Pride Rock

Will any ‘Mech brave the heights (and falls) of Pride Rock?

This skirmish was just a showcase of jump jets and blocking line of sight. My opponent used my Wolf’s Dragoon Lance (Marauder II, Grasshopper, Stinger, Spider) against a scratch-build I threw together (Highlander, Thunderbolt, Mongoose, Mercury). There was quite a conga line going at one point! Speed and hills really came into play as the heavier ‘Mechs could not get into range easily.

The Spider is a favorite ‘Mech of mine. While it is designated as scout, its incredible speed of 8/12/8 means you can easily maneuver it into the back line of the OpFor and take a couple Medium Laser shots plus punch/punch/kick before escaping the way you came. The critical 10 hex run or 7 hex jump makes it very difficult to land return fire–difficult but not impossible. At only 3.5 tons of armor, it is not a ‘Mech you want to dangle as bait, but you can lose both arms and still zombie with the central torso located weapons. Plus it has gigantic thrusters on the backside!

Until next time MechWarriors!

Altair Lostech

Small Alice Springs, Altair V
Altair
23 April, 3025

An ancient lostech WarShip crashed on Altair has been discovered near the town Small Alice Springs. The desert conditions have made direct landing of a DropShip difficult, but the Capellan Confederation has sent a force of Death Commandos to the planet to secretly secure the prize underneath the Draconis Combine’s noses. As luck would have it, a contingent of the 3rd Swords of Light were on maneuvers near the Terran border and responded to the discovery. The two elite forces are set to arrive and clash over the derelict before a huge sandstorm swallows them all!

This was a “capture the objectives” scenario I designed, based on a few things I read online. We ran into some interesting situations like pushing a ‘Mech off a cliff and firing while prone–none of which we had done before. Again the Locust was the hero ‘Mech, capping two objectives early on to give the Death Commandos an early point lead. Though it was ultimately crippled and forced to withdraw, it did win them the game. It was the first time we tried playing a scenario, rather than a straight skirmish–something different to focus on. The forces were pre-made Lances that will be painted in “iconic” faction colors.

Since it has been mentioned twice, the Crusher Joe Ostall–I mean, Locust–is a basic, fast Light ‘Mech. Pictured above is the 1V model with Medium Laser and Machine Guns. Nearly all the Introductory rules models are under 500 BV, but at 8/12 movement, they are a great ‘Mech to get the backside. This is definitely not a machine you want to get anywhere near an AC/20 toting Assault ‘Mech, but it is great at harassing other Light and Medium units. Keep running and do not get hit!

Until next time MechWarriors!

Border Skirmish

My friend and I took an afternoon to continue our education in BattleTech (both of us having just recovered from bouts with COVID). We threw together a couple 4,000 BV Lances (Introductory rules only) and setup a game.

Forces were Stinger (represented by a Wasp), Spider, Centurion, Marauder II vs. Valkyrie, Sentinel, Trebuchet, Victor. The Stinger was destroyed by an AC/20 to the side, Trebuchet had a heat inflicted ammo explosion, Valkyrie destroyed by a cockpit critical, Centurion died by LRM fire, and the Victor fell over many times. Also, fear the jumping Spider that punches your Sentinel from behind. This is where I also learned that if my friend has a target number X, he will inevitably roll an X – 1 on 2d6. This could of course mean he requires a 2 and somehow rolls a 1…

I first played BattleTech in the early 90s, but that means very little in terms of understanding the lore or recognizing any of the ‘Mechs people seem to know at a bare minimum glance. The Sentinel is a ‘Mech I have little to no familiarity with. The Introductory standard STN-3K model comes with an AC/5 and SRM2 (I discount the Small Laser as inconsequential by itself), neither of which I am a particular fan of. With a movement of 6/9, this 40 ton Light ‘Mech is at a disadvantage having a weapon with a minimum range. However, there are models with a Large Laser (3KA) or even PPC (3KB) replacing that AC/5 (and add on more heat sinks) which makes them a more attractive option. It does mount 6 tons (96 pips) of armor, which gives it good staying power against other Light ‘Mechs.

Until next time MechWarriors!

‘Mech Drafting Game

After a looong hiatus (thank you COVID), we got together again to play BattleTech. Several of the players were new to the game (and I was not altogether sure of all the rules), so the process was a bit slow. The two teams drafted ‘Mechs from a pool and both Lances rushed the hills.

Team D(i)M Sum was able to down two opposing Light ‘Mechs and nearly took out the BattleMaster as well. The Locust was the hero ‘Mech with its 8/12 movement getting into the back armor. The new players also learned that it does take quite a bit of damage to down one ‘Mech–they are not flimsy. Also, AAS(h)ATT (All Alpha Strike All The Time) does not work because of little mechanic called heat.

Born from the Destroid Tomahawk Unseen, the Warhammer is a really great looking ‘Mech. It is iconic. However, with the Introductory rules, it is not a ‘Mech I would ever use at 1,299 BV. It has too many weapons, too few heat sinks (16 single) to fire said weapons, and only 10 tons of armor (160 pips) for a 70 ton Heavy ‘Mech. It can be quite deadly in point-blank range (under 3 hexes), but then that leaves two PPCs with nothing to do.

Until next time MechWarriors!