the game continues and the action hots up...........
TURN 4The allies hold the initiative and the GI on the hill moves to the dead soldier and tries to pick up the Cursed Tome. The Nazis play a peril as the plot point is approached and the hapless GI needs 2 successes with Finesse or Cunning. No chance, so down he goes. The Cursed Tome has claimed another victim.
Seeing the futile but heroic efforts of his team-mate the closest GI races toward the crates also perhaps he will have a better chance. Only the future will reveal.
Meanwhile the Black Claw moves up toward the cover of some temple ruins hoping to take a shot from cover at the group by the lorry. As he approaches, the loose stones at his feet slide away and he tumbles into a pillar which starts to topple (the allies have played a peril). Failing the 2 required successes on Finesse or Cunning he goes down covered in shattered stonework.
The Smashed Rangfinder falls from his hands and lies beside him in the rubble (plot point rewards are dropped when a character goes down)
The soldier with him had moved up onto the hill and seeing the wolf down by the van sprays lead toward the hapless animal that yelps in pain and falls stunned to the ground (the soldier hit with his 2 shots and the wolf failed all his dodges and 1 health check so goes down)
The great marksmanship seizes the Initiative back for the Nazis now they can control things for a while!
Giving the allies a chance to act sees the dog's companion shoot back up the hill at the German the low sun must have blinded him as he only nicked the soldier who easily passed his health check.
Otto von Bulow sees his chance and moves to the great head of the long dead Pharaoh and starts to climb up the rotten stonework toward the Eye of Horus lodged in the serpent headdress.
Desperate to stop him the allies play a peril requiring 2 successes on Finesse or Cunning handfuls of powdery limestone crumble beneath this clawing hands and he slips
....
.years climbing in the Austrian Tyrol before the war has made von Bulow an experienced climber and with great panache he easily rights himself and grabs a projecting rock. Dusting himself down he starts back up the idol and reaches the top with ease (an eight and two sevens on 3d8 sees me imagining a pretty cool move on his part).
Down on the hill the inhuman red eye of the robot Korporal scans Kit and launches a furious attack. Kit fights back with his quick strike power in the hope that more lower value dice will give him more hits. 5D8 for the robot versus 4d6 for Kit sees them taking 3 hits each. Klank saves all his hits but Kit only saves so his Health Die is reduced to d6. Not looking good for the brave Captain.
Off from the action Agent Orange sees the SS Officer outlined against the setting sun and fires off 2 well aimed shots (2d8 which Von Bulow decided to dodge with 3d10 and promptly rolled low on all three dice)
The allies seize back the initiative and whats more Von Bulow fails a health check and his health die is reduced to a d8.
Lieutenant Connors sees Von Bulow reel under Agent Orange's attack and takes the chance to move into short range and plug away at the Nazi leader.
In the exchange of fire each side hits but Connors fails the health check so goes down.
Captain Kit Stevens is reeling under the heavy blows of the murderous robot and decides his best chance is to dodge move away but fails to match enough dice and actually takes 3 hits which put him down and reduce his health die to a d6.
As he inflicted no hits he has lost the initiative for his side let us hope that is not too costly in the next turn.
TURN 4 - RECOVERY PHASEKit recovers and is stood up but his health die remains at a d6
Von Bulow's wound still bleeds so he fails to recover a health die level and stays at d8
The Black Claw shakes himself conscious and gingerly stands up amidst the fallen masonry
Fang licks his wounds and gets back on all fours
Connors clutches his wounded shoulder but stands up ready to fight some more
TURN 5Korporal Klank opens turn 5 and pounds on Captain Kit Stevens once more hoping to finish the troublesome human once and for all.
Kit is in desperate straights and decides to dodge - he feels certain that, while hurt, he cannot damage the metal mountain. Lady Luck was always fond of Kit and smiles. 4 hits and 3 dodges and the save is made. Kit is hanging on in there just.
On the hill crest the German soldier shoots down at Lieutenant Connors who levels the Thompson and fires off a short burst in reply. Connors escapes without taking a hit while the last German soldier goes down bleeding badly under a hail of home grown American lead. Hoo Rah!
The allies take back the initiative.
The lone GI left eyeing the Cursed Tome attempts the challenge (the Tome is freed from the earlier attempt by the German in turn 1 but not yet opened). The Nazis play a peril which the GI fails and takes a hit which he saves. Maybe next turn the aptly named Cursed Tome will reveal it's secrets without taking another life>
A GI has von Bulow in his sights. Bulow is an Intimidating character and lesser level models must pass a Cunning challenge to be able to attack him. The GI passes the required test by shooting at von Bulow while his back is turned, however some form a sixth sense must have warned the Oberst because he spins and crouches and the Luger barks back.
2d6 versus 3d8. Amazingly nobody hits.
Lieutenant Connors has seen his leader battered by the Nazi robot and moves to join the melee. As he has used a combat skill already this turn he is 1 dice down but so has Klank so he too loses a die.
1d6 versus the robot's 4d8 is an insane and courageous challenge but Connors can't stand and watch his friend and leader get pummelled without coming to his aide.
Klank scores 2 hits and Connors zero now the Nazis wrest the initiative. Connors however makes both save so although battered remains in the fight.
The Black Claw takes his turn and picks up the dropped plot point thereby ending his activation.
Up on the face of the Idol von Bulow goes for the Eye of Horus while the battle rages below. The allies play a peril. 2 passes with cunning of finesse is required (I think of this as von Bulow struggling to prise the Eye from it's mount with the point of his dagger)
He only makes 1 pass so takes 2 hits and then only makes 1 save. His health die is reduced to d6 and his activation ends. Curses!
Across the jungle the hunting howl of a wolf echoes and Fang rushes the Black Claw. Although the sight of an injured wolf hurtling toward you is enough to wrong foot anyone, the Claw has enough presence of mind to squeeze off a few rounds as the crazed animal bounds across the jingle clearing.
4d6 for the Claw versus 3d6 from Fang sees the dice roll 3 hits on the wolf (the Claw is as cool as a cucumber under pressure) before teeth and claw inflict 2 hits on him. Both fail to make all the necessary saves and go down.
The last GI over by the lorry pops off a shot at von Bulow who decides prudence is the better part of valour and dodges. Despite 2 hits he makes his saves and is proved right to be cautious.
Captain Kit, reeling under the robot's furious attacks decides to make a dodge move on his turn.
He makes more dodges than hits taken and so backs off 3 relieved to get away from certain death.
Finally, Agent Orange, who has had what seems to be time enough to make a picnic wakes up and shoots von Bulow. A miss. Perhaps you should have that cup of tea now, dear.
TURN 5 RECOVERY PHASEKit rolls a success and his health die is back up to d8
von Bulow does the same
The Black Claw recovers and stands up but
Fang, the brave wolf bleeds out on the jungle floor and is out of the game.
TURN 6 THE FINAL TURNThe allies have the initiative.
With darkness falling the GI by the lorry realises it is only a matter of time before the skirmish ends and hides, forcing the Nervous Survivor to hunker down with him behind the the re-assuringly solid vehicle.
Th GI by the Cursed Tome activates but before he has a chance to do anything the Nazis play a Fortune Card PARLEY. What sort of underhand trick is this? For the duration of this turn there can be no running, rushes or attacks surely it's a trick.
Nonplussed but still aware of the prize in front of him the GI reaches for the Tome but faces a Peril thrown at him by the Nazis. 1 Finesse, 1 fail, 1 hit and 1 save. Fumbling fingers fail to unlock the clasp on the leather book.
The game is up under the Rules of the Geneva Convention no self respecting American would break the code of honour so realising their time has run out they move dejectedly toward their exit point.
They will regroup and examine their treasures back at base camp.
Hang on
........ what's this? The devious von Bulow has fooled his hated enemies and was just buying time.
Seeing the allies move off he makes 1 final attempt to free the Eye from the Idol. Seeing his treachery Kit shoots at long range (this was actually a peril card played but again is what I imagined happened).
The final challenges of the game
von Bulow needs to escape the peril 2 successes on Cunning or Might.
He rolls 3d8 and passes (the sun flashes off the silver Deaths head on his cap and blinds Kit as he aims)
and then passes the challenge to take the Eye of Horus
Mwahahahahaha...............................FINAL THOUGHTSA great game. I already have ideas buzzing about further scenarios.
The Nazis win the skirmish as they hold 1 minor and the major plot point at the end of the game for 4 victory points while the allies only hold 2 minor plot points for 2 victory points.
The Nazis have the Eye but the allies have the survivor - they will interrogate him back and camp and learn the fate of the Afrika Korps patrol.
What happened before they arrived?
Where are the rest of the patrol?
Did they discover something even more earth shattering?
we shall see.................
As a 1 off scenario to learn I will not count experience and perks for the next game.
Does it play well better than I could have imagined
Was it fun oh yes!
Does it play well solo yes
on the solo side of things I tend to do things in character or where a number of possibilities exist throw a die to randomize the choice. For instance when the GI took cover behind the lorry on the last turn his choices were
1-3 shoot at the Black Claw
4-6 hide behind the lorry
he got a 5 so decided to hide.
I find this way I cannot plan and sometimes even surprise myself (and it helps that I am getting on a bit and forget things anyway)
The Nazis did have a Fortune Card that could have extended the game by 1 turn but I played it as though it was a competitive game and they would be going for the points. It's what I would have done and do, often to the chagrin of my gaming buddy (but he still plays with me).
David and Mila............Thank You