Battletech: Planet's Fall

Multiple Angels lances are approach Kerkina Camp through the forests on its east and west. You're part of the western assault force. There is intelligence suggesting some vehicles and infantry are doing a training exercise in these woods somewhere. As you pass the northern edge of a stream your sensors detect their presence. They're just up ahead! They're also coming this way, likely to investigate similar sensors readings. You're not expected. Time for an ambush...

Objective: Defeat the enemy.

An ambush mission like this should be right up her Lance's hangar. Now that she has the only jump capable mech out of four, the flat plains with some foliage are favourable terrain. Especially with what she has planned.

Noticing the column approaching them, she takes the opportunity to set up an ambush.
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Ambush setup - Tactics[Per]: 23

The enemy tanks and APCs came in sight. A pair of Sleipnir APCs headed two small convoys. Behind them came Vedette tanks, with their AC5s, and then two longer range vehicles. A Bulldog LRM variant and a worrying Schrek. That thing had three PPCs!



Catherine's lance holds position. The enemy drew in closer. They hadn't been spotted. Yet.

They are already this close! This is what happens when you suddenly happen onto an unexpected enemy convoy. Let's make the best of it.

"Hellcat to Clowder! Unexpected enemy convoy straight ahead! Move into better firing positions. Watch out for their heavies!"

As the mechs began to move they must have been detected by the convoy's sensors. It was amazing they'd remained hidden so long. In a panic, one of the APCs darts south and drops off infantry to form a perimeter. Seeing the two mechs emerging from the woods ahead the crew realize that they may have made an error. They call in support and the Bulldog answers, but it isn't fighting at ideal range...

Meanwhile, a Vedette and the Shrek both move uphill to take some high ground. They'd give covering fire. Another Vedette tries to shield the second APC as it unloads a platoon of jump infantry! That's unexpected. They'd be slightly more hassle than the foot platoon.

"This is way to close for, let's do the best we can. Hit and Run!" Catherine radios.

"Wildhog, close in and stomp, shoot the Bulldog. Ostrich rush that big tank with me! Mouse, try to find a hiding spot in those hills and shoot what you can hit. Go!"

She then fires her jump jets to sail straight next to the big PPC carrier. It needs to go away real fast!
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Cat has to raise an arm to block an AC/5 shell slamming into her cockpit (5 damage RA, both edge spent to avoid a HD hit!). The other Vedette plants an AC/5 round in the Centurion's right arm too. The slow moving Schrek craned its triple PPC armament around toward the Centurion as Catherine's lance moved into position. One of the shots hit its left torso (5 damage RA, 10 damage LT), taking out more than half the armour there. Not an auspicious start.

Catherine dishes out some punishment in return. Targeting the Bulldog, she lands all her weapons fire except a single SRM (5 damage RR, minor damage, +1 to driving skill rolls, 5 damage RR, heavy damage, +3 to driving skill rolls, 1/2 MP, 6 damage RR, 2 damage LS, 2 damage RS, minor damage again). The Centurion pilot, still reeling from the PPC hit, misses with some weapons. However, the large laser scorches the left side of the Bulldog (8 damage LS) and LRMs rain down on the jump platoon caught in the open (4 damage). Mouse misses her Trebuchet weapons fire. She was still getting used to the new mech. Similarly, the newly acquired mostly misses, but it does hit the Schrek with a medium laser, stunning the crew (5 damage LS, critical - crew stunned).

In near synchronicity, the Wolverine and Centurion both kick the vehicles they are near. The Schrek is further damaged (11 damage LS, minor damage again) while the Sleipnir is knocked out by the Centurion destroying the engine (10 damage LS, critical - engine destroyed. Immobile). Not to be outdone, the Grand Dragon pilot punches the Schrek (6 damage RR, heavy damage again).

(Trebuchet on 2 heat, Centurion on 1)



The surviving vehicles try to group together as infantry run or leap into better positions to support. The southern APC crew fled their vehicle.

"Good job, Wildhog!" Catherine praises him for his splendid stomping and checks how the situation is developing.

"This is getting a'ight messy! Wildhog, get on the Bulldog. Shoot what you can and keep stompin' like that."
"Ostrich, get onto the big one and shoot the Bulldog! Fire at will. Give it a kick!"
"Mouse, snipe what you can from that small hill."

She jumps next to the SRM APC and aims at the Schrek. She will kick whatever is left after all the shooting.

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On the north eastern hill the Vedette had a nice target in the form of the Centurion below. It fires both its weapons at the medium mech (7 damage RT) as does the other Vedette (5 damage LT), leaving the mech with very little left torso armour. Trying to make use of its main weapon, the Bulldog fires LRMs at the now very visible Trebuchet. Six of them hit, including five striking the cockpit and giving Mechwarrior Samaras some bruises from the jolts (5 damage HD, 1 pilot hit, 1 damage RA).

The SRM equipped Sleipnir also targets the Centurion, hitting it more than a few times (6 damage RA, 2 damage RL, LT, RT). It had no armour left in its left torso according to a warning indicator in the cockpit. Behind the Dragon, the jump platoon were trying to damage its back, but it was proving elusive and their shots only glance its body (2 damage RTR, 1 damage LL).

With the ranges so close, it was no surprise Cat's lance hit with the vast majority of their weapons. Catherine's Wolverine drills holes into the Bulldog (8 damage RS, 5 damage FR, minor damage, +1 to driving skill rolls, 6 damage RS, 2 damage RR, moderate damage, +2 to driving skill rolls, -1MP). The Centurion hits the Schrek, destroying it with accurate laser fire (8 damage LS, crew stunned for 2 turns, 5 damage LS, section destroyed, engine destroyed, immobile + vehicle destroyed - super dead!). Mouse hits the Bulldog with a shot from her PPC (10 damage FR) while the Grand Dragon does some damage to it too (5 damage FR). It also shoots the annoying Vedette behind it with a rear laser (5 damage FR).

After all the hits on its body, the Centurion loses balance and topples over (5 damage CT). The vulnerable left torso luckily isn't harmed further and the pilot makes sure to hold on tight to avoid being harmed. However, even on the floor the mech proved it remained a threat - it actually punches the Centurion! (5 damage FR, commander injured, crew stunned for 2 turns). Cat then finishes it off with a kick (11 damage RS, section destroyed, vehicle destroyed).

(Wolverine on 4 heat, Trebuchet on 3 heat)



With only three vehicles remaining operational the Militia try to back up north, using the woods to shield their backs. The jump platoon, seeing the Centurion on the ground, try to capitalise on its vulnerability as they jump to the woods near it.

With her command mech module, Catherine also gets the warning message.

"Wildhog! Retreat where you can and protect your left torso!" It is the one location on his mech they really can not afford to take a hit now. All his LRM missiles are stored there. "If you can shoot anything from there, fire at will."
"Ostrich! Walk up that hill and focus the APC!"
"Mouse, target the tank on that hill."

Engaging her jump jets, Hellcat sails next to the SRM carrying APC and aims her weapons at the nearby Vedette.

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While the Vedette hits Cat's left torso with machine gun fire and the Grand Dragon is hit with an SRM and some laser rifle fire (2 damage RA, LA, 1 damage LL), the lance don't really notice it. They're too busy dishing out the pain.

Not one of them misses a shot.

Catherine plugs the Vedette with lasers and missiles (5 damage FR, moderate damage, +2 to driving skill rolls, -1MP, 5 damage RS, 2 damage FR, minor damage, +1 to driving skill rolls, 4 damage RS, crew stunned, 2 damage TU). The Centurion only fires its rear laser, but it kills an infantryman! The Trebuchet hits the Vedette on the hill with both its longer ranged weapons (5 damage RR, moderate damage, +2 to driving skill rolls, -1MP, 10 damage LS). Last but not least, the Grand Dragon hits the Sleipnir with its PPC and medium lasers (10 damage FR, moderate damage, +2 to driving skill rolls, -1MP, 10 damage LS, moderate damage again). Nearby tanks are then kicked! (11 damage TU of Sleipnir, 12 damage RR of Vedette on hill).

It was like all four of them were in a zen state of delivering destruction.

(Grand Dragon on 5 heat, Trebuchet and Wolverine on 3)



All three vehicles refuse to surrender for at least a few seconds more. They try backing away, abandoning the infantry!

"Good shooting, Clowder!" Catherine cheers and checks the situation on her command module.

"Wildhog! Keep running around that hill. Fire at will if anything comes up."
"Ostrich! Slow advance, keep aim on the APC."
"Mouse! Hold and keep shooting that APC as well."

Seeing the current situation, Catherine does not fire her jumps jets this time and just walks forward to stay on top of the dangerous APC.

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Mouse's fire lands around her target instead of on it as the range increases. Wildhog also now struggled to hit the infantry.

The good news was that Cat and Ostrich were hitting. Cat scores the stunned Vedette with a medium laser and three SRMs (9 damage FR, 2 damage TU) leaving it with very little front armour. Ostrich takes out the APC with a well placed medium laser to the engine (10 damage LS, critical, engine destroyed, immobile).

Both mechs do pay for this however. Shots rain down on the Grand Dragon from the front and back, its narrow profile only helping against some of them (7 damage LL, 4 damage LA, LT, 2 damage CT, RT). Its armour was holding for now. The Wolverine suffers minor damage from the jump platoon (2 damage RT, 1 damage LL).

With the APC neutralised Cat holds off on kicking it. Hopefully the crew would sensibly surrender. Ostrich gives the Vedette near her a hefty kick, damaging it severely (12 damage RS, heavy damage, +3 to driving skill rolls, 1/2 MP).

(Trebuchet on 3 heat)



As Cat thought, the APC crew flee from their immobilised vehicle. The Vedettes continue to move north in a futile attempt to get away from the rampaging mechs.

"Two vees left. Time to mop this up, Clowder."

"Wildhog, if your position is save, hold."
"Ostrich, stay on top of that Vedette."
"Mouse, come join back up with us. Avoid the infantry. I mapped you a scenic forest route."

"Fire at will everyone. Stay warm."
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Cat and Ostrich chase the Vedettes. Ostrich hits the one in the woods with a medium laser that breaks through the front armour and badly injures the driver (5 damage FR, driver injured). Cat shoots the other. Only her SRMs hit, but it finishes the tank off (4 damage RS, crew stunned, 4 damage FR, major damage, vehicle immobile + moderate damage too).

The Grand Dragon takes some minor damage in return, but it had armour in most places aside from its left arm (2 damage LA, RL, 1 damage RA). It doesn't matter as...

Cat rushes toward the Vedette, bowling over trees, so she can kick it right in its stupid front face. It is destroyed by the powerful blow, the crash of metal upon metal sounding through the trees (11 damage FR, section destroyed, stabilizer destroyed, vehicle destroyed!).

This sound intimidates the surviving infantry enough to begin laying down their arms. The battle was won!

(All enemies eliminated! Congratulations!)

The Trebuchet would need a little extra TLC in the hangars and the pilot would need painkillers, but that wasn't too bad in the grand scheme of things. The Centurion only needed its armour replaced.

(Trebuchet and Mouse will not be available for patrols on day 10. Fine from day 11 onwards.)

"Good job everyone!" Catherine is happy this combat ended up without any serious problems. It looked really really dicey there for Wildhog, after his LRM ammunition had been stripped free from all protection. Add to that the shot that struck far too close to home on the Trebuchet's head. Poor Mouse must have been spooked, but she held up admirably and kept going.

She herself was a little bit spooked about the shot that would have nearly hit her own cockpit, if not for instinct making her block with one arm.

"All of you okay? Let's wrap this up then and have a little victory celebration later."

Catherine Hayes gains 0.3 fame for her contributions toward a successful combat.

Combat closed.