Zona Britaniya - Trotter Watch

[Spinal Tap]

Using the Zona Alfa rules by Patrick Todoroff (Dentatus of this Parish), the background story to this campaign can be found here on my build stuff thread -

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=124785.0

This initial campaign is about raising enough cash to re-recruit the missing 4 members of Trotter Watch in order to have a pool of 8 fighters of different abilities for subsequent games.


Chapter 1 - Homesick

No-one knows his true name and, given the lack of any surviving official records, it’s unlikely anyone ever will.

Everyone calls him Uncle Marek and his warehouse on the frozen shores of the North of England is known as Marek’s House of Fun.

The warehouse contains not only his accommodation but also the centre of operations for his salvage and recovery business, a store selling goods and equipment, a bar and rooms to rent.

The warehouse is well defended by a loyal crew of Stalkers who mostly work directly for Marek.

He has recently employed a relatively new, but tough crew, to complete a few particularly nasty jobs; he likes them but he can’t afford to mollycoddle them.

The crew call themselves ‘Trotter Watch’ and use call-signs from the famous old TV show; they are all ex-military, well trained and well equipped – should they require back-up this will be provided by either Marek’s personal roster or subcontracted personnel.

Delboy is a Leader with Hustle and is armed with an AK74 and Magnum.

Rodney is a Fuse Cutter with skills in Scrounging carrying a Shotgun and Machete.

Raquel is a Bone Doc with Unload skill, also has an AK74 and a pistol.

Trigger is the team sniper with Steady Hands and a Dragunov Rifle and a Magnum, he also can Hustle when needed.

All four are Veterans and carry various grenades and med kits.

The team will venture into the most volatile regions of the zone to complete a number of missions, the specifics of which will be revealed by Marek on a need to know basis.

Pay is good and Marek will ensure that, should they become injured, die, or worse, their families will be cared for; such is the coin that makes his crews so loyal.

The crew haven’t been out for a number of months as they all required some healing time after their last job. Now they are physically well Del has asked that they have a couple of easier jobs to hone their skills prior to going for the big paydays.

Reluctantly Marek has agreed. He knows, in his heart of hearts, that they will stand a much better chance, and be more profitable, if they get up to speed.

First assigned task is to sort themselves some living quarters as the House of Fun is rammed to the gills.

Marek tells Del of a ship a few miles to the North, frozen in ice and used by a previous crew in his employ. It’s most likely inhabited by Hostiles now although they are most likely to be of the less lethal kind this close to a populated area.

‘Trotter Watch’ prepare to move out and decide to clear the intervening area of hostiles before attempting to secure the ship.

They are on the clock as a storm is coming in; they need to be safe and sound on the ship 80 minutes (8 Turns) from mission start.


PA270072 by markndebs, on Flickr

PA270073 by markndebs, on Flickr



Turns One and Two - Delboy tosses a bolt towards a Hot Spot close to the infiltration point, revealing an Imminent Blowout – there aren’t enough turns to do anything useful and make cover in time so the whole team heads for an open container to seek cover.


PA270075 by markndebs, on Flickr


Turn Three – Del leaves the container and moves behind a Hesco barrier before tossing a bolt at another container. Three ‘Clickers’, huge centipede like creatures, immediately rush from inside, one heading to the rear the other two rushing towards Del.


PA270076 by markndebs, on Flickr

He disables the huge creature as it rears up towards him whilst Rodney rushes in and dispatches another; the final Clicker is killed by Trigger after he gained some height to make sniping more viable.

Raquel advances to search the empty container finding Kevlar armour plates, she looks to Del who nods for her to don her find.


Turn Four – Trigger reveals yet another Imminent Blowout whilst Raquel manages to disturb a huge Alpha Mutant near a pile of useful looking salvage.

PA270077 by markndebs, on Flickr


She looses off a shot which hits the beast then legs it out of it’s range. Rodney and Del are really on form and hit it three more times to finally kill it.

PA270078 by markndebs, on Flickr

Turn Five – Everyone reaches cover under the crates on the Ship where the Alpha appeared and sits out the second blowout of the day.



Turn Six – While Rodney the Scrounger loots the salvage for all it’s worth the other three move in towards the bridge of the ship, finding an injured Stalker on the lower deck. Raquel administers a Med Kit allowing the young man to join for the push to clear one final Hot Spot.


PA270079 by markndebs, on Flickr

Trigger tosses a bolt towards 2 tanks astride a container to the South of the ship – Booby Trap!! Fortunately he is the only one not in cover and he manages to dodge the shrapnel.

PA270080 by markndebs, on Flickr


Turn Seven – Raquel searched the booby trapped location as Rodney was still collecting Salvage – she found 150 value of Salvage whilst Rodney’s haul was more substantial 1850 of Salvage and a Med Kit.




As the final turn began Trotter Watch and the rescued Stalker stood atop the Bridge watching the storm roll in. Tomorrow they would begin the task of clearing the area surrounding their new base and send the recruit back to Marek’s with news of their successful mission.

PA270082 by markndebs, on Flickr

Final Haul was 2000 value of Salvage, Kevlar for Raquel and a Med Kit that was spent on the Injured Stalker.

Hoping for less Imminent Blowouts on the next run.

[Grumpy Gnome]

Great stuff! I can not get over how much I love what you have done with that icy setting, in particular the ship itself.

[Dan55]

Yes, a very nicely told tale.

[Easy E]

I enjoyed that.  Good work!

[Spinal Tap]

Thank you for your comments.

Glad folk like it.

[Malebolgia]

The thing I like so much about projects like these is seeing miniatures and terrain from all sorts of games combined into a very cool project. Awesome man

[Spinal Tap]

The thing I like so much about projects like these is seeing miniatures and terrain from all sorts of games combined into a very cool project. Awesome man

Really glad you liked it; here's the next instalment with really poor pics from my phone as the camera batteries were flat:


Chapter 2 – Second Time Around

The rescued Stalker, Max, hung around for a few days, helping the team shore up their defence, check the remainder of the ship for hostiles and generally get the place livable. He was especially useful at getting the generator working and sorting out power routing issues.

On the morning he left Delboy decided that it was high time they checked out the myriad of wrecked container to the North of the ship. A quick recce had indicated that there were a few places where hostiles may be hiding, no humans but pretty much anything else might be in there.

He’d also spotted a Snow Tractor which would prove invaluable for the missions to come.

As always time was not on a Zone crew’s side, they estimated they had 90 minutes (9 turns) to clear the area, start the Tractor and get back to the ship. In reality they had to have the area cleared of hostiles and be in the vehicle within 80 minutes, the last 10 should see them back at the Ship.

20201108_132807 by markndebs, on Flickr

20201108_132816 by markndebs, on Flickr

Turn One – this sees Trigger take up station at the highest point on the ship while the others prepare to move out. Del tosses a bolt at a nearby container, not really expecting anything.

However, he got 6 Grubbers. 3 adults and 3 juveniles.

20201108_134157 by markndebs, on Flickr

Del throws a Molotov Cocktail and kills 2, Raquel finishes another whilst Trigger and Rodney fire totally wild and miss everything.

A Grubber engages Del but the ensuing melee neither in injured.



20201108_135608 by markndebs, on Flickr


Turn Two – Del continues to battle in melee with the juvenile Grubber’ finally killing it but taking a wound himself.

Triggers kills the remaining 2 Grubbers while Raquel moves to Del and administers a med kit, her Bone Doc leaves him healed but pinned.

In the meantime Rodney rushes to the now safe container, finding a dead scientist with bulging rucksack but no time to search thoroughly.


Turn Three – Del shrugs off his pin and Hustles forward to cover; Raquel follows him and they cover Rodney while he searches (Scrounger) the scientists bags, finding 850 value of salvage, a pair of binoculars and a gas mask. Feeling chuffed he uses his remaining moments to toss a bolt at the next container along – Bad Move.

Rodney has disturbed a nest close to him and has no time to react. The Clickers rush out and all head straight for him, Triggers takes one out but the others reach the overconfident Trotter.

20201108_142016 by markndebs, on Flickr

Turn Four – Rodney kills the remaining 2 creatures, Delboy notes 2 Points of Interest next to each other and decides to bolt toss, activating both. One contains 6 more Grubbers; the other an Anomaly.

20201108_143439 by markndebs, on Flickr

Del and Trigger take out 3 of the vile beings then Raquel, keen to not let the boys get too cocky, takes the other 3 out.


Turn Five – Another bolt toss and more hostiles, this time some strange group of creatures that appear to be made of nothing more than ice and snow.

20201108_144327 by markndebs, on Flickr

Del shoots and destroys one as does Trigger.

Raquel and Rodney take 2 each, smile at each other and move forward.


Turn Six – Delboy, mindful that there are still 2 areas to clear as time gets on hustles forwards towards the truck supported by Raquel. Rodney searches the snowbeast container and finds 500 more salvage, another gas mask and a red dot sight.

Trigger holds position.


Turn Seven – Delboy tosses a final bolt at the Snow Tractor, disturbing 3 more Clickers, Raquel takes one whilst Del finishes off the other 2, Rodney makes a second search of the area and comes up with more loot – a med kit and 500 value salvage.

However the whole crew are sickened that there is an unexplored anomaly, and probably other loot, yet they have no time to backtrack and collect it.


Turn Eight - ‘Never mind’ says Del, ‘we’ve got the whole area clear and some goodies might just make it to the morning. In the mean time Rodney, you have a final search around whilst we get comfy’.

Rodney makes two searches with his Scrounger ability, finding 850 salvage, before hopping into the driving seat for his final turn.


Turn Nine – The three crew, covered by Trigger, drive back to the ship in their new yellow van.

20201108_151039 by markndebs, on Flickr

The following day the crew head to the House of Fun, sell their 4700 salvage to Marek for 4230 quid. They buy Molotov Cocktails for Del and some Kevlar Plates for Rodney, leaving 2100 quid in the kitty for future emergencies.

A quick chat with Marek and they agree that they are ready to start work.

Lovely Jubbly.

[Dan55]

Nice story and great terrain.  Well done.

[Spinal Tap]

Thanks. Hopefully get another session in at the weekend.

[Malebolgia]

Really cool report once again!

[Spinal Tap]

Chapter 3 – Healthy Competition

Delboy receives a call from one of his old crew mates, Cassandra, with news that she’s available for work.

She goes on to tell Del that she is a bit down on her luck and needs 2500 quid to get straight and kitted out. She reports that she knows the whereabouts of the rest of the crew; Denzil, Marlene and Boycie; he decides that pulling the whole crew back together whilst completing Marek’s jobs is the way forward. He’s going to need big money for that, probably another 7 grand over and above the cost of Cassie.

Del tells her of his new benefactor, Marek who seems fair, pays well and has plenty of work; she should sit tight and they will pull the cash together then come to escort her to their base of operations, the ship they’ve called The Inge.

Marek approves of the plans and says he has a little job that should earn them the required cash; he has heard of a French military base that seems to have been overrun, certainly no-one has heard any radio calls from it in the past 10 days.

Rumour has it that the French sent a drone over to recce the area and noted 2 possible areas of human life, unfortunately there was no further detail.

Mission objectives are to:

1. Find and eliminate both parties of humans in the vicinity of the base.

2. Enter the base and ensure no hostiles are within the gates.

3. Retrieve any valuables and information.

Incoming storms are really limiting mission time as 7 turns are rolled, equating to 70 minutes to get in, do the job and be back in the van.


PB150073 by markndebs, on Flickr


PB150074 by markndebs, on Flickr

PB150075 by markndebs, on Flickr

Turn One – Delboy tosses a bolt at a nuclear container at the gates to the base and a hand raises from a foxhole in the ground just next to it. It’s Uncle Albert!. Del moves over and a brief conversation reveals the situation of the next two closest points of interest – there’s a nest of Clickers infesting the main barracks and a group of mutineer French Marines holed up in an ice field to the East.

(Uncle Albert is one of the few positive random encounters in the Zone – an ex military man who scouts interesting areas of the Zone and passes on information about the 2 closest POI’s to crews working there).

PB150076 by markndebs, on Flickr

The team heads for the Marines who remain unaware of Trotter Watch until Raquel tosses a bolt their way; Trigger and Rodney are on Alert and the resulting firefight sees one killed and another pinned.



PB150077 by markndebs, on Flickr


The remaining Marines fire in panic missing every single member of the crew.



Turn Two – Rodney closes on 2 Marines sheltering behind a large mound of ice and manages to kill both with some real fancy shooting.

Trigger takes out the last Marine with a well place sniper shot.

Del Hustles forward to the enemy position and quickly searches finding loot to the value of 1000 and a detector – that will come in handy.

Raquel moves forwards to within range of the next objective; a collection of Hesco barriers.


Turn Three – Del tosses a bolt and misses, tosses another and is rewarded with a mighty roar as an enormous Alpha Mutant rushes towards him.


PB150078 by markndebs, on Flickr

Raquel opens fire but all her shots are deflected, Trigger and Rodney are more successful and dispatch the beast with 3 well placed hits before it can react again – pretty lucky really as Del would likely be dead or severely injured if the creature had been allowed to revisit it’s attack.



Turn Four – Time is beginning to press and the approaching storm is evident on the horizon, this sees Trigger and Raquel move back towards the front gates whilst Del enters through broken fencing to the East and positions himself near the corner of the barracks. He is careful to avoid alerting the Clicker nest inside.


PB150080 by markndebs, on Flickr


PB150079 by markndebs, on Flickr


Meanwhile Rodney goes off to the Alpha Mutant lair to put his Scrounger ability to good use netting 1750 and a hot load of ammo.



Turn Five – Raquel and Trigger both go on Alert and Del successfully tosses a bolt towards the Quonset huts managing to reveal 2 POI’s at once, one is an injured stalker and the other a team of scruffy mercenaries.


The resulting fight sees all the bandits go down but Trigger is also hit and goes out of action.

PB150081 by markndebs, on Flickr


Rodney, oblivious to event in the searches again (Scrounger) and finds 1350 and another detector before starting to retreat to the extraction van.


Turn Six – things are getting a little desperate, only two turns left and the Clickers are still in the barracks.

Raquel moves to Trigger, applies a med kit and tosses a bolt to lure the Clickers out. The mindless beasts rush forwards and are immediately killed as Trigger loses his pinned status and begins his retreat. Del uses his final two moves to get to the injured Stalker and throw him a med kit; his generosity might just cost him his life.


(I was enjoying the tension of time running out so much that I forgot to take any pics if the fights).

Turn Seven – The Stalker heads into a hut to shelter from the storm as Raquel, Trigger and Rodney easily make it to the van.

Delboy starts running as if his life depended on it (it did) and barely made it to the safety of the vehicle, merely seconds before Zona Britaniya’s skies rained destruction over the area. If he had not had Hustle he would not have made it and he would have been sadly lost.



Mission parameters were, barely, accomplished with a final haul of a hot load of ammo, 2 detectors and 4100 value of salvage including the intel Marek desired.

[Dentatus]

Very nice. I take it you used the POI cards?

[Spinal Tap]

Very nice. I take it you used the POI cards?

A variation. I actually use playing cards so if I need 2 Injured Stalkers for a scenario I put in 2 sixes and then whatever number of random cards to bring the number up to the required POI on the board ( Last week I managed to get 2 Jokers out of 8 cards!!!!!!

Here's my list:


Ace– Zone Reaction                  2 – Uncle Albert                            3- Dead Scientist

4 – Supply Cache                     5 – Supply Cache                          6 – Injured Stalker

7-  Nest                                   8- Booby Trap                               9 – Zone Hostiles

10- Zone Hostiles                     Jack- Bandit Ambush                      Queen- Alpha Mutant

King- Anomaly                         Joker – Imminent Blowout

[Dentatus]

Nice. That works.

[Spinal Tap]

Chapter 4  - Chain Gang

Whilst the crew moved back to The Inge, Delboy travelled to see, and recruit, Cassandra. She has now given him the locations of Boycie and some clues to Marlene and Denzil’s whereabouts, and he will endeavour to have them all re-employed by Trotter Watch in the coming weeks.

First target to hunt down will be Boycie who is currently detained at a rival’s facility, working on a chain gang to repay his debt after selling them a couple of dodgy snowmobiles.

The gang are based on and around a section of oil rig half a day to the North of The Inge and are likely to be well armed.

Trigger is going to sit this one out, the stock of his Dragunov is damaged and he needs to replace it; this will be the seventh stock it has had!!!!!!!




9 Turns (90 minutes) to get the job done.

PB210074 by markndebs, on Flickr

PB210073 by markndebs, on Flickr

PB210077 by markndebs, on Flickr


Turn One – Delboy tosses a bolt at the nearest container – it’s Boycie – that’s a stroke of luck.

PB210078 by markndebs, on Flickr

Med Kit applied and he joins the crew as a Rookie until fully rested and tooled up.

Cassie tosses a bolt to the crude looking hut on the lower tier of the rig – a shout indicates another captive, injured stalker. The crew need to find some keep moving for now – he might need to wait a while for release.



Turn Two – Rodney activates the POI at the hut to his North – it’s Uncle Albert again who tells him there’s Zone Hostiles at the next POI; second POI activation is a Zone Reaction – it falls dark and LOS/LOF is reduced to 12”.


PB220079 by markndebs, on Flickr

PB220080 by markndebs, on Flickr



Remainder of crew move to support positions.



Turn Three – 2 Clickers rush from the main building towards Rodney who turns tail back towards the others. Delboy Hustles into range and kills one, Cassandra kills the other.

PB220081 by markndebs, on Flickr


Turn Four – Current situation is that primary target has been found but absolutely nothing of value. Delboy doesn’t like to leave empty handed and orders an advance on 2 promising looking containers to the East.



Turn Five – The first container does seem to contain some salvage but as the team approach gang members rush from in, and behind, the structure and advance. Luckily their shooting was poor and, during the ensuing firefight all four were killed.

PB220083 by markndebs, on Flickr


PB220084 by markndebs, on Flickr


Turn Six – Rodney moves to the loot and, using Scrounger and a turn from Del’s Leader, searches twice, finding 1500 salvage and a scope. Trigger will like that.

Remainder of the crew position themselves to search the next container except Raquel who climbs the rig and releases the stalker, administering a Med Kit figuring he might provide some covering fire if needed.

PB220085 by markndebs, on Flickr



Turn Seven – a second Zone Reaction (High Radiation) reducing Turn time by 1 and doubling salvage – unfortunately with the reduced turns no-one has time find salvage locations, let lone search them, and Trotter Watch pull back to the van for extraction.

PB220086 by markndebs, on Flickr


PB220082 by markndebs, on Flickr





Total outcome was a mission success with Boycie rescued but profit was scant.

After replacing the 2 Med Kits used only 800 Quid earned.


Returning to the House of Fun they spent 2100 Quid from savings to get Boycie fully kitted out.