Hitting the 50!

 If anyone counted all the reports (and if my statistic is right), the game against Perzan was #49, so I am proud to present you the report of my 50th game with Druze since Christmas 2019! It was a try-out of the custom-mission in the current TTS-tournament against @Commoner1 with O-12!

Game 1 (#50):

The mission here is a mix of "The Grid" and "Highly Classified", where there are 9 consoles in the midfield (3x3) and by activating a console, a classified objective is revealed. If you are owning the console, you may accomplish the classified and get points for it. The other player may also score the classfied, but needs to flip the console to get the point.

REMtasy
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 8
PEACEMAKER Spitfire + AUXBOT_3 / Electric Pulse. (1 | 27)
AUXBOT_3 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
VALERYA GROMOZ Hacker (Hacking Device UPGRADE: Expel) Combi Rifle + Pitcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 21)
SCARFACE & CORDELIA TURNER . (1.5 | 78)
SCARFACE 2 Mk12, Heavy Rocket Launcher / AP CCW. (1.5 | 61)
SCARFACE Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, CCW. ()
CORDELIA TURNER Combi Rifle, Chain-colt, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 17)
NASMAT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
NASMAT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
DRUZE Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle + Pitcher, D-Charges / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25)

GROUP 2 6
SIERRA DRONBOT HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 25)
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
BRAWLER Lieutenant Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
BOUNTY HUNTER Submachine Gun, Akrylat-Kanone / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
KAMEEL Hacker (EVO Hacking Device) Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 25)

4.5 SWC | 299 Points

Open in Infinity Army

I picked my REMtasy-list for this mission, since it has an exclusion zone, which limits the potential of my Hunzakuts and I felt quite confident about the potential of Scarface & Gromoz to score classifieds. The Peacemaker should clear things in turn one, while Scarface should advance in turn two, shooting the rest and letting Gromoz score some points. This should secure enough flexibility to make a final push in turn three with a Pathfinder. The defense here is a bit weak at the point where the Sierra is shot early, but since I am used to defend only my half of the table, the flash pulses should be enough to keep at least Scarface alive.

O-12
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 10
ALPHA Lieutenant (Strategos L2) 2 Light Shotguns, 2 Nanopulsers / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 26)
CHO (Chain of Command) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 20)
LYNX (Specialist Operative) Plasma Carbine, D-Charges / Assault Pistol, Knife. (0 | 30)
LYNX MULTI Sniper, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 34)
LAMBDA Doctor (MediKit) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
SIRIUS (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, D-Charges + 1 SiriusBot / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 24)
SIRIUSBOT Heavy Riotstopper / Electric Pulse. (0 | 5)
DELTA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle + Light Riotstopper, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
EPSILON HMG, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 30)
KYTTÄ Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
KYTTÄ Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
YUDBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
YUDBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)

GROUP 2 5 3
OKO Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 17)
VARANGIAN Light Shotgun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
VARANGIAN Light Shotgun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
VARANGIAN Light Shotgun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
GANGBUSTER Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Submachine Gun, MadTrap / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 21)

3 SWC | 299 Points

Open in Infinity Army

This is created by my memory and I have no clue about the distribution between the groups. But the main-problems are mentioned: Epsilon HMG, two Lynx, a Delta and three Varangians. If the Epsilon should fail his smoke-covered task, there is enough scoring-potential available and the Lynx SO can start his work.

The salt-mine makes a new appearance here, which is quite nice. I like this table, since it is dense but interesting to play on and both DZs offer a mixed situation.

I loose the Lt-roll and O-12 takes the first turn. I choose the south DZ to deny the sniper-position on the left stone-formation.

The left is covered with a Beta KHD and a Lambda in the back, a FP-bot and a Varangian in front of them, supported by a Yudbot. Sirius and his bot were deployed in the center, while two Varangians, the Gangbuster and the two other REMs took the right side. The Alpha is parked in the back there.

I guessed there were many points on the field, so only one hidden deployment trooper and an Epsilon may be the reserve. Scarface, Gromoz and my Lt took the left side to use the weak defense there later, two Pathfinders and a Fugazi together with Cordelia in the center and everything else on the right side with the Peacemaker deployed conservatively.

An Epsilon was deployed on the right, in front of the two Varangians and a note-card was written. My Sierra overwatches the mid and the right corridors.

O-12 1: The REMs get overclocked and I reduce group one by one order. The Varangians set up smoke, which uses the Epsilon to kill one Fugazi on the right and getting critically flash pulsed by the Pathfinder then. The Sirius advances in the center, activating the mid two consoles. The Gangbuster then advances a bit but fails horribly to score Espionage on my HVT. A Lynx MSR appears and shoots down my Sierra, then recamoes.

Druze 1: If the Epsilon is down, things are getting a bit easier. The Auxbot is deployed bad and needs to cross LoF to the Epsilon out of flamer-range, so I roll out the Peacemaker there, too, and shoot the Epsilon. The peacemaker goes down and is repaired by Cordelias Nasmat, which is shot in the progress. Next shoot sees the Peacemaker shot again and the Epsilon tanking the flamer. I rearange my defense by shuffling the Pathfinders and let one advance and activate the near left console, missing the Sirius-bot and the Varangian.

O-12 2: The left Varangian shoots down the Pathfinder and goes dogged in return. Smoke is set up on the right and the Epsilon shoots down the Fugazi and the Pathfinder in the center one by one (I forgot about this by setting them up). A Delta FO enters the field on my right side, critting down my KHD and gluing my EVO and the left Pathfinder. Epsilon continues shooting by killing Gromoz and the last Nasmat and retreats a bit. The Gangbuster takes some more tries to score Espionage and a Lynx SO appears on the right, but fails to activate the far right console.

Druze 2: I need to score without exposing Scarface too much, since the Epsilon will shoot him down without problems then. Cordelia and Scarface are dragged into group two. The ABH tries to shoot the Delta and eats a crit from the combirifle. Cordelia advances a bit but fails to activate the near centered console. Scarface and my Lt enter suppressive fire.

O-12 3: The Sirius activates the last console in the center and the Delta scores In Extremis Recovery on my ABH. To glue Scarface, the Sirius-bot is sacrificed., while the Delta captures the Pathfinder nearby.

Commoner1 has scored more classfied and controls more consoles, getting something like a 10-0 major victory.
I wished for a better performance for the 50th game and not showing the toothlesness of Druze against a new faction, but as the Peacekeeper fails to handle the Epsilon, things were decided. I could have tried to push Scarface along the left with Cordelia, somehow, but the Epsilon in the back and the Lynx MSR in front would have made it only an additional gift, reducing my ressources to score. It was a bit of bad luck that the Delta succeeded on everything so easy, since maybe a Pathfinder or my KHD could have made a small impact on the Epsilon and for the mission.
This time, it was not the indifference in tools, costing the game, but the indifference in point-values. I expected at least 30 points less in the list, judging from what was already there. So the Delta got me unprepared. A quite cheap strategos-lt added even more flexibility to the force, what is nothing Druze really likes. The Varangians as ultra-flexible warbands then did their part to prevent me from doing things. Even if I could have entered the mid-field, my resources were so limited, that the Varangians simply could have traded themself for whatever I had brought there. I really would wish for a warband here to deal with such template-fighters by my own, since I don't want to trade a Hunzakut or a Druze for such tasks.

Game 2:

Initially I wanted to take a small rest from Druze for at least one week or two and write some analysis of all this games and experiences, but while thinking about other lists and factions for the scheduled test-game for the Team-TTS-Event, nothing appeared to be joyfull compared to Druze. Listening to the lates Totally Crit-podcast, where they discussed some ARO-deployments, I was curious to change my approach here a bit and threw together a "new" Druze-list.

The mission here was Decapitation and my opponent was a new player with not so much experience, curious to try out some Shasvasti-stuff. I prepared for some camos and Sheskin, but tried not that hard to have a solution for everything. It was more the oportunity to try out this new list and bring back some old friends.

Fulllink
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 8 1
BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 28)
DRUZE (CH: Mimetism) MULTI Sniper / Viral Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 32)
DRUZE Lieutenant (X Visor) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
DRUZE Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle + Pitcher, D-Charges / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25)
BRAWLER Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
PEACEMAKER Spitfire + AUXBOT_3 / Electric Pulse. (1 | 27)
AUXBOT_3 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
HUNZAKUT (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)

GROUP 2 5 1
HUNZAKUT (Deployable Repeater) Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 18)
SIERRA DRONBOT HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 25)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
KAMEEL Hacker (EVO Hacking Device) Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 25)
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
BOUNTY HUNTER Submachine Gun, Akrylat-Kanone / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)

6 SWC | 297 Points

Open in Infinity Army

The major change to the current list with Armand and the LGL-Hunzakut was to skip Armand and include the Druze MSR to utilize the link-benefits in reactive turn to full extend. This made it necessary to take some more guys in the link. I wanted to stick with the Druze Lt to have the Brawler as bait, which prevented me from using the last three points. Since I like to utilize Pathfinders and Fugazis, I spread them across the groups equally to have one by hand with enough orders when needed.

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

GROUP 1 10
SHESKIIN Lieutenant Red Fury, Pulzar, D-Charges / Pistol, DA CCW. (1 | 54)
NOX HMG / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 21)
NOX Combi Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher (Normal and Nimbus plus) / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 17)
NOX Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Submachine Gun, Zapper / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 17)
NOX Paramedic (MediKit) Combi Rifle, Zapper / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
NOX (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Zapper / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
R-DRONE Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
MALIGNOS Hacker (EI Assault Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 41)
SPECULO KILLER Boarding Shotgun, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, Monofilament CCW, Knife. (1 | 34)
SHROUDED (Minelayer) Boarding Shotgun, Dazer / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 24)

GROUP 2 2 3 3
Q-DRONE HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 26)
IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) 2 Light Flamethrowers, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9)
TAIGHA Chain-colt / DA CC Weapon. (0 | 6)
TAIGHA Chain-colt / DA CC Weapon. (0 | 6)
TAIGHA Chain-colt / DA CC Weapon. (0 | 6)

6 SWC | 300 Points

Open in Infinity Army

Sheskin was embedded in a bit overpriced and overequipped Nox-core here, supported by an Q-drone and three Taighas. Of course, a Speculo must appear here, while Malignos should be a back-up problem solver and the Shrouded should slow things down a bit. He normally plays agains Bakunin a lot, so the main fear of the list was a moving HI-core team.

This one was simply to proof the Druze-curse here or to break it!

I loose the Lt-roll, but my opponent wants to go second. So I deploy first in the south.

My core-team guards the left corridor, supported by a Fugazi, while my Pathfinders and the second Fugazi took the center of my DZ. ABH and one path were deployed as back-up. The Sierra took the right corridor and the EVO hoped for a distracted Speculo or no AD-troops on the far right. Hunzakut LGL again in the center on the highest rooftop, while the FO should take the left corridor and wreck havoc if needed.

Sheskin and her link deployed on the right with the HMG prone on the rooftop. Some Taighas scattered everywhere and a camo-marker on the small building on the left. The corridor there was overwatched by the Q-drone, while a Taigha and the R-drone took care of the building on the flank. A Nox FO was placed in the center behind the building.

My Peacemaker is deployed in the center to choose the preferred route, as I decided not to use him turn one. A Speculo failed the infiltration roll and is deployed on the right. My datatracker is the ABH, Shasvasti-datatracker is the Nox HMG.

Druze 1: Group one is reduced by two orders. The Pathfinder from group two andvances, sat-locking the Shrouded on the left in the second try. The Hunzakut is beaten by a crit-dodge, so I am one order short to shoot him and retreat the Pathfinder. I retreat the Pathfinder with the Shrouded in ZoC and overclock the remotes. The Hunzakut FO starts on the left, failing to shoot the Nox FO, placing a mine next to the Q-drone and failing to shoot the drone without reaction.

Shasvasti 1: The Taighas advance and the Sierra misses every shot. The left one climbs the wall, tanks the mine and eats the Hunzakut FO but is shot in return. The Speculo advances into the midfield, while a Malignos appeares and shoots the Pathfinder of group two. A dazer is placed by the Shrouded and the core-team starts moving right through my LoF. The HMG gets stunned, while two other Nox are shot by my Sierra. Sheskin manages to wreck the right Fugazi with a crit.

Druze 2: I need to get rid of Sheskin to make things safe, but the wrecked Fugazi is blocking the safe spot to shoot her for the Peacemaker. My Hunzakut LGL grenades down the third Nox, while the Peacemaker fails to shoot them on his way to a better position. The Auxbot tanks everything in the first try but fails to burn something, while the Peacemaker shoots Sheskin without effect. The next order sees the last Nox burning down, Sheskin dying and my Auxbot surviving a second time, They retreat a bit. Overclock on and LGL recamoed.

Shasvasti 2: Many orders are wasted to kill my designated target and both remaining Taighas are shot in the progress. The Malignos tries to engage my link but is fried by my KHD, while the Speculo advances into the building in front of my DZ and a second Dazer is placed.

Druze 3: The ABH goes into group one and shoots the designated target. He opposed himself to bait out the Speculo after that, what works out. Now the Sierra shoots it in the back.

Shasvasti 3: The Shrouded tries to engage my link but is discovered and shot without problems.

A quite clear 10-2 victory here with 268 points remaining. The first turn was horrifying weak with no results at all and only orders spent. Normally, this should have broken my neck, but missing order-efficiency due to a lack of experience and a not well planned approach with the core-team turned it back into my favoour. A dazer in front of the link or at least a nimbus+-grenade had secured the Nox a bit more, while the path through the center, avoiding my Sierra would have been the better choice in general. My opponent was to afraid to loose Sheskin, letting her dodge several times isntead of shooting. This was totally wrong, since even outside of 24", she had a 68% chance to drop my Sierra.

It was a nice win and a good performance of my list, especially in terms of pacing and ending grenading things early, but I really need to think about my first-turn plans. Often there is not much to gain, since the resources are not available to kill many things and I trade my few big guns in return. So a strong ARO-defense is needed to back this up and maybe kill some stuff. For the moment, I am tending more to use a Hunzakut or a Pathfinder in turn one, having the Peacemaker to clear the midfield in turn two. At least if I am going second and there is no clear target to be eleminated, like a linked MSR for example.
But what I noticed in addition, that I am staying in my DZ the whole time and only acting with a few pieces, limiting my potential for turn three. I assume that advancing more stuff a bit will expose them more often then securing me anything, but maybe that is a false thought, so I will try this out one or two times, I guess.