Operation Lung Tien [Introduction of Daedalus Fall campaign & game 1]

To add some spice to the Covid-TTS-gaming, I gathered some more or less locals of our German comunity to test CBs campaign system. Since the Paradiso-campaign may take some time, we went with the Daedalus Fall-missions and altered the story a bit to fit our factions and the fact that there are not so many jump-gates to fight for. Rulewise we simply took the N3 rules and changed what was necessary to the N4 rulings.
In total we were six players with partly switching sectorials and partly fixed choices: PanO, JSA, Bakunin, YuYing, ForCo and DBS. Of course I am the one with DBS. To keep the pairings managable and give some reason to the story, two teams were build: PanO hired JSA troops and got reinforcements from Bakunin, while YuYing high command paid not only the DBS but also the Foreign Company for this job.

And here is the reason for the fight:

While most of the international attention is drawn to the frontlines of Paradiso and Concilium Prima, the conflict of PanOceania and YuYing on Svalarheima is further escalating. Agents of the Imperial Service managed to reveal plannings of the Hexahedron to rebuild a former research-orbital into an additional beachhead and started to gather troops there. Before they manage to open a second front from that position, the Jade Throne initiated operation "Lung Tien", aiming to conquer the orbital or at least dropping it out of business. What the ISS did not know and the Hexahedron just discovered in the progress was the existence of an illegal Black Lab installed on that orbital. For that reason some Nomad squads joined the conflict, maybe with some different aims.

And here is the first battle report:

While the panoceanian forces were preparing in the orbital, a gathered force of YuYing, Druze and ForCo-units launched a full scale attack on the weaker protected areas of the orbital to establish a solid beach head. Sector B was designated towards the DBS boarding team, aiming to place as many specialists in the orbital as possible. As soon as the hull broke, a guard of Samurai appeared to strike the attackers back.

DF01
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GROUP 1  9  / 2  
 HUNZAKUT  (Forward Observer) Rifle, Light Shotgun, Shock Mines ( | Deployable Repeater) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 18)
 ANACONDA Heavy Machine Gun, Chain-colt, Panzerfaust / AP CC Weapon. (1.5 | 55)
   OPERATOR Spitfire / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 0)
 BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 27)
 BRAWLER (Infinity Spec-Ops) Rifle, Light Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 16)
 BRAWLER (Lieutenant) Rifle, Light Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15)
 DRUZE (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Pitcher, D-Charges ( ) / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 30)
 BRAWLER (Hacker, Hacking Device) Submachine Gun ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 17)
 DRUZE (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Pitcher, D-Charges ( ) / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 28)
 KAMEEL  (Deactivator, Repeater)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 8)
 SAITO TOGAN (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, EXP CC Weapon. (0 | 37)

GROUP 22  
 KAMEEL  (Deactivator, Repeater)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 8)
 CLIPPER DRONBOT Missile Launcher / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 16)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 BASHI BAZOUK (Specialist Operative) Rifle, Light Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15)
 WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse ( ) / Stun Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)

 5.5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army

My aim here was to get better use of Saito as strong CC-unit but also as reliable scoring unit in this mission. The Anaconda should be the sacrificial beat-stick to then allow the KHD to deploy some pitchers and let the Clipper to the heavy lifting then by utilizing reactive spotlights. If there is a sweet hole in one flank, the Bashi Bazouk should be a good back-up.

Boarding Action Squad Alpha
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GROUP 1  10  / 1  / 2
 KEMPEI (Chain of Command) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 20)
 KEISOTSU Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 9)
 KEISOTSU (Infinity Spec-Ops) Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 10)
 KEISOTSU Missile Launcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 14)
 DOMARU (Lieutenant [+1 Order]) Spitfire / Pistol, E/M CC Weapon. (1.5 | 37)
 DAIYŌKAI MULTI Marksman Rifle, Panzerfaust / Pistol, AP + DA CC Weapon. (0 | 48)
 OYAMA Chain Rifle, E/M Grenades / Breaker Pistol, E/M CC Weapon, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 29)
 DOMARU (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, E/M Grenades, Flash Pulse / Pistol, E/M CC Weapon. (0 | 29)
 TANKŌ Blitzen, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon, Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 18)
 TANKŌ Missile Launcher / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon, Shock CC Weapon. (1.5 | 27)

GROUP 21  
 WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse ( ) / Stun Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 TOKUSETSU EISEI (Doctor) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14)
 YÁOZĂO PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 TOKUSETSU KOHEI (Engineer, Deactivator) Combi Rifle, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14)
 YÁOZĂO PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 PANGGULING (Hacker, EVO Hacking Device)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 15)
 CHAĪYÌ Yaókòng Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)

 5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army

The list was the pure summary of cheap HIs, forcing their way towards what their swords can cut into pieces. To avoid the immobilization by enemy hackers, an EVO is included.  The backfield is held clear by a back-up Keisotsu-link. The new JSA flexibility allows some dirty link-tricks in the first half of the game, creating a strong ARO potential with the linked MLs. The linked Dayokai with NCO and two Lt-orders guarantee enough ressources.

To fit with the space-theme, we used one of Badlazzors maps for the first game. The outer area was changed to difficult zero-g-terrain instead of mointain terrain and low visibility.To spice things up, we decided to shoot through windows using real LoF. The inner area was quite obstructed with few longer firelanes, while the outer area had longer lanes crossing the table.In general sweet ARO-spots are scarce here and everybody is forced to move.

I win the Lt roll and decide to go first, simply to do as much damage with the Anaconda as possible. I am given the south DZ.

My core-team scatters around the AVP and the central rock formation, while group two hides on the far left. My Warcor has an eye on the narrow door to avoid some sneaking around my sniper.The Fugazi should act as a second defense on the right and a fast repeater on that side. To strike fast and strong, the Anaconda and the KHD start in the center, covered by an other rock formation.

The Keisotsu-link covers the far right. The HIs group more and more towards the inner area on the left, where the Dajokai starts. EVO, Warcor and the support dudes hide in the left closed room.

Saito starts hidden as advanced as possible in the center. A Tanko ML appears on the central right, overwatching the center around the base.

DBS 1: Thanks to the difficult terrain, the Anaconda burns some orders to advance and take a wound from the Tanko ML. That gets my attack stuck, so I land a repeater with the KHD on the right and let the Hunzakut advance a bit. The Fugazi also places himself in the center of the right flank.

JSA 1: Around Oyama a new core is build, which enters the base and rushes my left flank. Under first cyberattacks my Hunzakut is shot down, followed by my MSR Brawler. In the progress a Tanko gets isolated and Oyama gets stunned and isolated right before he can wreck the whole flank.The Domaru finishs of my Warcor in revenge.

DBS 2: With the firewall still up, I can't utilize my hacking game properly, so the Bashi enters the field on the far left. The Engineer is dropped but the EVO makes his safe, dodging out of LoF and all orders for the Bashi are burned here. So the Anaconda needs to free the rest of my core-team. In a coordinated order I get the Dajokai targeted. A missile does the first wound, then the hacker finishs him with his SMG and wounds a Domaru.  A triggered ARO by Oyama kills my Clipper.

JSA 2: Even with limited orders, Oyama kills my Kameel, the Brawler hacker and immobilizes the Anaconda, but gets pasted by the panzerfaust. In the base the left Domaru takes down the Bashi, opening the path for the doc, reviving the engineer.

DBS 3: Some specialists need to be placed in the center, so Saito sneaks his way into the central room. Everyone else advances where possible, while the Anaconda fails to reset.

JSA 3: The japanese specialists group themself in the center, while the Keisotsus are shooting their way down on the right towards my HVT, kidnapping it.

Since I am outnumbered with specialists, I loose this game 9-1.

Not only on sector b the first attack failed, also the ForCo-team was beaten on its attempt. Luckily the YuYing main force could shoot a hole into the orbital and secure it long enough to deploy enough troops for a serious further attack. The JSA rescue teams on their side were unable to find enough pieces of Oyamas cube between the panzerfaust shrapnels, so that his resurrection needed to be delayed after the attack is beaten back