Durgama Takeover

*NOTE 1: All buildings with playable interiors (exclusively the Armoury building in this game) were played under the assumption that models could draw line of fire into, out of, but not through. Template weapons functioned normally, but could not select a target unless they abided by these line of fire rules. Mines and other deployables were not affected, and could affect targets through. ‘Doors’ on buildings without playable interiors were treated as ladders.
*NOTE 2: O-12 list as posted is not the original, and the order groups are likely incorrect. Will be corrected with the original list PDF at a later point.

Originally intending on returning to Xiandao for much needed resupply and reinforcement, the Collateral Compassion Division found themselves trapped just as they prepared to launch by the always overreaching O-12 inspection forces. Claiming that the Yu Jing ships belonging to the Compassion Division were smuggling artefacts from the region (which, even if they were being transported, were the rightful property of the State Empire at this point, anyway). While the Collateral Compassion Division had every intention to submit themselves for inspection at Zebu after rendezvous with Xiandao and presentation of the correct paperwork, the O-12 forces acted beyond their reach and attempted detainment before even leaving Cameliard. Quite frankly, this abuse of interplanetary jurisdiction for clearly corrupt purposes had gone on for far too long. With these ships needed in Xiandao and valuable time being wasted, it was up to Sun Tze and his troopers to launch one last offensive to clear a path for launch by destroying the O-12’s air-control antennae, while protecting their own to secure a path forward. Thankfully, the Collateral Compassion Division had been saving just the right kind of firepower for this situation…

Yu Jing wins the Lieutenant roll, and opts to go first. They are then made to deploy first on the western side.
Using Strategos and a command token, Sun Tze 2.0, the Daofei, and Blue Wolf are held in reserve. The bulk of the remaining Yu Jing troopers are grouped around the centre of the deployment zone, to protect the AC2. 2 Kuang Shi guard the northern flanks of the zone of operations, while a single one guards the south. A Long Ya and its mine are positioned directly in front of the AC2, which would become integral to its defense later. A Guilang minelayer is positioned near the centre of the map atop a building, while its mine is on the ground to guard the centre firelane. The Beasthunter sits atop another building on the southern side of the map.
On the Eastern side of the map, the O-12 forces deployed fairly conservatively. Less troopers than usual for an operation were deploying in their zone, clearly they had been taking a page from the Collateral Compassion Division’s book for this one. In general, while this side of the battlefield presented more open defenses in general, the terrain for guarding the AC2 was better reinforced, leaving relatively vulnerable flanks but a strongly concentrated centre. Three Varangians assemble on the northern half of the deployment zone, two behind crates to guard approach from the north, and one in a stairwell to watch the AC2. Shona and a last Varangian collect around the southeastern edge in preparation of a flanking maneuver, with a pair of Kytta bots keeping guard. A Crusher also helped to reinforce the southern side of the battlefield. A Raveneye and its E/M mine observe the AC2 from a stairwell.
A lone Beta specialists (multi rifle/D-charges) sits at the top of the northern building of the deployment zone.
Sun Tze deployed atop the large building on the southwestern side of the battlefield, his eye on the (clearly paid off) warcor observing the battle from the O-12 side. The Blue Wolf positioned itself next to the AC2, ready to push its assault up either side of the battlefield depending on the remaining O-12 deployments. Lastly, the Daofei hacker set up atop the northern armoury building in the centre.
O-12 finished with their multi rifle Omega watching the AC2 from a safe position in the rear.

(Casanova, Hippolyta, Hector, and Valkyrie all represent Varangians, Bit represents a Warcor, the Nox Trooper a Monstrucker, and Sun Tze 2.0 Marksman is represented by a Sun Tze 1.0 in this game and the associated photographs)

O-12 spends a command token to remove 2 orders from Yu Jing’s second group.

Turn 1:
Yu Jing Active: The Daofei descends from the top of the armoury building, prompting discovery attempts from the Omega while the Warcor delays, reading a flash pulse in case of any response. The Omega ultimately succeeds in revealing the Daofei as it recedes into cover behind a crate approaching the northeastern side. Clearly, by relaying information to the enemy forces, the journalist is abusing his position far beyond any notion of journalistic integrity. Recognizing the warcor for what he is, Sun Tze readies his sniper rifle and kills the enemy combatant.
With the Daofei short on orders and a path still needing to be cleared, the Blue Wolf then moves up the northernmost side of the map, going around the armoury building. To his surprise, a Razor appears directly behind him as he’s about to lock eyes with the Omega. Anticipating an indiscriminate volley of fire from the Blue Wolf, the Omega dodges out of sight, clearing a path for the Wolf and Daofei’s advance, while the Razor places a mine to slow the Wolf’s advance. Not taking a chance, the Razor is immediately burnt to a crisp.
The Blue Wolf then continues forward, shrugging off the mine and moving forward to gain line of fire to the northernmost Varangian… where it instead is greeted by a hidden Lynx, plasma rifle at the ready. The Blue Wolf raises its gun away from the Varangian towards the Lynx, answering this surprise with a wild barrage. The Lynx is riddled with holes, its complex optical disruption devices and frail body no match for a simple wall of lead.
Next, the Wolf turns its attention to the Varangians and Raveneye agent guarding the path to the AC2. In the first volley, the Wolf manages to wound the two Varangians, who go dogged, but fails against the Raveneye, who lands a hit with its flash pulse, although without any ill-effect. In one more attempt to clear out the three troopers, the Raveneye is killed, but neither Varangian takes damage. Instead, one of them manages to land a critical shot on the Blue Wolf, inflicting two wounds.
With the Blue Wolf in a precarious position and not wanting to risk unnecessary damage to continue pushing forward, the Daofei is forced to act earlier than intended instead. It re-enters camo state, and pushes directly between the two Varangians. The Northern-most one is unable to see the Daofei right behind it, while one directly south of it attempts to discover. The Daofei immediately reveals and kills the both of them before moving to hack the Beta trooper… who, curiously, fails to register as a hackable target upon application of the Oblivion program. Was the intel wrong? The Daofei then flees back behind the shipping container it launched its original attack from.
With less to threaten it, the Blue Wolf moves towards the northeastern building to fire at the Beta, who reveals itself as Katherine Cho as she fails to dodge the violent whirlwind of lead. The Wolf then fires a couple volleys at one of the southeastern Kytta bots, disabling it, and then ends its assault for now in suppressive fire, observing either corner of the northeastern building, should anyone come around.

O-12 Active: The southern Varangian moves impetuously westward. The remaining Varangian on the northern half of the DZ observing the AC2 moves northward, and tosses a smoke grenade to block the Blue Wolf’s view. The southern Varangian fails to discover the Long Ya’s AP mind, and then moves towards the southern panoply, dodging the Guilang’s mine along the way, and activates it, where it finds an advanced optical disruption device, giving it mimetism (-6). Following the central lane towards the Yu Jing AC2, it stops short of the AP mine.
Out of nowhere, along southern edge of the northern armoury building A SECOND FREAKING RAZOR APPEARS, and begins moving towards the Yu Jing AC2. It, too, stops short of triggering the AP mine.
Almost like having drawn the short straw, the Varangian then moves into the AP mine and view of the camoflauged Long Ya, who reveals to place a mine to replace the original. The Varangian responds with a volley of fire that fails to do damage, survives the first mine unharmed. The Varangian then moves closer to the AC2, triggering the second mine while the Long Ya drops its third. This time, the Varangian manages to shoot down the remote, but suffers a wound while also alerting the Kuang Shi and Shaolin hiding out of view to his presence, and the two leap out to threaten him if he moves any further.
With a final, valiant charge, the Varangian lunges towards the AC2 and strikes with his trench hammer, hitting home and inflicting two wounds before promptly being shredded in a hail of molten slag.
With the Shaolin and Kuang Shi now watching closely over the AC2 and orders running short, the Razor is forced to coordinate with the rest of his forces to retreat for now, hiding behind the Armoury Building. In the same coordinated movement, the Omega moves back into position watching over the AC2, and the Crusher moves to intersect the Omega’s line of fire on the AC2 while also getting view of the Yu Jing AC2, and the monk that guarding it.
The Omega then uses its Lt order to enter suppressive fire, ending the O-12 turn.

Turn 2:
Yu Jing Active: With the AC2 on its last structure point, it’s deemed too risky for the Monstrucker to attempt to repair it, even with the ample supplies available. Instead, an even more aggressive push forward is required to compensate. The Shaolin moves impetuously further, tossing smoke to cover himself and goading fire from the Crusher.
Realizing the threat the Crusher poses to both their own AC2, and their ability to effectively assault the enemy’s, Sun Tze takes matters into his own hands, descending the staircase and crossing all the way to the small building in the centre of his deployment zone. With a single volley from outside range that it can defend itself from, the Crusher is given new and interesting ways to breathe through the gaping hole in his chest.
With the smoke fading, the Blue Wolf now has a clear and unobstructed line of fire to the remaining Razor. Its heavily damaged frame whirring to life, it summarily removes the Razor, who can’t do much to fight back. It then doubles back, and takes out the last Varangian. Stumbling southwards towards the enemy AC2, just outside view of the Omega, it attempts to discover the E/M mine, but fails. With the enemy forces still maintaining a strong defense of the AC2, drastic action is required. The Wolf’s aching servos crunch and creak with one final berserk charge on the target. The writhing ball of fire and lightning that was once the Blue Wolf lands a critical strike against the AC2, inflicting two wounds before itself collapsing in a heap.
With the enemy mine removed by the Blue Wolf’s charge, the Daofei moves to complete the job. Entering camo state once more, it moves past the view of the Omega, who successfully discovers it. The Daofei then cautiously moves into position next to the AC2, and finally destroys it with a well-placed D-charge before moving to the opposite side of the building of the Omega. The Beasthunter then jumps down to the southern panoply and attempts to open it, but fails.

O-12 Active: The Omega moves towards the northern panoply, shrugging off several hacking attempts from the Daofei before inflicting a wound itself. It stops by the northern panoply (and in ZoC of the Yu Jing HVT), but is unable to open it.

Turn 3:
Yu Jing Active: Despite having lost few troops, few troops are left that want to challenging the Omega or Shona in positions that are well in their favour. Instead, the Beasthunter and a Kuang Shi activate the southern panoply, and then the Daofei unceremoniously disposes of the last Kytta bot.

O-12 forces are now in retreat.

End of Game: Yu Jing victory, 7/2

Closing thoughts: Sun Tze got to use his gun to real effect this time, taking out a journalist and a Crusher. I suppose that makes up for not using Strategos 2’s group transfer ability at all this game.
The Blue Wolf really pulled through this time. Normally, I’ve had a pretty hard time getting it to pull its weight, the dice often find ways to punish the poor thing at every turn (and they almost did here at one point). This time around, however, with 9 kills to its name and the better part of the AC2, it was the clear star of the game for me. I like him as a partner for Sun Tze 2.0. They compliment one-another’s range bands well, and Sunny means you aren’t as immediately reliant on Krit for your engineering needs, and can instead downsize to the Monstrucker with little guilt instead.
The served as the master key that opened up all the little pathways necessary to complete the mission for the Blue Wolf, and then finished it when the Wolf couldn’t. It should be no surprise now that this guy is amazing. I don’t usually take him as a support piece, but he does that amazingly well too. At this point, it’s pretty easy to say that he’s my favourite trooper in the game.

Kudos to my opponent for the double Razor play, it really caught me off guard. When I adapt to his love of them by punishing one Razor, he brings the natural evolution of this strategy by bringing two. The only major failing there that without at least one hacking profile there, they failed to really threaten the Blue Wolf (not that he knew the Wolf was going to be there in the first place. Thanks, Sunny). He should have waited to advance the second Razor until after the Varangian’s run, instead of going back and forth, however. Since he doubled back after I reinforced the area around the AC2, he probably could have put those orders to better use in some other fashion.