Technical superiority [QK vs. NCA]

 

Next to some competitive games in the last weeks, some casual ones, just for fun and experience, came not to short. In a kind of regular training match, I faced Commoner1 again, this time fielding one of his strongest N3 NCA-lists now in N4. I wanted to try out something new around the order-efficiency in QK and also would like to bring back Scarface to the virtual table. The mission was Frontline.

FrontlineTAG
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1  9  / 1  / 1
 YUAN YUAN Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 8)
 ALGUACIL Missile Launcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 15)
 GHULAM (Doctor [+3]) Rifle, Light Shotgun ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15)
 GHULAM (Lieutenant [+1 Command Token]) Rifle, Light Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15)
 HAFZA Rifle, Light Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15)
 ODALISQUE (360º Visor) Submachine Gun, Nanopulser, Flash Pulse(+1B) ( ) / MULTI Pistol, PARA CC Weapon. (0 | 22)
 DJANBAZAN Heavy Machine Gun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 34)
 SEKBAN (Specialist Operative) AP Rifle, Chain-colt(+1B) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 HAWWA' (Hacker, Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun, D-Charges ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 26)
 FANOUS REMOTE Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)

GROUP 21
 YUAN YUAN Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 8)
 HAWWA' (Minelayer) Sniper Rifle, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 23)
 FANOUS REMOTE Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 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)

 5.5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army

To free some points, the Djanbazan-castle needed to be switched to a defensive Ghulam-core, where an Odalisque should guard my back. A tuned down haris of the Djanbazan HMG and the Sekban SO screened by at least one pre-deployed Yuan Yuan is supposed to crack the first hole, which then can be used by Scarface to clean things up and be deployed as a defensive anchor in the midfield. Nothing very sophisticated, but pure gun-power seems to be a good plan, right?

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

GROUP 1  9  
 FUSILIER (Lieutenant) Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 10)
 FUSILIER Missile Launcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 15)
 FUSILIER (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 CSU (Specialist Operative) Rifle, Light Shotgun / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 11)
 CSU (Specialist Operative) Rifle, Light Shotgun / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 11)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 AUXILIA Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14)
   AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 4)
 SWISS GUARD Heavy Machine Gun / Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (1.5 | 62)

GROUP 25  
 GARUDA Tacbot Spitfire / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 25)
 HEXA (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle ( ) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 26)
 SWISS GUARD Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (1.5 | 63)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 AUXILIA Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14)
   AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 4)

 6 SWC | 284 Points
Open in Infinity Army

As always, my notes on the opponents lists are more than bad, so something is missing and the groups are not accurate. But all the important things are there: A defensive Fusilier-core, two Auxilias and Fugazis as corner-guards and tons of hidden threads. The ML-Swiss to tear appart the first attacking wave, the HMG to attack back and where this won't reach to, a Garuda can cause chaos. Once a hacking device comes close enough to threaten the Swiss Guards, a Hexa KHD is there to solve this issue and keep the Hyperpower running.

We met directly in an urban district of some panoceanic settllement with a long uncovered street on the left and a heavily obstructed right flank. On the ground level, the right side was quite dense but could be overwatched from the DZs easily enough.

I win the Lt-roll and decide to go first, simply to avoid a TO-alpha strike. I get the south deployment zone.

My core-team is deployed on and around the building on the right with the ML and the doc on the roof and everyone else on the ground to take some action if needed and cover my back for AD-troops. The Hafza is deployed as a second Odalisque. On my left the Hawwa sniper overwatches the street, where a Yuan Yuan and the Sekban hide behind the left building. The Fanous try to reinforce the left side around the central building, where Cordelia takes the other side. Scarface only finds a nearly safe spot directly in the center of my DZ.

A Fusilier-core is deployed around the central building with the ML on the highest point. Each sides sees an Auxilia and one Fugazi. The third one goes on the right to look out for Yuan Yuans. And that it is.

To build my small haris, the Djanbazan joins the Sekban on the left. No one follows on the NCA-side.

QK 1: The second group is reduced by two regular orders. The remaining ones are used by the Yuan Yuan on the left, advancing and setting up smoke for the Djanbazan on the left around the center line. The haris follows, gunning down the ML Fusilier from smoke and without any problems to this. There are not enough orders left for the Yuan Yuan to set up more smoke, so the haris needs to advance further uncovered. I make the mistake to move out of cover with the second short skill and trigger a Swiss ML, blasting my HMG. The now alone Sekban retreats and scores net-undermine in the second try. Since I have orders left and need to do some damage, I try to land my second Yuan Yuan next to the central building in the NCA deployment but scatter and cover Scarface in smoke. Together with the Hawwa hacker, he advances a bit.

NCA 1: After the Swiss ML advances into a better position and recamoes, the left Auxilia advances, burning down the Sekban and my Yuan Yuan on that side. Only the Auxbot dies in this action. A second Swiss Guard appears, this time on the right and guns down my ML with a HMG, then doing first damage on Scarface. 

QK 2: There are still some points and SWC left, so a second Swiss ML can wait for Scarface. The last Yuan Yuan sets up smoke to protect the TAG, then Scarface advances, dropping the second Auxbot and forcing the Swiss HMG into cover after it recieves a wound. My Hawwas advance a bit, where the hacker tries to pin down the HMG in front of the enemy deployment zone.

NCA 2: It takes the Auxilia on the right just one try to discover my hacker, then the Hawwa is fried by an appearing Hexa KHD. This frees the Swiss HMG, which takes out Scarface. An entering Garuda spitfire coup de graces the TAG and enters suppressive fire on the right flank. Over the course, my Yuan Yuan is shot unconscious.

QK 3: Whatever is alive needs to be placed in the center now. With just one order remaining, the Hawwa sniper fails to kill the left Auxilia. My core-team is more succesful on the right, first gunning down the Swiss HMG, then getting the Yuan Yuan back to work and trying to get a better position.

NCA 3: It takes the Garuda only some effort to wipe out my core-team, since the real Odalisque was sacrificed before and the Auxilia on the left continues its path of blood by shooting down my Hawwa sniper.

With this, the game ends 8-1 for NCA. With my MSV 2 HMG as the only reliable tool against TO HIs lost in a bad move of mine, it became a matter of burst in most cases. A landed Yuan Yuan would have been able to kill the Lt-Fusilier maybe, giving me some more space to act. But nevertheless it is difficult to fight an enemy you can't see. Even if there would have been only one HD ML waiting somewhere - and there were several very suitable spots for it - every stept would have been dangerous. But with that high amount of hidden troops and hidden points, even after the first reveal I could not be safe for a second one. Especially with the bad experiences I have made in my last games against Noctifers...Commoner1 fielded a quite strong list in my opinion, which is quite difficult to play against, equal of your list-type. I would have had to try and engage the HIs, slicing them in CC, but for this not only my pace was not set up, but also the wrong weapons were on the field.