JSA Highly Classified Troubles

This is a terrible mission in general in my opinion. I recently heard it's one of the Top 3 missions played around the world, which just makes me sad, because I dislike playing it extremely.

That being said, there are ways to win it.

• I really like Ryuken-9 SMGs in this context. They're great at Sabotage, as you say, but having 2x Minelayers on the table is one of the few defenses you can have against a strong opponent who simply achieves all objectives on Turn 1. You can make your HVT or other key zones very hard to attack if you set up a couple of Ryuken-9, deploy their mines, and get them in Suppressive Fire. Use the mines to stop Camo Tokens and smoke tossers bypassing them, and use their -12 Modifier to contest any conventional attack.
• The Ninja FO is fine, but I think you're smart sticking with the Ninja KHD as your workhorse for Hacking Classifieds. Consider the Sensor/FO bot as your backup Forward Observer... With 6-4 MOV and WIP13, it's quite good at getting where you need it to go, and it's less than half the cost of the Ninja FO.
• Don't forget too, killing key enemy Specialists so they can't rack up heavy points is always a valid way to play this mission. Don't be afraid to run something like an Oniwaban or Saito. Even if they're not achieving objectives themselves, it may worthwhile burning Orders if you take out that Sophotect/Doc Worm/etc and stop your opponent from achieving multiple Classifieds.
• Yojimbo. Koalas and Smoke are both very helpful for this mission, and he's also a very good 1-use missile for speedily assassinating an important enemy Specialist.

 

Try to go first, turn 1 assassinate their specialists. Oniwanban can probably body bag their doctors and engineers.

Ryuken to slow their turn 1 blitz for objectives. During deployment consider that you don't want to knock down any robots or infantry for those objectives so either overkill or avoid those fights during deployment. (Don't set up hmg to knock down a LI next to a waiting doctor). SHOCK IS OUR FRIEND.

Toketsu with helpers are required. Rui shi or lu duan for str obj. That means we need a hacker, no prob ninja khd.

Oniwanban and ninjas to taste. I recommend FO ninja. domaru tanko link feels link like the best way to fill out the list.

 

I support a lot of what other folks are saying. Ryuken are fantastic for area denial and can complete sabotage. Ninja KHD is good way to scoop up hacking objectives if you draw them. Yojimbo is useful for target murder and smoke or even just leaving some koalas in his wake to trip up folks.


I don't know what your meta is like, but a core link like this could be quite useful in midfield fighting as well as objective completion:

Japanese Secessionist Army
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5
KEMPEI (Multispectral Visor L2) Shock Marksman Rifle / Pistol, CCW, Electric Pulse. (1 | 25)
DOMARU Spitfire / Pistol, E/M CCW, Shock CC Weapon. (2 | 39)
KEISOTSU Paramedic (MediKit) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 11)
KEISOTSU (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
YURIKO ODA Combi Rifle, Panzerfaust, D-Charges, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, CCW. (0 | 24)

3 SWC | 109 Points

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It's a little fragile, but it has a lot of tools and can effectively fight from melee range out to 32" (until you run out of panzerfaust ammo).

 

Funny enough the Oyoroi pilot is our best upfield FO, all the FO Classifieds are very easy to do with her thanks to her personal Total Cover with 6-4.
Not to mention HC usually forfeits some kill potential to include one of every Specialist, so going for a killy list can be very rewarding.
With the Ninja KHD being a staple, D-Charges on Ryuken, inexpensive Doc and Engineer on top of Mines and 4 Koalas JSA doesn't have to rebuild half the list or take any uncomfortable choices.

As mentioned it is important to remember that denying the other guy his Classifieds is pretty much necessary to win high. Superior Infiltration with Shinobu/Oniwaban and Yojimbo/Aragoto Spitfire to reach that one key Specialist before he gets to do anything can decide the game in turn 1.

Most TOs seem to be aware this isn't a great mission but run it anyway to include button pushing into their tournament.
From personal experience HC is usually the first or second mission and unlikely to be the last one that decides the top tables. One could say you have a good chance to get an inexperienced opponent and bank on a steamroll to free up your lists to suit other missions better.
In reality I've seen both sides achieving all their Objectives in turn 1 resulting in a very frustrating match for both sides more than once. So while luck may be on your side it is a good idea to bring something that covers every possibility.

As a final note, going first in this mission is huge. Taking Shinobu as a WIP14 Lt and risking her Superior Infiltration roll while going first doesn't sit well with me, but probably is our best shot.

 

I like neko as lt because he's wip 14, brings a decent killing kit, can link with just about anything, and if you hide him almost nothing is prepared to kill him.

I like (not love) HC in the rotation. It forces people to bring at least 1 generalist list. The other missions can usually be won with 270 points of lethal cheese and 1 FO.

 

I want to start by saying your list is fine and the following is just my personal tastes coming through. Were it me, i'd try to fit Yuriko into your link, but I'm a bit biased and really like the profile. I also prefer Chaiyi over the Pangguling Minesweepers because they can do slightly more even if it's just hanging out with a flashpulse covering a table edge.

I massaged things a little and came up with this, for example::

Mixed-Core HC List #2
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GROUP 1 10
DOMARU Spitfire / Pistol, E/M CCW, Shock CC Weapon. (2 | 39)
KEMPEI (Multispectral Visor L2) Shock Marksman Rifle / Pistol, CCW, Electric Pulse. (1 | 25)
KEISOTSU (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
KEISOTSU Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9)
YURIKO ODA Combi Rifle, Panzerfaust, D-Charges, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, CCW. (0 | 24)
ONIWABAN Submachine Gun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Monofilament CCW. (0 | 37)
RYŪKEN (Forward Deployment L2, ODD) Submachine Gun, Antipersonnel Mines, D-Charges / 2 Breaker Pistols, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
PANGGULING (Minesweeper, Repeater) Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
TOKUSETSU EISEI Doctor (MediKit) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
CHAĪYÌ Yaókòng Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
YÁOZĂO Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)

GROUP 2 4 1 1
YOJIMBO Contender, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades, CrazyKoalas (2) / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 21)
NINJA Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Tactical Bow / Pistol, DA CCW, Knife. (0 | 29)
RYŪKEN (Forward Deployment L2, ODD) Submachine Gun, Antipersonnel Mines, D-Charges / 2 Breaker Pistols, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
KEISOTSU Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 9)

5 SWC | 300 Points

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You lose a regular order out of group 2, but gain yuriko for group 1. I left the tokusetsu doctor with the yao zao because i assumed you'd rather have a doctor in multiple places in stead of an engineer. You can also can the yaozao entirely and upgrade the keisotsu in the link to paramedic so they can bring doctoring with them. Also, there's room to slide troops around in the groups depending on who you think will need the most love turn one. If I have a piece I don't think I'll start spending a lot of orders on until turn 2, I don't mind leaving them in group 2 and command tokening them over to fill in hole opened up by a casualty in the first group once the second turn rolls around.

 

I think you have a solid foundation there. I like your unit selections.

My list for this mission would probably be a cross between your two lists... Something like dropping both Domaru from list 1, then adding a second Ryuken-9 SMG and a Keisotsu SMG.

I think the Keisotsu HMG is pretty important. In many situations, there simply isn't an alternative to having a Burst 5 HMG.

If you like the Domaru Spitfire, you could even just drop the Domaru LT, and add in a Keisotsu HMG and a Keisotsu LT. You have exactly the points and SWC for it.

The only reason for that is because I think the extra Orders really help, I think the long-range active turn Burst is important, and I think the second Minelayer is really valuable. The Ryuken-9 and Yojimbo Koalas are very helpful in this mission, and having two mines on the table if the enemy goes first might make all the difference in slowing your opponent on Turn 1.

 

I missed @ambisinister 's post but I like his suggestions. I haven't done much with Yuriko yet in NA2, but I think she offers a lot over the basic Engineer. Linkability, the strong AROs, the minelaying are all helpful.

 

@DrDevice For my tastes, whether or not I take the risk factors a lot on my opponent’s team comp, deployment, and whether I’m going first or not. For example: If i’m going first and all my optimal targets are parked in the back of my opponent’s DZ and unlikely to leave then I probably risk it. If deploying on the mid line means I still need to spend 5ish orders to get in and start fighting that’s no good as far as i’m concerned. If on the other hand my targets are likely to wander out to the midfield on their own and I’m going second OR their removal isn’t of dire importance to my first turn gambit, then I may not risk it and deploy on the midline.

 

It depends on whether or not I see a target for him. He's always going to be my reserve if I'm going first, and the next part is going to depend on my opponent a lot.

1) if I have the shotgun, my opponent is playing a sectorial and deployed a link of line troops poorly, I'm going to look for a place where I can hit 2-3 of them and only take one ARO.

2) if my opponent has a very exposed expensive ARO and I can get to it safely in 1-2 orders, I'm going to go for it .

3) if my opponent has an easily identifiable lieutenant and I can kill it in 10 orders, I will almost always go for it.

4) if I can remove my opponent's only scoring pieces, I'm going to go for it. If it's highly classified, and I can prevent him from scoring on at least 2 missions, then I'll probably go for it.

And if he's my lieutenant and I fail, I just use his lieutenant order to recamo him in my DZ. I brought CoC anyway because I expected to need it, and a TO marker in a DZ is about as safe as a lieutenant gets, even if he's exposed.

 

If you fail the roll you can still put him close to the hvt and use him to intercept any of your opponents hvt classifieds. With only a few orders you'll at least be as far as need to prevent inoculation or kidnapping.

Don't plan like he's only useful if he successfully infiltrates. If starting in the dz is unacceptable then play it safe and start halfway

 

I've been having a lot of fun running this list recently. It only goes off the tracks if I forget to play the mission, but the midfield presence is so strong it is really able to control a mission like highly classified.

Midfield mods
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GROUP 1 10
RYŪKEN (Forward Deployment L2, ODD) Submachine Gun, Antipersonnel Mines, D-Charges / 2 Breaker Pistols, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
RYŪKEN (Forward Deployment L2, ODD) Submachine Gun, Antipersonnel Mines, D-Charges / 2 Breaker Pistols, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
RYŪKEN (Forward Deployment L2, ODD) Submachine Gun, Antipersonnel Mines, D-Charges / 2 Breaker Pistols, Knife. (0.5 | 24)
SAITO TOGAN (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, EXP CCW, Knife. (0 | 40)
ONIWABAN Submachine Gun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Monofilament CCW. (0 | 37)
KEMPEI (Chain of Command) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, CCW, Electric Pulse. (0 | 21)
KEISOTSU Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 14)
KEISOTSU Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 9)
KEISOTSU Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9)
YURIKO ODA Combi Rifle + E/Mitter, D-Charges, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, CCW. (0 | 23)

GROUP 2 5
TOKUSETSU EISEI Doctor (MediKit) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
KEISOTSU Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 17)
WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
CHAĪYÌ Yaókòng Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
RUI SHI Spitfire / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 20)

6 SWC | 300 Points

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