Joining the wrong neighborhood [DBS vs. CA]

Even if it went very quite here, I have not quit playing Infinity. Nevertheless, we joined some other systems (Dystopian Wars, Dropfleet Commander, Zona Alfa and even some W40k) and get back to some more relaxed Infinity. So there was not that much to report over the past 365 days.
But since I am back to some more competitive play and also back to DBS and QK, there again is something to report and share - And of course I need some training for this years online-campaign!

For this game, I left my local meta and joined the community of Bremen, now that travelling by train is temporarely cheap as hell. The mission was Acquisition and I knew he is playing CA, so I was planning for Avatar, Sphinx, Taighas and Speculos. First I planned on playing QK, but the available tools to face the given challenges did not convinced me, so I switched to something different.

List DBS:

Druze Bremen
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  3  / 1  / 1
 YUAN YUAN Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 8)
 SAITO TOGAN (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, EXP CC Weapon. (0 | 37)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 KAMEEL  (Hacker, EVO Hacking Device)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 15)

GROUP 22
 BOUNTY HUNTER Submachine Gun, Akrylat-Kanone / Breaker Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 12)
 PEACEMAKER Spitfire / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 26)
   AUXBOT_3 Heavy Flamethrower / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 4)
 SCARFACE Loadout Gamma & CORDELIA TURNER undefined / undefined. (1.5 | 81)
   SCARFACE Loadout Gamma AP Spitfire(+1B), Panzerfaust / DA CC Weapon. (1.5 | 64)
   SCARFACE Boarding Shotgun, Grenades / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (- | 0)
   CORDELIA TURNER Combi Rifle, Chain-colt, D-Charges / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 17)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 DIGGER Chain Rifle(+1B), Grenades / Pistol, AP CC Weapon(+1B). (0 | 14)
 DIGGER Chain Rifle(+1B), Grenades / Pistol, AP CC Weapon(+1B). (0 | 14)
 BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 27)
 DRUZE (Lieutenant) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 DRUZE (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Pitcher, D-Charges ( ) / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 28)

 4.5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army

I did not follow all the changes to DBS in the past , to be honest, but with some toying around with Beasthunters in QK, I fianlly got into the TAG-Raid profiles and the changes they brought to DBS. Diggers are all we wished for and Yuan Yuans are now a thing here, which is a great buff, too.
Full defensive core-teams are not really a thing at the moment, as I believe, but in this match-up, the Brawler MSR is one of my only tools to engage the Avatar or Sphinx. The fillers are just some ressources and anti-hacking put somewhere safe, protected by the Diggers. Scarface should do the heavy work by just throwing around some dice and hopefully stick around long enough. To have something like a roadblock, I included the Peacemaker. Hoping for some reduced capacity on the order pool, the Yuan Yuan should be the tool to take out cheerleaders, while Saito Togan should pop up at the objective in turn three, or should shredd something valuable crossing is hideout.

List CA:

 
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 / 5  / 5
 GAKI AP CC Weapon. (0 | 4)
 GAKI AP CC Weapon. (0 | 4)
 GAKI AP CC Weapon. (0 | 4)
 GAKI AP CC Weapon. (0 | 4)
 GAKI AP CC Weapon. (0 | 4)

GROUP 21
 ÍMETRON . (0 | 4)
 ÍMETRON . (0 | 4)
 SHROUDED (Minelayer) Combi Rifle, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 23)
 Q-DRONE Heavy Machine Gun / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 25)
 DĀTURAZI Chain Rifle(+1B), Grenades, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 14)
 CALIBAN (Engineer, Deactivator) Submachine Gun, Pulzar, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 28)
 Bit (Hacker], Killer Hacking Device [UPGRADE: Oblivion]) Submachine Gun, Pitcher ( | Deployable Repeater]) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 21)
   KISS! Adhesive Launcher, Pitcher(+1B) ( | Deployable Repeater) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 6)
 ZABUK Submachine Gun, Adhesive Launcher(+1B), Flash Pulse / Heavy Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-9). (0 | 15)
 AVATAR (Lieutenant [+1 Order, +1 Command Token]) MULTI Heavy Machine Gun, Sepsitor Plus / DA CC Weapon. (2.5 | 118)
   STALDRON Flash Pulse / CC Weapon. (0 | 0)
 SHROUDED (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Shock Mines ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 27)

 5 SWC | 299 Points
Open in Infinity Army

My opponent is a big fan of Ghakis, so they in addition to the Avatar - to distract from the Ghakis as the real thread - are the main thing of the list. Everything else besides the Q-drone are cheap and useful units to score points or backing up the Avatar, once the Ghakis are gone. On the one hand I was happy to finally face an Avatar, since he is really scarce in my meta, on the other hand, how happy can you be to face such thing?

The map:

We played from left to right. The map is defined by a higher, but very usable central formation and one bigger elevated platform in each DZ. I am not that used to suchcomplex scenery, where some odd firelanes can appear, but using different height-levels of a map is also out of my comfort-zone, so it was a nice challenge. There was one defining firelane in the north to the right DZ, while the south part was more difficult to oversee, but has the better ARO-spots for both sides.

I lost the Lt-roll and my opponent decided to go first. A little relief for me regarding the mission, but a clear sign that I would have to deploy properly to have something alive for my own turn. The right side seemed to be better to defend and with easier access to the antennas, so I deployed there second.

The Ghakis are scattered over the whole zone, ready to engange. The right side sees the Daturazi, Bit & Kiss are deployed in the center, while the Zabuk sits in the left corner, accompanied by one Imetron. The second one falls a bit off, but hidden behind some stones. Four camo-markers secure the center-line.
To get Scarface out of LoF, he needs to be deployed on my left flank behind the stones with the core-team on top of them. To not clump everything behind the rocks on the plateu, they are spread a bit on and behind the bridge. One Fugazi on the left, one on the right side. Behind the shallow building on the right, the EVO Kameel and the ABH wait for their time to shine. The ABH gets a panzerfaust, the Diggers an ODD and an ADHL. Saito starts next to the right antenna, since I expect the Avatar to come that way.
A Q-drone joins on the left, vice versa to my Brawler MSR and the Avatar takes the estimated place on the right. My Peacemaker is deployed on the far right, too.

CA 1: Slightly useless, but from here I need to hope - I take two orders away from the Avatars group. The Ghakis approach, the left one gets stunned and on the right one dies to the Peacemaker. The remaining ones wreck the Peacemaker, then it is time for the Avatar. First the Fugazi is shot, then it becomes clear that my deployment sucked, as the TAG gets LoF to the KHD, the Digger AND my Lt. Only the Digger survives what comes next, but the link is broken and I will start in LoL. Unfortunately, my opponent decides to switch to the center, not crossing Saitos path, to shoot down the Brawler. On the central structure, he enters suppressive fire.

DBS 1: With strict calculated command tokens, there is not that much to do for me here. The Yuan Yuan waits for the controlled jump, drops next to the Zabuk and Imetron and destroys the Imetron with his fancy light flamethrower while the Zabuk dodges. On my right flank, the ABH fails to do any damage on the Ghakis, so Cordelia and Scarface change positions for a better defense, then enter suppressive fire. A grenade thrown by the left Digger fails to get rid of the left Ghaki.

CA 2: On the right, a Caliban approaches and activates the antenna. The same is done by Bit & Kiss on the left, but also some repeaters are thrown in front of Scarface without further consequences, after the Ghaki there jumped into death. Meanwhile the Ghakis first eat the ABH, then berserk the EVO to death, which in return tasers both of them.

DBS 2: The only option available now is to keep enough ressources alive for the third turn, on which I plan to steal one antenna, clear it and take the tech-coffin. So Cordelia tries to minimize the coming risk for Scarface, but takes too many attempts to clear out all repeaters. With the remaining orders, Scarface can land to wounds on the Avatar. It decides to stay in suppressive fire, but I manage to engage it in 25".

CA 3: A Shrouded minelayer places some mines next to the Avatar, while the remaining Ghakis tear apart one of my diggers. The Daturazi secures the tech coffin, while the Caliban in camo-state sits next to the right antenna, Bit on the left.

DBS 3: The way the orders are distributed now won't allow me to clear the right antenna and control the coffin. Also the classified (follow up) does not fit into the current agenda. Saito is switched to the main-group and starts gambling with the antenna and the Caliban. I get a free chance to activate it, fail and then have to deal with both things in the last order. The decision is to activate the antenna and risking a free kill, which is what I get. While I would have been able to get 3 OP in total, killing the Caliban in CC would have gained me 1 and 2 for my opponent. With this case, I took 2 OP away from my opponent, potentially 3 if Saito would have survived.

The game ends with a 6-2 for CA. Even without my silly deployment, it would have taken only few orders more for my opponent to gun my down completely. An active use of the Avatar in the following turns would have put the last nails into the coffin. But even without that, the CC-abilities of the Ghakis combined with my thinned (and weak from the beginning) defense were enough to keep me away from threatening the scenario. In that way, the original plan of my opponent, distracting myself with the Avatar while the Ghakis do the job, turned out to be solid.
After this game, I probably will build the list differently and pay more attention to the midfield, also by including one or two more irregular troops. Also it would be a good idea to read the opposing profiles carefully. I thought the Avatar to have at least a nanopulsar or any kind of DTW of major importance, but that is not directly the case. So dropping the Yuan Yuan next to him and make him blind would have been an option. In general the changes to DBS added all the solutions to those kind of difficult situations, but they need to be figured out properly, which will be an interesting task for the future.

This years one and only real ITS 12 tournament

Our local group again used the better Covid-situation during summer to run a small real life tournament. With all the vaccination going on and a great, private location, we were able to invite some of our friends and not only get some real life experience, but also different players. Of course, what counted most: Meeting each other and moving your lovely metal-miniatures along the board!

Since I am looking for ways to change and improve my post-game writings, this tournament-report will also be a first trial for some competetive analysis. The goal is to look what plan existed before the game, how it could be implemented during the game and which circumstances lead to success or failure.

The missions for the tournament were Supplies, Firefight and Mindwipe (in that order, since I like to torture my attendees from time to time). Depending on what you like to play, you can easily build a list for Supplies and Mindwipe, since you need fast specialists in both cases and AD troops are viable, too. But also Mindwipe and Firefight match quite well, if you want to focus on a more aggressive style. This also leads to a situation, where players could take one list they are familiar with after this long break.
I missed to stay up-to-date with the latest TTS-meta and what factions are played most, but I expected some O-12, Hassassins and Nomads as most chosen factions among the 10 participants. Nevertheless, Haqqislam wasn't chosen once, Nomads were very popular and heavy armour in form of Invincible Army and PanO seemed to be appealing, too. I was the only O-12 player there with the following lists:

 Firefight
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  10  / 1  / 1
 CRUSHER (Combat Jump, Parachutist) Boarding Shotgun, Panzerfaust, D-Charges / Pistol, E/M CC Weapon. (0 | 36)
 ANDROMEDA (Infiltration [+6]) Submachine Gun, Zapper, Flash Pulse, D-Charges / Breaker Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 33)
 ZETA (NCO) Hyper-Rapid Magnetic Cannon, Heavy Riotstopper / AP CC Weapon. (2 | 81)
   ZETBOT Flash Pulse / CC Weapon. (0 | 0)
 CHO (Lieutenant) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15)
 FUZZBOT (Minesweeper, Repeater)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 8)
 KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 EPSILON Heavy Machine Gun, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 34)
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 BLUECOAT Submachine Gun, Heavy Riotstopper / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 16)
 BLUECOAT Submachine Gun, Heavy Riotstopper / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 16)

GROUP 21
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 GANGBUSTER (Minelayer, Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Submachine Gun, Madtraps ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 22)
 KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)

 3.5 SWC | 299 Points
Open in Infinity Army

I wanted to create a single list for Firefight with the lowest specialist-count possible without loosing much safety in it. While I more and more tend to a defensive play with O-12 and Varangians as well as Crushers don't use SWC, I often don't fully use them. The whole plan with this list is to present big threads, each with unique specifications. Ideally the opponent gets puzzled with that, loosing his threads to my pieces they are not suited for. And while Andromeda and the Zeta draw as much attention as possible, the Epsilon and the Crusher shall catch juicy targets off guard and score the points. To not get alpha-striked, a deployment which only makes you visible in your own half of the table, Andromeda as first roadblock and the Gangbuster as a second one are key. Only the classified-situation may turn out a bit difficult, since there is no doc and no engineer. This should be compensated mostly by the Crusher, but also the Gangbuster, Andromeda and Epsilon should be able to cover most of the classifieds I can't dismiss in the beginning.

Supplies Solo
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  10  / 1
 CRUSHER (Combat Jump, Parachutist) Boarding Shotgun, Panzerfaust, D-Charges / Pistol, E/M CC Weapon. (0 | 36)
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 EPSILON Heavy Machine Gun, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 34)
 RAPTOR Spitfire, Light Flamethrower / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 43)
   DEVABOT Heavy Flamethrower / PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 5)
 DAKINI Tacbot (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15)
 GANGBUSTER (Minelayer, Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Submachine Gun, Madtraps ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 22)
 ALPHA (Lieutenant [+1 Command Token], Strategos L1]) Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 LAMBDA (Engineer, Deactivator) Combi Rifle, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 16)
 YUDBOT PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 LAMBDA (Doctor) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 16)
 YUDBOT PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 OKO Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 16)

GROUP 21
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 RAZOR (Minelayer) Boarding Shotgun, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 32)

 3.5 SWC | 298 Points
Open in Infinity Army

While the backbone and defensive plan is the same as in list one, I traded the redundant attack-section for more specialists. The Raptor as well as the Epsilon are reliable door openers to guarantee that I will be able to grab at least two boxes early in the game, supported by the opportunities Alpha's Strategos may offer. To grab the boxes there are three fast specialists available (Gangbuster, Dakini, Oko), which also have a second role by themselfes. The Oko should be able to get me around camo-markers on the crates, the Dakini may deliver a medikit on the Raptor or the Epsilon in the midfield and the Gangbuster may scare some hackers away or glue someone on the crate with the madtrap. A backup are the Lambdas. Most of the time they should keep my defense and attack running, but if needed, they could clear some mines or grab a box. If I would go second, first the Razor should block one box away with his mine, then the Crusher should kill whoever secured a box in the enemy half.

But how did it turn out?

Game 1, Supplies vs. Corregidor

Corregidor seems to be the new hacking-monster with Jazz and Morans and so it came that I faced Jazz in a full link, several camo-markers, one in a nasty ARO-position and a smart missile launcher. Since I haven't played against Corregidor for a long time, I promptly forgot that there will be McMurder. I went second and got my deployment of the Raptor and the Alpha messed up by two repeaters out of my LoF, even if no missile was shot and my Alpha dodged like a king against an overwatching Intruder HMG. Nevertheless I was quite locked and turtled myself up, just killing stuff crossing the centerline. My opponent grabbed one box, handing it to an EVO-drone in his deployment and denied the other two. With a coinflip of landing my Crusher next to the EVO, I turned the game in the last round and won it with one to no boxes.
There was no glory for me in this game, just defending as long as possible and abusing one massive mistake made. If there would have been a second box grabbed by a Bandit or something else, I would have been screwed. I pretty much know how the guided-missile-game is played, but Corregidor is able to add so much other stuff as support or distraction, that it is really hard to counter it or give the pressure back. Morans are really strong...

Game 2, Firefight vs. JSA

Ah yes, JSA. Nothing good to trade up in Firefight, since everything is damn cheap and even more annoying. I got the second turn and saw Yoyimbo and an O-Yoroi deployed, while I messed up my choice of side again. I too often forget to consider cover for my TAGs, even if I only have lists featuring one. So the Zeta stood in LoF to the O-Yoroi directly. Andromeda couldn't counter him due to the coalas and the high CC. It took far to less orders to get the Zeta down, but at least Yoyimbo died fast. Everything I threw on the TAG bounced off until turn three, while I could smoke up the left flank for cheap with a Varangian. With a last push the TAG went down, scoring me not only the victory points itself, but also a killed Lt. This came down to surviving points, where I had three more, so again a really close game which was turned accidently by me to a win.
If there are AP-weapons on the field, your high-arm units will still die directly and you now really have to consider CC, since the new dodging gets everything close to everything else. And if you don't have AP weapons or have them only for CC, your plan was bad. If you have a look on the played TAGs and HIs now, most of them have at least a decent CC, if not MA2-3, so that your D-charges are no safe solution. For everything else a Varangian with chainrifle will solve most of your problems, since it cuts through many defensive strategies (at least if viable targets are around) and most of the time gets two orders to kill stuff thanks to dogged.

Game 3, Mindwipe vs. Nomads

And all of the sudden, I played the top-table. From the previous games I knew that there again will be a TAG, but for vanilla Nomads, that does not seem to exclude any other tools or strategies, so that I faced an extremely flexible list with Puppetbots, an Überfallkommando, hackers, Morans and camo-markers. I had to dig my way through Pi-well, Szally, Pupniks and a Moran, which lead to horrible losses in my active turn and an expensive activation of the console with my Dakini. Thanks to the Raptor and the Kyttas, I was able to defend my servers a bit, even with nothing to push further. But with the time running, the Raptor went down and the Pupniks finally smoked the server up, while Szally cut through everything else. My opponent here played quite clever, since a Liberto and some other combirifles were used to defend the own AI-server. This time my hail-mary failed with the Crusher eating two mines without tanking anything on his way to blow up the server.
This is something, I would call a bad match-up. Nomads are the flexibility per-se, where there is everything quite cheap and well equipped, while O-12 is specialised to the top. While my defined soultions for single situations may cut through one or two problems, they are cleared by the hundred other things not prepared for. Of course it needs a good piloting on the nomad-side, since everything may die easily if sent into the wrong target or positioned not in the best way, but then this really is a top-tier player.

So, what are the conclusions? First, the tournament showed, what we all already know: Armour now has a real value and CC is more frequent than before. From what I have recognized, even 10-order lists are performing not that bad, as you may expect from the changes to "limited insertion"-lists. An other point to consider is the thread of pitchers and hacking in general. Since this equipment bypasses LoF, even in a non-lethal way, hacking areas and places to deploy repeaters may something to take into account while setting up some tables. But far more important here is the amount of scatter terrain. Our tables tend to be slightly overfilled with small crates and similar stuff, where you can stand behind and get cover, but also have LoF. This created the situation, that especially heavy targets became even more annoying to be removed. Even with AP, each spitfire-hit becomes a coin-flip against Arm 3-targets in cover, so it may be a term of balancing to don't have cover everywhere.

Regarding my games and list-performance, I should be quite satisfied but am not directly. The two wins were last-minute actions, where mistakes, luck and only the skill of managing losses piled up. I still suck at alpha-striking and developing my board-position still is a bit difficult, but the defensive style did not turn out that bad as expected or experienced in N3. After the last game, I got the idea of a 'blob' list, which soaks up attacks turn one and two and plays the best card in the late game, where there are holes and the opponent isn't that focussed anymore. This needs several roadblocks, something to keep the orders alive, one or two gun-fighters to remove important threads and two fast and flexible winners, like the Crusher in the recent lists. So that will be something I will elaborate further, hoping to get over the paradigm of alpha-striking everything in N4 as the only win-condition.

Nevertheless, I scored the 4th place, overtaken by Shasvasti due to 6 more OPs. From what I read between the lines and had overheard during and after the tournament, everyone had a great day and it was a real pleasure to be back at the table and meet all the great guys from Lower Saxony again, even if it was only a small circle. Probably the first bigger event will be organized in spring 2022, if things won't escalate during winter, so we are looking forward to ITS 13.

How to start on tournaments

Thanks to more or less good developments of vaccination-rates, at least ideas and thoughts about real life tournaments are present. Even with the pandemic the community grew, so that now new players ask themselfes, if torunaments are the right place for them and how to start with them in the best way, but also experienced players may want to refresh their memory. This shall be the startig point for this guide on how to start on tournaments! First I want to give you an overview about where to find tournaments in your area and how to subscribe to them, followed by tips for the strategic planning for the tournament, leading to the tournament-day itself, so that you can fully focus on meeting new people and having some great games of Infinity.

 1. Why visiting an Infinity-tournament?

Maybe you already have some experiences with tabletop-tournaments or you are completely new to the topic - A tournament itself always implies a certain competetivety and with that some stress/challenge. So if you are not very experienced with Infinity yet, why should you directly join a tournament? From my experience, Infinity-tournaments are something special and just the aspect of connecting to the community and meeting each other to have some games in a row is all of the deal. Even if you are new to a community, you are always welcome and your current level of experience is taken into account, so that the more experienced players often talk you through the game after it is done and show you some new tricks. These new tricks are also a good argument for joining a tournament. It seems like there are no two communities playing the same Infinity and everyone gets stuck to some routes of playing from time to time. In a tournament, you will meet different players and see different approaches and game plans and also get some misunderstandings on rules corrected. You can't learn more than on a tournament. An other aspect are the more or less secured set games you will get. While you get in one or two games per game night, on a tournament you will have at least three games and a complete day dedicated to the hobby, so you can really dive into it and enjoy this time. In conclusion there is no need to be worried about a high level of competetivity or some kind of gatekeeping. Moreover you will get to know many cool new guys and ways to play Infinity and enhance your experience.

2. What is an Infinity-tournament?

Before we dive deeper into the topics about tournaments, a short description of the overall system and what you may expect shall be given. Tournaments for Infinity most of the time follow the official ITS-rules (Infinity Tournament System). These rules are updated annualy with seasonal extras and slight changes to the mission set. It also adds some additional rules. For the moment we are in the 12th season, which will end in late September and will reset the official ranking. Each tournament following the ITS-rules can and should be reported in the official system (OTM), where your own ELO is calculated and your ranking on different levels is done depending on the number of tournaments played and of course your scoring. In most cases you will play the ITS-missions by default on your normal game-nights, so you will already know most of them. Nevertheless some tournaments will add one or more custom-missions or missions from previous seasons. The missions themselves are not changed. One special thing of ITS is the opportunity to bring two lists to the tournament. Both lists need to be from the same sectorial or vanilla-list but may contain completely different profiles, which will be discussed later. You may play both lists in the tournament but you don't need to. This adds a great opportunity to have the right tools available for each mission and evens out some scisor-rock-paper moments you may know from other tabletops.
Besides the rulewise factors, there is the event itself. Tournaments tend to be organized as one-day events with three rounds or as two-day events with four to five rounds. In Europe most two-day events have three games on the first day and two on the second and are held on weekends. One-day events are also organzied on weekends, mostly on Saturdays but also on Sundays. Depending on the organizer smaller events will be held in private rooms, local game stores or community-rooms with eight to 24 players. Bigger events may also be held in bigger locations. Most of the time a certain kind of catering (coffee up to lunch) is given or at least there are places to get some food nearby, so that you won't starve on a whole day of gaming. In most cases you don't need to bring terrain by yourself since the organizing team has enough terrain by themselves or someone else will also bring some terrain, leading to good and consistent maps in most cases. To pay for catering, the room and prizes, one-day events are priced around 10€ per participant, while two-day events are more expensive, depending on what is added to the whole event.

3. Finding tournaments

Infinity-tournaments of differenz sizes are held in many regions of the world, while the density depends mostly on the number of players in the region. Normally most urban areas have at least a small community, which has a WarCor or other motivated members, organizing tournaments from time to time. So the first and most important way to find local or regional tournaments is to connect with your local or regional community via messanger-apps, facebook, table-top forums or whatever community-place there may be. If there is a game store nearby, you probably could ask there, if they know about Infinity-players in the region.
To search directly for tournaments, the official tournament manager from Corvus Belli is your best friend. There you not only have to subscribe to a tournament and register your lists, which will be described below, but also can search for organized ITS-events. Since most of the organized tournaments will follow the ITS-rules and will be officially reported, they should be listed there. Only some may be missing, mostly smaller, more or less private events or tournaments which are organized via an other software and will be reported later.
Many tournaments then are shared via regional platforms like T3 in Germany, facebook (national groups, continental groups,...) or over forums. Maybe there are hobby-forums where you can also look, depending on where the national community is mostly organized around. Greater events are also often shared in the official Corvus Belli forum.

4. How to prepare for a tournament?

The preperation for an upcoming tournament maybe is the most important part, since here you set directions for your success and your enjoyment in the actual tournament. This covers of cours your list and the practice, but also the soft-factors and surroundings you should take care of. But lets start with the crucial points: Your lists and your practice!

What makes Infinity-tournaments special is the opportunity to bring two lists instead of just one to the event and don't be forced to use both of them. On the one hand, this makes the preperation a bit more difficult, since you need to build and practice two lists, but on the other hand it helps you to reduce the stress of only one list. Here you are able to to prepare one list for one set of situations and have a second one, which covers the other situations (missions, table set-ups, opponents,...). But what is now the best approach to list-building?

As you already know, Infinity is a game of playing to the objectives instead of killing whatever moves across the table. In a tournament, you want to score as many tournament-points (TP) as first score, objective points (OP) as second score and victory points (VP) as third score. Especially the new scoring system of season 12 implies that it is always a good idea to score as many objective points as possible, so the most important requirement for your list and the practice is to fit to the played missions. For this you need to know what missions are played and what are the win-conditions of these missions. There are several ITS-go throughs and mission-focusses available on the internet for your help.

Once you know what is needed to score points in the played missions, the big question is, how to build your lists in regard to this. In most cases you start to build one list, which will work well in one part of the missions, while your second list will cover the rest of the played missions. But there may be occasions where missions are quite similar or your first list turned out very flexible. In this case you could build a second list designed to cover a table set-up your first list may won't fit well (open terrain/dense terrain), or a certain list-archetype or faction your first list will have bigger troubles against (camo-spam, TAG-lists, guided-missiles,...). This one is a bit advanced, since you need to know the strength of your first list very well and you need to know when an opponent will pick one of the uncovered lists etc.. So I would advice you to focus on the missions for your first experiences.

Before you now start clicking together all you need and find interesting, pay a little attention to what you have already played some times and what you are familiar with. Of course that may be something sub-optimal, but in the end you at least have an idea how to use the pieces with the expected outcome, while new toys may need extra concentration and practice to be used properly. While looking back at my first tournament-games, I had to focus a lot to at least play the game in a way I normally do and not screwing completely due to exitement. Maybe you are more focussed (I really wish you are), but nevertheless experience is king here, so stick at least to some extend to what you already know!

In the best case, you don't go alone to the tournament and have one of your regular opponents ging there, too. This gives you a good opportunity, to practice your lists and the missions before the tournament to get a better feeling and understanding of how the mission works and how your list works to this. From my experience especially the missions play quite different than you read them and to get the right timing for clicking the buttons and stop killing stuff often needs some practice. Based on this, I would advice to try and practice each mission at least once. This gives you an idea of what will happen and you will have played each list at least once. If you don't have the time for this, focus on the most unfamiliar things. If one mission-type is completely new for you, practice at least that type once. If you play a quite unfamiliar list, have at least one game with that list. The goal here is to give you a bit more auto-pilot-feeling in the tournament and reduce the impact of nervousness.

 
Besides this, there is a list of items you should prepare before the tournament. This should help you as a check-list:

• Arc-marked miniatures (all of them in some way, but in a clear way!)
  
• All tokens you may need in the needed number (unconscious, prone, wounds, orders, ...)
• Silhouette-markers, since you will see new terrain and want to check LOF reasonable
• Measuring tape
• 5 D20 dice
  
• Printed out version of your lists
• Printed out versions of the responding courtesy lists
• All miniatures and maybe holo-decoys you may need (including HVTs)
• Classified deck
• Comlog-app on your smartphone
  
• Pen and some paper to note hidden information etc.
• Something to eat and drink for yourself to stay energized
  

5. The tournament itself

All of the previous advice and the few following only lead to one, very important advice: Have fun and enjoy the tournament! Many struggles and problems may be already dealed with, so now there are only a few to keep in mind on the big day.
Arrive in time, better a bit earlier than too late. Infinity-tournaments life from no long speeches and introductions as well as a more or less calculatable time-table. So if you arrive too late, you either create a delay in the whole timeplan or you will miss some important information and clarifications on the tables etc. But even more important is that you will miss the chance to have a chilled arrival, grab your first coffee and have a chat with the participants already there, talking a bit through the tables or ideas you had during practice.
The time-table is also the most important thing to keep in mind but don't be stressed about. If you look at the schedules of the most tournaments, there is only a little lunch-break, while the rounds flow into each other. Most of the time, one round will have a duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes, translated in 30 minutes for deployment for both players and one hour playtime for each player. Sometimes chessclocks are used, but not that often. Thanks to your practice, you will be able to direct your lists through the game in the given time, since you may have a plan, know your rules and don't have to look everything up. In my experience, the time is long enough, if you are no really slow player. If that is the case, you should add some practice to get your games done in 2 hours 30, which will also benefit your regular gamenights. Often your games will end much faster than expected, since the outcome is clear and everybody played their hands, adding the needed and wanted time for some snacks, coffee and chats with your opponents and the other players. So you don't need to fear starving or having no time to get to know new people.

Hopefully I could answer some questions regarding Infinity-tournaments with this guide and give you an idea about those events and why to join them. Some aspects around missions and list-building are described elsewhere way better than I could give it in this guide, so check out all the other ressources available (Bromad Acadamy, The Dice Abide, Goonhammer,...). Nevertheless, let me know if you have further questions, want to share your experiences or have something else to share to this topic!

Now don't panic [DBS vs. ISS]

 

After two serious losses in the Quadratekämpfer-tournament, there was no space left for any kind of ambition, especially with Panic Room as the last mission. What got me motivated again was my opponent thi time: 8-bit, one of our german podcast-hosts and someone I was eager to play against for some time now. While I built a more or less silly list for this mission, 8-bit tried to get in touch with ISS during the tournament. Our pairing maybe said all about this attempt so far.

PanicSquad
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  10  
 BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 27)
 DRUZE (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Pitcher, D-Charges ( ) / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 30)
 WOLFGANG AMADEUS MULTI Rifle(+1B), Chain-colt / Heavy Pistol, DA CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 35)
 VALERYA GROMOZ (Hacker) Combi Rifle, Zapper, Pitcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 21)
 ARSLAN (Lieutenant) MULTI Rifle, Light Shotgun / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 36)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 BULLETEER Spitfire / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 23)
 DRUZE (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Pitcher, D-Charges ( ) / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 28)
 DRUZE (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Pitcher, D-Charges ( ) / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 28)
 PEACEMAKER Spitfire / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 26)
   AUXBOT_3 Heavy Flamethrower / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 4)

GROUP 23  
 KAMEEL  (Hacker, EVO Hacking Device)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 15)
 PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)

 5 SWC | 298 Points
Open in Infinity Army

Well, for the moment I don't really know how to approach this mission. We played this game before we had the last IGIL-round, so the Starmada-list was a bit more thought out, based on the experiences of this game. My thoughts behind here were to avoid being hacked to death or templated to death in the room. So the KHDs, advacing in a duo-link this time, should block the room in impersonation-state and when it is time, Arslan and Wolfgang, ideally with the HD still alive, storm the room and dodge whatever warband is chainrifling into the room. The Bulleteer and maybe the Pathfinder should open up the passage for the important units here.

 
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  10  
 DEVA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 DEVA (Multispectral Visor L2) Spitfire, Nanopulser ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1 | 33)
 ADIL (Specialist Operative, Veteran) Breaker Combi Rifle, Nanopulser(+1B) / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 32)
 SÙ-JIÀN Spitfire, Light Flamethrower, Panzerfaust / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 54)
 KǍNRÈN (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt ( ) / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0.5 | 28)
 KǍNRÈN (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt ( ) / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0 | 26)
 CELESTIAL GUARD (Lieutenant) Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 13)
 CELESTIAL GUARD Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 13)
 MAJOR LUNAH VIRAL Sniper Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 29)
 BOUNTY HUNTER Submachine Gun, Akrylat-Kanone / Breaker Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 12)

GROUP 25  / 3
 KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 5)
 KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 5)
 CELESTIAL GUARD Monitor Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenade Launcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 13)
 KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 5)
 CHAĪYÌ Yaókòng Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)

 5 SWC | 299 Points
Open in Infinity Army

Without knowing ISS very well, the approach was exactly what I had imagined: A bunch of throw-away warbands in form of Kuang Shis to clear the room and annoy whatever there will be, two Kanrens to do the digital work and a flexible haris, which first shoot things down, then enters the room and scores the points. Some redundancy is added by the Sujian and Lunah, both potent killers and valuable for the mission.

This round we got the one Icestorm-map with all the tweeks and twerks this terrain has in TTS and in real life. Once I got wiped out by Karolis and a Tikbalang here, since TAGs really enjoy this terrain. There are some nice firelanes on the right and in this version the denser left side got more open, so that something deployed savely on a roof has a quite big impact. This map too was not designed for the reduced DZ, making deployment quite messy.

I loose the Lt-roll and get to go second and deploy second in the south. Since I feel better with going second in this mission, that is quite nice.
One (or three) Kanren infiltrates right in front of the room, while an other one is deployed on the left, next to the Kuanghsi-link and a camo-marker. The haris-team starts in the center and all the other stuff is deployed more or less hidden on the right.
Most of my eggs go on the right side: Bulleteer, Fugazi and core-link. The left side is secured by the Pathfinder and the other Fugazi, while my KHDs for some reason start together on a central rooftop. Due to the unfitting deployment, most of my stuff starts quite near to my table-edge.
As reserve, a Su-Jian starts on the left and my Peacemaker fails his deployment and also starts in my table-edge in the center.

ISS 1: With two regular orders removed from group one, the haris under smoke advances on the right. The MSV Deva tries to engage my MSR but is shot down. So the Su-JIan takes over, rocketing itself on the high building on the left and transforming into his shooty-form. The Kanrens and Kuangshi advance.

DBS 1: To disable the transformer, the Peacemaker is sent out and in the far too long progress the Su-Jian recieves a wound but takes out the Auxbot and somehow the Fugazi, which tried to support his robot-friend. With the mission in mind, the core-team advances. A panzerfaust-shot pastes the Brawler, leaving me in suboptimal conditions. Now Arslan himself takes over the situation but fails every dodge and barely manages to enter the room alive. At least I score two points but lose my Bulleteer to the zone.

ISS 2: The Kuangshis use my scattered defense on the right and round that flank. One kills Gromoz and scoring Extreme Prejudice on her. One Kanren first shoots down Arslan, then clearing the Peacemaker. With a cat-like jump towards the ground, the Su-Jian kills my Kameel. To get more points into the room, the remaining of the haris-team join the Kanren there.

DBS 2: First the Pathfinder dies while trying to get rid of a Kuangshi, then Wolfgang takes over. Thanks to a surrendered situation, I lose my HD and one wound from Wolfgang to the Kuanghsi, as Wolfgang manages to enter the room but not to tear the Deva into pieces in CC. The plague kills both KHDs and 8-bit scores two points.

ISS 3: Adil and his friends execute Wolfgang in CC and close the room from the inside, leaving me with nothing to do.

So this game ends like all the others recently: I loose 7-2 with only one Fugazi remaining. Of course, my list was not optimal, but with how the dice went, a far better list would not have made a big impact, I guess. The Su-Jian tanked so many shots and killing everything in return, while most of the stuff on my side wore paper-armor and iron-gloves to avoid any successfull dodging-attempt. In the end my choice of deployment kicked off a catastrophic snowball-effect, since I maneuvered myself into a bad starting-position, from where I could not rescue three regular orders and valuable pieces. If I could get my KHDs into the game, things may have changed, but so they were trapped on the roof, overwatched by the Su-Jian, while the plague advanced.
If it was mostly my performance, my opponents skill or the dice rolled - I reached the last place of the tournament. Nevertheless I am still a big fan of my DBS-REMtasy-list and DBS in general.

Smart x Quatronic [DBS vs. Bakunin]

 

One of the goals of the IGIL was to leave room for other TTS-tournaments besides our league, like RAL, VaulSCs events or even some german ones. One of these were the latest iteration of Tristan228s 'Quadrate Kämpfer', where I wanted to bring back my DBS in some competitive games. Different from most of the recent TTS-tournaments, the maps were different for each pairing of each round. The first mission was Supremacy, where I faced Tristan228 himself on the former Field Test-map from VaulSC, which was slightly modified to fit with the needs of the other two missions.

REMtasy Rebirth 1
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  10  
 DRUZE (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Pitcher, D-Charges ( ) / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 30)
 DRUZE (Lieutenant) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 VALERYA GROMOZ (Hacker) Combi Rifle, Zapper, Pitcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 21)
 BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 27)
 BOUNTY HUNTER Submachine Gun, Akrylat-Kanone / Breaker Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 12)
 BULLETEER Spitfire / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 23)
 DRUZE (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Pitcher, D-Charges ( ) / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 28)
 DRUZE (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Pitcher, D-Charges ( ) / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 28)
 PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)

GROUP 24  / 1  
 CLIPPER DRONBOT Missile Launcher / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 16)
 PEACEMAKER Heavy Shotgun / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 20)
   AUXBOT_3 Heavy Flamethrower / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 4)
 KAMEEL  (Hacker, EVO Hacking Device)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 15)
 KAMEEL  (Hacker, EVO Hacking Device)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 15)
 HUNZAKUT  (Forward Observer) Rifle, Light Shotgun, Shock Mines ( | Deployable Repeater) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 18)

 6 SWC | 299 Points
Open in Infinity Army

I decided to take my REMtasy-list for this tournament, since it is quite flexible, the Clipper lets me reach most of the threads and I am more and more used to how the double EVO and double KHD works well. The plan was not that sophisticated here: Implement a network of repeaters in the midfield, dig in the Peacemaker and the KHDs somewhere to secure the zones and then let the Clipper do the clean-up.

 
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  9  / 1  / 1
 REAKTION ZOND Heavy Machine Gun / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 25)
 VERTIGO ZOND Missile Launcher / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 17)
 TSYKLON Feuerbach, Pitcher / PARA CC Weapon(-6). (1 | 36)
 RIOT GRRL (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle, Blitzen / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 29)
 RIOT GRRL Spitfire / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 33)
 RIOT GRRL Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 27)
 BRAN DO CASTRO Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 31)
 ZERO (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Shock Mines ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 22)
 MODERATOR (Lieutenant) Combi Rifle / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 9)
 MORLOCK Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 6)

GROUP 21
 ZOE & Π-WELL undefined / undefined. (0 | 44)
   ZOE (Hacker) Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 25)
   PI-WELL Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 19)
 MORLOCK Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 6)
 ZONDBOT PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 ZONDBOT PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 SALYUT (Deactivator, Repeater)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 8)

 5 SWC | 299 Points
Open in Infinity Army

One thing you get to used to, is the fact that there is always a faction that can do DBS stuff better and more precisely. This game should display this situation perfectly, where Tristan228 brought a quite similar list regarding the plan of nuking everything out of the quadrants. Unfortunately Bakunin has some better support with Zoe & Pi-Well, Riot-Girls and Zeros by hand. 

As mentioned, the map was a slightly modified iteration of VaulSCs Field Test-map. An objective room was added in the center, creating an additional long firelane through the center, which made the central ARO-position in the north side even more powerful and LoS on the map even more difficult. But that was seen to late and I fell to my earlier experiences on the original map.

Bakunin wins the Lt-roll and I deploy first in the south, also going first.

To utilize the ARO-position on the right, my core-team together with the Clipper is deployed around the building there. The EVOs are scattered behind, while the center is taken by the Pathfinder, a KHD and the Fugazi. On the left the Peacemaker and the second KHD should take care of intruders.

Adversary to my core-team a TR-bot starts, backed up by a Zondbot. The second Zondbot accompanis the Riot-core with the Tsyklon on the central building. Zoe hides behint it, the SML-REM on the left, also overwatching some firelanes. Pi-Well should run up the left, together with a Morlock. The second one is on the right and one camo-marker starts in the center.

My Bulleteer should take the right side and a camo marker infiltrates on the left right in front of my DZ.

DBS 1: I notice that I am quite pinned with most of my tools, so I ned to get rid of the TR-bot and at least the Tsyklon, in best cases completely. The boosted Bulleteer runs up the the right, shoots down the Tsyklon and enters suppressife fire with the TR in ZoC. Of course Gromoz has the wrong codes downloaded and fails to spotlight it. Both KHDs advance cybermasked and the Clipper needs to be rescued from the rooftop.

Bakunin 1: Zoe repairs the Tsyklon, which lands a repeater next to the Bulleteer. Bakunin is better in coding, so the bot is targeted, scoring telemetry, then shot by the Riot spitfire. Pi-Well advances, activating the first console after the left Morlock gets stunned in the midfield.

DBS 2: Since all the ARO-pieces are still in place, I continue with turn one plan: Shooting things down. The Brawler MSR takes the job, downing both REMs and the repeater. The Hunzakut advances in the midfield but fails to get rid of the advanced Morlock. While trying to gun down the central marker, he is shot by a Riot. The central KHD takes over, eleminating the Morlock but also getting shot by the chain rifle.

Bakunin 2: Again the Tsyklon returns but then is finally wrecked by my MSR Brawler. The remaining Morlock discovers the last KHD but is stunned before doing any damage. SO the Zero KHD tries to hack this out and eats a crit in return. This streak is continued by Pi Well advancing and getting also stunned and isolated. To crown the situation, the core-team advances and fires a medikit (there needs to be a Moderator paramedic or something like that) at the Zero, which hits but only breaks his neck completely.

DBS 3: Well, that last turn was in my favour, but if that really helps is the question. I still have not enough pieces left to a) move into the quadrants and b) gun down the threads there. So I try to maximize my OPs. The Pathfinder shoots down the last Morlock and advances on the right. In the second try, it manages to activate a console. Pi Well is nuked off the table and Bran manages to shoot down the Peacemaker, which settles the result of the game.

I loose 10-2 in this first round of the Quadratekämpfer-tournament. Some bad decisions during deployment and missing trust in my MSR Brawler shaped the game and set me on the backfoot after turn one. Of course, the Bulleteer would have been able to wreck the Tsyklon and also the TR-bot, but thanks to remote presence and the ability to fall prone now, that could not be expected. Starting with my core-team would have been more reliable and less risky and also would have left me with enough orders to do what I always should do first with this list: Setting up a decent repeater-network. Normally I am not efficient enough with killing in turn one, but with this list, that should not be the goal. But instead doing what I always do, I switch to the opposite here and start killing stuff...Crazy world.

Don't panic, police is on the way! [Starmada vs. CA]

 

After nearly three months, the last IGIL-round started. With only one victory for me, chances of ending on the last ranks were quite high, so I hoped for a good match-up in this last round. I was quite surprised to get Surmelk as my opponent, but was very glad to finally have the opportunity to face him after orbiting each other since ENTE in last summer. It was well planned to take Starmada for this mission, since what could be a better use for a linked Hector than clearing a room with his plasma-rifle?

 
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  10  / 1
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 BETATROOPER (Killer Hacking Device) Submachine Gun, Nanopulser(+1B) ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 33)
 HECTOR (Lieutenant [+1 Order]) Plasma Rifle, Nanopulser, Grenades ( | TinBot: Firewall [-3]) / Heavy Pistol, EXP CC Weapon. (0 | 69)
 TIAN GǑU 1st Section Boarding Shotgun, Grenades, Jammer / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23)
 CHO (Chain of Command) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 20)
 PSI-COp (Multispectral Visor L1) Nanopulser(+1B), MULTI Marksman Rifle ( ) / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 25)
 NYOKA Heavy Rocket Launcher, Chain-colt / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (1 | 19)
 NYOKA Heavy Rocket Launcher, Chain-colt / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (1 | 19)
 OKO Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 16)
 RAPTOR (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) MULTI Rifle, Light Flamethrower ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 42)
   DEVABOT Heavy Flamethrower / PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 5)

GROUP 21
 WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse ( ) / Stun Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)

 2 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army


There were several iterations of this list in the planning-process with this destilled one finally used. Always set were the Raptor KHD to secure the room with cybermask and NCO and heavy on points and Hector in a small core-link with a Tian Gao jammer. Plasma for the room, a jammer to stop things from entering it. Here a HD Psi Cop should spice the link and increase the defensive potential of the constellation. To not get overrun that fast, a Peeler should sit on one antenna and two HRL Nyokas in a haris together with the feared MMR Psi Cop should secure the midfield. Everything else was there for orders and utility, as always.

 Shasvastii Expeditionary Force
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  9  / 2  / 1
 SPHINX Spitfire, Heavy Flamethrower(+1B) / DA CC Weapon. (2 | 93)
   SCINDRON Flash Pulse / CC Weapon. (0 | 0)
 NOCTIFER Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 NOCTIFER Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 CALIBAN (Engineer, Deactivator) Submachine Gun, Pulzar, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 28)
 SLAVE DRONE PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) Light Flamethrower(+1B), Flash Pulse / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 9)
 IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) Light Flamethrower(+1B), Flash Pulse / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 9)
 R-DRONE Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 SHROUDED Boarding Shotgun, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 22)
 MENTOR (Lieutenant) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23)
 TAIGHA Chain-colt / DA CC Weapon. (0 | 6)

GROUP 24
 NOCTIFER Missile Launcher / Assault Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 32)
 TAIGHA Chain-colt / AP + Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 5)
 TAIGHA Chain-colt / AP + Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 5)
 TAIGHA Chain-colt / AP + Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 5)
 TAIGHA Chain-colt / AP + Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 5)

 3.5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army

A full second group of pure distraction and annoiance is paired with some utility and a big hammer in group one. While the Taighas clear and secure the midfield, one Noctifer each turn can secure the room as headquarter troop, followed by the Mentor in turn three. On the outside the Sphinx terrorizes everything walking towards the room. If it gets down, the Caliban is there to get it back in the game.

 

The map for this round was provided by TJE, who gratefully forgot about the smaller DZs in this mission, leaving a total mess on both sides regarding deployment. The left had some longer fire-lanes, while the right was heavily obstructed for some close-range action. There were several nice ARO-spots on the containers, but most of the stuff put on there would die soon.

Surmelk wins the Lt-roll and let me deploy first in the south, while I go for the second turn, trusting on Hector and his plasma-gun.

The Hector-link together with the Peeler start on the left, since I can advance covered most of the time, while the other haris takes the right side. I need to clump my KHD Raptor in the center with good access to the room and shuffle my other units wherever possible in cover, only overwatching my half of the table.

Five camo-markers start in the center, one with a slave-drone on it. A TO-unit infiltrates directly in front of the room and five Taighas also start in the center. They are reinforced by two Ikadrons and an R-drone.

Hector and my Raptor are deployed as described before and a big TO-marker appears on the right side.

CA 1: I restrict Surmelk for only one CT this turn, which may appear as an old Biotechvore-habit, not useful for panic-room. All Taighas advance, also the markers does and the TO enters the room. Now the Sphinx approaches my haris, but first shredding Cho. In a rage, the Psi Cop then crits two wounds on the TAG (remembering the Moderator and my Crusher...) forcing it to retreat. On this way, Hector gets wounded by it and the Oko is shot. Some orders are left to further advance the Taighas into the center. As the biotech-zone strikes, the Sphinx falls unconscious and maybe one Ikadron.

Starmada 1: One Varangian clears the room and dies in return. While the Raptor advances, a Noctifer appears but failing to wound him. Here I had fallen to a decoy and calculated the models on the table wrong. While entering the room, some more Taighas are cleared but one is left in CC with him inside the room. On the left the haris advances a bit to make sure nothing is going to repair the Sphinx. My Warcor is eaten by nanobees.

CA 2: After scoring with the Raptor, the Taigha eats him in CC and a new marker is thrown into the room. The other orders are used to let the slave drone sneak a shadowy path towards the Sphinx and finally reaching it and bringing it back.

Starmada 2: After surviving one crit from the Sphinx, the Psi Cop MMR takes a second one and dies. Also the Varangian guard burns to death before reaching the TAG. My core-team can avoid the Noctifer ML and shove the Beta into the room, clearing the last Taigha. An intuitive Jam against the marker in the room fails. Somehow I am outscored in the room, so there needs to be a second marker also in the room at this point.

CA 3: Ignoring the serious damages, the Sphinx starts a new rampage, clearing both Nyokas, then the Beta with one shot, followed by Hector through the room, who failed to dodge a single time. Also the BSG from the Tian Gao fails to down it, while the bearer dies. 

Starmada 3: In LoL with only the Peeler left, things are done.

I loose 7-3 here with some luck here and there and a terrible revenge of a to early killed Sphinx. The performance in turn one was terrible and the false estimation of the biotech-zone was really bad, but the high effort to bring it back in turn 2 saved Surmelk the game here. After the Psi Cop could not manage to get it killed, my tools to remove such a unit were gone. Here I finally decided to never again leave the house without the Epsilon HMG. Even if there isn't always a target needing the MSV 2, most of the time the points are invested properly here. Besides that, Surmelk did a great shell-game with his markers, a great mess with all these Taighas and some brave decisions. On my side I am really satisfied with the Raptor here, since the Devabots are very useful, the multirifle also and the combination of 6-2 movement and the marker-state of the KHD is real gold.
One word needs to be said to the haris-team: The Psi Cop is that scary and potent as everyone says, since it is a well rounded toolbox and once it gets B4 in the haris, you can wipe out most things in the late game with it. Most of the time at least. Screening him with one or two Nyoka HRLs at least is cheap and possible. You always have SWC unused in Starmada and the HRL is quite cheap, so the link is created on the way. Nevertheless Nyokas lack some mimetism or better BS for their points, even with C+. So I am still not a big fan of them regarding their performance, but they are a nice tool if you want to include more of the expensive stuff Starmada offers and still want to have some scattered utility

Not the right countermeasures [O-12 vs. Nomads]

 

After the last IGIL-game against CrazyNomad, a more or less serious streak of bad luck hit me, which should be ended in the next IGIL-game against Tzwenne, one newer player in our german TTS-meta. As it appeared, there would again be Morans to ruin my day, as he played Nomads in the league. But with vanilla O-12 I should have all the options available to make a good appearance in this rounds mission: Countermeasures.

IGIL Highly
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  9  / 1
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 ALPHA (Lieutenant [+1 Command Token], Strategos L1]) Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 BETATROOPER Spitfire, Nanopulser(+1B) ( | TinBot: Firewall [-3]) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 41)
 RAZOR (Minelayer) Boarding Shotgun, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 32)
 SIRIUS (Hacker, Hacking Device) Submachine Gun ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 25)
   SIRIUSBOT Heavy Riotstopper / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 5)
 OKO Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 16)
 KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 ANDROMEDA (Infiltration [+6]) Submachine Gun, Zapper, Flash Pulse, D-Charges / Breaker Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 33)
 PARVATI Submachine Gun(+1B), Flash Pulse ( | GizmoKit, MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 38)
 YUDBOT PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 YUDBOT PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)

GROUP 21
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 FUZZBOT (Minesweeper, Repeater)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 8)
 CRUSHER (Combat Jump, Parachutist) Boarding Shotgun, Panzerfaust, D-Charges / Pistol, E/M CC Weapon. (0 | 36)
 WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse ( ) / Stun Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)

 2.5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army

With Countermeasures as a object-heavy and dynamic mission, I invested more into the flexible potential to fulfill most of the classifieds. All difficult problems shall be removed on the way with the specialists like Razor, Sirius, Andromeda or the Crusher. If there are serious roadblocks, the Beta, backed up by Parvati would be the option. This should also create an opportunity to score test run. Maybe the Oko needs some explanation here, since they are not that frequent in many lists. While I have no good units to clear the midfield (I don't want to sacrifice a Varangian for a simple shock-mine), I made good experiences with a sensor-sweep and then using the normal tools to gun things down. Here the Oko should also enlarge the repeater-network and give additional opportunities to score test run. The AD Crusher is picked over the cheaper options just because of the better opportunity to reach HVTs.

 
Countermeasured
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  9  / 1  / 1
 MODERATOR (Lieutenant) Combi Rifle / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 9)
 MODERATOR Combi Rifle / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 9)
 MODERATOR Combi Rifle / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 9)
 CHIMERA Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Eclipse Grenades / Viral CC Weapon, Pistol. (0 | 20)
   3X PUPNIK DA CC Weapon. (0 | 3)
 KUSANAGI Spitfire / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (1.5 | 42)
 JAZZ FTO undefined / undefined. (0.5 | 19)
   JAZZ FTO (Hacker, Number 2) Submachine Gun, Pitcher, Cybermines / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 19)
 DAKTARI Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14)
 KRIZA BORAC Heavy Machine Gun / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 54)
 BRAN DO CASTRO Combi Rifle, E/Mitter / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 33)
 ZERO (Minelayer) Combi Rifle, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 20)

GROUP 22
 MORAN (Repeater) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse, D-Charges, Crazykoala ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 17)
 MORAN (Repeater) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse, D-Charges, Crazykoala ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 17)
 BANDIT (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Light Shotgun, Adhesive Launcher ( ) / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 25)
 MORLOCK Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Assault Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 6)
 MORLOCK Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Assault Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 6)

 5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army
 

While Zero and Bandit should score some points on their way, the Morans should slow things down. Bran do Castro should mess up with my deployment early and if that won't do it, Kusanagi should carry the killing-task. Jazz and the Daktari are there for additional support. And once you have experienced the Chimera, you know that they are there for pure mess.

For this mission, we used the map I built for our Daedalus Fall campaign with some elevated elements in the center and some floating platforms to jump from them towards the central tower. In the south you have to quite safe spots to hide stuff, one on the left and one on the right, while the north side can start attacks easily via the center and defend itself from both corners. The right side appears to be more open than the left.

I win the Lt-roll and take the first turn to shape the game in my way. I am given the south DZ.

Guarded by the Warcor, my Alpha and Fuzzbot take the left corner with the Oko nearby, utilizing the close quarters on that side. Beta and Parvati in the center, a Kytta on the premium-mid range ARO-spot also in the center. One additional Kytta overwatches the right side. Both Varangians start in the central right. Since the map isn't optimized for forward deployment, the Sirius-team tries to hide properly on the central left.

Kusanagi and the Morlock take the left, while three camo-markers, a Moran and the Kriza are screening the center and the right side. The Kriza for this is deployed in an ARO-position. Bran fails his roll and appears behind the Kriza, nearly out of the game.
The Razor is hiddenly deployed in front of my left castle, just in case something goes for the Lt-kill and Andromeda successfully infiltrates just in front of Kusanagi. This is overwatched by a second Moran, lying on a floating platform. Kusanagi enters suppressive fire.

O-12 1: I need to spotlight something and only the Oko is flexible enough to reach one without crossing LoF to the Kriza and dealing with the camo-markers in the center. But first a Varangian runs up the left and clears the Koalas of the Moran threatening Andromeda. Then the Oko moves up the center and while getting in LoF to two camo-markers, I make the wrong decision and get shot by the Zero. So the mission-potential is done and the fun-part can start. Andromeda recieves one wound from Kusanagi and only does one in return with a D-charge on her. The Morlock dodges in the way and needs two orders to get removed. In the last try to get Kusanagi, Andromeda is shot from the Moderator and fails to wreck Kusanagi.

Nomads 1: The right Morlock advances, also the Chimera does. Morlock gets stunned, then the Kriza takes out the Kytta. On the left, the Chimera and her Pupniks advance further, clearing the mine and the Sirius. Meanwhile the left Moran designates one HVT and the Bandit KHD scans the disabled Oko.

O-12 2: Not the best situation, but nothing is lost here. The classifieds are all three nice for me (or my AD Crusher). But first the Chimera needs to go. The Razor appears, but all BSG-hits are saved. So I focus on the mission and bring in the Crusher on the left edge, in LoF of the left Moderator. With NWI, mimetism, bad range and low BS, this appears to be safe and more reliable than AD. The first shot is survived, but in the next order the Crusher gets a crit and dies completely.

Here there is neither motivation and fun left on my side, nor any scoring-potential, so I concede here. Of course, the Oko-situation wasn't played that clever and it may be greedy to expect Kusanagi to die to only one D-charge. But what are the odds to also save the Chimera and then killing the Crusher with a combi-crit from a Moderator in only one ARO-shot?? Well, your chances to get killed by a cow are low, but never zero...

I am glad for Tzwenne to experience some good luck on his side and hopefully having had a nice game, but I probably should search for a solution on my interactions with dice...