Human Edge

"I thought you already had the materials somewhere!"

"Of course not, or I'd have used them to build a barn already!"

Voices were raised as the next step of barn-building ran into a snag. There wasn't much wood about, and it wasn't like the company could simply go buy some. The argument went on for a time until Mr. Jackson's wife reminded him that they did have that ol logger mech, which he then reminded her that he didn't know how to operate it.

At which point Yuri reminded him that he had a demi-company of mechwarriors who most certainly could, if the thing worked.

And so one brave, or crazy, volunteer was requested to operate the weaponless LoggerMech - they'd split that lance, combining in the fireteam partner with the opposite lance, and the remaining two mechs would remain on standby near the Calico for security.

Once they arrived at the ancient barn where it was kept and got the doors open, Yuri whistled. "I thought you meant a crosscut... that's a big mech. Looming overhead, the massive Lumberjack LM4/C, all 70 tons of it, sat motionles, as it had for decades upon decades... yet still ready to work. The massive internal combustion engine, after being fueled for several minutes straight, roared to life... the mechwarrior in the cockpit with the antique neurohelmet feeling the strange tingling itch that came with an unfamiliar mech trying to get a read on their neuro-feedback.

Situation: One Mechwarrior has volunteered (or been chosen) to pilot the Loggermech and gather lumber. The task is simple enough, but the lumbering machine takes some getting used to. Their fireteam partner is with them, along with the other main combat lance, while the two remaining members of their own lance are stationed at the Calico, in case there is hostile activity.

ALERT: This is a combat thread - hostile intel extremely limited.

Participants: One combat lance, half of one combat lance.

Rules: For this mission to succeed, the Lumberjack must obtain and return with the necessary lumber. If it is destroyed, runs out of fuel, or immobilized, the mission automatically fails and the remaining mechs must withdraw.

Victory: The supplies are secured and the locals are impressed. [REDACTED] control the battlefield for salvage purposes.

Defeat: The Lumberjack is lost, and local relations deteriorate. Any pilots not recovered or evacuated are [REDACTED] by [REDACTED]. [REDACTED] control the battlefield.

Realizing that nobody was hopping up and down to drive the relic Lumberjack, Yuri suited up(or down), grumpily muttering about 'taking one for the team,' and 'leading from the front.'

As he got strapped in, Yuri settled the old neurohelmet over his head, letting the antique combustion engine slowly churn to life. As the battery gauges began to slowly fill, he whistled. This thing was something else... electromagnet banks to hold power just for a few moments until the myomer drained them in careful, stilted movements.

Slowly lumbering into motion, he set himself marching south.

The only wood of sufficient age and quality that *wasn't* on someone's land was near the Gate, so there he went.

Stage 2: Gathering the wood - The Lumberjack is not an easy mech to pilot, and using it to gather and process 20 tons of lumber is not a simple task. In order to succeed, the Lumberjack pilot must pass piloting/dexterity rolls at a TN of 25 to gather two tons of lumber, with one ton per raise. A failed roll causes the mech to overbalance, tipping into trees or rock outcrops, inflicting random fall damage to the mech and then also to the pilot unless they pass a standard TN 20 piloting/reflexes roll to avoid injury.

Yuri was surprisingly good at it - perhaps he just took to heavier mechs easily, or perhaps he just had a knack for using the mech's hands. He still stumbled once, but only scraped a bit of paint from the side, swearing in fluent Japanese. After the fall, he seemed to tear through the forest with a newfound focus and fury.(4 Tons, 4 tons, 4 tons, Fell(no injury), 6 tons, 2 tons)

The mech heavy laden, he turned it back north, beginning the arduous trek back to the Calico with the precariously balanced machine.

Then the sensors on the escort mechs blipped... and blipped again.

Contacts. Closing fast.

Gillian was ready, buttoned up in the cockpit of the Cicada and ready to provide overwatch for the Lumbermech. She half suspected this was another of the Major’s training exercises; what could possibly happen while gathering lumber, after all? Despite her suspicions, she kept cool and professional over the comms.

As mysterious blips started popping up on her sensors, Gillian perked up. “Unknown contacts detected, closing fast,” she reported crisply, along with their bearing and speed.

Maja and her mech seem to materialise out of nowhere, or perhaps even from behing a convenient hill

"I am reading them too, this turning to the south fast I think. Permission to be weapons free Herr Yuri?"

Bruun and Blondie were watching comfortably from close by, the veteran observing Creed's lumberjack-ing with curiosity and no commentary -- because his comm channel was off.

As things started to get interesting, Bruun was quick to flip comms on: "Vanguard lance, we've got some new friends to meet. Chow and Fogel, ready up and get us a visual, please," in a tone that made clear it wasn't a request.

"Andrea, let's try to stick close to the major until we know more." Alright, Blondie, he said quietly enough to not be picked up on the comms, let's go dance a little.

Gillian attempted to maneuver to a vantage point that would give her eyes on the unknown contacts, while keeping to the plentiful trees for cover.

As they headed north, they found themselves on the remainder of a road which wound through sharp and uneven hills. It was a great place for an ambush, and it was here that the sensors picked up the enemy suddenly closing the range.

As they began to gain their first visual contacts, they saw a group of hovercroft and light vehicles weaving in and out cover, painted black with a white checkerboard down one side. Any questions of hostility were answered when LRM radar alerts began to sound in the cockpits of the combat vehicles.

Yuri had nothing to go on but his mk1 eyes, and they were enough.

Flicking on the radio pinned to his cooling vest, his muffled voice came through. "We're breaking through to the north - I can't get a clear picture in here - 1st Sergeant Bruun, your lance takes point. 1st Sergeant Eklund, back him up!"

Sensors picked up 4 vehicles close, with two heavier signatures closing, and then 4 mech reactors en-route. The enemy seemed to be split between east and west, so it was possible that if the group was quick, they could still get clear.

---- Situation ---- Allied victory if all units withdraw from northern map edge or all hostiles destroyed.
Wyvern "Wurm" no damage -- 0 heat -- no damage this round
Commando "Sly Caliber" no damage -- 0 heat -- no damage this round
Cicada no damage -- 0 heat -- no damage this round
Valkyrie "Blondie" no damage -- 0 heat -- no damage this round
Thorn no damage -- 0 heat -- no damage this round
Stinger no damage -- 0 heat -- no damage this round
LumberJack "Bessie" no damage -- 0 heat -- no damage this round

Hostile Status ----
Condor Heavy Hover tank ---- moved 5 --- +2 penalty
Condor Heavy Hover Tank 2 ---- moved 4 --- +1 penalty
Scorpion Light Tank ---- moved 3 --- +1 penalty
Pegasus Scout Hover Tank ---- moved 4 --- +1 penalty

With a soft beep, the target recognition computers spat out very brief summaries, still processing.

Scorpion Light Tank (AC5 armament), Pegasus Scout Hover Tank (Multi-SRM configuration), Condor Heavy Hover Tank (Autocannon, lasers, and missiles) ... ---- ... ... Threat assessment, moderate. Unknown hostiles approaching. Threat assessment --- ... 100%. Threat assessment, substantial.

Marik remembered the advice he was given - be smart, keep cool, and fire better.

To the first of these ends, he decided to focus fire on the tank in front of the team.

"Engaging at 12 - hostile at 3."

He hoped they knew what he meant.

((Move to forest at 1510 facing North, fire both lasers at the tank at 1408))

((Ghosting instructions if required - follow commands from superiors prioritising Yuri>Maja>Bruun as given, otherwise move between cover and fire all out on most range appropriate foe, prioritising range 7 > shorter range targets >longer range targets. If the range ghosting would be an issue, feel free to ignore it.))

"Protect Herr Yuri, dot not be letting them get easy shots on him."
Wurm jumps violently to the left to land in front of the lumber mech as its laser and lrm open up on a distant tank

"These unknown contacts I am not liking, make sure you are not to be surrounded when they arrive."

((Jump jet to 1313, LRM and large laser on the western scorpion light tank.
If ghosting is needed Maja will try to stick close to Yuri and utilise her long range weapons, but is happy to switch hit and get up close and personal if another mech looks like it's getting overwhelmed.))