Battletech Battle Report

Last Wednesday, I spent some time at Corey's Table with Dah Masta Cheef for a much wanted game of Battletech.  Masta Cheef was ready and delivered a stunning game of Battletech with crap being blow to smithereens.

Enjoy the carnage, I know I did, and tell me what you think. I cut down a bunch of the map setup information and went with the narrative no turn report fashion.

Battle Setup and Forces

Mission

No specific mission type, but story driven an unknown mercenary unit possessing rare and valuable battlemech variants is attempting to pass through a valley. The mercenary unit is discovered by another mercenary unit who eventually recognizes the variants and attacks in attempt to destroy or salvage the battlemechs.

Mapsheet Selection and Layout

We used one Battletech mapsheet in the Northeast and Southwest corners along with one Rolling hills mapsheet in the Northwest corner and one Open Terrain mapsheet in the Southeast corner.


Attacker

Mercenaries

Heavy Lance

Battlemech		Variant		Gunnery		Piloting
Hunchback		HBK-6N		3		4
Hoplite		HOP-4B		3		4
Dragon		DRG-1N		3		4
Stalker		STK-6M		3		4
Vehicle		Variant		Gunnery		Driving
AC/2 Carrier				3		6

Defender

Unknown Mercenary

Assault Lance

Battlemech		Variant		Gunnery		Piloting
Kintaro		KTO-19b		4		4
Thunderbolt		TDR-5Sb		3		5
Battlemaster		BLR-1Gb		3		5
King Crab		KGC-000b		4		4

(All battlemech are SLDF Royal Unit "b" varaints)

Battle Report

In a fairly open area of terrain a mercenary unit spots an unknown unit of battlmechs passing through the valley. Long range visual spotting combined with long range sensor scans registered the combined might of an incoming assault lance. The mercenaries were unfamiliar with the battlemech variants their computers were reporting as "b" variants. The mercenaries began to argue among themselves about the "b" variants to a point of yelling at each other over what to do. The lance commander finally told them all to quiet down so a secure message could be sent to command. While a secure channel was opened to command, the lance commander asked for status updates. Each pilot checked in with their status and any new updates. The Hunchback's pilot did not check in and remained quiet despite being rather loud during the previous heated debate about the battlemech variants. The Huncback's pilot spoke three words softly "Star League Mechs" and darted his battlemech towards the nearest battlemech at full speed.

The lance commander shouted an order for the Hunchback's pilot to stop immediaetely, but the Hunchback did not slow nor did he respond over the radio. The rest of the lance moved after the Hunchback in an attempt to stop his advanced before a confrontation was initiated with the unknown mechs. The time to stop the Hunchback had past as the unknown battlemechs were in visual range. The unknown mech lance apparently took the fast approaching radio silent Hunchback as aggression and sped towards the Hunchback in defense.

The first few moments were uneasy as no shots were fired, but all units on both sides continually advanced with no shots fired. The Attacking Hunchback led the charge toward the Battlemaster and a King Crab to have the fight target to shot at., followed by the Dragon and Stalker with the Hoplite further back and the AC/2 carrier sitting quietly atop a large hill top. The Defending Battlemaster matched the Hunback's speed while the Kintaro, King Crab, and the Thunderbolt speed toward an intervening tree line for cover.

The dragon's pilot saw the Hunchback was heading towards a possible three against one fight. Realizing the inevitable fight ahead. the Dragon fired a volley LRMs at the approaching Thunderbolt peppering its left torso a bit to help change it path away from the Hunchback.

The dragon's LRMs' did the trick and the Thunderbolt turned right towards the path of the Dragon. The dragon failed to hit the Thunderbolt again, but the Stalker got off a volley of LRMs peppering the same left torso location. The Kintaro advanced with the thunderbolt in an intervening treeline for cover.
The Hunchback completely enthralled to capture or destroy a royal mech fired its AC/20 at the approaching assault mechs and missed completely. The Hunchback was in for some hurt for missing the first shot. First from the Battlemaster the glare of a medium laser than the sizzle of a PPC damaged singed armor followed by bright flashes of a LPL burning a hole through the outer center torso armor and damaging the engine. The Hunchback then felt a tremendous amount of force as the King Crab fired an AC/20 tearing all the remiaing armor off the left torso. Despite the heavy amount of damage the hunchback kept the mech upright and ignored warning about excess engine heat.

The Kintaro continued its march through the woods towards the dragon taking cover first from the woods and then a small hill side after darting through open ground. The hillside posed a potential attack route to the Stalker.

With the Thunderbolt now fully committed to engaging the Dragon and entertaining the Stalker saw a large amount of potential firepower from the two mechs go a miss. The Thunderbolt responded with and the Dragon's pilot saw the bright flash, the armor sizzle and the Dragon's head was blown completely off the battlemech. The Dragon's torso stood for a few seconds before crashing to the group from a lack of controls and a pilot. Battlemech Destroyed!

The Hunchback now heavily damaged anxiously moved further toward the Battlemaster to land a good shot and missed again. Both the Battlemaster and King Crab were in perfect range for a kill. The Battlemaster singed armor all over the Hunchback with a combined energy displayed of an ERPPC, a LPL, four medium lasers. The King Crab pulled a devastating two AC/20 shots removing all of the armor off the Hunchback's right arm and right torso follow by a large laser blast for good measure. The Hunchback took an impressive 74 points of raw damage and stood upright in defiance and anger. The Hoplite finally catching up and moving out of cover into the path of a full volley from the King Crab's LRM 15 launcher. (This was a double twelve rolls with a result with a roll of 12 on a to-hit roll of 12 and then a roll of 12 on the cluster roll.)

With the Dragon out of action, the Kintaro was  in a position to attack the Stalker. The Stalker got to a higher vantage point and managed to fire a few SRMs with one slamming into the mechs head. Along with a head hit the Stalker's systems registered a NARC homing pod attached to its left leg. The Kintaro's overwhelming successful attack on the Stalker was short lived as it returned fire causing the Kintaro's pilot to steady the mech a top a ridge. The Stalker's return attack was serious enough to tear a large amount of armor off the the Kintaro's left torso with little left to protect its volatile ammo inside.
The Hunchback broke from the double assault mech fight and took to the cover of a nearby hill. The Pilot was happy to see well placed AC/20 shot to the Battlemaster's left torso with absolutely no useful return fire. the King Crab broke away from the Hunchback to introduce its AC/20's to the Stalker.

The Kintaro was successfully scared away from the Stalker by raw firepower and proceeded to run far behind the Stalker for safety. The Kintaro speed for safety kept all of its weapons fire from doing anything to the approaching Hoplite or the Stalker. The Hoplite finally got to a good firing position and sent a few LRMs to pepper the Thunderbolt giving the Thunderbolt's pilot the impression his mech was a giant LRM magnet. The Thunderbolt managed two measly medium lasers blasts to the Stalker as it was backing away for a better firing position. The King Crab continued toward the Thunderbolt's position while being denied any shot due to intervening terrain.

The Battlemaster caught up with the Hunchback and gave it a trio of energy weapons being medium laser, a large laser, and a LPL, which destroyed the Hunchback's right leg. The Hunchback's left leg unable to support the force from the damage fell to the ground hard damaging the left leg. The pilot fully conscious cancelled a trio of warnings being an upper leg actuator damaged, a lower leg actuator damaged, and foot damaged.

The Hoplite continued to support the Stalker's efforts to punish the thunderbolt with a successful PPC shot the its right arm. The Stalker, now with a great firing stance sent 24 LRMSs along with two ER medium lasers blasts, followed by an ER large laser towards the Thunderbolt and ripped open its left torso damaging a double heat sink contained within. The damaged mech's pilot kept the proper footing from the LRM laser barrage. The Kintaro has since left the near vacinity of the Stalker to the safety of mech waist deep water. (I just now realized I forgot to consider the water removing excess heat bonus, lol.) The Thunderbolt managed to get a single ERPPC shot to connect with the Stalker. The King Crab was denied another potential round of fun.

The Hunback got up! The Hunchback took no time in pumping a perfect AC/20 shot into the Battlemaster's right torso. The Battlemaster closed in further towards the Hunchback using its LPL to destroy the enemy mech's right torso silencing its AC/20 and rendering its right arm useless along with two medium lasers and a double heat sink. Not stopping the Hunchback suffered an additional energy trio of an ERPPC and two medium laser blasts ripping open the center torso armor and failing to do any further internal damage. The Hunchback although critically wounded refused to die.

The fight on the other side was a full on fire fight with weapons fire coming and going from all corners. The Hoplite turned against the Kintaro and King Crab with no effect. The Kintaro managed to sear some armor off the Hoplite with two medium lasers and attach a NARC homing pod to the mech's right leg. The Thunderbolt and the Stalker traded damage with each other with the Stalker getting the critical shot. The additional critical damage only resulted in the same double heat sink being further damaged. (Sucks for the technician for repairs and the pilot due to possible lostech.) The King Crab fired a batch of LRMs and its large laser causing what appeared to be a mech falling.

The Battlemaster shot the Hunchback with everything and it only took the LPL to destroyed the rest of the enemy mech's internal structure armor away resulting in the mech to go into a complete shut down. The Battlemaster had finished the fight with the Hunchback. Battlmech destroyed!

The Kintaro got out of the water from its swim to the Hoplite and fired a two volleys of SRMs and a volley of LRMs at point blank range and took no damage in return. The Hoplite unaffected by the missile kicked the Kintaro in the left leg as the Kintaro kicked the Hoplite in the left leg. Both pilots were not going done.
The Stalker on a good roll pummeled the Thunderbolt with laser fire with one laser hitting the mech's head. The Thunderbolt a midst the laser volley fired a full LRM 15 volley and an ERPPC into the Stalker's center torso rupturing its guts inside. The Stalker's console flooded with excess heat warning from two engine shielding hits. The Stalker stood its ground. The Stalker was not out of the clear as the King Crab had caught up and joined the fray with a direct AC/20 hit to each arm along with a large laser elsewhere. The Stalker taking 73 points of raw damage refused to fall or be beaten down.

The AC/2 Carrier came out of hiding at flank LOL speed and starting throwing slug shots directly at the Kintaro. The AC/2 Carrier for most of the battle hid in tree making pop shots at the Battlemaster and King Crab with no desired effect.

The Battlemaster moved at full speed towards the mech firefight on the other side of the valley.

***** ATTENTION *****

We interrupt this battle report with a picture which has something to do with the actual post.

The Battlemaster walking away after putting down the Hunchback.

Also is a glimpse of  light forest hex 1115 and light forest hex 1116 which both posses trees with the ability to stop all kind of weapon firepower for no apparent reason of all.

***** THANK YOU *****

We now return you to your regular scheduled battle report.

While the Hoplite turned its attention was to the King Crab, The Kintaro hit the Hoplite with two medium lasers and a bunch of SRMs, but failed to make the Hopllite care. The Hoplite's pilot shrugged off the blows and kept the mech upright for a support shot to the King Crab in helps to assist the Stalker.

The Hoplite saw an opportunity to hit the King Crab in the back, the King Crab's pilot nothing it had plenty of rear armor thought nothing of it. The King Crab began to fire its weapons at the Stalker where its systems paused for a fraction of a second from left side rear PPC blast from the Hoplite. The Hoplite's pilot witnessed a torrential flash as the rear left torso armor ammo panel was jettisoned and an overwhelming amount of explosive flame and smoke poured from the left rear of the King Crab. The Hoplite had detonated the remaining six rounds of AC/20 ammo along with the remaining LRM 15 packs therby destroying thr King Crab's left torso. The damage silenced the LRM 15, rendered the left arm useless while silencing the left arm AC/20 cannon. The King Crab lost two heat sinks as well. The Hoplite's pilot was overjoyed. The King Crab was saved by CASE allowing it to still function while the pilot remained conscious keeping the battlemech upright. The Stalker's pilot smiling took advantage of the King Crab's pilot neuron shock from the ammo explosion and fired an ER medium laser somewhere in the King Crab as it was busy having its ammo exploded.

The Thunderbolt took away the Stalker's smile with an ERPPC shot to its left torso damaging another double heat sink.

The AC/2 Carrier crew continued to annoy the Kintaro with AC/2 shots to no end.

Turn 10

The Hoplite was now in the sights of a fully pissed off King Crab pilot. The Hoplite's pilot saw the critically injured King Crab turn around and stretch its right arm towards it and fire its AC/20. The AC/20  shot  tour the Hoplite's left torso to pieces destroying it and rendering the left arm useless. The Hoplite's LRM 15 was silenced along with four heat sinks.

The Stalker and the Thunderbolt traded everything they had at each other again. The Thunderbolt's suffered a lesser barrage with the left arm armor completely torn to shreds exposing internal structure. The Stalker suffered a worse barrage and had its right arm completely blown off its side. The attack silenced an LRM 15 and two ER medium lasers. The Stalker also suffered a head hit, but with much experience the pilot kept the mech upright.

The Kintaro missed the Hoplite completely, but fired two medium lasers at the AC/2 Carrier damaging the motive systems reducing movement considerably.

The AC/2 Carrier bored with bothering the Kintaro, turned its attention towards the King Crab in hopes to damage it further, but all they could do it tear minimal amounts of armor away.

After the Stalker was almost destroyed the Attacking mercs signaled for an end and fled. The unknown mercenary unit sporting Royal battemechs and some experience did not lose any mechs, but suffered some serious and possibly irreparable and irreplaceable damage.

End

(The game lasted 10 tuns.)

Carnage Report

Attacker Damage Report

Mercenaries

Heavy Lance

Hunchback HBK-6N
Pilot hit (Head hit)
Pilot hit (Fall)
Left torso heavy damage
Right torso destroyed
Right arm destroyed
AC/20 silenced
Medium laser silenced
Right leg destroyed
Left leg critical damage
Left upper leg actuator destroyed
Left leg lower leg actuator destroyed
Left leg foot destroyed
Center torso destroyed
Engine hit
Battlemech Destroyed

Hoplite HOP-4B
Left torso destroyed
Four heat sinks silenced
Left arm destroyed
LRM 15 silenced
Remaining LRM 15 ammo down to 9 packs
Right arm heavy damage
Left leg heavy damage
Right leg NARC homing pod attached

Dragon DRG-1N
Pilot hit (Head hit)
Head critical damage
Head blow off
Battlemech Destroyed

Stalker STK-6M
Pilot hit (Head hit)
Pilot hit (Head hit)
Pilot hit (Head hit)
Head critical damage
Left arm heavy damage
Left torso critical damage
Double heat sink destroyed
Six packs of LRM 15 ammo dumped
Right arm critical damage
Double heat sink destroyed
Left leg NARC homing pod attached
Center torso critical damage
Engine hit
Engine hit


AC/2 Carrier
Motor system damaged

Defender Damage Report

Unknown Mercenary

Assault Lance

Kintaro KTO-19b
Left arm moderate damage
Left torso moderate damage

Thunderbolt TDR-5Sb
Pilot hit (Head hit)
Left arm critical damage
Left torso critical damage
Heat sink damaged

Battlemaster BLR-1Gb
Left torso heavy damage (AC/20)
Right torso heavy damage (AC/20)

King Crab KGC-000b
Pilot hit (Ammo explosion)
Left torso critical damage
Left torso destroyed
AC/20 ammo explosion
Left arm destroyed
AC/20 silenced
LRM 15 silenced
Right torso
Remaining AC/20 ammo down to 6 shots

Thoughts

I have never pulled of a head capping before and much less from a PPC either. It took a double 12 roll to do it and apparently I was rolling a lot of 12 that evening. Taking the Dragon out so early really put a dampening buffer of the Stalker.

I was using some house dice which were yellow/orange and red/orange and was told they were Buttery Khorn and they were indeed some good dice.

The Thunderbolt continues to amaze me with its versatility and longevity. The loss of heat sinks does damper it slightly, but is a sum bitch in a stand up fight against other mechs. The Kintaro on the other hand might not want to pick fights with assault mechs again. The King Crab was a beast, its reputation of being on the field and not being ignored is well deserved.

I have never experienced an ammo explosion, good thing I had CASE

I used a different gunnery piloting combination for this battle. I gave the long range fighters the Thunderbolt and the Battlemaster the 3/5 profile for better shooting. I gave the short range fighters the Kintaro and the King Crab, the 4/4 profile for better piloting since they have to get up close they will need the extra piloting boost. I never had a mech fall this game and I think the shooting went well. I am not sure if it was because of the Buttery Khorn dice though.

The Stalker 6M variant was tough to beat down in my opinion. The Hunchback had an AC/20 instead of LRMs this game and it made quite a better opponent. I feel the dice rolls were sucking royally as more AC/20 hits to the Battlemaster would have started damaging guns and heat sinks.

I have never heard or seen Masta Cheef yell so much insults and profanity at a mech before, it was lol.

The game was good.