The Let's Play Archive

Battletech

by PoptartsNinja

Part 38: Hostage Situation - Turn 15

Hostage Situation: Tactical Update 15

Movement Phase
Capellans Kill Them All! Rolled (6 + 1) 7! 5 hostages killed!



Combat Phase:

TP Tech Platoon clears minefield!

SS Rifleman holds fire!
SS Rifleman gains 1 heat, sinks 10! Now at Overheat 10! +1 penalty to hit, movement reduced to 2/4/0!

Sw Wolverine fires large laser at D4 Blackjack (3 base + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 0 range + 1 overheat = 8): rolled 10, hit left arm (0/7 structure remains), 3 damage transfers to left torso (7/15 armor remains)!
Sw Wolverine fires SRM6 at D4 Blackjack (3 base + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 2 range + 1 overheat = 10): rolled 9, miss!
Sw Wolverine gains 21 heat, sinks 14! Now at Overheat 16! Movement reduced to 2/3/3, +2 penalty to hit! Chance to shut down!

S3 Scout Company fires at H1 Death Commando Snipers (3 base + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement + 3 range = 7): rolled 9, hit for 13 damage! 7 damage absorbed by heavy building, H1 Snipers takes 6 damage! 5 troopers killed! H1 Death Commando Snipers destroyed!

FY Lancelot fires PPC at D4 Blackjack (4 base + 1 movement + 2 enemy movement + 0 range = 7): rolled 6, miss!
FY Lancelot fires Large Laser at D4 Blackjack (4 base + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement + 0 range = 7): rolled 4, miss!
FY Lancelot fires Large Laser at D4 Blackjack (4 base + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement + 0 range = 7): rolled 7, hit left torso (0/15 armor, 10/11 structure remains)! Critical chance!
FY Lancelot fires Medium Laser at D4 Blackjack (4 base + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement + 0 range = 7): rolled 11, hit right arm (0/7 structure remains), 4 damage transfers to right torso (3/15 armor remains)!
FY Lancelot gains 30 heat, sinks 26! Now at Overheat 8! Movement reduced to 5/8/0, +1 penalty to hit!

D4 Blackjack fires medium laser at SS Rifleman (3 base + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement + 0 range = 6): rolled 3, miss!
D4 Blackjack fires medium laser at SS Rifleman (3 base + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement + 0 range = 6): rolled 7, hit right leg (2/12 armor remains)!
D4 Blackjack gains 10 heat, sinks 11!

I1 militia platoon fires at SS Rifleman (5 base + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement + 0 range = 6): rolled 9, hit left torso (10/15 armor remains), center torso (8/22 armor remains), right torso (13/15 armor remains)!



End Phase
Tech Platoon clears mine in hex 1209!

Sw Wolverine must roll a 4+ to avoid shutdown: rolls 7, succeeds!

D4 Blackjack critical chance in left torso! Suffers 2 critical hits!
Heat Sink destroyed!
Medium Laser destroyed!

D4 Blackjack must make a piloting roll or fall (4 base + 1 massive damage + 1 injury = 6): rolled 4, fails! D4 Blackjack falls into hex 0705! D4 Blackjack suffers 15 damage! Right torso (0/15 armor, 9/11 structure remains), right leg (12/17 armor remains), center torso (8/18 armor remains)! Critical chance!
Pilot hit!
D4 Blackjack must make a 5+ consciousness roll! Rolled 3, fails!

D4 Blackjack critical chance in right torso! No critical hits sustained!



Physical Combat Phase:
SS Rifleman kicks I1 Militia (not technically legal, gets a ‘pass’ because it’s funny) (4 base + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement -2 kick + 3 kicking the dog infantry = 6): rolled 12, hit!
I1 Militia takes (12 x2) 24 damage! 18 troopers killed! I1 Militia destroyed!



End Phase:



They were in the open, the infantry that had taken the kids hostage! Annie didn’t hesitate, let out an inchoate screech and lunged. The cloven feet of her Rifleman smashing between them and their intended destination: the door to one of the out of the way buildings the ‘Lleros had commandeered to house their non-coms. ‘Mech venting heat and steaming like the devil himself, Annie took a bounding leap that stretched her Lil’ Sure Shot to its limits, stomping down on the first infantryman in the line. Her follow-up kick rent armor from her ‘Mech’s leg, but she hardly cared—armor could be repaired, what she was doing?

Broken bodies flew through the air as she put every single ounce of force she could behind the blow. She’d grown up piloting Agro ‘Mechs on her father’s ranch, and putting down an angry, ten-ton Auroch bull native to the trinity worlds took a lot of skill. Doing it with one kick took even more. It was a skill Annie had mastered long ago.

“Holy shit,” Divot breathed into the comms, “check out Avengin’ Annie over here!”

She barely noticed when the Blackjack toppled from the roof of the hardened bunker where most of the young children had been staying. Her eyes swept over the broken bodies scattered across field, looking for any signs of movement. Practically daring any of them to still be alive. Bunny Bear demanded retribution for Engine Joe, and Annie meant to see it paid in full.

“… What do we do with this guy? I think he’s out cold.” Divot said, slowing to a stop on legs that looked more skeletal than functional. The overheating Skinwalker raised its right arm, trying to draw a bead. Annie just kicked the Blackjack in the head.

“What guy?” Annie asked in reply.

“Holy shit,” Divot repeated again.



Enemy Forces
Destroyed!

Mission Objectives
5/20 hostages remain!
Rescue the Hostages or Bury them
Victory!







SS “Lil’ Sure Shot” RFL-3N Rifleman
Weight: 60 tons (Heavy)
HD A(S): 6/6 (3/3)
LT A(S): 10/15 (14/14)
LT R A(S): 2/2
CT A(S): 8/22 (20/20)
CT R A(S): 4/4
RT A(S): 13/15 (14/14)
RT R A(S): 2/2
LA A(S): 10/15 (10/10)
RA A(S): 15/15 (10/10)
LL A(S): 12/12 (14/14)
RL A(S): 2/12 (14/14)
Heat: 10/30
Overheat Penalty: Movement reduced to 2/4/0, +1 penalty to hit!
Heat Sinks: 10
Movement: 4/6/0
Mechwarrior: Pilot 4, Gunnery 4
Mechwarrior Name: Annie Sue Hurd
Mechwarrior Player: Tempest_56
Mechwarrior Status: 1 hit, light shrapnel wounds
Armament:
Large Laser – RA (Heat: 8, Range: (L:15 M:10 S:5), Status: OK!)
Large Laser – LA (Heat: 8, Range: (L:15 M:10 S:5), Status: OK!)
AC5 – RA (Heat: 1, Ammo: 0, Range: (L:18 M:12 S:6 Min:3), Status: OK!)
AC5 – LA (Heat: 1, Ammo: -, Range: (L:18 M:12 S:6 Min:3), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – RT (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – LT (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Notes: no hands or lower arm actuators—may not punch, may fire arm-mounted weapons into rear arc.

S2 Scout Snipers
killed!



St “Stubby” HBK-4G Hunchback
Notes: ‘Mech destroyed!

La Dama Muerta
Player: Polaron
Killed!



FY “Sir Fuck You” LNC25-01 Lancelot
Weight: 60 tons (Heavy)
HD A(S): 7/7 (3/3)
LT A(S): 9/16 (14/14)
LT R A(S): 10/10
CT A(S): 6/21 (20/20)
CT R A(S): 16/16
RT A(S): 16/16 (14/14)
RT R A(S): 10/10
LA A(S): 1/14 (10/10)
RA A(S): 4/14 (10/10)
LL A(S): 6/14 (14/14)
RL A(S): 0/14 (7/14)
Heat: 8/30
Overheat Penalty: Movement reduced to 5/8/0, +1 penalty to hit!
Heat Sinks: 13 (double capacity)
Movement: 6/9/0
Mechwarrior: Pilot 4, Gunnery 4
Mechwarrior Name: Rebecca “Divot” Moss
Mechwarrior Player: bunnyofdoom
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
PPC – RT (Heat: 10, Range: (L:18 M:12 S:6 Min:3), Status: OK!)
Large Laser – RA (Heat: 8, Range: (L:15 M:10 S:5), Status: OK!)
Large Laser – LA (Heat: 8, Range: (L:15 M:10 S:5), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – CT (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Notes: No hands or lower arm actuators—may not punch, may fire arm-weapons into rear arc

S1 Scout Sapper
Player: bunnyofdoom
May use either a booby traps on enemy infantry within 4 hexes, pyrotechnics on an enemy ‘Mech within 6, Earthshaker on any hex within 6. Automatically Marks all minefields within 1 hex of himself. Has 2 MP.
May use any ability this turn!



F “Firewalker” CPLT-C1 Catapult
’Mech Status: Salvaged!

TA Tech Platoon APC
Tank Status: Destroyed!

TP Tech Platoon (30/30)
Type: SRM Infantry
Weapon: SRM
Gunnery: 5
Anti-Mech: 3
Player: Red_Mage
Movement MP: 2
Range: To-hit modifier: 0: -1, 1-2: 0, 3-4: +2, 5-6 +4
Notes: 0 rounds of Inferno ammo, may Detonate enemy minefields



SW “Skinwalker” WVR-6M Wolverine
Weight: 55 tons (Medium)
HD A(S): 9/9 (3/3)
LT A(S): 18/20 (13/13)
LT R A(S): 6/6
CT A(S): 0/25 (10/18)
CT R A(S): 8/8
RT A(S): 0/20 (3/13)
RT R A(S): 6/6
LA A(S): 16/18 (9/9)
RA A(S): 8/18 (9/9)
LL A(S): 12/19 (13/13)
RL A(S): 14/19 (13/13)
Heat: 16/30
Overheat Penalty: Movement reduced to 2/3/3, +2 penalty to hit!
Heat Sinks: 14
Movement: 5/8/3
Mechwarrior: Pilot 2, Gunnery 3
Mechwarrior Name: “Navajo Wolf” Bobby Begay
Mechwarrior Player: Bobbin Threadbare
Mechwarrior Status: OK!
Armament:
Large Laser – RA (Heat: 8, Range: (L:15 M:10 S:5), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – HD (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Medium Laser – LA (Heat: 3, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
SRM 6 – LT (Heat: 3, Ammo: 11, Range: (L:9 M:6 S:3), Status: OK!)
Notes: 2 hands—may punch with either arm (may not punch with right arm if WEP is fired), Gyro Hit, 2 Engine Hits
Special Ability: Eights to Aces (1/2)

S3 Scout Company(25/30)
Type: Caballeros Scouts
Weapon: Submachine Guns and Grenades
Gunnery: 3
Anti-Mech: 4
Player: Bobbin Threadbare
Movement MP: 2
Range: To-hit modifier: 0: -2, 1: 0, 2: +3
Notes: Double damage to all targets at range 0, deals an extra d6 to all targets at range 1




Enemy Status
D1 WHM-6L Warhammer
Status: Salvaged!

D2 VND-1R Vindicator
Damage: None
Status: Salvaged!

D3 CTF-1X Cataphract
Status: Salvaged!

D4 BJ-1 Blackjack
Damage: Left Shoulder Destroyed
Status: Pilot injured!
Armament: Salvaged for Parts!
Notes:

V1 Heavy Wheeled APC (MG Variant)
Status: Salvaged!

V2 Zhukov Heavy Tank
Status: Destroyed!

V3 Goblin Medium Tank
Status: Salvaged!

V4 SRM Carrier
Status: Destroyed!

K1 Karnov UR VTOL
Status: Crater!

K2 Karnov UR VTOL
Status: Also Crater!

K3 Karnov UR VTOL
Status: Slightly more Hispanic Crater!



After-Action Report:
Hoo-boy, this one was a lot closer than I was expecting. Even at the end, some lucky and/or unlucky rolls could’ve ended the Caballeros. Pretty much everyone but Lil’ Sure Shot is down to paper-thin armor; but the Blackjack just couldn’t pull off a victory. I suppose now you understand why I hate the Blackjack, if it’d been a Grasshopper it’d still be up and irritating the hell out of everyone. Expect to see fewer infantry and vehicles from now on, although I won’t be eliminating them completely—keeping track of four groups of hidden troops and/or minelayers was a bit much for me, even if they didn’t move very often.

We need MVPs again, both for the Caballeros and the Death Commandos; and this time I’m not going to influence the vote at all. By popular demand, Inferno SRMs will get an ‘honorary MVP’ as well. You won’t see them again for a while.