Moonlight Marathon

General Summary

Mission Profile

• Mission Type: Chase
• Force Size: 5000 BV
• Mission Cost: 300
• Location: Jedora Continent, Brenlin Flatlands
• Weather: Moonless Night
• Time of Day: Late Night

Situational Overview

During a moonless period of the night, pirates raided holdings belonging to Senator Rush and are escaping to a dustoff point. Having only a limited window of time and a few places to intercept the fleeing intruders, Priam Company dispatches their Leopard-class DropShip with a very light force intending to take out as many of the pirates as they can catch fleeing the area.

Objectives

Primary Objective: The pirates must not be allowed to make off with their goods. Therefore the goal for Priam Company is to prevent 50% of the enemy forces from making it across the battlefield. (200 WP)
Secondary Objective: Information is always wanted by someone, if it's good. This objective revolves around getting a visual identification of each enemy unit by closing to within 9 spaces and having a clean line of sight. (100 WP)
Tertiary Objective: Pirates are explicitly to be given no quarter, and a reward will be issued if the enemy force is completely defeated. (300 WP)

Setup

The map is set up with a ridgeline of elevated terrain going down the center, any gaps having rough terrain filling them. 2d6 light woods elements are set up around either side of the ridgeline arrangement. When setting up the mat, place five markers on either short side at equal spacing from each other.
The pirate force may enter on either side they choose, and must deploy on the edge of the map between two markers; they cannot split their forces. Furthermore, their exit across the map cannot be done within the same two markers on the opposing side. Once chosen, they may move up to their maximum speed across the board. Priam Company may set up on the side the pirate force chose to enter from, but may not begin within the same two markers the pirates had. They automatically cede initiative to the pirate force; the pirates may make the first move if applicable.

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Forces

Priam Company

• WHM-6R B (Olivia)
  (0/2; Specialist: PPC, Lucky 1, Marksman)
• Condor A (Crew 12)
  (2/4; Maneuvering Ace)
• Condor B (Crew 86)
  (2/4; Maneuvering Ace)
• Scimitar (Crew 32)
  (5/6)

(Total BV: 5143)

Intruders

• CN9-A (1/2)
• CDA-2A (4/5)
• Goblin (3/4)
• Goblin (3/4)
• Bulldog (4/6)

(Total BV: 5143)

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Special Rules

Moonless Night: The lack of moonlight affects being able to aim effectively, so apply a +3 to-hit modifier to all weapon attacks or a +1 to-hit modifier to physical attacks. Furthermore, due to not being able to reliably see the state of the ground, apply a +1 modifier to the difficulty to all Piloting/Driving Skill Rolls made if a unit is moving under Running or Flank speeds. Naturally, line-of-sight is considered blocked for purposes of indirect fire.

• Heat: High heat levels make it easier to find the targets on visual. For any 'Mech with more than 15 points of heat, apply a -1 to-hit modifier to any weapon attacks.
• Searchlights: Units equipped with an active searchlight eliminate the +3 to-hit modifier within the arc and range of their searchlight. Likewise, physical attacks within the arc of the searchlight eliminate the +1 modifier. Conversely, any weapon or physical attacks against units equipped with an active searchlight eliminate this modifier as well.

Searchlights: As noted above, searchlights will eliminate most of the negative modifiers within their area of effect. Combat vehicles have one searchlight by default which illuminates a line up to 10 hexes ahead of it. Similarly, all 'Mechs have a "broad cone" searchlight by default which reaches its front arc for up to 8 spaces. Certain other 'Mechs are equipped with mounted searchlights which function along a designated line to a target up to 30 spaces away inside the front arc.
A 'Mech with a hand actuator may be assigned to carry a hand-held searchlight in that arm; this searchlight may illuminate along a line to a target hex up to 10 hexes from the 'Mech in any arc that arm may fire into. Carrying a hand-held searchlight incurs a +1 to-hit penalty for weapons on that arm, and physical attacks with that arm are not possible unless the searchlight is dropped. Dropping a searchlight will leave it in a stationary position illuminating a radius of 5 spaces, which is obstructed by forests or a rise in elevation.

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Special Abilities

Lucky: Sometimes you just find luck when you least expect it. For each point of Lucky, this pilot may reroll one Gunnery or Piloting roll per scenario.
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.
Marksman: This pilot has trained to be able to pick out a target area on their enemies rather than merely trying to hit. If the pilot does not move, and fires only one weapon on its turn, they may make a called shot as though it has a Targeting Computer. (Consult TW, p.143)
Weapons Specialist: Training and time have brought a sense of a particular weapon and how to get the most out of it. This unit has a -2 To-Hit bonus with their chosen weapon.

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Battle Report

Prelude

Image Link

The Shadowfox has dropped the units behind the escaping pirates, with the hovercraft pacing the Warhammer on approach. Orders were to avoid total destruction of the targets, to allow something to be recovered, but at the same time to stop every possible target from escaping the battlefield. Given the sensors on the 'Mech were designating one of the two enemy 'Mechs as a Cicada, this was going to prove more difficult than thought.

Action Report

(Author's Note: Due to the size of turns being fairly small and limited to a few shots, the entire report has been condensed into this small recounting. The image links will show a play-by-play, focusing on the action involved.)


Image Link: Turn 1
Image Link: Turn 2
Image Link: Turn 3
Image Link: Turn 4
Image Link: Turn 5

In pursuit, the Warhammer moved steadily ahead and let its twin PPCs target the Centurion in order to begin weakening its armor. The hover tanks flanked ahead, intending to try getting valid shots on the Cicada while they could. Unfortunately, the lack of light made it impossible to get a good firing solution and the impressive speed of the Cicada carried it out of any potential intercept range.

The Centurion initially fired back into the Scimitar, causing its motive system serious enough damage to threaten its mobility and render it almost a sitting duck. While they quickly ditched the vehicle, the two Condor tanks managed to similarly cripple the enemy Bulldog for a similar result.

With the Cicade no longer being a viable target, the Warhammer and Condors advanced intending to cut off any other retreating vehicles. Twin PPCs lanced out again, causing major damage to the motive system of one Goblin tank and considerable damage to the other's turret control. The Condors exchanged fire with the Centurion, penetrating into its torso armor and damaging one of the ammunition bins for the autocannon. Moments later, another volley into a weakened point in the right leg armor by the Condors was followed up by the Warhammer setting itself in place and landing a precise shot through the upper portion of the leg with a PPC. The leg snapped apart from the rest of the 'Mech, and the pirate quickly surrendered due to being unable to maneuver.

The two Goblin tanks continued trying to cross, only to be caught and harassed steadily until one's motive system was functionally destroyed and the other had the rear armor breached and exploded in a detonation of ammunition. In the process, one of the Condor tanks had its motive system damaged but no other serious losses happened.

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Aftermath

Crews found the stolen goods from the disabled Goblin's cargo area were safe, and a large portion could be salvaged from the wreckage of the other. This would undoubtedly be of value to Senator Rush, while the Centurion could be repaired easily enough and put to work for Priam Company. The pirates were turned over to the Jedora Militia which responded to the early-morning summons, and the goods were repackaged to be returned to the farmhold which they were taken from. But not without a cursory inspection by Priam Company.

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Damage Report

• WHM-6R B: Right Arm (10 Armor), Center Torso (4 Armor)
• CN9-A: Right Arm (14 Armor), Left Leg (5 Armor), Right Leg (16 Armor, 75% Structure, Detached), Right Torso (16 Armor, 50% Structure, AC/10 Ammo #2 Damaged)
• Scimitar: Front (19 Armor), Motive Hit
• Condor B: Front (16 Armor), Right Side (8 Damage), Motive Hit

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Medical Report

• No casualties reported.

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Salvage Report

• CN9-A Centurion: Salvaged. Sent to repairs.
• Goblin: Destroyed. Valued at 13 SP.
• Goblin: Salvaged. Valued at 25 SP.
• Bulldog: Salvaged. Valued at 30 SP.

Components Salvaged

• Large Laser (1)
• Machine Gun (1)

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Mission Report

Primary Objective: Succeeded. (+200 WP)
Secondary Objective: Succeeded. (+100 WP)
Tertiary Objective: Failed.
Salvage Awarded: CN9-A, 68 SP value, and components.

Table of Contents

• General Summary
• Forces
• Special Rules
• Special Abilities
• Action Report
• Aftermath
• Damage Report
*
• Mercenary Report
• Medical Report
• Salvage Report
*
• Mission Report
• NPC Report

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Report Date

15 Jun 2017

Campaign Round

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