Let's Play Together: GM'd Battletech via Megamek VII

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:54 am

December 7, 3034
Southern Tundra

Alpha-One and the Ronin meet at the agreed coordinates. It's a fairly desolate tundra, with a frozen river to the southeast, sparse woods and ice patches all around.

"So, you are the mercenaries who have been giving us a hard time. You are skilled, for honorless scum." Greets the Ronin leader, piloting a Griffin.

"Right. Let's get on with it." Responds Gbasden.

The APCs park next to each other and the Ronin guys begin checking and cataloguing the prisoners we brought over, while their guys bring Corporal "Freyland" Hauli out. Looks fine from our mechwarriors' point of view. The Ronin have the Griffin and a Wasp watching over the exchange, in addition to a pair of Vedettes. They begin loading their prisoners into their APC, then El Guapo and Isgrimnur both report sensor contacts closing in from north, west and south. Rasalhague units, several lances of tanks plus a pair of mechs.

"It's a trick! The deal's off, mercenary!" The Griffin pilot calls out. One of the Ronin guards goes to grab Freyland.

"The hell it is." Freyland responds, avoiding the grapple, grabbing the guard's sidearm from his holster and putting a few rounds into center of mass before sprinting off towards our APC.

Initial positions:

Spoiler:

Positions after Ronin and FRR moves:

Spoiler:

The Ronin immediately pull out to the east, taking their APC with them.

The objective is to exit the board from any edge, having picked up Freyland. You can either instruct the APC to pick up our mechwarrior, or have one of our mechs do it.

The Ronin and FRR are hostile to each other.

[Ignore the blown-up Wasp. I needed a way to spawn a loose mechwarrior.]

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:55 am

Maj. Rayhan "Gbasden" Ashimov
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/3, Melee Specialist, Gunnery Specialization (Energy)
Warhammer WHM-6D
70 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 20
Armor: 162 points (battle damage)
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
PPC - Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
PPC - Left Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
Medium Laser x2 - Left/Right Torso - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Small Laser x2 - Left/Right Torso - 1 - 3 - 1/2/3
Quirks:
Stable

SMj. An "Isgrimnur" Taalib
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/3, Dodge, Hot Dog
Hatchetman HCT-3F
45 tons
Movement: 4/6/4
Heat Sinks: 11
Armor: 104 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
AC/10 - Right Torso - 3 - 10 - 5/10/15 (20 shots)
Medium Laser x2 - Left Arm, Right Arm- 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Hatchet - Right Arm (does weight / 5, rounded up damage, same as kick, but using standard location. May not fire weapons in same section when using.)

MSg. Patrick "El Guapo" Allain
Gunnery/Piloting: 2/3, Dodge, Multi-Tasker
Rifleman RFL-3C
60 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 10
Armor: 208 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
AC/10 x2 - Left Arm, Right Arm - 3 - 10 - 5/10/15 (20 shots)
Medium Laser x2 - Left Torso, Right Torso - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
Quirks:
Hyper-extending Actuators

Cpl. Manny "Stefan Stirzaker" Campos
Gunnery/Piloting: 3/3, Hopping Jack
Trebuchet TBT-5J
50 tons
Movement: 5/8/5
Heat Sinks: 15
Armor: 128 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
LRM/15 - Right Torso - 5 - 15 - 7/14/21 (8 shots)
Medium Laser - Left Arm, 2x Right Arm - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9

You also have a 5/8 tracked APC, as described in the opfor section.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:56 am

Opfor stats:
Griffin GRF-1N
55 tons
Movement: 5/8/5
Heat Sinks: 12
Armor: 152 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
PPC - Right Arm - 10 - 10 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)
LRM/10 - Right Torso - 4 - 10 (2x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7)

Wasp WSP-1A
20 tons
Movement: 6/9/6
Heat Sinks: 10
Armor: 48 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
Medium Laser - Right Arm - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
SRM/2 - Left Leg - 2 - 4 (2x2) - 3/6/9

Vedette Medium Tank (AC/2)
50 tons
Movement: 5/8 (tracked)
Armor: 96
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
Machine Gun - Front - 0 - 1 - 1/2/3
AC/2 - Turret - 1 - 2 - 8/16/24 (minimum range 6)
SRM/2 - Turret - 2 - 4 (2x2) - 3/6/9

Vedette Medium Tank (Standard)
Movement: 5/8 (tracked)
Armor: 96
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
Machine Gun - Front - 0 - 1 - 1/2/3
AC/5 - Turret - 0 - 5 - 6/12/18 (minimum range 3)

Pegasus Scout Hover Tank (Standard)
Movement: 8/12 (hover)
Armor: 104
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
Medium Laser - Turret - 0 - 5 - 3/6/9
SRM/6 x3 - Turret - 0 - 12 (6x2) - 3/6/9

Jenner
35 tons
Movement: 7/11/5
Heat Sinks: 10
Armor: 64 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
Medium Laser x4 - Left Arm x2, Right Arm x2 - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
SRM/4 - Center Torso - 3 - 8 (4x2) - 3/6/9

Hunchback HBK-4J
50 tons
Movement: 4/6
Heat Sinks: 14
Armor: 160 points
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
Medium Laser x7 - Left Arm x2, Right Torso x3 - 3 - 5 - 3/6/9
LRM/10 - Right Torso x2 - 4 - 10 (2x5) - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7)
Small Laser - Head - 1 - 3 - 1/2/3

APC (Heavy Tracked LRM)
Movement: 5/8 (Tracked)
Armor: 56
SRM/4 - Front - 3 - 8 (4x2) - 3/6/9
Machine Gun x2 - Front - 0 - 1 - 1/2/3

Maxim Heavy Hover Transport (SRM)
Movement: 8/12 (hover)
Armor: 88
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
LRM/5 x2 - Front - 0 - 5 - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7)
LRM/5 - Rear - 0 - 5 - 7/14/21 (minimum range 7)
SRM/2 x2 - Turret - 0 - 4 (2x2) - 3/6/9
Machine Gun x3 - Turret - 0 - 1 - 1/2/3
SRM/6 - Turret - 0 - 12 (6x2) - 3/6/9

Peregrine Attack VTOL
Movement: 12/18 (VTOL)
Armor: 8
Weapons: (Name - Location - Heat - Damage - Range Brackets Short/Medium/Long)
Machine Gun x2 - Front - 0 - 1 - 1/2/3
SRM/4 - Left, Right - 3 - 8 (4x2) - 3/6/9

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:57 am

Rules refresher:

Target at weapon's
short range: +0
medium range: +2
long range: +4
minimum range: (minimum weapon range - range to target + 1)
e.g. if you're firing a PPC at something 3 hexes away, the to-hit modifier is 3 - 3 + 1

Modifiers for "to-hit" target numbers:
You walked: +1
You ran: +2
You jumped: +3

Target moved:
3-4 spaces: +1
5-6 spaces: +2
7-10 spaces: +3
11-14 spaces: +4
15+ spaces: +5 (there are higher mods, but nobody goes that fast in this scenario)

"Woods" between you and your target (not including your hex):
+1 per light woods
+2 per heavy woods

Changing elevations costs +1 MP per level difference. Maxim level change for mechs is 2.
Backing up over elevation change requires a PSR.
Entering water costs +1 MP (+1 for the elevation change) and requires a PSR at -1. Also, you may not use running MP to enter a water hex.
Entering light woods costs +1MP
Entering heavy woods costs +2MP

if you get a +3 or more modifier from woods on the target, LOS is blocked and you can't shoot at all.
As usual, the opfor loses initiative entirely, so they move then you move.

Stepping on Depth 1 ice, you have a 1/6 chance to break through.

The bridge to the south won't hold up a mech.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:59 am

APC has the best movement, so I'd say let's set a rearguard action to let him get Freyland to Freydom.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 1:30 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Tue Sep 04, 2018 11:59 am APC has the best movement, so I'd say let's set a rearguard action to let him get Freyland to Freydom.

Can we have the APC pull up to Freyland, but each time that he tries to get in, the APC hilariously accelerates just out of reach?

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 1:32 pm

Do we know who is controlling which Mechs at this point? I assume I have mine - are we picking who is controlling the others?

Also, the FRR and Ronin are hostile to each other, and (I assume) the Ronin are hostile to us, but are the FRR forces hostile to us?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 1:58 pm

Everyone controls their own mech, as far as I'm aware.

The FRR is hostile to you as well. "This is Kapten Linares of the Third Drakons. All units are to power down immediately and surrender.", etc.

Stefan Stirzaker · Post by **Stefan Stirzaker** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 5:20 pm

Reckon we head south through the 2 vedettes
Survive 5 turns buts thats a lot of lrmms

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 9:09 pm

Stefan Stirzaker wrote: ↑Tue Sep 04, 2018 5:20 pm Reckon we head south through the 2 vedettes
Survive 5 turns buts thats a lot of lrmms

That's also a lot of fire into our backs...

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 9:24 pm

One important thing I forgot to mention: movement modifiers for enemy units.

All Ronin units (red): +2
All FRR Vedettes and Jenner (light blue): +3
FRR Hunchback: +2
Peregrine: +5 (is also at height three, so cannot be hit with physical attacks)
Pegasus, Maxim: +4

Stefan Stirzaker · Post by **Stefan Stirzaker** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 9:41 pm

Is movement rate walking backwatds the same?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 9:43 pm

Yes, but you can only go up to your walking speed. So, if you have a 5/8 walk/run speed, you can only use 5 MP.

Stefan Stirzaker · Post by **Stefan Stirzaker** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 9:43 pm

If we go north more cover too.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 10:39 pm

Next time, bring the hovercraft.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Sep 04, 2018 10:42 pm

I'm cool with North. Stefan and I can engage the Vedettes while the others engage the NE force.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:48 am

For the blue hexes to the NE (2614, 2714, etc.), are those water or ice? If they're ice, do you have to make a PSR going over them?

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 10:20 am

Not loving any of the options exactly, since it seems like we can't avoid at least some shots in the back. Was also thinking about whether it might make sense to go east along the river - away from everyone (as much as possible), and hope that the FRR and Ronin mostly engage each other.

The forests to the north are pretty tempting, though. If that's where we're going, I'll probably head to 2412, facing north, and fire the AC/10s at the Vedette in 3110.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 11:17 am

El Guapo wrote: ↑Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:48 am For the blue hexes to the NE (2614, 2714, etc.), are those water or ice? If they're ice, do you have to make a PSR going over them?

Ice resembles roads and paved hexes, except it's worse:

+1 MP to move over an ice hex
+4 to any piloting checks while standing on ice
If you try to turn and enter a new hex while running over an ice hex, you have to make a PSR

You can "reckless" run over the ice to ignore the +1 MP, but the +4 to PSRs applies. So... unless it's a desperate situation, I'd avoid it.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 1:06 pm

2211, facing N, target 2007.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 4:01 pm

Does who we shoot at have any impact on who shoots at us?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 4:12 pm

It's a free-for-all. Your mechs are being painted by both Ronin and FRR targeting systems. However, the Ronin force does not appear to be interested in a prolonged fight, so they are retreating.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 4:32 pm

Ok. I'll shoot at the Vedette in 1808 instead, then. Better to shoot at the guys who aren't retreating.

I'll fire both AC/10s and one medium laser.

Stefan Stirzaker · Post by **Stefan Stirzaker** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 6:10 pm

If I count right ( and I usually don't) I can get to 2409, attack vedette in 1908, facing nw

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 10:18 pm

I'll run to 2514 and shoot the Vedette in 3110.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 11:02 pm

Round 1:
The scene erupts in chaos as autocannon rounds and SRMs fly in. Isgrimnur attracts a fairly substantial amount of fire, being the slowest to move, but it mostly misses, while he manages to gouge out a large portion of armor from the front of his target. He does take a few LRMs from the distant FRR Hunchback, but armor holds up.

El Guapo rakes a string of autocannon rounds across his target Vedette's left side, stripping off about half the armor.

Gbasden takes an LRM salvo from the Ronin Griffin as it hops back, hitting his target with a PPC to the turret.

Stefan's aim is thrown off by an incoming AC/2 round, and he whiffs his shots against his target.

Raw firing/heat data:

Spoiler:

Battlefield state:

Spoiler:

The FRR Maxim tries to get into the action, but sideslips a little and is unable to get close enough to catch our escaping mechwarrior. Our APC unloads some symbolic SRMs and then swings around to pick Freyland up. The FRR units close in, while the Ronin back away.

Movement mods:
VTOL: 5 [note that the VTOL fires SRMs out of its side arcs.]
Pegasus: 4
Hunchback: 2
Jenner: 4
All other FRR units: 3
Ronin vehicles: 3
Ronin mechs: 2

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 11:40 pm

I'll run to 2408, turn left, and torso twist further to the left.

I'll fire my left arm AC/10 at the Vedette in 2512, and the other AC/10 and one medium laser at the VTOL.

Don't Riflemens get some sort of bonus when shooting at aircraft? I thought anti-aircraft was one of the main things that Riflemen were designed for.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:10 am

Correct. The Rifleman (and, for some reason, the Hatchetman) should both have the AA Targeting quirk (which I forgot to put in the stat blocks) which gives a +1 vs (airborne?) aircraft.

gbasden · Post by **gbasden** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 2:42 am

I'll run to 2611 facing NW, melee the FRR Vedette in 2512 and fire on the Jenner in 1912.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:33 am

Well then let's jump to 2108, facing NE, and see if we can see the pilot's pupils.

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:09 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:33 am Well then let's jump to 2108, facing NE, and see if we can see the pilot's pupils.

Note that he's at elevation 3, so you won't be able to axe him. Also, I was wrong, looks like the VTOL's movement mod is actually +6.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:11 pm

That's fine.

On a different note, could I drop on top of him with a jump to 2207? Death from slightly above?

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:33 pm

I move that you let Isgrimnur jump through 2207 and axe the pilot mid-air, with a PSR. I'm pretty sure that's not in the rules, but I insist that you allow it on the grounds that it would be TOTALLY METAL.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:35 pm

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:36 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:11 pm That's fine.

On a different note, could I drop on top of him with a jump to 2207? Death from slightly above?

The answer is yes. 8+ to hit.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:37 pm

I'll take those odds.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:44 pm

NickAragua wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:09 pm
Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:33 am Well then let's jump to 2108, facing NE, and see if we can see the pilot's pupils.
Note that he's at elevation 3, so you won't be able to axe him. Also, I was wrong, looks like the VTOL's movement mod is actually +6.

Ok, so let me check out the rolls here:

Targeting the VTOL: 2 (base gunnery) + 2 (I ran) + 6 (his movement) + 0 (short range) - 1 (AA quirk) = 9
Targeting the Jenner: 2 (gunnery) + 2 (ran) + 4 (his movement) + 2 (medium range) = 10
Targeting the Vedette in 1513 with RA AC/10: 2 (gunnery + 2 (ran) + 3 (his movement) + 2 (medium range) = 9.
Vedette in 2512 should be 7 with the LA AC/10 (same as the other vedette but short range).

Ok, so to sum up, fire LA AC/10 at the Vedette in 2512 (which I believe is the Vedette that I hit last round), and fire the other AC/10 and one medium laser at the VTOL.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:44 pm

NickAragua wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:36 pm
Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:11 pm That's fine.

On a different note, could I drop on top of him with a jump to 2207? Death from slightly above?
The answer is yes. 8+ to hit.

Is there another PSR to not plummet to his death afterwards?

NickAragua · Post by **NickAragua** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:49 pm

One caveat to that plan: to get to 2408 costs 6MP (it's "heavy woods"), which is all your MP.

The good news is that you can "flip arms" to fire at the damaged Vedette in your rear arc with AC/10s, and still fire at the VTOL with the medium lasers (or whatever combination you want to manage heat).

Regarding PSRs for death from above, the Hatchetman will take some small amount of damage to the legs. Missing probably requires a PSR, but you guys have pretty good piloting so you'll probably make it.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:50 pm

o-/ I'm going out in a blaze of glory /-o