Appearing from the dark [Starmada vs. Nomads]

While I lost some feathers over the last two IGIL-rounds, the fourth mission seemed to be tailoredto my needs: Not the all time same ITS stuff and no longer shots than 32". Dark Mist from the Dire Foes seemed to be the perfect mission for Starmada! My opponent for this was CrazyNomad, playing (who could have guessed) Nomads! Since my options are limited in general and I didn't want to play bigger hacking-games with Starmada, I was not that afraid and preoccupied with any considerations. For those unfamiliar with the mission: First you need to download a data-pack by activating one of three consoles in front of the opponents DZ, starting from T2 you need to upload the data on a centered console and to get the full points there is a HVT on the center line, which should be held in CivEvac. It can be accomplished quite easily, but for both players. To make things slightly more complex, ranges are restricted to 32" and any skills allowing you to deploy outside your DZ suffer a -3 mod to needed rolls.

Dark Mist
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GROUP 1  10  
 ANDROMEDA Submachine Gun, Flash Pulse, Zapper, D-Charges / Breaker Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 30)
 HECTOR (Lieutenant [+1 Order]) Spitfire, Nanopulser, Grenades ( | TinBot: Firewall [-3]) / Heavy Pistol, EXP CC Weapon. (0.5 | 67)
 BLUECOAT Adhesive Launcher(+1B), Heavy Riotstopper / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 13)
 BLUECOAT Adhesive Launcher(+1B), Heavy Riotstopper / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 13)
 KAPPA MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 19)
 KAPPA Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 KAPPA (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14)
 CRUSHER (Forward Deployment [+8"]) Submachine Gun, Nanopulser, D-Charges / Pistol, E/M CC Weapon. (0 | 29)
 FUZZBOT (Minesweeper, Repeater)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 8)
 KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7)

GROUP 25  / 2
 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)
 CHO (Chain of Command) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 20)
 FUZZBOT (Minesweeper, Repeater)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 8)
 CRUSHER (Forward Deployment [+8"]) Submachine Gun, Light Rocket Launcher, Nanopulser, D-Charges / Pistol, E/M CC Weapon. (1 | 35)

 3 SWC | 299 Points
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Maybe I got a bit lazy, but maybe this list seemed to be sufficient for the mission. It is nearly unchanged to my previous Hector-list. Only the Kappa ML is changed to a MSR, since the range-restrictions are not that bad for the MSR compared to the ML. Besides that Andromeda should be able to get the data early and slow my opponent down, while the two Crushers do the rest of the job. Of course Hector should plough the path for them. That is all of the trick.

 
 
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GROUP 1  9  / 1  
 PUPPET MASTERS (Minelayer) Submachine Gun, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 14)
 PUPPETBOT (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 12)
 PUPPETBOT (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 12)
 PUPPETBOT (BS Attack ) AP Marksman Rifle / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 14)
 ZOE & Π-WELL undefined / undefined. (0 | 44)
   ZOE (Hacker) Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 25)
   PI-WELL Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 19)
 MORAN (Repeater) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse, Crazykoala ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 17)
 MORAN (Repeater) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse, Crazykoala ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 17)
 GECKO MULTI Marksman Rifle(+1B), Chain Rifle, Panzerfaust / CC Weapon. (1 | 56)
   GECKO PILOT Combi Rifle / Assault Pistol(+1B), CC Weapon. (0 | 0)
 JAZZ Hacker & BILLIE undefined / undefined. (0.5 | 24)
   JAZZ (Hacker) Submachine Gun, Pitcher, Cybermines / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 18)
   BILLIE Flash Pulse, E/M Mines / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 6)
 MODERATOR (Lieutenant) Combi Rifle / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 9)

GROUP 22  / 1
 VERTIGO ZOND Missile Launcher / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 17)
 CARLOTA KOWALSKY Breaker Combi Rifle, Light Flamethrower, Adhesive Launcher(+1B), D-Charges / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 34)
   MORIARTY PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 4)
 LIBERTO (Minelayer) Light Shotgun, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1 | 8)
 MORLOCK Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 6)
 SALYUT (Hacker, EVO Hacking Device)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 15)

 6 SWC | 299 Points
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As always, this is recreated by some sloppy notes, so don't take this to be 100% correct. There are no real big guns except for what the Gecko and the Puppetbots may achieve. They are supported by a nasty ARO-play and thread of the Morans in combination with Jazz' hacking and the guided missiles from far behind. Even if the Morans, the Puppets or Zoe do not succeed at the mission, Mrs. Kowalsky can attempt for a last throw and mix things up. The Liberto and the minelayer option on the Puppetmaster clearly help to disguise the AD-troop here.

To reduce our workload a bit, we borroughed this map from Cabaray. It can be found in the White Noise collection. While the north side has some trouble of defending itself on the longer ranges, the blocking central building also forces the attacks to defined channels. Nevertheless the south side makes it a bit difficult to safely deploy more models and defend the DZ simultanously.

I win the Lt-roll and decide to go first. CrazyNomad deploys second in the north.

My link scatters around the left building with the MSR on the roof and everyone else trying to be safe and cover some close edges. Cho as second Hector starts on the left side of that building, but in relative safety. My REMs are scattered on my table edge and cover the right a bit more. That side is also covered by the LRL Crusher. Hector starts centered.

The opposite left is taken by three camo-markers, the Puppetmaster, Piwell and the Missile-REM behind the obstructions, while the puppets take the right side together with the Gecko. Jazz, Zoe and the EVO hide somewhere in the center. One Moran starts prone on the rooftop on the left side.

My second Crusher takes the left side behind Andromeda, which succeeds her roll and starts advanced on that side. A second Moran takes the central roof on the right.

Starmada 1: Both Varangians advance, while the left one goes up to the DZ, clearing the mines and koalas, shooting down the Morlock but fails to kill Piwell and dies. So Andromeda can spot the left antenna and try to get rid of all the remaining stuff on the left. Here I fizzle a lot of potential and end up with only killing the Liberto, taking a wound on a new mine and getting stunned by the Moran. At least she threatens the Puppetmaster with her guard now. The turn ends with my MSR also getting stunned by the Moran.

Nomads 1: One guided missile takes out the previously targeted Andromeda. Luckily the Gecko gets stunned as he peeks out on the right. The puppets get more lucky by killing my Kytta and the Kappa paramedic and getting two antennas spotted on their way.

Starmada 2: To get into the game, everything has to cross LoF of the Moran on the left roof. Hector first fails here and gets stunned, then again my MSR. Only the LRL Crusher can reach his back, burning him off the table, then uploading the mission-data in the center and getting a look over the right side. Both Crushers enter suppressive fire.

Nomads 2: Piwell tries to engage my MSR over the far left building but goes down to a well aimed shot. On the other side the Gecko can't disable my Crusher which also hinders the puppets on their mission to upload their data in the center.

Starmada 3: While trying to get rid of the marksman-puppet, Hector recieves two wounds until the bot goes down, followed by the last one. The LRL Crusher uses his reputation to scare the Gecko on the right into full cover, scoring the classified on one of the wrecked puppets and spots the right antenna. Hector and the other Crusher enter suppressive fire.

Nomads 3: Unfortunately my Crusher ended up in repeater-range of the right Moran, so a guided missile ends my defense on that flank and giving the HVT free. Hector can't resist the Gecko and dies, but at this moment I am still leading in the mission. This is changed by Carlotta, entering on the left flank and pushing right through that side. Meanwhile her Zondbot repairs Piwell, scoring the classified. The right Moran then leaves his roof, uploading the data and evacuating the HVT.

The last turn changed the game against me, resulting in a 10-8 for CrazyNomad. While I made a terribly unefficient play with Andromeda and my Varangian in t1, his two Morans and the squishy Puppetbots pinned my further advance down. I thought to have a decent defense build up in my half of the table, but I totally ignored the potential of an AD troop. Even if I already experienced a Tomcat going wild in my DZ some years ago, I still don't consider the options for Nomads. So he got me unprepared. Probably I need to play some games against AssaultUnicorn again to get my caution back on this topic.
This time I was really lacking the Epsilon HMG, or even the SMR here due to the better ranges in this mission. If there are camo-troops somewhere, where you can't throw a Varangian on, Starmada gets a difficult play here. Probably I should have skipped my attempt to get the Puppetmaster and the missile-bot killed with Andromeda and instead kill the Moran with guard after berserking Piwell with the Varangian. But I wanted to keep him alive as long as possible...Wrong decision, I guess.

About Hector getting stunned and then recieving two wounds against the Puppetbot I don't want to talk...

Three is all you need [O-12 vs. Spiral Corp]

After the loss against W0rstC4se, I hoped for some relief in the next IGIL-round, but only got one of his 'students', playing Tohaa/Spiral this event. I knew he would play quite good, since we knew each other a bit from the ENTE, but never had the opportunity to play against each other. So I was glad to get this opportunity, even if I have nearly no experience against Spiral Corp so far - Artichokes are simply non-existant in my meta, even in my online-bubble. The mission this round was Quadrant Control.

WorstQuadrant
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GROUP 1  10  / 1
 CYBERGHOSTS (Hacker, Hacking Device Plus) Combi Rifle, Pitcher ( ) / Breaker Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 21)
 VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 GANGBUSTER (Minelayer) Combi Rifle, Light Riotstopper, Madtraps / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23)
 GANGBUSTER (Minelayer) Combi Rifle, Light Riotstopper, Madtraps / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23)
 RAZOR (Minelayer) Boarding Shotgun, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 32)
 FUZZBOT (Minesweeper, Repeater)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 8)
 SIRIUS Red Fury / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1 | 29)
   SIRIUSBOT Heavy Riotstopper / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 5)
 SIRIUS Red Fury / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1 | 29)
   SIRIUSBOT Heavy Riotstopper / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 5)
 ALPHA (Lieutenant [+1 Command Token], Strategos L1]) Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 EPSILON Heavy Machine Gun, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 34)

GROUP 21
 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)
 FUZZBOT (Minesweeper, Repeater)  ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 8)
 LYNX (Specialist Operative) Plasma Carbine, D-Charges / Assault Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 29)

 4.5 SWC | 298 Points
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I knew about the Tagmaa MSV sniper, a fair amount of impersonators and some ablative wounds on key-units, so the original plan was to grab some midfield-pieces, Bluecoats as corner guards and the really big guns. Having a Zeta somewhere on a roof could be a nice thing in this mission. Nevertheless, some discussion with W0rstC4se resulted in a mid-field heavy list and more glue-guns as you can imagine. The Sirius-teams should simply start on the roofs and shoot from that position, while the Gangbusters glue everything down on the way.Razor and Lynx as a back-up and early points somewhere, while the Epsilon could utilize the Varangians or the White Noise zones from the Cyberghost to hunt down whatever scary there may be.

QC Midfield
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GROUP 1  9  / 1  
 GREIF-OP  (Forward Deployment [+8"], Mimetism [-3]) Shock Marksman Rifle / Breaker Pistol(+1B), CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 TAAGMA (Tri-Core) Breaker Combi Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 20)
 TAAGMA (Multispectral Visor L2) VIRAL Sniper Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 24)
 KAELTAR  Light Shotgun, Flash Pulse, SymbioBomb ( | SymbioMate) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15)
 DRAAL (Minelayer) AP Marksman Rifle, D-Charges, Shock Mines / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (1 | 40)
 KIIUTAN Submachine Gun, E/Mitter, E/M Mines / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (1 | 28)
 CLIPSOS Boarding Shotgun, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24)
 JAAN STAAR Light Shotgun, Shock Mines / Viral Pistol(+1B), CC Weapon. (1 | 31)
 KRIIGEL (Lieutenant) Breaker Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenade Launcher, Pheroware Tactics: Eraser, Pheroware Tactics: Mirrorball / Viral Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 20)
 HELOT MILITIAMAN (Camouflage [1 Use]) Submachine Gun, Light Rocket Launcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 9)

GROUP 21  
 KERAIL PRECEPTOR Submachine Gun, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 24)
   SURDA SYMBIOBEAST Pulzar / Viral CC Weapon. (- | 8)
 TAAGMA Breaker Combi Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 16)
 CHAKSA AUXILIAR FTO (Sensor, Baggage) Heavy Flamethrower(+1 Dam) ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 10)
 CHAKSA AUXILIAR FTO (Sensor, Baggage) Heavy Flamethrower(+1 Dam) ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 10)
 DIPLOMATIC  (CC Attack [-3], Specialist Operative]) Nanopulser, Flash Pulse, Pheroware Tactics: Eraser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 5)

 5.5 SWC | 300 Points
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The list takes everything you don't want to see in Quadrant Control. The backfield is secured by a Triad with the MSV Taagma and a Triad of Chaksas. A Draal can hunt down heavy targets, if necessary, but the Greif, Jaan Staar and the Clipsos, equipped by the Kiiutan can clear such things on their own, while they bring early and safe points in the far quadrants. The Surda beast on the other hand can rush easily into positions needed, once things go south. At least that is how I understand this vegetables.

You know this map from two previous reports. Both deployment zones have limited spaces for link-deployment and need to make some decisions about what to overwatch. The right side tends to be more open, while the left one has to deal with the long firelane in the center more often. Why I came up with three high buildings in the center for a map dedicated for Quadrant Control is a mystery now...

I loose te Lt-roll and get the first turn but can deploy second in the south - my favoured side for this match-up. We don't forget about the decompression-zones this time, as you can see in the image. Mine are placed more or less in positions to not limit my movement or burst towards the important places.

One Triad with three Krigels is deployed on the right building with a Draal MMR in front of it. One Krigel is looking suspicious into the long central firelane. The left side sees a Triad of Chacksas, a camo marker and a flash-diplomat. More centered a Kerail and his Beast start, next to a Kaeltar, equipping Jaan Staar with a Symbiobomb. He starts together with an impersonator in my left quadrant, prone on the roof of the high building.
My cheerleaders together with the Cyberghost hide on the left, defended by one Varangian. The second one takes the right side, preparing for the Epsilon. One Sirius-team takes the high building on my right with the bot on ground-level. To control Jaan Staar a bit, one Gangbuster starts next to that building, the other takes the right, sitting next to the mine of the Razor. My Lynx starts in HD on the far left.
The Greif starts in suppressive fire in the center, while I decide to go beyond him with my second Sirius-team on the far left.

O-12 1: Using the Sirius-bot on the left, White Noise is placed there to secure the path for the Sirius-team. Ignoring the Greif, I rush that team into the Chaksa-Triad, glueing one Chaksa and loosing the whole team, making it a quite bad trade. So I send the Varangian to clear that side, failing to CC the glued Chaksa and shooting the Kerail, but at least surviving with everything in LoF. The right Varangian enters suppressive fire to scare away some stuff in the mid of the right side, while the Kyttas advance into the quadrants.

Spiral 1: While the left Varangian is shot, he takes down the Kerail and the Diplomat successfully with the chain rifle. On the left the MSV Taagma discovers my mine, which then is used by the Helot to burn down my Gangbuster with his LRL. The Varangian is forced to dodge, so the Draal can kill him easily. Since an impersonator and Jaan Staar are not enough in my near left quadrant, a Clipsos appears on that building, too. The madtrap glues him there, completely unaccessable.

Three to one quadrant for Spiral: 2-0

O-12 2: Again things must work over the left side. The Kytta stuns a Chaksa out of the way and again with White Noise the Greif is blinded. Now the Lynx starts there, reaching the Triad and burning down a Chaksa and the Taagma, but not surviving the nanopulzar. Again nothing is won there. The Sirius on the right only sends the Helot prone, so the path there is still denied.

Spiral 2: With some orders, the Greif clears out the whole left flank, after which I call it, since there is nothing more to gain for me and it would be only shooting things down now.

With that, the game is lost 10-0. The Zeta-list would have been the better choice, since I could have changed much thinking about how to engage what target with which support to simply a big gun and heavy armor. The Taagma sniper would have been no issue for the HRMC, I guess and there would have been something to deal with the Draal. Well, at least I have learned something. I am not sure, how I could have made a better turn one, since the Chaksas were deployed exelently with no LoF longer than template range. Maybe simply using the Varangian would have been the deal here. If that flank could have been smoked, I could have drained the order pool and the control of the near quadrants, so that the operation-team on my rooftop would have been useless. Nevertheless MSP had a good plan suited for the map and mission well executed and it was a fun game. That I quit a game with O-12 wishing for all my DBS-tools was not imaginable for me, but man...Some hackers, some pitchers and a Clipper can solve so many problems.