The Fall of Fort Edmonton Part 2

A Headless Body Production

All Quiet on the Martian Front After Action Report: The Battle of Fort Edmonton Part 2

Location: Garth's Cave
Game: All Quiet on the Martian Front
Players:  Garth Parker: Mobile forces of Pod 2, Hive 5A (फली 2, हाइव 5A)
                Bruce Potter, replacing Jennifer Parker: Monty's Pythons
                Stephen Turn: The American North West Expeditionary Force.
                Phil Gardocki: Marvin's Martians, The "Illuminaries".(हास्यास्पद कार्टून चरित्र)

The Forces: "Monty’s Pythons", the 2nd Squadron, 12th "Three Rivers” Regiment, 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade and the American North West Expeditionary Force, have been making a desperate effort to fend of a surprise attack by the Martians.  After 5 rounds, they have lost 18 tanks and numerous infantry units.  The Land Ironclad, Nell, has taken a number of critical hits, but otherwise seems to be fully functional, the Martians have been wary of her super heavy guns, and presenting few targets for her to shoot at other than drones.

Mobile elements of Pods कार्टून वर्ण प्रकाश की, 2. 5ए and हास्यास्पद कार्टून चरित्र, 20 tripods, of around 4,000 points.

Scenario:  This is part 2.  To read part 1, now renamed, click here: The Fall of Fort Edmonton Part 1.
Having settled their differences, the Martian Hives unite for a massive attack on the human enclave at Fort Edmonton.  The plucky Canadians, first reinforced by the out right theft of a US Land Ironclad, The Spirit of Detroit, then the arrival of the BEF, have now been further bolstered by American forces.

The Board: Fort Edmonton, 155 acres of recently cleared, but trash strewn area near the center of Alberta, Canada.

Deployment:

The combined Canadian US Army started with about 3,000 points but losses are staggering, their hopes now hang on Nell, American Industrial Might, the hope that the BEF will return from their reconnaissance in force.

The Martians started with about 2,000 points on the board and have lost 5 Tripods, but more keep coming. 

Opening Dialog:
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Brigadier General Miles screamed "What is wrong with that thing?  It just stands there!  You don't just stand there taking the bombardment, take the fight to them!  Sergeant ...., no, Captain Rouge, get over to the Spirit of Detroit and get them moving!"

With that, Captain Rouge saluted confirmation of the order and started running towards the slow moving behemoth. 

Miles continued to mutter to himself, surveying the battlefield.  From his stand, he could see the double pincer movement developing, and he was in the jaws when it closed.  "We'll show them how an American fights." he thought to himself.

He then saw Captain Rouge picked up and hurled by some invisible hand, thrown 80 feet into the low branches of a Larch tree.

"What the..", and with that his words were blown away by a massive detonation.

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Turn 5: Update

Nell begins to move out.  Her 12" gun traverses 90 degrees and ...

another Tripod is sent to oblivion.

Nell has 3 critical hits our of 5, but her guns are just fine.

Turn 6:
With two points in their favor, the Humans win the initiative for Turn 6. 

Having received orders from High Command, Nell double times her next move for 8 more inches.

Human reinforcements continue to arrive.  Their fire proved ineffective, only causing minor damage.

And an impressive array of firepower is focused on the right flank  Tons of shells were tossed, and cause mobility problems on the exposed Tripod.

The Infantry rises from their slit trenches.  Hurling epithets and grenades at the invaders, scored a hit.

A Scientist Tripod could not be seen from a distance, but now Nell is closer. 

Nell volleys her 7" gun, then a pair of 5", then the 4" guns.  Trees fall, pine cones fly, cracking timber and flaming the underbrush, and still the Scientist suffers only superficial damage.

In desperation, the Vickers machine gunners riddle the Scientist with some 300 7.7 mm bullets, and one finds a weak-point.

The Scientist Tripod was carrying the seeds of it's own destruction, as unspeakable forces are unleashed.

But not all went well, as Nell herself took the brunt of the explosion.  Man and machine were tossed like rag dolls, linkages and steam lines cracked.  Suddenly, Nell was surrounded by a cloud of vapor, and her huge tracks, stopped moving.

But her guns still worked.  And seeing no targets on her starboard side, the 12" rotated and engaged targets on the port.

The train moved off and the assault on the Martian left continued.  The results were catastrophic for the Canadians.  On the right, the immobile Tripod, swept its heat ray on the closest unit of MK III's, and destroyed them all.  Then Marvin swept the 3 remaining, destroying 2, and routing the third.  The third Tripod killed an infantry squad, but missed the Tesla Gun.  A fourth Tripod finished off the tower on the hill.

The Martian left flank has a shortage of targets.

The American North West Expeditionary Force dumps a lot of ammo but fail to score any hits.

The train moves based on house rules.  Mainly it is a mobile obstruction.  For a while it was hanging up the Martian left flank.  But now it is preventing the American North West Expeditionary Force from spreading out.  A Martian War Machine has 6 elements are under the sweep Template.

The view from the Martian right flank.  Note the closest tripod.  In addition to the damage, it has both mobility and fire control problems!

Nell is immobilized and weakened but still very very dangerous.  The Martians have dedicated 3 Grenadier Tripods, 3 Grenadier Drones, 6 regular drones and 3 Scorpion drones to the task of taking her apart. Another critical hit, 4 of 5.  Along with a steering hit and a MG gun hit.

Turn 7:
The Martians have a plus 4 on the initiative roll this turn.  The Humans roll a 10!  But Garth picks up a die, and rolls a 7.  So on a critical time, the Martians regain the initiative, and move again.

There is only so much Nell can take. 

Her heart already ceased beating, it was just a matter of time before all the systems just ceased.  Her hatches opened and men rapidly fled to the dubious safety of the front lines.

The center Tripods clean off another unit of Steam Tanks, and the Field Guns.  Leaving the two Command Stands nearly defenseless.

Both Marvin and friend, take shots at the Tesla gun and miss.

In the last great act of defiance, the Tesla gun fires its last shot, striking Marvin square on.

Which arcs to the closest Tripod.

And arcs again back to the Tesla gun itself, destroying the generator!

Both Tripods roll a 9 for damage, and collapse in ruin, Marvin's wreckage falls upon the Infantry assaulting it.

The MVP of the game.  It has taken 8 hits, including both Fire Control and Mobility malfunctions.

Within the wreckage of a coal car, Brigadier General Miles and Privet-Major Palen huddled in the mud.  The few glances they dared take only reinforced the disaster witnessed this day.  The leaden sky was lit by green flashes, Tripod figures went back and forth without resistance, as no one and nothing was left now to fight them. The Fort Edmonton belonged to the Martians.

Privet-Major Palen reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to the General.  "By the way, I have a letter for you."

The General, too shocked to offer a pithy reply, simply opened the missive and read in a low monotone.  "To the Commander of the US forces in Canada, from the Prime Minister of Canada Greetings.  After due consideration of all the issues I have decided to return the vehicle, known as "Nell" to its proper owners, the Government of the United States.  It is with deep regret that this incident has forged a wedge between our two peoples in this time of crisis.  When this state of emergency is over and we have the luxury of a civil discourse, the men responsible will be called to account.  Signed Sir Robert Laird Borden.