So I spent a lot of time last year making a mod for Tabletop Simulator to play Alpha Strike over, then took a break from the computer for awhile mostly because of work. I've got a pretty large collection of mechs and such in my garage, but I live in Montana and there's no one to play with here. So a couple of my friends online said it sounded interesting, and wanted to give it a try. I slapped two Battletech maps together side by side and had them pair off with the Training scenario in the Quick Start book.
Seriul played the Marauder & Firestarter, while OZZIEWOLF and myself play the Warhammer and Hatchetman, respectively. I don't have a model for the Hatchetman yet in TTS, so I used a Vindicator for similar size. I've imported all these models from MWO with a white paint scheme, and when you use the Colorize feature in TTS, their armor changes color but not the base, weapons, or cockpit. Note that while we used the hexmap boards I modeled for TTS, we did not use hex rules--as each hex is 2" edge to edge it's scaled for Alpha Strike--and when you pick up a figurine in TTS you can hold Tab down to show how far it's moving. Very nice for finishing 1.9" away so you can melee. :)
Anyway.
So we started off deployed up to 5" in, and the objective is to kill the other teams SZ 3 mech. The WHM and MAD both set up on top of their respective hills with woods and partial cover. We lost initiative on the first round; the WHM and MAD both hugged their positions while I jumped forward with the HCT and Seriul advanced with the FS9.
Shots are fired with not a great chance to hit, but the WHM pounds the Firestarter from across the map for 2 damage. Bad start for Seriul, who proceeds to lose initiative SIX turns in a row. In the next turn he retreats the FS9 behind the cliff again, and I push the HCT up to the water, trying to pressure him into protecting the MAD. But instead the MAD pegs the Hatchetman, stripping away all his armor.
In the following rounds Seriul (remember, losing initiative every round) backs up to the board edge to protect his back and hides from the WHM, who is now advancing across the map. I kamikaze in with the Hatchetman to get out of the FS9s arc and go for a hatchet attack (I'm 1.9" away here). First I eat a 2 point short range hit (no critical) but manage to strip 3 armor off the MAD with my hatchet. If I die now I at least advanced the objective.
Next Seriul wins initiative (finally) and goes agressive. I hide my badly wounded Hatchetman around the cliff while the Marauder lumbers up the hill, and the warhammer loses his rear arc to the FS9, taking heat and damage all at once. Since he didn't shoot though, he clears the heat at least. I miss my shot on the FS9 making for a pretty solid turn for Seriul.
The battle shifts again as the Marauder moves back down the hill for cover, the Warhammer moves around the cliff for a clear shot, and I'm left to deal with the FS9 that has his rear arc again. The Firestarter
misses his short range rear arc shot by 1, and then the MAD & WHM punch each other in the face. The WHM does 3 @ short vs the MADs 2, and I tomahawk the Firestarter with a Melee hit. I'm down to 2 internal but hanging in there. The WHM goes internal at this point I think, picking up a Weapon Systems crit. The Marauder goes critical as well, with an Engine Crit.
The next couple rounds are awesome. The MAD keeps backpedaling to protect his rear and trading shots with the WHM. I can't catch him (as we're the same speed) so instead I just keep missing. The WHM takes a sensor hit now, just barely clinging to a sliver of internal structure. The last turn, they both go Standstill to ensure they hit. I'm charging over for a finishing shot with the hatchet, but they both blast each other at medium range, killing each other simultaneously.
The Hatchetman returned to base, taking credit for both kills since his battle recorder malfunctioned mysteriously.
A draw. :)
They both had a good time, and are anxious to try a fight with larger forces, as losing initiative with 2 units really strips your ability to make tactical decisions.
I'll continue this post with the Veteran and Elite scenarios, and then we'll be doing some 400 PV battles in the big city maps I made last year!
