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View Full Version : DM Help Mek Merc Campaign



Blackhawk748
2015-12-04, 10:05 PM
I will be utilizing a tweaked version of the Armageddon 2089 setting. America declared Irag and Afghanistan territories instead of glassing most of the Middle East, though on average the US is far more willing to resort to violence. Other than this its the same, the US and the European Federation are going at it around the world in proxy wars while Russian and the Tiger Combine look on and wait for a good time to sucker punch someone.

Enter the PCs.

The PCs will be working for Askari Gullet a Somalian Warlord who despises the interference of the US and the EF in Africa. His dream is to forge a United Africa and to have it stand on the world stage as a superpower. This is where the PCs come in. Askari regularly hires Mek Jockeys to fight for him, as he finds that War Meks tend to lower the number of casualties as his opponents are more likely to surrender. While Askari has the UAL Warmek core, it is a horrendously under tech'ed group of mechs, most of which are early line models. This is where the PCs come in, while not piloting the best units, the PCs are definitely higher tech than just about anything in Africa and so will be sent on some of the worst missions.

Askari is a legitimately nice guy, he would much prefer to win over people with diplomacy rather then have to shoot his way to a United Africa, but he knows he will have to fight. The two big contenders in Africa are: South Africa, backed by the EF, and Nigeria backed by the US. Askari leads the third faction, the United African League. The PCs will probably start out by fighting insurgents in the Somalian borderlands and eventually move into Ethiopia or Kenya.

So what do i need? Help with missions and just general ideas. Ive never ran a Near Future campaign like this before and the kind of political shenanigans possible are new to me.

Kane0
2015-12-05, 08:02 AM
If you aren't familiar with battletech, it may give you some good stuff to go on. Just find and replace faction and location names with those more appropriate for your setting (its easy since each faction has a somewhat clear origin point, eg the Draconis combine being generally Asian or Japanese-ish).

Jonagel
2015-12-09, 02:28 PM
Some random ideas:

1) Leaving hints as to US or EF interference or backing when they confront insurgents. It sounds like there is probably a covert war happening already, or at least it's about to start if this is Somalia's idea.

2) If you want to involve higher tech, or other parties/interests, add in East Asia on some level (China or otherwise, China invests more in the continent then any other country right now). That said, missions could include targeting mines or refineries owned/backed by foreign companies. Something where it is obviously not helping the locals, and the company leading it is bad/abusive/etc. Think DeBeers Diamond company in most of Africa...they own everything and do as they please, and find ways to buy or shut down any new diamond veins discovered. This could also lead to fights with other Merc groups stationed as security, and open up the possible enemy list to whatever you want.

3) Raiding a supply depot, or destroying one.

4) Evacuating people. If diplomacy is the way, they probably want to save any important political figures if something came up. Say a coup starts in Mozambique, emergency mission to drop in and ensure the democratically elected leader is secured...bonus points if they put down the military coup leader. You can flesh out whether this is a foreign influence coup, or if maybe the elected leader is actually a terrible guy. Do the Mercs stay with the money and their boss, or "do the right thing" for Mozambique

5) Democratic Republic of Congo could be a cluster ****...constant civil war and more natural resources that impact technology then most any other country (that's now, so I suspect it'll be much the same in 75 years). Maybe even have them pick a faction to back, to bring stability to the country, and so it can work with Somalia and African League...certain perks depending on who is backed, certain backlash later on as well.

6) Eventually, being offered a better Merc contract by whoever they are beating up. Raises questions on loyalty to contracts though, not something a Merc group wants to be known for I suspect.

7) Being sent on missions disguised as some other faction, country, warband, etc. Keeping up a rouse can be fun & difficult, and morally worrisome depending on what it is they're tasked with doing. (Think Japan bombing a Chinese train in the 1930's and using that as part of their excuse as to why they must step in to keep China secure).

Hope some of these spark some ideas!

Blackhawk748
2015-12-10, 04:34 PM
These do, and hilariously the Congo is a giant cluster frig. Like worse than currently. Its a battlefield for 3 or 4 factions and none of them are natives. Meanwhile the natives are trying to blow up everyone that isnt them.