Great game of BattleTech yesterday. Had a team game with 10,000 BV per player in the IlClan Era 3151 during Operation DAWN, the retaking of New Avalon from the Draconis Combine. 4-12 units. Combined Arms.
I played AFFS (Davion Assault Guard) and Stuart played AFFS (Avalon Hussars)
Vs
Richard playing DCMS (Dragon’s Claws) and Gavin’s Fallen Cats (Mercenary) – using Mech’s “Salvaged” from the Nova Cats destruction.
Played on the Desert Airfield Map (using half of the BFM) using the Thunderhead Studios terrain for that map with some additional terrain added. Also added some Aerodyne DropShips (5 levels high) and Spheroid DropShips (10 Levels High) which cut down on open lines of fire.
Had 5 objective markers, 3 along the middle and 1 10 hexes from each deployment edge. The objective was to have the more BV of units within 3 hexes of the objective with a ground unit (not VTOL’s or Shutdown, KO’s, Crippled or Destroyed). Each objective scored 1 VP in the end phase.
Turn 1
Units walked onto the field. The DAG Centurion sprinted to the southern objective. The DAG Templar and Ares deployed their Grenadier II BA with BA Tube Artillery. The Cat’s Crab (with supercharger) hit the objective closest to them. A AvH Locust sprinted towards the western objective but it was too far. The Dragon and Cat ‘Mechs hit a fuel pipeline triggering the explosion of the fuel tank 3 hexes from the AvH Locust singeing it a bit! The Locust then got hit by a single long range hit and lost its left arm. The DCMS also hit the field tank on the eastern flank.
Score AFFS 1 – DCMS 1
Turn 2
The first DAG Grenadier II BA Tube Artillery launched.
A Dragon’s Raptor backed by a Cat’s Ryoken moved to the eastern objective and dropped some Oni BA, outscoring the AvH Locust which hid round the back of the Leopard DropShip. The DAG Centurion sprinted towards the central objective, dropping its SRM Grenadier BA, but got tripled hit by three large pulse lasers from the Cat’s Ryoken and the fast moving Crab all hitting the central torso and causing a gyro hit. Amazingly it stayed upright!
Without targets to shoot the DAG Ares and Templar started to down some buildings to reduce enemy cover.
The AvH Marauder and Dragon’s Shiro exchanged long range fire to no effect.
The AvH Phoenix Hawk, Spider and Enforcer moved on the eastern objective (destroying the last fuel tank) but not fast enough to reach it, although the Cat’s Jenner IIC did.
Score AFFS 2 – DCMS – 5
Turn 3
The Dragon’s Shiro moved in on the western objective, backed up by a Ryoken. The plucky AvH Locust dashed around behind the Shiro, scoring laser hits on its back (buck with little effect on the Hardened Armor). The Shiro swung his sword around behind him but missed.
The AvH Spider made it to the eastern objective but was still outscored.
The DAG Ares and Templar both got LoS on the Cat’s eastern flank Ryoken. The C3 equipped Sprint VTOL tried to flank to within 5 hexes but on the way skidded and clipped the side of a union DropShip! Without the C3 Support both the Templar and Ares missed all their shots.
The DAG Centurion made an insane Jump for the objective but with a busted gyro, it fell. This however was fortunate as it fell behind a stack of crates so only the enemy Oni BA could target it, which missed. The SRM Grenadiers moved into the rubble and managed to pepper the Raptor with SRMs.
Score AFFS 3 – DCMS – 9
Turn 4
The Dragon’s Hatamoto-Suna made it down the center moving onto the objective. The DAG Centurion managed a Careful Stand next to the Hatamoto-Suma. Both the Hatamoto-Suna and the Centurion then got hit by the splash damage from a BA Artillery shell. The DAG Centurion provided C3 telemetry for a range 1 attack by a huge salvo from the DAG Ares and Templar. The Hatamoto-Suaa’s arm mounted Gauss Rifle was hit and discharged destroying the arm and some of the left torso internals structure (no Case), but amazingly the Hatamoto-Suna remained standing. The AvH Catapult added to the attack but the Hatamoto-Suna’s Ballistic Reinforced armour neutered the missile attack. The Hatamoto-Suna hit the DAG Centurion with MRM 20’s knocking it down and put a foot through the Central Torso coring it out (no StackPole!).
On the Eastern objective a huge furball had erupted with the AvH Orion, Wolfhound and Marauder all targeting the Cat’s Ryoken. The Ryoken has fallen over a fuel pipe, then failed to stand twice and just managed to stand for a 3rd time when all the AvH ‘Mechs hit it. The Dragon’s Shiro, Raptor and Cat’s Ryoken piled fire onto the Orion, but the Orion stood and took it!
On the eastern flank the AvH Hussar jumped long, behind an enemy Jenner scoring rear hits, while the Crab and Phoenix Hawk exchanged fire, with the Phoenix Hawk winning out with its pulse lasers, while the right flank Ryoken and Piranha missed with all their shots.
The AvH Locust in another plucky move, dashed to the northern objective point and killed the Mechanised Recon Infantry there, taking that objective.
Score AFFS 5 – DCMS 12
Turn 5
The DAG Templar made a big push for the centre objective backed up by the AvH Catapult, both firing on the Hatamoto-Suna but not managing to take it down. The Dragon’s Hatamoto-Suna stepped back behind a building out of LoF of the DAG Ares, while the Grenadier II BA peppered it with ineffective SRM fire (due to its Ballistic Reinforced Armor). The left flank Raptor moved to the centre and missed a brace of 3 SRM6 shots at the Templar, while the Cat’s Piranha laid down fire into the Grenadier BA but didn’t manage to kill any (although all were heavily damaged).
On the right flank the Cat’s Crab and Dragon’s Ha-Otoko fell back to retake the northern objective from the AvH Locust, which when running off to the north engaging some Void Medium Battle Armor which had been spotting from a building top. The AvH Phoenix Hawk jumped to get a rear shot on the Cat’s Ryokan, but then the Cat’s Janner IIC got behind the Phoenix Hawk! This exposed the Jenner to the DAG Ares LoS! A Sprint C3 VTOL flanked a move of 20 to get into range 3 of the Jenner, and the salvo from the Ares (2LPL-C, 2ERLL-C, 2 ERML-C, 2 LRM5’s and a LPPC) did over 60 damage to it, taking off both arms and one torso and almost crippling it. The AvH Spider managed to steal the kill from the Ares with its Medium Pulse lasers, taking off the other torso and shutting down its XL Engine (no StackPole!).
The left flank has descended into chaos! The elite (P3) Dragon’s Shiro moved across the flaming rubble of the fuel tank, but fell (snake eyes!). It was then dog piled by the Marauder, Orion and Wolfhound but they still didn’t break through its Hardened Armor! The Shiro then managed to prop itself up, smash into the Wolfhound with 4 LRM10-C’s and then lopped off its left foot with a Sword hit! The Cat’s left flank Ryoken continued to fire into the Orion but it was still going!
In the last turn the AFFS gained the left and right flank objectives, but the Templar and Grenadier BA were outscored by the BV of the Hatamoto-Suaa, Piranha and Oni BA.
Final Score AFFS 8 – DCMS 14
Most Valued Mech? The plucky Locust did what Locust MechWarrior dreams of sowing chaos and running full speed!
MechWarrior most likely to commit sepuki? The Ha-Otoko (2 LRM20’s 2 LRM 10s) did not manage to hit anything the entire game! Richard has now retired that miniature!
Final thoughts – The DCMS with their more rapid units managed to get to and hold the centre line of objectives in turns 2-4 with little competition! By turn 5 the heavier DAG Templar and AvH Orion and Marauder had reached the objectives pushing the DCMS back. In turn 6 it looked likely that the centre line would have been held by the AFFS.
Build Rules
10000 BV per player.
- Any IlClan Era MUL (Only standard variants may be selected (no named units e.g. Bounty Hunter)
- Maximum of 12 Units.
- Allowed Units: BM, CV, CI, BA, Superheavy BM, PM
- Disallowed units: SV, AF, CF, DS, LAM
- Skills Elite G2/P3 to Green G5/P6 No more than 2 difference between P and G.
- Select 1 Force Commander up to Legendary P0/G0.
- Rules Level: Experimental
- Limit: 2 Artillery units.
- Ammo Type: Any
Optional Rules:
All BMM Optional Rules
TO:AR
- ECM/ECCM
- Enhanced Anti-Missile Systems
- Active Probes
- Extender Damage to Mechs
- BA Weights
- BA vs BA damage
- Retractable Blades
ComStar 