liao. Each Warrior House is organized as a self-sustaining community, where potential warriors start their education at the early age of twelve. Indoctrination and hard work have payed off for the almost monastic order, as all the Warrior House units are considered Veteran combat units. Historically, the actual political leanings of a Warrior House has always centered around self preservation.
Requirements
Compatible Philosophy: Follow the orders of the Warrior House master.
The Solaris VII stables of Vito Oonthrax were purchased through a man named Winslow Kindt by Duke Ryan Steiner in late 3055. Upon the Duke's unfortunate assassination, the control remind with Mr. Kindt, who slowly became allied with the entourage of Katrina Steiner. Since January 3057, Katrina Steiner secretly owns just under half of the stable, where she send her champion warriors for some advanced training. So far only Wolfnet and Cenotaph stables know the truth behind this scheme, but have found no reason to disrupt the stable. Instead, using official tournament combat, the fighter who fight for Oonthrax have met with slightly increasing fatality rate, but nothing conclusive so far.
Requirements
Compatible Philosophy: Fight honorably.
Thomas DeLon's stables were given a great honor by the Kurita family when he hosted Omi Kurita during her first visit to Solaris. Draconis Combine pilots' exploits have always been sold on bootleg copies before, but with the visit, the Combine officially recognized these Ronin warriors as patriots and honored their fights publicly. With this great leap in recognition, the once Robin Hood like figures on Solaris became heros to the masses, much to the dismay of the stodgy traditionalists.
DeLon Stables has been hosting many DCMS pilots since the event, teaching these men the hard learned lessons of the arena circuit, so they may apply some of it in the war against the Clans. So far, all this has been unofficial. But with the latest correspondence between Prince Davion and Hohiro Kurita on military matters, the stable might just see its people leaving to teach their skills within the Combine's borders.
Requirements
Compatible Philosophy: Fight honorably.
Cenotaph Stables is the sole possession of Kai Allard-Liao, the only fighter-owner on Solaris. Kai has recently left Solaris again and the handling of the stables has fallen on his stablemaster Fuh Teng. The old master is doing good again, with the influx of new warriors due to Kai's one season return. The stable is known for accepting MechWarriors down on their luck, but who impress either Kai or Fuh Teng. This has lead to the stable collecting a prized collection of fine warriors who feel that they belong to something more. With well publicized charity work and other such actions, the pilots of Cenotaph are famous all over the Inner Sphere. As Gunslingers, they are a ready bunch, lacking only the designation.
Requirements
Compatible Philosophy: Fight honorably. Help the poor.
A unit in its third incarnation, the Wolf's Dragoons sponsored Black Watch was created as training unit to be contracted out. Staffed by orphans of the battle of New Delos, the battalion became an official subcontracting unit of the Dragoons upon signing of the Steiner contract. Serving with distinction with House Steiner after the Dragoons moved on to House Kurita, the unit rejoined their parent organization after the battle of Misery. Relatively unmentioned outside Dragoon circles, the unit formed the backbone of the very first Black Widow training group. The unit name was chosen by its members to bait the 10th Skye Rangers, also known as the "Black Watch", to accept a series of face losing one-on-one challenges. The unit's reputation is great among younger combat professors, many who have trained under the Watch's tutelage.
Requirements
Compatible Philosophy: Teach the children well. Protect the innocent. Defend the Dragoons and their secrets.
The ComGuards reconstruction has allowed the organization to intentionally mislabel a few of their Elite units. On such unit is the II size 9-34-12, better identified as the Black Strangling Hand Battalion. Staffed by MechWarriors since its inception, this unit specializes in Commando style operations, where solitary missions are common. Up to ISF qualifications according to Wolfnet, the unit's excellent secret history is only tarnished by the defection of six members to the forces of Word of Blake. The unit is being rebuilt to strength, but so far, their members have not been allowed to erase their former comrades in fair solitary duels.
Requirements
Compatible Philosophy : Believe in self-serificy for the good mankind. Believe in peace and unity.
The following allows you to calculate the pilot's Gunslinger Rating.
| Double of Intuition Attribute | + Intuition x 2 |
| Double of Reflex Attribute | + Reflex x 2 |
| Double of Learn Attribute | + Learn x 2 |
| Minus Social | - Social |
| Minus Athletic | - Athletic |
| Skill Level in Gunnery/BattleMech | + Gunnery |
| Skill Level in Piloting/BattleMech | + Piloting |
| Skill Level in Tactics | + Tactics |
| Skill Level in a "compatible" Philosophy | + SI: Philosophy |
| Ambidextrous | + 5 |
| Exceptional Attribute | + 5 |
| Natural Aptitude Gunnery/BattleMech | + 5 |
| Natural Aptitude Piloting/BattleMech | + 5 |
| Natural Aptitude Tactics | + 10 |
| Sixth Sense | + 10 |
| Double Edge | + Edge x 2 |
| = Total |
Gunslinger Rating = Total / 4
The Gunslinger training method requires a strong dedication because it takes years to succeed and can never really be mastered. What a pilot does get out of such training is an almost martial arts level understanding of BattleMech combat and hopefully an understanding of its implication. The Gunslinger's progress is charted the same way as a Mechwarrior II edition skill, with special rules.
Gunslinger learn better control over their machine over time. First they learn to predict the enemy better and to cycle their weapon heat/purge phase better. Later the Gunslinger learns the ability to handle more actions by feel and practice.
Some legendary Gunslingers achieve late in their career an uncanny ability to disappear to sensors, commonly referred to as Phantom 'Mech ability. Speculators attribute a mix of the right genetics, training and philosophy. The ability conveys a powerful ECM like mirage effect to the pilot, penalising all computer based sensors. These same pilots can perform the hardest trick shots, equal to the Clan's Targeting Computer. So far, these master Gunslingers seem content to destroy the machine and spare the pilot adding fuel to the mystic fire.
The Gunslinger skill is a catch-all-skill with no default associated characteristic. Instead, the gamemaster may choose what seem the most appropriate for undocumented uses. The skill's primary use is the many special abilities it conveys (see table). The pilot cannot exceed his Gunslinger Rating in the Gunslinger skill. It costs double to improve the Gunslinger skill.
Note: There is no such thing as Natural Aptitude Gunslinger
| Gunslinger Skill Table | |
|---|---|
| Skill Level | Effect |
| 1 | +1 Initiative to all BattleMech Duels, -1 heata |
| 2 | +1 Simple action per turnb, +1 Initiative to all BattleMech Duels, -2 heat |
| 3 | +1 Simple action per turn, +1 Initiative to all BattleMech fights, -3 heat |
| 4 | +1 Simple action per turn, +2 Initiative to all fights, -4 heat |
| 5 | +1 Complex action per turn, +2 Initiative to all fights, +1 to be hit, -5 heat |
| 6 | +1 Simple and +1 Complex action per turn, +3 Initiative to all fights, +1 to be hit, -6 heat |
| 7 | +1 Simple and +1 Complex action per turn, +4 Initiative to all fights, +2 to be hit, -7 heat |
| 8 | +2 Complex actions per turn, +4 Initiative to all fights, +2 to be hit, -8 heat |
| 9-15 | +2 Complex actions per turn, +5 Initiative to all fights, +3 to be hit, -9 heat |
| 16c | as 9-15, double range for enemy penalty, pilot benefits of a natural targeting computer |
a Note, the heat modifier can never eliminate all heat
signature when the 'Mech is moving.
b Ignore action bonuses in BattleTech.
c Although preferably roleplayed, the following rules are
available to a pilot who wishes to achieve this level of mastery. These
rules only apply if the gamemaster agrees.
The pilot must suffer near death wounds (over 75% of his capacity)
OR
The pilot must see a loved one die OR
The pilot must see his units chances of surviving as nil (over 75%
casualties is a good indicator) AND
He must come to grips with his own imminent death
Roll SI: Philosophy six times and record the total margin of success.
If it exceeds 20, the Phantom 'Mech ability kicks in.
