Steel Legion Battle Report

The Steel Legion Mechs deployed for battle.

Following on from their successful recon of the Capellan Base on Stein's Folly, the Steel Legion returned to the base for a raid-in-force. The Steel Legion players came along to help Dougal run the Op-Force on the Fox Hounds' last mission, so three of the Fox Hounds came along to return the favour by playing the Opfor in this mission.

Mission Set-Up:

Contract Registry: FS-OC-07-08 - CONTRACT COMPLETE
Unit Assigned:STEEL LEGION
Working for the: Federated Suns
In the: Federated Suns
To complete the following: Supply Raid
System: Stein's Folly
Forces Recommended: 1 Lance
Contract Duration: 1 Month (15 Days in REAL TIME)
Employer Contact: Federated Suns: Field Marshal Ran Felsner
Jump/Drop Fees: 75 WP
Pay Rate: 250 WP
Support: Medium Demi-Lance
Salvage Rights: Low
Command: Independent

You are requested to retrieve Capellan supplies for the 5th Crucis Lancers. Scan all buildings located at a possible Capellan supply depot on the outskirts of the city of Travis - retrieve any and all available supplies. Cripple or destroy any garrison mechs or defenses.

Satellite Data:

Additional mission intelligence via local MilSat available. Costs accepted.

Milsat scans show that current base garrison has been reinforced by a recon lance of 4 light mechs, though only 3 of the original lance appear to be active following the Steel legion RECON. An additional Capellan recon lance conducts a regular patrol sweep and a regular pattern has been identified.

Scans of the base show that their turret complement is only operating at 50% capacity.

*Game information*

The attacking lance gains a +2 initiative modifier due to prior intelligence regarding terrain, enemy forces and defenses.

The attacking lance may choose to attack at night to apply a +2 difficulty modifier to all gunnery checks. If all mission are achieved under this condition, a 50WP bonus will be added.

Due to timing their attack during the defenders patrol schedule, the attacker has the option of the defending recon lance being placed in reserve and arriving on turn 4 or turn 8, at the attackers discretion.

The attacker may choose their board edge for deployment.

The Steel Legion force chose to time their attack so that the Recon Lance would enter the board on turn 8.

  

Attacking Forces:

Steel Legion

Jenner: Fawlkes "Fox" Lessaariss Gunnery 4 Piloting 3 

Spider: Tiberius "Centurion" Gunnery 4 Piloting 4 

Panther: RJ "Striker" Wolfen Gunnery 4 Piloting 4

Hermes II: Hoida - Gunnery 3 Piloting 6

17th Avalon Hussars:

Enforcer: Alpha One - Gunnery 4 Piloting 5

Enforcer: Alpha Two -Gunnery 4 Piloting 5

The Liao Garrison Lance.

Defenders:

Garrison Lance:

Griffon: Force Commander - Gunnery 3 Piloting 4 (piloted by Dougal)

Jagermech: Regular Pilot- Gunnery 4, Piloting 5 (piloted by Me)

Clint: Regular Pilot- Gunnery 4, Piloting 5 (piloted by Craig)

Infantry: (played by Ken)

2 Company's of Rifle Platoons. Gunnery 4

6 Medium Laser Turrets Gunnery 4

2 Anti-aircraft Turrets Gunnery 4

Recon Lance (Played by Dougal)

Wasp - Gunnery 4 Piloting 5

Stinger- Gunnery 4 Piloting 5

Locust One - Gunnery 4 Piloting 5

Locust Two - Gunnery 4 Piloting 5

MISSION LOG:

The Steel Legion forces split themselves for a two pronged attack from the east. While the two Enforcers from the 17th Avalon Hussars mounted an oblique attack on the compounds main gates, the Spider and the Jenner made a flank attack straight over the walls. However, while the Spider had sufficient jump-range to leap into the base confines from some 200 metres away, the Jenner had to advance far closer to the walls before jumping, leading it to take some considerable damage to the legs from vibro-mines. Determined to close sufficiently to jump into the base, Fox continued to advance despite the damage to his Mech's vulnerable legs, only to set off a second vibromine.

Meanwhile, alerted to this new threat by the explosions, the pilots of the Garrison Lance shook themselves awake in their cock-pits and powered up their Mechs from-standby mode. Nearby defence turrets and infantry engaged the Spider and the damaged Jenner, but the Steel Legion mechs were quickly able to destroy the nearby turrets, while several infantry platoons focused fire on the swift-moving Spider. Meanwhile the remaining Steel legion forces concentrated on destroying the laser turrets near the gate with the exception of Hoida's Hermes II, which concentrated on scanning for mines.

Centurions Spider is already deep inside the base while Fox stumbles into the mine-field.

 The Garrison Lance reacts quickly. The Clint moving to intercept the Spider while the Griffon bravely advances to hold the gates. Meanwhile, the Jaegermech stomps into an excellent firing position behind a triangular office building, giving itself cover from attacking Mechs while protecting it's vulnerable rear armour with the lighter, V-shaped officer building behind. The Spider moves back to support the Jenner, which leaps into the base perimeter and has the misfortune to land almost on top of a hidden infantry platoon. Meanwhile, while the Panther and Hermes remains outside the base to concentrate fire on the Griffon, the two Enforcers flank the Griffon by jumping over the walls, again landing almost on top of concealed infantry units.

The shoot-out in the Base.

The two forces blast away at each other, each inflicting minor damage on the others, until eventually the Griffon is felled by sheer firepower. In a last, desperate act, the Griffon moves towards an Enforcer standing on the defensive walls, firing as it does so. However, the brave pilot is destroyed with his Mech before he can push the invading Enforcer off the high walls and onto the minefield below.

The Griffon falls.

With the Griffon felled, the Enforcers engage the heavily outgunned Clint, despite taking great torrents of autocannon fire from the Jaegermech. The Jenner attempts to outflank the Jagermech, but leaves itself open to a rear attack from the Clint as well as close range fire from the Jaegermechs lasers when Hoida and his Spider fail to cover the Jenners back [Because the guys had miscounted how many Mech's we had left and hadn't realised they'd have to activate the Jenner and the Spider before we had to activate the Clint. William sensibly moved his Spider into cover rather than risk having the Clint take a shot at his nearly armour-less rear torso locations rather than the Jenners].

Jaegermech, Jenner and Clint in the mid-left of the photograph.

Meanwhile, the remainder of the attacking forces advance further into the base. The Clint soon falls to the combined firepower of the Enforcers, the Panther and the Spider. Meanwhile, Hoida is his Hermes II continues to hang-back, alternately engaging turrets and scanning for mines.

The lightly damaged Jenner, badly mauled by the fire from the two Capellan Mechs and forced to retreat further west at a run, it manages only a few tens of metres however, before skidding on the slick tarmac and crashing into the Mech-firing step that runs on the inside of the walls.

Meanwhile, the Panther moves in closer to the base while the two Enforcers begins stalking forward, trading shots with the Jagermech and the Clint. The Spider manages to outmaneuver the Clint, which takes a veritable fusillade of shots to it's vulnerable rear and goes down in a burning heap. Alone, the brave Jaegermech, so far largely protected from damage by the small, triangular building it shelters behind, fights on. But not for long. While explosions still wrack the destroyed Clint, Liao reinforcements finally arrive.

The Laio Recon Lance arrives on the scene at last.

The arrival of the Laio reinforcements finally prompts the Hermes II to enter the now (relatively safe) confines of the base. The Enforcers and the Spider engage the Jaegermech and the infantry while Fox in his Jenner continues to flee westward, engaging and, in turn, engaged by the remaining handful of turrets on the western side of the base. The Jaegermech continues to dish out more damage that it gets, including several cock-pit hits but, alas, all such hits are with the rather pitiful AC2's rather than the more damaging AC5's or Medium lasers. Meanwhile, the Laio Recon lance moves forward to assist the base.

Hoida's Hermes II finally overcomes it's mine-phobia and enters the base

While the Hermes II set's about roasting the remainder of the Infantry garrison with it's flamer, Fox in his Jenner Jumps up onto the light, V-shaped building behind the Jaegermech. Sensing it's danger, the Jagermech heads a few metres south then triggers it's torso lasers and left arm autocannons not at Fox, but at the building itself. In a squeel of tortured I-beams, the building collapes, taking the Jenner with it. Although Fox somehow managed to keep his battered machine upright, it takes extensive damage from falling concrete and steel. The Enforcers and the Panther are quick to avenge this deed however, a lucky hit finally penetrating the Laio mechs weakened torso armour and triggering an ammo explosion that leaves little behind but the machines legs.

Meanwhile, Centurion's Spider leaps back over the wall (and the miefield) to engage the Laio Wasp and Stinger at close range, however, in the close brawl the Spider takes the worst of it, losing an arm to the enemy. However, moments later, Hoida's Hermes fries yet another infantry platoon. The senior Laio garrison officer surviving decides enough is enough and transmits his surrender while the Laio Recon lance flee into the descending dusk.

A sneaky jump from the Spider backfires when Centurian loses an arm.

Comstar Communiqué 92376lb34-SLCOM-05-10-3025


Distance is an illusion. The word knows no such limits.
-From Collected Short Sayings of Blessed Blake, Edition XXII, ComStar Press, 3015
Start encrypted message

Sterling work, Steel Legion. I commend your persistence in traversing a Capellan minefield to continue with the assault - I've heard of mercs turning tail in the face of lesser dangers. As promised a deposit of a quarter million in c-bills has been transferred to your account. We managed to retrieve a gutted Capellan Cicada from one of the mech hangars. My orders are to requisition what salvage I can but since you took it out single-handed, I think you've earned the salvage. The mech will be couriered to Galatea on your departing jumpship with my compliments. I'm afraid I don't have any further work for you at present, it looks like we'll be kicking Liao's troops off this world very soon. However, I shall be sure to pass a recommendation on to FSAF's high command in case we have future work for you.

Regards

Field Marshal Ran Felsner
17th Avalon Hussars
Steins Folly