Monday 25 April 2016

Flying Lead Southpaws get out of Dodge vs Corporate Japanese

Time, we feel, to get back to our regular Flying Lead ultraviolence. I've been looking at the recent MDF terrain with some envy. I could spend £100 with nooo problem. But I don't think I've done so shabby with my Mattel car-boot roads and (sainsbury's profiteroles) junk buildings, ex xmas tree-trees.

As you've heard before, I had a “spurt” to build up forces for Harder Than Steel – still holding breath, tapping toes, looking over glasses, looking significantly at watch. This is part of my smaller, urban contingent of my Corporate Japanese.

 I've been particularly light on robots as the Southpaws infantry lack the weapons to take them out. You first saw their larger cousins in Flying lead Dominar, Dainties & dastardly droids of 30.1.2015. The Ninja used a larger variation of the robot for personal transport and protection, carrying a mini missile system based on the (Japanese) infantry launcher below.


The basic light mini- missile is the standard Japanese support munition. The infantry launcher carries 8 shots chosen from:
Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discharging Sabot (APFSDS)
High Explosive Armour Piercing grenade round (HEAP)
Anti-personnel (AP)
Chemical Smoke Marker* (CSM)
Chemical Smoke Concealment (CSC)
Larger units add a fire and forget (mortar) seeking HEAP round that reacts to the CSM*.

The infantry launcher and some other units have a signature exhaust suppressor. It's loaded like a revolver and either scrapped or recycled. Fortunately Flying Lead has a simple method for upgrading, a longer range and larger blast circle. Mortars and robots can shoot indirect. As with the UNLI, the robots are controlled by specific handlers, the no.2 of snipers & specialist teams.

I took mortars as indirect, requiring 1 action to spot by an officer, robot or sensor equipped specialist. Either I was too cautious, forgot them or I should have included a spotter, possibly with a specialist drone unit. I may do another game using the “non urban” vs my PAU that requires set-up of HW or a firebase or guarded perimeter. Hmmm, star/airport, big lifter- watch this space.

Japanese TOE
Command squad. CO & coms specialist, Robot, controller & sensor operator, 2 independent launcher troopers. IFV 558

Infantry Section Junior Officer & robot*
Squad Sergeant, 3 troops, sniper & 3 troops. Attached SAW gunner. 1,103

HW Section 2 RAM mortars & crew, 2 Gatling & crew, 2 troops. 608

Total force 2,299. APC's are a separate extraction force.


Missle launcher
Points:17
High Tech Ammo, Range: Long, Select Fire, Sniper Scope, Very Slow Reload


Corporate Officer
Points 130
Quality 3+
Combat 2

-Assault Rifle, Body Armor, CQB Specialist, Dashing, Leader, Personal Communication Device


Corporate NCO/Junior Officer/Specialist
Points 120
Quality 3+
Combat 2
Special Rules
-Assault Rifle, Body Armor, CQB Specialist, Dashing, NCO/Second In Command, Personal Communication Device




Corporate Mercenary
Points 88
Quality 3+
Combat 2
Special Rules
-Assault Rifle, Body Armor, Personal Communication Device




Corporate Laser Sniper
Points 124
Quality 3+
Combat 2
Special Rules
-Assault Rifle, Body Armor, Personal Communication Device, Sniper, Stealth




Corporate weapon crew
Points 32
Quality 3+
Combat 2
Special Rules
Body Armor, Personal Communication Device



RAM mortar
Points:20
3 Action Set Up, Crewed, Grenade Combat 3, High Tech Ammo, Range: Long


IFV + gun & launcher
Points 155
Quality 3+
Combat 2
Special Rules
Armored +3 (Medium), Long Move, Off-Road, Personnel Carrier 6 passengers, Vehicle



APC + gun & launcher
Points 139
Quality 3+
Combat 2
Special Rules
Armored +1 (Thin), Long Move, Off-Road, Personnel Carrier 9 passengers, Vehicle



Light rail gun
Points:38
Anti-Tank 3, Armor Piercing, High Tech Ammo, Lethal vs. Soft Targets, Range: Long, Select Fire


Light AP gun or SAW
Points:30
Affects Only Living Targets, Auto Fire, Combat +3, High Tech Ammo, Range: Long


* Corporate Japanese platoons often have an extra junior officer who acts as point man or detachment squad leader, a bit like the old British Subaltern or naval Ensign. Other ranks are more likely to respect an officer who has seen active combat close & personal.

I got rather stung by the Anatochi's Workshop 15mm range. I bought a small batch intending to upgrade later. I like the new Eurofed by Brigade, as the mix of wheeled designs fits in with the concept , particularly the urban force here. Doing the whole lot in one go each section would cost about £18, being 2APC's or 3-4 smaller vec's – roll on the sale! I need to get the power armour first, but I'm taking the hint from GZG's “pack A”, hinting at more to come-.

Southpaw Senior Officer - Personality
Points 112
Quality 3+
Combat 3
Special Rules
Combat Fiend, Dashing, Jungle-craft, Leader



Southpaw militia – Sergeant/Officer
Points 152
Quality 3+
Combat 3
Special Rules
-Assault Rifle, Body Armor, Jungle-craft, Leader, Personal Communication Device, Poor Shot, Running Blow, Stealth



Southpaw militia
Points 92
Quality 4+
Combat 3
Special Rules
-Assault Rifle, Body Armor, Jungle-craft, Personal Communication Device, Poor Shot, Running Blow, Stealth



Southpaw Special Forces - Personality
Points 133
Quality 3+
Combat 4
Special Rules
Combat Fiend, Dashing, Elite, Jungle-craft, Light/Bushwacker, Personal Communication Device, Stealth



Southpaw SW
Points 104
Quality 3+
Combat 3
Special Rules
-Drum Fed Light Machine Gun, Body Armor, Jungle-craft, Personal Communication Device



Sniper Railgun:36 Handler + Strong & Sniper 18= 55
Anti-Tank 3, Armor Piercing, High Tech Ammo, Lethal vs. Soft Targets, Range: Long, Silent, Sniper Scope


Southpaw TOE
Senior officer, Drone handler, independent sniper. 356
Militia Infantry squad, 4 infantry, Officer 520 x5
Special Forces unit 6 infantry 794
5 SW, either attached or independent & Officer 672

Forces:
Wave 5 Infantry + 2 independent SW 2,288
Command + 4 infantry sections 2,436
Command, 3 Infantry, 4 SW, 2,322
(chosen) Command, Special Forces, 2 Inf, 2 independent SW 2,409
Command, SW, Special forces, 1 infantry 2,213

Way back in May 2014, after 1st use of Southpaws, I decided we needed some basic rules for drones & robots. As we're using both here's a summary:

Robots. Most are effectively normal infantry who will MIRROR (SOP) the activation or reaction of its parent unit. Loss has the same morale effect due to loss of asset.

A hit that has a non penetrating hit represents an impact that causes loss of unit integrity, a bit like losing your wifi on the move.

Exception 1) in the case of a withdraw, a robot unit will always take the rear position.

Exception 2) a robot can be ordered to seek and destroy (i.e. against a sniper) without regard to own safety.

Exception 3) a robot vehicle benefits from end-of-move free movement like any other unit. Unmirrored robot infantry do not.

Exception 4) only one activation is required to go on overwatch.

Exception 5) no test needed to close assault, can be programmed to close assault as a reaction.

Drones. Scout and/or electronic warfare (EW) asset, from shell delivered to grav AI's. EW can be built into any vehicle or robot. Here is a use for those plastic covers on CD's as its area of influence. Use as seems logical. For instance in a built up area a drones effectiveness is greatly reduced.

Drones are replaceable small targets, flying as hard cover to represent random evasion movement and small size. Q will represent tech level and sophistication. Most drones are unarmed. Any armed drone loses cover advantage above.

Actions
Move
EW attack, 2dice Q test. If passed any unit in area cannot make aimed shot due to disrupted electronics.
Or command radius reduced to Short.

Or target vehicle(s) (including robots or Mechanoids) lose 1 activation, which counts towards switch-over.

Reaction
Move.
Target has revealed itself and is painted, if successful 2dice Q test any shot against will count as +1. This lasts until drone is destroyed or end of turn.

The Game.

I deployed first, given that Tony aught to know where I was. Gave Tony the initiative, again nothing was going to happen-. First off Tony put his leader out there, dangerous as I had a sniper. I had a fail & he used it to advanced his drone (can your rules choice do that?) which my sniper promptly shot. That forced his right hand force to go to ground, his sniper began stalking mine. On the other flank his special forces scary bastards started sliding forward.

My sniper moved forward (shoot n scoot) and the SAW & others moved up to cover. Using an infantry squad as cover his sniper worked forward until he got a shot of the vehicle my sniper was using for cover. I use a needle, they use a sledge hammer. Crump! Scratch vehicle, scratch sniper.

On the other flank the SF protected the point of the advancing infantry but fell foul of my robots who started to take 'em out one at a time due to their dispersed formation. I did get a lock on his infantry, but shiny cars and lasers don't work that well and the mortar round fell short. I had a nice line of infantry designed to draw them out. Didn't work, my Sergeant decided to go Samurai 1:1 with a SF, to be knocked down by a second. All this attracted the attention of the infantry, who came swarming over the bus, guns a-blazing. That did it for my squad, but the launchers opened up and pushed them back with casualties n collateral damage. This is war right?
The SF did the trick on my robots, jumping on them & disabling systems. Worked but one of them didn't jump clear-. These guys are unarmed, so makes sense that they'd be equipped with a shaped charge door buster to handle AFV's and other door equipped obstacles? Slap one in front of the missiles and jump-.

On the other flank, spurred on my the CO the infantry close assault mine, killing half and forcing the others back with better-than-average shooting.

The sniper gets a good position and starts “plinking” the nearest bunker.

The successful infantry turn left and head for my surviving right hand force, suffering . My CO runs for the IFV, which adds to the crossfire. Off it goes, to the flank of the infantry, but then there's his sniper with a difficult shot. He takes it, hits and gets a stunned.

That was it over for me. My officer would have been on a charge, as he lost too many assets. So a win for Tony & the southpaws.
My exit point and transport.
HW emplaced, the mortars are on the roof, but the HMG's are in the bunkers
Don't worry, they'll never hit anything at this dist-"
SNIPER!
Add caption
Sniper, original position





Junior officer and robot.  Base works here, but not on the grassy knoll-





Incoming!
Both assaults going in
For once, due to angle, we didn't take enough pics
Artistic licence!
OW!!!


I'm not sure why the sniper ignored the SAW




Tuesday 19 April 2016

Flying Lead Going Large on Mars

Never, they say, reinvent the wheel. Sound advice. There are times, dear readers when one's vision and megalomaniac streak makes you want to go large. Then you realise that the rules (ahem, Harder Than Steel, coughs loudly in meaningful way, looking over glasses) have not been released yet.

And, just to rub salt into the open pustular sore, some B'stard releases what you crave (as opposed to actually need, this being a serious addiction). http://dropshiphorizon.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/mad-mecha-guy-15mm-flying-skiff.html

I have been working on some models of the Chumley, Warner and Patel bespoke contraptions for the discerning explorer, but ran out of, um, steam.

So this is a pale shadow of what is to come, oh my co-conspirators. Many moons ago when the Earth was a younger green and pleasant land I pitted a horde of Pyrats agin me stalwart Dorsetshires. This combination worked so well that I'm going to reuse it here, but with Flying Lead as opposed to its close relative Flying Steel. I'm going to make a few radical modifications based on the Quar rules. With a good dose of OGAM.

Command Activation.
Senior Officer rolls first, can use or pass down activations to next level, who can then roll and add that activation to their total. This had the effect of units nearest the CO moving first.

Middle officer's roll can now be used to activate a base, vehicle or unit as per normal group activation, except that 1 activation works on whole unit, not just 4.

2 fails still passes over initiative. Failed initiative = no end phase move.

End phase. Any unit not activated can perform either a move OR shoot activation. Start at one side and apply common sense (these move into range, so then these shoot). Can move into contact, but not fight. Caught unit can disengage if got initiative or reaction.

Shooting/fighting. Attacker uses 1 dice per 4 full combatants. Add C and weapon modifier to dice total. Defender uses 1 dice per 4 full combatants plus C. Every +3, 1 dead. +1 one repelled from base +2, 2 repelled from base, each requiring an activation to return to coherence.

This is a follow-on to our last game. The Prince has yet to return so his brother Prince Humper is in charge. There is a consecutive game to follow as I'm trying to catch the feel of those pulp productions possibly perfectly.

The Forces. I haven't costed this, as it's not yer usual game, ok?

Forces of the Dread City Republic of Bananos, dread city of the Death Cult priests!

High Priest CO with bodyguard Q3 C2 Fanatic, Long range +2

Sub commander with maiden guards Q3 C2 poor shots, fanatics, Medium range +2

Maiden Guards Q4 C2 Fanatics, Poor shots, Medium range +2

Chosen (zombie) shooters Q3 C1 Long range +2

Chosen (zombie) rabble Q4 C1 x 3

The Expeditionary column of Prince Humper of Allumpa.

Prince Humper of Allumpa. A Hero Q3 C2

City Infantry, ½ shooters, ½ swords. Q3 C3 poor shots X2.

Sub Commander Biggus Dickus, A human transported Hero, Q3 C4

Mercenaries 1/2 shooters ½ swords Q4 C2 poor shots. X2.


Japanese Allies
Chumley, Warner and Patel bespoke contraption plus 4 fighting crew , Vehicle C5 Q4, Medium
Crew Q3 C3, Dashing x2 Infantry can be detached as separate unit(s)

Japanese may seem odd, but Space 1899 says there are several trading posts. I'm extrapolating that Samurai who disagree with the changes in culture at home would welcome the chance to live a more traditional life on Mars, where the tribal Martians present an ideal enemy.

There's a mix here. Martian Empires Martians, Irregular Miniatures Mohicans, smaller samples from my Japanese collection, as the Martian 18mm are quite small-. I hope you like the http://www.ralparthaeurope.co.uk/shop/1879-c-126/samsut-c-126_146/ Plus a pack of cultists. I'm often accused of painting “too dark” so decided to go the other way, quite pleased with these. You'll detect the influence of The Last Empire raised dead.

Playing the game. The rules made for quick turns with most units doing something or totally failing-.

Tony took the mixed force and won the initiative. All his moved forward, putting mine in danger-. My zombies surged forward and I started to move my zombie shooters, as they were to be my hinge-.

On came the constructions, grinding through my zombies. Ouch. Zombie shooters should be able to destroy or impede them, but 3 fails in a row-. My leader can see 2 machines coming right at him. Recall the maidens! They leap in and destroy a contraption due to Tony rolling bad for once!

One Japanese crew cannot resist going hand to hand and lose one! Even the CnC gets stuck in-.

If I'd costed it, I think the Princes party overwhelmed the city. I need to make and get more, cavalry, artillery, city heavy infanrty.

I hope you will take something from this and our Giant Rat game of June 2014. If you need to go Large, go for it, have fun.



Prince at the back, Hero to the front.






My  CnC looks awfully exposed-










My Sub-commander gets stuck in-





NEVER give a zombie a cunning plan----
The Prince gets stuck in-

"They shall not pass!"