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Contract 1, FedCom Extraction Raid

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Contract 2, Outworlds Alliance Recon Raid

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Contract 3, FedCom Recon Raid #1

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Contract 4, FedCom Recon Raid #2

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Total Members Voted: 4

[Hanzoku]

Funny you should mention that...

It was used once, and was one of the things that led to the House Liao getting the crap kicked out of it.

[Rince Wind]

Don't the clans clone all the time?


Damn you, I loaded up the game as well again and continue with my company of married couples. Is there a way to tell the game that it is not the 4th succession war anymore? Its 3045, dammit.
I am upgrading more and more mechs, but the enemy seems to use mostly stock ones, hardly any with the new tech. How common are upgraded mechs, or rebuilt ones that use their original Star League specifications?

[Neonivek]

The fact of the matter is... Using outdated mechs that would serve better in a junk pile is... extremely common.

Mostly because mechs are freeken expensive and the setting kind of... glances over the science that would cause them to break apart (lets just say mechs are VERY... lasting to say the least)

So you get in a situation where new mechs are built entirely to supplement the old ones, not replace them.

[Rince Wind]

I know mechs are a little bit like space marines, fighting for hundreds of years. There aren't really new mechs with more advanced tech on the market (which is okay, I guess, the houses probably get to choose first and the mercs have to take whats left), so I am upgrading. It just feels so unfair when my Phoenix Hawks have snub nose PPCs and double heatsinks (and still those stupid MGs, I might have to customize them) and so on and the enemy just fields standard variants.

[EuchreJack]

I know mechs are a little bit like space marines, fighting for hundreds of years. There aren't really new mechs with more advanced tech on the market (which is okay, I guess, the houses probably get to choose first and the mercs have to take whats left), so I am upgrading. It just feels so unfair when my Phoenix Hawks have snub nose PPCs and double heatsinks (and still those stupid MGs, I might have to customize them) and so on and the enemy just fields standard variants.

I have the same concern over whether or when the Campaign upgrades its mechs.  What RATs did you select?

On the bright side, I know that the game will stop listing Fourth Succession war.  It is just an Era descriptor.  Unfortunately, I don't think the game goes past Jihad.

FYI, it is possible to just select a vehicle, mech, or infantry platoon in the hangar and select fill personnel, although it does tend to differ from the spirit of the rules.

[Hanzoku]

For MegaMek, it does everything from the RATs selected for use, looking in the topmost in the list and working its way down. I think it also checks introduction year, so if you add Era Report 3052 to the list at the top, you might start to see upgraded units from that RAT appear in the market and on the battlefield.

Don't the clans clone all the time?

Damn you, I loaded up the game as well again and continue with my company of married couples. Is there a way to tell the game that it is not the 4th succession war anymore? Its 3045, dammit.
I am upgrading more and more mechs, but the enemy seems to use mostly stock ones, hardly any with the new tech. How common are upgraded mechs, or rebuilt ones that use their original Star League specifications?

Yes and no. The 'trueborn' of the Clans are created through artificial wombs and what should be a strictly controlled eugenics program that mixes the genes of the best warriors of each clan together to produce superior children using an artificial womb to gestate them. Actual cloning is strictly off limits. However, a faction of the Clan Scientist Caste, the Society were known to do all sorts of unethical shit. Sibkos of direct clones of some of the best mechwarriors were encountered.

Probably the most famous clone was actually created by Wolf's Dragoons - Maeve Wolf, who was a genetic clone of Jaime Wolf. Both she and her 'father' remained unaware of her origins, but she was created in the hopes that his brilliance as a commander was genetic. She was eventually killed in the great purge of protagonist characters of 3073.

[Rince Wind]

I have all the RATs up to the Era Report 3052 (I just added that one.) I shuffled them around a bit and added the '52 one, and now I can at least buy a Guillotine GLT-3N and a Thug -11E in the first month after the changes. We'll see if the enemies follow suit.

[Hanzoku]

Episode 17 – Vehicles and Cliffs Don’t Mix



Zhou’s Recon Lance is up against another extraction mission. This time should be a bit easier, as no mechs are present from the Regulars’ end. The terrain will also hopefully work in our favor, as the map is a Badlands – Cliffs map. If the vehicles can’t even get into gun range of each other, it’ll be easy enough to last twelve rounds.

As before, we lose if two of our mechs are destroyed, or if more than two of the civilians are destroyed. We can never control the battlefield, so we’ve not concerned with taking salvage, only in scoring kills for sweet, sweet XP.

Spoiler: Extraction, Rounds 1 - 5 (click to show/hide)

In the setup, one of the Civilian vehicles (the Hover Coolant Truck) was rejected. I substitute in a tracked version, which the game is fine with.

One change I made, starting with this game, was moving to the individual initiative system. Mechs are no longer locked into a particular turn order, so Anvil will never always have to be the first Hammerer that moves, for example.



The Regulars ignore the civilians entirely in favor of rushing us. This is good for our mission goals, if we can survive the Saladins.

Lil Brother and Cristian fire on the Saladin slipping around behind Ernesto and Anvil. Those two focus their fire on the Saracen in front of them.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
   Fired 4 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Fired at 4 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 #2
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3R
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Talon TLN-5V
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Fired at 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Civilians) Powerman SC XI-M LoaderMech MOD
   Fired at 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Saladin Assault Hover Tank (Standard)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 7 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Destroyed parts: RS
   DESTROYED (damage)

(Draconis Combine) Saracen Medium Hover Tank (Standard)
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage
   Fired at 6 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Federated Commonwealth) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

Lil Brother scores the first kill of the battle, punching a medium laser through a hole opened by Cristian. This takes out one of the most dangerous of the vehicles, leaving the other Saladin and the Saracen as the ones to be most careful of.



The Saracen and Saladin decide to share the same hex, and we split our fire across the two vehicles.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
   Fired 5 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Fired at 6 times, hit 1 times for 4 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 #2
   Fired 4 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3R
   Fired 3 times, hit 2 times for 7 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Talon TLN-5V
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(Civilians) Powerman SC XI-M LoaderMech MOD
   Fired at 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Saladin Assault Hover Tank (Standard)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 9 times, hit 3 times for 15 damage
   Destroyed parts: LS
   IMMOBILE
   DESTROYED (damage)

(Draconis Combine) Saracen Medium Hover Tank (Standard)
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 4 damage
   Fired at 7 times, hit 4 times for 17 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2)
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Federated Commonwealth) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

Ernesto scores the kill this time, and the Saracen is rendered immobile. We’ve got the full attention of the Regulars, and the Civilians are getting a bit ballsy, creeping closer to take potshots at their rear.



Ernesto targets the damaged right side of the Saracen, Lil Brother and Cristian both land next to a Scorpion Light Tank and prepare to kick the hell out of it. Anvil targets a Galleon Light Tank, satisfied that Ernesto will finish off the Saracen.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 #2
   Fired 4 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Fired at 5 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Scorpion Light Tank (SRM) for 9 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3R
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Scorpion Light Tank (SRM) for 4 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Talon TLN-5V
   Fired 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Civilians) Powerman SC XI-M LoaderMech MOD
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Galleon Light Tank GAL-100
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Saracen Medium Hover Tank (Standard)
   Fired at 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(Draconis Combine) Scorpion Light Tank (SRM)
   Fired 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 7 times, hit 2 times for 20 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 2 times.

(Draconis Combine) Scorpion Light Tank (SRM) #2
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

Ernesto misses with his machine guns at their long range, but our continued rapid movements are keeping them from hitting us.



Ernesto starts jumping over to handle a Vedette that’s going after the Civilians, who got too cocky and drew the Regulars’ attention. He fires on a second Scorpion Light Tank alongside Cristian. Anvil moves over to finish off the Saracen, and Lil Brother pounces a second Vedette.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 #2
   Fired 5 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 1 times, hit 0 times for 5 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2) and missed!
   PRONE

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3R
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Fired at 6 times, hit 1 times for 8 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Talon TLN-5V
   Fired 3 times, hit 3 times for 20 damage

(Civilians) Powerman SC XI-M LoaderMech MOD
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(Draconis Combine) Galleon Light Tank GAL-100
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Saracen Medium Hover Tank (Standard)
   Fired 4 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 3 times for 20 damage
   Destroyed parts: RS
   DESTROYED (damage)

(Draconis Combine) Scorpion Light Tank (SRM) #2
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 8 damage
   Fired at 8 times, hit 3 times for 15 damage
   IMMOBILE

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2)
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 5 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Federated Commonwealth) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired at 4 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage

Anvil finishes the Saracen, its final dying action to ping a SRM off of the UrbanMech. The Scorpion Light Tank is rendered immobile, and Lil Brother misses his kick, overbalances, and falls over.



It’s an utter mess now. Despite being set to Cowardly, the Civilian vehicles are mixing it up with the Regulars.

Anvil goes to finish off the immobile Scorpion, Cristian fires on the still active one, Ernesto ends up not being to hit anything this round, and Lil Brother takes another crack at the Vedette that he missed last round.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 #2
   Fired 3 times, hit 2 times for 7 damage
   Fired at 8 times, hit 2 times for 4 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3R
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Talon TLN-5V
   Fired 3 times, hit 3 times for 20 damage

(Civilians) Armored Personnel Carrier (Tracked LRM)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Civilians) Coolant Truck (Tracked)
   Fired 2 times, hit 2 times for 4 damage

(Civilians) Powerman SC XI-M LoaderMech MOD
   Fired 2 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Galleon Light Tank GAL-100 for 7 damage

(Draconis Combine) Galleon Light Tank GAL-100
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 0 times, hit 0 times for 7 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.

(Draconis Combine) Scorpion Light Tank (SRM)
   Fired 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 7 times, hit 4 times for 25 damage
   Destroyed parts: LS
   DESTROYED (fuel explosion)

(Draconis Combine) Scorpion Light Tank (SRM) #2
   Fired at 3 times, hit 3 times for 20 damage
   Destroyed parts: RR
   DESTROYED (damage)

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2)
   Fired 3 times, hit 2 times for 4 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 2 times for 7 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 2 times for 4 damage

(Federated Commonwealth) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired 1 times, hit 1 times for 10 damage

The civilian in the Powerman tags the Scorpion’s fuel tank, and blows it sky high, stealing Cristian’s kill as his own attacks destroy its left side. Anvil destroys the other Scorpion, and the Powerman finishes off the round by damaging the Galleon’s motive systems, halving its speed.

Spoiler: Extraction, Rounds 6 – 10 (click to show/hide)

Cristian, Lil Brother and Anvil cluster around the Galleon and go to shoot it full of holes, then kick what’s left. Ernesto chases after the Vedette, which seems more concerned with running away from the angry mech then it is in shooting at the APC.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 #2
   Fired 4 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3R
   Fired 3 times, hit 3 times for 9 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Talon TLN-5V
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(Civilians) Armored Personnel Carrier (Tracked LRM)
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Civilians) Powerman SC XI-M LoaderMech MOD
   Fired 2 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Fired at 4 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Galleon Light Tank GAL-100
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 13 times, hit 8 times for 34 damage
   Destroyed parts: RR
   DESTROYED (damage)

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2)
   Fired 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

Cristian scores the kill on the Galleon, and then there were two.

Somehow, I think the civilians will be safe before Round 12.



The two Regulars left resort to the time-honored vehicle tradition of hiding in the same hex as the mech trying to murder them. Sadly, there are four mechs and only two vehicles, so this isn’t working out like they hoped.

Ernesto fires his large laser at the Vedette hiding until Anvil’s mech, and Anvil fires his PPC at the mech hiding under Ernesto’s mech.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard) for 10 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 #2
   Fired 5 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 4 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2) for 9 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3R
   Fired 3 times, hit 2 times for 7 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Talon TLN-5V
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2) and missed!

(Civilians) Coolant Truck (Tracked)
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Civilians) Powerman SC XI-M LoaderMech MOD
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2)
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage
   Fired at 8 times, hit 0 times for 9 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 6 times, hit 2 times for 17 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.

The tactic kept them alive this round, but it won’t hold up forever.



The Regulars lose initiative, which means it only gets worse from there. One of the Vedettes manages to hide from Ernesto, so he shoots at the other with his Large Laser. Lil Brother and Anvil target that same one for kicking and shooting, and Cristian works on the hiding Vedette.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 #2
   Fired 4 times, hit 3 times for 12 damage
   Fired at 4 times, hit 1 times for 4 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2) for 9 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3R
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard) for 4 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Talon TLN-5V
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2) for 651 damage

(Civilians) Armored Personnel Carrier (Tracked LRM)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Civilians) Powerman SC XI-M LoaderMech MOD
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (AC2)
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 4 damage
   Fired at 11 times, hit 4 times for 677 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 2 times.
   Destroyed parts: RR
   DESTROYED (damage)

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 1 times for 9 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.

Anvil nearly loses his foot after kicking in the ammunition stores of the Vedette, which go off for a stunning 651 damage once everything is done exploding. There’s not a lot left of the vehicle after that.

And then there was one.



He resorts to hiding in the same hex as one of the civilian APCs. Not that it’ll help him. Everyone shoots him.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 #2
   Fired 4 times, hit 2 times for 7 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3R
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Talon TLN-5V
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 10 times, hit 4 times for 17 damage

He managed to survive, but his armor is shredded on all sides.



Everyone piles onto the train bearing down on the last Regular.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1
   Fired 3 times, hit 2 times for 466 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Phoenix Hawk PXH-1 #2
   Fired 5 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3R
   Fired 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Talon TLN-5V
   Fired 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
   Fired at 14 times, hit 3 times for 471 damage
   Destroyed parts: RR
   DESTROYED (damage)

Ernesto scores the kill, destroying a side and touching off the ammo stores. Once again, machine gun ammo proves to be absolutely deadly to the continued existence of a vehicle.

Amusing enough, the Regulars never even managed to touch a Civilian unit this battle, and we escort four unharmed civilian vehicles to safety.

Spoiler: Results (click to show/hide)

Three of the civilians join our unit as Astechs, bringing with them two APCs and a museum piece of a mech, a TR-A-1 Toro. We sell the two APCs and mothball the mech. I’m hoping no one will need to pilot it, but if need be, a mech is a mech.





We only took armor damage in the mission, and Zhou’s Talon didn’t even get hit. Everything is repaired within a few hours, and we’re ready to select missions for the next week.

We have a contract score of -1, but that should be adjusted to +1 since the civilian kills at the start of the campaign were counted incorrectly.

For the next week, Command Lance is fully functional again, but short one member. Zhou’s Recon Lance and Jack’s Recon Lance are full strength, but Battle Lance is still down two mechs and stays unassigned.

I understand your points about only assigning the minimum needed and running the rest as training lances, but currently we’re doing well after our rough start, and with some more victories we can push the contract score up into the positives.

For the next week, Jack’s Recon Lance has a recon raid against a light mech lance, and Zhou’s Recon Lance has a probing engagement with two lances of mechs and vehicles and a reinforcement lance.

June rolls around, and Christmas comes early. The enemy morale drops to Low, we gain 6 bonus parts and 19 members of the unit roll high enough to get bonus XP.

Bonus parts: parts can be from any availability level but cannot be Lostech and their value must be paid normally.

So if we’re missing something like a fusion engine, we can spend a bonus part to pick it up. I’m… unsure how far to abuse this. Since things like LB-10X autocannons aren’t lostech (anymore), we can use the bonus rolls to pick up some equipment we otherwise wouldn’t have yet for a few years… things like XL engines, gauss rifles, etc. I’m tempted to pick up parts to turn the Warhammer into a monstrosity with these things. I’m also tempted to throw some otherwise unavailable parts on the Warhammer with some in-universe justification for it.

[Rince Wind]

You might have found a minor Star League cache, and the costs are what is needed to extract the stuff and bring it back into working order.

I think my Warhammers are -7A by now. Though I am not sure if the Artemis SRM-6 is really worth it, considering that I hardly ever use it.

[EuchreJack]

I'm sure that Powerman pilot wasn't one of the Astechs you picked up: She's better than most of the Fedcom boys you'd have to drag along thus far, and they doubtlessly "drafted" her into the FedCom Special Forces!

[Hanzoku]

Give him a proper mech and let him go to town.

Also, I just noticed that one of the Vedettes had an insane ultra-ultra-elite gunner. He's probably dead now, given how enthusiastically Zhou's Recon Lance killed those tanks.

[Knave]

A pair of gauss rifles would be pretty beastly
As long as we could find ammo for them?

And a big  to battle lance missing another week - we're missing all the action (and functioning mechs)

[Hanzoku]

Episode 18 – Late Night Recon Work

Our first mission of the week takes place on Friday. In the days between the end of the last episode and the start of this one, the techs managed to get Raptor’s Quickdraw up and running, but screw up and end up destroying the arm for Knave’s Crab. A new one will be delivered on Saturday to try again, though.



Jack’s Recon Lance and attached FedCom Spider versus a single light lance. Barring bad luck, this should be another mission where we can win pretty handily, and even pick up some salvage this time.

Jack managed to reroll the mission parameters so that instead of occurring in pitch black conditions, it will occur during a Full Moon Night. Still not ideal, but light mechs have the mobility to care less about the conditions.

Spoiler: Turns 1 to 5 (click to show/hide)

Both lances started deployed in tight clusters and charged towards each other, with the Regulars’ Spider jumping far ahead of its companions.

EuchreJack and Little Dog take shots at the Spider, while the Warrior fires on the Locust. Neither Arnaud or Marie-Francoise can manage target locks in the difficult conditions.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Warrior Attack Helicopter H-7
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Wolfhound WLF-1
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Locust LCT-1V
   Fired at 2 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage

(Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage



The Locust didn’t like being shot at, and goes after the Warrior. The Spider jumps behind Marie-Francoise, and Arnaud and Little Dog go to back her up, while Jack confronts the Regulars’ Wasp.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Hornet HNT-152
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V and missed!

(12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F
   Fired 4 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3G
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 2 times for 18 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.
   PRONE

(12th Bay Hammerers) Warrior Attack Helicopter H-7
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Wolfhound WLF-1
   Fired 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Locust LCT-1V
   Fired at 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Fired at 5 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Kicked (12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3G for 6 damage

(Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Wasp WSP-1K
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Kicked (Federated Commonwealth) Spider SDR-5V and missed!

(Federated Commonwealth) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Wasp WSP-1K and missed!

The Regulars had a better round then we did, Marie-Francoise is on the ground.



Our Warrior runs for the north to do the recon work, while Arnaud and Marie Francoise continue to be outsmarted by the Spider at every turn. EuchreJack and Little Dog go to get some revenge on the Regulars’ Wasp.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Hornet HNT-152
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Wasp WSP-1K for 7 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3G
   Fired 2 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Warrior Attack Helicopter H-7
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Wolfhound WLF-1
   Fired 3 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 2 times for 23 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.
   Crits received: Standard Gyro[CT]
   PRONE

(Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Kicked (12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3G and missed!

(Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired 1 times, hit 1 times for 10 damage

(Draconis Combine) Wasp WSP-1K
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Fired at 8 times, hit 3 times for 30 damage
   Kicked (12th Bay Hammerers) Wolfhound WLF-1 for 4 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 2 times.
   Crits received: Jump Jet[RL], Upper Leg[RL], Jump Jet[RTR]
   Destroyed parts: RL
   PRONE

(Federated Commonwealth) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Wasp WSP-1K for 6 damage

…of course it does. The AI lands (yet another) lucky crit on the Wolfhound’s Gyro, and EuchreJack is on the ground again. The Wasp is likewise down and missing a leg.



The Spider continues to outmaneuver Arnaud and Marie-Francoise, Little Dog and our FedCom Liason go to give the Regulars’ Locust a hard time, and EucreJack manages to get back up and starts working his way behind the UrbanMech.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 5 times, hit 3 times for 16 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Locust LCT-1V for 7 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Warrior Attack Helicopter H-7
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Wolfhound WLF-1
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 4 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage

(Draconis Combine) Locust LCT-1V
   Fired 3 times, hit 2 times for 7 damage
   Fired at 4 times, hit 0 times for 15 damage
   Kicked (12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F for 4 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 2 times.
   Crits received: Heat Sink[LL]
   Destroyed parts: LL
   PRONE

(Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Kicked (12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F and missed!

(Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Wasp WSP-1K
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage

(Federated Commonwealth) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Locust LCT-1V for 6 damage

A second mech is down for the Regulars, missing a leg.


The Regular in the Wasp knocks himself out trying to get up, and our FedCom idiot goes to waste his time blowing up a salvageable mech instead of killing something that can fight back.

Marie-Francoise fires on the Locust, Arnaud joins in on the Wasp in hopes of killstealing from the FedCom idiot, and EucreJack and Little Dog shoot at the Spider.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Hornet HNT-152
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F
   Fired 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 0 times, hit 0 times for 6 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3G
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Warrior Attack Helicopter H-7
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Wolfhound WLF-1
   Fired 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 2 times for 16 damage
   Punched (Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60 2 times for 4 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.

(Draconis Combine) Locust LCT-1V
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 2 damage
   PRONE

(Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Fired at 5 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Kicked (12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F for 6 damage

(Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 4 damage
   Kicked (12th Bay Hammerers) Wolfhound WLF-1 for 6 damage
   Was punched 1 times and kicked 0 times.

(Draconis Combine) Wasp WSP-1K
   Fired at 4 times, hit 2 times for 18 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.
   Crits received: Engine[CTR]
   Destroyed parts: RTR
   PRONE

(Federated Commonwealth) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Wasp WSP-1K for 6 damage

Spoiler: Turns 6 to 8 (click to show/hide)

The FedCom pilot jumps into the water to cool off and targets the UrbanMech, who Little Dog jumps behind and gives a full laser treatment. The Locust pilot knocks himself unconscious as well, and the Warrior, EuchreJack, Arnaud and Marie-Francoise all target the Spider.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F
   Fired 4 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60 for 7 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3G
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Warrior Attack Helicopter H-7
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Wolfhound WLF-1
   Fired 3 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Fired at 3 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(Draconis Combine) Locust LCT-1V
   Fired at 0 times, hit 0 times for 2 damage
   PRONE

(Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Fired at 5 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage

(Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Fired at 6 times, hit 1 times for 15 damage
   Was punched 1 times and kicked 1 times.

(Federated Commonwealth) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Punched (Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60 1 times for 3 damage



The Wasp pilot wakes up long enough to see how bad off he is and ejects. The Locust pilot is still unconscious. Our Warrior is done with the recon work and flies back into weapons range, while Little Dog keeps on working on the UrbanMech, and the other three all jump the Spider.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Hornet HNT-152
   Fired 3 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V and missed!

(12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 1 times for 9 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60 for 7 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Stinger STG-3G
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V and missed!

(12th Bay Hammerers) Warrior Attack Helicopter H-7
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 2 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Wolfhound WLF-1
   Fired 3 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Fired at 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage

(Draconis Combine) Locust LCT-1V
   Fired at 2 times, hit 2 times for 16 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.
   Crits received: Engine[RTR]

(Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 5 damage
   Fired at 6 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Destroyed parts: LA

(Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired 2 times, hit 1 times for 3 damage
   Fired at 4 times, hit 2 times for 17 damage
   Kicked (12th Bay Hammerers) Jenner JR7-F for 6 damage
   Was punched 0 times and kicked 1 times.
   PRONE

(Draconis Combine) Wasp WSP-1K
   DESTROYED (ejection)

(Federated Commonwealth) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Kicked (Draconis Combine) Locust LCT-1V for 6 damage

Geeze, it’s a bad day to be a Regular. Little Dog kicks one of the UrbanMech’s legs off on a crit and he passes out when he hits the ground. The Spider lost an arm and is pretty mangled at this point, and it’s the only active mech still.



The Spider starts withdrawing, and FedCom Spider goes to pound on the unconscious UrbanMech.

(12th Bay Hammerers) Warrior Attack Helicopter H-7
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(12th Bay Hammerers) Wolfhound WLF-1
   Fired 1 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired at 2 times, hit 0 times for 0 damage

(Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60
   Fired at 2 times, hit 2 times for 13 damage
   Was punched 1 times and kicked 0 times.

(Federated Commonwealth) Spider SDR-5V
   Fired 2 times, hit 2 times for 10 damage
   Punched (Draconis Combine) UrbanMech UM-R60 1 times for 3 damage

Not a lot happens beyond the FedCom Spider pilot feeling proud of himself, pounding on the UrbanMech.



The Spider gets to the border and will flee next turn. The Warrior gives it a parting AC/2 burst, but misses.

With that, we win, securing three of the four mechs as salvage. We only to get keep one, and select the Locust, in case Ernesto gets homesick for a lightly armed scout mech.

Ernesto: Not likely.

We capture the pilots of the Locust and the UrbanMech, the Spider having picked up his ejected comrade.

Konrad is given credit for all three kills, based on his history of kicking their legs off and then leaving the pilots to knock themselves unconscious trying to get up.

In the aftermath of the mission, Konrad spends 20 XP and improves his Gunnery to elite skill levels. The pilot of the Regulars’ Locust offers to join the unit, so long as he can pilot his beloved mech still.

Spoiler: Repairs (click to show/hide)

Only by the addition of the Locust has Jack avoided the award for bringing back the most damaged mech yet again.

By the end of the day, repairs are well underway for the internal structure of the Stinger, Locust and Wolfhound, and a new leg is being sourced for the Locust.

The next day is a good one for the techs, as they fix all the remaining problems and recertify Jack’s Recon Lance for combat operations.

Zhou’s Recon Lance receives some good news as they begin their probing engagement – Command Lance was in the area and will be able to assist if the battle drags on.

[EuchreJack]

So the FedCom pilot shoots at disabled mechs that can't shoot back...
...considering what we typically see from the FedCom pilots, she must be an officer.  No charging into the guns and dying for her!

[RedKing]

Glad to know I can effectively kneecap,  since I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn apparently.

Also, can we hire a ComStar acolyte to do an exorcism (Mechsorcism?) of that Wolfhound? It's starting to be an Italian sports car -- in the shop more than on the field.

Lastly....when did we pick up the VTOL??


EDIT:
And lastly lastly...did I see that I went up a point in Gunnery?? I can haz Veteran now?