AAR 8 Dec 2012 (Part 2)

To continue our Saturday adventures (two weeks later)...

Game 2 of the day was a standard lance vs lance using identical mapsheets for both sides of the field. Laying them out so that we had the maximum amount of distance between us led to the usual "first turn no fire" scenario while we positioned forces. This game was an amazing test of our comparative strategies, equipment knowledge and luck. Mitch's force was built around a C3 network, with almost all of his 'Mechs having the ability to jump. Countering that on my end, was a single ECM 'Mech (a Red Shift) and only a single jumper. Overcoming his ability to out maneuver me was the first priority of my strategy.

And, unlike the previous game, this one did not last 4 turns, it lasted almost 15.

Here we are at turn 2, my Red Shift and Marauder II anchoring the left flank while my Huron Warrior and Ti Ts'ang head for the shelter of a small rock outcropping. His left flank is heavily fortified with the Gunslinger in command, followed by a Quickdraw and Spider. Odd man on the right side is a Wolverine closing in on the Shift.

Couple of turns later and the battlefield looks completely different. The speed and jump distance of the Spider made it a C3 threat, but my Red Shift is right there to stop it. The Ti Ts'ang was in trouble, though the Huron Warrior had its back as the Wolverine and the Marauder II went toe to toe.

Sorry for the blur. 6ish turns in and still a full field. This is the longest we've gone without at least one kill in a game. Shots have been traded all over the place but neither of us can seem to get it done.

Turn 8 and we've backed off to regroup some.

Turn 9, the Ti Ts'ang is down from leg loss. It still survives, in deep pain. The Spider? She no survive at all no more.

Turn 11, approaching end game. The Ti T'sang and Huron Warrior have been sent to the salvage heap, while the Wolverine and Spider are there a-waitin' the outcome as well. And this is the turn where everything fell apart for the 4th Skye. The Gunslinger soon went down. A couple more turns of fighting to flank one another and the Quickdraw fell as well, leaving the Marauder II and Red Shift alone on the field. Neither of them were doing well by then. The Shift had lost an arm & half its weaponry with it. The Marauder II (with a fragile IS XL engine) had a single point of internal structure left in its right torso, leaving it one shot away from blowing up.

This was easily the most epic lance battle we've ever played. Neither of us could get any lucky shots (the Marauder II took two head shots from small weapons) and we really had to grind against some high TNs to hit/to be hit.

Operation: Nachtfalke

Operation: Nachtfalke

A sleepy, previously unimportant Chaos March world leaps into the forefront when a massive mineral deposit and a lode of Germanium are found within days of each other on the world’s main continent. Because of its location and the lack of a standing military force, not to mention the newly discovered mineral wealth, it is highly sought after by many factions. Each makes plans to send an expeditionary unit in the hopes of claiming the planet for their own. Smelling profit, mercenaries and pirates are also flocking to the world in droves.

            This is a planetary campaign for two-to-six players.

Initial Setup

            Lay out the node-based planetary map. Players take turns selecting a single military base as their starting point. Each player begins with a number of Warchest Points (WP) based on the number of players in the campaign;

            2 Players – 250 WP

            3 Players – 200 WP

            4-6 Players – 150 WP

            Warchest Points are used to purchase battlefield units, pilots and to pay for movement or repairs. All military bases come equipped with a merchant, facilities for purchasing/building units and academies for training personnel.

Turn Sequence (1 Turn = 1 Week of Game Time)

1)      Resources Phase – Each player roles 2d10 and adds the result x 10 Warchest Points to their treasury. This represents resources sent by the player’s faction. Tax revenue is then added based upon how many/which nodes are controlled.

2)      Movement Phase – Players roll 2d6 for initiative with the lowest score moving first. Players alternate moving a single unit a single node at a time until all desired movements have been made. Units follow routes of march between nodes. Players cannot move through an enemy-controlled node, but may pass through nodes belonging to an allied player with their permission. If a node is uncontested or enemy-controlled with no opposing units present, the player must end the turn with their unit located there to gain control. If there are enemy units, combat ensues next phase.

3)      Combat Phase - Any opposing units left on a node together at the end of the movement phase engage in a game of BattleTech. The mapsheets are determined by the node, with the Defender (whichever player arrived first or already controlled the node) setting up his/her units anywhere on the map and the Attacker (whichever was the last to move units) entering from whatever map edge lies in the direction they arrived from. For example, if a player moves into the capitol city of Nifleheim from the north, the north edge of the mapsheets would be considered their home edge. From one to four mapsheets may be used to represent the node, depending on the number of total units;
A - Four or less total = 1 sheet.
B - 5 to 8 total = 2 sheets
C - 9 to 12 total = 3 sheets
D - 13 or more = 4 sheets.
A little common sense must be used when choosing which mapsheets to use.

4)      Allocation Phase - Players may purchase new units, repair damage and improve their MechWarriors.

COSTS

Construction

      As no war can be waged without materials, players must bring into battle the finest of war-machines. To build or purchase new units;

Unit Type                                IS, ComStar/Word of Blake   Clan

Battle Armor Squad/Point      10/15 WP                                20 WP

Light Vehicle/VTOL              30 WP                                     45 WP

Medium Vehicle                     50 WP                                     65 WP

Heavy Vehicle                                    80 WP                                     95 WP

Assault Vehicle                       110 WP                                   125 WP

ProtoMech Point                     N/A                                         50 WP

Light 'Mech                             75 WP                                     105 WP

Medium 'Mech                        120 WP                                   150 WP

Heavy 'Mech                           150 WP                                   180 WP

Assault 'Mech                         200 WP                                   230 WP

Movement

      Without movement, there can be no combat. Money must be paid to move a force from node to node.

Unit Type                                Movement Cost                      Node Move Limit

Battle Armor Squad/Point      5 WP                                       1 Move*

Light Vehicle/VTOL              7 WP                                       3 Moves

Medium Vehicle                     9 WP                                       2 Moves

Heavy Vehicle                                    11 WP                                     2 Moves

Assault Vehicle                       12 WP                                     1 Move

ProtoMech Point                     6 WP                                       2 Moves

Light 'Mech                             8 WP                                       4 Moves

Medium 'Mech                        10 WP                                     3 Moves

Heavy 'Mech                           12 WP                                     3 Moves

Assault 'Mech                         15 WP                                     2 Moves

* Note - Battle armor may move on an OmniMech if they are capable of doing so (see the unit's rules). Their movement cost remains the same but they may move a number of nodes equal to or less than the 'Mech to which they are attached.

Components

      When a unit takes damage, it must be repaired. The cost of the repair depends on the amount of damaged sustained and the type of battlefield unit. Battle armor, vehicles and ProtoMechs cannot be repaired and must be purchased from scratch if destroyed. Weapons may also be reloaded any time that a unit is repaired, including the weapons for vehicles and infantry.

‘Mech Weight Class                Damaged         Crippled          Destroyed

Light                                       15 WP             30 WP             45 WP

Medium                                   30 WP             45 WP             60 WP

Heavy                                      60 WP             75 WP             80 WP

Assault                                    80 WP             100 WP           125 WP

Reloads

Ballistic, per ton                      3 WP

Missile, per ton                        6 WP

MechWarriors

      All starting MechWarriors enter play as 7/6 “ultra-Green” unless otherwise purchased at a better level. MechWarriors may also be improved by paying the difference in cost between the current level and the new level desired. This can be done in increments each turn until the MechWarrior becomes a 2/1 “ultra-Elite,” the maximum level of improvement possible.

Rating                                     Piloting/Gunnery                     Cost

Green                                      6/5                                           30 WP

Regular                                    5/4                                           60 WP

Veteran                                   4/3                                           120 WP

Elite                                         3/2                                           200 WP

Ultra-Elite                               2/1                                           400 WP

* Note - For Battle Armor, use the Piloting column for their Anti-Mech skill, while Vehicles use the Piloting column for their Driving skill.

Tactical Operations/Maximum Tech Abilities

      Maximum Tech introduced skills beyond simple Piloting and Gunnery to customize pilots. This trend continues in Tactical Operations. Each MechWarrior may have a maximum of two abilities at one time.

Skill                                         Cost                 Effect

Acrobat                                   10 WP             Roll 1d6 - 1-4 = +1 jump MP, 5-6 = JJs fail

Brawler                                   20 WP             Range TN modifiers become -1/+2/+5

Cool Hand                              30 WP             -2 heat generated per turn

Dodge                                     20 WP             +2 TN to be hit by physical attacks, no physical attack is made in that turn's PA phase

Maneuvering Ace                    30 WP             May Lateral Shift in a Biped 'Mech for 2 MP

Marksman                               50 WP             -1 TNs, unit cannot move that turn

Melee Specialist                      40 WP             -1 TN for physical attacks OR +1 damage

Sharpshooter                           60 WP             Range TN modifiers become +1/+2/+3

Speed Demon                         30 WP             +2 Running MP, no Ranged Combat attacks that turn

Tactical Genius                       40 WP             +2 Initiative each turn

Toughness                               30 WP             -2 TN for consciousness rolls

Weapon Specialist                   60 WP             -2 TN with specific weapon declared at purchase

Notes - Healing a MechWarrior costs 10 WP per wound. Only one wound per MechWarrior may be healed each turn.

NODES

Description

      Nodes represent towns, cities and other sections of the map that are of importance. Controlling as many of these as possible is vital to victory. Each gives up tax revenue in the form of C-Bills and/or some other benefit to the controlling player.

Node Type                              Tax Revenue               Special Effects

SC Small City                         5 WP                           None

LC Major City                                    10 WP                         None

IC Industrial Complex                        10 WP                         -1 WP reduction in ammo cost

MB Military Base                   20 WP                         Allows new units to be purchased

PF Produce Field                    3 WP                           5 WP MechWarrior healing costs

M Mine                                   10 WP                         Repairs cost 10% WP less

RC River Crossing                  None                           1/2 cost move/'Mech, 2x cost Vehicles

MP Mountain Pass                  None                           1/2 cost move/Battle Armor, 2x cost move/'Mech and Vehicle

HPG Hyperpulse Generator    5 WP                           +2 Initiative in all battles for controlling player

SPECIAL CASE RULES

Salvage

      It is inevitable that players will lose 'Mechs in the course of the campaign. When this happens, the cost of repair might not be available for all crippled or destroyed ‘Mechs. Crippled ‘Mechs are those that have lost an entire side torso, taken 2 critical engine hits/1 critical gyro hit or lost a leg. A destroyed 'Mech is one that has: lost its head or taken a critical hit to its cockpit; lost its center torso; lost both legs; or taken 3 critical hits to the engine/2 critical hits to the gyro. The player may sell the salvage for WP gain, subtracting the level of damage from the base cost of the ‘Mech. For example, a broke player has a destroyed Masakari/Warhawk that he decides to sell. The base cost of the ‘Mech is 230 WP and the cost of repair on an Assault is 125 WP. By selling the Masakari, the player gains 230 – 125 = 105 WP.

POWs and Ejection

      Players may eject pilots before they are killed in combat. MechWarriors have 1 MP to spend each turn until they retreat from the field on their home edge. Pilots that end a turn in a hex that an enemy unit occupies are captured. These MechWarriors can be executed or ransomed back at the capturing player's discretion.

Alliances

      Players may wish to ally themselves with each other in the course of the campaign. After the third campaign turn, any player may approach any other with the offer of an alliance, the terms to be set between the two parties. Under an alliance, players may move through each other's territory without needing to control any of the nodes and may aid any allied forces in combat at a mutually occupied node. Resources may be shared between allies as well. At the beginning of any turn, any allied player may declare his/her intention to end the alliance. This can cause combat to ensue at mutually occupied locations.

 3-Way (or 4-Way, 5-Way, etc) Battles

      When more than two players occupy a node during the start of the combat phase, a multi-way battle erupts. Best judgement must be used when determining initiative and home edges. There is a limit of five players to a battle, with four acting as attackers through the appropriate map edges and the fifth acting as the defender with the usual deployment.

Maximum Force Size

      To prevent one player from just sitting on a single node and building a regiment-sized force, the maximum number of battlefield units that any player can have deployed at a single time, including ‘Mechs, vehicles and infantry, is 24. Older units may be sold as salvage so that new ones may be purchased.

Losing a Military Base

      While it won't eliminate a player from the game, losing a sole military base can be a crippling blow to the war effort. With a base of operations, a player;

     

      1) Cannot roll to gain resources

      2) Cannot build new units

      3) May continue to repair units if at least one Mine or Large City is occupied

      4) Can only gain resources from taxes

      5) Can improve MechWarrior piloting and gunnery numbers, but not purchase new abilities

If a player recaptures their base or occupies another, they may resume all normal activities.

Ending the Game

      The game ends when one of the following conditions are met;

      1) Less than half the starting number of players wishes to continue

      2) Only one player has units to field and no other player controls a military base to purchase more

      3) One player controls more than 50% of the nodes on the map

AAR 8 December 2012 (Part 1)

After a good bit of a hiatus, Mitch was finally able to get some BattleTech time in over the past weekend. Having just ordered two companies of 'Mechs, he felt it was time to drop on the field of battle and see where the victory would lie.

We got a couple of games in on Saturday. The first match saw four points of Clan Wolf's Alpha Galaxy square away against an equal tonnage of 4th Skye Rangers in a semi-Trial of Possession for an abandoned military base.

Though I saved it as turn one, this is actually turn two, and the first turn where we started firing. Actually, I think this was the start of the turn, because Star Captain Kerensky claimed the little beach house on the island as isorla prior to moving. The Rangers held the north end of the map and decided against using the military base for cover. The Uratha on the island and the Mist Lynx supporting the Sun Cobra both have jump, none of the Rangers do.

Finishing up the move, the Uratha has decided to hold the mountain by himself against the combined might of the Commando and Kit Fox, while the rest of the star moves up the middle of the map. Mitch's Fafnir and Defiance menace the three Wolf 'Mechs from afar, awaiting the call to rain death upon them.

This is where I actually thought "I am well & truly fucked." Short range against a pair of HGRs? I was fairly certain my Dire Wolf (and Star Captain Kerensky) were about to be sent to the scrap heap. Despite its light armor, the Sun Cobra was unscathed from last turn, as Mitch focused fire upon the Uratha, hoping to score the first kill. Instead, he freed me from any reliance on zellbrigen and I planned on unleashing a full spread from the Dire Wolf combined with the Sun Cobra. Didn't quite work out that way... The Dire Wolf fired its UAC-20 first in the round, scoring a hit, then scoring both rounds and the first location rolled was his Fafnir's head. Insta-kill. We both sat back for a second, then he rolled for his HGRs. The shots spread, putting my Dire Wolf in no real danger. The Uratha ripped an arm from the Commando last turn and the Kit Fox this turn. He was in a bad way at this point...

Which led to a fourth turn concession. Horribly outgunned by my remaining 'Mechs, he chose to honorably call for an end to hostilities. Having captured the island and the military base, the Wolves stood poised to push deeper into Lyran holdings...