Part 426: Trial by Fire - Turn 17

Trial By Fire: Tactical Update 17

“Rayford,” Arianna’s voice was almost crystal clear. “I’m going to try to recover the Locust while I still have arms. You with me?”

“I’ll back you up,” Rayford said in reply. “Or buy you time.”

Lucaino twisted back and forth, trying to get a feel for how well his battered Crab was doing. The right arm was immobilized, and flashed errors on his secondary monitor whenever he tried to move it. With a few button presses he isolated that arm’s weapons and released them from the primary target interlock circuit. They were borderline useless now, the arm simply couldn’t track quickly enough with the shoulder fused, but the rest of the Crab’s systems seemed to be responding fine.

“Shoji,” Lucaino began, “It’s risky, but I’m going to come around that building cluster from the north. If you can jump in from the south, we can catch that Bombarder-thing in a pincer. One of us should be able to attack it from behind.”

“Roger,” Shoji’s response was accompanied by the roar of his jump jets. Scintillating plasma rolled down the Shadow Hawk’s back as it took to the air in a low, carefully controlled arc that wouldn’t leave it hanging in the breeze for everyone to shoot. The Wolverine fired anyway, a bright amber flash caught the Shadow Hawk in the center of its chest, melting what little armor still protected the machine’s fusion-powered heart. Lucaino lost track of it then as he came around the building, but the tremendous impact of the Shadow Hawk only partially concealed the sound of the enemy medium’s SRM barrage. The other pilot was good—he’d waited until the Shadow Hawk was at its most vulnerable before firing a missile barrage.

Lucaino’s lasers sliced through the Woodsman’s armor like surgical tools, severing myomer bundles and catching insulation aflame. The large laser mounted in the heavy `Mech’s arm cracked as the intense heat caused its capacitors to burst into flames, and the under-slung machinegun fell limp as the myomer supporting it blackened and burned.

“Damn these animals,” Shoji’s curse crackled as most of his weapons found only empty space. “Damn this Wolverine! Lucaino, my engine’s hit, I think I’m out of the fight. I had to kill my jets early and I landed at the wrong angle, I don’t have a shot at the rear armor from here!”

Standing atop the narrow ridgeline, the Thunderbolt twisted with deliberate slowness as it leveled its right-arm PPC at Lucaino’s Crab. Lucaino had admired the brilliant white-and-gold of the parade colors used by the Knights of the Inner Sphere, but for the first time he found those majestic colors menacing. From its hilltop, the Thunderbolt stared down at the `Mechs fighting in the dirt below like a misshapen, two-headed ogre. A dozen plans of action filled Lucaino’s mind, crashing into each other and tangling up like a massive freeway accident. It didn’t matter, there was nowhere he could go.

“Well played,” Lucaino mumbled bitterly, uttering the words like a curse.

The Crab itself seemed to shriek in agony as the Thunderbolt’s PPC caught it in the chest.








Movement Phase
Crab (Player)
- Must pass a skidding test (4 base - 1 hexes traveled = 3): rolled 4, succeeds!
- Must pass a skidding test (4 base - 1 hexes traveled = 3): rolled 7, succeeds!

Battlemaster (Player)
- Must pass a skidding test (4 base - 1 hexes traveled = 3): rolled 10, succeeds!
- Must pass a skidding test (4 base - 1 hexes traveled = 3): rolled 8, succeeds!
- Must pass a skidding test (4 base + 0 hexes traveled = 4): rolled 8, succeeds!



Combat Phase
Crab (Player)
- Fires ER Large Laser at Woodsman (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 5): rolled 8, hit Head
- - Edge forces a reroll hit Left Leg (20/30 armor remaining)!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Woodsman (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 5): rolled 11, hit Left Arm (0/22 armor, 9/12 structure remaining)! Critical hit!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Woodsman (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 5): rolled 5, hit Right Torso (6/23 armor remaining)!
- Fires ER Small Laser at Woodsman (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 5): rolled 9, hit Head (6/9 armor remaining)! Pilot hit!
- Gains heat 36, sinks 36!

Battlemaster (Player)
- Holds fire!
- Gains heat 2, sinks 34!

Coyote (Player)
- Fires ER Large Laser at Woodsman’s Left Arm (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement + 3 called shot = 7): rolled 9, rolled 6 to confirm, hit Left Arm (1/12 structure remaining)!
- Fires Streak SRM-6 at Woodsman (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement = 4): rolled 6, 6 missiles hit Left Leg (18/30 armor remaining), Left Torso (6/23 armor remaining), Center Torso (19/33 armor remaining), Left Leg (16/30 armor remaining), Left Leg (14/30 armor remaining), Left Torso (4/23 armor remaining)!
- Gains heat 2, sinks 30!

Shadow Hawk (Player)
- Fires Light AC/5 (Armor Piercing) at Woodsman (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement = 6): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Woodsman (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement = 6): rolled 2, miss!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Woodsman (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement = 6): rolled 4, miss!
- Fires iNarc (Explosive) at Woodsman (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement = 6): rolled 6, hit Center Torso (13/33 armor remaining)!
- Gains heat 26, sinks 20! Overheating!

Coyotl
- Fires Plasma Rifle at Coyote (3 base + 2 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement = 8): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires Streak SRM-4 at Coyote (3 base + 2 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement = 8): rolled 2, fails to lock-on!
- Gains heat 17, sinks 20!

Wolverine
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1114!
- Fires ER Large Laser at Shadow Hawk (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 3 enemy movement + 1 light woods = 7): rolled 9, hit Center Torso (0/26 armor, 17/18 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Shadow Hawk (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 3 enemy movement + 1 light woods = 7): rolled 4, miss!
- Fires SRM-6 (Narc capable) at Shadow Hawk (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 3 enemy movement + 1 light woods = 7): rolled 12, 6 missiles hit Right Torso (8/18 armor remaining), Right Torso (7/18 armor remaining), Left Leg (23/25 armor remaining), Center Torso (15/18 structure remaining (Crit!)), Right Arm (4/18 armor remaining), Right Torso (6/18 armor remaining)!
- Fires SRM-6 (Narc capable) at Shadow Hawk (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 3 enemy movement + 1 light woods = 7): rolled 9, 6 missiles hit Right Arm (3/18 armor remaining), Left Arm (4/9 structure remaining (Crit!)), Right Leg (12/25 armor remaining), Left Leg (22/25 armor remaining), Left Torso (5/18 armor remaining), Right Leg (11/25 armor remaining)!
- Gains 25 heat, sinks 28!

Thunderbolt
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1612!
- Fires ER PPC at Crab (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 3 enemy movement = 6): rolled 7, hit Right Torso (0/14 armor, 8/12 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Medium Laser at Crab (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 3 enemy movement = 8): rolled 10, hit Right Torso (3/12 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Medium Laser at Crab (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 3 enemy movement = 8): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at Crab (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 3 enemy movement = 8): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires Streak SRM-2 at Crab (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 3 enemy movement = 8): rolled 7, fails to lock-on!
- Gains 30 heat, sinks 28!

Woodsman
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1211!
- Fires ER Large Laser at Coyote (3 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 7): rolled 3, miss!
- Fires LRM-15 (Narc Capable) at Coyote (3 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 7): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires LRM-15 (Narc Capable) at Coyote (3 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 7): rolled 10, 15 missiles hit Right Arm (0/20 armor, 7/10 structure remaining (Crit!)), Center Torso (6/33 armor remaining), Left Torso (10/15 structure remaining (Crit!))!
- Fires Machine Gun at Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement + 1 secondary target = 9): rolled 4, miss!
- Fires Machine Gun at Crab (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement + 1 secondary target = 9): rolled 8, miss!
- Gains 24 heat, sinks 24!



End Phase:
Shadow Hawk (Player)
- Critical chance in Center Torso! 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Engine hit +5 heat/turn!
- Critical chance in Center Torso! 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Engine hit +10 heat/turn!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 1 massive damage = 5): rolled 8, succeeds!

Crab (Player)
- Critical chance in Right Torso! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - Double heat sink hit!
- - Engine hit +5 heat/turn!
- Critical chance in Right Torso! 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Engine hit +10 heat/turn!

Coyote (Player)
- Critical chance in Right Arm! 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Hand actuator damaged!
- Critical chance in Left Torso! 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Improved C3 Computer disabled!

Woodsman
- Critical chance in Left Arm! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - ER Large Laser hit!
- - Machine Gun hit!
- Critical chance in Left Arm! 1 critical hits sustained!
- Shoulder hit!
- Must pass a 3+ consciousness test: rolled 7, succeeds!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 1 massive damage = 5): rolled 8, succeeds!



Physical Combat Phase:
Crab (player)
- Kicks Woodsman (4 base + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement - 2 kick = 4): rolled 8, hit Left Leg (4/30 armor remaining)!

Shadow Hawk (player)
- Kicks Woodsman (4 base + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement - 2 kick = 5): rolled 6, hit Left Leg (0/30 armor, 9/16 structure remaining)! Crit!

Woodsman
- Kicks Crab (4 base + 2 movement + 3 enemy movement - 2 kick = 7): rolled 9, hit Right Leg (5/22 armor remaining)!



End Phase:
Crab (player)
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 0 kicked = 4): rolled , !

Woodsman
- Critical chance in Left Leg! No critical hit sustained!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 1 massive damage + 0 kicked = 5): rolled 7, succeeds!



Turn End Phase:
Crab (player)
- Disabled by engine damage!

Shadow Hawk (player)
- Disabled by engine damage!



Next Turn’s Movement Phase
Woodsman
- Activates MASC!









Player Status:


Neutral Forces:


Opposing Force (level)
Cyclops (Mk. 6) – Disabled!
Woodsman Prime (Mk. 6) – Ran +2
Mountain Lion (Mk. 4) – Disabled!
Thunderbolt (Mk. 2) – Stationary +0
Kintaro (Mk. 2) – Disabled!
Wolverine (Mk. 7) – Ran +2
Coyotl A (Mk. 6) – Jumped +4
Commando (Mk. 4) – Disabled!



Mission Objective:
Plunder Recovered (0/1500 points)

Secondary Objectives:
Enemy Units Damaged (150/400 points)
Penalty Accrued (-250/-300 points)



Orders Due: Saturday Night!