While it's been a while since I've written a full battle report, I figured I'd share a really fun experience I had playing VaulSC's custom mission "EDX Operations" with two totally normal, common lists. With a recently expanded collection of PanOceania models from the MO rework, I set out to create the strangest non-joan vanpan list I could come up with. Nimlothaule returned the favor with taking an extremely "heavy" Vanilla Ariadna list. List - PanOceania GROUP 1 10 FUSILIER (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) NISSE Heavy Machine Gun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 34) AQUILA MULTI Marksman Rifle / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 51) MACHINIST Combi Rifle, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15) FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7) FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7) KNIGHT OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE (Chain of Command) MULTI Marksman Rifle(+1B) / Heavy Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 53) LT. STEPHEN RAO (Lieutenant [+1 Command Token]) Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Assault Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 27) ZULU-COBRA (Triangulated Fire, Sensor) Combi Rifle, Jammer / Assault Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 29) MENDOZA (Forward Deployment [+8"]) MULTI Rifle(+1 Dam), Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 57) GROUP 2 2 TECH-BEE (Specialist Operative, Deactivator) Flash Pulse ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 5) WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse ( ) / Stun Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3) 1.5 SWC | 300 Points Open in Infinity Army ────────────────────────────────────────────────── List - Ariadna 9 2 1 RATNIK AP Spitfire(+1B), Panzerfaust(+1B), Flammenspeer(+1B) / AP Heavy Pistol, Trench-Hammer, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 50) BLACKJACK AP Heavy Machine Gun, Chest Mines, Panzerfaust / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 38) UNKNOWN RANGER AP Spitfire, Chain-colt / Heavy Pistol, T2 CC Weapon. (1 | 47) WALLACE T2 Rifle(+1 Dam), Light Shotgun, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, EXP CC Weapon. (0 | 35) VETERAN KAZAK (Lieutenant) AP Heavy Machine Gun / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (1 | 46) WILD BILL Rifle / MULTI Pistol(+1B), CC Weapon. (0 | 25) DEVIL DOG Heavy Shotgun, Smoke Grenades / AP CC Weapon. (0 | 33) K-9 ANTIPODE AP CC Weapon. (0 | 6) DOZER Rifle, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 13) TRAKTOR MUL (Deactivator) ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 5) TRAKTOR MUL (Deactivator) ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 5) 5 SWC | 297 Points Open in Infinity Army ────────────────────────────────────────────────── The general scoring of the mission is below for the purposes of this battle report, however for the full details and the download link, check out VaulSC's video: Have more Connected Consoles than the adversary at the end of Player 1’s final turn (2 OP) Have more Connected Consoles than the adversary at the end of Player 2’s final turn (2 OP) Secure the Objective Room at the end of Player 1’s final turn (2 OP) Secure the Objective Room at the end of Player 2’s final turn (2 OP) Have four or more Connected Consoles at the end of the game (1 OP) Kill more enemy Specialists (1 OP) Spoiler: Deployment Deployment I roll off using my sweet, sweet Pan-O WIP 14 and win initiative on a 3. I opt to go first as my ARO game is pretty weak and my confidence to come back after an alpha strike with this list isn't really there. I use a command token to hold back both the Aquila Guard and Mendoza in reserve, while Nimlothaule holds back the Ratnik and uses a command token to put Wild Bill on Suppressive Fire. Spoiler: R1/T1 - PanOceania R1/T1 - PanOceania The most pressing concern is to uproot the Blackjack preventing Rao from pressing the objective and retreating to safety. Thankfully, I (theoretically) have the piece to uproot a big chunk of Metal: Padre Inquisitor Medoza. In a surprising amount of efficiency, Mendoza is able to cave in the flank by burning the Traktor Mul [14s vs a dodge on a 9], Blackjack [14s vs a panzerfaust on a 7], and finally Wild Bill [11s vs suppressive fire on 7s] off the table. With the primary fire line freed, I use my LT order on Rao and the irregular order on the tech bee to press the consoles on my table half. While the Tech Bee is stuck where she is, I use a coordinated order to move the Aquila to cover the objective room fire line, Rao to safety atop a nearby building covered by the zulu-cobra, and the Sepulcher Knight up the board to contest the Ratnik on the next order. I pop over the ledge to throw some AP rounds at the Ratnik [4 dice on 14's vs. a panzerfaust on 10s], which hits but fails to wound. I try with the last of the two orders in the pool but he only takes a single wound and ducks into full cover. A little sad I wasn't able to free up Mendoza for further murdering, but still a pretty good first turn. Spoiler: R1/T1 - Ariadna R1/T2 - Ariadna With a pretty efficient alpha strike swinging the game slightly in my favor, Nimlothaule weighs his options and decides to pop out the devil dog team with the impetuous order. I "reveal" my holoprojectored Sepulcher Knight and tries to contest the smoke [Smoke on a 19 vs MMR shot on a 17], but the smoke wins out and blocks the main fire lane. Jumping at the opportunity, the devil dog rushes through the smoke and eventually ends up right next to the Sepulcher, shotgun ready. I fire a MMS shot at the farthest point on a 17, while the Devil Dog decides to hit with the heavy shotgun templates. We roll off and... I crit and put a wound on the devil dog, but not before both heavy shotgun blasts go through and knock the Sepulcher unconscious. The Devil Dog pulls back and I throw a combi rifle shot with my Zulu-Cobra in the distance but fails to connect. With the final orders of the turn, the Unknown Ranger repositions and knocks the Tech-Bee unconscious in the distance. William Wallace then moves to threaten Mendoza, but Mendoza successfully dodges his light shotgun rounds. Spoiler: R2/T1 - PanOceania R2/T1 - PanOceania In a pretty good spot at this point, however, losing the Sepulcher so easily was a pretty big blow to that flank. That being said, as long as I can down the Devil Dog and curve around to contest the Unknown Ranger with my Aquila I'll still be in a pretty good position in round three. For the first order I re-camo my Zulu Cobra and take a shot at the Devil Dog with the combi rifle [3 dice on 16s vs a smoke dodge on a 19]. A shot connects but fails to wound, causing the dogs to fail guts and get out of line of sight. I use another order to reposition my Aquila and take MMR shots on the devil dog on 18s vs a dodge on a 16, but the dodge wins out, and for the next three orders he either fails to wound or is out-dodged by the dogs. On my second to last order, I'm finally able to kill the Devil dog, but not without taking up almost my entire second turn. I use my last order and a command token to shuffle everyone to a better spot and use my LT order to put Rao on suppression now that my chain of command is gone. The Zulu-Cobra is moved to the flank with Mendoza to hopefully be able to throw some Jammer shots if Wallace tries to close the gap. Spoiler: R2/T2 - Ariadna R2/T2 - Ariadna With a hilariously ineffective counterpunch from PanO, Nimlothaule has the opening to swing the game back in his favor. The Unkown Ranger zooms up the right flank and easily chews through my Warcor and Flash Pulse. Another order is spent to rush up to the console, fails, but uses another order to flip the console. The second to last order is spent running into base contact with my Aquila Guard, however miraculously, I tie the CC roll with my pistol shot! The final order of the turn is spent on the Unkown Ranger, who then crits and wipes the Aquila off the board, but not without leaving him exposed to counterattack on the final turn. Spoiler: R3/T1 - PanOceania R3/T1 - PanOceania Turn three I'm feeling pretty good, but there are a lot of things that have to go right in order for me to take home a sure victory. With no one in the objective room I can rush in there to score an easy 2 points and with enough coordinated orders I can potentially get Rao over to the console on the far end to score the other 2 for the final round. While Nimlothaul is up on specialist kills, if I can at least down the unknown ranger that will take a lot of punch out of his final turn. I use the LT order on Rao to curve down the stairs and take a few combi rifle shots at the Unknown Ranger outside cover (3 dice on 15s vs 1 dice on 13s). Two shots go through and one wounds. I try one more time and back away from the building and... This kills the Unkown Ranger! Rao, you did it bud! I use this opportunity to use my last two coordinated orders to pull the zulu cobra and the Nisse into the objective room, Rao up the board to the far console, and some of my cheerleaders to the tops of buildings to hopefully throw some potshots at units entering the room. With two orders remaining, Rao presses the button successfully and I poke Mendoza out to finally contest Walllace. I fire my multi-rifle shots on 17s, while Wallace tries to dodge on a 14. The shots ring true from Mendoza and burns Wallace off the board. Spoiler: R3/T2 - Ariadna R3/T2 - Ariadna Down to only 5 orders and a ton to do, Nimlothaule uses the Vet Kazak to fire into Rao on the console, knocking him unconscious. The Ratnik tries to kill the Nisse in the corner of the objective room but fails to wound. A few orders are spent, but it was found the dozer cannot get to the console in time, and the Ratnik stomps into the room to try and contest but is only able to kill the Nisse. This closes out the game, netting a Victory to PanOceania. Spoiler: Scoring/Summary Scoring PanOceania - 4pt 2OP - Control objective room on Player 1's final turn 2OP - Connect more consoles on Player 1's final turn Ariadna - 1pt 1OP - Kill more Specialists Summary/Takeaways Great game, great mission, hilariously fun lists. Rao was a fun experiment, but I can't stop the nagging feeling that this would be better as a Joan list. That being said, using him as a button pusher with his LT order was pretty fun. I would feel a little rocky running this list again factions who would have an easy time deleting Rao and the Sepulcher turn one. Mendoza does work, gotta hand it to him. If he can get into his good range he's probably melting anything he touches. I'm not sure why the last turn I went for the far console, I could have flipped the console on my board half to make it much harder for third-round Ariadna.
