Shattergrounds

The battle began with a cautious Haqqislam advance. The enemy forces had brought a strong core fireteam with a powerful and accurate Zhayedan Missile Launcher, a Maghariba Guard TAG, and several key Haqqislam personnel. Additionally, O-12 command noted a shuttle lingering in the area with reinforcements likely onboard. Reports of howling and engines revving could be heard in the distance. The Maghariba Guard used its position to destroy the turret which had been setup, and targeted the Kappa Sniper as well. Unfortunately, he was destroyed by incoming HMG fire before he could drop prone.

On the other side of the temporary O-12 HQ, the Zhayedan managed to make its mark. It hit and crit with it’s Missiles on the Zeta command unit, taking it down and nearly destroying the remote link inside. In that opening fray, Officer Yara Haddad was spotted climbing a crate and shooting an innocent journalist on the field. Disgraceful.

While the Zeta was down for the O-12 start of turn 1, we had only lost 99 points and could not call in any reinforcements. Thus, with a scattered approach, we were desperate to make any impact on the Haqq forces without an effective command unit coordinating our forces. The Lawkeeper managed to quiet the Zhayedan ML, while our Monstrucker ally restored power to the Zeta unit. While it took nearly all of Command’s resources, the Zeta was able to then kill Officer Haddad and exchange fire with the Maghariba Guard. Under the covering fire of the Zeta, our Roadbot was able to check the first of the tech-coffins, finding it filled with a decoy.

The Haqqislam turn 2 was up next. The Maghariba Guard was able to use its position to put the Zeta unit back down. An enemy Monstrucker and Carmen Johns worked together to take out the advanced Lawkeeper. The rest of the turn was spent primarily on attempting to open the second tech-coffin for Haqq. However, the uninvested mercenary Monstrucker cared not for Haqqislam’s orders, and wasted 6 orders failing to open the tech-coffin.

With a chance to seize the two remaining tech-coffins, O-12 command deployed reinforcements aggressively. The Vidocq setup overwatch in the center of the field, as seen in the satellite capture of the battlefield in real time. The nearby tech-coffin would be opened by a Jackboot to find the HVT, while the far tech-coffin was opened by Casanova who made a desperate gamble under gunfire and explosions to secure the information for O-12. We ordered the Monstrucker on our side to work on fixing the Zeta once again, but she went around the side of a building an was caught out by the Haqq defensive turret. She died mere steps from the Zeta with 7 orders remaining, and could have carried our forces to victory.

Desperate to make an impact with the Zeta down for good, the Roadbot slid around the side of the operational theater. It managed to take down Leila Sharif while the Maghariba shifted away. Following that, the Roadbot danced with the giant TAG, managing to deal two damaging blows to it before succumbing to the flames.

However, with turn 3 looming, the Haqqislam reinforcements showed up. They took close in positions and began to decimate the unprepared Starmada forces. The command structure for the 12th armored once again collapsed, and the remaining units were overrun.

While O-12 command did learn significant information from the recovery of the tech-coffins, the HVTs were both recovered by the Ramah Task Force. Such a disappointment will be remembered, and the 12th armored will carry with it new lessons about the importance of resilient command.