4th May 3025, Wuhan Pass, near New Wuhan City
Jennie surveyed the assembled team.
"Dracs have landed and are pushing on New Wuhan City. We are part of the task force sent to stop them. I shall be taking a mixed lance out to scout the Kuritan forces in the area. Our goal is to feel out their defences and take their measure before the main assualt. Don't take risks and don't be foolish. You have your instructions, so ask any questions now and then mount up. We move out in 30."
There were no questions.
I decided to experiment with playing on the Battletech hex maps using the conversion rules from Alpha Strike Commander's Edition for this campaign. A planetary level Abstract Combat System map comes with the Historical Turning Points: Galtor supplement, and it is very tempting to use that for a Battleforce: Abstract Combat System campaign too. I must resist!*
The Scenario
The scenario is a Meeting Engagement with equal points and numbers on each side.
Two companies of the 21st Galedon Regulars have been detached to secure Wuhan Pass and access to New Wuhan City, while the rest of the Regulars assault New Derry. Two companies of Johnston's Battalion of the 12th Vegan Rangers have been tasked with taking the pass back and stopping the Kuritan force. The Full Throttle Lemmings are working with the 12th Vegan Rangers and are one of the companies given this job.
Both sides are racing to secure the Wuhan Pass and will enter from opposite sides of the board. The winner will be the one that drives the other side off. Forced Withdrawal is in effect for both sides.
The Opposing Forces
Full Throttle Lemmings scouting force (119 points):
- Commander Jennie Raytor - Battlemaster BLR-1G (Named Pilot)
- Paige Turner - Thunderbolt TDR-5SE (Named Pilot)
- Theresa Crowd - Shadow Hawk SHD-2D
- Paul Bearer - Locust LCT-1V
Forward elements of 21st Galedon Regulars (120 points):
- Charger CGR-1A1 (Commander: Skill 3)
- Griffin GRF-1N (Skill 3)
- Shadow Hawk SHD-2H (Skill 3)
- Jenner JR7-D (Skill 4)
The Battle
"Hostiles coming in," Jennie called to the others as her scope lit up with heat signatures advancing through the hills towards her.
"Roger that. Theresa and me taking a position in the centre," Paige responded.
"Paul, keep an eye on the left flank. Something fast coming in there."
"Roger. On it like a comet. It's a Jenner, Jennie. Taking up position to take it on. Haha, not only do you look like a toilet but I'm going to bust your arse like you were one," Paul crowed as he whizzed his Locust around the Jenner.
Jennie left him to it. Half of what he said did not make sense and most of the rest was just nonsense.
"Godsdammit," Paige cursed as armour panels turned to slag on her Thunderbolt, "I only just got that fixed."
First blood to the Kuritans, while the Lemmings' fire hit low rises and trees but not the enemy.
Theresa was unhappy, "There's something wrong with our guns today. If we make it out of this, I am going to have a serious word with the techs."
Paul, who had got right in behind the Kuritan Jenner agreed, "Shit, I can't hit the broad side of a barn from the inside with this laser. Sighting is definitely off! And now that shithouse is behind me!"
The Jenner's guns blasted armour off Paul's Locust and he swore some more.
The Lemming mechs darted from cover to cover, but the Galedon Regulars had their range now and their blood was up. Lemming armour was being slagged at an increasing rate.
"Come on, people! Focus your fire and take them out," Jennie called to the others.
"Eat that!" Paul had finally managed to get his head in the game and the Jenner's rear armour was blasted to shreds. It fled before he could finish it off.
"Hey, Jennie, my display's showing red," he called to his commander, "My armour is trashed."
"Hang in there Paul. We got the Charger and the Shadow Hawk. They're retreating. Maybe pick off one of them if you can. Salvage would be nice."
"Gotcha," Paul responded as he manoeuvred his Locust in behind the heavily limping Charger. He hit the firing stud. "Shit, how the hell did I miss that massive bugger?"
Even as the rest of the lance fled, the Griffin moved to take the fight to the Lemmings. It's pilot had seen that Paige's back was open and that Jennie's Battlemaster was dripping bits of slag armour with bare myomer showing all over.
"Moving to support you," Theresa announced.
"I'm on it," Paige announced as she let rip an Alpha Strike into the rear of the Griffin, "Ha! Let's see you get back up without any legs!"
The Griffin crumpled to the floor, its power going offline to signal surrender.
The next moment, a massive blast rocked his tiny mech.
"Left leg is gone! Gonna have to pull back."
He took cover briefly, only to poke his mech's head out again as the Charger retreated instead of finishing him off.
"Come back and fight," he called after the Charger, "I still have a leg left to kick you with!"
Aftermath
The Full Throttle Lemmings roared down on the Kuritan forces like a tornado with the 12th Vegan Rangers in tow. It was a hard-fought fight, but the charge was irresistible and the battlegroup eventually pushed the Regulars back out of the pass and secured it. New Wuhan City was safe for now.
Discussion
The first three turns were characterised by the Kuritans scoring hits and the Lemmings missing everything. After that, things improved slightly and the Lemmings began to focus their fire to wear down the enemy. The first mech to have to withdraw was the Charger, but its progress was slowed by a motive system hit that halved its movement. This was made worse later when it took another motive hit and could only move one hex per turn. But at least all those hexes were towards its home edge. The Shadow Hawk and the Jenner followed, but were able to sprint off the edge towards home on the turn after they were crippled. The Griffin seemed mostly impervious to being shot until the three big Lemmings could swarm it.
Some of this might have been easier, if the Lemmings had won the initiative more, but they only won three times in a ten-turn game. I think I need new dice for my mercs!
The difference between Ilclan-era mechs and 3025 mechs was made manifest in this game. The destruction went more slowly because both sides had much lower damage outputs, and the mechs were slower too. The game had a completely different feel to it. That was a Good Thing.
Playing on the mapsheets kind of broke my brain a bit in the beginning, but I got into it after a few turns. A few questions arose about the conversion too. I need to check the rules about rounding movement values or how you address fractions of 2" when each hex represents 2" and you have to move in whole hexes. I'll do that while planning the next scenario.
The other thing that arose was checking how many points the Lemmings should get. They only had one crippled mech, but repair costs are high, so I think I need to scale rewards a bit higher or maybe pay my pilots less. After paying the pilots, the Lemmings warchest had taken a hit despite them winning the scenario. That is not so bad for the first scenario, but if they have five more equally "successful" scenarios then they will be broke. I guess that means that I should take what they earned for achieving their objective in this scenario and increase the reward with each subsequent scenario. A single loss should not totally wipe them out, which it would if the victories all go like this, so they need to earn more for those victories.
