15mm Wargaming for Fun and Sanity: Flying Lead, Godzillasaurus in Space, the tale of the Kobyashu Maru

The RPG Space 1899 offers plenty of scope for skirmish games*. This one is set on a tramp steamer plying the aether betwixt Mars, Earth and Venus. Shaped like the proverbial brick, these vessels use reflected sunlight to heat a boiler, then evict superheated steam for thrust. This example has four cargo holds. The rearward two (top picture) are full of bulk cargo. Our intrepid Dominar and his party occupy the third, (the lorry) which is equipped for carrying live cargo in the most basic conditions. The fourth (duck) has a mixed cargo with a small group** being carried as supercargo in even worse quarters.

Needless to say, this group were less than pleased to meet the Dominar. Soon they hatch a plot to seize the cab (control room for the cargo bays) and space the Dominar and his dangerous cargo.

The Game. The priest sends two groups sneaking down the corridor, the main attack group and two chaps to open the door. The Dominar arranges the girls expecting them to break in. But they don't, continuing to rush (in slow motion) down the corridor.

Vwy a duck? Why not?

The crew raise the alarm, the Dominar establishes contact then sent the girls into action.

Sword first, takes on and kills the priest. Staff takes on two and gets knocked down, longbow kills one of the door party. The Dominar exchanges fire but is pushed back.

Loss of their leader forces a morale test, 3 run back inside the bay, the survivor of the door party surrenders to the crew and is taken into custody. (2 fails, but that would put him next to those killing his people, so surrender to the other party seemed the logical choice).

One remains outside the door and tries a shot at the Dominar – another knockback. The one cultist who stood his ground takes a shot at the Dominar. Three shots, all same result. Charmed life! He goes down sliced and diced. The remaining cultists lock the door.

So that's it. Godzillasaurus remains.

I thought 8:3 or 8:4 would do it. One successful hit on the Dominar and the monster is loose and untamable. I didn't tell Tony about the flamethrowers, not that they made any difference-.

So now the monstrous appetite and some steam jets clear up the mess and the Dominar has stopped a gang of pirates in their tracks. Now onto the streets of Tokyo.

I keep having to relearn that playing an all-mook force is not fun, losing the first initiative and they melt. I can do better.

*Another location I considered was Ice Station Zebra. All these vessels need water, so if you boost an ice-asteroid into the traffic you can sell water and provide cold storage and transport.

**The Cult of The Divine Wind does not believe that space flight or life on other planets exists. Despite their experiences in Australia (Marsupials don't exist, either) a mission to Venus was launched and some eighty zealots took passage. During take-off over half were killed when a disciple decided that locking in air was against the divine will. More perished by refusing food or drink during the “unreal” experience. Once on Venus, even more died by going up to the locals and wildlife to remonstrate with them that “you do not exist”, only to be proven less sure of their faith than they believed.