Part 453: King of the Pirates - Turn 23

King of the Pirates: Tactical Update 23

The Blackjack and King Crab fell in unison, the white-hot barrels of the Blackjack’s machineguns trailing smoke as its mangled leg gave way. The collapse was so sudden, so complete that the Blackjack’s pilot didn’t have a moment to react as the heavy duty restraints holding the pilot in his command couch gave way on impact. Thomas Gunn’s flight was short and abruptly interrupted by the ground as his machine threw him free as it bounced once before finally settling.

The King Crab’s woes were different, though no less severe. Gutted by incoming fire, the pilot had done everything to try to take at least one machine with it and had paid for her temerity when a dozen pirates cut out her machine’s fusion-powered heart. The `Mech’s fusion engine didn’t explode when it lost containment, the power simply died—and with it the machine died as well.

The pilot would be next, Redjack Ryan promised as he watched the tableau. He had no use for failures.







Combat Phase
Charger (Player)
- Holds fire!
- Gains 2 heat, sinks 10!

Catapult (Player)
- Fires SRM-4 at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 Fear = 4): rolled 8, 3 missiles hit Rear Right Torso (3/10 armor remaining), Rear Left Torso (4/10 armor remaining), Right Arm (17/33 armor remaining)!
- Fires SRM-4 at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 Fear = 4): rolled 4, 3 missiles hit Right Arm (15/33 armor remaining), Left Arm (8/33 armor remaining), Left Leg (10/34 armor remaining)!
- Fires SRM-4 at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 Fear = 4): rolled 7, 2 missiles hit Rear Center Torso (22/31 structure remaining (Crit!)), Rear Center Torso (20/31 structure remaining (Crit!))!
- Fires SRM-4 at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 Fear = 4): rolled 9, 3 missiles hit Rear Center Torso (18/31 armor remaining (Crit!)), Left Arm (6/33 armor remaining), Left Leg (8/34 armor remaining)!
- Fires SRM-4 at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 Fear = 4): rolled 8, 3 missiles hit Left Leg (6/34 armor remaining), Right Arm (13/33 armor remaining), Left Arm (4/33 armor remaining)!
- Gains 17 heat, sinks 28!

Hunchback (Player)
- Holds fire
- Gains 0 heat, sinks 13!

Warhammer (Player)
- Fires ER PPC at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement = 3): rolled 6, hit Left Torso (9/29 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Laser at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement = 3): rolled 7, hit Left Leg (1/34 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Laser at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement = 3): rolled 11, hit Right Arm (8/33 armor remaining)!
- Fires Inferno SRM-6 at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement = 3): rolled 10, 3 missiles generate 6 heat!
- Gains 31 heat, sinks 34!

Centurion (Player)
- Fires Medium Laser at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 5): rolled 10, hit Right Arm (3/33 armor remaining)!
- Fires SRM-6 at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 5): rolled 7, 4 missiles hit Left Arm (2/33 armor remaining), Right Arm (1/33 armor remaining), Right Arm (0/33 armor, 16/17 structure remaining (Crit!)), Right Leg (20/34 armor remaining)!
- Fires SRM-6 at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 5): rolled 11, 6 missiles hit Right Torso (27/29 armor remaining), Right Torso (25/29 armor remaining), Right Leg (18/34 armor remaining), Center Torso (27/39 armor remaining), Right Leg (16/34 armor remaining), Center Torso (25/39 armor remaining)!
- Fires SRM-6 at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 5): rolled 2, miss!
- Fires SRM-6 at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 5): rolled 11, 2 missiles hit Left Arm (0/33 armor remaining), Center Torso (23/39 armor remaining),!
- Gains 21 heat, sinks 12!

Battle Cobra (Player)
- Fires Large Pulse Laser at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement - 2 pulse laser = 1): rolled 7, hit Rear Right Torso (0/10 armor, 14/21 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at King Crab (3 base 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement - 2 pulse laser = 1): rolled 7, hit Rear Left Torso (0/10 armor, 19/21 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Gains 16 heat, sinks 28!

Clint (Player)
-Torso-twists to threaten hex 2004!
- No Line of Sight to primary target!
- Secondary target does not exist!
- No Line of Sight to tertiary target!
- Gains 2 heat, sinks 14!

Blackjack (Player)
- Fires Medium Laser at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 7, hit Rear Center Torso (13/31 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Medium Laser at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 3, miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 7, hit Rear Left Torso (16/21 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Medium Laser at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 7, hit Right Arm (11/17 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 4, miss!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 7, hit Rear Center Torso (11/31 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 8, hit Left Arm (15/17 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 8, hit Left Arm (13/17 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 7, hit Rear Right Torso (12/21 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 8, hit Rear Center Torso (9/31 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 8, hit Left Arm (11/17 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 8, hit Rear Right Torso (10/21 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 8, hit Rear Right Torso (8/21 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 8, hit Rear Center Torso (7/31 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 8, hit Left Arm (9/17 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 7, hit Right Leg (14/34 armor remaining)!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 9, hit Rear Center Torso (5/31 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 10, hit Rear Right Torso (6/21 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires Machine Gun at King Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 sensor hit = 7): rolled 4, miss!
- Gains 14 heat, sinks 13!

King Crab
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1511!
- Fires Large Laser at Warhammer (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement = 3): rolled 10, hit Left Arm (14/22 armor remaining)!
- Fires Large Laser at Warhammer (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement = 3): rolled 5, hit Center Torso (12/34 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Laser at Warhammer (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement = 3): rolled 6, hit Left Torso (17/22 armor remaining)!
- Fires Small Laser at Warhammer (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement = 3): rolled 7, hit Center Torso (9/34 armor remaining)!
- Fires Small Laser at Warhammer (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement = 3): rolled 8, hit Center Torso (6/34 armor remaining)!
- Fires Small Pulse Laser at Warhammer (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement - 2 pulse laser = 1): rolled 7, hit Right Torso (6/22 armor remaining)!
- Fires Small Pulse Laser at Warhammer (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement - 2 pulse laser = 1): rolled 7, hit Left Torso (14/22 armor remaining)!
- Fires Large Laser at Blackjack (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement + 1 secondary target = 4): rolled 10, hit Right Leg (0/17 armor, 10/11 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Large Laser at Blackjack (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement + 1 secondary target = 4): rolled 12, hit Right Leg (2/11 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Medium Laser at Blackjack (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement + 1 secondary target = 4): rolled 6, hit Left Arm (1/12 armor remaining)!
- Fires Small Laser at Blackjack (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement + 1 secondary target = 4): rolled 10, hit Right Arm (9/12 armor remaining)!
- Fires Small Pulse Laser at Blackjack (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement + 1 secondary target - 2 pulse laser = 2): rolled 6, hit Center Torso (10/18 armor remaining)!
- Fires Small Pulse Laser at Blackjack (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 target movement + 1 secondary target - 2 pulse laser = 2): rolled 8, hit Center Torso (7/18 armor remaining)!
- Gains 57 heat, sinks 44!



End Phase:
King Crab
- Critical chance in Center Torso! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - XL Engine Hit!
- - XL Engine Hit!
- Critical chance in Center Torso! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - XL Engine destroyed! `Mech destroyed!
- - XL Engine hit!
- Critical chance in Center Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Right Arm! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Right Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Left Torso! 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Double Heat Sink hit!
- Critical chance in Center Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Left Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Right Arm! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - Small Pulse Laser hit!
- - Large Laser hit!
- Critical chance in Center Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Left Arm! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - Medium Laser hit!
- - Large Laser hit!
- Critical chance in Left Arm! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Right Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Center Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Left Arm! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Right Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Right Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Center Torso! 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Gyro hit!
- Critical chance in Left Arm! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - Medium laser destroyed!
- - Small Pulse Laser hit!
- Critical chance in Center Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Right Torso! No critical hits sustained!

Warhammer
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (2 base + 1 massive damage = 3): rolled 4, succeeds!

Blackjack
- Critical chance in Right Leg! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - Hip damaged!
- - Upper Leg Actuator damaged!
- Critical chance in Right Leg! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - Foot damaged!
- - Lower Leg Actuator damaged!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (6 base + 2 hip damage + 1 upper leg actuator damage + 1 lower leg actuator damage + 1 foot damage + 1 massive damage = 12): rolled 2, failed!
- - Suffers damage in the fall to Right Torso (8/15 armor remaining)
- Attempts to avoid pilot damage (6 base + 2 hip damage + 1 upper leg actuator damage + 1 lower leg actuator damage + 1 foot damage + 1 massive damage + 2 avoiding pilot damage = 14): rolled 11, failed!
- Must pass a 9+ consciousness test: rolled 8, failed!








Final Player Status:


Final Opposing Force Status:




Mission Objective:
Defeat all enemies!

Secondary Objectives:
Individual Sub-Objectives Completed (6/11)



After-Action Report:
Well, that was brutal but about what I expected. There’s a point when you just have to go down shooting, and no trickle of randomly-rolled reinforcements could’ve stopped this. The players did really well never letting me seize the initiative, and due to some unlucky rolling and some excellent player maneuvering my plans for a slow retreat into slowly-increasing forces never manifested. Well played, guys, you completely demolished me.

Time for the usual MVP votes!