Into the Wilderness: Mission 3 1/2

Mission 4: Well 3 1/2 really...

Decided to go with a rerun of the rescue just to see what would happen...with Cole having the only ammo (AP for his pistol) and everyone else using boots and rifle butts it should provide us with some death defying fun. Thing is situations like this are going to happen with the rules the way they are. Pathfinder teams are volunteer soldier/explorers venturing into a new world from the ruins of the old. There is no 'pimping out' or 'power gaming' because the resources just aren't there. Of course it is possible to pimp out a crew simply by fudging a few dice rolls but this is far from the spirit of the game. So we use what we have and crack on...   

Turns 1-4

Set up posed some interesting questions...2 objective markers were generated in the crew deployment area and both were in LOS so had to be revealed. 2 salvage markers, 3 savages and a hunting dog in a pear tree. AMBUSH!!!

'We're dead, we're dead, we're all dead!'

'Butler get a grip will you? I'll hold them up, you get Hooper out of here...' 

The first savage random moved while Cole, with 2 actions, attempted to thin the ranks of the enemies, the first armour piercing rounds must have loosened the plates of its knobbly hide as the second shot put the dog down and there was enough wounds left over to 'walk' 4 onto the savage standing next to it. The other blue buggers milled around a bit seeming unsure as to how to close the trap they had sprung while Radcliffe default moved for 3 inches. Butler specifically ignored a direct order and closed with the nearest savage but neither could find an opening. Turn 2 and Cole scored 3 actions, adding some more savages to the pot, and started plugging away, taking out his first target and literally dissolving the second with 7 wounds, ahhhh armour piercing, messy. 

He then ATC'd for a clean sweep of the area but missed with both dice. The remaining savages took the hint and gave chase but Radcliffe's 6 inch move kept him out of reach. The faithful Butler, raised his rifle and blew the head off the nearest savage...until he (and I) realised that the gun was in fact empty (doh) as no one except Cole had any ammo. The savage was duly resurrected, Butler moved away for 6 inches and we said no more about it.

The crew retained the initiative in turn 3, mostly due to attrition, and Cole used his single action to ATC, blasting a savage back through the doorway it was attempting to sneak through, not killing it but stealing its activation for the wounds. Radcliffe closed with an alien but could only muster a swing and a miss...twice. The alien slid past this ineffectual barrage and softened Butler up by 1 condition point, stopping his activation. Turn 4 and with all the close moves and ATCing etc the crew are actually making pretty good ground and when Cole blasted another savage out of the way he decided that his second action might be worth a search, we do need some loot after all. It's not...he finds an salvage marker okay but then rolls nothing to reveal it...pants.

The savage with the raised knife (hitherto fore known as the leader) is proving to be a tough SOB batting Radcliffe's attack away and knocking him down a condition point. The leader then survives a burst of fire from Butler who HAS NO AMMO!!!!! again. Butler, the young handsome fool, closes instead and pays for it. Already wounded he succumbs to the riposte and the grinning savage wipes its blade on the grass, beckoning to Radcliffe. 

Turns 5-8

Things started moving faster from here. Cole uses his sole action to shoot the leader, taking a condition point and stopping it from activating this turn. Radcliffe had a fine idea for his 2 actions and nips in to snatch a salvage marker from under the nose of the wounded leader while another savage sneaks in behind. We're getting really close now so Cole risks another search, 2 more savages another dog and at last some salvage and they all, including the leader, surround Cole. He nods to Radcliffe, who now understands what it means to be a Pathfinder.

'You best be off kid.'

Radcliffe makes it count, freeing Hooper with his first action and then heroically scuttling away with his second. Two turns to get out of here.

Turn 7 and Cole surrounded and outnumbered chooses the best time to fail his activation but miraculously the leader and his henchman random move away while the dog moves to guard the nearest salvage marker. 

Hooper remains as an NPC for the scenario so receives no activation (something that could be altered in a later game). Radcliffe, who is now carrying her, scores two actions and moves right to the edge of the table, one inch from victory. Decision time. Technically that's the game but with one action left and another whole turn to play...sometimes you just have to gamble. He uses his last action to search and scores a welcome spot of savage. An alien brave closes with Cole who beats it back with another notch on his machete.

Turn 8. The adversaries snatch the initiative the closest hurling a wickedly barbed dart and Cole is literally saved from death by the thickness of his flak coat. He then dispatches much of the wounded with his first action, the enemies are so closely packed that he can spread the wounds around. One savage drops, one dog drops and another is wounded out of activation. Breathing space at last and the fearless Pathfinder claims a salvage with his last move of the game.

 'The leader' random moves...straight into base contact with Cole! It is a duel that has been brewing all game and when the dust falls the alien leader is on his knees. His final sight in this world, the implacable face of his killer. 

Radcliffe gets the final say. Two actions means he can move to claim another salvage, stash it in his pack and scuttle off the board for a win!

For once a gamble pays off.

 DOWNTIME

At last something to do on our day off. Well it's 4 EXP for the win plus 3 salvage markers so we get 2 resolves, a range and a new skill. Meaning Butler gets promoted a rank and everyone is now rolling 4's for activation which is mildly reassuring. 

Radcliffe is now a marksman, nice, and uses his other skill to alter smoke grenades to thunder flash. We have enough ammo to form a passable firing squad for the next scenario and decided that the machete that was found was actually an entrenching tool as that was what Hooper had on her belt. Closest we get to WYSIWYG around here.

Stay tuned...Cheers all.