Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Future Wars => Topic started by: pauld on September 13, 2022, 03:27:11 PM
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First up, apologies for the unpainted plastic. I simply had only one of the robot types painted but they may be finished by the time we reach a conclusion in the next post.
The UKSS Bounty (Explorer Ship type), lost in space, has docked at the mysterious Space Station Zero.
With critically injured from a earlier exploratory planetary landing they are hopeful of exploring the massive ruined hulk for medical supplies or alien artefacts that could help heal the broken bodies of their ailing crewmates (Secondary Agenda).
Commander Dee (Ace Pilot) and his rag tag crew (Level 6 with 3 soldiers, a Scientist, Medical Officer and Chief Engineer) press forward with their probe into the abandoned interior.
DOCKING BAY ZERO
(https://i.imgur.com/GNNLNz2.jpg)
We have to transit this bay to find our way into other areas of the hulk. But standing between us and the further access ports are 2 groups of sentry droids programmed attack unauthorised life forms.
If that wasn't enough there are also 3 dispersed Chem ports venting corrosive gases into the atmosphere that could easily reduce our intrepid explorers to leaking pus filled corpses, given enough time.
Best get a wriggle on boys - we need to shut down the vents and disable the droids before we can move deeper into the ship.
Commander Dee, the Medical Officer and a soldier guard scan the area ahead from the relative safety of the Dock Office.
(https://i.imgur.com/I7edlPI.jpg)
The Scientist and his guard start on the left flank so they can move up and tackle the port on this side of the Bay.
(https://i.imgur.com/ilZN4OT.jpg)
The Chief Engineer and his buddy take the right.
(https://i.imgur.com/Ntqw2SK.jpg)
While the ancient droid sensors bleep and flash as the guardians creak into life ahead.
(https://i.imgur.com/gVO9Ci4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/FG0auq8.jpg)
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Looking forward to more :)
I like the Mantic Marionette kits so much- besides for their own games, they are great for generic CorpSec or battle droids as you've done here.
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Very cool! I am a fan of the Stargrave minis as well as Mantic Marionette robots and a huge fan of the Battle Systems terrain. I am definitely curious to see where this goes…. 👍
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Nice set up. I keep collecting 3D scenery for my 20mm sci-fi stuff but not painting it up very fast. Pre-coloured is deffo the way to go.
The character figures are good too.
As for the droids, they aren't unpainted, it's just the corrosive atmosphere has eroded their factory finish paint jobs lol
Looking forward to seeing more.
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:o Very nice!!!!
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Excellent. This is what the official batreps should have looked like.
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A great start in your write up and a great board setup as well!
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Looking really good, I am keen to see these rules in action.
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Every time I see that card terrain, I'm surprised by just how good it looks.
I'm very curious to see how 1) the scenario unfolds and if the crew manage to reach their objectices and 2) how the system feels and plays...
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Looking forward to more :)
I like the Mantic Marionette kits so much- besides for their own games, they are great for generic CorpSec or battle droids as you've done here.
yep - great figures -and Mantic have finally repackaged / re-released the ones on 'flyers'.
fantastic looking and sounding game.
when you see pics like these, bit hard to understand criticism of Battle Systems stuff, aesthetically anyway.
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Battle Systems terrain has its flaws. It is not as robust as I would like for example but it really looks good in photos and it is considerably less work than having to paint all those details!
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14th September Star Date 2422, just after breakfast, Terrestrial Time - TURN 1
(https://i.imgur.com/1UHv9Kq.jpg)
General note - all dice are D12.
Your team always starts first in SSZ so the Soldier with the Scientist decides to move up and cover the geeky lad's dash to the pouring vent ahead and attempt to take out one of the droids in that general direction.
Taking a Resolve 3 Challenge Test for the choking fumes sees him ace the result - all 3 dice are even, so the 3 successes see him undamaged.
In this scenario every time one of our intrepid heroes activate there is a high possibility that the toxic environment will damage them - they must throw 3 evens on 3 dice and any odds will result in a wound each - OUCH. (We have to take a Challenge Test 3 when within 1" to close the vents and each closed vent will reduce the Environment Challenge Test by 1 - so if 1 vent is closed it becomes a Challenge Test 2 with a model throwing versus it's RES value - typically 3 for a starting character so the odds improve as more objectives are completed - neat).
Safe for now the soldier levels his sidearm and sights on the nearest advancing droid - BANG!
His Combat Stat is 4 and the sidearm adds +2 so he rolls 6 dice. The Droid has a Defence stat of 3 so rolls those.
(https://i.imgur.com/N8G1sRh.jpg)
We have 2 successes and the droid 1 so quick math tells me he takes 1 wound (if I had been concentrating on my Roster Sheet instead of counting fingers I would have remembered that as a Combat Specialist he can always re roll up to 2 dice so I may have finished him off in one go - but I didn't)
Our next activation requires a roll of 6+ and we roll a 7 so Commander Dee decides to activate and throws his Environment Challenge 3. All 3 pass again - this is a piece of cake I think to myself ::).
I move up to the centre hoping to draw the droids away from the wings (as close combat enemies they move toward the nearest threat to engage) and unload on the damaged robot - 2 clear success margin sees it crumple into so much scrap littering the floor.
(https://i.imgur.com/Vp5wsCF.jpg)
Another soldier type activates next by rolling the necessary 10 but she obviously can't hold her breath and takes 2 wounds for inhaling the equivalent of 5 packs of Benson and Hedges (do they still exist? I don't know I gave up ages ago).
Even wheezing like a retired beagle, she still manages to pull the trigger but matched successes see her fail to hit a barn door (guess who forgot the re roll ability again).
Next activation needs a 12 - fail, as expected. Droids up next, first activation free.
The nearest lump of metal lurches toward the crew in the middle and the next one too. It appears the diversion tactics are working. A target of 10 is too much for them to make on the third activation attempt so the action passes back to the remaining crew.
Next up the Scientist sprints toward the nearest vent but failed all 3 Environment Challenge Test dice to take a whopping 3 wounds (out of 4), but he's close enough that he could attempt to close the vent next turn - if he survives of course.
Skilled dice rolling sees me roll a 4 for the next activation roll so I pass the action to the droids who repay my kindness by sending a mechanical monster charging round the bulkhead straight at the wounded techie. Brown trouser time for him perchance.
Droids always roll better so of course they pass and another of the beeping bike parts trundle toward the Commander in the centre.
They fail to carry on activating so the initiative changes again and my Chief Engineer dashes (he moves pretty quick for a little guy) for the vent on the right but a failed test scores 2 wounds - the environment strikes again. Remember when I said this was a piece of cake ::)
Activation roll passed so my blade wielding close combat soldier heads off at pace to the gathering targets in the centre of the pitch taking 1 wound for the gassy air on the way but we fail to keep the initiative.
The last droid to go senses the Engineer's presence and heads for him.
All done so it's time for the Medical Officer to strut his (it's?) stuff. Knowing better you'd think he'd follow his own advice and wear a mask, but no, he had left it in his other jacket so breathing in the noxious fumes sees him take to 2 wounds as he runs to assist the ailing Engineer with his Fisher Price My First Doctors Bag.
Here's how we look at the end of turn 1 - SPOILER - it's not looking good.
(https://i.imgur.com/AEAu9NQ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/90pNPuB.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cnGAfRc.jpg)
... to be continued (I have gardening to do)
but I will say it's fun so far :)
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great write-up and pics ...
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Magnificent table!
Better not hit anything that goes BOOM!
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=138172.0
Dan
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Wonderful photos and table.
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Sounds exciting so far!
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TURN 2
The Chief Engineer has a trick up his sleeve so we activate him first and luckily he passes the hurt phase without damage.
First thing on his agenda is shutting down the billowing vent. Being a clever sort he has the Bypass trait which means he can treat 1 challenge per scenario as a Target zero. Bob's his Uncle and without even bothering to throw any dice he caps off the valve shutting down one of the 3 scenario objectives.
Then he prudently runs back leaving Doctor Sharky McSharkface as the nearest enemy to the droid who was after him. I said he was a clever sort, the cad.
(https://i.imgur.com/u6hVFPM.jpg)
Zooming over to the other side of the dock we throw the required 6 and activate the Scientist by the other vent. His Environmental Challenge fails so strictly speaking he should die a horrible death but our Commander's Survival Specialist trait allows him, once per scenario, to negate the last wound taken on himself or any crew member (perhaps he shouted “DUCK!!”, who knows) so the Scientist survives for now.
“Now shut down that **ck*** vent!” is our Commander's next shout but understandably shocked poor man only manages 1 success - so 2 more needed on subsequent turns.
Third activation is the soldier by the navigation table who rolls a 12 to activate (he needed a 10 as the third model) who scores 3 successes vs the two now required to avoid damage.
Feeling lucky he rolls to shoot the nearest robot – 5 even rolls after his 6 dice rolls and 2 re rolls should cause 2 certain hits as the machine only has 3 dice in defence BUT the thing threw a critical success with 2 12's showing up so avoids all damage. If cold logic and circuitry could laugh then surely now would be the time. Bummer.
Our fourth activation is a fail so no surprise there as the droids step up to the plate and manage 2 activations before the baton is dropped.
Both attack our Close Combat Specialist, who with a tuned armoured vest courtesy of our Scientist crew mate, is a bit of a beast throwing a mighty 6 defence dice against an attack of 4 dice. He parries both attacks (but only just with the 2nd guy).
(https://i.imgur.com/lQxJzSP.jpg)
Our initiative sees the plucky lass in the centre beat her environment challenge to jump up on the table shouting “Say Hello to my little friend” as she sprays shots at the droid below.
After the big build up she fails to deliver and scores 1 measly wound leaving the foe standing if limping somewhat.
(https://i.imgur.com/QMSZ3RF.jpg)
Now the Close Combat soldier passes activation and damage rolls and attacks with a mighty 8 dice and 2 re rolls vs 3 defence. Result is 4 success against 3 saves so again 1 measly wound – have I hired incompetent idiots?
Commander Dee rolls a 12 to activate and with 6 dice for his Awareness trait gets 4 successes to easily pass the environment challenge whereupon he threads his way through the gap toward the central gas objective and turns to shoot.
He rolls 2 1's in the roll but has a trait where he can re roll a single 1 result every turn. Doing so nets him a 3 vs 3 outcome so no damage. Doh!!
We fail and pass and the last 2 robots both fail to damage their opponents so the Medical Officer takes the last activation of the turn.
He shoots, he scores!
Well no actually, he shot he missed.
(Part) of the table at the end of the turn
(https://i.imgur.com/IZMTFDF.jpg)
… to be continued
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Great report!
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Another gripping installment 8)
But, man; you roll like I do... :D
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you really are making it sound like a great, fun cinematic, game :-*
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This report sounds more dramatic and interesting in the official video battle report!
I'm hoping there will be a post-mission assessment of the scenario and rules after a session of actual play!
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TURN 3
Just finished but I'll keep it short now to end (as I'm off out and not back till later tomorrow).
I had 3 more turns and finished up on Turn 5.
The Scientist and the girl soldier managed to shut down the vent on the left by working together.
The Commander shuts down the central vent not without trouble despite rolling 6 dice on each attempt. It took him 2 turns, one a total wipe and the next 4 successes. Dice, eh?
Meanwhile the killing machine that is the Close Combat specialist with the enhanced armour resisted all attacks and mowed down 1 robot each turn ;D
The MO healed itself (naturally) and survived but didn't do much else and we finished off the remaining robots with sidearm fire.
Oh, along the way (in Turn 3) one soldier failed his environment test and choked and went out of action.
(https://i.imgur.com/OnT7jTO.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/tmYtVqN.jpg)
Objectives achieved - close down vents and eliminate all enemies - we won. Hooray for us.
THOUGHTS
Bearing in mind that this was my first game and was massively disjointed by taking indecipherable notes and photos it was alot of fun.
It's a simple game with easy mechanics which may not be to some peoples taste but there's enough going on to make it quite nail biting at times.
The gameplay doesn't get in the way of the story and the pressure of the objectives keeps you moving along at pace (otherwise you'll certainly come a cropper).
The scenario was good and I definitely want to carry on. I hope the other 23 are just as good.
For solo play I would highly recommend and Co-op with half a crew each could be fun too. The story driven scenario nature is miles away from the set 'em up and knock 'em down of some game types.
Lessons learned. Remember Traits and re rolls and give your little chaps proper names so you can remember who has moved easier.
I've yet to do the after scenario part to see how we develop - looking forward to that.
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Thanks for all the pics and your thoughts. Definitely making me want to give this a go.
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Your table set up looks really good. My mate has a load of this pre-printed stuff which he bought up for a game a while back and I was very impressed then.
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What a great game! It was starting to look like your crew wasn't going to fair very well however it seems that they manage to pull it off.
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What a great game!
It was and my emphasis would be on the word game. You have an agenda and the pressure of the plot devices/enemies force you to make choices and follow what you think will be the optimum solution.
The scenario is all and the simple game play allows you to play without having to think too much about the mechanics to the detriment of the gameplay.
It's an approach I like.
Thanks for any kind words by anybody. I saw a few questions here asking if anyone had played the game, what they thought and some comments that it looked too simple.
I like solo games in general so it was incentive for me to open the toy box. I'm glad I did.
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Great battle report! I love your board - the card terrain works perfectly and shows up very well in your photos.
Mike Demana
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Thanks for the information, I put "Space Station Zero" in my wish list.