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Miniatures Adventure => VSF Adventures => In Her Majesty's Name => Topic started by: Skrapwelder on 27 May 2013, 09:32:09 PM
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So, I ran a game of In Her Majesty's Name for a group of about eight players at Kubla Con.
The setting was Fazeley Junction. On the previous day two armies on unknown origins clashed in a pitched battle that left much of the town in flames. It was later determined that one of the armies was led by the American criminal mastermind, Dr. Miguelito Loveless, who had escaped American attempts at capture by fleeing to the Britain. Setting up shop in Fazeley it would seem he drew the attention of another overlord of the criminal world who took offense at Dr. Loveless' presence and took action to remove him.
Sherlock Holmes was investigating the presence of this new criminal when he was captured by Loveless, who then proceeded to use Holmes as a Guinea pig in a supposed aetheric transportation device he stole from the labs of Nikola Tesla. As far as a new form of transportation, Loveless could tell the device was a total failure as Holmes remained in the machine no matter how much electricity was sent coursing through the device. It did seem it might have some use as an interrogation device as it seemed to inflict a great deal of pain on the subject without causing any obvious physical damage.
Unbeknownst to Loveless, every time he activated the device it a doppelganger of Holmes appeared in some random location nearby. The doubles had all the genius and talent of the original Holmes but had also taken on the aspect of mad men attacking anyone they got close too.
So this is the setting that the Companies found themselves in. Their primary objective was to scour the area for information about the identities of the two criminal generals as well as obtain any of the advanced technological devices that forces on both sides seemed to be equipped with.
There were five Companies:
A unit of Royal Marines
A section of constables from the Special Branch of Scotland Yard.
The gentlemen from Torchwood
A group of Bow Street Runners acting for a private, unnamed party.
A collection of American Secret Service agents led by James West.
A pair of American big game hunters, Theodore and Seth, on a stopover to a hunting trip in Africa their assistance was requested by the American ambassador.
Finally Dr Watson and Mycroft Holmes, commanding a force of Baker Street Irregulars in search of the missing Sherlock.
The game went very well and everyone there was quick to pick it up. The only real modification I made was to have each group do all of their movement, shooting and combat at the same time on their initiative. I don't think it changed the balance of the game much and I felt it would have been impossible to keep a group of players that large on track if they were all moving their groups one figure at a time.
I placed minor objective markers around the board and a major marker on each of the two large bridges. The minors could be picked up and carried and were worth one victory point. The majors had to be held at the end of the game to award five victory points.
There were several random events that could occur at the start of each turn: an artillery shell could fall randomly, a sniper could attempt to pick off a randomly selected Officer, a building could collapse and cause damage to those inside or nearby. Finally there was a check every turn to see if a Holmes Doppleganger appeared. The dopplegangers had the same stats as the consulting detective in the rules and were controlled during the turn by the player having the lowest initiative roll.
On to the pictures:
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_13.jpg)
The table layout.
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_12.jpg)
The Royal Marines assault a breach in the wall of Loveless' Satanic Mill.
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_11.jpg)
Some of Loveless' cronies prowling the streets.
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_10.jpg)
The first, and only Holmes doppelganger to appear. (Obviously I need to stack the deck in favor of Doppelgangers over stray shells next time)
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_9.jpg)
Bow Street establishes a presence on one of the large bridges.
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_8.jpg)
After defeating Lo-Pan and his Jade Golem the Secret Service agents made quick work of the Fazeley Tong, one of the criminal forces on the table.
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_7.jpg)
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_6.jpg)
The Royal Marines push into the courtyard is stopped cold by Loveless' bodyguard, Volataire, and a force of violent, clockwork toys.
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_5.jpg)
Some of the Irregulars take on the Holmes doppelganger...
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_3.jpg)
while the rest patrol the opposite side of the canal.
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_2.jpg)
As things started to look bad for Loveless he attempted to escape via a secret tunnel leading to an armored, mechanized walker hidden in the churchyard.
(http://rotanddrivel.com/kubla2013/kubla13_1.jpg)
The walker took heavy fire from the Irregulars and the Gatling gun of the Bow Street group and was quickly immobilized. Loveless was able to leap free and did manage to make good his escape.
I had a great time putting this together and running it. The rules a really a treat to play. Hats off to Messrs Cartmell and Murton.
Thanks,
Mike
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Brilliant. Loving the use of "The Prestige" as a plot point, and bringing Loveless onto the scene.
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That sucks!
I was there for a few hours on Saturday and missed you!
>:(
Looks like a great game. I always love your Battle Reports!
:-*
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:o
What a stunning table!
Looks like you had some great, albeit chaotic, fun.
:-* :-* :-*
I love seeing your scenery and can never get tired of it.
It is simply gorgeous!
:-*
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Great work Skrapwelder. We an always rely on you to produce a splendid game and report.
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Lovely table :-* :-* :-*
Have you any more pictures of the large mansion? I don't remember seeing it before.
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That is a stunning table and looks like it was a great game.
Can I ask what miniatures you used for the Steam Carriage (Hansom) and generally all the other miniatures? I was planning on a crime syndicate gang to field Moriarty and the Ripper in, and need some more cronie models.
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Thanks gents.
Aggro, I need to give you my cell number or something.
The mansion is a recent addition. I"ll try and get some closer pictures posted.
Freelancer, the Royal Marines' carriage is made from the West Wind Hansom. The boiler in the back is made from a Warhammer Empire cannon.
Most of my figures are either West Wind or Lead Adventure. I have a bunch of the new IHMN figures on the painting table. The Chinese Tong are from Obelisk. The rough chaps by the post box are from the West Wind London Mob pack.
Thanks again,
Mike
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Fantastic looking game, makes me wish I'd had time to go to the Con. Hopefully next year.
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Great scenario idea and lovely terrain!
Cheers
Norman
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The more I see of your great games the more I try to make the 5 hour drive up to Kublacon! Ahh.... next year! :'( Very nice job!
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That game looks amazing! I was there Friday for my first time and I gotta say, it was pretty fun. Between selling at the flea market and talking to other mini-crack users it was a blast that I might do all weekend next year.
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Fantastic report and great pictures! :-*
FFF
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Brilliant effort by Col. Sir Ivanhoe Skrapwelder MC!!
So you did get your rules on time after all (?). I was hoping that Osprey could pull some strings for you, but I expect that in the end it was just postal luck?
I shall link this magnificent scene from the blog.
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Thanks Craig. Delivery was great. I think it arrived a day or two after we corresponded.
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Good looking table 8)
cheers
James
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Excellent report, Just a shame there weren't more pics, but then you'd probably never get the game played. Looks like a lot of the buildings were scratch built - any tips this like to share?
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The buildings are all made from resin castings I do myself. I have sold a few to people but have not mass produced them. Because of the texture of the material I used for masters they are difficult to paint.
Don't tell anyone, but I'm working on a line of resin buildings for this period and I hope to have a public release of about eight different models late in the Summer of this year. ;)
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Thanks Craig. Delivery was great. I think it arrived a day or two after we corresponded.
I was just about to ask, how did you get the rules?!?!, but I see you have friends in the right places. *sniff*
Just got a note back that Lon's still waiting on copies for Brigade Games to ship out to us, the great unwashed.
I suppose, to be generous, if someone else gets the book, glad to see it's someone who can do such marvelous justice!
Next time, have your batman taking the piccies...
Doug
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I was just about to ask, how did you get the rules?!?!, but I see you have friends in the right places. *sniff*
Oh Doug... :'(
He contacted me and said he'd be running a demo game at Kublacon, shortly after the release. So I asked Osprey if they could hurry his copy along. I have no idea if they did or if he was just lucky.
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Oh Doug... :'(
He contacted me and said he'd be running a demo game at Kublacon, shortly after the release. So I asked Osprey if they could hurry his copy along. I have no idea if they did or if he was just lucky.
Oh, relax; I'd figured that out. But, you have to admit, we, in the colonies, have been really, really patient while others are seeming to have a whole lotta fun!
Reminds me of when I was a young child, standing in the snow by the manor, peeking in the window, to all the toys and gumdrops the little lord could...
Oh, wait, I just read that. Never mind.
Doug
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You have been really, really patient and good things come to those who wait :D
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Missed Kubla Con this year and there fore the game....sigh.... but then again a great looking game ... of course should more Sherlocks have show up!
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Cracking layout Mike, always a pleasure to see your buildings and figures. :-*