I have to use the Anaconda with MRRF in an upcoming tournament due to Show of Force. It’s also an escalation tournament with the final round (SoF) being 400pts. There is also Tactical Window in effect. That said, I’ve never used a TAG before. Any particular advice, and specifically, any words of wisdom using the Anaconda?
First and foremost, including TAG transforms list from infantry platoon into combined arms detachment, and in urban enviroment to boot. Your TAG is a light vehicle that acts as armored spearhead, focal point, and bait. Support it at all times, because losing it means losing a good chunk of your points as well as one of the biggest guns. First and obvious part of that support is an Engineer; to repair damage (especially since Anaconda has only 2 STR), and to remove Isolation, IMM2 and Adhesive. Since you don't have access to Servant bots it might be good to include two of them, for example Dozer on one flank, Moblot in Metro link on the other. Second part is midfield screen. Important part of running a TAG is being disciplined and avoiding leaving it overextended and exposed. Keep track of your orders, and remember to have 2-3 to retreat a bit after attack run, and hide behind screening Chasseurs and Zouaves, maybe put it into Suppressive Fire. This is especially important since Anaconda is pretty slow for a TAG; it's actually better to think of it like a very big and clumsy (-6 to Dodge, no Prone) HI. Alternatively you can use it as bait - push it hard into enemy DZ, kill enything that gets in the way, park it in a good spot (so hidden, Camo, and AD units can't flank it too easily), and put it into SF. Opponent can't ignore such threat, and will likely spend a lot of orders trying to deal with it. This means less orders spent towards doing objectives and killing the bulk of your army. But this tactics means that you need to have a plan how your list is going to function without the TAG. Actually, you need that plan anyway. Crits happen. It might be that you'll stumble upon hidden AHD and end up Isolated, or a lucky missile will ruin your plan A. Your plans will never work out 100%, but you need to know what to do instead of fully improvising. "In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable." A minor note about hacking defence: in army with so few and so basic hackers as FRRM it's probably best to leave them home, and defend via Chasseurs, mines, and well placed AROs. Less hackers also means less targets for enemy KHDs.
Keeping the TAG half of the Anaconda alive is difficult, especially with an enemy list that is certainly prepared to fight off much harder targets or even bringing a TAG of its own. My experience with it would suggest not committing it to any attack beyond your DZ before you're ready to risk losing it; ARM 6 and no cover goes down to even Rifles in short order. You badly want second turn so the TAG doesn't have to weather a whole enemy turn while sitting on the objective. MRRF in general is rubbish at fighting big armoured TAGs so make sure you have something like Loup-Garou or M5 that can take one down if necessary; the Anaconda loses BADLY to its opposite numbers in a direct fight.
My list has 4 minelayer Chasseurs a 5 man Loup link and some other treats for an aggressive player, including M5. My plan at the moment is to just hide the TAG until the very end and then make a play on the objective. I’ll try to deploy in a way that my opponent will over extend himself.
Don't even bother with the engineer. If you try to repair it, it's provably going to blow up and you will spend orders just to get an operator and a smoke template. I suggest to pick up the hmg to make some safe shots and try to keep him alive to score.
WELL, I played a practice game for the upcoming tournament. 400pts, Show of Force, Tactical Window. I used my MRRF and Anaconda against and IA armor s column. Short Story: I won 10-0. My regular sparring partner used this opportunity to run a Guijia and x3 Mowangs. The rest of his list was 2 Zhencha 2 Daoying 1 Rui Shi, and 1 Pangulin. I deployed first and went first. I had x4 minelayer Chasseurs across midfield and a Loup Garou core. First turn I didn’t even more the TAG and I mostly ignored the IA armor and concentrated on clearing out his midfield camo, which I succeeded in killing one Daoying, one Zhencha and the Rui Shi. I lost one Chasseur and two LG snipers. On his turn he advanced the armor column and took a wound or two from mines and one of the Mowangs was killed by a Chasseurs Flame thrower. He killed said Chasseur but no other losses. On my turn I used Margot to outflank and got behind the Guijia and gunned it down with her AP rifle. Duroc CCed the Mowang on the objective. The Anaconda moved up and exchanged innefectual fire with the right flank Mowang. The TAG killed the remaining Zhencha. Margot also killed the Pangulin. The midfield Mowang wasn’t dead but locked in CC so I wasn’t concerned about him going into retreat. On his bottom of two he exchanged ineffectual fire between right flank Mowang and my TAG. Top of Three Duroc lost in CC against the Mowang. I reforged the LG three man core and my BS LG ADHLed the midfield Mowang. Margot vaporized it once it was IMM2. The Anaconda moved onto the objective and Exhanged fire with the remaining Mowang that was in suppressive fire and got critter to dead which actually worked out. It auto ejected, placing the pilot and smoke on the objective. My data tracker moved onto the objective and I ended my turn. Opponent then started the turn in retreat and game was over for a 10-0 win for me. TLDR: Anaconda is roughly equal to the much cheaper Mowang and should be used as a not great HI piece.
Here’s my list for the 400pt Show of Force with Tactical Window. Any C&C VERY welcome. I still have time to make adjustments: MRRF SoF────────────────────────────────────────────────── GROUP 1 9 1 1 LOUP-GAROU Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 21) LOUP-GAROU Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 21) LOUP-GAROU Boarding Shotgun, Adhesive Launcher, Stun Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18) LOUP-GAROU Viral Rifle, Stun Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 21) LOUP-GAROU Viral Rifle, Stun Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 21) CHASSEUR (Minelayer) Rifle, Light Flamethrower, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 20) CHASSEUR (Minelayer) Rifle, Light Flamethrower, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 20) EQUIPE MIRAGE-5 undefined. (2 | 71) MARGOT AP Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (37) DUROC 2 Chain Rifles, Grenades, Smoke Grenades / AP CC Weapon. (34) BRIGADIER BRUANT Lieutenant Molotok, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 28) GROUP 2 5 ANACONDA HMG + Chain-colt, Panzerfaust / CCW. (2 | 68) OPERATOR Spitfire / Pistol, Knife. (- | 0) MOBLOT Engineer Rifle, Light Shotgun, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25) MOBLOT (Infiltration) Rifle, Light Shotgun E/Mauler / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 26) CHASSEUR (Minelayer) Rifle, Light Flamethrower, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 20) CHASSEUR (Minelayer) Rifle, Light Flamethrower, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 20) 8 SWC | 400 PointsOpen in Infinity Army
