Shattergrounds

[Transmission to JSA High Command, Priority: High]

Greetings from IkariCo,
I trust you'll be pleased to know efforts to clear out QAZs in HuaQiao are proceeding well on our end, and we have secured the lower ward shipping hub in Gubei, and recovered plenty of supplies for to help out the raids in the Energy Research Center.

Unfortunately we encountered hostile forces so we will have to add our ammo and repair costs, as well as Taowu's significant Cube Recovery Fee. Please wire to the normal account by end of day.

As a bonus, we've included the following footage for use by your propagandists, since your operative insisted on bringing one along.

Keep that State Empire humble.

Varuna T1- Surprise Taowu
Kamau sniper takes out the QAZ creature guarding the middle and right flank supply boxes. Croc man Hacker reveals and pushes up to the Tech Coffin, dropping a Carbonite on the Karakuri he thought he was in range of. Instead Taowu reveals and dodges forward, forcing Croc man to retreat or eat Nanopulser. Croc man does exactly that, bringing a Supply token all the way to the back of his DZ.

IkariCo Turn 1- Taowu's valiant charge
Desperado Impets and fails to gun down an SMG/LRL Helot on my left flank. Tanko team shuffles around and takes out the helot, the QAZ creature, and gets stunned by a Fugazi. Taowu steps up to the plate, now that he isn't being threatened by the Helot. He pushes up and drops 3 templates onto the Fugazi that stunned the Tanko, then menacingly stares down the Kamau, who elects to dodge. Taowu uses the Kamau's dodge to cross the gap, since I suddenly remember that his Lt was WIP 12 and there's a juicy non-specialist, plain old Fusilier sitting behind the Flatbed. Taowu walks around and drops viral pistol shots to take out the Fusilier, but ends up dying to the Helot watching over on a nearby crate. The Total Reaction Panggulings reveal themselves to actually be holoprojections from a Lu Duan, that pushes up and takes revenge on the Taowu-slaying Helot, then brings down the Kamau Sniper.

Varuna T2- Loss of Lieutenant woes
Varuna struggles to get much forward progress when everyone is suddenly irregular. Paramedic does bring the Kamau back up, and the Trauma Doc revives a Helot, but this allows the Desperado to Dodge in to contact. Croc man sets up a mine to prevent any infiltration on the Varuna right flank.

IkariCo Turn 2- POV: Lu Duan takes your lunch money
After the Desperado punches the Helot back into submission, the Lu Duan pushes forward to take out the Kamau Sniper with his Flamethrower, then corners around to hit the Fusilier Paramedic. With no further targets, the Lu Duan sits in the choke point between the two remaining Tech Coffins and Re-enters Holoprojector at the end of the turn. Cube Jager uses his irregular to walk in to contact with one Coffin. Tanko Team uses Entire Order Jump to hop down and push the Paramedic within one Move of the Central Tech Coffin.

Varuna T3- Can't Retreat just yet :(
Two Regulars and a Lt Order available. Trauma Doc attempts to move the Palbot over, but the Lu Duan takes it out. Croc Man puts down a Mine on the other corner of the Flatbed. Handshake offered.

IkariCo T3- Cleanup and actually playing the mission
We both accept that the game has functionally been over since bottom of T2, but I am still at 0 OP. Cube Jager opens the Right side Tech Coffin, then pushes up to throw a Medikit at the unconscious Paramedic to score Nanoespionage. Tanko Team shoves a Paramedic and opens the Central Coffin. Due to Cube Jager positioning, I score Secure HVT. Lu Duan tries to shove forward to drop templates on the remaining hostiles, and force a dropped supply box, but they all make dodges and he fails to save vs the Shock Mine. 7-2 IkariCo victory