Hardly Knew Hsien
After my game against Erik, Frank (fwashburn) reached out for a practice game of Highly Classified. I was prepping for a tournament with Countermeasures in the lineup, so this was a perfect opportunity for me. I picked this beautiful city street map, which Frank and I modified to make a little less straight lines everywhere.
Overview
- Mission: ITS14 Highly Classified
- Data Scan
- Net Undermine
- Sabotage
- Test Run
- Forces: ALEPH versus Imperial Service
- ALEPH – HVT: Inoculation
- ISS – Follow Up
- Deploy First: ALEPH
- First Turn: ALEPH
I’ve been exploring ALEPH a bunch and wanted to try some things that I don’t usually try. This meant a Proxy Mk3, an Asura, and I threw in an Agema ML for funsies. I was really excited that Asura could duo with MBH, but I didn’t realize till much later that MBH don’t come with smoke. Certainly for the best, lol.
Countermeasures
GROUP 1
8
2
1
MACHAON (Lieutenant) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Eclipse Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0.5 | 36)
ASURA (Hacker, Hacking Device Plus [UPGRADE: Trinity (+2 Damage)]) MULTI Rifle, Nanopulser ( ) / Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0.5 | 65)
MOTORIZED BOUNTY HUNTER Submachine Gun, Chain-colt(+1B) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 9)
GROUP 2
NETROD . (0 | 6)
PARVATI Submachine Gun(+1B), Flash Pulse ( | GizmoKit, MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 38)
PROXY Mk.1 (Engineer, Deactivator) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 13)
PROXY Mk.2 MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 28)
PROXY Mk.3 AP Spitfire, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 23)
DALETH Rebot Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 16)
WARCOR (360º Visor) Flash Pulse ( ) / Stun Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
AGÊMA Marksman Missile Launcher / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 31)
EKDROMOS Chain Rifle(+1B) / Heavy Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 20)
5.5 SWC | 300 Points | Open in Army | Copy Code
Frank is taking this monstrosity of an ISS list. I think after my current tournament (this battle report is from a game from months ago), I might explore some off-meta ISS to just give it a go.
Frank
GROUP 1
HSIEN (Lieutenant) MULTI Marksman Rifle, Nanopulser ( | TinBot: Firewall [-6]) / Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (+1 | 53)
ZHÀNYING (Hacker, Hacking Device) Breaker Combi Rifle, Chain-colt, D-Charges ( ) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0.5 | 25)
CELESTIAL GUARD Monitor Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenade Launcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 13)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 5)
GROUP 2
WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15)
MAJOR LUNAH VIRAL Sniper Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 29)
XI ZHUANG Combi Rifle, Light Flamethrower(+1B), Flash Pulse, Madtraps / Pistol, CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 21)
DAKINI MULTI Sniper Rifle / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 20)
SOPHOTECT Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 31)
YUDBOT PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3)
GARUDA Spitfire / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 25)
6.5 SWC | 299 Points | Open in Army | Copy Code
Frank really likes the Hsien powered by Kuang Shi. He’s also made very good use of the Dakini haris in our games as well.
Deployment
Frank won the rolloff and selected deployment, so I decided to go first. Countermeasures is a reasonably balanced mission as far as turn order goes, so I needed to get a little bit of momentum back with a first turn.
I decided to deploy the Agema in a spot that would cover most of the table, and then scattered Netrods in reasonable positions. Because I didn’t know where Frank’s HVTs would be, I had to spread out my threats a little bit. The Asura and MBH went on the left, with Macheon and the Daleth in the middle. I put Parvati all the way on the right, and then held the Proxies in reserve.
Frank set up the Dakini MSR in overwatch on the right supporting Lunah in the center of the table. His Zhanying and Sophotect were weighted on the right with the Kuang Shi on the left. The only specialist on that side was the Weibing, but that thing is pretty good at getting stuff done, especially when supported by the Sophotect’s Yudbot.
I honestly forget what Frank’s reserve was. I think it might have been the Hsien. My reserve were the proxies. I saw an opportunity to snag some early objectives with the Proxy Mk 1, so I chose to set her up in a position where that would be easy on my right. The Mk2 helped set up another line of attack and a crossfire with the Agema, and the Mk3 just threatened a central push if I could take care of Lunah at all.
Turn 1
Top of 1 – ALEPH
I had a fun little narrative planned for the missions in Highly Classified, where I’d have to inject Frank’s HVT with some secret ALEPH stuff… you know, microchips or something. Too soon? Too soon. Anyway, Sabotage and Net Undermine were easy options for me, so I started my push with the Proxy Mk 1. The objective was to just get objectives done and do some damage to Frank’s order pool. The table was pretty open so I was able to attack Frank’s Kuang Shi order pool on the way in. Taking on Kuang Shi at range from cover with vis mods is quite safe, so I was happy to engage in this way.
There was a convenient car to blow up just over the center line, so the Proxy easily snagged Sabotage off of it…
then I kept pushing on Frank’s order pool and put a Kuang Shi dogged.
Net Undermine was an easy additional score.
I found an angle on Frank’s Kuang Shi controller so that went away as well. Proxies are dumb.
I then tried to set up for Test Run, using the Daleth’s tac aware order to try and discover Lunah and failing.
I had one more order and I got greedy. Forgetting to not give Frank an easy Test Run I just gunned down another Kuang Shi and the Weibing, taking a wound via chain rifle from the dogged Kuang Shi before passing turn.
Bottom of 1 – ISS
I’d done enough damage to Frank’s order pool that he felt he ought to use the Kuang Shi’s impetuous order. I decide to immediately reveal the Mk 2 to take a shot to defend the Mk 1 and dogged the Kuang Shi as it tries to dodge out of the way.
Frank does easily grab Test Run off the Weibing that I downed, which was definitely a mistake by me.
Thankfully, Frank starts moving the Hsien haris around in front of the Agema. I catch one of the Zhanying and the Hsien under the template. Instead of dodging, Frank surprises me by taking a shot. He’s on 5s to my 10, and I roll a 9.
After much swearing, the Hsien is gone, but the Zhanying somehow survives, passing all three saves thanks to Bioimmunity. Frank’s revenge is swift and just though, he brings a Garuda on behind my Agema and Parvati.
Parvati was watching further forward, so she has to turn around still (she failed her dodge), but the Agema made his and returns fire on the Garuda with his pistol.
It takes a Frank awhile, splitting burst, but he manages to down the Agema and take down Parvati.
He’s got just enough orders to take out the Mk1 at range too.
The Weibing tries to Triangulated Fire the Mk2 and does do a wound, so I back the Mk2 into total cover.
Turn 2
Top of 2 – ALEPH
Uh… well, I really cannot complain about just how awesome that last turn went for me. Sure I lost some stuff but deleting the Hsien so easily was pretty great. For some reason playing me on TTS curses Frank’s dice or something. Honestly him spending so much effort to take out my stuff and not doing objectives is really good for me.
In any case, I’d really like to crack open Lunah’s camo so I can have run of the board. The Dakini MSR is annoying, but has much less LoF to the rest of the board. The Warcor tries first and fails.
There’s a spot where the Mk2 MSR can see the Dakini but not Lunah, so I pop out and delete it. This will let me drop the Ekdromoi in and get rid of Lunah.
I make the attempt to do that, but fail the PH roll…
and instead end up behind the Garuda.
I roll the Ekdromoi in and pistol down the Garuda without too much trouble against the Garuda’s dodge. Critting of course helps. Sorry Frank, blame RNGeezus.
I just need to take out the Zhanying Hacker to remove Frank’s ability to get those classifieds, and the Proxy Mk2 easily handles that as she can get the Zhanying out of cover.
We call it here, as Frank is pretty unconvinced he can get any of the remaining classifieds. He still has a chance to get Sabotage and Net Undermine, but he decides that he’s had enough and it’s late in the evening. I don’t mind the opportunity to go to bed early, so we end it at a
5-1, 212-128 ALEPH Victory!
Post Game Analysis
I think the very open table and my ability to effectively risk-free attack with Proxies handed this game to me. Being able to keyhole the Hsien with a missile from across the table was just brutal. As powerful as the Proxies are, I don’t think it was an issue–really anything that can shoot Kuang Shi outside of template range could have accomplished what my Proxy 1 did in terms of damaging Frank’s list.
So what could Frank have done here? I think the Kuang Shi were way too exposed. They’re such an important part of the Yu Jing battle plan that you have to dedicate a fair amount of thought to protecting them. Using the Dakini to protect them might have been reasonable, for example. I’m a little uncertain as to what Frank was trying to accomplish with the Hsien–perhaps starting with the Garuda would have been better. That might have baited out the Agema to get the free shot on the Garuda, which would at least have alerted Frank to the danger. I’m honestly unsure how I would have responded in the moment. I’m leaning towards not revealing, but I can see a compelling argument for revealing.
In any case, I think Frank just had a weak left side (his perspective) that I was able to exploit. I’m not certain that he would have had a good go of it even if the Hsien survived, he was pretty bottled into his right corner. Anything he managed to get out would be eaten by the Proxy Mk 3 as well. Frank tends to strike a balance between attack and defense on his Kuang Shi, which I think can be good. In this case, he needed to stack a little more on defense–possibly the deployment would have worked had he better supported them with other units is what I’m getting at.
I think he piloted well at the bottom of 1, aside from the disastrous Hsien loss, but he simply had no way of knowing that would happen (and neither did I). On my end, I think I made a mistake by not leveraging the Asura more–I forget that she can auto-discover and that would have easily handled revealing Lunah, at which point I can use the Daleth to triangulated fire. It seems unlikely that Frank dodges, and either outcome of the face to face is acceptable to me because I basically force him to choose between giving me Lunah or giving me Test Run.
I will say he did an excellent job of denying me Test Run though, and I had plenty of redundancy there! I think denial of service attacks against Infinity lists is very powerful for Countermeasures and Highly Classified. Anyway, this is a game of small adjustments needing to be made on either side and dice and positioning just turning these things into a large swing. Funny how the dice can amplify decisions. Thanks to Frank for his friendship, patience, and good nature and to you for reading.
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