Jhokalups – Operation Orders – 3

Another month, and another new set of missions to look at. Our local tournament for the month of May is call May the Fourth Be WIth You, as the first Saturday falls on Star Wars Day. We have an interesting mission set with Power Pack, Transmission Matrix and Looting and Sabotaging; additionally since this is a prep event for Rose City Raid, we will use the Red Classified Deck. As per the style of these posts, I will look at these scenarios to come up with a priority checklist to help keep me on track when playing, and I will then use those checklists to come up with a list for each of the sectorials that I play; Bakunin, StarCo, and Foreign Company. As I start picking up more factions and sectorials, I may need to look at limiting the scope of the sectorials I use for the list tuning exercise. We will burn that bridge when we get there, for this let’s dive in.

Power Pack

• Activated Same Amount of antennas at End of Game : 2 points
• Activate More antennas at end of game : 4 points
• Control the enemy console at end of game : 2 points
• Place the Multiscanner on the Saturation Zone : 2 points
• Prevent Enemy from Controlling your Console : 1 point
• Classified : 1
• Failure to place the Multiscanner : -1 point

Additional Rules

• ITS Retreat
• Overload Prevention – A player can only have two active antennas
• There is a 16” saturation zone across the middle of the board
• Chain of Command Bonus to Xenotech
• Chain of Command Bonus to Activate Antenna

Full disclosure, for the above list I copied it from OO2. I was also tempted to copy my scenario analysis and checklist. I feel like doing so would do a disservice to myself and to the reader. As I play and improve I hope that new information can help to shape and improve these checklists. I still believe that the Xenotech should be one of the most important pieces of this scenario. One of the things that has me thinking a bit more about this scenario is WiseKensai’s reflection piece on Adepticon. In the first round he played power pack and in the post game analysis says this:

“…and encouraging [Roman Legion] to “waste” orders playing to the objective.

What do I mean by that? Well, I made it a very high activation energy prospect to get into my deployment zone and attack my order pool with all my mines, Koalas, and layered AROs–with screening elements to prevent the Kuang Shi from getting in there! This meant that the lowest energy thing was to run around in the midfield and push buttons, which on the surface is exactly what you’re supposed to do in Power Pack. However, if you’re going first you really have to defend the pushed buttons so I don’t just negate an order pool’s worth of effort by just flipping a button back to me, which is exactly what I did.” – WiseKensai www.mercrecon.net

I find this to be something to consider, being able to hold what you capture is very important if you are going first, second as well, but you will usually have the last a time turn to try and flip antennas.

Power Pack Checklist:

1. Place Multiscanner in Saturation Zone: +2|-1 Points
2. Capture 1 to 2 Antennas: +2|+4 Points / -0|-2 Points
3. Hold Antennas: +2|+4 Points / -0|-2 Points

Once again, I have the Xenotech at the top of my checklist. In this mission the multiscanner is a personal three point delta (change/swing). As an order sink it is something that I should have a plan for. A plan that, when accomplished, my opponent cannot take away. The next ideas are more nebulous, capturing the antenna is simple enough, boop the button. The challenge comes in how to keep the buttons that I have booped, booped to me. If I have an aggressive plan to take them turn 1, I better have a really good idea on how to keep a hold of them for the next 4 or 5 active turns.

This checklist is different from the previous one. I have separated the capturing and holding into two separate items, and assigned a good chunk of priority to each. Last time the third goal was about the console. After reading through Adepticon reports and seeing the games played a but more, the console seems like a tertiary objective to turn a victory to a major. Or to try and force a tie is losing.

Transmission Matrix

• Dominate the same number of Transmission Areas as Opponent: 1 point / Turn
• Dominate more Transmission Areas than Opponent: 2 points / Turn
• Kill Designated Target: 1 point
  • With Data Tracker: +2 points
• Classified: 1 point
  • Globe: +1 point

Additional Rules

• Standard Retreat
• Transmission Areas are Repeaters – No Firewall

There are 5 available Transmission Areas on this mission. Two in my deployment zone, two in my opponents and one in the middle. A quick thought seems to indicate that this mission will be fought over the middle zone; since I can deploy dominating mine, and my opponent can do the same. So it becomes a fight about the middle zone, when not taking a target of opportunity in the far zones.

Transmission Matrix Checklist:

1. Dominate the closest two Transmission Areas +1 Point / Turn
2. Dominate Middle or Far Transmission Areas: +2 point / Turn
3. Hunt Designated Target: +1 Point
   1. With Data Tracker: +2 Additional Points

Originally I had written more nebulous Checklist goals, like Dominate the Same Number, and Dominate More. Looking at it again I decided to go with the above list. If I have a solid idea of what I am trying to do, as opposed to generic goals, I will have an easier time breaking myself out of mental blocks. Personally I find “Dominate THIS Zone” to be more helpful mentally than “Dominate this MANY Zones”. One of the purposes of this exercise is to have definable goals to help keep me from spending a lot of orders on doing something foolish that does not help win the game.

 

Looting and Sabotaging

• Protect your own AC2: 1 Point / STR remaining at EOG (3 max)
• Damage the enemy AC2: 1 Point / STR lost at EOG (3 max)
  • Destroy the enemy AC2: +2 points
• Acquire more “things” from Panoplies than adversary at EOG 1 Point
• Classified: 1 Point

Additional Rules

• ITS Retreat
• Armored Fury – TAG fists are anti Material
• CC Only – A model has to use CC to damage the AC2
• AC2 is ARM 8 BTS 9 STR 3

I don’t know if it will affect the priorities of this checklist any, but the requirements to damage the AC2 with melee attacks only will present some list building challenges to many factions and sectorials. It also changes how the AC2 can be protected, since preventing melee is different than trying to screen something from ranged attacks. It is worth noting that the AC2 cannot be repaired by an Engineer, I cannot find a specific reference that would allow this. Therefor the only way to score points is by preventing the pieces with Anti-Material close combat weapons from getting to the AC2.

Looting and Sabotaging Checklist:

1. Deliver my Pieces with Anti-Material CCWs to the Enemy AC2: 1, 2, 3, or 5 Points
2. Hunt Enemy Pieces with Anti-Material CCWs: 1, 2, or 3 Points
3. Develop Defensive Net around my AC2: 1, 2, or 3 Points

For Looting and Sabotaging I have structured my checklist differently than my original idea. Originally I was going to have something like “Damage the AC2” and “Protect my AC2”. Those kinds of goals seem to generic and not in alignment with something that could be “Checked Off” the list. By Structuring the goals as above, I have a specific priority to how I would like to spend my orders each round. With the knowledge that these goals can be shifted based off of board state.

List Discussion

From the above nine points there are some models that stand out as decent for all three scenarios, Camo Infiltrators with Anti-Material Weapons being an obvious standout. Camo is always a great choice for anything requiring dominating zones. Camo is almost another Wound on a model, it is a least another short skill before the model can be removed. The presence of Camo also makes people play more cagey, through the chances of mines or other unpleasantness.

Bakunin:

For Bakunin, I knew I wanted some redundancy for Looting and Sabotaging, fortunately I have an abundance of nice resources for that; Bran, Morlocks, and Taskmasters all have double action. They also do nice things in situations where I need to dominate zones. Bran is a superb Camo Infiltrator; the Morlock is cheaper than dirt; and it can be really hard to dislodge from a place where it sets itself up. I also like the addition of Koalas for defensive missions. WIth koalas, mines, and the Heavy Rocket launcher, I can set up some nice “NO” zones. Kusanagi would also be a good data tracker. The moderator spec fire core can also be helpful from time to time.

StarCo:

StarCo is another faction that has an easier time dealing with Looting and Sabotaging. Bandits can make an AC2 go away very quickly. And Jaguars as backup provide some nice security. Emily is an excellent, if obvious, data tracker, her spec fire grenades can reach out and touch things. Spector is monstrous in Power Pack for the ability to walk onto the back edge of the opponent’s side of the board and then doing drop bear nonsense. The Riot Grrl haris also has some nice staying power in occupying zones.

ForCo:

Foreign Company presents a difficult challenge for Looting and Sabotaging. There are only two models that can reliably damage the AC2, Valkyrie and a Pupnik from the Uberfallkommandos. I could also use D-Charges, but at disposable 3, I wouldn’t rely on it. Fortunately Valkyrie is a very durable model. The list brings both sources of smoke to help deliver Valkyrie up the board. The Akal is in the list for similar reasons as Spector in StarCo, to do rude things during Power Pack.

These three lists seem exciting and fun to try. I will probably use the StarCo list for the next local game night. Until next time!

Jhokalups – Operation Orders – 1

Infinity can be a mentally taxing game. WiseKensai has been writing about mental fatigue and how to get past mental blocks. This has inspired me to look at how I plan my games. When looking back at several of them, I realized that I have been misspending orders on activities that do not increase my score, decrease my opponents score, nor develop my board position. In these games I get caught up on a big roadblock, like a multi-sniper watching one of the main firelines, and am unable to reset out of beating down that block. In the spirit of improvements I have started looking at the missions that I am playing and breaking down the mission into activities that I need to do to score points. I then order these points into an ordered list from biggest points delta to items that I shouldn’t care about unless the opportunity arises.

The first event that I tried to do this for was our March Mambo, a single round showdown using deadly dance. This was the checklist I came up with for deadly dance.

Deadly Dance Checklist:

1. Dominate my Assigned Zone of Operations (AZO) 1/round
   1. Have my TAG in my AZO Additional 1/round
2. Prevent my opponent from dominating there AZO 0/round
   1. Prevent Enemy TAG from being in dominated AZO 0/round
3. Kill Opponents Data Tracker 2
4. Dominate more ZOs during last round 1

In my opinion, scoring points is most important, and a dominant TAG can score 6 of the points available in this mission. If I can keep my opponents TAG from getting into their zone, and prevent them from dominating there zone, then I can get 6 points ahead. The data tracker will pick up another two points if the opportunity presents itself.

Obviously for maximum points you will need a TAG. Some anti-TAG tech is also useful to have. For the factions I play I have two ways to play. The Lizard in Bakunin demands attention and support. It is also a huge presence that would be hard to ignore. In StarCo I can have the Anaconda act more like an expensive heavy infantry piece, and have some other focused killers in the list. Here are some lists that I would use in Deadly Dance:

Bakunin:

https://armymobile.infinitythegame.com/index.html?l=KwBgzAPmIhAyBLAXgQwE4BMAEBZFBbAIwHsIAOAUgBYB2AJgoEYaYKBCZ6sxp+sdnlQBswJkPEDqIsRI5TRjcUMnCFQ+iumKa/NnVFUyATl5hKewWQX0THSoYbM6VCgAE6ILi6fmDQk4pGnhyetN40jAxsJrT8dEYe7HTKVEG8VJ6urkA===

StarCo:

https://armymobile.infinitythegame.com/index.html?l=JwBgrAPgzCIQggOwIYGMD2iAmyAEAhZLXASSwFNkIAOAUgEYQA2AJlqmHroEIB2B5vXacotPgKZCO9ACxj+jScPph5EqZ1XcuA3mw4ytbRmCbtqvfttGL+HKGe4szjaqI5LtCkLw0zR2iASchwsdAACkUA==

In the future I will continue these style of articles. Analyzing new events and the combination of scenarios that are required.