HTS Baroque Catching Crabbes inne Cornwall

We marched into Fishewick and got crabs

Back in the day when I had both 6mm and money, I bought a pack of Pendraken's fishmen because I needed the Poseidon. A couple of decades later (quick in wargaming terms!) these were the first figures painted for Flashing Steel. I've added a pack of Khurasan's creatures of the deep as males. Curiously the 10mm figures are bigger than the 15mm. The militia is a mix of Old Glory with officers, sergeants and green jackets provided by Rebel's pirate hunters.

This game is a cut-down version of one planned for HTS proper (job). The inspiration comes from the film The City Beneath The Sea, based on an Edgar Allen Poe story of the same name. Let us presume that beneath the sea are old civilisations hampered technologically by their environment. One such off the coast of Cornwall aids the locals develop bronze technology, (Cornish tin was found in Chinese bronze) helping them mine under the sea and keeping their coast safe from invasion. One modern interpretation of Stonehenge is that it also functioned as a stock exchange. If you want tin from Cornwall, you had to go there first a get a chit.

The industrial revolution and the opening of land routes erodes the areas isolation. Some incident sparks a raid.

Here we have the sleepy little town of Fishewick in the year 17--. That puts this game in the Baroque SF period, which is pre-Victorian with the emphasis on the biological rather than the mechanical. By what means the militia learns of the invasion may never be know but probably has something to do a character who either looks like Vincent Price or the bumbling antics of a Doug McClure.

Readers may remember that I hate roofs, they get in the way and all roofless are modular to contain troops.

The locals

Civilians Q7 A9

Militia Q6 A9 (I'm not going to differentiate other than dragoons go Fast.)

Flintlock Rifle 2M max range. Penetration 2 Must reload, Slow reload (-4-5+25-3) 13

Flintlock Pistol 3S max range Melee Penetration 1 Penetration 1 Must reload Slow reload (+1-3+10 +15-3-5 ) 15

Fishmen Q7 A8 Slow Amphibious

Trident Melee Assault Penetration 2 Melee 2 handed (15+20-4) 31

Net Melee concussive Non penetrating Max range 3S (10-8-3) -1

CONCUSSIVE target hit automatically flinches and is knocked down (prone)

Harpoon gun Devastating No reload Max 2M one shot -10 (20-7-4-10) -1

DEVASTATING A hit from this weapon inflicts two point of damage.

Cannon Blast Burst Max 5M Penetration 2 slow reload (10+35+25-2-3) 75

BURST roll two shooting dice at -2. Any roll of 1 or 2 means reload (misfire).

BLAST an explosion that affects multiple targets. Target unit receives one flinch and two Q4 attacks irrespective of range, size and cover modifiers.

Crab or Lobster Q7 A4

Melee pen 2 Affects only organics -2 (20-2) 18

The Prologue

There are 2 rallying points for the locals. The Seaman's mission near the harbour (just past the pub and the home for fallen young ladies) and the parish church. Each rally point (until over-run) rolls at Q7. The number rolled above 7 represents the armed locals mustered that turn. A natural 10 represents a Leader. Locals without a leader can use reactions only. Damn ingrates's, nary a one made the effort to save their betters property (after the first few turns we sort of gave up). A shower, an absolute shower.

Militia will arrive on a 9 or 10.

Each fishman unit comes ashore at a separate point. Each is presumed to be just under the water, poised to leap.

The locals

Civilians Q7 A9

Militia Q6 A9

Flintlock Rifle 2M max range. Penetration 2 Must reload, Slow reload (-4-5+25-3) 13

Flintlock Pistol 3S max range Melee Penetration 1 Penetration 1 Must reload Slow reload (+1-3+10 +15-3-5 ) 15

(When you measure them out, the difference between 2M and 3S ain't worth the candle.)

Fishmen Q7 A8 Slow Amphibious

Trident Melee Assault Penetration 2 Melee 2 handed (15+20-4) 31

Net Melee concussive Non penetrating Max range 3S (10-8-3) -1

CONCUSSIVE target hit automatically flinches and is knocked down (prone)

Harpoon gun Devastating No reload Max 2M one shot -10 (20-7-4-10) -1

DEVASTATING A hit from this weapon inflicts two point of damage. (It's a big bolt that can go right through one or more target.

Cannon Blast Burst Max 5M Penetration 2 slow reload (10+35+25-2-3) 75

BURST roll two shooting dice at -2. Any roll of 1 or 2 means reload (misfire).

BLAST an explosion that affects multiple targets. Target unit receives one flinch and two Q4 attacks irrespective of range, size and cover modifiers. (I had hoped this represents grape shot or similar, as a good hit could effect 6)

Crab or Lobster Q7 A4

In use, the trident always rolled low. Nets, I got one entangle. Guns killed a couple but not the devastation I'd hoped for. The cannon got in place and I would have got away with it if it wasn't for those pesky dragoons. Lobsters and crabs went down to decent volleys.

The Caste

The South Cornish Unaffiliated Militia

De Volved's Dragoons 8 troopers and the Hon. Charles De Volved.

Picked Men skirmishers 8 chaps plus Sergeant Plucker and Captain Prikk (Prikk's Picked Own)

Militia, 16 men with Sergeant McNasty and Major D' Issaster. (Who can trace his ancestry back to the Spanish Armada, wot).

Tribe 1(Right) Cannon & 3 crew, 2 mixed (trident, net & gun) bases, Leader & 2 guns

Tribe 2 (Centre) 2 lobsters plus team 4 handlers, 2 mixed with 1 extra unarmed, Leader and 2 guns

Tribe 3 (Left) 2 crabs and 3 handlers including dominant female leader 1, 3 mixed, one with extra shooter, 1 with extra trident, Leader with mixed.

The Game.

I got the initiative and started streaming up the beach like snails on speed. Tony decided to split his forces by type and did well using up my failed rolls to advance.

I split off the cannon and moved it into position to thump his infantry, but his dragoons came in 'ard and killed the crew, cutting a swathe through my right tribe. I got a few of the cavalry, enough to divert them back towards their infantry. This took them over my lobsters, who gave chase and nearly caught the leader by his hacks hocks.

(I didn't give the dragoons any plus in combat as they were not trained for assault. I thought he would have dismounted them in the buildings and snipe)

Unfortunately that put my poor things in front of Tony's left squad who blew them to bits.

On came my remaining centre tribe, who stopped and shot, then charged into a volley that broke them.

My right tribe had suffered most from the cavalry now faced the fury of the light infantry, who trotted up to the drop and pored in the lead, breaking my second tribe.

They frantically reloaded as the now-detached crabs came on strong. A volley brought them down bar two of the handlers who not only stood but charged in, killing one and shoving the unit back, which allowed them to reload and finish the job. By this time the cavalry had gone full circle and were ready to lend more support.

On came my last heroic amphibians, even though Tony lost a couple of troopers I was doomed I tell 'ee, doomed!

Next time I'm going to try a more renaissance approach of halberdiers protected by guns and net skirmishers.

This was a more “us” test of the HTS beta rules than before. I liked the play, leaders had more effect with lower Q units. Maybe I should have made rifles Penetration 1. We got through this in an unhurried 3 hours of eating chocky bikkies.

Tony won because he was able to use my reactions to get his quicker troops into position and deliver a real sucker punch to my cannon – before it could do same to his infantry. I repeatedly used leaders to turn around double fails and keep some impetus going. My “fiddly” shooting was fairly easy to handle, but produced nothing like the full crashing volley that Tony could command. But, I wanted a different approach and in smaller (pre blog) Flying Lead and Flashing Steel games they had done better.

Flying lead could have done it, but would have been a lot slower with group activations.

Comments on other rule systems would be welcome.

Advancing in 3 columns Tony took the risk, but it paid off

Note the strategic chocky bics

Other ranks get crabs, Officers get lobsters

Note abandoned cannon

HTS 2nd Trials PAU vs UNLI & PAU vs Daleks

Buying the Farm.

The SAW proves the interaction between the

connected and the unconnected.

The Terrain. I wanted a more rural landscape with cover. I didn't want the added level of building interiors so opted for ruins.

The PAU vs UNLI. I hadn't expected the PAU to win over the Southpaws.

I took a huge risk in using the Rover to drop off an HMG team to cover the road before turning into the farm and dropping off the second team and the officer. I even managed to get my infantry in good positions. For once the dice were with me!

Tony did a cautious advance , keeping his sniper to his extreme right. He separated both SAWs. One kept watch on my troop in the field while the team advanced across my front.

My Rover gunner spotted the movement followed by a burst of fire, as did my rear HMG all to no effect. I advanced my left squad to the hedge where they came under effective SAW fire.

By now Tony's team was opposite my other unit, so he bravely brought his other team onto the road to take my flanking force in the flank. Their effective fire destroyed this unit.

My Rover was moving to cover my advance when Tony's SAW opened up, hitting it and me getting a 1 on armour, brewed it up. This also had the effect of blocking my other HMG line of site. My other HMG could now shoot at the enemy on the road, proving ineffective but driving them into the field.

As I was bedded in like a Slimurian weevle Tony tried a direct assault (as we hadn't done that yet) I did quite well, for 2 rounds we had equal casualties, both losing our officers. The SAW and HMG had an ineffective duel, but it did allow me to bring a couple around the rear, but I lost one to the sniper, but the other one took out the SAW.

That gave me a very Pyrrhic victory of sorts. If Tony's assault had pushed me back (which would have been the difference of 1 on any of 4 dice) he could have shot me to pieces. He could have played a more cautious game using his sniper to reduce my HMG's.

On the whole the rules worked well. The leaders had much less effect on both static and high quality troops. The UN had few fails (even though his rolling was much worse than mine, for once) for me to convert into reactions. As I played a fairly static game the reverse was true.

Pan African Union Militia Q5 A 7 Medium 88

BURST Models firing bursts may roll two shooting dice at -2 inste­ad of a single shooting die. Any die roll of 1 or 2 means that the gun must be reloaded.

ASSAULT The weapon hits at +1 in a turn in which the user moves to contact an opponent into hand-to-hand.

Squad LMG BURST. PUNISHER, Medium If shooting hits, re-roll two dice at Q6 others within 1xShort. If survive knocked down (pro­ne).

HMG team BURST. PUNISHER, Long, PENETRATING Armour -1.

Sergeant, Leadership 1 103

Officer Leadership 2 111

Rover Q5 A6 Long 111

HMG as above,

Truck Q5 A6 Long 74

Truck with 12 Troopers, 2 LMG & Sergeant 1,433

Rover with Officer & 2 HMG team 384

Total 1817

UNLI Q5 A6 Medium 150

a hand picked human soldier with decent armour and an effective rifle.

Camouflage suit, Danger sense

Difficult target -1 shoot against

STEADFAST +2 on morale rolls.

BUSHWACKER movement not reduced by rough terrain. +1 Q for dangerous terrain.

FAST REFLEXES The model has +1 when performing reaction rolls.

FIGHTER +1 to melee Quality rolls. against him are at -1

PISTOL One-handed.

RIFLE. PUNISHER If shooting hits, re-roll two dice at Q6 others within 1xShort. If survive knocked down (pro­ne).

PENETRATING Armour -1.

Sergeant 170 Officer 180

UNLI SAW 161

BURST two shooting dice at -2 roll of 1 or 2 needs reloading.

PENETRATING Armour -1.

DEVASTATING A hit causes two point of damage.

CONCUSSIVE hit causes flinches and knocked down (prone)

UNLI Sniper, Sniper rifle, 224

Boat 3 Troopers, Officer, Saw. 3 Troopers, Sergeant, Saw, Sniper 1796

Early Dalek Q4 A4 Medium Antigravity belt 253

a powered armour killing machine with limited lift ability.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE “electrical” +1 against. Immune to poison, gases, drowning and vacuum.

LEAP 1xLong leap per turn. If contacts, free action melee attack +1.

Danger sense

UNFLINCHING Never flinch. Immune to effects of suppression fire.

DEVASTATING Two point of damage per hit.

ELECTRIC robots and vehicles +1.

INFINITE AMMO

PENETRATING Armour rolls -1.

Dalek Task 7 Daleks at 253 = 1,771

Daleks vs PAU

I think I made a big mistake in keeping the Daleks as individuals. If I had had 2 units of 3 and a leader, would it have speeded up their advance?

I set up almost as before, but with my HMG's and officer on the hill and the Rover tucked in safe.

As soon as the Daleks came within effective HMG range I started killing them. One did get through to the hilltop but lost a close-in shooting match. 3 HMG's killed 4 Daleks.

Yes, Tony could have filtered them through the rough, but that's not the Dalek way.

So I've either got the HMG/SAWS and/or the Daleks very wrong.

Thus ends our rather frustrating stab at the rules.

I can see that they can be quick once you get used to the add-ons.

You can tell if a roll is a success and work through it.

Larger units than Flying Lead can be handled as easy as small.

Leaders can have an effect, but are not the driving force as in other rules.

Vehicles need a lot more work, more specific rules and add-ons.

Weapon ranges are a lot longer than in Flying Lead, so cover is essential, particularly with smaller units.

One tip from the other Beta versions, you measure shooting from centre to centre of units.

The rules may provide an interesting compromise between the survivability of the larger unit and the flexibility of the smaller.

I would suggest you need extra coloured dice to identify support weapons shooting with a squad and any others that may have different effects.

You also need a ruler showing 2x ranges for shooting.

Game 4

No, that's my elbow