Part 598: Gravedigger - Turn 2

Grave Digger: Tactical Update 2

The Rotunda armored car detonated as old man Vohrs put a shell and a flight of SRMs through its lightly-armored prow. The machinegun ammunition contained within started cook off like firecrackers at a new-years celebration. The oil-based paints protecting the machine from sand and rust caught fire at once, and began scorching the sands black.

Phelix Salis watched from the relative comfort of his command chair, the expensive electronic monitors he’d installed meant he didn’t have to set a foot outside his Goblin to get a look at the surrounding terrain. A sealed tank of toxic chemicals bubbled and roiled beneath him. His crewmen were faceless behind the breath masks of their hazard suits, but each knew their job and did it without fear of the horrifying concoction at their backs. They would all die relatively instantaneously if the tank ruptured, but seated above it at the turret controls Phelix himself would have an opportunity to flee.

His fingers curled through the hair of Mister Whiskers, a native creature a bit like a large, saber-toothed rat. He’d long-since inoculated himself against its half-centimeter toxic spines, but much like the venomous snakes of ancient Terra, Mister Whiskers was a creature the settlers on Enkra had grown to revile. It cooed pleasantly as he scratched it behind its second pair of bulbous, conical ears, but Phelix’s attention was on the Vedette nearly hidden behind a low dune. He spun the trackball that swiveled the Diamondback’s turret and settled the crosshairs over the machine the Dunerunners had just declared war on and fired.

The noisome stench of ozone wafted from his guns, followed by a familiar hiss as the tank’s pumping system drained the charging tanks of their contents, pressurized them, and fired twin jets of the depleted but still horrifically toxic chemical mix out the rear tailpipes. Phelix’s face soured—he’d scored a clean hit! At least, he would have if the damned sand dune hadn’t been in the way.

Well. There was always next time.








Movement Phase
Bulldog Medium Tank (Player)
- Unable to enter hex 0709 (unable to drift over terrain): movement ends in hex 0808!

Dig Lord “Sancho Panzer” (Player)
- Unable to reverse into hex 1605 (BattleMechs may change levels while using reverse movement): movement ends early in hex 1505!




Shooting Phase
Marsden II (Player)
- Fires Autocannon/5 at Rotunda (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 6): rolled 6, hit Front (1/6 armor remaining)! CfMSD!
- Fires SRM-6 (Deadfire) at Rotunda (4 base + 0 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 6): rolled 9, 4 missiles hit Front (0/6 armor, 0/2 structure remaining (Vehicle destroyed!)), Front, Front, Front!

Goblin Medium Tank "Diamondback" (Player)
- Fires Heavy Chemical Laser at Vedette (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 8): rolled 9, hit Front (damage blocked by terrain)!
- Fires Heavy Chemical Laser at Vedette (4 base + 2 range + 2 movement + 0 enemy movement = 8): rolled 7, miss!

Bulldog Medium Tank (Player)
- Holds fire!

Thor Artillery Vehicle "Exhumer" (Player)
- Holds fire!

Dig Lord “Sancho Panzer” (Player)
- Primary target already destroyed!

Vedette
- Fires Autocannon/5 at Dig Lord (4 base + 2 range + 0 movement + 0 enemy movement = 6): rolled 6, hit Right Leg (19/24 armor remaining)!








Player Status:




Ally Status:




Opposing Force Status:





Special Rules
Drifting: Vehicles may shift one column to the left or right during the movement phase without expending an MP to turn, provided the move does not cross through an enemy unit or terrain that would cost additional MP. Adjacent vehicles may be rammed for low damage with a sideswipe and lighter vehicles may be knocked off course next turn!
Half-Height Terrain: All terrain features rise to only half their normal height. Vehicles behind a height 1 hill may still attack and be attacked, but may only receive damage to their turrets. Vehicles without turrets are hidden as normal. Hills only cost 1 MP to climb rather than the additional 2. BattleMech and IndustrialMech units treat height 1 hexes as if they are clear terrain, height 2 as if they are height 1, etc.
Oases: Oases are surrounded by boggy soil that will trap ground vehicles and may attract native fauna.
Mirages: Heat shimmer can make water appear where there is none. Mirages may be driven through safely but may hide other features.
Redline the Engines: The Desert Hawg’s speed cannot be reduced by damage or critical hits.



Primary Objectives
- Protect the Desert Hawg (0/1)
- Disable or destroy the Devil’s Due (0/1)

Secondary Objectives
- Destroy the ???? (0/1)
- Destroy the ???? (0/1)