Crux Europa: Lionhearts [Hex-grid Tactical Combat]

CruxCommand · 2:52am

And just like that, we have 12. Ok, here's how this works. You will adjust your Unit cards as follows with a numeric designation (as you will see, this is how units of the same type are distinguished from each other on the map and also how I keep track of who is who as you input commands your phase of combat).

Lionhearts unit roster, Mission 1
[C1] Cpl. Devereaux ~
[C2] Cpl. Isabella
[C3] Cpl. Sharpe ~

[F1] Cpl. Hollings ~
[F2] Cpl. Adams ~
[F3] Cpl. MacManus ~

[G1] Spc. Gauss
[G2] Spc. Monday ~

[O1] Lt. Scrubson ~
[O2] Lt. Macfinnigus "Finnie" ~

[V1] Cpl. Radcliffe ~
[V2] Cpl. Tenenbaum ~

Thus armed with the proper radio callsign, you will advance to THIS THREAD RIGHT HERE. Post with your UPDATED unit sheet (don't forget your numeric designation!), and declare which segment of the map you wish to deploy.

EDIT: If you have a tilde by your name, it means you've reported in at the map thread for the fight. Congratulations! If you don't have an asterisk, it means you are currently Absent Without Leave! Get yourselves together and report in!

pixel_kitty · Jan 14 '12, 11:15pm

Oh right, yes i'm willing to do the adjutant stuff, and have what was it. photoshop cs5. hope y'all like crappy explosions~

CruxCommand · 6:47pm

Player vs. Player Madness!

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixel_kitty

Oh right, yes i'm willing to do the adjutant stuff, and have what was it. photoshop cs5. hope y'all like crappy explosions~

Very well then. After extensive consultation with the resolutionally-challenged feline we have come to a consensus on running the Multiplayer variant of Crux Europa. I will allow PK to chime in with full details when he is prepared.

For now, here are your factional data cards. First, let's get Orlon out of the way since I know that's what you were just going to skip to anyway.

Your ice-cold leader there is Sturmbannführer Victoria Hamersmark. Quite the charmer, isn't she?

Unit cards
Sturmgrenadier

Unit Card[S] Obrsch. _______
Health:{2}{2}{2}
Rifles: [ ]-[ ]-[ ]
R. Grenades: ( )-( )-( )
Iron Will! ( )

A dreaded sight in the eyes of their opponents, the Sturmgrenadiers are the leading edge of the Orlon offensive. At close range, their withering salvoes of assault rifle fire shred the enemy and rifle grenades shatter fortifications, exemplifying the Orlon ideals of overpowering determination and shock assault. Their heavy armor and combat gear would be impossible for the average soldier to move with in combat, so their armor integrates light load-bearing pneumatic harnesses that can be tapped into for short bursts of speed to surprise a fortified enemy that considers themselves outside the reach of these normally slow and methodical combatants.

Rules clarifications:

Run speed: Instead of a run speed of 4 as would be normal for their Move, Sturmgrenadier may run up to 5 hexes. This bonus does not apply while they are Prone.

Assault Rifle: The assault rifle's ammunition rules can cause confusion. The intent is that every time a Sturmgrenadier trooper uses his Automatic fire option he must spend an action to reload his assault rifle before firing on Automatic again, while Snap fire is always 'free' even when they are nominally in need of a reload. Snap fire is less accurate then Automatic by intention, to encourage usage of the Automatic feature which is the most efficient attack. Note that while it seem more accurate to simply fire with the Pistol sidearm instead of using Snap fire, that the Pistol requires 1 whole action per shot while Snap fire costs only half actions. Finding the proper rhythm for assault rifle fire amongst the entire squad is key to mastering their usage.

Rifle Grenades: Unlike most grenades, Rifle Grenades do not have the Indirect feature. They require line of sight to their target, and may not be fired at a hex beyond range 4.

Iron Will!: Only one member of the squad, normally the Oberschutzen leading them, needs to spend the Half action required to activate Iron Will. Once he has done so the entire squad will soak .5 Damage off of all (non Armor Piercing) attacks in the enemies' ensuing turn.

Machinegewehr Shutzen

Unit Card[M] Obrsch. _______
Health:{1.5}{1.5}
Machine Gun: [ ][ ][ ]
Reloads: ( )

Just as the Sturmgrenadier are instrumental in the attack, the Machine gunners of Orlon are the bulwark of their defense. Advances in lightweight liquid-cooled barrel systems and high-speed ammunition feeding mechanisms have given rise to a new generation of effective man-portable machine gun that no other nation has yet been able to match. Extensive training with their weapon results in highly disciplined fire teams that can coordinate to set up a weapon and lay down a withering storm of firepower in mere moments, making these normally static support gunner teams capable of supporting the Orlon infantry advance in characteristically blunt fashion.

The Machine Gun and Team Actions: Each soldier has 1 action, and they may both interact with the machine gun. For example, in a single turn one soldier may Set Up followed by the other shooting at a target, or reloading. With a fully-loaded machine gun the team may even shoot twice in a turn by using both of their actions!

Set Up / Break Down: Once set up the team cannot voluntarily move from their position. Orlon doctrine will not allow them to abandon their machine gun, so they may not Break Down and Run in the same turn.

Sweep: When firing the gun, you must divide your shots between 3 adjacent hexes and use the worst distance penalty among those hexes. You cannot fire on only 2 hexes or just one. If a single target without any nearby enemies to "sweep" hits onto is specified for the shooting, then it will simply be calculated as 3 x |6| vs. that target (modified for distance and other situational bonuses or penalties). Otherwise, you may divide the attacks up in any way chosen between 2 or 3 targets that are connected by hexes. For example, if two nearby enemy squads are separated by a 1 hex distance, you could direct 3 shots at one of the squads, 1 shot at the empty hex between them, and 1 shot at the second squad.

Untermenschen

Unit Card[u] Gstfr. _______
Health:{1}{1}{1}{1}{1}{1} - {1.5}

The very earth of Europa is sick. Nowhere is this malaise felt more then in the Machine-State of Orlon, whose close proximity to the Glassing on the day of the Lysian War's end caused paranormal fluctuations throughout the stone and soil. The full results of this event are unknown to any but the top researchers of the Orlon, but some of the fruits of the event can be seen today. Untermenschen are clay golems formed from the unsettled earth of Orlon, driven forward by a gemstone of unknown properties which seems to have a sharpening effect on their simple awareness. Outside of military psychological warfare applications, it is known that many Orlon factories and mills utilize the free labor of Untermenschen in order to make up for the population shortcomings of the Orlon workforce.

Untermenschen: The Untermenschen may not attack with the normal profiles for Melee or Pistol. They cannot operate machinery or make detailed observations about their surroundings. Their only ability is to Mob the opponent with the stated profile.

Geistfuhrer: The leader of the Untermenschen is a Geistfuhrer, who has two abilities that apply only to him. His Pistol has a better Hit rating then the normal Pistol profile, and by spending his action on the Command Gem he may resurrect the Untermenschen in his squad, or an adjacent Untermenschen mob. Only 1 Untermenschen (equivalent to 1 Heart) is raised at a time, and the Command Gem may not be used to heal his own injuries or those of any other soldier besides Untermenschen. If the Geistfuhrer is somehow directly targeted and slain or Incapacitated before the rest of the Untermenschen have fallen, then the mob will crumble and discorporate at the beginning of the next Orlon turn.

Fear!: The effect is a |-1| penalty to all Hit ratings and dice rolls that applies to the unit attacked, and lasts until the end of their following turn. Any unit that either suffers a Mob attack from the Untermenschen, or is shot at (within 3 hexes or less only) by the Geistfuhrer's pistol, suffers this penalty. It is possible for the Untermenschen and their leader to divide attacks and therefore inflict the penalty on multiple nearby units at once.

Jäger

Unit Card[J] Obrsch. _______
Health:{1.5}{1.5}
Rifle: [ ][ ][ ]-[ ][ ][ ]
Demo Pack: ( )-( )

The light infantry and mountain troops of the Orlon military, Jäger fulfill a critical role in scouting ahead for the Orlon forces and directing the heavy machine of war to the most efficient means of crushing their opposition. Due to these skilled saboteurs and infiltrators, many opposing militaries are shocked to discover the sheer ingenuity of mayhem that the supposedly "unsubtle" and "unimaginative" Orlon can inflict. The success of the Jäger at hunting Chausseurs in the foothills of Cendria in the most recent conflict has led the Logic Engine to decree that the Orlon military step up the field training regimen and promotion schedules of Jäger troops by exactly 47%.

Sapper: Look out for map-based hints at the start of each turn. If the Jägertruppe move to within 4 hexes of a trap or hidden terrain, they will not be informed until the start of their following turn. Beware Running faster then your detection range if you suspect surprises in store!

Demolition Pack: The Demo Pack functions similar to a grenade, but with a 2-hex blast radius and a Timer. The earliest possible time setting for the explosion of the Pack is the START of the next Orlon turn, giving warning for troops in the blast radius to attempt to flee. Any timer condition after that must be stated by reference to the Start of a given turn, for example: "The start of the Cendrian Turn following their next one" or "The start of the third Orlon turn from now". The Hit of the Demo Pack to any targets in the AOE will be rolled for you at the time it detonates.

Oberleutnant

Unit Card[O] Lt. _______
Health:{1}{1}{1}

Orlon military leadership is the instrumental point that has turned the tide of many a hopeless engagement. Their resolution has been tested in the fires of battle and hardship for generations, and the Orlon culture cannot tolerate weakness and insubordination if they hope to survive. A few stern words from an Orlon field officer can be enough to make the most significant battle injuries pale in comparison to the Duty of their soldiers... Duty to their motherland and Duty to each other as brothers and sisters in arms.

All Hail the Machine-State!

Stand Firm!: The bonus to Damage Reduction from Stand Firm cannot be used to stack with other sources of Damage Reduction. Be careful to coordinate the usage of DR-granting abilities with other officers and your Sturmgrenadiers. The Stand Firm bonus may be granted to your own team if you choose.

Resupply Kit: Whenever the Supply Officer spends an action on the Kit, he must choose 1 ally that is within 1 hex. That ally may be granted either 1 Reload (to replace a spent limited Reload weapon, such as the MG of the Machinegewehr Shutzen team) or to grant 1 Single-shot item that has already been spent (such as a Grenade spent by a Sturmgrenadier team, or a HEAT round fired by a StuG walker destroyer). It cannot replenish limited usage abilities that are not Weapons. The resupply kit has infinite usage, thanks to recent advances in Orlon supply chain technology.

SMG: Unlike other SMG equipped units, the Oberleutnant unit has unlimited ammunition (this is essentially a rules simplification of the fact that they could merely resupply themselves if they ever ran out). While the SMG is a strong weapon in the right situation, beware exposing your fragile officer team to do a job that is better meant for the Sturmgrenadiers.

Next up is the Cendria you know and love. Ah, glorious liberté, égalité, fraternité.

By the way in case you were wondering your fearless commander there is Major Felix Varro. I hear that he and Hamersmark might have a bit of shared history, which shall surely be promptly forgotten and go forever unmentioned again.

Unit cards
Voltigeurs

Unit Card
[V] Cpl. ________
Health:{2}{2}{2}

The Voltigeurs are the forward vanguard of the Cendrian Army’s heavy infantry, and practitioners of a pragmatic fencing style that is an offshoot of Valtic martial tradition. A Voltigeur shield-line is an unbreakable bulwark that will give even the most determined attacker pause for thought. Although Tyrian Legionnaires consider Voltigeur arms and armor crude by comparison to their own advanced designs, the natural resources of Cendria allow their military to employ bonded Ebontium composites in their equipment, a luxury that few other nations could hope to afford. The result is a superior alloy granting heavy armor with easy mobility that will not fatigue the wearer, but is nonetheless proof against many ranged infantry weapons. Similarly it forges balanced blades that will hold their razor-like cutting edge even against the hull of a main battle walker.

Rules clarifications:
Block - In order to gain the Damage Reduction benefit from shield blocking, every member of the unit must spend the Action. The entire squad defends in a single facing in order to gain the damage reduction effect.

Fusiliers

Unit Card[F] Cpl. _______
Health:{1.5}{1.5}{1.5}
Rifles: [ ][ ][ ][ ]-[ ][ ][ ][ ]-[ ][ ][ ][ ]
Grenades: ( )-( )-( )
Rally! ( )

The heart and soul of most Volunteer infantry divisions, Fusiliers are the perfect embodiment of the core ideals of the Cendrian military. They are resourceful, spirited, and more then capable of holding back a numerically advantaged enemy through prolonged skirmishing tactics. Their principle tools are the superior range and accuracy of their finely tuned rifles. And when the circumstances call for an assault by grenade and bayonet to flush out a cautious enemy, the flexibility of Fusilier battle doctrine enables the Cendrian infantry forces to take the initiative and claim their objectives.

Rules clarifications:
Rally! - Only one of the members (typically the squad leader) must spend the Half Action required to Rally. Remember that healing cannot be applied to an ally that is KIA, only those who are either Incapacitated or merely wounded.

Grenadiers

Unit Card[G] Spc. ________
Health:{1}{1}
Launchers: [ ]-[ ]
Specialty Ammo: S: ( ) F: ( ) - S: ( ) F: ( )
SMG: ( )( )-( )( )

Cendrian battle doctrine dictates the premier importance of speed, aggressiveness, and firepower against a critical point in order to break the enemy’s lines. Whether in attack or defense, few soldiers are as well equipped to handle these tasks as the Grenadiers. Sacrificing armor for mobility and a multitude of specialist ammunition for their launchers, these bold combatants use their ability to launch indirect attacks to shatter the opponent’s will to fight.

Rules clarifications:
Launcher - The AOE of the Launcher works differently to other grenades. First, if there is a unit in the targeted hex, roll an attack with a rating of [6] to cause 1 damage to it. Then roll an attack with a rating of [5] against every unit within 1 hex of the target hex, including the unit in the target hex that you just attacked (if there was one). In this way the target hex may take up to 2 damage from a single Launcher attack. Remember that the Launcher needs to be reloaded after every shot.

Specialty Ammo - Each member of the team has 1 Smoke and 1 Flare grenade. Smoke grenades obscure vision in a 1 hex AOE area where they land. For one turn, all shooting attacks through the smoke cloud suffer a [-2] Hit penalty (does not begin it’s effect until the start of the opponent’s turn). The smoke will dissipate at the end of your side’s following turn. Flare grenades may have a variety of mission-dependent uses, but are primarily helpful for lighting up areas of Fog of War on maps where vision is limited (approximately 2 hex AOE Reveal around the target hex). Be sure to declare at the time that you Reload if you are loading up a specialty grenade.

Brace for Impact - Explosive attacks are generally classified as any weapon that causes damage in an AOE pattern and is not also explicitly a “Flame” weapon. Brace for Impact’s Damage Reduction is automatic and requires no actions.

Chausseurs

Unit Card[C] Cpl. _______
Health:{1.5}
S.Rifle [ ][ ]
Vanish! ( )

During his attempts to bring the Cendrian Fourth Volunteer Rifles to a decisive conflict in the foothills of the Cendrian border, Field Marshal Greiber of the Orlon Heavy Infantry Hunden Division is claimed to have called his elusive foes “sheer ghosts... we should perhaps have better luck if we train our weapons upon the mountain mists or the falling rain.” He spoke, of course, of the Chausseurs. These light infantry specialize in screening tactics, calling out targets for their allies, and the art of the one-shot kill. Commonly recruited from the big game hunters of the rugged frontier lands, Chausseurs are encouraged to maintain their independent streak and typically operate with very wide operational freedom, all the better to support the Cendrian Volunteers in the manner best suited to the situation.

Rules clarifications:
S. Rifle - When firing the Sniper Rifle, roll a single attack dice. If the roll score a rating of [7] or below, the result is 1 damage. If the roll hits a rating of [3] or below, the result is instead a Critical Hit for 2 damage.

Spotter - You may not Spot a single unit twice. Unless you specifically declare the allied recipient of the Spot effect, the Hit bonus will simply go to the first ally to post an attack against the target this turn (even if they posted before you).

Vanish! - When you declare you are using Vanish (usually at the end of your turn after performing other actions), your current position will be replaced with a marker. At the beginning of your next turn, pick a point anywhere within 4 hexes of your Vanish! marker to reappear within, then take a full turn from that starting hex.

Officier Subaltern

Unit Card[O] Lt. _________
Health:{1}{1}{1}
Rifles: [ ][ ]-[ ][ ]-[ ][ ]

The Officer Candidate School of the Cendrian Volunteers is unlike that of other Europan militaries. Instead of a rigid adherence to doctrine, creative thought and a pioneering spirit are cultivated very early in the careers of the Cendrian officer corps. As a result all ranks of command encourage free-thinking and resourcefulness in their subordinates, with final result at the field level by the first lieutenants and non-commissioned officers. The quick thinking of Cendrian field officers has salvaged many a desperate situation where any other military would have failed at the test of personal initiative.

Rules Clarifications:
Flank! - Only the Lieutenant of the squad may use this ability. Flank may only be used to grant a Movement bonus to Infantry units, not Armor. If the ally has already acted in this turn you may choose the additional hex they move to for them. An ally that Runs on their turn adds the +1 Move from Flank! AFTER they calculate their run speed based on their normal Move.

First Aid - Only the Medic of the squad may use this ability. Remember that healing cannot be applied to an ally that is KIA, only those who are either Incapacitated or merely wounded. First Aid has unlimited uses.

If you are interested in participating in this clash of titans, choose your allegiance and Unit specialty and name, just as the previous Campaign players before you have done. For now we will leave it open (no maximum player size sought) but expect an entirely unfair and arbitrary cut-off of players to be implemented at some point down the line. I would prefer that players who are not already in the main campaign get first pick. Depending on demand though they may not be excluded from participating.

Expect further details as to scenario and time of engagement from pixel_kitty at a soon-ish date.

Sterling · Jan 15 '12, 7:34pm

From somewhere nearby, the crack of a megaphone prepping itself can be heard...

"Attention... Cendrian Pig-Dogs! You are malodorous, and you are bad at ze fighting! In ze name of ze superior Orlon machine-state, we tell you that you are now with the surrenduring! If you don't, our wolf-brigade will EAT you! ...no seriously; we have a bet that you will go well with lemon sauce. ...by the way, do you have any lemon sauce? We forgot to pack any."

Dr_Warsaw · Jan 15 '12, 7:47pm

[S] Obrsch. Schnitter
Health:{2}{2}{2}
Rifles: [ ]-[ ]-[ ]
R. Grenades: ( )-( )-( )
Iron Will! ( )

"Zis day is goot day to die."

CruxCommand · 7:55pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sterling

From somewhere nearby, the crack of a megaphone prepping itself can be heard...

"Attention... Cendrian Pig-Dogs! You are malodorous, and you are bad at ze fighting! In ze name of ze superior Orlon machine-state, we tell you that you are now with the surrenduring! If you don't, our wolf-brigade will EAT you! ...no seriously; we have a bet that you will go well with lemon sauce. ...by the way, do you have any lemon sauce? We forgot to pack any."

It seems that in your zeal you've forgotten your unit card, Oberleutnant. You will need that where you are going!

Oberleutnant

Unit card
Unit Card
[O] Lt. Sterling von Myeur
Health:{1}{1}{1}

It may not look like much now as the Oberleutnant does not have a lot of resources to track, but once you've been assigned a Number designator you will need to attach this to all of your posts (in the game) to keep track of your infantry on the field.

Ren Zhe · 8:01pm

[V] Cpl. Gaunt
Health:{2}{2}{2}

"Give 'em the straight silver!"

Edit: Ack, too late?

CruxCommand · Jan 15 '12, 8:14pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ren Zhe

[V] Cpl. Gaunt
Health:{2}{2}{2}

"Give 'em the straight silver!"

Edit: Ack, too late?

You're absolutely on time, if you're willing to sign up for the Multiplayer match. Those will have their own storyline (of sorts) and may feature a progression, although it's going to be a little more PvP-ish and a little less scenario-driven then the primary campaign.

But fear not, I anticipate that we'll have a sort of rolling availability of slots for the main campaign if that's what you're after. Participating in PvP in order to warm up to it is a sure method of earning yourself first pick when players drop out of the main campaign.

Ren Zhe · Jan 15 '12, 8:29pm

Alright! Put me in, coach!

Demented · Jan 15 '12, 8:54pm

[V] Cpl. Mason
Health:{2}{2}{2}

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sterling

"Attention... Cendrian Pig-Dogs! You are malodorous, and you are bad at ze fighting! In ze name of ze superior Orlon machine-state, we tell you that you are now with the surrenduring! If you don't, our wolf-brigade will EAT you! ...no seriously; we have a bet that you will go well with lemon sauce. ...by the way, do you have any lemon sauce? We forgot to pack any."

"You greasy cogboys can take our lives, but you'll never take our lemon sauce!"