Author Topic: Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine  (Read 7306 times)

Brandydog

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Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine
« on: 01 May 2011, 07:44:25 »
This was another instance where we concocted a scenario in order to use some freshly painted miniatures which we were eager to try out. We didnt look into calculations of BV points, rather we chose units that looked nice thematically, and then just adjusted units/pilots and balanced using only our judgement. Made things alot easier and quicker to set up, we were right into the action with none of our usual selection headaches.

Draconis Combine – 5th Sword of Light
* Stalker, STK-5M, (3050)
   Lance Commander, Pilot (3/4)
* Black Knight, BL-7-KNT, (3025)
   Pilot (4/5)
* Javelin, JVN-10P, (3050)
   Pilot (4/5)
* Wasp,  WSP-1A, (2471)
   Pilot (4/5)


 

Kell Hounds, Fire Lance
* Archer, ARC-5R, (3050)
   Lance Commander, Pilot (3/4)
* Rifleman, RFL-5D, (3050)
   Pilot (4/5)
* Griffin, GRF-1N, (3025)
   Pilot (4/5)
* Whitworth,  WTH-1, (2610)
   Pilot (4/5)


 


TURN 1

Both Lances deploy fairly spread out.



Stalker goes at cruising speed straight down centre, firing long range weapons at Whitworth, and peppering it for 12 damage with missile fire. Javelin and Wasp sprint down right flank as a pair behind cover of hills and woods.

Whitworth, Rifleman, and commanding Archer move forward cautiously into or alongside light woodland, combining fire aimed at the Draconis command Stalker. 2 ER PPCs from Rifleman hit their mark, as well as 20+ combined damage from 2 flights of LRM10 and 1 flight of LRM15. Some missile fire hit the cockpit, injuring the Kurita lance commander, and a lucky missile cluster on the centre torso manages to critically hit a Gyro. The Stalker falls down smoking from the sheer amount of damage.


 
Kell Hound Griffin matches against the Draconis Black Knight, but misses with its missiles and PPC. Black Knight, supporting the Stalker, charges alongside the assault mech, firing large laser pair at Griffin but missing.


TURN 2

In a show of immense skill, the Draconis Commander manages the herculean effort of bringing the massive Stalker back onto its feet, despite the critical damage to its Gyro, and fires large laser and two LRM10 flights at the Whitworth again. The missiles miss their mark, but the large laser pounds into the Whitworth’s right arm.



Kell Hounds Rifleman, Archer, and Whitworth remain stationary and continue to combine fire aimed at the Stalker, just as they did the previous round, scoring equally damaging hits on the assault mech (close to 30 damage). The Stalker, with an already smashed Gyro, once again spins and falls to the ground with a thunderous crash.



Wasp and Javelin continue their flanking manouever at full speed, now within medium to short range distance of the Whitworth, threatening to encircle it in only a few more moments. They each let loose with some close range firepower but miss due to the speed they were racing at.


 
Black Knight turns its attention to the approaching Griffin, snapping off deadly fire from its left arc, but misses with all its weapons fire. The Griffin, in return, fires both its weapons… LRM10 flight sail harmlessly above the cockpit, but PPC hits the Black Knight square in the head, breaching into its internals immediately and frying the cockpit itself, as well as the mechwarrior within!

The Black Knight, with a smoking cockpit, falls lifelessly and crashes to the ground, while the Stalker pilot finds it impossible to haul the crumpled assault mech back to a standing position…

Suddenly finding themselves without a commanding officer, against a full strength Hounds lance with advanced equipment, and with just two lightly armored mechs remaining, the remaining Draconis forces retreat in the wake of such crippling losses.

Meanwhile, the Hound battlemechs quickly advanced to drag away the Stalker and the headless Black Knight as salvage.

« Last Edit: 01 May 2011, 07:54:29 by Brandydog »


Not the vastness of space, nor the Wolf's obstinate howl, will stay us from our righteous goal.
We are Crusaders and will trample all who stand in our way!

Lyran Archer

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Re: Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine
« Reply #1 on: 01 May 2011, 08:03:16 »
 [applause]

Great report! Love to see the unseen Archer and Rifleman do so well! Kell Hounds vs the DC is a classic of the Warrior Trilogy.

Was that Morgan Kell in the Archer? Did you have any "Phantom 'Mech" incidents? I've had several battles with entire lances of Archers that undergo "Phantom 'Mech" phenomena - my opponents can't seem to hit with even the easiest shots on them!
LCAF German Expeditionary Militia Kampfgruppe Panzerfaust: 1 Overlord class DropShip, 1 Fortress class DropShip, 2 AeroSpace Fighters, 4 BattleMech Companies, 1 Vehicle Company, 1 Infantry Battalion
Motto: STAND (behind a hill) AND DELIVER (indirectly via spotter)!

Brandydog

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Re: Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine
« Reply #2 on: 01 May 2011, 08:23:38 »
[applause]

Great report! Love to see the unseen Archer and Rifleman do so well! Kell Hounds vs the DC is a classic of the Warrior Trilogy.

Was that Morgan Kell in the Archer? Did you have any "Phantom 'Mech" incidents? I've had several battles with entire lances of Archers that undergo "Phantom 'Mech" phenomena - my opponents can't seem to hit with even the easiest shots on them!

I guess we could have used the Archer as Morgan Kell himself, but just based on a little background fluff ive read about him so far, i'd imagine that rather, he would be at least a 1/1 pilot??  ;D Still gota read that Warrior Trilogy and looking forward to it..

No Phantom mechs this battle, i remember reading your report about the Phantom Archers and thinking heck thats a nice skill to have at the tabletop! And most of the time i feel like its me that is facing phantom mechs, in this game and the previous, i felt like i'd used up my yearly quota of insanely good luck, all in the one day.

Too good to be true, head shots, centre torsos that seemed to have homing beacons on them, rolling double 1s for location on the Stalker on Turn 1 and hitting gyro.... yeap, im definately going to be suffering the next few games very least #P


Not the vastness of space, nor the Wolf's obstinate howl, will stay us from our righteous goal.
We are Crusaders and will trample all who stand in our way!

markhall

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Re: Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine
« Reply #3 on: 01 May 2011, 09:27:39 »
Do you use the "Floating Crit" Rule Brandydog?

Brandydog

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Re: Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine
« Reply #4 on: 01 May 2011, 09:39:39 »
Do you use the "Floating Crit" Rule Brandydog?

If thats what i inflicted on the Stalker on turn 1 then i suppose we do

(it had no internal damage as yet, and its CT armor had not been breached yet, but on the roll of double 1s for location, we checked the crit roll and it was 8, so 1 crit on CT)
« Last Edit: 01 May 2011, 09:47:36 by Brandydog »


Not the vastness of space, nor the Wolf's obstinate howl, will stay us from our righteous goal.
We are Crusaders and will trample all who stand in our way!

markhall

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Re: Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine
« Reply #5 on: 01 May 2011, 10:56:11 »
That's a Through Armor Critial. (TAC) A Floating Crit adds an Extra roll.
The Extra roll is a Location for the Crit rather than just rolling it on the Center Torso.
So it can make it a little less fatal on  a mech. Or more so if you get lucky with the rolls.

so when you roll a "Double 1"
You roll for number of Crits.
Then roll to see where the shot hits.
then roll on the appropriate location for the critical
It first appeared in Max Tech IIRC.





Lyran Archer

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Re: Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine
« Reply #6 on: 01 May 2011, 12:53:44 »
Do you use the "Floating Crit" Rule Brandydog?

I personally don't like the floating crit rule. It was supposed to lessen the devestation a single crit on the center torso can have.

I can think of quite a few examples even just from recent games. In the first battle I had against Phell I threw a few SRMs at his Great Wyrm as a secondary target, not even thinking of doing much damage. One SRM hit snake eyes for location. Roll two crits - both gyros. A perfectly good 'Mech (minus the gyro) simply topples to the ground. In another battle against Bren, my brothers Void battlearmor did two damage to a Hellbringer, rolled a CT crit, hit the AMS ammo in the CT, KA-BOOM!

The problem I have with floating crits is that they can be just as devestating transferring the crits to other locations that have ammo or a cockpit or hit a leg actuator, so the floating crits don't really solve the problem.

Also, fluff-wise, how is it that I take damage in my center torso and suddenly my left knee actuator, my right hand actuator, and a small laser in my 'Mech's head stop working?
« Last Edit: 01 May 2011, 13:08:37 by Lyran Archer »
LCAF German Expeditionary Militia Kampfgruppe Panzerfaust: 1 Overlord class DropShip, 1 Fortress class DropShip, 2 AeroSpace Fighters, 4 BattleMech Companies, 1 Vehicle Company, 1 Infantry Battalion
Motto: STAND (behind a hill) AND DELIVER (indirectly via spotter)!

markhall

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Re: Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine
« Reply #7 on: 01 May 2011, 14:07:43 »


Also, fluff-wise, how is it that I take damage in my center torso and suddenly my left knee actuator, my right hand actuator, and a small laser in my 'Mech's head stop working?
Because the Double 1 is no longer a CT hit. Its just a TAC Crit. Thats why you roll for Location.


Quote
The problem I have with floating crits is that they can be just as devestating transferring the crits to other locations that have ammo or a cockpit or hit a leg actuator, so the floating crits don't really solve the problem.
They can. But they can also be less effective.  Loss of a hand or weapon system isn't too bad to an undamaged mech.
Where as a Crit to the center torso is generally devastating to a mech.

But these are the chances one takes with dice.

A. Lurker

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Re: Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine
« Reply #8 on: 03 May 2011, 09:55:23 »
Because the Double 1 is no longer a CT hit. Its just a TAC Crit. Thats why you roll for Location.

Exactly. You don't "take damage to your CT and then some unrelated part stops working"; the entire hit never struck the CT in the first place (unless it comes up on the location roll again, of course) and so the damage and TAC effect both apply to wherever it actually lands.

Personally, I like floating crits just fine. After all, if the 'Mech's torso -- arguably the part of it that would be easiest to armor well -- can still suffer critical hits through said armor, it's hard to see why its limbs and head should be immune. So floating crits are just easier on my suspension of disbelief. Even if that means losing hip actuators and even pilots to them from time to time. :)

Lyran Archer

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Re: Kell Hounds vs Draconis Combine
« Reply #9 on: 03 May 2011, 10:47:27 »
Exactly. You don't "take damage to your CT and then some unrelated part stops working"; the entire hit never struck the CT in the first place (unless it comes up on the location roll again, of course) and so the damage and TAC effect both apply to wherever it actually lands.

Personally, I like floating crits just fine. After all, if the 'Mech's torso -- arguably the part of it that would be easiest to armor well -- can still suffer critical hits through said armor, it's hard to see why its limbs and head should be immune. So floating crits are just easier on my suspension of disbelief. Even if that means losing hip actuators and even pilots to them from time to time. :)

Okay, my mistake - a misunderstanding on my part. That doesn't sound too bad. I still don't know if I'll use them, but it does make sense to me now.
LCAF German Expeditionary Militia Kampfgruppe Panzerfaust: 1 Overlord class DropShip, 1 Fortress class DropShip, 2 AeroSpace Fighters, 4 BattleMech Companies, 1 Vehicle Company, 1 Infantry Battalion
Motto: STAND (behind a hill) AND DELIVER (indirectly via spotter)!

 

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