The Defenders Airfield is set up on the left side of the table with all unit on standby. The Cavaliers entered on the Right two map sheets away. Since we used the optional rules for only the Geysers this game. They geysers are placed on the centre battletech map on front of the woods.
The Airfield
The Defenders consist of tonight played by Lorcan, Andrew and Arquinsiel.
Orion ON1-M (WARHAMMER)
Osprey OSP-25 4/5 (CICADA)
Scorpion SCP-12C 2/3
Ostsol OTL-7M 3/4
Von Luckner VNL-K65N 4/5
Von Luckner VNL-K65N 4/5
Condor upgrade laser 4/5 (REGULATOR) X2
Lightning LTN-G15 X2
Riever F-700 X2
Heavy foot LRMs X 2
The Lyrans send an interesting mix of an Assault Lance to watch over the Mercs.
Beresker BRZ-B3 4/5
Striker STC-2C 3/4 (BANSHEE)
Wardog WR-DG-02FC 4/5
Stalker STK-5S 3/4
Crowleys Cavaliers are represented on the field by the Heavy mech command lance. With an Assault Tank lance.
Turn 1 & 2.
The Cavaliers enter the game table. And begin the long trudge towards the airfield.
The Beresker and Thunderbolt take point. While the Von Luckners and Orion start to move towards the attackers. On turn two we have a spat of long range fire that fails to connect. Meanwhile a Lightning and the Osprey hum to life.
Turn 3
As the Geysers block the view on the Von Luckners those who can fire and miss the tanks.
With a flash of afterburners the Lightning takes to the sky while the Osprey looks for a better firing position against the invaders.
Turn 4
The Lightning makes a strike at the Awesome taking more than 2/3’s of the Right leg armour. PPC’s from the Awesome and Rommel remove most of the Nose protection while slagging the Avionics and Landing gear of the fighter.
As the Ostol breaks cover it’s greeted by the Shrekks barrage of superheated plasma scoring damage across the mech. The Marik Orion takes a chunk of fire form the Lyrans then fails the PSR and ends up eating dirt.
The Scorpion and a Riever warrior both manage to make it to their cockpits.
Turn 5.
As there are two Lightning in the air. We decide to gather our forces on the one map and it works as the Jets do not strike this turn. The Riever joins them in the air just making the take off roll.
The Beresker and Barghest get up close and personal with the Assault tanks. This does not end will for the Barghest who soaks two AC20 precision shots to the right torso causing two engine hits. The attackers fire results in one of the tanks immobilized and one set of crew stunned. Two kicks later and the immobile Von Luckner ends its short career.
The Ostol absorbs a Heavy Guass from the Barghest in spit of the tree cover.
As the Reiver still sitting on the tarmac the Lyran Beresker and Wardog open fire upon it. Combined they successfully wrecking the fighters’ landing gear.
Turn 6
As there are Three birds in the air the mercs can feel the hurt coming this turn.
The Rommel at the rear is the target of all three. It dies in spectacular fashion as the rear is collapsed by the fighters’ strikes. Return fire hits the Riever and the pilot struggles to control his plane and ends up buried in return.
Andrews Orion falls back behind the hill and trades fire with the Shrekks. Its missiles score hits on the tracks slowing the assault tank after only minor damage. The PPCs strip chunks of armour in return.
And Beresker takes most of the defenders fire this turn. It’s protection melting away with every shot.
The Stunned Von Luckner joins his wingman after a swift kick.
Turn 7
Seeing a chance the Mariks focus on the Beresker and manage to destroy its MASC system. As well as two engine hits on the mech. The Mercs focus their fire on the Scorpion hiding amongst the buildings. This leaves some of the buildings in ruins as we start to damage the quad.
Continuing to trade fire the Orion’s ammo goes boom and it slows the Shrekk to a 1MP tank. Things are starting to look up.
Turn 8
As there is a whole lot of assaults currently sitting on their porch. The Mariks attempt to regroup to consolidate their strength. They keep up the pressure on the Beresker which finally falls to the onslaught. The Ostsol Light gauss delivering the coup d’et and feeling triumphant for mere seconds before the Demolishers Gauss take its head clear off.
The Lightnings return and attempt to strike the Thunderbolt who only takes some laser hits as the AC both go awry in their haste to return to the fight. The undamaged Lightning takes some minor damage and successfully pulls out of the dive.
Peter does loses his RAC as the Condors joins in on his Thunderbolt.
The Awesome and tanks fire on the scorpion again opening some torsos and dropping more buildings.
Turn 9
The Cavaliers continue to push on the field with the mechs making it to the end of runway. The Stalker unleashes Infernos again the infantry who are running across the Tarmac in search of the missing Riever pilot. Whom Lorcan is now convinced must be lounging in the base Starbucks chilling.
The Thunderbolt chases the Condors scoring one weapon hit. Doing only armour damage.
His Scorpion becomes target for the Lyrans who cause an engine hit to the Right torso. The mercs go gunning for the Osprey and the mech ends up with only the head untouched but manages to remain standing.
The attackers get off lightly on the return fire. With only the infantry scoring good hits on the Stalker.
And finally the Riever kicks into life.
Turn 10
Due to a misreading of the takeoff rules Peter and myself where under the impression that the Landing gear would add a +5 to the fighters take off roll. Turns out its just a +1. Maybe we should have fire a bit more at the Immobilized Riever before it took to the sky.
Rather than take advantage of the open torsos on the back peddling Scorpion the Marauder decides to finish it off through the centre torso, causing 24 damage resulting in two more Engine hits downing the quad.
The pair of Lightnings return and smash the Shrekk with their shots. The tanks PPCs remove the last of the armour on the Damaged craft as it’s immobilized requiring the fighter to flee or face death. The minor damaged Lightning takes a guass slug from the Demolisher ,which sees its landing gear ruined but cause it no other discomfort.
The crew of the Shrekk bail out rather than risk dying with the tank.
While the Osprey looses even more armour exposing all those lovely vital parts.
And more infantry get toasted as the Stalker unleashes fiery hell again.
Turn 11.Suddenly the Osprey finds himself alone. And he attempts to flee the table only to be cut down by the merc. His fire scores hits on the Striker as it goes down.
The Fighters weigh up the options of taking on the grouping mechs without any support and decide to retreat from the area following the already fleeing Lightning
OutcomeAs has been the way of the Total Choas games. This one was full of fun Surprises.
It’s possibly the most Mobile game we’ve done with such a heavy force.
It was a shame about the Barghest having its torso opened so early but these are the chances against AC caring tanks. And Pete did want to retreat it. But we didn’t see it lasting long with three jets in the air to chase it. It would have given us a bit of peace but there was no way it was getting off in one piece. So instead we turned the HG off and let is snipe with the Laser keeping it in the game scored us a few solid hits.
We normally don’t see fighters without bombs so this was a welcome change and nice to see that they can pump out the pain without a bomb payload.
The scenario was fun and we did speculate that had we played on 4 maps the defenders would have been overrun before they planes got into the air.
Invader Airfield
Bugbottom Swamp
Skye
Lyran Alliance
5th February 3068
The newly arrived mechs and tanks were taking up positions around the few buildings that remained of the base. It had been a good battle. They had lost a tank. But the crew had been pulled out alive if a little tender. He watched troops sporting the Skye rangers Logo as they move around the base searching for any remaining enemy forces hidden about the rubble. Peter was certain they would not find any combat troops left. The Lyran Stalker had made sort work of the PBIs with his infernos. The charred results of his efforts filled Peters nostrils with an odour of tarmac and BBQ.
He was patiently waiting to be released by the new commander on field. A simple enough job, that could have been done over the comms. But again he was being shown who was in charge here and made to dismount his mech so he could stand here waiting in an area his troops still considered a hostile arena based on how they are currently searching.
The door opened. “The area is secure Col. Crowley. Hauptmann Quinn will see you now.”He entered thanking the Warrant Officer.Hauptmann Quinn was a robust woman with shoulder length brown hair. Her uniform was covered by an armoured vest as was Lyran tradition combat zone uniform. And she was surrounded by various staff all doing things they considered important. All he considered important was getting back for repairs.
He outranked her. But she spoke to him as one would a subordinate was her right considering she had the backing of the local Government.
“You did well Col.” She announced in German. “We have word that Col. Myles has gotten the Eagles you let escape at a back up facility they had nearby.”
He too switched to German. “Good to hear Hauptmann! I was sorry we lacked the air support to give chase. But am glad to hear they’ve been dealt with.”
“It’ll do Myles good to stretch his wings even for such poor sport.” She stiffened a little. The “What you did wrong speech” was about to come. And Peter stood ready to receive the critique.
“First Lieutenant Goulding is not impressed with your performance. He states you where not eager to push the attack when you had the advantage. And feels that cost him his Beresker today.”
“Sir! The First Lieutenant can lay no fault on mine over the loss of his mech. We kept on the attack. He just outpaced all our units. He refused to heed my request to keep step with the rest of our forces. At no point did our fire wane or leave him open to enemy units. Any damage was all down to his choices.”
He felt all eyes on him “If the ROMs confirm that then I can see no problems with your performance today. But if they don’t you will be held accountable for your , part in it.
As it is I thank you for your services today and relieve your duty with IE.”
“Thank you sir! It was a pleasure to be serving the Alliance again.” And he was gone to her. She returned to doing that which was commanded of her.
Peter had meant every word. He liked Quinn she seemed fair he would have no issues from the fight today. Well no except the fact that the Rangers where claiming all the Salvage as this was their mission. He was wise enough to let that slide this time. Next time he would let Kenny argue the point through IE.
