04-05-2018, 02:17 PM
(This post was last modified: 04-05-2018, 02:21 PM by Groo The Wanderer.)
Deployed to flat terrain. Off the bat, I move Noisemaker - my spotter for this mission - up to cover... it was a double-move, and she spotted a Viper and a Muton without being seen herself... still, it was sloppy. I have four Battle Scanners available for this mission. I should use them! The turn ends with the two targets moving away from the group... I know where they are (generally) so I use a scanner on my right flank and spot two more targets... looks like ADVENT troops near two cottage-like structures... I don't like that, as the similarities to the Great Disaster are giving me bad vibes... be smart, be methodical!
I decide I'm going to set up my first ambush against the Viper and Muton... I inch Noisemaker ahead to keep them spotted and grapple Lucky to the roof of a shed (for elevation bonuses). I'm going to move Paladin, Claymore, and the junior sniper up for better position to ambush next round, and keep Shifter in reserve.
**
My targets have inconveniently decided to keep moving farther into unexplored territory... this does not gel with my divide and conquer strategy, so rather than follow them into the unknown and aggro all my enemies at once, I'm going to cautiously see if I can take out the ADVENT troopers the Battle Scanner picked up. I'm keeping Noisemaker on the left flank for when my original duo come back around. I bring Paladin over to the next big tree, and spot my two troopers (one with Blast Padding - a dark event that gives him a point of armour)... and a Codex... and two more Vipers and an Archon in another squad within sight. Good to know! 8 of 11 enemies have been spotted, no one engaged yet. Must be careful and think...
Okay, my plan is to take out the troopers and the Codex first. I've moved 5 of my 6 soldiers to participate in this ambush... My plan is to use the EXO rocket that Claymore has to connect with the enemy patrol. Shifter and Paladin are positioned on overwatch, as well as Lucky and the junior sniper. My hope is that this is enough firepower to take out all three in one go. Noisemaker is still watching the left flank for when the Muton and original Viper decide to come back around (and she will remain hidden after the ambush due to her stealth build). The rest of the squad has *pretty* good cover for when the other patrol (2 Vipers and 1 Archon) come into engage... like chess, I need to think a couple moves in advance, so I'll probably grapple Lucky onto the next structure and use his Kill Zone ability to take a shot on all three, but beyond that I'll just have to wing it. Here goes nothing...
**
Pretty good, but not perfect... once the initial rocket landed, the Codex cloned and used teleport... although quickly gunned down by Lucky. Everyone else did their jobs... except the junior sniper. I forgot that she needed Long Watch to be able to use Squad Sight on overwatch... had I remembered, I would've not placed her on overwatch and simple had her take a shot after the ambush was broken. I have a choice of bringing Noisemaker into the fight, but I'm choosing to keep her hidden and see what happens next... wish me luck!
**
The enemies advance, triggering Junior's attack... she wings the Archon but no kill... He promptly uses Blazing Pinions against the squad, essentially wasting his attack (if everyone moves). Viper number one does a tongue-grab against Paladin and misses... then connects critically with a rifle shot. Viper number two moves forward and spits venom on Junior and Claymore, who are now poisoned. The Codex moves forward and does the damned area-effect attack that jams all weapons, but only Shifter got hit... no problem, as his action next turn was to heal up Paladin... I need to make sure the poisoned troops don't panic, but one thing at a time... again, turn-by-turn planning is the way to go.
I can move Junior away from the Pinion attack and take a pistol shot at the Codex, potentially taking it out. If the Codex goes down, I can move Shifter to better cover and do a Gremlin heal on Paladin. Paladin has Talon rounds, so if he get's in good position he could one-shot a Viper... I'm thinking he'll attempt the farthest one, as if the rest of the plan doesn't work I can bring Noisemaker in to attack the near one... that leaves Lucky and Claymore left to act, and a Viper and the damned Archon left as potentials... I toyed with the idea of Claymore using the Flashbang (he could get both Vipers in the mix), or possibly using Demolition against the near-Viper's cover, making Lucky's chances to hit much better. I've never used the Demolition ability before, so I might as well give it a try... the Archon still hasn't been dealt with, but that's the best plan I've got, so I'm going to try... also: it's getting late, so after this round (and my report here in the thread) I'm calling it a night. And away we go...
**
Close... Junior missed, and I did bring in Noisemaker, but after my turn ended, the Codex and the Archon were still standing. Demolition did nothing... I might be using it wrong, but it didn't seem to do anything in this case. I could've used a frag grenade to take out the Codes and had Lucky shoot the Archon, but alas, it was not meant to be. The Archon took out Junior, and the Codex took a shot at Paladin - but missed! I'm really tempted to play one more round (just like the old days), but I've got an early day tomorrow and I'm a little "on tilt", to use the poker term, after the sniper died and don't want to compound my losses with bad decision making. I'll catch up next time, but again we're touch-and-go with available time during the week, so no idea when I can update next.
Good night all!
I decide I'm going to set up my first ambush against the Viper and Muton... I inch Noisemaker ahead to keep them spotted and grapple Lucky to the roof of a shed (for elevation bonuses). I'm going to move Paladin, Claymore, and the junior sniper up for better position to ambush next round, and keep Shifter in reserve.
**
My targets have inconveniently decided to keep moving farther into unexplored territory... this does not gel with my divide and conquer strategy, so rather than follow them into the unknown and aggro all my enemies at once, I'm going to cautiously see if I can take out the ADVENT troopers the Battle Scanner picked up. I'm keeping Noisemaker on the left flank for when my original duo come back around. I bring Paladin over to the next big tree, and spot my two troopers (one with Blast Padding - a dark event that gives him a point of armour)... and a Codex... and two more Vipers and an Archon in another squad within sight. Good to know! 8 of 11 enemies have been spotted, no one engaged yet. Must be careful and think...
Okay, my plan is to take out the troopers and the Codex first. I've moved 5 of my 6 soldiers to participate in this ambush... My plan is to use the EXO rocket that Claymore has to connect with the enemy patrol. Shifter and Paladin are positioned on overwatch, as well as Lucky and the junior sniper. My hope is that this is enough firepower to take out all three in one go. Noisemaker is still watching the left flank for when the Muton and original Viper decide to come back around (and she will remain hidden after the ambush due to her stealth build). The rest of the squad has *pretty* good cover for when the other patrol (2 Vipers and 1 Archon) come into engage... like chess, I need to think a couple moves in advance, so I'll probably grapple Lucky onto the next structure and use his Kill Zone ability to take a shot on all three, but beyond that I'll just have to wing it. Here goes nothing...
**
Pretty good, but not perfect... once the initial rocket landed, the Codex cloned and used teleport... although quickly gunned down by Lucky. Everyone else did their jobs... except the junior sniper. I forgot that she needed Long Watch to be able to use Squad Sight on overwatch... had I remembered, I would've not placed her on overwatch and simple had her take a shot after the ambush was broken. I have a choice of bringing Noisemaker into the fight, but I'm choosing to keep her hidden and see what happens next... wish me luck!
**
The enemies advance, triggering Junior's attack... she wings the Archon but no kill... He promptly uses Blazing Pinions against the squad, essentially wasting his attack (if everyone moves). Viper number one does a tongue-grab against Paladin and misses... then connects critically with a rifle shot. Viper number two moves forward and spits venom on Junior and Claymore, who are now poisoned. The Codex moves forward and does the damned area-effect attack that jams all weapons, but only Shifter got hit... no problem, as his action next turn was to heal up Paladin... I need to make sure the poisoned troops don't panic, but one thing at a time... again, turn-by-turn planning is the way to go.
I can move Junior away from the Pinion attack and take a pistol shot at the Codex, potentially taking it out. If the Codex goes down, I can move Shifter to better cover and do a Gremlin heal on Paladin. Paladin has Talon rounds, so if he get's in good position he could one-shot a Viper... I'm thinking he'll attempt the farthest one, as if the rest of the plan doesn't work I can bring Noisemaker in to attack the near one... that leaves Lucky and Claymore left to act, and a Viper and the damned Archon left as potentials... I toyed with the idea of Claymore using the Flashbang (he could get both Vipers in the mix), or possibly using Demolition against the near-Viper's cover, making Lucky's chances to hit much better. I've never used the Demolition ability before, so I might as well give it a try... the Archon still hasn't been dealt with, but that's the best plan I've got, so I'm going to try... also: it's getting late, so after this round (and my report here in the thread) I'm calling it a night. And away we go...
**
Close... Junior missed, and I did bring in Noisemaker, but after my turn ended, the Codex and the Archon were still standing. Demolition did nothing... I might be using it wrong, but it didn't seem to do anything in this case. I could've used a frag grenade to take out the Codes and had Lucky shoot the Archon, but alas, it was not meant to be. The Archon took out Junior, and the Codex took a shot at Paladin - but missed! I'm really tempted to play one more round (just like the old days), but I've got an early day tomorrow and I'm a little "on tilt", to use the poker term, after the sniper died and don't want to compound my losses with bad decision making. I'll catch up next time, but again we're touch-and-go with available time during the week, so no idea when I can update next.
Good night all!
They say Hitler loved dogs; that doesn't mean I want to travel back in time and discuss the merits of the Border Collie with the guy. He's still an a-hole.