Part 601: Gravedigger - Turn 5

Grave Digger: Tactical Update 5

Grim and silent, Cantankerous Mehrens practically oozed an aura of volatile authority as he sat in the Exhumer’s command chair. His hand rested on the “two thirds” mask that covered his mouth and the the left side of his face. Faint puckering from the horrendous burn scars beneath dotted his forehead, and his long hair fell limp about his shoulders. The Exhumer’s crew cabin was sweltering at the best of times, a faulty heat regulator vented some of the fusion engine’s waste heat directly into the rear of the compartment. Only opening all the hatches could give the crew a measure of relief, but Mehrens had them bolted tightly closed in anticipation of real combat.

His right eye twitched involuntarily as he stared at the distant Vedette—and he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood in eager anticipation. He longed to feel the Exhumer’s massive dual saw bite into heavy ceramet, or to watch armor plating buckle and shatter into crystalline shards when he brought the backhoe down on its lightly armored top. The Sand Whale he paid little mind, the Thor would typically have no trouble outrunning such a cumbersome creature—but Mehrens had miscalculated.

Fully thirty tons heavier than any Sand Whale on record, Scarback was closer than it looked. The canny beast threw itself forward and in the same motion carved itself a trench in the sand, burying itself up to the armor plates in a matter of seconds. The long, corkscrew horn protruding from the center of its beetle-like brow struck the Exhumer from below and for a brief moment both of the left-side wheels left the ground. Mehrens spun the driver’s wheel, slewing the front of the vehicle to the right and slamming the left wheels back to the ground. The whirring, hungry blades of the dual saw struck a gout of sparks and blood from Scarback’s head, but the monstrous creature didn’t even seem phased.

“Get the convoy back in gear!” Mehrens warned. Their entire run would be all over if the ravenous Sand Whale managed to flip the Desert Hawg!








Movement Phase
Scarback
- Burrows underground!



Shooting Phase
Marsden II (Player)
- Fires Autocannon/5 at Vedette (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 9): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires SRM-6 (Deadfire) at Vedette (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 11): rolled 11, 3 missiles hit Right Side (15/18 armor remaining (CfMSD!)), Turret (17/20 armor remaining), 2 (12/18 armor remaining (Crit!))!
- Fires SRM-6 (Deadfire) at Vedette (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement = 11): rolled 8, miss!

Goblin Medium Tank "Diamondback" (Player)
- Fires Heavy Chemical Laser at Sand Raider Bull Riders (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 8): rolled 11, hit! 1 trooper killed!
- Fires Heavy Chemical Laser at Sand Raider Bull Riders (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 8): rolled 3, miss!

Bulldog Medium Tank (Player)
- No Line of Sight to primary target!
- Fires Heavy Rifle at Vedette (3 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement + 1 light woods = 11): rolled 11, hit Turret (11/20 armor remaining)!

Thor Artillery Vehicle "Exhumer" (Player)
- Holds fire!

Dig Lord “Sancho Panzer” (Player)
- Fires Autocannon/10 at Sand Raider Bull Riders (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 8): rolled 4, miss!
- Fires Light Machine Gun at Sand Raider Bull Riders (4 base + 4 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 10): rolled 9, miss!
- Fires Light Machine Gun at Sand Raider Bull Riders (4 base + 4 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 10): rolled 11, hit! No troopers killed!
- Fires Light Machine Gun at Sand Raider Bull Riders (4 base + 4 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 10): rolled 4, miss!
- Fires Light Machine Gun at Sand Raider Bull Riders (4 base + 4 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 10): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires Light Machine Gun at Sand Raider Bull Riders (4 base + 4 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 10): rolled 6, miss!
- Gains 3 heat, sinks 3!

Vedette
- Fires Autocannon/5 at Marsden II (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement = 7): rolled 5, miss!

Rotunda Armored Car
- Holds fire!

Sand Raider Bull Riders
- Attack Vedette (3 base + 0 range + 3 enemy movement = 6): rolled 10, 6 troopers hit Turret (6/20 armor remaining), Front (15/20 armor remaining (CfMSD)), Right Side (11/18 armor remaining (CfMSD))!



End Phase
Vedette
- Chance for Motive System Damage: rolled 11, Heavy damage sustained, speed halved!
- Critical chance in Right Side: rolled 11, Engine hit, vehicle immobilized! Turret locked to right arc!
- Chance for Motive System Damage: rolled 9, Moderate damage, speed reduced!
- Chance for Motive System Damage: rolled 12, Major damage, vehicle immobilized!



Physical Combat Phase:
Scarback
- Attempts to flip Thor Artillery Vehicle (4 base + 0 opposed driving + 2 enemy movement + 2 blind attack = 8): rolled 10, hit Front (31/44 armor remaining)!

Thor Artillery Vehicle
- Remember to send secondary orders with ace units on the field!
- Accidentally attacks Scarback with Dual Saw (4 base + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 0 dual saw = 6): rolled 12, hit (??/?? hp remaining)!



End Phase:
Thor Artillery Vehicle
- Must pass a driving test (4 base + 2 successful flip attempt = 6): rolled 8, succeeds and remains upright!








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)

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



Orders Due: Midnight Saturday!