Part 592: Nergal Reactor - Turn 14

Nergal Reactor: Tactical Update 14

The Screamer’s jets shrieked as it touched down on the crest of a low hill. Jason held its arms spread wide, with his pulse laser leveled at the vulnerable back of the enemy Viper to keep it honest and his PPC leveled with the cockpit of the Clan artillery `Mech. It took him only a moment to find and glance at the menu option that keyed in his external speakers.

“You’ve failed,” his voice echoed. “Surrender.”

The artillery pilot stared at him, close enough that Jason didn’t need to zoom in to see the pilot’s face. The man’s hands left his controls for a moment, just long enough for Jason to shift his attention back to the fast jumpy medium that was his direct competitor. The Artillery `Mech moved all at once, a pair of huge missiles flashing from its launchers with a roar. Its bulky torso twisted Jason’s way with surprising speed.

Jason’s reaction was instinctive, unplanned. His pulse laser swung back in line with the assault `Mech’s chest even as his thumb squeezed down on the firing stud, triggering his `Mech’s primary target interlock circuit. The Clan machine’s transplex canopies flashed to white-hot vapor in an instant. The barbute-shaped head bulged and split before finally withering as though it had been made with melted wax. The machine fell even as one of its trio of largely-harmless targeting lasers brushed Jason’s machine.

High above, its huge artillery missiles twisted about, abandoning their ballistic trajectory like a pair of sharks chasing the scent of blood.








Movement Phase
Bobcat (Player)
- Attempts to free itself: (5 base + 1 mud = 6): rolled 4, fails!

Grasshopper (Player)
- Insufficient MP to face hex 3221: needs 6, has 5!

Atlas III (Player)
- Unable to enter hex 2929: insufficient walking MP!



Shooting Phase
Atlas III (Player)
- Fires Snub-Nose PPC at hex 2928!
- Fires Snub-Nose PPC at hex 2928!
- Gains 22 heat, sinks 24! Overheating!

Awesome (Player)
- Fires rER PPC at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover = 6): rolled 10, hit Left Leg (damage blocked by terrain)!
- - Plasma arcs to miss!
- Fires PPC at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover = 8): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires PPC at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover = 8): rolled 8, Left Leg (damage blocked by terrain)!
- Gains 37 heat, sinks 42!

Grasshopper (Player)
- Fires Large X-Pulse Laser at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover - 2 pulse laser = 4): rolled 8, hit Right Torso (0/13 structure remaining)! Torso Destroyed! 2 Engine hits!
- - Damage transfers to Center Torso (20/25 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Laser at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover = 6): rolled 12, hit Center Torso (15/25 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Laser at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover = 6): rolled 6, hit Center Torso (10/25 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Laser at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover = 6): rolled 8, hit Center Torso (5/25 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Laser at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 partial cover = 6): rolled 4, miss!
- Gains 28 heat, sinks 30!

Lament (Player)
- Fires rER PPC at Naga Redeemer (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 heat + 1 partial cover - 1 targeting computer = 6): rolled 9, hit Left Leg (damage blocked by terrain)!
- - Plasma arcs to miss!
- Gains 19 heat, sinks 32!

Hunchback #1 (Player)
- No orders received!
- Gains 0 heat, sinks 20!

Screamer (Player)
- Fires rER PPC at Naga (2 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement - 1 targeting computer = 4): rolled 7, hit Head (0/3 structure remaining)! `Mech destroyed!
- - Plasma arcs to Center Torso (2/17 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Naga (2 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 0 enemy movement - 1 targeting computer - 2 pulse laser = 2): automatically hit Left Torso (8/15 armor remaining)!
- Gains 34 heat, sinks 25! Overheating!

Bobcat (Player)
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 partial cover = 7): rolled 8, hit Left Leg (damage blocked by terrain)!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 partial cover = 7): rolled 10, hit Left Leg (damage blocked by terrain)!
- Fires rER PPC at Swordbreaker Upsilon (3 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 partial cover = 7): rolled 7, hit Center Torso (0/25 armor, 11/16 structure remaining)! Crit!
- - Plasma arcs to miss!
- Gains 27 heat, sinks 26!

Phoenix Hawk (Player)
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1336!
- Fires Large Pulse Laser at Viper Ocean Breeze (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 light woods - 2 pulse laser = 9): rolled 6, miss!
- Gains 15 heat, sinks 20!

Nergal (Allied Player)
- Fires Heavy Gauss Rifle at Unknown `Mech Alpha (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 smoke + 1 partial cover = 7): rolled 9, hit Left Torso (0/24 armor, 18/19 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Fires Hyper Pulse Laser at Unknown `Mech Alpha (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 smoke + 1 partial cover = 7): rolled 9, hit Right Arm (8/28 armor remaining)!
- Fires Hyper Pulse Laser at Unknown `Mech Alpha (2 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 smoke + 1 partial cover = 7): rolled 5, miss!
- Gains 52 heat, sinks 52! Overheating!

Unknown `Mech Alpha
- Fires Gauss Rifle at Nergal (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 light woods - 1 superheavy = 4): rolled 9, hit Left Arm (79/132 armor remaining)!
- Fires Gauss Rifle at Nergal (3 base + 0 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 light woods - 1 superheavy = 4): rolled 5, hit Left Arm (64/132 armor remaining)!
- Fires Heavy Medium Laser at Nergal (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 heavy laser - 1 superheavy = 7): rolled 10, hit Center Leg (131/168 armor remaining)!
- Fires Heavy Medium Laser at Nergal (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 heavy laser - 1 superheavy = 7): rolled 9, hit Left Arm (54/132 armor remaining)!
- Fires Heavy Medium Laser at Nergal (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 heavy laser - 1 superheavy = 7): rolled 10, hit Center Torso (107/180 armor remaining)!
- Fires Heavy Medium Laser at Nergal (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 heavy laser - 1 superheavy = 7): rolled 7, hit Right Arm (65/132 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Nergal (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 light woods - 2 pulse laser - 1 superheavy = 7): rolled 9, hit Right Torso (100/126 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Nergal (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 light woods - 2 pulse laser - 1 superheavy = 7): rolled 11, hit Right Torso (93/126 armor remaining)!
- Fires Streak SRM-6 at Nergal (3 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 1 enemy movement + 1 light woods - 1 superheavy = 6): rolled 6, 6 missiles hit Center Torso (105/180 armor remaining), Right Torso (91/126 armor remaining), Right Torso (89/126 armor remaining), Left Leg (156/ armor remaining), Right Arm (63/132 armor remaining), Center Torso (103/180 armor remaining)!
- Gains 52 heat, sinks 36! Overheating!

Naga Alpha
- Torso-twists to threaten hex 1632!
- Fires Light TAG at Screamer (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement = 9): rolled 8, miss!
- Fires Light TAG at Screamer (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement = 9): rolled 9, hit!
- Fires Light TAG at Screamer (4 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 4 enemy movement = 9): rolled 5, miss!
- Fires Arrow IV (Homing)!
- Fires Arrow IV (Homing)!
- Gains 21 heat, sinks 24!

Viper Ocean Breeze
- Fires Heavy Large Laser at Phoenix Hawk (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 light woods + 1 heavy laser = 10): rolled 6, miss!
- Fires TAG at Phoenix Hawk (3 base + 0 range + 3 movement + 2 enemy movement + 1 light woods = 9): rolled 2, miss!
- Gains 8 heat, sinks 24!

Wolf Spider Upsilon
- ???
- Gains 1 heat, sinks 38!

Swordbreaker Upsilon
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Grasshopper (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement = 4): rolled 6, hit Right Leg (38/60 armor remaining)!
- Fires ER Medium Laser at Grasshopper (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement = 4): rolled 6, hit Left Torso (0/40 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Grasshopper (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement - 2 pulse laser = 2): automatically hit Right Torso (28/40 armor remaining)!
- Fires Medium Pulse Laser at Grasshopper (3 base + 0 range + 1 movement + 0 enemy movement - 2 pulse laser = 2): automatically hit Left Torso (8/15 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Gains 20 heat, sinks 20!

Arrow IV (homing)
- Must roll a 4+ to hit the targeted mapsheet: rolled 8, succeeds!
- - Targets Screamer, Automatically hit Left Torso (0/20 armor, 10/13 structure remaining)! Crit!
- Must roll a 4+ to hit the targeted mapsheet: rolled 10, succeeds!
- - Targets Screamer, Automatically hit Right Torso (0/20 armor, 0/13 structure remaining)! Torso destroyed! Right arm blown off! 2 Engine hits! Partial Wing destroyed!



End Phase
Swordbreaker Upsilon
- Critical chance in Center Torso: rolled 9, 1 critical hit sustained!
- - XL Engine destroyed! `Mech destroyed!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (3 base + 1 massive damage = 4): rolled , !

Unknown Mech Alpha
- Critical chance in Left Torso: rolled 7(+2 prototype), 1 critical hit sustained!
- - Gauss Rifle hit! Gauss Rifle explodes!
- Suffers 20 damage to Left Torso (0/19 structure remaining)! 2 Pilot hits! Torso destroyed! 2 Engine hits! Arm blown off!
- - Damage transfers to Center Torso (13/40 armor remaining)!
- Must pass a 3+ consciousness test: rolled 10, succeeds!
- Must pass a 5+ consciousness test: rolled 10, succeeds!
- Must roll a 4+ to avoid automatic shutdown: rolled 4, succeeds!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (3 base + 1 massive damage = 4): rolled 3, fails! Falls in hex 1613!
- - Suffers 5 damage in the fall to Center Torso (8/40 armor remaining)!
- Must pass a piloting test to avoid pilot damage (3 base + 1 massive damage + 2 fall = 6): rolled 4, fails!
- Must pass a 7+ consciousness test: rolled 3, fails!

Grasshopper (Player)
- Critical chance in Left Torso: rolled 5, no critical hits sustained!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 1 massive damage + 1 heavy armor = 6): rolled 8, succeeds!

Screamer
- Critical chance in Left Torso: rolled 6, no critical hits sustained!
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 1 massive damage = 5): rolled 5, succeeds!



Physical Combat Phase:
Screamer (Player)
- Kicks Viper Ocean Breeze (4 base + 3 movement + 4 enemy movement + 1 light woods - 2 kick = 10): rolled 3, miss!



End Phase:
Screamer
- Must pass a piloting test or fall (4 base + 1 massive damage + 0 missed kick = 5): rolled 7, succeeds!



Turn End Phase:
Unknown Mech Alpha
- Opens watertight compartments! `Mech Destroyed!








Player Status:




Allies





Opposing Force Status:





House Rule: Flooding Sucks – An armor breach underwater no longer destroys hit locations outright. A section that floods instead suffers damage to all weapons in that location, knocking them offline. All ammunition or special equipment in a flooded section is likewise rendered useless. Head armor breaches are treated as normal.



Primary Objectives
- Lure the Clans near the Nergal Reactor (failed!)
- Protect the NRG-0000-0X Nergal (0/1)

Secondary Objectives
- Accrue Bounty (50,000,000 c-bills / 75,00,000 goods)
- - Light `Mechs: 1 (1,000,000 c-bills)
- - Medium `Mechs: 5 (2,000,000 c-bills)
- - Heavy `Mechs: 5 (3,000,000 c-bills)
- - Assault `Mechs: 6 (4,000,000 c-bills)
- - Infantry Units: 0 (250,000) c-bills
- - Battle Armor Units: 0 (1,000,000) c-bills
- - AeroSpace Fighters: 0 (2,000,000) c-bills

- Last Mission’s Total Bounty: 62,300,000 c-bills (93,450,000 goods)
- Total Accumulated Bounty: 112,300,000 c-bills (168,450,000 goods)



Orders Due: Midnight Saturday!