Part 529: Rise of the Phoenix - Turn 7

Rise of the Phoenix: Tactical Update 7

“Blake’s blood,” the ComStar Acolyte cursed. “The Warhammer we knocked out just powered back up!”

Lieutenant Coronado wasn’t sure what to make of their adopted ComStar refugee. She fought well enough in a pinch but had a rough air about her that set the bleakest corners of Coronado’s brain screaming ‘pirate’ at inopportune times. The Free Worlds League had long suspected ComStar had backed, or at least had some relationship with, the pirates that had long plagued their border with the Lyran Commonwealth. Maybe it was the accent that did it, Kreszentia had a German last name and a Lyran-German accent. She was probably just some minor noble’s ugly and unwanted youngest daughter, foisted off on ComStar to make something of herself when her family couldn’t find anyone willing to marry someone so ugly. Probably.

“The Capellans’ demeanor has changed,” the company’s Staff Sergeant (and Carlos’s aide) Rory Almeier warned. He was right, Coronado realized as the Marauder she’d been closing on slipped past. Marauders always looked aggressive, but the hunched, tense way it held itself now reminded her of a prize fighter or one of the bipedal, bird-like predators that her homeworld unimaginatively called ‘wolves.’

“Be careful,” Almeier pressed. “Something’s really gotten them riled up.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Coronado grunted, twisting to track the Marauder. Her crosshairs settled on the brilliantly gold armor of a Capellan Warhammer. The gaudy showmanship matched the Confederation’s arrogance, at least: the Free Worlds League was the primary manufacturer of Warhammers. That the Capellans had chosen one as some sort of testbed suggested they intended to take the bulk of the League’s production facilities. It was a laughable thought, but a frightening one at the same time.

She fired, letting loose with everything right as the Warhammer stepped aside. Most of her shots missed clean and she might have cursed if the space hadn’t immediately been filled by the massive figure of that damned Capellan Pillager. She grimaced, bracing for a salvo that never came. The Pillager twisted, its one-eyed, elongated and squashed skull of a head turning away at the last instant. It drove its shoulder into her chest at a little over fifty KPH sending the Rampage into a dizzying pirouette. She’d done something similar to a Capellan Vindicator less than two weeks before, but being on the receiving end was as unexpected as it was unpleasant.

Frame members screeched and buckled as the Rampage struck the ground. Coronado felt something in her jaw give way as the impact threatened to pull the Neurohelmet off her head. She tried to curse but could manage only a pained, startled hiss as the eighty-five tons of BattleMech under her tried to kill her with whiplash. Buckled and secured to her cooling vest, her Neurohelmet ultimately kept her neck from snapping, but another couple of falls like that and she’d be in no condition to fight back.

“Crusader-7, we’ve got visual of the Corsairs,” she managed. “The path narrows up ahead, get down it and link up. Rory and I will block the chokepoints. The Pirates can extract us, but we’re dying for nothing if you let them kill you.”








Movement Phase
Rampage
- Stands carefully (4 base + 2 actuator damage - 2 careful stand = 4): rolled 10, succeeds!

Timber Wolf
- Activates CNI

Pillager
- Initiates a charge attack on Rampage!



Shooting Phase
Grand Titan (Player)
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1612!
- Fires Large X-Pulse Laser at Warhammer Golden Boy (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke - 2 pulse laser = 6): rolled 9, hit Left Leg (11/20 armor remaining)!
- Fires Large X-Pulse Laser at Warhammer Golden Boy (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke - 2 pulse laser = 6): rolled 8, hit Left Torso (12/21 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Warhammer Golden Boy (3 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke - 2 pulse laser = 8): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Warhammer Golden Boy (3 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke - 2 pulse laser = 8): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires SRM-6 w/Artemis IV at Warhammer Golden Boy (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke = 8): rolled 4, miss!
- Gains 42 heat, sinks 34! Overheating!

Rampage (Player)
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1713!
- Fires Large Pulse Laser at Warhammer Golden Boy (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke - 2 pulse laser = 6): rolled 6, hit Right Leg (11/20 armor remaining)!
- Fires Gauss Rifle at Warhammer Golden Boy (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke + 1 minimum range = 9): rolled 7, miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at Warhammer Golden Boy (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke = 8): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires Flamer (Damage) at Warhammer Golden Boy (3 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke = 10): rolled 10, hit Left Torso (10/21 armor remaining)!
- Fires LB-10X Autocannon (Cluster) at Warhammer Golden Boy (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke - 1 cluster = 7): rolled 4, miss!
- Gains 21 heat, sinks 20!

Guillotine (Player)
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1612!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Marauder Zhang Fei (3 base + 2 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement + 3 smoke - 1 targeting computer = 12): rolled 10, miss!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Marauder Zhang Fei (3 base + 2 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement + 3 smoke - 1 targeting computer = 12): rolled 7, miss!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Marauder Zhang Fei but the target is not in the front firing arc!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Marauder Zhang Fei but the target is not in the front firing arc!
- Fires Streak SRM-6 at Marauder Zhang Fei but the target is not in the front firing arc!
- Gains 24 heat, sinks 28!

Gallowglas (Player)
- Fires ER PPC at Marauder Zhang Fei (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke = 9): rolled 11, hit Left Leg (0/32 armor, 15/16 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Large Laser at Marauder Zhang Fei (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke = 9): rolled 7, miss!
- Fires Large Laser at Marauder Zhang Fei (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke = 9): rolled 10, hit Center Torso (21/35 armor remaining)! TAC!
- Fires Small Laser at Marauder Zhang Fei (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke = 9): rolled 6, miss!
- Gains 35 heat, sinks 36!

BattleMaster (Player)
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1226!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Warhammer Jiangshi (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement - 2 pulse laser = 2): automatic hit to Left Leg (0/20 armor, 14/15 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Warhammer Jiangshi (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement - 2 pulse laser = 2): automatic hit to Left Arm (0/21 armor, 10/11 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Warhammer Jiangshi (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement - 2 pulse laser = 2): automatic hit to Left Arm (4/11 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Warhammer Jiangshi (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement - 2 pulse laser = 2): automatic hit to Right Torso (8/15 structure remaining)! TAC!
- Gains 18 heat, sinks 42!

Archer (Player)
- Fires LRM/20 w/Artemis IV at Shadow Hawk Bai Hu (2 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 glare = 8): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires LRM/20 w/Artemis IV at Shadow Hawk Bai Hu (2 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 glare = 8): rolled 3, miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at Shadow Hawk Bai Hu (2 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 glare = 10): rolled 7, miss!
- Fires Medium Laser at Shadow Hawk Bai Hu (2 base + 2 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 glare = 10): rolled 4, miss!
- Gains 19 heat, sinks 20!

Wolverine II (Player)
- No Line of Sight to target!
- Gains 6 heat, sinks 20!

King Cobra (Player)
- Gains 2 heat, sinks 26!

Timber Wolf H (Player)
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1421!
- Fires Heavy Large Laser at Shadow Hawk Bai Hu (2 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 0 glare negated = 10): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires ER Small Laser at Shadow Hawk Bai Hu (2 base + 4 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 0 glare negated = 12): rolled 8, miss!
- Fires LRM-20 w/ Artemis IV at Shadow Hawk Bai Hu (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 0 glare negated = 8): rolled 7, miss!
- Fires LRM-20 w/ Artemis IV at Shadow Hawk Bai Hu (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 4 enemy movement + 0 glare negated = 8): rolled 10, 20 missiles hit Head (4/9 armor remaining), Left Leg (21/26 armor remaining), Right Arm (11/18 armor remaining), Center Torso (23/28 armor remaining)!
- Gains 34 heat, sinks 36!

Shadow Hawk Bai Hu (White)
- Fires Heavy PPC at Timber Wolf H (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement + 2 glare = 10): rolled 9, miss!

Warhammer Gong Gong (Black and Orange)
- Props itself on its left arm!
- Fires Gauss Rifle at Gallowglas (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 2 enemy movement + 2 firing while prone = 7): rolled 9, hit Right Arm (3/18 armor remaining)!
- Fires ER Large Laser at Gallowglas (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 2 enemy movement + 2 firing while prone = 7): rolled 6, miss!

Warhammer Jiangshi (Black and Blue)
- Props itself on its left arm!
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1027!
- Fires ER Small Laser at BattleMaster (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 firing while prone = 5): rolled 8, hit Center Torso (41/44 armor remaining)!
- Fires ER Flamer (Damage) at BattleMaster (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 firing while prone = 5): rolled 5, hit Right Torso (26/28 armor remaining)!
- Fires ER Flamer (Damage) at BattleMaster (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement + 2 firing while prone = 5): rolled 5, hit Center Torso (39/44 armor remaining)!

Warhammer Golden Boy (Gold)
- Fires eER PPC at Grand Titan (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement - 1 targeting computer = 5): rolled 3, miss!
- Fires eER PPC at Grand Titan (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 1 enemy movement - 1 targeting computer = 5): rolled 10, hit Right Arm (17/29 armor remaining)!

Shadow Hawk Qing Long (Blue)
- Holds fire!

Marauder Guan Yu (Green ACE!)
- Fires Large VSPL at Rampage (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement - 1 pulse laser = 4): rolled 11, hit Left Torso (3/26 armor remaining)!
- Fires Large VSPL at Rampage (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement - 1 pulse laser = 4): rolled 5, hit Left Arm (15/26 armor remaining)!

Marauder Zhang Fei (Silver and Red ACE!)
- Fires ER Large Laser at Gallowglas (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 7): rolled 4, miss!
- Fires ER Large Laser at Gallowglas (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 2 enemy movement = 7): rolled 7, hit Right Arm (0/20 armor, 6/11 structure remaining)! Crit!

Pillager Liu Bei (Red and Gold ACE!)
- Holds fire!



End Phase
Warhammer Golden Boy
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (3 base + 1 massive damage = 4): rolled 7, succeeds!

Marauder Zhang Fei
- Critical chance in Left Leg! 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Upper leg actuator hit!
- Through-armor critical chance in Center Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (3 base + 1 actuator damage = 4): rolled 6, succeeds!

Warhammer Jiangshi
- Critical chance in Left Leg! Leg blown off!
- Critical chance in Left Arm! No critical hits sustained!

Shadow Hawk Bai Hu
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (3 base + 1 massive damage = 4): rolled 6, succeeds!

Rampage
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (3 base + 1 massive damage + 2 actuator damage = 6): rolled 9, succeeds!

Gallowglas
- Critical chance in Right Arm! 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Double Heat Sink hit!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (3 base + 1 massive damage = 4): rolled 8, succeeds!



Physical Combat Phase:
Gallowglas (Player)
- Kicks Marauder Zhang Fei (4 base + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 smoke - 2 kick = 8): rolled 5, miss!

Pillager Liu Bei
- Charges Rampage (3 base + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement - 1 difference in skill = 4): rolled 10, hit!
- - Pillager suffers 8 damage in the charge to Right Leg (37/42 armor remaining), Right Arm (30/33 armor remaining)!
- - Rampage suffers 40 damage in the charge to Right Arm (8/26 armor remaining), Right Torso (0/26 armor, 15/18 structure remaining (Crit!)), Right Torso (10/18 structure remaining (Crit!)), Center Torso (19/40 armor remaining), Center Torso (14/40 armor remaining), Right Leg (23/32 armor remaining), Left Arm (10/26 armor remaining), Left Leg (1/32 armor remaining)!



End Phase:
Pillager
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (3 base + 2 charge = 5): rolled 6, succeeds!

Gallowglas
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 1 massive damage + 0 missed kick = 5): rolled 9, succeeds!

Rampage
- Critical chance in Right Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Critical chance in Right Torso! No critical hits sustained!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (3 base + 1 massive damage + 2 actuator damage + 2 charged = 8): rolled 4, fails!
- - Suffers 9 damage in the fall to Right Arm (3/26 armor remaining), Right Torso (6/18 structure remaining)! Crit!
- - Must pass a piloting test to avoid pilot damage (3 base + 1 massive damage + 2 actuator damage + 2 charged + 2 avoiding damage = 10): rolled 7, fails!
- Critical chance in Right Torso! 2 critical hits sustained!
- - MASC Damaged!
- - Anti-Missile System damaged!








Player Status:




Opposing Force Status:




Special Rules:
Glare – Any unit standing above level 0 suffers a -2 penalty due to intense sunlight reflecting off the local rocks. All units attacking a unit standing above level 0 suffer a -1 penalty due to intense sunlight reflecting off the target unit. These penalties stack.



Mission Objective:
- Break Through (0/1)



Orders Due: Midnight Saturday!