ScrapYard Armory

Vega is the second installment of the Dark Age Turning Points series which takes place during the age of the Republic of the Sphere.  Patrick Wynne is returning to action after writing for another Dark Age Turning Points, Liao.  

Chaos Reigns

The opening fiction wastes no time to throw the reader into the very heart of the conflict that dominates the Dark Age.  As the Republic crumbles the manifestations of war are impossible to keep at bay turning former collegues into mortal enemies.

Chaos Reigns is action packed and a brilliant introduction to the PDF and the conflict on Vega.  I can’t wait to delve further into the fray and learn more about the battle and the forces that have thrown this world asunder.

One thing I noticed above all else was the deliberate inclusion of several Dark Age designs that I was first familiar with through the Click-Tech game.  It is nice to see these designs find a home in new BattleTech fiction.

Vega

Included in all Chaos Campaign PDFs is a large and gorgeous atlas of the planet with all pertinate information game masters need to piece together whatever campaign they could want.  This information is not Era specific so even gamers who are not interested in the Dark Age would find it useful.

A small history writeup is accompanied by a mapsheet table and optional Tactical Operations rules dealing with terrain and weather.

The Vega Campaign

A one page summary wraps up the very eventful life of the planet, Vega, in the Dark Age.  The battle for Vega was a three way contest of sorts and saw significant action spread across many years with many different combatants.  It will be interesting to see how the tracks are framed and packaged when there is so much chaos in the timeline.

Overall the section is a good read with just enough information to summarize the military action on the planet.  Think of it as a cheat sheet for the battle that will be fleshed out further in the tracks section.

Random Assignment Tables

I’m very very pleased to see full RAT tables for all three factions (Republic, Combine, and Ghost Bear).  What makes me even happier is to see vehicles and infantry included as well.

Any opportunity the developers take to encourage combined arms games is a welcome addition.  The availability of mixed force compositions can radically change the tracks.  I really enjoy seeing that option encouraged.

As an added era specific bonus there is also an Industrial Mech RAT table snuck onto the next page to add additional options for force selection.  Industrial ‘Mechs are prominently featured in the tracks section so you will be checking this table often if you plan a battle on Vega.

Combatants

It’s a shame to see, but BattleTech PDFs always seem to be referring to page XX over and over again.  A minor grievance really, so back to the review.

Each combatant involved is detailed with stats for experience, RAT table, Commanding Officer name, unit abilities, extra notes, and a full color logo.

The combatants section is splendid with varied and thoughtful unit abilities that are almost all tied to their descriptions and the circumstances of their individual history.  Abilities from A Time of War and Tactical Operations are used but not abused.  The highlights of the section involve neither and are perfectly crafted.  Top honors are split between Amaterasu who are honor bound to never fire upon a crippled opponent and the Vega Republic Standing Guard who suffer a momentary penalty whenever they lose a commander as their chain of command reforms.

At first I thought that the number of combatants seemed short considering the information provided about the Vega campaign.  As it turns out, a number of additional Warlord factions are given force abilities within the tracks themselves.  This interesting twist was a welcome surprise and made the tracks involving said Warlords a little bit more interesting.

Tracks

We have nine tracks to choose from in Vega.  I’ve noticed a slow uptick in the average number of tracks being offered in these PDFs.  I love the tracks most of all and am very happy to see the increase.  To put things into perspective, the very first Turning Points PDF, Luthien had only six tracks.

Vega begins slowly with Dragonet, an attack in force with a few Dark Age tweaks such as the addition of Industrial ‘Mechs.  I’m a bit disappointed that TacOps rules are included as optional bonuses.  In certain instances these make sense but Bracing and Careful Aim don’t tie into the story or offer unique tactical options related to any objective and are better left for the players to add on their own.  Using them as optional bonuses seems like a cop-out.

The next two tracks pick up the pace with very well put together battles.  Power and Chaos has predictable objectives but is saved by the use of killer mechanics within the special rules.  Turncoats will have you guessing who you can trust and make positioning your units in relation to each other a challenge as you attempt to reduce the potential loss from a bad loyalty roll.

Emptiness, Eagles and Snow is a great story and provides a fantastic backdrop for the battle.  The lovers quarrel atop snow covered terrain make up for the run of the mill objectives.  I hardly notice them after reading into the special rules covering the opposing leaders and the avalanche prone terrain.

Not to be outdone, Grudge Match includes a Monorail, pipelines with volatile chemicals and a barren sand blasted flatlands.  The interactive terrain elements is epic and gets my mental gears turing.  Like a good novel or short story, my imagination is drawn into this track.

The tracks continue along these lines.  There is a good mix of objectives along with a few standard bread and butter kill the other guy variety.  Enough of a mix to keep things interesting.  The terrain layout and special rules are dominate features in almost every track and will have your imagination racing.  Optional bonuses fall flat most of time and seem to rely on Tactical Operations rules far too often.  They seem tacked on as an afterthought.

All together, there are several tracks I would really like to try out.  They are not perfect but more than make up for any shortcomings with amazing attention to setting up the battle.  You will see a venerable cornucopia of terrain configurations and force compositions as you read through Vega.

Record Sheets

Wrapping up Vega is an assortment of unique and not so unique record sheets for use in the Campaign.  The Ghost Bear commander and a Vega Warlord each get custom rides, a Pack Hunter and an Atlas respectively.  Three industrial ‘Mechs round out the offering which are not so much unique but required for anyone who does not have the absolute latest record sheets from Catalyst.  Industrial ‘Mechs are included throughout Vega and it seems right to include these as an option for players to get their game on faster.  The mining ‘Mech MOD isn’t half bad if you overlook it’s abismal speed…  Then again if you are on Vega fighting for your life you have to make due with what you have.

The Final Word

Vega is an excellent addition to the Turning Point line and features some great tracks with a lot of imagination put into them.  Maybe it’s the selection of battles to feature but there doesn’t seem to be a dull moment in these pages.

If you are on the fence about the Dark Age, Vega is worth a look.  For the economical price of $5, who could resist?  For less than the price of lunch you can relive  a plethora of battles between the Clans, the Combine, and ruthless Warlords.  Vega is among the best of the Turning Points series and I’m looking forward to more Dark Age PDFs in the future.