We're about 3 turns in now. The Clans have been doing a decent job concentrating their very accurate weapons fire, through the Society ProtoMechs supported by several 'Mechs are doing a decent job returning in kind. A Timber Wolf Z is ripped in half, but keeps fighting in on somehow. A Viper Cauldron Born is savaged, but the modifiers have still been fairly high up to this point.
The Supernova Trinary is lining up to make their deliveries.
Then suddenly, a 'Mech crumbles to the ground midstride, as if someone shut the power down to the myomers. Then another, a third, fourth. Elementals begin dropping off their assigned rides, ragdolling to the ground, digging deep trenches as their rides haven't shed their speed.
All in all, twelve 'MechWarriors and 30 Elementals just die Swiftly. Suddenly. Simultaneously.
The players are reminded that Society had to rely on DNA-tailored viruses collectively referred to as the Trueborn Cure. While some initial research was shared among all of the Society's many cells, each was left to their own devices to weaponize and customize them as they saw fit. This particular disease causes a rapid coagulation of all the victim's blood, but only if the Warrior in question was descendent from the Stoklas or Zalman blood lines. Every Clan Mech and Elemental Point had a Bloodname name written on them, and if the name matched, it died. Instantly. Irrevocably.
The society had hoped that this would have kicked in before the assault even started, deterring it altogether, but the Vipers moved faster than they expected.
(I used 5 names per Star, safeguarded 1 name, and rolled randomly for 2 names among the remaining 4; as such exactly 40% of their number was wiped out. Now, even in the Viper Fusiliers, not everyone has a Bloodname, in which case you're fluffed to be of that line. Likewise, more than just 5 names would be present in a Cluster, and Elemental Points are not likely to all be of the same line: that's just something I did to simplify)
The end consequence: suddenly the battle is much more balanced...! the Vipers needed to regroup, and either push through regardless, or redeploy...
Also visible: the ProtoMechs jumped down their ridge to try to disrupt the approaching Clan force. Between the casualties that occurred (Including the Cauldron Born they'd worked so hard on), and the speed of the Mech behind their line, this tactic wasn't as effective as it might have been. Of course, they'd have to sacrifice their defensive movement modifier if they wanted to maintain position...
You'll also note the reserve Mechs lining up behind the main central spire, while the vehicles trundle over. There's 2 Athena's there, and they'd not get to shoot until the last turn... With some hindsight, they likely should have started their existence on the top of the central spire. (Don't worry, I've made far worse mistakes than that)
