The usual "TANKSgiving" battle get-together didn't happen this year due to two illnesses, but those of us who were feeling well got together for a grand game of Battletech AS. I'd put together a 7-player scenario, Clan vs IS and had six players show up which worked out well considering. We played at Roll The Bones game store in Savannah, a relatively new establishment I'd been to a couple times but never gamed in. It's far more popular with the CCG and RPG players. In fact, the day we played there must've been 60 people in the store playing games of various descriptions.
On to us. The scenario was simple, Steel Viper Clan mechs are advancing into the coastal area through the shallows. Free Worlds League and Draconis Combine forces are set up defending but are separated by a lot of tabletop. There are three objective locations set up. Kills are worth 1 point each and possessing an objective at the end of the game is worth an additional 3 points. The Clan forces had three Stars and the IS forces were made up of four Lances. I was also debuting my most recent gaming mat, purchased specifically for Check Your Six, but whatever, it's pretty!
Our 6 x 4 battlefield. Objectives are circled in red. Ziggy's Marik forces are upper right. David and James shared the Kurita forces, upper left. Mark, Chris H and myself were the three Clan Star Commanders arrayed more or less in that order from left to right along the bottom edge.
Early goings. The Steel Vipers move out and try to get some advantageous positioning.
The Sphere forces doing much the same.
There are our players!
Kurita mechs showing some armored courage. I've got a brutal Marik gunline staring at me.
The Steel Viper gang looking tentative.
To really the get the action going, I sent my Dasher into their backfield. Some bad intelligence resulted in the poor dear immediately being backdoored by two mechs David still hadn't moved. Mark dropped an Eyrie in back there to cheer me on.
Some good activity this turn and some positive results for the Clan. My Dasher disappeared quickly. That wasn't the good part. Chris nailed James' Atlas with a Stone Rhino and damaged it heavily. That was followed but a lucky crit from Mark's Eyrie headshotting the Atlas, killing it instantly. Damn. Chris' Ice Ferret was playing "sneaky feet / ninja feet" with the Marik forces while in full view of the Kurita Krew.
A turn later and the basically untouched Marik force really starts to descend on my side of the battlefield. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. Chris' Ice Ferret ran out to distract While my Man O War and Stormcrow tried to find targets. I send my Vixen to backdoor the Highlander but it was in turn flanked by the Black Knight. James sent his Shadowhawk and Cronos across the center to help the Ziggy. Ugh!
A high TMM meets poor dice-rolling. The Ferret completely evades a wall of gunfire! (My Vixen also dodged death)
Ziggy gets a nasty firing squad pointed at one of Chris' Stone Rhinos.
It's like the Yalta Conference.
Just "The War Room" area of the game store. The place was hoppin'! Those D&D players took the big table in the back that's I had been eyeing.
James' Cronos becomes the center of attention as it tries to take one of our objectives back at the end of eight turns. Many missed shots later, we did manage to kill it, securing the victory. It turned out to be crucial because the final score was 17-11 and that 3-point swing if they'd nabbed the objective would have made it 14-14 and a bloody useless tie.
A fun game and everyone enjoyed themselves, or at least they told me they did. We had two insta-kill headshots, so that's fun! The Atlas and a Marik Marauder both got blinked. I'm always happy with Clan mechs and Vixens, Stormcrows and Goshawks make it easy! The Man O War was solid and although the Dasher was pruned before it could have very much fun, I look forward to giving it another chance.
Hoping everyone had a good Thanksgiving!
Force Lists:
Marik
Spatha
Blackjack
Marauder
Gunslinger
Highlander
Exterminator
Sentinel 3lb
Black Knight 18
Kurita
Hachiwara
Cronus 3M
Shadowhawk 5R
Atlas 7D
Crab 20
Lancelot 25-04
Penetrator 4D
Atlas 7D
Clan Steel Viper
Timberwolf
Ice Ferret
Viper
Eyrie
Nova (Prime)
Dasher
Incubus
Vapor Eagle
Man O War
Stormcrow
Stone Rhino 2
Stone Rhino
Ice Ferret
Lobo
Viper
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