Lets Talk Some Strategy!

[Evilgoat]

Hey guys thought this might be a good topic to get some chatter back in here

This is some of my Space Crusade gameplay strategy i use when playing as the ALIEN PLAYER.

1. I always place blips far enough from the marines entering a sector so they cannot reach me or reveal me in their first turn... but close enough that i can move into view and attack in my first turn.... (there are some marine tricks that can be used to thwart this tactic).

2. Protect your dreadnought from hand to hand!  continually have a bunch of grethen and orks cycling in front of your dreadnought.... move them out, fire/move dreadnought then move another group of green skins to protect all in the one turn.

3. Green makes a great wall! towards the end of a mission, chances are high that the marine players only have commanders left. They can only kill one alien per turn (with exception Imp fist combi weapon and order cards). so mob and block with your gretchins and orks, keep them in the mission for as long as possible.... this means more genestealers and other nasty event cards.....or deck runs out.

4. another strategy, which is pretty grubby and can back fire badly, is when in campaign mode.... concentrate on wiping out one squad entirely and give the other squads pretty empty sectors (maybe a gretchin here or there for them to chase around). This gives no promotion to anyone except you... as the wiped out squad eats up all of the alien points but ultimately their commander dies, and the other squads don't get enough points to warrant a promotion...(a truly grub act I know)


I'll post my BLOOD ANGELS strategies soon,  But would like to hear other players grubby little tricks, and strategies to counteract certain senarios and gameplay styles!

Cheers.

[Evilgoat]

so I said I would post up some things I do when playings as the BLOOD ANGELS squad.

1. when selecting 4 equipment cards only I will usually select Bolt pistols, close assualt blades, force field and melta bomb.
this selection may sound a bit weird, but let me explain.  as far as the selection of a melta bomb...this is purely mission dependant... If this mission is to get in and get out fast I will take a blind grenade instead of a melta bomb. as for not taking the bionic arm, I feel this place is better taken by the close assault blades. My commander with his Power Glove & Power Sword, is fine without this boost, I'd rather keep my marines alive longer by boosting their bolter capabilities.

2. selecting weapons. I usually select 2 heavy weapons, 2 bolters, and commander power glove/power sword, the 2 heavies are usually Plasma gun and assualt cannon.

3. So how do I play to get the best out of this selection of equipment and weapons? well, firstly the heavy weapons will try to kill what ever that can in the best way to make the most of each weapons features, then the commander and bolter marines will move in to clean up what is left. My bolter marines will engage in close combat majority of their play.. that said they will never engage with orks or space marines in close combat by choice. this is because it is not worth the risk.  Gretchen have no dice to roll when being attacking diagonally, so no risk there. Androids and genestealers drop 1 red dice when being attacking diagonally, so definately worth the risk when your bolter marine is rolling 3 white. On occasion i have used a bolter marine and melta bomb to kill a dreadnought if my commander is occupied elsewhere...(bolter marines are only worth 5 points if i failed :) still the odds arent too bad  dready rolls 2 red 1 white, marine rolls 2 red 3 white. The aim is to destroy every threat before they have a turn to attack you. The bolters have the movement as well as the power to take out the alien quickly. the last thing you need is aliens taking pot shots at you for 5 turns!

4. for missions that require speed, a "move it" order is great straight off the bat then followed up with a blind grenade at end of the first
turn. this strategy is especially great in the "mission dreadnought, mission one".....move the tarantular into place and smash the bulkhead before the alien knows whats happening. boom blind grenade..... fire again smash the next bulkhead in the tunnels

thats enough for now :)

[AlynDavies]

Interesting tactics, if I'm the Blood Angels I always equip my marines with bolters, and buff up the bolters, so enemies roll 1 less dice when defending diagonally (bolt pistols and close assault blades).  

The blood angels are the only way to go for the marine teams.  The force shield is wonderful as well as the 3 armor is a god send.  Provided you go for the power glove on your commander and the melta bomb your team is pretty much unbeatable .

The Photon Grenades and close assault orders are invaluable too.  If you surround the Dreadnought with Blood Angel marines, attack it diagonally, and use the Photon Grenades order, you'll cut it to pieces.  

I'm normally the Alien player and generally throw the blips anywhere random apart from the specific one that the players have to kill.  Truth be told we normally only play the first mission as thats the one to kill the Dreadnought and hes the hardest to kill in the game, al the rest of the missions are repeatative and pointless.

[Tony1978]

Hi Evilgoat,

I agree with your alien player strategy.
I usually use the first and second ones and sometimes I try to wipe out the commander with higher rank to block his rise in points.

For the Blood Angels.
For me the melta bomb is an option. I take all the equipment cards you mentioned but I prefer a blind grenade to counter the alien strategy when he puts his blips far from the marines.
I only take a heavy weapon (plasma gun) and the power glowe/sword for the commander.

[Gold Bearer]

Blood Angels
Power Fist + Power Sword
Assault Cannon
3 Bolters
Photon Grenades
Bolt Pistols, Close Assault Blades, Force Field, Bionic Arm.

Bolters for close combat (not against orcs, not worth it with their AV1) and the assault cannon to mop up. I think the Bionic Arm is vital because it doesn't take much to lose lots of LP in hand-hand, just one bad roll. The first additional equipment card is definitely a Targeter for the bolters because it's a three in one, even though it reduces the usefulness of Close Assault Blades because there's no point in taking out a gretchin in hand-hand with a bolter if it's got a Targeter. Melta Bomb next, then the other Targeter for the assault cannon. Close Assault as the second order and Move It as the third.


Imperial Fists
Heavy Bolter
All three heavy weapons
1 Bolters
Fire
Suspensors, Combi-Weapon, Bionic Eye, Targeter (Assault Cannon).

The assault cannon really needs a targeter to make the must of it's clearing potential. The first additional equipment card is a Targeter for the missile launcher (the commander already has a targeted plasmagun), then Blind Grenades, then the Melta Bomb. Second order is By Sections, then Heavy Weapon.


Ultramarines
Power Axe + Power Gun
Plasmagun & Missile Launcher
2 Bolters
Move It
Medikit, Digital Weapons, 2 Targeters (both heavy weapons).

The first additional equipment card is Bolt Pistols to keep the commander's body guards alive and alow them to cover the heavy weapons more effectively, the second is the Melta Bomb, then the Blind Grenades. I hate the Bio Scanner! Second order is By Sections to increase their speed further, then Fire because Close Assault is only any good for the BAs.