Placing Objectives - Tactica Tuesday

The Batman Miniature Game is unlike any other system in that you deploy your forces and then your objectives. If you want to see how it is done, we have made a video over here. The placement of your objectives tends to be in your enemy's deployment zone so you are forced to cross through them. This makes victorious combat even sweeter in the Batman Miniature Game - Victory Points for vanquishing your foes as well as the benefits of the objective.

Movable Objectives

Actual objectives won't be quite so heavy...

Riddles are placed up to 20cm away from your opponent's Deployment Zone. They should be used by low model count, high mobility factions; such as, Watchmen, Sirens or a hero-centric Batman. This is due to Riddles requiring no model to stand their ground to claim its points as seen with Titan and Ammo and does not slow your models down by spending MC each turn to carry like Loot. Riddles can be solved by anyone and so the high mobility is required to claim your objective prior to your opponent stealing it away.

Loot also is placed up to 20cm away from your opponent's Deployment Zone. The more "swarmy" army or one that consists of a moderate amount of competant models should consider Loot over the Riddle. They have the resources to have a model carry Loot from location to location as the battle progresses. Since the army is aiming for more competence, they can hire high earners such as Catwoman or Mr. Freeze who Primary Target: Loot.

Immovable Objectives

You'd better have a plan for these, son...

Titan and Ammo are stuck in a fixed position once the Objectives Stage is over. They provide opposite tensions. The Ammo Objective wants to be able to see other Objectives, as a model sitting on this Objective would like to reload and shoot. Games have drastically shifted if a powerful gunman plants themselves on an Objective.  It doesn't even have to be yours! Titan, on the other hand, wants to be just out of Line of Sight. That way your model may jump out and clobber an opponent or make it difficult for a player to dislodge your model. Don't give your opponent the tools for victory: keep Ammo away from Gunmen, Titan from Combo Attackers. Remember: Change of Plans Strategy can move up to 12cm but averages 7cm, including your opponent moving your things.

Didn't see that coming, did you...

Since the position of Ammo and Titan is nailed down, it is important to contemplate placing Riddles or Loot "along the way" for your models to collect. You have to get there so make it easy for yourself. Put Objectives through clear paths. The 30cm Line of Sight cap helps with your defence as you cross the board. Have your Loot or Riddles as pit stops along the way to your higher VP Objectives.  If you have a very competent fighter, place your Objectives to cause conflict. For example, Titan Bane has Primary Target: Titan, it would be great to place his Titan behind where enemies start so once he's broken them he can sit on Titan for VP.

Strategy

A handy graphic to help you separate Strategy from Tactics

With seeing your opponent's force before Deployment, you can see if they're attempting a Refused Flank.  The idea of a Refused Flank is that if they group up their models on one side of the board, they have all their power concentrated instead of dispersed.  It's easier to attack and defend 5cm across than 15cm or 20.  This behaviour could be seen Band Leaders that provide buffs to their troops, such as Bane.  A Refused Flank is a tough nut to crack which is why you've got to pull them out by placing your Objectives on the other side of the board.  They ignore your objectives? You can easily score 6 VP a turn while just dancing around.  They go after your objectives? You've broken the Refused Flank and may play a game.  Sometimes, it is worth just having one Acrobat on Defence.

While closing the distance to an objective, be wary of lights.  Not many factions have access to Night Vision Goggles, so there is some safety in the darkness.  Lights have a way of wrecking that by allowing your opponent  to bring weapons to the fore that shouldn't have business targeting your models. Consequently, placing Riddles or Loot against a fast force might make them think twice about stepping into the open to only get gunned down.

Scenarios

You have to be able to adapt...

Each Scenario provides a different challenge.  Once you have seen your opponent's force, it might be worth using the Global Plan Strategy to steer away from bad match-ups.  If they're good with melee weapons, like League of Shadows, they'd choose Chance Encounter to still have the fighting elements but assassinate enemies on the first turn. Be wary of making Ammo or Titan too easily accessible, you want people to fight for these prizes. Plunder, on the other hand, is great for gangs that wish to shoot enemies that are within range and contest objectives. Place your objectives as close as possible to your Deployment Zone to begin raking in points.

Patrol and Skirmish favours a more elite force that can get into a Deployment Zone or inflict harm, depending on the scenario. Carrying Loot is quite possible for a Catwoman as she sneaks around to sit on Ammo or Titan after scoring her Loot. Securing the Area prefers swarms to grab all of your Objectives and negate your opponent's. Place your valuable Objectives in the opposite of where your opponent can take advantage of it. Ammo in a corner that has been conquered is hard to dig out plus provides plenty of reloads. Ambush is a mix of the above because it depends if you're the Attacker or Defender to really comment what you excel at.

(Pen: Don't blame Tevesh for the dopey images.  Real life has kept him busy, and I tried to help him out by squeezing in a few semi-relevant pictures.  Also, go watch Person of Interest, because it's Batman.)