The Let's Play Archive

Battletech

by PoptartsNinja

Part 211: Caldera - Turn 6

Caldera: Tactical Update 6

Movement Phase
M2 Hermes II
- Enters hex 1007! Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base - 1 depth 1 water = 3): rolled 4, succeeds!



Combat Phase
A5 Bobcat
- Fires Snup-Nose PPC at M7 Spider (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 3 enemy movement = 8): rolled 9, hit Left Arm (0/5 armor, 0/5 structure remains)! Limb blown off!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at M7 Spider (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 3 enemy movement = 8): rolled 3, miss!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at M7 Spider (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 3 enemy movement = 8): rolled 9, hit Head (1/6 armor remains)! Pilot hit!
- Gains 21 heat, sinks ???!

M1 Shadow Hawk
- Fires Autocannon/5 at A3 Clint (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement + 1 minimum range = 10): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at A3 Clint (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 9): rolled 11, hit Right Leg (0/8 armor, 8/10 structure remains)! Critical chance!
- Fires SRM-2 at A3 Clint (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 9): rolled 9, 2 missiles hit Right Arm (4/6 armor remains), Right Arm (2/6 armor remains)!
- Gains 10 heat, sinks 12!

M2 Hermes II
- Fires Autocannon/5 at A6 Griffin (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement + 3 minimum range = 12): rolled 10, miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at A6 Griffin (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 9): rolled 4, miss!
- Fires Flamer at A6 Griffin (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 9): rolled 7, miss!
- Gains 9 heat, sinks 10!

M3 Hammer 1
- Fires Medium Laser at A6 Griffin (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 9): rolled 7, hit miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at A6 Griffin (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 9): rolled 7, hit miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at A6 Griffin (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 9): rolled 4, hit miss!
- Gains 11 heat, sinks 12!

M4 Cicada
- Torso twists to threaten hex 0805!
- Fires PPC at A6 Griffin (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement + 1 minimum range = 10): rolled 11, hit Left Arm (0/14 armor, 5/9 structure remains)! Critical chance!
- Gains 12 heat, sinks 11!

M6 Valkyrie
- Fires LRM-10 at A6 Griffin (4 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 3 enemy movement + 1 minimum range = 11): rolled 12, 8 missiles hit Left Torso (0/20 armor remains), Left Leg (2/18 armor remains)!
- Gains 9 heat, sinks 11!

M7 Spider
- Fires Medium Laser at A2 Commando (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 7, miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at A2 Commando (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 11, hit Right Leg (3/8 armor remains)!
- Gains 8 heat, sinks 10!

M8 Hammer 2
- Torso twists to threaten hex 0405!
- Fires LRM-5 at A2 Commando (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 2 enemy movement + 2 minimum range = 9): rolled 11, 3 missiles hit Center Torso (5/8 armor remains)!
- Fires Medium Laser at A2 Commando (4 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 2 enemy movement = 9): rolled 3, hit miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at A2 Commando (4 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 2 enemy movement = 9): rolled 10, hit Right Leg (0/8 armor, 4/6 structure remains)! Critical chance!
- Fires Medium Laser at A2 Commando (4 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 2 enemy movement = 9): rolled 8, miss!
- Gains 12 heat, sinks 12!

A1 Wolfhound
- Fires Large Laser at M3 Hammer 1 (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement = 7): rolled 2, miss!
- Gains 10 heat, sinks 10!

A2 Commando
- Torso twists to threaten hex 0303!
- Fires Medium Laser at M8 Hammer 2 (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 heavy woods = 10): rolled 4, miss!
- Fires SRM-6 at M8 Hammer 2 (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 heavy woods = 10): rolled 9, miss!
- Fires SRM-4 at M8 Hammer 2 (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 heavy woods = 10): rolled 9, miss!
- Gains 12 heat, sinks 10!

A3 Clint
- Fires Medium Laser at M1 Shadow Hawk (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at M1 Shadow Hawk (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 8, hit Left Leg (3/16 armor remains)!
- Gains 12 heat, sinks 10!

A6 Griffin
- Torso Twists to threaten hex 1106!
- Fires Large Laser at M2 Hermes II (4 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover = 8): rolled 9, hit Right Arm (3/11 armor remains)!
- Fires Medium Laser at M2 Hermes II (4 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover = 8): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at M2 Hermes II (4 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover = 8): rolled 4, miss!
- Gains 19 heat, sinks 16! Overheating!



End Phase:
M7 Spider
- Must pass a 3+ consciousness test: rolled 5, succeeds!

A2 Commando
- Critical Chance in Right Leg! 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Upper Leg Actuator hit! Movement reduced to 5/8/0!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 1 actuator hit = 5): rolled 7, succeeds!

A3 Clint
- Critical Chance in Right Leg! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - Upper Leg Actuator hit! Movement reduced to 5/8/6!
- - Foot Actuator hit! Movement reduced to 4/6/6!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 2 actuator hit = 6): rolled 9, succeeds!

A6 Griffin
- Critical Chance in Left Arm! No critical hits sustained!



Physical Combat Phase:
A5 Bobcat
- Attacks M7 Spider with a Retractable Blade (4 base + 1 movement + 3 enemy movement - 2 retractable blade = 6): rolled 8, hit Left Torso (1/6 armor remains)!

M3 Hammer 1
- Kicks A6 Griffin (5 base + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement - 2 kick= 8): rolled 7, miss!

M7 Spider
- Punches A2 Commando with Right Arm (5 base + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement - 1 punch = 8): rolled 2, miss!
- Punches A2 Commando with Left Arm, Left Arm blown off!

A6 Griffin
- Kicks M3 Hammer (4 base + 3 movement + 1 enemy movement - 2 kick = 6): rolled 3, miss!



End Phase:
A6 Griffin
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 0 missed kick = 4): rolled 9, succeeds!

M3 Hammer 1
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (5 base + 0 missed kick = 5): rolled 7, succeeds!



Turn End Phase:
A1 Wolfhound
- flees towards row 23!

A2 Commando
- flees towards row 23!

A3 Clint
- flees towards row 23!

M2 Hermes II
- Hidden `Mechs detected!





Sergeant Damaris Golde was getting too old for this shit and he knew it. He knew that old cliché from ancient holovids; but of late he’d started to understand the sentiment. Nearing sixty years old, he was the old man of the Company, even if Lieutenant Chatzi was, at twenty five, the Old Man in charge. Damaris had long-since outgrown any fancy maneuvers, he and his Hermes II moved together as if they were a single entity. Every motion was efficient, economical. He wasn’t the type to panic in an ambush—he’d been in dozens—and when an enemy gave him a shot at the rear armor?

Damaris took it without a conscious thought.

As his Hermes II entered the acidic pool at the base of the Caldera, Damaris also knew something was badly wrong. The Griffin twisted, its large laser scoring a hit that drew his immediate attention—but his diagnostics boards stayed green. There hadn’t been any penetration. He flinched as he returned fire, the heat spiking in his cockpit—and then it hit him.

The water in the pool hadn’t afforded him any extra cooling. Even without heat sinks in the Hermes’ legs, simply being in water often granted the pilot a tiny modicum of relief from the oven-like heat of the cockpit. The Griffin forgotten, he toggled over to thermals—the water in the lake burned white. It was as hot as his `Mech.

As hot as any `Mech.

His eyes widened, and with a flash of insight he toggled his visual over to magscan. Green diamonds filled his display, dozens of them along the cliff face—Millennia-old hematite deposits exposed or nearly expose, yet they faded to nothing near the crater floor. Save for two large deposits below the water’s surface.

“Nice shot, old man!” Private Karan Stephanopoulos called from her Hammer. “If that Griffin was a DropShip, you’d’ve had it for su—”

“There’re `Mechs in the deeper lake!” Damaris interrupted, his torso twisting to move the unidentified blips into a side arc and toggling back to the visible spectrum of light. “Goddamn it, it’s two full lances!”

As if on cue—or perhaps because of his announcement—the surface of the lake bulged as a massive heavy `Mech breached the surface. Its massive, sloped chest made the cockpit mounted in the `Mech’s head seem tiny. The `Mech’s surfaces gleamed with the harsh glare of exposed ceramet—if it had ever sported paint or colors, the sulfuric acid in the lake had scoured it clean.

Behind it, another light crested the surface, vanishing into the trees. Damaris’ DI computer tagged it a Jackrabbit in an instant—an ancient design still fielded occasionally in the Lyran Commonwealth—and then holographically projected the enemy `Mech’s position as it attempted to estimate the design’s capabilities. His eyes were fixed on the new unknown as he drank in the details and shuddered quietly: the `Mech was a scaled-up version of the little bastard that seemed intent on tagging every member of the company with its damned knife hand.

Almost as if it read his thoughts, a blade at the newcomer’s wrist snapped into place as it shifted to bring its armament to bear.





Mission Objective:
Drive Off the 17th Arcturan Guards (1/6)

Secondary Objective:
Destroy or Disable the 17th Arcturan Guards (1/6)
Destroy or Disable the Unknown `Mechs (0/2)





Enemy Movement Modifiers:
A1) WLF-1 Wolfhound – +2 ran
A2) COM-2D Commando – +1 ran
A3) CLNT-2-3T Clint – +3 jumped
A5) B0C-13T Bobcat (ACE) – [+2 walked]
A6) GRF-1S Griffin – +3 jumped
S1) W1L-3C Coyote – +0 Walked
S2)JKR-10R Jackrabbit – +0 Walked








Protectorate Iron Guard
M1) SHD-2H Shadow Hawk
Weight: 55 tons (Medium)
HD A(S): 9/9 (3/3)
LT A(S): 5/18 (13/13)
LT R A(S): 1/6
CT A(S): 23/23 (18/18)
CT R A(S): 8/8
RT A(S): 18/18 (13/13)
RT R A(S): 6/6
LA A(S): 6/16 (9/9)
RA A(S): 16/16 (9/9)
LL A(S): 3/16 (13/13)
RL A(S): 16/16 (13/13)
Heat: 0/30
Overheat Penalty: None
Heat Sinks: 12
Movement: 5/8/3
Mechwarrior: Pilot 5, Gunnery 4
Mechwarrior Name: Lieutenant S.G. Erasmus Chatzi
Mechwarrior Player: Sair
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
Autocannon/5 – LT (Heat: 1, Ammo: 15, Range: (L:18 M:12 S:6 Min:3), Status: OK!)
LRM-5 – RT (Heat: 2, Ammo: 20, Range: (L:21 M:14 S:7 Min:6), Status: OK!)
SRM-2 – HD (Heat: 2, Ammo: 46, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – RA (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Critical Damage: None!
Notes: 2 hands

M2) HER-2S Hermes II
Weight: 40 tons (Medium)
HD A(S): 9/9 (3/3)
LT A(S): 14/14 (10/10)
LT R A(S): 5/5
CT A(S): 17/17 (12/12)
CT R A(S): 6/6
RT A(S): 14/14 (10/10)
RT R A(S): 5/5
LA A(S): 0/11 (2/6)
RA A(S): 11/11 (6/6)
LL A(S): 14/14 (10/10)
RL A(S): 14/14 (10/10)
Heat: 0/30
Overheat Penalty: None
Heat Sinks: 10
Movement: 6/9/0
Mechwarrior: Pilot 4, Gunnery 4
Mechwarrior Name: Sergeant Damaris Golde
Mechwarrior Player: Pinguliten
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
Medium Laser – RA (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Flamer – LA (Heat: 2, Range: (L:3 M:2 S:1), Status: OK!)
Autocannon/5 – RT (Heat: 1, Ammo: 15, Range: (L:18 M:12 S:6 Min:3), Status: OK!)
Critical Damage: Left Upper Arm Actuator destroyed!
Notes: 1 hand

M3) HMR-2M Hammer 1
Weight: 30 tons (Light)
HD A(S): 9/9 (3/3)
LT A(S): 2/10 (7/7)
LT R A(S): 4/4
CT A(S): 15/15 (10/10)
CT R A(S): 4/4
RT A(S): 0/10 (7/7)
RT R A(S): 4/4
LA A(S): 0/10 (0/5)
RA A(S): 10/10 (5/5)
LL A(S): 9/14 (7/7)
RL A(S): 14/14 (7/7)
Heat: 0/30
Overheat Penalty: None
Heat Sinks: 12
Movement: 5/8/0
Mechwarrior: Pilot 5, Gunnery 4
Mechwarrior Name: Private Karan Stephanopoulos
Mechwarrior Player: BatteredFeltFedora
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
LRM-5 – RT (Heat: 2, Ammo: 23, Range: (L:21 M:14 S:7 Min:6), Status: OK!)
LRM-5 – LT (Heat: 2, Ammo: -, Range: (L:21 M:14 S:7 Min:6), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – CT (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – CT (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – HD (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Critical Damage: None!
Notes: 2 hands

M4) CDA-3C (field refit) Cicada
Weight: 40 tons (Class)
HD A(S): 9/9 (3/3)
LT A(S): 6/6 (10/10)
LT R A(S): 3/3
CT A(S): 11/11 (12/12)
CT R A(S): 6/6
RT A(S): 6/6 (10/10)
RT R A(S): 3/3
LA A(S): 4/4 (6/6)
RA A(S): 4/4 (6/6)
LL A(S): 6/6 (10/10)
RL A(S): 6/6 (10/10)
Heat: 3/30
Overheat Penalty: None
Heat Sinks: 11
Movement: 7/11/0
Mechwarrior: Pilot 4, Gunnery 4
Mechwarrior Name: PFC Stavros Andreou
Mechwarrior Player: Rhobot Mk. II
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
PPC – RT (Heat: 10, Range: (L:18 M:12 S:6 M:3), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – CT (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Small Laser – RL (Heat: 1, Range: (L:3 M:2 S:1), Status: OK!)
Small Laser – LL (Heat: 1, Range: (L:3 M:2 S:1), Status: OK!)
Critical Damage: None!
Notes: no arm actuators

M5) HER-1S Hermes
Weight: 30 tons (Light)
Mechwarrior Name: Lieutenant J.G. Lycoris Asker
Mechwarrior Player: LeschNyhan
Mechwarrior Status: Flash burns (3+), Killed in Action!
Notes: Destroyed!

M6) VAL-QA Valkyrie
Weight: 30 tons (Light)
HD A(S): 8/8 (3/3)
LT A(S): 7/12 (7/7)
LT R A(S): 2/2
CT A(S): 14/14 (10/10)
CT R A(S): 4/4
RT A(S): 7/12 (7/7)
RT R A(S): 2/2
LA A(S): 9/9 (5/5)
RA A(S): 9/9 (5/5)
LL A(S): 3/12 (7/7)
RL A(S): 12/12 (7/7)
Heat: 0/30
Overheat Penalty: None
Heat Sinks: 11
Movement: 5/8/5
Mechwarrior: Pilot 5, Gunnery 4
Mechwarrior Name: Corporal Hector Halas
Mechwarrior Player: GreyjoyBastard
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
Medium Laser –RA (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
LRM-10 – LT (Heat: 4, Ammo: 6, Range: (L:21 M:14 S:7 Min:6), Status: OK!)
Critical Damage: None!
Notes: 1 hand

M7) SDR-5V Spider
Weight: 30 tons (Light)
HD A(S): 1/6 (3/3)
LT A(S): 1/6 (7/7)
LT R A(S): 2/2
CT A(S): 8/8 (10/10)
CT R A(S): 4/4
RT A(S): 6/6 (7/7)
RT R A(S): 2/2
LA A(S): 0/5 (0/5)
RA A(S): 0/5 (5/5)
LL A(S): 6/6 (7/7)
RL A(S): 6/6 (7/7)
Heat: 0/30
Overheat Penalty: None
Heat Sinks: 10
Movement: 8/12/8
Mechwarrior: Pilot 5, Gunnery 4
Mechwarrior Name: PFC Flavian Gryphon
Mechwarrior Player: cafel
Mechwarrior Status: 2nd degree burns (3+)
Armament:
Medium Laser – CT (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – CT (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Critical Damage: Left Arm Blown Off!
Notes: 2 hands

M8) HMR-2M Hammer 2
Weight: 30 tons (Light)
HD A(S): 9/9 (3/3)
LT A(S): 0/10 (0/7)
LT R A(S): 4/4
CT A(S): 0/15 (7/10)
CT R A(S): 4/4
RT A(S): 10/10 (7/7)
RT R A(S): 4/4
LA A(S): 10/10 (5/5)
RA A(S): 10/10 (5/5)
LL A(S): 14/14 (7/7)
RL A(S): 14/14 (7/7)
Heat: 3/30
Overheat Penalty:
Heat Sinks: 12 11
Movement: 5/8/0
Mechwarrior: Pilot 5, Gunnery 4
Mechwarrior Name: Private Vernados Zane
Mechwarrior Player: Slaan
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
LRM-5 – RT (Heat: 2, Ammo: 21, Range: (L:21 M:14 S:7 Min:6), Status: OK!)
LRM-5 – LT (Heat: 2, Ammo: -, Range: (L:21 M:14 S:7 Min:6), Status: Destroyed!)
Medium Laser – CT (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – CT (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – HD (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Critical Damage: Gyro hit! Left arm blown off!
Notes: 2 hands





17th Arcturan Guards
A1) WLF-1 Wolfhound
Weight: 35 tons (Light)
Overheat Penalty: None
Movement: 6/9/0
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
Large Laser, 4x Medium Laser
Critical Damage: None!
Notes: 1 hand, Fleeing!

A2) COM-2D Commando
Weight: 25 tons (Light)
Overheat Penalty: None
Movement: 6/9/0
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
SRM-4, Medium Laser, SRM-6
Critical Damage: Left Upper Leg Actuator hit!
Notes: 2 hands, Fleeing!

A3) CLNT-2-3T Clint
Weight: 40 tons (Medium)
Overheat Penalty: None
Movement: 6/9/6
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
Autocannon/5, 2x Medium Laser
Critical Damage: Left Upper Leg Actuator hit, Left Foot hit!
Notes: 1 hand, Fleeing!

A4) BZK-F2 Hollander
Weight: 35 tons (Light)
Mechwarrior Status: KIA!
Notes: 2 hands

A5) B0C-13T Bobcat
Weight: 45 tons (Medium)
Overheat Penalty: None
Movement: 6/9/6
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
PPC, 2x Medium Laser, ???
Critical Damage: None!
Notes: 1 hand, ACE

A6) GRF-1S Griffin
Weight: 55 tons (Medium)
Overheat Penalty: None
Movement: 5/8/5
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
Large Laser, 2x Medium Laser, LRM-5
Critical Damage: None!
Notes: 2 hands

S1) WIL-3C Coyote
Weight: 65 tons (Heavy)
Overheat Penalty: None
Movement: 5/8/0
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
Unknown!
Critical Damage: None!
Notes: 1 hand

S2) JKR-10R Jackrabbit
Weight: 25 tons (Light)
Overheat Penalty: None
Movement: 6/9/0
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
Unknown!
Critical Damage: None!
Notes: 1 hand