Ghar World Tour

James and I had our third game of Beyond the Gates of Antares with my Ghar bent on the destruction of his C3.  This time both sides were investigating a crashed probe (mission 6 of the rulebook).

The Battlefield:

 The Ghar would be coming on from the bottom of the battlefield while the Concord would attempt to secure the probe from the top.

The probe landed just left of the crater, but for picture purposes I thought it would look better in the scenery!

This would be a small 750 point engagement.  After all it would only take a small recon force to secure a probe.  What could possibly go wrong?

Turn 1
With the first pull of the dice the C3 ran onto the battlefield taking up firing positions and scouting the territory for potential trouble.

Fuzzy symbols appeared across several C3 troopers vid sets.  Checking their instruments they knew the Ghar must be nearby.  A disruption dice was pulled quickly followed by a Ghar dice.  I wasn't having this ruin my plans this early, so I used my "block" asset to put it back in the bag.  I was outnumbered 2-1 for dice so I knew that the Concord would be pulled next.  I was wrong and a Ghar battle squad had to be given a down order before it could arrive to investigate the probe.

Finally the assault squad ran on taking up positions behind some trees.  In another turn or two they could pounce on the probe and carry it back for inspection.

C3 sent on some infantry support in the form of the much feared X-launcher.  It fired grip ammo near the Ghar assault squad hoping to slow them down.  Unfortunately for the C3 this would disappear after turn one.  However the X-launcher was just warming up for an incredible night.

Turn 2
The X-launcher successfully landed grip ammo in front of the assault squad forcing them to make a choice.  Run toward the objective or the slow way around the ammo.  Then the Ghar battle suits communications started to flick to life as skitters came online speeding ahead of their Ghar masters.

More Ghar reinforcements started to arrive but these battle suits were too far away to strike their targets.

A freshly arrived C3 squad sprinted ahead using the cover of trees to give them advancing cover as they could see the probe just ahead of them.  However they ran a little too fast and took a pin from exhaustion.

 Recognizing the threat the nearest C3 team was going to be so close to the objective probe, the Ghar open fire with their disruptor cannons placing one pin on them hoping it would slow them down...

 ...and it did!  Disruption soon struck the C3 forcing the same squad to go down, preventing them from advancing for the objective.

Medi drones showed up for the C3, however 2 squads of the Concord would fail their command check this turn and not arrive.  Apparently the Ghar's presence had very much affected their communication.  No need to discuss why my Outcasts haven't arrived however...

The Ghar fire their disruptor cannons at the newst squad on the table.  They are unable to inflict casualties due to their amzing reflective armor, but two pins were added to the unit.

 In retaliation a C3 squad open fire on the assault squad adding a pin marker.

Turn 3
The Ghar kick in all their plasma reactors this turn hoping it will help swing the battle in their favor. To add insult to injury they use their "superior shard" asset and the C3 go down a dice! With extra dice in the bag, the first one is pulled by the Ghar.

The assault squad is forced to run around the grip ammo and take cover in the craters.  They desperately wanted to claim the objective this round but being large, they were unable to sprint and claim it.

The X-launcher took no pity on them opening up and launching net ammo causing 4 pins!

 

 Ghar battle squads advance into cover and open up on the nearest C3 squad closest to the objective.  With the assault squad essentially pined out of the game, they needed to slow down the C3.  Disruptor cannons added a couple more pins and took out a spotter drone, but the reflective armor and medi drones made sure no humans would perish.

Meanwhile, the assault squad being Mod 2 this turn attempt a rally orders until the dreaded disruptor dice was pulled on them.  No delusions of grandeur today.

Turn 4

The Ghar were able to keep 2 out of their 3 plasma generators alive and would proceed to put them to good use adding pins to the C3.  A new Concord unit was ordered up to support the group assigned to take the objective but a few blasts from disruptor cannons saw them heavily pinned.

 

Finally, the Ghar outcast and 2 C3 units passed their command roles to join the battle for the down probe.  The outcasts were a bunch of sniveling cowards.  What was the C3's excuse?

Turn 5
 The C3 assigned with the task of securing the objective, rushed between the battle and assault squad.  Both Ghar units had been shrugging off pins due to being mod 2 for the last 2 turns.  Was this a foolish mistake by the C3? Or a bold move to claim the objective before the potential last turn of the game?

With a dice pull the Ghar assault squad rallied.  This took their pins down to one and with a lucky pull from the bag, another ghar dice was taken out.  A second gamble was made and the assault squad passed their test.  After a follow up round of combat the assault squad consolidated with the objective back toward friendly battle lines.

The Concord needed to eliminate the threat and again netted the assault squad with 3 additional pins.  This would help prevent them from moving off the table. Their plasma reactors could only do so much.

 The brave outcasts agreed they would take the probe to safety...

 ...while the Ghar dropped as many pins on the Concord as possible.

 Turn 6
With the first order pulled the Outcast ran as fast as they could toward safety.  Something I bet they are good at.  If only they could sprint with the objective the game would have been won!

 The X-launcher was apparently having itself a game and netted the outcasts!

C3 units begin a second push to reclaim the probe.

 The supporting battle suits then offer supporting fire while they move into combat with the Outcast, claiming the Probe.  With no pins on them, if the game goes on for another round, they had a good chance of claiming the objective.

 Turn 7
The game continues for one last turn. The C3 do their best to advance and slow down the battle suit squad with the probe.

 But it was not to be.  The Ghar had won the day securing the probe.  Now to figure out what it had captured.

Overall a really fun and tense game.  For James I would certainly say the MVP for him was the X-launcher.  That weapons was just brutal to me causing a lot of pins.

However...my plasma reactors would be my MVP.  Being Mod 2 on my units for half the game allowed my assault squad to remove excess pins much faster than the C3 could put them on.  This really helped out when I passed a rally test with them and then could use another dice to assault.

A fun game was had and I'm sure a rematch will be in the works.