An Island Adventure
The December holiday season was particularly busy at work in 2017, so I haven’t gotten any real game time. Thankfully, I managed to scrounge up some time on the first day of the new year to get a game in with Adam. I’m still on my Qapu Kalpi kick, and I’ve been keeping basically the same list save a change from the Najjarun engineer to a Ghulam doctor. Adam had just finished sculpting some islands for a new table concept he’s been working on, so he invited me over to try out the new terrain.
We flipped a gaming mat over to represent water, which we considered Very Difficult Terrain. The beaches were Difficult Terrain, with everything else as normal. Playing with terrain rules and having all of these island-hopping bridges really changed the flow of the game. Having additional constraints on movement made me feel like I was playing a 10-order list–I really had to eke out as much efficiency as I could.
Overview
- Mission: Power Pack
- Forces: Qapu Kalpi versus USAriadna Ranger Force (300)
- Deploy First: Qapu Kalpi
- First Turn: USAriadna Ranger Force
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/logo_403.png[/img][b] Qapu Khalqi[/b]
[b]GROUP 1 | [/b][img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/orden_regular.png[/img]9 [img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/orden_irregular.png[/img]1
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_7.png[/img] [b]DJANBAZAN[/b] HMG / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | [b]35[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_7.png[/img] [b]DJANBAZAN[/b] Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | [b]31[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_7.png[/img] [b]DJANBAZAN Doctor Plus (MediKit)[/b] Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]31[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_4.png[/img] [b]HAFZA[/b] Heavy Rocket Launcher / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | [b]18[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_4.png[/img] [b]HAFZA (Forward Observer)[/b] Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]17[/b])[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_25.png[/img] [b]LEILA SHARIF Hacker (Killer Hacking Device)[/b] Shock Marksman Rifle, D-Charges / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]20[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_1.png[/img] [b]GHULAM Doctor Plus (MediKit)[/b] Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]16[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_21.png[/img] [b]FANOUS REMOTE[/b] Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | [b]8[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_10.png[/img] [b]HAWWA’ Hacker (Assault Hacking Device)[/b] Boarding Shotgun, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | [b]26[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_3.png[/img] [b]BASHI BAZOUK[/b] Submachine Gun, Chain-colt / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | [b]12[/b])[b]GROUP 2 | [/b][img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/orden_regular.png[/img]3 [img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/orden_irregular.png[/img]3 [img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/orden_impetuosa.png[/img]3
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_6.png[/img] [b]SEKBAN (Fireteam: Haris)[/b] AP Rifle, Chain-colt / Pistol, Stun Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]22[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_6.png[/img] [b]SEKBAN[/b] Heavy Rocket Launcher, Chain-colt / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | [b]23[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_4.png[/img] [b]HAFZA Lieutenant[/b] Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]16[/b])[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_11.png[/img] [b]YUAN YUAN[/b] Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | [b]8[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_11.png[/img] [b]YUAN YUAN[/b] Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | [b]8[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/403/logo_11.png[/img] [b]YUAN YUAN[/b] Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | [b]8[/b])
[b] 5.5 SWC | 299 Points |[/b] Open in Infinity Army
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/logo_304.png[/img][b] USAriadna Ranger Force[/b]
[b]GROUP 1 | [/b][img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/orden_regular.png[/img]9
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_1.png[/img] [b]GRUNT Lieutenant[/b] Rifle, Light Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1 | [b]14[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_1.png[/img] [b]GRUNT (Marksmanship LX)[/b] Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | [b]18[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_1.png[/img] [b]GRUNT (Marksmanship LX)[/b] Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | [b]18[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_1.png[/img] [b]GRUNT[/b] Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]10[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_1.png[/img] [b]GRUNT[/b] Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]10[/b])[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_15.png[/img] [b]BLACKJACK[/b] T2 Sniper, Submachine Gun, Chest Mines / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (1 | [b]36[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_3.png[/img] [b]FOXTROT[/b] Boarding Shotgun, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]19[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_3.png[/img] [b]FOXTROT (Forward Observer)[/b] Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]18[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_5.png[/img] [b]VAN ZANT[/b] AP Rifle / Heavy Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | [b]38[/b])[b]GROUP 2 | [/b][img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/orden_regular.png[/img]6 [img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/orden_irregular.png[/img]1 [img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/orden_impetuosa.png[/img]1
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_3.png[/img] [b]FOXTROT (Forward Observer)[/b] Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]18[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_3.png[/img] [b]FOXTROT (Forward Observer)[/b] Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | [b]18[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_1.png[/img] [b]GRUNT (Inferior Infiltration)[/b] Heavy Flamethrower, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | [b]11[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_1.png[/img] [b]GRUNT (Inferior Infiltration)[/b] Heavy Flamethrower, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | [b]11[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_1.png[/img] [b]GRUNT (Inferior Infiltration)[/b] Heavy Flamethrower, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | [b]11[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_1.png[/img] [b]GRUNT (Inferior Infiltration)[/b] Heavy Flamethrower, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | [b]11[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_12.png[/img] [b]DEVIL DOG[/b] Heavy Shotgun, Smoke Grenades + 1 K-9 Antipode / AP CCW. (0 | [b]39[/b])
[img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/sep.gif[/img] [img]https://assets.infinitythegame.net/infinityarmy/img/_logosweb/304/logo_12.png[/img] [b]K-9 ANTIPODE[/b] AP CCW. ([b]7[/b])
[b] 5 SWC | 300 Points |[/b] Open in Infinity Army
Deployment
Two out of three of the objectives were clearly visible from one side, so after winning the rolloff I chose sides, meaning Adam was going first. We got a little confused and I ended up deploying first. Ah well. I expected that Van Zant and some Devil Dogs to make an appearance, so I attempted to deploy to counter them. My Sekban Haris locked down my left deployment box, with good firelanes from my HRL to the three objectives, but not all the way to Adam’s deployment zone, which was sure to be full of sniper rifles. I tucked my Hafza Lt behind some cover, watching my back table edge for sneaky Van Zant attacks. My Sekban Haris fellow was up top, watching the left table edge as well as my Djanbazan fireteam’s back.
My Djanbazan team spread itself out in my right deployment box, with the HRL Hafza and sniper Djanbazan watching over the whole board. I tucked my Djanbazan HMG into total cover at the extreme edge of my deployment box, with my Hafza FO backing him up in case there were any Devil Dogs heading their way. I put my two doctors forward deployed in their boxes, the Ghulam doctor on the left and the Djanbazan doctor on the right. To further back up my Djanbazan team, I put a flash pulse bot in the back of my right deployment box, with Leila treading water near the center. I nominated the left side of the board just outside Adam’s deployment zone as my Bashi’s entry point.
Adam tried two times to stick a grunt infiltrator right next to my Djanbazan link, but failed both rolls. His right (my left) deployment box soon was full of grunts, with a string of Foxtrots across the centerline, some treading water, some prone atop terrain. Adam plunked a Blackjack sniper on my right behind some cover, and then hid a Devil Dog team behind one of the islands on the left. Then it was back to me for reserves, so I stuck my Al’Hawwa right next to the rightmost objective, ready to hack the Blackjack if necessary. Adam’s reserve was another Grunt infiltrator, who thankfully also flubbed his roll. Phew!
Turn 1
Top of Turn 1 – USARF
Adam is forced to expose his Devil Dog team to my Djanbazans in his impetuous order. I reveal that one of them is actually a HRL Hafza, and let fly with rockets and sniper rounds. Since the Djanbazans have MSV2, Adam elects to dodge. The Devil Dog itself dodges successfully, but I manage to catch the antipode in the HRL blast radius and fry it to a crisp. One wound down, two more to go! Now that my HRL Hafza is revealed, Adam tries to take him out using the Blackjack sniper. Even though I’m down to a single die due to the thicket rules (saturation zone), I roll a crit and send the ranger into battle ravaged mode. I’ll take it!
Adam brings on Van Zant to remove the problem, but as he tries to punch through my flash pulse bot, Van Zant catches a face full of lasers (pew pew pew) and is stunned. There was just enough space for him to come on the board in total cover, but I won the face to face as he tried to gun down my flash pulse bot.
This is a particularly great outcome, because my Djanbazan link is definitely vulnerable. They are situated to defend against a frontal assault, but I’ll likely lose one or two to Van Zant. Not much I could’ve done against that in deployment, I suppose, unless I went as far as to dedicate a Djanbazan to covering behind the box. That would’ve been a lot of resources though.
Adam turns his attention back to the Devil Dog and rolls him up the board, trying to collapse my left flank. As I’m reading the list of their kit, I notice that they have stun pistols! Adam splits burst between my Ghulam doctor and my Sekban Haris with his devil dog’s heavy shotgun. After a few exchanges of fire, I’ve got a wound on the Devil Dog thanks to the Ghulam’s shotgun, but more importantly my Sekban has managed to stun the Devil Dog. Unfortunately I ultimately lose the Ghulam doctor in the exchange, but it was well worth it.
Adam sinks the remainder of his orders blasting away at my Hafza HRL with his Blackjack sniper, but both of us keep making our ARM rolls. After a frustrating turn of bad dice, Adam gamely passes the initiative to me.
Bottom of Turn 1 – QK
Well, I’ve got to do it, so Yuan Yuans start raining from the skies. I walk all three Yuan Yuans on, one behind Van Zant (LFT), one behind the Devil Dog (LSG), and one between Adam’s two deployment zones (+2ARM).
Fortunately for me, Van Zant fails his change face roll, so I try to flamethrower him from behind. Van Zant fails his dodge but passes his ARM roll, Drat!
I throw some smoke with the +2ARM Yuan Yuan, somewhat ineffectually. Ideally I would’ve covered the Grunt link team, but I didn’t manage to get the distances right, especially given the fact that this Yuan Yuan was treading water. Van Zant is at least visible from where my Sekban Haris is, so I attempt to take out Van Zant from across the table. Sadly, he dodges. I figure I’ll try some shenanigans with the Djanbazans, so I decide to try and provoke a response from Van Zant and set up smoke for the Djanbazans as the same time.
I run my Yuan Yuan around the corner and Adam declares engage. I manage to cover the Djanbazan sniper only with smoke, leaving the Hafza HRL open to attack. Van Zant successfully engages, taking him out of the fight for now.
I activate the Hafza HRL, fully prepared to split burst against two Grunt snipers and a Blackjack sniper. Adam dodges with both Grunts so I take the extra die against the Blackjack, which pays off over the course of two orders. I finally drop the Blackjack. I decide to really sacrifice the Yuan Yuan engaged with Van Zant, and shoot into the melee with my Djanbazan HMG. Two hits sneak through to both combatants. Van Zant passes one and goes Dogged, and the Yuan Yuan passes one and goes unconscious. Perfect!
I attempt to shotgun the Devil Dog with the Yuan Yuan behind him, but take a heavy shotgun blast in the face for my trouble. I pass ARM and at least get behind the Devil Dog.
Turn 2
Top of Turn 2 – USARF
The Devil Dog is forced go to after my Yuan Yuan, and goes down to a flurry of fire from the Djanbazan link and the Yuan Yuan’s own shotgun. One of the Grunt snipers attempts to take out the Hafza HRL, but eats a rocket. Adam decides that now’s the time to play to the objective, so he covers the central objective with a mine from the nearest Foxtrot. He climbs another Foxtrot off an island into the water, trading ineffectual shots with my Sekban HRL.
This last Foxtrot is now in view of both remaining Yuan Yuans. I throw smoke with both Yuan Yuans, covering the Grunt link team to prevent further nonsense. This does get the +2 ARM Yuan Yuan shot though, as the smoke doesn’t break LoF to the Foxtrot. Sadly, he ends up floating face down in the water…
Bottom of Turn 2 – QK
There’s only one Yuan Yuan left, the one that took out the Devil Dog, and the closest enemies are the grunts on the island above.
I climb the Yuan Yuan up safely, protected by the shipping container. I need to get my Experimental Drug classified, so I burn some orders running the Djanbazan doctor back to pick up the Yuan Yuan that fought Van Zant. On the way, I discover the mine covering the central objective. The Al’Hawwa beep boops the right objective. I get Leila advanced into a better position and reposition my Djanbazan sniper slightly, both of them trying to take out the center mine and failing.
Now that the Yuan Yuan is in place, I run him around the corner and drop a chain rifle template. I suppose I could’ve attempted to split-burst with the shotgun… In any case, the grunts all dodge and the flamethrower grunt drops a template on the Yuan Yuan. My space pirate passes ARM, but the flamethrower grunt doesn’t…
Now that I’ve got a Yuan Yuan speed bump in place, I feel it’s safe to bring in the Bashi Bazouk below them and settle her into position. After I throw Leila into suppression, I pass the turn.
Turn 3
Top of Turn 3 – USARF
Adam tries to remove as many of my specialists as possible and starts with Leila. The Foxtrot atop the MDF building tries to take her out, but both link teams, Leila, and the flash pulse ‘bot open up on him and leave only a red smear on the roof. Adam spends his remaining Foxtrot FOs pushing buttons, getting them all shot off the table in the process. His BSG Foxtrot tries to take out the Al’Hawwa, but my guy is a little faster on the draw and drops the grunt with his own shotgun. Adam drops the Yuan Yuan with his Grunts and sacrifices one to finish the pirate off, snagging him his Extreme Prejudice classified.
Bottom of Turn 3 – QK
My healed Yuan Yuan runs forward 8″ for no particular reason. I stop fooling around and throw the Djanbazan HMG against the mine, blasting it off the table. I recamo the Al’Hawwa and get him to the center console, beep booping it successfully.
With my remaining orders, I dash the Bashi Bazouk up to Adam’s console in his backfield, gunning down the Grunt blocking the way. And that’s that.
8-1 Qapu Kalpi Victory!
Notes
- I did a much better job managing my Yuan Yuans this time. I didn’t overcommit, used them primarily as smoke sources and as blocking pieces.
- Sacrificing the Yuan Yuan to the Djanbazan HMG paid off handsomely as well.
- I need to remember that Sekban have stun pistols… That alone is enough to take a real Sekban to round out the Haris and not a Hafza.
- Djanbazan sniper + Hafza HRL work great in tandem. Especially when I don’t roll anything below a 17 on ARM saves.
- Blackjacks are troublesome, but you just need to shoot them a lot.
- Ditto with Devil Dogs.
- Van Zant is such a huge pain, but it seems stun and flash ammo are really just the best answer to counteract USARF in general.
- I still need to get used to Holo 2. It was pretty good, it actually let me advance safely against the Grunt in Turn 3 for an order.
- Still need to work on Djanbazan link team positioning and usage… They really are a huge threat and they suck up a huge amount of attention… Hmm, probably need to learn to leverage the Sekban more.
