Battlesworn: Death of Sherlock Holmes. The Gangs of Gravesend.

This game has grown in the waiting. I was planning a series of games, using different rules, ending in a large game. 

 Life got in the way. After our Battlesworn game of February 2016, “One of our dinosaurs stolen by vampires” we moved shop and I came up with this as an “emergency” game playable in the new shop.

Scenery. I wanted to recreate the cramped feel you get in old town that has grown organically. There are several around here and we had gone on the best of the Jack the ripper tours. Amazing what has survived both Hitler and the 60's planners. A modern trip down Brick Lane on a winters night is not a comfortable experience. To then dive into a poorly lit sidestreet-. Although this scenery was aimed at a different place, I think it did us good here. I'd picked up a bag of plastic Britains fencing a few years ago. Cut down, mounted on stirrers, sandwiched between cork tiles with more no-more-nails than plastic.

The board was made of layered tiles on an A3 foamcore sheet. This made everything removable and provided texture to be used as terrain, slowing the figures down whilst giving a more realistic play. 

 I think Tony's monochrome aftershots gives the idea, but it's difficult to simulate poor streetlighting without giving yourself eyestrain!

The Story. You may like to acquaint yourselves with the events of “One of our dinosaurs stolen by vampires” of February 2016. The lorry is tracked to Gravesend (a port below London that handles coastal trade) and Shrerlock Holmes and a police squad race in pursuit. The game is afoot!

The lorry is spotted in a backstreets yard. As they arrive they are accosted by a frantic gaggle of local, um, ladies who are “fed up with being food for the undead”. It seems that the problem with Gravesend is too many vampires. The trap has been sprung.

The figures Whilst I stated in my last article that “Old Glory will provide the great detective, more vampires and Victorian civvies”. The 2 former are featured here, the latter have yet to be painted, as they were a back order. These packs are a wealth of ready made forces. I don't think we've ever done a game so easy to replicate. There's a Tarzan pack and Africans with figure 8 shields that would do for Trojan War- I must watch the new Tarzan film.

The sides. Don't be put off by Battlesworn's apparent simplicity.

The Villainous Vampires of Madame Synn

8 vampire fighters (those with arms outspred)

Brute Leader Madam Synn herself

Brute, top 'at 'n cane, a propa swell

Tank, the old one 7ft of Nosferatu

Law and Order

Holmes fighter/leader

Watson, Inspectors Whatt and Why, shooters

5 police constables, fighters of the legal law

4 ladies of the night (rabble, killed on first hit)

Playing. As the defender, I had to be careful to “play the game” and react to what I could see rather than what I knew. There was (from Holmes point of view) a gaggle of street women policed and some sort of altercation at the main gate well in the capabilities of the constabulary.

Tony played the vampires. And a blinding game too. He based the bulk of his forces in the road to my right, feeding in vampires (fighters) in a steady flow. This pulled my constables and inspectors to the gate. Two constables would lay to a vampire while the inspectors used their service revolvers to good use.

What's this! A vampire has broken through and attacked a poor young lady! The sergeant steps up and he is no more. There is always a cusp, and this was it.

From the dark menacing figures are moving. Down the back passage towards the back gate a silent shape approaches. Mere cast iron is no defense and the back passage is broached! The crack! Of Watson's pistol warns the party of his approach.

 A constable is the first to feel its icy touch. Meanstwhile the sergeant and a young lady tackle the Gent (brute) who underestimates the effects of a brick filled handbag & truncheon and goes down redeaded!

Watson, realising that there's still a threat to their flack from the survivors of the main gate heads for the young lady.

Meanstwhile Holmes grapples with the old one who dispatches him! That leaves the sergeant, Watson and the young lady to get away in a conveniently parked tourer. The papers say that the great detective has retired to Sussex for his health. But we know better, alas. There is a rumour amonst they who do say that his last words were “Clever girl”.

Battlesworn, Red Planet, dead green Baron

How can I begin, oh my gossips. I must try and lessen the shock, prepare you for the Horror. Some of the more araldite readers will remember the superb Blakes 7? Lettuce now dwell upon the last ever programme, the one where the mook troopers managed to hit someone hit right in front of them? Bear (bare?) that picture in your mind.

When you're doing Space Opera there's a few well-worn scripts that are worth following. Our last VSF outing (April 16) was designated as a diversion for this raid. You may be aware that Martian technology relies on exciting exotic elements to produce a range of rays. So the different technology contained in the vehicle is too dangerous to fall into their hands. As per the usual script, a small group including Baron Greenbackusama and party have made their way into the bowels of a Martian pyramid to destroy the powerplant from the captured frog walker.

I had toyed with making small rooms, each a level that the party would have to clear or avoid, but gave this up as too fiddly. Instead I had a divided area with each room/floor pattern representing a change in terrain.

The sides were pure “old” battlesworn, the attacking, smaller force being:

Leader/Brute, Warmage (Greenback), Sniper (stilleto) Flyer (pet) 4 fighters, 2 shooters

Locals Leader/Warmage , 5 fighters, 5 shooters.

Setup was simple, I had the Martians and diced per location to give a spread. I know it's not in the rules but it does give a more “snapshot” feel to the start. Besides, my leader came out close to the transporter which would have led to an ambush rather than an invasion scenario. The good guys all appeared on the transmat pad.

The pet started, zooming all over the shop, but I had shooters, a reaction and not only did they get the reaction, the poor thing was deaded!

My warmage did an excellent paralysis* on a shooter, which caused an unseemly brawl for the poor chap. I got the best of it, for a change.

Tony's leader goes after the prize, gets shot and dispatched by a fighter. Stiletto gets shot before he can cause damage. The Baron is wounded and makes a few inefectual goes with his lightning “spell”**.

With my chaps advancing from all directions, the Baron goes in, well its either that or get shot, and dies a deaded death!

Alas and woe, the Baron is no more! His aids lie dead, strewn willy nilly on an alien concrete floor, stains on which will be forever Earth.

Good game, very space opera feel. Cannot but feel that if Tony had gone for my leader, causing a huge bundle, his troops were more concentrated than mine. Still-. Sorry for lack of pics, 'er in doors had swiped my camera. Got 3 of her own, but still takes mine.

*Reasoning that being palalysed would lead to enslavement via mumification.

**Probably an electrical device of great cunning.

Battesworn, Knights & Knaves One of our dinosaurs stolen by vampires, by ecki

The next time, honoured reader, you promenade along Horse-guards look carefully and you will see a range of stout doors set back from a street level long departed. Some open onto ancient halls guarded by strong yeomen whose attire does not disguise their military bearing and service revolvers.

Through such doors and other routes, more diverse enter an assortment of such fellows as the Empire relies. Some are famous but most are not. There is an air of expectation, something is afoot.

While they wait an Inspector of Constabulary addresses the assembly upon a related manner:

“here, just below the great Frank Muir nestles the market town of Much Binding Upon The Marsh. The attack came upon the eve of the livestock market. In the depth of the night some horror came from the moor, gained unlawful entry contrary to law and slaughtered all that it found within, including the night watchman.” An embarrassed pause, looks at the younger brother of the man who sits at the table-head”. A deep breath. “Besides this poor soul and amongst the slain stock were found the prints of (a plaster cast and other evidence is revealed) a monstrous chicken.”

An Officer enters, his face ashen with grief. “Sirs, I regret to inform you that we failed. I beg leave to report that the Gurkha were true to the salt and Torchwood lost two fine young ladies and a fine chap who died valiantly.” With a nod from M he sits and a brandy is pressed to his hand. “The assailants were strange, pale fellows dressed in black, but in the attire of each (killed) we found these.” Four large flat caps were placed on the table. The tall, hansom man approaches and with the aid of a large magnifying glass observes: “ note the quality of these garments, showing little sign of use, yet bearing signs of an agricultural environment.” He gestures to the Inspector of Police. “Note the distinctive tartan, this was originally sold by Yorkshire weavers to the Scottish highlanders in the 14th century.” Puffs on pipe and looks around room. “Such a garment displaying today this tartan points in only one direction (pause, puff) each of those you battled tonight were adepts of the ancient martial art of Eckie Thump, as is only practised amongst the secret boxer societies deep in the county of --------- Yorkshire.

 

This game was a variant of one I'd planned. As it happens it probably turned out as good as it could get. I think the next game will be in Flying Lead, unless Harder Than Steel (for which it was intended as the VSF trial) suddenly appears.

The setup is a large warehouse in Whitechapel where dinosaurs and similar are prepared for transportation. One such is prepared and ready to go. This is the objective, the bad guys to steal, the good guys to prevent. The walls were a snap-x set Tony picked up ½ hour before from a charity shop. I love it when a plot comes together.

At time of writing I have just invested heavily (In what-the-hell mode) in VSF, Old Glory will provide the great Detective, more vampires and Victorian civvies. Mars has not been forgotten. I have some other surprises I hope you enjoy.

The Bad Guys (All 8 of Odzaial Osmy's excellent vampires via Fighting 15's)

4 fighters (swords) inc 1 fighter/leader (figure with sword&pistol) 5

3 Pistoleer/Acrobat 6 (this is perfect for the leather/PVC clad gun toting vampire, although I'd be tempted to waive the reload rule)

Assassin 1 (2 knives)

The Law

5 Gurkha fighters inc Fighter/Leader 6 (All Irregular colonials)

3 Shooters (security service, Old Glory darkest Africa)

3 Pistoleers (Torchwood Institute, Rebels steampunks)

We both started by building our forces, I built a strong wall of Ghurkas and a line of pistoleers to protect my flank/rear.

Then we had our first draw, and Tony sends his leader straight at Memsab (that purdy, took down a T Rex, one shot) but was intercepted by a gallant Gurkha. This leads to a real dog fight, one Gurkha goes down to be replaced by another, support arrives for both sides and Memsab vainly looks for a target.

One of the shootists takes the opportunity to wriggle into a pile of bones, from where she launches a series of pop-up attacks.

On the other flank the assassin sneaks under the vehicles and lauches an attack on the Tourchwood trio, killing one, then another. A shootout between pistoleers develops, outclassed the Torchwood man goes down.

On the other flank the baddies leader is down and Memsaab is winged while the enemy fighters are downed. Again the pistoleer hits Memsaab, grievously wounding her. Another shooter tries for a shot, while a figure sneaks under then into the cab of the lorry--! After a couple of false starts, the lorry and its precious cargo is away!

Not only did I lose the dinosaur, but I also suffered (inc 3 reds) 8 losses to Tony's 7.

Now why would strange people from Yorkshire risk all for a dinosaur skeleton?

The game is afoot.

Gurkhas & Officer

Torchwood holds the line

True to their salt, as ever

Fiendish Assassin

Gun duel

The marker underneath the last Torshwood girl shows the foul assassins poison.