Malto Cortese's end of the year extravaganza

[malto cortese]

OK, as usual by the end of the year there is enough time to set up a game and enough family members to play it. This year my youngest son and I decided we would try a scenario with 4 players, set somewhere in East Africa at the beginning of the century (more or less - don't be picky). Here is the background:

A German scientific expedition got lost in the jungle and took shelter in an abandoned fort. A first relief expedition aboard an airship went awry when the ship's engine broke down after it had actually reached the fort. Rumors that the scientists have found an artifact of incredible power have spread and all sorts of people are rushing to find out.

PLAYERS:

Germans: A relief column with ten sailors and a band of masai merenaries, led by none other than Malto Cortese himself; the scientists inside the fort, and a broken down airship. Their goal is to get all the scientists out of the board safe and sound, and if possible to repair the airship

Somali and ruga-ruga bandits (two bands) led by a very powerful shaman. Their goal is to kill all those who have entered the fort, which they regard as sacred ground, as well as to get the mysterious box which holds the artifact. The shaman can cast powerful spells, and if he gets very close to the box he is possessed by an uncontrollable force which may spring it open and liberate what's inside

Ethiopian bandits (two bands), led by a heroic ras. Their goal is to capture the two German scientists for ransom and if possible kill the shaman as their tribes have been rivals for a long time

Italian askaris (two squads, led by a captain). Their goal is to capture the fort and hold it until the end of the game as they believe it is inside the borders of Italian Somaliland. More soon

[malto cortese]

Off we go.. the German sailors and their masai allies advance towards the fort and the airship, unaware of the many dangers awaiting them

[malto cortese]

In the fort, the scientific expedition ponders what to do. Eventually it will make the wrong decision and it will move towards the rescuing party, only to be captured by the Ethiopian bandits!

[malto cortese]

As the fort is vacated, the Italian askari, led by the valiant captain Ozieri, occupy the fort and achieve one of their objectives

[malto cortese]

As the rescuing party approaches, the Masai charge towards one of the gangs of Somali bandits and are mercilessly cut down. The sailors alone cannot try to rescue the scientists as they are heavily outnumbered. The only chance for the Germans to achieve their objective is to have Malto climb up on the airship and repair its engine! With a hero special action (do I need to add that the ruleset was T and T?) Malto manages to climb up (well, at the second attempt...)

[malto cortese]

Crank it up! At his second try Corto manages to fix the engine and the airship begins to slowly move over the jungle..

[malto cortese]

The Ethiopians have captured the scientists, achieving their primary goal, and they are trying to get out of the board as soon as they can. One of the Italian askari platoons rushes to their pursue as their secondary goal is to capture the Ethiopians' notorious warlord! In the meantime, the shaman leading the other group of bandits (somalis and ruga-rugas) makes them charge the Ethiopians to capture the box with the magic artifact...

[malto cortese]

a bloody fight follows in which old tribal rivalries allow no mercy for the defeated! (please excuse the chick peas we used as suppression markers..)

[malto cortese]

The Somalis are defeated and the Ethiopians are getting away with all their booty. The shaman must try to stop them with a magic spell!

[malto cortese]

Success! Out of nowhere a giant snake materializes and gulps down in one go one of the poor scientists. However, several failed die rolls prevented the magic box from opening, in spite of the powerful vibrations emanating from the shaman! We will never know what was inside it..

[malto cortese]

The only way Malto can try to stop the Ethiopians fleeing with the remaining scientist and the magic box is by trying one last special action at the very end of the game! He succeeds and leaps out of the airship, and liberates the other scientist. but he is immediately surrounded by the nasty bandits. He fends off their ruthless attacks and almost succeeds in his desperate try, but eventually gets his three hits.... (apologies for the chick peas - the measure of Malto's successful defense! as well as for the huge transparent base of the airship.. it took me so long to build the beast that I am taking no chances of it getting damaged by any inadvertent player..)

[malto cortese]

That's it! The Italians keep the fort as the sun sets over Africa, while the Ethiopian bandits fade away into the forest with their captive and the mysterious box..

[Marine0846]

Great battle report.
Excellent terrain.
Good to see Geo-Hex mountain terrain being used.
Well done.

[Pyjamas in the Sands]

Very nice AAR and always great to have young members of teh family embrace the hobby.

well done.

carlo

[italwars]

That's it! The Italians keep the fort as the sun sets over Africa, while the Ethiopian bandits fade away into the forest with their captive and the mysterious box..

Nice setting and mixing of colourfull subjects...i'm amazed and happy that somebody still use my own produced and designed ITALWARS 28mm Ethiopians ....i can also detect a red haired ITALWARS standing officer among your stuff...i'm in the process of revamping my production...principally with the 20mm in mind (i came out with various WW1 and WW2 Italian subjects) ... selling of 28mm Colonials of which you nicely painted those types were quite succesfull in USA ecc...less in my country....well i'll see what to do with them