RS Finance Minister of Katanga hunted by techno-ninja

If you've been following the Rogue Stars facebook page you'll have seen that I've been running a little experiment.  My theory is that the lesser characters give a more enjoyable game than the stronger.  I admit this is relative to your style of play.  We all know players who simply want to rack up the body count regardless.  The my sloppy quints will mash your royal slopjackets every time 'cos they've got these that does that and only costs this as per this article in a magazine.  A lot of larger scale manufacturers pander to this market.  Impossible body shapes, huge armours lacking helmets and impossible to lift weapons.

The first are from GZG https://shop.groundzerogames.co.uk/sg15-j21.html

Sled is from the Scene, not available at moment.

Note glass &plastic beads to show grav effect.

You've seen the GZG Japanese Corporate Mercenaries before, these are done up as urban troops.

Ninja X Agile3 Difficult target3, Leader2, Marksman 3, Reactive, Weaponmaster2 51 Total 92

Light Power Armour 3,5, sealed. 25

Needler pistol (4) auto, silent, short. 10

Monowire blade (3) armour piercing, 6

Ninja Y (used) Agile3 Difficult target3, Marksman 3, Reactive, Weaponmaster2 39 Total 82

Light Power Armour 3,5, sealed. 25

Alpha Needler pistol (4) auto, silent, armour piercing 12

Monowire blade (3) armour piercing, 6

Sled Artificial, Big, 11 1 grenade load 53

Cyborg body with Stealth Suit (2,3) electrical weapons do +2. Camo, sealed Diff target + st
Self propelled grenades (3) 8” per action. Plasma 4” radius scorching, energy 16 each

Stealth 20

Flight Pack 8” move, 4” carrying 6

Ninja 82.  Sled with 1 SP grenade 53 = 135.  You can add:

4 SP grenades 64. = 99  Or a whole mix of ordinary grenades + chucker 3 (9).

The SP grenades are a guaranteed hit, take 1 action instead of 2.  So in the scenario below I could have at least damaged each enemy in very short order.  Not a fun game-.

Astute of you will have realised that I sneakily used same stats as before, simply swapping the scout figures.  I should have restated this one, but it works.

Mission 3 Bodyguard work.  Location 20 Starport.  Complication 6 VIP.

Japanese Corporate Security (Star Cops) Heavy Firepower 5 hail of fire tokens. (unused)

Officer Marksman3, Weaponmaster2, Leader3 42 Total 78

Combat dress (3,4) heavy, sealed 18

Force sword (4) energy 6

Plasma rifle (5) Scorch, overheat, 2h energy 12

Trooper G  Marksman2, Tech1 22 Total 52

Combat dress (3,4) heavy, sealed 18

Plasma rifle (5) Scorch, overheat, 2h energy 12

Trooper I Marksman2, Medic 21 Total 51

Combat dress (3,4) heavy, sealed 18

Plasma rifle (5) Scorch, overheat, 2h energy 12

Tracker Alert, Danger sense, Marksman, Perceptive, Stealth 15 Total 20

Slug pistol 4, short, 5

I was a little lazy on the scenery.  Katangan Peace Corps unload.

Ministers private jet and car.

The Game.  I took the Ninja and declared my starting edge.  Tony decided where the Minister was and placed his troops.

Sneaking on.  Frag grenade at the plane - miss.

Scout runs in on reaction to assess situation.

Crap.

Security converges.

Second grenade at trooper is as big a miss-.

Shoot and move!  Robot uses smoke from grenade as cover.

He's close, real close-.

We take our gaming seriously.

Poor rolls causes retreat.

Ninja takes out scout.

Moves into shadows.

A shot from the officer puts the Ninja down,wounded,  but not out.

Trooper runs up, but the Ninja is slippery, gets a couple of shots off but gets more pins.

Brave trooper goes on a run.

Replaced, the officer runs in sword out.  Dispatches Ninja in traditional manner.

Not satisfied, he then runs at the robot and starts probing for delicate bits.

A grenade at the Ninja's corpse also misses.  Saving the smart one for the Minister.

Robot slams officer.

Pokey!

I think there's something wrong with targeting-.

Officer gets to his feet and backs off for a breather, check his ribs.

Minister comes out to gloat.

Got his breath back, goes back in.

Robot taken down by sword wielding security.

I cannot remember the story, but it was about some hi-tech powered armoured troopers who were so sure of, and engrossed by, their technology that some stone age hunter gatherer types crept up to them and bashed their brains in with stone axes.  The morale of this story is that numbers count.   Once I'd lost initiative, I lost.  A grenade or two managing to find it's mark would have helped!

You can draw your own conclusions, but to me it's the larger, less powerful teams make the better games.

One robot in the carrier position, the other in the shooting.