Durgama Takeover

Achilles stretched and flexed, briefly distracted by his own flowing golden locks. Despite the Shogun's dreary intransigence, Aleph were still committed to supporting the fledgling Japanese state, and Achilles was here on the outskirts of the Japanese secret research facility ready to hunt down the Yu Jing infiltrators. God it was tedious work. You couldn't tie your bootlaces on the Durgama Peninsula without tripping over one secret research station or another, and getting between the various acrimonious factions of the Human Sphere was getting old. He longed for a straightforward tussle with some Morats. Glaring at his reflection in his sword, Achilles could see that the humid jungle air was causing havoc with his complexion. Was that a spot?! The other Homeriads would have a field day. Fuming, he set out looking for something to kill.

My opponent was happy to play our match at Gekidan but wasn't enthusiastic about Power Pack. He chose Looting and Sabotaging instead, and we played with the Gekidan special rules Amplifier and Emerald Jungle in effect. He won the WIP roll and elected to deploy second. I chose to go first. I set up with Andromeda infiltrating deeply down my right flank, an Ekdromos in the Sky, Achilles and Machaon ready to move to support Andromeda. I was expecting drop troops, and the Shukra , Mk2 Hacker, and Mk1 Engineer set up in defensive positions to respond to combat jumpers. Lamedh, HRL Mk4, and Zayin set up as ARO pieces. My opponent put down a lot of camo markers in response, including two S3s that had to be Long Ya in ARO, and a Neurocinetics YanHuo Missile Launcher in support. It looked like a lot to walk into onto a relatively light table!

The Yu Jing line looked pretty hard to break. I decided to chance a combat jump with the Ekdromos. Success! He landed in a blind spot behind the defences, and over a few orders worked his way round destroying a Pangguling, a Zhanshi Gongsheng, and discover and destroy a Long Ya. This began to clear a path for Andromeda to move towards the AC2, but first there was a pesky camo marker that needed dealing with. Achilles moved to try and discover, but at this point I found that the Yan Huo had direct sight to him as soon as he moved out. In retrospect I should have thrown Eclipse with Machaon, but instead I tried to dodge Achilles away, and he took 2 wounds for his troubles. I ended the turn with Andromeda still threatened by the adjacent camo marker.

Yu Jing turn 1; several orders down with an Ekdromos in his lines. He moved a duo fireteam of an AP HMG Shang Ji and a Pheasnat Rank Imperial Agent Killer Hacker sequentially back across his line, killing in turn the Zayin and the Mk4 HRL, though taking a wound in the process. He finished in a position to try and finish off Achilles, but the one hit that got past Achilles' dodge was saved and Achilles' went to ground with his guts check. With final orders, the camo marker next to Andromeda mannered and revealed as a Beast Hunter, but Andromeda successfully dodged the flamethrower coming at her.

My turn started with Machaon doing what I should have done the round before; eclipse went down to manoeuvre past the Neurocentic Missile Launcher overlooking them. Machaon reached Achilles and healed him up a wound. Achilles then stood up and in turn slew the troublesome Beast Hunter and then the Shang Ji. The Ekdromos came down the rear steps to engage the Pheasant Agent behind the Shang Ji, driving him back. Andromeda pounced on the now clear path around the rear of the board, dodging a couple of mines and then engaging the Pheasnt agent with a doggo-delivered D-Charge. Boom. The Ekdromos finished up the turn by sneaking into engagement with the AC2.

Yu Jing second turn; not many order left at this point. In an all or nothing gambit, a camo marker that turned out in due course to be a D-charge equipped Daofei crossed to my AC2 from the midline. A staring contest between the Daofei and my Mk2 Hacker, both in camo state, ended when the DFaofei made in to my AC2 and attempted to plant a D-charge. The AC2 zapped him, and my hacker promptly Carbonited him.

My turn 3; the Ekdromos punches the AC2 unsuccessful before I realise that moving Andromeda in to finish it would be better. She promptly destroys it with another dog-mounted D-charge. Machaon throws Eclipse, and Achilles raids a panoply. My opponent and I shake hands here; neither of us can achieve our Classified, and he is unable to score any points with his remaining orders.

End score 9-0. Achilles can look the other Homeriad in the eyes again.