The remaining events were suspended, following the change in personal circumstances of one of the players. Following the addition of two fresh victims duellists, a new season was started.

The new season got off to a cracking start on 24th September, 1998, with the first event - a Div. 20 Reversed Trike duel around the streets of Midville.

The event started quickly with shots exchanged at moderate distance between the SWIVeL and SWAT vehicles, with the latter scoring the first hit with a turreted VMG, before beating a hasty retreat to avoid the SWIVeL vehicle's ram-plate.

A little ducking and diving from the SWAT and BUMS vehicles prevented too quick an end to the combat, but the three vehicles soon found themselves all within the central area of the map, with the SWIVeL vehicle at a slight disadvantage, being caught between the other two trikes. A couple of missed tyre shots from the SWIVeL vehicle's laser-guided MMLs had the SWAT trike on the retreat again, as the driver narrowly avoided her own explosive spikes and colliding with a lamp-post.

This left the BUMS and SWIVeL trikes to duel, with the latter vehicle now in a somewhat battered condition, with the rear armour breached. Some agressive and clever manoeuvring saw the BUMS trike swerving hard at speed to get a shot at the breached rear, only to miss, to be followed by a pivot from the SWIVeL trike, letting loose a volley from the laser-guided MFR, until then concealed. With all six rockets striking at point-blank range, the BUMS driver lost control of his vehicle, and found himself rolling at 40mph through a lamp-post, to come to rest a little while later, on his side.

A single shot from the SWIVeL trike, which breached the incapacitated BUMS vehicle was enough to bring his surrender - first kill of the season to SWIVeL.

Whilst this little skirmish had been going on, the SWAT vehicle had circled round and quickly closed in on the single remaining trike. A well-timed critical hit breached the side of the SWIVeL trike, destroying both MMLs and rendering the vehicle defenseless. The driver took the only realistic course of action open - heading for the edge of the map. Unfortunately, this exposed the already-breached rear facing, which the SWAT driver was all too happy to take adventage of, firing HD VMG ammo into the SWIVeL trike, destroying the component armour around the driver - only her improved body armour keeping her safe long enough to drive off the map.

The SWAT vehicle design was as follows :-

Reversed Extra-Heavy Trike, Extra-Heavy Chassis, Improved Suspension, 3 Solid Tyres, Driver, 100 ci Blueprinted Engine, 1 Gallon Duelling Tank & Fuel, Turreted VMG (with HD Ammo) Linked to 2 Linked SDs with Explosive Spikes (L,R), 10 pts CA (Driver, Engine & Fuel Tank), SWC, Two 3pt Hubs (F), 3pt Cycle Wheelguard (B), 212pts Sloped Armour.

Driver: Susan Whiplash, Driver-0, Gunner-3; Equipped with Flak Jacket, Gas Mask.

This event, a Div. 10 combat in the Mutant Base will probably be remembered for the potency of spikes as weapons, and the need for serious amounts of armour.

Each team fielded a compact design, though of very different constructions. The event got of to a quick start, as seems to be customary, with the SWAT vehicle heading up an alley, laying spikes, whilst the other two vehicles headed for this same alleyway. The BUMS vehicle reached the opening first, hitting the SWAT car head-on, and forcing her backwards over her own spikes - which, remarkably, turned out not to be explosive...

Shortly thereafter, the SWIVeL vehicle reached the top of the alley, lining up for a ram on the SWAT car too. A well-timed shot from the rear-facing VMG on the BUMS car was enough to force the SWIVeL driver to lose control, with the result that he skidded sideways into the SWAT compact - not the ideal way for a ram-car to strike another vehicle, but it did result in the SWAT car being pushed backwards over two lots of spike counters. All these spike took their toll, blowing a tyre on the SWAT car.

After jostling for position, and attempting to gain advantages, the three vehicles found themselves apart, with the SWAT vehicle laying a defensive ring of spikes around herself, whilst the BUMS vehicle came around to meet the SWIVeL car. Meanwhile, the SWIVeL vehicle revealed hidden talents, as he too began littering the area with spikes from his concealed SDs.

The BUMS driver then took a positive stance. Coming out of an alleyway, he set his car up for a ram - what seemed like a suicidal assault on a ram-car didn't work too well !! The impact sent the BUMS vehicle spinning, damaging tyres, but the SWIVeL vehicle was unable to take advantage of the situation.

During the head-banging session, the SWAT car had staggered towards the back of the duel area, surrounding herself completely with spikes to prevent anyone getting too close, feeling that her HMG was out-gunned and her armour too weak. Not that this prevented the BUMS car from firing a single shot into her seriously depleted front armour, breaching it, and bringing about her surrender - kill one to BUMS coming after a little over 30 seconds.

The crucial blow was dealt some 70 seconds into the combat, following a rear-end shunt from the SWIVeL car, the BUMS VMG hit home, destroying a front wheel, and sending his opponent into a spin, which resulted in another tyre blowing out. This left the ram-car at something of a disadvantage, but not for long. The BUMS car wasted little time in blowing off another wheel, totally immobilising the SWIVeL car, to win the event with a second kill to his credit. Heaving a sigh of relief, the BUMS driver looked down at his ammo readout - 1 shot remaining !

The design of the BUMS vehicle, named The Bijou, is shown below :-

Compact, Extra-Heavy Chassis, Improved Suspension, Medium Power Plant w/ PCs, 4 PR Tyres, Driver, VMG (B), SWC, 2 Fake Hubs (F), 2 Fake Wheelguards (B), Sloped Armour: F100, R40, L40, B60, T5, U6.

Driver: Driver-1, Gunner-2; Equipped with Improved Body Armour.

The third event - a $50,000 multi-cycle duel at Pandora's Box, featuring flame and dropped-weapons by the bucket-load.

The event began with two SWIVeL cycles entering against a single cycle from each of the other two teams. The SWAT cyclist quickly got to work in her team's customary manner - laying spikes throughout the arena. Not to be outdone, the BUMS cycle began laying mines at the opposite end of the arena.

The first additional cycle to enter the fray was a SWAT bike, entering via the same gate as one of the SWIVeL cycles, much to the amusement of the latter. Slowing down to allow the SWAT cycle to close on him, the cyclist let rip with his rear-facing LFT, whilst taking MG fire from his opponent. The SWAT bike followed her aggressor into the centre of the arena, with the pair swapping shots until the inevitable happened - the cumulative effect of the flamethrower won, and the SWAT cycle burst into flames. The rider had the speed and fortune to make it out of the arena before any terminal damage occurred, thereby avoiding being killed.

In the meantime, the spike- and mine-laying pair had closed to combat range, swapping shots from their MG and LL respectively. The other SWIVeL cycle had not been idle during this time, negotiating the SWAT spikes to close in on the BUMS bike, as the latter manoeuvred to engage the SWAT cycle, who was circling the nearby turret tower.

The result of this three-way skirmish was a ram from the SWIVeL cycle, which forced the BUMS bike backwards over his own mines. The explosion killed the BUMS cyclist (earning the SWIVeL rider the first kill of the event), but also blew out the fuel tank on the latter cycle, causing him to come to an untimely halt. His main weapon, a pulsed light laser, was disabled a fraction of a second later, as the laser battery was also destroyed. Having only a flechette gun remaining, and no motive power, the rider took the only logical course of action remaining - getting off his cycle, he headed for the cycle he'd just killed.

No sooner had this three-way duel come to an end, when the flamethrower-equipped SWIVeL cycle came into range of the surviving SWAT bike. Two shots from the LFT were all it took to set this cycle ablaze.

During this time, three more cycles had entered the arena - 2 apparently identical SWAT bikes (though one was armed with a GG, and the other sported a RR), and a SWIVeL cycle with polished metal armour. This latter cycle quickly ran into one of the afore-mentioned SWAT bikes, the gauss gun penetrating the metal and destroying the power plant with its first shot. The returned rockets were ineffective, as were the next two shots from the GG, but the powerless cycle had a trick up its sleeve - turning in front of the SWAT machine, he laid down a slick from the rear-mounted HDFOJ.

As the pair manoeuvred for position, the SWIVeL cycle again gushed flaming oil around the SWAT bike, this time the flames took hold. A second SWAT cycle heading into the fray was enough to cause the crippled SWIVeL cycle to surrender. Kill #2 to SWAT.

As the SWIVeL flamethrower cycle headed across the arena to assist his teammate, he lost control trying to negotiate the SWAT spikes, and rolled flaming into the wall, killing the cyclist. The SWAT cycle ridden by Jemima Bodice let loose a shot from her blazing cycle at a SWIVeL bike, before the latter had entered the arena. The illegal shot from the SWAT cycle destroyed her opponents rear tyre, but resulted in the rider's disqualification from the event (losing her kill, and costing the team the value of the damaged bike, $11,710).

With more cycles entering the combat, the battling quickly escalated, with more dropped weapons (flame cloud ejectors and tear gas streamers) deployed, choking much of the arena. Cycles began falling at a remarkable rate, SWIVeL cycles in particular, including a spectacular killing shot from a turret, taking out a SWAT cyclist who slowed within the central section - the death of the cyclist causing the bike to vault through the air.

The event finally came to a halt after all the SWAT cycles had been eliminated/retired, with SWIVeL's final cycle outnumbered and left weaponless, surrendering to the BUMS team.

The requisite post-battle scrutineering of a randomly-chosen BUMS cycle was passed. BUMS receive a bonus $4,000 for heading the table at this stage in the season.

The fourth event - a Div. 15 trike event within a random arena, featured surprisingly heavy weaponry for the division.

The arena for this Div. 15 trike event was built up from arena geomorph counters and accessories, resulting in a rectangular design with rounded corners, and a large central column. Square buildings and a dozen entry/exit ramps were then added to provide cover, and force manoeuvring.

The event started with the SWIVeL and SWAT vehicles entering from the same end of the arena, and the BUMS trike starting directly opposite the SWAT start ramp. The SWIVeL trike, a reversed design featuring a large-bore weapon to the front and dropped solid to rear, was quickest away. The SWAT trike, mounting large-bore weapons to either side, was quick to fire upon the faster SWIVeL trike, but to no avail, as shots from the left-side Blast Cannon went astray. Choosing to avoid the twin blast cannons, the SWIVeL cycle headed towards the far side of the arena, interposing a building between himself and his adversary. Closing in on the BUMS vehicle, another reversed design, with turreted small-bore weapon and a crew of two, the SWIVeL scored the first hit of the event, with his Anti-Tank Gun's HEAT ammo causing his opponent to flinch.

As this pair rounded the central column, swapping hits, the SWAT trike came into view. A combined hit from SWIVeL's ATG and SWAT's left-side BC on BUMS' rear caused 25 points of damage, enough to make him flee momentarily. As SWIVeL attempted to pursue BUMS, he became the new target for the SWAT BC.

This close-range, three-way meleé couldn't last long. A hit from the SWAT BC breached the BUMS trike, killing the driver, at almost the same instant this vehicle's gunner destroyed the front armour and ATG on the SWIVeL trike. Refusing to surrender, the BUMS gunner carried on firing at the now defenceless SWIVeL machine, until another BC shot penetrated the shattered armour, killing the gunner instantly.

With his main weapon destroyed, and a heavily-armed opponent closing, the SWIVeL trike headed for the nearest exit ramp. Fire from the SWAT BC quickly reduced the remaining armour on the SWIVeL trike's side to paper-thickness, at which time the driver chose the safe option and surrendered, handing victory to the SWAT team.

Post-event analysis revealed that the SWAT trike, had only one Blast Cannon, the other being fake, and that it sustained no damage whatsoever; in fact, it hadn't even been targeted during the event!

The design of the winning SWAT vehicle, Tiffany's Trike, is shown below :-

Heavy Trike, Extra-Heavy Trike, Heavy Suspension, 3 PR Tyres, Cyclist, Super Trike Plant, Blast Cannon w/ Extra Magazine (L), Fake Blast Cannon (R), 10-pt Component Armour (Driver, Plant), 10-pt Cycle Wheelguard, Two 10-pt Wheelguards, Armour: F40, R40, L40, B40, T6, U12.

Crew: Miss Tiffany Toenails, Cyclist-1, Gunner-1; Equipped with Body Armour, Fireproof Suit, Gas Mask, Portable Fire Extinguisher, 2 Flaming Oil Grenades with Impact Fuses, 2 Paint Grenades (1 with Impact Fuse).

This vehicle is illegal. The use of a Blast Cannon with extra magazine in this size of trike contravenes the ¹/₃ spaces rule (5 space weapon in a 12 space body). Consequently, SWAT have been disqualified, losing both kills and receiving a fine for the value of such vehicles, and dropping all points and earnings for the event.

As a result of the disqualification of SWAT, the SWIVeL trike was promoted to winner of the event, and the vehicle, Eros, verified :-

Reversed Heavy Trike w/ Streamlining, Extra-Heavy Chassis, Heavy Suspension, 3 PR Tyres, Driver, 100 ci Engine, 2 Gallon HD Tank & Fuel, Anti-Tank Gun w/ HEAT Ammo (F) Linked to Spikedroper (B), 9-pt Component Armour (Driver), 7-pt Cycle Wheelguard, Two 5-pt Wheel Hubs (F), Heavy-Duty Brakes, Hi-Res Single Weapon Computer, Sloped Armour: F49, R35, L35, B47, T7, U11.

Crew: Peter, Driver-1, Gunner-1; Equipped with Body Armour and Gas Mask.

As BUMS remain top of the league following this event, due to superior kill difference, they again receive the $4,000 'top dog' bonus.

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