This would necessitate the remaining three crew mounting a rescue mission and seeing as they would be somewhat shorthanded it would give a chance to experiment with a smaller table setup. 24 x 24 to be exact. Further, the adversaries for the scenario would only need to be taken from the alien savages plus a couple of new faces for a little spice.
The main rules already offer a Rescue mission so it would only need slight alteration to make if fit in with our current needs. This is very much in the spirit of SECTOR 12, rules are guides to be patiently listened to...and then ignored in favour of thrilling adventure.
So a 24x24 table was set up as per the pics using the complications rules and only one objective marker generated to begin. Hooper would play no active role in the scenario but rather act as the 'package' to be secured and guided off the board.
Turns 1-4
A slow start with everyone moving or double moving across the board as they need to cover some space and fight in the opponents half should anything go wrong. The two alien savages that had been left to guard the hostage/sacrifice milled around a bit.
'Hey have you seen that new t68 speeder...?'
Cole's next move revealed the only marker as another savage, a hunting dog and a bit of loot. The rest of adversary forces woke up at this point with one targeting Cole and the other moving in on Radcliffe who took 2 condition points off it for its trouble.
Butler's nerves surfaced again and only managed a default move.
Things really kicked off in turn 3, Cole claimed the salvage marker and then took careful aim at his preferred target...aliens...the first shot was saved by thick extraterrestrial bone nodules and the second was a jam. This didn't bode well...
The savage spat out a tooth, issued a suitably blood chilling battle cry and immediately charged Cole, delivering 4 hits with some frankly rather impressive Jackie Chan sh*t! One wound was saved by Cole's armour but the other three were enough to take him out of the game.
Marvellous. Five turns without the main man...
Butler had a miss and two shots on target saved then forced onto combat much as had been his unlucky boss. The savage double activated which meant two rounds of combat to survive, a miss, a hit and a wound saved followed by a hit a save and three unsaved wounds saw the savage sink to the ground...its place in ET Valhalla secured.
The weird looking dog that nobody liked the smell of, moved in to support its handler and fortunately the third savage was unable to satisfactorily sight Butler so had to hold onto its poison dart. Butler then scored two hits with his ATC and a wound on the ring leader.
'For you Cole!'
The savages took the initiative in turn 4, the leader random moved away, wary of Radcliffe's boom stick but he needn't have worried. The sights had taken a knock and all he managed with his two shots was some sacrilegious damage to the priceless alien ruins. The rest began to close in, crowding our heroes with moves that came up just short of contact and Butler pulled a well thrown dart from his shoulder, thanking his armour for soaking up the damage
Turns 5-8
Due to the ferocity of the savages the surviving crew were technically no closer to Hooper than at the end of turn 1. Then Radcliffe failed his activation...the hunting dog sensed the hesitation and leapt through the gap at the strongest crew member and literally chewed him right out of the game with 4 wounds.
...then there was one...
Still hungry it went for the last man but yelped in mid air as Butler's first shot removed its third kidney.
'See you in ugly dog heaven!'
The leader let out a gargling scream that was later translated as...
'...Mr Fluffy Boots!!!!!...'
...but couldn't get close enough to attack and was forced to watch Butler's second shot find its mark also, stopping the other savage from activating.
The leader closed with 'The wicked dog murderer of Sector 12' and knocked Butler down a condition point but took one too and they were both driven back, in the space that was created Butler got his rifle up and sent the leader the same way as his beloved pooch.
The last savage was not at all happy watching this warrior from another world chop up his mates and best dog and moved off to the salvage left by Cole's demise.
They fought again in turns 7 and 8, blocking, circling andfeinting but neither was hurt and as the light began to fade the two exhausted fighters locked eyes. A moment of understanding and perhaps respect passed between them, no one would win this day but they would return tomorrow and perhaps finish this...with a nod they both turned and made off in different directions through the trees.
Failure.
DOWNTIME
Well not much to do here. Two rolls brought the only reward for the game. 1 EXP for Cole's tall story of survival which went to Butler for a +1 Melee seeing as he was the only one that really did any hard work and the only one that made to the end of the game.
Fast and bloody, small tables and shorthanded crews mean for quick games where melee takes the front seat, not good when the only guy with a machete is taken out at the start of turn 3. That being said it also makes for an entertaining forty minutes which is surely more important and a game that you always 'win' is no game at all and probably not worth the effort and time.
So...our crew must return to the site of their defeat. Or should they? Technically speaking Hooper will return to the crew for the next mission after recovering from her wounds whatever happens so we come to a fork in the road. Either...
1) She slips her shackles while the savages are burying their fugly dog, returns to the crew of her own accord and our heroes seek a different adventure.
2) Or she remains captive and a battered crew decide that no man/woman/person is left behind and attempt the rescue once again?
We also have a more pressing issue. Apart from Cole who has enough armour piercing rounds for two missions, the crew is completely out of ammo. Along with the utter paucity of hand to hand weapons whatever happens it will be tough going.
Cheers all
No comments:
Post a Comment