Pick a Target Discussion (D1 EE Event Headquarters and Briefing Room)

[Ezmeralda]

"Yeah, I suppose we do have a few walking ammo depots in the trooper company. Still seems like a mediocre payday," she tsked, "I just hope someone doesn't eat our lunch after we do all the prep work."

[GM Yuusha]

"If we just followed contract terms and didn't pursue a battle or two in our favour, and no salvage, we'd be out of business." Steffen points out with a shrug. "That's the difference between following orders in a House military and making a living as a mercenary." He hoped that would be to Yori's benefit.

[Yori Hakamada]

Yori nods and starts typing away on her commpad.
"Understood. After we cripple enemy communications I will refine my strategy to focus more on looting."

[John Slaktare]

Butcher just sits and listens to everyone passing around opinions. He wasn't good at any of this stuff, spotting opportunity or calculating risk. The chief tech suggesting his own team's warriors were cowards was... a different strategy to convince people.

[Mary Macharu]

Mary felt a brief flicker of amusement at Yori's words to Steffan. Clearly she needed some truly gaudy and eye-catching marketing for her new strategic plans. 'BIG PAYOUT! LOTS OF SALVAGE! NO RISK!'.

Then some very fine print more grounded in reality.

"they're all good targets, so long as we win. knock out their communication, steal their research, kidnap the commander's cat, a win weakens the enemy no matter how much or how little. so long as we win." Mary offered quietly.

Mary was a little concerned that some of those involved might not be fully committed to the fight if they didn't see a big enough paycheck in it for them

[Aleksandr Korolov]

"No one's saying we don't go for the big payday and big salvage. Just looking at things that soften up those bigger targets." He shrugged

"At the end of the day I have my preference but I'll go after whatever target the Major points at."

[Ezmeralda]

"We aren't the ones setting the duration of the engagement; FedCom is. If we are unlucky they'll break the main force and wrap the war early and we'll have risked our butts on the cheap."

[Catherine Maia Hayes]

"The maintenance site may even have some fully repaired Battlemechs waiting for transport just ready for the taking. We all know how these places work." Catherine responds to Kaala with a shrug.

She shoots the Chief mechtech a quick grin, when he goes off on quite the rant.

"I just hope someone doesn't eat our lunch after we do all the prep work."

"Agreed. Let's hope that does not happen, Ez."

[GM Yuusha]

"Salvage, lieutenant. Salvage. Looting is for bandits."

"We all want a win, but a win for a mercenary is also C-Bills in your pocket."

As Steffen said this anyone watching Kurt would notice him close his eyes and take a deep breath. It had to be difficult being the liaison officer to a bunch of money hungry mercenaries. Would they get the job done?

[Lakshmi Kaala]

Lakshmi nods in agreement as she taps the back of her chair. She was glad her company were of a like mind.

[Yori Hakamada]

Snip

Yori raises an eyebrow, clearly not following at all but she nods and writes down 'Synonyms? Important!' and then underlines it a few times.

[Mary Macharu]

Mary was definitely developing a loathing for Brownbeard. He reminded her far too much of her father. She wondered how much he would crave those sweet sweet c-bills when it was his bacon getting burned.

But it was clear he was the type that wouldn't be satisfied unless he got the last word...and that cost her nothing. So she looked around to see how the cookie distribution was doing.

[Charlie Schroeder]

"How do you think? I'm old! I read the tech journals. Nothing better to do with my damn time. All the tech companies, big and small, release updates to shareholders and some to the public. Budai made a big press release less than a year back about a joint venture with Blackwell. On what you ask?" He tapped his ear. "Something they're calling a Grizzard model gauss rifle. Now, they've only got a weapons research site on one planet. This one. Combine that with the secluded location up in the hills. It's a no brainer."

The old man got up and gestured animatedly at the mechwarriors.

"And they want to go for a damn comms site as if they're actually fighting someone worth a damn. You're only outnumbered by amateurs!"

Huffing, he sat back down and crossed his arms. "Raider company are the only ones with any balls and they're all women! The heck's up with that? In my day you'd just mention a single gauss rifle and every mechwarrior in ear shot would be fighting to the death over the damn thing. Youth of today!"

Not reading shareholder updates was one of the advantages of becoming a mercenary. "I see." He began mulling over the possibilities. "It would certainly be a benefit to attack it first. It would be the most valuable place and guarantee reinforcements once the enemy knows they are here."

[GM Yuusha]

"If they don't call in a big ass convoy to transfer everything to their main barracks and lock the damn place down. That's what I'd do."

[John Slaktare]

"That puts the equipment in more danger. Convoy's a soft target. Better to harden their current locations," Butcher chimes in.

[GM Yuusha]

Kenna sat up and moved to look Butcher's way. He squints at the Sergeant. Didn't recognise him. "Turtling up doesn't work son. Artillery sees to that. If anything, you harden those defences and you make yourself a bigger target. Folks start wondering what stuff you're protecting or trying to hide. Is it worth taking? How many bad guys can you take out with one stone? No sir, better to skedaddle as fast as you can. Besides, if you can't protect some trucks with mechs and tanks then you're damn well sure not protecting real big targets like research buildings. That's why most mechs, even doing most of the fighting, survived the Wars and the majority of factories producing them did not. They did not."

[Charlie Schroeder]

"Plus, a convoy is a big target and easier to set up an ambush. The enemy will be ready and know it is the target." Charlie shrugs. "Even success will likely see some of the convoy escaping or being destroyed during the fighting."

[Richard Winter]

...

"What's your opinion boss?" he asked the leader personally

[Eric Voelker]

Eric scratched his chin as he lets out a long thinking sound.

"Honestly, I'd go for Myron first. We need to send a clear signal we're here to start pulling Militia attention to us rather than reinforcing the mainland. Sure. However, we've been in space for a long time and we've changed up assignments since Kelenford. New joiners like yourself too Lieutenant Winter. So, starting with one of the tougher targets is perhaps being overconfident. Something more vulnerable, lighter guarded, is going to let people get some real combat experience working together outside the simulators without exposing us to too much risk. We can adjust from there, although I expect we'd take a maintenance and repair site easily enough."

"The secondary consideration is salvage. It's going to have easier salvage in all likelihood. Mechs and vehicles without pilots and crews, since they're undergoing work. That means quick turnaround for our mechtechs."


"Damn right!"

Eric clears his throat and continues. "More importantly, we strengthen ourselves while weakening the enemy. If there are unattended mechs there then we'll get them new pilots. That could make later engagements easier." He nods a few times, going over his answer in his head and confirming those were all his thoughts. "Ja, das ist richtig." He catches Richard's eye and speaks louder. "Yes, that's everything from me. I hoped to hear more opinions however. So far I'm hearing the Comms relay outpost and the weapons research site." Eric then caught Kurt's look. "And the Garrison of course. Anyway, they're all valid targets. I'm not personally for the town, but we've included it as there is a tiny Militia garrison there."

[Alison Rodríguez]

Alison listened and nodded, finishing a mouthful of cookie before speaking.

"All 3 seem good choices. Communications would allow us to better prepare for what is waiting further afield and allow us to listen in on what is happening on the mainland. We can track when they are sending people back and intercept those targets, forcing them to send more back."

A pause, before she added "depending how quickly we take the comms and the state its left in we could even use it to request reinforcements on their behalf and bait them into a trap no?"