10 March, 3046 Unit makes landfall on Thirtyweight
Current Administrator Assignments
Command (+1 initiative during combat assignments)
1x Fight
1x Defend
1x Scout
Logistics (-1 to IntroTech Availability TNs)
Unit
Dancer
Dragon
Skaraborg
HR (each Tech gains +30 extra Repair minutes per day)
Crusher
Dancer
Freya
Kong
10 MarchUnit CO assigns the following Roles:Scout:(x1 minimum)Freya
Dancer
Defend:(x1 minimum)Skaraborg
Midnight
Fight: (x4 minimum)Crusher
Dunedain
Dragon
Ice
Kong
Training:Unassigned:...Reaper
...Bright
10 March, 3046Make planetfall. Begin contract.
30 MarchMISSION: Recon Raid (Attacker) - Midnight, Freya, and Kong
RESULT: VICTORY - Contract Score raised to 2
After-Action Report: All lances entered the FEBA from the southwest, with the enemy deployed relatively evenly across a 500m from approximately 1km from friendly forces. Kong Lance swung to the east, intending to swing through the southeast checkpoint and then turn north to the northeast checkpoint. Freya and Midnight Lances pushed directly north, with Freya engaging and delaying the OPFOR heavy elements while Midnight pushed hard to the northwest checkpoint. Initial push went well, Freya Lance neutralized several Zhukov tanks and engaged lighter elements, while the light lance which moved to intercept Kong's northward push largely demonstrated ineffectually once their Zhukov support was removed. However, OPFOR medium elements, stiffened by their Bombardier, pushed Freya Lance's Crusader and Grasshopper quite hard, and actually pushed through the Ranger line, cutting off their escape route to the south, irrespective of the timely arrival of the reinforcing Crusher Lance and the elimination of the OPFOR Bombardier and neutralization of their AA assets. Midnight Lance was able to accomplish its reconnaissance and eliminate the reinforcing enemy vehicle assets at pointblank range. In the northeast, Kong Lance ran into severe problems when its fast elements took severe leg actuator damage, and only the timely arrival of Freya Lance's Wasp LAM allowed the recon mission in that quadrant to be completed. Kong Lance's Hermes would require a complete leg replacement, but despite the casualty, LT Blunch returned her Wolverine to friendly lines with the data. The OPFOR Griffins proved to be a significant problem, and did severe damage to several Ranger Mechs, notably Freya Lance's Crusader and Midnight Lance's Vindicator; though neither Mech was lost, both required significant time in the repair bays. Sheer weight of fire eventually proved their undoing and they were forced to retreat and allow the reconnitering units to return to friendly lines with their sensor data. Salvage was light, and the major piece - the Bombardier - was claimed by the unit to begin the long process of saving money for the future purchase of a DropShip. Freya Lance was given a Zhukov whose crew was killed early in the fight by stray shrapnel, Kong recieved a mostly-intact Pegasus, Midnight and Crusher both were given 3 Harasser carcasses and Midnight recieved a crippled Zhukov to help pay for the lost Mech limbs suffered in the battle. No prisoners were taken.
30 MarchSOLO MISSION: Extraction (Defender) - Dunedain
RESULT: LOSS - no effect on contract score
After-Action Report: Dunedain pushed hard along the primary east-west road in order to press the pirate units away from their oncoming rescuers. Pirate light units split up along a north-south axis, with the Clint taking cover in a small farming village to the south and the lighter, faster vehicles swinging north in order to maintain distance and buy time until the heavy pirate units could arrive. This strategy was ultimately successful; MAJ Saulter took a few seconds too long to realize the extent to which he'd overcommitted his forces to the center axis, and by then it was too late to effectively catch up to the faster vehicle units. Three of the four escaping pirate units were destroyed, but the last brought the valuable intelligence of the Ranger landing site back to pirate HQ. A close-quarters fight ensued between the heavy rescue units and Dunedain Lance; when the dust cleared, the pirates were falling back after their retreating vehicles. Dunedain salvaged a pirate Clint and Grasshopper, in exchange for light damage between 3 lance Mechs and massive and comprehensive damage to MAJ Saultier's own machine. This failure to contain intelligence would necessitate moving the DropShip landing site, and would provide the pirate forces a chance to attack that convoy a few weeks later.
1 AprilUnit receives contract payment of $2,422,977 CB.
Each PC adds $173,070 CB to their warehouse. Unit adds $865,348 CB.
All lances deduct Monthly operating costs
SPECIAL EVENT: Enemy Rallies! Next enemy morale roll gains a +1 modifier.
13 AprilSOLO MISSION: Extraction (Attacker) - Dancer
RESULT: VICTORY - no effect on contract score
After-Action Report: Civilian units escaping the pirates entered area across western half of southern line. They then spread out with the 2 mechs staying in the heavy forest area. Pirate elements spread out along kilometer wide front to cut civies off. Ranger attacking forces entered the north central edge in a loose line formation. Pirate elements immediately turned about to face the invading Rangers and moved to attack, not worrying about the civilians for the present. The pirate commander, in an Archer, maintained the center of the pirate line on a hill overlooking the northern half of the field. One Dancer Phoenix Hawk, kept the western end of the line occupied while the other 3 Dancers engaged the eastern end of the pirate line including a Star League Royal Phoenix Hawk. Dancer units used the terrain/cover to stay away from the Archer’s heavy LRM’s while the civie mechs harassed the Archer with light LRM fire from behind in the trees. The tide turned even as the pirate royal hawk maneuvered for a back shot on the Dancer Blackjack. An airstrike from Ranger air cover hit the royal hawk even as the Blackjack rotated both arms overhead and backward to fire its ppc’s dead center into the hawk’s center torso, severely damaging its engine and gyro and taking it out of the fight. It eventually overheated enough to cook off its machine gun ammo, destroying its engine and left torso and ejecting its unconscious pilot. Pirate units lacked cohesion as Dancer concentrated on one mech after another.
14 AprilMISSION: Breakthrough (Defender) - Air Lance and Transport Group.
RESULT: VICTORY - no effect on contract score
After-Action Report: The Numenorean Eagles (our fighter group) successfully defended the Blonde Lager from the pirate's air group. The Eagles inflicted heavy damage on the pirates, but not without cost. CPO Lisa Mays, piloting Stingray 2, was shot down when the pirate Corsair managed to detonate her Stingray's fuel tank. LtJG Andromeda Clark, piloting Transit 1, in conjunction with Blonde Lager, extracted vengance by downing the Corsair after it lost control due to heat incurred while firing on the Blonde Lager. In total, the Eagles and the Blonde Lager downed the Corsair and four Guardians while inflicting heavy damage on the remaining pair of Guardians and the Centurions. During the fighting, the Transit's landing gear was heavily damaged. The Eagles feared LtJG Clark would be unable to land safely after the fighting. These fears proved unjustified as she calmly and professionally landed the ASF in an outstanding display of precision piloting.
18 AprilMISSION: Stand Up (Attacker) - Dunedain, Ice, and Crusher Lance
RESULT: DRAW
After-Action Report: Ranger Lances approached the Rappahannock River in mass, reasonably certain that the pirates had no artillery support available to them. Across the river were several large hardened structures of indeterminate origin, but which were packed full of light vehicles in good cover and with good fields of fire. Both sides had reinforcements quickly approaching the battle area; Skaraborg Lance arrived just as the main Ranger force reached the eastern river bank. Overeager pirates cut the northern bridge, and the Rangers smoothly diverted to the southern crossing and used their jump jets to cross the river at a narrower point, incidentally flanking the southern structure, isolating the pirate heavy Mechs to the north, and prepared to roll up the pirate flank in detail. However, a pair of pirate Demolisher tanks and a pirate Shootist spearheaded a drive directly into the middle of the Ranger formation, which broke. Approximately half the Ranger mechs fell back across the river in self-preservation, while the lead elements drove further west into the cover of a small but dense forest. While preserving their forces, this movement was a tactical error; the Ranger forces were split and the separation gave the pirates time to bring their heavy Mechs into play and drive a wedge between the Ranger elements. The lead elements in the forest were badly beaten; Dunedain's Crusaders were both shot up, and Crusher 4's SGT Vann was forced to eject from her
Catapult when it took an ammunition hit from the Shootist. The Ranger elements across the river, including the bulk of Skaraborg's assault Mechs, were occupied dealing with a light lance which had swung far to the south and worked their way across the river. While this force did little damage, the psychological threat they posed kept the eastern half of the Ranger force from aggressively pushing forward and hitting the pirate forces while they were pinned in close contact with the Ranger lead elements. Both sides eventually realized that they were at an effective stalemate, and mutually withdrew from the battlefield as they approached their respective combat loss groupings. Crusher 4 was the only total loss, but damage was significant across all participating Ranger Lances.
18 AprilSOLO MISSION: Star League Cache 3 - Kong Lance
RESULT: VICTORY - no effect on contract score
After-Action Report: SGT Haden fell right in with her new lancemates. Her disposition matched perfectly. That's why, upon discovering a newly open cave complex with power signatures inside she charged in instead of waiting for backup. The cave quickly showed development and refinement that reflected a cache storage area. Haden stopped short when confronted with four Mechs, and shot out a power conduit plunging the area into darkness. The opening of the battle saw mostly missed shot exchanges, as the Mercury was the only mech with a light. After a little bit of moving around, the Wolverine jumped into a hole in the building and promptly shoved the mercury to the ground. The mech lost both arms, and while the pilot stumbled away Haden moved in for the kill. This was unnecessary, as the Mech fell and could not stand with repeated attempts, ending up unconscious and an easy target as Haden blew off the right leg. The Mercury's engine and gyro also took hits. This time allowed the Firefly and Crab to maneuver in and do some damage. Two kicks brought an end to the Firefly's right leg, and thus started a wide ranging battle. Eventually the Wolverine lost its upper leg actuator, and withdrew into the large 2nd story of the building. The cat and mouse game continued a few more turns, until Haden failed a PSR and fell. The Crab rushed in, and in its haste for the kill, missed with most of its weapons and fell to the ground to boot. Both Mechs stood up, and opened up with full batteries. Much armor was lost, but the Crabs weakened left torso was finished off with a final SRM volley. The Exterminator's tech-pilot surrendered, and the experimental machine was returned to the employer. The grateful FWLM recognized the significant asset their technicians could study, and exchanged the machine for a failed LosTech prototype Ostroc which Kong Interstellar had unsuccessfully pitched.
21 AprilMISSION: Base Attack (Attacker) - Skaraborg, Dragon, and Kong Lance
RESULT: VICTORY
After-Action Report: Skaraborg and Dragon Lance approached the dug-in double heavy lances defending the main facility, while Kong Lance moved across the south quadrant of the drop port to strike at the significant vehicle forces stationed there. Almost immediately, the
Celebrimbor swooped in and delivered Freya and Dunedain Lances into the middle of the battle area. Freya immediately moved towards the eastern wall of the main base and engaged the turret defenses there, while Dunedain made short work of the heavy artillery installation overlooking the seaport zone. However, Dunedain was not quick enough to save Kong Lance from taking significant damage from a Long Tom round which dropped into its midst, significantly damaging a Kong Lance
Wolverine and
Ostroc. Likewise, Dunedain took significant damage from the artillery battery's pointblank fire, and while they finished off the turret, they would spend much of the remainder of the battle mopping up the vehicle units while Kong Lance diverted north and entered the base through the southwest section, unopposed. Freya Lance's assault on the rear of the enemy position pulled several of the pirate heavy Mechs off the walls in response, and Dragon and Skaraborg lances - which had been on the losing end of a long-range fire exchange - seized the opportunity and pushed forward into the base. A significant pointblank brawl ensued around the base's northwestern gate. Damage was heavy, and while Kong Lance's inferno-carrying Mechs did a sterling job suppressing the pirate infantry, they were insufficient to the task; pirate foot and jump platoons would deal significant damage against Ranger BattleMechs which could not spare the effort to engage them while also engaging the heavy pirate machines. As the melee wore down, an unidentified DropShip entered the battle area; Ranger and pirate air units were too engaged with one another to interdict this third party, who turned out to be members of the Capellan Warrior House Ma-tsu Kai. These intruders had tracked down a rogue member of their fraternity, Lieutenant Iva Blunch of Kong Lance, for the last two years and had finally caught up with her to return her to her mandated service. The Capellans airdropped into the battle area, taking an ignominious casualty as their
Cataphract landed on its head in the 12-meter deep basement of a light building when a sudden wind drift threw off its landing coordinates. The survivors plunged into the rear of the Rangers, tying down Kong Lance just as Skaraborg's SGT Natasha Rozinov was knocked unconscious by a particularly fierce salvo. As her
Zeus fell, she was KIA in her cockpit and her Mech destroyed by the concentrated fire of the unconstrained infantry platoons. To the east, enemy reinforcements entered the battle area, and the remains of Dunedain - short its
Firestarter, had been eliminated by a high-tech pirate
Phoenix Hawk in an effort to screen the Rangers Marksman artillery piece (providing close support to the southwest) - and a detachment from Freya Lance moved to intercept. The battle against the pirate relief force swirled into the maze of light support buildings northeast of the drop port, and the pirate reinforcements were wiped out almost to a man. Moderate salvage, including a few advanced machines, a pristine
Thug missing its head (courtesy of Freya's LT Hartmann), and a K-1 DropShuttle sitting in the port, was all seized and added to the unit rolls. The interfering Capellans were driven off, though LT Blunch and her friends tendered their immediate resignation from the Rangers, stating "now that they found us, it was time to run again."
Contract Postscript: It is believed, but not confirmed, that the pirates engaged by the Numenorean Rangers were in fact members of the Com Guard, though aside from their advanced equipment and (as Kong Lance discovered) familiarity with Star League Caches in the area, no direct proof was discovered during this engagement, aside from several pirate Mechs painted in start white colors, or partially camouflaged-over white. No known pirates bearing startk white livery have been known to operate in a 200 lightyear zone around this space since the Lumbar-Jacks were annihilated by Star League police action in 2741.22 April - CONTRACT VICTORY
Unit receives contract payment of $2,422,977 CB.
Each PC adds $173,070 CB to their warehouse. Unit adds $865,348 CB.
Unit receives $15,102,000 for Transport Costs.
No BLC is due.
Career/Soldier checks for employer awards (early completion; opposition = pirates): Threshold 10MAJ Saltier +3
Result: 7
LT Hartmann +4
Result: 6
LT Blunch +1
Result: 6
LT Sharpe +1
Result: 8
LT Breisacher +1
Result: 7
LT Mudd +1
Result: 3
LT Freeman +1
Result: 4
LT Kronwall +2
Result: 7
LT Atayde +3
Result: 9
No Awards Granted.
Author
Topic: Operation SLAMMER, March - September, 3046 (Read 1832 times)