Flying Lead A Martian Adventure

Welcome to Mars. This is the Mars of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Space 1899. This is a prelude to the Shape of Things to Come.

I've had an idea in my head for a few years for a mixed RPG and tabletop campaign. Imagine, if you will, one of the great roads and on that road a police station manned by a mixed Martian and British force. If Brigade brings out their offered small-scale Martian scenery I shall be tempted to start. All the figures used here come from 3 packs from http://www.blackhat.co.uk/product-category/18mm-miniatures/18mm-miniatures-martian-empires/

With one exception, the scout is one of Irregular Miniatures Mohicans http://irregularminiatures.co.uk/products.php?cat=15mm&sub=French,Indian%20Wars%20and%20American%20War%20of%20Independence&pid=13&subid=163&page=2&page=3&page=4&page=1

The flyer is a quick scratch build from an old style ball-mouse. I deny any involvement of 'er in doors favorite scarf.

The plot so far – fanatics have captured the Princess Imra baebe. They made their way across the Batruk Paa, “the land where no-one sensible goes” and were waylaid by 2 fearsome Glitchservers who scared off and ate most of their animals.

Fortunately they found a cave and made a stand.

In the meanstwhile, back at the castle, Prince Umpa has realised that his beloved sister is missing and gathering up a scratch force has sped to her rescue on a sled.

Can the Prince save the day, or will the dastardly Ivo Bigeego get away and ravish the fair Princess!

Glitchservers

Points 53 Quality 5+ Combat 5 Special Rules Armoured, Long Move, Off-Road, Vehicle

Ivo Bigeego

Points 74 Quality 3+ Combat 2 Special Rules -Pistol, Hatred, Leader, Stealth

Princess Imra baebe

Points 39 Quality 4+ Combat 2 Special Rules Acrobat, Born Driver, Medic (professional)

Tracker Points 44 Quality 4+ Combat 3 Special Rules Jungle-craft, Running Blow, Stealth

Fanatic with Sword J - Personality Points 54 Quality 4+ Combat 2 Special Rules Acrobat, Combat Fiend, Dashing

Follower with sword Points 15 Quality 4+ Combat 2 Special Rules CQB Specialist, Mook/Extra/Cannon Fodder

Fanatic with radium rifle C - Personality Points 44 Quality 4+ Combat 2 Special Rules -Single Chambered Rifle, Crack Shot/Marksmarksman

Follower with radium rifle Points 35 Quality 4+ Combat 2 Special Rules -Single Chambered Rifle, Mook/Extra/Cannon Fodder

The Bad guys Ivo Bigeego 74, Tracker 44, Fanatics 98, 5 Sword followers 75,

4 Rifle followers 140 Total 431

Prince Umpa of Allumpa Points 130 Quality 3+ Combat 3 Special Rules Combat Fiend, Hero, Leader

Royal Companion Points 70 Quality 3+ Combat 3 Special Rules Combat Fiend

Rifle Guards Points 58 Quality 3+ Combat 3 Special Rules -Single Chambered Rifle, Poor Shot

Martian Flyer Points 62 Quality 4+ Combat 2 Special Rules Armoured, Long Move, Off-Road, Personnel Carrier 9 passengers, Vehicle

Prince Umpa's party on the Flyer

Flyer 62

The prince 130

2 Sword companions 140

2 Radium Rifle Guards 116

Total 448

The game

I could have lifted the whole game “out” onto a floor tile for all the room it took. Not that's a bad thing. I tried something a little different, and it gave a nice “Valley of the Gwangi” effect. The Glitchservers attempted to use both sides failed activations, making them very unpredictable but not overpowering.

The bad guys have made it to the box canyon, being pursued by the Glitchservers. They make a (mook) firing line supported by (mook) swords while their leaders look for a way out. The princess was held in the cave while Ivo Bigeego and the tracker checked out the abandoned Green Martian nest.

Unfortunately that put them in view of the avengers, who land and start leaping into action.

The riflemen start trying to isolate the princess and the prince engages and kills the tracker. Meanwhile there's a bloody encounter with the lead Glitchserver, but a volley brings it down and 3 swordsmen dash in to kill it.

The rescuers push ahead, but the fanatic rifleman takes repeated shots at the prince, first driving him back then killing him.

His death causes a general retreat with the riflemen getting on the raft first. Realising that this is their ticket out of here, and that the remaining Glitchserver is getting just a bit close, the fanatic keeps shooting at whoever tries to man the controls, killing one.

With the enemy snapping at his heels, the last survivor leaps to the controls and the raft is free. The rescue failed, but the kidnappers have lost heavily and may not escape so easy-.

This was a good, fast game that captured the spirit of the books. Watch this space for further adventures on Mars!

Flying Lead The Death of Hackmaster Sheer, an underwater adventure

Taking the Plunge

7/10^th of the planet is water. What little we do is on the surface or a few leagues down. This does not allow for those conflicts between the elder races who inhabit the deep.

Here is an attempt to redress the imbalance with Khurasan's Karks* and Pendragon's Fishmen. I've had to do it a bit different as I didn't want a simple rerun of our recent Catching Crabbes in Cornwall.

*I've said before that this chap has my wavelength. Way back when we started doing Flashing Steel with our pirate LARP group I came down with the real flu. I had delirium, which was nice. Part of the process was thinking of sharkmen, as mentioned in Savage Worlds Pirates! About 2 weeks later, out comes this range, which is why I painted the first batch as redcoats and the later as elite riflekarks in green.

33^rd Plungers Regiment of Kark

Thrasher (trooper) Points 80 Quality 4+ Combat 3 Special Rules -Bolt Action Rifle, Body Armour, CQB Specialist, Dashing, Fear

Hackmaster (officer) Points 136 Quality 3+ Combat 3 Special Rules -Bolt Action Rifle, Body Armour, CQB Specialist, Dashing, Fear, Leader

The Traiyned Killers The Greenskins

Infernal Greenskins - (trooper) Points 98 Quality 4+ Combat 3 Special Rules -Bolt Action Rifle, Body Armour, CQB Specialist, Dashing, Elite, Fear, Light/Bushwhacker,

Underhackmaster Plucker (NCO) Points 186 Quality 3+ Combat 3 Special Rules -Shotgun, Body Armour, Combat Fiend, Dashing, Fear, Hero, NCO/Second In Command

Hackmaster Sheer Points 166 Quality 3+ Combat 3 Special Rules -Bolt Action Rifle, Body Armour, CQB Specialist, Dashing, Fear, Hero, Leader

22nd Banging Artillery Sniper Team

Artillery Sniper - Personality Points 134 Quality 4+ Combat 3 Special Rules -Bazooka, Body Armour, Crack Shot/Marksman, Fear, Sniper

Sheer and Plucker

Infantry Squad 8 Thrashers and 1 Hackmaster = 776

Hackmaster Sheer, a hero = 166

Underhackmaster and 4 Greenskins = 582  Total 1,524

Fiendishly Revolting Fishmen

Fish Man or Dominant Female Points 50 Quality 4+ Combat 3 Special Rules CQB Specialist, Leader

Fish Net or Trident Points 42 Quality 4+ Combat 3 Special Rules -Thrown Javelin, CQB Specialist, Chucker,

Fish Gun Points 47 Quality 4+ Combat 3 Special Rules -Shotgun, CQB Specialist, Poor Shot

Lobster or Crab Points 72 Quality 4+ Combat 4 Special Rules Armoured +3 (Medium), Off-Road, Vehicle

Fishmen Swarm

Band 1 & 2 Leader 50, 5 X Guns 235, 4 Trident 210 = 495 each

Band 3 Leader 50, 5 Crabs 360, 4 nets 168 = 578 Total 1,568

The Game

You'll have noticed I'm accommodating less gaming space and I'm pulling some “oldies but goodies” last used pre blog. I'm also using some of the kit bought and shelved for Harder Than Steel.

I'm cheating with the rules regarding group activation. An officer or leader can activate the whole group on a stand, just to keep things simple. We are also using reactions on a leader-to-leader basis.

Tony (fishmen) won the initiative, but I did well on using his missed rolls as reactions. But he still beat me to the boat, so I lined up for some punishing shooting. And it was, he consistently out shot me with less!

As he scrambled aboard I lined up the Trayned Karks up for the kill. In they go, put up a good fight but the weight of numbers told and they started to go down.

Next it was the turn of the Redcoats to suffer the crabs. More indecisive shooting and one successful net-cast and in went the crabs. The redcoats, out-snipped and outnumbered they started to die – then their leader dies just as the last fishman band sets up to pore harpoons on their rear ranks. Off they go, leaving the Fishmen to loot.

But lets not forget the Hero, Hackmaster Sheer. After some nondescript shooting and manoeuvring he attempts to take down the Dominant One. But he gets one fail, she uses that to get him surrounded by crabs and – he dies.

On the other flank Underhackmaster Plucker uses two enemy reactions to get away with the last of his Karks.

Ouch. But this is one of those games that calls for a rematch. They will return----.

Peter Pig ship, I've a selection of these, most still in the box.

An aquarium (car boot) purchase upside down, the cone is a GZG limited edition piece.

Using these large lids I wanted to give the floating look - as this is underwater and they would be a  3D swarm

The dinosaur bits  terrain was made for a participation game I never ran, it's the only pieces I've made that never required painting!

We cot a naff selection of crystals, so I nabbed them.  Last seen in my very first post!

I made this mat for this game, but it didn't dry.  Cheap foam, dirty wash with PVA.

Coming soon to a wargame table near here!

To my mind just about the most sensible walker ever made.

Missile contruct and converted APC to multi-tube mortar carrier

2 APC's and a medium MBT constructs