Feds sweep Narcos in doubleheader...

[CapnJim]

....2nd game goes to extra innings...

Last weekend (14 and 15 May) I ran 2 games of my "Narcos and Feds" scenario (see the basic scenario and our playtest in the "Narcos and Feds" thread) at our first wargames convention in a year and a half (Yay!).  It was Drums at the Rapids, held at Fort Meigs in Perrysburg, OH.  It was a bit scaled down due to our (hopefully) winding-down apocalypse, but it was a convention, by God!  I ran my 2 games on Saturday the 15th.  Same scenario - but 2 very different games.

Game 1

Actually, this game was a bit of a yawner.  The Feds took it from the Narcos relatively easily.  No "extra innings" necessary. 

The Feds' patrol team had the same idea as in the playtest - get into the apartment building and wait for the rescue teams.  They did so, but did have 1 of their team-members go down on the way in.  The rescue teams showed up early (Turn 2), and never left their vehicles.  They handily dispatched the Narcos in the street from the comfort of their vehicles (even running a couple unfortunate Narcos down with an SUV on their way in).  It was all over in an hour of playing.  Final tally - 3 Feds down (1 serious wound, and 2 walking wounded), and about 18 Narcos dispatched.  the pics below are from game 1.

The Game 2 would prove to be far more interesting....

[CapnJim]

Game 2

As I mentioned, this one was way more interesting.  The Narcos tied it up in the bottom of the 9th, but the Feds pulled it off in extra innings.

It all started well enough.  The Feds were able to get into the apartment building without any casualties, with 2 agents in the left 1st floor apartment and 2 in the 1st floor hallway.  But the Narcos just surrounded the place.  They tried to climb in through the back windows, but either were shot down, or failed to climb in. So, then they decided to force the issue at the front door.  They had more success there.  The lead Narco forced his way into the front hall, and beat down one agent.  Another followed him in and shot the other agent in the hallway.  Others Narcos peppered the front windows and dropped a 3rd agent (the leader).

Fortunately, 2 things happened next.  The rescue teams showed up in the nick or time, and the lone remaining patrol agent in the apartment could not miss.  He (or she as it were, as a female was playing those figs) simply alternated from shooting Narcos trying to get into the apartment and shooting them outside in the street.  She even capped the driver of the first Narco reinforcement pickup coming up the street in front of the apartment, and it ended up crashing into the Feds' disabled jeep.
Apparently, his (her?) training in the agency shoothouse was paying off...and he (she?) would likely get a commendation for this fight!

As more Narcos flooded the area, the rescue teams pulled up, dismounted, and took up firing positions between the apartment building and the run-down industrial area across the street from it.  The rescue team sent 2 agents into the apartment building, dealt with a couple Narcos still in the hallway, and checked on the downed patrol agents there (2 "walking wounded").  While the rescue teams outside were taking out Narcos in the streets, the 2 inside got into the apartment and checked on the patrol team leader ("seriously wounded").  One Rescue team member was shot down during the fight outside.  He turned out to be OK (probably "just" took a round in his vest).

The Feds were able to get everyone loaded in the SUVs for their exfil, and nearly backed off the board when it happened.  A few Narcos had wound their way around the back of the apartment building and the tool-and-die shop next door into a woodlot, and opened fire of the closest Fed SUV backing down the street to get away, disabling the SUV.  It was the one with the wounded in it.  It looked like the Narcos might actually pull off a late win.

It was not to be though.  The Feds had fields of fire from the drivers sides of their SUVs, and promptly gunned down all 4 Narcos who had ambushed them.  At his point, no Narco leaders were present, and they failed their Dedication check - they just started to melt away through back yards and alleyways.  The Feds loaded their wounded into the operable SUV, and 6 of them had to exfil on foot.

Then, it was all over.  There were 4 Fed casualties, with nearly 30 Narcos laying dead or wounded in the streets and in the apartment building.

In both games, the players played the Feds agents, and the Narcos were played by the GM (me in the first game, and one of my regular wargame buddies in the second - he played the Feds in the playtest detailed in the "Narcos and Feds" thread here, so he was familiar with the scenario).

The players (including LAF's own Mike Demana) all indicated that they had a blast, and there was just the right amount of tension in the game.  Win-win!

[MGH]

Loved your town, your setup, figs, etc and fun different sort of scenarios. I would have enjoyed playing in one of those games. Thanks for the AARs.

BTW, I am guessing you just might be a baseball fan?    (I am too)
 

[CapnJim]

It was fun! 

And I kinda am a baseball fan.  Unfortunately, I root for the Detroit Tigers...oh well...    

[Codsticker]

Some great pictures Capn.

[CapnJim]

Thanks.  Taking photos of my minis and games is one of the many things about this hobby I enjoy!

[sespe]

I'm just jealous you get to play at Fort Meigs.  My old sledding grounds...

[mikedemana]

Like Jim said, Game 2 was a blast. My one agent on the board before reinforcements was the one who got the door shoved into his face, knocking him out. My SUV full of reinforcements made up for my dice rolling mishaps earlier, and gunned down Narcos right and left. Great job, Jim, balancing reinforcements vs. starting troops. That is never an easy mix.

Jim's terrain was awesome...especially that one building that I constructed, painted up, and then sold to him...ha, ha!  Seriously, it was a great cityscape. I was inspired by his electrical poles -- I believe I have the same model railroad terrain pieces, but hadn't put them together. Jim's game has prompted me to put them in the queue to work on.

Mike Demana
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/

[Easy E]

Fun Games.  Do reinforcements have assigned "sides/streets" for deployment or are you using Spawn Points for them.

[CapnJim]

I'm just jealous you get to play at Fort Meigs.  My old sledding grounds...

Me too!

And thanks, Mike!  Glad you all enjoyed the game.  I love it when a plan comes together...

Fun Games.  Do reinforcements have assigned "sides/streets" for deployment or are you using Spawn Points for them.

The Narcos had one set of 4 pickup-mounted reinforcements preplanned for Turn 2.  New sets came on for every 4 casualties they suffered (by figure recycling), with the 1st of those sets pickup-mounted and those after on foot.  The Narcos used 5 spawn points sprinkled near the board edges to enter (which one was determined randomly).  Truck-mounted Narcos came on the road edge nearest the spawn point.  Narcos on foot came on at the spawn point.

The Feds' reinforcements were pre-planned as 2 SUVs with 4 agents in each one.  They came on by a successful die roll, by rolling the turn or under at the end of each turn - then they would enter the next turn at either the north or east road edge (randomly determined) when their cards came up (which had been added to the deck).