15mm Wargaming for Fun and Sanity: Rogue Stars: The Metebeetlejuice Fulcrum. Death vs Sanity Klaws

Life, oh my froody hoobs, can get in the way of wargaming. I know, that's a shock, but unfortunately true. Loyal readers will know that I try and have a campaign ready and waiting. So it was that in a recent order I added some of the more – exotic- outpouring of the Ion Age. A small outlay gave me 2 crews – Christmas, Halloween & "burger" https://theionage.com/collections/collected-monthly-miniatures

plus a few “lost boys”, local gang hirelings available to both sides. Useful little set, these- ideal add-on to my vampires and/or Anglo-Martians https://theionage.com/products/aiaf003-the-betrayers

Big snail is by Khurasan, smaller chompers The Scene, Blue birds Splintered Light.

Now I need a plot, something to “hang” the games together. I'm using a lost valuable The Metebeetlejuice Fulcrum. You remember Aristotle on telly saying “give me a lever big enough and I'll move the Earth”? Well this is the fulcrum made for the attempt. Complete with original packaging and letter of authenticity. Now apply BS.

By now you have an idea of how the game plays, so I'm going to concentrate on dynamics. For instance, it is possible for a force to stack up so many pins and stress that they are just incapable of further action. Rather than a bloodbath, this usually leads to endgame.

Game 1. A vehicle lies in a cold, irradiated wasteland. Both sides want to grab it, repair it then get the frac out of there!

Christmass Cultists.

Sanity Klaws. Artificial, Big, Marksman1, Non reactive, Psi, Leader1

Laser cannon, 2 frag, 1 stun grenade.Non reactive, Psi,

Rudolf, Artificial, Extra leg, Fast3, Martial arts2, Non reactive, Psi.

Elfless, Marks1, Psi Psi master, Reactive. Detect weakness, Flight pack, Lt combat dress, SMG

Little Helper Civilian, Marks1, Medic2, Psi, Robotech, Tech2. Slug pistol.

1 lost boy

Generic Lost Boys Marks1, M/arts2, Psi

Halloween Cultists

Death Difficult target, Fast, Leader1, Psi, Weapon master. Scyth, Reaction field

Zelda Psi, Psi master3, M arts. Flight pack, Lt combat armour, Electrokinesis, Guide.

Pump(kin) flail, Ambidextrous, Diminutive, Fast, Vegetable, M/arts2, Force flailx2.

Satanic mechanic Civilian, Marks1, Medic2, Psi, Robotech, Tech2. Slug pistol.

1 lost boy

The Game

Tony takes Christmas & the initiative. Santa whooshes to the top of the lander while the rest bundle the tech into the vehicle.

Using the available reactions I push forward Death & Pumpflail as both are close assault specialists. Zelda brings up my left flank, staying in cover. The teams were designed before, and making Santa's little helper a civilian means he's racking up the stress and giving me reactions. But never enough.

Death starts to move forward, Santa takes a shot but misses. Pumpkinflail and lost boy go down, but not dead, to a hail of fire from Elfless. Santa takes another shot, and Death is dead. That helped my morale.

Zelda takes an Electo blast at Santa (to keep his head down) but she rolls high, he rolls low and he tumbled down as dead as death! That helped Tony's morale and I gained the initiative. In goes the vegetable of doom, to be met by the reindeer of wrath. Smashed about the head by the flails it goes down. But it's too late, Zelda gets shot down and the remaining Christmass crew are in the vehicle and off they go!

Come back and fight!

Game 2. The derelict ship. This was on 2 levels. Made sense that the vehicle gave access to the top layer and initiative whilst mine had to pick the back door.

Christmass Crew.

Santa had a quick reboot back at the lab. From Artificial, Big, Marksman1, Non reactive, Psi, Leader1 to Artificial, Marksman1, Psi, Leader1 and lost his flightpack.

Reindeer was replaced by Happy Helper Artificial, Marksman2, Non reactive, Psi, Sonic rifle.

Halloween Crew.

Death is no stranger to the slab and he has arisen anew as Dr Death, Artificial, Fast3, Marks1, Weaponmaster3, Psi, Leader1. Light cbt armour, flight pack, Laser rifle, Accurate.

They get stuck with a (rookie) service bot (presumably from the ship) Green, Laser pistol, Lt combat armour.

The Game

Tony's crew having easy access and found the top level empty bar 1 suit of power armour (probably a hasmat suit, considering-)

Took their time getting a lost boy into it. Santa's little helper inherited the others kevlar.

Meanstwhile, on niggardly reactions I got inside. The engine room and the next was gutted, nothing but scrap. I spread out as fast as I could. Tony gives up initiative.

First door, nasties, shut it quick.

Next door, big nasty, shut it!

Third door, more nasties, but no! Failure to shut, out they come. There's no rules for this, so we gave them an activation as-and when. My poor Pumpkinflail and a Lost Boy goes down.

Satanic mechanic opens the second door, letting the big one out. True enough it goes for the first lot, a battle ensues (in fact a mini-game). As he heads for the exit, he hears the lift coming down!

Yep, Tony'd finished the top floor and headed down. Zelda takes a pot shot at Dr Death and he'd down, hardly gotten in the door-. Satans M opens the third door and tries going around the rear of the lift. He nearly made it. Santa's crew loses a lost boy to chomping jaws-.