ScrapYard Armory

Guthry Island is a glass crater.  I’m sure what ‘Mech manufacturing facilities were there are now fused together in some frankenstein amalgamation of ferro-crete and ‘Mech parts.  And now the damn Blakists are out here scouring the wreckage and the scrap for anything that might be rushed into new service for their demon worshiping troops.  The Drac schism just made things worse.  It’s getting to the point you can’t tell who is out here to help you or kill you.  Or worse, reeducate you.

I hear footsteps now.  Someone’s coming.  No.  Something’s coming.  No doubt to make an even greater mess of this god forsaken city.

Forces from the Word of Blake Ninth Division and Sixth Benjamin are converging on the ruins of LAW city to capture what’s left of the battered city.  This scenario is an adaptation from Jihad Turning Points Luthien.  Instead of playing this wartrack in a campaign, this mission is being used as a stand alone scenario using the Quick Strike rules from Strategic Operations.

Word of Blake

• Firestarter (Commander)
• MadCat
• Centurion
• Hatchetman
• Koshi
• Blackhawk
• Joust Tanks x2
• Saxon APC
• Mechanized Infantry
• Jump Infantry
• Kage Battle Armor

Draconis Combine

• Thunderbolt (Commander)
• Thor
• Panther
• Spider
• Uller
• Packhunter
• DI Morgan Assault Tank
• Saxon APC
• Condor Hover Tank
• Raiden Battle Armor
• Fenrir Battle Armor
• Clan Battle Armor

Objectives

• Grudge Match (100 Points): Destroy the opposing force’s designated commander.
• Seizure (200 Points): Capture both designated buildings by turn 10.
• Maximum Damage (300 Points): Destroy at least half of the opposing force.

NOTE: Objective buildings were selected in secret before the start of the game.

First Turn – Draconis Combine Wins Initiative

Both forces barrel into the city.  The Word of Blake concentrates their forces heading into the city center while the Combine fans out their faster units around the perimeter.

A Word of Blake Koshi manages to square a shot against the Combine leader in his Thunderbolt scratching the paint but little else.

Return long range fire from the Combine misses its mark.  Both sides are prepared to engage in earnest in the ensuing turns.

Second Turn – Draconis Combine Wins Initiative

As the Word of Blake moves in to occupy most of the central park area,  a brave Thor pilot contests the area against the odds.  Once the Word commander committed to the fray the Draconis Combine’s fast flanking units moved in to score damage.

The Combine saw limited opportunities for concentrated fire and thus spread damage across the multiple enemy ‘Mechs.

The Word of Blake took advantage of superior positioning to wreak havoc on the Combine light units.  The Spider fell to concentrated weapon fire and the Fenrir Battle Armor to a blast from a Blackhawk.  The Panther met it’s end from a hatchet but not before the offending Hatchetman received an engine critical hit.

Third Turn – Word of Blake Wins Initiative

The Draconis Combine forces, reeling from losing three units while eliminating none, scatter away from the city center to contest nearby buildings.  The Word pursued, taking advantage of the initiative, to surge to one side leaving limited forces behind in positions encircling the Combine forces.

The Combine forces bit back and brought down the Hatchetman and Joust Tank who were both unable to move with the Blakist surge or take cover.

Now surrounded and helpless the Thor pilot braced against the incoming weapons fire.  The ‘Mech almost survived the onslaught if not for a well placed infantry shot which blew off the head.  A Saxon APC also met its end to a Joust Tank in a single volley.

Fourth Turn – Word of Blake Wins Initiative

Further outnumbered and now on the run, the Draconis Combine units look to the safety of cover provided by the park in the city center that the Word just left behind.  Meanwhile the Word of Blake consolidates their power on the far side of the battlefield, tipping their hand to their objective buildings.  Two Combine units move to take opportunistic shots at the enemy commander at long range.

Long range shots against the Word Commander succeed in further shredding armor, getting close to the core.  Further damage is levied against the Word Centurion and MadCat.  The Saxon APC draws fire away from it’s Commander, dieing in the process from point blank shots.

Though lining up a killing shot on the Uller’s rear, the Word’s aim falters and the Uller lives another turn.  The Combine Packhunter is less lucky and is destroyed.

Fifth Turn – Draconis Combine Wins Initiative

While Blake forces hold the line on the far side of the city a lone squad of Raiden battle armor jumps into the fray beside the enemy commander hoping for a glorious kill.  Meanwhile the Combine commander sulks between the city buildings to contest Word holdings.  Word of Blake forces surge again to surround the Combine command ‘Mech.

The Uller and DI Morgan combined fire to rip the Word MadCat apart.  The Condor Tank pierces the remaining WoB Joust Tank, exploding it’s ammo bay.  The Thunderbolt finishes off the wounded Centurion.  Alone and against the odds, the Raiden Battle Armor squad dealt the deathblow to the Word commander and manage to survive combat as well.  In one turn four Blakist units fall.

The Blakist Saxon APC scored a critical hits against the Condor Tank’s drive system while final damage is levied against the Combine commander in his Thunderbolt.

Sixth Turn – Draconis Combine Wins Initiative

Now low on numbers, both forces consolidate.  The Combine leaves the lone Raiden squad to contest objectives while Word infantry swarm the remaining Combine ‘Mech forces.

Word infantry dodge incoming fire and leave their mark, destroying the last Combine ‘Mech.  Exchanging long range shots the Blackhawk receives another hit, shedding half it’s armor.

Seventh Turn – Draconis Combine Wins Initiative

The Draconis Combine forces obliterate the offending infantry from their side of the battlefield but not before they damage the Condor Tank further.  The Raiden Battle Armor, with no where to run or hide, are forced to fight and are unable to retaliate before their own demise.

Eighth Turn – Draconis Combine Wins Initiative

In an effort to ward off Draconis units, the WoB units gather together behind cover, ready to pounce.  The Draconis’ Di Morgan takes up position fortifying its control of the two tallest towers in the city.

Ninth Turn – Word of Blake Wins Initiative

The Word ‘Mechs jump to the far side of the city while the Combine’s lone infantry unit jumps away from the DI Morgan Tank.  Backed up by the Blackhawk, the Koshi contests one of the two towers controlled by the Draconis Combine while the WoB infantry finish taking control of the Radio Tower on the other side of the battlefield.

Tenth Turn – Draconis Combine Wins Initiative

As the WoB ‘Mechs fall back to ensure control of their buildings, the Draconis Combine’s battle armor reveals why it allowed itself to be seperated from the Di Morgan.  The battle armor manages to position itself to contest the Radio Tower’s control center while also finding cover from the Koshi’s weapons.  The remaining Word infantry are not powerful enough to finish off the Draconis battle armor, untouched until now, and the battle armor survives by dodging the Blackhawk’s massive laser fire.

AFTERMATH

Both forces achieved the Grudge Match and Maximum Damage objectives but failed to control both their objectives.  The Draconis Combine needed to control the two tall buildings while the Word of Blake had selected the Radio Tower and it’s nearby control center.

While technically a draw, the Word of Blake had significant offensive power left to bear against the Combine survivors.  A marginal victory goes to the Word of Blake.