Part 21: Mist (1 of 2)

Part 21: Mist (1 of 2)



We're invading a new continent today, starting with this knobby peninsula.



Mist is one of the smaller maps, and one of the most asymmetric setups in this game. Blue starts off with a defensive position and ownership of all 20 neutral cities, consistent with a theme of Red Star invading Blue Moon's territory. Our challenge for this map is Hold the Line 2.0 - do not allow any capturing attempts. We won't have to worry about this challenge early on, given that Blue already owns everything around.


Turn 1



We start off with almost no income, but luckily infantry are cheap.



Blue gets 24000 G each turn but for some reason only builds a couple infantry and APCs. Our only advantage in this map is weird AI scripting.


Turn 2



More infantry, and starting a few captures.



Blue loads up its first pair of APCs and throws out another set.


Turn 3



We're fortunate that it takes Blue awhile to get going, letting us get a flood of infantry out there to try and turn the tide. Here we complete three captures, start a fourth, and get another quad of infantry deployed.



The first of Blue's APCs unloads and blocks off one of the cities we were looking to take. Back at HQ another set is built. My strategy for dealing with all of these APCs is basically clogging the passes with a flood of infantry until I can get some income together.


Turn 4



A few more captures get started, and we finally have enough income to throw out a tank to help against those APCs.



Our infantry are starting to take some attacks now. This APC attack will delay our capture of the city by a turn. Also look at those cash reserves that Blue has already!



On the other side of the map, the APC bypasses the capturing infantry to hit one in the forest for some reason. It's in easy range for our tank for next turn.



Now that we've built a tank, Blue lets loose and casually throws out a medium tank and a rocket.


Turn 5



Two more captures completed, and our tank blows up this APC and the infantry it was still carrying.



Trying to block up the passes through the mountains. Infantry don't really hold up well defensively but they're cheap and I can throw a lot of them out there. Meanwhile we build another tank because it's still all we can really afford.



The infantry hold in the lower pass. For some reason the APCs are hesitant to attack the infantry blocking the upper pass.



I guess why spend APCs when you can throw out another medium tank and rocket duo? Whatever, the delays will only work in our favor here.


Turn 6



We finish up four more captures, so the only city outside the mountains that isn't under our control is the one that's blocked off by the APC down here. We've actually reached income parity but we have a lot of catching up to do still.



At the lower pass, we merge a couple infantry together, then take out the enemy infantry in the mountains.



At the upper pass, it's another infantry blockage backed up by a tank. Now that we have some more money coming in, we throw out a couple artillery to try and slow down Blue's charge.



The first medium tank reaches us but can't finish off the infantry alone, and clogs up the pass so the APCs can't get through, either. Similarly the APC in the lower pass can't break free, but down there I'm going to get pushed back by the approaching rocket soon.



And there's another medium tank.


Turn 7



Our tank clears out the lower pass, and I send an infantry down to try and capture the last city on our side of the mountains, but the enemy rockets and an approaching medium tank are going to complicate that plan. Out at the upper pass, I pull back out of rocket range and try to bait the medium tank into artillery range. We also get a rocket of our own, already in range to attack anything coming out of the upper pass.



Our infantry hang on in the lower pass, surviving two rocket strikes and a hit from the medium tank. The upper pass doesn't play out how I expected, with the medium tank going after an infantry in the mountains and an APC unloading near us instead.



It's unfortunate that the AI has figured out that just building a medium tank every turn is a pretty good strategy.


Turn 8



Our ranged units spread out their attacks on an infantry and a couple of APCs, letting a tank move up to finish off one of the APCs. Down in the lower pass we merged the infantry together again and try to plug the gap with a weakened tank. But hey, at least we got another rocket built!



Down in the lower pass, the rockets clear out our tank and the medium tank breaks through to isolate and weaken our capturing infantry. We won't be able to reinforce it again next turn.



The enemy is running wild at the upper pass, but only the medium tank actually makes an attack. On the far right you can see where I tried to sneak an infantry over the mountains, mostly to distract a medium tank and keep it away from the main battle.



Another turn, another medium tank.


Turn 9



Once again the ranged units each target a different enemy, destroying one APC and damaging two others and the medium tank. Having a higher number of damaged enemy units around is to our advantage here, since they take up space that fresh units could use more effectively.



Not much I can do down at the lower pass but retreat a couple of infantry and hope the medium tank wanders into rocket range. Speaking of rockets, we build a third to help with the HQ defense here.



Uh that's not what I meant about getting the medium tank into rocket range. Luckily the base defense bonus limits the damage, and we'll repair half of it next turn.



The damaged medium tank retreats from the upper pass, but two loaded APCs motor through and drop off their loads right at our cities.



For once the enemy did not have the funds for a medium tank, so they build an APC and a tank instead.


Turn 10



We start off the turn by killing off an infantry with an artillery strike and a follow-up from our own infantry.



The other invading infantry is taken care of by two more of our infantry. I'm doing a lot of defensive fighting from our cities here to take advantage of the repairs each turn, to try and turn this map around.



Of course all of those repairs eat into our funds so I can't get another rocket this turn. Instead we get a tank and a supply. Our artilleries need a reload next turn anyway.



I thought the infantry could plug up the upper pass again, but forgot that the APC and mech could both also reach it.



Luckily one medium tank got baited off to the right by another encroaching infantry, while the other can't reach our artillery and settles for hitting another infantry on a city.



That lower pass is looking a little dicey now but those rockets don't have a lot of protection, either. Blue builds a few more smaller units because it's just short of funds for another medium tank.


Turn 11



After a quick resupply, both artilleries go after the nearby medium tank, severely damaging it.



The rocket on the upper-left finished off the medium tank that made it through the lower pass. I move a couple infantry to block off the enemy rockets while firing on the lead one with our own rocket.



We can't afford any good stuff this turn, so we throw out a few cheap units and save the rest for next turn.



I missed that our new tank wandered into rocket range, and it's now down to half its health.



Here's a problem. Some medium tanks have broken free and team up with the APC to take out our last infantry on the upper-right corner. Now that mech can move in and start capturing the city. So much for the challenge. Fuck this map, anyway. It took me almost a month to even try this map because I was dreading playing it, so we're not starting over now.



That's quite the enemy force holding the upper-right corner now. It's going to be a mess to unravel. The damaged medium tanks merged together and are all sitting out of the range of our indirect fire units.



Don't worry, Blue built a replacement medium tank, so we won't be running out of targets anytime soon.


Turn 12



The lower pass is under control for now, so I rush everyone else at the upper pass. I think it's about time we get our own medium tank.



The medium tanks waste their attacks on infantry, and line up nicely in range of all of our indirect units. The enemy mechs merge together, meaning I'm not going to be able to stop that capture and we're going to lose some ground next turn.



Blue retreats from the lower pass to let some tanks through, then builds a few cheaper vehicles to keep up the pressure. We're in a bit of trouble here, but with some careful chokepoint management and some heavy ranged fire, we can still turn it around.

To Be Continued...