Part 29: Lost (1 of 2)
Part 29: Lost (1 of 2)
Time to conquer the peninsula of Lost. Let's see what we're dealing with here.
Okay, where to start here. Blue has a bit of an advantage, starting with an extra base and with more neutral cities accessible by land. Luckily bases aren't actually worth any income or we'd be looking at a cash flow disadvantage to start the map, too. Anyway, the key to this map is, as usual, getting to the neutral airports first and then spreading out to capture neutral cities from there. In particular the cluster of seven cities at the top of the map will be important for us to grab first.
Our challenge today is Fair Play, suggested by MagusofStars. In order to be fair to our overmatched opponent, we will not be building any units unless Blue currently has more units on the field. We'll exclude the first turn from that rule, and we'll consider the challenge complete once we reach the enemy HQ (since at that point the outcome isn't really in doubt, but the challenge would just drag the end out unnecessarily).
Turn 1
We start off with a couple of infantry and a copter. We'll be making a break for the most distant airport.
I was hoping Blue would build a bunch of infantry so we could put some more units out there ourselves next turn, but no such luck.
Turn 2
Anyway we're stuck not building anything this turn, and I'm already not liking this challenge.
It's weird rooting for the AI to build more units.
Turn 3
Anyway we're able to capture our first city, and our first copter is on its way to one of the neutral airports. We're able to build a couple more units this turn, and I opt for another copter and infantry pair.
Blue likewise captures a city, and I'm happy to see three more units built by the AI this turn.
Turn 4
You can still see almost everything we have on one screen. I'm building mechs instead of infantry now, in the hopes that they'll be a little more useful in between captures.
The enemy is starting to spread out now, with a second city captured and another on the way. For some reason though, none of the enemy copters or APCs have been loaded up with infantry here.
Turn 5
We'll start capturing this airport next turn, hopefully before any enemy units arrive.
We have room to build another couple of units, so this time we have two APCs. They can cross the rivers so I'm thinking they'll be helpful in keeping the enemy infantry in check.
Blue makes its way towards the upper island. That APC is going to be trouble.
Another couple more enemy units. By all means build more supply trucks.
Turn 6
We start capturing the airport, and then position the copter to keep the APC away for one more turn.
Another copter and mech for us, as our other units slowly make their way forward.
Blue has all four of the cities in its starting area now. These infantry will make their way over the river to grab another city soon, too.
I'm not going to be able to stop Blue from taking these four cities on the upper island, but I'm hoping to be able to at least slow them down while also protecting the airport.
Our opponent is already putting out AA tanks, which is just rude considering I only have a few copters out there.
Turn 7
Two mechs are dropped off, one near the second neutral airport and one in the center of the map at another city cluster.
We take the first neutral airport, and our copter gets in some chip damage on this capturing infantry to delay it by a turn.
We're allowed to build two units at the moment, but instead we put out a scout to harass the enemy copters.
The lower part of the map is pretty calm since there aren't nearly as many cities down there.
The upper island, on the other hand, is getting rather crowded. Blue ends up not building anything this turn, probably saving up for something more expensive. Bad luck for us.
Turn 8
Time for a fighting retreat at the upper islands. The copter covers and chips away at a capturing infantry, while our own infantry hustles back across the river.
Meanwhile, we start some captures on the lower islands.
We still have room to build one more unit, so I put out a mech in hopes of loading it into a copter next turn. Offscreen at the top, our infantry finally captures the fourth and final city from our starting area.
Starting to look a little bleak on the upper island.
Blue builds two more units, including the first medium tank of the map.
Turn 9
We keep up the capturing pressure, getting two cities and the last airport here.
A fresh copter arrives to attack the enemy copter and its passenger.
Our APCs start crossing the river to provide some support, as a fresh mech gets dropped off to start on this city cluster.
We only have one airport we can use to build air units, so instead of a copter, the mech gets into an APC. That choice leaves the airport free to build another scout.
We've got a damaged copter protecting the airport, but Blue is just going to go right around it.
The rocket built here could be annoying since it can reach any of the islands.
Turn 10
Our scout attacks this copter, who had the nerve to take some life from our capturing infantry. I could finish off this copter with one of our own copters, but given the challenge, I'm better off leaving damaged enemy units around so that we can keep building more ourselves.
Instead our copters are going to try and just get in the way at the upper island.
I could build another scout here, but we really need to start getting some bombers out there so instead we save up for next turn.
The enemy tank is trouble for our APCs, but at least the other units all retreated.
A new AA missile and not much else going on elsewhere on the map.
Turn 11
We park a scout on this neutral city to keep Blue from grabbing it with whatever's in that APC.
Meanwhile we finish off three more city captures, including one off-screen in the upper-left cluster.
The upper island is still a mess, with our copters still trying to keep the enemy tank away from the neutral cities and everyone else away from our airport.
We finally get a bomber out, and with the leftover cash I get an AA missile. I figure it'll at least be a copter-deterrent.
The lower part of the map is still mostly quiet. An enemy infantry gets into a copter right in front of my hungry scouts. There's a medium tank and a rocket just kind of sitting threateningly in the middle but they can't do much since they're stuck on the starting island.
The upper island is at kind of a stalemate, too. I'm okay with that condition - I just want to buy time until we get more of the neutral cities captured, anyway.
Wait, what the fuck?!?! Medium tanks can cross rivers?! Shit shit shit I have nothing over there to stop it. I've just been ignoring it since it can't touch us.
Turn 12
To stall, I shove this infantry in front of the medium tank to keep it from completing the crossing this turn. Here's what I think is going on here. Rivers must cost six movement for vehicle movement types. Only APCs and medium tanks have six movement, so they're the only vehicles able to cross rivers (and it takes all of their movement to do so). Not a great surprise but it could've come at a worse time I suppose.
At the upper island, our copters continue to hem in the tank, and our APCs slip by and get in a shot on an enemy APC and its passenger.
We throw out a rocket to help control the center of the map.
Lots to unpack here. The rocket hits our capturing mech but only takes off a couple of life. The medium tank tears into our infantry, and then an enemy infantry also crosses the river to grab the kill. Down on the lower island an APC circles around to make our mech bleed. Meanwhile a copter moves in and drops off another infantry, but both are already heavily damaged from a scout attack earlier in the turn.
Well, fuck. An enemy fighter has taken the field, right as our bomber is about to make a difference. Oh and a copter dropped off another infantry on our central island. We're in a bit of scramble now, are we going to be able to hold on and get to the enemy HQ?
To Be Continued...