Capture the Prize!

Do I know you from somewhere?

Nick and I got together for a game this past week. Looking for something fun but simple, we opted for the previously played 'capture the prize' scenario, albeit at 5500BV, Lostech Era. He would be fielding the objective mech this time, and oh so scary Highlander HGN-732 (I think) with it's fully functional gauss rifle. Yikes!

I was fielding the Marik Militia with a Quickdraw QKD-4G, A Chameleon TRC-4B, a Marauder MAD-3M, an Ostroc OSR-2C and (due to the odd BV limit), a Cicada CDA-2A with a 4/4 pilot. 

Baxter's warming up the table. 

Making their battlefield debut were Nick's mercenaries, the 'Swamp Foxes'. He was fielding the Highlander HGN-732, a Quickdraw QKD-4G, a Maraduder MAD-3R and a Valkyrie VLK-QA. 

So Impressed was I with Nick's paint jobs, the freehand in particular that I thought I'd show a few of them off before getting to the battle report. 

The Marauder 'Skull Crusher' (that name is painted on the other side).

"Bad Luck'

Most impressive!

Swampy bases to go with the unit's name.

The Battlefield on my new battlemat from Mats by Mars (same place I got my older city mat). 

Opening maneuvers and a few ranging shots. 

The Ostroc hit with all of its shots, but was not prepared for the gauss slug that knocked it off of it's feet!

One of several passes Neeka made across the board during the game. 

This one got up close and ugly real quick! The Ostroc & Chameleon unloaded and overheated something terrible, but most of their shots counted. 

Speaking of, at point blank range the Chameleon is a literal death by a thousand paper cuts. Fun fact: (in hindsight) Skip the large laser at this range or it will take 2-3 turns to shed the excess heat. 

Mirror match! 

Meanwhile the Cicada was taking a highspeed tour of the backfield...

Guess who lost said mirror match?

The Valyrie likewise falls from a multitude of hits. 

As my Marauder moves into range and the Chameleon jumps into cover, Nick's Quickdraw jumps into the Marauder's rear arc much to my surprise! The Chameleon came to it's aid wrecking my intent to sink the excess heat. Luckily the Quickdraw wiffed!

The Valk regains it's feet only to find the Cicada on approach.

All shots hit followed by a savage kick that took off the Valyrie's leg!

Hard to recall what all happened here other to say it was an ugly scrum. I want to say that Nick's Marauder lost a side torso, forcing it to try and withdraw. 

This moment of potential terror was averted when the Gauss slug went into my Marauder's arm, rather than it's back! It tooks some LRMs to the back, but nothing went thru. 

The scrum meanders back towards Nick's side of the board. 

Unable to shoot the Highlander, the Ostroc keeps pounding away at the Marauder.

Which goes down in an epic double kill! Nick's fell to an ammo hit whereas mine to a headshot that critted the cockpit, killing the pilot!

Unfortunately, this did not bode well for the Highlander's escort which was down to the now battered and bruised Quickdraw...

..and as such Nick ran up the white flag and powered the Highlander down. Victory to Marik, Huzzah!

Well that was fun. It was kinda funny in how both of our lists sort of mirrored one another with a Quickdraw and Marauder each. Am hoping it won't be too long before our next game, but he is out of town often due to work, so we will see.