Lost in the woods [O-12 vs. Ramah]

In the end of February we started the IGIL (Inter German Infinity League) in TTS, organized by TJE and myself. While TJE stayed back as replacement, I was tossed into the storm to mix up some participants. The first mission was Acquisition and I was paired against Duddsen and his Haqqislamites, what screamed 'REVENGE!" loudly (the last time he wrecked myself completely with an undying Asawira...). To do this, I went for my first game with vanilla O-12 ever.

Aqui
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GROUP 1  10  / 2
 ALPHA (Lieutenant [+1 Command Token], Strategos L1]) Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 CHO (Chain of Command) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 20)
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 EPSILON Heavy Machine Gun, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 34)
 BETATROOPER Spitfire, Nanopulser(+1B) ( | TinBot: Firewall [-3]) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 41)
 GANGBUSTER (Minelayer, Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Submachine Gun, Madtraps ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 22)
 LYNX (Specialist Operative) Plasma Carbine, D-Charges / Assault Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 29)

GROUP 23  
 LYNX MULTI Sniper Rifle, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 33)
 PEELER Heavy Machine Gun / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1 | 25)
 RAZOR (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 32)

 5.5 SWC | 298 Points
Open in Infinity Army

If you want to win in this mission, you want an HD-troop to survive and take the tech-coffin in turn three. Since that also counts for the antennas, the plan was set: Two specialists in HD and a Gangbuster as roadblock for the mission, while either the Beta spitfire does the needed damage, or the Epsilon. They are supported by the Varangians. I felt not very comfortable with only the Lynx MSR and two Flashbots, so I squeezed in a TR-bot.

 
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GROUP 1  10  / 2  
 NAHAB (Parachutist, Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Submachine Gun, E/Mitter, Nanopulser ( ) / Pistol, Viral CC Weapon. (0 | 32)
 SHAKUSH Heavy Machine Gun, Heavy Flamethrower / AP CC Weapon. (1.5 | 58)
   SHAKUSH PILOT Light Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 0)
 SHAKUSH AP Spitfire, Heavy Flamethrower / AP CC Weapon. (1.5 | 58)
   SHAKUSH PILOT Light Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 0)
 YARA HADDAD AP Marksman Rifle / Heavy Pistol(+1B), CC Weapon. (0 | 25)
 LEILA SHARIF  (Hacker) Shock Marksman Rifle, E/M Mines, D-Charges / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 20)
 GHULAM Sniper Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 16)
 GHULAM (Doctor [+3]) Rifle, Light Shotgun ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15)
 GHULAM Missile Launcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 17)
 GHULAM (Forward Observer) Rifle, Light Shotgun, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 GHULAM (Lieutenant) Rifle, Light Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 11)

GROUP 21  
 MONSTRUCKER Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Drop Bears / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 NASMAT PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
 FANOUS REMOTE Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 FANOUS REMOTE Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)
 FANOUS REMOTE Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)

 5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army

I made some ugly experiences with linked Khawarijs and Mukhtars in the past, so at least I was pleased to not see any of that on the field. Nevertheless the Fanous-battery and two TAGs in front of a defensive Ghulam-link are a real thread. Novadays everybody is talking about Tuareg hackers, so the Nahab is often overseen as a great surprise. The mission plan is supposed to drag Leyla and Yara into the midfield, so that they can take care of the objectives.

TJE build a good looking forest-table with dense rows of trees and lots of bushes and some coral-structures to give some cover. The green areas are hills to add some elevation to the map. The bushes added some strategic and interesting layer of cover to the map, but as it always is with such incleas strucutres in TTS, checking LoF caused some pain during the game. The best ARO-positions are granted by the hills on the right, but most of the firelanes are restricted to max. 30".

I loose the Lt-roll and Duddsen decides to go first. So I deploy second in the south.

All Fanous are grouped behind the left trees, the Ghulams take the hill on the right. One Sharkush starts in front of the Fanous behind the truck. Leyla supports the central TAG. The Monstrucker starts prone in the center behind some bushes. Yara starts next to the link on the right.

I definetely want to lure the TAGs into the open in the midfield, so I deploy a bit restricted. The Lynx overwatches the center from the right coral-structure, while Kyttas and the Peeler take the center and the left side. My Alpha can be hidden easily in the far left corner, Cho tries to look frightening in the center. Every side gets a Varangian, the Epsilon takes the left with longer lanes and the mimetism-REMs, while the Beta can advance easily on the right. Advanced on the left the Razor starts, the Gangbuster hides next to the central objective and I misplay the Lynx SO and infiltrate him on the right.

The second Sharkush formes a duo with Yara on the right, now the Epsilon appears on my left. Thanks to counterintelligence, I take two orders from group one and also set my Gangbuster in suppressive fire.

Ramah 1: Right in front of my DZ the Nahab appears, shredding the Beta and the Lynx SO, while the MSR stays hidden. While all my shots fail, one Kytta and the right Varangian also die to the Nahab. With that done, the duos scatter and advance a bit and the Monstrucker fires a drop bear towards the center.

O-12 1: Plan A (Beta) is gone and if I focus on the Nahab, I will stay in a bad position towards the TAGs. So I ignore the Nahab and push the left Varangian and the Epsilon forward, trying to take down the central Sharkush and from there killing more squishy things. All I get are two wounds on the Sharkush.

Ramah 2: The wounded Sharkush shall be fixed, resulting in an empty second order pool and a wrecked Sharkush. Now alone, Leyla tries to kill my Epsilon after dropping the Varangian but gets critted by his pistol. To close this, Cho guns down the Nahab reactively. All links advance a bit.

O-12 2: Since I don't want to see the TAG again, the Epsilon coup de grace'd him after shooting the Ghulam sniper and ML, as well as the Nasmat. Also my left TO-troop appears for the upcoming turn.

Ramah 3: Yara and her TAG push towards the center. The TAG dodges the first bullet of my Lynx, while the Epsilon survives Yaras fire. An other drop bear is fired next to my Epsilon, so that in the following exchange between him and the Monstrucker both die. On their way towards the central objective Yara is shot by the Lynx and the Sharkush recieves two wounds.

O-12 3: The Sharkush is in a really annoying place. I send the Gangbuster, forgetting about the flamer. The SMG wrecks the TAG and the Gangbuster survives the flames around him, so that he can secure the central objective and the HVT. While the Razor activates and secure the left objective, the Lynx at least secures the right one.

With this, I win 9-0 thanks to a terrible second turn for Duddsen and some luck in my late game. I was sure to have lost after my miserable first turn, since I managed to do nothing except for exposing my only big gun. Without focussing on repairing the Sharkush and simply sacrificing him towards the Epsilon, my last punch could have been removed, while the Monstrucker could have headed for the objectives. The plan to drag the specialists towards the objectives while the TAGs shoot the way may be not that optimal, at least for this mission. In the end the Sharkush is not that heavily armoured, so he gets down more easily and without any protection, Leyla and Yara get shot easily by any hidden specialist.

Except for the Lynx SO, which is quite expensive for starting in the DZ with a short range gun, my list was quite satisfying. The MSR needs some patience to shine, but then is terrible to remove in most cases. Probably a Razor minelayer and one Gangbuster may be more efficient than a Peeler for the defense. Unfortunately the Beta had no chance to show his strength but that was compensated by the Epsilon, which together with a Varangian is able to solve nearly every problem except for linked MSV-units and TAGs in cover. For my first game with vanilla O-12, I am very satisfied and partly stunned by the flexibility and joy of this faction. The Alpha allows so much flexibility with units in hidden deployment, so that you only need some patience and a good poker-face to get good results.