🕑 8 min read
It’s Game Night! Welcome to another BattleTech: Armoured Combat battle report, where stomp-happy ’Mechs decided diplomacy was overrated and settled things with missiles, heat spikes, and more than a few questionable tactical choices. Grab your dice, check your heat sinks, and let’s get into it!
Opponents & Battle Rating
Glen’s Lance: Locust (20t), Wolverine (55t), Catapult (65t)
David’s Lance: Commando (25t), Shadow Hawk (55t), Thunderbolt (65t)
Friendly neighbourhood balance system gave David all Gunnery 3 / Piloting 3, while my Locust had Gunnery 3 and Piloting 4 - everyone else sat at 3/3.
Round 1 – First Steps
David won initiative and I had to move first.
I opened cautiously: the Wolverine activated its jump jets and bounded onto a raised position hidden among trees, scanning the valleys ahead. The Catapult slithered into a narrow canyon for cover, while the Locust casually marched alongside it, weighing up how foolish it wanted to be today.
No shots were fired. Nothing worth mentioning, anyway.
Round 2 – Warm-Up Shots
David again claimed initiative.
Finally combat - sort of. Thunderbolt and Shadow Hawk tried long-range missiles and autocannons at too-far targets. The Catapult tried an LRM from the canyon. All missed spectacularly.
We were still fresh… and wildly inaccurate.
Round 3 – First Blood
David kept initiative.
Locust shuffled to higher ground. The Commando sprinted into Wolverine range. Thunderbolt realized it was late to the party and broke into open ground desperately trying to catch up. Shadow Hawk advanced then hid in woods.
At last shots rang true. The Wolverine’s AC/5 tore into the Commando’s left torso, cracking armor.
The Commando’s medium laser thudded into the Wolverine’s head - shake! - while additional missiles bounced off trees.
The Shadow Hawk added a few LRM hits on Wolverine’s torso, reminding it of just how mean these birdies can be.
Round 4 – Getting Personal
Everyone lurked and repositioned. The Locust stayed put to keep eyes open. The Thunderbolt skulked behind a tall ridge. The Wolverine charged forward to get a better shot at the Commando - bold. The Catapult stubbornly stayed hidden. The Shadow Hawk held its position in the trees.
The Thunderbolt finally connected with an LRM barrage, peppering the Wolverine everywhere - leg, torso, arm. The Wolverine punched back at the Commando with medium lasers. The Catapult scored a small hit on the Shadow Hawk. Shadow Hawk tried to punish the Wolverine and… well, it wasn’t pretty for anyone.
Round 5 – Close & Chaotic
David’s initiative streak continued.
And then everything happened.
The Wolverine completely whiffed its AC/5 shot. The Commando lit into its vulnerable rear - carnage. The Catapult managed a LRM slap at the Shadow Hawk. The Locust scored a laser hit on the Commando’s left arm internals. And the Shadow Hawk missed everything apart from the tough, fast moving legs of the Locust.
Finally, in a display of pure brute force: the Commando clubbed the Wolverine in the back of the head again. Ouch. Again.
Round 6 – Panic & Heat
David still on initiative.
The Wolverine… panicked. Jumped away to try and live. The Commando gymnasted its way behind it again like a psychopath in a ninja suit. The Locust decided surviving was now its thing and fled north. The Thunderbolt staggered up a cliff to spot targets. The Catapult cautiously walked into trees to snipe. The Shadow Hawk sprinted toward the Wolverine.
Fire erupted. The Wolverine finally scored hits on the Shadow Hawk. The Commando punished the Wolverine. The Thunderbolt peppered the Catapult, shaking its pilot. And the Shadow Hawk… almost missed again. Paint scratched and mostly noise as the hills exploded.
Round 7 – The Big Moment
For the first time in forever - I won initiative.
And quickly made a plan.
The Thunderbolt crested a cliff with perfect sight. The Locust, blur-fast and unfathomably brave, charged the rear of the Thunderbolt and absolutely smashed it - sending the lumbering monster falling 30 meters down the valley in a glorious crash. Pilot unconscious. Massive giggles all around.
Meanwhile, the Wolverine fired at the Commando’s back - finally cracking most of its rear armor - but the Shadow Hawk landed beside the Thunderbolt and tried to stop the Locust. No hits.
The Locust’s assault was glorious… and devastating.
Round 8 – Blackened Metal
David took initiative again.
The Thunderbolt lay prone, pilot out cold. The Locust wisely turned tail and ran downhill. The Commando charged straight at the Catapult. The Shadow Hawk followed suit.
The Catapult lit into the downed Thunderbolt, ripping up its torso with LRM15s. The Wolverine chipped away at it with AC/5 and lasers. And the Commando - oh yes - exploded spectacularly when its own SRM ammo ignited, shredding it into bits mid-charge. Small victory.
The Shadow Hawk managed a few hits on the Catapult’s torsos.
The Thunderbolt pilot finally woke up in the midst of all this.
Round 9 – The Final Punches
David held initiative and pressed on.
The Locust turned around and made one last lunge at the Thunderbolt. The Thunderbolt fired back and finally took out the Catapult’s rear LRM launcher. The Catapult and Wolverine hammered the Thunderbolt’s internals.
Then, in a brutal final act, the Shadow Hawk tore the brave little Locust to pieces, blasting its cockpit and stripping its lasers off its fragile frame.
No close combat this round - just guns.
Aftermath
No clear winner - but a starring cast of carnage:
Commando: Destroyed in spectacular explosive fashion.
Thunderbolt: Critically downed, pilot briefly KO’d.
Locust: Heroic but ultimately disabled by overwhelming fire.
Wolverine: Still praying to whatever Gods that looked over him that day.
Catapult: LRM still missing...
Shadow Hawk: Booked in for some shooting practice.
Thanks for reading, and see you next game night!
::End Transmission::
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