Hi All,
You can find previous episode of this Total Chaos Campaign in the WOB/IS thread.
A few weeks ago our group attempted the Assault mission on page 30 of Total Chaos. This is part 1. Part 2 will follow.
In this mission, the players deploy with 75% of their total from their home edge (Edge A) with the remaining 25% deploying between turn 4-12 along a secondary and adjacent edge (Edge B). Since the mission doesn't stipulate if this is determined randomly the players picked when the reinforcement would enter (Turn 4) and in the effort of fairness, informed the defender. Our player group represents a nondescript mercenary force deploying on the south edge.
The planetary defenders are a WOB force. According to Total Chaos the defender force should be determined on the Defender's Force Composition table attached to the mission but we decided to forgo this in exchange for a straight up BV challenge. The defenders would be able to start with 100% of the attackers force. The WOB would deploy on the north edge of the board.
Our forces include gunnery/piloting skills in BV calculations.
Entering this mission the players had approximately 700 warchest points left from previous missions. Assault cost 400. In this mission we avoided any options to add to our warchest payout. Our objectives:
Hammer: Cripple/Destroy at least 65% of the defenders force. 400 warchest points.
Cut off the head: Cripple/Destroy the enemy's commander. 150 warchest points.
The cast of characters are below. The Hammerhands proxies for a Warhammer IIC. Otherwise all models represent. I'll let Saint and TheMaster1955 post point values and specifics on their mechs. On the mercenary side I'm running a Stealth 2D2 with a 3/4 pilot at 1847.82 BV and a Rifleman 7X with a 3/4 pilot at 2270.1 BV.
Note: The blue arrow always points to the north edge of the board.
The Mercs (Players)
The WOB (Defender/OpFor)
DeploymentThe Mercs set up on their home edge to the south with the west adjacent edge designated as their secondary edge for the arrival of reinforcements on turn 4. The defenders set up on the north edge. Since the mission states that all defenders begin on the playing area, the defenders (WOB) played by TheMaster1955 deploy across his table edge. To the west he deploys a Toyama, Bombardier and Anubis. It is on this side the players deploy 75% of their forces: a Mercury II, Bombardier, Warhammer IIc and the Rifleman.
As you can see, Urban terrain was rolled as per the rules. The table looks spectacular thanks to the Saint. He has a good eye for this and some nice terrain to boot.
Turn 1Mercs win the initiative with the Warhammer IIC advancing up Main Street. The rest of the mercenary force takes to the building to move up on the west side. The WOB Toyama, Bombardier and Anubis also take cover amongst the terrain. To the east, the remainder of the WOB forces, a Titan, Red Shift, Buccaneer and Victor shift to the west. The WOB Bombardier and Merc Mercury II exchange light fire but to no effect. No other shots are fired.
Turn 2WOB/defenders win the initiative this turn and the action explodes.
The Anubis charges into base to base with the Warhammer IIC and the Toyama and WOB Bombardier position for firing. The Mercs/Players continue to advance through the buildings. The second half of the WOB force continue to move in from the east and will arrive on the next turn. During the firing phase the WOB concentrates fire on the Warhammer IIC slagging armor from its frame. The Warhammer returns fire in kind striking the Toyama with an ER PPC and the Anubis with medium pulse lasers. The Warhammer's heat scale shoots up but he avoids successfully and against the odds. Other shots are exchanged across the board. In the end, the Warhammer fails its PSR and drops to its knees from damage.
Turn 3Mercs/Playes win initiative.
The Warhammer, badly damaged and already overheated struggles to it's feet only to be swarmed by the Anubis and the Buccaneer who moves into base to base. The WOB forces all move into firing zones. During the firing phase the mercenary Bombardier and Mercury lay into the Anubis. The Warhammer unloads into the Titan melting armor but acquires several overheat rolls and shuts down in the heat phase. The Buccaneer unloads into the Warhammer penetrating armor and crashing his hatchet into the Warhammer's chest. The WOB Anubis does not survive the round and goes down to weapons fire. The Warhammer also crashes to the ground, immobilized.
Turn 4WOB/Defender win the initiative.
With the Warhammer out of commission on a shutdown, the WOB forces turn their efforts to the Hector that just arrived with the Stealth. The Hector absorbs an astounding amount of fire and dishes out some in return. The Mercenaries combine fire on the Titan stripping its center torso of armor and almost coring it.
Turn 5The players win initiative this round.
Incredibly, despite a wounded pilot who regains consciousness and a mech suffering from severe damage, the Warhammer IIC restarts and rises again. In the tight confines of the city, all units remain danger close in the movement phase. The Hector, overheated and damaged from the last round moves into a repair bay to avoid fire but the Titan finds him there nonetheless. In a stroke of luck, the Hector fires an ER PPC at the Titan and takes off it's head! The Warhammer pulses the WOB Bombardier stripping it of its center torso armor. The WOB Victor fires at the Warhammer striking the head with an SRM and causing a third hit to the MechWarrior inside. In the end phase the Warhammer makes all avoid rolls but the pilot passes out from damage. The mech goes down and takes two criticals in the fall to the engine taking it out of the game.
Turn 6WOB wins initiative.
Movement begins to shake up this turn. The Red Shift angles down one of the city streets. Suspecting this unit is the Commander, the Mercury II takes off after him with the Buccaneer following. During the firing phase the Rifleman sends a Snub nose PPC into the center torso of the WOB Bombardier causing two criticals. The Mercenary Bombardier lays into the Victor with LRM's. The Toyama comes to his defense striking back at the Mercenary Bombardier. The Mercury II blows off an arm on the Red Shift. The Buccaneer strikes at the Mercury but it shrugs off the damage.
More to come in part 2. Comments and questions welcome.
