Casting Shadows

This Saturday Seed presents an idea for A Time of War, pitting units against adversity and an unknown prize.

The seed
Two small units, cut off from their own forces, and pitted against each other in a game of attrition and endurance on a barren rock only of value on a strategic map, find themselves given something real to fight for, while unknown menaces lurk all around them.

Planting the seed
This seed is ideal for a single session or a short run of sessions, but could just as easily form the backbone of restarting a campaign. Characters should be mech jocks or motorized infantry. Unit designation ranging from scout to assault is only of importance in shaping the tactics your group might enjoy in a limited series, or the assets that will be at risk in a longer campaign. Players may come as a group from one of three factions.

The details

After a period of intense fighting, ground units have been cut off from their dropships and any off-world contact. Supplies and materiel have gotten low. The time for a desperate push against the enemy, or a complete change of approach has come.

Intel indicates that the opposition is in similar straits, but there are strong indications that they have an ace up their sleeve they have been holding on to just in case they are hit hard.

The world is a small rock with the possibility of offering up some heavy metals and useful minerals some day, but other than truly spectacular sunsets, has not much else to offer. Mostly barren, flora, fauna, and fresh water are all in short supply and generally not worth the effort of obtaining.

Into this situation a dropship falls. Literally.

Far enough away to draw either side or both well out into the open and out into terrain not yet used for a pointless skirmish, a dropship, unidentified and carrying no one knows what, has crashed.

Did the crew survive? Can the ship be salvaged? Is it the way off this rock and home?

What is going on

Neither side can afford to let the other claim the dropship. What neither knows is that there is a third group involved and this ship is theirs. Pirates, who have been trying to lie low and let the units wipe each other out, now know that things have taken a very ugly turn. They cannot afford to lose their ship any more than the warring forces can afford to give it up as a prize.

Will the enemies ally against the sudden and secretive sabotage and stealth attacks of the pirates? Will one group destroy the prize to spite the others? Will deals be struck?

Enjoy~