Data Lockdown - Operation Hungry Walrus June 10th, 2023

 

Mission Briefing

Scenario: Capture and Protect

(Campaign Location, Dock 619)

Combatants: White Banner vs Steel Phalanx

Points: 300

Final Scoring 6-5 in White Banner's Favor 

Deployment

White Banner won the roll off and elected to go second. Controlling deployment, the Steel Phalanx strike team was able to counter deploy Achilles for an ideal attack run, while also having set up Hippolyta and a Myrmidon team for a powerful assault on the other flank. A linked core team of Thorakiti stood ready in the center to pose a potent threat, with a HMG bot watching the box. The White Banner force was more spread out. With a Guija hiding itself behind a central building, Liang Kai and a Shaolin duo staring down the Hippolyta team across the field, Long ya watching entrance points, their own HMG bot watching their box, and a Jing Qo and Monk team lurking to move up the heavily obscured middle of the complex. 

Turn 1

There were reports , rumors really, that Brutus was engaging in attempts at recreating ALEPH's Aspect project. Unconfirmed footage had been spreading of elite strike teams operating with questionable intent in the area, and after confirmation came through from the ISS the strike team under General Ryui's detachment was sent to intercept. 

The opening moments of the engagement with the hostile forces were brutal and swift. Achilles moved up the board, easily identifying and gunning down a Long Ya on his way into enemy territory. Several tense moments of cautious movement filled the battlefield as the warrior crept to his overall target, evading the defensive network of the Yu Jing strike force with almost supernatural precision. Taking his moment to strike, the warrior leapt around the corner, splitting his fire into the Husong, a monk, and a Weibing. Downing the Weibing with a critical shot, Achilles suffered one in return from the Husong while the mighty armor shrugged off the assault from the monk. Another close assault of gunfire and the Husong was downed, with the lone monk dodging to once again see the warrior prince. Not considering the Shaolin to be worth his time, Achilles plunged his fist into the data vault to secure the classified files. On his dash out of the monk's sight the synthetic warrior took another break to his armor in an unlucky failure. Covering his withdrawal, the Myrmidon group moved to the midfield to screen for their wounded leader. 

The Guija quickly vaulted from its hiding place to exploit an opening the synthetic enemy had missed, opening fire on Achilles. Another critical shot rang out from the legendary warrior, striking the Guija in a central servo coupling, striking two wounds on the TAG. Repositioning the approach of the strike team, Liang Kai and his monk companion moved forward to begin hunting the Myrmidon team. Striking quickly and from precise positions, Liang Kai was able to down one elite warrior after another. The monk was downed in the crossfire and Liang Kai was wounded in a quick burst of melee with Hippolyta but managed to down the entire team. Achilles was saved by their sacrifice, as the warrior monk was unable to move forward any more. Striking from the second group, Jing Quo began to advance with her team, engaging with some passing shots from the Thorakiti, the strike harris moved to threaten a flank in the following minutes. 

Turn 2

A bloody opening to the engagement, the enemy aspect had scored a critical advantage in securing the classified intel. While pushing ahead in kills, the Yu Jing strike team would need to quickly recover the stolen file if they wanted a chance. 

Doing what he does best, Achilles charged forward to secure a flank on Liang Kai. Caught out of his positioning, the legendary monk was downed in a violent burst of gunfire. Continuing on to his heavily secured storage shed, Achilles evaded the attempts to put him down thanks to his superhuman agility. With the box secured in the back field and the aspect laying down covering fire, the rest of the team moved to cover any other approaches. The Thorakiti team moved to engage Jing Qo, but were blocked off by smoke thrown from an accompanying monk. 

Knowing time was limited, the Guija again leapt to the call. Opening fire on the Thorakiti team, the heavy fire power of the TAG was spent order after order on eliminating the dug in fire team. Jing Qo began to lead her team up the field, and with the use of a successfully placed smoke grenade was able to close and down the enemy HMG bot, but unable to get to the supply box itself.

Turn 3

Time was running out and there were few options left. Achilles, if he could be called that, was rapidly decrypting the classified Yu Jing reports and would have full access to the information in moments. 

Worried that his combat prowess painted him as the premier target, Achilles moved to pass the secure data off to a nearby Dactyl. With the information in different hands, the warrior prince moved to engage the monk harris. Trading a blaze of gunfire, neither side was able to score an upper hand and down the other. Withdrawing to out of line of sight, the aspect prepared for a last stand as he opened fire at the only opening the team could approach from. 

Guns blazing overhead, the monk team knew they only had moments to act. A bold move from one of the Shaolin saw him move up to throw smoke straight at the face of Achilles. Perhaps the damage from earlier finally had worn on the mighty warrior, but in this pivotal moment his supernatural aim failed and he was blinded by the smoke. Sizing the moment, the Shaolin moved as wind to engage and down the Dactyl. The primary enemy threat ended, Jing Qo secured the data vault of the opposition and began a mad dash back to the Guija to begin decryption. On the way back the third shaolin was left to guard the enemy HVT to be secured once hostile elements were driven from the field. With the overhead roar of landing craft, the fight was at an end with reinforcing Yu Jing detachments moving to down and secure the puppets of the rogue AI

Wrap-Up

I don't get to play Capture and Protect much and this was a ton of fun! Having to chase down Achilles as he just walked into my defenses and left with the flag turn one was terrifying, I'll have to include hacking or something to lock him down in the future. Can't wait to see how ALPEH/Brutus is shown in the campaign's progress <3