When dealing with larger groups of armored units, it pays for a commander to group them into operational divisions to better provide fluidity of action during combat. Utilizing a loosely ordered group as military units will generate irregular troops, at best. Even with strictly disciplined soldiers, getting units into place and actions timed correctly takes a lot of practice, so it helps to define the order of action for each set of units ahead of time.
In addition to their weight class, both individual battlemechs and their lances will be assigned a role to fulfill during the battle. The company composition your commander has chosen will dictate the range of lances available, and all pilots will be assigned to one of these lances. The lance assignment will delineate what 'mech roles are required for that composition and the general tactics the unit will employ during combat, as well as where the lance is placed in the company formation. This article updates Gatekeepers Battalion Role terminology to reflect the current set of 'mechs we are utilizing.
Note that Lance Roles closely mirror Battlemech Roles, but there are some major differences. Not all Battlemech Roles directly correlate to a Lance Role. The information that follows is a general overview of what our Tactical Revision leaves us with, provided here for ease of reference as we move forward. Specific Technical Guidelines for Battlemech Roles will be covered in Intramecha Tactica, and a closer look at Lance (and Company) Compositions will be covered in Exomecha Tactica.
Battlemech Roles
Battle Line
Heavy or Assault battlemech that is equipped with both long and short range weapons to engage the enemy at any range. These 'mechs need maximum or near maximum armor to take damage the significant punishment that will no doubt head their way, but speed is still a factor - Battle Line 'mechs need to move at least 60km. Battle Line pilots, more than any other role, need to be skilled and disciplined, as these represent a significant portion of the company's drop capacity.
Close Support
A role given exclusively to Medium chassis, the Close Support 'mech carries an impressive amount of firepower for short range engagements. This role is limited to Medium weight class for several reasons, notably because our heavier 'mechs should have a longer engagement range. Close Supports can be added to certain lance compositions to act as escort for an Assault, but will normally be stationed in the Exploitation Echelon.
Hunter-Killer
Medium or Heavy battlemech armed and armored appropriately to destroy chassis one weight class lower effectively. Mediums should focus on speed and weapons that have either a high rate of fire or an larger area of effect for tracking lights. Heavies need armor and an assortment of weapons that can generate good damage without the weapon or its' ammunition being destroyed.
Direct Fire
Medium or Heavy battlemech focused on providing long range fire support from the Exploitation Echelon. The Gauss Rifle is the premiere long-range Direct Fire armament, but other non-missile weapons with a range of at least 450m can fit the role quite well. Direct Fire 'mechs can worry less about armor and speed and focus on weapon loadout and ammunition.
Missile Artillery
Heavy or Assault battlemech that mounts long-range missiles as the primary armament. The number of missiles launched should be at least 20 total with all combined systems. Sustained fire is required, so ammunition is a strong factor in configuration.
Interceptor
Light chassis battlemech that focuses on direct engagement with the enemy. Often used to deter enemy Lights from disrupting our formations, Interceptor 'mechs will almost always be assigned to the Exploitation Echenlon and will be required to move around the map on command. To that end, Interceptors need to move at least 120km to utilize their best defense (their speed) to its fullest.
Lance Roles
Battle Line
Consisting of a majority of Battle Line 'mechs, the Battle Line is the point of the Capellan sword. As the Attack Echelon's main unit, this lance will engage the enemy at all ranges. The Battle Line will pin down and demand the attention of enemy units until the Exploitation Echelon is in position, at which point it will continue to press the march against the enemy.
Engagement
A lance that has no majority 'mech role, resulting in mixed weights or is composed mostly of Interceptor, Close Support or Hunter-Killer 'mechs is an Engagement Lance. This is the default lance a 4-man lance will most often generate if left to their own devices. Careful configuration of the lance is required.
Missile Artillery
Just as the name implies, a Missile Artillery Lance is composed in the main of Missile Artillery Units. Though they can be very powerful, these lances need the support of the rest of the company to operate to their fullest capability. A nearby Engagement or Direct Fire Lance can provide protection from enemies, especially lights. More importantly, these units may carry NARC or TAG or similar equipment to help with targeting.
Direct Fire
Always a part of the Exploitation Echelon, a Direct Fire Lance will seek to bring down the enemy from behind the Attack Echelon's main push. This lance hangs right behind the push and attacks targets bearing down on the Attack Echelon, but who are outside the Battle Line's fire solutions (such as in elevated positions). When manned by expert gunners, a Direct Fire Lance can inflict serious punishment on the preoccupied enemy. In so doing, they preserve the operational integrity of the Attack Echelon's Battle Line - allowing for more kill shots!
Putting It All Together
Currently, there are six (6) Battlemech Roles utilized by Gatekeeper Battalion. There are four (4) Lance Roles utilized by Gatekeeper Battalion. These roles are inspired by, but not directly analogous to counterparts in tabletop Battletech. Instead, these represent real-world, modern armor operations doctrine blended lightly with that unmistakable House Liao flavor.
Some more terminology has changed for the Tactical Revision. The doctrine pattern presented here will be used henceforth by Gatekeepers Battalion until further notice. We have removed a number of the more specialized roles that came from Battletech, and merged others to get something we can use more ubiquitously. What is presented here is a brief overview to state these designations and focus on our most common builds prior to introducing the more complex strategies.
Since we already have these builds and roles in place, this is essentially a trimming of the useless material and redesignation of some of the rest for ease of reference, learning and practicality. Good Hunting, Gatekeepers! None Shall Pass!
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