Pryde's Fall
General Summary
Mission Profile
- Mission Type: Base Assault
- Force Size: 15000 BV
- Track Cost: 400 WP
Situation Overview
With the identity of Pryde's Crucible revealed and the location of their base discovered, Commander Dupree now mobilized the Harbingers to assault Calderon Firebase and claim it as their own. Captain Pryde has likewise begun mobilizing his full force to meet the Harbingers and intends to put them to flight and ruin them.Objectives
Primary Goal: Take the Commander out of the battle by either crippling or destroying their 'Mech. Doing so will allow salvage rights. (Reward: 400 WP)Secondary Goal: Avoid having half the attacking forces (by BV) become crippled and in need of repair. (Reward: 200 WP)
Secondary Goal: Take control of the Command Center building for three uncontested turns, which will allow some important intelligence to be seized. (Reward: 200 WP)
Setup
In the center of the combat area is the Control Center. Pryde's Crucible has two defensive turrets placed by the north and south ends of the building, with an attempt to get the broadest range of fire. There are also 11 buildings and 4 terrain features. (The defender may place them as they like.) The Harbingers place their units after the defender has situated their two lances, picking any one side of the battlefield to enter from.Forces
The Harbingers
- AS7-D (Adamant) (2/5)
- AWS-8Q ("Deadeye") (3/4)
- CTF-1X ("Sassy") (3/4)
- HCT-3F ("Bones") (3/5)
- HCT-3F ("Badboi") (3/5)
- HCT-3F ("Trailblazer") (3/5)
- MON-67 ("Sureshot") (3/4)
- MON-67 ("Spike") (3/5)
Pryde's Crucible
- WHM-6R (2/2) (Commander)
- STK-3F (3/4)
- AWS-8Q (3/4)
- TDR-5S (3/4)
- OTL-4D (4/4)
- SHD-2H (4/4)
- GRF-1N (4/4)
- DV-6M (4/4)
- Large Laser Turret
(Gunnery 4, CF 20) - LRM 20 Turret
(Gunnery 4, CF 20)
Special Rules
Morale: When a unit would normally enter forced withdrawal, it will instead roll a Piloting Skill check modified by a +3 TN penalty if it cannot see a unit commander. It must repeat this check at the end of any turn it takes damage after this.Forced Withdrawal: When certain conditions are met, a unit must withdraw towards its home edge and may only engage targets in range during the withdrawal. These conditions are as follows:
- If a BattleMech expends all their ammunition and has no more available weapons.
- If a BattleMech loses one side torso location due to damage.
- If a BattleMech sustains internal damage in two torso locations or three limb locations.
- If a BattleMech suffers two Engine hits or one Engine hit and one Gyro hit.
- If a BattleMech is rendered immobile or otherwise unable to escape the battlefield.
Battle Report
Prelude
(Image Link) Adamant stared at his sensors, and focused himself as he held the Atlas on the edge of the base. Two lances are present, beginning to organize into firing positions and seeming to be preparing to greet his Harbingers with all the resistance they could muster. Not that it would matter, as Adamant planned on paying them back for every gram of trouble they caused him.
"Harbingers, I hear their commander is likewise taking the field. I want him downed hard. If any of those bastards take one of us down, I want two of theirs dismantled and left as scrap. We're here to send a message to any sorry soul who thinks we are going to fold. We've been to Hell these last couple years, Harbingers, and we're still standing." His lips curled into a grin. "Let's show them what it feels like. Advance."
"Harbingers, I hear their commander is likewise taking the field. I want him downed hard. If any of those bastards take one of us down, I want two of theirs dismantled and left as scrap. We're here to send a message to any sorry soul who thinks we are going to fold. We've been to Hell these last couple years, Harbingers, and we're still standing." His lips curled into a grin. "Let's show them what it feels like. Advance."
Turn 1
(Image Link)The Harbingers began with the Awesome, Cataphract, and Hatchetman moving on the northern advance. The Mongoose in that area was directed to to flank around further to the north. Three PPCs flared to life from the Awesome and obliterated the emplacement with the large laser, a single bolt of energy lanced through the Assault-class BattleMech's armor as return fire and managed to damage the fusion engine housing. The Thunderbolt, Shadow Hawk, and Dervish fired many shots downrange, but failed to connect.
At the southern side of the advance, the Griffin and Awesome chose to engage at range, firing down towards the Atlas. The Ostsol also moved quickly, engaging the escorts and Atlas to try to hold them in place. This worked surprisingly well as between its weapons and the defending Awesome, the Atlas staggered and fell to a knee.
Turn 2
(Image Link)While the Ostsol backed up to hold the attention of the enemies, the Mongoose and one Hatchetman devoted themselves fully to firing into it. Pryde's Awesome and Griffin defenders continued to fire on the Atlas and shred away more armor, hoping maybe to dissuade the invasion by making the heaviest unit turn aside. They were sorely mistaken as to the tenacity of the Harbingers, as the missile battery went up in smoke.
The northern side had the Shadow Hawk flanked by the Mongoose as it attempted to intercept the forces here. The Warhammer joined the Dervish and and Thunderbolt in trying to strike down defenders, while the Cataphract and Hatchetman drifted further south in case they need to lend assistance. The Warhammer's PPC bolt flickered past the Mongoose, but only barely missed.
Turn 3
(Northern Front)The northern advance broke up slightly, as the Shadow Hawk, Dervish, and Thunderbolt now pushed the Awesome and its escorts. The Cataphract moved for the Command Center and twisted to fire off a shot from its right arm toward the Dervish; it managed to get the PPC to connect and shear through a chunk of armor. Damage to the fusion engine and gyro of the Harbingers' Awesome forced it to throttle back its advance, and this drove the defenders to focus on it now. Captain Pryde's Warhammer began to move forward slowly and fired on the Hatchetman, causing a significant amount of damage.
(Southern Front)
On the southern battlefield, the Ostsol was knocked down under furious attacks from the Hatchetman and Mongoose focusing on it. After a pair of Medium Laser strikes into its side from the Mongoose, the Ostsol switched targets and focused its wrath on the Hatchetman. The Hatchetman weathered the impacts, and put the hatchet down hard enough to tear through the Ostsol's torso and sent it to the ground. The Griffin closed in with the Atlas and twisted to fire its PPC at the Mongoose; the strike glanced off the shoulder of the twenty-five ton 'Mech, barely missing the head. As the distance has closed, now the Stalker and Atlas exchange missiles, causing only a pittance of damage to each other in the exchange.
Turn 4
(Northern Front)The Harbingers' Awesome sustained more damage from the Dervish, and could not remain upright with its gyro damage. However, the return fire savaged the Dervish. The Shadow Hawk moved behind the Awesome to continue harassing it, while the Mongoose held tight to it and continued harassing it. As the Thunderbolt took time to hold back its attacks and dissipate heat, the Awesome fell down hard. As the Harbingers' northern forces pause, the Captain's Warhammer fired its PPCs and dropped the Hatchetman under the impact.
(Southern Front)
At the southern advance, the Atlas continued advancing and taking more damage through its frontal armor while the Griffin began tearing into the back armor. The two Hatchetman escorts combined their attention and the defending Awesome and two simultaneous impacts from lasers and autocannons causing it to stagger. The Atlas had the honor of finishing off the head which had been tagged by one of the Medium Lasers. The tide of the battle was still uncertain, though the winner would be hard-pressed to claim the victory came easy.
Turn 5
(Southern Front)The southern engagement continued, the Stalker now slid into the hole the Awesome left, backing away slowly to bait the Mongoose into pursuit. The Atlas also advanced, steadily firing on the Stalker with its weapons. The Griffin was intercepted by the Hatchetman and tripped with a sweep of the leg and a hatchet blow. However, this was still not entirely in the Harbinger's favor as it had already stripped the rear armor off most of the Atlas' torso. Pryde's Warhammer also fired on the Hatchetman, managing to burn off more armor with a PPC shot.
(Northern Front)
To the north, the Harbinger's Awesome fell again under assault from the Thunderbolt, while the Shadow Hawk now was finding the Mongoose's arsenal of Medium Lasers tearing into the back again. It was too much for the Shadow Hawk and it fell down, going still; similarly, the Awesome's PPCs found the vulnerable parts of the Dervish's torso and caused grievous internal damage. The Cataphract had gone silent as efforts were made to intimidate the crews inside the Command Center into surrendering. That worked, as personnel started to evacuate in a panic, and then merely hurriedly.
Turn 6
(Northern Front)In the north side, the Thunderbolt stands its ground with the Awesome and Mongoose working it over, taking considerable damage before the smaller Mongoose manages to trip it up and sent it falling again. In the process, more damage to the Awesome's internals damage its cooling system leaving it in more dire straits. The Cataphract's attention was almost completely resting on the Command Center at this time, as it warily keeps an eye on the other units. The Shadow Hawk had pulled back, trying to cool down its systems in the process.
(Southern Front)
The Atlas and its escorts advanced on the Stalker, which stands its ground. Demonstrating one of the advantages of its "arms" being mostly weapon enclosures, it turns them to face the rear and unloads the weapons into the Mongoose. The damage almost destroyed half the torso, aggravating the already existing holes. The big weapons on the Atlas failed to connect, while Pryde's Warhammer fired into the rear of the Atlas and damaged its engine.
The defending Griffin fired its weapons on the Cataphract as the third Hatchetman engaged the defender close-up. A blow to the the Griffin's right torso makes the missile launcher unusable, but a kick for the trouble sends the Hatchetman falling on its back.
Turn 7
(Northern Front)The Thunderbolt, Mongoose, and Shadow Hawk moved around the motionless Awesome, the Thunderbolt continuing to melt armor from the Assault 'Mech while return fire caused chunks of it to fall off the Thunderbolt. The Mongoose, having noticed the ailing Shadow Hawk and changed its choice to the further BattleMech. A small volley of laser fire later, and the Shadow Hawk crumpled to the ground and did not rise.
(Southeastern Front)
Along the southern approach, the Griffin tries to move to engage the Awesome and try to help out the Thunderbolt. The Cataphract's attention shifted to it, and it fired at the 'Mech in motion. The autocannon of the Cataphract struck the PPC in the Griffin's right arm, destroying it and leaving it with no weapons to work with.
(Southwestern Front)
At the other side of the Command Center, the Atlas turns to give the Warhammer no more rear shots, while the Stalker is forced to decide between two options. It can either risk pushing the waste heat buildup to dangerous levels by continuing the attack, or it can use only a portion of its weapons to fight off the Mongoose and Hatchetman still menacing it. The Mongoose circled around front, and the Hatchetman behind, the Stalker's 'MechWarrior having to swallow the option and used its short-range launchers to the front and a selection of its Medium Lasers in the back. The grievous damage it receives in turn doesn't quite pierce its armor, but the waste heat buildup then catches up to the Assault 'Mech and it shuts down, losing balance and falling on its side.
Captain Pryde stood his ground as the Atlas moved to engage him, and fired off his PPCs, but they splashed into the upper thigh of the Atlas and damaged its missile systems. It was not enough to stop the Atlas from firing off its heavy Autocannon/20 and the rounds impacted into the already-damaged torso of the Warhammer. The ammunition for the Machine Gun then cooked off violently, shearing the BattleMech into four pieces. Following that, the Thunderbolt realized it couldn't hold out and surrendered.
Aftermath
Following the devastation of the mercenary group known as Pryde's Crucible, they explained they were hired to seek out a cache of lostech which was said to be in the area. However, with all the other mercenaries converging on this place they were hoping to try to strike the loser of the grasp for White Reach. This was a considerable miscalculation, and now they have paid the price. Their officers claim to have no knowledge of who is messing with the communications, however. As soon as repairs are complete, which will take quite some time, Commander DuPree has decided to try contacting the client for further instructions.
Report Date
20 Dec 2015
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