[Turn 52] *Turning Point* Arcturus - Lyran Alliance vs. Dominion

[Dave Baughman]

Planet Arcturus
15 November 3091

Emboldened by their success against the Star Adders, the Lyran Alliance launches a series of trials against the "Arcturus Thumb," claiming in the name of the Archon "all historical territories and protectorates of the Lyran state." The protectorates clause rather transparently indicated their ultimate goal of moving against Orestes and the other six worlds of the former Free Rasalhague Republic. In the first wave of the attack, Arcturus was the critical engagement that set the stage of the rest of the actions.

Scenario

Lyran troops have arrived at Arcturus and issued a batchal for control of the star system.

Cooler Heads Can Prevail

While the Lyran Alliance has not exactly been a paragon of Clan honor in recent months, the Dominion can minimize their losses by extending Zellbrigen. In this case, replace the Attacker and Defender forces with one star each of Clan OmniMechs. The players should agree on the weight classes to be used and fight an evenly matched battle.

The rest of the scenario assumes the Dominion denies Zellbrigen.

Attacker

The attacker is elements of the 17th Donegal Guards, a regular RCT. The Lyran player may build a combined-arms force to their preferences. No more than 20% of the 'Mechs and Battle Armor may have Clan technology and no more than one unit in six may be an aerospace fighter. If played in Simple Resolution, the Lyran force has 33.75 FP.

Defender

The defender are elements of one or more Dominion cluster*, to be designated by the Dominion player. The general layout of the Dominion force should be similar to the Lyran force in terms of 'Mech/Tank/Battle Armor distribution and should not exceed 110% of the BV/FP of the Lyran force. One unit in six may be an aerospace fighter.

*In line with the flexible nature of the Turning Point scenarios, if there are insufficient forces in Arcturus, forces from other nearby hexes may be used. The Dominion player will designate (for roleplaying purposes) which clusters are involved in the fighting.

Special Conditions

Strained Supply Lines: All special ammunition shipments have been diverted to the forces fighting the Star Adders. The Lyran force may not use any type of special ammo.

Inclement Weather: In MegaMek, sub-zero temperature and heavy snow are recommended.

Scoring

In Simple Resolution, standard invasion rules apply (first to win three simple resolution rolls wins).

In MegaMek, each side earns a number of points equal to the percentage of enemy BV destroyed.

• If the winner's score is no more than 24% above the loser's, the battle is a draw
• If the winner's score is 25-49% above the loser's, that side wins a marginal victory
• If the winner's score is 50% or more above the loser's, that side wins a decisive victory

If the alternate option to play the fight as a Zellbrigen trial is used, roll only once in simple resolution or play the match in MegaMek; whoever inflicts more damage wins a total victory.

[Fatebringer]

Lyran forces would see that there is a large Aerospace force present acting in interdiction capacity, but do not see any Warships.

"I am sorry you came such a long way to a place that does not want you here. This may have once been the Capital of the Lyran Alliance, but when the people of Arcturus suffered under your rule, they asked to be part of the New Dominion. They are part of us now and we accept them, take care of them, protect them.

Now, we shall fight to keep them as worthy members of the New Dominion. In light of the stories that I have heard about the Lyran high command, it's goals and the dezgra tactics being used against the Adders, I cannot offer you Zell.

That is not to say we do believe in fighting fairly and for honor. Should you choose to stay, you will be granted Safcon and we will only engage you one Galax at a time. The first to get that honor would be my Lambda Galax and we will face you on the plains to the north of Malcheema if you so choose to accept these terms."

(If the Lyrans accept and send their force list, the Galax Commander will bid away his Heavy Tanks to bring the match down to the 110% rule stipulation.)

Lambda Galax 44.5 FP
200 Clan Heavy Mechs
120 Clan Battle Armor
40 Level 1 Heavy Tanks
80 Level 1 Light Tanks

If played my "defensive bid" would be 1 point to represent every 40 units.

[Fatebringer]

Victory!
-------------------

Winner is: TEAM #2

LyranAlliance: 1037 BV remaining (from 20543 initially) 0 BV fled
Fatebringer: 17399 BV remaining (from 23582 initially) 0 BV fled

Survivors are:
Alacorn Heavy Tank Mk VII (LyranAlliance)
Driver : Jack Martínez [4/5]
Kills : 0

Linebacker D (Fatebringer)
Pilot : SCMD Wendell [3/4]
Kills : 4

Arcas 2 (Fatebringer)
Pilot : SCPT Artie Dennison [3/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 2

Grizzly (Fatebringer)
Pilot : SCMD Leslie [3/4] ( 3 hit(s) )
Kills : 1

Rogue Bear Heavy Battle Armor (Fatebringer)
Gunnery Skill : SCOL Roger [3]
Kills : 0

Clan Medium Battle Armor (Bär) (Fatebringer)
Gunnery Skill : SCPT Loren [3]
Kills : 2

Corona Battle Armor (Fatebringer)
Gunnery Skill : CMD Mina [3]
Kills : 1

MechWarrior Robert Kralefsky (LyranAlliance)
Gunnery Skill : Robert Kralefsky [4] ( 5 hit(s) )
Kills : 0


Graveyard contains:
Patton Tank (Ultra) (LyranAlliance)
Driver : Josh Alatas [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Grizzly (Fatebringer)

Blitzkrieg BTZ-3F (LyranAlliance)
Pilot : Miguela Pilo [4/5] ( 6 hit(s)   )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by pilot error.

Saladin Assault Hover Tank (LB-X) (Fatebringer)
Driver : Red [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Warhammer WHM-9S (LyranAlliance)

Rommel Tank (Gauss) (LyranAlliance)
Driver : Syver Øverby [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Cauldron-Born (Ebon Jaguar) A (Fatebringer)

Ryoken II (Fatebringer)
Pilot : SCMD Hans Polina [3/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Rifleman IIC 6 (LyranAlliance)

Fenrir Battle Armor [ERML] #2 (LyranAlliance)
Gunnery Skill : Hikmet Sengor [4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Corona Battle Armor (Fatebringer)

Phoenix Hawk PXH-7S (LyranAlliance)
Pilot : Wani Mainaky [4/5] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Vulture (Mad Dog) B (Fatebringer)

Heavy Hover APC (SRM) (Fatebringer)
Driver : Trucker [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Warhammer WHM-9S (LyranAlliance)

Vulture (Mad Dog) B (Fatebringer)
Pilot : Corey Sharpe [2/3] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Warhammer WHM-9S (LyranAlliance)

Cauldron-Born (Ebon Jaguar) A (Fatebringer)
Pilot : SCPT Eliza [3/4] ( 5 hit(s)   )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Emperor EMP-6S (LyranAlliance)

Rifleman IIC 6 (LyranAlliance)
Pilot : Daniel Brown [3/4] ( 5 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Linebacker D (Fatebringer)

Fenrir Battle Armor [MPL] (LyranAlliance)
Gunnery Skill : Jeanice Combe [4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Arcas 2 (Fatebringer)

Warhammer WHM-9S (LyranAlliance)
Pilot : Feitze Nishimura [4/5] ( 3 hit(s)   )
Kills : 3
Destroyed by Linebacker D (Fatebringer)

Fafnir FNR-5 (LyranAlliance)
Pilot : Lakshman Dar [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Clan Medium Battle Armor (Bär) (Fatebringer)

Ironhold Assault Battle Armor (LyranAlliance)
Gunnery Skill : Kauto Nurminen [4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Linebacker D (Fatebringer)

Fenrir Battle Armor [ERML] (LyranAlliance)
Gunnery Skill : Li-Suang Zang [4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Arcas 2 (Fatebringer)

Commando COM-7S (LyranAlliance)
Pilot : Maroof Tareen [4/5] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Clan Medium Battle Armor (Bär) (Fatebringer)

Emperor EMP-6S (LyranAlliance)
Pilot : Robert Kralefsky [4/5] ( 5 hit(s) )
Kills : 1


The following utterly destroyed units are not available for salvage:
Axel Mk 2 (Fatebringer)
Driver : Masa [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Blitzkrieg BTZ-3F (LyranAlliance)

DI Morgan Assault Tank (Gauss) (LyranAlliance)
Driver : Habib Mellouk [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Linebacker D (Fatebringer)


Detailed unit status saved to entitystatus.txt

[Fatebringer]

Seeing the odds stacked against them on Arcturus of they took a direct assault, the 17th Donegel Guard accepted the offer and landed on the plains north of Meachum to make a statement from their Archon to the people of Arcturus. Meeting them was the New Dominion's Lambda Galax. Over the few weeks was a knock down, drag out fight that carved up the land.

Right off the bat the Lyrans, moving in mass formation, turned as a solid force and trashed the Heavy Tank BN (Axel 2.0) that was holding the Road to Meachum. The unit as a whole was being held from advancing by the numerous forces in the forest east of the road.  A flanking manuever by the Dominion Light Hover BN's (Saladin, Heavy APC) was stopped cold by two BN's of Heavy (Warhammer) and Assault (Emporer) Mechs that stepped out to keep them out of their rear. The timely arrival of a Front Line Trinary from the 2nd Freeman could do nothing to stop the Heavy BN from utterly savaging what remained. Attrition seemed like an immediate concern as the Lyran Heavy Tank BNs (Romel, Patton), were immobilized on the open plain, but while they sat there, they were still firing.

The one saving grace to the early chaos for the Rasalhague forces were their Elemental Forces, the Medium Trinary (Medium Clan) bound thru the firefight untouched and instantly latched on the mechs of the Lyran Command Lance (Fafnir) while the Corona Teams crossed their fire across the road using their MPL's like cutting torches on the skirmishers (Blitzkrieg), Bursting thru to the edge of the forest, the 3rd Freeman's Front Line Trinary (Linebacker) made their move taking on one Assault Tank BN (DiMorgan), while the Devil Bears lobbed missles into the rear of Tank BN Command (Alacorn), their tracks busted, they kept firing at the units in front of them.

Without an element to support, the 2nd Freeman (Cauldron Born), withdrew from the flank they ignored the Flanking BN of Mediums (Pheonix Hawk) who were being pushed back by an Assault Battle Armor Trinary (Rogue Bears), to address the monsters in the middle. A Clan Trinary (Rifleman IIC 6) was pounding away at the 3rd's 2nd Line forces (Ryoken II), taking what shots they could, they were still better off than the Heavy and Assault BN that were not out of position to assist the main effert after moving so far east to killed off the Light Hovers.

Once the skirmishers (Blitzkreig) were laying on the road, the Corona Teams finished them off. mechs were falling left and right to the Battle Armor's fury, but at the same time, the Lyran Clan Heavies (Rifleman IIC 6), was finishing off the 3'rds back up (Ryoken II),  The 2nd (Cauldron Born), continued to push forward drawing fire from the Ironhold Teams as well as the now arriving forces from across the board, seeing they were about to be crippled or worse, they concentrated on silencing the guns of the Heavy Tanks (Romel) Calling for support, their own 2nd line units (Grizzly) put fire into the other crippled Heavy BN (Patton) as they tried in earnest to finally cleared the Tank Command's (Alacorn) field of fire. Seeing their last shot to stop the unit they succeeded in at least crippling the 2nd's mechs as they refocused on the Lyran Clan Heavies (Rifleman IIC) who were trying to get into the rear. The 2nd followed the slower machines and nuetralizes most of their weapons.

Far to the west, the 1st Freeman's 2nd Line (Arcas) also trying to evade the Tank Command (Alacorn), but manuevering further north to try and work around the Lyran main effort while the Battle Armor units got into a huge skirmish. While the Ironholds where focusing on the Hvy APC Company that delivered the Battle Armor into their midst, the Rogue Bears let them have it, Two of the Lyran Fenrir bn's moved up to engage the Coronas who outgunned them enough to take down one whole BN before anyone cold do anything. They took their own losses, but were still combat functional.

After the Rogue Bears had pushed the Flanking Medium BN (P-Hawk) out of position, the 1st's Front Liners (Mad Dog) moved to drop them for good, but exposed themselves to the Heavy and Assault BN's (Warhammer & Emporer) that had finally managed to close the gap. The Devil Bears and the 1st Freeman (Mad Dog) soaked fire from three units including the Commander's unit (Fafnir), but were hurt badly. Their return fire was able to savage the Lyran Heavies (Warhammer) knocking them back and delivering some serious punishment, before the second volley from the there units fire finished them off. Across the field the Command Lance (Fafnir) returned it's attention to the charging 2nd (Cauldrom Born) completely ignoring the enemy in their midst. It seemed almost futile for the Medium Battle Armor unit (Medium Clan) to attack the behemoths in the Lyran Command (Fafnir), but they kept on working. Their hard work was finally rewarded when some of the ammunition started to pour out of the rents they'd made.

Coming across the hill, the Assault BN (Emporer) put the 2'nds front line trinary (Cauldron Born) to rest. It didn't take much after the pounding they'd taken from the Lyran Command Unit. Further to the south, the 3rd (Linebacker) finished chasing down the Lyran Clan Heavies (Rifleman IIC 6), and whirld about to address the Heavy BN (Warhammer) who was now freed up with the loss of the 1st (Mad Dog). In the north, the Arcas has redirected the Command lance's attention while being chased by a Light BN (Commando), they took out the damaged Fenrir BN that the Corona's had softened up, but the Coronas were not busy in a fight for their life as they assisted the Rogue Bears against the remaining Fenrir BN and Ironholds, the massive suits were dishing out serious pain from atop the hill but focusing on the Rogue Bears who had run out of SRMs and were in easier cover further east in the woods. The 3rd (Linebacker) closed with the Heavy BN on the east side of the hill and chewed up armor until they were out of commission.

The battlefield was still fairly even until fate decided turn in the Rasalhaguer's favor. Climbing all over the Command units (Fafnir), the Medium BA Trinary was finally hitting paydirt. Engine reactors were showing spiking heat accross the board as the Micro Pulse lasers bounced off their insides. Finally alarmed at the presense of their unwanted invaders, the unit still had to deal with the flanking 1st's second liners (Arcas), the advancing 2nd (Grizzly) who were hurt, but not out, and the 3rd's front liners (Linebacker), calling the Assault BN (Emporer) in for support, the Rasalhaguers kept their distance giving the Lryans the opportunity to pick their targets, but the combined onslaught of the Command's (Fafnir) firepower was brought to their knees by one of the smallest units on the battlefield. Deep in the woods north of the plain, the Medium Battle Armor unit stood over their fallen opponents and watched as the reamaning second line units of the 1st Freeman (Arcas) were holding the Light BN in tree cover to their immediate west. Lighting their jump jets, they landed and made quick work of their already wounded opponents. A trifle of an affair after the huge kills they just took down.

Freed up to act and with the Assault BN (Emporor) pulling back, all of the second Line units moved to support their Battle Armored units in the south woods. The 1st (Arcas) down the fenrir, while the only active front liners from the 3rd Freeman (Linebacker) put down the dwindling Ironholds with assaistance from the rest of the Battle Armor. With only one unit left to defeat, but in good condition, the commander offered them a spot in the New Dominion's Arcturian Guard. The Lyran commander was quite polite when he told them to go to hell, and used his mobility to isolate the 1st (Arcas) while the rest of the units closed in on him. Hounded out of the woods by the Medium BA and back up the hill, into the fire zone, the Assault BN (Emporer) didn't last long, forced prone, the mechs found new friends popping thru their cockpits and pulling them from their mechs as the Medium Battle Armor ended the fight without losing the machines. Across the field, the Corona were doing likewise to the Tank Command (Alacorn) BN as they were escorting crews from their vehicles.

The Lyrans put up a good fight, but the Dominion won the day. Once the battle was over, the Kung Arme's Psi-Galaxy Hussars moved in to escort out the Bondmen and start the process of sorting thru the Isorla for useful materials. Among the main prizes were the still functional, Command Tanks. The new Alacorns had been refitted with Heavy Guass Rifles and the design was surely to be slated for reverse engineering.

At the end of the game, the Emporer was still functional, the pilot error should not be counted against them, but even with the BV from that machine still up, this was a decisive victory. The following BV was marked from the turn before the Ejection.

LyranAlliance: 2241 BV remaining (from 20543 initially) 0 BV fled
Fatebringer: 17399 BV remaining (from 23582 initially) 0 BV fled

RasDom designations for the game.

Mad Dog B - Devil Bear Keshik / 1st Freeman
Cauldron-Born A - 2nd Freeman - Front Line
Linebacker D - 3rd Freeman - Front Line

Arcas 2 - 1st Freeman - 2nd Line
Grizzly - 2nd Freeman - 2nd Line
Ryoken II - 3rd Freeman - 2nd Line

Axel Mk 2 - 21st Valk
Saladin AHT (LB-X) - 21st Valk
Heavy Hover APC (SRM) - 21st Valk

Clan Medium BA (Bär) - 1st Freeman
Corona BA - 3rd Freeman
Rogue Bear HBA - 3rd Freeman

The Lyran Forces.

Fafnir FNR-5 / Emperor EMP-6S / Rifleman IIC 6 / Warhammer WHM-9S
Phoenix Hawk PXH-7S / Blitzkrieg BTZ-3F / Commando COM-7S
Alacorn HT Mk VII / DI Morgan AT (Gauss) / Patton Tank (Ultra) / Rommel Tank (Gauss)
Ironhold Assault BA / Fenrir Battle Armor [ERML] x2 / Fenrir Battle Armor [MPL]

Combat notes:
Headcapping in favor of the LA 12 to 5.
Blitzkreig kills Axel with Turret Ammo Crit
Arcas 2 Immobilizes Patton
Linebacker D cripples Rommel
Warhammer immobilizes Saladin
Clan Medium BA swarm Fafnir
Mad Dog immobilizes the Alacorn VII
Corona blow Leg off of Blitzkreig
Linebacker D kills DI Morgan AT
Warhammer kills Saladin
Grizzly kills Patton
Rogue Bear knock down P-Hawk
Corona kill Blitzkreig (Falling on Head)
Rifleman IIC 6 kills Ryoken II
Cauldron Born kills Rommel
Grizzly cripples Rifleman IIC
Alacorn takes out Grizzly's Gauss
Corona kill Fenrir
Ironhold Assault immobilize Heavy APC
[BA Brawl!] Corona kill Fenrir BA
Mad Dog kicks / kills P-Hawk
Alacorn VII loses all Targets due to LOS
Warhammer kills Heavy APC
Mad Dog cripples Warhammer
Fafnir cripples Mad Dog (Black Out)
Warhammer kills Mad Dog (Aimed)
Fafnir cripples Cauldron Born (Black Out)
Emporer kills Cauldron Born
Linebacker kills Rifleman IIC 6
Arcas 2 kills Fenrir (MPL)
[BA Brawl!] Rogue Bears vs Ironhold
Linebacker kills Warhammer
Clan Medium BA kill Fafnir (CT Rearx2)
Linebacker kills Ironhold
Arcas 2 kills Fenrir
Clan Medium BA kill Commando
Clan Medium BA cripple Emporer