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.