Battletech Battle Report!

Last Wednesday, DA MASTA CHEEF and I played another game of Battletech. We again used preselected Battlemechs using the First Strike scenario book. We both change a Battlemech for a better variant.

Here is the battle report. I agree it is not the best, but it was fun to play, fun to write, and fun to learn.

Mapsheet Selection

South mapsheet            Map Set 5 - Open Terrain #2

North mapsheet            Map Set 7 - Coast #2

Mapsheets were position South to North on their long sides. The South map’s large tree line was near the far South edge while North map’s coast was on the West and the hills on the East.

Defender

Medium Lance

CPLT-C1 Catapult

JM6-S Jagermech - Trade for variant JM6-A *

TBT-5N Trebuchet

PNT-9R Panther

* The JM6-S variant was traded for the JM6-A variant for better armor and firepower.

Attacker

Quick-Strike Lance

GHR-5H Grasshopper

DV-6M Dervish

CLNT-2-3T Clint Traded for variant CLNT-1-2R *

COM-2D Commando

* The CLNT-2-3T variant was traded for the CLNT-1-2R variant for better firepower

While on patrol in the open territory of the southern border a medium lance detects the signatures of incoming battlemechs. The defending battlemechs setup a firing line in the sparse tree lines along the Southern borderline. The Catapult and Jagermech stood together while the Trebuchet stood a distance between them and the Panther a distance as well. The panther was kept slightly behind all defending mechs to guard the lower flank and the rear from invading fast mechs. The attacking battlemechs appeared at the far north edge revealing a full enemy quick-strike lance.

The Grasshopper moved at full speed in the open to draw fire from the heavy mechs. The dervish followed close behind keeping the distance. The Clint moved at full speed in the open while gaining some defense from intervening tree lines. The commando kept to the hills using speed for defense and tree lines to hide from sight. The defending panther armed with a deadly PPC was aware of his approach.

The Grasshopper, Dervish, and Clint attempted to use long range firepower to soften up the defending heavy mechs while closing the distance. The commando kept moving at top speed while trying to remain hidden. The panther was aware of the commando's speed and kept the command from approaching any further with warning blasts from its PPC.

The attacking battlemechs had no choice but to push forward through a wall of incoming LRM fire coming from 6 separate launchers. The Combined LRM firepower from the Catapult, Jagermech, and Trebuchet was beginning to damage the Grasshopper and the Clint. The dervish kept distance to bring its own LRM firepower to bear to no avail.

The Grasshopper finally closed the distance to begin bring a large amount of close range firepower, but in the process took a devastating gyro hit along with an engine hit. Despite the crippling blows the Grasshopper understood the LRM firepower had to be disrupted or it would tear the attacking battlemechs to shreds. Picking his initial damage dealer, the Grasshopper closed the distance to the Jagermech and began to tear its armor off. The Catapult moved forward to assist the Jagermech and push the Grasshopper off. The Catapult moving forward caused the Grasshopper to switch targets to it and suffer a fair share of armor stripping.

The next few moments became a mech power struggle for ground. The attacking mechs were attempted to push forward while the defending mechs attempted to push back. The defending mechs were stuck fighting the Grasshopper at close ranges while the Dervish and Clint engaged at long range. The Grasshopper shredded more armor on the Jagermech while taking a second engine hit in the process. The Catapult attacked the dervish causing enough internal damage forcing the pilot to dump all his SRM ammo thereby silencing his SRM launchers. The relentless Grasshopper tore enough armor off the Jagermech to damage an LRM launcher and force the pilot to dump all remaining AC/2 ammo and half of the remaining LRM ammo. The Jagermech with its AC/2 cannons silenced mech overheating was forced to switch to medium lasers in order to cool down. The Grasshopper was wreaking havoc on the heavy mechs while inside their minimum range forcing the heavy mechs to revert to close range weapons. The Grasshopper with the supporting Dervish had taken down some of the LRM defense. All of the mechs were badly damaged and overheating. The overheating caused the heavy mechs to slow down giving the faster attacking mechs a chance to push past.

The Grasshopper was missing armor everywhere and running hot. In worry of losing the objective the Dervish was ordered to engage the heavy mechs at close range with the assistance of the Clint. The plan seemed to work as it drew the defending mechs closer. In the heat of the moment the Grasshopper was finally shutdown from a third engine hit from the Jagermech. The dervish began to take on both heavy mechs at once buying time for the faster mechs to push through. The Clint moved upon the Jagermech in hopes of a crippling blow but was denied by the approach of the Trebuchet.

While the dervish fought on, the Trebuchet successfully chased off the Clint, and at the same time the commando pushed completely past the defenders with little damage. The trebuchet broke off to pursue the faster mechs along with the panther. The dervish was now in perfect position keeping both heavy mechs busy and luring them away from the faster mechs.

The fast mechs stopped advancing along the far tree line near the South edge revealing to the defenders their true purpose, and extraction. Both the Clint and the commando speed towards the border and to their escape line along the north edge. The Clint had stopped for a few moments longer then the commando advertising its role in the attacking force.

The panther attempted to stop the escape of the faster mechs, but their speed was too much to keep up with or get a good shot through. The Trebuchet rained down LRM fire upon the commando striking its engine and damaging its SRM6 launcher. This damage caused the pilot to dump the SRM ammo.

The trebuchet continued to peruse, however the Clint, feeling the pressure of the chase fired on the Trebuchet and moments later the Commando followed. The bold attack worked and with luck the Trebuchet was truck in the head twice, first by the Clint and then followed by the commando. Despite the cockpit almost being destroyed the Trebuchet continued its pursuit launching salvo after salvo of LRM fire at the escaping fast mechs.

The Dervish having kept the heavy mechs busy far enough began to head for the north edge. The dervish met the panther and suffered a devastating hit to its arm removing a medium laser. The dervish was now down to speed and a medium laser for defense, all of its LRM ammo was expended. The defending heavy mechs had broken away from the Dervish except a few shots from the Jagermech and the Panther.

The Catapult sped past the Dervish to give chase to the escaping battlemechs. The additional firepower was not enough to catch the Clint at full speed since leaving the tree line. The Clint escaped with the extracted scout while the commando was destroyed at the North edge.

The attacking quick-strike lance was victorious by extracting the scout.

Defender damage report

Medium Lance

CPLT-C1 Catapult

LRM15 destroyed

50% LRM 15 ammo dumped

Remaining LRM 15 ammo down to 5 packs

Critical damage to left and right arms

JM6-A Jagermech

LRM 15 destroyed

50% LRM 15 ammo dumped

Remaining LRM 15 ammo down to 8 packs

100% of remaining AC/2 ammo dumped

Both AC/2s silenced

Critical damage to left arm

TBT-5N Trebuchet

Remaining LRM 15 ammo down to 5packs

Critical damage to head

PNT-9R Panther

No damage

0% Battlemechs destroyed

0% Pilots killed

Attacker damage report

Quick-Strike Lance

GHR-5H Grasshopper

Gyro hit

Engine destroyed

Battlemech destroyed

DV-6M Dervish

Remaining SRM2 ammo dumped

Both SRM2s silenced

Lower arm actuator destroyed

Med laser destroyed

LRM 10 destroyed

50% of remaining LRM 10 ammo dumped

Remaining LRM 10 ammo exhausted

Critical damage to the left arm, left torso, and center torso

CLNT-1-2R Clint

Heat sink destroyed

COM-2D Commando

SRM6 destroyed

Engine hit

Internal structure destroyed

Battlemech destroyed

50% Battlemechs destroyed

0% Pilots killed

Thoughts

• The coast line map may or may not have been the best choice, but it was fun to use it.
• I kept the Panther back to protect the rear, but I should have remembered fast Battlemechs are hard to hit with one weapon at range. His only good shot was against the Dervish.
• The Grasshopper is a brawler and a dangerous Battlemech is left unchecked.
• The Dervish has a way of being a battlefield asset.
• Switching the Jagermech variant was worth it and I was suprised it held out so long.
• Dumping ammunition is a tough choice, but can keep a Battlemech alive longer.
• My opponent loves using AC/10s against me, I understand this now.
• My opponent again used a tactic which is both bold and scary in its own rights where he will engage one of my Battlemechs at close range.

1. Last game it was

• Enforcer versus Catapult

1. This game is was

• Grasshopper versus Catapult/Jagermech
• Dervish versus Catapult/Jagermech

1. All occurrence left Battlemechs armor in critical condition. This tactic has proved its worth twice now at shutting down LRM firepower, by either getting in minimum range or destroying the LRM launcher.

• My opponent rightly earned my distraction twice to his advantage.

1. First after revealing the Clint as the scout extracting Battlemech he distracted me by speeding the commando in the open. The tempting target lured my desire to attack while buying time for the Clint
2. Second by having his Dervish engages and entertain my two heavy mechs. The Jagermech although heavily damaged still had a functioning LRM 15. The addition LRM could have stopped the Clint from escaping perhaps. The Jagermech did bring down the Commando after I had realized the error.

Till next time.