James and I met up at the Portland Game Store for game two with Tohaa! Had a real rough time coming up with a sane list for Highly Classified. Tohaa doesn’t really have a problem getting flexible specialists on the table with good order efficiency–I just had trouble doing it in a way that made sense to me and retained some semblance of board control as well as letting me try out new toys.

I’m definitely thrashing about trying to figure out the faction to get a sense for how how much board control I need as well as how reliable things are. Tohaa deployment is also more complicated than I’m used to, with multiple interlocking fireteams and so on. TLDR: I’m enjoying Tohaa but they’re quite confusing still.

Overview

Mission : Highly Classified (Hard, Extreme) Experimental Drug HVT: Designation Mapping Telemetry

: Highly Classified (Hard, Extreme) Forces : Tohaa versus Yu Jing (300)

: versus (300) Deploy First : Yu Jing

: First Turn: Yu Jing

Highly Classified? GROUP 1 | 10 2 SUKEUL Lieutenant (Forward Observer) K1 Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0 | 32)

DRAAL Submachine Gun, Pulzar, D-Charges, Dazer / Viral Pistol, Knife. (0 | 30)

SUKEUL Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Breaker Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 36)

KUMOTAIL Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 22)

MAKAUL Heavy Flamethrower, Eclipse Grenades / Pistol, Viral CCW. (0 | 13)

MAKAUL Heavy Flamethrower, Eclipse Grenades / Pistol, Viral CCW. (0 | 13)

KAELTAR (Chain of Command) Light Shotgun, Flash Pulse + 2 SymbioMates / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 21)

KAELTAR Light Shotgun, Flash Pulse + 2 SymbioBombs / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 15)

HATAIL AELIS KEESAN Viral Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Flash Pulse, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 30)

KOTAIL (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, E/M Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 33)

GROUP 2 | 2 3 LIBERTO (Minelayer) Light Shotgun, Chain-colt, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 10)

CHAKSA AUXILIAR (Baggage, Sensor) Heavy Flamethrower / Pistol, CCW. (0 | 10)

KAAURI Sentinel Submachine Gun, 2 Nanopulsers, Nullifier / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 12)

DIPLOMATIC DELEGATE (iKohl L1, Specialist Operative) Nanopulser, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 5)

JÄGER Submachine Gun + E/Mitter / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0.5 | 18)

3.5 SWC | 300 Points | Open in Infinity Army

I ended up with some pretty weird Triads thanks to my weird deployment. Long story short though, I just grabbed a bunch of specialists and and the usual Tohaa stuff. I really wanted to try the Kotail Forward Observer because of all his cool toys too, so that’s why he’s there. The Draal seems like a really good idea too.

Yu Jing DĀOYĪNG Lieutenant L2 Hacker (Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun / Breaker Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 29)

GŬILÁNG (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 27)

NINJA Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Tactical Bow / Pistol, DA CCW, Knife. (0 | 29)

HAC TAO Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) MULTI Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 67)

TAI SHENG (Chain of Command) Mk12, Chain-colt, Stun Grenades / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (0 | 49)

CELESTIAL GUARD (Kuang Shi Control Device) Combi Rifle + Light Smoke Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 13)

KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 5)

TIGER SOLDIER Spitfire / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 32)

MAJOR LUNAH Viral Sniper / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 29)

RUI SHI Spitfire / Electric Pulse. (1 | 20)

10 1 | 5 SWC | 300 Points | Open in Infinity Army

James went all in on hacking and forward observing for his highly classified list. It’s a pretty decent list, but has no doctor/engineer. Good thing we there were plenty of forward observer classifieds in the mix.

Deployment

I won the roll off, and there was a pretty clearly superior side from the standpoint of HVT deployment, so I chose that one and made James deploy first. He deployed pretty lightly on his right side, with just his Daoying, Ninja KHD, and Celestial Guard Kuang Shi Controller over there. Most of his heavy hitters were on the left, including the Hac Tao. Lunah was his reserve.

I had planned on putting my HVT on the left the whole time, that’s why I chose the table side. I didn’t know what kind of Ninja that was over there. Worst case it was a AHD Ninja, which meant that James could get two of the classifieds just dumping orders into it. I had to set up so he couldn’t do that, so I perhaps over-invested there by putting the Draal, the Libertos, and the Kaauri over there.

After getting shot up by an HMG within 24″ last game against Adam, I wanted to give the Sukeul some longer rangebands and put her on a roof all the way on the left of my deployment zone. The Comanche Barracks would make it quite difficult for something to catch her within 24″, and I wasn’t terribly concerned about the Ninja making a move with all the mines and stuff there.

I figured the easiest way to the center to access James’s HVT was along the left board edge (this was before Lunah was a thing) so I stacked up both the Sukeul and the Kotail FOs there. Since the Draal and both Sukeuls were sort of in the right position already, I made them a triad.

The middle of my DZ and the right side were pretty unguarded, so I protected my right flank with the two Makaul and then grouped them with the Kumotail, figuring they could shuttle her around with smoke… I wasn’t really thinking in great detail about what the best plan was here.

I also put a Chaksa nearby guarding the Makaul’s right flank, then put down Aelis Keesan and her Kaeltar Triad on the right. Not really sure what the point of all that was, just that I wanted something over there. I did a reasonable job of covering things against AD on the left, but not so much on the right, where I started to have less heavy flamethrower templates…

In any case, I think having the Makaul in the same triad was a bit of a waste… I really could’ve used eclipse smoke for the Sukeul FO, for example. Ah well. I’m less likely to make that mistake in the future.

I put a Bomb on the Draal, a Bomb+Mate on the Kotail, and a Mate on the Sukeul ML. I was so focused on getting deployment sorted that I didn’t even really bother keeping a reserve on the table. I think I should’ve held the Sukeul, but the stupid Mates/Bombs issue prevents that…. Honestly it may be fine to do it… who knows. Lunah came down out of reserve from James looking at the Sukeul.

Turn 1

Top of 1 – Yu Jing

First thing that happens is Lunah Marksmanship LX’s the Sukeul. I didn’t run all the numbers ahead of time, and we were outside of 40″, which put me on 1s. Gross.

I think Lunah whiffed her first shot by rolling a 20, so James tries again. I roll on 4s this time, and get two 3’s. James rolls a 5. Sigh. I lose a wound and the ‘Mate, sadly.

My deployment troubles extended to not covering the right board edge with an ARO, so James walks on a Tiger Soldier. I manage to fail something like 6 change face rolls over next three orders. Not lose the face to face, just outright fail. Bah.

I lose the first Kaeltar to the Spitfire, and then the Tiger Soldier goes after both Aelis Keesan and the Tohaa Diplomatic Delegate.

James is sure he’s out of Nanopulsar range, but I disagree, so I declare Nanopulsar with Keesan and flash pulse with the Delegate. Everyone fails ARM/BTS except for the Tiger Soldier. Sigh.

James retreats the Tiger Soldier into the building after taking out the last Kaeltar, the Chaksa, and getting smoked out by the Makaul. Tai Sheng does some forward observing of James’s HVT with NCO orders, then James passes turn.

Bottom of 1 – Tohaa

Fair bit of damage to my order pool, but there are two unconscious models still left on the table–the Delegate and the Chaksa. I break the Kumotail’s Triad to get some “free” smokes out of the Makauls as they run towards the Tiger Soldier, then reform the Triad to drag the Kumotail after them.

Of course, I roll a 15 to pick up the Chaksa, but manage to get the Delegate back up. I try to get a Makaul killed by running into base to base with the Tiger Soldier. James obliges by shooting me with a pistol. I double flamethrower the Tiger Soldier off the table, but pass the ARM roll against the pistol. I’ve never wanted to fail an ARM roll more!

I’ve got two orders to spend on the Libertos, so I discover the Ninja KHD (thanks, WIP bonus within 8″) and shotgun crit it unconscious.

I debate taking another shot at Lunah with the Sukeul ML, but decide not to. Instead, I use the Sukeul FO to forward observe my own HVT to get started on the HVT: Designation classified. It takes an order or two but I get it done.

Turn 2

Top of 2 – Yu Jing

James reveals his Hac Tao and starts pushing it up the board with a bunch of coordinated orders. This lets him advance his Guilang, Kuang Shi, and Tai Sheng. The Guilang plants two mines covering the approach to his HVT, and then the Hac Tao makes it into view of the Draal.

I figure James has enough orders to make an FO play on my HVT this turn, so I try to drop a Nimbus Zone on it with my SymbioBomb. I figure I can buy the most time with this tactic… but whiff the WIP roll. Come on, really? I thought I was being clever, especially since had I delayed against the Hac Tao’s camo marker James could’ve moved behind the Draal. I could’ve used StratusCloud, but that dies with the Draal, I’m guessing? The Nimbus zone seemed better… I dunno.

BS 17 is enough to kill pretty much anything, so I lose the Draal. Thankfully, it’s only unconscious, so I can walk a Cube Jager on later…

The Hac Tao takes out my Kumotail as part of a coordinated order with a Kuang Shi, but fails to take out my Diplomatic Delegate, who Nanopulsars the Kuang Shi. James was hoping for a shock explosion but he was too far.

The Hac Tao keeps gunning for stuff and takes on the Kotail. Unfortunately, I’d be on -12 to E/M grenade him so I opt to dodge instead. I take a wound and fail guts right around the corner. Of course, I neglected to check LoF before and Lunah takes a shot. I tank both BTS saves and fail guts back into view of the Hac Tao, but fortunately James is out of orders except for NCO orders, which he uses to throw Tai Sheng into suppression.

Bottom of 2 – Tohaa

I try to flash pulse the Hac Tao with the Delegate, but get shot in the face instead. Sigh. At least James used DA so I can attempt to pick her up again.

Lunah is looking at a good deal of the board, but after a bunch of poking around and looking at stuff, I find an approach that will let me get my Sukeul Lt forward and doing stuff. I use the first order to try and take out the Hac Tao, but I get crit in the face.

The Sukeul FO gets in place by crawling forward after skirting around the Comanche Barracks. While I’ve avoided Lunah, James informs me that Tai Sheng can see through a silver, so I forward observe Tai Sheng against his flash pulse, snagging Telemetry for free. I then scoot out of LoF and land two K1 combi hits… but Tai Sheng passes both ARM saves.

I tuck into cover and FO the HVT to get HVT: Designation. I don’t have any more orders left, especially after moving the Kaauri into the first group. I settle for dashing the Libertos down the stairs to body-block my HVT from getting observed.

Turn 3

Top of 3 – Yu Jing

James spends two orders trying to take out my Sukeul Lt with his Guilang and ends up getting breaker pistoled in the face.

I try to isolate the Hac Tao as it runs away from the Kotail, but it’s pretty hard to win that face to face and I lose the Kotail.

James sets himself up to FO the HVT by gunning down the Libertos, grabbing Mapping on the way.

Then, he dumps the rest of his order pool into getting Tai Sheng in position to get HVT: Designation.

Bottom of 3 – Tohaa

I try to pick up the Delegate again, this time with a Cube Jager, but fail. There goes my ability to get Experimental Drug.

I have just enough orders to attempt to get Mapping with the Sukeul FO, but lose a face to face with Lunah and die.

4-4 Tie.

Post Game Analysis

Well, I failed some critical doctor/paramedic rolls, which sucked. I also failed to pair up the Sukeul FO and the Makaul, which cost me the game. I’ve been getting a lot of ties and losses lately, which could be attributed to trying new things, but I’m also feeling a bit out of practice.

In any case, I think there are some clear takeaways from this game. One, I needed to be better about covering my DZ against AD troops. I was pretty pleased with my recovery and my proper prioritization of the objectives though. Two, I definitely need to work on my Triad composition. It takes some forethought in placement and movement, I think.

Three, I was severely undergunned. Everything in my list sans the ML was rifle rangebands or worse. I was getting around that with Makaul, but… yeah. It’s possible to get around this problem, I didn’t execute properly.

I am, however, enjoying Tohaa immensely. I am eyeing Hac Tao jealously though. I will have to try them when I return to Yu Jing. I think I did enough to slow James down, but didn’t have my stuff in the right place to take home the win.