Force Agenda - Auton Assault

Having played around and designed some force lists for the classic sci-fi stereotypes, I wanted to try out my 'Auton' machines list. To make them appropriate, I adjusted their activation sequence slightly, with some level of player control, and some level of programming dictating their actions. Enemy responses have been considered into the robotic attacks, with only black damage dice being used. After all, every biologically based lifeform knows what a machine is capable of...(no flags, impetus or élan for the robots! So, here's a short pictorial play through of how they performed...( sorry for the wuzzy line drawing, but learning a new photo app)

Turn one

The Autons close the range to the CDF de fences; human snipers kill a spider drone, removing effective shielding to one biped section. The CDF also commence shooting in the central section with withering fire (4flags) which autons ignore. Next phase, the central CDF section withdraws from a building to join a fire base centered around some trucks. The left flank section stands it's ground and destroys an auton in the open. The final phase sees autons acting on their own programming, killing two withdrawing CDF. The CDF responds...Firing on the CDF left intensifies, with two more autons destroyed.

Turn two

The CDF get the initiative of the first phase, they continue firing on the left flank to no effect, including a sniper attack, the central CDF section withdrew into the cover of the trucks. As the Autons began their continued assault, Comms jamming stalled the right wing Autons section causing them to fall back, whilst a sensor scan for central Autons caused them to act on their own initiative, moving and attacking towards the CDF left flank.

Phase 2 saw a slight lull in the action with a CDF initiative. The left flank section stoically fired into the autons in the centre near a building. Lots of fire was poured into the machines which would make other units withdraw, the affect on metal was to kill one auton. The Autons responded with a general uncontrolled advance, except for the central section, firing at the CDF left flank section, causing a devastating 4 hits with only one saved. An ominous shadow was falling upon the human defenses.

The final phase of the turn saw desultory fire from the CDF. Autons, under their own initiative programming, closed with the CDF with sensor driven independent action on the CDF left flank again. Autons now closed to assault positions...

Turn three

The first phase saw the CDF hold the initiative with strong motivation (10 action points) The backstop section by the trucks fragged away twice at a solitary auton in open to no effect. They switched their Fire at autons in the opposite building - 3 hits!; one saved by spider drone shielding, one hit saved by Auton armour... one destroyed auton. Inspired, the section fired again, motivating those troopers around them (2 impetus) and causing one hit, which shields and armour did'nt save, another gone auton!. Buoyed by success, they fired again - 2 élan,1 impetus and 2 hits! This wiped out the final shield drone, leaving a solitary biped. Using their own élan, they switched back to fire at the biped in the open and continued firing (2 élan) - 3 hits, armour saves 2 but not the last...

Finally the left Flank CDF section tries their luck to shoot and scoot, hoping for auton malfunction, their fire killing one machine as they withdrew. Auton initiative. On the CDF left, Autons moved into vacated cover and shot at the withdrawing section, killing both of the troopers. The machines continued into the building to their front and assaulted the sniper team...an uneven battle. The relentless bipeds continued through the building to fire on sections around the trucks - no hits thanks to CDF body armour.

The game was ceased with much learnt about Auton strategy. The robot specific rules seemed to work well with a relentless, but not always fully predictable, performance. The limitation of the types of combat dice used by the robots also allowed a more specific response from their opponents, knowing that they would not be forced back when attacked. I've got several more units to factor in for a variety of tactics - gun tracks, heavy support tracks, small recon drones, wheeled grenade launcher buggies and several others.

Next stereotype to try out will be those hidden, deadly xenomorphs with extra jaws...

 

 

Posted with Blogsy