The Fall of Sakhalin – Operation GuerreroOperation GUERRERO was a short conflict between the Federated Commonwealth, the Free Worlds League, and the Capellan Confederation. Despite lasting only four months, the conflict set the stage for serious repercussions over the next two decades, ultimately precipitating the FedCom Civil War. The conflict was from September to December of 3057.
BackgroundAfter the death of Joshua Marik (son and heir to Thomas Marik, head of the Free Worlds League) in 3057, Victor Steiner-Davion replaced the child with a double to keep war supplies from the Free Worlds League coming to support his forces engaged against the Clans. Thomas Marik discovered this substitution in September of that year, and ordered the Free Worlds League Military to attack the Federated Commonwealth in retaliation for the deception. Most of these worlds were former Free Worlds League planets that the Federated Commonwealth had captured and integrated into the Sarna March during the 4th Succession War in 3028. Sun-Tzu Liao, Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation, ordered the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces to attack Sarna March worlds as well to support his (possible) father-in-law.
The Federated Commonwealth was completely taken by surprise by the attacks, as most of their attention was on the Clan front. The LIC, DMI, and MIIO erroneously attributed the movements of the FWLM attackers along the Sarna March border to routine troop movements.
SakhalinIn 3057, Kingston's Legionnaires, a Capellan regular regiment, were part of Operation GUERRERO. A single battalion of the Legionnaires captured Sakhalin from the Federated Commonwealth. Nearby Sarna was also under invasion but its garrison defeated the attacking CCAF units. Instead of upholding FedCom rule, Sarna declared independence and called itself the reborn Sarna Supremacy. Elements of the new Supremacy’s mercenary regiments were sent to Sakhalin to dislodge the Legionnaires
The BattleThe Supremacy sent elements from the mercenary units Grim Determination, Tooth of Ymir, and Schwarz’ Foresters, to reclaim Kaifeng. The two larger and more prestigious mercenary marched on the planetary capital at Bedlam’s Barrows, while the Foresters (a company-sized unit) provided screening forces on the south flank to prevent Capellan attacks from that direction.
The Foresters recon elements became involved in a running skirmish with Capellan scouts from a company of the Legionnaires, and both side’s recon units got pulled further to the south than expected. The Foresters’ remaining two lances sighted a small urban complex not on their (admittedly not great) maps, and moved to investigate.
Little did the Foresters know that this town, called Moosehead, had in fact been a regional data depot for the feared Capellan Secret Police, the Maskirovska – it could not fall into mercenary hands! Accordingly, the remaining two lances of Kingston’s Legionnaires in the area were sent to prevent the fall of the depot. As luck would have it, both sides approached from the east and west at more or less the same time, and battle was joined …
The forces:
On the left: Kingston's Legionnaires, 248 PV
Fast Assault lance: Charger CGR-1X "Móguǐ" (Devil)", Catapult CPLT-C1, Cataphract CTF-3L, Grasshopper GHR-5N
Command Lance: Vindicator VND-3L, Vindicator VND-1R, Blackjack BJ-1, Quickdraw QKD-5A.
On the right: Schwarz' Forresters, 258 PV
Command Lance: Rifleman RFL-3NX "Vertol Hell", Guillotine GLT-3N, Wolverine WVR-6M, Hoplite HOP-4B
Fire Support Lance: Archer ARC-2R, Catapult CPLT-C4, Dervish DRV-6M, Crab CRB-20
The scene:
Moosehead from the east
Moosehead from the north
Initial Setup
Nothing exciting about this. The two command lances both came on the board to the south of centre.
Turn 1Both Capellan units moved up under cover of buildings. The Merc command lance sent it's Guillotine up to spot, while the Fire Support lance moved to set up a firebase to the southwest.
Turn 2
Capellans won initiative. The Capellans reached for the rooftops, while the Mercs took cover. The Merc Crab stuck it's nose out to spot, and promptly disintegrated under the combined firepower of the Capellan assault lance. The Crab did spot for what proved to be inconclusive indirect fire.
Turn 3
Mercs won initiative. The Merc command lance tried to cover both the centre of town (Rifleman and Wolverine) and the north side (Hoplite and Quickdraw), The Capellan Assault Lance retreated to cover, with the Cataphract moving south. The Merc fire support lance stayed in citadel. The Capellan command lance decided to strike! Sending the Quickdraw to backstab the Guillotine (which it did, but the Guillotine took it in the armour), while the conga line of mediums chipped paint on the Hoplite. The Guillotine missed returning fire, but the Hoplite struck the Quickdraw from behind, and crit ... ammo explosion!
Turn 4
Capellans won initiative. Down nouth, the Hoplite and Guillotine tried to cover each other, but the conga line jumped behind the Hoplite. Two hits weren't enough to bring it down, even with rear damage bonuses, but it hurt. TO the south, the Merc fire lance moved to the right to support the other 'Mechs from their Command Lance, while the Capellans came out from cover to seek a closer engagement.
This turn was notable for two dice rolls that, in successive rolls ...
Somewhere out there, a Nova Cat warrior is laughing fit to burst.
Turn 5
Capellans won initiative. The Hoplite tried to run away, but to no avail, and was finally put down by the conga line. The Guillotine stayed in cover. Up south, the Merc Fire Lance and Capellan Assault lances closed under cover of buildings.
Turn 6
Capellans won initiative. The conga line moved to put their backs to a wall, while the Guillotine came out and scored on the (previously pristine) Blackjack. To the south, the Assault lance took to the rooves, and managed to a) avoid the fire lane down a gap from the Merc fire lance, and b) brought down the custom Merc Rifleman. Things were beginning to look bad for the Mercs.
Turn 7
Mercs won initiative. The conga line closed with their compatriots, and took out the Guillotine which tried to harass them. The Merc fire lance moved to flank to the south; the Capellans took cover, except the Grasshopper, which faced off the Merc Wolverine from the rooves across the central highway.
Turn 8(missing photo, alas)
Mercs won initiative. The conga line continued to close as fast as their little legs could carry them. The Merc Wolverine jumped into a pack of three of the Capellan Assault Lance units, and punched the Charger. The custom Charger, with TSM and a sword, whacked the Wolverine - which survived! Tough little beastie.
Turn 9
Mercs won initiative. The Assault Lance scattered, while the conga line struggled to close. The Merc Wolverine took to the rooftops to spot for the Fire Lance, with inconclusive results.
Turn 10
Capellans won initiative. The Merc fire lance charged forward, to avoid being flanked, and faced the mighty conga line (190 tons vs 135). The Capellan assaults closed, while the conga line concentrated on the Archer. scoring good hits.
Turn 11
Mercs won initiative. The conga line retreated, while a furball began to develop to the south. Catapults of both sides took to the rooves, but the Merc Wolverine was the casualty.
Turn 12
Capellans won initiative. The Mercs formed a self-supporting triangle. The Capellan Catapult jumped to match its opposite number, beginning what was known as the "Cat fight". The conga line closed to finish off the Archer. But then this happened ...
Two edge rolls, and then a tower! All the same person, all the same dice.
Turn 13
Capellans won initiative. The Cat Fight slugged on, while the conga line managed to knock down the Archer before the friendly Cataphract could assist.
Turn 14Capellans won initiative. The Merc Cat died first, as did the Capellan Grasshopper. With no support left, the Merc Dervish commenced a rapid retrograde advance.
Turn 15Capellans won initiative.
Yeah, I went to the rock to hide my face
But the rock cried out, no, no hiding place down hereNor was there any hiding place on the rooves, with long-distance PPC fire bringing the last Merc unit, the Dervish, down.
History shows that Kingston's Legionnaires were drive off Sakhalin. But the Legion left with one victory to their credit.
So, welcome to the AAR report for the biggest game of Alpha Strike (4 players!) played anywhere in the world, on April 2, 2021! Mainly because Australia's lucky and FTF gaming is even possible. (I'd be happy to be proven wrong on this assertion.)
Playing were: myself and my younger sons, as the Capellans, and SchwerpunktPrinzip and another good friend as the Mercs. Using standard rules, but
- minus specialty ammo
- minus special force abilities
- minus skidding in cities.
This was the first game for my son & other friend, so we wanted to keep it simple, and the other friend wanted a city battle (which I was happy to oblige with!)
Four hours, liberally lubricated with fizzy drink, chips, and the usual ****-talking which accompanies such games. All had fun, albeit my other friend would probably like another game to get his head around things better.
As noted, the forces were PV balanced; the dice were, however, stronger for the Capellans, both in terms of initiative when it mattered, and slightly better in terms of connecting for damage. I was running the conga line - after my experience in the Rumble in the Concrete Jungle, no way was I splitting my force!
Going to have to build some non-city terrain though for different games. Half a pool table is a good size that allows for some maneuvering before closing - pretty much the 2x2 map game equivalent.
All in all, a good time was had by all! (I hope!) And Alpha Strike remains a lot of fun. Some day, expect to see my Light of Mankind vs. Schwer's Red Lancers - they're over 800 PV, so I'll need to bring my A-game for that one!
Cheers, and fulsome thanks to all who took part,
W.
