Game #10: Rebelstar Raiders
VIII. Charge!
As you discussed, I went all in with a general charge...
... except MK, who said he moved to the elevator.
... and except Operator Lynx, because climbing the ramp is movement point intensive and he would not have had the time to shoot.
But Andnjord definitely charges, and shoots twice at the technician, killing him
And Hyme, along with Captain Grimlock, charge and kill one of the guards
And Sir Duncan and KarbonKitty follow around.
It will not surprise you if I tell you that immediately after that, Andnjord is killed by the remaining guard. That guard then moves next to Operative Lynx... and misses at point-blank range, because that's what happens when you shoot with one MP left.
The other guard shoots at Hyme and kills him, and no one cares because he was inactive. The robot shoots at Captain and misses. Twice.
That's 5 of you against 2 guards and a robot. Then against 3 robots. Then against 1 technician and a robot.
What do you do?
I go one tile to the right, assuming Lynx vacates it, and shoot the guard as many times as I can. If that guard is dead by the time I can shoot, I go to the middle, take a couple of shots at the guy above him, and then go one south to the ramp.
I suggest the rest of you, in order, go after the second guard, then the robot. Me and Lynx should definitely take out the lower guard at the very least. And make sure you don't get killed by each other or the robot straight above Captain.
west and shoot, west and shoot!!!
Who the hell built this ramp? How hard can it be to build it properly? (This game really seems to be incompatible with my plans)
So not the best possible outcome of the charge, but not the worst either. And it leaves us in a rather promising position.
I should go first and I move two steps to the right so that I leave MK some room to move and if I recall correctly it only takes one MP to move on an escalator to the right. Now I have three enemies along that 45 degree line and take as many shots along that line as possible (finally being able to shoot something, I hope).
With our combined fire we should at least be able to take out those two guards. And Captain should move one step to the left before firing so that those three robots don't have a line of sight on him.
What happens if, Heavens forbid, we get slaughtered? I mean, I'm already dead and I presume in the case of unlikely victory the cloning vats are hot, but I'm curious what's the Game Master's plan in case of wipeout.
I don't know yet, to be honest.
Just pending @karbonkitty
Putting us in control of the mission and then not having a plan for if we fail feels like optimism verging on delusion.
Well, at least now I know why they call those missions 'meat-grinder'...
One step north and then shoot the robot. And pray, I guess?
Edit: also, we were supposed to win? 😉
IX. Perfect executions
Playing the players in order:
- MK waits for Operative Lynx to move, so skipped now.
- Sir Duncan wants to move West and shoot. I move him South-West so he has an angle... and he one-shoots one of the guards.
- Operative Lynx moves two steps left, shoots & kills the second guard.
- I can now move MK... but his orders were to kill whichever guard survived. With no guard to kill, I skip again
- Karbon moves up and shoot the robot twice, hitting every time... but the robot survives!
- I then move Captain in front of Karbon to make sure I don't lose an active player. He has one MP left after this movement, so he does what's effectively a hip shoot... and destroys the robot!
- With nothing better to do, I take the liberty to move MK out of the blue area, since whatever he chooses to do I will go through this tile.
The last defenders fortify and wait for you.
Hey, you may win this after all!
What do you do?
move nw following the others
Ok, it takes three shots with a laser gun to destroy one robot, and since we have no grenades, it seems that the only tactic available to us is exchanging pawns (if chess terminology is allowed here).
What I propose, since that trap in the north might be too deadly, is that we form a line in that long east-west corridor just like cattle on their way to a slaughter house and keep moving towards that robot-technician pair.
I'll assume that Captain would like to lead by example and be the point man in the line and the first one to exchange fire with the enemy. MK as our only photon gunner should probably take the second position in the line. The idea being that Captain stays alive long enough so that we get close enough to the robot for you to pepper it with photons after Captain has fulfilled his role as a sacrificial lamb.
The rest of us would take positions in the line based on how fast we can move there, of course making sure that we don't end our movement in place which would give those robots in the north a free shooting opportunity. All this movement would most likely take our next two turns.
Acceptable?
I think we should hang back and set up an ambush. One of us stands one tile left of where the Captain is now, and the rest of us stay put in safe positions around it, wait for an enemy to approach, and then strike him all at once. This should allow us to take a few out with a minimal amount of loss. But I'll agree to the decision of the hivemind since either tactic only works if we all agree to it.
The first robot you destroyed was down in 2 shots. I think it is 2-3 shots, more at range.
For the record, the robots are not waiting to try to get you - so no ambush @morpheus-kitami . The "battle" ends after 24 turns, which is more than enough in normal circumstances but prevents the attackers from, you know, not attacking.
Pending @karbonkitty and @captaingrimlock if he wants to come back.
Derp, this battle stuff sure moves fast once you're in the thick of it!
Happy to form the conga line in the east-west corridor (I should've chosen grenades instead of complaining that we can't blow ourselves a shortcut, shouldn't I?). With my good gunnery results so far, I can go right after Morpheus and hopefully still survive.
Those two robots in the werid room north seem like less of an issue, luckily.
X. Intermission
Not much to say. I am preparing the conga line, leaving a hole to avoid sideshots:
The order will be :
- Captain
- MK
- KarbonKitty
- Sir Duncan
- Operative Lynx
Except if you disagree before tomorrow evening.
Given the lack of tactical options, I will play the turns until the situation changes.
I'm kind of afraid to ask, but: why is the green guy inverted? Or is it just the artifact of cursor position?
Having blown up two enemies I can die peacefully, secure in the knowledge of my tactical genius.
Good luck to the conga liners, glory to the last man alive.
Quote from KarbonKitty on 4 December 2023, 20h29I'm kind of afraid to ask, but: why is the green guy inverted? Or is it just the artifact of cursor position?
Yes, that's simply the pointer being a "colour-inverter", as is typical on Spectrum.
XI. Conga Line
So... everyone goes onboard the Conga line, a word I learned thanks to y'all.
The robot passes the corner and shoots, killing Captain as expected.
Because it has so few MPs, it ends its movement there. Morpheus gets close and shoots:
The conga line resumes, and the defenders reposition themselves:
What do you do?
For the record, MK does not have enough MPs to run to small rooms above him AND shoot.
The first calculation was accurate and Morpheus still has full endurance. Since we need to keep the line moving until music stops, the next calculation will be whether you like to be shot at by robot or by technician. For us to gain the upper hand depends on that, if you get hit, you would only be wounded, not killed. Tough decision to make...