Part 474: Sludge Factory - Turn 18

Sludge Factory: Tactical Update 18

The Hunter’s engine groaned and grumbled as the turretless vehicle spun in place trying to bring its distant target into the gunner’s sights. Although the tank’s weapons were myomer controlled and had a fair amount of traverse, long-distance shots with the ER Large Laser couldn’t take advantage of the targeting & tracking systems built into the vehicle’s LRMs. In short, the light tank still needed to be fairly well aligned with its target. The soft, goopy mud at the edge of the lake didn’t help. Although it was nowhere near deep enough to bog down any of the assault team’s vehicles—there was a layer of chemically-hardened clay a few centimeters down—it was still slick and even the relatively lightweight hunter tended to slide slowly down the embankment towards the lake itself. Every few seconds Basira had her driver gun the engine and back them up another half-meter or so. They were relatively safe for the time being but the constant maneuvering played hell with her gunner’s targeting.

The ER Large Laser flashed for less than the blink of an eye, leaving a bright green afterimage seared on Basira’s retinas for a few moments. There was a puff of smoke in the distance, and she nearly congratulated her gunner for his probable hit when the man cursed bitterly. A miss—or at best a tree had intercepted the shot. It happened, but it was always disheartening to miss a stationary target, even one as well-camouflaged as the hidden bunker Subaltern Rybar had reported.








Movement Phase
Wasp
- Jumps to hex 2117, must pass a piloting test or fall (5 base + 1 actuator damage = 6): rolled 9, succeeds!



ACE Mars Assault Vehicle
- Turret twists to threaten Left Arc!
- Fires Gauss Rifle at Partisan (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 light woods = 8): rolled 8, hit Front (7/22 armor remaining)!
- Fires ER Large Laser at Partisan (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 light woods = 8): rolled 3, hit miss!
- Fires Streak SRM-6 at Partisan (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 light woods = 10): rolled 11, 6 missiles hit Front (5/22 armor remaining), Right Side (16/18 armor remaining (CfMSD)), Front (3/22 armor remaining), Turret (20/22 armor remaining), Front (1/22 armor remaining), Front (0/22 armor, 7/8 structure remaining (Crit! Armor Breached!))!

ACE Sylph Point
- Fires Micro Pulse Laser at Partisan (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 1 enemy movement - 2 pulse laser = 4): rolled 4, hit Front (4/8 structure remaining)! Crit!

Manticore (LBX)
- Fires LB 10-X Autocannon (Slug) at Ammo Dump (4 base + 4 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 light woods = 10): rolled 8, miss!

Wasp
- Holds fire!
- Gains 4 heat, sinks 10!

Hunter 1
- Fires ER Large Laser at Ammo Dump (4 base + 4 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 light woods = 10): rolled 7, miss!
- Fires LRM-15 at Ammo Dump (4 base + 4 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 light woods = 10): rolled 3, miss!

Tokugawa 2
- Fires Artemis SRM-6 at Infantry 2008 (4 base + 4 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement = 8): rolled 10, 3 missiles hit! 6 troopers killed!

Partisan 2
- Fires Autocannon/5 at Mars Assault Vehicle (4 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 light woods = 9): rolled 10, Turret (4/47 armor remaining)! TAC!
- Fires Autocannon/5 at Mars Assault Vehicle (4 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 light woods = 9): rolled 7, miss!
- Fires Autocannon/5 at Mars Assault Vehicle (4 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 light woods = 9): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires Autocannon/5 at Mars Assault Vehicle (4 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 light woods = 9): rolled 7, miss!

PNT 10K2 Panther
- Fires ER PPC at Mars Assault Vehicle (4 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement = 7): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires SRM-4 at Mars Assault Vehicle (4 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement = 7): rolled 7, 3 missiles hit Left Side (41/43 armor remaining), Left Side (39/43 armor remaining (CfMSD!)), Turret (2/47 armor remaining (TAC!))!
- Fires SRM-4 at Mars Assault Vehicle (4 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement = 7): rolled 5, miss!
- Gains 25 heat, sinks 24!

Athena Combat Vehicle
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Building Hex 2707 (4 base+ 4 range + 0 movement - 4 enemy movement - 1 targeting computer = 3): rolled 4, hit (33/90 CF remaining)!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Building Hex 2707 (4 base+ 4 range + 0 movement - 4 enemy movement - 1 targeting computer = 3): rolled 9, hit (26/90 CF remaining)!

Horned Owl
- Fires Large Pulse Laser at Wasp (4 base + 2 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement - 2 Pulse Laser = 9): Rolled 4, miss!
- Gains 16 heat, sinks 20!

Elementals
- Hold fire!





End Phase
Partisan
- Chance for motive system damage! Minor damage +1 modifier to driving rolls!
- Critical chance in Front! No critical damage sustained!
- Armor breached! Crew stunned 1 turn!
- Critical chance in Front! Sensors hit!

Mars Assault Vehicle
- Through-armor critical chance in Turret! ER Large Laser malfunctions!
- Chance for motive system damage! Moderate damage -1 Crusing MP, +2 modifier to driving rolls!
- Through-armor critical chance in Turret! No critical damage sustained!



Physical Combat Phase:
Wasp
- Kicks Athena Combat Vehicle (5 base - 2 kick + 1 actuator damage = 4): rolled 3, fails!



End Phase:
Wasp
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (5 base + 0 missed kick + 1 actuator damage = 6): rolled 6, succeeds!








Player Status:


Opposing Force Status:




Mission Objective:
Capture the Coolant Factory (0/1)

Secondary Objectives:
Protect the Mobile Army Support Hospital from detection (Failed)
Defend the Mobile Army Support Hospital (0/1)
Locate the Clan Ammunition Dump (1/1)
Destroy the Clan Ammunition Dump (0/1)

Special Rules:
Caustic, Tainted Atmosphere (TacOps p56)
Vehicles suffer an automatic Crew Stunned if armor is breached, Mechwarriors take double damage from cockpit hits.
Point Commanders
As long as they are active combatants, the Mars Assault Vehicle and Epona Pursuit Tank may designate one unit each as an Ace for two turns. New Ace units may not be designated until Ace status expires. Units which opt to remain immobile for at least two turns gain Ace status on the first turn they move. BattleMechs and VTOLs may not be Aces.



Orders Due: Midnight Saturday!