'Tis The Season (To Fire At Will)

"But who is Will?"

Yes.

Now that we have the tired joke out of the way, I apologize deeply for not keeping up posting games & what not but 1) we took a small break for a bit during the busy external season and 2) many of the things that I would post here, I've actually just been throwing on Facebook for the convenience of it all. However, with 2013 coming to and end, it's time to get back up on 'dis shit right hurr.


WHAT HAS PAST
November was a big month for us collectively. We had a few good games, but this one was easily the best/largest we've played in a long while.

Warm welcomes to Tiffy and Jer, on their first game with the 357th. Completely new to the game and universe, we split them up and paired them with a seasoned vet for a double lance stand up fight; Coalition (26th Royal Tyran and Kuroi Kaze) vs Alliance (Word of Blake and 19th Marik Militia). Normally, we do single lance on lance but I figured the best way to teach someone how to utilize their pieces is to give them plenty. Fortunately, both caught onto the rules quickly with only a few reminders of how to tally up rolls. Because they're both competitive (like all of us), the shit-talking was flying fast and furious.

This was turn two. The Koto hit the high ground to the north and the Griffin/Red Shift flanked the southern half. That Bloodhound started its own flanking maneuver as Blake and Marik formed a solid advancing line. Maneuvering around the lake slowed the advance of my Tetsubo but Jer's Marauder II ensured that anything getting too far out would be in for a world of hurt. 

By this point, the two forces gave up most pretenses of a battle plan and clashed centerline. The middle of the battlefield ran molten with the streams of melted armor and shattered flakes of ferro composites as we hammered into each other. The Ninjato hit the ground this turn, and the Jackrabbit bought the farm. The Euyuleka really got battered but weathered the attacks quite well. Not bad for a Canopian-designed 'Mech.

Same turn, Koto/Bloodhound brawlin'.

Endgame. We played to four kills and this basically finished things up. The Marauder II, the Atlas II, the Awesome, and the Tetsubo could have easily gone for three or four more turns barring head shots. But it was getting late and the Coalition dominated. Well, not so much dominated since it came down to a one kill difference, but we did kick some serious ass.

WHAT WILL COME

So then, 2014 is right around the corner and that leaves us open to resolutions and goals. As a group, we want to continue to expand and bring new players into the fold. I have several that I'd like to see sit down for a game & a couple that I would like to get into things on a regular basis. That's also a personal goal. I need to get back into playing every week or two. My skills and memory get rusty if I'm not exercising them often.

Unit goals;
Got a few of these. First and foremost, I need to finish painting up the Draconis Combine Otomo (one left currently) and 26th RTM (four left) companies. I have about a lance or so each for the Marik Militia and Capellan Warrior House units that need to be assembled and painted, and the usual odds & ends for the Kuroi Kaze. Ghost bear Tau is almost combat ready and I still have a couple Blood Spirit Zeta/Fire Mandrill Matilla-Carrol to go. Might have a stray Wolf being prepped too.

New stuff for 2014 will include a Diamond Shark Beta Galaxy trinary+ (already have a star primed), possibly another Clan that we're lacking (Goliath Scorpion/Escorpion Imperio maybe, a Society Jaguar unit, or Snow Raven/Raven Alliance), a new mercenary outfit (Freya's Faithful - a collection of former Jarnfolk sell-swords with 'Mech training and aspirations towards glory), and a new pirate-esque band known only as The Remnant (thinking fringers that remember the days of the Rim World Republic using old RWR Rampages, retrotech and the more common Star League units). And, Clan Wolverine/The Minnesota Tribe/The Immortals/The Blood. I've been looking forward to building this since Operation: Klondike came out. With all the Jihad books finished, there is plenty of information that makes it easy to believe the Wolverines roam around Koryo and the Hidden Five. Time to bring them out to play.

Continuing stuff for 2014 will be the Kuroi Kaze, as usual, and another binary of Wolves for sure. I'd like to pick up some of the new sculpts for the Unseen/Reseen (especially the Marauder X) for the 26th RTM and proceed to prioritize whichever units are seeing the most use.

Campaign goals;
Nachtfalke. 5th SW. Massive multiplayer offline table top wargaming.

Stay tuned and I will really do my best to get back into this.

State of the Sphere

This is the state of the Inner Sphere thus far, minus the newest upgrades to the collection & Mitch's Skye Rangers. That leaves us with the following (including the not showns);

Center (White) - Word of Blake Light of Mankind + SIGNS.
South (Green) - Capellan Confederation/Trinity Alliance Warrior House Wan Kuei.
Southwest (Purple) - Free World's League 19th Marik Militia
West (Orange(Dark Blue) ) - Marian Hegemony I Legio Martia Victrix
Northwest - Lyran Alliance Khaos Chevaliers (merc)
Off-map Northwest - Clan Blood Spirit Iota Galaxy, Zeta Galaxy/Fire Mandrill Matilla-Carrol Kindra
North-Northwest (Medium Green) - Clan Jade Falcon generic camo
North (Orange-Brown) - Clan Wolf Alpha Galaxy
North-Northeast (Light Blue) - (unpainted) Clan Ghost Bear Tau Galaxy
Northeast (Red)  - Draconis Combine Otomo (not shown), Kuroi Kaze (merc)
Southeast - (Yellow) Federated Suns generic/Vicore Industries corporate security/29th Royal Tyran (Mechanized)

All current units are at a company+ with the larger units at more than a battalion. Combined arms are prevalent as most these forces feature tanks and/or infantry as well as 'Mechs. Force rosters are forthcoming... As soon as I find some time.

EDIT:

Took a couple quick pics for the units not pictured above.

 Otomo Warhammer with a one-off Arkab Legion Wolverine

Tau Galaxy Grizzly

Mercenary Warhammer plus a one-off mercenary Griffin.