I know a killer when I see one... - 3 Shasvastii battle reports from a local tournament in Frankfurt

These battle reports come from a 14 player event in Nidderau, near Frankfurt, Germany. It was run by Sven and was very well organised. We played in a hall attached to a pizzeria, which provided table and bar service which made for an enjoyable and easy day. The atmosphere was friendly and fun, and I look forward to seeing everyone again.

More photos from the tournament can be found here: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=alZGOFE2bzEtRDdPTjZrZGU1eHgtR3BZQk91ZGlB

Spoiler: Prize support

I have probably made some mistakes about timelines, points, and order counts, but I think these reports are generally true to the story of the battles that took place.

Spoiler: List One

Xenosignarly Dude
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GROUP 1 10
SPECULO KILLER (Minelayer) Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenades, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Monofilament CCW, Knife. (1.5 | 39)
SPECULO KILLER (Minelayer) Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenades, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Monofilament CCW, Knife. (1.5 | 39)
CADMUS-SOLDIER Hacker (EI Killer Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, CCW. (0 | 24)
CADMUS-SOLDIER Hacker (EI Killer Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, CCW. (0 | 24)
SHROUDED (Minelayer) Boarding Shotgun, Dazer / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 24)
M-DRONE Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 17)
NOX Hacker (EI Hacking Device) Submachine Gun, Zapper / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 17)
MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
SLAVE DRONE Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
Q-DRONE HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 26)
IKADRON (Baggage, Repeater) 2 Light Flamethrowers, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9)

GROUP 2 2
MENTOR Lieutenant Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 22)
NOCTIFER Missile Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 32)

6 SWC | 299 Points

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Spoiler: List One thoughts

Building this list was easy - I wanted two Cadmus and two Speculo minelayers. Then I just had to pick stuff that supported them, and could disctract my opponent long enough to get them out of position and let the real heros drop in and do the work. The dazer is included to be a roadblock both for Xenosignal and Countermeasures, the M-drone is overall fantastic, the Hacker lets the Q-drone have Marksmanship, Ikadrons are fun, and Dr Worm makes the REMs are real problem to remove. The Noctifer is a nice backup for Xenosignal's midfield brawl, and in Countermeasures I can dictate where the opponent must go to get my HVTs so he's likely to have a good ambush point. The Mentor is only there because I had points spare to take him over a Nox lieutenant, and Camo is better defense than none.

Spoiler: List Two

Bioshrekvore
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GROUP 1 10
SPECULO KILLER Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, Monofilament CCW, Knife. (1 | 35)
T-DRONE FTO Missile Launcher, Flash Pulse / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 19)
VICTOR MESSER (Hacking Device Plus) Boarding Shotgun, 2 Nanopulser, D-Charges / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 28)
NOX (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Zapper / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
NOX (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Zapper / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
NOX (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Zapper / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
SHESKIIN Red Fury, Pulzar, D-Charges / Pistol, DA CCW. (1 | 54)
JAYTH CUTTHROATS 2 Chain Rifle, E/M Grenades, E/Mauler / Pistol, DA CC Weapon, Knife. (0 | 22)
HAIDUK MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 26)
MED-TECH OBSIDON MEDCHANOID Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23)
SLAVE DRONE Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)

GROUP 2 3
MENTOR Lieutenant Shock Marksman Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 27)
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)

5.5 SWC | 300 Points

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Spoiler: List Two thoughts

Biotechvore needs it's own list, as otherwise you can't get all your models out of the 16" death zone. I wanted both White Noise (Victor Messer) and Smoke (Speculo) to ensure I could get out, and I wanted both MSV2 (Haiduk) and non-visor AROs (T-drone) to counterdeploy my opponent if they didn't bring both tools. I needed to make a 5 man link (Nox FOs) for order efficiency. Dr Worm is invaluable, both as a 6-4 multispecialist and to heal my downed units for those juicy Victory Points. The Ikadrons are kings of the midfield with both Flash Pulse and Flamethrowers, as well as the all-important baggage, which actually matters for Biotechvore. The Mentor was necessary for Counterintelligence to ensure everyone got out of the Biotechvore zone. That left enough points for Sheskiin and the Jayth, who can duo together, and are great at killing in the midfield.

Round One – Xenosignal
Opponent: Zergash, Tungunska
Table: Downtown

Spoiler

Spoiler: Mission scoring

Xenosignal

• Have hacked more Antennas (4 points)
• Dominate the central console's Zone of Control (2 points)
• Control the central console at the end of the game (2 points)
• Have killed more army points (2 points)
• One Classified each (1 point)

Spoiler: The table

I drew Test Run, which I was pretty confident to be able to get with Dr Worm, the Ikadron, and the Q and M drones.

I took my first list as it does what this mission requires - get specialists to the consoles, kill enemy specialists, dominate the center.

I think I won the roll off and chose deployment, taking the side with the nicer firelanes onto the central objective so regardless of what happened, I'd be able to steal it on the last turn. I wasn't particularly worried about alpha strikes with this list, as it seems pretty defensively robust.

I do have to preface that this battle was very unlucky for my opponent, with me scoring around about relevant 10 crits against him, and he scoring none against me.

Spoiler: His list

Xenosignal

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10

HOLLOW MEN Missile Launcher, Chain-colt / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (2 | 35)

HOLLOW MEN Spitfire, Chain-colt / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (2 | 36)

HOLLOW MEN Hacker (Assault Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt + 1 TinBot A (Deflector L1) / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 37)

HOLLOW MEN (Specialist Operative) Boarding Shotgun / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 30)

STEMPLER ZOND FTO (Super-Jump) Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 18)

SPEKTR (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 32)

TSYKLON (Forward Deployment L1) Spitfire, Pitcher / Electric Pulse. (1 | 33)

PERSEUS FTO (Fireteam: Haris) Breaker Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Smoke Grenades / 2 Pistols, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 33)

INTERVENTOR Hacker Lieutenant (Hacking Device Plus) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 25)

CLOCKMAKER Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18)

ZONDBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)


6 SWC | 300 Points


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Deployment

Xenosignal has a restricted 8” deployment zone, which is great for me as it improves the shoot-outs for my Noctifer, and increases the orders required for my opponent to get his specialists to the objectives, but not for me, thanks to airborne deployment and infiltration.

His Hollow Men core with a helper bot started up in the far left, and a TO camo marker went in the left midfield next to his HVT. His right flank consisted of his Clockmaker backing up the spitfire Tsyklon, with his obvious lieutenant Interventor in the far right. Perseus was his reserve model, starting in the far right as well.

The mobility of the Hollow Men is easily underestimated, resulting in long range missile shots in a poorly prepared backline. I tried to therefore make sure that if/when the team got on top of any the buildings they still wouldn’t be able to snipe my backline.

I put one Speculo in the middle with her mine blocking the TO camo trooper from being to get onto the street. The Shrouded went near her on the middle right building, with the dazer slowing down any movement from his right flank. Since they both have the Shasvastii rule they count as scoring even while unconscious, so I’m pretty confident I’ll dominate the central objective even if they are shot.

My Q drone deploys on the near left, guarding the left antenna, and the left alleyway leading to the central console. To his right goes the M drone FO bot, whose job will be to run up late game and get the left antenna, and also provides repeater coverage onto the Q drone. Between them sits the helper bot, and the Nox hacker prone on the roof. The Noctifer goes on the bottom left corner in Hidden Deployment but out of cover, to get a shoot at the central console in good range (over 24”). His job is simply to kill anything there at the end of the game, so at the very least my unconscious Shasvastii models can dominate the zone.

In the middle my Mentor Lt goes on the floor, with his Ambush Camo standing on the right rooftop. I’m hoping my opponent might think the rooftop is the Shock Marksman Rifle version and is deterred, or wastes an order or two trying to Discover him. On the right sit the Ikadron and Doctor Worm.

My reserve is the second Speculo. I get greedy wanting to destroy the right flank, and place the mine facing the Tsyklon and the Clockmaker. This will force him to either do nothing with either, sacrifice one of them, or try to dodge the mine with Perseus. If this attempt fails, the Speculo will be able to solo the rest of that flank, severely cutting his order pool and taking out his lieutenant.

My plan is simple: Distract and slow down the Hollowman Core enough that I’ll be able to steal antenna majority at the end, and fill the central area with Shastvastii models to score. If he gets the link too close too early I am confident the Speculo will be able to use smoke, mines, and CC20 MA3 monofilament to dismantle the link.


Top of turn one - Tungunska

To resolve the pickle in the top right, brave Perseus runs out, fails his dodge but maks his save. This allows the Tsyklon room to move forward across the street. I could have taken the Noctifer shot, but don’t want to show my hand too early. The Tsyklon then climbs up the building, getting an unexpected angle on Dr Worm and taking him down, but getting Flash Pulsed by the Ikadron in return. His Hollow Men move up and take the far left antenna.

His TO marker moves forward and sits in by my left antenna, but gets discovered by the Q drone on the way in, revealing a Spektr FO.


Bottom of turn one - Shas

I feel lucky, so start by putting Marksmanship on the Q drone and shooting the Spetkr on 8s, killing it.

I need to take the Tsyklon out, and the only good option I can see is to drop the Cadmus in. Unfortunately the Tsyklon is a repeater, so that would provoke AROs from the Hollow Man AHD and the Interventor. I choose to first even the odds and drop my Cadmus behind the Interventor. Her only ARO available is to hack the drop so she doesn’t get to shoot or hack me this order. I fail my roll and disperse towards the middle of the table, which is not a big deal, as with Decoy I then daisy-chain back to exactly where I wanted to land. Perseus is looking the wrong way, so I Autohatch and Surprise Shoot the Interventor in my next order, catching Perseus in the template blast from the boarding shotgun. I don’t have cover as AD doesn’t let you drop into it, and Autohatch doesn’t allow movement, but I manage to win the rolls and both targets go down.

Now comes the second Cadmus, landing with S0 behind the container on the roof so the Tsyklon can’t see him. He disperses too, but uses Decoy to land back where I wanted anyway. The Hollow Man AHD whiffs the Oblivion ARO. I then Autohatch which puts me at S2, and Surprise Shoot the Tsyklon, knocking it unconscious but being Isolated by the Hollow Man in return.

My last couple orders are spent on the top right Cadmus moving and taking a shot at the Clockmaker, but whiffing it. The alternative would have been to Scavenge the combi rifle from the Interventor and go into Suppressive Fire, but I was in the killing swing.


Top of turn two - Tungunska

He’s in Loss of Lieutenant, in Limited Insertion, with 6 orders and 4 Command Tokens. His Hollow Men move forward, getting the Spitfire to shoot at the Q-drone the same order as the specialists move across the gap and touch the console. This gives me the option of opposing the spitfire, or taking out one of the specialists. I stay defensive and shoot the spitfire, but lose the face-to-face and die. He nabs the left console, and gets his FO bot on the roof, which would let him shoot my Nox hacker, Cadmus, and maybe my Shrouded. I risk it and reveal my Speculo to shoot back, who is knocked unconscious for her efforts, but at least that saved my other models. The Clockmaker shoots and knocks out my Cadmus.


Bottom of turn two - Shas

Unfortunately none of my models are dead, so I can’t easily move models into my main group, so I’ve only got 5 regular orders.

I send my plucky Ikadron up, who charges across the street and flames the FO bot to death, and is also knocked unconscious. This lets my isolated Cadmus start running down the stairs so he can try for the right antenna on my next turn. I then crawl my Nox hacker forwards, who uses his stealth to avoid the AHD and get into position. This lets him stand up and Zapper the two Hollow Men Specialists who dodge, but the specialist operative gets Isolated while the AHD is unscathed.


Top of turn three - Tungunska

With not much left to lose, his Hollowman spitfire runs out to get to the central zone, but is knocked unconscious by the Nox submachine gun and the M drone combi rifle. His AHD then leaps up the building, and the Noctifer finally reveals, blasting him unconscious as well as putting a wound on the immobilised specialist operative, but the Nox hacker is taken out. One of his Hollowman rolls WIP and gets a Classified.


Bottom of turn three - Shas

Unfortunately I still don’t have any space in my first group to bring over my Noctifer and Mentor, but since I only have three regular models in the first group anyway – my M drone, the second Speculo, and the Shrouded, I just use three Command Tokens and pull them over to the second group instead.

First things first, the isolated Cadmus leaps heroically over the banister, charges the antenna, and successfully hacks it with his one available order. The Mentor Lt uses his Lt order to climb down the building, so he can get in the domination zone if the others move out.

I now need three things:
1. Get the left antenna, giving me a 2-1 antenna majority and 4 points.
2. Get someone in contact with central zone (2 points), which I am already dominating thanks to the Shrouded.
3. Get someone to Secure the HVT (1 point)

My only hope for the left antenna is my M drone. He is a REM so can’t cautious move, and the Missile Launcher Hollowman is on guard, and has a chain colt, 4+3 ARM in cover, and 2 wounds. I could definitely just try to run up and contest the missile launcher’s 1 dice on 13 against my 3 dice on 11s, but if I don’t kill him I will only have one roll on the antenna after he chain-colts me. I decide to play it safer. First, the midfield Speculo succeeds her Automedikit which needed 12s. Then a coordinated order brings both Speculos to try and throw smoke on the left antenna, gets the Speculo gets into 8” of the HVT, and the Shrouded and Mentor move towards the centre, touching the central console. Smoke lands, and now the REM runs up and tries to get the left antenna for the major victory, but I roll above 13 twice, and that’s the game.


Conclusion

7-5 minor win

Things I learnt:

• Cadmus can drop wherever they like, but the dispersion can change your plans.
• AD cannot touch cover.
• Autohatch doesn’t allow movement, and since you can’t AD prone, you will be forced to stand up.
• Cadmus are really fun.
• Minelayer Speculo’s are astounding. I often run twin Fidays in Haqqislam, but the ability to protect yourself with minelayer is extremely powerful.
• Nox are great – stealth is important, Zapper is very important.
• Rolling 10 more crits than your opponent makes it easier to win.
• Hollowmen have chain-colts
• The Stempler Zond has climbing plus AND super-jump. These are excellent together.
• The Dazer is a double-edged sword, it affects your own troops as well. Except for the M-drone, no backline Shas units have multiterrain – eg Dr Worm, Ikadrons, Nox, Q-drone.

Things I could have done better:

• I misjudged the distance on the small template, and wasted an order or two getting into position with the Zapper, which turned out to be important.
• Dr Worm should have been prone, and I should have expected the Tsyklon to get on and around that right building.

Zergash is always a pleasure to play against and I really enjoyed the match. Despite the crushing crits disparity he managed to play a clever and tight game, and was always a polite and fun opponent.

Round Two – Countermeasures
Opponent: Varuna, DrVic
Table: Corregidor fighting ring

Spoiler

Spoiler: Mission scoring

Countermeasures

• Have completed more Classifieds (4 points)
• Each Classified (1 each, up to 4)
• Have your Datatracker complete at least one Classified (2 points)

Spoiler: The table

This was my first time playing Countermeasures and I was really looking forward to it. I think Shasvastii are particularly suited to Countermeasures thanks to 1) Speculos, 2) Cadmus, and 3) Dr Worm. Speculos are Elite troops, good at close combat, and start in the enemy table half so can complete a full 7 classifieds by themselves, 3 of which can provide bonus points. Cadmus can be AD dropping hackers, so can easily complete 5 classifieds, plus they can use Scavenger to pick up hacking devices (which makes them hackers), D-charges, medikits (making them paramedics), or biometric/multispectral visors, (for HVT: Identity Check). Dr Worm is a Doctor and Engineer with D-Charges, so can complete another 6 classifieds. The only classified the three together can’t achieve is Follow-Up, for which Shas needs to use Corax (the only MI), or a Gwailos (the only HI). Since Countermeasures lets you redraw one classified at the start of your turn, my list should always be able to achieve all three available classifieds. This turned out to be pretty true.

Additionally, there is an exclusion zone which is excellent for Shas. Speculo minelayers can effectively ignore it by deploying on the other side of the exclusion zone, and so can Cadmus if they fail their AD roll, as then the Exclusion Zone no longer applies! (as far as I understand from RAW, not sure about RAI)

I won the lieutenant roll and chose to go first, wanting to nab any easy classifieds my opponent might want, or alpha strike his specialists if appropriate.

Spoiler: His list

Countermeasures

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GROUP 1 10

KAMAU (Multispectral Visor L2) MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 32)

FUSILIER Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)

FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)

FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)

FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)

KAMAU HMG / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 28)

KAMAU (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 21)

PATSY GARNETT Submachine Gun, Nimbus Plus Grenades, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 37)

ZULU-COBRA Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Breaker Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 28)

ZULU-COBRA (Sensor) Combi Rifle, Jammer / Assault Pistol, Knife. (0 | 29)


GROUP 2 3 2

TRAUMA-DOC Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)

PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)

HELOT MILITIAMAN Red Fury / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 14)

HELOT MILITIAMAN Red Fury / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 14)

FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)

CROC MAN (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 32)


4.5 SWC | 300 Points


Open in Infinity Army

Deployment

I put all three HVTs on my left flank with the Shrouded, accessible only by a tight corridor which can be well defended, as well as the left walkway. I don’t have many defenders, so want to concentrate his forces into a tight space where the Noctifer, Q-drone, Shrouded boarding shotgun, and eventual Cadmus shotguns can get them. I choose not to deploy the dazer, as I don’t want to reveal what the Shrouded is yet, hoping he might fear it is a Killer Hacker. If appropriate, I would spend a couple orders running him forward and putting a dazer or two down to clog this corridor even further. The Noctifer goes on overwatch standing proudly in Hidden Deployment on the left building, giving him good sightlines to all access ways to my HVTs. Dr Worm with a bodyguard Ikadron goes on the right flank, I want to give him lots of options in case he needs to run forward. One Speculo goes aggressively behind the right middle building, with the mine in the open on the right. I want my opponent to abandon this flank and deploy fully in the left section, so my Cadmus and other Speculo can ambush them, and give Dr Worm full breathing room running up the board.

He defensively puts a linked Kamau MSV2 sniper on the middle building, which has nice views down the middle lane but can’t see the left corridor. The fusiliers hide behind, well positioned to prevent the Speculo having a field day. Two camo markers go on the left flank, prone on buildings, with another in middle standing, and one last on the right flank. Since the two standing are in the second group I reasonably guess they are Helot Militia, making the other two Zulu Cobras, likely FO or KHD in this mission. On his left are a Kamau HMG and FO, but unlinked which is strange. A Fugazi faces down the mine on the right flank.

I aggressively deploy my reserve Speculo prone behind a barricade next to his Kamau FO, with the mine able to hit him if he AROs. His reserve model is Patsy, which now makes sense as it forms the Kamau Haris, who deploys near the Kamaus, facing the Speculo.

His Datatracker is Patsy, mine is Dr Worm.


Top of turn one - Shas

I draw Extreme Predjudice, HVT:Kidnapping, and something else. This is a perfect start. My opponent spends the command token to dock two orders from my main pool, but Counterintelligence reduces the sting by one.

I am worried about the far left camo marker, considering that it can crawl unopposed over the left walkway to access my HVTs. I try to drop my Cadmus at the base of the ladder, he scatters, and uses Decoy to land where I want anyway. I then realise that I can’t go prone up a ladder (which is so unintuitive, who climbs a ladder with their body sticking out horizontally) which means if I climb, the Kamau will see me. I abandon the plan.

My left Speculo is up instead – first she crawls forward to get cover against Patsy, who sensibly held her ARO. Next order, I Surprise Shoot with the combi. Patsy shoots back with 2 shots on 8s against my 3 shots on 15s, and loses the face to face and goes unconscious. We played that the mine went off against the Kamau FO who didn’t actually ARO, but trigged it because he was part of the link team which did ARO. I have only started learning how to play link teams so am not sure if that was right, but that’s what we did. Naturally, he failed his ARM and went unconscious thanks to Shock Immunity, which I now realise is an optional skill. The Speculo crawls out and back to touch and Coup de Grace the Kamau for Extreme Predjudice, provoking an unexpected Jammer ARO from the far left Zulu Cobra. Luckily I make the save, and using stealth (wow what a great skill!) run back and synchronise an HVT for HVT:Kidnapping. She spend her last couple orders moving back into cover and going into Suppressive Fire.


Bottom of turn one - Varuna

I can’t remember the classifieds he drew, but he needed FOs, both of which were now unconscious or dead. Not a helpful start.

His Kamau HMG slides around the left flank seeking vengeance, and manages to put the Speculo unconscious before going into Suppressive Fire. His middle left camo marker then crawls forward, and performs a WIP roll against the unconscious Speculo for Data Scan. His far right Helot runs up the flank to get a better position.


Top of turn two - Shas

I draw In Extremis Recovery, Rescue, and something else. The Cadmus already sitting near the Speculo can get In Extremis Recovery with the bonus point, if only he can get past the Kamau HMG on overwatch. He does have Stealth, which lets him Cautious Move, but it’s going to take too long. Instead, I drop the second Cadmus into the middle of my opponent's deployment zone. He sticks the landing which actually matters this time, as if you Disperse into the enemy DZ you instead get placed touching a table edge in your own DZ. I string the Decoys and drop the real one behind some buildings so I can see his helperbot. The other decoys get shot to death, which is useful in revealing a Helot Miltia and breaking the Kamau out of Suppressive Fire as he Changes Facing. The Cadmus shoots the helperbot, then crawls into base to base with the unconscious REM (who cannot go prone) helpfully blocking line of sight to the Kamau sniper. I then crawl away again and perform the WIP roll for In Extremis Recovery. It’s situations like this that I take the boarding shotgun over the combi rifle, as it makes it impossible to kill REMs with B2, which allows shenanigans like these. The Cadmus then comes around the corner and shoots the Kamau unconscious. Then lets the other Cadmus run over to the Speculo and use Casevac, nabbing two points for Rescue. Unfortunately I forgot about the Jammer, and he gets Isolated at the end of the order.

I am somewhat concerned that an Echo Bravo may drop in and get my HVTs, so I in a show of completely inappropriate overconfidence I use my Lt order to run my Mentor up to guard the HVTs.


Bottom of turn two - Varuna

I’ve now got four classifieds, one with a bonus point, my opponent’s main specialists are unconscious, and the helperbot is dead. Not a lot of great options. He runs his middle Helot over to my Cadmus, and fishes a Change Facing ARO with his first part of the order, allowing him to move into base to base on the second part of the order without risk.

The Jammer Zulu Cobra runs up the left flank in cover and hides behind the crates on the middle building. Activating his high-tech Pano UVA flying up above, he performs a Sensor sweep, revealing my Shrouded and Mentor. Deciding for a cinematic blaze of glory, he pops out and shoots down with his assault pistol, but my Mentor tanks three ARM rolls, and the Q-drone wipes the Cobra from the table.

My opponent now remembers that he has a very well hidden Crocman FO in HD in his DZ, who would have made these last two turns a lot easier. He pops out to drop a mine to defend against the nearby Speculo.

His right Helot moves in to cover the street running across my third of the table.


Top of turn three - Shas

I am on 9 points, and need to get Dr Worm to complete a classified for the 10th (11th, but it caps at 10). Luckily, Experimental Drug is on the table, the Speculo is already unconscious, and she has a cube. The only problem is the Helot, and the fact that my helperbot is a REM so can’t just Cautious Move past him. I trust in the universal problem solver, the Ikadron double flamethrower, and send him charging at the Helot who promptly becomes a fully fried fish fillet. This lets the helperbot run up the field and heal the Speculo, nabbing the last available point.

With nothing much else to do, I try to take out some orders and/or his lieutenant. The Speculo walks casually up to the link team, and puts three shots on three targets. Instead of being the unstoppable agent of death the EI envisaged she would be, she eats the mine and kills no one. I finally reveal the Noctifer to duel the Kamau with my 1 die on a 9 (mimetism, cover, good range) against his 2 dice on 19s. Predictably, I lose and go unconscious (so I can still score those sweet Victory Points thanks to Shasvastii!)


Bottom of turn three - Varuna

I can’t recall what happened here, I think he scored the one classified possible, and that was the game.


Conclusion

10-2 major win

Things I learnt:

• Speculos and Cadmus are great at Countermeasures.
• Kamau core links with Helots are really hard to assault.
• Zulu Cobra’s can have Jammers and Sensors! Those things matter.
• You cannot go prone up a ladder.
• Shock Immunity is optional. It may have been better for my opponent to let his Kamau die rather than let me have the Extreme Prejudice.
• This may not be correct, but I think Decoy lets you daisy-chain into the enemy DZ even after Dispersion, as Dispersion states: “if… the Disperion places the troop… within the opponent’s Deployment Zone, then the figure is placed anywhere within the limits of its owner's Deployment Zone in contact with one of the borders of the game table.” After that happens, Decoy kicks in with “After determining the final position of the Decoy, applying Dispersion if the PH Roll is failed, the player places the other two Decoys, following the Deployment general conditions.” This reads to me that if the Cadmus doesn’t directly Disperse into the enemy DZ, he can daisy-chain with Decoy into the DZ anyway. If he Disperses into the DZ, one of the decoys has to be on the table edge in your own deployment, which he can still daisy-chain away from. Let me know if I am understanding this wrong.
• Troopers being carried by Casevac CANNOT declare Orders, meaning the Speculo would be unable to use her Automedikit while being carried.

Things I could have done better:

• My attempts to kill the left Zulu Cobra were messy and ineffective. I’m not sure how I would go about it next time given the same situation. I could have counter-deployed the Speculo against it, but she’s worth so much more in this mission for her classified-fulfilling and specialist-killing abilities. The Kamau sniper blocked access to the Zulu, and the Helot blocked access to the sniper. It was a really tight defensive set up.
• Using the Mentor Lt order was an unnecessary risk, and I did it only because I had the orders spare and felt bad not spending them. I should learn to be comfortable letting them sit unused.

It was a pleasure playing DrVic again, and I look forward to next time. He set up an excellent defence for his main link, which was a fun puzzle to try to crack. I was very fortunate with the missions which came up, and in securing the first turn to knock out his two main specialists. The Cadmus were fun, and gave me a lot of flexibility with how I would approach each classified and when they would come in. I look forward to playing with them more in the future.

Round Three – Biotechvore
Opponent: Tohaa, MSP
Table: Abandoned Alelph district

Spoiler

Spoiler: Mission scoring

Biotechvore

• Have more than 250 surviving points (4 points)
• Have between 151 and 250 surviving points (3 points)
• Have between 75 and 150 surviving points (2 points)
• Kill more Army Points (2 points)
• Complete more Classifieds (1 point)
• Three Classifieds (1 point each)

Spoiler: The table

My table edge is on the right of the photo.

My classifieds are Rescue, HVT: Espionage, and Predator.

Biotechvore is a very strange mission, and I feel it goes completely against “it’s not your list, it’s you”, as well as “it’s not your lieutenant roll and table, it’s you”. Deploying second and going second allow a huge amount of counterdeploying, which alone may win the game. Going second is important as it allows your DZ ARO pieces to have one free turn of ARO before they have to move out of the Biotechvore zone. The player going first has to spend their orders just getting out, so often has only a couple orders available to kill enemy models or set up good AROs. Obviously this is very table dependent, but as someone who could have chosen to take 3 Noctifer missile launchers who can avoid the Biotechvore zone due to Hidden Deployment, I feel it can be a bit mean.

I won the lieutenant roll and chose to deploy second for the above reasons. My opponent chose to make me go first, so I got to counterdeploy my army against his AROs.

Spoiler: His list

Biotechvore

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


10 1

NEEMA Lieutenant (Advanced Command) Breaker Combi Rifle, Panzerfaust, Nanopulser / Viral Pistol, Shock CCW. (+1 | 46)

DRAAL (Minelayer) AP Marksman Rifle, D-Charges, Antipersonnel Mines / Viral Pistol, Knife. (1 | 40)

MAKAUL Heavy Flamethrower, Eclipse Grenades / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 13)

GAO-RAEL Sniper Rifle / Pistol, CCW. (1 | 31)

SUKEUL HMG, D-Charges / Pistol, Breaker Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 35)

KAELTAR (Chain of Command) Light Shotgun, Flash Pulse + 2 SymbioMates / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 21)

GAO-RAEL Sniper Rifle / Pistol, CCW. (1 | 31)

SUKEUL Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Breaker Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 36)

KAELTAR (Chain of Command) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse + 2 SymbioMates / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 26)

KERAIL PRECEPTOR Submachine Gun, Smoke Grenades + 1 Surda SymbioBeast / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 20)

SURDA SYMBIOBEAST Pulzar / Viral CCW. (0 | 8)


7 SWC | 299 Points


Open in Infinity Army

Deployment

His right flank was the Draal with stratuscloud in a link with Neema and a Makaul. Next to them was a Gao-rael sniper, the Sukeul HMG, and a Kaeltar triad. On the left flank went the other Gao-rael sniper, the Sukeul ML, and then the Preceptor. I could guess the third member of the triad was in reserve as they weren’t already linked. Since he had only one Combat Group (open information) I didn’t have to worry about Hidden Deployment Clipsos units.

Luckily I could see paths which completely avoided his AROs for each element in my army. On my left went the Mentor, and the Speculo who failed to infiltrate (she would have gone on the right flank with the Neema triad, as the HVT was there as well). In the middle went Sheskiin linked with the Jayth Cutthroat, as well as Dr Worm and an Ikadron. The T-drone missile launcher linked with Victor Messer and the Nox were bunched up on the right table edge, next to the other Ikadron and a helperbot.

His Kaeltar reserve went with the triad on the left, and my Haiduk went in the middle as he had nowhere else sensible to go.


Top of turn one - Shas

Counterintelligence reduced the order burn by one from my main pool, leaving 9 orders. I marched the right link up and out of the zone. I now remember the reason I took Messer was to use White Noise against MSV2 AROs, but I forgot about it at the time. Instead, I put Marksmanship on the T-drone, and he blasted the Gao-Rael anyways, hitting on 18s. Sheskiin waltzed up the midzone, taking a shot at the Gao-Rael on the left but we cancelled crits against each other. I coordinated the Speculo and Haiduk, and the Ikadrons with the Mentor, to get everyone out of the Biotechvore zone, and spent the last order going into Suppressive Fire with Sheskiin.


Bottom of turn one - Tohaa

He pushes forward with the Draal link, shooting through the Stratuscloud at one of my Nox FO’s with 4 dice on 16s, but not only do I hit him with my 1 die on a 14, but I also wound him despite the Symbiomate (rolling the first of his “1s” for ARM). The Makaul then runs up and throws smoke, then Neema and he run into it. The Makaul charges out and starts flaming fools, killing my T-drone, one Nox, and knocking another Nox and an Ikadron unconscious.

His Preceptor runs/jumps forwards, and shoots at Sheskiin in Suppressive Fire. The Preceptor takes a wound for his trouble, but so does Sheskiin, who falls back around the corner.

He has to roll Biotechvore against a number of models, and loses both Kaeltar and a wound on the remaining Gao-Rael through the Symbiomate (rolling a 1 again!).


Top of turn two - Shas

That Makaul is trouble, and if I can get Neema down then that’s the game as he’ll be in Loss of Lieutenant. Dr Worm is the right mechanoid for the job, and takes a couple orders to gun the Makaul down. That lets my Ikadron run up and flame Neema a couple times, who unfortunately only takes one wound (only two left!). My Nox then pokes his head out forcing a difficult decision – if Neema doesn’t dodge, I’ll Zap her and she’ll be Isolated, meaning LoL anyway. If she dodges, I’ll shoot with the combi. She dodges, I shoot, and I manage to get one more wound off her before she Engages my Nox. She drops her Symbioarmour, so is no longer a HI that I can hack. I trust to the EI’s glorious plan, and Victor steps up to deliver two high velocity boarding shotgun slugs into the close combat, both thankfully hitting Neema and taking her out.

I’m low on orders, so put the Speculo on Suppressive to guard Sheskiin.


Bottom of turn two - Tohaa

Loss of Lieutenant, with three models still in the DZ, but thankfully four Command Tokens left due to Neema’s Advanced Command. The Draal stands up and guns down my Haiduk and Dr Worm who were just straight up left out in the open (oops). His Sukeuls move out of the zone. His Preceptor tries to get Sheskiin, but instead is gunned down by the Speculo.


Top of turn three - Shas

I need to get my classifieds for max points as I can’t resurrect any models now that Dr Worm is down. For Rescue, Victor runs over and picks up an unconscious Ikadron (both PHY 10!), before hacking the enemy HVT for HVT: Espionage (I realise now this would have broken Casevac, but we didn't see it at the time). There is no good place to hide from the Sukeul HMG while staying in 8” of the HVT for Secure the HVT, so I move towards the HMG in the hope of getting in the 16” 0 range band and surviving the single shot that is likely to come.

My Ikadron runs out and flames the Draal, both dying in the process. My Mentor then goes for glory, gunning down the Sukeul ML using his Shock Marksman Rifle, which I had thought was a boarding shotgun like in the other list. That leaves only the Sukeul HMG left alive, but I don’t have the orders to get to him.


Bottom of turn three - Tohaa

Alone, but not afraid, the last remaining Tohaa approaches the corner to take down the evil Sheskiin. Bellowing his artichoke war cry, the commando leaps out and aims with his breaker pistol. Cool and calculating, Sheskiin raises her pistol instead, putting a single bullet in between the eyes of the Sukeul. The dust settles, and the Combined Army ambush is complete. Leaving no survivors, the Shasvastii plant false evidence and slip away into the night.


Conclusion

9-0 major win; I was half an inch out for Secure the HVT, but got the extra point from Rescue. I had only 196 remaining Victory points as both Ikadrons stayed down.

Things I learnt:

• Biotechvore is a very swingy mission, and I would personally not include it in a major tournament.
• Advanced Command is open information, effectively revealing Neema as the Lieutenant.
• Draal are very good. AP marksman rifle, D-charges, minelayer, stratucloud, forward deployment L2, multiterrain, specialist operative, AND symbioarmour with symbiomate, AND can form a triad.
• I love Nox with their Zappers.
• T-Drone’s have Flash Pulse, and are awesome in Shasvastii.

Things I could have done better:

• Use White Noise against MSV, which is why I brought Victor Messer in the first place.
• Get Dr Worm to safety, he is such a critical piece in Biotechvore.
• Judge 8” better for Secure the HVT.
• Remember what gun my Mentor had.
• Casevac troopers DO NOT block line of fire, so I can't have just used the Ikadron as an S2 piece of cover.
• I now read that using Victor to roll WIP for HVT: Espionage would have cancelled the Casevac state, as it is a Short Skill. “The Casevac state is automatically cancelled if the trooper carrying the Immobilized, Stunned, or Unconscious trooper declares a Skill other than Cautious Movement, Change Facing, Climb, Dodge, Jump, Reset, or a Short Movement Skill.”

It was a really unlucky game for my opponent, and I was fortunate in that almost my plans worked out as I wanted. After losing the Lt roll I don’t really think his options were good. If he had gone first, I would have counterdeployed both my linked T-drone and my Haiduk against him, but then maybe he would have been able to get into position to ARO hard against my attempts to leave the Biotechvore zone. Perhaps he could have spent more orders getting his backline troops out in the first turn, but then my link would have been untouched, leading to the easier death of the Neema triad. Sheskiin in the middle of the board is a huge threat, so I’m really not sure what might have been a better plan from my opponent’s point of view.

Three out of three victories feels great, and overall I came second to Worstcase by two Objective Points. It was a great tournament with a nice atmosphere, and I look forward to the next one. If anyone is in the Frankfurt area and keen for a game, hit me up J If you have any thoughts or feedback about my battle reports I would love to hear them. Thanks for reading!

 

Maybe Patsy did Flash on 10s instead, I may have misremembered. Taking the shock ammo shot is a more aggressive play which might knock out an important piece, while the flash pulse is more defensive but risks losing the opportunity to kill the Speculo. Regardless, she lost the face to face. Losing both wounds was pretty unlucky.

That's a good point about fire! I certainly had forgotten about that interaction, but I can't remember now if it would have made a difference.

I've been running double Fidays for most of my time playing infinity, and I certainly do miss having Saladin and his Strategos L3! I find the addition of the minelayer gives such a huge boost to the Speculo, allowing them not to spend orders as they are already 1) safe and 2) annoying. This lets me spend orders on other stuff. Additionally, with the Cadmus effectively ignoring Dispersion they are extremely order efficient.