Hey, been trying to play way more actively now that I’m not driving real tanks and guns. This is another 300 point ITS match in the Minneapolis meta. My opponent was the awesome Tor (No idea what his ITS name is) a very good local player who has decided to mix his armies up after rolling nerds locally with his Haqqislam. Tors playstyle is very similar to mine with a few active front line pieces backed up by secondary gunners such as light infantry or skirmishers. He’s an awesome dude, awesome player, and he also has some great terrain.
This game was nuts rules wise. We both had some great questions, and especially with me just deciding not to read the recent FAQ. One of our situations involved white noise, 2x hackers, and an MSV unit in a link, all in one order.
Overview:
Mission: Looting and Sabotaging (Oh.)
Druze: FO the HVT
Onyx: Extreme Prejudice
Forces: Druze Bayram Security forces versus Onyx First Contact Force
Deploy First: Druze Bayram Security
First turn: Druze Bayram Security
Druze List:
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GROUP 1 9 / 1
DRUZE HMG, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, Knife.
DRUZE (X Visor) Combi Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher (E/M and Nimbus) / Viral Pistol, Knife.
DRUZE Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle + Pitcher, D-Charges / Viral Pistol, Knife.
BRAWLER Doctor (MediKit) Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife.
ANACONDA Spitfire + Light Flamethrower, Panzerfaust / CCW.
OPERATOR Spitfire / Pistol, Knife.
BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper / Pistol, Knife.
HUNZAKUT (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife.
BRAWLER Hacker (Assault Hacking Device) Submachine Gun / Pistol, Knife.
SAITO TOGAN (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, EXP CCW, Knife.
PEACEMAKER Heavy Shotgun + AUXBOT_3 / Electric Pulse.
AUXBOT_3 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse.
This is a testy list for me, especially taking it into an unplanned mission (we randomly rolled Looting/Sabotaging lmao). It still had the core link and doctor backup, just with a few heavier hitting pieces like the Anaconda. My overall plan was to see which angle I could push the best, and then either jam my link into it or the Anaconda. Exploiting either the Anacondas spitfire range band, or the HMG/EM range bands. This backed up by the Hunzkaut or other forward assets would create an opening for whatever assault unit wasn’t the spear head to then move into the objective zone.
Onyx Contact Force
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GROUP 1 10
XEODRON K1 Combi Rifle, Blitzen / Heavy Pistol.
STALDRON Flash Pulse / Knife.
MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife.
KERR-NAU (UPGRADE: White Noise) Plasma Rifle + Pitcher, D-Charges / Breaker Pistol, Knife.
RODOK HMG / Pistol, Knife.
RODOK Lieutenant Combi Rifle, 2 Light Shotguns / Pistol, Knife.
RODOK Hacker (EI Assault Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife.
RODOK Paramedic (MediKit) Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife.
RODOK Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife.
UNIDRON Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse.
UNIDRON Spitfire / Pistol, Electric Pulse.
GROUP 22
NEXUS Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nullifier / Pistol, Knife.
UNIDRON Plasma Carbine / Pistol, Electric Pulse.
(This is a very close approximate list)
I’ll be real, Onyx and CA in general scare the crap out of me. I woke up in a cold sweat later this night screaming NOCTIFIER MISSILE! All of their units are better than yours. They always have great support with Doc worm or something else. And their hacking game is unparalleled now with Bit and Kiss. I would have to force extremely unfair trades, or range bands on them for any chance of firefight/mid board domination. I was fully prepared to throw my units away halting them in the midfield, as I knew their range bands would be kind of poor for the opening in the center of the board.
HIs list came across as a little more tame than some I had seen. But had a large number of bodies to chew through, and even just one of those Rodoks surviving put my link team at risk. I was also afraid of the Xeodron simply jumping and shooting my poor Anaconda.
Narrative:
“There must be some way out of here, said the joker to the thief!” Guitar music blared, crackling with the static of magnetic tape. My head began to bob along, almost unconsciously. A set of teeth revealed themselves across from me. I could barely make out that one golden tooth, shimmering in the blood red lighting of the drop ships interior. The man’s large eyes were a soft red in the interior lighting.
“Oi, Jimi and your girls. What I love about America eh?” Blackies Rhodesian accent sounded loud in my ear piece. I shot a comfortable smile back across the drop bay, letting my mouth pull tight at the right corner, my skin wrinkled and pulled.
The hull shook, up and down, up and down.
“A wildcat began to growl!” The music was louder now, almost as if the pilot had sensed the oncoming turbulence.
As my smile faded I made a final check, as always, hands gliding over my gear. The dropship shook and rattled as my burned finger tips crawled their way across the magazine pouches, grenades, IPAC, and finally resting against my collar straps. I dropped my hands to the large rifle around my neck. Its sturdy plastic and metal stock the same as always, kill marks etched into the extendable grip, one, two, three, they continued on crossing over each other. It’s scope, thermal optic, self guided, its wire ran in three long cords into my helmet sensors. The muzzle break was long and smooth, an original American model, heavily modified. Nothing like it in the human sphere, nothing at all. I let out a half smile, ready for battle. A quick press of my tongue against the side of my mouth clicked my throat mic on and off, all set. A series of clicks sounded through my headset as the team prepared.
“And the wind began to howl!” The music picked up in pace and volume.
A large hiss echoed throughout the interior, the very air draining itself. My ears began pulsing and popping in rapid unison, a pain beginning deep in my head and following through the small canals as the pressure dropped. Light began to pour in, a small crack at first, slowly widening into a cleave running along the right side of the ship. I saw the Africans first, their yellow helmets reflecting the bright light. Their elephant and tiger tooth necklaces glowing brightly. Mansurs hyena pelt was magnificent, it’s spotted pattern sparkling in the snowy light. My eyes followed the trio to Fatima. Her helmet was pointed squarely at me, lens sockets focusing and moving.
My cheeks began to burn, images of the security team bearing down on us.
“Remember, in and out, the security team is minimal. Just get the account codes and we can get out of here before big brother blue shows.” Jessica was acting lead, and she wanted us to know it.
The rope was already frozen over, ice crystals covering its surface. My gloves barely gripping, I wrapped my legs tight, my boots edged heels locking over one another.
SHHHHHHHHHH!
The rope burned a hiss as I fought against the down draft from the rotors of the drop ship. The wind whipping by was joined by small arms fire as the small security team engaged us. I closed my eyes and offered half a prayer as my feet slammed into the ground. I rolled into a tight ball and came to a rest with my shoulder against the wall. Rounds snapped and slammed into the area, the huge storm throwing most of the securities aim off.
“Stay down”. Fatimas voice hissed out of her headset and into mine. I moved my head, surveying the rooftop. Most of our team was there, pressing their bodies flat to the hard and cold concrete surface. My cheek began to burn as the cold seeped into it, flurries of snow catching my ears and eye lashes. Bullets and mixed high calibre munitions were still chasing our drop ship out of the landing zone as I rose to a low crouch. Sprinting to a piece of masonry tall enough to conceal my self, pushing my rifle around the corner using the thermoptic scope to identify our oppositIon.
This is wrong I thought, how did they know we were hostile? We still had national guard identification tags.
“We’re not alone.” Mansur growled. His accent so thick I barely understood. My hair began to rise, not for the last time. As I panned the scope across the area, sighting in on more targets. Large blobs of heat, and half mechanical creatures revealed themselves.
Aliens.
We were on the border of Paradisos polar region, a contested zone. This must have been how we got flight clearance to the facility. I watched as the creatures cut down the security team with frightening efficiency, a small gun nest of theirs turning into a bright blue mushroom cloud through the snowstorm.
“Hat the fahk is this shite!” Dingo was yelling now.
“Fookin witches mate, fuckin non humans mate, EI!” Blackie screamed back
“Fahk this mate no fahk this!”
“You die to I or them.” We all shifted our eyes to Fatima, crouched now with her rifle to her shoulder pointing it at Dingo. Her accent still hissing into our ear pieces.
“Fahk you cunt, you’re crazy mate, I’m staying here. You can be the fookin heroes dahn there!”
Fatima lowered her rifle and nodded. The air felt cleared slightly. My pulse still racing, and quickly rising.
I raised my scope to the wall again and began to survey
It was a massacre. I watched as what seemed to be the last of the security teams members turned to superheated flesh and blood matter. The aliens voodoo technology overwhelmed their armor like a hot razor through an eyeball. I heard the woman’s screams carried on the wind as her very body melted in on itself. I winced and ducked behind the wall.
“OI, that’s the last of em, just the witches left.” Witches, Blackies unique call sign for anything non human. I glanced up and realized it was just Dingo and I on the roof. The Africans boots slammed into the metal fire escape as they descended from the structure. I wrapped my cloth around my mouth as the expected break in the storm hit. With a sound like a last rattling breath, the wind blew over us and stopped. Snow was falling lazily now, almost as if the destruction of the research facility below was just an act.
Deployment/Board pictures
As you can see with the board there are a few smaller lanes of fire, and 2-3 large ones depending on model height. The outlined antennas are our AC2s we had to protect. I drew the closest board edge to the photo. The orange area would be a primary focus with my MSV2 Sniper and doctor going up there, and the link team on the ground floor around it. Hugging the stair well as to eventually scale it. The purple area was the other total cover location that would house my other assault units, the Peacemaker and Anaconda. This was going to be a secondary push as the fire team advanced forwards to his antennae. My hunzkaut went down on the far right tower next to the panoply. Just so he could harass and steal from the panoply. Saito was deployed on top of the plane in the middle just so he could rush and smoke the OBJ.
Hunzkaut placement
Druze link placement. KHD with Dcharges in front, HMG, EMLGL, AHD, sniper up top with doctor. They’re all prone lmao.
Here’s my tag placement, right on the border so it can advance. With the peacemaker in front for support. You can see his tag poking out at the end.
I APOLOGIZE FOR VERTICAL PHOTO.
His deployment:
Rodok link, paramedic, on far right, hacker in middle, HMG on far left of photo.
Unidrons, spitfire, carbine, his Dire foes Keernau, unidron, doc worm. Right to left.
He also put the Xeodron back here as well to cover my tag advance.
His Nexus Operative is hiding out in the second floor. Uh hacking things.
His deployment was fairly conservative, with a few units hanging out for AROs. For the most part his two potential links were in reserve (Hiding) and ready to come out into the middle field. I had complete domination of the middle board, but at this point still expected a Noctifier missile launcher. So that meant no link team movement until I had baited it out with my Anaconda.
His HVT went down close to my Hunzkaut.
Narrative
The heavy footprints of the Africans laid a trail in front of the building. They were spread out below us, taking cover behind abandoned military equipment. A large scram jet sat covered in ice, plasma burns across the side of the hull let off an acrid purple smoke. The aliens hadn’t noticed our positions yet. The larger constructs stalked through the research portion of the base, knocking equipment over and studying the data presented across multiple panels. My scope revealed larges shapes moving across the facility, their squat armor and enormous legs revealed them as the ape like alien species. Their leader was a lithe and quick moving alien, jacking into various pieces of equipment and stealing data. A large weapon in his hand was still cooling down from its destruction of the local forces.
“This is Bahamut online. My current vector is your 215, 2mikes out.” Abayomis voice was tense, her communication intercut with heavy breathing. The snow was slowing down her gear, and playing hell with the visuals.
The aliens were approaching the center building, a large data tower sticking out of roof.
“Witches on ao, that vault aint a match eh?” That was our target, the raised roof concealed codes for a few off planet accounts that would provide some much needed relief. It was supposed to be easy, the only hitch was the incredibly advanced and deadly alien recon team that decided to show up.
“Hold for gear, no match.” Fatimas voice was a warning, we had no idea what these things were capable of.
I crouched against the wall again and watched as our combat drone advanced warily. Stomping and slipping on the terrain, it’s auxiliary bot rolled slowly through the snow banks alongside a large bunker.
“In position, hold for auth.” Priest was on field this time, his hacking device chugging through the facilities security codes. He was crouched with the Africans, now watching the recon force with held breath.
A high pitched whining noise filled the air. My neck tensed as I turned my head trying to identify the sound. Dingo spit his cigarette out and readied his rifle, also looking. A flurry of movement was spreading through the alien ranks, their lesser creatures spreading out and taking defensive positions.
“Awh sheet.”
I sucked a breath of cold air in, it tasted of iron.
Top of turn 1 Druze Bayram Security:
I activate the link including the sniper and shoot at his Rodok sitting on the objective. I can barely see him through the window. The Rodok lays a mine, and is promply blown away from the sniper.
My KHD stands up and shoots a pitcher in front of the peacemaker
I realize I have to push my range advantage, and free my poor peacemaker.
I activate the tag, walk, walk to the crates near the plane.
I activate the tag and walk, and shoot his plasma Carbine Unidron. It fires back, but is killed.
I activate the tag and shoot at his spitfire unidron. We tie.
I activate the tag and walk it past the crates towards his hacker on the right side of the board. Sending the Unidron dogged while moving.
I move move the Anaconda again to the corner of the billboard.
I move and shoot his Rodok HMG under 16inches. We tie.
I move and shoot him again and send him unconscious. The Anaconda retreats slightly, still trying to bait out the missile launcher.
My Hunzkaut stands up and fires a burst at the unconscious Rodok, missing.
I leave the Sniper/Hunz standing up in order to create AROs and stymie his advance as much as possible.
I had a pretty decent first turn fighting wise. And left it off for a good push second and third turn. This would be super important as I still had to walk over to the antennae and blow it up. The Anaconda is just so versatile for DBS, the spitfire and fatality are nice. But it’s the flamethrower option on it and panzerfaust for ARO’s that really set it apart. My ARO coverage was full view for the next turn, especially with the sniper and I felt confident he couldn’t destroy the tag.
Bottom of Turn 1 Onyx Contact Force:
He throws down a white noise and advances Keernau
Doc worm advances and shoots out with my Hunzkaut, we tie
Doc worm advances and heals the hmg, ignoring the Hunzkaut shot
The hmg stands up and makes my hunzkaut dodge away
His Xeodron kills my peacemaker
Keernau and the link team, link and move through the white noise to avoid my sniper
His hmg moves out into the white noise, and his hacker walks into my repeater range.
I ARO with my two hackers, letting the sniper take the unopposed hmg rounds.
I kill his hacker, and my sniper is sent unconscious by the Rodok HMG
You can see his white noise placement to block the sniper from the link team.
The rodok with his hand up at the bottom of the picture got brain blasted.
My tags final positioning on my right flank, his left.
Narrative:
PFSSHHEEEEE!
An explosion sounded nearby, the air instantly filled with electricity, my hair standing on end. PFSHHHEEE, PFSHEEEE! An alien drone was firing nearby, our drones engagement light burned bright red. I slammed the charging handle back on my rifle and braced it against the wall, and finally released my breath. With a bright flash nearby our drones light turned a deep crimson and began pulsing.
“Hunt, moving, overwatch now!” Fatima screamed the last part, the stress of the ungodly aggressors getting to her. Her team began advancing, I pinged one of the larger ape like creatures with our tracking software. It was crouched low to an antennae tearing wires out in a mess. Its suit must have alerted it to my electronic warfare as it immediately looked up at me. It’s grey beard and furrowed brow outlined by sagging cheeks. It frowned, almost human like.
CRACK!
The aliens lower jaw and neck exploded in a gush of deep purple and red blood, its mouth spasming in a scream as it sagged backwards, clawing at its neck. It’s screams too far away to hear. Dingos rifle sounded again, the second round entering its lower abdomen spraying viscera and bone against the wall. The creatures hand began reaching towards its ring of pouches on its waist.
“Fahk mate die already!” The alien gripped a silver disk and with a press of its thumb activated the mine.
“Fahks sake!” Dingo squeezed the trigger and the rest of the aliens head exploded in a mess of fur and blood. The mine clattering to the floor armed.
Incoming fire began to stitch our position, hard rounds shattering the concrete lip while plasma fire melted right through it. I let out a short yelp and dove to the floor, my eyes meeting Dingos at the same level.
“Oi this is Dingo mates, the fookin silver backs yeah? Fookin don’t die, I don’t fookin knooo mates, they don’t fookin die.” His mouth was moving faster than his drug addled brain as he began stuttering. His eyes were wide and panicked. With a large hiss an enormous plasma round smashed into the wall, quickly reaching the temperature of a small super nova. Dingo began screaming and writhing as super heated concrete splashed onto his back. I wormed towards him on my back using my elbows and hips. Grabbing him by the collar with one hand I dragged us across the roof towards the fire escape. Fumbling through my IPAC I gripped a morphine injector and plunged it into his thigh, the needle barely penetrating his snow pants. His eyes began to flutter as I rose to a low crouch and slid down the frozen ladder on the side of the building. The frozen metal of the ladder burning my fingers as I gripped it.
The wind was beginning to howl again.
Top of turn 2 Druze Bayram Securities:
I reform the team with the doctor.
I activate the team and move them forward, while the doctor heals the sniper.
I activate the team and advance them again.
I activate the anaconda, it slips the billboard again and shoots at doctor worm. They tie.
I activate the Anaconda and fall back, tying with doctor worm again.
I activate the Anaconda again and engage his HMG, killing him.
My link team moves up into the center of the board
My link activates and my KHD combi rifles Keernau, we tie.
I activate the link and knock Keernau unconscious while maneuvering the rest of the link to the objective building.
The sniper stands up for more ARO
I activate the Anaconda and walk it into range of his hacker, trying to kill doctor worm again. We tie….His hacker fails an overlord.
Whew that could have been way more effective haha. My Anaconda just burned orders trying to kill the worm. As it was his only unit with D charges it needed to die. My link was well advanced and posed to destroy his antennae next turn. And with his two links almost wiped out I felt sure about their defense vs his tag.
(The tag is actually the silhouette marker, I just moved the model.)
Here you can see my link team positioning, locking down his Xeodron and remaining Rodok. I knew the center building was wider than 8 inches, the effective range for shotguns. So if he stayed over there I would be able to out range him. This also had the benefit of covering my tags exposed flank, and forcing him to chew through almost my entire link team first. It posed my tag to roll his flank next turn, or give support.
Bottom of Turn 2 Onyx Contact Force:
He spends most of the turn trying to hack my tag. It either resets or he fails.
His remaining Rodok moves to cover the antennae through the window.
His Xeodron turns the corner and has a shootout with my EM LGL, we tie.
His Xeodron attempts it again and I crit EM him.
His tag facing off versus my EM light grenade launcher.
Narrative:
I followed the heavy footprints and spent shell casings through the rapidly picking up wind. Half sliding into a small snow drift I pressed my body against the side of the scram jets hull, the Africans were advancing forwards in front of me and Blackie was by my side.
“That fuckin’ meth head die yet eh?” I shook my head as Mansur the larger African began to fire his heavy machine gun at nearby targets. Blackie and I gripped our weapons at high ready and began to advance behind the Africans. Alien rounds were still flying through the air as they resisted our efforts to push into the building itself. The group of apes had advanced close by, I could hear their grunts and hoots back and forth as the one with the larger weapon began firing at us. Fatima crouched down and held the side of her helmet, a large gash furrowed across it. A string of Arabic burst through comms as she began swearing and shouting orders. I rose to take aim at the alien position, my rifle just clearing the wall, hands gripped around the magazine well to provide a better pivot point. The alien looked up, one hand holding a box of ammunition, the other on the weapons grip. My sights lined on its chest, its eyes moved past me. I hesitated, taking a sharp breath as a noise sounded behind me.
Bum bum bum bum bum!
The snow began to explode just feet in front of the alien, I lowered my sights and covered half my face. The alien reeling tried to duck for cover, turning its body side ways. Its foot exploded into shrapnel, spraying purple blood across the white snow. Another round landing into its now exposed hip joint severed its leg sending it tumbling forwards into the snow. Reeling my head backwards I saw our gear support sprinting parallel to us. Her modified M240C spraying slug rounds, brass casings spraying out to be crushed under the suits enormous feet. Fatima was still yelling in Arabic, her hands dancing in cybernetic warfare. Turning back two more apes had appeared, one gripping the back of the wounded alien his other hand also engaged in hacking. The other spraying covering fire out of a long strange looking rifle. My finger crunched as the ice broke from my glove around the trigger on my rifle. Pop, pop, pop my rounds were wild, exploding against the plastic concrete hybrid walls of the building.
The suppressing alien turned his rifle towards me, rounds sailing over head. One of my rounds found its mark and slammed into the thigh armor of the alien, he roared and ducked behind cover. I continued firing at his position. The hacker alien suddenly stumbled into my view clutching his helmet seals, I could hear its grotesque screams through the wind and gunfire. Its helmet was sent flying through the air, cords and wires streaming out of it. The alien turned and began to run towards our position, its eyes a bloody mess from the cybernetic warfare. My heart began to race as the beast closed with us, rounds hammering out of its rifle into our position. My rifle clicked dry, the magazine ejecting into the snow, I looked down gripping a new magazine.
Poompf!
I glanced up. A black object sped by me straight into the aliens chest. The alien stumbled to a halt its screaming momentarily stopped. It looked up with eyeless bloody sockets, a slight frown on its face. I heard a beep next to me. With a splitting wet explosion the aliens upper body exploded into bloody shrapnel and organs. A strip of large ropey intestines turning into a flying snake. My magazine clicked home as I ducked back behind the wall. Blood spraying the African still standing, under barrel grenade launcher steaming in the cold winter air.
I raised and followed the now moving Africans. The door to the facility was slowly opening, a warning klaxon shining yellow through the blizzard. I heard our gear assets machine gun firing short bursts at targets closing in on us.
Top of Turn 3 Druze Bayram Security:
Saito pops out, and moves to the objective room door.
Saito opens it and throws smoke on the objective, blocking the Rodoks Line of sight.
The link team advances
Link team advances
Link team advances into base to base with the antennae
My KHD swings a super mega C4 demo charge punch into the antennae and destroys it.
Saito leaps out of the smoke and explodes the rodok
Saito runs around the corner and explodes the remaining unidron
My Hunzkaut Fo’s the HVT for classified
Hunz drops repeater near his hacker
My anaconda runs into doctor worm and CC kills him ignoring his hacker
My hacker trinities his hacker for the tabling/squad wipe.
Hunz drops repeater/hack his hacker to hacker death
Druze boot party the antennae
Anaconda dissects doctor worm
Narrative:
My eyes ached as the acrid smoke cloud clawed into them. Shapes seemed to shift and scatter before me. I raised my rifle and traced an outline only for Blackie to stumble towards me.
“Oi blue, blue! We got the data, just need to blow the drives n’ bug!” I lowered my rifle and turned towards the entrance of the facility.
The smoke grenades were still discharging their loads. Shots began to ring out in the facility, flashes crossed my eyes as sparks began to spring from consoles and computers. Larger figures were bustling through the facility now, with a long shadowy figure in between them. I heard alien weaponry firing close by, the strange chuuum chuuum chuuum of plasma weapons discharging. Blackie grabbed onto my armored collar as I led us towards the exit. I raised my weapon sideways as I ran and fired two quick bursts at the figures in the mist. A roar was returned as one collapsed writing on the ground, the others turned and began advancing towards us. My hair stood on end, and the light of the world seemed to dim momentarily. The doorway exploded in a blue super nova, super heated shrapnel and metal debris flew towards us. I felt my legs lifted out from under me, Blackies hand kept grip as we were sent airborne, my rifle clicking dry as it discharged the rest of its rounds on fully automatic.
My shoulder roared in pain, and I felt my abdominal wound re open as we landed. Blackie screamed in pain and rolled away from me. I quickly rolled onto my side fumbling for a fresh magazine. An ape alien was bearing down on me, a side arm drawn, its other hand hanging at its side almost severed at the elbow. My hands found the grip tape of a magazine, I brought the ammunition up towards my rifle, my shoulder still searing. Only to find my rifle was no where near me, panic shot through my body and I began to crawl backwards away from the alien, my eyes searching the now black smoke for my rifle. A hard round shattered my left shoulder pad, I screamed out loud and spun backwards landing on my chest, rounds flying over head. My fingers found my own pistol, and using my left hand I rotated on the front plate of my chest armor, lifting my legs slightly up. I pushed myself, my left arm going numb and began to spin towards my assailant still on my stomach. The alien looked surprised to see me spinning towards him, the pistol still raised and pointed at me. I squeezed the trigger, my hand bucked as the high calibre round flew from the chamber, the alien fired right back. I squinted as the round passed just over my head, the smell of gunfire reaching my nose. The aliens right arm exploded just above the elbow, its pistol and forearm going flying away from its body. It began roaring in pain and running straight at me. An inhuman hand grabbed me on the collar, I felt fur brushing the nape of my neck. Another hand grabbed my waist.
“Oh, fuck!”. I said out loud.
My world spun, the unarmed ape was still sprinting at me, its useless limbs leaking blood and swaying at its side. My vision continued as I saw the ceiling. My finger began jamming at the trigger, firing round after round in a wild panic. An inhuman roar filled my ears as my eyes reached my assailant. An enormous ape had me in its hands right above its head. My eyes locked onto its beady inhuman eyes. and I started screaming right back at it, I felt my eyes widen, pulse rate shooting through my medicated levels would usually allow. The aliens eyes widened and I felt its grip tighten, I began to come down.
I slammed into the ground with a clang and a flash of stars in my eye balls. I began wheezing as something gave way in my chest, my abdominal wound now pumping blood into the bandages. I scrabbled for my pistol, my vision blurring. My hand grabbed onto my rifle instead, and my mind was instantly relaxed at its familiar grip. A shadow fell over me, turning on my back I looked upwards at the alien standing over me. Its posture was awkward and stilted, confused I began to kick my legs scrambling backwards loading a fresh magazine. Gun fire was ringing out in the facility still, more human than alien. The alien jerked forwards, falling straight onto its face. Barely visible in the smoke was Fatima, her yellow plates and camouflage doused in purple blood. An enormous machete in both hands, also coated in purple blood. Her lens sockets were cracked, and her visor was slid open revealing her pierced purple lips and severe eyes. I slammed a fresh magazine in and charged the handle. Her left hand reached to her chest and flicked a switch. My eyes shot to my left as an enormous fireball exploded across the facility, the figures around it being caught in it and embroiled in the flames. Looking back her hand was extended, I grabbed hold and we began to run towards the exit. Howling following us as we broke through the mangled doors into the cold.
Discussion:
If I had been like 3 orders shorter I wouldn’t have been able to do that/complete the mission. I hate waiting to the last turn, but he had so many shotguns that I couldn’t risk the link team in the objective building. Saito came in clutch as he usually does, but I wish he was more useful overall for 40 points haha. The right flank (my pov) was probably the easiest route into his backfield, but that dang hacker had gummed me up really hard.
Notes on the game:
-Range bands are numero uno. I’m really leaning towards shorter range weapons, and even rifles the more I play Druze. It might be my metas terrain set up, but I’m finding 16 inches a long distance for trying to pull range.
– Tag socking is still a hilariously viable tactic even in N3. My Anaconda has been a monster in recent games and for its heavy infantry price range I’m finding it a very competent gun fighter. I can leave it in exposed positions, and feel fine about its safety. Just because of its template weapon, and panzerfaust.
-Due to the link teams speed, they really are a second wave or longer range asset. If they need to accomplish the mission objectives, they are usually coming in later. And they need a lot of support due to that.
-I found myself counting out orders in my head. Like: I have 6 left, I need to kill the worm. So one, two, leaving me four to maneuver here and engage the Rodok, 3, 4, 5 potential orders. Last one will be for the link team. Etc. It’s really helped me plan my turns out more than before, and has left me with a better expectation of order expending.
-While I don’t feel like it held me back too much. Expecting TO missiles all the time is not healthy for your blood pressure. And especially so when they’re not even there to begin with!
-Pitchers were actually really important for this game, killing off one of his hackers. I need to use them more often with my Druze as area denial. 15’s out to like 24 inches is crazy.
Notes for Tor (Onyx Contact Force):
-Just watch out for leaving dudes in the open during deployment. I just did it with an LT and it wasn’t fun to start out lmao.
– I would have used the tag way more aggressively, trying to ride that flank where the peace maker had died. Dropping white noise to avoid the sniper.
-Trying to hack the tag was a good idea, I would have just stopped after 2 orders.
-Honestly I don’t think the objective was super possible to begin with, Doc worm would have had to be an absolute hero haha.
My overall thoughts on the game/mission:
This mission actually sucks haha. It’s nearly impossible without building a list for it. And even then it can be shut down super hard by an okay defense. I got lucky with my tag socking, as it opened an avenue to go through the defenses right down the middle. Saito also helped out immensely despite his points cost just by throwing a smoke grenade.
Overall it felt like a usual Druze game, punch face and get closer to punch more face.
Thanks for reading, let me know if you have any feedback.
Enemy Spotted 
Cool. Blog mentioned on WGC Infinity (facebook). Good batrep. Will visit again. Cheers.
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