Recent updates

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Thus far the original CGR-1A1 & later 'Challenger' variant have been my favorite Chargers. However, after really looking over the 1A9's record sheet, I am thinking that this one may be favorite as well

I painted this CGR-1A9 Charger up to go with my 3rd Drakons after I sold their Firestarter some ways back. Ever since they have been a mech short and this have rarely seen the tabletop. I was going to give them one of my CGR-1A1s to use as a 1A9 but then managed to snag this one off of eBay along with some cheap tanks and several more Urbies, all for about $7.50 apiece (tax & shipping included).

I'm not sure if the red & white, quartered roundels on top of the MASH unit will warn of the vehicle's true purpose or insinuate that the circus is in town...

Next up, I have a MASH unit for use as either an objective or else as terrain, as well as a Bulldog & Hetzer, for my DCMS Swords of Light company. These are the first ever vehicles that I have painted for the SoL. All three of these are from the bargain priced purchase I mentioned above, as is the one below:

This is painted for my WILDFIRE! mercs which share some mechs and tanks with my Hell's Horses Iota galaxy force. The Horses do not have any access to the Skulker though oddly they do the command van...because honorably leading from the rear is a clan thing apparently. Oh wait, Iota has no honor, convenient!

Speaking of the rear, this is usually the end that Nick's VTOLs are invariably shooting up as the van tries to flee in futility.

Unless you really just need some speed, the skulker offers little of actual tabletop utility. This is why I mostly use these as a proxy for a 15-ton Command Van, or as I call them: senior citizens' activity buses (to fruitlessly dissuade Nick 2.0 from shooting them). 

As an armored lance for some cash-strapped mercenaries, this lance is all basics and no frills. 

The missile carrier has both launcher types (which one is the MRM?), and the Hetzer has been converted into the much maligned (even amongst Hetzer crews) laser variant. Please see below for an explanation of that. 

Speaking of vehicles, for the first time ever, The Buffet Assault group finally has its own vehicle compliment (well, aside from their former pair of Warrior VTOLs). The laser Hetzer (yes really) & Bulldog which I was using as the LRM variant survived their first game in the unit's new colors, as did all of the accompanying mechs, though there was quite a bit of damage suffered. 

Some pics from the battle vs Stephen, a new opponent.

The Suburbanmech survived this encounter with nothing more than a heavy punch taken to the CT. Two turns later it would exact revenge via a hit to the back of the Banshee's head with a PPC shot. Sadly for me, I wasn't able to inflict any crits.

I converted the Hetzer into the laser variant as I have always liked the concept of (though have never fielded) the atrocious cousin of the Missile and AC carriers: the Laser carrier. The Laser Hetzer is faster and much more heavily armored, if mounting only half of the Laser carrier's firepower. 

Optimal range: success. An LRM kill: well...

Combine that with the TBAGers' quartermasters not wanting to have to source AC20 ammo purely for a metal box and suddenly this doesn't seem like an entirely bad idea. If anything, it is the cheapest Hetzer option, and in it's battlefield debut was ignored as a non-issue which allowed it to get into the backfield where it proceeded to miss with 75% of its shots on average. 

Yes, the pizza template can even mount a potted plant...or a light forest hex.

After considerable effort and some abysmal gunnery, the Merlin (which had eaten enough LRMs to only have 2 points of head structure left by this point) achieved the game's only kill, taking down the other LRM carrier on the board. Had I kept it back out of the PPC's minimum range I likely would have killed it a turn sooner, but oh well.  

SHOVE IT!

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Wait, what?!?

I played a game this past week vs. a new opponent, Aaron (guessing on the spelling of his name). 5K, no scenario, just kill each other. Not sure what era we were playing I opted for the all tech level I, fielding my rarely used FRR Drakons. I had a Catapult CPLT-K2 with a 3/5 pilot, a Charger CGR-1A1 with a 4/4 pilot, a Warhammer WHM-6K and a Blackjack BJ-1 (both with 4/5 pilots) and lastly a Jump Laser Iinfantry platoon which rounded my force out to an even 5K. 

The battlefield with a large light forest in the upper right. I screwed up in placing the mapsheet making the only straight running lanes on the paved roads running left to right, rather than straight at one another. 

Aaron fielded a Clan invasion era lance (not sure what faction but going by the MUL is was likely FedCom, Mercs or St. Ives) consisting of an Ostscout OTT-7J, a Javelin JVN-10P, a Spector SPR-5F and lastly a Helios HEL-5D, all with 3/4 pilots. 

Here's how it all went down. 

Here they come, jumping and bouncing at me hard and fast! We traded a few shots here, but nothing significant. 

My Blackjack and intended 'Distraction bot' run up the middle looking for the Helios. Given all of the opposing small, fast and bouncy mechs on the board, the Charger would instead fall back on its secondary role: brawler. 

You know he's serious when he shows up in uniform! He's going to the Navy's nuke school, a fitting choice for a mechwarrior. 

I backed up to the edge to hide my rear armor and instead my near pristine Catapult was instead unceremoniuosly shoved off the board! I was rather caught off guard by this, the kick that almost took the Ostscout's leg was of little comfort. Different folks = different tactics (which as you will see in a bit goes both ways). Thus my Catapult took it's proverbial ball and went home to pout.

I habitually roll like garbage on crits rolls, except here where my Warhammer rolled a box cars to crit the CT of the Javelin, destroying the gyro and damagining the engine! Also, one of this game's many point blank scrums was taking place here. I ought to have brought my Hatchetman.

Always in my rear arc! Not sure what was in worse shape by this point, be it my warhammer or the Blackjack. They were both still up and fighting though. 

The Helios' gauss rifle was kind enough to miss on it's first three shots, and the Charger closed to point blank for optimal SL fire and brawling while keeping the gauss itself from shooting. 

Pretty much more of the same here. 

The Helios hopped up on the building but my Charger didn't take the bait to close in (which would allow Aaron to kick while hitting on the punch chart), and opted to shoot at the little guys (that were moving too fast to hit). In return the Helios' gauss finally connected and removed the Blackjack's side torso, ouch!

The Warhammer then scored a critical which destroyed the Helios' Gauss rifle. That explosion knocked out the pilot knocking his mech prone. Aaron exclaimed: 'Now you can do called shots.' Not really knowing how to do that (nor something I would have thought of) we looked up the rules and in the following turn, aiming for the CT the Wahammer & Charger eliminated the stricken Helios. Like I said earlier, different folks = different tactics. 

The Warhammer took a Gyro hit and went down, only to further damage itself trying to get back up. Like the Javelin (which was finished off by the crippled Blackjack just before it's demise) the Warhammer propped itself up for a few shots before blowing up via an ammo hit. 

Down to the three mechs left standing along with my infantry platoon (who inflicted I think 9 points all game), we called it a draw and ended it there. He could out range and run my Charger, but lacked the firepower to take it down effectively, so we didn't see much point to continuing on.

*****

Well that was fun and a bit different. I'm disappointed that I never again hit the Ostscout's leg which was down to a mere 2 points of structure (though the Infantry did try). I was pleased with the Charger, 3 small lasers and 2 punches if the target's TMM was high or else 5 small lasers and a kick if the TMM was low is nothing to sneeze at. Several times Aaron commented 'I gotta stay away from that Charger.' which I found amusing given the CGR-1A1's reputation as garbage. 

I don't think we ever used the shoving models off of the board as it was sort of a gentlman's agreement. That said, I likewise have never used aimed shots on a crippled mech to ensure that it never gets up again either. As such I am curious to see what our next match is like... 

As I continue to be a Thorn in your side...

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Yet another Thorny prospect...

As the year winds down, not all has been quiet on the Battletech front. Earlier this month, Kushial and I played a pair of Classic Battletech games on his birthday. Being bloggers the two of us, we naturally forgot to take any photos of said games. 

The first pitted my son Frankie's Fast & the Furious Alpha Strike Jade Falcons vs. Kushial's 'Yowza! Brigade'. The Falcons lasted longer than I thought they would, but ultimately could do little vs. a bunch of Rommels and Goblins and I eventualy ran up the white flag. I took out two goblins and a lone Urbie in exchange for the loss of three Clan light mechs and several elementals. 

The second game featured my new Rasalhague force (still sans Axels) vs. his ELH. This one was more of a traditional brawl with heavy losses all around. My FFR troops gave a good accounting for themselves (well, aside from the worthless LRM carrier), including a headshot from my Catapult K2 which dropped a Thug. Ultimately however my forces started to crumble towards the end leaving him two victories to savor on his drive home. 

Kicking a Flatbed truck off of the road is about as threatening as thing will likely get. 

Lastly, the aforementioned Axel tank lance and a lone Thorn FINALLY arrived after having to send an inquiry out to the Etsy seller a month after purchase. 'They'll go out tomorrow' read to me as 'they've been done, I've just been sitting on them as I've gotten more orders than I can handle.' 

Regardless they're here. The tanks look too big (Ontos sized), but the new Catalyst plastic vehicles look bigger as well, so may not be an issue in the long run. The tanks came with magnets and pre-molded holes for the same which was a nice touch. 

As for the Thorn, its not pretty, but far better than the cannon sculpt. With twin medium lasers and an LRM-5, you can expect this to be lobbing Thunder munitions down range and generally trying to avoid getting shot. I know the fluff states that thunder munitions aren't an honorable weapon, but the Fucking Wobblies are unconcerned by such niceties. 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year folks, I'll see you again in 2024!

Free Rasalhague Republic's 3rd Drakøns

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Pay no attention to the random minis in the background...

Here's another unit that I've painted here recently. Indeed, I only finished the Catapult and Hetzers earlier this week. This brings my recent Battletech paint jobs up equal to that of a company in total numbers (even if the factions within said company are diametrically opposed, mortal enemies).  

Currently, this demi-company clocks in at about 200 points for Alpha Strike, which is only 2/3 the allotment of our normal games (unless all the pilots and crews are stupidly skilled). So I ordered a lance of Axel heavy tanks off of Etsy to bring this force up to both a full company in strength & 300 points. 

Any resemblance to the modern day Leopard is purely coincidental...

I'm not sure how many points these would currently amount to in Classic Battletech, but I'm sure Kushial will give me an opportunity to find out sometime in the near future...