Incident at Holfield Mining
General Summary
Mission Profile
- Mission Type: Breakthrough
- Force Size: Unlimited
- Location: Grid J15
- Weather: Light Gale
- Time of Day: Morning
Situation Overview
While Commander Dupree arrives at Holfield Mining to convince the miners to allow to share some of the processed ores, forces with Lyran markings were seen setting up as if to entrap them. The Harbingers opt to rush out to meet them rather than wait patiently to be entrapped.Objectives
Primary Objective: Have 50% of friendly units leave through your home edge.Secondary Objective: Destroy or force to withdraw 50% of enemy units.
Setup
The area has a good amount of open area broken up by hills and mesa formations, though the processes used to prepare this area for mining has left it barren of vegetation. Both players set up the following terrain with a general agreement of placement: 2d6 Hill elements, 1d6 Rough Terrain elements, and 1d3 Mesa elements. (For this battle, the numbers are 4, 4, and 3 accordingly.) The Harbingers choose a side to enter from, and must reach the opposed side (their home edge the Lyran forces set up no more than one-third of the distance across the battlefield from that edge.Forces
Alpha Excursion Team
- AS7-D (Adamant) (2/4; Combat Intuition)*
- MON-67 ("Sureshot") (2/4; Maneuvering Ace, Human TRO: Mechs)
- MON-67 ("Spike")(3/4; Maneuvering Ace)
- AWS-8Q ("Deadeye") (2/3; Sniper)
- Behemoth ("Crew 6") (4/5)
- Von Luckner ("Crew 9") (4/5)
Lyran Forces
- ARC-2R (3/4)*
- LCT-1E (4/5)
- JVN-10N (3/5)
- PXH-1 (3/4)
- Packrat (4/5)
- Saladin (4/5)
Special Rules
Forced Withdrawal: When certain conditions are met, the defending units will surrender in position. These conditions are as follows:- If a BattleMech expends all their ammunition and has no more available weapons.
- If a BattleMech loses one side torso location due to damage.
- If a BattleMech sustains internal damage in two torso locations or three limb locations.
- If a BattleMech suffers two Engine hits or one Engine hit and one Gyro hit.
- If a BattleMech is rendered immobile or otherwise unable to escape the battlefield.
Special Abilities
Combat Intuition: By means of concentration and awareness, a soldier can manage to get the jump on a target ready to move. This pilot can take one wound (no Consciousness Check is required) to choose a target to focus on. They may immediately act before that target, entirely out of turn. All damage takes effect immediately. Alternatively, they may choose to act last in movement initiative.Human TRO: Not all pilots focus on the task of combat, but instead on knowing the weaknesses of one class of units ('Mechs, Vehicles, etc) so they may be exploited. For the chosen class of units, this pilot adds +1 to their roll to determine Critical Hits.
Maneuvering Ace: This pilot has practiced a lot concerning movement, and can make their units do some truly amazing stunts. This pilot can employ the "lateral shift" maneuver at +1 MP if they are a MechWarrior. They also receive a -1 bonus to rolls to prevent skidding/sideslipping.
Sniper: Experience teaches pilots how to lead distant targets better, making it less difficult to hit their targets. This pilot halves all standard range penalties (+1 for medium range, +2 for long range).
Battle Report
Prelude
(Image Link)Arriving at the approximate site of the ambush, Commander Dupree slowed his unit up and waited to get a decent scan of the opposing force. The commander of the Lyran forces seemed hesitant on engaging the Atlas, but finally decided to move forward. With that, the Harbingers opted to move ahead to engage at will.
Turn 1
(Image Link)The Packrat began to maneuver around the small ridge, as the Locust and Javelin began heading directly for it. The Saladin cruised to a gap and began to line up for an Autocannon run on the tanks and Atlas. It got a shot off into the Mongoose and tore its arm clear off, eliciting a morale boost from the out-gunned Lyrans. The Archer launched a volley of LRMs down at the Von Luckner and sheared off some of the front armor. The consensus was that maybe they could pull this off.
That thought would not last the next minute.
Turn 2
The Awesome returned fire into the Archer and melted off a good portion of the right torso armor of the Archer, while the Packrat proceeded through to the edge of the ridge and intended to rake the Behemoth along the way with the Locust. The Javelin made a ballsy move and ran up onto the ridge to set up a move the 'MechWarrior thought would pay off soon.Similarly, the Phoenix Hawk took a shot at the Mongoose which had been savaged earlier, managing to connect. The Saladin was struck by two PPC shots, and the Autocannon jammed, necessitating a retreat.
Commander DuPree in his Atlas exercised his Combat Intuition to focus on the Archer, which permitted him to close rapidly and discharge his Autocannon/20 into the Archer. The shot connected and tore deeper into the right torso, thankfully not exploding the missiles inside or destroying the launcher. In return, the Archer sent a full volley of missiles into the Atlas and backed away. But it seemed to just shrug them off, standing impassively. Even as a cluster which struck the Atlas in its face, causing morale to turn.
Turn 3
(Image Link)The Saladin turned around and ran for it, while the Locust and Packrat continued to flank and out-dance the Mongoose. The Javelin jumped in and unloaded its missile launchers into the Atlas, causing more damage to the armor. The Phoenix Hawk whipped around to shoot a laser shot at the other Mongoose on the flank, as if to try to tag the fast-moving 'Mech.
The Archer, backing away, continued to pour missiles into the Atlas, knowing it needed to push the attack on the juggernaut before it was too late. Another splash of missiles across the Atlas' head and shoulders, before it was answered by a salvo of missiles belonging to the Atlas itself. The Behemoth failed to tag the Locust with anything, and the Von Luckner fired on the Javelin who managed to avoid being hit.
It was a slim chance of vitory, but the Lyran commander decided to command his Locust to continue flanking with the Packrat while the Javelin and Phoenix Hawk would try to get in and flank the Atlas. If it could be pushed into falling, then perhaps the battle could be won.
Turn 4
(Image Link)The truly terrifying battle continued, as the Packrat and Locust moved in to try raking the Behemoth before turning around and going for the Awesome. The Mongoose ace there made them pay for it, pulverizing the rear of the Packrat and scrapping its engine. The Awesome had enough of watching the Locust, and twisted to end it with three PPC shots directly into its torso. The Locust was cored out completely, before falling over in a heap of scrap.
In the other knot of 'Mechs, the Javelin tried to maneuver around to get the Atlas again, but had to settle for dropping to fire on the Behemoth instead. This caused a fire malfunction in an LRM launcher on the Behemoth, but otherwise seemed to do little. The Phoenix Hawk unloaded its close-range arsenal into the Atlas, who simply fired everything at the Archer and pursuer; the Phoenix Hawk managed to tear through the back armor and expose internal structure but failed to capitalize on it, while the Archer in turn slammed another salvo into the Atlas and managed to jam part of it's gyro.
The armless Mongoose closed on the Javelin, shredding into it, as the Von Luckner savaged the Phoenix Hawk with what it could fire into it, shattering one of the arms and tearing through the thin rear armor.
Turn 5
(Image Link)The Javelin and Phoenix Hawk managed to successfully flank the Atlas, landing brutal salvos into the juggernaut as it closed to the Archer's position. The Awesome and wounded Mongoose dismantled the Javelin before the other Mongoose lit up the Packrat and shredded it from front to back through the center. The Behemoth rolled forwards, sending missiles downrange at the knot of 'Mechs tangled up near the mountainside. One of those missiles located the Javelin's ammunition, causing the light 'Mech to explode spectacularly.
The Atlas and Archer went head-to-head, Commander DuPree shouting over open comms that he was going to rip the engine out of the Archer with his Atlas' hands. The Archer responded simply to come try, prepared to go down if it meant the Atlas would be destroyed in turn. The Phoenix Hawk stumbled and fell but not before shredding more of the back armor and legs of the Atlas, as the Archer issued a savage close-range burst into the hundred-ton 'Mech. The Atlas, undaunted, shattered the armor off the Archer's leg with its Autocannon before kicking the other one hard enough to cause it to buckle around the lower leg actuator. Despite this, the Archer remained standing while the Atlas tumbled onto its front over the sheer level of punishment it had taken.
But the Archer paid for this chance with an incredible amount of heat buildup, forcing a shutdown override.
Turn 6
(Image Link)The Phoenix Hawk could not withstand the flanking maneuver from the Mongoose and managed to just barely scrape through more armor on the Atlas before its torso was rendered into slagged metal. The Archer, likewise, tried to hang on but soon was forced to surrender before its ammunition exploded from the heat buildup.
Aftermath
Kommandant Valdane scowled at the video record which had been sent to her, showing the badly-beaten Lance Commander Trenton tied to a chair as a mercenary pointed to him, and then the camera. His face was likewise bloodied, stitches and gauze visible over a cut to the right temple. "I hope you're seeing this. If you continue to value the lives of the men and women you command, do not make a move on this continent. Stay away from Calderon Firebase and Holfield Mining."
"I'm sorry, Kommandant-"
"I did not give you permission to speak!" The man on the video turned and backhanded Trenton across the face. "I will not warn you again, Kommandant Valdane. Instead, I will simply make it my purpose to track down every Lyran Lance on this rock and put the fear of God into them."
She shut it off, and studied the records in front of her concerning those who had managed to escape. An Atlas, and it was in the hands of a 'MechWarrior who was quite capable of making it every bit as fearsome as Kerensky had intended when the Assault 'Mech had been designed. But she knew, for sure, it could be beaten.
Kommandant Valdane keyed the channel for one of her officers. "I want you to form up a task force. I need someone to stomp out a problem."
Damage Report
Damage
- AS7-D: Left Arm (6 Armor), Right Arm (6 Armor), Left Leg (23 Armor), Right Leg (40 Armor), Left Torso (19 Armor), Right Torso (10 Armor), Center Torso (21 Armor), Head (9 Armor, 75% Structure), Engine (1 Hit)
- AWS-8Q: Left Leg (6 Armor), Center Torso (6 Armor)
- MON-67 A: Right Arm (Destroyed), Right Torso (Destroyed), Center Torso (12 Armor, 75% Structure)
- Behemoth: Front (13 Armor), Right (10 Armor, Stabilizer Hit), Rear (9 Armor), Turret (3 Armor)
- Von Luckner: Front (6 Armor)
Rearming
- AS7-D: SRM 6, LRM 20, AC/20 (3 tons)
- Behemoth: SRM 6, LRM 5, AC/10 (5 tons)
- Von Luckner: AC/10, LRM 10 (2 tons)
Parts Not In Stock
- MON-67 A: Structure (25t; Right Arm, Right Torso)
Medical Report
- Adamant DuPree: (3 Wounds)
Salvage Report
- Archer ARC-2R: Salvaged. Sent to Calderon Firebase.
- Packrat: Destroyed. Valued at 25 SP
- Locust LCT-1E: Destroyed. Valued at 50 SP
- Javelin JVN-10N: Destroyed. Valued at 75 SP
- Phoenix Hawk PXH-1: Destroyed. Valued at 110 SP
Components Salvaged
- SRM-6 (1)
- Large Laser (1)
- Medium Laser (3)
- Small Laser (2)
- Machine Gun (2)
- Structure (20t; LL, RL, LA, RA, RT, H)
- Structure (45t; LL, RL, H)
NPC Report
Detained
- ARC-2R (3/4) : Surrendered. 'MechWarrior captured.
Destroyed
- LCT-1E (4/5) : Destroyed through torso damage. 'MechWarrior captured.
- JVN-10N (3/5) : Destroyed through torso damage. 'MechWarrior captured.
- PXH-1 (3/4) : Destroyed through torso damage. 'MechWarrior captured.
- Packrat (4/5) : Destroyed through internal damage. Crew killed.
- Saladin (4/5) : Destroyed through internal damage. Crew killed.
Escaped
- Saladin (4/5) : Escaped the field.
Table of Contents
- General Summary
- Forces
- Special Rules
- Special Abilities
- Battle Report
- Aftermath
- Damage Report
- Medical Report
- Salvage Report
- NPC Report
Report Date
22 Nov 2016
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