Battletech After-Action Report 1

I've always been a fan of the Battletech universe, but after several attempts, can't really get into the TW rules as written. The level of detail is excellent, but the rules are a bit unwieldy for me.

Accordingly, I've written a simplified version that streamlines unit armor ablation, critical hits, and heat. Units have deliberately become more fragile, but the basic effect of the original rules remains intact. In abstraction/simplicity, it is between 'classic' Battletech and the Battleforce large-scale combat system. This AAR is a solo-play match designed to pinpoint requirements for rules correction.

The scenario being run today is set after the official end of the Word of Blake's Jihad. On Ellsworth, part of the newly-separated Regulan Fiefs, Blakist remnants have been waging a low-level insurgency. Today, a Level II-sized element is moving in on the town of Lubbock, located on a dry lakebed and a logistical hub for the Regulan militia. Their objective is to seize control of Lubbock, harrying Regulan deployments against other FWL remnant states. In game terms, the WoB wins if it has at least one unit in Lubbock, and the militia has none. In any other case, the militia has successfully defended its objective. The game ends after five turns.

Blakist Forces
VKG-2F Viking
NXS1-A Nexus
RDS-2A Red Shift
Padilla Artillery Tank (Arrow IV)
Pinto Attack VTOL (WoB variant)
Asura Battle Armor squad

This is an artillery-heavy task force with a mixture of heavy units and light, mobile elements. The BA  will be mounted in the Pinto as a rapid-reaction/ambush force.

The Ellsworth Militia has an armored lance stationed in Lubbock, along with a company of LRM/TAG infantry and a lone Hercules 'mech. Two Shiva omnifighters salvaged from abandoned FWLM and WoB equipment have been provided, as the militia's conventional fighters and handful of older ASFs are occupied elsewhere. However, the insurgents (for now, at least) lack air cover. This grants the Regulans Air Superiority- their Shivas may be called in on a 3+ (1D6) without having to make a Dogfight roll.

Regulan Forces
HRC-LS-9000 Hercules
Galleon Light Tank
Main Gauche Tank Destroyer
Main Gauche Tank Destroyer
Infantry Platoon (TAG Spotter)
Infantry Platoon (LRM)
Infantry Platoon (LRM)
SHV-OG Shiva
SHV-OG Shiva

The Shivas are using a custom configuration I wrote up, with 2 medium pulse lasers and a Light Gauss in the nose, an LB 10-X and SRM-6 in each wing, and a third medium pulse as a tail 'stinger'.

First off, a pre-game photo:

The TAG infantry is located in the salient heavy woods hex; the other two platoons are armed with LRMs.

Turn 1

Movement: The Blakists win initiative 6-5. The Red Shift moves north to set up TAG shots against the Regulan tanks, the Nexus runs south and prepares to fire on one LRM infantry platoon, and the Pinto flanks east to release its Battle Armor.

Firing: The Red Shift manages to miss with the TAG, and is out of MPL range. The southern Main Gauche hits the Viking and inflicts three points of damage (roughly corresponding to a ton of armor each. I told you durability was reduced!) and a through-armor critical that knocks out the left LRM launcher. The Nexus kills two fireteams of the eastern LRM infantry platoon, while the Pinto's twin ER MLs kill one of the other LRM unit. The militia Hercules fires its ER PPC at the Viking, causing a TAC that blows apart the completely full LRM-15 ammo bins! The militia Mechwarrior saves his autocannon ammo for the other Wobblies. The TAG infantry successfully designate the Padilla tank. Both LRM volleys hit (one barely), blowing the Padilla's Arrow IV launcher off.

Turn 2

Movement: The Militia wins initiative 11-8. The Red Shift adjusts, giving itself a decent shot against a Main Gauche. However, its artillery support has been knocked out, meaning that the 'mech is on its own against the main strength of the defenders. Next, the Hercules moves in on the Pinto, which has dropped off its BA payload. The Regulan Galleon advances out of its hide towards the Red Shift. The Nexus moves closer to the LRM infantry, who stand their ground. Last, both Shivas are successfully called in, responding to urgent radio calls from the militia infantry.

Firing: One Shiva fires on the Red Shift, only hitting with one MPL and an SRM-6. Only a single point of damage was inflicted. The Nexus wipes out the eastern LRM platoon. Next, the second Shiva fires on the Nexus- scoring 4 criticals with only a single 10-X round! This actually overloads the light 'mech's armor, causing it to be instantly destroyed. The Asuras fire their SRMs on the southern Main Gauche, immobilizing it and damaging its fire-control. The Hercules fires all weapons but its ERPPC against the Pinto...doing absolutely no damage! One Main Gauche's Light Gauss misses against the Red Shift, which fires both MPLs at the Shiva. Both somehow hit. Although the Shiva's pilot passes both PSRs, his aircraft takes four points of damage, an engine damage critical, and a Cockpit Destroyed critical! The destroyed Omnifighter crashes to the ground on the edge of the map. The Galleon's ML misses the Red Shift, but the Pinto kills two LRM fireteams in preparation of bugging out.

Turn 3

Movement: The Word of Blake wins initiative, 11-4. The Red Shift moves forwards towards Lubbock, which has been temporarily abandoned by its defenders. The Hercules slowly moves through a hex of heavy woods, aiming at the fast spotter 'mech. The Pinto sweeps around, appearing to line up a shot at the TAG infantry, while the Galleon moves into close range against the Red Shift. The non-immobilized Main Gauche turns to face the Red Shift as well, and the Asuras set up a rear-aspect shot against the Hercules, but the surviving Shiva fails its call-in roll.

Firing: The Asuras fire their second SRM volley at the Hercules, scoring a decisive hit with five of six rounds. These strip away three points of armor, and destroy the 'mech's head, killing it! It was actually a double-kill- the Wobbies also managed to detonate the autocannon ammunition! Infuriated, a Main Gauche hits the Red Shift in the back, but the round fails to penetrate armor. The TAG infantry lose a fireteam to the Pinto's LRM-5, while ANOTHER Main Gauche hit fails to penetrate! The Red Shift hits with both MPLs, dealing two armor points to the Galleon and destroying its Medium Laser.

Turn 4

Movement: The Regulan Militiamen win initiative 8-5.  This is the second-to-last turn, sparking a rush to control Lubbock. The Galleon enters the city limits, opposed by the Pinto, which also enters the city. At this point, the situation for the Regulans is not looking good. Their infantry are too far to impact the matter, and the objective is only held by a battered light tank. The mobile Main Gauche makes a similar move; it should reach the objective in the next turn. The Red Shift also enters Lubbock; its position grants it an unrestricted field of fire against the Main Gauche. Finally, the Shiva rolls in behind the Red Shift.

Firing: The Galleon and Pinto exchange ineffective fire; neither unit is damaged. The Main Gauche also misses, while the immobilized one takes Fire Control damage from the Asuras' SRMs. The Shiva fires on the Red Shift, and hits with an MPL and both autocannons. The MPL does no damage, but several 75mm shells cause a 'soft kill'. No ammo explosion, and the Mechwarrior survives, but the 'mech is knocked out.

Turn 5

Movement: The Wobbies win the initiative, 11-5. The Galleon pushes forward, while the Asuras line up an SRM shot into Lubbock. The Main Gauche rolls into town- offering a perfect shot to the Blakist BA unit! The Pinto is stationary, leaving no other on-board units available for either side. However, the Pinto passes its call-in roll, and targets the BA, which is exposed in a small clearing.

Firing: Five SRMs hit the Main Gauche's rear armor, but do no damage! There's now basically no way the Wobbies can pull this one off. A Light Gauss round strikes the Pinto, but does not harm it. Similarly, the Pinto's two ERMLs do absolutely nothing, as does the Galleon's one Small Laser with a suitable firing arc. The Shiva kills half of the Battle Armor, but fails to wipe the Level I out entirely.

Results:

Movement: This was a fairly close game. The Militia absolutely dominated in the early turns, but the insurgents turned this streak around by midgame. However, as per the scenario, the Blakists had to be unopposed in Lubbock. The Pinto was in the objective area, but was opposed by two of the three militia tanks. Accordingly, this was technically a win for the Regulans, but not without losses. To recap, each side lost:

WoB:
1 Viking (Ammunition explosion)
1 Nexus knocked out
1 Red Shift knocked out
3 Asura BA
1 Padilla mission-killed

Ellsworth Militia:
1 Hercules (Ammunition explosion)
1 Shiva (Cockpit destroyed)
1 Main Gauche immobilized
10 infantry fireteams

For the Word of Blake, the MVU was definitely the Red Shift. It proved nearly impossible to hit, shot down a Shiva, and firepower-killed the Galleon. The Asuras were also seriously helpful, taking down the Hercules and proving to be a thorn in the side of the tanks.

The militia didn't have quite as clear of an MVU. The Shivas provided a useful on-demand strike capability, but had trouble hitting the agile light 'mechs, and ate up a ridiculous amount of BV points. For the price of the two Shivas, I could have had Galleons and Main Gauches in nearly company strength, or taken multiple medium 'mechs. Next time, I'll run them with external ordnance.

Amusingly enough, the infantry were almost too effective. Their primary targets- the Blakist artillery units- were all knocked out in the first turn. They served as a decent speed bump for the Nexus and Pinto, though.