Battletech: Planet's Fall

South of Budai, as the sun rises, a Militia patrol follows the main highway heading west. The patrol is expected, but their exact timings vary each day. Angels forces are spread out as they move northwards to assault the facility. It is hoped that some of their number will encounter and neutralise the patrol. Your lance is the one that encounters this heavy patrol first. Surprisingly, as soon as the enemy notice you they attack. They don't make any effort to flee the area to call in reinforcements. Either they're overly confident or stupid.

Objective: Defeat the enemy. You have 12 turns before allies will arrive causing the patrol to flee, ending the combat. This will prevent them from being salvaged, reducing impact by 0.1.

"Control, this is Apprentice, approaching the test site now."
As Yori and her lance crest a ridge, the walls of their target are visible a ways ahead of them across the hills.

Morikawa: "What are you thinking Lieutenant, reckon these guys will cut and run?"
Torashirō answers for her: "Hmmmph, second rate militia and corporate security. At best one in ten can fight."
Tsuge: "Easy to say when you're in the Hunchback, sergeant."
Torashirō grunts: "Even on foot I would give us decent odds. Let's not fear those as pathetic as this."
Yori: "Agreed. But I will restate our reconnaissance noted the presence of any battlemechs on patrol. Fear is one thing, but if they pilot a mech and face us in open battle they are worthy of the respect we grant to any pilot. Even if statistically their accuracy is 17% lower than an equivalent force."
There's a chorus of agreement over the comms channel as the Lance fans out, Mori's quicker mech dashing ahead while the heavier machines stomped through the snow forest, the pilots focusing on their scanners.

Tsuge: "Apprentice, I'm reading...contact, contact! Enemy patrol due east, hostile battlemechs and vehicles. Shit, how'd they get so close?"
Still unfamiliar with this new mech, he struggles to turn to face the threat before it was upon him, the Panther's large laser rising to point to the as yet unseen foe.
Yori, calm as ever: "We read you Pauper, turning to engage. Weapons free."
Torashirō: "Looks like they're going to fight after all."
Morikawa: "You're wrong and I can't even be smug about it."
Yori: "I am being smug about. Now let's take these Rokudenashi, I need to get back to my fish."

And woe betide anyone who got in the way of Yori and her fish.

The heavy patrol comes into visual and scanning range. They were following the road in the valley. Two mechs, a close range but poorly armoured Spider and a Phoenix Hawk flanked the vehicle elements. The Phoenix Hawk was likely the commander, as it was a general all round mech with augmented command and control equipment. On the road were four vehicles. A standard Vedette with its AC/5 and a J.Edgar with close range weapons along with a longer ranged Hunter and Hover Tank. Their LRMs and PPC could be a threat.



The Spider had sighted Yori's force as it jumped atop the high ground. The rest soon followed.



It continued moving along the north as the Phoenix Hawk took the south.

Morikawa: "Apprentice I'm getting word from command. Sounds like reinforcements are right behind us."
Tsuge: "Yes!"
Morikawa: "Baka! That means these idiots will run off and we'll lose the salvage!"
Yori: "Correct, let's take the fight to them. 5th Doctor setup on the other side of the road, that Spider is no match for you. Pauper, keep to cover, when they close then we strike. Man'O'War, on me."
Torashirō: "Understood, commander."

((Jenner run to 1406, keep facing north-east.
Panther jump to 0715, keep facing north-east
Crusader run to 0709, changing facing to south-east
Hunchback run to 0706, change facing to south-east

No fire this turn))

Each side drew closer, but there was no weapons fire. Shots would be too inaccurate at this range.



The vehicles speed up to close while both mechs worked back toward the centre.

Morikawa: "He's coming right at me!"
Torashirō, gruffly: "I see him. Think he's gonna be a hero. Just ignore the little guy."
Yori, calmly: "He's not a priority target, let's focus on their vehicle firepower first."
Tsuge: "Hey! They're leaving me!"
Yori: "Yes, yes they are."

((Panther jump to 1113, large laser at the Phoenic Hawk
Jenner jump to 1907, 3 medium lasers on the LTV-4
Crusader walk to 1010, LRMs on the LTV-4
Hunchback walk to 1107, LRMs on the LTV-4))

With the ranged closed there is a sudden outpouring of weapons fire from both sides. Much of it missed. Morikawa's Jenner was hit in the right leg by the Phoenix Hawk's large laser, losing half its armour in that location (8 damage RL). In return, the Hunchback landed a few LRMs on the Hover Tank, but its profile made it difficult to hit (6 damage FR).

(Jenner on 4 heat)



Both hover tanks switched to off-road movement as they raced toward Yori's Crusader! Overhead, the Spider shot past them to land nearby rather threateningly. These guys liked to live dangerously. To complete the encirclement attempt the Phoenix Hawk crossed to the north, ducking into the cover of some woods. At the rear the Hunter took position, protected by the Vedette.

Tsuge: "Son of a-"
Flicking on the open channel
Tsuge: "-I've swatted flies less afraid of me. Get back here and fight god damn it!"
There's muffled laughter from the rest of the lance even as their mechs surge forward. If the patrol wanted a knife fight it was about to get a fist fight.

Both the onrushing tanks found themselves met by mechs firing all their weapons. Yori's crusader even seems to cock its biceps before launching a pair of punches at the closest tank, missiles spraying wildly from the Crusader's legs cover the firefight in smoke.

((Jenner walk on top of the Vedette at 2212 and try to kick him, flip the guns around and if the arc works, 2 medium lasers from the left torso at the hunter light support tank.

Hunchback walk to 1207 then turn to face south. 5 Medium lasers, 1 small laser and a kick at the tank on 1208.
Crusader walk to 1009, 2 SRM-6s, 2 medium lasers and 2 punches at the LTV-4 on 1008
Panther jump to 1011 and face north, Large laser and SRM-4 on the LTV-4 at 1008))

Choosing to walk slowly, the Crusader and the Hunchback made themselves easy target. This caused them both to take the majority of enemy fire. Somehow, Yori avoids nearly all of it (2 damage LL) while her lance mate is hit multiple times. He even has to sway to the right to avoid being hit in the head by LRMs from the Hunter (3 damage LT, Edge used to avoid HD hit, 5 damage RA, CT). The only other enemy fire that connects is the Hover Tank's PPC landing a lucky hit on the Panther's right leg (10 damage RL). It wobbles for a moment as it lands, but the leg is still good.

Having taken pains to slow down, the lance should have hit more in the seconds that followed. However, the high speed of the enemy was making them problematic. However, even further up the road the Jenner struggled to hit a slow moving Hunter light tank, with only one of its two lasers connecting (5 damage LS). Yori only lands one of her lasers on the Hover Tank, but its low profile reduced the damage. Nonetheless it began trailing smoke and moving much slower as something important was melted to slag (2 damage FR, heavy damage, +3 to driving skill rolls, 1/2 MP). While the Panther misses its shots, the veteran Hunchback pilot lands half of his own on the J.Edgar. Each was a masterful shot, doing severe damage. The J.Edgar dropped to the ground nearly immediately, immobile (5 damage RS, major damage, vehicle immobile, 5 damage TU, stabilizer destroyed, 3 damage FR, moderate damage, +2 to driving skill rolls, -1MP).

Yori finds herself unable to punch the fast moving Hover Tank. It was too low. She could kick it, but she'd needed to fire her leg mounted SRMs, which prevented that option in the seconds that followed. The Hunchback opts not to destroy the J.Edgar, trusting its crew will surrender. Meanwhile the Jenner lands a solid kick on the Vedette, stunning the crew (7 damage RS, crew stunned).

(Jenner and Panther on 1 heat, Hunchback on 3)



Realizing they'd overextended, the Militia forces try to pull back to protect their rear members. As predicted, the J.Edgar crew bail from the light hover tank.

Yori: "Phoenix Hawk is coming back at you 5th Doctor."
Morikawa: "I see it...stay still you little-"
Torashirō: "Kill confirmed"
Tsuge: "Urrgh, mechtechs totally botched this repair job, my targeting is all over the place"
Torashirō: "Have you tried aiming at the enemy?"

(( Panther remain stationary, Large laser and SRM-4 into the LTV-4
Crusader walk to 1209, split fire. 1 Medium laser and SRMs into the LTV-4, LRMs into the Phoenix Hawk
Hunback turn south-east walk to 1208, 2 medium lasers into the LTV-4, LRMs into the Phoenix Hawk
Jenner walk to 2514, turn north, 3 medium lasers into the Hunter Light Support Tank))

The Hover Tank tried to target the unmoving Panther, but its PPC still missed. However, a few SRMs did smack into the light mech a couple of seconds later (2 damage RL, RT) followed by LRMs shot from the distant Hunter (8 damage CT). The Phoenix Hawk tried to deter the Spider, but the nimble mech dodged both lasers, while the Spider only hits the Hunchback with a single laser (5 damage LA).

Remaining still pays off for the Panther as its pilot knocks out the Hover Tank, immobilising it with its weapons fire (8 damage FR, major damage, vehicle immobile, 4 damage RS, critical hit, engine destroyed). The tank falls to the ground with a loud thud, the sudden plummet causing Yori to miss her shots on it and the Phoenix Hawk. Her veteran sergeant lance mate does land a few LRMs into the back of the Phoenix Hawk at least including a missile greeting to the enemy mech's cockpit (5 damage CTR, 1 damage HD, 1 pilot damage). More impressively, the Hunter is rendered immobile by a burst of laser fire from the Jenner (5 damage FR, major damage, vehicle immobile, 5 damage LS, critical, machine gun malfunctions).

(Hunchback on 4 heat, Jenner on 1)



Turn 5

The remaining enemy forces attempt to regroup in the north. The Spider jumps away to cool down and the Phoenix Hawk, realising its precarious position, does likewise.

Tsuge: "Kill confirmed! Ha!"
Yori: "Good shooting Pauper"
Tsuge: "That's why I'm-" Sounds of detonations "-Hey!"
Morikawa: "Kill confirmed, and unlike Pauper I'm not getting shot repeatedly."
Torashirō grumbles about kids these days as he swings his hunchback towards the Phoenix Hawk

((Jenner run to 2109 and face north west, 3 medium lasers on the Vedette
Hunchback walk to 1507, kick, 4 medium lasers and the small laser on the Phoenix Hawk
Crusader walk to 1508, SRMs and 2 medium lasers on the Phoenix Hawk
Panther jump to 1411 and large laser on the Phoenix Hawk))

Things go from bad to worse for the Akos Militia patrol. While the Phoenix Hawk does blast the Hunchback with a medium laser (5 damage RL), that's the extent of the damage done in the next few seconds. Minus that of Yori's lance of course...

The Jenner clips the Vedette with a single laser causing some damage on the right side (5 damage RS, minor damage, +1 to driving skill rolls). Sergeant Kawabe plants two medium lasers into the Phoenix Hawk (5 damage LL, RA), which Yori follows up with her own laser fire. One shot strikes a critical point on the leg, severing it and causing the Phoenix Hawk to crash to the ground! (5 damage LL, critical, limb blown off, left leg blown off! 5 damage LT, 2nd pilot hit). Unfortunately, the Panther misses once more. Celebrating too soon perhaps?

With the Phoenix Hawk turning toward them to try firing again, Sergeant Kawabe feels entitled to give it a good kick (10 damage LT).

(Hunchback on 6 heat, Jenner on 2)



Turn 6

The Phoenix Hawk attempts to stand, falls over and goes still. The pilot was likely unconscious (3 pilot hits). The Vedette turns around as the Spider leaps into the thick of it to protect the lead mech.

Torashirō looks down at the prone Phoenix Hawk "Hmmph. About as expected."
The Hunchback's lasers glow slightly as he looks to Yori.
Torashirō: "Terminate?"
Yori: "Negative Man'O'War, disable the mech, we'll take the pilot."
Torashirō: "Affirmative"

(( Hunchback does not move, fire 3 medium lasers, small laser and a kick into the immobile phoenix hawk
Crusader does not move, 2 SRMs, 1 medium lasers into the immobile Phoenix Hawk, 2 LRMs into the Vedette
Panther walk to 1511, large laser into the Phoenix Hawk
Jenner walk to 1906, kick on the vedette, 3 medium lasers on the vedette))

Only Yori's mech is dinged by enemy fire, an AC/5 shell rattling across her right arm and the Spider somehow managing to hit her left (5 damage LA, RA). Her systems showed she had a good amount of armour remaining in both locations.

The Crusader and Hunchback both work over the Phoenix Hawk's body like pro boxers, steadily trashing it (lots of damage, 2 jump lets damaged, 2 medium lasers damaged, left shoulder damaged). The Jenner zaps the Vedette thrice yet the medium tank persists against all odds (5 damage TU, 10 damage LS). The Panther does more damage as it nearly melts off the Spider's right arm (8 damage, 2 crits, Hand, Shoulder).

In another universe, the Trooper lance would have woken the pilot and made them surrender. Not today. With the mech showing as still operational Sergeant Kawabe stepped forward to give it a 'gentle kick'.

The kick caves in the mech's cockpit (10 damage head, section destroyed, auto-eject fails, dead pilot). So much for that. The Jenner kicks the Vedette, heavily damaging it (7 damage FR, heavy damage, +3 to driving skill rolls, 1/2 MP).

(Jenner and Hunchback on 2 heat, Crusader on 3)



Turn 7

Running scared, the Vedette tries to slip away to the East. In the same seconds the Spider runs past its down brethren, searching for signs of life. There were none.

Torashirō:".....Fuck."
Yori: "They appear to be dead."
Tsuge: "Dead? They're pasted! Mech looks good though, reckon I can get it?"
Morikawa: "Not the time Pauper!"

(( Hunchback remains stationary, 4 medium lasers on the spider
Crusader remains stationary, 2 medium lasers and 2 SRMs on the spider
Panther walk to 1710, fire large laser and SRM at the Vedette
Jenner walk to 2007, 3 medium lasers and a kick on the vedette))

The Vedette is consumed in flames as its armour and structure are vaporised apart by all the combined laser heat. The air itself catches fire and the entirety of the interior of the tank is consumed. The negative reputation of Yori's lance seemed to be well earned after this and the Phoenix Hawk 'accident'.

Yori plants medium lasers and SRMs into the Spider, laying on the pain. It was operational still, yes, but visibly damaged (5 damage LT, RT, 2 damage LL, RT, LT). Tsuge has to struggle to remain standing after taking an AC/5 round to the right leg, breaking through the remaining armour on that location and doing damage to the Panther's foot (5 damage RL, critical hit in 2 locations, jump jet and foot, 7 internal structure remaining). An annoying parting present. The Spider lands a single medium laser on the Crusader (5 damage LA), but it appears to be too little, too late.

(Jenner on 2 heat, Crusader on 1)



With the entirety of the rest of the patrol destroyed and her own mech very badly damaged, the enemy pilot has it kneel as she activates her speakers.

"I surrender, I surrender!"

For a moment it seems there's the horrifying possibility that the lance is just going to keep shooting, but then until their mechs' weapons stop charging.

Yori: "Surrender accepted, please power down your machine and you will not be harmed. Pauper, come join us. 5th Doctor, keep scanning for reinforcements. An acceptable job everyone."
Torashirō shuffles in front of the splatted Phoenix Hawk.

A squad of infantry is brought in by Karnov VTOL to secure the prisoners. There isn't time for the site to be secured, nor enough personnel, but with the second attack due later in the day the risk of salvage being pinched was deemed acceptably low. That Phoenix Hawk could be repaired. Better still, the Spider could be moved even though it was crippled. A mechtech assistant is called in get access. Eventually it could be piloted back to base.

(All enemies eliminated! Congratulations!)

With no serious injuries among her lance and mostly little damage among her mechs, Yori is sent back for minor repairs and rearming and kept on standby until late morning. In the hangars it is discovered the Panther would need a bit more TLC to be fully repaired, as it needed its foot and a jump jet to be repaired. There was some complaining by a few techs about how it had only been fully repaired the day before...

(The Panther will need to undergo repairs for 2 days. It will be available again for Day 9 onwards. It cannot be used in a patrol on Day 7 & 8)

Yori Hakamada gains 0.2 fame for her contributions toward a successful combat.

Combat closed.