Pulp C22

[pbjunky1]

Ruined in the Ruins
Round 3 Game 2 CCC v Dr De’ath
After a slight hiatus we continued the campaign with Dr Death facing off against the CCC in a scenario based on Investigation from Pulp Alley but with a slight twist thrown in.  The board was as can be seen, a strangely abandoned post-apoc shanty.

We used the  hidden perils (markers activated when characters came within 3” ; 25 blanks, 5 actual perils). There were 10 potential plot points, 5 false and 5 actual, again these could be revealed  as actual or not when characters came within 6”.
The CCC had a level 1 corporate join their league and Dr Death had a level 1  shooter and level 2 cultist with blast ( a stash of molatovs)  join his  league.
Proceedings  started with a healthy bout of pre-game insults  being exchanged before both sides chose a corner and deployed. We had the first 3 turns as no run, rush or attack so reluctantly  the leagues set about finding actual plot points rather than trying to kill each other. The CCC found the first and after fumbling on the first attempt took it on round two.

Sister Anna Sthesia took a plot point for Dr Death in round 3.

As they lined up to start scrapping after round 3 no-one took any notice of the apparent rusting sludge covered droid  resting in the toxic pool in the centre of the board (near to  what turned out to be the main plot point- radio).

 At the end of round three the droid started to move  and slowly rose from the sludge which dripped off the metal exo skelton to reveal a fully functioning hunter killer terminator type android (a Terror in the game).

The  wise reaction of the CCC was to take cover.

The less wise reaction of  the cultist from Dr Death’s league was to throw a molatov at it. He didn’t survive the return fire.

The terror was dominating the centre of the board and was  very effective at shooting, brawling also but it was configured as hard and  had a preponderance of shooting orientated skills . Both sides looked somewhat dubious when I told them they’d have to co-operate to defeat it.  Picking up the baton in the name of co-operation  the CCC threw an ally into close combat with it. Extremely good dice rolling saw Zac the CCC ally duke it out with the terminator  both  twice going down and recovering.

With the terminator tied up in combat any further thoughts of co-operation went out of the window. Chester Thurman the CCC leader  retrieved another plot point only to draw the Red Herring card so having to attempt it again. When he did succeed he was then  crazily attacked by Dr Death. He knocked Death down sending him sprawling across the alley way with help of  card.

Undeterred  the Death league rat swarm piled in. Thurman was down and dropped his plot point but recovered to fight the rats again. As this went on Dr Death tried to grab the dropped plot point but  in the last turn just failed by one success to collect it in what would have given his side victory.

Elsewhere on the table the CCC and Dr Death’s league fought over the  main plot point none managing to claim it and a zombie tried but failed after drawing a red herring card to claim another minor plot point.

Feeling he’d more than done his bit Zac dodged away from the  terminator, he was carrying the CCC’s only plot point (fortunately with a No Drop card) so getting killed at the end wasn’t what the league needed. This freed up the terminator to unleash a blast covering both leaders and four other characters. Though the leaders survived  all the other characters were KO’d by the blast.

With that the  entertaining game ended in a one all draw. Insults continued to be traded and accusations flew  as CCC claimed Dr Death didn’t do his part in helping tackle the terminator  instead trying to claim victory himself (which he almost did).
Without doubt character of the game was Zac from CCC who  gamely risked life and metal limb tying up the killer robot for two turns.

[ojdota]

Great AAR's

[d phipps]

Excellent Pulp Alley battle report! 

THANKS for posting.

[pbjunky1]

Mayhem at the market
Round 3 Game 3 Qimica Tejas v S&M
The final game of the round saw QT against S&M  in a scenario based on Gang Busters from Pulp Alley .  The board was a post-apoc  market place in a walled enclosure. Each side  placed 4 bystanders generated as per the scenario and the plot points were characters  as per scenario. That gave plenty of  third parties wandering around to cause confusion and mayhem for the players.

Both spent some resource to gain backup – S&M took Bob the alcoholic shooter (level 1 shooter) whilst QT took  Jessie two guns (level 1 shooter) and a friendly local. Both spent points on gadget X and utility belt (though neglected to use them in the game).
The perils were any climbing of structures, all other areas were deemed peril free, the plot points were of course extreme perils.
The QT started with the initiative and both sides made for their nearest characters. In round 2 QT took their first plot point and then S&M took theirs thus gaining the initiative. The first shots were exchanged none causing any damage. The S&M reward card draw however brought about the ‘Tip’ card so they got to place the major plot point character, a crazy cleric with a chainsaw. Of course they placed him well out of reach of QT who now had to set about getting the remaining plot points to get at least a draw (1 point per minor PP & 2 points per major PP).
Round 3 saw La Malvada shoot down Alcoholic Bob which she did each of the remaining rounds and reach ‘punk girl’ plot point which she took in the next round.

 
Lopez went for  the technician plot point  but he proved too much for an ally and she ended up KO’d for her efforts.

Meanwhile  S&M set off in hot pursuit of the crazy priest who unhelpfully wandered away from the characters  down a side alley. In turn 3 Asia Waves the S&M side kick tried but failed to take the major plot point. 

In round 4 the S&M leader Jenna Romance took over and captured the major plot point.

Round 4  saw El Charro (QT side kick) go for the technician  but Jayden  Dirtee (S&M ally) managed to  get into combat with him and knocked him down. El Lobo,  who had  in round 3  recruited the skate boarder kid  bystander to the QT cause, wasn’t far behind and returned the compliment and QT were able to take the technician making it three minor plot points to them.

QT used their recruited  (cheaper)characters to move forward and tie up the S&M characters so that although they  came of slightly the worse  QT were able to  easily see out the game.


A close fought, entertaining, game ended in a draw as both sides  retired to lick their wounds  and prepare for the final round of the campaign. After round 4 we’ll go to a  top four play off  arrangement. At the moment the league reads CCC & LL joint top with 10 pts, DVR & QT joint second with 9 pts and Dr D & S&M  joint third with 6 points.

[pbjunky1]

Round 4 Dr Death v S&M  Scuffle in the Square
Based on the Gang War scenario Dr Death & S&M faced off in the final round of fights.  Set up as was shown, a  square in a post apoc township. The bystanders were a gang of punks, a rat swarm (6 model gang) a brawler and a  shooter.

Both sides spent points  on hiring backup, Dr Death took a  level 1  and a brawler as backup. S& M took a friendly local.
Dr Death took the initiative and set off  to engage the S&M with his zombies and recruit those bystanders nearest to him. In turn 1 Sister Anna  Sthesia tried but failed to recruit  the brawler.  S&M encountered the punk gang who were hostile but Jenna Romance, S&M leader managed to see them off.
The zombies were locked in combat with the S&M follower and backup. 

Whilst the Dr Death upper echelon moved to head off the S&M  attempts to recruit bystanders.

Things started  to go wrong for Dr Death as the leagues, back up, potential recruited bystander, back up and brawler were take out by S&M bullets and fists in consecutive rounds  leaving only  DrDeath, Anna Sthesia and the zombies  the latter of whom were locked in combat away from the centre of the board where from turn 5 the absence of league  characters lost them the game.




Dr Death had a shootout  with Romance and Waves but came off the worst, failing a recovery and becoming D8 health. 

As he retreated to the centre Anna Sthesia fought with Romance and her ally but came off the worst, however she passed her health check. Meanwhile Dr Death fought Asia Waves and the recruited bystander and was put down failing his health check and as he was in circle of slaughter he was KO’d without chance to recover.

That left Anna Sthesia now  also being charged by the S&M recruit. A fortune cared periled her out of the game and Anna dodged away from Romance and Dirtee

however a hail of bullets brought her down  and without recourse to recovery  it left S&M the clear winners.

[d phipps]

Very cool! It is always a treat to see your Pulp Alley games. 

Fantastic terrain!!!!

Don't forget to claim your Phantom Agent card --- https://store.pulpalley.com/

[VALIS]

I must admit, I am having lots of fun playing in pbjunky's Pulp Alley campaign.

Dr.Death is not living up to his name under my command. More like Dr.Dead.

[pbjunky1]

Round 4 game 2 Raid on the Outpost

After about six aborted attempts to write this up here is the second game of the round.

Liberty League v Co-operative Commonwealth Corps
We used the Heist scenario in this game  with it being set as a raid by LL on a CCC outpost in the wastelands. In hind sight this maybe wasn’t the best  scenario to use in the campaign as the winner takes all nature means that one side is going to get  all the points and the other side nothing.
The camp was set up as shown with temporary shelters established in a cleared  area of wasteland within the walls of a ruined building.

The LL hired Burke the down trodden, often abused hero of past games and rolled for additional friendly locals receiving another standard stat line supporter. The CCC took two friendly locals so both sides had the league numbers up for this scenario.
The Plot points  were placed as per scenario starting with the force field defences. Perils were the generator,  6 barrels of chem haz waste, the two red crates (must’ve contained something toxic/dangerous  and the automated guard (floating skull model).  The camp was open ground so no perils for running but if any walls were climbed then that was perilous.
The action started with the LL defeating the  guard force field and then leap frogging with the leader or side kick from one plot point to the next.

In successive turns they took the canisters and blue storage box before reaching the penultimate plot point of the brown storage box  all this whilst the CCC looked on  helplessly.

[/url]



The scenario doesn’t allow the defender to enter play until a plot point isn’t completed on a turn it was placed or unless Brawl, Shoot or Dodge was used by an LL character (which they didn’t).
It was at the brown storage box that the first plot point was failed and this triggered the Alarm allowing the CCC to enter the game.



However the major point was next up and could be tackled before the CCC got into range for shooting  let alone melee. There was an exchange of desultory fire.

Then  the LL leader  took up the challenge and succeeded bringing the game to an end by taking the major point and gaining all points for the attacker .

Besides it being a poor choice of scenario on my part  due to its winner takes all nature we did note a  couple of other issues. The attacker keeps drawing cards throughout the rounds even though he pretty much doesn’t use them. When the defender does come into play they have been using their cards where possible to enforce perils on the attacker. This results in the attacker having a big hand of cards to play to help slow down the defender or negate his cards. I think it would be better if the attacker didn’t get cards apart from his starting hand until the defender came into play or may be better make all perils extreme  but give each player the cards as per normal.
In this game the defender drew a consistently useless set of cards anyway so the situation was exacerbated but I do think  trying this scenario again (it is an interesting scenario) we’d use all perils as extreme or maybe 50/50 chance of such as they were encountered.
We’d be interested in hearing anyone else’s thoughts on this scenario as it is a good one but maybe as a one –off rather than in a campaign.

[d phipps]

Very cool! Similar to "Social Affair", I think this is a fun scenario to try once in awhile.

Both scenarios tend to favor leagues that are better at Action Skills - rather than Combat Skills. I think it helps to balance out a campaign in some ways.

Also, because this scenario can be played quite quickly, you can easily switch sides and let the other player have a go at playing the other side.


It is great seeing you trying different Pulp Alley scenarios. Hope we get to see more.



HAVE FUN


Don't forget to check out the new Phantom Agent cards!.....

[pbjunky1]

Shoot out at the abandoned outpost, Das Vierte Reich .v. Qimica Tejas
The final round game  was between DVR & QT based on the Lost Keys scenario from the main rules book.
The  board was an abandoned scavenger outpost. There were a variety of markers some of which represented perils which were activated when players came within 3” of them.. The plot point layout was as per scenario.

DVR took gadget x, utility belt and a back up character. QT took a back up and  gadget x.
The game started with DVR winning initiative and moving all their characters towards the first plot point with QT following suit.
Round 2 saw a desultory exchange of fire from lead characters whilst both leaders attempted the first plot point. QT  leader and sidekick combined to take their plot point but  Herr Kutt  failed dismally .

 However DVR did have a fortune card which played a random  bystander to attack one of the QT sidekicks and tied him up in a fight for  two rounds.

The following rounds saw DVR take their plot point and move towards a second minor point and the major point however both sides were surprised as a zombie appeared from  a manhole in their respective corners and a frightened local emerged from the building all guns blazing. Interestingly the two characters nearest the zombies were the two league leaders.
La Malvada, taking her cue from watching Scarface too many times, promptly decapitated her attacker however Herr Kutt  less bravely (in fact in a thoroughly cowardly manner) elected to dodge away from his attacker (dodging seemed a nice way of saying he ran away)!


Whilst this was going on two DVR characters went for a second plot point but failed. As the brains of the outfit, Adolf the dog, went to lend his not insignificant abilities to the attempt (he has taken plot points  in other games and proved hard to kill). Here however he was periled leaping a wall and failed his health and recovery rolls to be KOed (the first time that's happened in one turn in any game so far).

At the same time Jager Zwei won a shoot out  with the QT back up putting her down & out.

With the final round approaching Frau Fuchs had made her way to a barricade  near the major point, survived getting shot and  dashing into the open  risking a hail of lead managed to take the plot point  so ending the game with a 3 to 1 win for DVR.

We’d agreed the top 4 go into the final game but with three leagues on 10 pts (CCC, QT, S&M) one on 12 points DVR and LL on 16pts this makes 5 for the deciding game which will  allow an advantage to the clear first & second leagues but give everyone in the final a chance of glory.

[d phipps]

Another great battle report! THANKS for playing and sharing Pulp Alley. 

[Bryanbowdell]

It was another enjoyable game...although I feel Herr Kutt is being slandered to much, he did not run away he made a tactical withdrawl!!

[pbjunky1]

Pulp C22 The Final (part 1)
The leagues have battled across the barren post apoc wasteland, gathering clues as they went gradually closing in on Professor Von Zimmerframe  and his ragged band of followers . The leagues had now identified the Prof as travelling towards a former  sci-industrial complex -now a particularly toxic zone and unsafe even by the low standards of the wastelands. All (except Dr De’ath  who didn’t make the final)  were now in pursuit determined to snatch the Profs plans that contained the key  break through in his lifelong search for the secrets of replicant  technology.
After several rounds of the leagues slugging it out with each other,  struggling with perils and blasting random bystanders it was the final game in the campaign. We’d had it that the top 4 from the previous games would be in the final however  Liberty League (LL) were clear top of the league with Das Vierte Reich (DVR)second but Commonwealth Co-operative Corps (CCC),  Sci & Mech (S&M) & Qimica Tejas (QT) all in joint third.
We  thus decided to have a five way final.  DVR, CCC,S&M & QT all fought it out on an initial table to get their minor plot points and once they’d got this they could access the second table (underground lab) where the LL and the major plot point awaited them.  After 4 turns of table 1 action the  second part of the final  on table 2 would  start  with LL and whichever other league had made it to the lab. Others could join as they achieved their plot point but they’d be playing catch up on table 2. The leagues could take additional personnel on table 1 but could only go to the second table with 4 surviving characters from table 1.

Each league set out in a corner, the board was a ruined landscape in the corner of the central 1’x 1’ tile was  a  member of the professors group. All overcome by the toxicity of their environment and  harshness of their journey to that point. The leagues had to move from their deployment  corner to the nearest plot point and in ripping the information from their  plot points dying forms gain access to the second board.
The leagues had a peril in their deployment zone and  hostile  bystanders to fight in order to get to their plot points who were in a building that was in  a state of collapse (hazardous peril). The leagues could peril each other,  fight each other, had to fight  bystanders and overcome a hazardous area. Plenty to keep them occupied you’d think. I’d expected the leagues would try to eliminate one of their number at least  on the first table but no, all stayed really focussed, not attacking each other  or periling each other just concentrating on collecting cards and getting their  plot point as soon as they could . They were clearly taking this seriously.
DVR started with initiative as they were second in the standings. They faced two level 2 shooter bystanders, QT faced two level 2 brawler bystanders. S&M faced two zombies &  CCC face a rat swarm (gang).
Things went badly from the first for DVR their shooter bystanders proved  to be deadly shots  and adept at dodging return fire. In quick succession four DVT characters including an ally were down, two not recovering.


The other leagues dealt better with their aggressive bystanders . QT managed to take out their brawlers with shooting and move past them to the plot point in two turns, The CCC lost a recruit to the rat gang but otherwise came through unscathed to reach their plot point.


Zombies have proved quite difficult to kill in previous rounds but S&M dealt with the two facing them  in quick order.

Meanwhile  abandoning the idea of a shootout DVR started brawling with their bystanders. Things didn’t go much better with this approach.

So QT were the first league to pass the hazard and take their plot point followed by S&M  and CCC all by the end of round 3.
DVR meanwhile lost another casualty to a hazard and only scraped through their plot point by round 4. It was a good job they started with a lot of back up as they only had 4 characters left at the end of the action on table 1.
So QT, CCC & S&M all appeared on table 2 at the same time joining the LL and the Prof for part 2 of the final with DVR lagging behind somewhat (to be continued).

[d phipps]

Wow! Great looking Pulp Alley scenario. It is always a treat to see your miniatures and terrain in action. 

THANKS for playing and sharing Pulp Alley!

[pbjunky1]

Pulp C22 final (part 2)
So we arrived at the underground lab for the second part of the final. Admittedly  more leagues made it there than I’d anticipated so five leagues and the plot point and ancillary figures were going to duke  it out  on a 3’ x 3’ board. Fortunately  I only allowed each league to take  4 characters so it wasn’t as congested as it  may have been.
Also I  said I anticipated the leagues duking it out however it seemed like a bit of euro-gaming broke out on part of the table, activity to be wholly frowned upon but more of that later.
Firstly the lab.  At the machines in the centre were Prof Von Zimmerframe   a standard D6 stat line figure but with crafty skill. Mimi his  young P.A who had a strangely enhanced stat line  of an extra D6 for Dodge, Finesse & Cunning. Crafty & Intrepid skills and ignored the first hit but had to health check if 2 or more hits were taken.  Yes von Zimerframe  didn’t just have the plans for a replicant, he’d actually built one  and in doing so had come to regard her as his family rather than a lab experiment . As such he’d brought his creation to the wastelands to prevent the  evil city corps from dismantling  her bit by bit to learn her secrets.  In the underground lab (which he knew of before it became wasteland) he’d just created a new replicant (literally just as the leagues arrived). This was The  Beast , a Terror in stat line  though without Terror skills. The boxes & canisters scattered about were all perils so taking cover  in the open lab space  may get characters periled.

So Mimi was the plot point  to win the game and campaign, all the leagues were informed of this. The LL being the good guys of the campaign were out to take Von Zimmerframe   and Mimi into their protection (& deny them to the corps). The corps teams had to take Mimi dead or alive. They all interpreted  dead as the best option- I told you they were evil. 
First off Von Zimmerframe had to take control of his newly created Beast replicant. If he failed it would be disorientated and attack anyone randomly . Mimi could also have a go at controlling the Beast if Von Zimmerframe   failed. Fortunately he passed the challenge and  brought the Beast  under his control.
The leagues then  commenced their first turn with LL moving towards Von Zimmerframe   & his  replicants  trying to form a protective cordon around them and convince them they were  friends.
It was at this point that  a strange case of euro-gaming seemed to break out between QT & CCC. They both entered on the left of the lab and immediately started co-operating. This brought accusations of ‘bromance’ and similar disparaging comments but throughout the game undeterred by slurs and insults they did work side by side or as some one put it hand in hand.  Viewers of a sensitive nature are warned that the next image shows sickening images of  leagues voluntarily co-operating as they close in on the plot point.

Meanwhile S&M and DVR were having none of that euro-gaming nonsense. Immediately they set eyes on each other they opened fire, a S&M ally  biting the dust.

 As LL characters moved to form a cordon to defend against the advancing QT/CCC alliance one of the characters passed a droid which I had intended it just to be a piece of inert  junk but the players all remembered  one of the previous games where something similar became a Hunter –Killer  automaton (terror).   With everyone ‘betting’ it was a trap  I thought I may as well oblige so the droid came to life as an out of control D6  stat line character  but with a flamer and needing two hits to health check. It spun around randomly and shot at the CCC part of the unholy alliance.
At the same time in keeping with the war-gaming spirit DVR launched a gas grenade at Von Zimmerframe   & the replicants. Clearly Mimi was  as good to them dead as alive. Mini and Von Zimmerframe   were down but later recovered. The Beast was unaffected.

A fierce fire fight erupted between LL & the QT/CCC who now deterred by killer droid were hanging back with most of their characters.

Taking  advantage of the plot point being down Jaeger  Zwei  of DVR and  Bree Faze of S&M  fought over her prostrate form but the fight was a draw so neither could attempt the plot point.
Herr Kut was sneaking towards the plot point  but S&M played a fortune card on him which saw a zombie  shuffle out from behind some barrels and attack him. Of course  bravery not being his strong point he ran away.

In the following turns  the zombie forced him away from the centre effectively removing him from the game.
CCC started to trade casualties  with  LL as they shot at each other and were attacked by the Beast.
Killer Droid randomly moved towards Jaeger  Zwei  and  Bree Faze and blasted them both removing them from the game and inadvertently protecting Von Zimmerframe   and his replicants.
What happened next strained any logical understanding of tactics or strategy. Killer droid randomly rounded on  the two remaining DVR characters  Fuchs  and a DVR follower. It trundled towards them levelling its flamer of death, surely nothing could now save DVR from being the first league to exit the game?  Wrong – the CCC/QT alliance made a play to recruit DVR into their unwholesome fold and as a sign of good intent played a fortune card on Killer Droid  which saw it  trip over some clutter fall to the floor and become disabled- truly this was euro-gaming gone mad!

At the same time having  failed to be convinced by  LL that they were on his side von-Zimmerframe  made a break  from the centre with Mimi, the Beast  protecting them both. The LL had expended most of their league now holding off QT/CC.
Seizing the opportunity as they moved in her direction the S&M leader, Jenna Romance, charged  von Zimmerframe disappointingly fighting a draw with the weaker character.



Having roundly refusing all advances  of fraternal greetings from CCC/QT  DVR continued to war-game and with the Romance, von-Zimmerframe  , Mimi and the Beast  in range Fuchs  launched a gas grenade.
The results knocked down Mimi ,von-Zimmerframe   and Jenna Romance .



The Beast charged Chester the CCC leader and the two slugged it out, the CCC leaders toughness  helping him avoid a beating.
Seeing things were now at  a critical stage Apone , the LL leader, ran into the gas cloud passing the peril so being ready to take the helpless Mimi in the next round. He couldn’t take the plot point this turn as he didn’t have LoS.



Things were lined up for the good guys to come first as the gas cleared and Apone prepared to take care of the unrecovered Mimi however as the cloud  shifted and dissolved he saw Fuchs of the DVR seizing the plot point (DVR had initiative so moved first) and winning the game and campaign
 for the not so good but definitely war-gaming  bad guys.




Thanks to all the players who  participated and made it an enjoyable close fought  set of games. It was a close campaign right up to the last turn and clearly showed Pulp to be an excellent rules set that works very well with the Sci-Fi/ Future wars setting.
And finally in closing if any readers are tempted to break into euro-gaming in the middle of a wargame  resist the urge, its not big or clever and you are definitely not going to win!