The 21st Galedon Regulars landed outside New Derry, the capitol of Galtor III, expecting to find the 12th Vegan Rangers. Instead, they dropped almost on top of an encampment of the Lone Wolves mercenary cartel, a ragtag group of independent commands known for their ruthlessness. The player force, Blair’s Blackbirds, is one such command. The Wolves have marched out to meet the Combine forces, determined to keep the invaders from breaking through into the city.
Outside New Derry
Galedon III
Federated Suns
25 May, 3025
Chu-i Hideo Levinson’s sweat-slick palms gripped tight to his controls as he pushed his Marauder forward. The 21st Galedon Regulars had expected little resistance this far outside New Derry, but the radio chattering in his neurohelmet disabused him of that notion. The Kuritan landing force had kicked over a hornet’s next.
His own lance’s comm channel crackled in his ear. “Friendly incoming,” reported the husky voice of gunsho Ikeda. Her Ostroc held the lead position, followed by gunsho Bell’s Quickdraw. “Looks like a Spider, possibly Hannewalt from chu-i Watanabe’s lance”
Levinson cursed. One of Watanabe’s light recon units being this far out of position was bad news. He keyed his comm unit to the appropriate frequency and hailed the Spider’s pilot. “Hannewalt, that you?”
“Hai, chu-i!” Hannewalt reported, sounding out of breath. Levinson knew his cockpit must be a furnace from pushing his ‘Mech’s speed to the limit. “We were ambushed, sir. Watanabe’s down. His cockpit was crushed by some lunatic in a Hatchetman!”
Levinson’s stomach dropped as the reality of the situation became clear. He took a short breath to center himself before responding. “Copy that. Fall in with us.”
As Hannewalt swerved into formation, bright flashes lit the night sky as if by lightning. The dark, shambling silhouettes of enemy BattleMechs crested the ridge ahead, bringing to mind a line of windup toy samurai. The air ignited again in a burst of laser and autocannon fire. Behind Levinson, smoke trails belched from the boxy arms of gunsho Satou’s Stalker as streams of missiles slammed into the enemy like swarms of angry bees.
Levinson floated his crosshairs of an approaching ‘Mech, letting fly with his particle cannons. Beams of charged ions ripped across the battlefield in coruscating electric arcs. The chu-i sighed, “it’s going to be a long night . . .”
Game Type
Breakthrough (Hot Spots: Draconis Reach), Lone Wolves defending.
Objectives
Orders – Attacker: At least half of your starting units must cross the center line towards the Defender’s home edge. [50]
Orders – Defender: At least half of your surviving units must make an attack on an enemy unit for two consecutive turns. [50]
Push Through (Attacker): The Attacker moves at least half the Attacker’s starting force (by BV) off the Defender’s home edge. [300]
Suppressing Fire (Attacker/Defender): Every non-BSP unit in the opponent’s force suffers at least 1 point of internal damage. [100]
You shall not Pass (Defender): The Defender cripples or destroys at least half of the Attacker’s starting force (by BV) before they can exit off the Defender’s home edge. [300]
Special Rules
Paws Off!: Whenever an Attacker’s unit is destroyed by combined fire from Defending units belonging to separate commands, the Defending player must roll 1d6: on a result of 4 or higher the involved units must battle each other. This internecine fighting resolves when all but one involved unit are put into forced withdrawal (or destroyed, in the case of BSP assets). The remaining unit claims the salvage for their command.
Draconis Combine Forces
21st Galedon Regulars
Marauder MAD-3R, Veteran (commander)
Stalker STK-3F, Regular
Ostroc OSR-2C, Regular
Quickdraw QKD-4G, Regular
Spider SDR-5V, Regular
Lone Wolves Forces
Blair’s Blackbirds
Crab CRB-20, Veteran (commander)
Scorpion SCP-1N, Regular
Spider SDR-5V, Veteran
Lords of the Sword
Phoenix Hawk PXH-1, Regular
Gladiator GLD-4R, Regular
Cicada CDA-2A, Regular
Independence (Battlefield Support Assets)
2x Manticore Heavy Tanks, Regular
Vedette Medium Tank, Veteran
Action Report
The Lone Wolves have set up along the stretch of their home edge, hoping to cover as much of the enemy’s approach as possible. On the open terrain of the battlefield’s left side, a pair of Manticores and a Vedette from Independence company are backed up by Captain Cameron Blair, of Blair’s Blackbirds, in her Crab. The right flank is covered by a trio of medium ‘Mechs from Lords of the Sword (LotS). The remaining Blackbirds, Staff Sergeant MacGregor’s Scorpion and Sergeant Norris’ Spider, hold the center to reinforce either side if needed.
The 21st Galedon enters the open terrain on the left, advancing with a Stalker and a Marauder. Their Quickdraw and Ostroc stay close and engage the center, while their Spider swings wide to the right. Light damage is exchanged as the forces tentatively engage each other.
The battlefield starts to take shape in turn 2 as Norris and the LotS’s Cicada press the center and keep their target movement modifiers high. Blair and the Independents hold position, as does MacGregor in the center. The remaining LotS ‘Mechs shift attention to the left while the Galedon’s Spider circles closer and takes cover by going prone.
The Wolves get in some good shots, badly mauling the Stalker’s center torso armor and blowing the Quickdraw’s right arm off. The LotS Phoenix Hawk takes a beating in return, as its left side is pummeled by the combined fire of the Stalker and Marauder. The Scorpion takes an SRM hit to the head, injuring MacGregor.
The Stalker passes its Pilot Skill Roll, which it had to make due to taking more than 20 points of damage this turn.
As the Wolves move to reinforce their left flank in turn 3, the Galedon Ostroc and Quickdraw swing around to push through the gap they left in the right side of the battlefield. The enemy Spider pops up from cover and hits the Scorpion from behind, inflicting a second head hit and stripping the armor from its left rear torso. The Scorpion reels as it’s pummeled by the Stalker, Quickdraw, and Ostroc. The Gladiator, having stepped back, manages to strip the armor from the Spider’s back with laser fire.
The Stalker, now completely surrounded, starts taking structure damage as the Spider and Phoenix Hawk flay the last of its CT armor away. The Marauder gets caught having pressed too far forward: the combined fire from the tanks, Crab, and Cicada knock it to the ground.
At the top of turn 4, the Marauder climbs off the ground and makes a run for the back edge, firing wildly with both of its PPCs. It manages to destroy the Vedette, but takes fire from behind as the Crab and Spider circle around it. A large laser hit from the Crab pierces its rear armor and slags its autocannon. The Marauder is running hot, reducing its move speed just enough to keep it from leaving the battlefield next turn.
MacGregor pulls his Scorpion from its perch as the Stalker presses his position. This leaves the Gladiator exposed. It gets knocked off its feet as it takes heavy fire from the combined might of the Stalker, Quickdraw, and Ostroc. A critical hit to its right arm destroys its PPC, taking one of the Lone Wolves’ biggest guns out of the fight.
Turn 5 sees the fighting consolidate around the middle of the battlefield. The Gladiator shambles up, but gets knocked on its face again by an alpha strike from the Ostroc. The Ostroc’s heat spikes through the roof, slowing its movement to a crawl. This will prove to be little problem for it, as it is close enough to leave the battlefield next turn.
The Lone Wolves have spread themselves too thin to concentrate fire on any one target, but they still manage to knock the Stalker prone.
The Ostroc and Marauder leave the battlefield in turn 6: the Ostroc is running too hot to be of any use and the Marauder is out of position to lend support. The Quickdraw, however, stays behind to draw fire away from the Stalker. This gambit works: the Wolves split their fire in the hope they can prevent the Quickdraw from leaving so they can focus on the much slower Stalker. Aside from a lucky head hit, the Quickdraw weathers the assault well.
The Stalker is less fortunate. Armor melts away from its left leg, leaving its actuators exposed. Critical hits to its leg and foot actuators send it crashing to the ground. It no longer has enough movement to get off the battlefield in turn 7. Instead, its pilot tries to stand up so that he can eject safely. He fails to wrest the massive machine upright, and damages his fusion engine in the process. He chooses to power down and surrender as the Quickdraw leaves the field.
After Action Report
The Galedon Regulars successfully moved four units off the board. They gain 300 VP in addition to the 50 for completing their orders. The Lone Wolves gain 50 VP for carrying out their orders, but have ultimately lost this engagement. Because the Blackbirds did not damage the Stalker in the turn preceding its surrender, they do not hold a salvage claim. Independence and Lords of the Sword will have to work it out between themselves.
Focusing their fire on the Stalker may have hurt the Lone Wolves’ chances of winning this battle. Every shot soaked up by the heavily armored ’Mech was a shot not taken at units that would have been easier to take down.
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