Post by quozl on Jun 21, 2012 4:44:07 GMT -5
Well, actually this is round 4 of Crusties v UNSC, but it's round 2 that I have photos of 
This time I'm playing UNSC, as in each game I gave my opponent choice of forces.
The force cards are here: gruntz15.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=yg&action=display&thread=607
Each side had 308 points consisting of
UNSC: 4 light grav tanks, 2 light grav APCs, 1 sniper team, 1 missile team, 4 units of gruntz, couple of SAs, 1 commander
Crusties: 1 Scout Mecha, 2 Medium Mecha, 2 walking APCs, 1 missile team, 1 plasma team, 4 gruntz units, 1 PA jetpack Gruntz unit, 1 commander.
Here are the two forces before the game;
Here is deployment:
You can see the three objectives of a "What's mine is mine" scenario. It seems to me that getting to place 2 of the 3 objectives is a huge advantage in this scenario. Does anybody use any extra restrictions for this scenario that they feel improves balance? Or do you all consider it a non-issue?
Here is the end of turn1.
I (UNSC) have rushed forward with APCs carrying gruntz to both the left most and right most objects (1 and 2 in 2nd photo). Getting to deploy two objectives means that I could put them nearer to my side and further from his - maybe we need to randomise objective location somewhat.
I used a push move from my Commander on a unit of gruntz in an APC to allow them to dismount from the APC using the push move, then spend 2 actions capturing one objective at the end of turn 1.
I zoom a grav tank forward 18" to hide behind a hill but get just within 6" of the 3rd objective to contest it and prevent my opponent capturing it.
Here's the end of 1nd turn - I hold one objective, have gruntz sitting beside another and my opponent has one completely surrounded but my hiding grav tank prevents him capturing it.
Turn 2, I capture the LHS objective with the gruntz that were dumped on it last turn. My opponent's models on that side of the table were too slow to contest before I get to activate the unit and capture it. Being 12" max move vehicles or jump packing gruntz, and starting 32" away, means that by the end of turn 2 he can only get within 8" of the objective, not the 6" needed to prevent me capturing it.
My opponent decides he needs to clear out the RHS objective that I hold. He double moves a walker APC up, de-buses a unit of gruntz, who using a commander push move, walk forward and mass grenade my unit that is holding the RHS objective.
Here's the result - 5 of 7 dead. He could only reach the tank to grenade it but every scatter went onto my gruntz. Lots of dead guys and the remaining 2 decide to leg it.
In a modem of madness I decide to move the grav tank hidden behind the hill in this picture (you can't see it
to ram the unit of Crusties that had just formed a nice phalanx shape on the top of the hill.
My thinking was - I can't shoot those damn things in cover with their active camo so I better ram them.
Many dead Crusties
However I forgot that this grav tank was the one thing stopping my opponent capturing the middle objective - so he promptly captures it
End of turn 2:
15 points to 5 in my favour.
Here is the LHS objective at the end of turn 2:
I hold it and have moved my APC behind the forest but remaining within 6" of the objective. I figure that my opponent can kill my guys, but he won't be able to take the objective quickly enough to stop me racking up a winning tally of VPs.
Turn 3:
Here's the RHS objective. My two surviving grunts who ran away walk into contesting range of the objective - which I currently hold.
The big unit of gruntz boards the APC, which double moves behind a forest. Ready to pop out and contest the objective once my opponent clears out the 2 survivors of the other squad. Again, my opponent is going to wipe me out, but I intend to earn enough VPs by the time he does that he can't win by taking the objective.
A secondary aim is to wipe out any nearby gruntz squads!
here's another view of the fight over the RHS objective.
On the left, 2 grav tanks of mine duel with his mecha and missile team. I come out significantly worse with one grav tank losing it's engine system. However I'm just stalling for time over on that side and making sure I stop him taking the objective back.
End of turn 3:
25:10 to me.
Turn 4:
In the middle my opponent moves a walking APC up the table, after loading a full unit of gruntz into it and takes a pot shot at a vehicle. He needs Grunt support at the RHS objective as his 2 surviving gruntz there don't look like making it, and the vehicles can't take an objective. He should have skipped the pot-shot and speed moved the APC instead.
A push move from my commander on a unit of 6 gruntz+2 SAs allows them to walk out and get behind the walking APC. 2 SA shots to the rear followed up by a combed attack from the rest of the squad and the APC explodes! The Gruntz on-board survive but they won't be contesting the objective any time soon.
We call it there, as my opponent can't take the objectives next turn (no gruntz squads can possibly do it, even if I walk everything away and allow him), so with me being guaranteed another turns worth of VPs even the bonus 10 VP from capturing the objectives and holding them for a turn wouldn't be enough to salvage it.
Thoughts:
Did I get it wrong taking an objective turn 1 via a commander push move followed by 2 actions taking it? is that legal?
It only made difference of 5 VPs in the end, so it wouldn't have affected the out-come, but I'm not convinced it's correct.
I think I'll remove active camo from the Crusties and give them something else. While it certainly makes them feel and play different from the UNSC, I don't find it as enjoyable just not being able to kill stuff
Needing 9s to hit in soft cover, or 10s in hard cover, makes them very resilient, especially as the UNSC lasers needed a 7 to then kill in this game - I've given the Crusties soak 13.
I may remove active camo but leave soak 13, while giving the UNSC gruntz 'light them up'. I'd have to think of something else to give the Crusties though.
It was a good, enjoyable game but the tanks and mecha weren't that exciting - I think again it's that they only have a couple of shots and with skill 5 versus def 13 (thanks to active camo), I couldn't roll an 8 to hit to save my life. Or a 10 against fast moving. I think removing active camo from the crusty vehicles might make enough of a difference, or possibly leaving it but making UNSC and Crusty vehicles skill 6. I want more carnage get it..? vehicles... car... car-nage? Brilliant!
And on that note, I'll say good bye
This time I'm playing UNSC, as in each game I gave my opponent choice of forces.
The force cards are here: gruntz15.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=yg&action=display&thread=607
Each side had 308 points consisting of
UNSC: 4 light grav tanks, 2 light grav APCs, 1 sniper team, 1 missile team, 4 units of gruntz, couple of SAs, 1 commander
Crusties: 1 Scout Mecha, 2 Medium Mecha, 2 walking APCs, 1 missile team, 1 plasma team, 4 gruntz units, 1 PA jetpack Gruntz unit, 1 commander.
Here are the two forces before the game;
Here is deployment:
You can see the three objectives of a "What's mine is mine" scenario. It seems to me that getting to place 2 of the 3 objectives is a huge advantage in this scenario. Does anybody use any extra restrictions for this scenario that they feel improves balance? Or do you all consider it a non-issue?
Here is the end of turn1.
I (UNSC) have rushed forward with APCs carrying gruntz to both the left most and right most objects (1 and 2 in 2nd photo). Getting to deploy two objectives means that I could put them nearer to my side and further from his - maybe we need to randomise objective location somewhat.
I used a push move from my Commander on a unit of gruntz in an APC to allow them to dismount from the APC using the push move, then spend 2 actions capturing one objective at the end of turn 1.
I zoom a grav tank forward 18" to hide behind a hill but get just within 6" of the 3rd objective to contest it and prevent my opponent capturing it.
Here's the end of 1nd turn - I hold one objective, have gruntz sitting beside another and my opponent has one completely surrounded but my hiding grav tank prevents him capturing it.
Turn 2, I capture the LHS objective with the gruntz that were dumped on it last turn. My opponent's models on that side of the table were too slow to contest before I get to activate the unit and capture it. Being 12" max move vehicles or jump packing gruntz, and starting 32" away, means that by the end of turn 2 he can only get within 8" of the objective, not the 6" needed to prevent me capturing it.
My opponent decides he needs to clear out the RHS objective that I hold. He double moves a walker APC up, de-buses a unit of gruntz, who using a commander push move, walk forward and mass grenade my unit that is holding the RHS objective.
Here's the result - 5 of 7 dead. He could only reach the tank to grenade it but every scatter went onto my gruntz. Lots of dead guys and the remaining 2 decide to leg it.
In a modem of madness I decide to move the grav tank hidden behind the hill in this picture (you can't see it
to ram the unit of Crusties that had just formed a nice phalanx shape on the top of the hill.
My thinking was - I can't shoot those damn things in cover with their active camo so I better ram them.
Many dead Crusties
However I forgot that this grav tank was the one thing stopping my opponent capturing the middle objective - so he promptly captures it
End of turn 2:
15 points to 5 in my favour.
Here is the LHS objective at the end of turn 2:
I hold it and have moved my APC behind the forest but remaining within 6" of the objective. I figure that my opponent can kill my guys, but he won't be able to take the objective quickly enough to stop me racking up a winning tally of VPs.
Turn 3:
Here's the RHS objective. My two surviving grunts who ran away walk into contesting range of the objective - which I currently hold.
The big unit of gruntz boards the APC, which double moves behind a forest. Ready to pop out and contest the objective once my opponent clears out the 2 survivors of the other squad. Again, my opponent is going to wipe me out, but I intend to earn enough VPs by the time he does that he can't win by taking the objective.
A secondary aim is to wipe out any nearby gruntz squads!
here's another view of the fight over the RHS objective.
On the left, 2 grav tanks of mine duel with his mecha and missile team. I come out significantly worse with one grav tank losing it's engine system. However I'm just stalling for time over on that side and making sure I stop him taking the objective back.
End of turn 3:
25:10 to me.
Turn 4:
In the middle my opponent moves a walking APC up the table, after loading a full unit of gruntz into it and takes a pot shot at a vehicle. He needs Grunt support at the RHS objective as his 2 surviving gruntz there don't look like making it, and the vehicles can't take an objective. He should have skipped the pot-shot and speed moved the APC instead.
A push move from my commander on a unit of 6 gruntz+2 SAs allows them to walk out and get behind the walking APC. 2 SA shots to the rear followed up by a combed attack from the rest of the squad and the APC explodes! The Gruntz on-board survive but they won't be contesting the objective any time soon.
We call it there, as my opponent can't take the objectives next turn (no gruntz squads can possibly do it, even if I walk everything away and allow him), so with me being guaranteed another turns worth of VPs even the bonus 10 VP from capturing the objectives and holding them for a turn wouldn't be enough to salvage it.
Thoughts:
Did I get it wrong taking an objective turn 1 via a commander push move followed by 2 actions taking it? is that legal?
It only made difference of 5 VPs in the end, so it wouldn't have affected the out-come, but I'm not convinced it's correct.
I think I'll remove active camo from the Crusties and give them something else. While it certainly makes them feel and play different from the UNSC, I don't find it as enjoyable just not being able to kill stuff
Needing 9s to hit in soft cover, or 10s in hard cover, makes them very resilient, especially as the UNSC lasers needed a 7 to then kill in this game - I've given the Crusties soak 13.I may remove active camo but leave soak 13, while giving the UNSC gruntz 'light them up'. I'd have to think of something else to give the Crusties though.
It was a good, enjoyable game but the tanks and mecha weren't that exciting - I think again it's that they only have a couple of shots and with skill 5 versus def 13 (thanks to active camo), I couldn't roll an 8 to hit to save my life. Or a 10 against fast moving. I think removing active camo from the crusty vehicles might make enough of a difference, or possibly leaving it but making UNSC and Crusty vehicles skill 6. I want more carnage
get it..? vehicles... car... car-nage? Brilliant!And on that note, I'll say good bye
