His Govad lays down a marksman position.
We played ACQUISITION
(The narrative for this is a lot longer than I expected. All narrative will be in Italics.)
This will be my first game with Ikari company, and my introduction to the faction. We’ve been list building the crap out of this army, and we’ve been loving it! Who doesn’t love the bad guys? Anyways, I’m honestly a Druze die hard, so stuck with the standard Druze DBS list, but jammed into an Ikari format with some friends to go with it.
Board picture
The red pod is the Crypod/Downed civilian. Antennaes on R/L.
A few fire lanes, but a good center .
My list
Hot Ginger Chick in my Geology
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GROUP 1 9 / 1 / 1
DRUZE (X Visor) Combi Rifle + Light Grenade Launcher (E/M and Nimbus) / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 27)
DRUZE HMG, Chain-colt / Viral Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 29)
DRUZE Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle + Pitcher, D-Charges / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25)
DRUZE (X Visor) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt, Panzerfaust / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25)
TANKŌ Missile Launcher / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon, Shock CC Weapon. (1.5 | 32)
NINJA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, DA CCW, Knife. (0 | 34)
TOKUSETSU EISEI Doctor (MediKit) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
BRAWLER Lieutenant Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16)
RUI SHI Spitfire / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 20)
BASHI BAZOUK (Specialist Operative) Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 17)
GROUP 22
PANGGULING Hacker (EVO Hacking Device) Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 25)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
KEISOTSU (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
DESPERADO Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / 2 Heavy Pistols, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 11)
DESPERADO Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / 2 Heavy Pistols, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 11)
5.5 SWC | 299 Points
This is like a straight N2 list with that random FO thrown in.
I love the addition of the Tanko, even just for modeling purposes. Anyways.
Druze link with Tanko, get team pro so the team never perma breaks due to the weird “Special Fireteam” rules. Solid core fireteam gets you a swiss army knife of angry North Africans, able to march up the board and deliver a specialist. The missile is an awesome ARO, and even better than the MSV sniper Brawler in my opinion.
Obvious Brawler LT is uh obvious. Bashi is a back up pocket specialist, and the ninja is an even more backup. Rui shi is in place of the Brawler Sniper, and is an active turn beast! Especially with the duo of desperados with her. Speaking of OH MAN DESPERADOS, love the models. Awesome profiles, BANG BANG heavy pistols! Can get in your face super fast and force dumb decisions.
Overall this list lacks a lot of threats, mainly relying on two combinations of the Druze Link and the desperado robot trio. They all self support, and can be huge spear heads on their own. It also lacks a lot of long range power, I wish I could fit another sniper rifle in there. Good overall support with Evo, but poor reactive turn. I actually want to go first with this list the majority of the time it seems. Just to push that Ruishi into a dominating position. Bashi can provide pressure combined with the Ninja.
Overall the list kills stuff, but has a harder time with OBJ in comparison to DBS.
Anyways! My opponent was playing Vanilla Haqqislam with a rough list of:
Haqqislam
CwBgjAPgzCIRoCkUlgEwgByIIRJSIulrvqhtjmMuESAGxq7UzVgNN43B2aE4BWJpmABOZDAGlsAdgHi0MkJzA8oqounq4o2qLs2ZsAAWBRkZomgylxMmQtGwdalIfNUm6pmHSdgUihSfibGQA===
My army is hella bugged so here is the write out.
Fasid
Saladin
2x docs
Leila
Fiday
2x Mutts
Baggage Kameel
Ayyar Shock marksman
Krakot SMG
Govad SNiper
Warcor
Ghulam FO
Najjarun
His list was super redundant in an awesome way. I LOVE and am JEALOUS of Haqq doctors, and the Fasid is super hot despite the obvious land mine. I knew I’d have issues vs this list just because Mutts are annoying as hell. But it was easy to pick apart for the first turn (like, his ARO force). I honestly had no idea what I was doing with the Holoechoes! I thought it was Yasbir haha!
I lost roll off but was given DEPLOYMENT. Really excited to go first. After like 12 games I get to go first. Go first.
I deployed like this:
This is the link with LT prone on roof, doctor (White model) fugazi (White lunokhod) and evo (The mulebot in rear) Guy in the top left is fo keisotsu
( The ruishi is the white bot under the bridge, and the two bases are Desperados (Ican'taffordthat)
Druze Tanko link goes down on bottom left, EVO is hiding behind building. Brawler LT goes on top prone. Desperados and Ruishi go right, forming a spear head and in an attempt to lock down that side. I would need to roll that right side ASAP to support my middle. Due to points I don’t care really about at least one of the Antennaes, as long as I can lock the middle down securely. A note on the Druze Deployment:
I deploy in a cluster like this, even in total cover. Just so I can manage his ARO pieces as they go down, and still maneuver towards the center. By this I mean, deploying in total cover so I can avoid dumb AROs in the open, and still have walking lines forward.
Special notes on Parachutist/TO
I always parachute to the closest zone on the left or right of my opponents DZ. This is for a few reasons. Mostly that I can leverage rifle ranges easily, and that I can shoot people in the back. Even if it’s a specialist Bazouk, he’s there for a surprise. Not a lot of units can get rear shots so easily. TO Ninja went Right in the middle about 3 inches to the left of the Center console. I mean uh, it’s a TO specialist? Her placement in the opening meant that It would be a later turn reveal, but could go center, left, or pressure right. Where I expected my forces to be weakest (Only desperados/Ruishi on that side)
My classified was the Revive a dead guy one
My data tracker was my Panzerfaust Druze
His deployment
Doctor/Leila/Fasid. Sniper on roof with Warcor. Krakot near the crates.
Saladeen, kameel, mutt, doctor behind saladin
Najjarun and holo echoes
The impersonation marker
IMMEDIATE TROUBLE. Impersonation goes on top of antennae building, I hate impersonation almost as much as I hate mutts. And going first meant I was going to be swinging in the wind with this Impersonation marker. His Fasid goes into his main deployment. And the central building becomes a hive of activity. Doctor on middle floor with Ladder access to sniper/warcor on top, and Saladin in the middle floor safely tucked away. My right side of his DZ is filled with 2 Ghazi, the Ayyar holo echoes, and a najarun. Krakot is on my left with Leila and a few other pieces. The sniper Warcor combo for ARO is a common pick, and it shouldn’t have proved much of a problem for a linked Missile. His Ayyar was his data tracker.
Narrative:
A voice began shouting from nearby, barely audible over the whining of turbines. I searched the darkness but couldn’t find a face. I ran my hands across my gear, holster, chest rig, knife. My fingers tracing their way through the webbing, running a mental double check and finally ending on my rifle. I pulled the charging handle, but the noise of the clack was drowned out by the turbines; only the familiar feeling jolting through my arms.
“Been a changa plans I gotta say” Smiths Texan drawl now audible over the turbines.
“Local forces tell us our LZ is already owned, so we gotta ask for it back. There’s also been a shootdown of a civilian craft nearby. We’ve ID’d as the national guard for the area, so we gotta look like the good guys this time.” A groan echoed next to me. Through the dark I could smell Dingos liquor soured breath.
“We’re touching down twice, first group off at A, er alpha. That’s you Priest, and your little radio buddies. Second group is gun be Mac, the Africans, n’ me.” “Miss, you’ll be coming with me” Smiths voice went soft. He must have been speaking to the new hire, a Paramedic we found at the Paradiso Orbital.
A loud clap echoed through the interior of the craft as Smith did his customary “Break”
As the echo ended, a new sound emerged from the front of the craft. It’s twin guns activating on targets below us.
With a crack and a rush of air the rear entrance began opening, a beam of light turning supernova as it entered the blacked out interior. Movement sprouted everywhere as members went over their gear for final check. A few were standing, holding onto handles from the ceiling, most were sitting strapped in. I noticed priests leather coat clawing like an animal in the wind, his silhouette burned into my retina from the outside sun. His radio operator stood behind him, heavy pack bristling with antennas. The hatch was all the way down now, a scrubland passing below us. Totally unlike the photos i’d seen of Paradiso, rocky outcroppings and dead brush reminded me of the hell we had left. Priests hand raised and a swarm of micro drones were released into the air. My headset immediately coming alive with their information. A sudden arrest grabbed us, pushing me into my seat, priest seemed unaffected, like a spectre. His radio operator struggling under the sudden G’s. The scrubland turned into the top of a building, Priest quickly sliding down the rear hatch onto the roof, his radio operator awkwardly stumbling with him.
I turned and met Fatimas eyes, dead and brown like the land below us.
“Oi mate, we’re next ya, get going mate fooks sake.” Dingos voice was stuttering as he tried to undo his harness, elbowing me in the ribs.
I reached down and clicked my harness away, rising to a handle in the ceiling my eyes finally left hers and looked towards the ground rushing up to meet us.
Turn 1
Desperado rolls up and smokes the antennae on the right. Other one rolls up behind the building on the right.
Tanko moves into building, link team moves up.
Fugazi tries to Flashpulse the Warcor, but gets flashpulsed back!
Druze activates and moves forward, LGL gets flashpulsed. Tanko takes a wound fighting his sniper.
At this point I’m a little butt mad so go full rambo on the right. The Rui shi does a cute little leg kick and speeds into the smoke. Evo switches to MMSLVL2 on ruishi
Rui shi Spitfires the Ghulam FO
Rui shi Spitfires the Warcor
Rui Shi spit fires Sniper
Rui shi knocks the Krakot Unconscious (He rolled Regeneration)
Rui shi dies to Najarun Shot gun :(
Desperado rolls up to the Ayyar, me still thinking it was Yasbir
Desperado crits the Ayyar, and misses the Mutt, Desperado dies to Najjarun
Other Desperado rolls up to cover the Antennae.
Druze link spreads out behind crates on front left of DZ.
Under the prone LT in that building is Tanko/Druze PF. You can see how my bot can see both corners, with the Druze JUST around them so pistol ranges work, and I can FP with the bot if they go CC.
Weird photo, but you can see how my Ruishi got smoke cover and engaged his sniper and warcor.
I kind of pulled it together there at the end, but misplayed the ruishi. It shouldn’t have died to the light shotgun, I just suck at measuring 8 inches :d. No excuses though.
The link team was in a vulnerable spot pushed forward, with no good ARO lanes. But I was relying on their viral pistols to get work done.
Haqqislam Turn 1:
His mutts go crazy and run towards me. The one on the far right starts off with a bang.
Combined order moves:
Leila, Doctor, Fasid, Najjarun up. Another Combined order moves them up more.
Najjarun moves, tanks chain rifle from Desperado and fails WIP on antennae
He fails WIP again and dies to the chain rifle
His mutt on the right runs up and PISTOLS my desperado from like 18 inches away
His center mutt Jams my Fugazi and then runs around the corner.
The fasid trundles up and drops three ineffective grenades on my link. Doctor revives Krakot
His mutt activates in the center again, tanks 2 viral pistol shots and spins around in place.
He ends his turn with the Mutt in my face able to ARO everything in front of it.
No good shots of his positioning, but his terrain is awesome!
Some annoying dice, but an easy to fix situation! His positioning with the Mutt was awesome, and made me really jealous of the profile. The right side was pretty much lost now, I’d have to abandon that objective and rely on my Classified to get the Major Victory, but I still had my main force available, and in a good position. His grenade rain phase felt like a waste of orders to me. And it left his Fasid in the wind.
I had to hold my hand with my TO, or it wouldn’t get me the objectives I needed. Which meant I had to rely on A LOT of gunfire to get out of this.
Narrative:
I slammed my back up against the cargo container, wind and round streaming over head. Smiths power armor making a loud clang as he did the same. His helmetless head turned to me, a huge smile on his face, his gap tooth showing in the noon sun. The pirates had engaged us with small arms fire as soon as showed on their scans which were still active from the civilian craft they had downed. Gunfire echoed through the small town as the civilian security units engaged targets nearby us, mixing with the sound of engines from our craft.
“Get yer eyes on that corner mac, I’m engaging that marksman.” Smith nodded towards the corner of the crate we were up against. I slid against the crate and peeked around the corner. Taking a quick step back as a man fell around the corner, impact craters ruining his dark grey suit. I quickly kicked the rifle out of his hands, but he had no use for it. His eyes already glazed over, a name badge proudly displayed on what was left of his breast. I turned to see Smith
“CLEAR BAAAAACK BLAAAAAST” I squinted and turned away.
Whoompf, a missile streaked across the sky towards a rooftop. Landing short it exploded against the lip of the building, sending a still functional advertisement spinning to the ground below. The Corporate security members turned and the gun fire intensified. Through the smoke I saw movement, a lithe woman with a long barrel sprung on top of the buildings HVAC unit and with a crack began firing at us.
“Gah” Turning back towards Smith I saw the round enter just below his abdomen armor in the soft flexible spot. I turned and began unlatching my bag.
“Boy they got big skeeters out here!” The man was smiling as he rocked back around the corner. His eyes fluttering from his suits Morphine and Ephedrine injectors.
“Locals are here boys, let's put some pressure up for me” Priests voice on the headset was almost drowned out by the noise of engines. Peering past another holo sign I saw a pair of motorcycles streak by, the riders hair flowing in the wind, our Cobat Rem galloping between them like a buffalo and it’s hunters.
This is going to be interesting, I thought as my rifle kicked in my hands sending covering fire downrange at the marksman's position. A figure wrapped in a flowing turban appeared on a lower floor of the building, I turned but my rifle clicked clean. Before I could react the wall near him exploded from hundreds of impacts, before turning his upper body into ground beef. His rifle flinging out of his mangled hands. Our remotes icon winking “Yellow-Engaged”. Slamming another magazine in I watched as the snipers HVAC unit turned to scrap. Her shadow revealing her position as she tried to maneuver away. A puff of red marked her demise as a round caught her in the shoulder, sending her spinning off the top of the building. Slamming with a wet impact sound audible across the gunfire into a holo ad before disappearing out of my view.
“Ahh got my monies worth with that one!” Smiths voice was right above me, watching the destruction unfold.
Druze Turn 2:
I start off with a Command Token to transfer the Evo to my main pool to replace the Ruishi.
My Random Keisotsu FO advances on the left. Then move shoots the Mutt in the back. The mutt casually tanks all the shots and turns away from my panzerfaust Druze, still looking at the other member in front of it.
My PF Druze breaks out of the link and walks an inch away from the mutt, shooting it in the back with a viral pistol. It shrugs the shots off and spins around.
I break my LGL off the link and shoot the mutt in the back, finally killing it.
Bashi comes in. Bashi move shoots his suppressing fire doctor, Bashi gets crit. REEEE!
Keisotsu FO moves up to a position where he can climb onto the roof with the antennae.
Druze HMG peeks the corner and Kills his Fasid in one burst
Druze EM spec fires his Doctor and isolates him.
I’m in a bad spot again, but I’ve eliminated most of his threats. Just hoping the Ayyar doesn't come rolling around my right side and exploit that Marksman Rifle. I’m in a good position to advance up, and I believe I have enough cover fire on that Hassassin to make sure he doesn’t move. I’m also assuming that he was a specialist (??? I’m so bad with Haqq) and he was wanting to keep him up there for the antennae.
Haqqislam Turn 2:
Ghazi runs on my right and comes around the corner, getting flash pulsed from my fugazi.
His krakot rounds the corner and chest mines.
Tanko Goes unconscious.
LGL Shock dies.
Keisotsu dodges
Panzerfaust causes the Krakot to explode and never regenerate again.
His hassassin activates, stands up and throws smoke on my KHD/Panzerfaust.
He then jumps down
Then he impersonates.
Then he rounds the corner into CC with my Panzerfaust.
The CC attack just bounces off her armor, mwahahaha.
His Ayyar moves up and activates the antennae on the right.
This didn’t go the best, but it could have been so much worse. I now had an option for my classified, I just had to deal with the Assassin. I totally forgot Krakot had chest mines on their SMG profile, so I’ll probably be running one of those in the near future here. He traded orders really well, and still had the order advantage. I just had the positioning advantage so close to the Tech Coffin in the center.
My Druze ARO set ups are getting really good. It’s nice they have literally a weapon for all short ranges, and an x visor for when you mess up.
Narrative:
The battle was winding down. Only marked by the sporadic gunfire echoing from the remaining security units. We had been holding near priests deployment position watching every possible angle when the Druze arrived.
“Bout damn time, we’ve still got an Ao to clear” Smith shouted. Fatima returning a hard glare. Her left hand knifing out to a nearby position, another druze hurried past, a pack of grenade rounds slung around his waist bounced as he moved.
“Armor target, 60 meter.” Fatimas hand snapped to our 330. The larger Druze nodded and broke off to my close right, I followed behind.
As we rounded a corner, a muffled Pfoomp was heard as the Druze on the other side began lobbing grenades at nearby targets. The larger Druze nodded to me and I crossed the short opening to the other side, as I landed at the corner a hail of fire passed just behind me. The hot gas and high calibre rounds made me suck my gut in tight as I threw myself the last half meter. Looking back the Druze’ visor lit green as he stuck his heavy machine gun around the corner, bracing it against the shipping crate. With a slight nod towards me he began firing. The jackhammer of his rounds ringing in my ears as I swapped my rifle to my left hand and followed suit. A large suit of heavy armor, repainted multiple times and with replacement parts stood less than 50 meters away, it’s machine gun already swinging around to face us. Multiple security units lay dead at its feet. My rifle kicked hard as my fire joined the Druze. An hmg round caught the beast in the arm joint, blood and armor exploded out as the machine gun went limp, another round entered just below the abdomen into the thigh joint. Exploding out the other end in a red mist, the giant went to one knee. My rounds hammered uselessly off the chest and frontal shields, raising my rifle towards the weaker headpoints I was beaten by the Druze’s Heavy Machine gun. A round caught just under the helmet of the armored suit, exploding in the open area around the neck. The suit slumped forward, a red pool quickly forming around the head plate. We both ducked back to our respective corners and exchanged another nod.
Pfoomp, pfoomp, pfoomp went the grenade launcher in the distance.
My Heads up display fizzed and kicked in my retina, a man rounded the corner wearing a HUD displayed bright blue ID tag over his figure. I let out a surprised yip as the “Friendly” swung an enormous sword at me, the steel meeting steel right above my head. I rolled and drew my side arm, but he was on top of me knocking me to the ground. I caught his arm in my hand and threw a headbutt, landing my Night vision goggle mount into the front of his nose. Blood spattered across my face as the now howling man rolled me on top of him, reaching for a weapon on his leg.
Ikari turn 3:
My LT Brawler, who is so sick of this. Stands up on his LT order and crit shotguns the assassin in combat with my Data Tracker.
Ninja reveals and Combi Rifles Leila to death.
I use the rest of my command tokens to do a combined move. Bringing the HMG, KHD, Panzerfaust data tracker, and ninja onto the center objective!
My Keisotsu jumps on the roof, connects the antennae and goes prone.
My doctor walks over as part of the combined orders
Then he doctors the tanko who gets up and moves to the corner covering the center objective. This gets me my classified.
I end the turn with 4 models and my data tracker touching the center objective. And one missile launcher watching it as well. I’ve got the other antennae connected which means I can just forget about the other side. This turn went really well with me making both my WIP checks I needed to make, and killing Leila. This left him with just 2 pieces that could realistically touch the center objective.
Get the Objective! Missile at rear left, ninja in front, KHD, PF, HMG, Fugazi all watching the OBJ.
Haqqislam turn 3:
His ayyar rounds the corner in holo to fight the Scooby gang on the center objective. He eats 2 viral pistols and a missile and dies. Killing no one in return.
His ghulam doctor rounds the corner and dies to a combi rifle and HMG, killing no one else.
Saladin himself comes to the window, gets flash pulsed and wounded but CRITS my data tracker!
We call it there.
His hands were really tied with how his advanced position pieces were laid out. Saladin was a nice move and the crit from downtown struck me down! I had totally forgotten Saladin was in the building, wish I had orders for suppressing fire.
6-1 Druze Major Victory
Narrative:
Our arms locked against each other, my pistol just feet away I rolled back onto my back and wrapped my legs around his own, forcing his torso straight.
“Comms are set, sit still Mac”. Out of the corner of my eye Priest rose from his nearby rooftop silhouetted against the sun, his leather coat clawing at the wind. Blowing a final puff of smoke out he tossed his cigar aside and raised his weapon. I turned back to the screaming man on top of me, just narrowly avoiding a razor in his hand, my head jerked to the side as his blade came down.
A pop echoed. Our eyes finally meeting, the man's expression instantly changed to that of surprise and his nerves fired on full, turning him into a stone statue on top of me. Mouth open, Asian eyes meeting mine. Blood began to pour from his mouth onto my helmet and face, gagging I writhed and shrimped out from under him, finally tossing him aside. As his body fell I noticed the back of his skull and upper back were missing from Priests shotgun blast. I stumbled over to the larger Druze who caught me, a slight smile meeting his lips as he handed me my rifle back. Still in shock I checked the magazine and wiped blood off of my face. I barely had time to recover before another scream began to fill the air. This time emanating from something other than a human throat. I began screaming as well, the shock of events getting to me. I turned rifle already raised as an enormous figure rounded a holo ad, a machine gun spraying from one hand, enormous alien sword in the other. Dreadlocks flying behind it the beast triggered the claymores attached to it’s chest, spraying ball bearings at us at lethal speeds. The world slowed.
“Faaaaaaaaaaahk” Dingos voice sounded like an annoying freight train. With a Pfsheeeey! His panzerfaust leapt in a rush of flame. The ball bearings bounced off my armor, cut my face, and ricocheted everywhere. The Druze with the grenade launcher screamed as his torso was ripped open and sprayed across the nearby wall. Fatimas rifle kicking in her hand, brass flying.
The alien, mouth wide open in a howl barely recognized the incoming threat, head twitching to the side.
With a sound like a meat tenderizer preparing a steak the Alien exploded at the waist in a ball of purple and black blood, bone, muscle, and flame. The mangled torso hung in the air like a rag as the remains of the legs sprayed everywhere in a 15 meter space. Reeling from the concussive blast and ball bearings I spun to the ground again. Ears ringing I tore my helmet off and crawled into the corner between the two cargo crates screaming again.
A large hand grabbed me and I found myself half walking, half being dragged towards the opening in the drop ship. A red haired woman in a bloody and dusty suit was handcuffed next to me. My vision blurred.
This was the most casualties I’d ever taken with my Druze, getting down to just about 8 models. It was a crazy bloody game.
Acquisition is a fun mission that really forces you to think about what to hold in reserve for attack, and what to commit right away. My initial turns were all about waffling on commiting my druze or not. With me holding them in reserve it really let me walk into that last objective like I owned the place. But gave him the opportunity to maneuver around and fix his defences. His Mutts were a major pain the butt. I wish I could fit more shock in the list at a longer range than my Viral pistols. I lacked the ARO net of my DBS lists that could lock down Warband units easily. Leaving it up to my Druze to personally kill them all. I wish the Bashi could have had an epic flanking maneuver, but I still can’t get him to work.
The assassin in the middle was a misplay on my part, I truly don’t know how to counter impersonation. My only experiences with it so far have been really lackluster, and seemed almost lucky. (Dodging 2 light shotguns while a line trooper crit the assassin, or just armor saving the CC then critting him in CC) so I haven’t really learned from these experiences.
My stars of the game other than the Druze link were the Rui shi/Desperados. With like 5 orders potential for the desperado, and an entire pool for the Ruishi you can really clear a board side off. With the Rui shi killing ranged threats so the Desperados can rush in and chain rifle squishies.
Overall I REALLY like Ikari company and can’t wait to do a unit breakdown on some of the weirder ones available. Thanks for reading.
