Into the new era

After we all get our hands on the new rules and profiles of N4, there is only one big question: How does it turn out? The timing of our next game day couldn't be better, so I had the chance to make my first N4 game only one day after the new rules hit the floor. DBS got a bit gifted with the new edition, at least that is my view here. The new fireteam-options smooth things a lot, some new profiles and changes also solve some issues in the overall game and the new hacking-game is a big deal for DBS. Of course, some profiles stay behind their potential (I am looking at you, Arslan!), but that isn't such a big deal as it was in N3. The first game was against Bakunin in Quadrant Control.

To reduce the amount of new things a bit and get a better sense for the core rules, I started with my normal list-type. A core-team with some cheerleaders and the Brawler MSR, something as back-up weapon, two Hunzakuts, the Peacemaker to punch needed holes and the obligatory REMs. With that, I had enough points left to include Tao Wu for reasons. Since hacking is the major thing for me, I focussed on this. two hackers should target whatever I need and whatever possible, so that the two LGLs can use it in active and all my other weapons could benefit from this, too. The EVO is needed for assisted fire, but the loss of some of the old programms hurts a lot. In addition to this, I am quite salty about the loss of sat-locks and sniffers, what reduces the overall value of Pathfinders and Fugazis here a lot.

My opponent took the same approach as I did and recreated his current N3-list, using some of the new things (the Riot-link with the TM here and the quite flexible but not well defined Reverend-core). Three heavy hitters covered in bodies and supported by Morlocks and Zeros to sneak around potential problems seems to be the major plan here.

Since I have the feeling of changed favoured rangebands, what should be tested in reality, I tried to set up a map with a more open left side and a more obstructed right side. Initially the big wall in the center wasn't there, creating a nice firelane, but that seemed to be a bit too risky.

I won the Lt roll and decided to deploy second in the south, planning for going second in general.

Bakunin deploys the Reverend-link in the center together with the Moderator and one Morlock. The other one takes the left, while the right is covered with a camo-marker and the haris of TM and Riots.

Since I won't get any grenades or hacking-attacks through the tinbot on the Riots, I plan to gun them down and deploy my core and duo-link togehter on the right. A Pathfinder and a a Fugazi take care of the flanks. The FO Hunzakut is deployed in front of them. The LGL takes the left middle, backed up by the other Pathfinder.

A second camo-marker appears on the right and my Peacemaker takes the middle left to threaten the Reverends with the Auxbot. The MR-Riot gets datatracker, as well as my SMR Druze.

Bakunin 1: The central Morlock trades himself for the Auxbot and gets targeted on the way. On the right, one Zero tries to sneak towards my link, gets targeted and fails to wound my SMR. The Reverends advance in the center, shooting a pitcher next to my Peacemaker, but fail to hack him. The TM totally fails on my MSR and goes unconscious. In the end, the other Zero places a mine next to my FO Hunzakut.

Druze 1: I am in an unexpected good shape. Three grenades are needed to drop the Zero in front of my DZ. I fail to target the other trough a repeater from the FO Hunzakut and shoot him directly then with my LGL Druze. I try to free my Peacemaker and aproach the Reverends over the left side but get immobilized and fail several times to reset him. The right Pathfinder gets assisted fire and enters suppressive fire.

My datatracker is still in my DZ and we tie on quadrants: 1-2

Bakunin 2: The Riots in a reformed link advance and shoot down my MSR, followed by the Pathfinder. That frees the path for the Reverends, taking down my Peacemaker and the LGL Hunzakut and struggling with their position. While the healer closes up to the TM, the HMG gets targeted by my Brawler. 

Druze 2: The link is refilled with the KHD. The SMR now advances into my near right quadrant and the LGL shoots down the spitfire-Riot and kills the HMG-Moira with a critical speculative grenade.On the left I do a bad trade with my Pathfinder against the Morlock. The Fugazi needs to advance into the left quadrant.

Both DTs are in a quadrant, but the Riot is too far advanced and stands in my quadrant, making it a 3-3 now.

Bakunin 3: A clever positioning of the Reverends on the left side could tie the game. The Healer revives the Taskmaster, which tries to gun down my LGL. A hit from my LGL drops the Healer and the next shot kills the TM again. The Fugazi manages to take cover against the Reverends and the Riot Dt goes back into the far right quadrant.

Druze 3: I only need to drop the datatracker, so I send my Hunzakut, causing the first wound with the template mode, then shooting the last one normally. 

Now I control more quadrants and one with my datatracker. By killing the last Riot, I secure the HVT, making it a 7-3 victory with only a few Reverends left.

Our first turns were quite bad on both ends but I ended up with a bit more luck and better positions. The new infowar in general and the availability of hackers and repeaters in DBS then tipped the game into my direction. On the other hand, the new crit-mechanic and the reduced pointcosts for armour make it really hard to drop units with multiple wounds and high arm in cover. The Riot-spitfire recieved a double-crit and one additional hit, doing three wounds. Otherwise it would have taken longer to drop her, causing major problems. The negative mods for resets out of different states are a real risk, while the new targeted state and interaction with speculative fire balance it out a bit. On the other hand we forgot about the +3 bonus on BS for all my speculative grenades. Nevertheless, the LGL-Druze now is a real blast! Normals grenades are a big thing for him, the x-visor also and the interaction with the complete list have sold him completly to me! In the start of the second turn, I felt a bit undergunned what would have been a big problem in N3. Now I could compensate this with the new link-flexibility and the support of the rest.

DBS finally plays and feels like it is supposed to be and will be a real opponent now!