Mission #9: Liberation of Banniksburg

Two years ago with the breakup of the Federated Commonwealth, House Steiner and Davion agreed to peacefully divide their properties on Carver V. Davion forces created a new government body in the city of Banniksburg. Banniksburg is located near both the star port at El Toro and the major mining community of Binsburg. This location quickly made it the industrial and business center of the Davion part of the planet.

The Davion star port of El Toro was garrisoned with a token force of tanks and power armor infantry. Last week I had that force withdraw from El Toro as Steiner forces approached, leaving it uncontested for Rennier’s forces to take. Holding the bloody place while the HPG is still out of commission would have been a waste. We will have use of those tanks and infantry soon enough. If we really need the star port…we bloody well will take it back. Problem is that bastard Colonel Rennier is now using El Toro to launch attacks into our territory.

Last night a combined force of House Liao and House Steiner mechs moved into Banniksburg. Boomerang recon planes were able to capture some images of the mechs in the city. Our boys believe they have identified the entire roster of the assaulting mechs. Appears Colonel Rennier has tapped some of his Triple Digits. A couple of the buggers have finally come out to play. Commanding the House Steiner force is Lieutenant Gorman. Our files show that he pilots a Kraken Clan mech. Watch this beast; she can rip a mech to shreds in seconds. This variant carries Four Ultra class 10 autocannons. Private Vasquez is the second member of Rennier’s Elite 100 ton company. She pilots Steiner’s latest modification to the Marauder II chassis, Two ER PPC’s, and a Heavy Gauss Rifle. It can put a whole in your mech big enough to drive a tank through. The rest of the Steiner mechs seem standard fare.


Bane (Kraken) 2
Marauder II MAD-4S
Axman AXM-3S
Bushwacker BSW-L1
Starslayer STY-3C
Nightsky NGS-4S
Commando COM-7S
Commando COM-7S

Leading the House Liao force is Lt. Zao, whom you boys have faced twice before. Zao normally pilots a Thug class battlemech, Mechwarrior Ralph2 in his final action, destroyed Zao’s Thug. Looking at Recon Photo #2 you can see his new ride…a Clan Phoenix Hawk IIC. We are still trying to bloody well figure out how he landed a 2nd line Clan assault mech with out us knowing about it. Maybe House Liao had the P-Hawk IIC in storage fearing they would not be able to repair it if it was damaged. Maybe he got the mech as part of the new alliance with House Steiner. Either way it is an 80 ton monster that moves like a Medium mech, mounting twin Ultra class 10 autocannons. Be wary of both the Raven and Wasp mechs in the Liao group. They both mount Electronic Counter Measure systems (ECM). The ECM systems will interfere with any Artemis Missiles or C3 systems if you get close to them (12”). So take them out 1st if you want to take advantage of your Artemis missiles or your C3 computers.


Phoenix Hawk IIC
Marshal MHL-2L
Wraith TR1
Chameleon CLN-7V
Raven RVN-4L
Urbanmech UM-R70
Urbanmech UM-R70
Wasp WSP-3L

Your mission is as follows…Push the buggers out of Banniksburg. That simple boys. Try to keeping collateral damage to a minimum. There are two buildings you should pay special attention too. Banniksburg city hall has been acting as the unofficial capitol building, securing that would go a long way toward improving the moral of every Davion citizen on the planet. Banniksburg’s power station is still intact. Try to keep it that way. Securing both of these buildings should be considered primary objectives.
The City Hall is located in the middle of the picture below, The Power station is located in the upper right side.


Primary Objectives:
1) Eliminate / Drive off Steiner and Liao forces.
2) Secure City Hall
3) Secure Power plant.

Teach them a bloody lesson that Banniksburg is off limits. I’ll have a lance of the 95th ready should you boys need some help.

Major Richard Sharpe,
CO 95th Rifles
CO South Essex militia

Carver V Campaign,
Mission #9: The Liberation of Banniksburg
Battle Rom

11 players in all...Black Knight, and Wolverine players couldn't make it, But one player came from Mass. all the way up to Maine to play!  He took the Wolverine.

Turn #1
  Board is kind of small compared to what the players are used to…4’ x  4’ as opposed to 5’ x 10’. Players move on to the board via the north edge in three groups.  “Team Orange” on the East flank, consisting of Kyle’s Cataphract, Seamus’ Victor and Fab’s King Crab…all painted orange.  Up the center come the bulk of the players Tom’s Mad Cat, Mitch’s Banshee, Rick’s Guillotine, Derek’s Grasshopper, Josh’s TiTs’ang and Cliff’s Wolverine.  The West flank is being covered by Jeff’s Komodo and Chris’ Naginata.  The Liao and Steiner mechs maneuver behind buildings and pretty much stay out of sight…except two commandos which close with the center player force.  A StarSlayer moves into firing position behind a low building, drawing a bunch of fire away from the commandos.  One of the commandos falls to the combined fire of the center group…the other lives…somehow…for the rest of the game!  The StarSlayer takes minimal damage as do the player’s mechs.


Turn #2 (The battle joined)
  Team Orange pushes up the east side, the Victor jumping over the Hospital sees three large barrels protruding from the building right in front of it.  They happen to be attached to a Marauder II belonging to Private Vasquez of the “Triple Digits”.  Both ERPPC’s and the Heavy Gauss Rifle hit the Victor…but he only loses one medium laser, minimal damage is returned to Marauder.  A Chameleon jumps in and takes some pot shots at the King crab…no significant damage.

 In the center group splits, the Guillotine moves up to a firing position behind a low building.  A Steiner Bushwacker advances to the other side of the same building, hoping for an LB20 shot to the head of the Guillotine.  The TiTs’ang jumps to base the Bushwacker, and a Steiner Nightsky closes with the TiTs’ang for some Mech on Mech hatchet action.  A Liao Rac5 armed Urbanmech also appears from hiding in a building further up the street.  Shooting phase sees armor damage all around but nothing significant…the LB20 missed.

  The second center group sees the Commando fall back.  The Grasshopper falls back as well hoping to lure some Steiner mechs into a trap.  The Mad Cat advances hoping for a better shot…but forgets the StarSlayer has jump jets.  The StarSlayer jumps behind the Mad Cat but before he can swing his arms to the rear arc…Lt. Zao of House Liao lands his Phoenix Hawk IIC right in front of the Mad Cat.  The Banshee moving up hoping to help the Mad Cat with the P. Hawk sees another member of the “Triple digits” come out to play.  Lt. Gorman in his Kraken2 takes aim at the Banshee with his 4 UltraAC 10’s.   The Wolverine moves to base the StarSlayer hoping to take some fire way from the rear of the Mad Cat.  Armor damage all around and one of the Ultra’s Jammed on the Kraken.
  On the west flank, the Naginata is having problems finding his “Walk forward” controls.  While the Komodo jumps behind a Liao Wasp, hoping to eliminate one of the ECM’s that is hindering the C3 system the players have. A Liao Wraith and Raven both move into firing positions against the Komodo.  Armor flies off the Komodo and the Wasp but nothing major. 

  The Physical phase was quite interesting.  The TiTs’ang missed but the Nightsky hit the TiTs’ang’s center torso…leaving minimal armor there.  Then the Mad Cat, Wolverine and Komodo all miss their kicks…and all FALL OVER!  The players having the Banking Initiative ability and having banked the first two rounds…decide it might be a good idea to take the initiative this turn.


Turn Three (One Shot, One kill)
  On the East flank…The Chameleon jumps behind the Cataphract.  The TiTs’ang jumps to help with the Nightsky and Bushwacker following.  The Guillotine moves to get out of the line of fire of the Marauder II, as does the Victor…jumping back over the hospital.  The Marauder II sees a chance to go one on one with the King Crab (Twin gauss variant) at close range and comes out of the building to play…The King Crabs fire’s both Gauss Rifles…putting one round through the head of the Marauder II…removing the major threat on the east side for the players.

  In the center, the Banshee and Kraken close with each other,  The Commando moves to the rear of the Banshee and the Grasshopper moves up to hopefully eliminate the small mech.  The Kraken hits with 2 of the 3 ultras…but can’t seem to roll the 8 needed for the double tap.  Minor armor damage all around.  The Kraken loses a lower left leg actuator to the combined fire of the Banshee and the Mad Cat, slowing down the already slow monster.
  The West has gotten very interesting.  The Naginata has moved up…only to see the Phoenix Hawk IIC, StarSlayer, Wraith and Wasp close with it.  The Wolverine comes over to help. The Komodo free from it’s attacks moves to get some shots on the Kraken only to have a Steiner Axman appear in a near by building.   Again armor damage all around.

Turn #4: To Slay a Kraken or everybody Conga

  The Kraken moves up...with the player Guillotine getting behind it.  The Axeman is just to the right of the Kraken.  The Player Mad Cat and Banshee along with the Guillotine cause crits to the Krakens Hip, Gyro on two actuators in the non-hip leg...Mission Kill and the pilot punches out.  The Conga line to the right started with the Marshall moving first, the Player Victor moved in, the Bushwacker moved to get a nice shot with its LB on the Victor.  The Player Ti'Tsang moved up and just after the LB20 shot, lopped off the arm of the Bushwacker with its hatchet.  The Nightsky and Chameleon were not accurate with their shots.



Turn #5: Bad guys break...
  The Bushwacker decides to call it a day and attempts to flee the city.  The Wraith jumps behind the Player Cataphract, and the player Ti'tsang comes over to help.  Further up, the Axman goes after the player Komodo, trying to even the odds a little.  The player Komodo puts 8 Medium lasers into the Raven (Just behind building) and drops it.  The player Mad Cat and Guillotine move to help with the Axman, bringing the Nightsky behind the Mad Cat.  Again the Nightsky is not accurate...and before he can bury his hatchet into the back of the Mad Cat...the Victor hits with a double-tap Ultra ac20...no more Nightsky.  The player Naginata has found the "move forward" controls of his mech and steps up...only to have the Starslayer and Phoenix Hawk IIC jump behind him.  The Player Grasshopper and Banshee come over to help.  Again poor dice save the Naginata, and fire from the Banshee (behind the building), and Grasshopper take out a side torso of the PHawkIIC.   



Turn #6: Secure the city.
  The Wraith, PHawk IIC, Starslayer all flee off the board.  The Axman also moves away...leaving only clear shots at the Marshall and an Urbanmech.  The Urbanmech unloads into the player King Crab with his RAC 5....causing a piloting check...and the King Crab falls over.  A long range ERPPC shot from the player Mad Cat...blows through the rear CT and internals of the Urbanmech.



Overall a fun game...the turning point being the headcap of the undamaged Marauder II by the player King Crab.  The two ERPPC's and Heavy Gauss in the hands of an elite pilot surely would have done in at least one player’s mech...Maybe more...ok with my dice that is probably exaggerating.