Instructions: This exam consists of twenty short scenarios. Nineteen of them contain a glaring error that would not occur in a real (tabletop BattleTech) battle. You are to identify the error in each scenario in clear, exact terms. Note that one scenario is a "red herring" that contains no errors. You are to identify this scenario as well. Each scenario is worth five points. E-Mail me [address below] your answers and I'll send you your score and the answer key.
Refrerence Points:
Each scenario = 10 seconds = 1 turn [Compendium p14]
6 meters = 1 level [Compendium p11]
30 meters = 1 hex [Compendium p11].
1) Kyle Peterson of the 2nd Drakons glanced at his HUD and bit back a sharp curse. A pair of Ronin Quickdraws and a Rifleman had surprised Jill Logan's Archer and Frank Wright's Longbow on the far side of the stream. To make matters worse, Kyle picked up a ponderous Stalker closing in on the Archer and Longbow trying to get within LRM range. Jack Ratherman's Thunderbolt was still waist deep in the sludge that passed for a stream, so for the moment the Ronin 'Mechs had a staggering short-range firepower advantage. Kyle knew that his lancemates desperately needed his Ostsol's firepower and superior mobility to even the odds. He gritted his teeth and gunned the Ostsol up to its maximum speed of 86.4 kph. He passed the Thunderbolt, which was belching LRM's as fast as it's loader could cycle, and emerged on the other side of the stream, already triggering his large lasers.
ANSWER to #1:_____________________________________
2) Kyle smiled wolfishly as one of his large lasers carved huge chunks of armor from the Rifleman's right arm. The Rifleman quickly spun to bring his left side to face this new threat since its injured right arm's armor could not withstand another blast from a large laser. This is exactly what Peterson had in mind, however, so he used the Ostsol's speed to position himself directly in front of the Rifleman. Just as he was about to trigger another burst from his large laser, the rear lock-on siren screamed shrilly. One of the Quickdraws had managed to maneuver directly behind him. Kyle sensed that he did not have time to evade both threats, but the Ostsol was not without rear defenses. Knowing that he would pay the price in heat, he triggered the large lasers at the Rifleman, and the rear firing medium lasers at the Quickdraw. He watched the Rifleman's right arm fall limp to its side even as wave upon wave of heat flooded his cockpit.
ANSWER to #2:_____________________________________
3) "Tracy dive left! You've got a Marauder at 4 o'clock!" Tracy Brandt instantly threw her Wasp to the left in a controlled dive to the ground. Huge divots of freshly uprooted earth and grass showered down upon the prone Wasp as Tracy watched autocannon shells chew up the grass where the Wasp had just been. She was already triggering her medium lasers as she tried to stand, but she attempted the delicate maneuver too quickly. The Wasp spun back to the ground. A quick glance at her tell-tale board showed no external damage. Rebuking herself harshly for her carelessness, she gently levered the 20-ton scout 'Mech to its feet and moved over the newly tilled field to support her lancemates.
ANSWER to #3:_____________________________________
4) Mike Fitzpatrick grudgingly increased his respect for the pilot of the enemy Grand Dragon. Despite the fact that Fitzpatrick's Crusader both outweighed and outgunned the faster Kuritian 'Mech, the Dragon was giving as good as it got. Fitzpatrick scuttled for cover behind a ridge as the Dragon spun to its left and launched a flight of LRM's. The LRM's exploded harmlessly against the outcropping that covered the Crusader's lower half. Now it was Fitzpatrick's turn. He centered his sights and triggered both of his SRM-6 racks. Missiles blossomed from the Crusader's legs toward the Kuritian 'Mech. He was elated to see ten of the twelve missiles pepper the hapless Dragon mercilessly about the head and shoulders. The Dragon listed crazily to one side, then crashed heavily to the ground.
ANSWER to #4:_____________________________________
5) "Mike, Ann's down! Finish off that Dragon and get over here!" Fitzpatrick began to run for the downed Dragon when he noticed it wasn't moving at all. "Those two SRM's that hit the head must have knocked him out," Fitzpatrick thought. He brought the Crusader to a dead stop and carefully aimed both SRM-6 racks at the still motionless Dragon's head. The missiles shot out and found their target. When the smoke cleared the Dragon was lying in the same position, but a thin, oily black smoke ascended from the gaping cavity where the Grand Dragons head had been.
ANSWER to #5:_____________________________________
6) Fitzpatrick mouthed a silent prayer for the mechwarrior he'd just killed as he wheeled the Crusader around to succor Ann Randd's Jagermech. The Jagermech had apparently found itself a heap of trouble, but the form of the trouble was nowhere to be seen. The lightly armored Jagermech was lying in a crumpled pile with sparking circuitry exposed along the length of its torso. Fitzpatrick's stomach turned and bile rose to his throat as he saw the Jagermech's cockpit. What wasn't blackened and charred was still molten. Coolant gas mixed with combustible fuels roiled noisily to the cockpit's surface. Only prolonged exposure to a high intensity flamer left that kind of ruin.
"Who? And more importantly, Where?" raged through Fitzpatrick's mind. There were 'Mechs everywhere and every one of them could have perpetrated the atrocity. Suddenly one of the Crusader's motion sensors screamed a warning. A Laio Warhammer had skirted the edge of the forest to Fitzpatrick's right and emerged with both PPC's raised. Realization struck him even as the twin azure beams rained down and staggered the Crusader. A very few Laio Warhammers mounted twin flamers instead of the traditional Sperry-Browning machine guns! Fitzpatrick twisted the Crusader's torso hard to the right and kept twisting until the Warhammer came into view under his crosshairs. When his Garret A-6 battle computer signaled a positive lock he triggered twin barrages of LRM's and SRM's even as hot tears of liquefied armor dribbled down the Crusader's devastated right side.
ANSWER to #6:_____________________________________
7) Singh Ghandi, an average mechwarrior, backed his Archer slowly out of the woods while scanning his monitors looking for the House Marik Spider. "Where did that malfing little bug go?" he thought frantically as he continued backing away. Singh was not actually concerned that the Spider might damage his beloved Archer, but he had been the only one close enough to stop the marauding scout 'Mech, so he had been ordered to hunt down the pest and kill it. Suddenly his motion sensor screamed to life as the Spider broke from the woods and charged directly at the startled Lyran pilot.
Singh turned the heavy 'Mech at its best speed, but by the time he could bring the LRM's to bear the Spider had covered 300 meters from the edge of the woods and was now only 90 meters away. Still backpedaling Singh gritted his teeth and triggered both of his Doombud LRM racks at the still closing Spider. He smiled grimly as 28 of the 40 missiles literally blasted the Marik 'Mech to the ground. The Spider jerked twice then suddenly froze, the hallmark of a wrecked gyroscope.
ANSWER to #7:_____________________________________
8) Rick Chan thought less than charitable thoughts about Madame Chancellor Romano Laio. He remembered well how loudly she had boasted the might of the new Cataphracts. She had assured her troops that the Cataphract would have no trouble standing up to assault 'Mechs like the Zeus. Chan had been given his Cataphract by the acting Chancellor herself in compensation for sacrificing the Awesome, that had been in his family for more generations than he had years, to save his unit from Davion aggressors.
The Davion Zeus that Rick eyed from his cockpit at a distance of about 30 meters seemed somewhat less than terrified of the advancing Cataphract. The Zeus had seemed even less terrified 30 seconds ago, when its Starfire LRM's had breached the armor of the Cataphract's right leg and seized the hip. Somehow Rick had managed to limp the Cataphract into the minimum distance of those thrice damned LRM's, and had even managed to severely weaken the Zeus' center torso armor with blast from his PPC and his autocannon. He triggered his autocannon again seconds before the Zeus advanced into physical combat range. "If that's the way he wants it, fine," thought Rick. Just as the Zeus entered optimum range Rick lashed out with the Cataphract's left leg. The blow caught the Zeus' right leg and staggered the larger Davion machine. The Zeus' pilot's desperate attempt to maintain control failed and the Zeus thundered heavily to the ground.
ANSWER to #8:_____________________________________
9) Bart Stevens admired the pilot of the Thunderbolt he was about to destroy. Bart's Marauder had sent blast after blast of PPC fire into the heavy Steiner 'Mech, but it had stubbornly refused to die. The Marauder was not exactly pristine, either. Bart's left PPC blasts were erratic thanks to two damaged myomer bundles, and his torso mounted autocannon simply wasn't there anymore. Still, Bart knew that the last PPC shot had decided the battle. The Thunderbolt's right leg simply could not withstand the fury of the particle projector cannon and had gone spinning off into the distance. Bart immediately advanced, but was stunned to see the Thunderbolt pull itself upright. Not every mechwarrior has that kind of piloting skill. Bart positioned himself on the Thunderbolt's damaged right side, but the heavy 'Mech successfully twisted its torso without spinning to the ground. Now it was Bart's turn to lose a limb as the Thunderbolt's trio of medium lasers sent Bart's battered left arm sailing. The Marauder's left leg swung forth with volition of its own in a perfectly executed kick that struck the Thunderbolt's left leg. The Lyran 'Mech crashed to the ground and the head split open as the command couch rocketed out.
ANSWER to #9:_____________________________________
10) Sean O'Riley winced as the Kuritian Cicada scurried into the dense tangle of woods. Sean pulled up his enforcer and scanned his sensors. No luck. "OK, you little malfer, you asked for it," Sean thought, "I'll burn you out!" He deliberately triggered his torso mounted small laser again and again. Soon a merry blaze was licking at the tangle that the Cicada had vanished into. "It won't be long now," he smugly thought as he carefully backed away from the soon to be raging inferno.
ANSWER to #10:_____________________________________
11) Sean had to stifle a smug smirk as the Cicada hotfooted it out of the woods almost directly in front of him. "Hey snake, where's the fire?" he crowed into his broad-band comm link as he triggered his autocannon and large laser. His patience paid off as laser fire burned away the Cicada's right torso armor and penetrated into the delicate internal structure. Milliseconds later autocannon shells finished what the laser had started. The Cicada's right torso was now completely destroyed, thus rendering the arm and leg useless. The Cicada flailed briefly, but to no avail as it plummeted to the ground. Sean jumped his 'Mech closer for the coup-de-grace.
ANSWER to #11:_____________________________________
12) Jake 'Looney Toon' McGraw paused just long enough to relay the Atlas' coordinates to Susan Fox's Catapult two blocks away. Then he simultaneously triggered every weapon on his 45-ton Phoenix Hawk at the looming monstrosity less than 32 meters away. McGraw had been patiently hiding at one of the two major intersections in what the locals insisted on calling a 'city'. He'd heard 'Mechs approaching, but was afraid that a detailed scan would give away his position, so he waited in ignorance. At point blank range he couldn't miss. His large laser, twin mediums, and dual machine guns all connected. He watched with morbid fascination as the Atlas literally shrugged off every single hit. Jake was badly outclassed and he knew it, but he wasn't called 'Looney Toon' for nothing. He hesitated long enough to make a leud gesture with the Phoenix Hawk's finger actuators before hitting his jump jets. He smirked as the autocannon rounds from the Atlas passed beneath his 'Mech.
ANSWER to #12:_____________________________________
13) Kate Stengall was in dire straights, and she knew it. Her assassin had been caught on a scouting mission behind enemy lines by a recon lance. Now she was simultaneously engaging two Wasps, a Panther, and a Phoenix Hawk in a desperate running battle back towards friendly lines. Kate had radioed for help, and it should arrive any time now. Unfortunately, the enemy lance showed superb tactical coordination, and her Assassin had several holes in its armor. Even now, the Wasps were drawing beads on her. "Think Stengall, think," she admonished herself! "What do they think I'll do next?" She grinned as she contemplated her favorite ploy. The Wasps probably figured she'd jump 210 meters (her maximum) toward friendly lines. The Panther would add its firepower to their efforts. The Phoenix Hawk would trail behind, in case she tried to jump back toward enemy lines. She would jump 210 meters all right, but not toward friendly or enemy lines.
She opened up her jets, but did not hit the steering thrusters. The Assassin leapt 210 meters straight up. The flabbergasted enemy 'Mechs were caught completely off guard. Kate's up-but-not-away maneuver made her just as hard to hit as if she had steered, and had the added benefit of completely throwing off the enemy coordination. Now, if only she could hold out a little longer…
ANSWER to #13:_____________________________________
14) Maximillian Von Stuben grinned in anticipation. It wasn't often that he got to participate in physical combat with his Ostscout. Usually he spent the entire battle running around relaying data to the HQ or spotting for indirect fires. This time was different, however. The battle that raged below was desperate and bloody. No one paid any attention to the lightly armored scout 'Mech that hopped to and fro. Max had jumped onto a small hill and had been scurrying along a twelve meter tall ridge looking for a place to hide when he had seen a Battlemaster about 100 meters away punch an Atlas square in the cranium.
The Atlas had backed 90 meters away from the Battlemaster until it was literally at the Ostscout's feet. The Atlas was busy crippling the Battlemaster with yet another well placed shot to its center torso from the huge Pontiac autocannon. Maybe the Atlas hadn't seen the Ostscout, or maybe he figured he'd trash it after taking care of the Battlemaster. The result, however, was still an Atlas five meters away from the Ostscout. Max howled and brought the 'Mech forward and executed a perfect snap kick. The foot struck the Atlas in the head. Even seasoned warriors stared upward in raw terror as an Atlas' head sailed slowly through the air.
ANSWER to #14:_____________________________________
15) Lisa Harris advanced her Grasshopper to within five meters of the Steiner Orion. They had exchanged weapons fire about three second ago, and now it was time to get down and dirty. The Orion probably didn't want to risk a kick with its damaged leg actuators, but Lisa was under no such restriction. She lashed out with her left leg and felt a satisfying crunch as her foot impacted the Orion's leg. She also flailed out with both fists for good measure. Only the left one found it's mark, but any damage was good damage as far as she was concerned.
ANSWER to #15:_____________________________________
16) Stewart Payne was not amused. His Warhammer was in the midst of Darwinian battle with a Steiner Marauder. Only the strongest would survive this one. Payne had been the strongest so far. His superior short range weaponry had compensated for his lighter armor. The mind numbing heat of salvo after salvo of PPC fire had drawn the two combatants closer and closer until they were within physical combat range. The two leviathans now slugged it out less than ten meters apart. Payne braced himself and fired both medium lasers, both smalls, the SRM rack and laid on the triggers for the Sperry-Browning machine guns as well. The heat in the cockpit actually dropped without the waste heat of the PPC's, but this was ignored when the Marauder crashed to the ground at his feet. Payne had already started the kick and it had too much momentum to stop it now. The prone Marauder was a smaller target, and thus harder to hit. The Warhammer's foot whistled through the air where the erect 'Mech would have been. Overbalanced, the Warhammer fell, nearly striking the still thrashing Marauder.
ANSWER to #16:_____________________________________
17) Stacy Keel raged at her impending death. She had come so close! Her scout lance had been surprised by a pair of heavy enemy 'Mechs approximately 90 seconds ago. Now, almost an eternity later, her Victor was the only member of her lance still functioning. She had rejoiced when the Marik Archer had gone off after Ufsonn, leaving only a Marauder between her and freedom. She had immediately run for the safety for a nearby ridge. But, just before she reached the ridge, one of the Marauder's PPC's hit her in the leg and though it did not penetrate the armor, she went sprawling. The 12-meter tall ridge beckoned from 90 meters away, but it couldn't be reached without running. And, unfortunately for her, it took more than ten seconds to stand and get up to running speed. If only she could stand and run she would make it. She could imagine the sickening smirk on the Marauder pilot's face as he moved into optimum PPC range and raised both arms…
ANSWER to #17:_____________________________________
18) Sven Fjordson couldn't believe his good luck as he nudged the steering thrusters in mid-jump. Sven's Wolverine was in the middle of a 'Death-From-Above' attack on a Ronin Awesome when supporting fire from a friendly Victor sent the Awesome plunging to the ground. The Wolverine landed solidly on the Awesome, but not in the manner Sven had expected. The 'Death-From-Above' tactic was so devastating because it concentrated the attacking 'Mech's weight (and damage) on the enemy's upper body. A lucky attacker could hope to have one of his feet land on the enemy's cockpit. But, because the Awesome was prone, the Wolverine landed on his legs! The Ronin 'Mech took the majority of the damage to its already breached left leg, which snapped off at the knee. Sven smiled to himself at the fact that it would be a little harder for the Awesome pilot to keep cool because two of the big 'Mechs 28 heat sinks were in the trashed leg. He also had miraculously kept the Wolverine from joining the Awesome on terra firma. Meanwhile...
ANSWER to #18:_____________________________________
19) Pete LeBlanc was a good mechwarrior and he had had about all he was gonna take from these two malfers. Knocked prone from an uninvited Victor with way too much firepower for its own good was bad enough, but the true insult was when that Wolverine landed on his left leg snapping it off. The Wolverine pilot moved around to the front of Pete's Awesome. "This guy is about to experience real pain!" thought Pete. Standing was possible, but it would be easier to just lay there as long as the Victor was still a bit off. The Wolverine would get some easy shots, but the Victor would be pressed to get a good hit with his autocannon, he hoped. Pete raised his Awesome doing a push-up on the arm with the battle claw and fired all three of his PPC’s at the irritating Wolverine inside his minimum range. One slammed into the ‘Mech’s right arm while the other two from the Awesome’s chest hammered the Wolverine in the right and left torsos. It rocked him but he kept it up. The Wolverine returned fire peppering the Awesome almost everywhere with some special emphasis on the right arm. That damn Victor, however, put its autocannon to perfect use shredding what was left of the Awesome’s center torso armor and seriously damaging the engine. One more hit on the engine shielding, any hit on the engine shielding, and this fight would be over.
Pete saw what was coming next as the Wolverine’s right foot reared back for a field goal attempt using the Awesome’s cockpit as the football. This would not do at all. Pete swung the arm that wasn't holding him up and smashed the Wolverine squarely in the right leg. The kick from the smaller ‘Mech connected, but on the Awesome’s arm and not in the head. It was still bad, however, the kick canned some of the guts inside of the already torn up arm, and two of the heat sinks there went red on the tell-tale board right next to the two from the missing leg. Damn! This could get rough...
ANSWER to #19:_____________________________________
20) Pete's Awesome had seen better days. These guys were getting real annoying. The ‘Wolverine That Refused To Die’ had taken all three of the Awesome’s big guns and was still functional. Meanwhile, the Victor and it's gruesome autocannon had moved up into cherry firing range about 90 meters away, this was inside Pete's minimum for the PPC's. "He's just not gonna make this easy, is he?" thought Pete. Pete opted to stay down. One more loving caress from the Victor’s big gun nailed the Awesome in the left torso punching its way inside. The PPC stayed ‘green’ on the board, but three of the heat sinks in there were trashed. The Wolverine opened up and chewed armor off of Pete's good arm and right leg. Just then, St. Ben Dover, the patron saint of royaly screwed mechwarriors, smiled on poor Pete. The PPC that still worked in the left torso found the three remaining loads for the SRM-6 under the armor on the left side of Wolverine’s chest and he blew up. Not a huge explosion, mind you, but it was enough. Pete's other two PPC's hit the right torso of the Victor, made armor and internal structure flow molten like cheap red wine, and ripped their way into the bin with all of those pesky autocannon rounds in it. "Bye-bye, Victor!" shouted Pete as he covered his eyes against the blast. It rocked him, but Pete was OK. He punched the ‘override-shutdown’ button to silence the shrill alarm and keep the engine going. He struggled to get the Awesome upright and began to hobble past the two smoking wrecks toward friendlies on his one remaining leg....
ANSWER to #20:_____________________________________
Think you got all the answers? If so, just E-mail me at: col_chuck@hotmail.com Send me your answers an I'll send you back the answer key with your score. I'll also post you and your score on the 'Roster' page.
