CapnJim's Post-Apoc Stuff: Zone Run #8 Report Complete...Pg 12...08 Mar 24

[CapnJim]

Thanks, fellas!  Their first trip in should be interesting.  That's the plan, anyway....

[mikedemana]

The crew looks and sounds great! I'll be interested to see how your mash of the rules systems works out, as I'm using Wiley Games Core Rules (FFOL) as my rules set, too. I plan on picking up Zona Alfa at Historicon, as well as Five Parsecs From Home. Reading battle reports from those rules sets has made me want to check them out and see if there is anything (especially campaign-wise) I can incorporate.

Good luck!

Mike Demana

[CapnJim]

Thanks, Mike.  Here's the plan for using the various rules:

Fistful of Lead
Character generation and advancement, including Traits and equipment
Turn Sequence, Movement, Combat, Rally, and Task mechanics
Some of the Animal and Mutant rules

Zona Alfa
Mission and Hotspot mechanics, with Zone Hostiles Tables modified for each scenario (based on my minis collection) and FFoL-ized
Skills/Abilities, and equipment, FFoL-ized

Black Ops
Civilian interaction, modified as needed for the scenario at hand

Mind you, all of this will be tweaked if/as I see fit...

I'll likely provide comments on how this is all working out as we go.  Of course, I'll also be posting scenario info and AARs too, as well as any minis I paint up for this...

And at this point, my first P.E.N.I.S. insertion will start in August...it'll be a series of linked scenarios as SAE30 does a recon into the P.E.N.I.S. Exclusion Zone...

[miros]

I like the setting and the miniatures look great.  Those Eureka figs are a good set.

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

Thanks, Mike.  Here's the plan for using the various rules:

Fistful of Lead
Character generation and advancement, including Traits and equipment
Turn Sequence, Movement, Combat, Rally, and Task mechanics
Some of the Animal and Mutant rules

Zona Alfa
Mission and Hotspot mechanics, with Zone Hostiles Tables modified for each scenario (based on my minis collection) and FFoL-ized
Skills/Abilities, and equipment, FFoL-ized

Black Ops
Civilian interaction, modified as needed for the scenario at hand

Mind you, all of this will be tweaked if/as I see fit...

I'll likely provide comments on how this is all working out as we go.  Of course, I'll also be posting scenario info and AARs too, as well as any minis I paint up for this...

And at this point, my first P.E.N.I.S. insertion will start in August...it'll be a series of linked scenarios as SAE30 does a recon into the P.E.N.I.S. Exclusion Zone...

Sounds fascinating, looking forward to hearing more about this. Shame we have to wait until August for a P.E.N.I.S. insertion!

[Vagabond]

And at this point, my first P.E.N.I.S. insertion will start in August...it'll be a series of linked scenarios as SAE30 does a recon into the P.E.N.I.S. Exclusion Zone...

2 days and counting, I bet Mrs Jim is counting too.

[CapnJim]

Sounds fascinating, looking forward to hearing more about this. Shame we have to wait until August for a P.E.N.I.S. insertion!

2 days and counting, I bet Mrs Jim is counting too.

Thanks, gentlemen!  I reckon it'll be Monday when SAE30 goes in.  Here's the lead in...

Dr. Smith was sitting in his big comfy leather chair in his office at the University, his feet up on his big oak desk.  He had his laptop (appropriately) in his lap, and a glass of good Kentucky bourbon in his left hand (2 fingers, on the rocks, or course).  He was reviewing the latest news reports (and other, more secret documents) on the status of the Plumbrook "problem".  Then his intercom went off.  He hit the speaker button, "Yes, Miss Hathaway?"  "Dr. Smith, Gunny Carter is here."  "Thank you.  Send him in."

A few moments later, a man of medium build and a short high-and-tight haircut came in, wearing khaki tactical pants and a short-sleeved black shirt.  "I see you guys are back from Yuma" said Dr. Smith. "Anything?"  Gunny Carter responded "Nope.  Some dude named Donovan wouldn't let us go in.  He was headed off to Canada, so we though about going in anyway.  But when we got your call, we hopped in Jupiter 2 and headed back here."

Dr. Smith:  "Good.  I need to see what's up with P.E.N.I.S.  Go out to the warehouse, and get set up.  Head in Monday morning."

"Roger.  What's the skinny so far?  And what numbnuts named it that?" asked Carter.  Dr. Smith responded "Some desk jockey in DC.  He is either an idiot, or has a very weird sense of humor.  Anyway, it's all still kind of fuzzy.  It looks like NASA was fiddling with some new space propulsion systems at a lab in Plumbrook, and had an, um, accident.  The military and local law enforcement have a 20-mile cordon from where, and I can't believe I'm going to say this, P.E.N.I.S. is Hard.  Jeez, from now on it's PEZ, OK?  But nothing nuclear yet.  The cordon is only a few miles from Davis-Besse though.  So far, it's just heat.  And stuff that likes heat, like reptiles, and other cold-blooded stuff.  But be careful.  There are looters about, and other bad guys.  Apparently, the cordon is still pretty loose in some places. Get in there and look around.  See what's what.  Stay in as long as you think you're OK, and deal with any anomalies you find."

"Okay.  We'll do that.  We'll head out to the warehouse, and hole up there till Monday.  Then we'll head in Monday morning.  Good thing Robinson got Robot working again.  We'll be in touch", and Carter turned around and headed out of Dr. Smith's office....   

There we go.  First trip in is scheduled for this coming Monday.  It'll be a solo game, so I can see how things mesh out.  Til then...

[mikedemana]

I like the space propulsion angle on bringing in anomalies! Even with the PEZ nickname, I have a feeling the puns are still going to be, er, popping up in the battle reports...! 

Mike Demana

[Bullshott]

Looking forward to this and hoping they don't get Lost in the Space of the zone.

[CapnJim]

......Even with the PEZ nickname, I have a feeling the puns are still going to be, er, popping up in the battle reports...! 

Mike Demana

Now, why would you say that, Mike?   

Looking forward to this and hoping they don't get Lost in the Space of the zone.

Thanks, Bullshott.  They might, but we'll all find out together.

And as a teaser, here is a pic of some of the zone Hostiles - dogs (one is a 28mm dog from Wargames Atlantic, and the other a a/72 plastic dog), BIG dogs (D&D figures), BIG snakes, and a swarm of bats (the snakes and bats are also D&D figures).   

The other pic is some dead folks, mostly Tiny Terrain Miniatures.  They may or may not appears in my Plumbrook games...I've also posted pics of a 1/48 ambulance and 28mm crew up on  my Modern Stuff thread...

[Doug ex-em4]

Great read for the set-up, Cap….looking forward to see how the games go.

Doug

[CapnJim]

Thanks, Doug.  SAE30 hits the SP in about 20 hours....

[Vagabond]

You understand why Captain Donovan wouldn't let you into the Yuma Zone, there's no point in cross contaminating your P.E.Z.

On another tack, it looks like you're expecting lots of casualties with the amount of painted dead you have, Go in hard and come out faster, that's Donovan's motto.....although he doesn't always stick to it.

Looking forward to reading your take on the zone, the background so far is excellent.
Cheers and good luck soldier.

[CapnJim]

And in they went.  First off, please see below a cheat sheet I used for SEA30's first time into the PEZ.  You'll find the unit roster (they are an experienced crew - 1 leader and 7 specialists).  It's in Fistful of Lead format, but some of the skills are from Zone Alfa.  They translate just fine into FFoL.  You'll not that Newkirk has the Knife Man skill from ZA, which includes the Two-handed trait from FFoL.  He carries that BIG knife for that.

The 2nd chart is the Zone Hostiles Chart for when the P.E.N.I.S. is Soft (TL1, as they are at the edge of the PEZ).

The 3rd Chart is the Civilian Reaction Table (inspired by and modified from the one in Black Ops).  I used it for the encounter with the ambulance crew...surly fellows they were...

Anyway, and away we go...

Carter was enjoying a good cigar and bullsh**ting with the guys in the back of Jupiter 2 as McGuyver drove east on Highway 412 out of Fremont.  They were approaching the point where they should encounter a roadblock at the edge of the 20-mile cordon.  About a half mile from that point, McGuyver said "Gunny, look up there".  Carter turned around, and saw what McGuyver had noticed.  Of more importantly, what they didn't notice.  No roadblock.

Carter told McGuyver to pull over to the side of the road about 200 yards from where the roadblock should have been.  "Robinson, get Robot up and let's have a look around." barked Carter in his old Marine Gunny voice.  "Check.  Gimme a minute" came Robinson's reply.  McGuyver indeed pulled over in someone's driveway, and Robinson got out and got Robot up and flying.  After a few minutes, Robinson said "Gunny, come look at this".  Gunny came over, taking a draw on his cigar.  "Whaddaya got?".  "See here?  There's an old single-wide on the south side of the road, and what looks like an old corner store on the north side at the intersection of the side road.  But no roadblock.  Just what looks like a pick-up piled into the woods.".  Carter:  "Take it down for a closer look".  And down Robot went, first to the trailer.  No sign of life, but an old tractor, a shed out behind the trailer, and a couple of above-ground storage tanks.  "Okay" said Carter.  "The white one looks like a water tank, and the yellow one looks like a gas tank.  We gotta be careful there...Okay, now, go over the the other stuff".  And over Robot went.  Still no signs of life, just a corner store, with boxes and bags around it.  "Hmm..." said Robinson "...it looks like there was a road block, but the barricade is shattered all over the road where it goes into the woods.  There's a wrecked pick-up truck, and 2 bodies.  One's under a blanket or something, but there's some kind of briefcase lying next to it".

Carter whistled, and made a "rally on me" gesture.  His crew got out of the van and gathered around.  Carter described what he and Robinson had seen through Robot's eyes.  "Robinson, you stay here and keep Robot up.  And stay on comms with us.  McGuyver, you stay here with Robinson and Jupiter 2 and keep an eye on things here.  The rest of us will go in on foot.  DeSoto and Pyle, you come with me and we'll go up the left side of the road.  Newkirk, O'Rourke, and Malloy, you 3 go up the right side of the road.  Our Objective is the briefcase by the body at the pick-up.  And I think that trailer and the old corner store might be Hot Spots.  Be careful.  We're not sure what to expect.  Everybody clear?"  Everybody nodded.  "Okay, good.  Lets go..."

And away they went as Carter ordered.  The last 3 pics below are what they saw through Robot's eyes... 

Their stroll up the road begins in the next post...

[CapnJim]

SAE30 approach the area from the west, more or less in line abreast on both sides of the road.  Just as Carter had told them. This wasn't their first rodeo, after all.  It was sunny out, but it was getting quite a bit warmer the more they moved east.  Too much warmer, thought Carter.  Carter hit his throat mic: "O'Rourke, get up to that tree by that trailer, and watch as Newkirk and Malloy see what's up there".  The 3 of them moved up toward the trailer.  Carter made a "Follow me" gesture with his left hand (with a cigar in it, naturally), and he, DeSoto, and Pyle moved purposefully toward the gate in the privacy fence between them and the old corner store.  Carter:  "Anything yet, Robinson?"  "Nope, it's all quiet so far where you're at.  But we hear a siren coming in from the west".

As Carter and company moved up to that privacy fence by the old corner store, O'Rouke posted up at the tree, inspected the trailer, and got ready.  Newkirk chucked a rock through the window.  That rock must have alerted some looters that something was up, as 4 of them piled out of the front door of the trailer.  One with a pistol, one with a shotgun, one with an AR, and the last with an AK.  O'Rourke didn't wait to exchange pleasantries.  He opened up, and dropped the guy with the AK.  Malloy dropped the guy with the pistol.  It was on now, as gunfire broke the silence of the warm, sunny morn.

Carter and his 2 guys made their way through and around the privacy fence, being careful not to get too close to the corner store.  Robinson chimed in on comms "You have an ambulance inbound from your rear.  Lights and siren.  and nothin so far but those looters".  "Roger that" replied Carter.  Over at the trailer, there was a very close range gunfight going on.  The wounded looter with the AK dragged himself back into the trailer, while the guy with the pistol got back up and shot O'Rourke.  Good thing he was wearing his ballistic vest.  The looter with the shotgun and the one with the AR went down, courtesy (courtesy?) of Malloy and Newkirk.  And they stayed down, while the guy with pistol retreated back into the trailer and closed the door.  Discretion is the better part of valor, after all.  Malloy went up to the trailer. Damn, he thought.  They locked the door.  His first application of boot to door was unsuccessful.  Then the door opened, and the guy with the pistol shot at him.  Poor bastard. He missed.  Malloy though Well, that solves our breaching problem, went up to the door, and butt-stroked the looter with the pistol.  Caught him in his chin, and he went down.  Malloy stepped in and over the now-prone pistoleer, opening up Newkirk's field of fire to the guy with the AK.  The poor schmuck pulled the trigger on his AK (he had recovered from his wound), but all he heard was an audible click.  Newkirk pulled the trigger on his M4.  It did not click.  And the guy with the AK was down for good.  And then Newkirk took care of the guy that Malloy had butt-stroked.

Meanwhile, O'Rourke had headed over toward the corner store, running in front of the ambulance as Carter flagged it down.  Pyle and DeSoto had moved up toward the Objective, still avoiding the corner store.  The ambulance crew was all business, and in no mood to chat.  They went past Carter, veered left around Pyle and DeSoto, and (perhaps on purpose?) triggered the Hot Spot on the corner store.  2 snakes came slithering out from behind some crates at the back corner of the store.  BIG snakes.  Snakes, though Carter.  Why does it have to be snakes?  Pyle lit one up, as he had gone on Ready.  And then there was 1 snake, and it headed straight for Carter...   

What will Newkirk find in the trailer?  What are the snake's intentions regarding Carter?  What about the corner store?  What's in that briefcase?  And what's with the ambulance crew?  Find out the answers to these and other questions in the thrilling conclusion to our crew's first encounter with the PEZ, coming soon to an electronic device near you...