Recently I have been trying out Steel Rift, a game of skirmish mecha combat by Ash Baker. What I love about it is that it’s in 6mm which means I can reuse the scenery I created for Epic and at the same time it’s much faster and simpler, using a smaller 3’x3′ playing area and only a handful of models.
This wasn’t our first game but it was the first time my models were fully painted and the first time we used the full rules, instead of omitting some parts of them for simplicity. Even with 150 tons of mecha per side (an ‘average’ force size for the game) and my kids doing their best to distract us we managed to squeeze two games into 4 hours. This report covers the first of those two.
My list consisted of 4 regular HE-Vs, a squadron of 3 ultra-light HE-Vs and an off-table orbital laser:
- Heavy HE-V (Warrior): 40 TONS
12 armour, 10 structure
Auto Cannon, Missile Pack, Particle Cannon, Target Designator, Optic Camouflage - Heavy HE-V (Baron): 40 TONS
10 armour, 10 structure
Missile Pack, Rocket Pack, Howitzer, Auto Cannon, Submunitions - Medium HE-V (Lancer): 30 TONS
8 armour, 8 structure
Missile Pack, Rocket Pack, Howitzer, Rail Gun, Rail Gun - Light HE-V (Strider): 20 TONS
8 armour, 6 structure
Laser, Particle Cannon, Target Designator - Ultra-Light HE-V Squadron: 10 TONS
3 x Brawler, 3 armour each
UL Melee Weapons, Submunitions, Magnetic Grapples, Launch Gear
We deployed along opposite edges of the table, my ivory/green freelancers against Tymkos Battletech peacekeepers. The mission we rolled required us to get close to the enemy edge.
The mechas started advancing and exchanging fire with each other, with my initial attacks concentrating on the enemy ultra-heavy.
My light HE-V moved towards the containers and defence cannons, attacking an enemy medium. This is followed by an orbital attack and my own medium also finding a working fire solution against the same enemy HE-V, resulting in it’s destruction.
One enemy light moved all the way to the left behind one of the cannons in an attempt to outflank me, while my ultra-lights did a similar manoeuvrer on the opposite end of the table hiding behind the ruins right next to a derelict statue.
The second turn begins with the ultra-heavy opening fire from all it’s guns on my medium, leaving it with only one structure point remaining
Next the enemy outflanking HE-V gets some shots into my light’s back but the light outmanoeuvres it and retaliates. This is followed by my barely surviving medium finishing the job and completely wrecking it.
The success is short lived, as the enemy light advances into the ruins and finishes my medium off.
Finally the ultra-heavy is neutralised when my heavy advances down the street and takes it down with one more salvo.
For some final moves the enemy light moves out of the ruins and towards my scoring zone by redlining but is taken out by my other heavy. This concludes the game as Tymek gives up with only one light HE-V remaining.