Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => VSF Adventures => Topic started by: thejammedgatling on 21 September 2009, 08:34:31 AM
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Captain Grey of the Heavies shifted his weight in the saddle to ease his old wound as his Rhinox made use of its time to chew a redweed bush beneath him. He could hear the beasts copious teeth making short work of a plant with all the softness of barbed wire and wondered, not for the first time, what the inside of his stomach must look like. He slowly turned the field telescope around the low hills, but there was still too much dust to see clearly. This filthy wind had kicked up so much dust in the past few days that the steam conveyances were seizing up. He could hear their tortured joints behind him as they struggled to maintain their pace. Only the Rhinox seemed not to care much, whatever the weather threw at them
Their mission had begun three weeks before. Using hit and run tactics it was hoped to break up the Prussian advance while the different columns had yet to converge in their attack on New Brighton. It was clear that the British Imperial force was much too small to hold but a small section of line around the bastion of the city, making it far too vulnerable to short range nef bombing and siege artillery. If the supply lines could be cut or severely hampered then at least it might buy some time for reinforcements to arrive from Britain and her allies the Russian and Confederate States. Several flying columns had been sent out, including Greys. And so far their mission had been very successful. Four Prussian supply columns had been destroyed including a large artillery unit, and a further large unit had been forced to make a retreat. But their position was becoming increasingly tenuous and the hunter was becoming the hunted. They had been spotted yesterday by a Prussian nef patrol and had already evaded one force sent to find them, though mainly by entering the sandstorm which they were just emerging from. Their only hope now was to get back to their lines as swiftly as possible.
Sergeant Norris emerged from around the crags in front of Captain Grey and pulled his Rhinox to a panting halt.
“Waterhole sir..about a kilometre away. It looks like the one the Drune marked out for us sir…has the cleft rocks just like they described”
“Very well sergeant. Signal the column to advance. I daresay we could use the water…even these fellows” he said, looking down as yet another redbush disappeared into the gaping maw of his riding beast. His mount began a guttural growl as his brain registered the presence of the other Rhinox..fearing possibly the theft of his redbush. Grey gave him a whack with his iron poker. Best not let them start fighting. They were placid beasts, on the whole, and as long distance mounts through this land they could not be beaten. But heaven and earth would not stop a Rhinox that had decided to charge at something. Grey had once seen one of his troopers frantically clinging on as his mount had hit and turned over an armoured car belonging to the Duke of Cambridge’s light infantry. No-one had told the poor fellows about the colour green….
The pale sun was starting to grow weaker in the sky as the British column limped into the oasis. The dust was settling now, enabling the men to take their dust masks off and wipe them. Lieutenant Hughes of the armoured car brigade was just about able to see the long row of hills to his north for the first time in two days. He raised his periscope and turned his turret while opening the hatch to let at least a little fresh air into the cauldron that was the HMMS Pib. His hand froze. There, not two hundred meters away was another column. Long rows of soldiers, cavalry and tanks.The Prussians!
For a full twenty seconds the two columns, travelling in different directions, looked on at each other before recognition set in. Then there was a brief moment of almost silence when all that could be heard was the thumping regularity of steam boilers and wheezing pistons.
Then, all hell broke loose.
battle report to come ( come on Rabbitz)
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Yeah, come on Rabbitz we're waiting! :)
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Yeah, come on Rabbitz we're waiting! :)
Yep what da man said :)
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Sounds awfully interesting, I eagerly await photos.
Yeah, come on Rabbitz we're waiting! :)
Both you and the other VSF chap in Shropshire, I assume?
Sorry.
::)
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unlesh the dogs of hell! lets see the report already :D
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Sounds awfully interesting, I eagerly await photos.
Both you and the other VSF chap in Shropshire, I assume?
Sorry.
::)
You'll only make him angry.......
lol
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You'll only make him angry.......
lol
I shall hire Ronnie Corbett for the day and have him thrash you to within an inch of your life in front of your friends to complete your shame. I do it to Malamute quite regularly..... only thing is he loves it....
Rabbitz is keeping us in suspense.
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Sorry for keeping you all hanging on the line.
A tester picture from our latest battle.
(http://www.unit57.com.au/images/bos.jpg)
Just having a few PC issues at the moment.
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I shall hire Ronnie Corbett for the day and have him thrash you to within an inch of your life in front of your friends to complete your shame. I do it to Malamute quite regularly..... only thing is he loves it....
Rabbitz is keeping us in suspense.
Now, now gentlemen, there will be no need to hire the service of Mr Corbett...I'm sure we can settle this sensibly.
In a valiant effort to distract attention away from the fact that our battle report pics seem to be lost temporarily, I thought I'd post here some pics of Capt Grey of the Heavies and two of his sergeants on patrol. These are still works in progress I might add, and still need some scratchbuilding added.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/P9220005.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/P9220007.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/P9220006.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/P9220009.jpg)
Just to parry a few questions before you ask...the figure of the captain is a Perry and the others are both First Corps...they fit with each other really well. Their riding beasts are all plastic 'Reek' from the WOTC Star Wars range. I bought six of them for a few shekels each on e-bay a while back. The saddles and harness are all scratch built. The front mounts are for the as yet unfinished to mount flame lances, which are attached to the twin tanks at rear which hold a volatile mixture of the animals own dung and paraffin. The lances, when built , will also have a green flag attachment which goads the animal into a charge. The twin 'stalks' above the riders are for a shade canopy.
These were a lot of fun to play on the battlefield..rather like unpredictable tanks with half a brain. I've written some rules for them along with a damage / hit table for GASLIGHT which I'm happy to post, although I think it still needs some tweaking.
Glad to hear your thought and suggestions on these!
And we will post the battle pics soon.
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Ah Rabbitz!
Just like the British Cavalry....in the nick of time.
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What splendid beasts they are too. :)
Luverley stuff ;D
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Very nice conversions.
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Blimey. Does the good capitan really need a sword?
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Best cavalry I've seen in a long time!
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thanks for the comments!
Here are the stats I made up for those GASLIGHTers amongst you.
The Rhinox Patrol
(the Heavy Cavalry)
shoot (rider)9
scuffle8x3attacks
Usually passive and quiet herbivores, the Rhinox retain large club tails and heavy frontal body armour and horns for mating displays and competitions with rivals. They are goaded into aggression either through being attacked or by the waving of a green rag in front of their noses in the direction of the enemy. As herd animals they will always follow their herd leader and so may only attack units their leader is attacking, unless their driver can make a leadership roll. However, they may not be more than 8 inches from the nearest herd member. Rhinox, like a vehicle has it’s own stats:
RHINOX Weapon/s: Bite
Mace Tail
Crush # crew: 1 Passengers: 0
Start
(only applies to herd leader): 16 Sustain:18 Speed: 16"/8" Spin: 360
Save:
Front 11
Side 9
Rear 7
WOUNDS: 3
Special rules:
Unless attacking a vehicle, a Rhinox will not stop when contacting a unit, but has to complete it’s charge distance. This simulates the vast bulk and mass of the beast. Any figure in contact with the base must roll to see if they are hit.
It is hard to hit a Rhinox Cavalryman because of their small size as opposed to the beast and protective carapace saddle. When rolling hits, re-roll to see which may have wounded the driver. Roll D6…any 6’s are hits on the driver.
If the leading Rhinox is killed, create a random roll to see who is elected to lead the herd. Election takes one turn and the Rhinox may do nothing else until it is over, unless they are in melee or attacked in melee.
To attack a unit the cavalryman on the leading animal must try to GOAD his animal with the green rag. Roll D20 (+1 for officer, +2 for character, +3 for hero):
1 Animal manages to eat rag. Waste first turn getting new rag in place.
2-4 Animal has a bored expression. Herd grazes.
5-6 Animal sets off in charge to the wrong unit (unit to the left)
7-8 Animal sets off in charge to wrong unit (unit to the right of target)
9-10 Animal charges in the right direction but finds tasty morsel halfway along it’s path. Roll leadership to ignore, if failed waste remainder of turn munching).
11-12 By thunder!…the charge completes!
RIDING BEAST WOUND CHART
1 Shot bounces off thick plate armour
2 Shot confuses animal. Attacks the nearest unit (friend or foe) next turn for one turn. After which the driver may attempt to control.
3 One wound to the leg. Half animals moves.
4 Shot disorientates beast. Roll leadership of driver to see if they can control. If failed, beast counts as stunned for one turn and may not attack, but may follow herd.
5 Shot causes one wound to creature and causes side naptha tank to explode, killing driver instantly!
6 Shot merely grazes the side, no damage.
7 Shot cuts drivers saddle traces, causing driver and load to slip off the side. Driver unharmed. Animal is now driverless and will only follow actions of the herd leader. If herd leader, animal moves out of harms way with remainder of herd UNLESS in the middle of a charge, but after that subsequent turn it must turn and depart unless in melee.
8 One wound to the tail. Unable to use as weapon.
9 Dead on the spot!
10 Shot affects balance, causing animal to spin on the spot causing tail inflicted damage to any model within 2” of base.
11 Animal stunned. Stands still for two turns.
12 One wound.
13 Animal takes one wound and stumbles. Roll to see if driver is crushed. (Drivers scuffle score).
14 Flesh wound, no damage.
15
16 Animal takes one wound but is ENRAGED. Animal may move an extra turn and fight twice the number of attacks for its next turn.
17 A heavy blow. Two wounds and animal is stunned for its next activation and may not move.
18 1 wound. Animal decides that it wishes to survive and moves at full rate towards the nearest table edge, even if this means departing the herd. Driver may have ONE attempt at leadership roll to bring animal about.
19
20 Shot through the brain! Animal does not yet know it is dead for a turn, then collapses.
Have fun and let me know how they play. Any alterations/ thoughts/ suggestion would be welcome!
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seems good to me
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Those Rhinox are brilliant! Especially the one in the centre with its head at a crazy angle. I'm not familiar with the rules but the damage table looks good, with some fun results. Looking forward to the battle report!
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Those are friggin awesome. Truly wonderful beasties.
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so when are we going to see a battle report?
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Brilliant! Thanks for sharing!
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Well, about high time we finished the battle report methinks, derailed slightly as it was by the CD being lost in a house move, travelling by slow boat to China, being used as an African tribal fetish and....oh all right, just lost.
Well a mighty pickle the British had got themeselves into, moving alongside a Prussian column in a sandstorm and not seeing their adversaries until you could chuck a haggis in their nearest funnel. Here are our forces at start of game:
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0474.jpg)
The British forces on the nearest table edge are ld by the indomitable HMMS Pib (a rather nice Ironclad armoured car), followed by the lumbering and temperamental Rhinox patrol led by Captain Grey. Following them the 58th Poobah Lancers, the rather rusty four legged HMMS Hephaestus, a platoon of the Berkshires, the bipedal HMMS Orca with it's rather nasty flamethrower, a platoon of highlanders and lastly Pib's cousin HMMS Pob. On the Prussian side a party of his heli troops are scouting ahead, followed by an armoured car, the monstrous spider tank with twin turrets, a large group of Lancers, forty infantry, another armoured car and a medium tank.
In the first turn most of our steam armour managed to break down, although some did manage to about face. This left it up to the infantry and cavalry to start the proceedings. The Berkshires raced up onto the dunes running parralel to their adversaries so they might get a clear view.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0481.jpg)
They were in time to see the glorious, colourful and ultimately FINAL charge of the Poobah Lancers as the massed ranks of forty infantry including the elite Marztruppen opened fire. Wiped out to a man!.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0478.jpg)
Meanwhile, Captain Grey had only just managed to control his beasts and was following in the footsteps of the doomed lancers, whose sacrifice had at least managed to get his unit into charge range next turn..
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0504.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0499.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0496.jpg)
If only the beasts would be goaded by the green rag!
Meanwhile the Prussian lancers, oblivious to the carnage inflicted on their opposite numbers, rushed through a gap in the oasis floatwood trees to charge the unit of highlanders who had taken up firing positions along a dried creek bed , covered by the Pob.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0488.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0482.jpg)
Oh dear! a short distance roll meant that they didn't quite make it. and the doughty Scots got off a volley, crashing into horses, pickelhaubes and floatwood trees and horsemen and their mounts tumbled into the creek. The unit however was far from obliterated and the three officers had all managed to remain in the saddle leading their men.
Meanwhile the British had finally managed to start up the Hephaestus but their first shot was a miserable one as Commander Huntleigh-Burns could atest to as he viewed it from the top deck.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0480.jpg)
The Prussians meanwhile had decided to leave their spider tank in situ and use the two turret mounted gatling guns to sweep across the infantry and armoured cars, with their smaller armoured cars advancing to more tactical positions. Both the Orca and the Pob took hits , and a number of the highlanders fell into the dust.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0493.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0492.jpg)
Back with the Rhinox, Captain Grey managed to goad his mount into a furious charge...which completed! All three of the beasts charged through the ranks of the Marztruppen, who tried their best to get out of the way of four tonnes of potential sausage. Half the unit did not manage this feat and many were simply crushed. The Rhinox halted at the end of their charge distance...but right adjacent to the Prussian tanks! Not a good place to be..
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0507.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0520.jpg)
Meanwhile the Prussian regulars led by the infamous and rather portly Hero Count Heinrich Helmutsson were dashing through the floatwoods towards the Berkshires. The Hephaestus managed her sustain role and the gunner rolled a 1 to hit. 'Hurrah!' cried the navy, as the shell landed slap in the middle of the wave of advancing blue.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0511.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0512.jpg)
Back on the British left flank, those sneaky fliers had used the Creekbed for cover before launching a vicious attack on their rear, leaving half the unit dead as their machine guns cackled away.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0513.jpg)
In reply they managed to destroy most of the fliers and the single remaining model decided he's had enough. However, their attention had been distracted by the fliers for long enough to mask the advance of the remaining cavalry, who crashed into them. A furious melee ensued in which the surviving Prussian cavalry officer managed to keep his men from fleeing and kill the Scots officer. Seeing their leader killed the Highlanders decided to call it quits and keft the table. Now only a single armoured car and the heavily damaged walker held the left, although the Prussians had too few men left to press their advantage . In the centre meanwhile the Berkshires met with the depleted ranks of the Prussians. Their greater numbers took their toll, as did getting the initiative. However, the remaining seven Prussians remained true to their great leader and returned quite a devastating volley that forced the British back into cover.
However, the epic that was being played out was on the right side of the table. The Rhinox, taking an entire turn to turn around were shot at by the remaining soldiers (those unflattened ones anyway). One of the shots got lucky, disabling one of the Rhinox tails and reducing the armour value of another, while another shot managed to blow up the Naptha tank on the side of Captain Grey's beast. The Hero managed to make his save roll and landed a few feet away from the Prussian main tank, still on his feet, to polite clapping. Wiping his rather singed moustache, he leapt for what remained of his saddle to re-mount . Just as he did this the main tank fired at point blank range into his beast. Surely they could not miss...but they did! We were playing in this game a method of working out where failed shots landed..and this one landed only a ferw feet away from the tank, catching iteself in it's own blast radius and knocking it out of action! The beast also took extra damage but managed to stay on it's feet and Grey had survived a second time! Lucklily the remaining armoured car was trading shots with the Pib, which was racing (well, ambling gently) to the aid of the captain and his men. Who in the meantime had charged for a second time through the surviving soldiers.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0533.jpg)
Men and beast fell until all that remained were the Marztruppen captain and one of his men, battling it out with fist and sabre with our wounded hero, who by this time had survived another detonation from his mount (which had finally killed it) and two sword thrusts. Grey parried and thrust his sword through the breastplate of the German leader and swivelled to receive and give the killing blow from his last opponent. Both forces had completely wiped each other out...
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0536.jpg)
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0537.jpg)
Things were starting to look bad for the Prussians. Their last cavalry wiped out by the rattling guns of the Pob and their armoured penny farthing lying gently sizzling before the Orca (whose flamethrower had finally worked), their last hope was inflicting damage with their spider tank. Heinrich
Helmutsson led a last desperate (well, as he was the only remaining man in his unit) charge at the lumbering Hephaestus to be finally picked off by the rifles and Gatling gun of the ships crew. The end was in sight. The remaining Berkshires attacked the legs of the Spider which at last turned to face the British. But with it's commander and driver killed in the barrage of fire aimed at it, it surrendered.
(http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm278/thejammedgatling/DSC_0538.jpg)
This was a victory to the British but at a very high cost. Although all their armour had in fact survived their cavalry was completely wiped out and their infantry suffered huge losses (including those cowardly Scots...no oatcakes for them). The Rhinox were experiments which worked fairly well though need tweaking some. I think that one day we'll need to do an armour only battle as these pieces tend to stay fairly static to allow them to fire, and with turrets they become firing platforms trying to take out the more nimble units of cavalry and infantry.
A great game with great opponents and our longest battle to date. Thanks Rabbitz for hosting. And for finding the pics. Though somehow he got me to do the write up. Again.
Thanks for looking!
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What marvelous looking miniatures and terrain, and a very fun game!! :)
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Well worth the wait! Thanks! :-*
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Simply WOW!
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Once again, a marvellous game :) :) :)
I'm looking forward to fielding my Prussians again in the very near future ;)
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Bloody marvellous chaps! Cracking story and great set up!
When's the next one? ;)
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Vary nice! creaking good report
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Great looking game, lovely toys :-*
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Excellent report. Thanks again for doing it. It was a cracking game with some very dramatic battles being fought out.
When's the next one? ;)
Funny you should mention it, we played our next one on the Wednesday Just gone :) Waiting to see how the pictures of that one turned out now.
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thanks for the comments everyone
Funny you should mention it, we played our next one on the Wednesday Just gone :) Waiting to see how the pictures of that one turned out now.
:( :( :( :'(
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Funny you should mention it, we played our next one on the Wednesday Just gone :) Waiting to see how the pictures of that one turned out now.
You tease you! ;)
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Lovely looking, fun game. :-* :-* :-*
An inspirational game. Great stuff :-* :-* :-*
Thanks
Waiting to see how the pictures of that one turned out now.
Where are they lost this time - up the amazon lol
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You chaps certainly get through a fair few cracking games.
Thanks for posting and bring the next one on ;D
cheers
James
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Looks like you had loads of fun, and the pictures were well worth waiting for. The tanks and Rhinox are especially impressive.