Part 652: Retaking Sirdar - Turn 9

Retaking Sirdar Update 9

“They’re pulling back,” Corporal Daniels’ face dripped with sweat as the Marauder-like Capellan heavy he’d been chasing turned his way—then leapt over his head on roaring jump jets. The call was a relief, but they could still lose people if the Captain ordered them to continue. The company had been battered, but they’d done their jobs. The enemy’s artillery spotters were smoking wrecks or in full retreat. The Capellans could still punish them if they’d cared to, but a couple of lances of `Mechs couldn’t oppose a regimental landing. If they stuck around, there was a good chance they’d be wiped out.

“Let them go,” Captain Dancey transmitted. “Only fire if they do.”

“Hoo,” Daniels came about, watching the Capellans withdraw. Both sides seemed to have decided that the rapidly-running creek was a good enough boundary for the time being. Territory didn’t matter too much in a `Mech war, unless it was something both sides had decided to fight over. At least, that’s what the instructors always said. The best way to protect something really vital was to keep your forces well away from it in the hopes that the enemy would be more interested in engaging your troops than destroying industry or population centers. The Ares conventions always seemed like they were on such shaky ground these days.

Perhaps that was the price they’d paid to secede from the Federated Suns?








Shooting Phase
Hunchback (Player)
- Attacks Galleon A (4 skill + 2 TMM + 2 range = 8): rolled 8, hit! 4 damage sustained! Combat Vehicle Destroyed!

Watchman (Player)
- Attacks Jinggau (4 skill + 2 TMM + 0 range + 2 jumped = 8): rolled 7, miss! Lucky!
- - Rerolled attack: rolled 6, miss!

Shadow Hawk (Player)
- No orders received!

Blackjack (Player)
- No orders received!

Warhammer (Player)
- Attacks Jinggau (4 skill + 2 TMM + 0 range + 1 woods = 7): rolled 7, hit! 3 damage sustained!

Marauder (Player)
- Attacks Men Shen (4 skill + 3 TMM + 2 range + 2 jumped - 1 jumping jack = 10): rolled 7, miss!

Grasshopper (Player)
- Holds fire!

Scarabus (Player)
- Attacks Jinggau (4 skill + 2 TMM + 2 range + 2 woods = 10): rolled 11, hit! 1 damage sustained!

Wolfhound (Player)
- Holds fire!

Spider (Player)
- Attacks Cyclops (4 skill + 1 TMM + 2 range + 2 woods = 9): rolled 5, miss!

Crusader Prime
- Holds fire!

Men Shen Prime
- Attacks Marauder (4 skill + 2 TMM + 2 range = 8): rolled 10, hit! 4 damage sustained!

Jinggau
- Attacks Hunchback (4 skill + 1 TMM + 0 range + 1 woods = 6): rolled 10, hit! 4 damage sustained! 3 Crits! Forced to Withdraw!

Lao Hu
- Attacks Watchman (4 skill + 3 TMM + 2 range = 9): rolled 8, miss!

Cyclops
- Attacks Watchman (4 skill + 3 TMM + 2 range = 9): rolled 6, miss!

Stalker
- Holds fire!

Sha Yu
- Holds fire!

Vindicator
- Attacks Watchman (4 skill + 3 TMM + 2 range - 1 stationary = 8): rolled 6, miss!



End Phase:
Hunchback
- Critical chance: rolled 10, Fire Control hit!
- Critical chance: rolled 6, Weapon hit!
- Critical chance: rolled 10, Fire Control hit!








Player Status:






Opposing Force Status:





Special Rules
Forced Withdrawal - `Mechs and Vehicles which suffer more than 50% structure damage will automatically attempt to retreat off the nearest friendly board edge. Units with only 1 point of structure will withdraw if all of their armor is destroyed.



Primary Objectives
Primary Objectives
- Destroy or Drive Off All Enemy Scouts (Complete)
or
- Destroy or Drive Off All Enemy `Mechs (5/12 destroyed)



After-Action Report:
That's the turn count I was expecting, although this could've lasted another couple of turns. This mission was designed to let the players complete one objective but not both--the enemy `Mech forces could have been swarmed under with a hard early push, but it would've meant allowing the scouts to escape, while allowing the scouts to come for them put the players into a war of attrition with the enemy `Mechs they couldn't win. I might have over-tuned the OpForce a little too much, it's harder to judge as I'm less familiar with Alpha Strike than I am standard play. I don’t know if I’m going to run another Alpha Strike game, if I do it probably won't be any time soon. I love it in person, but it’s much less ‘hype’ on the net. I will almost certainly be stealing some of the pilot SPAs to help improve weaker player `mechs in the future.

Players and posters please let me know what you thought of the game, and as usual, MVP votes.