Chicago Skirmish Wargames

Two weeks ago we hosted Mech Attack at Adepticon for the 4th year in a row!

This was our best game yet, played out on our best terrain with more participants than ever before. As with past years this year continued the storyline of the retaking of Melk 3. Here's what players signing up for the game knew before arrival:

Dramatic Mech Combat in Glorious 28mm! The Battle for Melk-3 neared it's end with the retreat of the United Colonies. The Nue-Valstetch Spaceport was the scene of a bloody retreat as abandoned UC mercenary units attempted to comandeer starships and escape the planet. This is the 4th year that Chicago Skirmish has run a Large-Scale Mech Attack game at Adepticon. Each advancing the storyline and more spectacular than the last. After adding flying transport units and an elevated train line in 2017, this year we will debut some fantastic custom spacecraft. And of course there will be plenty of battlemechs! Mech Attack is a fast-playing and easy-to-learn game that spotlights battlemechs, but is a full combined arms game with Infantry, Ground Vehicles and Air Units.

As suggested above this year's addition was 3 large spacecraft that served as the objectives for the scenario. Unlike previous games where points were scored based on objectives seized and Mech's destroyed, this year's victory conditions were entirely based on whether 2 United Colonies (UC) dignitaries  -escorted by NeoSoviet mercenaries- would be able to make it to the spacecraft and escape, or whether they would be prevented from doing so by the Melk Defense Forces (MDF).

I didn't take a picture of the first turn, but here's the layout for the table as of the 2nd turn.

In the foreground is the starting point for the UC light mechs and APC's carrying the dignitaries and NeoSoviet Infantry. At the top of the frame are the spacecraft and the UC heavy mechs. On the left and right side were the starting points for the MDF units who were trying to prevent the UC escape.  Additionally a few light mechs from each side were permitted to start the game one free move into the city to represent scouting units.

The battle began fairly straightforward as the bulk of the UC (Green) units began to advance right across the field toward the airfield

A classic pincer attempt was begun to trap their opponents. The MDF units (Grey) plodded forward to intercept the UC (Green) APCs.

 

UC Heavy Mecha holding the spaceport moved to support their approaching APC's.

Despite the protection of escorting mechs the UC APC's began to take heavy damage.

Halfway toward their goal the infantry and dignitaries dismounted before their APC's could be destroyed.

A heavy UC mech from the airfield moved on top of the train station to provide covering fire.

On the Right (intact) and left (blown off) are the turret emplacements protecting the airfield.

Dashing under the train line, the UC infantry and their dignitaries moved as quickly as possible towards the cover of the train station.

 

Fueled and ready, the comandeered spacecraft began to power up in anticpation of the approaching dignitaries

  

Though mauled by crossfire...

...3 of 4 UC infantry units and both Dignitaries made it into the cover of the train station.

One of the UC Light Mechs was destroyed chasing the Infantry. (note the destroyed mech leg marker)

The MDF light mecha fired down the darkened passage but only succeeded in wounding a few more UC troopers

The retreating Infantry and dignitaries emerged from the station...

... and into the airfield.

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Meanwhile the MDF attempted a few more parting shots to little effect.

Running out of time, all the UC Dignitaries boarded the middle starship.

Everything looked to be in the bag for the UC but the MDF concentrated their fire on the UC starship and in a phenomenally lucky series of hits blew it to pieces before it could take the air!!

And so, with the acomplishment of both objectives (prevent both dignitaries from escaping) the MDF players won the game!

This ended up being one of our most successful Mech Attack events from the 6 years we've been running this game at local conventions. We had 7 participants (up from 5 last year) and the table looked better than ever. We did have a bit of confusion regaring a few rounds of fire, but they were quickly resolved. Perhaps most importantly, the game was still in contention right up until the last turn!

Hopefully we'll be back at Adepticon in 2019 with an even better Mech Attack game.