Part 404: Ultimatum - Turn 30
Ultimatum: Tactical Update 30“Inner Sphere coward!” The final remaining non-disabled enemy machine, a curiously redesigned Atlas II, strode forward as though it were the king of the battlefield. Commander Alice—callsign Mandanau-3—would never have admitted that she still felt a bit of respect for the venerable design. It was strong and powerful and took every step with a pride that could only have been programmed in at the factory. Although a BattleMech was a BattleMech, it was hardly a wonder that some superstitious pilots attributed personalities to their machines: that their quirks were actually factory-intended confidence boosters or the result of battle damage or bugs induced by long-term lack of maintenance in a decaying pseudo-neural microprocessor array rather than some learned, instinctive animal cunning didn’t matter to those pilots.
On more than one occasion, Alice had heard machines described as ‘timid’ after a bad hit to a leg had necessitated a limb replacement. The DI Computer’s reaction to new parts was never a certain one, as a few micrometers difference here or there could throw off sensors and suddenly a machine that’d never had trouble charging an enemy formation would suddenly develop half-an-instant of hesitation when the cockpit’s foot pedals were depressed. The technicians never noticed and rarely cared to double-check: after all, the machines would always check out fine with all parts were in working order. But a pilot who had to rely on a war machine would always notice. Battle damage weighed down on a machine’s “soul,” so to speak.
Even her Hogzilla, a colloquial name born from the design’s original battlefield role as a heavy tank hunter after some amateur historian had compared its standard armament of a gauss rifle and six ultralight 50mm autocannons to that of some ancient warplane, was only forty years old. Compared to an Atlas that’d likely seen service alongside Kerensky himself, it was a child. A hundred-ton giant, metal child. She could hardly blame the machine for being a little “arrogant” for surviving so long.
Alice wasn’t normally superstitious, although most pilots or former-pilots of the Minnesota 331st were ascribed to be more prone to such “flights of fancy” than most other Rim World units. Even so, in the heat of battle Alice thought most of her Blackguard comrades would’ve thought the enemy Atlas an arrogant one. It was easy to become a believer on the battlefield, even if one did choose to laugh off such things afterwards.
The Atlas’s massive battle fist rose, finger curling to point at Alice’s machine. “Barbarian, face me!” the pilot roared, his voice distorted to near unintelligibility by her ECM’s attempt to shut him up. “Cease this dishonorable nonsense and face me as a true warrior in one-on-one combat!”
Her left eyebrow twitched involuntarily. Warrior. Now there was a word she hated. Men and women who styled themselves “warriors” always knew how to fight and sometimes even fought well but they rarely knew anything of actual war. War was a game to a warrior, nothing more, and with a surge of defiance Alice thumbed her transmitter in the same instant she opened fire on the bulky machine.
She said only, “No.”
Combat Phase
Dire Wolf H
- No orders received!
- Gains 0 heat, sinks 40!
Atlas IIC
- Fires Hyper-Assault Gauss Rifle 40 at Hogzilla (2 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 minimum range + 2 Void Signature System - 1 Short Range HAG = 5): rolled 2, miss!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Hogzilla (2 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 minimum range + 2 Void Signature System = 6): rolled 8, hit Right Leg (30/37 armor remains)!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Hogzilla (2 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 minimum range + 2 Void Signature System = 6): rolled 4, miss!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Hogzilla (2 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 minimum range + 2 Void Signature System = 6): rolled 9, hit Left Torso (24/31 armor remains)!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Hogzilla (2 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 minimum range + 2 Void Signature System = 6): rolled 9, hit Center Torso (38/45 armor remains)!
- Fires Streak SRM-6 at Hogzilla (2 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 minimum range + 2 Void Signature System = 6): rolled 3, fails to lock-on!
- Fires Streak SRM-6 at Hogzilla (2 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 minimum range + 2 Void Signature System = 6): rolled 5, fails to lock-on!
- Gains 30 heat, sinks 38!
Crab (ACE)
- Fires ER Large Laser at Atlas IIC (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 heat = 6): rolled 6, hit Left Arm (24/33 armor remains)!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Atlas IIC (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 heat – 2 Pulse Laser = 4): rolled 6, hit Right Leg (31/41 armor remains)! TAC!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Atlas IIC (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 heat – 2 Pulse Laser = 4): rolled 8, hit Right Arm (18/33 armor remains)!
- Fires ER Small Laser at Atlas IIC (2 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 heat = 8): rolled 8, hit Center Torso (36/46 armor remains)!
- Gains 34 heat sinks 34! Overheating! ACE!
Hogzilla (ACE)
- Fires Plasma Rifle at Atlas IIC (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 smoke + 1 heat + 1 Void Signature System = 8): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires LB-10X Autocannon (Slug) at Atlas IIC (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 smoke + 1 heat + 1 Void Signature System = 8): rolled 9, hit Center Torso (26/46 armor remains)!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Atlas IIC (2 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 smoke + 1 heat + 1 Void Signature System - 2 pulse laser = 8): rolled 6, miss!
- Gains 27 heat, sinks 26! Overheating! ACE!
Hogzilla
- Fires Gauss Rifle at Atlas IIC (2 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 minimum range = 5): rolled 6, hit Right Leg (16/42 armor remains)!
- Fires Light PPC w/ PPC Capacitor (charged) at Atlas IIC (2 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 1 enemy movement + 2 minimum range = 6): rolled 6, hit Right Arm (8/33 armor remains)!
- Fires Light PPC w/ PPC Capacitor (charged) at Atlas IIC (2 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 1 enemy movement + 2 minimum range = 6): rolled 6, hit Right Torso (2/32 armor remains)!
- Fires Plasma Rifle at Atlas IIC (2 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 1 enemy movement = 4): rolled 5, hit Right Leg (6/42 armor remains)! Atlas IIC gains 6 heat!
- Gains 42 heat, sinks 32! Overheating! ACE!
Longbow
- Holds fire!
- Gains 2 heat, sinks 26!
Longbow
- Holds fire!
- Gains 2 heat, sinks 26!
Longbow
- Holds fire!
- Gains 10 heat, sinks 26!
Thug
- Holds fire!
- Gains 2 heat, sinks 26!
Black Knight
- Holds fire!
- Gains 10 heat, sinks 36!
Black Knight
- Holds fire!
- Gains 10 heat, sinks 36!
Excalibur
- Fires Gauss Rifle at Ice Ferret D (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement - 4 enemy movement + 1 Void Signature System = 1): automatically hit Center Torso (4/19 armor remains)!
- Gains 10 heat, sinks 22!
Excalibur
- Holds fire!
- Gains 10 heat, sinks 22!
Coyote
- Fires ER Large Laser at Arctic Cheetah Prime (2 base + 2 range + 1 movement - 4 enemy movement + 1 Void Signature System = 3): rolled 8, hit Center Torso (0/8 armor remains)!
- Gains 24 heat, sinks 28!
Coyote
- Fires ER Large Laser at Arctic Cheetah Prime (2 base + 2 range + 1 movement - 4 enemy movement + 1 Void Signature System = 3): rolled 5, hit Center Torso (2/10 structure remains)! Crit!
- Gains 24 heat, sinks 28!
Coyote
- Fires ER Large Laser at Arctic Cheetah Prime (2 base + 2 range + 1 movement - 4 enemy movement + 1 Void Signature System = 3): rolled 10, hit Center Torso (0/10 structure remains)! `Mech destroyed!
- Gains 24 heat, sinks 28!
Coyote
- Holds fire!
- Gains 12 heat, sinks 28!
Coyote
- Holds fire!
- Gains 12 heat, sinks 28!
Phoenix
- Fires Variable Speed Large Pulse Laser at Ice Ferret D (2 base + 0 range + 0 movement - 4 enemy movement + 1 Void Signature System - 2 pulse laser = -3): automatically hit Center Torso (0/19 armor, 7/14 structure remains)! Crit!
- Gains 20 heat, sinks 30!
Bobcat
- Fires Snub-Nose PPC w/ PPC Capacitor (drained) at Ice Ferret D (2 base + 0 range + 0 movement - 4 enemy movement + 1 Void Signature System = -1): automatically hit Center Torso (0/19 armor, 7/14 structure remains)! `Mech destroyed!
- Gains 20 heat, sinks 24!
Locust
- Holds fire!
- Gains 2 heat, sinks 28!
End Phase:
Atlas IIC
- Through-armor critical chance in Right Leg! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - Hip damaged!
- - Double Heat Sink destroyed!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (2 base + 2 hip damaged + 1 massive damage = 5): rolled 6, succeeds!
Special Rules
Overheat Ace: The Rim World Blackguard gain Ace status when they overheat by 10 points or more!
Blind: Enemy units are only visible in direct Line of Sight
Hidden Units: Some enemy units remain hidden until they attack. Additionally, units equipped with Void Signature Systems may expend a turn’s movement to hide themselves if they are not in direct line of sight.
Expect Surprises: When the players lose their Phase 1 units, they will gain control of a powerful Phase 2 unit. When the players lose their Phase 2 unit, they will still have a chance to influence the outcome of the battle with a Phase 3 unit. Some of these units start on the map, others will enter from elsewhere.Player Status:
Glorious Deaths
Primary Objective:
- Defend Clan HQ Vehicles (0/3 remaining)
Secondary Objective
- Defeat as many enemy `Mechs as possible (17/39 defeated)
- Defend Clan Personnel (11 tents remain! )
- Defend Clan Equipment (11/36 units remaining)
Enemy Status / Movement Mods:
Command Lance
Unknown Assault “Amaris Pattern” #1 – Active +ACE
Coyote #6 – Active +2
Bobcat #1 – Destroyed
Assault Lance
Unknown Assault “Blackguard Pattern” #1 – Active +ACE
Unknown Assault “Blackguard Pattern” #2 – Active +2
Thug #1 – Destroyed
Thug #2 – Active +0
Battle Lance 1
Excalibur #1 – Active +1
Excalibur #2 – Active +2
Black Knight #1 – Active +2
Black Knight #2 – Active +2
Battle Lance 2 (I forgot the Coyotes all had Targeting Computers. Whoops!)
Coyote #1 – Active +2
Coyote #2 – Active +2
Coyote #3 – Active +2
Coyote #4 – Active +1
Battle Lance 3
Coyote #5 – Retreated
Hunchback #1 – Destroyed
Talon #1 – Destroyed
Chameleon #1 – Destroyed
Pursuit Lance
Bobcat #2 – Active +0
Bobcat #3 – Destroyed
Phoenix #1 – Active +0
Phoenix #2 – Destroyed
Strategic Reserve Lance
Chameleon #2 – Destroyed
Chameleon #3 – Destroyed
Crab #2 – Active +3
Hunchback #2 – Destroyed
Scout Lance 1
Stinger #1 – Destroyed
Stinger #2 – Destroyed
Stinger #3 – Destroyed
Stinger #4 – Destroyed
Scout Lance 2
Locust #1 – Destroyed
Locust #2 – Active +3
Locust #3 – Destroyed
Locust #4 – Destroyed
Support Lance
Longbow #1 – Destroyed
Longbow #2 – Active +1
Longbow #3 – Active +0
Longbow #4 – Active +0
Orders Due: Saturday Night! (Wednesday’s update will be skipped due to RL concerns)