[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/sqSMrSc.png[/img][/center]

In a matter of mere seconds, the Hiyan-Chia Mountain Pass had erupted into a cacophony of destruction. Hateful beams of laser light carved across the armor of the faux-Knights' Battlemechs, warheads from missiles arced through the frigid air to make explosive impact with the massive machines. Mounds of dirt, gravel, and snow were kicked up, filling the kill-box with a near-impenetrable cloud of dust and instantly-vaporized steam. Even using sensors, it became hard to discern one target from another in the maelstrom of gunfire and debris.

As the Green Knights' weapons cooled down, charged, or loaded their next rounds, an open comm line came online, and over it, the Knights heard the sound of laughter.

[color=Yellow]"Ohhh-ho-ho-hoooo, lookie-lookie who it is, my Knights!"[/color] While there was no indication which Mech was the source of the voice, there was little doubt that the sing-song tone matched playful skipping gait of the [i]Firestarter[/i]. [color=Yellow]"Some of our adoring fans have come out to congratulate us on our happy little prank! Welcome, welcome, the Yellow Jester is here for the delight of all!"[/color]

[color=Green]"Ohhh, boy, here he goes again,"[/color] came another voice as the [i]Panther[/i], clearly struggling to remain standing after an unexpected hit to the Gyro threw his Mech permanently off-balance, emerged from the dust cloud.

[color=Tan]"And it sounds like [i]they've[/i] got themselves a talker, too,"[/color] came a third voice with a sneering chuckle, as the [i]Hunchback[/i] advanced. [color=Tan]"Hey pal, feel like giving us another monologue to record? I'm sure we can get some real knee-slappers playing it when we flatten the next civvie town."[/color]

To the side of the [i]Hunchback[/i], the wide-armed form of the [i]Crusader[/i] lumbered into view. [color=Orange]"Nah, a joke's never as funny the second time around. But I'm sure once we waste these guys, we'll have plenty of new material. Hey, maybe we use their own mechs to stomp on the folks we've got locked up in the fort?"[/color]

[color=Yellow]"Ha! Excellent idea, Mister Dimples! The looks on their faces will be priceless, heee-heee-heee!"[/color] The Yellow Jester laughed. [color=Yellow]"But first, let us deal with our soon-to-be dearly departed doppelgangers! So then, my lovelies, what say we bring a bit of the heat!"[/color]

The [i]Firestarter[/i], notorious for its quadruple Flamers that could wreak havoc on energy-dependent Battlemechs, started to move towards the laser-heavy [i]Ostroc[/i], which itself was already running hot from the opening salvo. Just as it looked like it was going to break forward into a run, the Yellow Jester suddenly slammed on his Jump Jets, sending the light Mech rocketing backwards.

[color=Yellow]"April Foo-oo-ools, hahahahaha!"[/color] he mocked, firing off the [i]Firestarter's[/i] Medium Lasers in a parting shot that went wide. As the light Mech hurled itself up and away, in its place were the hulking frames of the [i]Hunchback[/i] and [i]Crusader[/i], each bringing their weapons to bear on the Green Knights' lance leader.

With a thunderous [i]BOOM[/i], the [i]Hunchback's[/i] enormous class-20 Autocannon erupted, a single high-powered shell bursting forward just as a similar shell from the Von Luckner skipped across the top of its barrel. The ricochet caused the brawler Mech to veer ever-so-slightly to one side, causing a shot which would have hit the [i]Ostroc[/i] square-on to instead make impact on the Green Knight's left arm. The [i]Ostroc[/i]'s notoriously thin armor on its arms was no match for the high-powered shell, which detonated just below the shoulder, obliterating myomer bundles and alloy bones and wrenching the entire limb away. [color=Tan]"How's that for bringing the heat?"[/color] the [i]Hunchback[/i] taunted as the bigger Mech's arm tumbled into the snow in a mangled wreck.

[color=Orange]"Good shooting, Bing-Bong,"[/color] said the [i]Crusader[/i] pilot, the one the Yellow Jester referred to as 'Mister Dimples.' [color=Orange]"I was thinkin' of bringing the heat a little more literally."[/color]

From each of the missile-boat Mech's hips erupted a salvo of short-range missiles, about half of which made contact with the [i]Ostroc[/i], the other six careening off into the ravine below. Instead of an explosive detonation, these warheads burst open with splatters of gel that erupted into white-hot flames. [i]Inferno warheads,[/i] which traded dealing direct damage for playing absolute hell on a Battlemech's heat management, and could immolate the crew of a tank with ease. As the [i]Ostroc's[/i] heat began to spike to dangerous levels, its myomer muscles began to seize up, slowing the mech down and making targeting more difficult.

[color=Yellow]"Aaaa-hahahaha-haaa, as if the Yellow Jester would only have one way to keep things spicy!"[/color] The [i]Firestarter[/i] pilot cackled. [color=Yellow]"Speaking of which, variety is the spice of life! Let's give the rest of our adoring crowd some attention!"[/color]

[color=Orange]"On it, boss,"[/color] Mister Dimples acknowledged, turning the torso of the [i]Crusader[/i] to level its arms at the opposing [i]Archer[/i] and let fly with a pair of 15-shot Long-Range Missile launchers. Between the two arm-mounted launchers, only slightly more than half made their mark, peppering the Knights' own missile-boat across the torso and right arm. [color=Orange]"Find yourself a dance partner, Honk-Honk."[/color]

[color=Green]"Stop calling me Honk-Honk,"[/color] the Mechwarrior in the [i]Panther[/i] grumbled, before raising his Particle Projector Cannon and firing it at the [i]Phoenix Hawk[/i] across the ravine. An arc of cerulean lightning connected along the left side of the [i]Hawk's[/i] torso, obliterating over half of the armor in that location. The [i]Phoenix Hawk[/i] had more armor than the lighter [i]Panther,[/i] but in a straight gunfight, the Crimson Fists' sniper had it outgunned.

[color=Yellow]"Oh yes, there's plenty of laughs to go around!"[/color] the Jester continued. [color=Yellow]"And the hits [i]Just! Keep! Coming!"[/i][/color]

Over the tops of the Crimson Fist lance, two swarms of long-range missiles arced gracefully through the air, before thundering down and pelting the Green Knights' [i]Raven.[/i] Twenty-seven of the fusillade of thirty ripped into the light scout mech, shredding armor mostly off of its arms and legs.

[color=Yellow]"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we have a special guest!"[/color] The Jester announced as a fifth Battlemech entered the mountain pass.

The Mech was completely non-humanoid, with a rounded, egg-like fuselage, birdlike back-canted legs, and a pair of boxy missile launchers where its arms should be. While it was a comparatively rare sight on most battlefields, the silhouette of a [url=https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Catapult]Catapult[/url] was instantly recognizable.

[color=Yellow]"All the way from Fire Witch Lance, let's give a warm welcome to Captain Waffles!"[/color]

[color=IndianRed]"That's not my callsign--"[/color]

[color=Orange]"Roll with it, it's a [i]thing[/i] he's doing."[/color]

[color=IndianRed]"....right. Anyway, yes, Green Knights,"[/color] the [i]Catapult[/i] pilot continued, [color=IndianRed]"The Fire Witch sends her regards, and I'll be all to happy to bring her back a handful of your ashes today."[/color]

[hider=Situation: Round 2][img]https://i.imgur.com/g4PHkH7.png[/img][/hider]