Critical review

Since the last games had more concerning results than satisfying ones, some thoughts were needed. I would be very glad if Druze stays playbale in N4. Somehow I could imagine that they will be skipped for White Company, since we aren't part of the big six. That Druze is complete is understandable for me, but nevertheless there is room for improvement. If you look at my previous posts, I often wished for a reliable Doc or engineer. But that would only solve the symptoms of a deeper problem: Missing options to create beneficial FtF-situations. All our shortcomings result in coin-flip situations when it comes to important rolls and only limited ways to avoid those rolls.
Most units are too slow to outrange big guns (Druze HMG) or don't have the equipment to challenge them (Hunzakuts for example). Then we are missing visual equipment often (mimetism or MSVs on our units), to deal with opponents benefits. And with only limited access to smoke and other infiltrators, we are basically where PanO is, but with -2BS, without HIs and without cheap big guns. So we are challenging opponents maybe with more dice, but with a lower total BS in a shootout.
I wouldn't argue this situation, if I could field more than three infiltrators, could have more than one unit with smoke or could have 1,5W on some units. Maybe I am just not good enough to solve such situations, but after some thinking, I would say, that this are general issues for Druze. As a solution, I would ask for Al Fasids, Mukhtar-like Druze and maybe two Yuan Yuans. Adding Mukhtars would be bad, because they would outclass everything else. I want to play Druze, and I see no reason, why we can't have some better equipped Druze-guys on our own.

To support my saying, I have a new report. Unmasking against IA.

 Druze Bayram Security
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GROUP 1 7  / 1 
 HUNZAKUT (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)
 DRUZE HMG, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 29)
 DRUZE (X Visor) Combi Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher (E/M and Nimbus) / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 27)
 DRUZE Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle + Pitcher, D-Charges / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25)
 BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 28)
 BRAWLER Lieutenant Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
 BRAWLER Heavy Rocket Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 18)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)

GROUP 21 
 HUNZAKUT (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)
 SAITO TOGAN Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, EXP CCW, Knife. (0 | 39)
 KAMEEL Hacker (EVO Hacking Device) Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 25)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
 PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
 BRAWLER Hacker (Assault Hacking Device) Submachine Gun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 17)
 KAMEEL (Minesweeper, Repeater) Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)

 6 SWC | 300 Points
 

Open in Infinity Army

Again, I wanted to shift my AROs to the midfield. In addition to this, I wanted a big gun in my link and I wanted smoke to open paths for my dudes. So Saito needed to be there. An AHD seemed important and somehow 1,5 SWC were free, so I squeezed in the HRL-Brawler. He can refill the link, if the sniper dies and is a backup-weapon. The AHD is great support, so he needs his own orders to consume. With two Hunzakuts, I didn't see the necessity to have Saito as a specialist.
 Invincible Army
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10 
 ZHANSHI Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 11)
 ZHANSHI Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 11)
 ZHANSHI Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 11)
 ZHANSHI Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 16)
 HǍIDÀO (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 37)
 DĀOYĪNG Lieutenant L2 Boarding Shotgun / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 21)
 HAC TAO HMG, Nanopulser / Pistol, DA CCW. (2 | 68)
 KOKRAM (Forward Deployment L1, Minelayer) Combi Rifle + E/Mitter, Chain-colt, E/Mauler / 2 Heavy Pistols, Knife. (0 | 42)
 TAI SHENG (Chain of Command) Mk12, Chain-colt, Stun Grenades / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (0 | 49)
 ZHĒNCHÁ (Forward Observer) Submachine Gun, D.E.P., Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 34)

 5 SWC | 300 Points
 

Open in Infinity Army

With Taisheng and Krit Kokram not an usual IA list and maybe some unused potential with them. Everything else was quite solid. A Zhencha for objectives, HacTao for nasty stuff and the Haidao linked to defend all that.

I won the Lt-roll and let my opponent deploy first in the north. This was a miscalculation, since first turn should be a bit better here...Well, big brain time should follow later.

 

The Zhanshi-link deployed around the left building with the ML and Haidao on the roof. ML couldn't see much, while the Haidao was on overwatch. Taisheng and the Daoying-lt went into the center, the Zhencha started on the far left. The right side had Kokram and the HacTao. One target went on my side of the table on the left side, one was centered in the overwatched corridor behind some flowers and the third was behind the building on the far right. I expected the central one as the real one, since it was the best defended.

My REMs went on the left, my link and the Brawler HRL around the central left building (Lt on the roof, sniper left, HMG behind, EM forward deployed on the small building in front of them, KHD behind the silo). So I was able to move them, to refill the link and to overwatch the right side, where two of my HVTs went (including the real one on the same building on the right). Behind the EMs building one Hunzakut started, the other one next to a decoy behind the more right building, both to grab the consoles from there on. A Fugazi was the last real defense on the right, backed up by Pathfinder and AHD Brawler behind the right fence.

No reserve on my opponents side, I deployed Saito hidden on the right behind the wall to support there with some smoke. Taisheng was IA datatracker, AHD Brawler mine.

IA 1:
Overclock went on on my REMs. The Zhencha took the left console and discovered my central decoy. A mine was placed on the console and the Zhencha recamoed. Taisheng started in the center and got stunned, so she hid on the central IA target. So Kokram took the right, needed some orders to activate the right console and could not shoot the discovered designated target.

Druze 1:
The nearby Hunzakut on the right placed a repeater with Kokram in ZoC, the AHD hacked him imm-1. Saito started to eat him up, had to cross LoF of the TO-marker and got critted my HacTaos HMG. So plan a, killing Kokram, activating that console and threatening the HacTao died and plan b needed to be enrolled: Shoot your way to victory. The link started moving forward, leaving the Lt behind and refilling with the HRL. The sniper covered the route of the HacTao towards my designated target, while my HMG started shooting at the Haidao (this kind of coin-flip I mentioned above - 50% of success) and died in the second try. I forgot to activate TeamPro, so I had to build up the link a second time. Plan b was down, too, so I had to deny the easy kill of my designated target. AHD spotlighted Kokram and the EM-launcher immobilized him completly. Two attempts to shut down Taisheng failed.

IA 2:
Taisheng started to do things but was taken down by my sniper in one shot. Now things were up two the HacTao, which advanced and started shooting at my designated target. It took some orders, flash pulses, dodges and hacks, but in the end the designated target was dead and the HacTao free and a bit retreated.

Druze 2:
I was behind in everything, even in big guns to solve serious problems. But then the good ideas started flooding (I skipped hard thinking and thought about not so sophisticated actions now). The mine of the Zhencha was in LoF to my HRL and the Zhencha directly next to it. My Hunzakut would be able to sneak to that console and from that point on could shoot the expected designated target. So the HRL discover-shooted the mine and burned down the Zhencha with the template. The Hunzakut arrived on the console, but failed one time at the console and activated it with his last order - only to discover a decoy!!! A second console was needed and a good choice. So the HacTao needed to be removed and the only proper way was the sniper out of cover...57% for at least one wound. Lucky me shredded the HacTao in one shot. So the right Hunzakut took the right console and discovered the designated target on the right side. One order was left, so I shot Kokram in the back, what left him unconcious.

IA 3:
Not in retreat, the Daoying went on the right to defend the designated target.

Druze 3:
On this point, I needed to kill the designated target for a tie and to do it with my Brawler AHD to win. AHD was in group two with 5/1 orders and the Hunzakut on that side was on 6/1. Everybody staied in his group. For my good, the Hunzakut got the Daoying removed fast and the AHD arrived on the designated target with two orders left for shooting. One round was enough to shock it off the table.

8-1 win for Druze. We had some redicilous situations with crits on both sides, but I got extremly lucky from turn 2 on. Everybody except the Haidao dying in one order each? That is nothing invincible here...Normally things would have been closer, but the result wouldn'T have been impossible. Dealing with the Daoying in turn 3 could have been a risk, like every additional roll is. But this time things worked out. The AHD Brawler is such a nice dude with his AHD and SMG, wow! With three hackers on the field, the repeaters on my units are more usefull and I can find new solutions in some situations. But in the end, shooting is the best solution, since it removes enemy targets and feels better (you remove not only models, you remove things causing trouble, stress and thinking!).
But here it come to the mentioned coin-flips. The link was to slow to get the HMG in a position bad for the Haidao, so it was all up to the number of dies with one point BS lower what is never good. That killed the HMG. The HRL with lower burst was no option for this, the sniper neither. The same thing could have been happend against the HacTao and I had no tools to set up better mods for myself. Saito would have helped here a bit, but he is squishy and not everywhere. Not speaking from the costs. All this is easier to play for other armies.

To conclude on this: DBS are killers fluffwise, so they should shoot things! Fat1 increases this, but x-visors don't overcome the shortcoming in mobility and BS. I tried the work-around with all the soft and sophisticated solutions with questionable results and not so much fun in many games. So CB, decide what you want here and improve one side.