CincyBattletech

As perhaps a more practical question, is there any point in the damage process the pilot can choose to punch out or will the auto-eject provide any chance to avoid/survive the engine explosion?  Statistically 1 in 6 mechs that hit the threshold (4+ engine slots destroyed in 1 phase) will explode.  I'm fine with that, just want to confirm if engine explosion outside of the PC is an auto pilot kill and if it is, that's fine. 

AAR - Sept 7, 3061 - VICTORY
Commanding: Major Anders Wolfram Kelswa

AAR
While out on patrol we came across a binary of Clan forces that was moving into our operations zone, likely looking for us.  Heavy rain and fading light made things challenging.  I deployed my lance to come up over the northwest hill and started sniping at the slowly advancing forces.  Apparently unaccustomed to resistance the Falcon forces probed, maneuvered and pulled back all while remaining largely within the southwest portion of the OZ.  Price and I quickly took out the Uller, before following up shortly after with dropping the Loki having cooked off a couple ammo bins.  As they seemed more cautious than many of their ilk I pressed forward with Rosado's Grasshopper and Lee's Cauldron-Born jumping into their midst, inflicting damage and pulling out, taking minimal damage in return.  The environmental conditions working in our favor.

It was about this time that a star's worth of reinforcements showed up and they started advancing though cautiously.  We made them pay for it dropping the Cougar through focused fire and with Trick blowing the head off the Puma.  That ended up killing two pilots as it had picked up the Cougar's pilot just before.  The ferocity of the attack and pulling back into a line coincided with night falling.  There may have been a full moon out, but it was hazy light through the heavy rain.  Shots even at close range didn't hit often given terrain and movement.  Their second Loki turned a search light on initially focusing on our Cauldron-Born before switching to Trick's Marauder that had been hidden in the woodline and simply sniping from there.  It was dense enough to limit sight and contact against the southwest most forces.  Knowing the spotlight could cause us serious problems I ordered the team to burn that Loki down and down it went with me finishing that one off as well.  Perhaps incensed by our success and the limited amount of damage taken, they pushed at us in earnest.

They would eventually wash over us, but by then their line was broken.  It devolved into smaller close engagements and duels, it being too hard to target to focus too much.  The liaison officer we'd kept safe behind the hill until they came over it.  While Melanokos took some damage, he dished it out too, legging the Dasher.  Which Lee closed on and finished off.  I ran down the Stormcrow managing to charge it once successfully, and we'd opened structure on it.  He fled, trying to get away from me by running into the river which of course was a mass of rapids.  It swept the Stormcrow off its feet and he drowned.  The mech was salvageable at least.  The Koshi was the first to break from our engagement through the northern edge of the OZ with the remainder of their forces attempting to do likewise. 

In the end we took down a Thor, 2 Loki,Uller, Puma, Dasher and Hunchback IIC.  The Ryoken died fleeing, no clear kill there.  Rosado's Grasshopper saw the worst of it with some gyro and engine damage, as well as a hand and medium laser to replace not to mention a three areas of structural damage.  The ER LL was damaged, but repairable.  Otherwise Trick's Marauder took some structural damage to it's left arm but the rest is just armor across the board.  Lee got a bit scraped up and I've sent her over to the Doc to get checked out.  Wouldn't surprise me if she's cleared for duty tomorrow.

All in all, a good days work and nice to be able to give a bit of payback to the clans for what they've done to my family and the Commonwealth.

Kills
Kelswa & Price - Uller & both Loki (5 XP each)
Rosado - Cougar (3 XP)
Trick - Puma, Thor & Hunchback IIC (5 XP)
Lee - Dasher (3 XP, 1 Pilot hit)

Salvage Earned: 41,830,378
Salvage Claimed: 33,845,800 (Stormcrow Prime, Hellbringer Prime)
Remaining for unit: 7,984,578

Sept 5, 3061
Sell Wolverine II, Base: 5,556,957, @ 50% + 2% per MoS, TN:7

August 14, 3061 - Addendum

MSGT Colm Trick also received 1 hit, put under the care of Dr. Maria Skoula (Elite, 5+)

REPAIRS
DATE: Sept 6, 3061  LOCATION: Basic Facility
MECH: Marauder  TECH BASE: IS  UNIT TYPE: Mech
TECH NAME: Regina Swanson  TECH LVL: Elite 1  TECH KNOWLEDGE BASE: IS
CUSTOM MECH: Yes  HR ADMIN: No  EASY TO MAINTAIN QUIRK: No Repair Vehicle: No
Replace Other Equipment, MASC, Hit Location: LT, Quantity: 1, Time Multiplier: Quadruple, Total time Min: 480 ,TN: 3:
TOTAL MIN: 480  TOTAL DAYS: 1

Mech Status

Cauldron-Born - repaired and available Aug 18
Battlemaster - repaired and available Aug 22
Grasshopper - repaired and available Aug 22

Marauder - repaired only missing replacement engine and MASC - Aug 28 (parts arrive Sept 4)
Wolverine II - repaired except for 2 JJ in LL - Aug 18 (parts arrive Sept 4)

REPAIRS
DATE: August 25, 3061  LOCATION: Basic Facility
MECH: Marauder  TECH BASE: IS  UNIT TYPE: Mech
TECH NAME: Jean Patton  TECH LVL: Regular  TECH KNOWLEDGE BASE: IS/Clan
CUSTOM MECH: Yes  HR ADMIN: No  EASY TO MAINTAIN QUIRK: No Repair Vehicle: No
Replace Heatsink, , Hit Location: RT, Quantity: 1, Time Multiplier: Quadruple, Total time Min: 360 ,TN: 4:
Replace Heatsink, , Hit Location: RT, Quantity: 1, Time Multiplier: Quadruple, Total time Min: 360 ,TN: 4:
Replace Weapon, LPL, Hit Location: RT, Quantity: 1, Time Multiplier: Quadruple, Total time Min: 480 ,TN: 6:
TOTAL MIN: 1200  TOTAL DAYS: 2.5