Carver V Campaign
Mission #12:  End Game…or Game Over Dude! Game Over!

South Essex,

  The Fed-Com Civil war is over.  Victor has beaten Katrina’s troops on New Avalon and placed his sister Yvonne on the throne of House Davion. His younger brother Peter is now ruler of House Steiner.  Planetary holdings were assigned to whom ever controlled the system when the war ended.  Your actions have put Carver V firmly under House Davion control.  Colonel Rennier has been requested by House Davion to leave the system.  He isn’t giving up that easy.  I guess he thinks he can fire up the civil war again by holding his ground, but everyone has seen enough fighting.  His atrocities while in control of both star ports and under the HPG blackout have turned the population against him.  Without House Steiner supporting him, he can’t hold out forever…unless he has support coming from another area.  House Kurita, and House Marik being over one space jump away would not have interest in the planet.  House Liao has their eyes on the St. Ives Compact and is focusing their efforts there.  That only leaves the Word of Blake.  They have not taken any hostile action against any of the major Houses before.  Their only beef is with ComStar, so I don’t think the toaster-worshipers are going to get involved here on Carver V.   Not sure what Rennier is thinking.  Anyways he needs to be removed before anyone does decide to support him and throw this planet back in to war.

  His Planetary HQ is where we will strike…Frontal assault…no Forlorn Hope this time, the other members of the 95th Rifles will be assaulting the 2nd Starport at the same time as our asssult on the HQ.  Our Goal is simple…Remove Rennier.  The forces standing in our way is the tough part.

  We know Rennier has his remaining armor force guarding the Star port, along with a Heavy and Medium lance of mechs.  That leaves him with the following forces on planet that we know about, figure they are all holed up at the HQ.

  You will be facing some Mechs that escaped from prior missions…The Axman AXM-3S from missions #8, and 9.  The Mad Cat from mission #11, our spies say he has swapped over to an H variant with two heavy large lasers.  And your favorite…From missions #8, 9, 10, and 11 the Wraith.


  When you first faced Rennier and Commander Cho betrayed you a few of the Steiner mechs didn’t have jump jets and couldn’t cross the river.  Of those mechs these are the ones Recon forces have spotted at the Steiner HQ…a Banshee BNC-6S, a Caesar CES-4S, and a Zeus ZEU-9T.


Two members of the Triple Digits had escaped while we were taking the Star Port.  Lt. Gorman got away with the Atlas AS7-S2 we just repaired.  Pvt. Frost, the King Crab pilot who surrendered to us in Mission #10 also escaped.  Remember the backup Stealth Pillager Mandrissa Cho promised us if we returned her son to her…apparently Rennier got hold of it and it is now Frost’s ride.


The Five other members of the Triple digits we have yet to face in battle…Cpl. Ferro in a Thunder Hawk TDK-7X, Cpl. Dietrich in a Grand Titan T-IT-N11M, Pvt. Crowe in an Imp IMP-4E, Pvt. Spunkmeyer in a Berserker BRZ-C3, and Pvt. Hudson in a Devastator DVS-2.


Finally, Colonel Rennier in his Fafnir FNR-5, along with the remaining Fenrir battle-armor on the planet.


 They may get a little air support, but it’s won’t be much due to the rest of the 95th hitting the 2nd Steiner Star port.

Good Luck,
Major Richard Sharpe
CO 95th Rifles
CO South Essex

I gave the players the option of keeping their Mechwarriors or shelfing them to run one of the NPC 95th Rifles.

Tha Player Lineup.
1) Mitch - Marauder IIC - 95th Rifles - Captain Fredrickson - 2/3
2) Kyle - Kraken 2 - 2/2
3) Josh - Thor D - 2/2
4) Abombination - Daishi Custom - 3/3
5) Jeff - Nova Prime - 2/4
6) Chris - Naginata NG-C3C - 2/4
7) Seamus - Victor VTR-10D - 4/4
8) Rick - Mad Cat Prime - 3/5
9) Fab - Mad Cat MKII - 95th Rifles - Rifleman Harris - 2/3
10) Ralph - Sagittaire - 95th Rifles - Rifleman Hagman - 1/3
11) Jay - Warhawk H - 95th Rifles - Rifleman Daniels - 3/3
12) Larry - Black Knight BL9-KNT - 95th Rifles - Major Richard Sharpe - 2/1

There will be Harper's Jagermech JM-7F, a King Crab 001, a Banshee 7S for walk up players, or anyone else returning to play.

I gave Abombination the option to customise his mech, for all the help he gave me running this campaign.  During Fire pahse he would get the next set of "Fire sticks" ready while we were running trough one set.  I might regret it...Cause the Monster he came up with is ...Um...Frelling sick!

For the "Bad Guys" Rennier is a 1/2 in his Fafnir, the rest of the Triple Digits are 2/3's, the rest are 3/4's.  Gonna be fast and brutal.

Players mechs pics.



The players Air support.



Finally the Bad Guys Air Support...

Carver V: Campaign, Mission #12, Battle Recap.

First up here is an overhead shot of the Steiner HQ.  The Gate-House holds a Heavy Gauss Rifle.  A couple of “Pop-up” turrets with twin ER Large Lasers are also in front of the wall.  The walls are 4 levels high; meaning the assaults with jump 3 can’t clear the wall.


Inside the base, the Mech hangars and infantry barrack ring the courtyard.  A brand new firebase is the 2nd line of defense.  A few sections of walls remain from the original firebase that was on the hill.


Round #1: Sound the Charge.
  The Players advance taking fire.  They focus their fire on the eastern most wall section and the Gatehouse.  The Daishi drops both of the twin ER Laser turrets, by itself.  Little info on this beast custom built…Twin Clan Gauss, Twin Clan ERPPC's, Targeting Computer, and an ER Small laser of doom.  Don’t worry folks; the player’s needed the firepower.  The Heavy Gauss from the Gatehouse throws a 25 pointer into the CT of the Banshee.


  Some of the Steiner forces emerge from their mech hangers to meet the attackers.  The Atlas figures to hold the center and greet whoever comes through the gate first.  The Steiner Banshee and Axman move up as well.  The Zeus heads to the high ground to take up a fire support position.  The Steiner Caesar moves to take a shot at the player Thor…and misses with his HGR.
  Finally three members of the Triple Digits, the Devastator, Pillager, and Imp have moved into positions to provide long range support.  Just as they prepare to drop the first fool that enters the base, from the sky come the Players Aerospace support…loaded with HE bombs.  The 80 ton Slayer, doesn’t quite live up to its name…causing two engine crits and a gyro crit on Private Hudson in the Devastator, ripping through the rear left and center torso armor.  The Corsair misses with 4 of his 10 bombs annoying the Pillager, with a mere 60 points of damage. 


Round 1 Tally: Davion 0, Steiner 0

Round #2:  We have a Breach!
  The players drop both the eastern wall section and the Gatehouse.  But not before the HGR puts another 25pointer into the Banshee.  The Mad Cat II and Sagittare take some shots at the Steiner Banshee.  The Nova jumps over the wall, attempting to eliminate the Caesar in one round…Pumps too many ER Medium lasers to count into the rear of his target.  A gyro Hit and poor piloting roll, drops the Caesar.  The Nova takes return fire from the Atlas, Banshee and Caesar, but nothing significant.  The Steiner Aerospace fighters arrive and for the remainder of the game, duel in the skies with the Davion Aerospace fighters, they have no further impact on the Ground battle.


Round 2 Tally: Davion 0, Steiner 0

Round #3:  “Follow Me Boys”…BLAM
    Steiner wins the init for the first time.  The Steiner Banshee, Axman and Mad Cat move to close the wall breach figuring the Atlas, Caesar and supporting Assaults on the hill can cover the gate.  


The Wraith jumps over the wall and takes a shot at his favorite target the Naginata.  The Nova falls back, and the Caesar after falling twice trying to stand, rises to face him.  The Nova and Daishi finish off the Caesar. First blood goes to the players.


Private Frost in the Pillager, seeing that no one is coming through the gate, moves up to a better firing position along side his fellow Steiner mechs.  He now has a spot on the hill to cover the breach in the east wall.


Rifleman Daniels radios to his fellow Davion Mechwarriors, ”Follow Me Boys”, and runs his Warhawk H through the rubble of the east wall…
  Having both Gauss Rifles lined up on the gap, Pvt. Frost sees the Warhawk come through.
  Frost says to himself in a soft whisper, “Buh Bye” as he pulls the triggers one after another.
  Rifleman Daniels focused on the Steiner Banshee and Axman to his front; sees a Gauss round pass by just missing his canopy and smashing into the wall to his right.  He turns to his left to see his attacker, just as the second Gauss round smashes into the cockpit.


Round 3 Tally: Davion 1, Steiner 1 

Round #4:   Yay, we got one…Oh Crud!
   Always faster, at starting up her mech than the others of her unit…Corporal Ferro, steps her Thunderhawk out of the hangar onto the battlefield. 
  On the Davion side, Captain Fredrickson, seeing the Naginata is having issues with the Steiner Wraith, advances from the reserves with his Marauder IIC to help.


  In a questionable move the Steiner Axman moves to take the forward position at the Gate, and is pummeled by the Daishi, Naginata and Nova.  The left arm is sheared off the Axman and the Hatchet is shot off half way up the shaft.  The Nova continues to avoid major damage from the Atlas shots.
  While many of the Steiner mechs on the hill don’t have clear shots at the enemy, the Imp and the Mad Cat II trade shots.  The players Mad Cat maneuvers hoping to get a good firing position on the Thunderhawk.  The players Banshee and Thor fire on the Steiner Banshee.  No major damage anywhere…except the Axman.


Round 4 Tally: Davion 0, Steiner 0

   Turn #5:  We have them on the Ropes!

  Players win the Init yet again.  The armless Axman jumps behind the Marauder IIC, hoping to hit with his LB20, but misses.  Fire from the Daishi, Marauder IIC, Mad Cat II and Naginata leave the Axman in a pile of burning wreckage.


  Rifleman Daniel Hagman in the Sagittaire is the best shot in the 95th Rifles.  He puts an ERPPC, and two large pulse lasers into the Center Torso of the Steiner Banshee, critting the Gyro twice. (Not an aimed shot which you can’t do with pulses anymore, just kept rolling 7’s)


  The Player’s Thor and Mad Cat advance and take shots at the Thunderhawk.  The Atlas and Steiner Mad Cat H take both arms off the player Mad Cat Prime with their volley this turn.  To which one of the player’s says “Don’t worry Rick, your just the Clan version of the Catapult now.”  The Thunderhawk puts three Gauss rounds into the Thor one in each torso…wait for it this becomes a theme.


  Turn 5 tally: Davion 2, Steiner 0

  Turn #6:  Abandon all hope ye who enter here…

  Responding to the perimeter alarm a little slower than their lancemate in the Thunderhawk, two more members of the Triple Digits enter the fray.  Corporal Dietrich walks his Grand Titan out of the hangar bay planning to push the attackers back out of the breach in the wall.  The same time, Private Spunkmeyer is eager to get his new version of the Berserker into action.  He had great success in the raid on the Davion base and loves his TSM powered Hatchet attack.  The look on the players’ faces was priceless when they realized how dangerous the Berserker was.


  The players win init again and decide this is the turn to advance through the gate as a group.  The Atlas moves in to close combat the Naginata, but fires at the Marauder IIC.   The Wraith jumps to attack the Daishi’s rear.  The Berserker and the Sagittaire square off.  The Mad Cat II and Banshee take on the Grand Titan.  The Thor and player Mad Cat fire at the Steiner Mad Cat, but nothing goes internal.  All the fire support on the hill and the Thunderhawk pump rounds into both the Daishi and the Naginata.  More armor flew off this round than any other round in the history of the campaign…or any game I have ever played in.  The Atlas and Naginata exchange kicks but both remain standing.




  Amazingly nobody dies, and the only mech that falls is the Sagittaire, and the Berserker pilot starts to drool.  Just and insane amount of accurate fire this round.  I gave the 4 players had that played in all 12 missions of the campaign one “Edge” point to force a re-roll of any one roll that directly effected their mech.  A Gauss round from Private Hudson in the badly damaged Devastator, went through the head of the player Daishi…but the ”Edge” re-roll moved it to a leg.




Turn 6 tally: Davion 0, Steiner 0

Turn #7: The Steiner Strikes Back

  Players win the init again…Yeah Steiner won init twice all game.
The Grand Titan, advances on the player Mad Cat II and Banshee…making the “Just bring it!” motion with its fully actuated fingers.  Both the player Mad Cat and Thor move over to help with the Grand Titan this turn and it takes a pounding, however…


  From his cockpit in the Mad Cat Mk. II, Rifleman Harris sees the approaching Grand Titan.  Harris thinks to himself…”How cocky is this pilot to actually gesture like that?”. “Oh it's on now!” Harris says as he pulls the triggers, firing his twin Gauss rifles.  Just as Harris fires, a ball of lightning washes away the armor from his cockpit as the ERPPC from the Titan finds its mark.  Harris, stunned for a second, shakes his head to help refocus, the outside air entering the cockpit helps.  “This mech is not cursed!” Harris tries to convince himself, knowing the last three Mechwarriors that sat in this chair are no longer alive.  He notices his sensors are damaged from PPC hit…”No worries, I’ll just use the old Mark1 eyeball…” Harris words fade as he watches the Short Range Missiles leave the tubes in the chest of the Grand Titan.  Four missiles have locked on, but Harris is only focused on one.  He has been in dozens of battles.  So many he knows what is about to happen, He already knows where this missile will hit his mech. “Funny thing is you're not supposed to see the one that gets yo...” Harris couldn’t complete his thought as the missile exploded on the console in front of him.

  Mechwarrior Kyle still getting used the Banshee he selected for this mission.  For the last few months he was quite happy with his Stealth Cataphract. He knew the armor of the Cataphract, even if it was stealth, would not be enough for this mission.  He took a mech that moved the same as the Cataphract, had almost the same weapons load out, just significantly more armor and a light engine rather than the XL the Cat had.  His armor was thin in many areas. Kyle focused on the Grand Titan, noticed Harris’ mech fall backwards out of the corner of his eye.  Then he felt the first Gauss round hit, sensors showed it had breached the torso in the center of his mech.  The Steiner Thunderhawk had maneuvered to assist the Grand Titan.  The Second Gauss round breached the Right torso, but managed not to hit anything vital.  Kyle’s controls went slack as the third Gauss round wedged itself into the Banshee’s gyro.  “This is gonna hurt” Kyle thought as the 95 ton mech slowly toppled to its right, landing just on top of the Mad Cat MkII.


Back at the gate, the Daishi, Naginata, Marauder IIC all fall back just a bit to get some cover. The Steiner Atlas backs up as well to put the wall between himself and the Daishi and Naginata.  The Pvt. Spunkmeyer in the Berserker waits a few seconds to see which way the Sagittaire will get up, planning on moving in and placing the his hatchet somewhere into the XL engine of the Sagittaire.  The Steiner Wraith jumps over and informs Spunkmeyer that Lieutenant Gorman in the Atlas needs some help at the gate.  Without pause the hot running, triple strength myomers sped the Berserker over to where he could assist. (Players moved the Sag last…good choice on their part)  Spunkmeyer sets his sights on the Naginata…

Mechwarrior Chris in his Naginata he named “Timewind” is the LRM specialist of the group.  Never one to close with the enemy quickly, he prefers to slowly approach launching volley after volley of LRMs to weaken the target for his teammates.  He also never puts himself in any real danger that way either.  Being nose to nose with the Steiner Atlas was much closer than he ever wished to be.  At least he connected with that kick.  The sensors told him that Timewind’s armor was down to 25% in some areas.  Chris backed Timewind away from the Atlas and bumped into the wall behind him.  The Berserker had just charged across more ground than a 100 ton mech should be able too.  Chris fired all of Timewind's weapons at the Berserker knocking the beast over.  With the Berserker out of the way Chris could see to the hill, on which stood the row of Steiner assault mechs.  They had been splitting firing between himself, the Daishi and Marauder IIC…but now his teammates were behind cover…and Timewind was the primary target.  “Don’t I get a blindfold and a cigarette?” Chris thought to himself as the Berserker, Zeus, Imp and Pillager opened up on him.  He thought for a second he might survive until the last Gauss round from the Pillager hit the leg the Atlas has kicked before.  The damage to the upper and lower actuators was too much for Chris to keep Timewind standing.  The armor in the Center torso buckled so badly from the fall it damaged engine to the point the safeties kicked in and shut down Timewind for the rest of the battle.


  The Daishi, having a funny feeling about how accurate the Devastator potentially could be…places four shots into Private Hudson’s badly damaged mech.  The Left torso internals were almost gone from the Slayers bombing run.  The Daishi “Abomination” finished off the left torso, taking out the XL engine.

  Fire from the Nova and Marauder IIC; take the left leg off of the Atlas, putting it down but not out of the fight.


Round 7 tally: Davion 1, Steiner 3

Round #8:  Colonel Rennier comes out to play.

  Players roll a 7 for Init, I roll a 6, but both sides have the Forcing the Initiative ability, The +2 gives Steiner the Initiative this turn.

  Emerging from his mech bay is none other than Colonel Rennier in his Fafnir.  Guess he figures he can help mop up the attackers.
  A second breach, this time in the western most wall has occurred and through it comes the last wave of player mechs, Sergeant Major Harper in his Twin Rac5 Jagermech, Rifleman Cooper in his King Crab, and Rifleman Tongue in the Kraken 2.  Harper manages to jam one rac5 and but also puts a very important round 5 pointer into the Fafnir’s head.


  With Rennier on the table, things get even more interesting.  Mechwarrior Jeff in the Nova, who has been jumping around and sniping, charges right at Rennier. I drop the Colonel and this war is over, thinks Jeff as he triggers all 11 functioning ER Mediums lasers…doing quite a bit of damage, but nothing internal.  Rennier fires back placing not one but two Heavy gauss rounds into the left leg…the second shot which ricochets through the left torso and into the engine in the center torso, finishing the Nova.


  Jeff is not the only one to shoot at Rennier, just about every player does.  The Thor, passing up the much easier target of the Thunderhawk, fires past him into Rennier.  The Thunderhawk hits the Thor with all three Gauss rounds again…Left arm, Left leg, Right leg…can’t seem to put two rounds into the same location.  The Grand Titan, Mad Cat square off, while the Sagittaire maneuvers to get a rear shot on the Titan.  The Grand Titan finishes the Mad Cat…and shrugs of off the damage from the Saggi with impressive rear armor.


  The Marauder IIC, going for the kill moves up to the Atlas, hoping to kick it to death, but not before torso twisting to fire at Rennier with 3 ERPPC’s.  The Berserker rises and charges in to protect his legless friend.  The Marauder IIC pilot raises his right arm in an attempt to block, just in time to have it and the right torso sheared off from the Berserker’s hatchet attack.  The kick connects but does not finish the Atlas.  The Marauder IIC falls over and the Pilot is knocked out.


Round 8 tally: Davion 0, Steiner 2

  Round #9: END GAME.

  Rennier focuses on the Jager…Placing both heavy gauss rounds into the left torso…knocking out he XL engine.


  The fire coming back at Rennier is still crazy…a Gauss round from the Daishi crits the Left side Heavy Gauss Rifle… (Causing Rennier two more pilot hits)…an ER Large laser from the Mechwarrior Josh in the Thor crits the right side Heavy Gauss rifle…(Two more hits for Rennier)…Rennier fails his roll and is knocked out…The smoking hulk that barley resembles a Fafnir, tips forward and crashes to the ground.  The unconscious Colonel cannot brace himself from the fall and the weight of his neurohelmet snaps his neck.

 The remaining mechs for the players were the Kraken, King Crab both untouched; the Saggi was at about 50%. The Thor, Marauder IIC and Daishi were in serious trouble.  Major Sharpe in his Black Knight and Mechwarrior Seamus in his Victor were entering the battle next turn.

  Steiner had an untouched Imp and Zeus. A Thunderhawk, Wraith and Berserker at 75%, The Mad Cat and Pillager at about 50%, the immobile Atlas but still firing, and the Grand Titan is pretty rough shape. Steiner still had 8 squads of Fenrir battle armor that hadn’t come out yet. 

  With Rennier dead, Lieutenant Gorman of the Triple digits negotiated a cease fire. Knowing he had superior numbers and his mechs in better shape, Gorman was able to get safe passage off planet for all remaining Steiner forces…The one sticking point of the negotiation was the Wraith and his pilot…but became a non-issue when both sides noticed he was no longer on the Battlefield.                   

Hope everyone enjoyed the Battle Report.  This campaign was very fun to run for the players, I'm pretty sure they all had a great time too.