Structured Drops: the ground rules

Structure /strək(t)SHər/
verb · construct or arrange according to a plan; give a pattern or organization to.

Intent and preparation

The intent of the Windborne Highlander Structured Drop Night is to practice teamwork, unit coordination and communications. These group rules set a process for ensuring we get in as many drops as possible within our limited time. 

Remember the goal is to get in as much practices as possilbe. Becuase of this, all participants…

…are to have multiple weight class mechs ready (built and skilled).

…if needing to adjust your mech, sit out a drop until your ready.

Structure and precedence

Structure drops fights around the concept of a firing line. The basis of this strategy is to combine the firepower of three Assault Mechs on one adversary at a time at ranges ideally greater than 800 meters. Second is to support the immobility of our assault Mechs with scouting to locate the adversary and provide information back to a drop lead. Strikers provide support through a combination of speed and firepower allowing them to close and hit an adversary hard. Their speed allows them to return to the safety of the firing line when needed.

There are roles for snipers, brawlers, sneaky scouts, and Long-range missile (LRM) devotees. Within the confines of precedence below, work with your teammates to shift Mech weight classes and roles. This helps ensure each of us does not get pigeon-holed into one type of Mech or style of play.

Mechs #1-3 (the firing line)

• Assault MECHs (With no drop lead, one assuault to bring ECM)
• 5+ ER Large Lasers
• 4 ERPPCs
• 2 Gauss Rifles with 2+ ER Large Lasers
• 2 Gauss Rifles with 2 ER PPC
• 6+ AutoCannon 2s
• 4+ AutoCannon 5s
• No LRMs/ATMs

Mechs #4-5 (the scouts)

• Minimum speed 135kph

Mech #6 (the drop lead)

• ECM capable
• No Long-Range Missiles
• A laser to serve as a pointer for directions and setting locations

Mechs #7-8 (strikers)

• Minimum speed 90kph+

MECHs #9-12

• Anything goes

Keeping track of Winbourne wins

Here are some of recent stats from the Windbourne Highlanders. Between 22 December and 26 December the Highlanders ran 46 games and won 29.

63% win rate

In only two matches did our non-Highlander teammates speak out against our long range strategy.  We lost one and dominated the other. 

Building happiness and success through yes

I find Leonard Bernstein's insight amazing...

“I’m no longer quite sure what the question is, but I do know the answer is yes”

With a simple quote he defines a key to happiness, for you and your friends, family, supporters, and colleagues. The goal is to help those around you. Building upon others suggestions is a path to success.

Imaging a sports team, with a star player, who insists all the attention. I've heard examples of teams failing because there was dissent in the locker room. You've probably observed it first hand. We all have had difficulty working with people. The question is how to build upon their ideas. Doing it gains buy-in and allows others to  contribute. 

We all have opportunity to lead. There's a Military adage about leading, following, or getting out of the way. This is self centered. It's a leader demanding accountability. True leaders do all three...

“Lead and follow and get out of the way”

Dropping with the Davion 4th Cavalry Division

Last night was amazing. The Windbourne Highlanders (WBH) were dropping using the NGNG Teamspeak server and Green Spoon from the Davion 4th Cavalry Division (4CAV) joined. Spoon started the conversation...

"Hey Windbourne Highlanders, we've dropped with you a couple times and like what your doing." 

"We like your tactics and wonder if you want to train with us."

What an honor. I can think of few better than someone our unit having no relationship with asking if we want to work together to make both our units stronger. What followed was awesome. Sitting on private server, we have dropped 8 times against them and others. WBH showed our strength, winning 6 of the 8 drops. 

Our tactics are working and others are noticing!

Uncertainty brings strength; certainty is arragonce

I have seen the state of warfare in the Inner Sphere. Some call it deathballing. Some believe it is the way to win. I see this as arrogance. I see another path and don't know if it will work. That is part challenge and where all the fun is..

Prior to entering battle planning is everything. Without a plan you can't change the plan. Windbourne Highlanders are trying a new tactic. We call it fighting with The Line. Like the battleships of old, we use assaults as the anchors of our unit. It's bringing old earth-based tactics to the Inner Sphere.  

Using Three 100 ton assault mechs, we create a formation called The Line. It is our simplest formation. Why do this? Projecting firepower outside the range of close range weapons, nuff said! 

Assault Mechs are not mobile. Leveraging their firepower and armor shuts down lanes of advance for the enemy. Hitting a mech poking over a hill with 6 Gauss rifles is a work of art, like Michelangelo's painting on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. Unlike Da Vinci's work, I want to our masterpiece being the repetitive destruction of our enemy in long range coordinated fire. We will force the enemy to fight were we want them.

“Force enemy mechs to move or die”

— Unknown

What is The Line? It's a formation where three assault mechs stand shoulder to shoulder. We call the center mech the 0 (zero). The 1 (one) position is to center's left and the 2 (two) position is to their right. Stacking them close together ensures they can see the same targets and combine fire. We trust the 0 to call targets. They can reassign as they see best.

Future posts will cover protecting The Line and scouting.  

“Line, Zero, fire on the red Mauler, 1000 meters, bearing two-three-zero”

— Tooth20 (HPG Manifold, 3049)

Building the Line

How dare these Clanners disgrace our ancestors in using the name Clan. We are the Clans, borne from the Highlands. They lack our history, our honor, and we grant them no respect. Structured drops and formations are a our formalized Mechwarrior tactics . It is how we will defeat these Clan impostors and anyone else who brings disrespect to us. It is here that we practice coordinated maneuvers and team work. Without cohesion we cannot succeed. Everyone who enters a structured drop needs to adhere to this plan. 

This will take time to get right. Each of us will have a learning experiences and failures as we work through this. Because of this, we are abandoning the mindset that each map only has a few ideal spots to fight. Our goal is to use terrain and tactics to our advantage anyplace we drop. 

The basic of this is a three (3) mech formation called the Line. It is our anchor.

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“Let them bring knives. We brought Gauss rifles.”

— Tlords