Mr Resistance - Invasion day 1

Mr Resistance!

Hi all, firstly thanks to all my lovely opponents and everyone that turned up to make invasion 2016 an awesome weekend. I managed to play 4 people I have never played before, so that was cool, and I managed to avoid the second OB team, win win.

This is my first battle report, so have a read through tell me what you think. Feel free to leave me any constructive criticism in the comments, that will make these reports more enjoyable for me and for you. Happy reading. 

My list.

Game 1 - Military Complex

Rob Hutton - Resistance 

Being the first game of the day, I needed coffee to throw in my eyes and a decent match up to ease me into the tournament. Nope didn't happen, Rob certainly forced me to turn my brain on. Rob had an abundance of infantry. If memory serves me well he had a similar load-out of infantry with the exception of Robs Berserker infantry. Being a mission mainly of searching and fighting in combat I needed all the help I could get. 

Turn 1 - No Pathfinders. We both put infantry in our home buildings. My Battle Buses with the occupation Veterans went in, Lifthawk went around 13" towards the central buildings to my right. He had positioned Zhukovs to my left, so I had to keep the Lifthawk safe. Thunderstorm deployed to the opposite side to the Zhukovs but a bit more central. The Scout ATV's then picked on these AA veterans.

Turn 2 - No Pathfinders. No objectives found. Thunderstorm tried some urban renewal on the objective building closest to Robs home building before hiding himself behind a building. Robs infantry got in the central building. Vets lined the walls and was only in range to unload on the building he just entered. Freeriders went full speed to distract the tank line up of 2 Hannibals, 2 Zhukovs and an Alexander. My troops in Jacksons decided to avoid getting overpowered in the fight for the middle objective and went 2 squads for the right hand building and 1 to my home to back up the Veterans, in case it gets found. Scout ATV's followed their plan of annoying the Zhukovs 

Turn 3 - ONE Pathfinder GRRR, 1 objective found. Rob found his home objective and sent his Resistance Fighters for a home straight back to his edge. He had a squad of 4 Fighters and a squad of 4 Veterans. The Vets abandoned the structure and loaded up into the Kraken and proceeded forward to wreck havoc. (not good, squeaky bum time). All of his tanks pushed forward and started firing at the Freeriders, he hit a few times but managed to find a shit load of ones. This was the turn where Robs dice failed him as he couldn't wound anything. The Thunderstorm, Vets and Cyclones put holes in the central building but the falling masonry was fair to rob and spread it out evenly. My Cyclones also managed to get eyes on the objective carrying battle bus's and caused a wound. Scout ATV's continued there plan. Cyclones were now very close to the Zhukovs death range. My Pathfinder went for the Battle Bus and caused 2 wounds, only 1 left now. 

Turn 4 - 3 objectives found WTF!!!! Rob had found the central objective. Noooo, I'm 2 down!!!!!!. Lucky for me the Jacksons had to foot slog that objective off too. I had ripped the Jacksons Lifthawk turn 2 or 3 with a combined fire from 6 of my Gun Wagons. The tank line continued to push forward and rip holes in Gun Wagons and Freeriders, but also blocked the Vet's Kraken from advancing. My Cyclones then managed to devastate the Battle Bus. The troops inside survived. But now in the open with the objective. After this the turn took a swing in my favour as I then activated my Vets and found the objective, passing it off to the troops that came for back up that hadn't activated yet. The vets then fired from the windows as there were some opposing Gun Wagons within range. None survived... Sorry.... Not sorry. Insult to injury, I then activated the Resistance band. The 2 forward squads had found the objective. One squad stayed behind to use home made RPGs. Then all squads jumped intoJacksons and loaded into the lifthawk from all angles and made it there mission to go the long way home away from Zhukovs. 

Turn 5- yay last Pathfinder. I can't remember how but the other one died. I think a Zhukovs reaction fired it in turn 4. 2 missions this turn - kill the infantry in the open, stop the Jacksons getting the objective off. 

12 Machine gun shots from the Cyclones finished the infantry off, (they were wounded from falling masonry). The Barrage also wounded the Jackson. Objective in the open, Rob then activated Jacksons and repicks up the objective. Thunderstorm unloads on the Jackson and it's back in the open. Rob couldn't get anyone close, his Vet's Battle Bus didn't have enough move to get to the last objective. The last base of Freeriders then activated and grabbed it and got as far as they could. We were playing hot potato with this objective, it was so bloody complex.

Turn 6 - My Lifthawk pushed the boost button and flew off. The Freeriders rode off and passed the objective to the Scout ATV's who then gave to a Kraken which made it safely behind a building away from fire. I was about 7" from getting it off. I didn't deserve to. Rob used all the guns to try and stop me but it was too late. We both started looking at getting some kill points for the remainder of the turn.

Game result 5 - 0

With a +1 kill point Bonus.

Ending with a 16 - 4

Game 2 - Renamed recon+ (Search and destroy??)

Kris Pugh -Shaltari

I was not looking forward to playing against Shaltari. With Mega Mike and Zombiestate both shelving their deadly aliens and the shenanigans they bring, I was out of practice and a bit rusty. 

First of Kris had 2 Caimans and an Ocelot walking/driving from his table edge. My Thunderstormy didn't fancy getting pinned down by all that firepower, so I planned to keep him hidden as much as possible. 

What I did notice is that Kris was light on infantry he only had 3 squads, 1 being Firstborns. Yeah Shaltari can gate around and use all the gates to screw me over. My one mission, get in as many searches as I can. Regardless of Firstborns show up for a fight or not. Rip apart those gates ASAP!!, and stop those troops jumping about.

Turn 1- I got myself one Pathfinder, not a bad start. At least I have 6 battlegroups now. We had 9 buildings that we could search in, 3 a side and 3 in the middle. We both held our infantry for as long as possible and I send my Lifthawk to the left flank half speed and deployed 1 squad to the building in the left corner. Kris only had 2 Jaguars that was containing his only AA, so I knew I would be safe. I new I could get my Vets into 2 different buildings either side of road to the right too, they went straight in and off the hope the building will be standing by turn 2. Thunderstorm also headed right full speed to get cover from this building heavy side. Kris's Caimans made mincemeat of a Kraken full of Gun Wagons, luckily they survived the explosion. I tried a fly by with a lonely Pathfinder heading for a spirit and failed. Then forgetting that all the flying gates have that reaction storm shot. I managed to dodge the lot, I'll choose a better angle next time. Kris deployed his Gharial behind a central building, my Scout ATV's picked on him making it harder to hit. Kris deployed his Tomahawks to my left flank in a very tight formation. My Cyclones first target, skimmers with no bonus yes please. They flew on and did naughty things to the whole squad. Dreamsnare got deployed about 12" away from the Shaltari commander behind another building on the left flank. 

Turn 2 - I won activation and got my 2nd Pathfinder. Target those Spirits now, 1 failed the other got a success. Woohoo. Kris Caimans fired at the Vet's Kraken...... Dead!, and the building they were in. With our searches I found 2 x Intel and a Focal Point, okay wow Focal Points already. Kris followed by finding Intel a Bomb and a Focal Point. What the hell. Current stats 2 Kris 2 Joe and a FP each. I deploy my Jackson infantry into the 2 buildings forward to my left and picked up the Jackson that found the Focal Point. The Gharial hurt some of my troops but the Scout ATV's made it a bit more survivable. Dreamsnare decimated some my Freeriders going for the Gharial and Thunderstorm put some shots into a building to try and hurt some Braves. My falling masonry rolls were non exesitant for this whole turn. Kris send a squad of Braves and First borns into fight my Resi Fighters next turn, the other squad was held back by needing to hop through too many Gates. Cyclones put a wound on the Gharial.

Turn 3 - The Caimans and Ocelot fired at my Focal Point, then moved to get shots on the Thunderstorm next turn. I played the card that lets you put an E10 on a unit that moves near a Focal Point on the Gharial. Between that the Cyclones, Thunderstorm, and Vets the Shaltari boss was no more. A squad of Gun Wagons still with the Kraken got the drop on the last Spirit. My Pathfinders caused 2 wounds on the Caiman lining up for shots on my boss, 1 died on the way out. Intel was found in both forward buildings and the Firstborns used there supperior fighting skills in wiping out a squad with out taking any damage back. The other fight was 50/50. I had put the other squad of fighters in the Lifthawk into the Firstborn's building keeping me as the occupier. 

Current stats 4 Intel for me, 2 for Kris, and holding a Focal Point each. 

Turn 4 - Kris got his infantry into the last remaining building that we hadn't been in yet. Dreamsnare finished off the Freeriders throwing bombs around. 

Thunderstorm took some hits to the face then hit back on the Caiman staring at it in the face, Caiman was removed. A Jaguar also put some wounds on the Stormy leaving me with no boss too. My Gun Wagons without a transport annilated an Eden gate. The other Gun Wagons got picked on by the Dreamsnare and left over Jag.

The remaining Wagons fired at an Eden, failed and legged it back in the Kraken for safety and to get out of site. The Vets in Battle Bus also took some damage from the Caiman's many shots. I think I only had one squad left after this turn. Which piled into the building with Firstborns in. 

The combat that was 50/50 last turn had wiped each other out. Firstborns made small work of the remaining Resi Fighters, taking a wound or 2 back. My Pathfinder managed to kill off one of the Caimans that had been previously wounded.

Turn 5 - Kris searched and found a Focal Point. Not good for me as I was very light on the ground now the Thunderstorm was dead and the Vets were now occupied or dead. My Cyclones tried to fire missiles at a Dreamsnare which managed to pass passive saves all game. My Gun Wagons that went back, got in a firing position to take out some stray Edens that could potentially drop and Ocelot on my Focal Point. The Ocelot then finished off my Focal Point just in case the Edens couldn't get there. The Caimans fired at the empty Battle Bus and Jacksons. The Vets and Firstborns had a fair fight and both decided not to leave the battle after passing their Fortitude rolls. No turn 6 search for the Firstborns meant we had to concentrate on the Focal Points. For me I was at no chance of winning. Kris had 2 Havens, 2 Jags an Ocelot and a Caiman. I had 2 Gun Wagons, a Bus, and a 2 Jacksons.

Stats were now, 4 Intel me contesting 2 Focal point, Kris 2 Focal points and 2 Intel. Dead draw. 

Turn 6 - My Gun Wagons fired and killed the Eden floating about. I was too far away to contest any Focal Points.

Then Kris got his Caimans to pummel the building with one of the Focal Points in to deny me a point. At the time I though sounds weird but fair. Hold on s sec thinking back that would have made me -1 point him -2. I would have one Kris. I was really worried and with him now leaving the building on 1dp would I have been able to drop it. I don't think so though I had nothing left!!!!

Game result 6-6 

Ending with a 10-10 

Game 3 - Ground Control

Barry Weatherstone - Scourge

Last game of a very long day. Me and Barry were both feeling the strain on standing for the majority of the day. I must say I really enjoyed playing Barry and I'm glad that I met him, talking about all sorts not just gaming. Him and the rest of the Balham/Clapham war gamers seemed like a good bunch. Scourge unluckily though have a tough game against Resistance as they dont have that many multiple shot guns. What they do have is supperior combat abilities, which being a ground control mission I could easily avoid for most part of the game.

I would have to stop or slow his expensive Exotic infantry down. Or destroy the buildings they would be heading for. 

In this sort of scoring game. I tend to send my entire Resistance Band to one flank and the Vets to another. That's a good amount of points to get those quarters well on its way. Thunderstorm in this game was going to head for the middle ground as there was a large building providing cover across the board for both army's 

Turn 1 - No Pathfinders. I had directly deployed the Thunderstorm so I activated that unit first to not give any strategies away. I don't know why I didn't give Barry the first activation, I'm guessing i was tired. I left all of my Gun Wagon's in their Krakens as there was going to be no valid targets, most intruders parked mid table. I sent my Resistance Band on the normal route and put them on my left flank as close behind a tall building and as far away from Barry's Reapers that deployed mid table also. My Cyclones had a pot shot on the Reapers and failed. My Vets went for the right flank. I send my Thunderstorm and Freeriders on a course to intercept these Reapers which were going to threaten my Cyclones in the forthcoming turns. Barry responded by launching a squad of 8 prowlers right on my battleline, ready to deploy and make those little critters attack the Thunderstorm Custom. Barry kept his Oppressor in its transport to my right flank. Barry had warrior squads in Invaders within a Marauder. He kept them behind what you could call his home building in his deployment area. Barry was a little unsure what to do with his infantry, but that was a solid plan so far. Some like to leave the infantry off the table. I like to slowly move them around hinding just incase you need them. All the dropship guns are good against Freeriders and Medusas. He kept his Stalkers in the Harbinger, that went for the left flank. Prime position to shoot the my commander.

Turn 2 - Barrys Corsair came out of reserve and I got 1 Pathfinder, at least we both now had 6 battlegroups. He deployed his Prowlers which spread out as the far as he could, knowing that the Cyclones would soon be upon them. I respectfully activated the Cyclones and Gun Wagons squad. Gun Wagons first managing to sneak a couple of shots on 2 Intruders. Little did I know these were containing a squad of Eviserators and Destroyers. Both Intruders took wounds but the squads landed saftely. The Cyclones then decided to use the Barrage weapon on those squads. I hit 2 bases and took a wound or 2 off each. Barry deployed his Stalkers to be within shooting range of these Gun Wagons. Barry deployed his Warriors in a building in his quarter. MyThhunderstorm took out a couple of Prowlers along with a Kraken taking out another, I was hoping to be in range of the Stalkers. My second squad of Gun Wagons leaped around the central building and unleashed a hail of bullets at a Marauder and it was no more. My Vets moved up the right flank to try and secure a firing position. The Oppressor deployed and lined up some lovely shots for next turn on the Gun Wagons that fired at the Marauder. My lifthawk poked its nose out and shot at a Prowler and the Destroyers in the open.... Failed miserably. Eviserators and Destroyers occupied the large building in the centre of the battlefield but in the right hand quarter control zone. Corsair and the Pathfinder played cat and mouse with intercepting and failed to succeed.

Turn 3 - 2nd Pathfinder was now out of reserve. Cyclones went first and took out all but 1 remaining Prowler. Their rockets shot at a building containing the Warrior troops. A few host occupied men then died. Barrys Reapers and Stalkers moved closer to my Thunderstorm, killing 2 Gun Wagons. Mr Stormy then took out 2 Reapers and a 1 Stalker (they insulted its skimmer bonus and obviously needed a telling off). The Oppressor made small work of the Gun Wagons it was in range of. My Vets felt the need to get some revenge and caused 2 wounds back. The Freeriders were out of range, sad face. Barry abandoned the structure with the Warriors and hid in the Invaders. Pathfinders activated and a Corsair annilated one before it even had a look at its target. The other failed horribly. I didn't mind as most of the infantry was static now. The Harbinger dropped poo bombs on the Freeriders. The lonely Prowler got onboard my commander and started ripping holes in it. 

Turn 4 -Barry healed the Oppressor and failed to finished off the Veterans firing out of the Battle Buses. He did however blow them out of one of the Buses.

The Freeriders helped by blocking its path to move forward. The Vets then took another wound off the  Scourge commander. My Krakens took aim on the Prowler and failed. My Thunderstorm shot at the Prowler, Stalker and the building with the Destroyers in. The Prowler died but we forgot to remove it so it stayed the course of the battle riding around on my Stormy. The Stalker also followed the same fate. The Pathfinder, Corsair and remaining dropships failed to do anything worth remembering.

Turn 5 - I got activation and went straight for the Vets. All hits, 3 wounds and the Oppressor was no more. Barry was a bit stuck at this point as the 2 previous turns had not been to kind to him. He put his Warriors back in the same building, and moved the lonesome Reaper to the quarter the Oppressor was once in. My Thunderstorm nailed all four shots on the building with the Destroyers 

in and failed to wound any with failing masonry. All the Intruders started pummelling the remaining Gun Wagons. Everything that I had left was targeting the same large building with the Destroyers and Eviserators. That building had to die because it was giving Barry over 300 points toward a victory in that sector. I sent my Lifthawk full speed to be within deployment range of Barrys home quarter. 

Turn 6 - Thunderstorm activated first and pummelled the last building leaving 3 points left. It then made its way into my left flank. Barry then made a mistake a didn't get the Exotic infantry out of the building or it was just how the activations went. I'm not even sure what he moved now. I think he moved his Harbingers to each quarter to contest. I then used the only models I had left which was a Gun Wagon that the Stalkers failed to kill and its Kraken. The Kraken did double damage and the Gun Wagon found a 5+ on the last to wound roll that I could have ever made to hurt that building. We moved some stuff to contest and the game was done. 

I had 3 quarters and 1 contesting so 7 points.

Barry had 1 quarter and 2 contested so 4 points.

Game result 7- 4

With a 3+ kill point bonus

Ending with a 16 - 4 

Barry during this game asked that end of the game to give him some feedback. Thinking back maybe the Prowlers were activated too early. And maybe he didn't utilise the Minders he had, they didn't really do anything in the game, I did take out the Intruders to slow them down very early though. 

I finished the day on 42 points.

Team ob and the swedes (apparently not including Erik) went for a light refreshment at the bar underneath the venue to talk over all our heroic moments. 

The battle report for day 2 will be up soon. 

Thanks for reading.

Joe - aka Skullsword!!