The following took place on 26 August, 2014, 4pm-820pm.
Operation:Whiteout
The scenario: the year is 3067, and the treacherous Word of Blake cells began a massive whiteout of all HPG station, hijacking control of all communications between the worlds they intend to ambush. On the planet of Valloire, the whiteout has been generally accepted by the population, under the false pretense that Comstar has been repairing the station. After months have passed, and several expected supply shipments haven't arrived, questions are piling up along side suspicion of Word of Blake's propaganda. One politician makes the claim that the dish has in fact been used and demands to be admitted into the station to verify. From there, it becomes clear that the cover story is hiding a more nefarious secret, and the local garrison is called upon to take the station by force, intact.
The objective: The planetary Garrison, made up of only a handful of warriors on leave, is tasked with taking control of the HPG station in order to find out the truth about the HPG 'malfunction.' Their mission is to gain entrance into the station, discover the truth, and send a message to Tharkad if needed.
Defenders: WoB
Black Knight 2/3
Crab N.A.
6 platoons of standard infantry armed with various weapon types
The Attackers: Lyran Alliance militia forces
Militia force #1
Enforcer-5D
Commando 7b
Dart 3S
Heavy Wheeled APC (proxy:Oro tank)
Mantis Light Attack vtol (proxy:Srm carrier)
Militia force #2
Centurion MC-W
Commando 2D
Flea-FireAnt
4x Fenrir BA(proxy:Longinus BA)
4x Infantry platoons-foot, various weapons (proxy:paper squares)
5x Flatbed truck (proxy:various mechs and items)
The defending force deployed their infantry as hidden units while their mechs deployed out in the open on the Northern map near the HPG. The Attackers deployed on the Southern end, primarily on the Eastern edge while some jump capable units deployed to the West.
(image to come)
The Defenders held their ground as the attackers advanced up the mountain road in order to reach the HPG making turn 1 mostly uneventful except for the Black Knight landing a Large pulse laser on the nose of the Mantis as it scouted the area for the infantry known to be operating in the area.
Turn 2 saw the advancing Eastern force taking fire from the Crab's large pulse lasers which destroyed a flatbed truck that ventured into long range. On the West the Enforcer and Commando engaged the Black Knight. The Commando landed several SRMs on the Black Knight's rear center torso as the Enforcer only managed to land a few cluster rounds to the front. The Black Knight's response shredded the left side of the Enforcer, eliminating 75% of the left torso's armor and half of the leg's armor.
By turn 3 the attackers on the East had made the climb up the mountain and engaged the Crab with it's Commando and Centurion. Shots were exchanged damaging the mechs involved, but also destroying yet another flatbed truck. To the West the Centurion and Commando moved to break contact with the Black Knight, escaping the combined damage of accurate Large and Medium pulse lasers. The Mantis VTOL managed to make it's way to the Crab and fired off a burst from it's cluster of ER small lasers.
Turn 4 revealed some of the infantry hidden around 4 hexes from the HPG as the Enforcer jumped to cover to create a gap between it and the Black Knight in order to apply it's range advantage against the heavier opponent. The Crab attempted to seize upon this move by jumping into the woods behind the Enforcer as the Eastern force continued its march to the HPG. Some weapons fire was exchanged by both sides but was largely ineffective. The heavy APC advanced up the West in a frantic run to the HPG to deliver it's cargo of two platoons of infantry under the threat of the Black Knight that was within weapons' range, but luckily protected by differences of elevation. The Mantis completed its sweep from West, to East and back to the West into a position to take on the significantly better armed Black Knight. Both units attacked each other with their clusters of laser weaponry. The Mantis scored light damage while the Black Knight came within points of destroying the VTOL's nose in the exchange.
Turn 5 was the final round due to a time limitation that day. The Black Knight advanced on the Centurion, the Centurion countered with a jump to the Knight's six. The Mantis maneuvered to the rear of the Knight in order to exact some revenge, again the Mantis proved to be worthy investment of BV as it landed several shots while the Enforcer failed to hit. The Fenrir battle armor closed with the standard infantry and eliminated two platoons with a barrage of small pulse laser fire. The WoB infantry made the advancing Dart pay for it's rashness as they successfully performed a leg attack, which when combined with the damage of an allied platoon, destroyed the armor of the Dart's left leg, which resulted in a few critical hits rolls that narrowly missed.
With the bulk of the WoB infantry laying in ruins the advancing Lyran militia infantry and battle armor had a significant chance of breaking into the HPG in any subsequent turns. The Lyran militia mechs may not have fared to well as the Black Knight with it's superior pilot and firepower advanced on the attacking mechs who needed to protect the infantry, effectively pinning them within a few hexes of the HPG.
