ScrapYard Armory

In 3071 the Word of Blake Jihad came to the Capellan Confederation planet of Necromo, home of the warship yards for the Capellan Navy.  The Shin Legion and Home Guard were protecting the planet until the 48th Shadow Division invades with intent to destroy all defenders and the factories.

Word of Blake – 48th Shadow Division

Alpha Level II

• RJN-200-C Raijin II
• Grigori Dominus
• EXT-5F Exterminator
• Archangel Dominus
• VQR-5V Vanquisher
• Deva Dominus

Beta Level II

• Nexus II
• Malak Luminos
• Preta Dominus
• Preta Infernus
• CRB-45 Crab
• LGH-6W Lightray

Capellan Confederation – Shin Legion

Command Lance

• CTF-3LL Cataphract
• VTR-10L Victor
• EMP-6L Emperor
• PLG-4Z Pillager

Recon Lance

• JA-KL-5S Jackal
• SYU-4B Sha Yu
• PXH-4L Phoenix Hawk
• VND-4L Vindicator

Support Lance

• THR-2L Thunder
• WHM-4L Warhammer
• LHU-3C Lao-Hu
• Y-H10G Yu Huang

Conventional Support Lance

• Po Tank
• Zhukov Heavy Tank
• Manticore Tank
• Vedette Medium Tank

Objectives

The Shin Legion will win a partial victory if they keep the key factory buildings intact (central office, R&D Lab, and power substation).  They win a complete victory if they also destroy at least 50% of the attackers.

The 48th will win a partial victory if they destroy the objective buildings and a complete victory if they also destroy at least 50% of the defenders.

Special Rules

Due to surprise, the 48th win initiative automatically the first two turns.

Turn 1 and 2 – 48th Win Initiative (automatic)

Both opening turns see only movement and missed long range shots.

The Capellans hold the core of their force on the small hill overlooking the battlefield.  They are not making any attempt to bring the battle to the Wobbies.  The lighter units swarm around heavy cover provided by a large hill to the north.

The Word of Blake marches forward ominously, without fear.

Turn 3 – 48th Win Initiative

A lone Preta jumps on top of the north hill for a better look and attracts the attention of several Liao ‘Mechs.  Amazingly the tiny scout gives worse than it receives in the exchange thanks to a very large target modifier from jumping and heavy woods.

The main force of Heavy Liao ‘Mechs stays grouped together but begins to stray from the defensive position they took in the opening turns.  The vehicle lance darts around cover trying to avoid shots from the slowly approaching Word of Blake Heavy Level II.

Turn 4 – Shin Legion Win Initiative

The Preta from last turn jumps again and takes cover in woods.  This time luck is not on its side as a Gauss Rifle rips into the left leg.  However, no internal damage results.

The Liao ‘Mechs stubbornly refuse to close with the enemy, ever fearful of the threat from the complete C3i network deployed by the enemy.  To support the tanks to the south, a Thunder keeps close behind a building avoiding contact but positioning within a short run of potential targets.

The Word of Blake light assets continue to dance around the hill to the the north.  They avoid damage while delivering timely long range hits on targets of opportunity.  The Liao decision to stay at long range is resulting in unreasonably high to-hit numbers.

A Yu Huang of the support lance is picked out from the crowd and pummeled with Heavy Gauss Rifles, ERPPCs, and ER Medium Lasers and forced to fall.  No internal damage but lots of lost armor.

Turn 5 – Shin Legion Win Initiative

The Word of Blake continues to press the advantage and scores more hits against the Yu Huang and a Zhukov Tank.  The scattered response from the Liao forces is barely able to break the concentration of the invading Manei Domini.

The Vanquisher decides not to dwell in a partial cover protected sniper position and struggles to keep pace with his faster allies.

Turn 6 – 48th Win Initiative

The Heavy Level II to the south is not showing any signs of slowing down and is now in range of the objectives.  The Tanks cannot stand up to the potential firepower and choose to attempt escape past nearby buildings.  The nearby Thunder fires into the ground to build up heat, activating TSM.

The center of the power plant is destroyed in a single volley and some damage is placed on the office buildings deep in the Liao deployment zone.  The Word of Blake forces begin taking shots at anything in range, ‘Mech or building.

The Zhukov, unable to match the speed of his lance mates is struck solidly from Word forces and sustains an engine hit.  A Liao Sha Yu who rushed in to disrupt the advance of the Light Level II sheds armor to concentrated firepower and takes an engine hit as well.

In a stunning turn, the Word of Blake Nexus is caught in a short but precise stream of PPC and Autocannon shells from various sources.  Almost all shots land in the center torso, coring the ‘Mech through.  First kill goes to the Shin legion!

Turn 7 – 48th Win Initiative

Unimpeded, the Heavy Level II marches to the front of the Liao ramparts where the speedy Raijin II joins them to level what was left of the Office Building and Power Plant.  The Light Level II to the north consolidates and continues to pressure the main segment of the Liao forces who are still near the base of the hills overlooked by the Research Center.  The Research Center is also victim to long range volleys and is in danger.

The Liao forces unload on a Preta who had rushed forward.  In a roar of Heavy PPCs and laser fire, the Preta has a leg ripped off and two engine hits.  The Archangel is hit with both a light and regular gauss rifle to little effect.  The Thunder who finally rushes into enemy forces lines up a LB-20X shot to a Lightray.  The cluster roll is a full complement which tears apart the weak rear armor and delivers an engine and gyro hit.  Amazingly the Lightray takes the damage and remains standing.  A TSM kick would miss during physical combat.

The Word of Blake is storming into Liao territory and shows no signs of slowing down.  The Cappellans can do nothing to prevent their facilities from getting sacked and cede the battlefield.

Aftermath

As a player on the Capellan side I confess to being a little too worried about the C3i across the board.  We were sure to lose a few ‘Mechs to the network but overkill is a factor that would work for us in the bigger picture.

We really should have challenged the Word of Blake front line sooner.  Once that Heavy Level II got close, it was all over for our poor buildings.  No superior positioning was going to save the day.

What do you think?  What would you have done differently?