Hammer Mission 2 AAR
Intelligence reported that a group of civilians in nearby city required evac. As time was of the essence, Jazz, Foil, Blitzkrieg and Ereschuld lances saddled up in Capt. Harkness’ Dictator dropship while Marigold lance tracked overland to meet them in the city. Due to political considerations with the FRR, Lyran liaison McQuhae, denied Ranger requests for artillery support siting damage to civilian infrastructure and casualties. This even included smoke rounds, which upset Jazz CO Wolf, who wanted to cover the drop and hide the civilians and would not cause any damage.
The target area was a large park flanked east and west by skyscrapers and small military bases that reminded everyone of Terra’s old New York City Central Park. The four lances dropped amidst a group of skyscrapers and a military base just to the west of the park. Opposing forces were spread out through the park and reinforcements were coming in fast from the north and south. Jazz and Ehreschuld dropped in the middle close to 2 heavy lances of opfor while Foil and Blitzkrieg dropped North. Jazz and Ehreschuld immediately moved SE to seal off the heavy forces from the planned Northern escape corridor formed by Foil and Blitzkrieg with Marigold coming in fast from the northwest. Northern opfor was a medium lance with 2 more lighter lances on sensors approaching fast which had other ideas about how this battle would turn out.
A light vehicle lance broke away from the park searching for the civilians who were hiding out in the eastern areas of the city. The defenders held up the Rangers attempts to join up with the civilians. Half of the reinforcements entered the eastern half of the city and found several of the civies. The Griffin wouldn’t make it out as it took 5 head hits and never woke up. Ranger northern group was joined by Marigold but couldn’t break through fast enough to prevent all but 2 civilians [Brunel Dump Truck and MR-8D Marco] from being intercepted and destroyed.
In mid-town, Jazz and Ehreschuld found themselves in a knock down, drag out fight with the 2 opfor heavy lances and the medium reinforcements from the south. Ehreshuld’s Avatar lost its left arm and torso, shutting down and pilot evacuating the mech. Jazz’s Sgt Luttazi rescued him before opfor could close on the undefended Ranger MW. Jazz and Ehreschuld took moderate to heavy damage as opfor concentrated on Jazz CO D.Wolf in her Gunslinger. Maj. Wolf was lucky from her point of view as the Gunslinger remained operational despite armor breaches in 5 different locations and losing only the left arm without the gauss rifle exploding. Sgt Reese continued an unwelcome Jazz tradition by getting hit in the head early in the battle and running the rest of the fight as a “convertible”.
Eventually, weight of Ranger fire took over. Blitzkrieg was able to move south to provide relief to Jazz and Ereschuld. Opfor’s only surviving units, a Yellowjacket VTOL and Warhammer fled the field allowing the Rangers to recover their own and several nice opfor mechs for salvage.
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Topic: HAMMER Mission 2 - 05/06/3060 (Read 919 times)