Express Panda
I barely managed to make it to the game store for a game of Infinity this week, but with the campaign still running I asked if anyone would be willing to start a little on the later side. Jordan (sprocketgx) was thankfully up for it and set this table up for us to play on:
This is Abigail Trinity, reporting for the Nomad News Network.
Our first story of the night comes to us from our colleague Jezz Tallis at the Ariadnan news outlet Dawn to Dusk. Two Ariadnan Worker Union (AWU) members, identified only as Sigen and Mattias, were brutally assassinated by Druze Bayram Security forces allegedly working for the PanOceanian Corporate Delegation to Concilium. Sigen and Mattias were allegedly attempting to contact Nomad forces to broker a sardine transfer in an effort to aid the convalescence of Nomad pilots rescued from Bianca island’s PanOceanian labs.
The poor treatment of AWU workers at Okolnir is only now coming to light, and has resulted in widespread supply chain issues for the PanOceanian war machine. PanOceanian labor ministers have been more concerned with the disruptions to the citizens of Lorena. Caviar is indeed in short supply in those parts, and reports of multiple individuals identifying themselves only as “Karen” disrupting operations at local grocery stores in Lorena have been on the rise as of late
In an attempt to circumvent the supply chain disruptions to their forces in Edda, PanOceania has been flying in Whole Protein bars, a product of the Moto.tronica defense contractor. We’re told by AntipodeanBolt, the Secretary of the PanOceanian Corporate Delegation, that “Whole Protein is a humanitarian subsidiary that produces cheap to make nutritionally sustaining protein bars,” and that all complaints can be directed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the Hexahedron.
Midnight Sun analysis have uncovered the following still photos from the Beltway at Edda–it truly is a scene of chaos over there!
We encourage all civilians to shelter in place and reach out to Waqf al-Badawi and the office of Director Errhile should they need assistance!
Up next, an interview with Pilot First Class Bubbles and their harrowing experiences during their capture by PanO scientists!
Cassandra Kusanagi
Crypto Winter, Kusanagi.
WiseKensai
This is Crypto Winter actual. Send traffic.
We’ve got confirmation from Black Sky Agent Hythan Rake regarding the identities of the two KIA Ariadnan Worker Union members: Sigen and Mattias.
Agent Rake passed along some intelligence regarding a third AWU member near Montalbán, who has been captured by ALEPH forces. They managed to squawk a distress code before they were dragged into the Montalbán Quantum Anomaly Zone.
I’ve got my hands full here arranging transport and security for our pilots–do you have any other forces in the area that can stage a SAR mission?
I’ll insert with the C.R.A.S.H.E.R.s now. Thanks for the info, Cassandra. I’ll sync up with you post-sortie. Stay safe.
Likewise. Good hunting, WiseKensai.
Overview
- Mission: ITS15 Frontline
- Forces: Nomads versus Steel Phalanx (300)
- Deploy First: Nomads
- First Turn: Steel Phalanx
We decided to play some ITS15 Frontline, mostly because it was an easy mission to just launch into without much additional thought. After all, these things are supposed to be fun and relaxing, right? Unfortunately I still don’t have my hands on the new classified cards, so I was playing with the old deck for now. I’ve also changed up my list from the last few campaign games:
Mrow
INTERVENTOR (Lieutenant, Hacker, Hacking Device Plus) Combi Rifle ( | FastPanda) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 26)
SZALAMANDRA Hyper-Rapid Magnetic Cannon, Heavy Flamethrower / CC Weapon. (2 | 72)
SZALAMANDRA PILOT Contender(+1B) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 0)
INTRUDER (X Visor) MULTI Sniper Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 42)
MORAN (Surprise Attack [-3], Camouflage [1 Use]) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse, D-Charges, Crazykoala / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 18)
PERSEUS FTO Breaker Combi Rifle(+1 Dam), Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol(+1B), DA CC Weapon. (0 | 32)
KNAUF MULTI Sniper Rifle / AP Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 32)
TRANSDUCTOR ZOND Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
TOMCAT (Engineer) MULTI Rifle, Light Shotgun, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 26)
10
1 6 SWC | 300 Points | Open in Army | Copy Code
I’ve been wanting to try out the “new” Intruder KHD profile. I think it’s quite good/fun and I haven’t had an opportunity to utilize it. I took an Interventor to represent my campaign character finally taking to the battlefield, and I love love love the “new” Tomcat profile. The rest is sort of just a grab bag of weird/good Nomad stuff. The real reason this list is so strange is that I packed three vanilla Nomad lists for game night, just in case I could stack three games in one night. This is the one I wanted to try though, so that’s what we’re left with. Also double Intruder is of course a good matchup for Steel.
Jordan (sprocketgx)
ACHILLES v2 (Lieutenant) AP Spitfire, Pulzar / Pistol, EXP CC Weapon. (1.5 | 66)
HOPLITE Heavy Machine Gun / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (1.5 | 41)
DRAKIOS FTO Red Fury, Light Flamethrower / Heavy Pistol, E/M CC Weapon. (1 | 34)
SCYLLA FTO (Hacker, Hacking Device [UPGRADE: Trinity (+2 Damage)]) Boarding Shotgun, Pitcher ( ) / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (0.5 | 28)
THRASYMEDES FTO Submachine Gun, Zapper, Flash Pulse, Light Rocket Launcher / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 28)
THORAKITES (Paramedic) Submachine Gun, Pulzar ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14)
AGÊMA Marksman MULTI Sniper Rifle / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 33)
ANDROMEDA (Infiltration [+3]) Submachine Gun, Zapper, Flash Pulse, D-Charges / Breaker Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 32)
Jordan’s running a little light on Mimetism -6 this game, with only Thrasymedes being on the table. He does have Achilles though, which will be a problem.
Deployment
Jordan took deployment, so I took second turn. I think that’s fine in Frontline since it scores at end of game. I just need to be cagey. I was worried about advances in the tunnels so I put my F-13 turret in there with a Transductor to back it up. My Interventor (my avatar this game) went on a roof just at the edge of my deployment zone to secure the near zone by crawling into it. My Szalamandra was just beneath him as that was the only real spot it could go safely. I thought about putting the Intruder KHD in the tunnels but there was just nothing there to hide it so I didn’t.
The Moran covered my HVT on the right, as I figured that with four classifieds at least one of them would have to do with my HVT. Perseus hung out with the Intruders on the right for obvious reasons (smoke + MSV2) and Knauf was my reserve.
WiseKensai finished buckling the last of his straps as he addressed the rest of the C.R.A.S.H.E.R. team he was leading down to the surface of Concilium Prima.
Alright team. We’re going straight into the QAZ. Primary Objective is recovery of an AWU member. All we have on them is a transponder code. Get them or their remains out of the QAZ.
Secondary Objective: We’re going up against ALEPH forces this time. If you can find one of their Hoplites, try to take a sample of their armor so we can study what modifications they’ve done for the QAZ.
Tertiary Objective: There’s an ALEPH quick-fab outpost that’s been deployed. If you can breach its shielding, the QAZ will do the rest. It’s the big ugly cream-colored ALEPH building. You can’t miss it.
Alright. Trust your drop pod, we’ve got the best and latest BTS gear on it. Link up once we’re on the ground. We want to get in and out. I’ll buy the first round at Montalbán when this is all over. Drop in 30. See you planetside!
Jordan’s deployment was relatively straightforward. Hoplite link on the right with the Hoplite on the roof. Thorakites and Turret on the left. Andromeda went just outside of my deployment zone, and the Agema went on the big cream ALEPH building.
I put Knauf out of reserve down watching the corner that Andromeda would have to go around to get to my TAG, knowing he was in danger but not wanting to just let Andromeda do what she wanted. I knew Achilles was coming, and I was right. He landed in the center, at the edge of Jordan’s deployment zone.
Turn 1
Top of 1 – Steel Phalanx
I took two orders from Jordan and prepared myself for 8 orders of Achilles. Jordan started off by using the Agema to take out Knauf in one order. Not great. I was hoping for more orders drained, but I knew I was going to lose him eventually. This did happen in full view of the Intruder MSR but I decided to not do anything and save her for later.
Jordan then used Thrasymedes to try and discover the Intruder MSR. I let him, as we were outside of 24″ and I was in cover. He failed, “wasting” that order. Six more orders to go.
I was worried that Andromeda was going to round the corner, but Jordan later informed me he was worried about dealing with the TR turret in the hallway and the TAG’s flamethrower, and was really looking to just use her for securing his far zone. Instead, he sent in Achilles to try and take out the Szalamandra. Sadly, Achilles is no joke and put two wounds on the TAG. I failed guts behind the building under the protective hacking bubble of my Interventor.
The Intruder MSR was really making Jordan uneasy, so he tried to discover-shoot it with the Agema. I decided to let him make the attempt and he failed.
Jordan’s last few orders were spent advancing both links and tucking Achilles into total cover just outside of my deployment zone.
Bottom of 1 – Nomads
Okay. My objectives for this turn are to hack the planet Achilles and get rid of the Agema. If I can do that, the board opens up and I have some breathing room. I need to get the Interventor into position to toss out a FastPanda, so while I’m moving I set up White Noise for the Szalamandra.
This lets me knock the Agema down easily with 5 on 14s versus the Agema’s dodge.
The Interventor sets up a Fast Panda in the corridor system. I debated putting it on the other side of the corridor but I wanted to have some extra repeater range just in case Achilles dodged out of the zone or something. I thought landing the Carbonite first would be easier:
| 44.1 | 55.9 |
but it turns out that landing an Oblivion first would be slightly easier:
| 48.7 | 51.3 |
In any case, I land the Carbonite after an order or two, and then with the -3 to WIP on Achilles’ reset I land the Oblivion.
The Agema is down now, so it’s time to take out some orders. Andromeda is kinda hard to access at the moment, so I figure taking out orders will be better as it indirectly affects her. I start by taking down a Thorakites with the Intruder KHD…
then drop Thrasymedes like the Intruder was designed to do that.
I tuck back into the shadows and recamo, then pass turn.
Turn 2
Top of 2 – Steel Phalanx
Jordan’s in loss of lieutenant, so I don’t have to worry all that much about Andromeda at the moment. He decides to focus on removing the FastPanda to let Achilles reset in peace, and spends a command token to let Drakios do this linked.
Achilles attempts a reset now that he’s out of my hacking area, but fails the WIP roll.
Andromeda advances on the TAG, but forgets about the nearby Transductor. After she gets spotlit, Jordan decides to halt his progress.
With only two orders left, Jordan tries to bait out the Intruder MSR with a Thorakites in the open. I bite and reveal the Intruder, taking out the Thorakites.
Unfortunately, this does open up a shot from the Hoplite who hops up the ladder and halfway back down… but we’re outside of 32″ so the odds are quite bad for him:
| 26.7 | 55.1 | 18.2 |
The most likely result is nothing happens, but instead the Hoplite takes a wound, failing guts the rest of the way down the ladder.
Bottom of 2 – Nomads
Well, now’s the time to bring on the Tomcat and start shooting. I hop on the table just outside of Jordan’s deployment zone and immediately start shooting at Andromeda who passes both her saves, turning around.
I can’t have that, so I send in the TAG and delete her in one order. Phew! That was painless, at least.
This lets the Tomcat take the Hoplite from behind and KO it. Of course, Scylla turns around…
so I cautious move past her LoF to get Sabotage on the “ALEPH building.”
I then round the corner with the Tomcat and drop Scylla before returning to my hiding spot behind the building.
We realize at this point that we forgot about Jordan’s turret, so I kill it with the Intruder MSR. It wouldn’t have mattered much, since the Intruder KHD would have -12’ed it on the first shot anyway last turn, and I had orders to do it. Still, a bit frustrating for both of us, as we like clean games.
Turn 3
Top of 3 – Steel Phalanx
Scylla was Jordan’s new Lieutenant, so he’s in loss again. Jordan starts off by dodging Drakios into the central zone for Frontline.
Achilles fails a reset, and the Thorakites Paramedic fails to MediKit one of its brethren.
Bottom of 3 – Nomads
My Tomcat snags In Extremis Recovery off of the Hoplite.
Then my Intruder KHD gets Follow Up and Secure the HVT from Jordan’s HVT.
I move a bunch of stuff around the table with the rest of my orders trying to dominate all the zones. It’s clear that Achilles and Drakios are in the center zone, but I misjudge the Intruder MSR’s position by a base width and she ends up in my near zone, meaning Jordan gets the central zone as all I’ve got in there is the TAG. This makes it an
8-2, 268-114 Nomad Victory!
Remote charge planted on the quantum shielding generator. Also, I’ve got the Hoplite’s chest plate. I bet those Praxis teams will love to get their hands on this.
Excellent work! You Tomcats always deliver. Blow the charge once we’re airborne.
Transponder code matches. Our Ariadnan friend is a little disoriented and seems a bit hypoxic according to my geist. Must be a side effect of unprotected QAZ exposure. I’ve got him on an oxygen supply and he seems to be stabilizing, but he needs a Daktari ASAP.
I’m calling in a shuttle now. Have your geist send the Daktaris our new friend’s vitals. Excellent work everyone, all objectives accomplished. I’ll get Knauf’s cube, and we’ll rally on the Szalamandra for extract.
Post Game Analysis
I think Jordan lost this by not being aggressive enough on the first turn and getting distracted by my Intruder MSR. Had he pushed harder with either Achilles or Andromeda, I would have been in real trouble. Instead, he bled out his own order pool on four different approaches: the Thorakites, Achilles, the Agema, and Andromeda.
The rest of the game was dictated by Achilles being in FastPanda range of my Interventor. The fact that his Thorakites were out of position for my Intruder to attack didn’t help much either. I’m a little miffed about losing Knauf, I knew it was going to happen but I was really worried about Andromeda so I felt compelled to do something. In any case, this is probably my last game of the campaign. It’s been a great time! Please stay tuned to the Bromad Academy page for details about the patch competition as the campaign closes:
Thanks to Jordan and thanks to you for reading!
Was really surprised Drakios didn’t make a 1st-round attack on the Intruders/Knauf with Albedo…
Pingback: Shattergrounds – The Nomad Story – Bromad Academy