Put Me In, Coach!
Okay. So, I’ve discovered a new Infinity practice methodology–playing multiple people at the same time.
I’ve written up my reasoning in the companion game to this one. Have a look here:
This game is versus Than (zagdag), and the other was versus Erik (Zelaponeepus).
Even though we’ve lived in the same city for a long time and we’ve played plenty of games against one another, Than’s never played the airplane crash table yet, so we did that! Both games were Highly Classified, but I honestly don’t think it’s necessarily a big tax on me mentally to play two different missions.
Overview
I’m playing Acontecimento in preparation for the George Spencer Invitational Masters PanO Only tournament that was coming up in a few months at the time of this game (it’s happened already as of the time of this writing). I’m not behind in writing reports, you’re behind in writing reports.
- Mission: ITS14 Highly Classified
- Capture
- Follow Up
- Nanoespionage
- Rescue
- Forces: Shock Army of Acontecimento versus Invincible Army (300)
- Acontecimento: Data Scan
- Invincible Army: Net-Undermine
- Deploy First: Invincible Army
- First Turn: Invincible Army
The plan for the PanO Only tournament was to randomly roll missions at the table, meaning you can’t really prep your list for a particular mission. I decided to go for two lists, one that supported closed tables (i.e. short range) and one that supported open tables (i.e. long range). Here’s the closed table option:
Closed
GROUP 1
8
REGULAR (Lieutenant) Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 10)
ORC WinterFor (Terrain [Mountain], Climbing Plus]) MULTI Rifle ( | TinBot: Firewall [-3]) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 34)
BULLETEER Spitfire / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 23)
MACHINIST SAA (Mimetism [-3], Terrain [Total]) Combi Rifle, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 18)
GROUP 2
DART Submachine Gun, Viral Tactical Bow, E/M Grenades / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 34)
GUARDA DE ASSALTO Spitfire, Heavy Flamethrower, D-Charges / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (1.5 | 45)
AUXBOT Light Shotgun, Eclipse Grenade Launcher / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 5)
DRAKIOS Combi Rifle, Heavy Flamethrower, Panzerfaust / Heavy Pistol, E/M CC Weapon. (0 | 36)
DEVABOT KYDOIMOS Heavy Flamethrower, Shock Mines / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 6)
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15)
1
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
NAGA MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 29)
WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse ( ) / Stun Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
4.5 SWC | 300 Points | Open in Army | Copy Code
Dart and the Naga Hacker are obvious and helpful choices for many missions, so their inclusion isn’t surprising. Fugazi and Warcor are there just to offer ordres, and the Pathfinder has become a critically important utility piece for me these days. Now we get onto to the spice. I decided to take both a Guarda spitfire and Drakios–the former because I’ve always loved the profile, and the latter because I’m in love with Albedo.
Just being able to say “no” to one of the more powerful pieces of equipment in the game is really really good, nevermind the fact that the Devabot Kydoimos is so awesome. The other bit of kit is a Regular, Orc, Bulleteer, Machinist core. I didn’t have a long range gun outside of Spitfires, so I threw in a Naga MSR just in case.
The Open list swaps the Orc for a Bagh-Mari sniper and adds a Regular Hacker. I figured on open tables I’d see more TAGs, so I wanted more hackers and deployable repeaters. I beef up the hacking net with some Naga hackers, and then group two is my own TAG.
GROUP 1
BAGH-MARI (Minelayer) MULTI Sniper Rifle, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 29)
GROUP 2
1
TIKBALANG Heavy Machine Gun, Heavy Flamethrower, Shock Mines / AP CC Weapon. (1.5 | 68)
CRABBOT Flash Pulse / . (0 | 0)
KNIGHT OF MONTESA (Paramedic) Boarding Shotgun ( | MediKit) / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 29)
TECH-BEE (Specialist Operative, Deactivator) Flash Pulse ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 5)
5.5 SWC | 299 Points | Open in Army | Copy Code
With the table being how it is, I decided to go for my closed list versus Than’s Invincible Army. He’s got a pair of Zhanshi powering a Haidao sniper, which is pretty bad for me. The other bit of kit he’s got is a Shang Jesus core with Krit and a Rui Shi. His group two is a little wanting, probably thing to do there would have been to move the Daoying and Liu Xing into group two just to split the orders up a bit while still supporting Krit with NCO orders.
Than (zagdag)
GROUP 1DĀOYĪNG (Lieutenant [+1 Order]) Boarding Shotgun / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 22)
LIÚ XĪNG (Hacker, Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun ( ) / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (0.5 | 37)
HǍIDÀO (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper Rifle ( ) / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 33)
ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
SHÀNG JÍ (Tactical Awareness) AP Heavy Machine Gun, Chain-colt ( | TinBot: Firewall [-6]) / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (1.5 | 49)
KOKRAM FTO Feuerbach, Chain-colt, D-Charges / Heavy Pistol(+1B), CC Weapon. (1.5 | 42)
RUI SHI Spitfire / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 23)
GROUP 2
WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15)
CHAĪYÌ Yaókòng Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
6 SWC | 300 Points | Open in Army | Copy Code
It’s always interesting to see how people construct their group two and how vulnerable it is to getting docked 2 orders.
Deployment
As in the game versus Erik, I won the rolloff and selected deployment. This would let me play on the same table side for both games, which was great. I asked Than to deploy first, which would give me some time to pull my models out of the bag for both games and get organized. He stacked up the Shang Ji core on the left and then the two Zhanshi and Haidao came down in the middle. The Weibing went all the way on the right with the Chaiyi hidden in the trees.
I stacked my own link up on the right with the intent of advancing them up the right powered by the Bulleteer. Also the Bulleteer isn’t a good match to fight the Haidao. I put the Guarda and its Auxbot in the middle with Drakios on the left to prevent the Haidao from rushing my deployment zone. Dart goes on the plane wing to harass the Zhanshi link and the Naga Hacker goes all the way on the right to stall the Shang Ji link.
Than puts Krit down out of reserve watching the central firelane between the main fuselage and the wing. I counter with the Naga MSR to stall Krit’s advance and force the issue with the Haidao.
Turn 1
Top of 1 – Invincible Army
I take two orders from Than’s main pool–it seemed silly to take two orders from just the flash pulse bots, and even they were powering a Liu Xing 2 orders isn’t a lot. Than has some Dart-related PTSD so he spends a fair amount of time going after her. The Weibing is his tool of choice–the discover is easy…
but he can’t get through her armor.
Even though the Weibing ignores cover on the BS attack it doesn’t on the ARM save, so Than moves the Weibing out of cover to cancel cover for both of us. Unfortunately this brings the Weibing within 8″ so I fire Dart’s Tac Bow at it, dropping it.
Without a way reasonable way to prosecute Dart, Than turns his attention to the Naga. He decides to discover the Naga with the Haidao so I take the shot, doing a wound.
The Haidao takes a break and Krit makes the attempt to fight the Naga. The Naga goes dogged, but Than continues the fight with Krit going unconscious in the process. The Haidao finishes the Naga off and the Zhanshi bunch up in the middle of Than’s deployment zone.
At this point Than’s out of orders and I’m feeling okay about the game thus far.
Bottom of 1 – Acontecimento
I decide that the bunched up units are too tempting to not engage. The Haidao can of course see everything… except Drakios. I just missile Drakios across the table and get the Devabot into a position to cover the Haidao, the two Zhanshi, and Krit with a flamethrower template. I didn’t have the ability to also get a mine down before doing it, but I figured I could drop a template down and hopefully someone would fail a dodge.
Just like in my other game against Erik, everyone passes their dodge or ARM save, including unconscious Krit! The rest of Krit’s fireteam easily drops the Devabot–although I’m now noticing that the Rui Shi also fired which it would have been unable to. Regardless, the Shang Ji HMG was the one that did the deed anyway, so no harm, no foul.
I decide to get the Naga Hacker in there and get Data Scan off of Krit’s body,t hen I drop a mine covering everything.
Drakios, mourning his Devabot, retreats and snags Follow Up on Than’s HVT, and then I’m forced to pass turn.
Turn 2
Top of 2 – Invincible Army
Irritatingly, I’ve done absolutely no damage, but I have at least gotten some classifieds done. Still, I have most of a Shang Ji team to deal with. The two Shang Ji and the Rui Shi make their way down the board edge to see the Naga. I don’t really stand a chance and the Naga goes dogged with all the Shang Ji keeping a wide berth.
The HMG goes next and takes a shot on Drakios, but I see the Rui Shi pushing forward and elect to take the free shot on the Rui Shi instead, taking it out at the cost of losing Drakios. Not the best trade, not the worst trade. Most importantly though, it really opens up the table for the Bulleteer to get some work done.
Than then walks in the Liu Xing to get his own copy of Follow Up on my HVT now that Drakios isn’t watching anymore. He also gets Net Undermine.
Than’s objective had been to take on Drakios with the Shang Ji, so with that complete they’re free to retreat to the tail section of the plane.
Bottom of 2 – Acontecimento
I’d really like to get rid of the Liu Xing. I start by moving all the Fugazi into group 1 and then cautious move the Guarda past the Haidao’s line of fire. I have to leave the Auxbot behind, or this won’t work. I really should have just dodged past or something and hoped for the best, since it’s unlikely that I’ll take both wounds. I could also have fired with the Spitfire on 9s versus and contested the shot with the Auxbot’s eclipse launcher… I really should just trust PanO BS a little more?
Anyway. I get the Guarda into a position where I can see the Liu Xing but can’t wound it. It then fails guts into total cover and then I’m stuck because it’s a hacker and I’m a heavy infantry… bleh.
I decide to go for the objective. This is where I get into trouble. I know for Nanoespionage you need to base to base a enemy specialist trooper and WIP roll them. I for some reason think the requirements are the usual Veteran, Elite, or Chain of Command trooper and not the DataTracker, Doctor, or Engineer that it actually is. This is what I get for playing two games simultaneously and avoiding reading the card to keep play speed up.
My plan (which won’t work) is to get the Orc up there to base the Shang Ji FO and get Nanoespionage. I leave the Regular lieutenant behind and engage the Shang Ji HMG that was left out to ARO with my Bulleteer, eventually dropping it.
Because I’m a big dummy, I move the Machinist away from everything and send the Orc in to take on the Shang Ji FO, dropping it after a few orders.
It’s not till I Climbing+ the ORC into base to base that we realize the mistake and by then it’s too late. The Machinist is hanging out in the plane fuselage.
Turn 3
Top of 3 – Invincible Army
Than is looking to snag Capture and Rescue, so he sets about doing that. First he’s gotta clear the mine that’s nearby, so he discover shoots it with his Daoying.
The Haidao advances into the midfield and takes out the Machinist and Bulleteer, dragging along the Zhanshi. The Zhanshi paramedic picks Krit back up…
which lets Krit get capture off of my Devabot. Boo.
Bottom of 3 – Acontecimento
At this point, we both have our secondary objectives (Data Scan for me, Net Undermine for Than). Than has Capture and Follow Up and I have Follow Up. This is absolutely a winnable position for me, but I don’t have time to think about a good plan because Erik is busy shoving a Speculo into my deployment zone and I’m freaking out about it on the adjacent table.
What I should have done was use the Orc to take out Krit, Casevac the nearby Bulleteer for Rescue, and base the nearby Shang Ji for Capture. That will give me Capture, Follow Up, and Rescue, and reduce Than to just Follow Up, giving me the game. Instead, I somehow get it in my head that I’m playing for a tie, and all I have to do is get my Guarda (who is the DataTracker equivalent this season for Nanoespionage) into base to base with the Weibing in the far left of the table…
I can’t do the Liu Xing because the Guarda will just be be hacked, so I spent all my orders making it across the table, taking one one Zhanshi…
then the other…
and then fail to get Nanoespionage twice on the Weibing.
This makes it a
4-8, 162-148 Invincible Army Victory!
Post Game Analysis
Well, here’s a pretty clean example of how multi-games are a good training tool. In an ordinary game when I was only playing one person, I probably wouldn’t have made this sort of mistake, so I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to learn from it. Next time I’m under this kind of pressure during a game, I’ll hopefully remember the sting of this defeat (emotions help solidify memories) and take a moment to breathe, recenter myself, and find the right path to victory. Also what’s funny is I totally forgot Dart existed this game. She would have been a pretty useful tool and could have easily gotten Capture off of the Weibing or something. Just lots of suboptimal plays. Really pushing myself to the point of failure to continue to improve.
Regarding Than’s side of the game, I think he spent way too much effort in trying to take out Dart and the Naga–continuing to shoot at the Naga after it was dogged I think was entirely unnecessary. The rest of the game was fine, although I think unnecessarily losing the Rui Shi was a mistake. He was trying to push that flank on a low order pool, so maybe I’m being a bit harsh here.
I need to spend some more time piloting Drakios as well. I got too distracted by the juicy target and should have waited a turn. There’s just a lot of stuff I could have done better–putting a Fugazi closer to the HVT to help guard it against a Liu Xing with its repeater, things like that. Doubling up on Drakios and the Guarda would probably have been smart as well. I was a little weak on the left side of my deployment. I think I should also have put the Naga MSR on the plane–that would have been pretty strong. I just got distracted by Krit being out to ARO. Clearly I need to spend some more time playing Acontecimento and learning its tools. I’ve dabbled in the past but there’s some richness there I’d like to continue to explore.
I think I unpacked what went wrong this game sufficiently, what remains to be seen is if I can leverage this training tool while keeping it fun for my opponents. Thanks for reading, and thanks again to Erik and Than!
