So
Son of Kerenski and myself decided to continue our current obsession with BF and have
another game. This time it was battalion vs (almost) battalion - there were some math errors due to force construction procrastination on my part. So instead of 36 vs. 36 it was 36 Kuritan vs 32 Lyran mechs, both sides trying to target 500pts... (though there is some confusion on that point... more on this later)
First off a few glamor shots to keep you reading ;)....
Yes, that's
Lt. Dan's union dropship and more of his buildings on
Hexon 100mm terrain... it certainly is pretty 8).
I've uploaded more than the images shown but you can see them all
here on my Flickr Account.
So anyways... Back to the AAR...
It was straight raid... Both sides trying to capture HQ's on the other side of the board (the Hexon terrain works out at about the same size as a regular map sheet but it covers an entire table). Primary HQ's (the HPG station and the Dropship) were worth 300pts, and the secondary HQ's worth 150pts. The mountain in the middle was un passable/jumpable to make things interesting. To capture an HQ a unit had to remain in that hex for 2 turns where friendly forces outnumbered hostiles.
Coming to the board the forces looked like this:
500pt QS
Attacker
Kurita
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Command Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Awesome AWS-9Q 80 1,875 4/5 1,875
Battlemaster BLR-5M 85 1,766 4/5 1,766
Naginata NG-C3C 95 2,131 4/5 2,131
Atlas AS7-Dr 100 2,101 4/5 2,101
7,873
FireSupport Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Panther PNT-16K 35 988 4/5 988
Panther PNT-16K 35 988 4/5 988
Crusader CRD-4BR 65 1,407 4/5 1,407
Archer ARC-2Rb 70 1,705 4/5 1,705
5,088
Ground Speed Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Locust LCT-1Vb 20 642 4/5 642
Locust LCT-1Vb 20 642 4/5 642
Mongoose MON-86 25 887 4/5 887
Hermes HER-1S 30 716 4/5 716
2,887
HeadCappers Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Catapult CPLT-K4 65 1,880 4/5 2,529
Catapult CPLT-K4 65 1,880 4/5 2,529
Warhammer WHM-8K 70 1,748 4/5 2,397
Gunslinger GUN-2ERD 85 2,423 4/5 3,072
10,528
HeavyHitters Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Hunchback HBK-5SS 50 1,342 4/5 1,342
Thunderbolt TDR-5Sb 65 1,613 4/5 1,613
Grasshopper GHR-6K 70 1,597 4/5 1,597
Orion ON1-MA 75 1,501 4/5 1,501
6,053
Jumpers Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Spider SDR-7KC 30 732 4/5 732
Jenner JR7-C2 35 769 4/5 769
Ostscout OTT-11J 35 908 4/5 908
Venom SDR-9KC 35 939 4/5 939
3,348
Quickstrike Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Kintaro KTO-K 55 1,571 3/4 2,168
Shadow Hawk SHD-9D 55 1,313 3/4 1,812
Wolverine WVR-7K 55 1,331 3/4 1,837
Black Hawk-KU BHKU-O Prime 60 1,731 3/4 2,389
8,205
Skirmisher Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Javelin JVN-11A "Fire Javelin" 30 1,073 4/5 1,073
Firestarter FS9-O B 45 1,070 4/5 1,070
Phoenix Hawk PXH-3D 45 1,315 4/5 1,315
Scorpion SCP-10M 55 1,458 4/5 1,458
4,916
Trebs Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Trebuchet TBT-9K 50 1,329 4/5 1,978
Trebuchet TBT-9K 50 1,329 4/5 1,978
Grand Dragon DRG-9KC 60 1,147 4/5 1,796
Bombardier BMB-14K 65 1,249 4/5 1,898
7,651
56,549
Defender
Lyran
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unit Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
0
A1 Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Zeus-X ZEU-9WD 80 1,716 4/5 1,716
Sunder SD1-O Prime 90 1,747 4/5 1,747
Sunder SD1-O Prime 90 1,747 4/5 1,747
Banshee BNC-5S 95 2,065 4/5 2,065
7,275
a2 Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Awesome AWS-9Q 80 1,875 2/3 3,413
Longbow LGB-14C 85 1,421 4/5 1,421
Viking VKG-2F 90 2,079 2/3 3,784
King Crab KGC-005 100 2,264 4/5 2,264
10,881
h1 Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Black Hawk-KU BHKU-O E 60 1,982 4/5 1,982
Ostsol OTL-5D 60 1,333 4/5 1,333
Barghest BGS-2T 70 1,794 4/5 1,794
Cataphract CTF-3L 70 1,545 4/5 1,545
6,654
jA1 Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Akuma AKU-1XJ 90 2,203 4/5 2,203
Pillager PLG-3Z 100 2,697 4/5 2,697
Pillager PLG-3Z 100 2,697 4/5 2,697
Xanthos XNT-4O 100 2,625 3/4 3,623
11,220
l1 Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Wasp WSP-7MAF 20 488 4/5 488
Spider SDR-8K 30 1,007 4/5 1,007
Spider SDR-8M 30 621 4/5 621
Ostscout OTT-7J 35 596 4/5 596
2,712
l2 Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Nexus NXS1-A 25 643 4/5 643
Falcon FLC-5P 30 945 4/5 945
Jenner JR7-K 35 889 4/5 889
Jenner JR7-K 35 889 4/5 889
3,366
m1 Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Clint CLNT-2-3T 40 770 4/5 770
Firestarter FS9-O H 45 1,119 4/5 1,119
Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 45 1,041 4/5 1,041
Shadow Hawk SHD-2D2 55 1,049 4/5 1,049
3,979
m2 Tons BV Mechwarrior G/P Adj BV
Centurion CN9-D 50 1,130 4/5 1,130
Legionnaire LGN-2XU 50 1,128 4/5 1,128
Trebuchet TBT-5K 50 996 4/5 996
Wolverine WVR-6R 55 1,101 4/5 1,101
4,355
50,442
Point totals in BF work out slightly differently and we're trying to figure out if C3 multiplier applies here as well (in which case our totals were off but it may be a BFB issue)
Kuritan: 508pt (488 base)
notes: Quickstrike Lance upgraded to 3 base skill, Trebs and Headcappers lances both running active C3 networks
Lyrans: 500pt (459 base)
notes: Awesome and Viking in the A2 lance upgraded to 2 base skill, Xanthos in the Jumping Assault (jA1) lance upgraded to base skill 3
Here we run into the first of the house rules Kerenski and myself have
developed (and stolen) over several games:
- No more than 2 of the exact same type of Element in a Unit.
This keeps things interesting, instead of a straight lance of Atlases.
- We don't bother with atomic initiative. We use swinging initiative to keep people(me) from getting too frustrated
All at once initiative leads to
Wolfpack-ing/clustering where the side that loses initiative clusters together, and the Initiative winner manoeuvres so that all it's forces can range a single target at short or medium and all the other units are at medium/long. We use swinging initiative because I havent' been able to roll decently all month, and it really hurts when one side is boot stomping the other due to a run on initiative.
- No More than 2 turns under fire while in the row of hexes along the edge of the board
Backshots are important in BF (and make the lights very dangerous), putting your back to the edge of the map is cheap.. You can do it for 1 turn but no more than that.
To keep things speeding along we decided to move a company (3 lances) at a time during initiatives.
Ok on to Turn 1:
Kuritans Win Init.
Both forces deploy immediately behind their HQ's, and advance up the board. Both sides deploy in response to one another in a 3 lance x 3 lance initiative order, and it immediately becomes clear that the Assaults are lining up to pound on each other.
While the lights race towards each other on the other side of the map.
Turn 2:
Kurita Wins Init Again.
Both sides continue racing up the board.
The Kuritan Lights break away from the Assaults and charge into extreme range of Lyran Assaults that have taken up firing positions behind partial cover of a hill. The Oscout gets taken out by a lucky shot by the Viking at long range, and scares the Jumping lance away from the Assault wall of iron.
Meanwhile the fast moving lights are back to back on opposite sides of the mountain like a scene from an action movie shootout while their slower friends chase up into firing positions.
But no shots make a difference on this side of the board.
Turn 3:
Lyrans Win Init.
The Assaults continue their charge a max of 3 hexes,
After a bit of discussion it's decided to add a new house rule.
- 2 friendly units per hex, unless attempting to/defending against capture.
The wall of Command Lance, HeadHunter C3 Lance, and HeavyHitters lance all in one hex and bearing down all at once, convince us to add a new rule to stop an unstoppable avalanche of mechs slamming though a defences. Normally we'd stop this with Artillery (see our previous game) but it was decided that this would slow the game to much and instead we decided on a stacking limit.
But the real action happens when everyone realizes there's a Mexican standoff going off on the eastern side of the board. The mediums and heavy's charge into the fray but are too far back to make much difference, except for the Lyran Blackhawk Ku lance (h1) that misjudges the movement profile of the locusts and ends up getting back shot for their mistake taking out a Barghest. All the other units scramble to cover/apply fire. My dice rolling skills prove themselves once again, and the lights get off scott free for all the damage they do the lyran heavy.
Turn 4:
Lyrans Win Init.
THERE WAS A FIREFIGHTThe Kuritan Assaults charge forward, and the Lyran Assaults move forward to try and put the damage on them where the Viking and Pillager can do most damage.
The Lyrans do nothing more than scratch paint as the dice gods continue to punish the Lyrans, in return the Kuritans peel half the armor off of the Awesome in the Longbow lance.
The wounded Lyran blackhawk ku lance retreats, seeing the grudge match coming as the two forces previously separated by a mountain decide to go toe to toe. The sneaky locust lance rushes forward looking for backshots, but you only get to surprise an enemy like that once.
The Lyran lights make a break for it, as they're the fastest units on the board 7 and 8J respectively, peeling off the light Kuritans in the process.
The Kuritans bring the Grand Dragon lance C3 to bear and tries to shoot the Shadow hawk lance, not realizing the Firestarter in the lance has ECM removing the +1 bonus. The Shadow Hawk and Wolverine lances make sure to kill the C3 master Grand Dragon inspite of the dice gods, but do so at the expense of the Clint and the ShadowHawk. Also falling in the carnage is the Blackhawk ku and half a Kintaro in the Kuritan Wolverine lance.
Turn 5:
Kuritans Win Init.
The Kuritans catch the Lyrans by surprise as the Assault Cluster turns about face. While the Sneaky Locust lance copies the Lyran lights and makes a bid for a capture after tricking the Lyran Blackhawk Ku lance to advance to support the Shadowhawk lance. The retreating Shadowhawk lance is persued by the Grand Dragon-less Grand Dragon lance, and the Kuritan Wolverine lance.
The Kuritan's get revenge for their losses last turn, making a point of killing the Firestarter, destroying the lance, while the water and partial cover mean that the Kuritan Wolverine lance escapes retribution.
Turn 6:
Lyrans Win Init
The Lyran lights make a capture attempt on the secondary Kuritan HQ, but the Kuritan lights have caught up., mean while the Kuritan locust moves into position for a capture attempt on the Lyran HPG Dish.
The Lyran Assaults scramble to move into position for shots on the locust while the Lyran Blackhawk Ku gets surrounded by Kuritan Mediums.
But the Lucky Locust Lance escapes all the fire.
Meanwhile back at the Kuritan HQ it's a party and it appears everybody is invited.
Lots of Fire is exchanged, but the Lyrans come off worse for wear and the Kuritans thwart a capture attempt.
The Wasp lance gets pummelled loosing 2 units while the Kuritans get off lightly.
Turn 7:
Kuritans Win Init.
Realizing they can't hold the Kuritan HQ the Jenner lance and the Wolverine lance move to the edge of the board to limit back shots, while the wasp lance tries to start another capture attempt.
But the Real story is at the other end, where the Lyrans find themselves on the wrong side of a defensive line around their Primary HQ.
Everyone fires, but the dice gods decide they like the Locust lance better.....
And time is called.... (not that it matters the primary objective had been met as well....)
So time to tally the butcher's bill:
In the end
Lyrans Killed: 92 pts.
Grand Dragon
Bombardier
Kintaro
Blackhawk Ku
Oscout
Locust
Mongoose
Kuritans killed: 141pts +300 (objective)
Blackhawk Ku
Ostsol
Barghest
Nexus
Jenner
Clint
Firestarter
Phoenix Hawk
Shadow Hawk
Spider
Spider
Wasp
In the end it was the loss of the high points units in the blackhawk ku lance that really shifted the pts balance plus some real crap luck on the dice for the Lyran side.