New week, new Morats

Again a Satuday went by and I could at least have one new game done. I wrote a list, where I combined the step back towards the Brawler-haris with the topics discussed in this thread: https://forum.corvusbelli.com/threads/approaches-to-aro.36486/
For those who haven't read it yet, here is my conclusion: Indirect AROs by infiltrators, mines and such things tend to be more efficient and reliable than direct ones like linked snipers, flash pulses and so on. Since I managed the direct approach in my favour but not in a reliable way, I wanted to try the indirect way, what brings me back to two Hunzakuts. With this and the Brawler-haris, not much space was left for other toys:

 Druze Bayram Security
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 7  / 1 
 HUNZAKUT (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)
 DRUZE (X Visor) Combi Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher (E/M and Nimbus) / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 27)
 DRUZE (X Visor) Shock Marksman Rifle, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 27)
 DRUZE Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle + Pitcher, D-Charges / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25)
 DRUZE Lieutenant (X Visor) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
 BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 28)
 PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)

GROUP 21 
 HUNZAKUT (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)
 KAMEEL Hacker (EVO Hacking Device) Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 25)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
 BRAWLER Heavy Rocket Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 18)
 BRAWLER Hacker (Assault Hacking Device) Submachine Gun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 17)
 BRAWLER (Fireteam: Haris) Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 17)
 BOUNTY HUNTER Submachine Gun, Akrylat-Kanone / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
 BOUNTY HUNTER Submachine Gun, Akrylat-Kanone / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)

 5 SWC | 299 Points
 

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By taking everything necessary, 25 points and 1 SWC were left. As every regular order is valuable here, I wanted two regular orders for that. I chose the two ABHs over the Pathfinder and Kameel because of their size. Having two big REMs and an additional S3 to deploy safely is more problematic then putting some S2 guys somewhere prone and getting at least two SMGs with them. I hoped to reduce the pressure from my link with the Hunzakuts, so that the single Brawler there should be enough and would die soon enough to free three guys of the Druze-link to attack in turn three. Turn one should see a first strike of the Brawlers and/or Hunzakuts

The game went against Morats in Quadrant Control.

 Morat Aggression Force
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 10 
 MORAT Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
 MORAT Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
 MORAT Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
 MORAT Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 19)
 MORAT (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
 KORNAK Lieutenant Mk12, Light Flamethrower / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 41)
 RODOK Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 28)
 SOGARAT AP HMG / Pistol, AP CCW. (2 | 56)
 MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID (Journalist L1) Submachine Gun, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 22)
 RASYAT Combi Rifle, D-Charges, Eclipse Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 29)

GROUP 22 
 ZERAT Hacker (EI Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 22)
 Q-DRONE HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 26)

 6 SWC | 300 Points
 

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While the Raicho in the previous lists tended to be too bulky and fragile, this time his power was divided into two new big guys and a TR-bot. I wasn't that scared by the Rodok, since he only has one die each shot, but the super jump can open up unthought vectors.

I splitted the former wastewater treatment plant from the last game day and tested some new terrain here. While first setting it up, it seemed to be less confusing and less open. We defined the walkways and the tri-buildings as completly closed.

I won the Lt-roll and wanted to deploy second in the south. My opponent decided to go second.

My opponent deployed his link on the right building with the FO behind it as liason officer and the ML on the roof. The building in the center saw the Q-drone and a bit more advanced behind the tank the Rodok started. On the left side Kornak was deployed, together with a Zerat hiding behind the power unit and the Sogarat left-centered behind a silo. The HVT was deployed on the right tank.

To pin the Rodok and the Sogarat, I decided to put my link around the tower on the right. The sniper went onto the tower and everything else behind it, more to the right flank and looking backwards as much as possible. The approach-path was denied by a Fugazi. The EVO also hid behind the walls. Both ABHs went in the center, one prone on the silo, one behind the stone. Left from that was a Fugazi to overwatch the Sogarat and behind it a Pathfinder. The Brawlers had the left flank, where also my HVT went. One Hunzakut went behind the staircase on the middle left.

Dr. Worm backed up Kornak on the left as reserve and I deployed a second Hunzakut on the right, near the antenna.

Druze 1:
I lost two orders from group two, what was not that urgent to my plans for that turns. I had to get rid of the ARO-pieces on the right and the Sogarat should be eridicated. I started on the Sogarat with the haris advancing, but getting stuck by a unpredicted firelane of the TR-bot (through all the obstacles, only my base could be seen from the TR-bot...). I calculated bad odds for the HRL against the TR-bot, so I shifted to my right flank, hopefully solving the problem there. The Hunzakut was chosen for this due to his camo and good ranges against his targets. After two shoot-outs, the ML critted him. I saw no other option to free my haris now, so I layed a mine against Kornak on the left and recamoed the Hunzakut.

Morat 1:
A Rasyat tried to jump into my DZ near the Pathfinder, but the EVO hacked his aircraft. So he scattered on a walkway and was critted by my Brawler-sniper. The Sogarat took revenge and critted the sniper back, then wrecked the left Fugazi and took a defensive position on the staircase. The Rodok started jumping and shot the right Fugazi. Kornak discovered and shooted the mine, then went into SF together with Dr. Worm.

Druze 2:
I had hoped for a further advanced Morat-force here, so that there were holes to use, but that was not the case. With the sniper dead, the Druze should clear the left on their own. I thought, I would get a LoF to the ML first, then to the TR-bot, so the link advanced, but with three orders left, I noticed that the TR-bot had the first LoF. With the mimetism, I had no chance here, so the E/M-launcher failed two times with speculative grenades. The Hunzakut tried to shoot the Sogarat, but with arm 9 in cover, that was useless, so he recamoed. On the walkway, the ABH crawled forward to get more points in the quadrants.

Morat 2:
The Rodok went on vacation and changed to the right side, killing the SMR, but failing on the E/M-launcher with his light shotgun. The core-link shifted a bit, so the ML could kill the E/M-launcher and the haris-Brawler on the left.

Druze 3:
If the Rodok would die, I maybe could manage to safe two quadrants and score my classified (again telemetry - didn't I shuffle the deck??). My Lt stood up, shooting against the Rodok, getting blasted by the TR-bot and failing to wound the Rodok. The KHD ate a crit from the Rodok, while the Hunzakut scored telemtry on the Sogarat but then was killed by him. I called it there.

10-1 for Morats. He made no big mistakes here, what could open up my approach and was helped by some crits. But what really broke my neck was my bad decisionmaking (and unforseen firelanes of the new table). The TR-bot was the main target in this game and without smoke, it needed to die. Only one unit was capable of doing it "safely" - the sniper. Mistake 1 here was to put him on the tower, where he was seen from start on. If he was deployed somewhere in an empty firelane, my opponent had to spend orders to get him and I could have picked the targets one by one. Mistake two then was to not sacrifice the sniper to get rid of the TR-bot. The sniper was dead in turn 2 for sure, so I should have gained some value of him and with more than 70% chance of success...Yeah, that was it.

Again a game was lost during deployment and turn 1, so I need to improve here. But what was lacking here again was a strong weapon. A linked HMG could have turned the table in turn 2 (maybe), where the SMR was outranged and outdiced. In addition to this, some basic-tricks are missing. I have major problems with TR-bots at the moment, what could be solved with smoke. This would also make the Brawler-sniper better. So I will try a list with the HMG and Saito next time, to look, if this will help. Otherwise my motivation is shrinking here more and more - I get more experience, but the result is stagnation or a decrease. That is not how it should go. Otherwise I could imagine some kind of getting stuck in a wrong direction. Maybe you don't have to think that much by playing Druze, than I tend to do at the moment - The no-brain list with Scarface and Saito runs!

Two games on the sewage plant

Sooo...A week is gone and I have three new reports for you!

The first one is a bit older, but was an entry for WiseKensai Bromad Academy-mission:
https://www.bromadacademy.com/2020/02/mission-017-report-positioning-and-objectives/

Always interesting to share some thoughts and do some challenges, but my lists recently go with this mission on a native way.

Two fresh games were played yesterday. We redid the match-ups from last Saturday, but we changed the mission. Two games of Aquisition against Tunguska and Morats.

Over the week, I got a little bored about this and taking Druze again. At the moment, I have the feeling to know what works and how things work and don't want to grind my opponents with the same list over and over again - they would not grow on this, as when they would face different list-types. I could have picked my Saito-Scarface list both times now, but I see no hope for Scarface against Tunguska. But then I came up with an intersting idea and wanted to dig a little bit in AVA 4 Bashi Bazouks. One is always a good idea, but a second one needs a different task. Entering at the same spot than the other one doesn't feel useful, so the holoprojector had to pay him. The unit to project was found quickly with the Druze MSR, but needed two adjustments: The MSR could not be in the link to improve the trap and my orderpool should not be impacted that much if the right guy was shot. So I build a new core in group one and shifted the Bazouk with the MSR Druze in group two. This is the result:

 Druze Bayram Security
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 7  / 1 
 DRUZE (X Visor) Combi Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher (E/M and Nimbus) / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 27)
 DRUZE (X Visor) Shock Marksman Rifle, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 27)
 DRUZE Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle + Pitcher, D-Charges / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25)
 BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 28)
 CLIPPER DRONBOT Smart Missile Launcher / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 18)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
 PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
 HUNZAKUT (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)

GROUP 22 
 BASHI BAZOUK Submachine Gun, Chain-colt / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 BASHI BAZOUK Submachine Gun, Chain-colt / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
 DRUZE (CH: Mimetism) MULTI Sniper / Viral Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 32)
 KAMEEL Hacker (EVO Hacking Device) Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 25)
 BOUNTY HUNTER Submachine Gun, Akrylat-Kanone / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
 PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
 BRAWLER Lieutenant Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)

 5.5 SWC | 300 Points
 

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 The general plan is to distract my opponent as much as possible and force him to make mistakes when he has to choose between which denied path he should force his way into the game. The core should be down to three guys quite fast, so they can move freely and deal damage where needed, until the pathfinders can score some objectives. Bashi Bazouk and Hunzakut should be the flexible back-up.

As expected, I got the same list then last week:

 Jurisdictional Command of Tunguska
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 10 
 SECURITATE (Repeater) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
 SECURITATE (Repeater) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
 SECURITATE (Repeater) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
 INTERVENTOR Hacker Lieutenant (Hacking Device Plus) Combi Rifle, 1 FastPanda / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 27)
 HOLLOW MEN Spitfire, Chain-colt / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (2 | 36)
 HOLLOW MEN MULTI Rifle + Pitcher, Chain-colt / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 35)
 STEMPLER ZOND FTO (Super-Jump) Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 18)
 REAKTION ZOND HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 26)
 VERTIGO ZOND Smart Missile Launcher / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 18)
 SPEKTR (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 32)

GROUP 22  / 1 
 CLOCKMAKER Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)
 ZONDBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
 ZONDBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
 MARY PROBLEMS Hacker (Forward Deployment L1) Submachine Gun + Zapper, Pitcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 30)
 WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse / Stun Pistol, Knife. (0 | 3)

 5.5 SWC | 297 Points
 

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I wanted to play on my 'sewage plant table, which has some problems with LoF, so I wanted to try out some layouts here.

The planters were played as saturation and low-visibility zones.

I lost the Lt-roll but could go second and deployed second in the south.

On the left the pseudo-haris with the two Hollow-men and the FO-REM was deployed, together with a Zondbot, while a Warcor and a Securitate went on the little power unit on that side. Behind that building the Interventor hide. The center saw the missile-REM and the Clockmaker, while a TR-REM, a Securitate and a Zondbot went on the right power-unit. In front of that, Mary Problems and a FP-REM were set.

My right flank was covered by a the ABH, coming along with a MSR, a Fugazi and a Pathfinder, while my link covered the center with advanced deployed Druze. It was very challenging here to find some spots and paths, not seen by the TR-REM. The left building was covered by the Bashi and his holos. The real MSR Druze took the right side of the truck in the left, the other side saw a Fugazi and was supported by Pathfinder. Somewhere the EVO went.

A TO-marker deployed on the other building on the left, while I placed my camo marker on the right flank to get some access to that side. The Hollow-men multirifle was nominated as datatracker, as well as my E/M-Druze.

Tunguska 1:
I spent two CPs to reduce the Hollow-men group by two orders and bring up overclock on my REMs.
Mary Problems started by shooting a pitcher near my link and exploiting the conservative placement of my KHD. Two spotlights later, smart missiles were shot, I forgot to hack them and the SMR and E/M-Druze were dead. Now the Hollow-men advanced and shot the left Fugazi. The Interventor closed the turn by giving the TR makrsmanship.

Druze 1:
I needed to reduce the pressure and shoot a way out towards the objectives. While checking possible angles, two things became obvious: The table was to open or badly structured and we forgot to speak through some specifics of the table. So what I thought we play closed, where thought to be open and so on. This resulted in nearly no path for my troops for the whole game.
The right side was the only opportunity, but the nasty FP-REM would harm my Hunzakut too much. The ABH tried to shoot it, but got stunned. So the Hunzakut had to do it - and got stunned. Again bad communication happened which pinned my Hunzakut down. He recamoed, the ABH ran more into the center to have access to the tech-coffin and with my other orders I managed to discover and shoot the TO-Specter on the rooftop.

Tunguska 2:
Now my Brawler MSR saw a spotlight, followed by a missile and died. This encouraged the Hollow-men to advance and cross the LoF of a Fugazi and the Clipper. While the Fugazi stunned the spitfire, the Clipper wrecked the FO-REM to unc2. The multirifle finished the Fugaziand Clipper, while the Clockmaker repaired the FO-REM. The reformed link activated the left antenna, while Mary Problems took the right by killing the Hunzakut and tanking a mine.

Druze 2:
Things were getting worse and both Bashis were not in a position to finish the Hollow-men link. To change this, the Druze MSR advanced and attacked the TR-REM from about 40". Of course two crits ended his life directly. So the solution of the Hollow-men was postponed to turn three. The left Pathfinder advanced towards Mary Problems, got stunned (no surprise), but tanked the SMG of Mary Problems. My KHD then melted her brain as a minor success here. Unfortunately, the KHD was in LoF to the TR-REM and ate an other crit.

Tunguska 3:
The spitfire Hollow-men shot the Pathfinder, while the multirifle entered the tech-coffin. To get HVT:Kidnapping, the spitfire took the HVT in CivEvac and retreated a bit, while a Zondbot took the left antenna and the FP-REM the right one.

Druze 3:
There were no good chances available at this point, so everything to do was a hail mary. The ABH advnced and shot the TR-REM (really??), then the FP-REM and finally took a wound from the Hollow-men multirifle. The chaincolt stopped his path of luck here. While my Lt missed the Zondbot with his rifle, the Bashi shot down the multirife with his SMG.

Instead of a 10-0, I reduced it to a 4-0 loss.
If I would have been a bit more concentrated during turn 1, the right flank could have been secured, what would have opened up some space in turn 2 and three. But in general, I had to pay for some deployment-mistakes (placing the KHD not exposed enough to cover the spotlight-attempts) and mostly for not talking through the table properly.
But what went exactly as planned was the MSR-trap. Even after one echo disappeared in turn two, my opponent did not started asking about this case and followed being scared by the projected guns. Against more experienced players, the effect would be reduced, but in the heat of a tournament, this is not guaranteed and in the end there are still four possible targets and you have to choose, which you want to ignore and which not. Really great!

The first action was to change the table to be more playable and not so no-brainer for big guns.

Again, it went against the same Morat-list then last week, so I was aware of the Rasyats this time!

 Morat Aggression Force
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

10 
 MORAT Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
 MORAT Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
 MORAT Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
 MORAT Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 19)
 MORAT (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
 KORNAK Lieutenant Mk12, Light Flamethrower / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 41)
 RAICHO MULTI HMG + Heavy Shotgun, Mine Dispenser / . (2 | 94)
   RAICHO PILOT 2 Heavy Pistols, D-Charges, Knife. ()
 MORAT Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 22)
 RASYAT Combi Rifle, D-Charges, Eclipse Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 29)
 RASYAT Spitfire, Eclipse Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (1.5 | 34)

 5.5 SWC | 296 Points
 

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I lost the Lt-roll, should go second and chose the south DZ.

Kornak started far left, covered by the core-link on the left power-unit. The Hacker saved the center and the Rasyat spitfire should test his shoes by deploying on the right side.

All my guns were placed in the center, where I got some nice firelanes towards the objectives, while my REMs covered the sides. My link was very dispersed, since I wanted to weaken the ML. So the E/M Druze went on the right rooftop, the Clipper behind that building. So I was forced to have only one possible linkleader and could not use the MSR, more left in the center, actively. I let look back every unit possible, including the real Bashi and my Lt, lying on the rooftop on the left side.

The Raicho also got the right side, while I wanted to harm Kornak with my Hunzakut on the left. Kornak was nominated datatracker and I chose my ABH as flexible unit. This time, he brought a brand new multirifle.

Morat 1:
The Raicho started shooting some rounds into my Fugazi and after a heavy shootout critted him. Further advancing, he managed to wreck the Clipper, but got stunned by the left Pathfinder. The combi-Rasyat tried to jump on the only blind spot left in my DZ: Behind my Lt on the rooftop. A 17 saved my life here and it scattered into my DZ between MSR Druze and Bashi Bazouk. Kornak wanted to advance, but got stunned by my Fugazi.

Druze 1:
With the Raicho facing towards my main-force, it would have been the best opportunity for the parachiting Bashi, but the ML covered his entry-zone, so an other plan needed to be forged. The Raicho was also standing in ZoC of the right Pathfinder, so the EVO spotlighted him (I now checked my chart and saw that this was a mistake here, sorry for that). This encouraged the ABH to go for the Raicho with his multirifle and after a few rounds, he could shoot him unc. I used this to FO him and score telemetry.

Morat 2:
Kornak tried to advance again, but again got stunned. The remaining Rasyat struggled with his position and being seen by my Brawler MSR or not. After some shoot-outs, he lost his nerves, advanced further and got shot by my SMR. In the same move, he finally critted my Brawler. Now the ML-Morat shot the SMR, but got a long shot between his eyes from the real MSR Druze.

Druze 2:
Things were done here in most cases. My Hunzakut shot down Kornak and took the left antenna, placed a repeater there and entered suppressive fire. I was afraid of having him shot into retreat, so my ABH took the tech coffin in a bad position and entered suppressive fire, too.

Morat 3:
Not in retreat, a hailmary needed to be started with the Hacker shooting down my ABH, but failed on my Hunzakut.

Druze 3:
I wanted the techcoffin back, so the hacker needed to die. Of course, the Hunzakut failed again and died in exchange. So the KHD had to shoot a pitcher and critted the hacker dead. The remaining orders were used to get a Pathfinder on the left antenna, the entering Bashi on the right and the KHD on the coffin.

7-0 for Druze in an okay game. I played inefficiently, my opponent made bad decisions and the table was not the best. If the Rasyats were used to get eclipse-grenades down and open up better paths for Kornak and the Raicho, things would have been different, but this potential was not used. To kill the Raicho with my datatracker was quite risky and could have gone wrong.
In this game my MSR-trap striked again by scaring away Kornak and the Raicho and doing a lot of psychic pressure. Again, my opponent did not checked my order count and so on, so he was constantly thinking to have four MSRs against him. To make it extra sweet, I get a chaincolt and a SMG in my DZ - great!

But I will break up this table for the future. The walkways need some different type of terrain to avoid redicilous LoFs and the other buildings could be used better in a different setting.

In general, I am very satisfied with the way to play and the list. It works by focussing on the mission and avoiding going for most damage and taking the risks there. Druze is not that mobile to get safe kills, so you need to snack, whatever got exposed to your guns during the game. This does not win you games, but it opens up paths to score points. You only need to do this in turn 2 in most cases to avoid order scarcitiy in turn three. Here I need to practice more to get this done and don't get stuck during turn 2 as it was in all my games against Tunguska.

The Bashi Bazouk with his holoprojector totally got me (and my opponents). To have his weapons in my DZ is valuable, to distract my opponent with an additional riddle to solve is great and to give him the chance to waste three orders until killing the real sniper is totally worth the price I pay here. You only need a spot where you can place four MSRs reasonable inside 8" to each other.

Twice the effort, twice the fun!

Today I had two games against Tunguska and Morats and could use two different lists:

Game 1 was against our local Tunguska-player where I expected a similar list than the last time (the report is somewhere above): Some hacking, aggressive Hollow Men and a smart-missile bot. That was no option for my Scarface-List because it had nothing against hackers, so the list from last Monday had to do it.

The Mission chosen was Highly Classified to mix the experience a bit up. We draw experimental drug, HVT: retroengineering, HVT: designation and net-undermine. My classified was HVT:Kidnapping.
  Ultimate Brawl
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

GROUP 1 7  / 1 
 BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 28)
 DRUZE Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle + Pitcher, D-Charges / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25)
 DRUZE (CH: Mimetism) MULTI Sniper / Viral Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 32)
 DRUZE Lieutenant (X Visor) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
 DRUZE (X Visor) Shock Marksman Rifle, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 27)
 PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
 HUNZAKUT (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)

GROUP 27 
 BRAWLER (Fireteam: Haris) Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 17)
 BRAWLER Heavy Rocket Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 18)
 BRAWLER Hacker (Assault Hacking Device) Submachine Gun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 17)
 KAMEEL Hacker (EVO Hacking Device) Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 25)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
 PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
 PEACEMAKER Heavy Shotgun + AUXBOT_3 / Electric Pulse. (0 | 21)
   AUXBOT_3 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)

 6 SWC | 299 Points
 

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My core-link should allow me to castle up as good as possible and get the missile-bot assassinated with the Hunzakut. From that point on, the Brawlers should be able to chew throuh the nasty stuff like the last game went. With the drawn classifieds, this plan had to be altered, since I needed the enemy HVT somewhere near my Druze, what would be not that easy. So if possible, the Hunzakut should sync it and carry it towards my link.

 Jurisdictional Command of Tunguska
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GROUP 1 10 
 SECURITATE (Repeater) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
 SECURITATE (Repeater) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
 SECURITATE (Repeater) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
 INTERVENTOR Hacker Lieutenant (Hacking Device Plus) Combi Rifle, 1 FastPanda / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 27)
 HOLLOW MEN Spitfire, Chain-colt / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (2 | 36)
 HOLLOW MEN MULTI Rifle + Pitcher, Chain-colt / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 35)
 STEMPLER ZOND FTO (Super-Jump) Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 18)
 REAKTION ZOND HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 26)
 VERTIGO ZOND Smart Missile Launcher / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 18)
 SPEKTR (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 32)

GROUP 22  / 1 
 CLOCKMAKER Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)
 ZONDBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
 ZONDBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
 MARY PROBLEMS Hacker (Forward Deployment L1) Submachine Gun + Zapper, Pitcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 30)
 WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse / Stun Pistol, Knife. (0 | 3)

 5.5 SWC | 297 Points
 

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The gameplan evolved around the three-man Hollow-Men core link with Stempler Zond in it to deal damage and deploy pitchers. This should help to target everything possible and bomb it out via missiles. To spice things up, a TR-bot was included. There is still space for optimization, but in general things could work here.

It seemed like some of my buildings are missing in my box, so the table was a bit more open than usual. From each side there were some risky long lines, with the right side more open than the left one.

I won the Lt-roll and took the initiative to get rid of the smart-missiles. So I had to deploy in the south.

Deployment Druze:
My link scattered around the left flank with the Druze MSR on the left building and the Brawler next to the more centered. KHD a bit advanced to have the ZoC in front of my important units. The Brawler-haris took the center to get better access to everything on the opposite left flank. The terrible long firelane on the left flank saw a Fugazi as bait and a Pathfinder, together with the EVO-Kameel.
My HVT went in front of my links, behind the high building on the right side.

Deployment Tunguska:
Most of the force grouped around the building on the left with Clockmaker, TR-bot and Interventor on the roof, the Hollow-core with a Zondbot next to that buidling. A Warcor overwatched the center, while the right side saw Securitates scattered, together with the smart-missile-bot. Mary Problems took a nap on a roof on the right side.
The HVT went into a corner in front of all the stuff on the left side.

The plan to steal the HVT was still up, even if it would take some luck and two turns, so the Hunzakut deployed as advanced as possible on the left. My opponent deploye a TO-marker on the high building in the center, near my HVT.

Druze 1:
I lost two orders from group one. So low on orders, I had to achieve as much as possible and stay read for turn 2 with my Hunzakut. He was the only option to deal with the TR-bot, so his success was necessary. He advanced, shot the Warcor and placed a repeater in front of all the hackable stuff. One shot against the TR-bot was still in the budget. As always, a crit from the HMG ended all the dreams. So some orders now were free. In group two, the Brawlers reformed a bit and after the Druze KHD blasted the neurals of the Interventor through the repeater, the AHD could designate the HVT.

Tunguska 1:
In LoL and the Hollow-men trapped by my hackers, my opponent lost his nerves here. A Securitate advanced, misjudged LoF to my MSRs and died. Unable to get rid of the repeater, nothing more happened here.

Druze 2:
Only net-undermine was now possible for me to score, since no engineer and no medic were available and no Druze would reach the HVT this game. I transferred the Haris-Brawler to group 1, build a new core without the SMR and send the SMR out behind enemies lines. On his way, she shot a Securitate and scored net-undermine. I was worried about the marker near my HVT, so the centered Pathfinder advanced and sensored it. Some more shuffeling, to force wasted orders in the next turn was done.

Tunguska 2:
The discovered Spectre on the roof teamed with the smart-missile-bot and managed to kill the Auxbot and the Druze MSR. Then he leaned out on his roof and shot the repeater. The freed Hollow-men advanced a bit and failed to destroy my Fugazi in the left firelane.

Druze 3:
Tunguska had enough stuff alive to score two classifieds and maybe the personal one, so orders need to be deleted wherever possible. The SMR started and shot an other Securitate and the smart-missile-bot with the chain-colt. As exchange, a ARO-missile from the dying bot erased her from the field. Unseen, the central Pathfinder advanced to cover the Hollow-men with his repeater. The AHD could not harm them actively here.

Tunguska 3:
With some clever activating, everything would be possible, but the experience was not enough in this situation. The Hollow-men advanced through all of my AROs and the spitfire could not deactivate the Fugazi or the Pathfinder. In exchange, nothing was hacked or stunned. The other Hollow-men managed to net-undermine me then, but the Stempler failed to map my DZ. Now Mary Problems needed a good run: Shooting a pitcher near my HVT (I had forgotten about her pitchers and focussed on the Hollow-men for this task), passing the first spotlight, but failing the second one with the last order.

I won 6 to 1 OPs with some luck and mostly due to not enough experience on the opposite side. I didn't use much of the potential I had, but since action only evolved in turn 3, my defensive capacities were not needed and I was not able to go aggressive with only a HRL available fast enough. The Hunzakut was my only chance here and I should have been more patient by re-camoing into safety and suprise-shooting the TR-bot then.
To dominate the whole game via hacking agains Tunguska felt great, but not correct here.

 

Game 2 should be against Morats and because it was the second game that day, a more relaxed mission was chosen: Transmission Matrix. I expected nothing to scary and took the Scarface-list from the last tournament to dig around a new list-type.
  Looter
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GROUP 1 8  / 1 
 SAITO TOGAN (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, EXP CCW, Knife. (0 | 40)
 DRUZE (X Visor) Combi Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher (E/M and Nimbus) / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 27)
 DRUZE (X Visor) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
 BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 28)
 BRAWLER Heavy Rocket Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 18)
 BRAWLER Lieutenant Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
 PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
 HUNZAKUT (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)

GROUP 21 
 FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
 SCARFACE & CORDELIA TURNER . (1.5 | 78)
   SCARFACE 2 Mk12, Heavy Rocket Launcher / AP CCW. (1.5 | 61)
   SCARFACE Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, CCW. ()
   CORDELIA TURNER Combi Rifle, Chain-colt, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 17)
 KAMEEL (Minesweeper, Repeater) Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
 KAMEEL (Minesweeper, Repeater) Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
 WARCOR (Sixth Sense L1) Flash Pulse / Stun Pistol, Knife. (0 | 3)

 5 SWC | 299 Points
 

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Scarface should be the main beatstick, while Saito hid somewhere and screw everything up, when needed. In the meantime, my REMs should take some areas and scoot around.
 Morat Aggression Force
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10 
 MORAT Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
 MORAT Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
 MORAT Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
 MORAT Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 19)
 MORAT (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
 KORNAK Lieutenant Mk12, Light Flamethrower / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 41)
 RAICHO MULTI HMG + Heavy Shotgun, Mine Dispenser / . (2 | 94)
   RAICHO PILOT 2 Heavy Pistols, D-Charges, Knife. ()
 MORAT Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 22)
 RASYAT Combi Rifle, D-Charges, Eclipse Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 29)
 RASYAT Spitfire, Eclipse Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (1.5 | 34)

 5.5 SWC | 296 Points
 

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I played against this list before, so Kornak, the Raicho and some AD-troops were expected. A lot of pressure in advance and while everything focus on the TAG, the Rasyats are spreading chaos.

The table was the same as in the previous game. I lost the Lt-roll but got the second turn and chose my previous south DZ.

Morats deployed the core-link on the right building, while Kornak went in the center and the hacker securing the left zone. The designate target went on the same unaccessable spot then in the previous game near the hacker.

My link deployed around the central-right building with HRL and MSR up to ARO and the Druze forwarded a bit to secure that zone. Scarface had to seek for a safe spot on the left, together with a Fugazi and the Warcor around the left building. Some scattered Kameels and other REMs in the center. Saito Togan went in hidden deployment next to my designated target in front of my link, behind the high building on the right side.

The Raicho deployed on the right side to aproach via the center and I deployed my Hunzakut on the left to get the forward observer in a good spot to score my classified: Telemetry. Morat Datatracker was Kornak, mine was Scarface.

Morat 1:
The Raicho advanced in the center and shot the HRL-Brawler, since the core-links pinned each other. Now a Rasyat Combi dropped behind my link (again and again I miss, that AD troops can jump into the DZ, so nobody really was watching the back). Under eclipse-smoke, he chewed up a Pathfinder and a Kameel in CC and scored in extremis recovery there. From there, he shot two more REMs in the center.

Druze 1:
At the moment, many problems with an easy solution available everywhere. Scarface shot the Rasyat, Saito Togan showed up and ate the Raicho in one order but failing the smoke-dodge while advancing towards Kornak and the Hunzakut scored telemetry on Kornak. Unfortunately, the Hunzakut didn't notice the LoF to the Morat-ML and got erased. The last Fugazi advanced in the center.

2 to 1 zone for Druze, both classifieds scored.

Morat 2:
The second Rasyat jumped into my DZ, behind Scarface and Cordelia. The game would be over here, if he didn't fail his PH-roll and scattered from the table and entered it on the left side of his DZ. Kornak advanced and killed the Fugazi, followed by the designated target. The scattered Rasyat came out of cover and got shot by Scarfaces HRL. Unfortunately, the link to Cordelia was broken, because she had to dodge a bit to avoid Kornaks MK12. Kornak took position in the central zone.

Druze 2:
Low on orders and low on reliable options, everything was up for brute-force and some lucky rolls. Scarface advanced in direction to the designated target and survived the first shots of the ML. He advanced further, crossing LoF to Kornak. The ML wrecked Scarface, but he managed to kill Kornak with his MK12s. The basic-Druze left the link to secure the central zone and Cordelia set up to take out the hacker and the designated target next turn.

Again, 2 to 1 zone for Druze.

Morat 3:
With only the core-link available, things became close. The link left the building, loosing the ML in the process on the MSR-Brawler and letting one soldier in the zone. The three guys left went in the center and managed to kill my Druze.

Druze 3:
With the Druze gone and only two CPs, everything needed to work in the best way possible. I am not relying on high risk plans here and had to choose, if Cordelia was more likely to kill the Morats in the center and secure the zone, or if she could manage to cross LoF to that Morats, take out the Hacker and the designated target. With only four orders for both plans, I chose the one in the center. Here the Lt could help a bit. That he does by standing up and shooting the first Morat, leaving only two in the zone. Cordelia advanced with two orders left for shooting. Only one kill would be enough to take the zone, but both orders had no success.

Now 2 to 1 zone for Morats, which leads to the final score of 6-6 thanks to Telemetry giving an extra point in this mission.

The problem of my list is its vulnerability in exchange for the high aggressive potential. I was forced to move forward more than I am used to this time and lost too many potential to early. So nothing reliable was left in turn three, where the early loss of my order pool hurt a lot. My inability to have my DZ overwatched hurts a lot here, since it lead to this close game, where a safe win was not that difficult to achieve. I really have to get some more experiene with this list, but it feels good, as it writes its success in blood and not so subtle than my other lists. But you need to be careful with everything you invest here.