Battle of Bridgewater (video report)

[Lyran Archer]

Phell and I have been running a loose campaign set in the FedCom Civil War. This is my first video report so don't expect much. Phell's 3rd Crucis Lancers, backing Victor Steiner-Davion, have taken River City after two battles. My Kampfgruppe Panzerfaust, Lyrans loyal to House Steiner, have withdrawn from the city.

In the first battle, the Lyrans destroyed three Davion 'Mechs and salvaged a Great Worm for no losses of their own. In the second battle, the Lyrans withdrew dragging their own salvaged Rifleman but did  destroy a Davion BattleMaster.

The same Lyran lance from the second battle, with their helicopter support and Rifleman repaired, now face the 3rd Crucis Lancers again as both sides try to seize a key bridge south of River City. Each side is 6000 BV.

My Lyrans:
Archer 5W (70 tons) 4/5 pilot
Archer 5W (70 tons) 4/5 pilot
Archer 5W (70 tons) 4/5 pilot
Rifleman 6X (60 tons) 4/5 pilot
4 x Sprint Helicopter (10 tons each) 3/5 pilots

Phell's Davions:
Thug 11E (80 tons) 2/5 pilot
Cataphract 3D (70 tons) 2/5 pilot
JagerMech (65 tons) 4/5 pilot
Mongoose (25 tons) 4/5 pilot

Here's the video:

http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p21/Star_Destroyer/?action=view&current=BridgewaterBattleVideo.mp4

[Phell]

Good times, too bad I couldn't capatalize on that knocked down archer.

[Lyran Archer]

Good times, too bad I couldn't capatalize on that knocked down archer.

Yeah, it sucks that the FLGS was closing. Three hours is just too short a time to have a good game. I would also have very much liked to continue the battle. Your Cataphract had no right torso armour and I think I did have an engine hit on your Thug.

Anyhoo, we can chalk it up to our commanders calling us back.

My HQ probably told my unit to withdraw because my Lyran lance did destroy your Mongoose and that was the sixth 'Mech my Lyrans have destroyed or captured (the Great Wyrm) without a loss of their own (the Rifleman was dragged off and repaired). So, for me, the Lyrans are winning the war of attrition.

Your commanders probably ordered your lance to hold the bridge and not pursue the withdrawing Lyrans because a) your lance was already down a 'Mech and the Cataphract was showing exposed ammo in its right torso, b) your objective was the bridge and you secured it, and c) your HQ is getting nervous about the attrition - half a company lost and no enemy 'Mechs permanently out of the fight yet.

Let's plan a game for Saturday, May 21st (two weeks time). If others join us we'll play as normal at GameKnight or Pendragon. If no one else decides to join us, let's play at my house (I have a massive gaming table) and start at 10:00 am and play until 10:00 pm or later if we need to. We can do a huge company on company battle - we'll say 20 000 BV each. It can be a climatic slug-out for our campaign.

Are you up for that? 

[Phell]

You Bet! I'll have everything painted up nice for that and send you a list.

[Brandydog]

I really enjoyed watching that video, thanks for posting

lol'd at the Mongoose of Doom/Distraction

[Lyran Archer]

I really enjoyed watching that video, thanks for posting

lol'd at the Mongoose of Doom/Distraction

It was almost the doom of one Archer. That Mongoose spent two rounds shredding the Archer's rear armor and did penetrate the right rear torso but just didn't roll a crit. I momentarily had visions of ammo explosions dancing in my head!

We both rolled atrociously low that game - to a pathetically epic extent! Even when I hit with my LRM 20s, on average, my roll on the cluster hits table was a 3 for only 6 missiles!

At one point in the game Phell commented that I was only hitting the right side of his 'Mechs and we suddenly realized why - even for hit locations my rolls were between 3 and 6! All night my two dice would just not stop rolling a total of 3, 4, 5, or 6!

Luckily for me, Phell's rolls were just as bad and that was good because his two biggest 'Mechs had 2/5 pilots. In fact, however, it was often me that had the lower numbers to roll because there were a couple turns where those 'Mechs were shooting at long range but my Archers were firing back at medium range (13 to 14 hexes was the magic sweet spot) and my Sprints TAGed his 'Mechs which negated target movement modifiers for my shooting! He would need 9's and I only needed 7's and he had the better gunners!

Anyhoo, it was a good battle.   

[kharnifex]

great vid, would love to see more !

[Devens]

Nice battle, I am curious how it would go with an equal number of units on both sided though.  While FSM's are a bit much in the current rules, those 4 sprints are an edge well beyond what their BV indicates in these battles. 

[Lyran Archer]

Nice battle, I am curious how it would go with an equal number of units on both sided though.  While FSM's are a bit much in the current rules, those 4 sprints are an edge well beyond what their BV indicates in these battles.

True, the Sprints are incredible. They are amazingly hard to hit and TAGing really makes it easier for me to hit enemy units. I can just go 'Mechs only - I do have an Ostscout - or I can just use a Scimitar in place of a 'Mech. I'm really not trying to power game - I'm just trying out different units and, for movement, I did pair up each Sprint with a 'Mech to move at the same time. My problem is that I like to use infantry, vehicles, and helicopters and I have been trying them all out in my past few battles.

It is a good point, however. I guess I could start matching my number of units exactly with my opponent's so we both start out with exactly the same number of units.

This is a strange game in that regard: I play Warhammer 40K, Star Wars minis, GW's Lord of the Rings SBG and WotR, HorrorClix, and tons of other minis games and this is the only one that I play where people are obsessed with the number of pieces being equal for each game. In the other games, the player is not penalized for taking a small number of elite units or a large number of horde-type troops.

If goblin armies were not allowed to have greater numbers than elf armies, the goblins would never have a chance. When I play my Dark Angel Deathwing army in 40K, I'm always outnumbered at least 4:1 in models and no one ever suggests that I should get thousands of extra points in compensation.

Anyhoo, BTU is 'Mech-dominated but it is not only 'Mechs fighting. I want to be able to use other equipment too. 

[Phell]

In our next game I will be running mixed arms as well as three full lances. If archer had been dominating our games I might have an issue, but that face is that we've been pretty even and the only reason I haven't been decimating his forces is that he keeps withdrawing beyond my effective range. In an objective based game I would most certainly have the upper hand. If he were using a similar strategy with clan tech and top of the line mechs it would be different, but I'm not going to call him a powergamer while he's using archer 5W's in a 3065 campaign.

[Lyran Archer]

I'm thinking of ordering some omnis from IWM and doing up a Clan Wolf star to alternately play the opposite end of the strategy spectrum - me outnumbered and using only direct fire. If you haven't placed your order for your Mad Cat IIs, let me know and I'll do a big order up for the both of us. Let me know what you want for decals from Fighting Pirrahna Graphics too because I'll need to order Clan Wolf decals.

[markhall]

,but I'm not going to call him a powergamer while he's using archer 5W's in a 3065 campaign.

:D
I think this should be the first recourse next time you loose out to him.

[Devens]

I never claimed you power gamed, I was just curious if it would make signifficant diffrence.  I was actualy thinking of trying the tactic myself with some Medium Mechs supported by a pair of LRM carriers.

[Devens]

If he were using a similar strategy with clan tech and top of the line mechs it would be different, but I'm not going to call him a powergamer while he's using archer 5W's in a 3065 campaign.

If he used Top of the Line mechs he would likely not have the BV for as many Heavy Mechs as he does or you would have had more BV for yours. 

[Lyran Archer]

I never claimed you power gamed, I was just curious if it would make signifficant diffrence.  I was actualy thinking of trying the tactic myself with some Medium Mechs supported by a pair of LRM carriers.

Sorry if I sounded defensive. I don't recommend LRM carriers because there's more to this tactic than just launching LRMs: your missile boats will need to defend themselves inclose as my Archers did this battle and you may need to cross rivers and other terrain that prohibit LRM carriers. However, you may prove otherwise. The best thing to do is try what you like and adjust as needed.

[ShockaTime]

This video report was awesome to watch, nice job! definitely do another one if you get the chance O0