The Arthurian Asteroid Campaign: Turn 2 Hell Knights Raid 207811 Kay

 October 9th 3033, 207811 Kay.  The Hell Knights Mercenary Company attempted to raid an Eagle Heavy Industries mining operation on 207811 Kay.  The operation was defended by the Star Guard Mercenary Company.

 The Hell Knights LAGAREV transport made an aggressive move against the defenders moving out into the middle of the compound and attempting to shoot at a unit of Star Guards in some rocky outcroppings but failed to kill any.  The Star Guard sniper shot at the Hell Knight vehicle but failed to damage it.

 The LAGAREV made another pass against a squad of Star Guards who have moved out on to the top of a hill this time killing two member of the squad.  The rest of the squad moved down the hill to gain some cover from one of the buildings.  The Star Guard sniper kill at Hell Knight trooper.

 The Hell Knight vehicle again moved into position to fire at the remainder of the Star Guard squad killing another member.  The Star Guard sniper killed another Hell Knight from the other rifle squad.

 The unit of Star Guard that had yet to engage opened up on the LAGAREV destroying the vehicle with their assault rifles.  The Star Guard Medic unsuccessfully attempted to heal one of his comrades.

 In a bloody exchange of fire two more Star Guards and five Hell Knights were killed.

 Another two Star Guard are killed by a Hell Knight armed with a grenade launcher completely wiping out that squad.  Unable to get to any more of his comrades the Star Guard Medic retreated to join the sniper who had been moving to a better position.  

 The final Star Guard sergeant killed a Hell Knight armed with a grenade launcher while the other two Hell Knights retreated.  

The Star Guard sniper takes out the other Hell Knight armed with a grenade launcher leaving only the Hell Knight Sergeant alive.  The Medic and Sergeant exchange fire but neither kill the other.

Notes:  My Hell Knight played a bloody game against my daughter's Star Guards.  Up until the last couple of rounds it could have gone either way.  I will probably disband this strike force rather than pay to transport it to a safe location and repair it because it was nearly wiped out and it will probably cost less for me to just buy a new strike force next turn.  My daughter also rolled very well on her salvage roll and will gain enough credits to repair her force and have a tidy sum left over.  

The Arthurian Asteroid Campaign: Battles Turn 1 and Movement Turn 2

 October 7th 3033, 208072 Tor.  Both the Martians and Jovians sent strike forces to 208072 Tor.  The Martians sent only one strike force while the Jovians sent two strike forces and a Mobile Mining Operation.  The Martians attacked the first Jovian strike force.

 The Jovians attempted to advance on their left flank but the Martian sniper, Veterans, and Guard troopers cut them down.

 The Jovians managed to kill four of the Martian Guard troopers but were wiped out to the man.

 The Martians continued the fighting attacking the 2nd Jovian strike force.  This time the Jovians took superior positions and did significant damage to the Martians in the first exchange.  The Martians decided to withdraw from 208072 Tor rather than be wiped out.  The Jovians suffered no casualties in the 2nd battle.

During the 2nd turn movement phase the Hell Knights launched raids against the Star Guard on 207829 Kay and on 207654 Percival.  The Jovians launched a raid on 207729 Balan.  The Martians moved a Mobile Mining Operation to 207728 Balin.

"The Arthurian Family Conflict" An Asteroid Resource Campaign for the Solar Empires.

 Over two centuries ago the Langford Mining Corporation discovered a family of asteroids in the Kuiper Belt rich with resources.  They dubbed this new family of asteroids the "Arthurian Family" and named the individual asteroids they discovered after characters from the Arthurian legends.  The company established basic level terraforming on 30 of the richest asteroids in the group and even set up several fusion reactor satellites as artificial suns.  Things did not go well for the overextended company however and they quickly went bankrupt before they could begin mining operations.

Largely forgotten the asteroids of the Arthurian Family remained dormant until the Venture Star Prospecting company located them again.  The company sold claims to four different mining operations on four of the larger asteroids for a very tidy profit.  With the rest of the lesser asteroids in the family up for grabs the four companies have been scrambling to secure their assets in the region and expand their operations.
      

 In an unusual move the Grau Legion of the Jovian Imperial Legions have established a base on 207485 Arthur to protect the operations of the Imperial House Mining Company.  No one is quite sure why the Emperor would send troops from his personal guard to such a remote region but whatever the reason it must be considered a state secret because representative of the Imperial court would only state that the operations were in the interest of the Jovian Empire.

 The Jovians however were not the only government to send state troops to the region.  The M.S.S.R. have also established a military presence on 207525 Merlin to protect the People's Mining Consortium.  When asked why they sent troops to the Kuiper belt Soviet officials replied that it was of "strategic importance".  It is widely speculated that the main reason Soviet forces are present in the region is to keep an eye on the Jovian activities.

 The Hell Knight Mercenary Company has taken up a contract to provide security for "MacDuff and Campbell Mining".  This company with a major office on Pluto is in the best position to take advantage of the rediscovery of this asteroid family.  The Hell Knights are also based on Pluto so it is no surprise that they have taken this contract.  The Hell Knights are based on 207499 Morgana.

The Star Guards Mercenary Company has contracted with Eagle Heavy Industries out of Titan.  EHI has set up their main base on 207498 Mordred.  Being the smallest mining company in the region they have spared no expense on security hiring the Star Guards who are the largest security contractors in the entire Solar System.  

  

This is a map of the asteroids that are being contested.  The Jovian forces are represented by the white markers and are being played by our friend Curtis.  The Star Guards are being represented by the blue markers and they are being played by our daughter Erika.  The Green markers represent the Martians being played by my wife Michelle.  The Red markers represent the Hell Knights who are being played by me.

We already managed to have a battle encounter in the first turn when the Martians and Jovians both made a move for 208072 Tor.  The Jovians have sent two strike forces and one mobile mining operation while the martians have sent a single strike force.  Strike forces represent 500 points of assets and right now the battle limit is set to 500 point battles for the first three turns.

This is a test campaign for a resource campaign rules system I am working on.  

"The Battle of 5041 Theotes" a No Limits battle report from the Solar Empires

 October 4th 3033, 5041 Theotes, Jupiter Trojans, Greek Camp.  A small force of Blood Born and Scrap Dog Pirates ran into a patrol of Star Guard Mercenaries in a small mining outpost on 5041 Theotes.

 The pirates outnumbered the small mercenary patrol but the Star Guard troopers were heavily armored and well equipped.  As the pirate infiltrators advanced one was shot down by a mercenary sniper.

 The pirates begin their advance while the mercenary forces tried to find better ground.  Another pirate infiltrator was shot down by the mercenary sniper and two were gunned down by the Star Guard medic.

 The main body of the pirate force moved through the settlement while the mercenaries were distracted by their squad of "Duct Rats".

 The pirates continue to advance but they are met by a hail of gunfire from the mercenaries killing several of their numbers.

 The Blood Born Raiders break and run back behind a building they have taken cover on after loosing three of their squad members.

 The "Duct Rat" Mate kills the mercenary medic at the same time that one of the Scrap Dog Raiders kills a member of Alpha squad.

 The Pirate forces fight on but they can do little in the face of the Star Guards superior position and fire power.

The Blood Born Raider squad is finally whipped out by Beta squad.  The Scrap Dogs continue to fire at Alpha squad but none of their shots manage to penetrate the mercenaries thick armor.  

Without any remaining targets the last "Duct Rat" ducks back behind the cover of a large junk pile.  Down to 6 out of the 17 pirates they started the battle with the pirates decide that it is time to run.  The mercenaries fulfill their contract to protect the mining operation suffering just two casualties.

Notes:  This is a small 500 point battle I ran with my daughter who played the Star Guard mercenaries while I played the pirates.  We tried to keep it very basic for her first game.  This game represents one of the many skirmishes fought between pirate raiders and mercenaries in the Solar Empires.

The Battle of Pleasant Valley: A Station 42 War Game Report (sort of)

 May 25th 3033 Hell Knight forces attempt to shut down militia recruiting operations in Pleasant Valley.  Five units of militia occupy the town supported by four improvised armored vehicles.  As the Hell Knight armored column approaches town the defenders are re-enforced by three units of renegade Planetary Guards and one unit of veteran mercenaries from the Wolfhound Freikorps and their vehicles.

We fought this battle back at the end of May and I'm just now getting around to putting it up so this report will be a little different.  Rather than follow my regular format I have put up a number of images with a brief description of what was going on as best as I can remember it.
  

 The Hell Knights began to advance into the city  The scouts have moved ahead and occupied two buildings gaining cover from the rooftops.  A few scouts were knocked out early in an exchange of fire with militia members.

 On the Hell Knight left Flank two LAGAREVs moved in to face off against more militia.

 Carson Boon and his unit as well as the Titania Hunting Club had taken up a position on a large building on the Hell Knights left.

 Fighting got pretty hot in the center of the field.  Bear's militia unit took out a LAGAREV and killed almost an entire squad of mercenary veterans.

 Another LAGAREV was destroyed by small arms fire.  The remaining veteran riflemen fled into a small building.

 Another technical was destroyed on the Hell Knights right flank and a few militia from Dutton's gang were taken out.

 The veterans from the Wolfhound Friekorps attempted to assault the Hell Knights Armored Assault squad's position.  Although more Wolfhounds were Killed in the exchange the Armored Assault squad broke and ran from it's position.

 Two units of renegade Planetary Guards charged in on the Hell Knights left and attacked a squad of mercenary regulars routing them.

 On the Hell Knight right flank the mercenary Landshark AFV laid into Bear's unit and a unit of Planetary Guard causing heavy casualties to both squads.

 On the Hell Knights Left the remaining regular riflemen are completely destroyed as the defenders advance in force.

 Hell Knight Vehicles push through the middle of the field and begin to flank around the side.  

 The Hell Knight Landshark routs the rest of Bear's unit wile the mercenary scout squad picks off most of the remainder of Dutton's gang.

 A Hell Knight Hobelar fires it's pulse laser through gaps in the buildings killing another militia vehicle.

 The Planetary Guard Badger MRAP advances behind the Hell Knight right flank.

 The bloody results of the fighting shows many smoking vehicles on either side.  Casualties mount among the infantry just as quickly.

 Bear's unit is completely destroyed and Dutton's unit is all but wiped out on the Hell Knight's right.

 The Hell Knights Hobelar is taken out by combined fire.  Due to their strong position and Boon's force field the defenders on the Hell Knights left flank have taken very few casualties.

 The Hell Knights hold onto the right flank taking a few casualties but causing far more damage to the enemy.

The last remaining LAGAREV gets revenge killing several of the renegade Planetary Guard.  Both sides took very heavy casualties but the Hell Knights just couldn't do enough damage to push the defenders out so they were forced to pull back.

Notes:  I think the Hell Knights scored more points in this battle than the defenders but they didn't really manage to drive the militia forces out.  It was close in the end but we decided the Titanian's held out.  Oddly enough the best units on each side suffered the worst casualties and proved less effective.  The Hell Knight scouts usually get slaughtered and do very little damage but in this battle they survived and did more damage than my other units.  Despite the fact that Bear's unit was taken down they did do a lot of damage to the mercenaries before being taken out including doing enough damage to the Landshark to destroy one of it's weapons and slow it down.  
Sorry again for the odd format.  I just haven't had time to post reports like I should.  We just finished another battle and I hope to finish the campaign very soon.  The Hell Knights have basically be pushed back to station 42 and the Titania forces are massing for a final assault.