Starring: Drexel Warsaw (PJ)

'Texas' Jack Vermillion (Sukh)

Arthur Agincourt Tet Offensive Van Der Bread (Rod)

Mr L (Graham)

Co-starring: Olaf Flange (Rich)

Ferdinand of Altringham (Kell)

Yakasuki Yomat (PhilM)

It is November 3060, the Clans have been defeated and it's time to concentrate on the re-born Star League.

Olaf, Ferdinand, Yakasuki & Mr L are currently members of the Black Omen Mercenary Unit. The current contract places them on Novaya Zemlya (Federated Suns).

Warsaw, Texas & Van Der Bread are working for the Pharmaceuticals Company Glaxo. They are escorting a shipment of drugs to Novaya Zemlya. The shipment is to be delivered to Captain Kirkland of the Federated Suns Combat Training Centre (CTC) on Novaya Zemlya. Being frustrated Mechwarriors; they are looking for any opportunity to get that good break.

A training exercise has recently finished and Lance Leader Altringham is being de-briefed by the Company Commander, Captain Richard Smith….

With that, Ferdinand storms out of the office. Warsaw was walking past the office, but could not hear what was being 'discussed'. They nearly bump into each other and stare at each other.

Meanwhile, Texas & Van Der Bread are taking in the delights of the city centre when they see a rather interesting poster. It was advertising an Open Day for GM (General Motors) Corporation. The poster stated that some of GM's 'new' mechs would be putting on a firepower demonstration. It also had the statement 'Ever thought you could beat the best of the best? Try your hand at piloting the latest metal warriors of the battlefield.'

Texas & Van Der Bread think about it for a minute and agree, it might be a laugh.

That evening Texas, Van Der Bread & Warsaw meet up in the pub (The Beagle & Narc). Texas about the poster they saw in town, and Warsaw also agrees to go along. Just then A group of people enter and Warsaw recognises Ferdinand Altringham as one of them. Warsaw calls them over and introduces everyone. Yomat spots someone at the bar and goes over to talk to her.

They all start chatting away about various things including mechs, mercenaries and drugs. Did someone mention drugs?

Altringham asks ‘Does anyone know where I might be able to get some morphine from?’

The others are somewhat surprised by this request (except for Olaf & Mr L), and after the initial shock of the question Texas replies ‘Urr, now you mention it I think we recently delivered some to the medical centre of the Novaya Zemlya CTC. Captain Kirkland should be able to let you have some’

‘Thanks for that, I’ll see him tomorrow’ Altringham says.

After a while of friendly banter and drinking Mr L noticed that a lone man at the bar was keeping them under surveillance. This is passed around the others and they decide to leave and see what happens…

Scene: Cut to the outside of the Beagle & Narc, it’s about 10pm on a quite weeknight. There is not much traffic around and the party members are walking back to their hotel.

The guy in the bar is seen to be following so they go down a side street. They are confronted by two ‘thugs’ armed with a shotgun and a Mydron SMG. A firefight ensues and the thugs are joined to two others from further down the street, both are armed with rifles. There are plenty of shots but not much damage. Gradually the group get the better of the thugs near by; Texas uses his martial arts on one and takes him out, eventually.

Police sirens can be heard in the distance, and just it looked like the fighting was finishing and everyone was going to escape without serious injury, Mr L took a nasty shot to the abdomen. He went down like a sack of potatoes. One of the thugs escaped, but the others were either killed outright or knocked unconscious.

Unfortunately the group didn’t get away before the authorities arrived and they were taken away for questioning, except Mr L who was taken to the City Hospital.

They were all questioned for several hours and then held in custody overnight. Nobody knew why they were attacked, strange that!

Morning broke and the police hospitality was up to its usual high standard, slop for breakfast. The group were released mid morning;

On the way back to the hotel Yomat explains who Major Geraldine Tolly is. She is a Battalion commander in the Narhals Raiders Mercenary Regiment. The guy Yomat was speaking to in the bar the previous night was Captain Ishiori Tagaki, a captain in Tolly Battalion. Yomat explained to him that they were looking for work and did he know anyone they could approach.

Stunned, and delighted, by this news the group discuss what to do next and realise that Mr L is still in Hospital. They visit him and find he is recovering well. They will discharge him tomorrow.

So a quiet day is had by all while they wait for Mr L to recover. Well, almost all. Texas, Warsaw & Van Der Bread go along to the GM Open day and try their hands at Mech piloting.

The set-up was quite simple; go head to head against some of the GM Test Pilots and see how long you can last. Simple.

Van Der Bread was piloting a Nightstar, Texas & Warsaw were piloting a Maelstrom each. The opposition were a Nightstar, Maelstrom & Cestus. The combat started and was bloody from the outset. Van Der Bread lined up the opposing Nightstar and unleashed a devastating barrage of fire. When the smoke cleared, only the legs were left. Texas & Warsaw dispatched their opposition as well with minimal damage to themselves. Normally, they would be allowed to have another run, but a ‘request’ was made by an unnamed source. So..

The new opposition consisted of two Maelstroms and a Marauder. Again, the fighting started in a searing exchange of fire. Texas missed his target initially; Warsaw & Van Der Bread to light damage early on. As the fight continues Van Der Bread takes heavy damage, but Warsaw improves the odds – A carefully aimed shot disembowels one of the opposing Maelstroms. The end was in sight, the GM opposition are wasted again.

Immediately after the demo Texas, Warsaw & Van Der Bread are approached by Major Tolly.

Tolly: ‘Pretty impressive work out there’

Warsaw: ‘Thankyou Major’

The group arrive at the training centre and are greeted by Major Tolly. They are immediately taken to the briefing room and told the mission:

The attackers (the group) are to perform a combat drop into the area and clear it of all opposition. Once cleared the area will be used as a base of operations for further missions. The defending forces consist of a Combined Forces Company. The terrain is relatively open with a few hills and woods. Visibility is good. All weapons have been re-configured for training purposes. Therefore, all damage will be simulated except for physical damage.

The Defending Forces are:

Command Lance: Shadow Hawk SHD-2D2

Wolverine WVR-7K

Vindicator VND-3L

Wolverine WVR-7M

Vehicle Lance A: Vedette Medium Tank

Vedette (3058) Medium Tank

Po Heavy Tank

Scorpion Light Tank

Vehicle Lance B: Brutus Heavy Tank

Po Heavy Tank

Goblin Medium Tank

Myrmidon Medium Tank

Vehicle Lance C: LRM Carrier

Pike Support Tank

Partisan (3058) AA Tank

Schrek PPC Carrier

The Attacking Forces:

Wraith TR-1 (Yakasuki Yomat)

The Battle:

The initial drop into the battle area was uneventful, except that Warsaw was off target and landed considerably closer to the enemy positions than planned. The defenders Mechs advanced to take on the attackers, but the vehicles remained out of sight. Shots were exchanged between the mechs. The defenders rotated positions to minimise damage on them. Mr L used his speed to its best and went on a foray into the enemies’ rear. Damage was been spread around evenly and thinly on both sides. The attackers started to advance on the right flank (Olaf & Van Der Bread) and centre (Warsaw, Yomat & Texas).

At this the defending vehicles moved into firing positions but didn’t do much damage initially. The advance continued and the opposing mechs were now hitting at short/medium range, but still no significant damage was being done.

The defenders Vehicle Lance C managed to find the range on Yomat, Olaf & Van Der Bread. The attackers returned fire and managed to take out the LRM Carrier early. However, before the Schrek PPC Carrier was taken out it scored a direct hit on Olaf’s Wyvern with all three PPC’s. The resulting barrage hit the Right Arm, Right Leg and the Head. Damage sustained earlier in the fight meant that the Wyvern’s Head was completely destroyed.

1-0 to the bad guys.

The shock of seeing one of their comrade’s go down seemed to make the groups assault more determined. Shot after shot began hitting the defending units and the end result was never in doubt.

After about 8 minutes of combat, the fight was over. The defenders surrendered the battlefield. The losses were:

Attackers:

Destroyed - Wyvern

Crippled - Wraith, Wolfhound

Heavily Damaged - Apollo, Jenner, Orion

Moderately Damaged - Enforcer

Defenders:

Destroyed - Vedette (3058), Scorpion, Schrek, LRM Carrier

Crippled - Brutus, Shadow Hawk, Wolverine (K), Wolverine (M)

Heavily Damaged - Vindicator, Vedette

Lightly Damaged - Partisan (3058), Po

Undamaged - The rest.

As a result of the good show of tactics and beating a superior foe, you are all hired. Somehow, your group was christened (By Rod) as the Black Omo’s.