Render Unto Caesar - Alpha Strike at FlintCon 2016 (Picture Laden)

[Azakael]

While not the original plan for this year's FlintCon, sadly my A Call to War! forces caught a major case of the "Meh" and did not get painted in time for A Line in the Sand. So instead, the scenario for the second year of FlintCon ended up being a follow up to last year's game.

Magistracy Briefing:

6th of February, 3145 -- Marian Hegemony
     After a successful mission obtaining sensitive information from Hegemony computers, your forces are now making their way to their dropship LZ to await extraction. Expect heavy resistance. Ammo is getting scarce, so moderation is key -- do not fire if you do not have direct sights on your target.

(As a note, I pared out a lot of the unit specials to keep things moving faster. Indirect Fire and HT weapons were one.)

Hegemony Briefing:

6th of February, 3145 -- Marian Hegemony
     Raiders in Magistracy colours have captured vital troop assignment information for the VI Legio, and are making an escape. Legate Haskins has provided an additional Century of Battlemechs to attempt to blockade them. If you cannot stop them entirely, make them pay for this data they have stolen in blood. Caesar's due will be given.

Scenario was "Hold the Line" from the Alpha Strike Companion. Victory points were not used. If the Magistracy could escape with at least half of their forces, they would win - otherwise victory to the Hegemony.

Optional Rules in Effect:
Variable Damage - Mostly as written. Overheat and Rear damage points were added *after* the Variable Damage roll, so a Rear shot with Overheat of 1 was a guaranteed 3 points of damage.
Goofs that worked out alright - The GM (Me) goofed and reversed the Incoming damage chart and the Firing Arc charts in my mind, so firing arcs were based on the hexsides, and incoming damage was based just on the rear of the hex. (As a note, I will probably continue to run rear shots as being anything behind the hex base. (I.E. if I am outside your firing arc, I am hitting your rear.) It's just easier, and with Variable Damage, doesn't make things that incredibly more dangerous. Additionally, I forgot the motive damage roll for vehicles is based on being hit, not on losing internal structure. Oops.

Order of Battle -
Magistracy:
     Alpha Lance:
          Cataphract CTF-4L
          Crusader CRD-8L
          Stalker STK-3Fb
          Ti Ts'Ang TSG-9J

     Bravo Lance:
          Agrotera AGT-1A
          Eyleuka EYL-45B
          Raven RVN-4Lr
          Sha Yu SYU-6B

     Charlie Lance:
          Light SRM Carrier (Standard)
          Maxim Heavy Hover Transport (Standard)
          Pike Support Vehicle (RAC) "Assault Pike"
          Pegasus Scout Hover Tank (3058)

Hegemony:
     Command Century:
          Catapult CPLT-C5A
          Orion ON1-MA
          Penthesilea PEN-2H
          Victor VTR-9K
          Zeus ZEU-9S

     Probe Century:
          Commando COM-2Dr
          Dervish DV-6Mr
          Dervish DV-6Mr
          Icarus II ICR-2S
          Whitworth WTH-1H

     Vehicle Battle Century:
          Hetzer Wheeled Assault Gun (LB-X)
          Manticore Heavy Tank (Standard)
          Manticore Heavy Tank (Standard)
          Schrek PPC Carrier (Armor)
          Schrek PPC Carrier (Armor)
(Despite using the names of Formation types from the Companion, those special rules were not being used in this game. KISS for a convention game.)

[Azakael]

And now, pictures:
This year, I made a conscious decision to attempt to take more pictures of my game than I did last year. First it helps with the after action. Second, people like pictures.






This was the table before players deployed. I ran out of supplies before I could finish a few things, so trees were not on stands. Also, I'd have preferred to have suburban buildings just past the larger skyscrapers, as cities don't just end without reason (terrain... wall... etc.) Also, I needed a road to finish the path from the city tile. Oh well.

Deployment. Okay, I missed getting pictures of the forces after deployment. Whoops.

Turn 1:





The Hegemony won initiative on turn one, forcing the Magistracy to go first. Both players moved fairly conservatively, unsure of the other player's plans yet. There was some fire, but nothing that was worth taking note of. I was surprised to see the Magistracy hold back with the Raven, Eyleuka, and Sha Yu as they were fast moving units.

Turn 2:




To quote a meme - "Well, that escalated quickly!"
Hegemony won initiative again (get used to hearing that...) The Stalker plodded forth on the left flank, occupying almost an entire Century by himself! The Ti Ts'ang decided to show his speed and power and jumped behind the Orion, only to have the Victor jump behind him. Here's a close up of that nice situation.



Meanwhile the Agrotera decided to make some really poor life choices, jumping out into the open, where every Marian Vehicle, save the Hetzer trained their turrets on him...


The turn ended with the Icarus II being stripped of armor, the Orion stripped of armor, and the Agrotera learning what a dirt nap is.

[Azakael]

Turn 3:




Turn 3 was rather sedate given turn 2. Hegemony won initiative. Again. It didn't matter that much, as some movement got a little out of whack. Either way, the Stalker on the Magistracy left flank was able to weather the entire firepower of the Probe Century, only taking some MP damage in the end. The Orion, on the other hand, decided that now would be the best time to punch out. And, despite having forgotten to move, and thus be considered stationary for the turn, the Pegasus did not get touched.



Oh, and that? The Victor, once again behind the Ti Ts'ang. This time, he flubbed his attack roll, and the Ti Ts'ang survived unscathed.

Turn 4:





You'll never guess who won initiative. Again. For the fourth time this game. Wow. Seriously. I would have felt bad for the Magistracy player, except he was getting into some nice positioning. Turn 4 started with the Pegasus and Maxim both moving off of the table. Two out of six units. The Eyleuka and Sha Yu shot from their hidey hole, to rush out and start making ground. Apparently, they were a feint.



Then we had what appeared to be a nice cluster of combat... only to have both the Penthesilea and the Ti Ts'ang miss their physical attacks. With the Ti Ts'ang having jumped well further than the Victor could, the Victor pilot found himself a new target, walking over to the Crusader, one-two, into the back. No more Crusader...



Despite the sheer tankyness of the Stalker, he could not weather another storm of fire like he did, and both he and the Icarus II faced mutual destruction.



The Pike, took a nice long shot at the Catapult, finishing off the last few points of damage:

[Azakael]

Turn 5:




The Magistracy actually wins initiative!!! Now that it really doesn't terribly matter. Turn five sees the Ti Ts'ang leave the table, 4/6 units escaped. I was surprised to see it go, it had no armor left at *all*.

Fire had the Pike being finished off by the Whitworth.


And the Cataphract offed in melee by the Zeus. Surprisingly, even connecting, the Penthisilea was not able to actually destroy the Light SRM Carrier, nor disable its movement. All other fire missed it. The Light SRM Carrier survived.


Turn 6 - The Last Turn Played:



This situation could not have been *planned*. The Raven and SRM Carrier both left the field this turn, leaving the Magistracy player with needing only one more unit. When the Eyleuka and Sha Yu both moved, they ended up exactly on the edge of the table. (Looking back at it now, technically the MoC player actually won at this point. I forgot the map was 2" longer on this side and both the Eyleuka and Sha Yu would have made it off the table. Whoops. Oh well, this made for a much more dramatic ending...)

So there it was. Firing phase. Both 'Mechs had to fall. The Marian Hegemony had a lot of units to throw at the Magistracy of Canopus. Most Hegemony shots were either 3 damage or 4 at this range, and both the Sha Yu and Eyleuka were damaged and could only take four more points before they fell. However, both were high movement profiles, as well as Stealth Armor equipped. 10's were the number for this turn.



Victory would elude the Legate's forces. The only shot to connect would take out the Eyleuka, allowing the Sha Yu to leave the table on the following turn. With half of his forces off the table, the Magistracy of Canopus player won. It was a bitter victory, however, as half of his forces were lost - all of which were some of his more expensive units. The Hegemony player, on the other hand, only lost three units - and some left the battlefield missing naught but some ammunition. Blood was paid.

[Louie N]

Thank you for the write up.

an enjoyable read of the battle.