(AAR thread for
Eridani Light Horse campaign)
The 21st Striker Regiment has its hands full standing up a trustworthy planetary militia on their new homeworld while simultaneously shaping new recruits and newly promoted officers following the twin battles of Hesperus II only a few months prior. The 5th Striker Battalion is particularly green: all three companies are commanded by newly minted Captains. The Battalion CO ordered all three companies to engage in a field exercise to prepare themselves for combat: a three way game of capture the flag!
(I didn't take notes so Orders of Battle are from memory/pictures)
4th Company:
Assault Lance (Banshee, Catapult, Rifleman, Black Knight)
Battle Lance (Hunchback, Quickdraw, Commando, Centurion)
Support Lance (Rommel, Rommel, SRM Carrier, SRM Carrier, LRM Carrier)
7th Company:
Command Lance (Marauder, Crusader, Griffin, Champion)
Battle Lance (4x Von Luckner)
Recon Lance (Flea, Locust, Wasp, Spider)
Support Lance (Ballista, Ballista, MG APC, MG APC, Flamer Infantry, Flamer Infantry)
25th Heavy Assault Company:
Assault Lance: (Atlas, Hunchback, BattleMaster, Orion)
Striker Lance: (Javelin, Commando, Wasp, Jenner)
Fire Lance: (Archer, Catapult, Griffin, Trebuchet)
As the GM I set up terrain and placed the flags. I knew there was one position that was much less defensible than the other two, but I figured "what the hey.. see what happens". The players diced off to pick their flags.. sure enough the sucky flag was picked last and the 25th Heavy Assault Company was stuck defending that one.
Once the scenario began, the 4th Company came heavily for the 25th through the bottleneck between two hills, and the 7th pressed against both other companies. Under siege from both sides, the 25th just hunkered down for a fight.
With the 4th only putting half a lance to defend its flag, and the 25th aggressively targeting the recon elements of the 7th, the 7th swung its thrust against the 25th over to mass against the 4th's flag.
The heaviest fighting takes place between the massed numbers of the 4th against the heavy armor and firepower of the 25th. While this takes place, the 7th completely overruns the 4th's picket.
Artillery from the 7th's Ballistae finally provokes the 25th to send its strikers on a headhunting mission, but they're stymied by a lucky shot from a Champion that kills the lead Jenner just as it begins to engage the artillery.
Time is called just as the 'mechs of the 7th seize the 4th's flag. The 4th had just crushed their way through the assault mechs of the 25th but hadn't yet reached the still-defended flag. Major Winston decrees the 7th Company the victors of the wargame, with the 25th Heavy Assault Company edging out the 4th Company for 2nd and 3rd place respectively, based on value of kills achieved.
GameMaster's observations: I was concerned about the 25th's chances given the terrain, but they fought admirably! The players running the 4th and 25th companies are both new to Alpha Strike, and that inexperience may have manifested in their force lists. Their forces were top-heavy and not very tactically nimble and ended up outmaneuvered by the 7th, who enjoyed an advantage of having played more Alpha Strike previously.
Their next battle won't be with paint warheads and powered down lasers.. hopefully they're ready for the real thing!