This would be using the Escalation Rules in Season 8's ITS rules.
We would be playing each other, partly due to time constraints, as Martin was working until 1400, and I had just came off nightshift, so could do with some sleep!
Game 1 was to be 120 points with no Lieutenant. This would be the perfect chance to try out my freshly built and undercoated USAriadna.
At this point I only have the starter army box, with limited edition dismounted Maverick, so I would just select from there.
I went for:
I chose to try the non-Devil Dog part of the box, mainly as I ran out of superglue and then the Dog fell off his base...!
My copy of the set came with an extra flame thrower for the Marauder but no arms for the third Grunt so I decided I'd switch him out and use the Dismounted Maverick model as a Grunt Paramedic, which Martin was ok with. I paid to upgrade the Minuteman to an AP rifle, with X-Visor and Marksman L1. He would be pricey but I felt the option for AP combined with Shock from Marksman would do me wonders, plus I had the few points left over.
Martin had:
He seems to be fond of the Fusiliers, which I was steadily starting to dislike! The Akal wasn't in his courtesy list as he kept it back for and Airborne Deployment.
Board:
I lost the roll off for deployment, so Martin chose to pick turn order, so I picked sides and let him deploy first.
He spread his Fusiliers out across the board in pretty punishing firelanes, and then placed his Bolt in the top right quarter. Everything was in cover for him, and it looked like I may need to go on the offensive to flush him out. With a plethora of flame weapons, this wouldn't be uncharacterful!
I spread my Grunts out in the left side of my deployment zone (bottom table edge, in image), with one on the rooftop walkway, the Paramedic in the centre behind the small rectangle scenery/trough? and the third Grunt in the open (didn't see a firing lane he had set up - whoops!). The Minuteman deployed on the stairs of the walkway on my right, the Marauder Forward deployed behind the bigger trough slightly further forward. The Maverick started beside the base of the right walkway.
I used the Infiltration of the Foxtrot to deploy in Camo behind the central generator.
Would have been easier to take pictures like usual!
Turn 1: Martin elected to go second, which I was not expecting, allowing me to try to save the Grunt I had in the open. I choose to go Impetuous with the Maverick, moved up and popped smoke, provoking an ARO from the Missile Launcher and the Bolt, everyone missed!
The Marauder shot and wounded a Fusilier (as we would be both using Medics, this was a new experience) which became unconscious. This allowed me to move my Grunt into cover.
The Grunt on my left walkway moved and shot at a Fusilier, provoking an ARO and the Fusilier plugged him, sending him unconscious too!
In Martin's turn he attempted to shoot the Missile Launcher at the Maverick, who succeeded the F2F roll and dropped some smoke between them. This succeeded in blocking LOS to the Maverick from the Missile Launcher, and also from the HMG to my Foxtrot, which had unveiled in my turn to little effect (forgetting that Rifle's have Burst, I was only rolling one dice!).
He moved the Bolt into cover behind the Phone Box? giving him a great LOS to my Maverick, he dropped a mine at this point.
Turn 2: The Maverick, sensing an opportunity to Boarding Shotgun the Bolt moved up, only to move into Zone of Control of the Mine, which blew her sky-high! Sad times!
In a sulk I moved the Marauder up to try and Heavy Flamethrower the Bolt, the first order was spent using the rifle, where we both missed, the second I was in range for the Flamethrower, but Martin succeeded his dodge.
Running low on orders and needing to try to heal my downed Grunt (the mission was to kill as much of the opponent whist keeping as much of my stuff alive - anything unconscious counted as dead at end of game), I used the Foxtrot to shoot the Missile Launcher, wounding it and sending it unconscious, clearing the fire lane to allow the Paramedic to move towards the base of the walkway.
Then as at this point I had forgotten about the Minuteman, I spent my final order to move it onto the walkway and hopefully be able to deal with the Bolt next turn.
At this point I was pretty chuffed with how the game was going, I had taken down 3 Fusiliers for only the Maverick and a Grunt, to be slightly ahead on points, I also had some ok firelanes to hopefully deal some damage on Martin's turn.
As I was expecting Martin's Akal turned up, opting to use the flank to move on, coming into the Minuteman's zone of control. I managed a change of face to give me an ARO if he decided to spend orders on him later.
He started by shooting the Foxtrot with a Fusilier and did 3 wounds, killing him outright! His Trauma Doc then succeeded in reviving the Fusilier I had shot in turn 1.
The Akal then opened up, shooting my Grunt twice (with no cover and out of arc, so no ARO, eek) and my Minuteman, thankfully the Minuteman won the F2F using his Pistol (+3 range band over the AP Rifle) and dropped the Akal, using Shock from Marksman Lv1. The Grunt passed both her saves.
Turn 3: I moved my Minuteman up and spread my fire out across the Bolt and a Fusilier, I won both F2F's, unfortunately the Fusilier saved, and due to the Shock from Marksman, the Bolt used Bio Immunity to use her BTS instead, but still took a wound.
The Paramedic made a mad dash to the unconscious Grunt, provoking an ARO from a suppressing fire HMG and a Combi Rifle Fusilier, I managed to save all 4 wounds, then succeeded my roll to target the Grunt with the MedKit, before rolling a 20 on the PH roll and killing him! It had been going so well too, looking like a heroic feat, only to banana skin at the last moment!
Martin's Trauma Doc took up most of his final orders, moving and then succeeding to revive the Missile Launcher, all whist staying out of LOS!
The Missile Launcher Fusilier then stood up and rocketed the Minuteman with an explosive, which he failed all his saves and died, clearing the way for the Doc to run through and revive the Bolt.
It was a comprehensive victory for Martin, he killed 77 points worth of my force scoring 3 VP for the League, whilst keeping alive of 90 points worth of his troops, scoring a further 5 VP.
I managed to kill a measly 22 points, scoring 0 VP, and had 43 points worth remaining, scoring a solitary VP.
Not the greatest start!
The aftermath:
We do have achievements available, I got the following:
Flatline: Kill one of your own models with a doctor or paramedic.
I find your lack of faith disturbing: kill a model that has the “religious troop” skill.
It will not die!: Successfully make 3 armor rolls with one model in one turn.
Pistolwhipped: Kill an enemy model with a pistol.
Rule breaker: Violate the concillium convention.
We are the rock on which the enemy breaks: Kill more models with AROs than in your active turns.
So onto next round, I have ordered the Grunt Special Weapons box, and a set of Mavericks, as well as trading some of my Yu Jing for a Van Zant (not sure I can use him for a few rounds, as I'm sure I read about characters in the pack somewhere).
Hopefully will have some painting soon, I sorted out the colour palette I want, now just to pick them up!
Pistolwhipped: Kill an enemy model with a pistol.
Rule breaker: Violate the concillium convention.
We are the rock on which the enemy breaks: Kill more models with AROs than in your active turns.
So onto next round, I have ordered the Grunt Special Weapons box, and a set of Mavericks, as well as trading some of my Yu Jing for a Van Zant (not sure I can use him for a few rounds, as I'm sure I read about characters in the pack somewhere).
Hopefully will have some painting soon, I sorted out the colour palette I want, now just to pick them up!
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