Defend the base

 o/

Spoiler alert!

I finally got to play the next mission in our campaign. There was a 'bonus' mission that I skipped over given that my force on Mica II has been reduced to a lone HBK-4J, and I knew that I would be able to get some of my own reinforcements in this mission.

The battlefield

My force: the last remaining Hunchback HBK-4J, plus 3 'borrowed' mechs from Larsen's Loaners (2 of which were my minis): a Flea FLE-17, a Panther PNT-9R and a Hunchback HBK-4P which I proxied with an HBK-4SP model as my HBK-4P is painted in Swords of Light colors and more importantly not in my miniature case at the time.

My mission was to defend a power generator & communications tower inside a walled fortification. The gate to said fortification as inoperable and open. Also, I would be getting reinforcements from my company: a lance with no BV limitations, which would arrive on a randomly rolled for turn. The OpFor's mission was to destroy the 2 objectives, and then flee the table after passing back outside of the fortification walls. 

The OpFor consisted of a Victor VTR-9B (I think?), x2 Locust LCT-1Vb, a Stinger STG-3b, a Thunderbolt TDR-5S-T Tallman, and a Wolverine WVR-6M.

In my opening move, I sent the Loaner's mechs forward, with the Flea hugging the inside wall.

Checking line of sight (there was a building right behind one of my mechs, blocking my view) as the Stinger hops over the defensive wall.

On turn 2, I got a lucky roll and my reinforcements arrived, Huzzah! Unfortunately, they were all big, slow, and way out in the backfield. Sad face. 

The HBK-4P takes a fall in a nasty firefight which saw more than 20 medium lasers hammering my Hunchback and the T-Bolt. The Hunchback also suffered a thru-armor crit that dealt 2 engine hits! Not good for a laser boat. 

My HBK-4J & the Loaner's Panther try to score hits on all of the fast moving enemy light mechs with disappointing results. The Flea was doing pretty good, but unfortunately the FLE-17 is only a dangerous opponent when fghting against infantry. 

The second wave, mosying forward. The Catapult was aiming for the closest high point from which to lob in some LRM-15 fire support.

While I scored a few hits here, the full potential of this opportunity was lost due to those 2 engine crits. 

Objective #1 comes under fire. 

And in short order goes up in flames!

In a particularly nasty exchange (see the pic below), the Loaner's HBK-4P gets walloped in a crossfire suffering 70 points of damage in one turn! Not only does it stay on it's feet, hitting the T-bolt with 4 mediums and the small laser, it then delivered two punches as well!

Ouch! Nonetheless, I think this mech deserves to have it's paint job completed for not only surviving that onslaught, but for fighting right on thru it.

The HBK-4J hugs the wall, and offers supporting fire while the Flea dukes it out with the locusts, giving as good as it got, from the green & tan Locust (the black one missed entirely).

The 2nd wave still slowly trundling forward, except for the Catapult which perched on a level 3 hill was just barely in LRM range.

With only 3 points of center torso structure left, the HBK-4P alpha strikes with it's remaining 7 mediums and 1 small laser, hitting the Stinger a few times and ending said volley at +12 heat! It died shortly thereafter. 

These two, each down an arm, continue to slug it out in an oddly evenly matched fight (considering the Locust's die rolls).

The Loaner's HBK-4P's funeral pyre.

Finally the comms tower is taken out, causing me to lose by default. 

There were no more pics after this point as time was running short. The OpFor manuvered towards the exits while my reinforcing second wave spread out for a good ol' fashioned roadblock. Unfortunately, it was already past the FLGS' closing time and we had to call it there. 

The Larsen's Loaners' mechs took a beating, whereas none of my 5 TBAGers mechs suffered any damage at all. So while not a win, I'm calling it a moral victory. Also, at the game's beginning I secured another Mobile Repair Unit which I didn't need (unless I wanted to replenish ammo, which I'm opting to not do), so I'll be saving that for the aftermath of the next round.