Author Topic: Total Chaos: Click, Click, Boom!  (Read 2711 times)

Azakael

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Total Chaos: Click, Click, Boom!
« on: 23 October 2017, 22:41:59 »
Situation April, 3070. Lyran Alliance
"I am afraid that I may have miscalculated our capabilities. The contract that was to cover your extended efforts on Solaris VII, as well as continue to pay our bills was a failure. It should have been a simple extraction. However, the Blakists were already on top of the VIP as soon as we arrived. The crew made a valiant effort, but sadly, they were all killed. Our attempt at retribution and make something of their sacrifice would end up costing our own as well. For this, Captain, I am sorry. I am prepared to tender my resignation, if you so desire." - Irena Lupei

Optional Rules:
Floating Criticals
Careful Stand
Ground Vehicle Hit Location Chart removes the Critical on an 8 and the possible motive Damage on a 9.
VTOL and Hover Lateral Slip

Mission Options:
Brutality (Did not actually make a difference, as he couldn't afford a second Elite.)
Cyber-up (Pain Shunt, as we forgot to account for it when he created his force.)

Forces:
Attacker
Word of Blake
(2/3) - Hermes II HER-5SA
(3/4) - Tarantula ZPH-1A
(3/4) - Falcon Hawk FNHK-9K1A
(3/4) - Cossack C-SK1

Defender:
The Brotherhood of Outreach
Lawrence "Piggy" Hamm (4/5) - Thunderbolt TDR-5SE "Razorback" (LRM-10's with Thunder-Augment Mines)
Wiktoria Wojewoda (4/5) - Whitworth WTH-1 (LRM-10's with Thunder-Augment Mines)
XO Irena "The Wolf" Lupei (3/3) - Locust LCT-1E

ComPress
(4/5) - Goblin Medium Tank (Was supposed to be a Goblin Infantry Support Vehicle) (-2 MP)

Map Set-up
[Desert Mountains #1][Moonscape #2]
Attacker's Edge is "western edge", Defender's Edge is "eastern edge" Goblin deployed directly in the middle, facing "south"

Just going to point out "highlights" on this one:
- Goblin lasted three turns, and my forces were barely close enough to do anything, the longest ranged weapon I had was the Large Laser, as the LRMs were all loaded with mines.
- The mines, zey did nothing. Okay, so they did *some* work on dictating where he could move, but even when I landed the minefield in his hex, he walked right out without triggering the mines. Every. Single. Time. There were no woods, so I couldn't use the mines to deny him cover, but given the ranges he had versus the ranges I had, that was never an issue anyways.
- The Thunderbolt lasted a great many turns weathering fire from all of his veterans and his elite, but eventually he just couldn't anymore. By the time he started to retreat, he had no weapons and no jump jets, and a single light breeze would breach his CT.
- The Whitworth could have escaped, but for a lucky TAC that destroyed his leg.
- If you are out ranged, and outrun, losing initiative for all but two turns is a recipe for disaster.
- I hit his 'mechs a total of 11 times the entire game. Because most of my stuff was regular, I was constantly needing 9's or worse to hit, when he was at 7's or even 6's.
- The first turn of actual live firing between forces saw a large laser hit my Locust and take out half of its firepower in a single shot. Which isn't *much* except for all the light 'Mechs.
- The Cossack performed surprisingly well given that it's a 6/9/6 with *single* heat sinks and next to no armor. I think he was hit maybe twice?

My biggest mistake was thinking the mines would be more useful/ dangerous. They weren't. I think instead of filling all the bins with mines, I should have done one and one instead. Or... maybe... used smoke. Crap I think that would have been better.
The other issue is as I am roleplaying my unit choices, most of my heavier 'Mechs are on Solaris VII, so that somewhat forced me to "lowball" the BV. Even if I had brought them, he tries to match me 1 for 1 on units, which would have still meant lighter, faster options.

This is another mission that I don't see how it can scale up well. Other than adding more maps. Maybe two more units a side adding a third map might have allowed me to save the Goblin. I don't know. But to have to escort a 45 ton vehicle that's stuck going 2/3 through terrain that likely has level changes? Not sure... Just not sure.

So now the force is down to half the WP I started the entire campaign with. So the next time it's going to be all "generic" Missions before named tracks. But they tie into the Solaris VII mini-campaign, so I will hopefully get that and make a decent chunk of WP from that.
« Last Edit: 25 October 2017, 03:59:04 by Azakael »

pensiveswetness

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Re: Total Chaos: Click, Click, Boom!
« Reply #1 on: 23 October 2017, 23:07:54 »
If you ever get to the point of fighting on Dieron (3077), you will love Climbing Mount Shanyu. That level-1 Wall will soak up 100's of points of damage across the entire length of the wall with partial cover. It drove my wife insane when she kept hitting 5's & 9's for locations...

Azakael

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  • Brotherhood of Outreach - Until the Sword Breaks
Re: Total Chaos: Click, Click, Boom!
« Reply #2 on: 25 October 2017, 03:58:32 »
Oh, that's even better. Looking at the forces again... I had the wrong vehicle. The BV for the OpFor was set based on the Goblin Infantry Support Vehicle, which is what the scenario called for. The record sheet I grabbed was for the Goblin Medium Tank.
Would an LPL, over the LLas, an added SRM 6, an extra MG, and more armor have made a difference? I don't know. But it would have certainly helped...

 

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