Part 600: Gravedigger - Turn 4

Grave Digger: Tactical Update 4

“And wherever Scarback is, the Sand Raiders aren’t long in following. They worship it—sacrifice their elderly to it. I’ve seen it myself.” old man Vohrs groused, his voice as grating as a nap in a rock tumbler. From her lounge chair atop her Bulldog, Chastity could see the old coot was right. The Sand Raiders were an odd bunch, equal parts luddites and gun crazies. The only things they seemed to care about were riding the young Sand Whales they tamed and shooting one another—and anything else that got in their way. Even they couldn’t ride a full-grown Sand Whale, but they guarded the young ones jealously and had probably—probably—killed more people than the voracious Sand Whales themselves.

Maybe.

“Chastity!” Krel roared, “stop lollygagging! I’m stopping to let you catch up. Don’t make me wait for you again, or next time I leave you behind and give your share to the wannabe `Mech jock!”

Chastity flipped the distant Desert Hawg the bird. She wasn’t that far behind—she’d have caught up in no time! But that fool Krell didn’t think so. She popped the commander’s hatch atop her Bulldog’s turret and snaked her way inside.

“You heard the man,” she berated her crew. “Get our shit in gear!”


PTN's note: My apologies for the sub-par fiction this time, I got stuck doing overtime these past few days due to illnesses at work, so I'm a bit tired.








Shooting Phase
Marsden II (Player)
- Fires Autocannon/5 at Galleon (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 2 minimum range = 10): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires Machine Gun at Galleon (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires Machine Gun at Galleon (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 11, hit Left Side (11/13 armor remaining)! CfMSD!
- Fires SRM-6 (Deadfire) at Galleon (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 10, 4 missiles hit Rear (11/14 armor remaining), Turret (9/18 armor remaining), Rear (8/14 armor remaining), Rear (5/14 armor remaining)!
- Fires SRM-6 (Deadfire) at Galleon (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 6, miss!

Goblin Medium Tank "Diamondback" (Player)
- Fires Heavy Chemical Laser at Galleon (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 8, hit 8 (0/14 armor, 0/3 structure remaining)! Vehicle destroyed!
- Fires Heavy Chemical Laser at Galleon (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires Machine Gun at Galleon (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 8): rolled 6, miss!

Bulldog Medium Tank (Player)
- No Line of Sight to primary target!
- Secondary target already destroyed!

Thor Artillery Vehicle "Exhumer" (Player)
- Fires Flamer at Rotunda (4 base + 4 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 13): automatic miss!

Dig Lord “Sancho Panzer” (Player)
- Holds fire!
- Gains 0 heat, sinks 3!

Vedette
- Fires Autocannon/5 at Thor (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 10): rolled 10, hit Front (39/44 armor remaining)!

Galleon
- Fires Medium Laser at Goblin “Diamondback” (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 10): rolled 3, miss! PTN’s note: this would’ve been a turret auto-crit if it’d hit!



Physical Combat Phase:
Scarback
- Rams Vedette (4 base - 1 opposed driving + 3 enemy movement = 6): rolled 7, hit Front (12/20 armor remaining)!








Player Status:




Ally Status:




Opposing Force Status:




Special Rules
Drifting: Vehicles may shift one column to the left or right during the movement phase without expending an MP to turn, provided the move does not cross through an enemy unit or terrain that would cost additional MP. Adjacent vehicles may be rammed for low damage with a sideswipe and lighter vehicles may be knocked off course next turn!
Half-Height Terrain: All terrain features rise to only half their normal height. Vehicles behind a height 1 hill may still attack and be attacked, but may only receive damage to their turrets. Vehicles without turrets are hidden as normal. Hills only cost 1 MP to climb rather than the additional 2. BattleMech and IndustrialMech units treat height 1 hexes as if they are clear terrain, height 2 as if they are height 1, etc.
Oases: Oases are surrounded by boggy soil that will trap ground vehicles and may attract native fauna.
Mirages: Heat shimmer can make water appear where there is none. Mirages may be driven through safely but may hide other features.
Redline the Engines: The Desert Hawg’s speed cannot be reduced by damage or critical hits.



Primary Objectives
- Protect the Desert Hawg (0/1)
- Disable or destroy the Devil’s Due (0/1)
- Don't make the Desert Hawg wait (2/3)

Secondary Objectives
- Drive away or destroy Scarback (0/1)
- Destroy the ???? (0/1)



Orders Due: Midnight Tuesday!