Across the tundra, in an alternate what if? universe, the Newtype spec Gundam Alex is mobilized with a test pilot and a squad of GM Cold Districts on an interdiction mission to stop Zeon forces from attacking the arctic base.
Continue past the break to read the battle report using the VER10 draft rules.
Armies
Commander Gundam Alex (Amuro version without any traits) = 750-350 = 400pts
5x GM Cold Districts with Heavy Shields. 3 of which are Battle-Tested Pilots. = 120×5 = 600pts
VS
2x Gyan (M’Quve version without traits) = 2x150pts = 300
1 Gyan is the Commander, a Skilled Pilot with the new Fighting Spirit trait as well as the Melee Expert upgrade +50pts
3x Doms = 3×130 = 390pts
2x Dom Tropen Frosten both as Battle Tested Pilots= 2×130 = 260pts
Round 1
This is a smaller map and we elected to only put one control point in each players deployment zone, with the other 3 (the mountain being the 3rd) in no-man’s land. Both players put their squads onto the control point and rolled off.
A GM Cold Distrct went up first and capped the 1st Control Point. From there the Dom Tropens began a campaign of pushing forward, shooting then accelerating away behind cover. The Flash skill is used to keep the GM alive from this assault. The Gyan Commander pushes up and skips a Momentum shift to instead gain HP above his maximum using the Fighting Spirit trait. Meanwhile, Alex and the other Battle-Tested GM’s move forward and support their comrade.
On the other half of the battlefield, the remaining Gyan and Doms are moving in a flanking maneuver, while the last 2 GM Cold Districts take the high ground and cross a bridge heading towards the center mountainous control point.
Round 2
The Dom Tropens continue their winning tactic, one of the GM Cold districts gets blown away by a raketen bazooka. Another GM and Alex press foward and use support attack on the Dom Tropens but to no avail. A 3rd GM on the high ground sprays its machine gun with support attack but due to some poor rolls fails to bring down any Doms.
The flanking Dom’s accelerate and one manages to catch a GM by surprise blowing it up from behind. Another manages to just barely capture the home base control point for the Federation.
Round 3
Alex pushes forward and finally takes out one Dom and wounds another. The Gyan Commander, wishing he had gone first to challenge Alex, has a hard time tangling with Alex in melee. The remaining Doms and second Gyan continue their flanking attack on the remaining GMs.
Round 4
Surprising everyone that the Federation lasted this long, Alex puts up a worthy fight, with the help of the new Trust order they survived longer than expected, but the pincer attack from two Gyan’s was simply too much to handle for this pilot in an unfamiliar machine.
Rematch Game
The next day the players had a rematch, the Zeon forces gained 2x Gyan Cannons (300pts) while the Federation took a battle-tested GM Sniper II (250pts) with a +50pt Marksman upgrade, and removed battle-tested from one of the GMs.
With the same setup the players played very different strategies. The Federation was up first and the GM Sniper II attempted a kill shot on the enemy commander and succeeded in forcing a Flash Skill for [M-3]. The Gyan pushed forward and used its Fighting Spirit ability to recover HP.
The Federation was smart this time and used Alex’s superior defenses to be the point main in this operation. The Zeon player enacted operation Dom firing squad, having every single Dom get to range ~20″ and blast away at Alex, who proved incredibly durable, avoiding almost all hits, until finally the Gyan Cannons started pulverizing them. Also some cover was blown up due to all the bazooka rounds.
Thankfully the new Trust order helped buoy Alex’s HP. Meanwhile the GM Cold Districts took the high ground ready to ward off a flanking attack.
Round 2
Dom tropen is up first, blasts away the hides behind cover.
Alex is up next, pushes forward and uses its support attack bonus from the GMs to blast away with its beam rifle and gatling guns, thanks to the Zeal skill it was able to kill not one but two Doms. AND, used the Rout skill completely emptying the enemies Momentum pool.
The other Dom tropen keeps firing and hides behind cover. One of the GMs uses Zeal, takes the high ground and control point and rains bullets down on a Dom for a Finishing Blow.
The Gyan cannons keep hammering on Alex just barely destroying it. The ensuring Rout check was a disaster. The GM Sniper II kills off a Gyan Cannon to avenge his comrade.
The Gyan Commander then swoops in, beam sabers one GM then uses Zeal to land 11 Hits and a Finishing Blow with it’s needle missiles killing a second GM.
Sadly, not featured here but 2 GMs had taken the high ground and were raining lead down on the Dom’s below. One of the Dom’s fired back, missed on every single attack dice and then the GM Cold on high ground countered and turned it into swiss cheese.
Fortunately our superstar Zeon player did capture a photo of the 2nd Gyan triumphantly ascending to the highground with the last turn of the Round and using Zeal to annihilate those GMs.
Round 3
It was Round 3 already and things were looking grim. But the Federation fought to the last man. The sole surviving GM Cold District emptied its clip into the Gyan Commander killing it. It then used Zeal to move over, kill off a Dom trop with its gun and try to skewer the other with its beam saber, but thanks to an amazing roll the Dom parried it with its head saber.
The Dom retaliated and killed off the GM. The GM Sniper II our lone survivor picked off the last Gyan Cannon, and attempted to use Zeal to finish off the 2nd Gyan but was unable to finish the job.
Round 4&5
The GM Sniper II held out till Round 5, it blocked a Dom tropens charge, and killed it with its beam saber. Once again it grabbed its rifle from the snow and took a parting shot at the lone Gyan, but alas, the enemy Momentum was surging thanks to all their control points.
Game 2 Victory Points
Federation = 37VP
- Gyan Skilled Pilot = 14VP
- Melee Expert upgrade +2VP
- Commander Round 3 = 3VP
- Dom x2 = 2×6 = 12VP
- Dom Tropen x2 = 2×8 = 16VP
- Lost a critical machine -5VP
- Unacceptable casualties -5VP
Zeon = 52VP
- Gundam Alex = 29 – 10(Ace) – 2(White Devil) -6(Master of Mobile Suits) = 11VP
- Commander Round 2 = +2 VP
- GM Cold x5 = 5×4 = 20VP
- Battle Tested x2 = 2×2 = +4VP
- GM Sniper II = 17VP – (ace to skilled is -4VP) = 13VP
- Marksman upgrade +2VP
After Action Report
Federation Player
I got out played in the first game. At first I wasn’t really that worried since the GM Cold Districts are pretty fast and they are noted Dom killer, but with the HP overhaul recently I realized my machine guns even with Finishing Blow were not as dangerous as they used to be to the Dom’s thick armor.
The first game had me concentrate too many of my forces on one flank and let the Dom armada sweep from behind and annhilate me. I also played hit and run, which the Dom’s are better that. Or I should say, their bazookas perform well at long range while Machine Guns really shine when you get closer.
In the 2nd game I learned from those mistakes and had Alex (and their great defenses!) lead from the front taking most of the heat and had my GMs support while also keeping my fields of fire open on the left side of the battle. I still lost but it felt like a much better battle.
Zeon Player
Wow that first game was awesome! Usually my opponent does a great job of holding the line and preventing my advances, but in this case they put all their firepower on one side which let me sweep unopposed on the opposite side of the battle. I wasn’t even worried about attacks at that point, just the fact that I could capture those Control Points and steal Momentum is what cinched it for me.
2nd Game was a tough one, I tried a bit of the same strategy but my opponent is wise to it now. They fended me off pretty well, and Alex was a tough nut to crack. But fortunately I learned from the first game that if I can keep my Gyan’s away from the firefight and hide until it’s time for GLORIOUS MELEE COMBAT then I am golden.
I enjoyed using Battle-Tested Pilots, they’re a bit cheaper for VP and still have a nice upgrade bonus, and it made for a fun grunt vs grunt battle. Especially since we were playing with the Alex rules that no one besides Amuro could benefit from pilot traits in it. Overall I had a lot of fun!
Thanks for reading!
MechaStellar 