This site has geeked me up enough to dig out all my old Legions of Steel stuff and start playing (albeit solitaire). I decided to try a black box starter set mini-campaign. The UNE has lost all contact with their first-wave assault on the Machine Complex. A new wave of commandos is being sent forward to retrieve the bombs left by their dead predecessors and succeed where the first wave failed. First mission: Route Security (basic set).
First squad won initiative with 2 Leadership. They entered with the Corporal's Assault Group running down the corridor flat-out. One of the Cpl's Commandos turned to cover a corridor to the right, but otherwise they were moving fast, just trying to get through. The Sergeant's Assault Group came up next, providing more security. One Commando peeled left almost immediately to cover the first left-hand corridor. The Heavy Weapon Trooper moved up next to the first door on the right to cover that entrance. And the Sergeant stayed in the rear to provide leadership. The Machines were slow to react to the penetration, a lone G1 sentry responding to alarms. He entered at the top left and covered the long corridor, hoping to block the Commando's approach.
Commandos won initiative again and kept running. The G1 Nightmare took covering fire against a passing Commando, but it was ineffective thanks to the sharp warnings of the Cpl (leadership). Almost the entire lead Assault Group made it off the board safely. The Sgt's Assault Group walked into better positions, choosing to continue covering the route instead of racing for safety. Second squad's Cpl Assault Group now entered, once again rushing to make it through. The Machines finally began to take the intrusion seriously. A Mark I Assault Fiend apprached cautiously from the bottom left, careful to avoid covering fire from the Sergeant and Commando. The lone G1 Nightmare began suppressing the Commando's route, blocking them and countering their leadership advantage.
The Commandos won initiative again and the Sgt. and Commando on route security went Mark I hunting, killing the Assault Fiend, but using both leadership to do so. The lead commando moving to safety successfuly displaced a forcewall grenade to block the G1's suppression. Almost another entire Assault Group successfully made it off the map, while one peeled off to outflank the G1 in case the forcewall went down. Another Assault Fiend came rushing forward and successfully Napalm-X'd the Commando in the bottom left. The Sergeant survived. The G1 stopped suppressing and through a Nachtmacher down a corridor to the left to secure its flank from the approaching commando.
But the Machines won initiative and another Mark I entered. The first Mark I took care of the Sergeant while the second charged a Heavy Weapon Trooper had tried to come to their aid. Second Squad's sergeant entered with his Assault Group to fight off the Assault Fiends while the top Commando successfully penetrated the Nactmacher's darkness field and destroyed the G1.
I can't give a detailed account of the rest of the battle, but one of the Mark I's took care of the lone commando who had just killed the G1 while the other was destroyed after causing some destruction to the second Sergeant's assault group. While heavy fighting continued between the Assault Fiends and the sergean'ts command group, Squad 3 pushed forward in an attempt to run the gauntlet to safety. Ultimately both Assault Fiends were destroyed at the cost of a second sergeant, half the platoon's heavy weapons troopers, and a few commandos. By the time numerous G1 Nightmares arrived Most of the platoon had made it through the guantlet.
UNE Victory with 17 Commando survivors: 10 Commandos, all 3 Corporals, 1 Sergeant and 3 Heavy Weapon Troopers.
Next Mission: The Guantlet. With 17 Commandos, it's unlikely the Machines will win this scenario, but they had better cause some significant casualties if they hope to defend agains thte final scenario, Quarterback Sneak.
