Signs in Ashes
General Summary
- Mission Type: Standup Fight (Modified)
- Force Size: Unlimited
- Location: Grid L16, "Anomaly L16"
- Weather: Overcast
- Time of Day: Afternoon
Situation Overview
A second assault on Priam Company's position began less than six hours after the Hounds of Dawn were pushed back, and this time it was another mercenary outfit. The Ash Demons had suffered a significant blow attacking Castellan Corporation facilities, and having LosTech to sell might help them recoup their losses. This has led them to make a probing attack on the Anomaly's location.Objectives
Objective: As is usual for a Standup Fight, two victory points are scored for the elimination of an opposing 'Mech. As there are no vehicles on the battlefield, there are no points which can be scored in this fashion. However, the Hounds of Dawn may score one victory point for a destroyed building, or three victory points for the Command Center being destroyed.Setup
Due to this scenario taking place in the same exact location and within a similar timeframe as the previous scenario, the battle area is largely unchanged. Any destroyed buildings are still destroyed, but the terrain remains the same.Forces
Ash Demons
- DRG-1N Dragon (3/4)
- TDR-5S Thunderbolt (4/5)
- WHM-6R Warhammer (3/4)
- PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk (4/5)
- Von Luckner VNL-K65 (4/5)
- Vedette (4/5)
Priam Company
BattleMechs
BattleMechs
- VTR-9B Victor ("Vandal")
(3/3; Lucky 1, TRO: Mechs) - GRF-1N A Griffin (Casey)
(3/3; Range Master (L)) - VLK-QA Valkyrie (Simone)
(3/3; Jumping Jack, Hopper) - OSR-2C Ostroc (Drake) (5/6)
- GLT-4P Guillotine (Long) (3/4; Lucky 1)
- CN9-A A Centurion (Martin) (5/6)
- ARC-2R Archer (Greenwell) (3/6)
- MAD-3M Marauder ("Gunslinger")
(2/4; Range Master (L)) - JR7-D Jenner ("Cardiac") (4/5)
- GRF-1N Griffin ("Dead Ringer")
(3/4; Jumping Jack)
- Manticore B ("Bull's Horns") (3/5)
- Manticore C ("Comorant Riders") (4/6)
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.
Campaign Continuity: All damage from the previous engagement is carried over into this engagement. The following damage remains:
- ARC-2R: RA (14 Armor), RL (18 Armor), LL (7 Armor)
Experimental Rules - Dice System
Players' Notes While preparing for this campaign round, we began looking at what others were doing with the rules and trying to hone our efforts just a bit. One of these things we discovered through Death From Above Wargaming is a method of rolling dice for weapons which cuts down on some of the repetition. This is introduced under their "House Rules" document as Group Fire. To enact this we acquired a set of dice which match their selection for dice, as closely as we could for an experiment.The general overview is the idea of rolling one six-sided die as a "pilot die" and each weapon fired receives a distinct six-sided die to represent the weapon being fired (both for "to-hit" and "hit location"). The color and size of the dice are a means of tracking which weapon belongs to which die, without having to specify each time. Knowing a 16mm red dice is a Large Laser means we don't need to specify it every time as "these dice are for the Zeus' Large Laser" when we roll a weapon. Rather than reproduce the exact rules here, I would prefer instead you visit their website and look it up yourself (under 'Downloads') if interested in trying it. We can attest to it smoothing out the experience quite a bit, with some caveats.
Due to the dice being rolled in one grouping, it is entirely possible to see multiple locations confirmed to be the head. DFA Wargaming prefers to allow only one of these weapons to land, and the rest to transfer into the Center Torso. After a brief discussion, my brother and I disagreed and decided to allow it to stand. Our reasoning is how we play with "Automatic Ejection" house rules which make it more likely for a pilot to make it out of a doomed BattleMech's head.
Another issue is how to use the "Lucky" special ability. Do we choose to reroll one weapon, the whole roll, just the pilot die? In the end we decided to use a second "pilot die" and reroll any weapons we wanted to reroll separately; the previous dice would be set aside and registered after all uses of Luck were finished. This solution worked, although we still believe Luck can be either the biggest waste of effort or a critical aspect of how a battle turns out. In short - it's pretty much as per the original use.
Whether or not we will continue to use this system depends on how we enjoy it after this campaign round's combat scenarios.
Special Abilities
Hopper: This pilot has trained hard to keep their BattleMech balanced on one leg. If the leg is destroyed, this unit may stay upright if it succeeds at a Piloting check with all applicable penalties. This unit's Movement cannot be reduced below 2MP.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.
Jumping Jack: This unit is more accurate when jumping than normal, having only a +1 to-hit penalty.
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.
Range Master: This pilot has trained to fire more accurately at a different range than normal. They swap their short range penalty for the designated range penalty (either medium or long range this means their short range is now less accurate but their chosen range is more accurate.
Battle Report
Prelude
(Image Link)After the minor disaster of the previous battle that morning, Commander Sethan chose to deploy as many units as were combat-ready. The approaching units refused to answer a challenge to identify themselves, which prompted "Vandal" to issue orders to open fire on any 'unidentified' targets which presented themselves.
Turn One
(Image Link)Priam Company's units advanced much as they had earlier that day, with Casey Whiting and Simone de Legrande taking to the flanks while the rest of the force moved down the center. The Ash Demons tended to their left to use the hill as cover for their Von Luckner and 'Mechs. The Hired Guns moved to the same hill, with "Dead Ringer" covering and accompanying Simone's Valkyrie.
Turn Two
(Image Link)The first shots were fired, as Priam Company and the Ash Demons both made attempts to take out primary threats. The Jenner piloted by "Cardiac" moved across the hill in hope of neutralizing the Von Luckner. This was mostly successful, destroying its motive system. However, the Jenner was forced to take the full brunt of the tank's heavy Autocannon/20 in the leg. There was little choice but to eject and comfort in the realization that task was completed... somewhat successfully.
The Ostsol also rounded the hill with the two Manticore tanks giving it long-range support, though their target was the Thunderbolt. "Vandal" had the plan of striking the Thunderbolt early and hard, since it had a considerable amount of armor protecting it and could be a dangerous opponent. Some of the shots were wide of the mark, but it was also a sign the Ash Demons were going to be flanked and enveloped shortly.
The Phoenix Hawk moved ahead, only to face the Victor which "Vandal" was operating and taking a direct shot into the torso. From behind the Victor, "Gunslinger" fired at long-range onto the enemy Warhammer, dealing considerable damage. His efforts were joined by "Dead Ringer", forcing the Warhammer pilot to revise their plan of attack.
Turn Three
(Image Link)Priam Company advanced to engage closer in to their enemy, and closing in caused the combat to become quite a bit more fierce. The Manticore tanks opened up their main weapons on the stubborn Von Luckner, erasing it from the field easily. However, the Centurion which moved to help engage the enemy fell victim to a vicious shot from the tank which wrecked the gyro and forced the pilot to abandon their 'Mech. br]
The majority of Priam Company's forces focused their fire into the Warhammer and blasted off most of its armor in the process. This was not enough to force it to fall, but now the Ash Demons were truly enfolded by Priam Company with few ways to escape without a severe fight.
A fight they were currently losing, swiftly.
Turn Four
(Image Link)Priam Company continued their relentless assault, closing in while the Ash Demons tried to press their advantage. A barrage of firepower from the Ostsol caused the Warhammer to fall within short order, while the Manticore Tanks assisted "Gunslinger" in putting down the Phoenix Hawk. The Archer's lasers helped "Dead Ringer" dismantle the Vedette tank, making it explode from the full amount of damage. Likewise, the Dragon was quickly rendered into a useless husk as the Victor and Guillotine fired into it with the extent of their firepower. The Heavy 'Mech staggered, fell, and took significant enough internal damage to risk an ammunition explosion.
Once the Dragon and Phoenix Hawk fell, the Thunderbolt's pilot realized they could not continue to fight and powered down. The battle with the unknown assailants were finally finished, and now questions would be answered.
Aftermath
As everything began to settle down and casualties were taken stock of, Commander Sethan pried the information about the so-called "Ash Demons" from the mercenary Lance Commaner. They had been dispatched to probe the Anomaly base for weaknesses, ahead of another assault team. However, once they didn't return the question would start becoming more about staging a rescue.
Damage Report
Damage
- VTR-9B: Left Leg (7 Armor), Right Leg (9 Armor), Right Torso (8 Armor), Center Torso (10 Armor)
- ARC-2R: Right Arm (22 Armor, 75+% Structure; Lower Actuator, Hand Actuator), Right Leg (26 Armor, 25% Structure), Left Leg (17 Armor), Right Torso (8 Armor), Left Torso (7 Armor), Center Torso (5 Armor), Head (7 Armor)
- OSR-2C: Right Arm (8 Armor, Destroyed), Left Arm (8 Armor, 25% Structure), Right Torso (4 Armor, 25% Structure), Left Torso (4 Armor, 25% Structure)
- CN9-A A: Left Leg (4 Armor), Right Torso (6 Armor), Center Torso (18 Armor, 25% Structure), Gyro Hit (2)
- TDR-5S: Left Arm (2 Armor), Left Leg (17 Armor), Right Torso (13 Armor), Left Torso (6 Armor), Center Torso (8 Armor)
Rearming
- VTR-9B: AC/20, SRM 4 (2 Tons)
- ARC-2R: LRM 20 (1 Ton)
- GLT-4P: SRM 6 (1 Ton)
- OSR-2C: SRM 4 (1 Ton)
- CN9-A A: AC/10, LRM 10 (2 Tons)
- GRF-1N A: LRM 10 (1 Ton)
- VLK-QA: LRM 10 (1 Ton)
- Manticore B: LRM 10, SRM 6 (2 Tons)
- Manticore C: LRM 10, SRM 6 (2 Tons)
- TDR-5S: LRM 15, SRM 2, MG (3 Tons)
Parts Not In Stock
- Gyro (50t)
- Actuator (60t): Upper Arm
- Actuator (60t): Lower Arm
- Actuator (70t): Upper Arm
- Actuator (70t): Lower Arm
Mercenary Report
- Authorized payment for "Cardiac": -40 SP
Out for repairs. (1 Round) - Authorized payment for "Dead Ringer": -60 SP
- Authorized payment for "Gunslinger": -60 SP
Medical Report
- Lisa Greenwell: 2 Wounds.
- Doris Ilka: 1 Wound.
Salvage Report
- DRG-1N: Sent to repairs. 'MechWarrior captured.
- TDR-5S: Sent to repairs. 'MechWarrior captured.
- WHM-6R: Sent to repairs. 'MechWarrior captured.
- PXH-1: Sent to repairs. 'MechWarrior captured.
- Von Luckner: Destroyed. Crew KIA.
- Vedette: Destroyed. Crew KIA.
Components Salvaged
- AC/5
- AC/20
- Flamer
- SRM 4
- SRM 6 (2)
Mission Report
Priam Company's focused efforts allowed them to seize victory in spite of losing two 'Mechs to the enemy. The Ash Demons simply were overmatched and pushed into losses which rapidly compounded into two destroyed tanks and three crippled 'Mechs. While it was as close to a decisive victory as Priam Company could hope for, the loss of the Centurion will require a good deal of effort to handle.NPC Report
Detained
- DRG-1N Dragon (3/4): Seized. 'MechWarrior captured.
- TDR-5S Thunderbolt (4/5): Seized. 'MechWarrior captured.
- WHM-6R Warhammer (3/4): Seized. 'MechWarrior captured.
- PXH-1 Phoenix Hawk (4/5): Seized. 'MechWarrior captured.
Destroyed
- Von Luckner VNL-K65 (4/5): Destroyed. Crew KIA.
- Vedette (4/5): Destroyed. Crew KIA.
Table of Contents
- General Summary
- Forces
- Special Rules
- Special Abilities
- Battle Report
- Aftermath
- Damage Report
- Mercenary Report
- Medical Report
- Salvage Report
- Mission Report
- NPC Report
Report Date
12 Oct 2022
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