Batrep: Strange Aeons in the Desert (10mm)

[nikharwood]

I've been looking for some decent Cthulhu skirmishing rules for a while now - and I think I've found them in Strange Aeons

I had a run-out of the demo rules tonight, have enjoyed reading the Beta test of Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten [Of Unspeakable Cults] & am now trying to buy them for real...although Paypal from the site doesn't want to play at the moment...

Anyway - the sample demo pack gives a last-man-standing scenario pitting a Cult Leader, Cultist & a Zombie against two intrepid Threshold investigators...I set up a variation: the Cult have kidnapped our heroine, taken her to their compound in the desert and are about to feed her to their zombie minion as part of a ritual summoning...our two heroes have tracked them down - in the nick of time!

All figures from Pendraken, buildings from Kerr & King, other scenery from The Square.

[Nik rule: the Cult Leader needs to roll a 5+ at the start of his turn to 'nominate' the zombie & summon him from his pen...]

[In this first pic I've not quite managed to get the zombie in the pen yet   ]













The game starts - the Threshold duo win the roll to go first...and start sneaking towards the compound, taking care to keep out of sight:









On the Cultists turn, the Leader manages to call the zombie towards the helpless maiden:













On the Threshold turn they split up and draw beads on targets from the cover of compound buildings:



Some simply stunningly accurate and devastatingly powerful shooting takes out the Cultist and the zombie:





The Cultist Leader knows that he has no option but to try to fight his way out - he moves towards the nearest investigator and fires his shotgun - but his anger makes him miss:



In return, he is gunned down in a short-order crossfire as he struggles to reload:



Our heroes release the grateful lady:



Notes: a cracking game - some stupidly good dice-rolling on my part made for a very short game - but the mechanics are sound and intuitive [felt a bit like Cthulhu-Mordheim - and I mean that as a compliment] - the injury table allows for different effects [ie face-up, face-down, minor injury, major injury] although all my rolls ended up as major injuries & therefore figure removal...

Great stuff though - lovely to skirmish in 10mm too - and I really do want to get the rulebook for all the lovely special rules and gribbliness!

[Anatoli]

That looks damn good for 10mm 

[nikharwood]

Thanks Anatoli - it was a great game - if short! I've ordered the full rules tonight & am going to try to get another game in tomorrow: probably going to blag some rules for a couple gribblies as well; I'm also going to have a bash at converting some spare 10mm Pendraken figures I've got knocking around into Cultists (if I get time!) 

One of the great things about skirmishing in 10mm is that I can bung a game on half-a-desk or the end of the dining room table with very little fuss - rather than try to attempt a retreat to the games room [AKA garage!] leaving SWMBO with the rest of the tribe! 

[Damien]

Great looking game, nice terrain and minis and a fun read!


Thanks
Damien