ScrapYard Armory

Federated Commonwealth vs Clan Smoke Jaguar

This battle represents the first battle of the Great Refusal. The game was played at NJCon08. For this battle, Clan honor rules were in effect.

Federated Commonwealth

• Archon-Prince Victor Steiner-Davion (2/4) – Daishi A
• Danai Centrella (3/4) – FLC-8R Falconer

Clan Smoke Jaguar

• ilKhan Lincoln Osis (2) – Elemental Battle Armor Point
• Star Colonel Kit Furey (1/2) – Masakari C

Turn 1 – Clan Smoke Jaguar wins Initiative

The Falconer jumps up to a high point on the canyon while Victor throttles his Daishi forward. The Masakari drops down into a woods filled depression and disembarks it’s mechanized elementals.

The Falconer issues a challenge to Star Colonel Kit Furey in his Masakari who accepts.

The Masakari opens up with two ERPPCs and two Large Pulse Lasers, all of which hit and melt armor from the Falconer at a quick pace. Danai barely keeps her ‘Mech standing. All of her return fire misses wide.

Turn 2 – Federated Commonwealth wins Initiative

Star Colonel Furey stays put, confident in his superior position. The Falconer jumps toward the Clan position behind cover. Meanwhile, the elementals jump from one side of the canyon towards Victor in his Daishi. Cautious of being swarmed, Victor slows his advance and awaits the outcome of the current challenge.

There is no line of sight for either side.

Turn 3 – Federated Commonwealth wins Initiative

Seizing the initiative, Danai uses her jump jets to power her Falconer over top the stationary Masakari for a rear shot. Victor move up the canyon closer to the evading elementals who again chose not to break cover.

Reaching back with one arm, Star Colonel Furey makes called shots to the center torso with both ERPPCs. Both hit their mark, collapsing the heavy ‘Mech’s armor but without doing critical damage.

The Falconer alpha strikes in return ignoring a rapid spike in heat (+13). The gauss rifle and two medium lasers miss but everything else hits dead center. The rear armor of the Masakari melts away and the ‘Omni’s XL engine and gyro take damage.

Amazingly, all pilots made their rolls to stay upright.

Turn 4 – Clan Smoke Jaguar wins Initiative

Overheating and forced to make a decision, the Falconer stays steadfast in the face of the heavier Clan ‘Omni. Star Colonel Furey turns his Masakari around to face his attacker. All the while, the elementals slowly stalk Victor’s Daishi, staying close but always out of sight.

Without jumping heat to worry about, Danai opens up again, this time hitting with her gauss rifle to the leg. Her ERPPC misses and the rest of her lasers pepper the torso of the Masakari.

Sensing the end, Star Colonel again calls his shots against the already broken center torso of the Falconer. His ERPPC strikes another location but even without the aid of the targeting computer, one of his two large pulse lasers finds the center torso coring the ‘Mech.

Turn 5 – Federated Commonwealth wins Initiative

Victor challenges Star Colonel Furey who accepts. Victor brings his Daishi to the edge of the canyon while Furey turns his ‘Omni to face. Free from the threat of return fire for now, the elementals jump up from hiding and daringly watch the Daishi above them, ready to pounce if needed.

The Masakari is overheating slightly and chooses his fire carefully this turn to cool down. No called shots are made, but ERPPC and pulse lasers scatter across the Daishi’s torso, arms, and legs without much effect.

Victor fires on the Masakari, hitting with all three large pulse lasers, raking the ‘Omni’s torso. The gauss rifle misses but both short range launchers lock on and riddle the Masakari with tiny explosions, including one to the head, rattling Star Colonel Furey.

Turn 6 – Clan Smoke Jaguar wins Initiative

The Masakari maneuvers back, hoping to bring more terrain between him and his opponent next turn. The Daishi, lacking jump jets, cannot close the gap and remains steady despite the elementals seemingly dancing at his feet.

The Masakari pours damage into the Daishi left leg, hitting with both ERPPCs while a lone pulse laser burrows into the center torso armor.

The Daishi critically hits the center torso with his gauss rifle, hitting the engine shielding and spiking the Masakari’s temperature. Another two pulse lasers manage to crit the left torso, damaging two separate double heat sinks.

Turn 7 – Federated Commonwealth wins Initiative

After taking an engine hit and losing two heat sinks, the Masakari is dangerously overheating and cannot move to a better position. The Daishi remains stationary, confident of his range.

Sensing the end again, Star Colonel Furey fires with everything but this time, he calls his ERPPC shots on the Daishi’s left leg. Both ERPPCs and one additional pulse laser hit and tear the leg off.

The Daishi gauss rifle and one pulse laser rips into the Masakari’s center torso, finishing off the engine shielding.

Missing a leg, Victor cannot break his ‘Omni’s fall, and takes damage. He remains conscious and watches as the nearby elementals ready themselves for the kill.

Turn 8 – Federated Commonwealth wins Initiative

With the initiative to the Federated Commonwealth, the elementals chose to pick their fight and dodge behind cover, wary of the still dangerous Daishi armament.

Turn 9 – Clan Smoke Jaguar wins Initiative

With the initiative in their favor, the elementals rush the grounded Daishi, knowing that the Daishi cannot return fire inside his own hex.

The elementals launch their SRMs and pepper the Daishi with small lasers.

In an act of desperation, Victor thrashes his ‘Omni around, striking and killing two elementals outright and damaging two more. (TW pg. 151 ouch!)

Turn 10 to the End

The remaining few turns were a flurry of dice rolling. The elementals needed to stay at the back of the Daishi to avoid weapons fire, but they also could not survive another thrash attack.

Victor decides to force the issue and attempts to stand each of the next few turns at a 9+.

The first attempt fails and Victor takes damage but remains conscious. The elementals stay at his back and spread damage on the Daishi with missiles and lasers, hoping to find the kinks in the armor.

The second attempt to stand fails and Victor takes another hit but makes his roll again for consciousness. The elementals continue their attack with lasers now that their SRMs are depleted. The damage from falling and the elementals is beginning to add up. The left torso armor is gone. The right arm has only two remaining points of armor and center torso only four.

The third attempt happens while Victor has the initiative. The ‘Omni struggles to stand but cannot. He falls again, taking damage again but remains conscious. This time however, the fall lands him directly facing the attacking elementals.

Perching on one arm the Daishi raises up three pulse lasers and both SRM launchers and disintegrates the remaining battle armor. The last volley from ilKhan Osis and his remaining elementals manages to hit the Daishi in the head. The fourth wound to Victor knocks him out.

Victor would awaken three turns later to realize the battle was won.

Free Worlds League vs Clan Star Adder

This battle represents the fifth battle of the Great Refusal.  The game was played at NJCon08.

Free Worlds League

• Colonel Dana Briggs (2/3) – P1B Perseus
• Force Commander Nisa Geller (2/4) – MR-5M Cerberus

Clan Star Adder

• Khan Cassius N’Buta (2/3) – Kingfisher D
• saKhan Tabitha Paik (1/2) – Cauldron-Born Prime

Turn 1 – Free Worlds League wins Initiative

Both sides advance towards each other over the rolling green hills, careful to not get caught with easy shots this early in the battle.

Both sides decide to split their fire, scattering auto cannon shells and laser fire across torsos and limbs. All of the gauss slugs miss their target this turn.

Turn 2 – Free Worlds League wins Initiative

The Cauldron-Born and Kingfisher both find a grouping of trees to fire from with the Cauldron-Born leading the attack. The Cerberus moves down, behind the cover of a hill while the Perseus pilot bravely charges down hill towards the Clan ‘Omnis.

Both Clan ‘Mechs pour fire into the lone Perseus, shedding more than 2 tons of armor combined from it’s right torso and left arm. The Perseus, unphased, returned fire, scoring two large pulse laser hits on the Cauldron-Born, one of which strikes the head. saKhan Tabitha Paik shakes off the wound and remains conscious.

Turn 3 – Free Worlds League wins Initiative

The Cauldron-Born defiantly stands his ground atop the wooded hill. The Perseus, knowing his lancemate was close behind him, rushes up the wooded hill to face the saKhan. Smelling blood, the Kingfisher inches his ‘Omni closer for a clear shot. The Cerberus manages to crest the hill that hid him a turn earlier, finally able to contribute to the fight.

The Perseus gauss rifle finds fresh armor on the Cauldron-Born’s left torso but his PPC manages to crit the left leg, destroying the ‘Omni’s upper leg actuator. The Cerberus misses with most of its medium range lasers but aims true with the gauss rifle, critically hitting the left torso, damaging the shielding of the Cauldron-Born’s XL engine.

The Clans relentlessly assault the heavy Perseus ‘Omni with weapons fire. The Perseus’ left arm is ripped clear off its frame while the left torso armor shatters. Amazingly, no critical damage is scored in the torso. The Perseus continues the fight, minus its two Large Pulse Lasers.

Turn 4 – Free Worlds League wins Initiative

The Cauldron-Born and Kingfisher both stand their ground. The Cerberus continues down the hill he climbed earlier to face both Clan ‘Omnis while the Perseus backs up and goes prone to avoid being targeted this turn.

The Cauldron born and King Fisher combine firepower and unleash hell on the lone Inner Sphere ‘Mech. More than 3 tons of armor vaporize off the Cerberus ‘Mech without a single penetration.

The Cerberus fires at the wounded Cauldron-Born striking the center torso for critical damage, completely destroying the ‘Mechs gyro. The gyro destruction wouldn’t matter though, the Cerberus’s volley of medium pulse lasers ravaged the Clan ‘Omni and managed to strike the previously damaged head, killing saKhan Tabitha Paik.

The Cerberus however, was throw off balance by the wave of weapons fire that turn and fell. The ‘Mech bore all of it’s weight on it’s right arm, crushing it and his ERPPC beyond usefulness.

Turn 5 – Free Worlds League wins Initiative

The lone Clan ‘Omni stands his ground. The Perseus manages to do little else but stand while the Cerberus gets up on a run and rushes up the hill to meet the Kingfisher.

The Perseus misses with all of it’s remaining weapons. The Cerberus groups three pulse lasers into the left torso of the Kingfisher and lands a gauss slug to the left arm.

The Kingfisher unloads on the Cerberus, spiking his heat but hitting with everything. Autocannon slugs tear into the Cerberus’ right torso. Large lasers scour the ‘Mech’s torso, leg, and remaining arm. The gauss rifle takes a critical and explodes, ripping through the ‘Mechs remaining arm internal structure and into the torso, stopping just short of coring the XL Engine.

Turn 6 – Free Worlds League wins Initiative

The Perseus stays put while the Kingfisher backs up behind a hill. The Cerberus advances on the retreating Clan ‘Omni but takes cover hugging a cliff face. No line of sight for either side.

Turn 7 – Free Worlds League wins Initiative

The Perseus and Cerberus both push their advantage after the Kingfisher is unable to move to a better position.

The Kingfisher desperately fires all of it’s weapons after cooling off last turn. Only it’s lasers hit the Cerberus who loses armor off it’s left torso but fails to breach to the already battered internal structure.

The Perseus lands another gauss rifle slug into the Kingfisher’s left torso. Without any criticals in that location, they transfer to the center where the gyro and ER Large Laser are hit. The Cerberus scores hits with it’s medium lasers, all of which find internal structure without producing critical damage.

The King Fisher lists painfully and is unable to right itself due to a damaged gyro.

Turn 8 – Free Worlds League wins Initiative

The Kingfisher stands and moves back trying to put more terrain between him and his attackers. The Free World League ‘Mechs stand their ground and line up their cross hairs.

The Kingfisher’s lasers are ineffective, somehow finding fresh armor on the Cerberus’s center torso. In return the Kingfisher loses it’s autocannon, it’s right arm and another large laser.

The Cerberus makes his shutdown roll after heating up this turn. The Kingfisher is unable to remain standing and falls again.

Turn 9 – Free Worlds League wins Initiative (again?!?)

Despite his damaged gyro, the Kingfisher manages to stand and accepts another volley.

The Kingfisher loses all but one of his lasers and falls again under a constant barrage of fire.

The best Khan Cassius N’Buta can do is to critical the Cerberus’s hip in the exchange. The Cerberus would make his own roll to remain standing.

The lone Clan Warrior, unable to continue to fight effectively, acknowledges the Free Worlds League victory.

The Cerberus had two points of internal structure remaining in it’s left torso. The Perseus had a single shot of gauss ammo remaining.

NJCon is in the books. It was a learning experience in more ways than one. It ended up being a significant amount of work. I cannot take full credit for the effort. I had a lot of help from Ellis, my friend from college and now Classic Battletech partner in crime.

The Grinder

Friday night was the grinder. We set up rather quickly. I was impressed by how much terrain we actually fit in the small plastic container we brought. We had a little bit of everything; hills up to level 3, water, light woods.

In order to break the ice a bit, Ellis and I started up the grinder and got the dice rolling. It was not long before two people came over and gave it a try.

We ended up playing right past 10PM when both players had to throw in the towel since they had already been up for quite a while. It was after all, a work day. Both had a good time and left with a copy of all of the free introductory PDFs on a snazzy CD. At least one of them loved the game so much that he said a copy of Total War was in his near future.

Twilight of the Clans

The big games with the big terrain. Most of the work that went into this Con went into this event. It was a shame then, when we only had one serious player take it for a turn.

We did have two kids come early in the afternoon, but they only made it through one and a half turns before vanishing to a Star Wars mini game. Those kids could talk fast! I believe the conversation went something like this:

OhwowIlovebattletechcauseiveplayeditsomuchlikeallthetime exceptforthetimeIdidn’tplaylikelastweekandIknowhowtoplay Ohwowisthatastormtrooper?

Very cute kids, I’m glad they stopped by even though they did not stay long.

What Now?

I have a heap of content to write up including two after action reports and several terrain tutorials. Be sure to check back often. As soon as I can get these posts written and pictures cropped I’ll get posts up for your reading pleasure. Until then, take care!