Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Pulp => Topic started by: pbjunky1 on March 21, 2016, 08:42:29 PM
-
A few of us at Wigan Wargames are going to play a Pulp Alley campaign. The background is as below, we hope to start round 1 this weekend and will post, scenarios, reports and pictures as we progress.
Pulp C22
Following a series of large scale but conventional (mostly) inter- continental conflicts governmental control of all countries was severely dimished, in many it had completely collapsed to be replaced by anarchic, tribal groupings. With societal breakdown and large scale depopulation many parts of the world entered a modern, post apocalyptic dark age.
In the North American land mass as this collapse loomed corporations began to create their own cities recruiting as they saw it suitable populace to make up their citizens. This left the more undesirable and degenerate elements under rump governmental control. A pandemic and failure of a weakened logistical network brought federal government to the point of total collapse and the protected corporation cities stepped in to save it but only at the price of their own independence in effect setting up corporation states, some centred around commercial specialism some were based on societal models favoured by their founders. The government survived in name only comprising a forum The Governmental Intra-continental Trade Society (GITS). The GITS mediates between the city/corporations but in reality is a shell wracked by intrigue and subterfuge as its offices are infiltrated by the corporations each vying for power and influence. Despite all this a semblance of a controlled trading environment is everything and the common agreement is that decisions reached at the GITS forum are at least for appearances sake binding.
After a half century four major corporations dominate the landscape. Between them they have subjugated by a mixture of aggressive commerce, espionage and outright force many smaller corporations.
The big four are The Co-operative Commonwealth Corporation (CCC), a conglomeration of traditional powerful industrial groups, they were the primal corporation but the other big three having secured their independence and are now actively competing with the CCC.
La Corporacion Qimica de Tejas (LCQT or just QT) originally Mexican drugs conglomerate, now made good they have diversified into a wide range of commercial interests however their core business is still ‘pharmacological’ and their business model still influenced by 'Scarface'.
Das Vierte Reich (DVR) advanced physics and engineering specialists whose founder was heavily influence by Nazi ideology.
Finally Sci & Mech the newest of the Big Four, they spent years fending off aggressive attentions of CCC until they finally gained sufficient size to be clearly no longer easy pickings. They are very proactive and ‘innovative’ in cybernetic and genetic research.
In the areas beyond the control of the city states are vast tracts which in name only are governed by the GITS. In reality they are lawless, anarchic territories. In some areas forces have formed around charismatic individuals which set up their own self governing groups. The biggest and most successful of these is the Liberty League. The wastelands are also home to other more sinister groups and individuals, it is rumoured that a maverick scientist has set up a series of labs somewhere in the wastelands and is conducting cruel, inhuman experiments on captured subjects. Though most aren’t sure whether he really exists or is a post apocalyptic bogey man, he is in common wasteland parlance referred to as Dr De’ath.
The corporation’s slang terminology for non- citizens is sewer scavengers or just scavies.
The campaign will utilise plot points in two ways. Firstly as a running points tally with major points valued at 2pts and minor plot points at 1 pt to help determine the overall campaign winner. The rewards from the reward cards gained can also be spent as normal in game or post game to strengthen the league.
-
A few of us at Wigan Wargames are going to play a Pulp Alley campaign. The background is as below, we hope to start round 1 this weekend and will post, scenarios, reports and pictures as we progress.
Pulp C22
Following a series of large scale but conventional (mostly) inter- continental conflicts governmental control of all countries was severely dimished, in many it had completely collapsed to be replaced by anarchic, tribal groupings. With societal breakdown and large scale depopulation many parts of the world entered a modern, post apocalyptic dark age.
In the North American land mass as this collapse loomed corporations began to create their own cities recruiting as they saw it suitable populace to make up their citizens. This left the more undesirable and degenerate elements under rump governmental control. A pandemic and failure of a weakened logistical network brought federal government to the point of total collapse and the protected corporation cities stepped in to save it but only at the price of their own independence in effect setting up corporation states, some centred around commercial specialism some were based on societal models favoured by their founders. The government survived in name only comprising a forum The Governmental Intra-continental Trade Society (GITS). The GITS mediates between the city/corporations but in reality is a shell wracked by intrigue and subterfuge as its offices are infiltrated by the corporations each vying for power and influence. Despite all this a semblance of a controlled trading environment is everything and the common agreement is that decisions reached at the GITS forum are at least for appearances sake binding.
After a half century four major corporations dominate the landscape. Between them they have subjugated by a mixture of aggressive commerce, espionage and outright force many smaller corporations.
The big four are The Co-operative Commonwealth Corporation (CCC), a conglomeration of traditional powerful industrial groups, they were the primal corporation but the other big three having secured their independence and are now actively competing with the CCC.
La Corporacion Qimica de Tejas (LCQT or just QT) originally Mexican drugs conglomerate, now made good they have diversified into a wide range of commercial interests however their core business is still ‘pharmacological’ and their business model still influenced by 'Scarface'.
Das Vierte Reich (DVR) advanced physics and engineering specialists whose founder was heavily influence by Nazi ideology.
Finally Bio Mech the newest of the Big Four, they spent years fending off aggressive attentions of CCC until they finally gained sufficient size to be clearly no longer easy pickings. They are very proactive and ‘innovative’ in cybernetic and genetic research.
In the areas beyond the control of the city states are vast tracts which in name only are governed by the GITS. In reality they are lawless, anarchic territories. In some areas forces have formed around charismatic individuals which set up their own self governing groups. The biggest and most successful of these is the Liberty League. The wastelands are also home to other more sinister groups and individuals, it is rumoured that a maverick scientist has set up a series of labs somewhere in the wastelands and is conducting cruel, inhuman experiments on captured subjects. Though most aren’t sure whether he really exists or is a post apocalyptic bogey man, he is in common wasteland parlance referred to as Dr De’ath.
The corporation’s slang terminology for non- citizens is sewer scavengers or just scavies.
The campaign will utilise plot points in two ways. Firstly as a running points tally with major points valued at 2pts and minor plot points at 1 pt to help determine the overall campaign winner. The rewards from the reward cards gained can also be spent as normal in game or post game to strengthen the league.
Quite a twist on Pulp Alley. Very interesting to see how it develops.
-
This seems very intersting. Are you playing the Vice Alley campaign with a pa cyberpunk flair?
Salcor
-
Interesting stuff! It's fun to have this sort of background to build into your stories. I hope you let us know how it develops. :D
-
This seems very intersting. Are you playing the Vice Alley campaign with a pa cyberpunk flair?
We are using a mixture of the Pulp Alley generic scenarios, some with adaptations from Perilous Island and similarly some from Vice Alley with adaptations. There will be one central theme but a number of side plots which will hopefully give enough scenarios to occupy 6 regular players and 3 or 4 ad-hoc players. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out. I'll try & keep updates posted on LAF as it progresses.
-
never having looked that closely at infinity, it does seem as it's a similar vein. i'm interested in seeing some AAR.
-
We've just had our first three games and I'll post the write ups & some pix soon but whet peoples appetities here are mug shots of the leagues
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1541/26014166691_b2b8f49c73_z.jpg)
The CCC (left to right) Chester Thurman (leader) Aneka Rice (SK) Zac Ekhardt (ally) Bradford Dillman (ally) Ethan Pilger(follower). This corporation league has Greater Purpose and is themed around being aggressive and good at fighting but not so good with finesse, cunning etc.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1554/25987987642_26b4fef035_z.jpg)
The Liberty League (LL) (left to right) Apone (leader) Ripley (SK) Vazquez(ally) Hicks(ally) Hudson(follower). The league as befiting a champion of the abandoned wasteland dwellers has Network of Supporters and has a balance of combat and action skills
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1663/25807662700_3b90ccdf7a_z.jpg)
Qimica Tejas (QT) (left to right) La Malvada (leader) Jorge El Lobo Gonzalez(SK) Johnny El Charro Martinez (SK) Jaci Blood Lopez(ally). This corporation league has Company of Heroes so is light in number but tough and smart.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1473/25762560680_cf1cdfc013_z.jpg)
Science & Mech (S&M) (left to right) Bree Faze (follower) Jayden Dirtee (ally) Tori Fills (ally) Jenna Romance (leader)
Asia Waves (SK). The league has Bastion of Science and is good with replicant technology (and also spandex).
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1574/26014180621_38f84897b3_z.jpg)
Dr Deaths League (left to right) Dr Death(leader) Sister Anna Sthesia(SK) Servitor (ally) Zombies (followers). This league, taking advantage of the anarchy in the wastelands, is a wierd science league. Its perk is Overlord and its skills and abilities come from the Perilous Island book. Its content will vary depending on what the good Dr has last reanimated.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1668/26054556236_cbb99b057d_z.jpg)
Das Vierte Reich (DVR). (left to right) Herr Kutt (leader) Frau Fuchs (SK) Jager Einz (ally) Jager Zwei (ally) Adolf the dog (follower). This corporation league specialises in engineering and physics, it has Bastion of Science.
-
Great leagues. Looking forward to seeing more of this. Good to see Aneka Rice again, I used to watch her on 'Treasure Hunt'!
-
Great leagues. Looking forward to seeing more of this. Good to see Aneka Rice again, I used to watch her on 'Treasure Hunt'!
Yes, you need the ubiquitous camera man to follow her behind.
-
"i'm hudson - he's hicks"
-
Round 1 a) That Ferraro Roche moment
Sci & Mech are at the point of making a significant breakthrough in AI & replicant technology. The CCC in a last gasp bid to bring them down have swung all their espionage resources behind getting their hands on the key research and stealing the tech for themselves. At last there seems to have been a breakthrough however with all electronic transmissions heavily screened it falls to a physical handover of information. A GITS meeting is to be used to detail how the actual handover will occur as all factions can mix together openly. The only problem is GITS is riven with spies and the DVR and QT have learned of the handover and want it. S&M is now aware of the leak and wants to stop it, to this end they have eliminated the main CCC agent at GITS. The CCC know there will be a hand over but are not sure who will be the contact.
The big 4’s inaugural game is ‘That Ferraro Roche Moment’. Ok so there’s no governments or diplomats anymore and no swanky parties to attend so an intrigue ridden, post apocalyptic trade meeting is as near to an ambassadors party as its going to get for the leagues. Set at the post GITS forum reception held in the balconied, manicured gardens at the GITS HQ.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1598/26009432966_a037a23f36_c.jpg)
it is based on the Social Affair scenario from Vice Alley. Each of the Big Four has their faction leader present and can use 4 slots from its roster to complete the leaders back up, so 1x sidekick & 1x follower or 2x allies etc.
The plot points are:
A GITS servant
A recently captured scavenger, caught trying to infiltrate the GITS HQ.
A GITS diplomat
A GITS diplomat’s wife
A GITS TV reporter
Perils :
Scantily clad GITS diplomats wife
GITS Diplomat’s dog
Slippery step
As noted the leagues don’t know which is the major plot point, All reward cards can be used as stated in game but only one – determined randomly and highlighted post game is the major plot point.
As its the Social Affair scenario appearance is everything, there can be no open fighting each side will have to try and win the information by use of subterfuge and wit and fight the others off with sarcasm and barbed comment.
The plot points and other supporting characters are as below:
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1553/25477891303_4fb5ebf13a_z.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1621/25475723984_6b44cbd11c_z.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1509/25475727504_d8363ee809_z.jpg)
The CCC won the initiative and set off with Chester, Aneka and Bradford all making for plot points, of the three Chester failed a challenge card played on him as he approached the diplomat and Bradford couldn’t reach his nearest one but Aneka got to the diplomat’s wife overcame a challenge and swiftly wrested control of the plot point.
QT were next and La Malvada reached the butler and took the second plot point but the other plot points were out of reach in the first turn so the remaining characters manoeuvred into place for a go on the second turn.
Round 2 saw a flurry of action around the plot points. Chester gained the diplomat one and despite being challenged by Bree Faze held his own in the battle of wits and retained the plot point.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1516/25477914153_f1afa2a563_z.jpg)
Frau Fuchs caught up with Aneka and some barbed comments put her down & out allowing Fuchs to wrest control of that plot point.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1591/25807645930_70af78b10b_z.jpg)
Zelda held off the attentions of Jenna Romance whilst El Lobo tackled the reporter gaining another plot point.
Meanwhile verbal fisticuffs broke out around the prisoner between Herr Kutt, Adolf, Asia Waves and Bradford Dillman. The CCC preoccupation with being a ‘fighting’ league was now revealing its short comings as Bradford was outwitted by the dog and subsequently down & out not to recover.
With QT holding two plot points and S&M personnel after La Malvada the three QT characters banded together to hold on to their gains.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1583/26054543906_3bd1fce6c9_c.jpg)
Meanwhile Herr Kutt took the prisoner plot point using Adolf as backup.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1710/25807676720_a471d85da1_z.jpg)
Fuchs was pursued by Aneka attempting to get her plot point back but both ran into the Diplomat’s wife distraction. Fuchs survived but Aneka was clearly distracted by her curves and was down & out again. To everyone’s surprise not least the CCC player, Chester survived his attempted mugging by Bree Faze and it was the S&M character who was down & out subsequently not to recover.
With all the plot points now held it was a desperate last couple of rounds of attempted mugging. Chester attempted to reach Aneka who was set upon by two of the S&M (even though she held no plot point) but he tripped on the stairs and had to extend the scenario to recover & regain his plot point. Aneka was down & out again this time not to recover.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1444/25475695124_537f52e652_z.jpg)
That finished the action with QT & DVR holding two plot points each and CCC holding one. It was however the CCC plot point which was revealed as the major one at the end of the game giving them an advantage in round 2.
-
Round 1 b) Cornered by Zombies
To give the Liberty League an initial outing they will fight the ‘Death Trap’ scenario against a force from Dr Deaths League. Rather than utilising their respective leaders at this stage each will field a force led by a sidekick so 10 slots but no leader.
The LL have a set of listening posts at the edge of their territory. Ripley, an LL Lieutenant, is conducting an early morning visit to one such set in the pockmarked ‘beaten zone’ when she finds the bloodied remains of the two man post, with equipment scattered over a wide area.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1662/26009411566_31989bd0c2_z.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1541/25430641544_65a880ff98_z.jpg)
She realises she is surrounded by shambling inhuman creatures emerging from the early morning mist and makes for the best defensive point she can find sending out a mayday message to other LL members in the area.
Major plot point:
Ripley
Minor plot points:
C- rats from the LP
Comms platform from the LP
Weapons from the LP
Ammo crate from the LP
Perils:
Chemhaz leakage
Gas vent
Toxin barrel
Gas Vent
Unstable ammo
For the campaign in this scenario each plot point value is halved so major point is 1 pt, minor is 0.5pts. Any rewards must be spent in the game rather than accumulated for later. This is to help balance the ‘no rewards’ cards and 4 leagues compared to 2 in the other first round game.
The LL won the initiative and Ripley used her Stealth skill to go into hiding whilst her rescuers started making their way across the battlefield. They encountered the first plot point but were unable to capture it.
In response the zombies tried to discover Ripley but failed the opposed roles. The Servitor made for another plot point and Anna Sthesia attempted another which she captured.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1531/26034866871_5cc740e487_z.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1719/25498609003_a42046d0fe_z.jpg)
In round 2 the LL took their plot point but Vazquez still at long range didn’t manage to hit a zombie. However with plot point in hand Anna Sthesia join in the hunt for Ripley and discovered her hiding place.
The servitor tried but failed to take his plot point cunning not being his forte.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1452/25828384390_036d5c1a1e_z.jpg)
In round 3 the LL rescue party took out 2 zombies but Anna Sthesia was able to direct the remaining zombie to attack Ripley. She tried to dodge (having better dice) but failed and was hit by the zombie, worse was to come as she failed a health check and was down & out and failed a subsequent recovery to now be on a max D6 roll.
Round 4 saw Ripley make a break for it only to be pursued and knocked down again this time being KO’d . However at this point it was noted that Anna & the zombie in their pursuit had strayed too close to a leaking gas cylinder and both were down and out to a peril with the zombie being removed from the game & Anna failing a recovery roll so becoming a D6 character.
In round 5 however Anna captured Ripley and started to haul her off but with three LL characters closing in and the servitor still out of the game time was running out for her.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1525/25828374440_29692cc44b_z.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1560/26101217595_3d6f3d5f28_z.jpg)
In round 6 the LL caught up with Anna and she was knocked down and relieved of her minor plot point and the unconscious Ripley.
So the game ended with the LL holding 3 minor and one major plot point and Dr Death’s league holding a minor plot point.
-
Fantastic!! THANKS for playing and sharing Pulp Alley!
I think that qualifies for a Phantom Agent award! -- https://store.pulpalley.com/
(http://i1337.photobucket.com/albums/o665/pulpalley/Art%20of%20Pulp%20Alley/Phantom%20Agent%20WEB_zpsyunnoj0z.jpg)
Can't wait to see more. :D :D
-
Thanks for that Dave
Following the first two games some of the players suggested a few changes that we may try. It was noted that perils, particularly fixed point one were avoided rather too easily by players, although in the first two games there were instances of characters being down & out to perils. We agreed to try a counter system where counters were put out randomly on the table, twenty eight in this case. Four of them had skulls underneath one a double skull, perils and an extreme peril respectively. When a character came within 3” of the counter it was turned over and if it was a peril the player could have a card played on them. If it was the double skull the card came from the deck. There were zonal perils as well as these point perils. Cratered ground/ rubble/ was a peril if characters ran in it and walls/barricades >2” high were also perils if a character jumped/climbed it.
Regards plot points it was felt that, especially for a scavenger hunt game where characters wouldn’t know exactly what they were looking for we should have the five plot points (with the major one not revealed until the game end) and five ‘false’ plot points. When characters came within 6” of a potential plot point it was revealed as a genuine one or not depending on the character rolling a successful cunning or finesse roll. If it was genuine they went on to try & capture it if it wasn’t they ignored it and moved on. If they failed the check they had to touch base with it to determine whether it was false or not.
These changes seemed to work well in this case though I can see if the attacker knew they were looking for a specific individual/object it may be that they know which one to go for so we’ll have to adjust as a game specific mechanism. The table shows the brown peril counters and the plot points underlined in red from our first second round game.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1575/26102078305_b19153da3b_c.jpg)
-
Round 2 a) Yellow Hawk down (Based on Smash & Grab scenario)
Liberty League v Dr Death v Commonwealth Co-operative Corps
The CCC knew from the information captured in the first round that the handover was coming to them aboard a shuttle on a low level trade mission between the CCC and S&M. Their techs monitored the flight displays as the small craft headed across wasteland on its way to the CCC outpost at Fire Bend. It was about half way into the journey that the CCC techs raised the alarm as the shuttle disappeared from the screens . A recovery squad was dispatched to the site at which the craft disappeared.
Out in the wasteland an LL patrol saw the small yellow shuttle dropping lower in the sky skimming the ruins of some columns before crash landing amongst rubble on the edge of the beaten zone however theirs weren’t the only eyes which were scanning the skies from the desolated land. Dr Death focused his enhanced retinal implant at the S&M shuttle and calculated its trajectory before ordering his shambling cohorts towards the likely crash site.
As noted previously there were 10 plot points in total but 5 were false and the major one unknown to the three leagues.
The actual plot points were :
Crashed shuttle
Male pilot
Female pilot
Distress beacon
Electrical flight recorder.
False points were a bag containing papers, an equipment crate, a bag, a back pack, a supplies box.
The potential perils were 28 in total but with only 4 actual perils and one hazardous peril , the remainder were false.
The perils and plot points were spread evenly across the board. When characters came within 6” of a potential plot point it was revealed as a genuine one or not depending on the character rolling a successful cunning or finesse roll. If it was genuine they went on to try & capture hit if it wasn’t they ignored it and moved on.
When a character came within 3” of a peril counter it was turned over and if it was a peril the player could have a card played on them.
There were zonal perils as well as these point perils. Cratered ground/ rubble/ was a peril if characters ran in it and walls/barricades >2” high were also perils if a character jumped/climbed it.
In the random events rolls each league received a friendly local, drew an extra fortune card at the first turn and had to reconnoitre (no attack, run or rush in first turn).
Dr Death won the initiative and deployed as shown, followed by the CCC and then the LL.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1575/26102078305_b19153da3b_c.jpg)
This left the LL at somewhat of a disadvantage as they were rather sandwiched between the other two forces and perhaps for future reference if there are 3 or 4 players in this game they should all start in a corner rather than on a side.
Dr Death took a gang of rats (one of the bases shown) in this scenario rather than a servitor.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1695/26080513185_9898209d17_c.jpg)
Dr Death’s league set off on a broad front reaching two possible plot points but finding them to be useless waste. No perils were triggered. The CCC similarly checked out some plot points but they were again not genuine, however neither were the perils they encountered.
The LL making frequent reference to their disadvantageous situation set off forming a three character firing line as a defence against Dr Deaths league whilst working their way into cover to shoot against the CCC. The possible plot point they encountered was revealed as waste but neither did they trigger any perils.
Dr Death determined that the beacon he could see was an actual plot point
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1638/25497308474_fff5462635_c.jpg)
but in moving towards it triggered a peril which was the double skull and failed the health check to be down & out.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1586/25499436283_e65fd57802_c.jpg)
The gang of rats moved across broken ground on their right flank & Anna Sthesia moved cautiously up the centre towards the downed crewman who she discovered was a plot point. The zombies were thrown out in a broad front to trigger perils and act as bullet magnets. The CCC split their forces in two Thurman and two allies moving towards an electrical circuit board which they discovered was a genuine plot point. Rice and a follower moved towards the dead female from the shuttle which again they discovered was a plot point.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1458/26102045715_3e274ac8bc_c.jpg)
The LL set about shooting but in the first of a set of long dice rolling failures they didn’t manage to cause any damage to the enemies characters. At this point Andy, the LL player, started complaining vociferously about his dice rolling. All I can say is that its never a taken as a good sign by the dice gods who invariably – as they did in this game, set about inflicting more misery on the transgressor.
Dr Death used a card to auto recover, not trusting to a dice roll- even though he had Regenerate. Clearly this feeling of the capricious nature of the dice gods was catching.
Dr Death having recovered passed the next peril challenge and then the challenge at the beacon before taking the plot point. The zombie moved ahead of him to draw any fire. Anna Sthesia made it to the downed crewman but was hit by a 2 success challenge which she only passed one of. The rats and the other two zombie continued to move up towards the CCC.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1676/25829189700_e7b447da0d_c.jpg)
The CCC moved towards the downed female crew with Pilger (follower) going for the plot point but failing a challenge and Aneka shooting at Ripley with both ending up being down.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1634/25497286224_d43984f2d4_c.jpg)
On their other flank Chester tried to take the plot point but failed. He was joined by Dillman and Ekhardt who again failed. As cunning was involved this wasn’t their forte. Seeing them all clustered around the plot point was a bit like that joke ‘how many ... does it take to change a light bulb’. In this case how many CCC characters does it take to capture a plot point? More than half their league apparently!
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1486/25829196440_9ee6620936_b.jpg)
The LL again carried out some ineffective shooting but started to move Apone and Hicks (ally) towards the downed shuttle which was a plot point.
The rats could now reach Chester and his pals so attacking them and tying them down in combat but not before the CCC characters had tried and still not succeeded with their plot point.
With plot point in hand Dr Death made his way towards Sister Anna Sthesia who this time completed her challenge now to be hit by a ‘3 success’ challenge from the deck.
Aneka had recovered and took her plot point whilst the temporary CCC backup fought the LL characters in the ruins thus tying them up in combat (it being drawn).
Apone shot at Aneka and not surprisingly missed. Hicks made it to the shuttle but couldn’t pass the challenge (well it did involve dice rolls). The LL player was now complaining about the shape of the dice (sharp edged versus rounded edged). I could just see the dice gods lining up more pain.
In round 4 Anna Sthesia captured her plot point and was joined by Dr Death. Her zombie companion moved towards the shuttle. Meanwhile Chester finished off the rats ( clearly better at combat than cunning) and his two companions finished the plot point. Three character, three turns, one plot point! Apone tried to fight Aneka for her plot point but again as it involved dice rolling (this time round edged dice) he failed and Aneka dodged away! Cue more complaining.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1518/26076093636_dce753d8ed_b.jpg)
Hicks however did clear the challenge and the LL backup- a character derided as useless by the LL player dodged shooting and made his way into the ruins to put the CCC backup down and out.
Apone moved to the shuttle and took the plot point as Chester and his companions moved to the other side of the shuttle. They were however held up by a zombie attacking them. Dr Death handed his plt point to Anna Sthesia and moved ahead of her to act as a shield.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1561/26009498162_6c7dd31056_c.jpg)
In the final round Apone moved away from the shuttle under cover of his remaing league members. Chester and his companions shot at Dr Death but he dodged and the LL player clearly better with cards than dice hit Anna and the Dr with a challenge peril from his fortune cards- a good move but they both survived.
The game ended with the LL holding one minor plot point, Dr Death holding 1 major and 1 minor plot point and the CCC holding two minor plot points.
It was a really cagey game with the players all using their cards really carefully (& well).
The abiding lessons though were if you want to flummox the CCC give them cunning challenges and don’t complain about dice rolls- the dice gods will only serve you up more pain!
-
Fantastic! 3-sided Pulp Alley scenarios are fun. ;)
Great stuff! Looking forward to seeing more.
(http://i1337.photobucket.com/albums/o665/pulpalley/Art%20of%20Pulp%20Alley/Phantom%20Agent%20WEB_zpsyunnoj0z.jpg)
-
Round 2 b) Slim Pickings or Look who’s late to the crash site
Qimica Tejas v Science & Mech v Das Vierte Reich
The three remaining leagues were also after the leaked research unfortunately they all arrived at the crash site some time after the LL, Dr Death & the CCC. Notwithstanding this they set about scouring the site for clues as to who had taken the plot points.
The set up was the same as the Round 2 a) with false plot points and hidden tokens for perils. The leagues deployed in corners rather than the sides.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1689/26169364371_080ec9ed42_c.jpg)
As the regular S&M player wasn’t in attendance we had a stand in play with some proxy (in the same spirit as the spandex clad originals) figures .
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1641/25807627540_09d54c8358_c.jpg)
The random events saw each league take an additional follower for the scenario and also reconnoitre (no attack, run or rush in first turn) was in play.
The S&M won the initiative and moved all their characters checking out two plot points in the first round. One was false but the other, downed female shuttle crew was genuine however there was a peril nearby and the S&M ally failed this and was down and out subsequently not to recover.
The DVR & QT checked out possible plot points but they were false and they didn’t encounter any perils either.
In the second round the S&M backup moved to the plot point avoiding the peril and started to tackle the challenge.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1505/26169361091_d4f4e54d64_c.jpg)
The S&M sidekick moved towards another plot point (determined as actual) and two other S&M league moved to consolidate the centre of their position.
DVR sent Fuchs and Adolf on their right flank but again encountered only false plot points.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1622/26169328191_70357bdfd8_c.jpg)
Whilst Herr Kutt, Jager Einz & Zwei checked out the centre of their position. Jager Zwei discovered the downed shuttle pilot was a genuine plot point and managed to take this. Herr Kutt moved up and took the plot point off him for safekeeping.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1472/26235627415_c677393b8f_c.jpg)
The QT took a plot point with El Lobo and La Malvada and the backup moved to the shuttle and took a second plot point there.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1459/26235640125_bba1e20da4_c.jpg)
Herr Kutt had taken gas micro grenades as his Bastion of Science perk. In round three he moved up and threw one on to La Malvada and the backup. She was down and out and failed her recovery so becoming a D8 character.
The S&M follower Bree faze fired on the QT from the ruins.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1579/25632962133_6c2a91e7f5_c.jpg)
Whilst on the S&M left in a dastardly act of animal cruelty Asia Waves and Jayden Dirtee shot poor Adolf and in an act less of cruelty more of self preservation also shot Frau Fuchs.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1454/26169285871_d0487eb498_c.jpg)
Adolf failed his health check and was removed from play. Fuchs failed her health check & went to D6 health. Jager Einz tried to run across the cratered ground to get into a better position to attack El Lobo & Blood of the QT team but was periled and failed a health & recovery check so being KO’d.
The effect of the micro grenade made the QT and S&M take notice. Both had been bunching up in cover but now the order was to spread out.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1537/25962706100_788d470967_c.jpg)
La Malvada took the QT plot points and made for cover in the building.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1554/26209676356_021a50d206_c.jpg)
The remaining QT members faced off against the advancing DVR and over the remaing three rounds there was a savage interplay of shooting and brawling leaving just El Charro and Herr Kutt standing.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1651/26169296351_df3e180318_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1503/25630850194_4ac4b28f37_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1573/25632913103_50eee7c04f_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1589/26169368061_dd5daef003_c.jpg)
The S&M were pleased to keep out of the way contenting themselves to make Fuchs target practice. She was hit twice more the final time being Ko’d.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1702/25632926103_7cae8108a6_c.jpg)
The rather more bloody second game ended with S&M & QT holding 2 plot points & DVR one plot point however the DVR held the major point.
-
Cool looking scenario. :-* :-*
Glad you guys are enjoying Pulp Alley! ;)
(http://i1337.photobucket.com/albums/o665/pulpalley/Art%20of%20Pulp%20Alley/Phantom%20Agent%20WEB_zpsyunnoj0z.jpg)
-
Pulp C22 round 3
We set the third round for 3 one on one games between the leagues. First up was Liberty League v Qimica Tejas. We used Vice Alley ‘The Hit’ scenario as the basis for the game. The LL are concerned at the amount of corporate ‘activity’ in the wastelands since the shuttle crash. They are seeking a parlay with a smaller scavenger group as they gather their resources to fight the corporations. QT have got wind of this and are seeking to take out the rival scavenger envoy.
The table was set out with ruins on either side of a central road, the middle of which was free from obstructions or perils. We used the hidden markers for perils as in previous games,turn them over to reveal a peril or not once a figure was within 3”. Running in the rubble areas and climbing up levels in buildings also constituted perils. As per the scenario the rival gang boss was the major plot point. The minor plot points were 4 other characters witnessing the event. To make it a bit more tricky for the players there were 4 ‘dummy’ plot points. As before once within 6” characters could roll on finesse or cunning to determine whether they were ‘real’ plot points or not.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1553/25889094494_cc2b415cd5_c.jpg)
LL won the initiative , however one of the random events was a 12” LoS restriction- clearly there was a smog like cloud not obvious on the pictures!
LL set a strong guard around the rival gang delegate and advanced down the street, peeling off the stronger characters to check out the random bystanders .
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1544/26221095300_30c26504c6_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1576/26427842161_69a1f4f852_c.jpg)
However it was QT who had set up towards the bottom of the street who contacted the first in round one, El Lobo the side kick capturing it thus slowing down the progress of the LL & their guest.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1639/26493983595_c6d0de4776_c.jpg)
In the second round QT contacted a second minor plot point character but had a 3 success challenge played on them & only got one success despite La Malvada and Lopez trying the challenge. The three success challenge was to be followed by a 2 success challenge from the deck and this took the two QT characters out of the game for three rounds.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1610/26427802691_5993ed82cc_c.jpg)
Meanwhile Apone found a minor plot point character staring vacantly onto the scene and quickly took him out.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1707/26427851451_692c7c8c24_c.jpg)
The next round Ripley got to the cameraman just before El Lobo. She attempted to climb up to capture him, she fell down, in subsequent rounds she repeated this.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1679/26401623462_a793934879_c.jpg)
Clearly she was going to capture this plot point or die trying- the former looking more likely as she dropped to being a D6 character. Nonetheless she persevered and took the cameraman out after three attempts.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1454/26401625822_8b9279314b_c.jpg)
To keep El Lobo occupied a number of the LL shot him, repeatedly. He shot them back repeatedly. The difference was he passed his recovery rolls (almost- he did eventually become a D6 character) and three of the LL, including Ripley, didn’t .
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1484/25891091763_eebe21a84b_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1524/26401613992_5cca1657b7_c.jpg)
With the street filling up with bodies the rival gang leader must have been asking herself what she was letting herself in for.
In a dash for the finish, Apone and Hicks threw themselves up the street dragging their guest with them only to face a final shoot out with Malvada & Lopez.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1587/26467979696_09a2e2549d_c.jpg)
Malvada & Apone shot each other (there was quite a lot of that going on) & neither passed their health checks and Lopez and Hicks duked it out but whilst Hicks failed his health checks Lopez passed hers leaving her free to move to take the rival gang leader plot point- except the plot point moves last in the scenario and just made it off the table.
So with the entire LL either KO’d or down & out the major plot point made it off the table (probably seriously reconsidering any alliance).
In a very close game LL took 2 minor plot points and the major plot point, QT 2 minor plot points.
-
Great stuff, I do love the leopard-skin league.
-
Very original setting for Pulp Alley.
Great show all around, keep it coming !
-
Fantastic! THANKS for posting your Pulp Alley games. They look like loads of fun. :D
-
Great stuff, I especially like the Grace Jones looking mini.
-
Thanks for the kind comments, we'll keep the reports coming. The animal print gals do make a nice league though they were just stand ins in this game.
Great stuff, I especially like the Grace Jones looking mini.
The 'Grace Jones' looking mini is from E4M Rebel Exotic Female. The rest are Foundry Street Violence range
http://www.em4miniatures.com/acatalog/REBELS.html (http://www.em4miniatures.com/acatalog/REBELS.html)
-
Pulp C22 Round 3, 2nd game, Hell on Tracks
Co-operative Commonwealth Corps v Science & Mech
Based loosely on the Dangerous Delivery scenario we had a first try at using vehicle, in this case a medium tank. The CCC are transporting the clues they have recovered so far back to their nearest base for analysis. Baring in mind the amount of hostile activity they have called in a medium tank and the league are using this as transport. The tank has a medium gun and light gun. They have all the plot points with them. The S & M have a medium one crew gun and light gun (advanced, portable, rapid fire) in addition to their league
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1443/26507302742_42ba34320a.jpg)
The board was set up as a ruined area of high rise buildings with a main street (that was barricaded half way up it), there were side streets and ruins which could be driven through to gain access to one of three exit points in the central sector on the opposite side of the board.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1569/26600236885_98beddfe1c_c.jpg)
S&M set up 12” in from the exit point stationing their guns where they thought they’d have the best chance of covering all routes. The perils were areas of rubble & climbing up & down buildings. The point perils were randomised as before being activated once a figure came within 3”.
The CCC won the initiative and set off towards the barricade with the intention of blowing a gap in it.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1560/26534669381_15b81c5077_c.jpg)
Unfortunately they triggered a peril which they failed and only avoided the tanks reliability reducing by one D type by use of a card. The barricade proved resistant to attempts to blow it up and the S&M guns (which had been in hiding until now) opened up on the tank though not causing any damage.
This caused the CCC to decide a side street may be a better option so exiting main street taking and returning fire as they went but without effect.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1636/26534660401_a9ae2cef83_c.jpg)
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1499/26507282782_44f2603871_c.jpg)
The side street gave some shelter and though the tank was targeted it sustained no damage. The S&M characters couldn’t damage the tank by shooting as its combined strength and armour was 5 and there were only 5 of them to shoot.
All looked to be going well for the CCC (and it looked liked I’d written an unbalanced scenario) until it came to the hazardous terrain. Just one foot tile of it lay between the CCC & victory. It looked so tempting.
The first move proved ok but the second move in hazardous terrain was a 3 hit peril which Chester (who was driving the tank) failed. The tank slewed to the right and was damaged (down to D8 reliability) and the S&M characters ran towards it to engage the CCC crew in combat.
Jenna Romance (leader) made it on to the tank prised open the hatch and attacked Aneka who dodged back into the tank.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1708/26574282456_181f01a52f_c.jpg)
The next round Romance slugged it out with Chester who’d given up driving the tank in an effort to rid it of the S&M characters now gathering to attack. Both were knocked down but S&M had a card which KO’d Chester whilst Romance recovered.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1456/25997167073_133e85a42e_c.jpg)
The tank stayed stuck but didn’t suffer any more damage.
Now having the initiative Asia Waves (sidekick) fought Dillman a CCC ally through the drivers hatch but she lost the combat and CCC immediately took back the initiative.
Finally Aneka got the tank unbogged and it lumbered off the board. However one final check revealed that when they fought Chester had lost the circuit board he was holding (plot point) and it was retrieved by S&M.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1613/26534675511_df131ca250_c.jpg)
So CCC made it off with 3 minor & the major plot point & S&M took a minor plot point.
This was the first time we’d used a vehicle and on reflection the scenario appeared a bit unbalanced but it was probably likely to be a big win to one side or the other. The tank nearly came a cropper in the first round and had it been significantly damaged early on the CCC characters (had they survived) would have had to go against an equal league who were a light & medium gun up on them. As it was the last three rounds were a close thing.
I think I need to give it a bit more thought on how to play vehicles into a scenario (maybe both sides have vehicles). Anyway the rules themselves for guns and tanks seemed to work well and it was an interesting game.
-
Tales from the Crypt
Round 3 Dr Death v Das Vierte Reich
The final round 3 game was based on the Raid scenario from Vice Alley with DVR having located one of Dr Death’s labs hidden in the wastelands, in this case in a crypt beneath a ruined church so DVR were the attackers and Dr Death the defender.
We had the 5 false & 5 actual plot points as we’ve had in other games but as they were on home turf Dr Death’s league knew which were which whereas DVR didn’t. Running in rubble areas and climbing in buildings were perilous activities. As it was Dr Death home territory we didn’t put the peril tokens we’ve been using on the table as we felt the home league would know where any specific perils were. Instead we let the Dr Death player place a random counter on an activating enemy once per game. It was then revealed as a peril or not.
The terrain was a ruined church with other ruined buildings around it. There were various stashes of supplies at collection points on the board and a three entrances to underground labs/ stores etc. The major point was a secret entrance beneath a statue near the church. Minor points were an abandoned corpse, carried off from the shuttle crash site, two entrances to underground storage areas and a generator concealed in the church.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7249/26269497793_07ccacdb5a.jpg)
Dr Death’s league consisted of Dr Death, Sister Anna Sthesia, two zombies, a rat swarm and a servitor with an additional zombie being rolled for under the dominion perk. DVR took gas grenades from their Bastion of Science perk.
Dr Death gathered at a false plot point with a rat swarm and two zombies.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7738/26806307121_7d4dd74baf.jpg)
Sister Anna Sthesia gathered with another zombie and the servitor at another false plot point.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7437/26780393552_e0d606ed72.jpg)
The hope in this was to convince DVR that they were guarding real plot points and also be in cover. DVR didn’t fall for this but instead split their league and entered from two other points away from these. The random events saw reconnoitre in play (no attack, run or rush in first turn).
Fuchs of the DVR checked out a couple of plot points and finding they were genuine moved towards them. Round 2 Dr Deaths league played parlay so curtailing activity again. Clearly they had an eye on the 6 round limit and hoped to hold up DVR in getting to plot points. However good dice rolling saw Fuchs and Jaeger Zwei take the two plot points nearest them in quick succession.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7475/26780355392_70e1d635ba.jpg)
Meanwhile Herr Kutt and his followers made for the church. The movement restrictions were stopping Dr Death’s forces getting to DVR. I have to say that the Dr Death player was having his first game and so was being ‘advised’ by one of the other leagues players. At any given activation the interchange went something like this “Al move that zombie over there” “f... off I’m sending him to attack that one”. “No don’t do that you .......” “ F... off its better to go there”. That pretty much summed up every interchange of advice. They’re playing against each other in the next round- I doubt there’ll be much difference!
By round three Herr Kutt had made it into the church with Jaeger Ein and taken the third plot point.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7270/26873897205_5b4dcc2a58.jpg)
It wasn’t looking good for Dr Death. Anna went to stop Adolf the dog going for another plot point and shot at him but missed. The servitor and Dr Death opened up on Jaeger Zwei who was put down but recovered.
After dodging perils to get through the church windows the rats attacked Herr Kutt and their nibbling at his ankles clearly threw him off his stride as he could only answer the one hit he received.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/26268510944_0d6a26fb78.jpg)
The servitor gunned down Jaeger Ein who didn’t recover. This left Kutt alone in the church surrounded by two zombies a rat swarm and the servitor. In a remarkable two consecutive rounds of combat he dodged attacks by rats and zombies and shooting by the servitor to leap out of the church via a window (also passing the peril played on him as he vaulted the ruined window).
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7650/26600868530_6c69d0ea71.jpg)
Meanwhile in an act of animal cruelty Anna shot at Adolf but he proved as dodgy as his master and evaded the fire.
Whilst this was happening the scenario additional DVR follower had had a random attacker card played on him as a hitherto hidden zombie emerged from gnawing on a bone in the rubble and attacked him.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7084/26269560303_97a45307e3.jpg)
A draw was fought out but this tied the follower up whilst Fuchs and Jaeger Zwei were locked on combat with another zombie so taking them out of the game.
In the final round Adolf sniffed out the 4th minor plot point and beat the challenge to take it (marking the underground entrance by peeing on it no doubt).
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7352/26600873420_3a31c627d3.jpg)
Anna launched an attack on Herr Kutt who had now appeared out of the church,just having escaped two previous rounds of being attacked and shot at. Again his slippery nature prevailed and he dodged well to fall back from the attack.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7299/26873932675_ed8796353c.jpg)
With that the game ended with DVR taking 4 minor plot points but Dr Death successfully defending the major plot point.
-
An example of DVR's efficiency!!
-
At the end of round 3 the leagues were ranked as below (if you remember we used 2 pts per major & 1 point per minor plot point as often they were randomly determined so 2:1 seemed better than 3:1 as in the main rules.
CCC 9 pts
DVR 8 pts
LL 7 pts
QT 6 pts
Dr Death 5 pts
S&M 3pts.
Each league can now spend its resource points (or save them as it sees fit).
Round 4 will startto introduce non-league forces into games (so its going to get harder for the leagues). Also from round 4 we'll start to use the harrowing escape table from Perilous Island.
Finally we'll have a 'dirty little secrets' element to the plot points. Each league has some unpleasent secret buried as they thought not to be disturbed in the wastelands. Now there are lots of hit squads searching the wastelands these might begin to turn up with difficult consequences for the guilty party. Two plot points per 4th round game will have the possibility of revealing a secret. At the end of the game the league which won the point will have to meet a random challenge. If they pass it they decipher the clues and now hold the dirty little secret of a competing league which they can use to extort benefits from the opposing league or reveal to the detriment of the opposing league.
-
Round 4 A trip to the Market : Das Vierte Reich v Liberty League
The first 4th round game involved a variation on the Gangbuster scenario between DVR and LL. Set in a post apoc street market each league rolled for 3 bystanders from the chart in Pulp Alley. The minor plot point characters were placed on the table with the Tip reward card needing to be drawn to place the major plot point character.
The Random events were Danger! Danger! and Friendly Local. Also each league spent resources to take an additional character so the leagues were each quite large at the start of the game, 7 for DVR and 8 for LL but of course the Danger! Danger! effect meant any running in the cluttered alley ways was an extreme peril, as was climbing walls etc.
The board was the street market in Deadsville- the ideal shopping venue for all your post-apoc needs such as Plastique, uranium tipped ammo, spare vehicle parts, tracks, fuel etc.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7054/27116343256_d301ff864d.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7043/26543742604_f9e6982e2f.jpg)
The leagues had become aware that a character at the market had a valuable clue to help piece together the mystery of the replicant tech detail.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7214/27149491355_836febb053.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/26543780474_eac7470ac2.jpg)
LL won the initiative and went first making for the first plot point character but not reaching them. DVR leader Herr Kutt managed to reach his nearest plot point character but his attempt to capture this one failed as the character swiped at him with his chain saw and wandered away from Kutt.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7690/26545021793_5a660dff65.jpg)
Kutt passed his health check but the chance to take the initiative slipped through his fingers. To add insult to nearly injury the LL player hit Kutt with a fortune card which meant he couldn’t run in the game. This was claimed by DVR to be clear discrimination against the disabled as he already walked with the aid of a cane!
Second turn saw LL Vasquez take the first minor plot point character and the random draw of the reward card drew the Tip which allowed LL to place the major plot point character. Both leagues split into two to go for the three remaining minor plot points and the major plot point.
Turn three saw Apone reach the major point but fail to capture her,
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/26543766674_b69d2c708e.jpg)
however Ripley joined him and took the plot point. Kutt managed to take his nearest plot point at a second attempt and Fuchs contacted a white coated bystander who joined the league.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7060/26543761194_56be118743.jpg)
Things were quite even. However in a mark of future turns a DVR minion approached the punk ‘bystander ‘gang who took exception to advances (they were a hostile bystander). The minion failed his health and recovery checks and was KOed. Jager Einz shot at Ripley who returned his fire . Both were down but only Ripley recovered. Giving LL a clear numeric advantage.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7529/27116331096_d7a60810e5.jpg)
Turn 4 saw DVR Fuchs take a second minor plot point whilst Kutt and Adolf the dog made for the cover of an alley as Ripley recruited a bystander to the LL cause. At this point it is worth mentioning Burke.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7037/27116281176_805dc7ccbb.jpg)
This is one of the minions recruited occasionally by LL but not a permanent member of their league. He regularly suffers a dogs abuse from the LL player despite having a good previous game (and only being a D6 character) apparently because he has a briefcase. Along with Hicks and another minion he was trying to take the final minor plot point who resisted but then wandered into the clutches of Fuchs.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7394/26875251020_6fb0f49357.jpg)
The DVR shot Burke repeatedly, he either dodged or shot back effectively but when occasionally hit he health checked or recovered . He was invincible, clearly a man of destiny. His fellow minions fell around him either dukeing it out with Kutt or being shot at from Fuchs & her group but he hung on in there awaiting his moment of destiny.
Meanwhile elsewhere on the board Adolf the dog was shot several times and recovered several times (unfortunately he recovered one less time than he was shot) leaving Kutt now isolated as Apone, Ripley , Hudson and two recruited bystanders advanced on him.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7276/27116273006_8ca258222f.jpg)
Fuchs was shot and failed a health and recovery to become a D6 character (this was to have big consequence in the final round) Having finally managed to KO Hicks Kutt hobbled across to join Fuchs and the remaining DVR characters in what was now a DVR last stand.
The final round saw Kutt fall (but ultimately recover) to a hail of LL lead. This was now Burke’s moment and cometh the hour cometh the little lead & pewter man. With the aid of a fortune card he charged Fuchs who was not the nearest enemy character. He punched her she punched him. They both were put down and Fuchs failed her recovery check dropping the two plot points she held (she was now only rolling a D6 health check). So with his last gasp (he also failed his recovery- the last roll of the game)Burke gave his adoptive league a 3 points to 1 point win.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/27149498305_28c1d70cf4.jpg)
A really entertaining game that went down to the wire.
-
A very enjoyable game despite the briefcase ruining it for me at the final turn!!!
And the obvious discrimination aginst Herr Kutt and his walking cane!!
-
Ruined in the Ruins
Round 3 Game 2 CCC v Dr De’ath
After a slight hiatus we continued the campaign with Dr Death facing off against the CCC in a scenario based on Investigation from Pulp Alley but with a slight twist thrown in. The board was as can be seen, a strangely abandoned post-apoc shanty.
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7356/27283919523_7687a7c19c_c.jpg)
We used the hidden perils (markers activated when characters came within 3” ; 25 blanks, 5 actual perils). There were 10 potential plot points, 5 false and 5 actual, again these could be revealed as actual or not when characters came within 6”.
The CCC had a level 1 corporate join their league and Dr Death had a level 1 shooter and level 2 cultist with blast ( a stash of molatovs) join his league.
Proceedings started with a healthy bout of pre-game insults being exchanged before both sides chose a corner and deployed. We had the first 3 turns as no run, rush or attack so reluctantly the leagues set about finding actual plot points rather than trying to kill each other. The CCC found the first and after fumbling on the first attempt took it on round two.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7404/27799202302_3e447be68c_c.jpg)
Sister Anna Sthesia took a plot point for Dr Death in round 3.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7281/27867002766_6fde9e58f1_c.jpg)
As they lined up to start scrapping after round 3 no-one took any notice of the apparent rusting sludge covered droid resting in the toxic pool in the centre of the board (near to what turned out to be the main plot point- radio).
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7285/27825343531_9ed6da6f08_c.jpg)
At the end of round three the droid started to move and slowly rose from the sludge which dripped off the metal exo skelton to reveal a fully functioning hunter killer terminator type android (a Terror in the game).
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7286/27867137046_f27bd096ee_b.jpg)
The wise reaction of the CCC was to take cover.
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7356/27902008695_19e037faa2_c.jpg)
The less wise reaction of the cultist from Dr Death’s league was to throw a molatov at it. He didn’t survive the return fire.
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7312/27825389701_0a105f2c88_c.jpg)
The terror was dominating the centre of the board and was very effective at shooting, brawling also but it was configured as hard and had a preponderance of shooting orientated skills . Both sides looked somewhat dubious when I told them they’d have to co-operate to defeat it. Picking up the baton in the name of co-operation the CCC threw an ally into close combat with it. Extremely good dice rolling saw Zac the CCC ally duke it out with the terminator both twice going down and recovering.
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7427/27824241701_ec173bb5bf_c.jpg)
With the terminator tied up in combat any further thoughts of co-operation went out of the window. Chester Thurman the CCC leader retrieved another plot point only to draw the Red Herring card so having to attempt it again. When he did succeed he was then crazily attacked by Dr Death. He knocked Death down sending him sprawling across the alley way with help of card.
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7427/27824084661_57a127c836_c.jpg)
Undeterred the Death league rat swarm piled in. Thurman was down and dropped his plot point but recovered to fight the rats again. As this went on Dr Death tried to grab the dropped plot point but in the last turn just failed by one success to collect it in what would have given his side victory.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7381/27622349090_e9782d7793_c.jpg)
Elsewhere on the table the CCC and Dr Death’s league fought over the main plot point none managing to claim it and a zombie tried but failed after drawing a red herring card to claim another minor plot point.
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7442/27622515180_3ec1eb6291_c.jpg)
Feeling he’d more than done his bit Zac dodged away from the terminator, he was carrying the CCC’s only plot point (fortunately with a No Drop card) so getting killed at the end wasn’t what the league needed. This freed up the terminator to unleash a blast covering both leaders and four other characters. Though the leaders survived all the other characters were KO’d by the blast.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7396/27289679554_486c2e2d33_c.jpg)
With that the entertaining game ended in a one all draw. Insults continued to be traded and accusations flew as CCC claimed Dr Death didn’t do his part in helping tackle the terminator instead trying to claim victory himself (which he almost did).
Without doubt character of the game was Zac from CCC who gamely risked life and metal limb tying up the killer robot for two turns.
-
Great AAR's :)
-
Excellent Pulp Alley battle report! :-*
THANKS for posting.
-
Mayhem at the market
Round 3 Game 3 Qimica Tejas v S&M
The final game of the round saw QT against S&M in a scenario based on Gang Busters from Pulp Alley . The board was a post-apoc market place in a walled enclosure. Each side placed 4 bystanders generated as per the scenario and the plot points were characters as per scenario. That gave plenty of third parties wandering around to cause confusion and mayhem for the players.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7289/27668492030_ddf613c0f9_c.jpg)
Both spent some resource to gain backup – S&M took Bob the alcoholic shooter (level 1 shooter) whilst QT took Jessie two guns (level 1 shooter) and a friendly local. Both spent points on gadget X and utility belt (though neglected to use them in the game).
The perils were any climbing of structures, all other areas were deemed peril free, the plot points were of course extreme perils.
The QT started with the initiative and both sides made for their nearest characters. In round 2 QT took their first plot point and then S&M took theirs thus gaining the initiative. The first shots were exchanged none causing any damage. The S&M reward card draw however brought about the ‘Tip’ card so they got to place the major plot point character, a crazy cleric with a chainsaw. Of course they placed him well out of reach of QT who now had to set about getting the remaining plot points to get at least a draw (1 point per minor PP & 2 points per major PP).
Round 3 saw La Malvada shoot down Alcoholic Bob which she did each of the remaining rounds and reach ‘punk girl’ plot point which she took in the next round.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7641/27870779361_a4c0594b7e_c.jpg)
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7786/27335584644_8127b88a11_c.jpg)
Lopez went for the technician plot point but he proved too much for an ally and she ended up KO’d for her efforts.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7573/27846470582_8daaab36bd_c.jpg)
Meanwhile S&M set off in hot pursuit of the crazy priest who unhelpfully wandered away from the characters down a side alley. In turn 3 Asia Waves the S&M side kick tried but failed to take the major plot point.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7675/27846328482_ed784e6ecd_c.jpg)
In round 4 the S&M leader Jenna Romance took over and captured the major plot point.
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7302/27334630663_0ca30a2c1d_c.jpg)
Round 4 saw El Charro (QT side kick) go for the technician but Jayden Dirtee (S&M ally) managed to get into combat with him and knocked him down. El Lobo, who had in round 3 recruited the skate boarder kid bystander to the QT cause, wasn’t far behind and returned the compliment and QT were able to take the technician making it three minor plot points to them.
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7364/27351734093_573042f1a7_c.jpg)
QT used their recruited (cheaper)characters to move forward and tie up the S&M characters so that although they came of slightly the worse QT were able to easily see out the game.
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7421/27913619196_9fc373c05f_c.jpg)
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/8/7586/27947635125_697818c101_c.jpg)
A close fought, entertaining, game ended in a draw as both sides retired to lick their wounds and prepare for the final round of the campaign. After round 4 we’ll go to a top four play off arrangement. At the moment the league reads CCC & LL joint top with 10 pts, DVR & QT joint second with 9 pts and Dr D & S&M joint third with 6 points.
-
Round 4 Dr Death v S&M Scuffle in the Square
Based on the Gang War scenario Dr Death & S&M faced off in the final round of fights. Set up as was shown, a square in a post apoc township. The bystanders were a gang of punks, a rat swarm (6 model gang) a brawler and a shooter.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7764/28059003850_ba21eaa3f5_c.jpg)
Both sides spent points on hiring backup, Dr Death took a level 1 and a brawler as backup. S& M took a friendly local.
Dr Death took the initiative and set off to engage the S&M with his zombies and recruit those bystanders nearest to him. In turn 1 Sister Anna Sthesia tried but failed to recruit the brawler. S&M encountered the punk gang who were hostile but Jenna Romance, S&M leader managed to see them off.
The zombies were locked in combat with the S&M follower and backup.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8655/28058971600_d66c942f03_z.jpg)
Whilst the Dr Death upper echelon moved to head off the S&M attempts to recruit bystanders.
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8861/27725185263_4d4bb2ac67_c.jpg)
Things started to go wrong for Dr Death as the leagues, back up, potential recruited bystander, back up and brawler were take out by S&M bullets and fists in consecutive rounds leaving only DrDeath, Anna Sthesia and the zombies the latter of whom were locked in combat away from the centre of the board where from turn 5 the absence of league characters lost them the game.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8787/28237403942_1e1e53907c_c.jpg)
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8657/27725012724_e56341c0a8_c.jpg)
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8604/28058975700_724332eceb_c.jpg)
Dr Death had a shootout with Romance and Waves but came off the worst, failing a recovery and becoming D8 health.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8861/28307322586_818b1b5c14_z.jpg)
As he retreated to the centre Anna Sthesia fought with Romance and her ally but came off the worst, however she passed her health check. Meanwhile Dr Death fought Asia Waves and the recruited bystander and was put down failing his health check and as he was in circle of slaughter he was KO’d without chance to recover.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8746/28058959350_7f936df245_z.jpg)
That left Anna Sthesia now also being charged by the S&M recruit. A fortune cared periled her out of the game and Anna dodged away from Romance and Dirtee
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7631/27725156583_9440c6faac_z.jpg)
however a hail of bullets brought her down and without recourse to recovery it left S&M the clear winners.
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8758/28340855925_77ffbdfaee_z.jpg)
-
Very cool! It is always a treat to see your Pulp Alley games. :-*
Fantastic terrain!!!!
Don't forget to claim your Phantom Agent card --- https://store.pulpalley.com/
(http://i1337.photobucket.com/albums/o665/pulpalley/Art%20of%20Pulp%20Alley/Phantom%20Agent%20WEB_zpsyunnoj0z.jpg)
-
I must admit, I am having lots of fun playing in pbjunky's Pulp Alley campaign.
Dr.Death is not living up to his name under my command. More like Dr.Dead.
-
Round 4 game 2 Raid on the Outpost
After about six aborted attempts to write this up here is the second game of the round.
Liberty League v Co-operative Commonwealth Corps
We used the Heist scenario in this game with it being set as a raid by LL on a CCC outpost in the wastelands. In hind sight this maybe wasn’t the best scenario to use in the campaign as the winner takes all nature means that one side is going to get all the points and the other side nothing.
The camp was set up as shown with temporary shelters established in a cleared area of wasteland within the walls of a ruined building.
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8790/28808861125_4f104be430_z.jpg)
The LL hired Burke the down trodden, often abused hero of past games and rolled for additional friendly locals receiving another standard stat line supporter. The CCC took two friendly locals so both sides had the league numbers up for this scenario.
The Plot points were placed as per scenario starting with the force field defences. Perils were the generator, 6 barrels of chem haz waste, the two red crates (must’ve contained something toxic/dangerous and the automated guard (floating skull model). The camp was open ground so no perils for running but if any walls were climbed then that was perilous.
The action started with the LL defeating the guard force field and then leap frogging with the leader or side kick from one plot point to the next.
(https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8736/28731855021_1dfb3e4334_z.jpg)
In successive turns they took the canisters and blue storage box before reaching the penultimate plot point of the brown storage box all this whilst the CCC looked on helplessly.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8210/28524400790_a169635b56_z.jpg)
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8668/28808843795_86880b4f41_z.jpg)[/url]
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8898/28808847675_e1e9c34050_z.jpg)
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8795/28193571323_a8bd931306_z.jpg)
The scenario doesn’t allow the defender to enter play until a plot point isn’t completed on a turn it was placed or unless Brawl, Shoot or Dodge was used by an LL character (which they didn’t).
It was at the brown storage box that the first plot point was failed and this triggered the Alarm allowing the CCC to enter the game.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8831/28808830545_a8de6b2fd1_z.jpg)
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7587/28808828595_dbbc996957_z.jpg)
However the major point was next up and could be tackled before the CCC got into range for shooting let alone melee. There was an exchange of desultory fire.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7667/28777126626_e8daf8959c_z.jpg)
Then the LL leader took up the challenge and succeeded bringing the game to an end by taking the major point and gaining all points for the attacker .
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8698/28191283114_0a378f672e_z.jpg)
Besides it being a poor choice of scenario on my part due to its winner takes all nature we did note a couple of other issues. The attacker keeps drawing cards throughout the rounds even though he pretty much doesn’t use them. When the defender does come into play they have been using their cards where possible to enforce perils on the attacker. This results in the attacker having a big hand of cards to play to help slow down the defender or negate his cards. I think it would be better if the attacker didn’t get cards apart from his starting hand until the defender came into play or may be better make all perils extreme but give each player the cards as per normal.
In this game the defender drew a consistently useless set of cards anyway so the situation was exacerbated but I do think trying this scenario again (it is an interesting scenario) we’d use all perils as extreme or maybe 50/50 chance of such as they were encountered.
We’d be interested in hearing anyone else’s thoughts on this scenario as it is a good one but maybe as a one –off rather than in a campaign.
-
Very cool! Similar to "Social Affair", I think this is a fun scenario to try once in awhile.
Both scenarios tend to favor leagues that are better at Action Skills - rather than Combat Skills. I think it helps to balance out a campaign in some ways.
Also, because this scenario can be played quite quickly, you can easily switch sides and let the other player have a go at playing the other side.
It is great seeing you trying different Pulp Alley scenarios. Hope we get to see more.
HAVE FUN
Don't forget to check out the new Phantom Agent cards!.....
(http://i1337.photobucket.com/albums/o665/pulpalley/Art%20of%20Pulp%20Alley/Phantom%20Agent%20WEB_zpsyunnoj0z.jpg)
-
Shoot out at the abandoned outpost, Das Vierte Reich .v. Qimica Tejas
The final round game was between DVR & QT based on the Lost Keys scenario from the main rules book.
The board was an abandoned scavenger outpost. There were a variety of markers some of which represented perils which were activated when players came within 3” of them.. The plot point layout was as per scenario.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8845/29205780312_37acbb67e8_z.jpg)
DVR took gadget x, utility belt and a back up character. QT took a back up and gadget x.
The game started with DVR winning initiative and moving all their characters towards the first plot point with QT following suit.
Round 2 saw a desultory exchange of fire from lead characters whilst both leaders attempted the first plot point. QT leader and sidekick combined to take their plot point but Herr Kutt failed dismally .
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8305/29313936315_96223af5de_z.jpg)
However DVR did have a fortune card which played a random bystander to attack one of the QT sidekicks and tied him up in a fight for two rounds.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8179/29280211346_08e850aabf_z.jpg)
The following rounds saw DVR take their plot point and move towards a second minor point and the major point however both sides were surprised as a zombie appeared from a manhole in their respective corners and a frightened local emerged from the building all guns blazing. Interestingly the two characters nearest the zombies were the two league leaders.
La Malvada, taking her cue from watching Scarface too many times, promptly decapitated her attacker however Herr Kutt less bravely (in fact in a thoroughly cowardly manner) elected to dodge away from his attacker (dodging seemed a nice way of saying he ran away)!
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8371/29313904745_8b642afebf_z.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8128/29205745712_ce24096b65_z.jpg)
Whilst this was going on two DVR characters went for a second plot point but failed. As the brains of the outfit, Adolf the dog, went to lend his not insignificant abilities to the attempt (he has taken plot points in other games and proved hard to kill). Here however he was periled leaping a wall and failed his health and recovery rolls to be KOed (the first time that's happened in one turn in any game so far).
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8525/29235140871_2480c839aa_z.jpg)
At the same time Jager Zwei won a shoot out with the QT back up putting her down & out.
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8339/29235172951_a885b1c1c8_z.jpg)
With the final round approaching Frau Fuchs had made her way to a barricade near the major point, survived getting shot and dashing into the open risking a hail of lead managed to take the plot point so ending the game with a 3 to 1 win for DVR.
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8460/28691209804_cb5040345b_z.jpg)
We’d agreed the top 4 go into the final game but with three leagues on 10 pts (CCC, QT, S&M) one on 12 points DVR and LL on 16pts this makes 5 for the deciding game which will allow an advantage to the clear first & second leagues but give everyone in the final a chance of glory.
-
Another great battle report! THANKS for playing and sharing Pulp Alley. :-* :-*
-
It was another enjoyable game...although I feel Herr Kutt is being slandered to much, he did not run away he made a tactical withdrawl!!
-
Pulp C22 The Final (part 1)
The leagues have battled across the barren post apoc wasteland, gathering clues as they went gradually closing in on Professor Von Zimmerframe and his ragged band of followers . The leagues had now identified the Prof as travelling towards a former sci-industrial complex -now a particularly toxic zone and unsafe even by the low standards of the wastelands. All (except Dr De’ath who didn’t make the final) were now in pursuit determined to snatch the Profs plans that contained the key break through in his lifelong search for the secrets of replicant technology.
After several rounds of the leagues slugging it out with each other, struggling with perils and blasting random bystanders it was the final game in the campaign. We’d had it that the top 4 from the previous games would be in the final however Liberty League (LL) were clear top of the league with Das Vierte Reich (DVR)second but Commonwealth Co-operative Corps (CCC), Sci & Mech (S&M) & Qimica Tejas (QT) all in joint third.
We thus decided to have a five way final. DVR, CCC,S&M & QT all fought it out on an initial table to get their minor plot points and once they’d got this they could access the second table (underground lab) where the LL and the major plot point awaited them. After 4 turns of table 1 action the second part of the final on table 2 would start with LL and whichever other league had made it to the lab. Others could join as they achieved their plot point but they’d be playing catch up on table 2. The leagues could take additional personnel on table 1 but could only go to the second table with 4 surviving characters from table 1.
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8800/29426109763_27f6d00f57_z.jpg)
Each league set out in a corner, the board was a ruined landscape in the corner of the central 1’x 1’ tile was a member of the professors group. All overcome by the toxicity of their environment and harshness of their journey to that point. The leagues had to move from their deployment corner to the nearest plot point and in ripping the information from their plot points dying forms gain access to the second board.
The leagues had a peril in their deployment zone and hostile bystanders to fight in order to get to their plot points who were in a building that was in a state of collapse (hazardous peril). The leagues could peril each other, fight each other, had to fight bystanders and overcome a hazardous area. Plenty to keep them occupied you’d think. I’d expected the leagues would try to eliminate one of their number at least on the first table but no, all stayed really focussed, not attacking each other or periling each other just concentrating on collecting cards and getting their plot point as soon as they could . They were clearly taking this seriously.
DVR started with initiative as they were second in the standings. They faced two level 2 shooter bystanders, QT faced two level 2 brawler bystanders. S&M faced two zombies & CCC face a rat swarm (gang).
Things went badly from the first for DVR their shooter bystanders proved to be deadly shots and adept at dodging return fire. In quick succession four DVT characters including an ally were down, two not recovering.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5064/29939325182_4e047d529f_z.jpg)
The other leagues dealt better with their aggressive bystanders . QT managed to take out their brawlers with shooting and move past them to the plot point in two turns, The CCC lost a recruit to the rat gang but otherwise came through unscathed to reach their plot point.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8554/30052904505_ec90dc6792_z.jpg)
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8487/29939319262_3e2fcef16c_z.jpg)
Zombies have proved quite difficult to kill in previous rounds but S&M dealt with the two facing them in quick order.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5500/29425361624_3821ef9172_z.jpg)
Meanwhile abandoning the idea of a shootout DVR started brawling with their bystanders. Things didn’t go much better with this approach.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5061/29425364594_0ec7c54be6_z.jpg)
So QT were the first league to pass the hazard and take their plot point followed by S&M and CCC all by the end of round 3.
DVR meanwhile lost another casualty to a hazard and only scraped through their plot point by round 4. It was a good job they started with a lot of back up as they only had 4 characters left at the end of the action on table 1.
So QT, CCC & S&M all appeared on table 2 at the same time joining the LL and the Prof for part 2 of the final with DVR lagging behind somewhat (to be continued).
-
Wow! Great looking Pulp Alley scenario. It is always a treat to see your miniatures and terrain in action. :-*
THANKS for playing and sharing Pulp Alley!
(http://i1337.photobucket.com/albums/o665/pulpalley/Art%20of%20Pulp%20Alley/Phantom%20Agent%20WEB_zpsyunnoj0z.jpg)
-
Pulp C22 final (part 2)
So we arrived at the underground lab for the second part of the final. Admittedly more leagues made it there than I’d anticipated so five leagues and the plot point and ancillary figures were going to duke it out on a 3’ x 3’ board. Fortunately I only allowed each league to take 4 characters so it wasn’t as congested as it may have been.
Also I said I anticipated the leagues duking it out however it seemed like a bit of euro-gaming broke out on part of the table, activity to be wholly frowned upon but more of that later.
Firstly the lab. At the machines in the centre were Prof Von Zimmerframe a standard D6 stat line figure but with crafty skill. Mimi his young P.A who had a strangely enhanced stat line of an extra D6 for Dodge, Finesse & Cunning. Crafty & Intrepid skills and ignored the first hit but had to health check if 2 or more hits were taken. Yes von Zimerframe didn’t just have the plans for a replicant, he’d actually built one and in doing so had come to regard her as his family rather than a lab experiment . As such he’d brought his creation to the wastelands to prevent the evil city corps from dismantling her bit by bit to learn her secrets. In the underground lab (which he knew of before it became wasteland) he’d just created a new replicant (literally just as the leagues arrived). This was The Beast , a Terror in stat line though without Terror skills. The boxes & canisters scattered about were all perils so taking cover in the open lab space may get characters periled.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8283/29939330562_759c2c0dac_z.jpg)
So Mimi was the plot point to win the game and campaign, all the leagues were informed of this. The LL being the good guys of the campaign were out to take Von Zimmerframe and Mimi into their protection (& deny them to the corps). The corps teams had to take Mimi dead or alive. They all interpreted dead as the best option- I told you they were evil.
First off Von Zimmerframe had to take control of his newly created Beast replicant. If he failed it would be disorientated and attack anyone randomly . Mimi could also have a go at controlling the Beast if Von Zimmerframe failed. Fortunately he passed the challenge and brought the Beast under his control.
The leagues then commenced their first turn with LL moving towards Von Zimmerframe & his replicants trying to form a protective cordon around them and convince them they were friends.
It was at this point that a strange case of euro-gaming seemed to break out between QT & CCC. They both entered on the left of the lab and immediately started co-operating. This brought accusations of ‘bromance’ and similar disparaging comments but throughout the game undeterred by slurs and insults they did work side by side or as some one put it hand in hand. Viewers of a sensitive nature are warned that the next image shows sickening images of leagues voluntarily co-operating as they close in on the plot point.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5569/29939308912_603188583a_z.jpg)
Meanwhile S&M and DVR were having none of that euro-gaming nonsense. Immediately they set eyes on each other they opened fire, a S&M ally biting the dust.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8187/29939303472_eecac6809c_z.jpg)
As LL characters moved to form a cordon to defend against the advancing QT/CCC alliance one of the characters passed a droid which I had intended it just to be a piece of inert junk but the players all remembered one of the previous games where something similar became a Hunter –Killer automaton (terror). With everyone ‘betting’ it was a trap I thought I may as well oblige so the droid came to life as an out of control D6 stat line character but with a flamer and needing two hits to health check. It spun around randomly and shot at the CCC part of the unholy alliance.
At the same time in keeping with the war-gaming spirit DVR launched a gas grenade at Von Zimmerframe & the replicants. Clearly Mimi was as good to them dead as alive. Mini and Von Zimmerframe were down but later recovered. The Beast was unaffected.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5106/29939293522_85b58500b9_z.jpg)
A fierce fire fight erupted between LL & the QT/CCC who now deterred by killer droid were hanging back with most of their characters.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8787/29939281142_96ba68b80d_z.jpg)
Taking advantage of the plot point being down Jaeger Zwei of DVR and Bree Faze of S&M fought over her prostrate form but the fight was a draw so neither could attempt the plot point.
Herr Kut was sneaking towards the plot point but S&M played a fortune card on him which saw a zombie shuffle out from behind some barrels and attack him. Of course bravery not being his strong point he ran away.
(https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8116/29939283082_34857e5fd1_z.jpg)
In the following turns the zombie forced him away from the centre effectively removing him from the game.
CCC started to trade casualties with LL as they shot at each other and were attacked by the Beast.
Killer Droid randomly moved towards Jaeger Zwei and Bree Faze and blasted them both removing them from the game and inadvertently protecting Von Zimmerframe and his replicants.
What happened next strained any logical understanding of tactics or strategy. Killer droid randomly rounded on the two remaining DVR characters Fuchs and a DVR follower. It trundled towards them levelling its flamer of death, surely nothing could now save DVR from being the first league to exit the game? Wrong – the CCC/QT alliance made a play to recruit DVR into their unwholesome fold and as a sign of good intent played a fortune card on Killer Droid which saw it trip over some clutter fall to the floor and become disabled- truly this was euro-gaming gone mad!
At the same time having failed to be convinced by LL that they were on his side von-Zimmerframe made a break from the centre with Mimi, the Beast protecting them both. The LL had expended most of their league now holding off QT/CC.
Seizing the opportunity as they moved in her direction the S&M leader, Jenna Romance, charged von Zimmerframe disappointingly fighting a draw with the weaker character.
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8319/29426055473_273ce9b916_z.jpg)
Having roundly refusing all advances of fraternal greetings from CCC/QT DVR continued to war-game and with the Romance, von-Zimmerframe , Mimi and the Beast in range Fuchs launched a gas grenade.
The results knocked down Mimi ,von-Zimmerframe and Jenna Romance .
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8113/30052863855_44b784d25f_z.jpg)
The Beast charged Chester the CCC leader and the two slugged it out, the CCC leaders toughness helping him avoid a beating.
Seeing things were now at a critical stage Apone , the LL leader, ran into the gas cloud passing the peril so being ready to take the helpless Mimi in the next round. He couldn’t take the plot point this turn as he didn’t have LoS.
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8280/30018786196_5781a2c006_z.jpg)
Things were lined up for the good guys to come first as the gas cleared and Apone prepared to take care of the unrecovered Mimi however as the cloud shifted and dissolved he saw Fuchs of the DVR seizing the plot point (DVR had initiative so moved first) and winning the game and campaign
for the not so good but definitely war-gaming bad guys.
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5210/29426044523_494b0455bd_z.jpg)
(https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5572/29425380084_cf313a04a4_z.jpg)
Thanks to all the players who participated and made it an enjoyable close fought set of games. It was a close campaign right up to the last turn and clearly showed Pulp to be an excellent rules set that works very well with the Sci-Fi/ Future wars setting.
And finally in closing if any readers are tempted to break into euro-gaming in the middle of a wargame resist the urge, its not big or clever and you are definitely not going to win!
-
Another excellent right up Pete, and a mighty victory for me!!
-
Thanks for sharing. It sounded like an amazing campaign. So what did youearn about running Pulp Alley for a Sci Fi settings? Are there any house rules or custom character options you would like to share? How did vehicles work for you?
Salcor
-
The rules are the most adaptable to any period that I’ve come across. It is worth buying a book like Vice Alley even if you don’t have gangsters as all the scenarios easily translate to any other period game and the gangs mechanism included works well for any setting. Similarly Perilous island scenarios and mechanisms (blasts, terrors, zombies etc) adapt well to any period. We all like the Fortune cards as they dovetail a really nice resource management system into the dice based miniatures game.
The fact there aren’t really ‘power’ leagues is good, they are just different types of league. Players do need to try to play in ‘character’ of their league and take skills & stat lines that reflect this. Some were better at this than others. Maybe a local adaptation would be the chance to gain extra points by playing in character, its something we may explore in future games.
One thing we did find was that if specific areas were perils players just skirted around them hence for some games we had counters (approx 30) of which 5 were perils. Area perils like running over rough ground, climbing up walls work fine as perils as per the book but point perils (e.g. a gas vent) were being avoided by players. As counters these were turned over when characters came within 3” and then were removed or left in place if they were perils . Similarly in some games we had 10 potential plot points and the league could pass a cunning or finesse test when within 6” to determine if they were genuine or not and therefore to carry on to try to take them. These mechanisms reflected better our leagues wandering around a hostile alien environment like a post-apoc wasteland. Also again in keeping with the setting games where bystanders were active opponents against the leagues gave more enjoyable games but I can see in more ‘law-abiding ‘ settings that the way they are covered in Pulp Alley would be better.
Vehicles is still a bit of a tricky one. We had the odd scenario where one side had a tank and the other a big gun capable of taking it out but once one side had won the ‘shoot-out’ they had a significant advantage in the remainder of the game. I also think that for unarmoured transports there should be some chance of a single small arms shot taking it out or maybe causing damage that could accumulate. We’ll need to have some more games involving vehicles and big guns I think.
Pulp Alley gives a really enjoyable game and we’ll probably try some more games around the New Year, perhaps going back to 1930’s Pulp as I think that setting lends itself more to players playing in character.