Dave's idea....
There were three possible ways to have troops below
1) Start there via Guerrilla or Infiltrate
2) A units full actions to pop one of the man-hole covers and drop down into the labrynth
3) A units full actions for one of the Freight elevators to do as above (this was for Size 3 Models)
I made some mistakes... and in retrospect and now non-loopy thought (never play one's nemesis on 3.5 hours sleep. Baaaaad Idea
) along with conversation with Dave after game yesterday, I know where I goofed and they are mostly honest goofs, with one of them something that would not have happened had I been thinking straight.
Even Gun Moll is picking on me for this loss... Says I have lost my edge. *sigh*
My List:Colonel John Archer
Major Brian Morland
Senior Captain Abe Vigoda (HI Capt)
Captain Houstin McCoy (LI Captain)
Wailing Banshee Captain Gordon Yeager
((genuine No Prize fro the ID of these characters...
))
HI squad (sgt, 7 men, hmg, sniper)
HI Squad (sgt, 5 men sniper)
LI squad (sgt 5men gl)
LI squad (sgt 5 men gl)
LI squad sgt 5 men, Commspec)
Free Marines (sgt, 4 men, lmg)
Free Marines (sgt, 4 men TB)
Assault Marines (sgt, 5 men, hmg, gren)
Wailing Banshees (Sgt, 5 men, LFT, Gren)
Great Grey
All troops and elites had filter-mask/re-breather load-outs. Assault Marines have Night Vision.
Mistake one: Over Committed forces to Labyrinth.
I sent both units of Free Marines and the AsM's down below along with Moreland, thinking he would send his JK units there. He did initially, as well as Val Duval and his Vulkans. He pulled a unit of JK's up when I made a bone head maneuver the next turn.
Mistake two: Lack of patience with the Banshees.
Sent up the side which was smart but committed way too soon. Toasted a few troopers of his. JK's come back up JUST out of range of Captain's LFT.. Lose Initiative next turn abd result is Dead Banshees.
Mistake three: Mis-location of Great Grey
As Dave pointed out later, there was a reasonibly better spot for the beastie that would have given a good amount of LOS to 80% of his men. I missed it as I am used to using the Grey like a Cobra chopper- sneaking along and gunning down targets before ducking back into a hidden spot. I could have seen Vukans (who were back upstairs) being on Wait and trying to gun it down in a hurry. He confessed one of their jobs was to hunt that damn fish of mine.
Which reminds me... anyone have one they wanna trade? I need a second one.... and I have a hodge-podge of figs still in blister (as well as pilgrims and resonators sitting primered waiting for inspiration)
This battle *was* fun, despite the loss. Lots of jokes and if nothing else, lots of lessons learned on both sides I think. I do know that taking FO's, while a nice tool to have in your army, if friggin hard to get a good spot and location to use them. I think if a re-write of the rules were to happen, calling for fire should be tweaked to make it less difficult to pull off. Jesus christ... other than Dave (once or twice I think), has anyone ever pulled off a Fire Mission?
But thats a discussion for another day... as well as play testing whatever is cooked up.