Showdown at the Supply Drop

In the tradition of sirogit’s posted battles (and for the same reason-getting a feel for the mechanics), I am putting up a small skirmish that I did earlier. I am not applying FoRKs for this initial run through to reduce confusion.

The setting is a long abandoned terraformed moon after an apocalyptic Hammer battle between a noble force attempting a coup and Commune forces. A few scattered survivors from assault boats and escape pods crash landed to the surface. Though gravity was nominal, and the air was breathable (barely), the moon was still a barren wasteland.

Even here, the fighting continued. Supplies ran very low. Food, water, ammo, medical supplies - all were critical.

Several days later, a passing vessel managed to drop supplies before fleeing for the near starving soldiers. Both sides rushed to grab them . . .

The Combatants:

Anvil Lord Marcus Maximillian
Beliefs:
Vialak is my trusted friend and mentor – he can do no wrong
Ambition has propelled me to my current position – I will rise much higher when the world is ours
Only a fool trusts the common folk
Instincts:
Always expect respect from my lesser
Always maintain my Iron when given the chance
If not in court, always draw a pistol at first sign of trouble

Lifepaths: Born to Rule, Coeptir, Armiger, Lord-Pilot Anvil, Anvil Lord
Age: 30
Will 4, Perception 4, Power 5, Forte 4, Agility 4, Speed 4, Resources 7, Circles 2, Steel 6, Hesitation 4

Skills:
Command 6, Tactics 5, Squad Support Weapons 5, Oratory 5, Strategy 4, Iron Wise 2, Anvil Wise 2, Close Combat 2, Assault Weapons 2, Artillery 2, Etiquette 2

Traits: Remote, Mark of Privilege, Anvil Trained, Corvus & Crucis, Iron Trained, Anvil Lord, Stoic

Wound Tolerances
Unarmored: Su H3, In H5, Ma H8, MW 10,
Armored: Su H7, In H9, Ma H12, MW 14

Possessions: Index 4 Iron

Relationships:
Lord Vialak, his liege and mentor, taken by the Worm
Vice Chancelor Nalfa, seeking an end to noble dominance
Affiliations:
Level 2 Anvil Forces

Weapons:
Heavy Assault Gun (H4-H8-H12, Case, Intuitive, Heavy (4)), Stet Gun

6 Soldiers: (exp 4 skills AT1 Armor)
Wound Tolerances
Unarmored: Su H3, In H5, Ma H8, MW 10,
Armored: Su A4, In A6, A H9, A 11
1 Mortar (H5-H7-H11, single shot, Heavy(7), Indirect, Tripod)
1 Rifle (H5-H8-H13, Magazine, Long Range)
1 Jack Gun (H4-H7-H10, Cylinder, Intuitive, Jacked, Quick)
3 Assault Guns (H4-H8-H11, Magazine, Intuitive)
Heap Grenades, Knives

Captain Jordan
Beliefs:
I must not fail the trust General Diomedes has put in me.
I will woo Lady Polyxena
I will escape this damned moon alive
Instincts:
Always ration supplies until I get home
Always keep my weapons ready at hand
Always keep an eye out for ambushed

Age: 32
Lifepaths:
Born Citizen, Student, Volunteer Soldier, Professional Officer, Professional Officer
Will 4, Perception 5, Power 4, Forte 4, Agility 4, Speed 4, Resources 3, Circles 2, Steel 6, Hesitation 6

Skills:
Tactics 6, Command 5, Assault Gun 4, Rhetoric 4, Close Combat 3, Squad Support Weapon 2, Advanced Math 2, Driving 2, Anvil-wise 2, Soldier-wise 2, Soldiering 2, History 2

Traits:
Citizen of the Commune, Educated, Proud Citizen, No Nonsense, Zealot, Resourceful, Light Sleeper, Redoubtable
Equipment: CEBW

Wound Tolerances (Ballistic Armor)
Unarmored: Su H3, In H5, Ma H8, MW 10,
Armored: Su A5, In A7, Ma A10, MW 12

Relationships:
Lady-Pilot Anvil Polyxena, daughter of Lord Vialak
General Diomedes, head of the Commune Anvil forces
Affiliations:
+1D Commune Anvil
Reputations:
+1D Dependable

Weapons: 1 Rifle (H5-H8-H13, Magazine, Long Range), Heap Grenades, CEBW, Ballistic Armor (AT2)

8 Soldiers: exp 4 skills, AT2 Armor
Wound Tolerances (Ballistic Armor)
Unarmored: Su H3, In H5, Ma H8, MW 10,
Armored: Su A5, In A7, Ma A10, MW 12
1 MPML (V4-V8-V12, Single Shot, Blast, Intelligent)
1 Heavy Assault Gun (H4-H8-H12, Case, Intuitive, Heavy (4))
1 Jack Laser (H4-H8-H12, Power Pack, Jacked)
5 Assault Rifles (H4-H8-H11, Magazine, Intuitive)

Handguns, Heap Grenades

Next: Contact and Map

Make Contact:
Marcus: 4 (Avatar + Scout) Signals, 0 Successes
Jordan: Observation 3 from Scout, 2 Successes
Jordan wins, chooses +2 disposition bonus
Dispositions:
Marcus: 6D for 6 Command + 1D for 5 Tactics
5 Successes for base 5s
+1s Superior Comms (from Iron)
+1s Superior Training? (only leader has Iron)
+1s Iron Superiority
Total Disposition 8s

Jordan: 6d for 6 Tactics, +1d for command
5 Success base – 5s
+2s Contact
+1s Outnumber
+1s Superior Infiltration
Total Disposition 9s

Initial Map:
Hill 1P
Hill 1P
Ancient Fort 1P
Jordan adds Old Wall 1P
Jordan increases ancient fort to 2P
Marcus adds Ship Wreckage 1P
GM increases ship wreckage to 3P
Hills get 1C
Ship Wreckage gets 1C
Ancient Fort gets 2C, requires a on of the other positions first

Marcus attempts to use his Signals to detect enemy communications, but his bulky armor is spotted first. Guess Jordan’s men didn’t have any communicators with power left!

Next Exchange 1

Exchange 1
Marcus’s orders:
Observe/Advance/Observe
Jordan’s Orders:
Flank/Suppressive Fire/Observe
Volley 1:
Observe vrs Flank is an Opposed Action
Marcus’s Observe: Signals 3 + 1 Helping, 1 success
Jordan’s Flank: Tactics 6, 2 successes
Marcus loses 1 pt disposition (now 7)
Jordans men snuck into position around Marcus’s forces, not yet fully wakened to the danger . . .

Volley 2:
Advance vrs Suppressive Fire is an opposed action.
Jordan’s Suppressive Fire: Tactics 6, 1 success
Marcus’s Advance (to hill): Command 6, 1 Success
Tie!

Ok, here is a question: there are no individual actions listed for Suppressive fire, so does that mean nothing happens?

As Lord Marcus sharply ordered his men forward, Captain Jordan’s foces lay down a wall of lead. The advance faltered . . .

Volley 3:
Observe vrs Observe
Independent actions
Marcus’s Observe: Signals: Avatar 3 + Help 4, 3 Successes, Jordan has been Observed
Jordan’s Observe: Observe 3(Scount), 1 success, Failed

Marcus’s Iron suddenly chimed. “Comm Activity Triangulated. Details Onscreen”

Ammo Checks:
None for Marcus
The Ob is 3 due to suppressive fire for Jordan
I wasn’t sure what to do with 8 and 10 soldiers, so I made 1 roll (don’t know if this breaks the system or not)
Assault Weapons 4, 3 successes - Ammo is OK

[EDIT: Fixed skill for Suppressive Fire]
Next: Volley 2

Exchange 2:
Marcus: Direct Fire/Advance/Direct Fire
Jordan: Take Cover/Flank/Observe
Volley1:
Take Cover vrs Direct Fire are versus actions
Jordan’s Take Cover: Command 5, 4 successes
Marcus’s Direct Fire: Command 6, 3 successes
Jordan wins with 1 Success
Success Allocation:
Reload! Reset the ammo checks

Captain Jordan’s men dived for cover as bullets ricochet around their heads. Jordan slapped a fresh clip into his Assault Gun and motioned everyone to get ready to move . . .

Volley 2:
Flank vrs Advance
Jordan’s Flank: Tactics 6, 5 successes
Marcus’s Advance: Command 6, 3 success
Jordan wins with 2 successes, choses to reduce Marcus’s Disposition by 2 (down to 5)

Lord Marcus ordered his troops to advance again, only to have his troops balk at being encircled as Jordan’s men flanked them.

Volley 3:
Observe vrs Direct Fire
Independent Actions
Jordan’s Observe: Scouts Observe 3 vrs Ob 2 – 3 success, Marcus is observed.
Marcus’s Direct Fire: Command 6 – 4 Successes vrs 2, 3 Sucesses to Allocate, all put into attacks.
1 - Marcus Fires: Support Weapons 5 + 1 Targeter, 6 vrs Ob 2: 3 successes, a hit!
Target: Soldier with assault rifle
DoF+1: 3(2)for a H8 hit, causing an Injury
Steel 5 vrs Hes 6, 2 sucesses, he is out, reducing Jordan’s disposition by 1 (now 8)
Soldier with Assault Gun: Assault 4 + 1 Intuitive, 5 vrs Ob 2: 4 successes, a hit!
Target: Soldier with Assault Gun
DoF+2: 8(6)! H11, Maimed.
Steel 3d: 3 Successes (1 success + 2 open ended!) He is remarkably still standing.
Soldier with Rifle: Assault 4 vrs Ob 2: 3 Sucesses, a hit!
Target: Soldier with Assault Gun
DoF+1: 3(2). H8, Injured.
Steel 5 vrs Hes 6: 2 Successes! He is out!
Jordan loses another disposition (now 7)

A withering hail of fire hits the Commune forces like a typhoon. Several soldiers fell - the only one to rise was holding his guts in with his hand. He grimly leveled his rifle at the enemy.

Ammo Checks:
Marcus:
1 + 2 (2 direct Fires) + 1 (Individual Action): Ob4
Once again, I am using the leaders roll for the unit.
Support 5 vrs ob 4: 3 successes – out of ammo for first action.

Tomorrow: Exchange 3

Suppressive Fire is a blocking action. It reduces incoming enemy successes. So in the case of a tie, enemy successes are reduced to zero and the action has no effect. What happens in the game? A hail of fire keeps those heads down!

(Also, Suppressive Fire uses Tactics, not Command. I’m sure that’s just a typo in your post, though.)

Edit: Also, that soldier doesn’t have any stats at exp 3?

Lastly, this is awesome!
-Luke

Yep, Command was a typo - fixed it. Does Observe work the same way as Suppressive Fire in the case of a tie?

Anyhow, I just made Soldiers all 4 stats, 4 weapon skills, 3 other soldierly skills. Just my Burning Wheel GM experience coming through. Anyway, how cool is it for a guy with a Maimed result to stay up while his buddies bellyache about a mere injury :twisted: ?

It is a little twisty playing against yourself, I must say - hopefully I will get a chance to run a quick Firefight against someone else soon.

Christian

Exchange 3:
Marcus:
Advance/Take Cover/Direct Fire
Jordan:
Direct Fire/Advance/Direct Fire

Volley 1:
Direct Fire vrs Advance
Independent Actions
Jordan’s Direct Fire: Tactics 6 vrs Ob 2: 5 successes, that is 4 allocations, all to shoot up Marcus’s men
1 - Squaddie with MPML – Supprot 4 + 1 smart vrs Ob 2: 3 successes!
Target: Squaddie with assault rife
DoF+1: 5(4), a V12!
Squaddie is blown to smithereens.
His buddy (another squaddie with assault rifle) takes a H8 hit, Injuring him
Steel 5 vr Hes 6 – 6 successes! He shrugs it off!
2 – Captain Jordan with Rifle – Assault 4 vrs Ob 2: 2 successes
DoF: 4, a H8 hit, injuring his target (S w AR)
Steel: 5 vrs Hes 6, 2 succ, out!
3 – Squaddie with AR – Assault 4 + 1 (Intuitive) vrs Ob 2: 2 Succ!
DoF: 4, a H8 Hit, injuring target
Steel: 5d vrs Hes 6, 1 succ, out!
4 – Squaddie with HAG – Support 4 vrs Ob 2: 1 succ, a miss!
Marcus loses 3 dispo (down to 2!)
Comments - I really shoulda used Marcus as the target for at least one of the Assault Guns - but having him injured would have sucked too.

As Marcus and his men advanced to the hilltop, they were hit with a devastating storm of fire. Several men went down.

Marcus’s Advance: to Hill. Command 6 vrs ob 2. 4 successes. Use 2s allocation to remove 1 from enemy dispo (now 6). Marcus gains 1 dispo for position (2 + 1 for pos)

Volley 2:
Advance vrs Take Cover
Independent:
Jordan’s Advance: Command 5 vrs Ob 2 for Hill. 3 Succ
Get to hill, add 1 pos to dispo (6 + 1p)
Marcus’s Take Cover: Tactics 6 vrs Ob 1. 5 Successes. 1 success allocation for +1 cover. 3 Allocations for Medic! Actions. 2 injuries treated, 1 recovers and gets die back. Both still cowering.

While Jordan’s force marched up the other hill, Marcus ordered his men to dig in and treat the wounded.

Volley 3:
Direct Fire vrs Direct Fire:
Jordan: Tactics 6 vrs ob 2 – 2 successes. 1 alloc – fire!
1 - Squaddie with MPML – Support 4 + 1 Smart vrs Ob 4(2+2 cover): 2 successes, a miss
Marcus: Command 6 vrs ob 2 – 1 successes. No firing!

The two squads fired at each other, to little effect

Ammo Checks:
Jordan: 1 + 2 direct fires, +2 individual for MPML, +1 ind for Jordan and others
(Here, I made a the MPML since it has an Ob 5. Didn’t matter since Jordan failed his Ob 4 test anyway)
MPML is out!
Jordan’s Unit is out!
Marcus: Support 5 vrs Ob 2 (1+1(direct fire)), 3 successes, ok

Next: Exchange 4

Exchange 4:
Marcus: Suppressive Fire/Direct Fire/Take Cover
Jordan: Rally/Suppressive Fire/Direct Fire

Volley 1:
Rally vrs Suppressive Fire
Independent
Jordan’s Rally: Command 5 vrs ob 3 – success! One of the AR squaddies recovers his wits (up to 7 disposition)
Marcus’s Suppressive Fire: 5d vrs ob 1 – 2 successes, uses 2 allocations to remove 1 pt of cover from the hill.

The hill exploded with fire, the mortar tearing great chunks out of the ridge Jordan’s men were sheltering behind. “If you don’t move, you will die”, Jordan said, coldly slapping a soldier across the face. The soldier shook his head and got back up . . .

Volley 2:
Suppressive fire vrs Direct Fire, Versus Action
Jordan’s Suppressive Fire: Tactics 6, 2 successes
Marcus’s Direct Fire: 6, 4 successes.
Marcus wins by 2 and allocates 2 shots.
1 - Marcus with HAG: Support 5+1 Targeter vrs ob 2 – 4 succ
Target: Maimed Squaddie
DoF+2: 3(1), a H8, an injury. This reduces squaddy to no dice, so he is out and bleeding to death!
2 – last Soldier with AR: Assault 4 + 1 intuitive vrs ob 2, 4 successess
Target: Injured Squaddy
DoF+2: 7(5), a H11. Maimed. He is also out of dice.
Jordan goes down to 5 disposition.

Jordan ordered his men to pour the fire on and make the enemy keep their heads down, but as men fell around him, he realized that Marcus was too secure dug into the hill to be bothered . . .

Volley 3:
Direct Fire vrs Take Cover, a Versus Action
Jordan’s Direct Fire: Tactics 6, 4 successess
Marcus’s Take Cover: Command 6, but only 1 success!
3 allocations, all taken as shots
1 - Squaddie with MPML – Support 4 + 1 smart vrs Ob 4: 4 successes!
Target: Marcus himself (else the firefight could be over!)
DoF: 3, V8, reduced to a H8 by Iron. Merely a Superficial to the mighty Marcus.
A Soldier with Jack Gun is Blasted for H4, only a superficial
2 – Squaddie with AR – Assault 4 + 1 (Intuitive) vrs Ob 4: 4 Succ!
DoF: 4, a H8 Hit, injuring target
Steel 5 vrs Hes 6, 2 success, he is cowering and out of the fight!
3 – Squaddie with HAG – Support 4 vrs Ob 4: 2 succ, a miss!
Marcus loses 1 disposition (down to 2!)

Marcus ordered his men to hunker down and reload, but they were all shocked into inaction when a missile hit Marcus square in the chest. He stood up and glared at them, “What are you fools looking at?”

Ammo Checks:
Both have an Ob 5 (1 + 1(direct) + 2 (suppressive) + 1 (individual)
Both fail, and cannot fire first volley of next exchange.

Next: Exchange 5

DoF: 3, V8, reduced to a H8 by Iron. Merely a Superficial to the mighty Marcus.
A Soldier with Jack Gun is Blasted for H4, only a superficial

So fucking cool! I see the missile glancing off of his chest and exploding – the massive iron body shielding the other soldier.

RAWR!
-Luke

Exchange 5:
Marcus: Rally/Suppressive Fire/Direct Fire
Jordan: Flank/Flank/Flank
Volley 1:
Rally vrs Flank, Versus Actions
Marcus’s Rally: Command 6 vrs Ob 3. 5 succ, +1 disposition as recovered soldier returns to action. (Marcus’s Disposition is up to 3)
Jordan’s Flank: Tactics 6 vrs Ob 3 (for Rally). 3 successes. -1 to Marcus’s Disposition (down to 2, position bonus gone)

While Marcus rallied his men, Jordan sent three men to go pick up the supplies

Volley 2:
Flank vrs Suppressive Fire, Versus Action
Jordan’s Flank: Tactics 6, 4 successes
Marcus’s Suppressive Fire: Command 6, 5 successes.
Marcus wins by one, and uses his 1 allocation to cause a steel test.
Steel 6 vrs Hes 6 – 6 successes – Soldier is ok!

Seeing Jordan’s plan, Marcus ordered his men to lay down suppressive fire, forcing the team making their way to the supplies to keep their head down . . .

Volley 3:
Flank vrs Direct Fire, independent actions
Jordan’s Flank: Tactics 6 vrs ob 2, 5 successes, remove 3 from Marcus’s disposition, game over.
Direct Fire: Command 6 vrs ob 2: 3 successes, 2 allocations, takes 2 shots
1 - Marcus with HAG: Support 5+1 (targeters) vrs ob 2 – 3 successes
Target: AR Soldier
DoF+1 – 2(1), a H4, a Superficial Injury.
2 – Soldier with Rifle: Assault 4 vrs ob 2, 1 success, a miss

Marcus screamed in rage as Jordan’s men made off with the supplies. His men fired at their back, but other than a few bullets spanging off armored vests, they had no effect. Pursuit was out of the question as night was falling . . .

Compromise (Jordan lost 4, which is less than half - a minor compromise): Marcus’s men recover a handful of supply packs that landed off target – enough so they don’t starve to death. But they are all down to last ammo loads.

Captain Jordan allowed himself a wintry smile. Perhaps they were going to make it out of here alive after all.

Next: Lessons learned

Volley 2, why didn’t Marcus force Jordan to make a Steel test? It would have caused the whole unit to hesitate and possibly won him the fight. (And you were whiffing Steel tests left and right!)

-L

PS I’m glad you Flanked! I was screaming “Flank! Flank!” at my monitor. 8)

The biggest thing was that maybe I should have used Marcus as a target more often. He was pretty damned tough. On the other hand, superficials would have built up to the tune of several injuries, and that first shot from the MPML would have Maimed his, ending the fight very early indeed . . . but Iron is insanely tough in any case.

I also learned that dug in troops are a bitch to touch at all. Ob 4 for a Cover 1 location and dug in is harsh all by itself. I can’t imagine what a Cover 3 location would be like - you would need to use Suppressive Fire I would think to take down the rating.

Running out of ammo really, really sucks. You can take cover and risk a Flank, or Advance or Flank and hope they aren’t going to Direct Fire your ass. That’s why Marcus tried to take cover at the end of exchange 4.

Finally, Flanks are friggin awesome for Winning, if not the best for killing the other guy.

It was a lot of fun. Very cool system Luke.

Christian

Jeez, didn’t read Suppressive Fire closely enough I guess :oops: Actually, I had read the rules a while ago, and was mainly using the script sheet, only looking at the book when I wasn’t sure what was happening . . .

I figured it worked like targeting an enemy - the effected unit chose. Yeah, with the way I was whiffing Steel tests, that could have won the game. If only Marcus had known . . .