Hostile Borders – BattleForce
The following objective based battle was played out using the BattleForce rules in Strategic Operations. Opposing forces from Steiner and Kurita face off to control vital objectives on the battlefield.
Each force consisted of a full Mech Battalion with an additional Assault Command Lance (40 ‘Mechs for each player!).
TO&E
Download the Hostile_Borders_TOandE record sheets as a PDF.
Objectives
Victory points are scored during the game by eliminating opposing lances (3 points) and controlling the three objectives on the board each turn. The center objective is worth 3 VP each turn while the other two are worth 2 VP.
Objectives are controlled by having the majority of units adjacent to the objective marker. Control is checked and scored at the end of each turn.
Objectives block movement but do not block line of sight.
Deployment
Steiner lines up their forces evenly across their map edge. To the North, a company of lights and mediums look to speed their way towards the closest objective while to the South a heavier force looks to navigate the wooded terrain to contest the far objective.
Kurita meanwhile sets up heavy in the middle, to make use of the bridge to get the majority of their non-jump capable lances across the river. Light lances stretch out to the North and South flanks looking to gain ground and make advances on the objectives.
Turn 1 – Kurita wins Initiative
The first turn sees both forces move at top speed towards the objectives. Kurita remains clumped towards the middle of the battle while Steiner remains spread out. Light lances are making top speed to nearest objectives.
Victory Points: Steiner 0, Kurita 0
Turn 2 – Kurita wins Initiative
Both forces continue their march towards each other with both sides using Light lances to secure one objective.
Opposing forces remain out of range for the time being.
Victory Points: Steiner 2, Kurita 2
Turn 3 – Steiner wins Initiative
Steiner manages to race a heavy lance into position to secure the center objective while the main component of Kurita forces struggle with the terrain. At the same time, most of the Kurita Heavies are nearing prime positions on the hill overlooking the center of the battle. Defensive positions are setup around the North and South objectives while opposing forces both probe at long range.
Weapons are finally finding their range as missiles, lasers, and autocannons erupt along the divide between the two forces.
At the top of the map a Kurita Jenner crumbles under combined fire from a Steiner medium lance. A Kurita Trebuchet has its head shot off by long range fire. Return fire scatters damage to armor.
A Kurita Heavy lance of Archers uses their height advantage to line up shots against the Steiner lances securing the center. Missile rain down inflicting heavy damage to a Steiner Heavy lance. However, damage is done mostly to armor as Kurita selected to spread out shots instead of concentrating fire.
Victory Points: Steiner 7, Kurita 4
Turn 4 – Kurita wins Initiative
Steiner establishes a defensive stance and secures cover where possible. The Steiner Heavies to the South are slowly working their way through terrain to support a Light Lance which retreats slightly into cover.
Near the North a probing Steiner Medium Lance is engaged by a Kurita Light and Medium Lance while in the center, Kurita lines up all three Heavies to prey on the lone Steiner Heavy Lance securing the center objective.
To the North the combined Kurita fire kills off a Phoenix Hawk while return fire scours armor but little else.
In the center, the Kurita Heavies rain death upon the Steiner Heavy near the objective and decimate three of four Mechs, reducing them to slag. Return fire concentrates on the Kurita Archers but can only peel away armor.
Victory Points: Steiner 12, Kurita 6
Turn 5 – Steiner wins Initiative
Reeling from the withering firepower of the Kurita Heavies, Steiner forces retreat from the center objective. The nearly destroyed Steiner Heavy Lance sulks backwards for cover. Kurita seizes the momentum and secures the center while striking at the Steiner controlled objective in the North. Steiner consolidates its forces to counter the assault on the North objective while continuing to spar with forces in the South. Steiner Heavies continue their painfully slow march to join the fray.
Concentrated fire from both sides tears armor and structure apart. A Steiner Sentinel blows up in an ammo explosion. To the North the Steiners begin making up casualties as they tear apart one of the Kurita Medium lances, securing a first complete lance kill.
Steiner Light lances lose two Commandos and the Command Lance takes heavy damage and critical hits to a Zeus’s weapons. Luckily several volleys from the Kurita Archer lance fail to find their targets.
Victory Points: Steiner 17, Kurita 11
Turn 6 – Kurita wins Initiative
Steiner pushes into the South objective, finally supported by their Heavy lances. Steiner Mediums run flanking maneuvers using available cover. The Steiner Command lance reinforces the North objective against the sustained Kurita assault.
Kurita presses the Northern attack with Heavies from the center, leaving the Archer lance to control the center objective. Kurita forces in the South make best use of available cover to attempt to counter the fresh Steiner lances now engaged.
The Steiner Heavies in the South expertly divide their fire to fully obliterate the defending Kurita Medium lance. The final return fire scratches some armor but can do little more before crumbling. The defending Kurita Lights manage to combine fire to destroy a Hatchetman and cripple a Sentinel.
In a surprising long range attack, the Kurita Command lance almost completely destroys a Steiner Medium lance.
To the North, both forces trade volleys shedding armor and trading critical hits. As a whole the Steiner forces, using the woods to their advantage, seem to come out better. A second Kurita lance, a Medium, meets its doom while several Steiner lances are hanging on by a tread.
Victory Points: Steiner 22, Kurita 14
Turn 7 – Kurita wins Initiative
Steiner fades from the Northern objective, still fighting to contest the objective but forcing the Kurita forces to fight for every inch. Steiner Medium lances in the center of the battle turn into harassers behind the Kurita lines. Kurita does not choose to pursue the harassers and reinforces the fight for the North and South objectives with it’s Heavies while the Command Lance holds the center.
Kurita loses the last of a Light Lance while its other two lances hold the line while defending the Southern objective. One Archer goes down while the rest of the Kurita Heavy lance suffers minor damage.
Steiner loses another Commando while multiple lances shed armor to Kurita attacks. A surprise long range attack on the Steiner Command Lance scores multiple Weapon criticals.
Victory Points: Steiner 27, Kurita 19
Turn 8 – Steiner wins Initiative
Kurita forces shrink back from attacking the Southern objective to secure the center. The battle over the North continues with Kurita pushing with its heavy lances.
Weapons fires pours across the battle. The Steiner forces decimate one of the Kurita Heavy lances, downing two Mechs. The Steiner Heavies take major damage but manage to only lose a Thunderbolt. The Steiner Command lance also takes heavy damage. Armor slags off in droves but critical hit rolls come up empty.
Victory Points: Steiner 29, Kurita 24
Turn 9 – Steiner wins Initiative
Kurita concentrates the attack on the North while conceding the Southern objective. The last Kurita Light lance, sensing the end is near, moves to contest the Southern objective to draw at least one if not two Steiner lances away.
Steiner makes a surprise move and mostly abandons the Southern objective, leaving it only contested with a single lance. All other Steiner units collapse towards the center to face off against the Kurita Command lance and the Heavy Archer lance.
To the South, the Kurita Light lance is destroyed by SRM volleys but not before touching off an ammo explosion in a Commando.
Kurita kills off two Steiner Command Mechs while stripping another of armor. Return fire from the Steiner’s cracks two Kurita Command Mechs, weapon critting an Awesome. Both Command lances pay a heavy price this turn but somehow remain intact.
Victory Points: Steiner 32, Kurita 29
Turn 10 – Kurita wins Initiative
Steiner forces continue to collapse on the center objective. Kurita escapes the center while securing their hold on the Northern objective. The Southern objective is left to Steiner who guards it with the remnants of a Light lance.
Weapons fire is sporadic and many previously damaged Mechs are felled by opportunistic shots. One more Kurita lance meets its end while several Steiner lances are left limping but still alive.
Victory Points: Steiner 40, Kurita 31
After the Dust Settles….
The final score does not tell the full story of this battle. It was a lot closer than it may initially appear. Kurita’s Heavy lances decimated Steiner forces for the first half of the game. Many Steiner lances were left hanging on with a single unit remaining. A quirk of the scoring system meant that Steiner held onto the lead throughout most of the game but it was a lot closer than that.
The second half of the game saw Steiner gain superior position against the pressing Kurita attack and begin to lose some individual battles while winning the war. A great game in the end.
