Event: We all Lift Together (D18, EE, Combat)

[Felicity]

The impacts had her gritting her teeth. The AC-10 turret was bad news. She couldn't stick around much longer with that sort of punishment.

"You okay back there Chow?" Felicity calls out over comms. A further quick torso twist and she spotted the Phoenix was trying to leap behind the slower mech. Felicity decided against attacking the discount Marauder, instead settling on pulling back and regrouping. She hoped the Cyclops could hold out a little longer and then fall back into full cover. If it did it should be safe.

"Cyclops, break line of sight when you can. We can finish that Frankenmech together after we knock out those turrets."

Spotting the Gladiator managing to get up, Felicity jumped her mech over toward it. She pivots the torso and legs mid-flight. Landing beside it she does her best to track multiple targets. Her ERPPC is fired at the Phoenix, while some of her SRMs are fired at the closer mech. Eat this!

(Jump to 1410 facing North. Fire ERPPC at the Phoenix and one SRM6 into the Gladiator. Kick the Gladiator if it's still up.)

[Gillian Chow]

“Kinda busy right now,” Gillian muttered into the comms as she maneuvered for position against the Phoenix. “Lemme get back to you on that.” The engine heat alarms wailed again as she fired her lasers.

—
Start 1403 facing S. Back, back. End 1401 facing S. Fire 2x Large Laser, Kick at Phoenix. (I think I can back up through an enemy hex, but if this isn’t allowed, my overall goal is to reposition to not have my back to the Phoenix or other enemies, and to shoot lasers at it.)

[Comstar]

Heat, damage, and exhaustion was having a toll on accuracy as the latest exchange of fire was somewhat anemic. The weapons of the hostile mechs mostly glanced off armor plates or whistled past entirely. The AC/2 turret kept up its intense accuracy, however, landing three more direct hits to the cyclops, for minor effect. (hit LL+LA+RL, 2+2+2 damage) while the Gladiator pivoted and fired a single beam, slicing into the oncoming Griffin. (hit RT, 5 damage)

The twin volleys from the AC/10 turret whistled overhead, causing Felicity to flinch, missing her shots, while the Cyclops held fire with most weapons, only using the SRM launcher on the Gladiator, and scoring three solid hits. (hit LL+RT+LA, 2+2+2 damage) Gillian juked out of the line of fire of the Phoenix, but that also caused her to miss her own attacks, twin azure beams slashing away into the sky.

The Vulcan howled overhead, pivoting and diving to unleash lasers, missiles, and autocannon volleys into the AC/10 bunker. It didn't destroy it, but it definitely softened it up. (41 damage)

The brawl carried on as the Phoenix bunched the Archer as it juked past (hit RT, 5 damage) knocking away the last armor plates, but then suffered a punishing kick in return (hit RL, 14 damage) which shattered most of the armor on that leg. The Gladiator then took a kick to the torso from the Griffin on the high ground (hit LT, 11 damage) which cracked the armor and started mangling structure, but didn't take the mech down.

The Phoenix, glowing hot, lit off jump jets again, trying to keep ahead of the Archer, while the gladiator staggered forward trying to hit the cyclops, which backed away out of reach calmly. The Mystery mech pushed up to high ground, looking for a clean shot.

---- Situation ----

Cyclops --- Heavy damage --- 0 Heat
Archer --- Moderate damage --- 8 Heat
Warhammer --- ENGINE DESTROYED
Griffin --- Moderate damage --- 7 Heat

---- Hostile Status ----

Firestarter -- DESTROYED
Phoenix -- +1
EisenFaust -- Blacked Out -- Immobile
Gladiator -- +0
Hunter -- -- Disarmed - Running -- +1
Striker -- -- Immobile
Onikage -- +0

[Felicity]

The enemy weren't letting them regroup. The only positive was that Chow seemed to be holding her own against the lighter Phoenix. Felicity wanted to claim it, but the Onikage remained a threat. She winced because of the flashing warning lights for her armour.

"I'm going to try taking out that frankenmech. We can't regroup with it on the hill. I will need to cool off after this."

That was going to be an understatement as Felicity prepared to face the heat. Igniting her jump jets once more she takes a small hop forward to bring the strange mech into her sights. She hadn't been pleased with her last shots. The next few really needed to count.

(Jump to 1510 facing NW. Torso twist left and fire all SRMs at the Onikage. Fire ERPPC at Gladiator as a secondary target)

[Gillian Chow]

In the hot Archer cockpit, sweat poured off her body and her teeth were clenched as Gillian focused on maneuvering for position in the close-range knife fight with the Phoenix.

--
Right, back, end in 1401 facing SW. Fire 1 large laser and try to kick the Phoenix.

[Comstar]

The mystery mech sighted in on the leaping Griffin, tracking it and opening fire with all weapons, 8 SRMs, 1 emerald beam, and a string of Autocannon rounds all howled into the fossilized trees, creating a storm of fire and splintered wood, with a handful of missiles connecting. (Hit LL+CT+RA+LT+LA, 2+2+2+2+2 damage) The armor readouts were looking quite sparse at this point, but nothing had gotten through yet. The Phoenix, perhaps trying to dump heat, pivoted and only fired SRMs, and only 1 of those did damge (hit CT, 2 damage)

The AC/2 Turret spat three more volleys, two of them punching into the cyclops (hit CT+RL, 2+2 damage, Edge re-roll head hit). The attack was followed by the staggering Gladiator, one of th twin beams carving into the Cyclop's left leg, slicing away supports and myomer, fusing the hip and knee joints. (hit LL, 5 damage, crit Hip+lower leg) In vengeance, the Cyclops fired the AC/20, the shell catching the right torso of the mech and ripping it away in a blaze of fire and scrap, leaving the chest of the mech barely intact as 3 missiles ravaged it. (hit RT+CT+CT+LL, 20+2+2+2 damage, RT destroyed, 6 damage transfer to CT)

In her fight, Gillian landed a solid blow, her Azure beam splitting the armor on the left torso and slicing into the skeleton of the enemy (hit LT, 8 damage), while the Griffin unfortunately missed many of her shots, though she did hit the mystery mech with a volly of SRMs, 3 of them punching into the armor (hit LA+RL+LT, 2+2+2 damage)

Over Gillian's Head, the Vulcan nosed up, engine flaring with blue flame as the afterburners kicked in, gaining altitude and then flipping the craft so that the nose rotated the full 270 degree rotation back to face the way it had come, only upsdie down, and then a tight roll and the fighter roared back toward the turret, weapons blazing, tearing into the structure with missiles, lasers, and explosive shells, and leaving it ragged and barely standing (41 damage, Turret Jammed, AC/10 Jam) The gun emplacement tracked the fighter and fired, twin salvos which slammed into the nose of the craft, showering fragments of armor onto the combatants below and shredding the SRM launch tubes - the ready light in the cockpit turning a sickly red as the weapon went offline. (Hit NOS+NOS, 10+10 damage, SRM crit)

The Phoenix flailed at Gillian, but she deftly stepped back, and then dropped a hammer kick onto the left torso, shredding the remaining metal with a sickening crunch, causing the arm to fall limply to the ground and the enemy mech to reel back, the side torso now a gaping mess of mangled metal. (Hit LT, 14 damage, LT destroyed, LA Falls Off, 4 damage transfers to CT)

Alexei, after taking twin impacts to the nose, fought the bucking stick, craft shaking wildly and attempting to go into a spin, but he was able to stabilize and ride out the impacts. (Piloting roll to retain control: passed)

The Gladiator, perhaps realizing it was a sneeze from destruction, alarm claxons in the cockpit ringing desperately, burst open as the pilot punching out, the canopy falling away as the mech sagged, devoid of life now that the pilot was away, riding a parachute to earth.

The mystery mech pushed on, desperate, perhaps, and the Phoenix seemed hell-bent on overcoming Gillian and her archer.

---- Situation ----

Cyclops --- Heavy damage --- 3 Heat
Archer --- Moderate damage --- 5 Heat
Warhammer --- ENGINE DESTROYED
Griffin --- Moderate damage --- 11 Heat

---- Hostile Status ----

Firestarter -- DESTROYED
Phoenix -- +1
EisenFaust -- Powered Down
Gladiator -- DESTROYED
Hunter -- -- Disarmed - Running -- +1
Striker -- -- Immobile -- Weapons Powered Down
Onikage -- +0

[Felicity]

Hot! Felicity was sweating in the cockpit. She was also increasingly annoyed at herself for missing shots. With her temperature running high she pilots the mech to take another jump. This one was longer. The turrets had to go, starting with the scary AC-10s.

(Jump to 1213 facing SW. Turn right to fire both SRMs at the AC10 turret)

[Gillian Chow]

All sense of unit tactics had collapsed as the battle turned into a whirling scrum of individual fights. To the north, the Archer turned ponderously as it continued to grapple with the Phoenix in close combat.

--
Rotate left, left, left, end in 1401 facing NE. Fire 1 large laser and kick the Phoenix. This will work, eventually!

[Comstar]

The battle raged on, and Alexei attempted to turn the Vulcan into another Immelman turn, but the craft jerked as he pulled into the climb, and realizing he was about to lose control, he was forced to ease out of the climb, the sputtering engine cooling and regaining normal burn... but also carrying him away from the fight.

While this happened, the mystery mech let rip once again, and savaged teh Cyclops, chewing away more armor and most of the structure on the right arm of the assault mech (Hit RA+RL+RL+LA+RA+RT, 2+2+2+2+2+5 damage). The turrets both tried to find targets but failed, sending shells into earth and sky, while the phoenix missed low in the tussle with Gillian.

As punishment for failing to destroy it, the Cyclops opened fire with most of its loadout, shredding large chunks of the mystery mech into flaming scrap as the AC/20 and 2 lasers scored telling blows, the volley of missiles detonating prematurely in the shrapnel. (hit CT+LL, 20+5 damage, crit hip) The mystery mech teetered, and then fell, smashing into the ground with a concussive thump. (hit LA+CTR, 5+2 damage, pilot injured)

Up on the hill, Gillian Scythed the phoenix with a large laser in the leg, blowing out a jump jet and fusing the foot actuator. (hit RL, 8 damage, crit Jump jet, crit foot) Felicity, firing twin salvos, mashed the other AC/10 on the turret with 6 missiles. (12 damage, AC/10 jams)

The melee raged on as the Archer suffered a sharp kick to the left leg, losing almost half the remaining armor (hit LL, 10 damage), but countered with a sharp blow to the left leg of the Phoenix, the impact crushing armor and bending structure, accentuated by the green mist of a heat sink rupturing. (hit LL, 14 damage, crit heat sink)

The Phoenix leapt again, figuring if it wasn't broke, it wouldn't fix it, and the mystery mech struggled to its feet, lurching forward toward the battered cyclops, which calmly stepped back, angling so the hill provided cover.

---- Situation ----

Cyclops --- Heavy damage --- 4 Heat
Archer --- Moderate damage --- 2 Heat
Warhammer --- ENGINE DESTROYED
Griffin --- Moderate damage --- 2 Heat

---- Hostile Status ----

Firestarter -- DESTROYED
Phoenix -- +1
EisenFaust -- Powered Down
Gladiator -- DESTROYED
Hunter -- -- Disarmed - Running -- +2 (skid)
Striker -- -- Immobile -- Weapons Powered Down
Onikage -- +0

[Felicity]

"Moving back. Only that sniper turret appears to be a threat still."

Felicity switched off the comms and turned her mech about. She jumped again and grinned with excitement, adrenaline and stress. She felt a bit mad. This whole combat had descended into a wild brawl.

Landing behind the Onikage, sensing it's vulnerability, she fired all weapons at it's exposed torso.

(Jump 1410 facing North. Torso twist left and fire all weapons at the Onikage. Kick the Onikage for good measure.)