Started the (awesome) campaign from Total Chaos last night. Set up took a bit longer than I'd have liked, but we got into it with the mini-campaign for Outreach. The PC (Word of Blake) started with Mission: Recon, adding in "complicated weather" for a bonus to the Warchest Point payout. The NPC (Wolf's Dragoons) took more of a penalty because of that, however. With "moderate gale," all missile weapons received a +1 TN modifier. The WD side had an Archer and a Kuroi Kaze-produced Ushabti, both 'Mechs built around missile systems. Goals for the mission included scanning at least one opposing 'Mech (both were deployed using hidden unit rules), destroying at least one opposing 'Mech and retreating with at least half their force intact. The Word of Blake sent in a "recon-in-force," as it were, with an Atlas II commanding a Malak and a Clan-built Bear Cub. The robes were all of Veteran quality, while the WD garrison was rolled up to only be Regular.
Things looked bleak for the Dragoons in this one. The Archer broke hidden unit cover early, banking on dropping some LRMs into the leading Malak. Unfortunately, minimum range prohibited that idea and the Archer instead fired off all of its lasers. Most of them missed, allowing the Malak a chance to scan for one turn unmolested. The Bear Cub supported its heavier cousin, scoring armor-melting hits upon the Archer. The next turn, the Cub moved into visual range of the Ushabti while the Malak finished scanning the Archer, completing the basic requirement for the scanning goal. That's when things started turning against the Word. First, the Ushabti's medium pulse laser/MML-9 combo cored the Bear Cub as the Malak fled for safety. Then, as the Atlas II was attempting to pick apart the Archer, the Ushabti scored several head shots, eventually leading to the death of another Robe.
Total track cost - 200 Warchest Points.
Total reward - 125 Warchest Points.
With 5 more tracks left to go on Outreach, we'll see if the Word can turn things around and punish the Clan money soldiers once & for all.
~Fen
