ScrapYard Armory

This battle was played at Historicon 2010.  Thanks to Chuck “MetalCarnage” Stocky for putting together a great game.

Radstat

In 3074 The Word of Blake assaulted Radstadt, a core world in the newly formed Ghost Bear Dominion.  Elements of the Bear’s Sigma Galaxy were on a training assignment when the 43rd Shadow division clashed with the trueborn warriors of the Third Claw and 5th Bear regulars.

Clan Ghost Bear – Sigma Galaxy

• Arcas (3/4)
• Warhammer IIC 4 (3/4)
• Supernova 2 (3/3)
• Bane 2 (3/5)
• Kodiak 3 (2/3)
• Tyr Infantry Support Tank (2/2) x 2
• Golem Battle Armor (2/2)
• Rogue Bear Battle Armor (2/2)

Word of Blake – 43rd Shadow Division

• Preta Dominus (2/2) *
• Flashman 7B (2/3)
• Seraph Dominus (3/3) *
• Seraph Infernus (3/3)
• Archangel Infernus (2/1)
• Archangel Dominus (3/3) *
• Purifier Battle Armor (2/2)
• Challenger MK XI (3/3)

* indicate Manei Domini pilots

Turn 1 and 2 – Ghost Bears win Initiative Both Turns

The armies are separated by a large winding hill in the center of the battle.  As such, the first two turns feature little action.  Line of sight is blocked as each force slowly stalks forward in a foreboding line.

The Word of Blake stay relatively concentrated in a tight group to the North.  A Preta and Flashman are the point ‘Mechs, running fast but keeping out of view for the time being.

The Ghost Bears are fanned out in a wide attack line.  The slower ‘Mechs steadily climb up the mountain face.  The speedy Tyr Infantry carriers sweep around the hill instead of going over the top.

Turn 3 – Word of Blake wins Initiative

Both forces cautiously approach the other at first but begin making bolder moves to attack.  The Bears get close to the top but still cannot see the main force of Blakists.  Both Tyr deploy infantry behind partial cover.  The threat of the heavy Battle Armor will have to be dealt with eventually.

In a quick attack, the forward Preta jumps over the top of the mountain and puts itself behind the lumbering SuperNova.  A flurry of PPC and laser fire shed 25 points of armor in the left leg and arm.

No other fire is successful this turn.

Turn 4 – Ghost Bears win Initiative

All Clan ‘Mechs except the slightly bruised SuperNova crest the mountain and line up shots against the Blakists.  The Tyr Infantry carriers speed into short range to harass.

A Ghost Bear Arcas makes a long jump behind the Blakist Flashman.  Meanwhile, the Blakist Preta assumes a harasser role and lurks just out of sight behind the Clan force, positioning for an attack.

The Ghost Bears spread their shots across available targets.  Critical hits are scored on the Blakist vehicles.  One of the Seraphs takes enormous damage from PPCs but manages to keep its balance.  In a surprising long range hit, the Preta gets tagged with an AC20 shell from the far off Kodiak.

The Blakists choose to pile most weapons on the Arcas who jumped into their midst.  Even at such short range the Wobbies managed to miss far too many Heavy PPC shots for their liking.  One Snub Nose PPC did hit the head but failed to score a critical hit.

Turn 5 – Ghost Bears win Initiative

Both Archangels and one Seraph stay back while the Flashman and the second Seraph push forward.

The wounded Arcas jumps to cover as the Supernova finally brings its weapons to bear.  The Warhammer IIC and Bane hold their ground behind partial cover.  The Kodiak brings up the rear and is flanked by the lurking Preta.  The Tyr infantry carriers sprint behind the big Archangels for rear shots.

This turn featured a lot of misses (some due to partial cover) with lots of damage soaking.  A significant amount of armor was shed by both sides without hitting any internal structure.  That would change in the physical attack phase.

The forward Seraph is running hot with TSM active and gives a solid kick destroying 34 points of armor from the SuperNova’s right leg.  There is one critical hit, and it finds the Advanced Tactical Missile ammunition stores.  The resulting explosion takes off the leg and severely injures the pilot.  The return kick is not quite so successful but manages to topple the TSM monster.

Turn 6 – Ghost Bears win Initiative

The Flashman and Preta get bolder and pick spots directly in front of the camping Bane and Warhammer IIC.  The Seraph stands his ground in front of the downed SuperNova while the remaining Blakist force inches closer while keeping the top of the mountain in sight.

The Kodiak runs to close with the main fray.  The Warhammer IIC and Bane continue to hold their position.  The battle armor all the while have been pestering the main Blakist force but fail to make a significant dent in their impressive armor.

The Blakist pile most of their fire on the Warhammer IIC while spreading enough fire to hit every target in some way.  The Ghost Bears consolidate fire on the two targets on top of the hill, leaving the Archangels and their Seraph cohort to the harassing Battle Armor and Tyr combat vehicles.

The Flashman is receives a heap of PPCs and is gutted by three engine hits.  The Seraph beside him is just as lucky.  After soaking two AC20 rounds and taking it, one last medium laser severs the the remaining structure holding  the right arm on.  Further fire from the Arcas peppers the torso and head with SRM hits.  After the pilot takes his damage (needing only a 3 to stay awake), he promptly falls unconscious.  And then it got worse.  The resulting fall would end with critical hits to BOTH hips.  Without an arm to prop with, the red Seraph was now out of the battle.

Return fire from the Blakists is just as cruel.  The Warhammer IIC takes a beating from multiple sources and finally takes an ammo critical hit.  Combined with a prior head hit and damage from the fall, the Warhammer pilot is knocked unconscious, needing a 10+ to wake up.  The Arcas, although not heavily targeted, meets a similar fate and takes pilot hits from ammo explosions and fall damage.  Both lie knocked out on the battlefield.

Turn 7 – Ghost Bears win Initiative

The main Blakist force slowly moves back, still being harassed by the Tyr.  They remain wary of the slowly approaching battle armor.  The Preta makes a long jump away from the thick of the battle.

The Ghost Bears stand their ground where they can while the Warhammer and Arcas dream sweet dreams in their cockpits.

Weapons fire is well spread as available targets show the fatigue of battle.  The downed Seraph soaks hits from the SuperNova in front of him.  The damage inflicts an engine and gyro hit and also destroys a leg.  Interesting choice of targets since the Seraph was unable to prop and fire.  Return fire from the other Seraph at the bottom of the hill sends two Heavy PPCs to the center torso, coring the SuperNova.

The Kraken is successful in hitting with both Ultra AC10s at double rate but manages to find fresh armor on an Archangel when very little remains anywhere else.

Turn 8 – Ghost Bears win Initiative

The Blakists reverse their previous course and walk forward toward the mountain into the awaiting arms of the Rouge Bear battle armor.  The Preta makes a long jump again, preferring to stay at a distance.

The conscious Ghost Bear pilots concentrate fire on the closest Archangel while the Blakist return in kind with fire directed mostly at the Bane.

The Ghost Bears tear into the Archangel but fail to shed enough armor to reveal internal structure.  The first Heavy PPC shot directed at the Bane evaporates the cockpit.  The remaining three Blakist ‘Mech’s pummel the headless ‘Mech.

In a surprise turn, the immobilized and almost forgotten Tyr combat vehicles score two engine hits on the Seraph from rear shots.  The Seraph is staggered but not out of the action.

Turn 9 – Ghost Bears win Initiative

The Ghost Bears rolled a 3 for initiative.  The Blakists did them one better with snake eyes.

The Warhammer IIC wakes up!  Meanwhile the battle armor are now out of missiles.  The Blakists move back again trying to get the troublesome Tyr out of rear arc.

The Warhammer is quickly put down again by a gyro hit causing him to fall behind partial cover.  The advancing Kodiak’s head is disintegrated by a Heavy PPC from an Archangel.

Return fire from the active Ghost Bears only manages to score a gyro hit and destroy a Heavy PPC in the Seraph.

End Game

All that remains of the Ghost Bear force is an unconscious Arcas, some battle armor without missiles and the immobilized Tyr.  The remaining Archangels and Seraph are more than a match for what’s left and are victorious on the battle field.

This was an excellent game with lots of action.  When the Word of Blake and the Clans meet with their best equipment, you are bound to see lots of fireworks.  This battle did not disappoint.  Kudos to Chuck for putting together this well thought out game.