Tuesday 30 June 2020

A Quickie

Another Quickie post for you

Hi all,
          I hope you all enjoyed how it turned out at Durk's Compound, the 5150 scrap. The end was a pure improvisation bit. If you have not seen it, please have a look. I shall be finishing off my 5 Leagues from the Borderland episode soon. The Text and photos are done, just got to mash them together.
           In a similar vein, I have upgraded to the second edition of 5 Parsecs From Home. I have not had chance to read it or do a print, but I am looking forward to new perils and dangers for the crew. 

5 Parsecs from home 3rd Edition, 5 Leagues from the Borderland and many other great titles for the solo and cooperative players can be found at - https://www.thewargameswebsite.com/tag/nordic-weasel-games/

Cheers m'dears,

Ivor Cogdell

Saturday 27 June 2020

The battle for Dirk's Compound - Part 6 - Finale.

Battle of Durk's Compound - pt 6

Previously
Pt  1 - The Cast.
Pt  2 - Pre-Game Info.
Pt  3 - Campaign Info and Mission briefing

Pt  4  - Turn 1 - Turn 3.The Scrap Starts
Pt  5 -  Turn 3 - Turn 4.All on Edge.

Hi everybody,
                     Thanks for coming again. This is, as expected, part 6, of my 5150 Space Army game. So, lets jump right in, shall we. Don't forget your protective helmets. Safety first, always.

Turn 5

Star Army win the Activation roll 4 - 1.

The Major gets on the Comm, ”Wanda, Thumper, double time, check it out. Vicky cover flank right, Hank cover flank left, Andy, Wanda’s old position”.

“Sir, Yessir.”

The major moves double time past  Thumper’s position, while they go forward.
Fast Move - Extra 6 inches).

Thumper  - .Fast Move - Extra 8 inches.

Wanda . Fast Move - Extra 4 inches.

Rebel Move
Rep 6 - 5 & 2 - Pass 2 dice Roll 4 - Result  - Move 16 “ towards enemy in cover. Not detected.

Potential Enemy Forces (PEF) - Rep 5 position in the trees .The  Rain storm causing low visibility - Just 12 inches.


PEF Rep 5 - Roll  4 & 3 - Score  Pass 2 dice. Roll 1 - Result - Move 16 “ towards nearest friendly PEF. They are already there, so no movement needed.).

PEF Rep 2 - Roll 3 & 4 - Pass 0 dice. So Remain still. “This log is comfy, can I keep it, Sarge.” “No, But since you like it so much, you can lift it above your head until I say stop. NOW”.

Wanda, on the Comm - “I thought I heard something, stay loose.”

Turn 6


Activation roll Pt 1  1 - 1 Draw =. A Random event is generated

A shot rings out and whistles past Thumper ( 2 + 4 = 6 miss).
Thumper yells into the comm -  “I have shots fired from in the trees!” .
Received fire test.- Outgunnrd - Duck Back He is now in cover behind the chimney.

"First Contact" status is triggered.
 
Roll - pass 1 dice, = Might be something there. Roll on Enemy reinforcements.2 = 1 squad.

Activation Pt 2.. Rebels = 4. SA = 3 - Rebels move first.

Roll on the Tactics.Patrol Table - 5 & 6 Pass 0 dice.  (Officially it should be a TACTICAL WITHDRAW here, but I want a scrap - so I change to a "Defend" Mission.

Rep 6 Mob .
“Boss, nobody said nuttin’ to us about da star army being 'round here.”

“It don’t matter, it just means more loot and glory for us. Why is he still carrying that log above his head? Put it down and grab your weapon, dumb dumb.”

A chorus of “Dumb dumb, dumb dumb” goes up.
“Shaddap, you loafers. Spread out and take cover.”
“Yes boss, sorry boss.”. They take up fire positions in the ruins.

Rep 5 - Still a PEF..
Roll pass 2 dice - Advance towards enemy 16” in cover.
Triggered -  "Line of Sight Test" - Roll on the reinforcement table - RESULT  "Nothing but the breeze blowing the trees". This was a false alarm marker result - "no enemy there".

Rep 2 - Still a  PEF.
Roll 5 +5- Pass 0 dice - No Movement.
“OK, listen up you lot, beer break - Just two pints, mind”.
“Ta, Sarge”.
“Well, we don‘t want no frothy beer later on, if I want you ladies to run somewhere.”
“No , Sarge”.
“No fightin’ or it will be the last pint you see in a week”
“Yes, Sarge”.
“Her'es mud in yer ear. Did u now, umans drink dere beer fru a straw”.
“HA HA    Ha.    ha    aa....fru a straw wot?”

SA Move.

The Major calls out, “Thumper, Are you hit?”
“No sir, just surprised.”
“Stay put, we will come to you.”
“Hank, with me. Vicky, Andy , Flank right. Move out.”

The Major moves across the open ground and up the ladder to the roof. Hank jumps down from the roof and Fast Moves - Extra 2 inches, to catch up to the Major.

 Vicky passes Wendy as she fast Moves - An extra 4 inches.
Moving up the road.
Wendy is on point ,not quite in sight of the enemy.

The view from the enemy position.

Line of sight check - Unfortunately, George sees movement through the downpour and lets fly with his plasma pistol. THUWAPPP the bolt of charged energy illuminates the whole area for a moment.  All comms emit a large "HHHOOOWWWLLLL" of static.


Resolve Fire - 
Vicky receives fire - 2,2,2 - Miss. (Only one rebel shot at her because George was in the way).
Vicky shoots back - 4,4,2  (+1 targeting) = Hit.
George Combat Damage 2 = Knocked Down and Out of fight.

Wendy  and Vicky Ducks Back.

Man down test for Tedddy - pass 1 dice - Carry on.
                              Mack               2              “
                              Snotty              1              “
                              Spike               1              “
(They have been in battles before.)
“Vicky !” Wanda moves forward, but as she rounds the corner, she is met with a hail of fire. 


Resolve Fire - 
Wanda receives fire from Mack 4+5 = A Hit, Wanda Knocked down and stunned.
                                          Teddy - Is Halted.
Vicky takes Man Down - 0 pass
                    Cohesion test  2 pass - carry on.

Rep 2 - Still a PEF.
Bright flash, bang and shooting..
Sarge “Look’s like beer break is over, pack up and be ready to move.”
"There's always sumone oo' spoils the party."
"Well, maybe I will let you show your anger by going over there and killing them"
"Yeah, wanna kill em too".
"We'll show em'".

Turn 7

SA win the Activation roll 5 - 2.

The Major gets on the Comm,  “Andy, Report“

“Wanda is down, no puncture wounds visible in her armour, probably just winded. Vicky is a bit singed from a near miss with a plasma bolt, which has formed a bottleneck to our way to get to the rebels, Sir”

“OK, I’ll move up the roof  and will provide covering fire, with Thumper on the left and Vicky on the right, while you get Wanda to safety. Clear, all ?”

“Sir, Yessir.”

“Move out”
The Major gets to the other edge, when he becomes visible to the enemy.

Spike “There’s one on the roof, gettim!” LOS test - Pass 1 dice. “Charge !“
 .
The Major sees Spike when he comes from cover.“Squad ! Charge !“
Andy, “At the double, Charge !” 

 (Note since the major is a higher Rep than the rest of  his squad, none of the squad can move until the charge results have been worked out.)


Combat First round - Major 2 dice roll =  2 pass. Rebels 2 dice = 1 pass. The major gets one shot off.
Spike just beats Teddy to the ladder. BLAM. Major Vance takes a shot at him,
 Roll a 4 +5 rep =Hit. Roll 4 = Knock Down and OOF.

Teddy and Blondie make it up the ladder to face the Major.

Melee Combat

Major ‘s dice pool = 9 Result Successes = 2.
Rebel pool = 8 3 successes. They knock down the Major,
Recover from Knock Down test - 1 pass.- Out Of Fight.
Use star power to change to stunned., but still counts as OOF. Over the comms comes “Aaagghh............”

Man Down.- 2 pass - Carry on.
Thumper,  “They’ve got the Major. Finish them !”


Wanda is knocked out for one round, then she will recover and join the ground fight.

Roof fight round 1
SA dice pool = 14 Result = 8 pass.
Rebels dice pool =9 Result = 2 pass. Both rebels Knocked Down. So Teddy OOF and Captured, Blondie is Obviously Dead.
Ground fight at same tine round 1
SA dice pool = 11  Result = 5 pass. Andy KD and OOF, concussion.
Rebels dice pool = 7 Result = 5 pass. Rebel KD.and OOF, captured.

Wanda, “Oh my head !, What‘s the situation ?”

“They got the Major, Andy is out of it with concussion. We have 2 prisoners and a number of dead ugly rebels. That makes you acting Corporal. and in command. Orders, Sir ?”

“Search the prisoners and the bodies. Collect the weapons.”
“Sir.”
Wendy changes channel, ”HQ, This is Alpha 4139, We have encountered hostiles at point Delta, Lightning is down. Repeat Lightning is down. Sundance is zonked. Repeat Sundance is zonked. Tiger is assuming command at this time. Request Medivac at this location”.

HQ “Roger your message, standby one”.

Roll on SA Evacuation table. Roll 12 

HQ: “Alpha 4139, be advised, POGO - 193 is in your area, expect soonest.”

“Roger, Thanks HQ. Alpha 4139, standing by.”

“POGO 193, This is Alpha 4139”.

"POGO 193 - Roger Alpha 4139”.
“193, Be advised - No sign at present, but Landing Zone may be HOT. Will be advancing on LZ from SW, skirting the glowing plasma trail. Visibility is minimal. Are you picking up homing beacon? Over.”
“Understood, 4139. Thanks for the tip. Beacon signal loud and clear.”.

Changing back to local comms, ”Our ride is on the way, lets hustle.”

Meanwhile.....

Rep 2 PEF - Pass 0 - Hold position.
“Wassat noise, Sarge?”
“Who cares, it’s over dere‘, we’re over here. It ‘aint bothering us none. Unless you want to go out in the storm and look all by yourself?”
“Eeh.. no, Sarge”
“That’s what we thought”.
Turn 8

SA win the Activation roll 5 - 2.

Wendy walks behind the prisoners and slits their throats, “We have no time for babysitting them and getting our mates to the LZ". 

"Hank, you and I will carry the Major, Vicky and  Thumper, you take Andy. You are on point.”

“Roger.”


Soon, a loud humming is heard overhead, as POGO-193 descends through the rain and the mist, to land softly on the pad.

“Alpha 4139. POGO 193 on ground.”. It has a  Rep of 6. Classed as Armoured Personnel carrier.. Armour - Hard Body. Weapons, Rocket launcher - Target - 1 vehicle / building..

“Roger POGO 193, we see you. 4139 is  2 mins out, will squawk ID. No sign of hostiles yet.”

“ 4139 - 193, defence batteries are hot.” 

PEF 2 dice marker - Pass 1 dice, so Move 8” from in the trees towards enemy, close to the ramp.


“Wassat noise, Sarge?”

“I still dunno, but it might be blocking our way home. So, now I care wot it is. So. up, up, up, ladies. Lets have a look see.”












Turn 9

Activation roll 4-4. A draw so another Random event is generated.(POGO 4, SA 6, reb 1) so it is aimed at the rebels = Sniper.

Ruin = Small size, Rep = 3. Classed as Hard Body armour.

“POGO 193 - .Just going to drop the rear ramp and fire a few warning shots around the wood.”

(Fire Heavy Machine Gun - One hit on the unseen PEF, to be removed when it is revealed.)

SA win the Activation roll 5-4.

“4139 - We are moving towards your 6, over.”
 
"Loading casualties now."

"Up the ramp, on the double!"

REP 2  PEF move 8” towards enemy in cover.

Line of sight test is triggered.

POGO 193 - “Tango’s, Tango’s, Ten O’clock, by the ruin. Fire. “

Rep 2 PEF resolved - In to one squad in a defensive position. 
Spike Jr 
Toots 
Benny
Chopper

Ruin = Small size, Rep = 3.AV= SB armour. .FV =3-1=2.
POGO 193: Rocket Launcher ---->   Blam !.........BOOM!  Point blank hit (Its machine gun had already fired, only thing left to shoot with.).
Spike and Benny down, Spike Dead, Benny OOF.
Toots and Chopper duck back.

Man Down test.
Turn 10
Activation roll 5-4. 
Rebs win the Activation roll 6 - 1.
"That was too close! Scram !"

Toots and Chopper do a runner, into the wood and find a hole to hide in.

Alpha squad loads into POGO and departs.



"All strapped in?......... liftoff."


After the battle

Benny comes round, looks around to see where everyone went to. He finds the standard and George coming round. They take it back to the war band. “It was one hell of a battle, we're the only ones to survive.” Showing off  their new scars and a hand full of earrings of the fallen warriors. The chief counts, up to three that is. "I fink dats everybody."

In POGO 193 - Wanda, “I have a pulse, The major’s alive! Full stims at once. Full speed to base! “ 
Hank “Andy’s coming round.”


Meanwhile....in another part of the wood, two figures climb out of a pothole.
Toots "I think its time we found a new warband."
"Yus, me too."

Looking around "I wonder if there is anything worth havin' in those buildings, its always best to have trade goods when you are trying to find a new home."
----------------

The Major and Andy both survive, but the major drops a point of REPutation to 4. Next time the Star Army will be the attackers and the rebels will be defending.

Phew! That took a bit of doing. .I hope you got some enjoyment out of that little romp around the battlefield, I certainly did. 

NOTES: The green battle mat was actually railway terrain flock, the black and blue squares were rubber squares from a craft shop.

Regards all,

Ivor Cogdell