Finding a Path
I had a date to play Heavy Gear with Adam, but he was fashionably late, so Nathan (Jhokalups) and I played a game of Unmasking while I waited for Adam to show up.
Overview
- Mission: ITS14 Unmasking
- Forces: Druze Bayram Security versus Yu Jing (300)
- Deploy First: Druze
- First Turn: Druze
I like having access to pitchers and a missile bot, but with everything else I was trying to cram into the list I just put Valerya and the Clipper in the same link as the Brawler Lt. I decided that Wolfgang and Scarface would make a good duo, and then i just stuffed the rest of the full of orders and toolkit.
Firefight & Unmasking?
GROUP 1
8
2
BRAWLER (Lieutenant) Rifle, Light Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15)
VALERYA GROMOZ (Hacker) Combi Rifle, Zapper, Pitcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 21)
CLIPPER DRONBOT Missile Launcher / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 16)
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MULTI Rifle(+1B), Chain-colt / Heavy Pistol, DA CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 35)
SCARFACE Loadout Gamma & CORDELIA TURNER undefined / undefined. (1.5 | 81)
SCARFACE Boarding Shotgun, Grenades / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (- | 0)
GROUP 2
CORDELIA TURNER Combi Rifle, Chain-colt, D-Charges / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 17)
NASMAT PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
BASHI BAZOUK AP Rifle / CC Weapon, Breaker Pistol(+1B). (0 | 14)
1
BULLETEER Spitfire / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 23)
MOTORIZED BOUNTY HUNTER Submachine Gun, Chain-colt(+1B) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 9)
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15)
ARMAND (Multispectral Visor L1) MULTI Sniper Rifle, Nanopulser ( ) / Breaker Pistol(+1B), Shock CC Weapon. (1.5 | 39)
6 SWC | 300 Points | Open in Army | Copy Code
I kept the same Bulleteer/MBH duo, which I was hoping to get some usage out of this game, and kept Le Muet as an attack/defense piece. I figured the Pathfinders could get some work done as well.
Nathan’s list is pretty interesting–it forgoes the typical Kuang Shi spam for Shaolin spam. It retains Krit an lieutenant order sync, and the Daoying Lt is around as well to make everything work. Nathan even found the 8 points to make it a hacker, which is often relevant. What’s interesting is he has four more hackers in the list, with the Guilang, Zencha, and double Tiger powering his quantronic superiority.
Nathan (Jhokalups)
GROUP 1GROUP 2
GŬILÁNG (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Shock Mines ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 30)
ZHĒNCHÁ (Hacker, Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 41)
KOKRAM FTO Feuerbach, Chain-colt, D-Charges / Heavy Pistol(+1B), CC Weapon. (1.5 | 42)
CHAĪYÌ Yaókòng Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
RUI SHI Spitfire / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 23)
TIGER SOLDIER (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Light Flamethrower ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 34)
LÓNG YÁ (Minelayer) Panzerfaust(+1B), Flammenspeer(+1B), Submachine Gun, AP Mines / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 17)
DĀOYĪNG (Lieutenant [+1 Order], Hacker, Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun ( ) / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 30)
SHAOLIN Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 6)
5.5 SWC | 299 Points | Open in Army | Copy Code
The last few components are the Rui Shi, Long Ya, and a flash pulse bot. Aside from the Long Ya, there is only one gun that shoots outside of 24″, which is definitely something I want to address and deal with immediately, so this list doesn’t handle attrition well. Also, the stuff that is out to ARO, like the Long Ya, are also powering the main pieces of the list, so you’re definitely burning the order pool at both ends, so to speak.
I think the list wants to go first and set up a good hacking network with a coordinated Shaolin move to take the midfield and just be a royal pain to shift. That blunts my bottom of 1 turn, and then we’re probably tempo neutral and have to build momentum again.
Deployment
I think Nathan chose side, which meant I was deploying first and going first. With my tools available, I thought this would be okay. I held Le Muet and Scarface in reserve, telegraphing Scarface on the right with Cordelia. The Clipper went on the left at the front edge of my deployment zone to see two consoles and try to lock down as much of the table as I could, at least temporarily. I fully expected it to die.
The Bulleteer and MBH sat on the left, ready to advance on a short firelane that would definitely favor the rangebands. The two Pathfinders were going to do most of the objective work, so they started pretty far forward. I put Cordelia’s Nasmat near the Bulleteer and Pathfinder on the left to have a plausible reason for it being there and not telegraphing Scarface.
Since Nathan has four Shaolin, he just put a pair of them on the ends of his deployment zone, guarding against AD. He also did the same with the Zencha on the left and the Guilang on the right. The two Long Ya watched firelanes, with the one on Nathan’s left being in more favorable rangebands. The Rui Shi was also out to ARO, covering the right side against AD troops, with the Daoying on a roof in the back, prone.
I put Scarface and Le Muet down, and then Nathan put Krit at the corner of a building on the left that was pretty exposed, all things considered. I’d have to work my way past a bunch of mines and AROs to make it happen, so it was a calculated risk.
Turn 1
Top of 1- Druze
Nathan took orders from the Scarface group and then we were off. My plan is to take out the Long Ya and Krit, and try to throw some speedbumps in Nathan’s way. I started off by discovering the Long Ya on my right using a Pathfinder. Nathan let me do it unopposed, figuring that even though I’d almost certainly land the discover, it would at least force more orders out of me.
He was right, because I climbed Le Muet up on a building and took a shot at the Long Ya. I’m on 16s and the Long Ya is on 5’s, but sometimes you just roll that panzerfaust crit and kill Le Muet. Sigh.
I recover by sending the Pathfinder on the left to flip a console and guess correctly, revealing Nathan’s Designated Target. He selects his target by randomly placing tokens next to his HVT models so even he doesn’t know which one it is, so we were both surprised when my first guess was correct!
The Long Ya is guarding the approach so I discover it, and then go for broke.
I move the Pathfinder into view of the Designated Target, the Guilang, and the Long Ya. Everyone shoots except the Designated Target, who dodges. I split burst three ways and hit all three models! The Long Ya and Designated Target go unconscious but the Guilang survives and fails guts to safety.
I need to deal with the other Long Ya so I make use of the Marksmanship on Pathfinders and take out the Long Ya with the other Pathfinder on my right. I’m on 8’s versus the Long Ya’s 11, so that’s honestly not too bad. Either outcome is reasonable here, because I’ll be draining the Long Ya of Panzerfausts either way, which is what Scarface is worried about.
With my primary mission objective complete and Nathan’s ARO presence suppressed, I have free run of the board with all the orders in my primary pool. I have grandiose plans for Wolfgang and Scarface and send them in. I just want to take down Krit and then I’m in great shape.
First I down the Rui Shi by walking up and throwing 5 dice at the problem.
I then decide to go after Krit while Wolfgang climbs a buildling. I get a little too close to Nathan’s Lieutenant and Scarface gets possessed while simultaneously getting crit by Krit. The nearby Shaolin doesn’t manage to do anything with its pistol. It might have wanted to throw smoke? That seems very dangerous but possible?
Anyway, I’m in big trouble now, with Scarface possessed. I split burst between Scarface and Krit with Wolfgang’s MULTI Rifle on AP mode and manage to do nothing to either of them. I stop and take stock of the situation. Nathan’s possessing hacker is in his group 2 with one regular order, and I’ve killed a fair amount of orders in group 1. Even if he’s got off table models, Scarface is max going to get 6 orders, which is a lot, but I’m watching him in the open with a linked Clipper. I have command tokens to reclaim him if it comes to my turn, and I’m happy with Nathan making a run with Scarface because that means he’s not going to be doing the mission. I had briefly considered trying for an Lt snipe, but I don’t have the orders.
I decide to stick to my plan and dump the next order’s worth of shots all into Krit while Wolfgang goes prone. This does it, and Krit is unconscious!
Bottom of 1 – Yu Jing
Nathan shifts his Lieutenant into Group 1 to get maximum orders of Scarface and starts his turn.
Nathan uses the Shaolin as intended and sets up some smoke. He even gets one into close combat with Wolfgang. Nothing happens, but at least Wolfgang is tied up now.
Nathan tries to land a Tiger Solder in my deployment zone to do some damage but ends up failing the roll and has to come on next to the Guilang. With that avenue unavailable to him, he decides to deny me Scarface by forcing me to shoot two missiles at my own TAG out of cover. I’m happy to do that, as I’m in a pretty reasonable position at the moment in terms of board state, so Scarface takes three wounds and goes unconscious.
Turn 2
Top of 2 – Druze
Neither of us have lost anything since the top of 1, which is nice. I spend Wolfgang’s frenzy order to try and down the Shaolin. I lose the face to face and take two wounds from the DA CCW.
No matter. I move the Pathfinder on my left onto the center console and reveal another HVT.
I now start the run with my MBH and Bulleteer. The MBH rolled MSV1, so I challenge the Guilang, albeit unsuccessfully with neither of us doing any wounds.
I really want the Tiger and Guilang down so I can have this flank, so I just break the Duo by moving the MBH into view of both the Tiger and Guilang and the Bulleteer towards the right to go hunt down the Shaolin on the right. Nathan surprises me by shooting with both the Tiger and the Guilang, so I just double template with the chain colt, dropping the Tiger at the cost of the MBH. This Guilang just won’t die!
The Shaolin on my right are dangerous, so the Bulleteer splits burst and downs them both before adjusting its position.
I have the tac aware left on my Pathfinder on the right, so I climb it up to see the Zencha to see if I can bait a reveal. I can’t, so I just discover instead.
Bottom of 2 – Yu Jing
Nathan is down to 4 orders in his first pool now, since the last Tiger is still off table. He starts by successfully flash pulsing my Pathfinder watching the Zencha with his Chaiyi. That’s a pretty strong move!
Even though it’s stunned, it still has a repeater, so the Zencha successfully Oblivions Valerya on its way to a console.
The last Tiger lands, setting up for Turn 3 and a move on the central console.
I forget which of the two Decoys the Zencha revealed, but my Designated Target was safe for the time being. Nathan climbs his Daoying Lt off its building so it can help on Turn 3.
Turn 3
Top of 3 – Druze
I haven’t lost anything, so I just move the Bulleteer into the first group. Of note is that Cordelia is still around, so the list below isn’t 100% accurate:
I really want to get the Zencha, so I make a play on it with the nearby Pathfinder. I get Carbonited instead of being able to shoot it, which is annoying.
I have another option here, which is to bring my Bashi on and shoot the Zencha in the back. I do so, using one of the holoechoes to clear the mine on the order it comes on, which is hyper-efficient. Unfortunately this grants the Chaiyi a dodge as well as spotlights on the other two holoechoes, revealing the real one and spotlighting it.
I figure I can take the Chaiyi, no problem, but am punished for my hubris with the Chaiyi successfully flash pulsing the Bashi as I try to take it out. That Zencha is looking pretty safe!
Okay, well this means I’ve gotta hit Nathan’s order pool. I start by using Valeyra to try and take out the Shaolin that’s guarding the approach to the revealed Decoy and Nathan’s lieutenant. Ordinarily I wouldn’t bother, but she’s isolated, making this a good use of her orders. Unfortunately this fails and allows the Shaolin to land some smoke.
I now go for broke and send the Bulleteer in. It can see the Shaolin, the Guilang, a Decoy, and Nathan’s lieutenant. Nathan dodges with both the Daoying and Decoy and throws smoke with the Shaolin. The Guilang wisely declares Carbonite, but with that as the only threat, I dump all four shots into the Guilang and finally take it down.
I roll the Bulleteer forward to see the Daoying around a corner and split burst between it and the Decoy, allowing the Shaolin to finally chain rifle the Bulleteer, which is probably what it should have done on the previous order. I would have had to split burst 3 ways to get everything I wanted done.
I’ve got a handful of orders left, so I try to stick some damage and take out the Zencha with a Pathfinder but can’t crack its armor.
I settle instead for flipping the last antenna.
9-0, 165-94 Druze Bayram Security Victory!
Post Game Analysis
I think this game boils down to list and deployment on Nathan’s side. Let’s talk about the list first:
GROUP 1GROUP 2
5.5 SWC | 299 Points | Open in Army | Copy Code
What’s in the list is great. There’s no fat whatsoever, and that’s sort of the problem. If we look specifically at group one, it has 7 orders at the start, because presumably the Tiger Soldiers are starting off table. This is further exacerbated by the fact that the Long Ya (and to a lesser extent the Chaiyi) are pulling double duty as board control/ARO pieces as well as order generators.
If we look at Nathan’s deployment, we can see the Long Ya on his left is challenging a long firelane. The right one is less exposed, but still is challenging the approach to a console. In both cases, I’m going to have to deal with them, which means I’m going to kill them. It cost me Le Muet this game, so it’s not like it was a waste or anything, but on Nathan’s side it cost him two orders. Also, he lost the Rui Shi–they’re very fragile in ARO and I think leaving it out at all was a mistake.
At the end my first turn, he was down to four orders in the primary group, after spending a command token to move the Daoying. The counter argument is that Krit can have two orders from the Daoying, so you’re really not missing out on that many orders. That said, it does mean that Krit is the primary power piece and has a big target on his back. He’s not particularly durable, especially the Feuerbach version at close range, and in this instance he was deployed very aggressively and in a dangerous position.
So basically, I was incentivized to attack Krit on my first turn. In order to do this, I’d have to remove one or both Long Ya. The Rui Shi is avoidable, but I had the opportunity to remove it, so I took it. This means I’d be able to remove 6 effective orders on my first turn by removing four models, two of which I have to in order to enable forward progress (the Long Ya) and two that are relatively desirable to remove.
It just so happens I was able to do this while also getting the Designated Target, which was an incredibly efficient first turn for me. At this point I’m happy to sacrifice both Scarface and Wolfgang to accomplish these goals, which is more or less what I did. As an added bonus I was able to also tie up all of Nathan’s now very limited resources at the bottom of 1, further widening the gap created by attrition.
In other words, I was able to exploit positional weaknesses in Nathan’s deployment to exploit structural weaknesses in his list construction. It cost me a significant amount of resources to do this–Scarface and Wolfgang aren’t cheap, but I had coverage for their roles baked into my list. I also continued applying pressure and kept my tempo up through the game, effectively keeping Nathan contained while enabling my forces to achieve the objectives.
It’s a hard sell to put two Long Ya on the table with two Tiger Soldiers in the “dropship,” both both of these drains attacking the same order pool. It’s sort of a no-win situation as well, because you either hide the Long Ya and don’t slow me down, or you sacrifice them and start your turn down 3-4 orders thanks to the Long Ya being dead and the Tigers off table.
I think don’t think double Tiger soldier and double Long Ya is weak–but I do think that it’s not well supported by the rest of the list. There’s also a tremendous amount of pressure on Krit to achieve Nathan’s goals, and the Feuerbach is not a great match for the rangebands asked of players from Unmasking. I have some thoughts on multiple AD troop lists coming soon, so hopefully that’ll be interesting to people.
Regarding my own performance, I think I was a little sloppy with Scarface. I was gambling that the Daoying wasn’t the hacking profile and/or it would fail its WIP roll. It certainly didn’t help that Krit crit me with a heavy pistol… really annoying. I was hoping to have just blapped Krit off the table regardless out of the outcome with the Daoying.
I’m pretty happy with the MBH and the Bulleteer duo, now that I’ve actually had a chance to use it! It’s pretty usable and gets some added value from the MBH’s booty roll. Def happy with the performance of the rest of the list too, the Pathfinders are getting huge value for me.
Thanks to Nathan for a fun game, and thanks to you, dear reader, as always, for doing your thing!
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