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First ITS with TAK: Highlights and Reflections

Discussion in 'Ariadna' started by barakiel, Jan 14, 2020.

  1. barakiel

    barakiel Echo Bravo Master Sergeant

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    I've been getting to know TAK in the last few months, and put them on the table for their first ITS outing.

    The event was small, but was pretty notable for its attendees. It included some US Top 20 players from the last few years, including last year's #1 player in the world. Rather than bring some flavor of PanO, most of which are very familiar to my local opponents, I opted for something fresh.

    The mission lineup:

    Frontline
    Capture + Protect
    Safe Area

    One of the lists I've been practicing with works quite well for the first two missions, so I decided to use it. The premise is a simple one: plenty of mines for defense, plenty of mobility for combat in the midfield, and a bit more active turn firepower than most opponents reckon for from an Ariadna list. Having three BS15+ HMGs with vis mods is quite a lot by the standard of any army, and I find I always lose one Spetsnaz to a Crit, so having two felt pretty solid. The Spetsnaz is also quite a decent unit in Frontline, since it's a solid chunk of points that can advance very effectively and protect itself very handily.

    The list works just fine for Cap + Prot too. It doesn't have much in the way of active defense outside of strong Suppressive Fire platforms, but I figure there's enough mines and Chain Rifles that my opponent is pretty unlikely to get a Turn 1 grab of the beacon, and even if they do, TAK is good at advancing aggressively to steal the Beacon back. Antipodes are also absurdly good at this mission, and I had Streloks and Irmandinhos as good backup runners too, so this felt like a safe bet.



    'Snazy

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

    GROUP 1[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]9 [​IMG]1
    STRELOK K-9 Submachine Gun, Chain-colt, Antipersonnel Mines + 1 K-9 Antipode / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 24)
    [​IMG] K-9 ANTIPODE Trench-hammer, AP CC Weapon. (8)
    STRELOK (Minelayer) Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 21)
    SPETSNAZ (CH: Ambush Camouflage) HMG / Pistol, CCW, Knife. (1.5 | 38)
    VETERAN KAZAK AP HMG / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (2 | 47)
    LINE KAZAK (Forward Observer) Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
    LINE KAZAK (Forward Observer) Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
    LINE KAZAK Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9)
    ASSAULT PACK undefined. (0 | 25)
    [​IMG] HANDLER Rifle, Smoke Light Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (- | 10)
    [​IMG] x3 ANTIPODE AP CC Weapon. (- | 15)
    LINE KAZAK Lieutenant Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9)

    GROUP 2[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]5 [​IMG]3 [​IMG]3
    STRELOK (Minelayer) Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 21)
    SPETSNAZ (CH: Ambush Camouflage) HMG / Pistol, CCW, Knife. (1.5 | 38)
    DOZER (Traktor Mul Control Device) Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
    TRAKTOR MUL (Minesweeper) Electric Pulse. (0 | 5)
    TRAKTOR MUL (Minesweeper) Electric Pulse. (0 | 5)
    IRMANDINHO Chain Rifle, D-Charges, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | 8)
    IRMANDINHO Chain Rifle, D-Charges, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | 8)
    IRMANDINHO Chain Rifle, D-Charges, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | 8)

    6 SWC | 300 Points

    Open in Infinity Army


    The other list followed a similar structure, but I scaled back some of the straightforward combat choices in order to get more of a Specialist presence. I don't love the Strelok FO... Giving up mines is a considerable disadvantage, and I would consider including either a guided or Spec Fire weapon for future lists just to let them leverage that FO ability in some kind of meaningful way. But it's pretty hard to argue with a 20 point Camo Specialist. Even if they had no weapons at all, they're still absurdly meaningful in their ability to score objectives and get the mission done.

    I was able to fit the Frontovik HRL into the list though, which is a very nice and versatile piece.


    Safe Area
    ──────────────────────────────────────────────────

    GROUP 1[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]9 [​IMG]1
    STRELOK (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 20)
    STRELOK (Minelayer) Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 21)
    VETERAN KAZAK AP HMG / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (2 | 47)
    FRONTOVIK Heavy Rocket Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 23)
    LINE KAZAK (Forward Observer) Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
    LINE KAZAK Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9)
    LINE KAZAK Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9)
    LINE KAZAK Lieutenant Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9)
    ASSAULT PACK undefined. (0 | 25)
    [​IMG] HANDLER Rifle, Smoke Light Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (- | 10)
    [​IMG] x3 ANTIPODE AP CC Weapon. (- | 15)

    GROUP 2[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]6 [​IMG]3 [​IMG]3
    STRELOK (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 20)
    STRELOK (Minelayer) Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 21)
    SPETSNAZ (CH: Ambush Camouflage) HMG / Pistol, CCW, Knife. (1.5 | 38)
    DOZER (Traktor Mul Control Device) Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
    TRAKTOR MUL (Minesweeper) Electric Pulse. (0 | 5)
    TRAKTOR MUL (Minesweeper) Electric Pulse. (0 | 5)
    IRMANDINHO Chain Rifle, D-Charges, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | 8)
    IRMANDINHO Chain Rifle, D-Charges, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | 8)
    IRMANDINHO Chain Rifle, D-Charges, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | 8)

    6 SWC | 300 Points

    Open in Infinity Army


    Round 1: Frontline vs Polynikes' Combined Army
    I sure am glad to know this guy. He's one of the top players on the planet, he's so insightful, and he's utterly immune to the internet's logic of "what's good" and "what's bad" in Infinity. He recognizes a tactical problem, and he solves it in unorthodox ways. I regularly look at his lists and think "eh, that doesn't look so intimidating", and then he frequently kicks my ass with them. So I knew that this was a very, very good test of a new army.

    He was running something like this. I think the units are correct, but am less sure about the Combat Group composition:

    Game 1
    ──────────────────────────────────────────────────

    GROUP 1[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]10 [​IMG]1
    SHROUDED Hacker (EI Assault Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 30)
    XEODRON Red Fury, Blitzen / Heavy Pistol. (1 | 63)
    [​IMG] STALDRON Flash Pulse / Knife. (0 | 0)
    SHESKIIN Red Fury, Pulzar, D-Charges / Pistol, DA CCW. (1 | 54)
    DĀTURAZI Chain Rifle, Grenades, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | 14)
    M-DRONE Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 17)
    R-DRONE Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
    R-DRONE Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
    IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) 2 Light Flamethrowers, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9)
    IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) 2 Light Flamethrowers, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9)
    ÍMETRON . (0 | 4)

    GROUP 2[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]4 [​IMG]1
    Q-DRONE HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 26)
    NEXUS Lieutenant Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nullifier / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
    LIBERTO (Minelayer) Light Shotgun, Chain-colt, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 10)
    ÍMETRON . (0 | 4)
    KURGAT Boarding Shotgun, D-Charges, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 17)
    SLAVE DRONE Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)

    5 SWC | 300 Points

    Open in Infinity Army


    Highlights:
    • My Line Kazak FOs did a nice job resisting Sheskiin for a bit. She had her 15s and Fatality L2 of course, but hitting on 16s with Flash Pulse in similar rangebands meant I had a high threshold for success, and I was able to hold her off for a couple Orders longer than either of us expected. She ended up walking into a mine and losing a wound, which then tempted her to go and eat a Strelok for lunch, and the Strelok (lo and behold) won the f2f and took off her last wound. It was a dice calamity for my opponent, but it certainly reinforced how useful Streloks can be, and how good a lowly Flash Pulse can be when you add some link bonuses.
    • His TAG came roaring in, and just ended up getting bogged down vs short-range AROs. Polynikes was looking for traction and attrition, so relied on the TAG's Structure and ARM to split Burst vs a few targets. I ended up with a Strelok shotgun and a K-9 Antipode both winning their f2f rolls with AP slugs and Trench Hammer, and a flurry of (more) failed Armor saves and the TAG went down. I expected those units to hold my opponent up for a bit... Losing a g:synch dog and a Strelok is a small price to pay to contain a TAG for a turn, but it was another example of how your sacrificial pieces can often trade upwards with a bit of luck. I expected the TAG to stack a few bodies, then I'd counter-attack with Antipodes or the Vet Kazak HMG and hopefully get it done, but multiple AROs ended up doing very well, and my opponent's dice just weren't with him.
    • Applying pressure with Streloks is amazing fun. The ability of these little bastards to accelerate into the attack is really valuable. PanO doesn't give me a ton of discrete, cheap options for shotgunning an opponent's backline, but TAK does. I think I have this reputation, particularly after VIRD, for being a defensive player with an aversion to CQB. But that playstyle is largel dictated by the tools at my disposal, and getting in close to shotgun things to death is significant.
    • I remembered to squash the Seed Embryos this game. Phew.
    • Final was 10-0.

    Round 2: Capture + Protect vs Rattlernxt's Ikari


    Game 2
    ──────────────────────────────────────────────────

    GROUP 1[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]10 [​IMG]1
    RUI SHI Spitfire / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 20)
    KARAKURI Mk12, Chain Rifle, D.E.P. / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 43)
    TANKŌ Missile Launcher / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon, Shock CC Weapon. (1.5 | 32)
    BRAWLER (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 28)
    KEISOTSU Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 17)
    KEISOTSU Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9)
    KEISOTSU Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9)
    KEISOTSU Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 9)
    PANGGULING (Minesweeper, Repeater) Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
    PANGGULING (Minesweeper, Repeater) Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)

    GROUP 2[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]5 [​IMG]4 [​IMG]3
    NINJA Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Tactical Bow / Pistol, DA CCW, Knife. (0 | 29)
    KRAKOT RENEGADE 2 Chain Rifles, Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 14)
    PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
    FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
    TOKUSETSU KOHEI Engineer Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
    YÁOZĂO Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
    WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse / Stun Pistol, Knife. (0 | 3)
    BASHI BAZOUK Submachine Gun, Chain-colt / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12)
    YUAN YUAN Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 9)
    YUAN YUAN Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 9)

    6 SWC | 300 Points

    Open in Infinity Army

    Rattlernxt is my fellow Bay Area Warcor. He's also a close friend, and knows my PanO playstyle intimately well. So being able to roll out some new tools against him sounded fun. He was bringing Ikari, whose short-range aggression fits very well with Rattlernxt's natural playstyle.

    Highlights:
    • Turn 1, I revealed a Spetsnaz to shoot at some things, then discretely maneuvered a Camo token up the table and got it into a high center building. I think my opponent dismissed it as being a Strelok. Turn 2, I revealed it as a second Spetsnaz, and was able to score some advantageous angles and good gunfighting exchanges. Noone seems to expect that second Spetsnaz, and advancing one into the midfield to fire on the enemy DZ is nasty.
    • My coverage vs the incoming Yuan Yuan was okay, but one did manage to drop down behind one of my Spetsnaz. I suceeded with the Change Facing, followed by the Engage ARO, and I actually got a chance to leverage that above-average PH and CC ability on the Spetsnaz to beat the Yuan Yuan down in CC. Go figure.
    • Turn 1 started with a Strelok shotgun spree. I had a Strelok deployed as far up the table as it could go, and it saw a window for attack and decided to go for it. the shotgun managed to take down a flash pulse bot, the Rui Shi, and (very importantly) the helperbot supporting the Rui Shi. It also baited a Ninja out of TO Camo, where one of my Spets could go to work on it. That was big for Turn 1, and great combat return for a 21 point mook.
    • Antipodes are dumb. Capturing the Beacon with three ultra-mobile Camo dudes is hilarious. The ability to run insane suicidal risks with one, just so another can pick up the Beacon and keep running, was great.
    • Final was 9-0

    Round 3: Safe Area vs Bbounds' VIRD

    Game 3
    ──────────────────────────────────────────────────

    GROUP 1[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]9 [​IMG]1
    ECHO-BRAVO Boarding Shotgun, Light Rocket Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 25)
    ZULU-COBRA Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Breaker Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 28)
    ZULU-COBRA (Sensor) Combi Rifle, Jammer / Assault Pistol, Knife. (0 | 29)
    KAMAU (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 32)
    FUSILIER HMG / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 18)
    FUSILIER Combi Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 14)
    FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
    FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
    FUSILIER Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
    WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse / Stun Pistol, Knife. (0 | 3)

    GROUP 2[​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]5 [​IMG]3
    ZULU-COBRA (Sensor) Combi Rifle, Jammer / Assault Pistol, Knife. (0 | 29)
    CROC MAN (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 32)
    FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
    FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
    TRAUMA-DOC Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
    PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
    HELOT MILITIAMAN Submachine Gun, Light Rocket Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 9)
    HELOT MILITIAMAN Submachine Gun, Light Rocket Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 9)
    HELOT MILITIAMAN Submachine Gun, Light Rocket Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 9)

    5.5 SWC | 300 Points

    Open in Infinity Army


    Whaaaaaat!? Varuna? Bbounds is the other Bay Area Varuna devotee. I figured this was a great litmus test for my TAK, getting to try my hand against Jammer, Kamau MSV2 and all the usual tricks. I don't think VIRD's particularly good at Safe Area; the volume of Specialists required, versus what VIRD can comfortably field, is a pretty tall order for VIRD unless they're able to go second.

    In this case, I won the LT roll, picked the table side which denied my opponent using a dominant sniper tower, and my opponent followed conventional logical and chose to go First. I was already doing pretty well.

    Highlights:
    • How did I crack the Kamau!? Well naturally, my opponent ended his first turn with everyone pretty well hidden, except for the Kamau Sniper. My linked HMG was faaaaar away, and there wasn't really any visible danger to his link team, so I can see why he chose to stand the Kamau up. Enter the Spetsnaz... My opponent had, naturally, kept a linked Fusilier covering a table edge to help challenge any AD, Warbands, or Camo that tried to push hard up that table edge. One of my Spets was able to advance for 2-3 Orders hard up that table edge, just barely get a bead on that link team member, and blow that Fusilier away. Simply using Camo to advance wherever you want is highly valuable vs that Kamau. Hey, now I was confronted with a 4-man team. My second Spetsnaz spent some Orders and challenged the Kamau with four dice on 12s vs the Kamau's 2 dice on 13s. Respectable odds, and hey, I scored a wound. The Unconscious Kamau had a Trauma Doctor parked nearby... The usual routine. Thankfully, I still had a decent chunk of orders left. I ran a Strelok into his DZ, MOV-MOVing past a couple of Helots, Stealthed past a Zulu Cobra's Jammer, scrambled onto the Kamau's rooftop, and after a couple of Orders spend, I nuked the Doctor (as well as the Unconscious Kamau) with the boarding shotgun. It had taken most of my turn, but taking down the Kamau, the Trauma Doc, and baiting some Helots out of their Limited Camo felt like a turn that was very well spent.
    • That being said, my trend of losing Spetsnaz to silly things continues, losing both of mine to random Crits. The worst thing about TAK is their healtcare!
    • Making opponents engage Camo shotguns within 8 inches is fun. It doesn't always work out, but if they're going to be hunting you down anyway, you might as well have a +6 weapon to help contest them. I definitely scored a kill or two this game with close-range shotgun AROs.
    • I kept my eyes open for that lurking Echo Bravo. It did show up eventually and try to scrape an Irmandinho off an objective, but it got just a little too close to Chain Rifle range, and I was happy to take that trade. The Irmandinho went down, the Echo Bravo went down, and I backfilled that Objective with a Strelok FO who was waiting for something to do.
    • VIRD hates mines. TAK's great with mines.
    • I ended up not noticing Jammer much. It's hard for Jammer to interdict Camo/Stealth units, unless you can establish really dominant table coverage that allows Helots, cheap REMs, etc to try and Discover incoming threats, and force them out of Camo/Stealth. Versus three BS15+ HMGs, plus some good decent-WIP Discover rolls and the best Sensor platform in the game, it's pretty hard for unit to keep their heads up. Even if there was a threat that couldn't be shot down, not everything is a Kamau MSV2, so it was often possible to smoke the lane and advance the old-fashioned way. Plus, both the Vet Kazak and the Frontovik laugh at Jammer, and that's tremendously useful for projecting threat in contested areas.
    • The bigger danger from VIRD was that Zulu Cobra Sensor, but since I insulated the critical areas of the table with mines, I was able to make VIRD confront the mine before they were able to see anything critically important.
    • Fighting this VIRD matchup was really interesting, because I find that it walked into the trap that I myself am encountering more and more: if you build around that hard castle, and your castle fails, you're in big trouble. So I'm looking at ways to make my own Varuna more flexible, nimble and speedy to help offset this pitfall.
    • Final was 9-3.

    Conclusion:
    • TAK was pretty strong. I know that TAK draws criticism for not necessarily offering much over Vanilla, but I find that the active turn firepower generated by the Vet Kazak AP HMG is a pretty decent consolation prize. While Vanilla Ariadna certainly doesn't lack for decent firepower, it can't match Sectorial-levels of firepower, and it's a huge privilege to be able to bludgeon something down with a BS16, Burst 5 HMG. The AP ammo and "2 Wounds" are both particularly valuable; you never know when something with legitimate armor will show up, and Crits/bad dice really destroy Spetsnaz in Vanilla, so having stable, durable redundancy in that Core team is a big deal.
    • I'll continue to use Antipodes in my lists, and I value them tremendously. However, I'm not a "2 packs per list" kind of person. I'll keep running with one for now.
    • For the Specialist-heavy list that I used for Safe Area, I'm thinking about mixing it up and including a different Camo choice (either a Scout or Pavel.) Part of that is to offer a different threat besides the Streloks and their shotguns, but a bigger part is Multiterrain (Dazer is a thing, and pretty dangerous too.)
    3 majors was good enough for first, and I learned a lot from the TAK outing. Thanks for the read.
     
    #1 barakiel, Jan 14, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2020
  2. Tanan

    Tanan Well-Known Member

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    Nice report!

    How did you play the antipode assault pack Retreat-rules?
     
  3. barakiel

    barakiel Echo Bravo Master Sergeant

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    They didn't see much action across all three games, just a run across the table in Capture & Protect, so it never really came up!
     
  4. Tanan

    Tanan Well-Known Member

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    So you didn’t clarify anything beforehand from TO or opponent?

    If you had failed that WIP-3 roll, how would have played the cmd-tokens?
     
  5. Teslarod

    Teslarod when in doubt, Yeet

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    Nice report @barakiel , Ariadna really is a nice break from PanO and JSA, all that cheap stuff being able to still do serious work and easy access to 10-15 Camo markers without even trying.
    Good point about the AP HMG getting more relevant and providing a reason to run TAK at all.
    However I'd still argue that in between Chasseurs, Galwegians and AVA2 Spetznaz for enough firepower Vanilla takes the cake overall.

    Mass Camo is still the universal answer to everything. Be it unopposed movement, protection from getting shot at and Jammers, Stealth or plain old VIS MODs. It's just always valueable. Without expensive TO troops in HD, Streloks being "only" FD2 and Spetznaz DZ bound, Sensor isn't much of an answer vs them.
    Antipodes are just good and always have been. Being able to out trade anything they can beat in CC or simply as means to delay your opponent, is already great even before their excellent mobility factored in. Their "downside" is that you have to bring a handler and as always being forced to bring cheap Smoke is oh so terrible.

    Glad you're having fun with them.
     
    McKaptain, RasPuto and Sedral like this.
  6. barakiel

    barakiel Echo Bravo Master Sergeant

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    No, but it sounds like it's worth discussing. What's the specific issue you're wondering about? If the WIP -3 is failed, can a Command Token be spent to negate the Retreat state? Is that the question?

    @Teslarod
    TAK's a weird one. I routinely tell people "if you play a Sectorial, they should be doing something that Vanilla can't." As you point out, I'm just not sure TAK is doing that, so I suppose I'm something of a hypocrite as far as putting them on the table. I've probably played ~20 games using Vanilla Ariadna, and while they're undeniably powerful, I just don't have much fun playing them. Despite my passion for competition, I suppose that I ultimately still have to like the force that I'm playing.

    One trend I've noticed is that opponents tend to fixate on the TAK Core link, either hiding from it, or attacking it heavily, as though it were the center crux of the list in the same way as it is for VIRD.

    That fixation on the Core link has allowed me to set some traps, or allowed the Spetsnaz or Streloks to capitalize on gaps.

    I'm not saying this is a particularly useful advantage compared to simply playing Vanilla, but it is a useful trend that can be leveraged.

    Thanks for taking the time to read, bud.
     
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  7. Tanan

    Tanan Well-Known Member

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    @barakiel How/If retreat-state can be removed and what happens next round?
     
  8. RasPuto

    RasPuto Well-Known Member

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    Lovely report man!

    How do you find Strelok + K9? Always interested me, but as for Pack, never had the chance to make her shine.
     
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  9. barakiel

    barakiel Echo Bravo Master Sergeant

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    Glad you enjoyed it. I almost forgot about this one... Just had a big weekend at a North American Satellite.

    I like that K-9 Strelok for several reasons:
    • g:synch is obviously a very powerful offensive tool. Confronting your enemy with a Camo SMG or a Camo Trench Hammer, to say nothing of more subtle interactions like unopposed CC attacks from the Antipode, is very powerful.
    • Units that can Sensor Sweep and also attack are highly order efficient. Sniffer/Sensor units generally aren't great at offense, so having a unit that can reveal enemy Camo and still fight is great.
    • Anything that can move in 3 Dimensions via a Short Skill is really valuable for dislodging problematic units. Being able to threaten something on a rooftop can be critical.
    • The Antipode is great for threatening Jammers, triggering E/Maulers, and generally serving in a disposable roll to clear perimeter weapons. Unlike something like an Auxbot too, it can't be Hacked, and has a very real chance of surviving a mine blast thanks to that high PH for Dodging.
    • The Antipode's quite good in Defense. Being able to simply throw a +6 Discover at an enemy Camo Token attempting to move past you can really interfere with an opponent's ability to maneuver and attack.
    • Similarly, an Antipode's Trench Hammer ARO is quite good in confined spaces when combined with mines, shotguns, or direct templates. Putting an Antipode in a tight choke point with a few other defensive tools is a really nice way to ensure you force some hits on an enemy trying to force their way through. You don't need a powerhouse 5-man link in order to make your AROs dangerous... In this ITS writeup, for example, I generated some good results by stacking mines, Strelok shotguns and the Antipode's Trench Hammers in a confined space.
    • This profile is painfully obvious when deployed, so mix the handler's Camo token in among some mines, Ambush Camo, etc. to be sure that the handler's identity is concealed.
    • Even with all these advantages though, it's a very short-range profile, and you shouldn't try to apply it to too many tactical situations. It's great in the right conditions, but it's not a Rambo tool. SMGs are great, but their short range does demand a lot of Orders/Movement in order to actually get into a position where you're looking at really favorable odds.
     
    #9 barakiel, Jan 29, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2020
    ZlaKhon, Foxep, RasPuto and 2 others like this.
  10. RasPuto

    RasPuto Well-Known Member

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    Perfect explanation man!

    I'm going to a big event in February (Spec Ops and Tactical Window) and I'm probably bringing Vanilla Ariadna. Strelok + K9 could be the piece I was searching for (Sensor, another heavy CC hitter, more camos, still a SMG). May I ask how you get unopposed attacks from the Antipode? What's the trick behind it?

    How do you feel about Dog Warriors (Cameronians, Dog Warriors, Devil Dogs)? I freaking love them and I feel that they shine at 15 orders, doing a warband job but being able to tank more than a hit and still bringing Chains + Smoke. Would be too much bringing K9 and Devil Dogs, for double Sensor but still having Smoke and an aggressive shotgun?
     
  11. barakiel

    barakiel Echo Bravo Master Sergeant

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    @RasPuto
    Not too much trick required, really. The K-9 Strelok has so many attack vectors (mine, dog CC, dog ranged attack, direct template weapon, SMG) that you can almost always select an option that's going to make one of your attack vectors unopposed (the only exception being Dodge, but I think we're all okay with an opponent choosing to Dodge.) This is particularly nice when you really want to remove a key enemy piece, potentially trading up.

    I like those Dog Warriors, they simply compete with a lot of other excellent units. That being said, there's a ton of work they can get done.

    The Devildog misses out a bit, simply because it lacks that second Chain Rifle as well as frag grenades. I consider both of those to be really important assets. The second Chain Rifle either doubles your chances of inflicting a wound, or lets you split coverage for a ton of damage in spaced-out enemy formation. The Frag Grenades also give you an offensive face-to-face option, and Spec Throwing grenades on 13s is phenomenal. I've heard success stories about that shotgun profile, I just haven't used it myself yet.
     
  12. RasPuto

    RasPuto Well-Known Member

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    Thanks man, now that's clearer.

    Ye, I usually go for the shotgun profile, it's pretty strong but, as you said, the 32 points dog misses something 'cause no Grenades or second Chain.

    Which are the other units the dogs compete with? You mean other warbands?
     
  13. barakiel

    barakiel Echo Bravo Master Sergeant

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    In the context of TAK, there are quite a few units that are right there in the 29-32 point range, and they change the feel of your list quite a bit. These are all units that I use interchangeably... I just sub one or two in or our, and they change the tactical capability of the list a lot:

    • Tankhunter missile: Suddenly those Ambush Camo tokens in your table half become an EXP threat.
    • Dogface: obviously a super warband, and great Spec Fire platform if you can get close.
    • Pavel McMannus: a great midfield unit, lots of diverse capability, and a respectable missile for close combat.
    • Frontoviks: Lots of decent profiles here, though I like the HRL + assault pistol for his cheap cost and his offensive and defensive capabilities.
    • A second Spetsnaz or Vet Kazak. This is a bit more than 29-32 points, but obviously represents a great deal of capability and firepower
    With so many decent units all competing at a similar point cost, the competition is high.
     
  14. RasPuto

    RasPuto Well-Known Member

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    So you're telling me that Dogs compete with Dogs :D

    Anyway, you're right, in Vanilla too, there's a lot of stuff that compete with their point cost, but Dogfaces are honestly too good to pass over.

    Pavel is one of my favourite pieces, I even made a model for him, but still can't make him shine (probably I focus too much on him using Ojotnik, when there's something better to do).
     
  15. TriggerPuller9000

    TriggerPuller9000 Poverty Orde Wingate

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    Barakiel, thanks for the write up.

    Your experiences are largely the same as mine, though I am surprised you ran the first list without a dedicated ARO model in the core.

    You should try out the Vet Kazak - Cadin duo. Cadin brings a lot to the table for situations where you need to get a specialist up field (usually the Paramedic Vet), and mitigates some of the problems with Vets (mainly that they get absolutely pounded in CC). He also brings an indirect fire capability with his high PH grenades.
     
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  16. barakiel

    barakiel Echo Bravo Master Sergeant

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    @RasPuto
    I should clarify too... I'm basically assuming that a TAK/Vanilla list is already including a handful of conventional Smoke Tossing Impetuous Chain Rifle warbands (Irmaindinhos or Galwegians as applicable.) I reach for those before I reach for the dog. Irmandinhos do a lot for a list: impetuous smoke, chain rifle, anti-materiel on a high CC platform, and there's always the chance of getting something amazing from their Booty L1 roll.

    @TriggerPuller9000
    I kind of surprised myself with no active ARO choices, but it was also interesting to work with lists that didn't use them. It was definitely an experiment, but I was pretty pleased with the outcome.

    I really like the possibility of Rifle Vet Vazak Duoing with something else. I haven't quite found my stride there, simply because I have such faith in Camo units for midfield and close quarter combat. But Cadin plus, say, a T2 Vet Kazak is one hell of a Duo. I like that a lot.
     
  17. RasPuto

    RasPuto Well-Known Member

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    Is it possible to link a Vet Kaz without Duo (let's say the FO) with Cadin?
     
  18. TriggerPuller9000

    TriggerPuller9000 Poverty Orde Wingate

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    Absolutely. Cadin has Duo, and Vet Kazaks have Wildcard.

    When I need a Specialist, I pair him with a Paramedic since PH14 gives him a >50% chance at standing up.

    In board control and killy missions, I've used Cadin to tow around a Vet Kazak APHMG LT. Hit midfield using Cadin to handle short range targets, and the Vet to take cross-field shots. He can use his LT order for an additional round of shooting since you're going to coordinate Suppression Fire on both of them anyway. Great for board control missions as they're pricey. CoC Tankhunter makes it doable and you save a ton on SWC. I know people like to throw that guy in a 5-link but to be perfectly honest that's overkill for most targets and sacrifices a lot of mobility.
     
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  19. RasPuto

    RasPuto Well-Known Member

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    This is a lovely idea, now you're making me intrigued on testing TAK again for my next big tournament lol

    Tactical Window and Spec Ops, I was playing Vanilla, but the things you and @barakiel told me make me think twice about TAK!
     
  20. barakiel

    barakiel Echo Bravo Master Sergeant

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    Tac Window is tricky, since you feel those Irregular Troops a bit more keenly. When you're starting with 15 Regular Orders, having another 3-4 Irregular creates a very healthy Primary and Secondary pool. But when your Irregular Troops are competing for slots with your Regular guys, it's rougher. That's actually a really nice time to bring out the Dogface though. You may not want to devote space to 2-3 Irmandinhos, so applying those points to a Dog Warrior still gives you a potent warband, but helps ensure you're dedicating a valuable slow to a unit that's going to trade and survive longer than 1-Wound Impetuous mook.

    I found myself doing something similar in VIRD... Rather than the usual 2-3 Helots, I applied those points to a Crocman Sniper. Similar defensive application, but much more elite and capable.
     
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