Operation Terminus

Turn 8 inbound. Prepare yourselves !

 

TURN EIGHT
July 16, 3049 (Standard Terran Calendar)
System: Star's End
Planet: Novo Cressidas (northern hemisphere)
500km South of the Martillo stronghold, Castello di Coltelli



At last, the final battle begins. The Skjaldborg Commandos have grown weary of the promise of hidden treasures and pirate ships. Lily Morgana, her crew, and the infamous Harbinger are long gone... and with them, any chance of achieving the Commando's original objectives. Our current path remains a simple one: getting off-planet. We will take whatever we can when we can, but our primary goal remains most important.

To that end, our once enemies and now allies, the Goretti crime family, has offered their assistance. We need only help them remove one final obstacle: their long time rivals, the Marillo family. It is painfully ironic now; when we first arrived on Novo Cressidas, the Martillos offered us employment. We accepted their help even as we plotted and schemed to steal the Mischief Maker from the Gorettis. Then we deserted the Martillos only to find that Morgana had beat us to the Mischief Maker.

With no place to call home, we fell in with the Free Cressidas Army, a local partisan force opposed to Goretti control of their lands, but their fight for freedom was never our own. In the end, we turned our backs on them as well. Although we would not stand directly in their way, our departure has weakened their struggle against the Gorettis. Now we have finally come full circle; our first allies are our final foes and our first foes will be our final allies.

Ultimately, it looks as though the Gorettis have the most to gain from all this... even with the loss of the Harbinger and the destruction of half their forces. For as we approach the Martillo battlements, the Gorettis have focused most of their remaining strength on the partisan forces that continue to fight. Very soon this will all be over and, in such a brutal war, their can only be one victor.

And yet a few questions remain...

The Butcher of New Belfast, Savio Drago, remains unaccounted for. He likely awaits our assault at the Martillo stronghold, Castello di Coltelli. Major Sullivan remains unusually adamant on pursuing his capture. Whatever his motivations might be, Sullivan is not forthcoming, but the 16 million reward makes it harder to object.

Ben Kingsley, the mutineer, murderer, and former first-mate to the Harbinger's last captain, Buck "Starhound" Harrison is another loose end. He could be the key to unlocking more info as to the whereabouts of the Harbinger. Perhaps he knows the Harbinger's hidden berths. Unfortunately, he remains in the custody of Boss Goretti until we destroy the Martillos.

Finally, there is perhaps the most uncomfortable question of all; what of our dropships? Our communications off-planet remain limited, but we should have heard from them by now... even if only sporadically. From what we now know, the constant fighting has weakened both the Martillo and Goretti aerospace forces to the point that it is highly suspect they even have the capabilities to prevent our dropships from landing. But if that is the case, why have we not seen or heard from our ships? Boss Goretti promises us access to his communication network after we have completed our mission, but that is only a small comfort. Major Sullivan has repeatedly stated that there has been no word from Skjaldborg command, but how can this be possible? Our dropships would have made it a priority to contact us as soon as possible and call for reinforcements. For two months we have been stranded here. It is as if we have been forgotton. Something isn't right...


ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS:

• Castello di Coltelli is well defended; expect up to an additional +30% bonus to OpFor BV strength! (depending on your mission)
• Any and all dropship support will be unavailable until communications with our dropships is reestablished.
• Players that are captured may request a POW exchange as per normal rules (see Master Rules, page 5). Consider the Gorettis to be "Hired Muscle" when applying costs and modifiers.

 

^updated!

 

* Astech improved to +1 ("Morale Booster" + "Grease the Wheels")
*Magnus BK receives "Exposed Actuators"
*Alexia's Raven receives "Multi-Trac"


* Astech improved to +0 ("Morale Booster")


*no rare loot found; thieves walk away empty-handed.

 

Turn08-Mission01
July 16, 3049
Martillo Mining Outpost (Derelict Dropship Site)



Zone E1: As the rest of the Commandos probed the defenses of Martillo HQ, Delta followed up on a lead that looked promising. To the west at the foot of a mountain lay a centuries old derelict dropship. Long past the point of ever flying again, the ship had been stripped of anything valuable. Yet the gigantic hulk proved valuable twice over as it was later discovered it made an ideal location for a mining operation. The Martillos repurposed the dropship into a massive hangar and forward outpost.

The encroaching threat of the Skjaldborg Commandos had forced them to retreat most of their forces back to their headquarters at Castello di Coltelli. What remained was to safeguard the facility until reinforcements could arrive. Unfortunately, word of the retreat had spread to a nearby group of bandits who took the opportunity to capture the facility mostly intact. However, their victory was short-lived. For just as they were about to plunder their illgotten gains, a new threat appeared on the horizon... the Martillos had sent militia reinforcements. They were too few in number, though, and the bandits too well dug in by that point. The best the Martillos could hope for was a standoff until more help arrived.

In a matter of speaking, "help" did come the next day... but not in the form they had hoped. The Commando's Delta Lance had heard about the facility and came to take it for their own. Desperately stuck between a rock and an anvil, the Martillos militia made an impromptu deal with Delta; they would barter their firepower for their lives. At the very least, it would deny the wretched bandits the time needed to strip the facility bare.

Walking into the fight, Delta was not without its share of battle scars. Both Otack's Warhammer and Lar's King Crab were still heavily damaged. However, they did have two full lances of light artillery at their disposal. The bandits attempted a rush over a central hill, but Delta's precise artillery strikes proved too much for them. In the end, not a single bandit unit survived the attack.

The facility was now Delta's, but there was no time for celebration. Shocking news was coming from the Martillo front... a secret agenda... a deal made behind closed doors... a shadow of doubt... Lily Morgana alive? Their commander... Major Magnus Sullivan was behind it all. He had much to answer for... and Delta would make sure of it.



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

Winner is: TEAM #1

MagnusEffect: 0 BV remaining (from 0 initially) 0 BV fled
Bandits: 0 BV remaining (from 12208 initially) 0 BV fled
Martillo Militia: 0 BV remaining (from 1493 initially) 0 BV fled
Dihm: 1631 BV remaining (from 2550 initially) 0 BV fled
Sheo: 1983 BV remaining (from 2513 initially) 0 BV fled
Skwisgaar: 4052 BV remaining (from 4203 initially) 0 BV fled
MostlyHarmless: 1859 BV remaining (from 1929 initially) 0 BV fled

Survivors are:

Graveyard contains:

The following utterly destroyed units are not available for salvage:

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE MET: DELTA GAINS "REQUISITION" (resupply logistical support) & +2MP for this Turn

 

I take hits to the head like Rocky

 

Perhaps investigation into Sullivan's background might reveal something of relevance?

 

Turn08-Mission02
July 17, 3049
Castille di Coltelli, Western Quarter (Martillo HQ)



Zone D4: While Alpha Lance infiltrated Castille di Coltelli to the east, Gamma led a frontal charge into the weakest point of the Martillo's defenses. Their job was to penetrate deep behind the Martillo's fortifications and sow chaos through their ranks while we gathered our forces and prepared our final assault.

As the rest of the Skjaldborg Commandos had discovered, Savio Drago had prepared pre-recorded messages that blared through the streets cautioning them that Major Sullivan had betrayed their trust and to turn back before it was too late. Gamma was not to be convinced in the middle of a firefight though and continued with their mission. Their rationale was fairly simple and logical: up until now, Sullivan had still been writing their checks and there would be time to settle matters after the dust settled.

The full company of Martillo Urbanmechs and various other conventional forces did little to blunt Gamma's piercing maneuver. Two kilometers into the city, Gamma found themselves marching unopposed towards the center of the Martillo's stronghold. Unbeknownst to them at the time, they would be the first to find the source of their troubles...

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

Winner is: TEAM #1

MagnusEffect: 0 BV remaining (from 0 initially) 0 BV fled
Ibex: 1465 BV remaining (from 1780 initially) 0 BV fled
Derak Darksun: 2523 BV remaining (from 2610 initially) 0 BV fled
Tzeentch: 4477 BV remaining (from 4905 initially) 0 BV fled
Martillo Militia: 6464 BV remaining (from 9440 initially) 0 BV fled

Survivors are:

The following units are in retreat:

Graveyard contains:

The following utterly destroyed units are not available for salvage:

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE MET: GAMMA GAINS = 200k C-bills or +1 repair bonus next Turn!

 

I know who the source of our troubles are

 

but you haven't found them yet

 

As you continue your march, you pick up an open frequency. What you hear you wish you had not... the roar of jet engines... and screams... bloody deafening screams. Then... nothing at all.

 

Oh boy, that's a lot