Author Topic: Chicagoland June Game (Formarly May)  (Read 2060 times)

Wolf Reaper

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Chicagoland June Game (Formarly May)
« on: 18 May 2017, 10:06:37 »
The game will be Sunday, June 4th. It was originally scheduled for Memorial Day weekend, but last minute conflicts forced me to change the date.

The game is at Games Plus.
(Start time approx. 11:00)
101 W. Prospect Ave.
Mt. Prospect, IL 60056
Phone: 847-577-9656
http://games-plus.com/

I am not going to formally give the factions involved in this fight. I will simply say that this will include one or more clans, but no clan mechs.

All sheets, minis, and terrain will be provided. Simply bring your favorite writing utensil and any dice you find favor with.  :)
« Last Edit: 18 May 2017, 13:24:11 by Wolf Reaper »
Star Colonel Vladik Ward
318th Wolf Striker Cluster
"The Blood Pack"


Sic Vis Pacem Parabellum  -"Those who seek peace, prepare for war."
"Grant me stillness and serenity as my enemies pound and howl." -Incantation against bombardment

Hoover28

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Re: Chicagoland May Game (Formarly April)
« Reply #1 on: 18 May 2017, 13:02:23 »
Hi Wolf Reaper.  Hoping to make this one but the date should be June 4 correct?  Hope to see you all there.

Wolf Reaper

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Re: Chicagoland May Game (Formarly April)
« Reply #2 on: 18 May 2017, 13:24:35 »
Hi Wolf Reaper.  Hoping to make this one but the date should be June 4 correct?  Hope to see you all there.

I fixed it. Thank you for catching my sleepy posting. :)
Star Colonel Vladik Ward
318th Wolf Striker Cluster
"The Blood Pack"


Sic Vis Pacem Parabellum  -"Those who seek peace, prepare for war."
"Grant me stillness and serenity as my enemies pound and howl." -Incantation against bombardment

lordgoober

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Re: Chicagoland June Game (Formarly May)
« Reply #3 on: 19 May 2017, 20:30:48 »
I should be good for this one.  My boss doesn't put me on Sundays very often anymore.

slothagent

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Re: Chicagoland June Game (Formarly May)
« Reply #4 on: 27 May 2017, 07:45:00 »
I plan to be there. Thanks for organizing!

Dark_Falcon

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Re: Chicagoland June Game (Formarly May)
« Reply #5 on: 28 May 2017, 19:31:13 »
I plan to be there. Thanks for organizing!

As will I.  Sundays aren't work days for me, so I won't get pulled away as I did in April.
To the utmost!

Tkaz84

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Re: Chicagoland June Game (Formarly May)
« Reply #6 on: 03 June 2017, 15:03:34 »
I'll try to make it!

Pjx

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Re: Chicagoland June Game (Formarly May)
« Reply #7 on: 03 June 2017, 15:41:23 »
I am planning to attend.

Wolf Reaper

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Re: Chicagoland June Game (Formarly May)
« Reply #8 on: 03 June 2017, 21:46:51 »
Looking forward to tomorrow. Wanted to give a few more game details.

This will be on the map master city map.

This is a mechs only game. Sorry for that, but tanks would be harder given the factions involved.

The standard chicago rules will be in effect.

See everyone tomorrow who can make.

Thank you.
Star Colonel Vladik Ward
318th Wolf Striker Cluster
"The Blood Pack"


Sic Vis Pacem Parabellum  -"Those who seek peace, prepare for war."
"Grant me stillness and serenity as my enemies pound and howl." -Incantation against bombardment

Pjx

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Re: Chicagoland June Game (Formarly May)
« Reply #9 on: 04 June 2017, 11:14:08 »
On the way running late sry.

Hoover28

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Re: Chicagoland June Game (Formarly May)
« Reply #10 on: 16 June 2017, 18:23:03 »
I have been meaning to post up an AAR as this was a very very well played game and a well designed scenario.  I believe everyone had a very good time and it was pretty intense.  One of the very few games we have actually played all the way to the end rather than making 5-6 turns and running out of time.  Another unusual item was the first kill wasn't scored until mid afternoon.  Of the 30 battlemechs involved only 5 were destroyed in over 8 hours of play.

I know Wolfreaper had plans to post up a full AAR with pictures and everything and I can only assume he has been busy as well.  So at the risk of stealing some thunder and my usual excessive wordiness, I wanted to let folks know what they missed.

Set post nuking of Dehra Dun and Trial of Annihilation, October/early November 2823, A medium trinary of clan Wolverine Battlemechs assault a city defended by a heavy Trinary of Battlemechs from Clan Widowmaker.  Each side had several objectives. 

The Wolverines mission was three fold.  To avenge the death of SaKahn Dwight Robertson by killing the 2 Widowmaker Mechwarriors who piloted the King Crabs in the Trial of Refusal.  To destroy the ground based communication/radar/aerospace control facility within the city to allow Wolverine civilian ships to escape unmolested.  To minimize their own material losses to allow Clan Wolverine to fight on.

Clan Widowmaker also had three primary objectives.  To destroy as many of Clan Wolverine's mechs as possible.  At the same time obtaining examples of new Wolverine mech designs and weapons.  All while minimizing damage to the city.

The battlefield was Map Master's 4x6 Capitol City map arranged so the Wolverines enter from the south east short edge (Washington Monument side) and the Widowmaker Trinary deployed 1/5th of the way in from the north east short edge.  Terrain is dense city with buildings as high as level 12 along the south and west half of the map.  Several boulevards provide long sight lines breaking up the big buildings and a few alleyways of trees and rough allow ground bound mechs to make their way through the city in a less direct fashion.  The middle third of the map is a wide open plaza flanked by lower (3-5 level) buildings with some light woods and some sublevel 1 ditches providing meager cover.  The remaining northern and eastern sector of the city is lower buildings (3-5 levels) and some more sublevel 1's.  The Wolverine objective building is the extreme Northwest 7hex 110cf/hex structure we called Epcot center.  4 hexes had to be destroyed to complete that objective.

Prebattle strategy:  I played as a Wolverine so I can only provide what we discussed.  As a medium Trinary we had elite side of veteran skills and a wide variety of battlemechs from a Vtr-9B Victor, a Firefly -3SLE, Flashman -8K, Osprey -15, Battlemaster, Royal variants of the Shadow Hawk, Mongoose, Ostscout, Ostroc, Locust, Excalibur, and Shogun to a brand new Pulverizer, Stag, and Mercury II.  I was controlling the Mercury II, Ostscout, Mongoose, and Locust.  Our strategy was to split my light units to the south and to draw as many of the Widowmaker units into the tall buildings minimzing the strength directed at our heavier forces.  Our Assault and Combat stars were to destroy our assassination targets of the Widowmaker Galahad and Atlas II with the more mobile Combat star mechs holding our northern flank and hitting the objective structure if the opportunity arose.

The Widowmakers had a 255 ton weight advantage but regular side of veteran skills with a scattering of elites.  Mechwise primarily some older technology including a Wsp-1A Wasp, On1-K Orion, Vtr-9B Victor, Sdr-5V Spider, Fs9-H Firestarter, Pnt-8Z Panther, Hammerhands -3D, royal variants of the Stalker, Thunderbolt, Exterminator, as well as a Battlemaster, Emperor -6A, Imp -1A, Galahad -2D, and Atlas II.  The Widowmakers deployed with their light star opposite the Wolverine lights along the south half, heavy star on the south side of the main plaza concealed among the buildings and the assault star (including the Atlas II and the Galahad) brazenly in the open terrain of the plaza.

Initiative:
We used a card based initiative system.  Each side has 5 cards with 3 mechs assigned to each card.  Wolfreaper flips a card and those 3 mechs move and it continues all the way through until all mechs have moved.  This modified initiative keeps the game moving and can create some interesting situations like 1 entire side having to move before another.

The Battle:
Turns 1-3
My lights moved west into the city along the south flank, Wolverine Combat star moved north to chase the objective Galahad which led the Widowmaker charge along the north flank and our Assault star used the building cover to snipe the Widowmaker assault star.  Our Wolverines kept the range open firing with ERPPCs, LRMs, and Gauss rifles while attempting to draw the Widowmaker Assault star east in the open of the plaza to string them out and minimize the volume of return fire scoring some hits on the Atlas II.  The Widowmaker Galahad turned back south rejoining its heavier brothers and put the Wolverine Combat star too far north and out of position as we overcommitted.  The Widowmaker Assaults started scoring some solid hits into the Wolverine Battlemaster and Pulverizer but we did succeed in pulling the Widowmaker line towards the middle of the plaza away from our objective target building.

Turns 4-6
Initially the faster Widowmaker elements forced my light mechs back east with some good initiative rolls catching my Mongoose in the open and we traded some midrange Large Laser fire between the Exterminator and Panther each side scoring some damage on the Widowmaker Panther and Wolverine Mongoose.  Initiative swung the other way and I managed to isolate the Widowmaker Wasp and Spider with my Mercury II and Ostscout crippling the Wasp with a kick to the left leg from the Mercury II and blowing out a foot actuator but taking a Spider punch to the face on the Ostscout.  My Locust and Mongoose slipped past the Panther, Firestarter, and Exterminator catching the Widowmaker Victor in the right flank.  The Victor lost a lot of armor to pulse, ER, and standard laser fire and narrowly missed the Locust with its AC/20 in return.  The Widowmaker Stalker and Emperor turned from joining the heavy fighting in the main plaza to counter my light mechs attacking from the south.  The Widowmaker assault line of Imp, Battlemaster, and Atlas II backed by the Galahad were getting the better of the Wolverine Assault star doing extensive damage to the Battlemaster, and light hits to the Stag and Pulverizer.  The Wolverine Osprey just could not connect with its Gauss rifle.  On the other side of the plaza crossfire from the Widowmaker Orion and Thunderbolt and Wolverine Excalibur and Flashman with the Widowmaker Thunderbolt and Wolverine Excalibur taking numerous hits.  The Widowmaker Hammerhands watched the north flank as the Wolverine Firefly, Shadowhawk, Ostroc, Victor, and Shogun worked their way west as quick as they could to try and join the battle.

Interlude:
We broke for lunch and did some chit chatting as we ate.  Everyone was surprised there had been no casualties despite several hours of fighting.  Each side was playing for their objectives and was an intense game of cat n mouse.

Turns 7-9
Along the south flank the Wolverine Mercury II and Ostscout broke contact with the Wasp and Spider and headed north towards the objective building.  The Wolverine Locust and Mercury braved a dozen skid checks running through 2 stars of Widowmakers and emerging behind the Widowmaker Orion in the main Plaza lasering through the heavier machine's back damaging its short range missile launcher and knocking it over.  The Wolverine Locust's right arm and most of its center torso armor were shot away from massive return fire from the Emperor, Thunderbolt, Victor, Orion and Exterminator but it remained upright and in the fight.  The Widowmaker Firestarter was caught with a PPC blast from the Stag amputating its right leg and freezing the other Widowmaker fast movers who didn't want to risk its Enhanced ERPPC's wrath again.  The Wolverine Battlemaster somehow made it behind a building with a gyro hit, one arm, and numerous weapons knocked out, and forces the Widowmaker assault line to shift its fire to the Pulverizer as they continue to close the distance moving east.  The Widowmaker Galahad gets knocked over and the Atlas II starts to fall back as they both take extensive armor damage.  The north flank finally heats up as the Widowmaker Hammerhands catches the Wolverine Victor between buildings taking light laser damage while punishing the Wolverine Victor with an alphastrike and knocking it down. 

Turns 10-Finish
Wolverine light star breaks contact with Widowmaker forces and starts burning the objective building down.  Widowmaker Light elements, stiffened by the Exterminator, Victor, and Emperor, no longer having to contend with their Wolverine opposites envelope the Wolverine assault star in the southeast plaza and trap them between the Widowmaker Assault star.  The Wolverine Battlemaster becomes the first casualty of the day followed just a few shots later by the Wolverine Stag.  North and West across the plaza Wolverine Combat star backed up by the Excalibur and Flashman finally bring down the Widowmaker Galahad and Atlas II.  Widowmaker Orion, Stalker, and Thunderbolt
along with the Hammerhands attempt to save their comrades and start firing at the Wolverine light elements destroying the objective building.  The Wolverine light star in a coordinated assault with the Combat Star Shadowhawk and Ostroc and Assault Star Flashman and Excalibur bring the building down by destroying 4/7 hexes.  The Wolverine Osprey is annihilated by the Widowmaker Imp and Battlemaster trying to buy the Pulverizer time to withdraw becoming the 5th mech destroyed of the day.  The remnant Widowmaker Light and Heavy Star cut off the Pulverizer with their superior speed and maneuverability.  The Wolverine Shogun and Victor fall upon the rear of the Widowmaker Assault star ripping the Battlemaster in half.  The Widowmaker Heavy star elements abandon their attack on the light Wolverine units and focus on the Pulverizer. 

Conclusion and scoring:
The Widowmaker forces scored 34 points by destroying 3 Wolverine Battlemechs, recovering the Stag and Pulverizer, but failing to protect the city.

The Wolverine forces achieved victory by scoring 74 points, 12 surviving Wolverine battlemechs, Assassinating both target Widowmaker Battlemechs, and destroying the Control center allowing their civilian ships to lift safely and escape to link up with other Wolverine survivors and escape.

As I said above, it was a very intense and tactically well played game from both sides.  Many thanks to WolfReaper for putting it together.  Also kudos to my fellow Wolverine players for  keeping their eye on the objectives and putting in a very good game.  To our Widowmaker opponents if a couple of rolls and initiatives had gone the other way I very well may have been congratulating you on your victory.  We could not crack through that Assault star and we earned both our kills by taking nearly every bit of armor off both the Galahad and Atlas II.  My Wolverine Lights at one point had the entire Widowmaker Light and Heavy stars focused on them.  4 Light and Medium Battlemechs running 10 enemy battlemechs ragged for half the game with no losses and minimal damage while damaging 5 much heavier enemy mechs.  I think everyone had a great time and I hope to see you all again soon.

As this game was nearly 2 weeks ago and I didn't take notes there may some errors in turn counts but by n large the events transpired as delineated above.  Any mistakes are mine alone.  Hopefully WolfReaper will put up his AAR so those interested can have some pics instead of my half baked descriptions!  Take care everyone!
« Last Edit: 16 June 2017, 21:26:44 by Hoover28 »

 

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