AlgoriZone - UCM "Fencing" - Sabre or Katana?

Note: All image(s) are property of Hawk Wargames.  Updated as of 1/20/14.

With the recent experimental release of the Katana... some of you are on the "fence" or maybe you think, from the forums, that power creep is happening!  Let's do the math...

There have been calculations already about Katanas vs MBT on the other sides, but let's go with Katana vs Sabre action!

Katana vs. Sabre
24" effective range, kills 33%.
If hull down (articulated fire)... 17%.
vs. Building = 2.22 DP (double the damage of the Sabre)

Sabre vs. Katana
28" effective range, kills 42%.  If smoke is deployed, 25%!
Articulated Weapon.

With a squad of 3, you are saving 21pts with the Katana.  That gives you a Wolverine or Missile Pods on an Albatross.

WHAT IF...

Sabre vs. Katana (Armor 8).
Kills 56%... if smoke, 33%.

Personally, I think the Katanas should be armor 8 and that would be suitable for the "light tank" description.  Wolverine B would damage on a 5+.

Katana hits on 3+ vs. Sabre
Kills 22%.

If you want a hammer unit, 9 Sabres are superior to 9 Katanas IMO.  That's three rows of 3 tanks that can shoot (first row, 2nd row can shoot over first, articulation let's the 3rd row shoot over the other two).  All in all, I think you need to maneuver and use articulation... otherwise, Katanas are the more versatile unit.

AlgoriZone - UCM Ferrum Drone Base

Note: All image(s) are the property of Hawkwargames!


Note: This post refers to Version 1.1. The big change is that you can only launch/replenish 4 Drones a turn after the initial launch.

 

Yes, the "Death Fridge" has had many allegations of being "overpowered" so Hawk released Version 1.1.  Let's check the math and see if we can find any insight...

With 8 Drones (assume aiming at one target):
Probability of getting 2 E13 hits:             47%
Probability of getting at least 1 E13 hit:  98%
Probability of getting 4 E10 hits:             4%
Probability of getting at least 3 E10 hits: 47%
Probability of getting at least 2 E10 hits: 91%
Probability of getting at least 1 E10 hit:  99.5%

With 7 Drones (assume aiming at one target):
Probability of getting of 2 E13 hits:         26%
Probability of getting at least 1 E13 hit:   96%
Probability of getting at least 3 E10 hits: 26%
Probability of getting at least 2 E10 hits: 83%
Probability of getting at least 1 E10 hit:  99.3%

With 6 Drones (assume aiming at one target):
Probability of 2 E13 hits:                         9%
Probability of getting at least 1 E13 hit:  90%
Probability of getting at least 3 E10 hits: 9%
Probability of getting at least 2 E10 hits: 68%
Probability of getting at least 1 E10 hit:  98%

With 5 Drones (assume aiming at one target):
Probability of getting 1 E13 hit:               79%
Probability of getting at least 2 E10 hits: 46%
Probability of getting at least 1 E10 hit:  95%

With 4 Drones (assume aiming at one target):
Probability of getting 1 E13 hit:               60%
Probability of getting at least 2 E10 hits: 20%
Probability of getting at least 1 E10 hit:  89%

With 3 Drones (assume aiming at one target):
Probability of getting 1 E13 hit:              30%
Probability of getting at least 1 E10 hit:  74%

With 2 Drones (assume aiming at one target):
Probability of getting at least 1 E10 hit:  44%

Note: I have played one game with a double Ferrum list and I got one destroyed by turn 3(?) as I was advancing it up the board (not advised but I wanted to see how tough it was) to secure a focal point.  With 5DP and driving on and leaving it in your backfield, I don't think it can be be destroyed.  It is extremely vulnerable to MBTs though!

With 8 Drones, unless you need the E13, you should usually split to 2x 4 Drones (effectively, 2 E13 on a 4+).

With 5 Drones, I recommend you shooting at one target for pretty much 1 E13 on a 2+.

Furthermore, comparing vs. an Shaltari Ocelot:

• At 1.5x the points, you get...
• Better toughness, in your backfield and behind a building, you are not destroying a Ferrum.  EDGE - Ferrum.
• Range (Ferrum - long range, maneuverability of the Drones) vs. Ocelot (infinite fixed range).  EVEN.
• Firepower - I feel that in terms of killing power, the Ferrum is appropriately costed.  You need to whittle down the initial wave of Drones with your AA or you will feel the pain.

Verdict: The Ferrum will be a drain on your opponent's AA.  I think the biggest benefit of the Drones are in dropship hunting.

PHR: It's DEMO(lishing) time! Taranis vs. Enyo (Type-2 Siege Walker)

Note: All images are property of Hawkwargames!

It can be said that the PHR credo is... "when in doubt, make a parking lot." So let's compare the two things in the PHR Demolitions Armory:

Enyo

Taranis

The Enyo:

• Superior Durability (higher A + Passive Save)
• 4.44 Damager per Walker
• Needs LOS
• Can shoot on Turn 1 (if walking on)

The Taranis:

• 2.22 Damage per Taranis
• LOS is any PHR unit (indirect fire penalty does not apply as buildings are always hit on a 2+)

From a points perspective, we are really comparing the damage output of 3 Enyos (13.3) vs. 4 Taranis (8.88).  However, given the slowness of PHR, I think the ability to reach buildings "anywhere" on the opponent's side is invaluable.

What do the readers think?

For this discussion, let's also include the Athena which has "Demolisher" on 2x Stealth Cruise Missile.

Athena

Factoring the attack run availability roll, the Athena averages 2.72 damage to a building with the Stealth Cruise Missile.  However, using the AA Rail Repeaters... damage is 2.78!!  Use AA guns to strafe the building!

Tip:  SuperCruise will make it harder for you to go down but buildings will still be hit on 2+.

RULES Compendium

I'm gonna compile the questions that I see most on the forums.  Feel free to ask a question and I'll try to research it!  (Current as of Dec 15 2013).

Scourge Desolator Ion Storm Generator (Wide) - Eye of the Storm

• Does NOT affect aircraft (no AA)
• Skimmer defense bonus for moving (+2) applies
• Hull Down does NOT apply
• Infantry in buildings are only hit when on the wall but can be hit by falling masonry as normal

Embarking/Disembarking and Buildings

This is a big NUANCE of the game, so here goes...

In one turn, you get two (for the squad - combination of air/land/infantry) disembark/embark moves. Infantry that are within 1" of a building can directly enter a transport (or vice versa).

Here's an example of why IMO Light Dropships are the way to go.

EXAMPLE A
1. Infantry in building.
2. They go into Light Dropship that is within 1". (ONE MOVE)
3. Transport goes half to within 1" of another building.
4. Infantry go can into the new building. (TWO MOVE)

EXAMPLE B
1. Infantry in building.
2. Infantry leaves building (ONE MOVE) and can be picked up by a transport up to 3" away. (TWO MOVE)
Leaving/entering a building counts as a MOVE.

(Dec 12 2013 --- As "Fate" points out, perhaps, I'm being confusing in how I describe this.  I broke it down to show how TWO MOVES were being used. Furthermore, infantry leaving the building in this manner use up their total move.)

EXAMPLE C
1. Infantry in building.
2. They go into a Bear APC that is within 1" of the building. (ONE MOVE)
3. The Bear APC is picked up by a Condor. (TWO MOVE)

As you can see, you want transports to be within 1" of a building. Furthermore, Example A gives you the most mobility.

If no building is involved, the Condor/Bear/Infantry move is slightly faster (3").
(Thanks "Grimjaw" for pointing out my previous error.)

1. Condor gives 9".
2. Drops off Bear +3". (ONE)
3. Bear half-moves 3."
4. Bear drops Infantry +3".
5. Infantry does half-move +1." (TWO)
19" Total

1. Raven A moves 12".
2. Drops off infantry +3". (ONE)
3. Infantry half -moves 1". (TWO)
16" total move.

Remember, you can hand over objectives to the Bear (vehicle).

As far as disembarkcing/embarking, "jgcpalmer" got an official response, and also searched through the forums (and the rulebook), and the answer is:

Infantry count as having disembarked once if their APC disembarks from the dropship.
Abandoning a building (and not directly into a transport) counts as disembarking, and it also counts as having moved their full amount of movement, so they cannot move any more, but they could embark on a transport up to 3" away, but would not be allowed to disembark it on the same turn as they would have already taken 2 embark/disembark actions.

Shaltari Dreamsnare + Totem Combo

From Hawk Simon, the Dreamsnare would increase the save given to a building by a Totem, but the Dreamsnare would need to be in range of the building, not the Totem in order to improve the save.

Shaltari Totem

In regard to shooting, can materialize and shoot OR shoot and dematerialize but cannot do two "transport" moves while shooting.  If no shooting, they can be dematerialized/materialized as normal.

From Hawk Simon, "Yep, infantry would get the save as the shot would have to pass through the shield to get to them!" (when using the shield on a building)

Fast Movers

You can choose to defer them for an intercept run although once you have made that decision you cant decide to activate them later, they either intercept or don't activate that turn. - Hawk Simon

Attacking Buildings

Buildings are ALWAYS hit on a 2+.  There are no exceptions to this.  Yes, Scourge arc casters will hit on a 2+ too.
 

Passive Saves

Remember they apply to HITS, not damage (like a certain other game).  When combining hits from Scourge Warriors and or Ferrum Starsprite Drones (you roll for hit and combine for the stronger shot if appropriate) and then you take the passive save.

Hi Guys, right I have spoken to Dave and he has ruled that the 3 hits combine into 1 hit and that you take the PCM save against the single energy 11 hit and not the 3 (or more) individual hits. - Hawk Simon

If you have 2 passive saving throws you pick the best one to use, you don't get to make 2 saving throw rolls! - Hawk Simon

 

AlgoriZone: Fast Movers and the Turn 1 "Auto-Win"

There's been a lot of discussion on the Hawk Forums about Fast Movers being an "auto-win" (e.g., your commander can be destroyed on Turn 1 and there's nothing you can do if your opponents gets lucky and rolls well).

Assumption: All Fast Movers are part of one squad.  There's a 14% chance that one squad will come out of reserve and be available to be on the attack run.  With two squads, that probability drops to 2%!

Zeus:  With only 2DP, this is the easiest commander to one-shot right?  For each Fast Mover...

• vs Athena - 1.29%
• vs Corsair - 0.39%  (If sending two to do 1DP each, then it's 1.35%.  The math gets more complicated to figure out if you send 3-4 Corsairs.)
• vs Seraphim - 1.29%
• vs Warspear - 1.03%

So assuming maximum Fast Movers in a squad, there's a 2-3% chance of losing your commander on Turn 1.

Assumption: For the Kodiak and Coyote, the Warspear, Athena and Seraphim must do double damage each to destroy them.

Coyote:  

• The Coyote still has the Eject! rule so you will have to send another Fast Mover squad to take out the Command Module after the attack run that destroys the Coyote.  As a result, it's nearly impossible to take it out on Turn 1.  It's included here for discussion for fun.
• vs Athena - 2.89% to do 2DP so 4DP is about 0%
• vs Corsair - 1.16% to do 2DP so, at a minimum, 2 Corsairs to do 4DP is 0%!  A Corsair has about a 2.31% chance of doing 1DP each.  For all 4 Corsairs to do 4DP total (1 DP each), it is about 0%.  It's complicated calculating a mixture of 1DP and 2DPs so I do not do it here.)
• vs Seraphim - same probabilities as Athena
• vs Warspear - 0.77% to do 2DP so 4DP is about 0%

The Coyote & Command Module cannot be destroyed on Turn 1!

Kodiak:

• vs. Athena - 5.79% to do 2DP so 4DP is about 0.34% 
• vs. Corsair - 2.31% to do 2DP so, at a minimum, 2 Corsairs to do 4DP is nearly 0%.  A Corsair has about 4.63% chance of doing 1DP each.  For all 4 Corsairs to do 4DP total (1 DP each), it is about 0%.  Same comments as above, but the probability of a kill can be safely assumed to be very low.
• vs. Seraphim - same probabilities as Athena
• vs Warspear - 1.54% to do 2DP, so 4DP is about 0%

So to be generous, the Kodiak could be destroyed by 4 Corsairs with probably a 2% chance, if that?!

Desolator:  

Being the only airborne commander, how easy is it to take out with Fast Movers?  For each Fast Mover...

• vs Athena - 0.24 DP (on Turn 1), 1.67 DP (normally)
• vs Corsair - 0.08 DP (on Turn 1), 0.56 DP (normally)
• vs Archangel - 0.12 DP (on Turn 1), 0.74 DP (normally)
• vs Warspear - 0.18 DP (on Turn 1), 1.11 DP (normally)

Assumption:  The "best" Fast Mover, hits on 3+ and had E7... will do double damage 1.5% time on Turn 1 and 11% on normal attack runs.  You need at least 3 shots to take down the Desolator in one turn.  Even on normal turns that's less than 1% chance to take the Desolator down if only using 3 shots.

What is the probability of destruction if my Commander is in a Medium Dropship?
Successful Turn 1 availability, attack run availability, destroyed in air result... 2% and that hasn't factored in destroying the dropship!

Successful Turn 1 availability, attack run availability, crash landing result... 7% and that hasn't factored in destroying the dropship!

What can you do to prevent the "auto-win"?  It is assumed that you know that your opponent has Fast Movers available.

• Since Fast Movers cannot intercept Dropships, land your Commander on Turn 1.  Better yet, walk/drive them on Turn 1.
• Use the buildings to shield from attack runs if possible.  Remember, building above 6" cannot be flown by.  The Desolator may have to hit the deck as well.
• Walk/drive on AA Tanks so they will be available for reaction fire.
• Use your own Fast Movers to intercept.
• Take another Commander as backup.
• Losing your Commander is not an auto-lose condition, you can still win initiative with a natural 6 roll.

Personally, I think walking/driving on a squad of AA is one of the best plays on Turn 1 (I'll talk about this more in another blog post).

TL:DR - There is no Fast Movers "auto-win" on Turn 1.
 

GenCon 2013 - Championship Match vs Shaltari

Daniel's Army - sorry, I can't remember the last 53pts!
Clash: 1447/1500 points
Standard Army
    Standard Roster [1447/1500 pts]
        Gate Group [196 pts]
            Gaia: Gaia [76 pts]
            Eden Gates: Eden [45 pts]
            Eden Gates: Eden [45 pts]
            Haven: Haven [15 pts]
            Haven: Haven [15 pts]
        Court of Elders [341 pts]
            Coyote: Coyote(Shaman) [145 pts]
            Jaguar Squad: Jaguar [100 pts]
            Firstborns: 2x Firstborns [96 pts]
        Swordpoint [244 pts]
            Tomahawk Squad: 3x Tomahawk [114 pts]
            Firedrake: Firedrake [130 pts]
        Warrior Clan [263 pts]
            Braves: 2x Braves [64 pts]
            Braves: 2x Braves [64 pts]
            Kukri Squad: 3x Kukri [135 pts]
        Warfist [187 pts]
            Ocelot Squad: Ocelot [95 pts]
            Thunderbird Squad: 2x Thunderbird [92 pts]
        Arrowhead [216 pts]
            Warspear Squad: Warspear [108 pts]
            Warspear Squad: Warspear [108 pts]

Land Grab:  There are 5 Focal Points (F) on the battlefield.  You get 3VPs for having the most number of ground units within 6" of a F.  If you have one ground unit within 6" you can contest the F for 1VP.  Focal points can be destroyed in buildings and eliminated from the game.

Pre-Battle Analysis:  (I have never played Land Grab or Focal Points before.  For ease of the tourney, Hawk Simon told us to deploy normally.)

• Ground Units: 912 (Scourge) vs. 813 (Shaltari).  At the time, it "felt" like I was at a disadvantage in having a Desolator (airborne commander).  Looking back, Daniel brought an air superiority list.  In retrospect, the Firedrake is about the same points cost as the Desolator (without commander).
• Warstriders: While Shaltari skimmers are armored like paper mache, Warstriders are pretty resilient.
• Air Power: Two Warspears were definitely superior to my two Corsairs.  I've never encountered Thunderbirds (gunships) so I wasn't sure how good they would be.  The Firedrake can start firing blast templates on Turn 1 and the blast templates can negate skimmer defense bonuses. 
• Infantry: Sure, I had two squads of Destroyers but Braves and Firstborns are scary!  Outnumbering Daniel's infantry (4 to 3) was not going to be that much of an advantage as there were no objectives to search for in this scenario.
• Havens: Daniel only had 2 Havens so my strategy was to wipe them out and keep his infantry as spectators in orbit!
• Overall: For all the reasons above, I was not feeling confident as I felt that Daniel's list had the advantage in this scenario.

Highlights:

• Turn 1 - I rolled two 6's and both Corsairs were available!  Daniel got one Warspear though! He moved his Firedrake down Column B before driving his Kukri AA down the center.  I chose to not use my Corsairs because I didn't have much AA and I was afraid of losing one of them to a Warspear intercept.  So our Fast Movers did nothing on Turn 1.  What do you guys think?  Should I have tried to take out the FireDrake when I had my chance?  In hindsight, I should have gone for it as the FireDrake wrecked face!  It was amazing!!!
• Fearing the FireDrake's blast weapon, I drove my Hunters and Reapers behind building until they could spread out on Turn 2.  The FireDrake definitely slowed down my advance!  Daniel was in my head!  I hid behind Buildings 7, 8 and 9.  (So 3x Hunters and 3x Reapers to approach each Column (A and B).
• Daniel's Ocelot walked on Column A and the Jaguar and Coyote materialised on Column A.
• Daniel's Tomahawks were on Column B.
• Daniel's Thunderbirds went to the deck behind Building 5 & 6.  Smart move as my Corsairs could only attack them by going along the centerline on Daniel's side and would be subject to all the Kukri AA reaction fire.
• Daniel sent Braves to Buildings 1 and 3.  I sent infantry to Buildings 7 and 9.
• My strategy was to take out the Havens to strand his infantry and make a late turn push to Building 5 and gain 9 VPs to win the game.
• I sent my Prowlers behind Buildings 4 and 5 to defend/slow down his Warstriders.

• Turns 2-4 - It was stopped on time at the end of Turn 4.  
• It was really a Mexican standoff as we just maneuvered outside each other.  Personally, I couldn't risk losing infantry or other ground units because I needed them to "score." 
• Daniel's Thunderbirds and FireDrake destroyed a squad of Reapers on my right flank.  I managed to shoot down the Thunderbirds with my Corsairs (attack runs from Building 8 to 6 to just stay out of range of the Kukri).  Overall, Daniel's air power dominated my right flank.
• I tried to get my Tormentors up the field to threaten the Braves in Building 3 but they were destroyed.  In retrospect, I should have kept them back to try to win Focal Points.
• My Prowlers kept his Jaguar and Coyote busy on Column B.  He eventually destroyed 6 of them but they kept him occupied.  Eventually I sent 2 Prowlers to help win the F at Building 7.  I could have risked them to contest the F in Building 1 but Braves were firing from the windows.
• During the game, I kept on having more battlegroups than Daniel but I destroyed both Havens so maybe he forgot to activate his Firstborns from orbit?  They eventually marched onto the battlefield via foot.  Keeping the Firstborns from challenging Building 5 was huge IMO!
• With the Reapers short AA range and the Corsairs being only 50% accurate, Daniel was taking out my AA piecemeal.  
• Eventually, Daniel materialised his Kukri around Building 8 and his Ocelot at Building 7.  Luckily, I took out the Kukri.  Caught me by surprise!  I forgot that he could make a late game push to my side of the field. 
• I had two Underground Monorails and was gonna send my infantry for the late push to Building 5.
• We had no Close Quarter Battles.

Post-Game:

• Daniel had the Fs at Buildings 1 and 3.  With his Ocelot he contested the F at Building 7 and he had one Tomahawk at the F at Building 9.  I clearly had the F at Buildings 7 and 9.  Daniel (8 VPs) vs Me (6 VPs).  It all came down to Building 5.  Did I have enough?  Drum roll...
• I barely had more points (less than 10?) to win the F at Building 5 but Daniel contested it!  Daniel (9 VPs) vs Me (9 VPs).
• It went down to Kill Points.  Remember, within 200pts is a DRAW.  Well, I think we were within like 50pts.  DRAW!
• The next tie-breker was total kill points over the course of the tournament.

VICTORY!  GENCON CHAMPION!  (Barely, I think the kill point differential was 100pts?). 

• Fast Movers did not do much this game but I felt my Corsairs were enough of a deterrent to keep Daniel's Warspears at bay.
• You gotta really concentrate to take out WarStriders.
• FireDrake - that's a great unit!  Gunships can be useful!
• EPIC FINAL - thanks to Daniel for the great game and the closeness of the game cannot be expressed in words!

Post-Tourney:

• So I finished the tourney at 2-0-1.  I'm surprised that the eventual tie-breaker went to kill points instead of Victory Points.
• For the different variety of scenarios and armies, it's really hard to have a balanced army - part of the fun!

Getting Started - Shaltari Starter Army

Note: All prices are in pounds at MSRP.

Choose Shaltari if you like:

• Teleportation: Think Protoss from Starcraft!  With teleportation tricks, the Shaltari are the fastest army in Dropzone.
• Elite Infantry: Overall, I believe they have the best close quarter battle (hand-to-hand) combat troops in the game.
• Brick/Speed: You can play the brick style with Warstriders or go with speed (skimmers are harder to hit, sacrificing durability) or play a combination.
• Passive/Invulnerable Save: You will negate 33% of the hits on your units.
  

Note - Prices in pounds at MSRP and this list is designed to enable you to learn the mechanics of Dropzone and are not necessarily optimized tournament lists. 

1K Shaltari Demo
Clash: 963/1000 points
Standard Army
    Standard Roster [963/1000 pts]
        Gate Group [165 pts]
            Eden Gates: Eden [45 pts]
            Eden Gates: Eden [45 pts]
            Eden Gates: Eden [45 pts]
            Haven: Haven [15 pts]
            Haven: Haven [15 pts]
        Court of Elders [313 pts]
            Coyote: Coyote(Warchief) [205 pts]
            Yari Squad: 2x Yari(+Light Ion Cannon) [54 pts]
            Yari Squad: 2x Yari(+Light Ion Cannon) [54 pts]
        Swordpoint [249 pts]
            Tomahawk Squad: 3x Tomahawk [114 pts]
            Kukri Squad: 3x Kukri [135 pts]
        Warrior Clan [128 pts]
            Braves: 2x Braves [64 pts]
            Braves: 2x Braves [64 pts]
        Arrowhead [108 pts]
            Warspear Squad: Warspear [108 pts]

Get a starter and buy Coyote, Warspear and Yari blisters.  68 + 28.5 = 96.5.

 

Getting Started - Building a Starter Post-Human Republic (PHR) Army

Note: Prices are in pounds at MSRP. 

Choose PHR if you like:

• Elite Forces: Think GW's Space Marines in 3rd(?) Edition.  While PHR units are costly, unit to unit they are on the higher end of the power curve.
• Slow but steady: PHR units usually have more damage points than other armies.  Weapon ranges are, on average, the longest in the game.  The heaviest-armored dropships in the game.
• Command Cards - the PHR deck is arguably (from a direct effectiveness perspective) the best in the game.
• Urban Renewal - you will absolutely demolish buildings.
• Athena Air Superiority Fighter: The best Fast Mover in the game by a significant margin.
• Hades Type-4 Walker: The biggest/baddest model in the game.  It can dominate its section of the battlefield.

This list is designed to enable you to experience the key mechanics of playing Dropzone Commander.

Clash: 995/1000 points
Standard Army
    PHR Standard Roster [995/1000 pts]
        Hand of the Sphere [262 pts]
            Command Squad: Zeus(Councillor), Zeus, Neptune [262 pts]
        Battle Pantheon [300 pts]
            Battle Squad: Ares, Phobos, Neptune [150 pts]
            Battle Squad: Ares, Phobos, Neptune [150 pts]
        Immortals [214 pts]
            Immortals: 2x Immortals, Triton A1(+Miniguns) [107 pts]
            Immortals: 2x Immortals, Triton A1(+Miniguns) [107 pts]
        Pegasus Group [84 pts]
            Janus Squad: 2x Janus, Triton A2(+Stealth Missiles, +Miniguns) [84 pts]
        Air Wing [135 pts]
            Athena Squad: Athena [135 pts]

Buy the Starter Box - you get 10 pounds of free stuff!
Additionally, you will need (number in parentheses is blisters):
2x Zeus Command Walker (1) - 12
1x Athena (1) - 10
2x Triton A1 (1) - 12
2x Triton A2 (1) - 11
4x Janus Scout (1) - 10   (Yes, you get more than you need.)

Thoughts on PHR:

• Aesthetically, I believe most players are drawn to PHR.  If you are into modeling, magnetizing your walkers to dropships will look amazing!
• Players will be drawn to their amazing stat lines.  Just acknowledge that most scenarios award victory points for objectives not kill points (total models destroyed) so you will lose many games if your game is to annihilate your opponent's army (could be satisfying though!).
• Just like futbol or American football, while it's nice to have size and bully your opponent, superior speed is probably the bigger difference maker.  You will win head-on firefights but your opponent has the advantage in outmaneuvering you.  Super weapons are great but they are not an auto-win.
• If you play PHR, you will likely be outnumbered.  Just think of yourself as the 300 Spartans... superior forces but you are the underdog!

Getting Started: Building a United Colonies of Mankind Starter Army

Note: All prices are in pounds at MSRP.

This is designed to allow you to experience the full range of game mechanics.  For tournament play, I recommend driving the Kodiak onto the battlefield to save points!

Choose the United Colonies of Man (UCM) IF you like:

• Relatively cheap forces (anchored by a sturdy core of Main Battle Tanks and AA Tanks).
• Versatile play styles (building demolition, attrition, air) - more so than the other armies.
• Balanced Army - no significant advantages/no significant disadvantages - they are middle-of-the-road.
• Ferrum Class Drone Base - think Protoss Carrier from StarCraft!
• Air Power Variety: Archangel (dedicated interceptor); Seraphim (bomber).  Only army with two fast movers.

Clash: 992/1000 points
Standard Army
    Standard Roster [992/1000 pts]
        Field Command [244 pts]
            Kodiak: Kodiak(Captain), Condor(+Missile Pods) [244 pts]
        Armored Formation [328 pts]
            Rapier Squad: 3x Rapier, Condor(+Missile Pods) [176 pts]
            Sabre Squad: 3x Sabre, Condor(+Missile Pods) [152 pts]
        Legionnaire Corps [176 pts]
            Legionnaires: 2x Legionnaires, Raven A(+Missile Pods) [88 pts]
            Legionnaires: 2x Legionnaires, Raven A(+Missile Pods) [88 pts]
        Expeditionary Group [110 pts]
            Wolverine Squad: 4x Wolverine B, 2x Raven B(+Missile Pods) [110 pts]
        Air Wing [134 pts]
            Archangel Squad: Archangel [67 pts]
            Archangel Squad: Archangel [67 pts]

Assuming you got a friend to split the upcoming 2-Player Starter Set...

Here's what you will need (parentheses is the number of blisters):

1x UCM Command Cards (1) = 5
1x Kodiak (1) = 11
2x Raven-A (1) = 10.5
2x Raven-B (1) = 10
4x Wolverine (1) = 7.5
2x Archangel (1) = 11
Total = 55  +30 (half of the 2P Starter Box) = 85.

If you buy the UCM Starter Army, you get the Bear APCs for free rather than if purchased individually.

Getting Started: Building a Scourge Starter Army - Cost Analysis

Playstyle: Play Scourge IF you like:

• Shotgun to Face: The Scourge have the shortest threat ranges in the game but if they hit they will most likely kill you.  Yeah, think FPS games!
• Zerg Rush: Prowlers can be fielded en mass like Zergs from StarCraft.
• Burn Baby Burn: Tormentors are one of the best units in the game IMO.  There's nothing like a fresh smell of napalm when starting DropZone Commander!
• Corsairs: Heaviest hitting Fast Movers (fighters) in the game.  They truly are the cheapest air-to-air/air-to-ground unit in the game.  Fighter-bombers if you will.
• Fastest conventional army in the game.

Note: All prices are in pounds at MSRP.

Starter Army: 68

Individually:
6x Warriors - 12
3x Hunters - 10
3x Reapers - 10.5
2x Invaders - 10
3x Marauders - 30  (10 each)
1x Scourge Command Deck - 5
Total = 77.5

Since I think Invader APCs (unless there is a new convoy mission) are useless, by buying the Scourge Starter Army, you basically get the Invaders for free.

Note: If you split the new 2-player starter box with a friend, you get everything except the command deck for 30 (let's add the command cards for 35).

Cost Efficient Starter Army:  This is cheapest build that will allow you experience the DropZone experience IMO.  I do believe you need Command, Scout and Fast Movers to get the full experience.

Clash: 973/1000 points
DEMO Army (Not meant to be tournament level.  Just to get used to the mechanics.)
    Standard Roster [973/1000 pts]
        Oppressors [225 pts]
            Desolator: Desolator(Master) [225 pts]
        Vanguard [304 pts]
            Hunter Squad: 3x Hunter, Marauder [146 pts]
            Reaper Squad: 3x Reaper, Marauder [158 pts]
        Warriors [188 pts]
            Warrior Horde: 2x Warriors, Intruder Alpha [94 pts]
            Warrior Horde: 2x Warriors, Intruder Alpha [94 pts]
        Occupation Patrol [120 pts]
            Prowlers: 4x Prowler, Intruder Beta [60 pts]
            Prowlers: 4x Prowler, Intruder Beta [60 pts]
        Attack Swarm [136 pts]
            Corsairs: Corsair [68 pts]
            Corsairs: Corsair [68 pts]

Individually, parentheses (numbers of blisters):

1x Desolator (1)- 17.5
2 x Marauders (2)- 20
3x Hunters (1)- 10
3x Reapers (1)- 10.5
4x Warriors (1)- 12
2x Intruder Alphas (1)- 10.5
8x Prowlers (1)- 9
2x Intruder Betas (1)- 10.5
2x Corsair (1)- 10
Command Card - 5
Total = 115

Components not in the Scourge Starter Army = 57.5
Scourge Starter + Extra Components (68 + 57.5) = 125.5.
So if you split the 2-Player Starter Box = 92.5.

Battle Report: vs Scourge, GenCon 2013 Round 2

I had played Joe in a local friendly tournament a few months ago.  It was Targets of Opportunity and I beat him in a tight match 2-1 VP so, coming to GenCon, I was worried about meeting him again.

In that matchup, infantry-wise, I had 4x Stands of Destroyers, 2x Stands of Warriors vs. Joe's 2x Stands of Razorworms and 6-8x Stands of Warriors.

Joe's Scourge - I'm forgetting 100 pts... maybe he had a better commander?
Clash: 1411/1500 points
Standard Army
    Standard Roster [1411/1500 pts]
        Oppressors [455 pts]
            Desolator: Desolator(Champion) [195 pts]
            Desolator: Desolator [140 pts]
            Prowlers: 8x Prowler, 2x Intruder Beta [120 pts]
        Vanguard [222 pts]
            Hunter Squad: 3x Hunter [105 pts]
            Reaper Squad: 3x Reaper [117 pts]
        Warriors [188 pts]
            Warrior Horde: 2x Warriors, Intruder Alpha [94 pts]
            Warrior Horde: 2x Warriors, Intruder Alpha [94 pts]
        Warriors [188 pts]
            Warrior Horde: 2x Warriors, Intruder Alpha [94 pts]
            Warrior Horde: 2x Warriors, Intruder Alpha [94 pts]
        Occupation Patrol [250 pts]
            Prowlers: 8x Prowler, 2x Intruder Beta [120 pts]
            Destroyers: 2x Destroyers, Intruder Alpha [130 pts]
        Invasion Host [108 pts]
            Tormentor Squad: 2x Tormentor [108 pts]

 

In Round 2, the scenario was Recon.  There were 9 pieces of intel, buildings (A through I).

Note: Each player can search for each intel!!  Ack!  We always thought it was one and done!
Also, only the occupier of the building can search on the start of their turn.

This battle report is based on our misinformed assumption!

Pre-Battle Analysis:  Joe had 5 Stands of Infantry to 4 Stands for me.  Initiative was the key because if he landed on Buildings D, E and F, then on likely rolls he would outscore me 6-3.  Recon is why I recommend having 4 Squads of Infantry mounted in Light Dropships.  You must occupy building first to search.

Looking at Joe's army...

• His only AA was one squad of Reapers.  If I could get my Fast Movers early, then I could hit anywhere!  (My Fast Movers did not show up until Turn 3 or 4 so my Fast Mover advantage was nil.)
• Tormentors!!! - I believe they are the best Scourge unit.
• Prowler Spam - He had 16 of them.  However, I wasn't too worried because of the Skimmer rules which makes Scourge and Shaltari tanks harder to hit.
• I figured that my 2x Destroyers capture/could hold any building that I chose.
• 2x Desolators... I did not what to expect from that.

Highlights:

• On Turn 2, both of Warriors found Objectives at Building G and I (rolled "6s") and took them off the board.  Joe found Intel at Buildings A, B and C.  I found Intel at Building H.  5-3 VP and I was leading.
• On Turn 3, I won initiative but I was stupid because I wanted Joe's infantry to enter buildings first so my Tormentors (near E & F) wanted to flame so troops.  Remember you can't shoot at buildings where your own troops are.  So Joe got to D, E and F first!  On likely rolls, he was gonna win 6-5.  So I threw everything at Building E to level it in one turn so he couldn't search for the intel.  Notably, my Desolator's Focused Ion Storm failed to do damage!  I sent in both squads of Destroyers with "Blast Their Way In!" and killed two squads of Warriors with falling masonry.  (Note: Blast Their Way In! is against the building and can only target enemy infantry if they are on the wall.  Also, you cannot enter on the side of a building where troops are at the wall.)  The building had about 4 DP left out of 30 DP.  Joe subsequently leveled the building and I lost both squads of Destroyers.  
• Since I had lost a large portion of my army trying to destroy E, I knew I was down on Kill Points (within 200 is a tie).  I HAD TO win on VPs.  Likely, Joe was gonna find intel in D and F so we were gonna be 5-5 and I was gonna lose.  Joe found intel on F... Joe (4)... Me (5).  I was hoping for him to find an objective or find a bomb in D.  To prepare for him finding an objective in D, I sent all my forces against that area.  Joe found a bomb on D so I was gonna win...
• We battled it out and the sky was filled with Intruders!  I remember my Desolator doing Eye of the Storm to wipe out a squad of Hunters and about 6 Prowlers.  He was then shot down by Joe's Reapers.

WIN 5-4 VP,  -500 on Kill Points.  I think Joe killed 1200 points!

Post-Battle:  (Playing the correct rules henceforth.)

• Fast Movers - while my Corsairs did nothing this game.  I really believe you need Fast Movers, especially in Recon, to knock out Light Dropships to prevent objective removal from the battlefield and infantry rapidly deploying.  I would trade a Fast Mover for a Light Dropship in a heartbeat in this scenario. 
• Troops: In this scenario, you need to win close combats and retrieve intel (hopefully objectives).  2x Exotics and 2x Troops seems like a strong ratio.
• Getting 4VP on Turn 2 was huge (and very lucky)!

Battle Report: vs UCM - GenCon 2013 Round 1

Setup: Just a photo of how Hawk Simon set up the board with CityScape terrain.



Buildings:  In an effort to standardize games, this is what Hawk Simon said:  The two on the left were Large (Armor = 6, Damage Points = 30), the two in the middle were Normal (Armor = 6, Damage Points = 20) and the one of the right was Small (Armor = 6, Damage Points = 10).  These are the five shapes found in CityScape.



Props:  Kudos to Gunthyr and KennKong who made this from plastic piping caps(?)!  You roll a lot of dice in DropZone and you don't want them going through your buildings and models so these were pretty convenient to keep the dice in one place!  Thanks guys for letting me have these!!!



Note: To the best of my memory, this is what I think Gunthyr had. 

1.5k Gunthyr's UCM
Clash: 1497/1500 points
Standard Army
    Standard Roster [1497/1500 pts]
        Field Command [247 pts]
            Kodiak: Kodiak, Condor(Lieutenant) [199 pts]
            Falcon Squad: Falcon [48 pts]
        Armored Formation [438 pts]
            Sabre Squad: 6x Sabre, Albatross(+Missile Pods) [303 pts]
            ^ Sharing ^ Rapier Squad: 3x Rapier [135 pts]
        Legionnaire Corps [354 pts]
            Legionnaires: 3x Legionnaires, Condor, 2x Bear [141 pts]
            ^ Sharing ^ Legionnaires: 3x Legionnaires [78 pts]
            Rapier Squad: 3x Rapier [135 pts]
        Special Ordinance [149 pts]
            Gladius Squad: 2x Gladius, Condor [149 pts]
        Expeditionary Group [242 pts]
            Praetorians: 2x Praetorians, Raven A(+Missile Pods) [132 pts]
            Wolverine Squad: 4x Wolverine B, 2x Raven B(+Missile Pods) [110 pts]
        Air Wing [67 pts]
            Archangel Squad: Archangel [67 pts]

Note: We realized after the match was over that Gunthyr forgot to deploy his 2nd squad of Rapiers.  :-(

Battle Map:  In Targets of Opportunity, there are five objectives (marked "o") and the center one is worth 2VPs.  Building E was Large.



Pre-Battle Thoughts: 
The two biggest threats were the Praetorians (all Exotics should be feared and rightly so!) and the Armored Formation (6 Sabres and 3 Rapiers represent a lot of firepower).

TIP:  Personally, I think Bears (and all APCs) are just too slow and I recommend mounting all infantry in Light Dropships.  Remember if Light Dropships are within 1" of a building the dis/embarkment from/to the building AND dis/embarkment from/to the Light Dropship counts as "1."

Nevertheless, while Legionnaires are there to die (much like my Scourge Warriors), 6 Squads of them can overwhelm, even Exotics, with sheer numbers.

Highlights: (sorry, I don't remember enough for play-by-play)

• The Armored Formation landed on Turn 1 in Column 2 in my Offensive Zone.  The Gladius squad was between Buildings B & E and Column 2.  With such a concentration of force, I conceded that area of the battlefield to UCM.  To protect my Defensive Zone and to slow down the advance of these units, I landed Prowlers on my side of Buildings D & E (one squad behind each building).
• 4x Wolverines B, 2 Raven-Bs and the Falcon approached my Right Flank.  They had a firefight with a squad of Hunters.
• My Tormentors were dropped on Turn 1 on Column 3 to pressure/threaten Building E & F.
• Praetorians discovered an objective in Building A and removed from the battlefield on Turn 2 (2VP).  They returned on Turn 3 (rolled a 6) and went entered Building F where they were subsequently destroyed by my Tormentors.
• 6x Legionnaires entered Building E.  My Tormentors destroyed 2 stands before both squads of Destroyers had CQB with the Legionnaires.  I messed up and only rolled half of my CQB dice so the Legionnaires held on.  Eventually, the Destroyers found the objective and removed from the battlefield (3VP).
• My Scourge Warriors found the objective in Building I and removed from the battlefield (2VP).
• My other Scourge Warriors tried to find the objective in Building D but UCM eventually leveled the building.

Final was 5-2VP.  WIN FOR THE SCOURGE!

Post-Battle Analysis:

• Tormentors: 1) You have to destroy them (e.g., with the Wolverines, Ravens + Falcon on my Right Flank).  2) If possible, you got to let Scourge forces occupy the building so they can't flame the building.
• We both agreed that the Praetorians should have went for the objective in Building E.  Personally, I think UCM needs to have 2 squads of Praetorians.  Being so cheap, Legionnaires should be dedicated to bot duty in objective searching.
• Armored Formation:  Note- Gunthyr rolled horribly for falling masonry.  He must have had 20-25 damage points with no masonry kills.  By my math the Armored Formation including Albatross can do about 12.6 damage to a building per turn (each Sabre = 1.12, Rapier = 1.68!!!, and the Albatross = 0.84).  To this end, depending the situation, it might be worthwhile to use your AA to levels buildings.  Surprisingly, the Rapier is better at building demolition than the Sabre MBT!
• In Targets of Opportunity, since the center objective in Building E is the most vital, you should ask yourself the following question at the start of the match.  Can I win the CQB to secure the objective?  If the answer is no, I think you should level the building as fast as you can.

AlgoriZone: Main Battle Tanks

Main Battle Tank: As a required Standard choice, these units are aimed primarily at destroying enemy AA and are the core of your ground firepower.

In a MBT vs MBT fire fight, here are the AlgoriZone calculations (kill%):

Threat   Unit        Sabre   Hunter   Hunter   Tomahawk   Tomahawk   Damage        Kill
                                                      Skimmer                      Skimmer       Ares           Ares
28"     Sabre          28%       56%       33%         46%              28%           28%          14%
21"     Hunter        42%       69%       42%         46%              28%           28%          28%
30" Tomahawk     28%       56%       33%          46%              28%           28%         14%
27"      Ares          42%       69%       56%          46%              37%           28%         28%

*With the Longbow Smart Smoke, the 28% becomes (22% (+1Ac) and 17% (+2Ac), respectively.
                                                         the 42% becomes (33% (+1Ac) and 25% (+2Ac), respectively.
** Ares - Targeting Array so Skimmers and Smart Smoke will only work for +1Ac.

TACTICAL TIP:  You may fire through one vehicle in the same squad as the Shooter.  However, remember that the Sabre is articulated so you can use 1" above the hull for drawing line of sight.  Enemy return fire to this point would be at hull down.

       Target  

     A     A     A
     B     B      B
     C     C      C        With articulated, C may fire over B & A (two rows of vehicles)!

TACTICAL TIP (from PipeRider361):  You can land a Condor after dropping off your Sabres and use as a "shield" while using articulated to fire!

As you can see from the above chart, you want to prioritize Tomahawks/Hunters when they dematerialise/disembark as they will lose the skimmer bonus.

Enslaving the Host - Prepping for GenCon 2013

Of my gaming group, thanks to Mike (PHR) for beating me at Targets of Opportunity as a tune-up for GenCon.  We really do not get a chance to play too much as our group plays Warmahordes the most.  We are hoping to play DzC Commander at least once a month going forward.

The key takeaway in this match was that CQB is the most important thing in list building as winning a CQB and acquiring that last objective can be the difference in winning or losing.  My Scourge Warriors + Destroyers got wrecked by Sirens + Immortals.  In my CQB calculations (will be posted at a later date), Sirens will destroy Troops but should struggle against A4 Exotics. 

For tournament play, the scenarios are Targets of Opportunity, Recon and Land Grab.

General Thoughts (at 1500pts, take-all-comers, for scenarios above):

• At least one Troop Squad per 500pts, preferably 4.  In Recon, I needed to capture as many pieces of Intel as I could as quickly as possible.
• Two Destroyer Squads because you need to win the key CQB (e.g., 2VP for center objective in Targets of Opportunity).  I started tinkering by adding 2x Razorworms to ensure CQB victory and to deny objectives from other normal infantry.
• Tormentors - I believe they are a MUST for any Scourge list as you need to burn or threaten to burn other Exotics.  As you can see, I'm really paranoid (fitting as Scourge as a command card named this) about CQB.
• Reapers - I believe 2x Squads are a MUST for any Scourge list as they have short range and a flying Commander to protect.  Furthermore, I am paranoid of UCM Ferrum Drone Base spam.
• Fast Movers - While people believe that they are unreliable in competitive play, I strongly feel that the ability to threaten/strike anywhere cannot be underestimated.  For Scourge, Corsairs are effectively fighter/bombers so I included two to enable redundancy to get a better chance of attacking and/or destroying a key target.

As an engineer/scientist in my day job, I will admit that I am an optimizer (or just OCD!) as I want to get as close to a 1500 point list as possible!

By adding Razorworms, I only had enough points to add a squad Prowlers so a Prowler Rush (12x) was my first thought.

1.5K On the Prowl
Clash: 1497/1500 points
Standard Army
    Standard Roster [1497/1500 pts]
        Oppressors [315 pts]
            Desolator: Desolator(Champion) [195 pts]
            Prowlers: 4x Prowler, Intruder Beta [60 pts]
            Prowlers: 4x Prowler, Intruder Beta [60 pts]
        Vanguard [222 pts]
            Hunter Squad: 3x Hunter [105 pts]
            Reaper Squad: 3x Reaper [117 pts]
        Warriors [188 pts]
            Warrior Horde: 2x Warriors, Intruder Alpha [94 pts]
            Warrior Horde: 2x Warriors, Intruder Alpha [94 pts]
        Occupation Patrol [320 pts]
            Prowlers: 4x Prowler, Intruder Beta [60 pts]
            Destroyers: 2x Destroyers, Intruder Alpha [130 pts]
            Destroyers: 2x Destroyers, Intruder Alpha [130 pts]
        Invasion Host [316 pts]
            Tormentor Squad: 2x Tormentor(+Razorworms), Marauder [199 pts]
            Reaper Squad: 3x Reaper [117 pts]
        Attack Swarm [136 pts]
            Corsairs: Corsair [68 pts]
            Corsairs: Corsair [68 pts]

Upon further consideration, I was worried about Land Grab (I have never played) and figured that another Hunter squad would be more survivable and have a better threat range than 4x Prowlers and 2x Razorworms.

1.5K Take 'Em All Alive
Clash: 1492/1500 points
Standard Army
    Standard Roster [1492/1500 pts]
        Oppressors [372 pts]
            Desolator: Desolator(Champion) [195 pts]
            Prowlers: 4x Prowler, Intruder Beta [60 pts]
            Reaper Squad: 3x Reaper [117 pts]
        Vanguard [210 pts]
            Hunter Squad: 3x Hunter [105 pts]
            Hunter Squad: 3x Hunter [105 pts]
        Warriors [188 pts]
            Warrior Horde: 2x Warriors, Intruder Alpha [94 pts]
            Warrior Horde: 2x Warriors, Intruder Alpha [94 pts]
        Occupation Patrol [320 pts]
            Prowlers: 4x Prowler, Intruder Beta [60 pts]
            Destroyers: 2x Destroyers, Intruder Alpha [130 pts]
            Destroyers: 2x Destroyers, Intruder Alpha [130 pts]
        Invasion Host [266 pts]
            Tormentor Squad: 2x Tormentor, Marauder [149 pts]
            Reaper Squad: 3x Reaper [117 pts]
        Attack Swarm [136 pts]
            Corsairs: Corsair [68 pts]
            Corsairs: Corsair [68 pts]



Thanks to my friend Nate who painted these miniatures (my sneaky way of getting him hooked on the models and the game).

First Contact: PHR vs. Scourge

So I (henceforth, called the Zealot for my blind faith in pre-ordering Dropzone) at the suggestion of my friend Stephen (the Prophet - for telling our gaming group about Dropzone) played with the Starter Armies for practice...

We played a Scenario where there were 3 buildings (the downloadable buildings from Hawk were printed on 110lb cardstock) with objectives hidden inside.

In this scenario, the Occupying Infantry must roll a D6 to search for the objective in each building - the difficulty becoming easier with each successive turn of successful occupation.

Scourge:
     Marauder Medium Dropship
             Invader APC
                     3 Stands of Warriors (15)
             Invader APC
                     3 Stands of Warriors (15)
     Marauder Medium Dropship
             3 Hunter MGT
     Marauder Medium Dropship
             3 Reaper AAGT
     Points: 541

PHR:
     Neptune Medium Dropship
          Juno IFV A1
               2 Stands of Immortals (10)
          Juno IFV A1
               2 Stands of Immortals (10)
     Neptune Medium Dropship
          2 Ares Walkers (Anti-Armour)
     Neptune Medium Dropship
          2 Phobos Walkers (Anti-Air)
     Points: 559

After 6 Turns.... Zealot (1)(found center objective)... Prophet (0).
The key to victory was that the Immortals (with better Close Quarter Battle - CQB and A - Armor) were superior infantry to the Warriors.  The Prophet and I think that Scourge Warrior Hordes should always upgrade to Aged Ones.  Razorworms are better infantry but they cannot take or hold objectives.

The other important factor was that I won the initiative roll the first 3 turns and that allowed my Immortals to enter buildings and gain protection!

Some observations:
1 - PHR is the slowest faction in the Dropzone Commander universe.  The Prophet destroyed the Juno IFV that carried the Immortals so they could not load onto the Neptune (carrying the objective off the board would have gotten me another 1 VP).  Destroy PHR transports and their ground forces are going nowhere allowing you to destroy them piecemeal.
2 - With 2 DP (damage points) on all Walkers, they are resilient.
3 - Scourge can do extra damage from their Plasma weapons to infantry.  Their weaponry appears to be like "shotguns" (short range, but devastating).  I also believe that Scourge needs to demolish buildings as a battle tactic.

Transports:
"Two-Timer" Rule... they can do two "transport actions" per activation (so you can load (1) and unload (2) on the same activation).  A Dropship can unload an APC (1) and then the APC can unload the infantry (2).  A Dropship can unload one APC (1), move, and unload the other APC (2).

Beardy/Power Gamers Need Not Apply!

Inevitably, people are going to want to play in a tournament setting!

In both WarmaHordes/Games Workshop products, a measuring tape is needed to measure ranges and charge distances.  In the course of our tabletop wargaming careers, we've all encountered opponents who have judiciously measured 1.2" as being closer to 2" instead of 1."

In DropZone Commander, I am concerned with TWO play mechanics in this regard.  (For the record, I prefer the Prime Directive of "Maximum Destruction" - if it's close, the person should always get the benefit where he will do the most damage.  Whether you win or lose, if both sides get to destroy alot of models, both sides usually have fun.)

1) Measurements distances are measured from the center of a model.  Determining the center of irregular shaped models with dynamic poses (e.g., turrets aimed differently than "square" to the body of a tank) can be an exercise in subjectivity, not objectivity.
2) The "brackets" (10% < "Hull Down" < 50%) for determining line of sight (LOS) and Armor (A) bonuses can also be daunting!  I think you're gonna have to state what you think your vehicle's status is and agree with your opponent.  "Half" is eyeball-able but 10%?  I would argue that the calibration of one's eyes does not allow such a precise measurement with consistent accuracy.  Astute readers will catch my allusion to one of the first things you learn in science class!

All in all, I'm hopeful that inches will not matter in a game with such futuristic weaponry (even with the Active Countermeasures mechanic).  Also, beards will grow and haters are always gonna hate.

Each faction does have a Super Weapon that will pretty much vaporize any ONE model (UCM - Kodiak, ACV; Scourge - Desolator; PHR - Athena Air Superiority Fighter; Shaltari - Ocelot Warstrider).  Nevertheless, even without force restrictions, I'm pretty confident that an army composition of Super Weapon units will handily lose.  The more I think about it... the gameplay reminds me of Panzer General (PC).

For StarCraft fans, would you rather have 20-40 Zerglings or one Ultralisk?  Oh yeah, remember Dropzone Commander emphasizes objectives, not just last man standing!

Introduction: "Balance" of Power

Welcome to my blog about Dropzone Commander by Hawk Wargames!

Game Workshop's Epic Space Marine is what got me into tabletop wargaming and Victory Points through the capturing of objectives is, to me, what makes a wargame more fun than lining up and battling it out in the Thunderdome where "two [armies] enter, one [army] leaves.  I'm starting this blog as a place to share tactics and experiences for what I believe will be the "next big thing" in tabletop wargaming.  I'm guessing you found my blog because you've heard about Dropzone Commander.

In days of yore, "the sun never sets on the British Empire" was true because the Royal Navy controlled the seas and therefore had the naval mobility to choose when and where to extend the Empire's military might on the global scale.  Fittingly, Dropzone Commander comes from the mind of Dave in the United Kingdom where space mobility, in the form of dropships, is the key to interplanetary conflict on the "universal" scale (see what I did there - LOL).

I went with "Flight in the Shade" as an appropriate pun from this Spartan quote...

"Although extraordinary valor was displayed by the entire corps of Spartans and Thespians, yet bravest of all was declared the Spartan Dienekes. It is said that on the eve of battle, he was told by a native of Trachis that the Persian archers were so numerous that, their arrows would block out the sun. Dienekes, however, undaunted by this prospect, remarked with a laugh, 'Good. Then we will fight in the shade.'" - Histories, 7.226

Instead of arrows, we have dropships and airpower.  The Spartans held off their invaders with superior equipment/technology AND superior tactics - the tactics is what I believe Dropzone Commander has in spades!

Over the next few blogs, I'll try to explain how the game plays...

ARMY COMPOSITION/BALANCE:
I remember the days of "Herohammer" when you needed 25% of TROOPS and could have 50% in CHARACTERS... I beat someone in a local gaming store tournament because I avoided his Mounted Chaos Lord with Khorne Juggers and defeated his other unit - a lowly 5-man minimum unit of Beastmen.  His response was that I was being "beardy" by avoiding his "auto-win/kill unit."  I think I successfully stalled it with a neverending batch of skeletons warriors.

Fast forward to today, on the heroic scale, I play and absolutely adore Warmachine/Hordes.  I play Khador and I must agree that almost everything in WarmaHordes is devastating so "overpowered" is a relative term; however, I'm a faction purist and I don't play Winter Guard Death Star or Kayazy Assassins because I believe that looking good while winning is important!  As such, I don't think I can ever reach the pinnacle of the tournament scene. (Granted, my skills suck too but I'd like to see a world-class Khador player win without the above two mentioned units in their lists.)  As a sidenote, Dropzone Commander models are THE MOST BEAUTIFUL models that I've ever seen!

Dropzone Commander has you organize your Army, consisting of a few Battlegroups (none of which can be greater than 33% of your Army) in alternating fashion (you move one Battlegroup, then your Opponent, then you, etc...) in a turn.  Each Battlegroup consists of Squads of SIMILAR TYPE UNITS.  Based on the size of the game... Skirmish, Conflict, Battle... there are limits to the number of Squads in each Battlegroup.  This makes Army Building challenging because you need to satisfy a few "rules":

1 - If chosen, all Dropships must carry the full load of units.
2 - All infantry USUALLY has a dedicated Transport.
3 - Squad restrictions within a Battlegroup.
4 - Max number of Squads in a Battlegroup.
5 - Battlegroup restrictions within an Army.
6 - Max number of Battlegroups in an Army.

This maintains the military feel and structure of an Army.

UNIT TYPES:
TRANSPORTS:  This includes Dropships and APCs.  Hey, it's the future... why march when you can catch a ride?  Why ride when you can fly?  Mobility and military might, remember?
AIR:  This represents fighters/bombers... during their activation (attack run), they fly on, attack, and off the board.  Only susceptible to other fighters and units with AA capability.  Right now, I wonder if they will be too powerful but with a 33% of them not being available when you want to use them, I think you will be punished if you rely on them too much (along with restrictions on how many you can have).
COMMAND:  These vehicles allow you to play tactic "Cards" which can affect things on the battlefield.  Your commander, if you choose to have one, is within one of them and they allow your commander the full range of his abilities.
SCOUT:  While light vehicles, they can be fitted to take on anti-armor, AA, or anti-infantry roles.  More importantly, they are like "arc nodes" for your commander (e.g., your commander can play "Cards" from them, keeping your COMMAND vehicle safe at a distance from the front lines.
STANDARD: Your Main Battle Tanks (MBT).  Like Panzer General, you need them to take out air defenses and other MBTs.
SUPPORT:  Your AA guns and Helicopter-equivalents.  AA Guns provide "overwatch" fire to protect zones against raiding aircraft.  Like real warfare, they rely on an inaccurate volume of shots to down aircraft.
HEAVY: Artillery and Heavy Battle Tanks.
TROOPS: Infantry.  They will die in the open but hand-to-hand (usually in buildings, there is no "assaulting" of tanks with infantry like WH40K) fighting with other TROOPS and EXOTIC (Elite Infantry) and they can fire upon Aircraft (airborne units) like the Terran Marine in StarCraft.  You will need infantry to capture and hold buildings.
EXOTIC: Elite Infantry (e.g., Special Forces)

Right now, with the Army Building Rules and the roles for the different type of units, I see COMBINED ARMS appears to be the most sound tactic.  Time will tell if a Zerg Rush will be developed successfully.