Sunday, August 24, 2014

Across a Deadly Field: ACW game

15mm game using the new "Across a Deadly Field" rules from Osprey.  Our first go with these rules so it was a bit slow and hindered by multiple charts and unnecessary abbreviations.  By the end I think we got the hang of it and I think I see where the author is coming from ( and guiding us).



This game was basically a test out the rules slug fest and my vandalous nature made me try to break them by trying some absurd stunts.  The rules didn't accomodate such antics and I failed miserably.
Lessons learned:  the combat only gets very deadly when you get VERY close (as in try to charge into melee).  Probably works best with even amount of players to keep everyone involved (due to the reaction system).

Sunday, August 3, 2014

GURPS: Attacked by undead pirates in limbo

Continuing the mission to rescue the King from limbo.  The party is aboard the strange gnomish ship traveling through the nether when they suffer an engine failure.  Sabotage?
As they ponder their options,  the undead pirates that have been trailing them this past week break from the clouds.
Their ships are lower tech, but there are a lot of them, and each ship has a chaos bomb capable of destroying the ship if they can get close enough to plant it on the hull.

The gnome ship is immobilzed in the nether due to engine failure.
Three pirate sloops race towards it, eager to plant their chaos mines.  The autocannon blows one apart.
The others flank around the gnome ship.  The pirate frigate manuevers to bring its broadside into range.
The frigate's broadside damages the gnome ship- jamming one of the autocannons and almost killing the gazool boy sensor operator.  There is no choice but to use the precious magma torpedoes.  Sampson guides it true and the second torpedo finds the magazine and destroys the frigate.
Big Jack, Sampson and Ingram go out on deck to repel the skeleton boarders who are trying to attach a mine.
With only one autocannon working, the PCs are slow to reduce the remaining pirate sloops.  One of them survives a barrage with one hull point left and manages to get its grappling lines attached.
At the last moment the autocannon smashes the sloops hull to splinters, spilling the skeletons into the nether.  In a last act of defiance they trigger their chaos mine.  Although not directly against the gnome ship it does cause some more damage and gives Sampson and Ingram some minor burns.
The pirates defeated, the ship waits for the rendezvous with the Mycanoids and the marooned gnome crew.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

The Untamed Waterfowl: A DH variant

This was a 28mm game set in Africa, sometime in the 60-70s in an unspecified country.  A platoon of professionals, mounted in trucks and one armored car was tasked with capturing/destroying/rescuing up to 3 objectives on the table.  The local boys club had to defend them, with their motley mix of troops ranging from experienced soldiers down to "rabble".  They were supported by 2 Toyota pick ups mounting .50 cals.



 On the west side the locals are tearing up the mercs.
 The bold local command team goes on the attack and threatens the mercs flank.
 On the east side however, the rabble troops prove easy to rattle and they flee their positions when faced with heavy MG fire.


 The merc scout car makes it to the fuel dump and blows it up.  1 objective point so far.
 On the west the locals have destroyed the merc attack.  There will be no chance for the mercs to capture their banker.  1 point to the locals.
 All that remains is the hostage.  1 merc manages to get to him and lead him to almost safety, but then goes down to enemy fire.
 The locals throw everything they have left in an attempt to kill or pin the last merc near the hostage to deny them the victory point.
The last ditch effort:  Locals command squad dashes out and takes a shot with their sniper rifle.  They miss and the merc passes his morale check to spirit the hostage to safety.  Victory to the Untamed Waterfowl.


Friday, July 4, 2014

DH WW2 game

Disposable Heroes WW2 game in 28mm.
1 platoon of US paratroops with bazooka team and 4 man command
2 Shermans and 1 halftrack
vs.
1 platoon of German Heer with sniper team and 4 man command
1 panzer IV and 1 Marder and 1 halftrack
The objectives:  A village on the left, a farm on the right and hedgerows in between.


German command elects to stay in the halftrack.
US teams advance to the hedgerow.  The sherman moves up to the corner..
..and is promptly hit by a panzerfaust, putting it out of action.
on the right the other Sherman edges down the road.
The Panzer 4 lines up on it but misses.
In the village the paratroops have occupied the buildings, but the Marder moves up.
It acquires the infantry in the building and lights them up with HE.  The US command and 1 section are destroyed.
The bazooka team moves up but gets pinned down by MG42 fire.

Next turn they rally and manage to get a shot off...
...into the P4 turret, setting off some ammo and killing the crew.
 2 sections of paras move into the farm.  A section of Germans moves in to oppose them.  The German command drives their hanomag into the courtyard, catching a US section in the open and handles it roughly with their MG42.

 Back in the village the US and Germans are whittling each other down with a building to building shootout.
 Finally the Americans get suppressed and the German squad charges across to close assault.  It is desperate but leaves the Germans in control of the village.
 Hoping to gain the farm objective by game end, the US loads their halftrack and makes a dash for the courtyard.
 The Marder spots it, but misses with its gun (by 1!)
 The half track's luck runs out as a faust hits it jn the side, killing most of the occupants and suppressing the rest.
Last turn:  The Germans have reduced the paras to 1 section and managed to cut all the reinforcements so they hold the farm 2:1 and the village.  German victory.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

The White Cloaks: Yojimbo mission


Under the command of Sir/Father Wolfgang, a lance of Templar has gone to the Carpathian foothills to investigate a Burgermeister's claim that the local priest has arrested his daughter and accused her of witchcraft. 
Arriving at the hill village they find the Burgermeister and the local priest have both fortified their residences against the other.
Father Wolfgang learns that over the last two months, two youths have gone missing from the village.  The local priest used his diviniation and determined that the burgermeister's daughter was the culprit and arrested her.
Father Wolfgang next went to the church to speak with the priest and see the "witch" for himself, but was denied entry with his weapons.
After negotiations reach a stalemate, Father Wolfgang decides to enter the church by force.

Fashioning a makeshift battering ram, the Father and his men cross the road from the Burgermeister's manor towards the church.
The Priest sees them coming, and unleashes a lightning bolt that cripples one of the trooper's legs.

Father Wolfgang calls for backup and soon they are smashing the church door down with the ram.
Treachery!  The dastardly priest has taken the time used making the ram to throw up a barricade in the entrance. 
Father Wolfgang and the priest trade flash spells.
Father Wolfgang has read Hiffin's primer on leadership (at least he was seen taking it into the privy...) and decides he will lead from the front.  First man into the breach he scales the obstacle...only to be struck in the leg by a lightning bolt that leaves his leg twisted and burning  (18 Health roll!)
Father Wolfgang pulls back and his squire, Mugabe, makes the next attempt to cross.  He slips on some debris and lands at a kneel at the bottom of the pile.  He is poked several times by the fanatical farmers and their sharp sticks.
Father Wolfgang uses his levitation spell to get back in the fight.  He floats over the barricade, using a flash spell that blinds the evil snipers (er..farmers with crossbows) behind.  Mugabe uses his speed to outmanuever the evil cultists  (er...farmers with cheap weapons) and bashes into the store room where the "witch" is being held.
The evil priest tries to use a command spell to get Father Wolfgang t cease hostilities, but Wolfgang resists!  He sends his holy blade deep into the priests belly, killing him.  The priest's mass charm spell broken, the remaining cultists quickly surrender.
Mugabe rescues the princess (er...witch).
"Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?"
Later that night another farm is raided.  In the morning the White cloaks track the attackers to a Valdish roadhouse.
They discover a dozen horsemen inside, but can't determine if they are the culprits.
While they are watching the roadhouse, two Valders come riding in during the night.  Deciding they are up to no good,  Father and Mugabe ride to intercept them.  Sequence!  The Valders shoot arrows to little effect.  Mugabe spears his man through before he can sound his horn.  Father Wolfgang takes on the leader, boldly parrying several wicked slashes to his face while returning several deep blows in  kind.  The Valder slides from his horse and expires with a gurgle.
Father Wolfgang leafs through his prayer book,  "Don't I have speak with dead?!"