BLAM An Alien Encounter

[Elk101]

Some people may recall that Sally Forth were testing out an mdf kit of parts for sci-fi corridors (see the first image)?  These were ones I'd drafted up with a view to getting them laser cut so I had a transportable set up. This was primarily with BLAM in mind.

Well, we played our first BLAM game on it this year and I think it's fair to say we had fun (I hope, I know at least i did!).

The story involved a research station run by DTS Corporation,  a once significant player in deep space exploration and ship systems,  but now one desperate for any edge they can get. They are aware of elements of what went on at Hadley's Hope and this influences their decision on what will happen on this backwater outer rim rock that has only just begun the terraforming process.

The game started with the station in darkness except for the red hue of the emergency lighting and the pulse of the security lockdown alarm. The phase 1 quarantine process has just lifted, releasing all doors except the Key Operations Areas (engineering,  medical,  science,  security and central administration). Station crew are split throughout the station. We had 4 starting in the first game and 5 in the second.

In both games the crew were attempting to restore power,  lift the security lockdown and remove the phase 2 quarantine lockdown thar would allow them to leave the station (if for some reason this was necessary).

I didn't get much in the way of photos but I have some from others, namely S44lade,  so thanks Niall. Eric the Shed also has some on his blog,  which is always worth a read anyway.

Both games went very differently and players were encouraged to interact with the setting and each other. I was very keen that players could attempt whatever they could think of rather than being too rules prescriptive. The rules themselves were home grown and used the red and green X-wing dice.

The first game so the players get the security lockdown and quarantine off fairly quickly though things went pear-shaped when they got trapped in central admin by a creature they could only describe as 'Alien'.

They eventually managed to escape by smashing a window (achieved by Dr Zombie but "weakened" by S44lade!) and then climbing down a lift shaft but the Alien followed them. They located a missing crew member trapped in the lift but this was short lived as the Alien pulled him through the hatch and tore him apart. As the surviving crew split up they were whittled down one by one starting with the chief engineer (Mason) who bravely went to the aid of the scientist (Dr Zombie). The game reached a cinematic conclusion as the somewhat treacherous security officer played sneakily by S44lade got trapped in the ventilation system with the creature. He managed to kill the Alien but the resulting acid splash was too much for the wounded character to take. The sole survivor was the station's synthetic (Hu Rhu) who saw it as their duty to lock the station down.

[Mason]

This was a brilliant game to play, mate, one of my highlights of BLAM this year.
I thoroughly enjoyed the setting and paranoid atmosphere that was created (even if I was the first to die!).
 

The set-up was amazing too.
You have done a cracking job with the design work on the base and all the interior decor certainly whetted my apetite to build a collection of my own.
 

You may as well mention the name of the game, as I am pretty sure it will be mentioned several times soon enough.
 

[Malamute]

I really wish I had been able to play this, watching and hearing the fun/screams/horror my table was enough to make me hope we will be able to enter Masons Rim again at BLAM next year

[Elk101]

Thanks guys, I had a great time running it.

The second game went a totally different way with the players deciding that getting the power on was critical. This made movement much easier and faster for the crew. And the Alien! The science team (Andym and Oldskoolrebel) used the ventilation system to move around. But what was that scratching sound behind them?  Shortly after they exited the vents Andym found his character fighting off a facehugger. His brave crewmates promptly legged it! There was a moment of hilarity when Oldskoolrebel locked down a security door only for Damas to 'accidentally' re-open it with the Alien on the other side. This time NurgleHH played the synthetic, correctly surmising that the Alien would have no interest in him. Until he attacked it that was! Dr De'Ath and Oldskoolrebel worked together to escape the base and after Oldskoolrebel torched the creature,  Dr De'Ath struck the killing blow.

Two very different games and both hugely enjoyable.  A very big thank you to all the players who really made this game work.

[Mason]

A highlight of the second game, as a bystander, was hearing NurgleHH declare in a loud voice:

''I am a synthetic women, you know?!?!''

That did make me laugh.
 

[Elk101]

A highlight of the second game, as a bystander, was hearing NurgleHH declare in a loud voice:

''I am a synthetic women, you know?!?!''

That did make me laugh.
 

Yeah. That turned a few heads! He very much got in to character. The game would have been nothing without the right players and I definitely had the right players.

[Dr. Zombie]

This was a brilliant game I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was so absorbed in it that I completely forgot to take any pictures.

We need to return to Masons Rim next year. This time with Colon(ial) Marines.

[Elk101]

This was a brilliant game I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was so absorbed in it that I completely forgot to take any pictures.

We need to return to Masons Rim next year. This time with Colon(ial) Marines.

You'll always have the honour of being the one that managed to break the window mate! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm planning next year already.

[Damas]

And next time I will be more of a 'team' player. 

[Elk101]

And next time I will be more of a 'team' player. 

You were a great villain mate. You were so 'matter of fact' about it that no one really noticed!

[Mason]

You picked your villains well, I reckon.
The pair of 'em were right nasty wotsits....
 

[Damas]

I'll have you know there were no wotsits involved during the rumpus around Mason's Rim.   Just me, a synthetic gender confused german and a number of victi.. co-workers. 

[S44lade]

Villain, moi - surely not?

I was being an excellent team player..... just not necessarily for the team trapped in the base with me.
 

[Elk101]

I'll have you know there were no wotsits involved during the rumpus around Mason's Rim.   Just me, a synthetic gender confused german and a number of victi.. co-workers. 

  you were a rather splendid villain!

[Elk101]

Villain, moi - surely not?

I was being an excellent team player..... just not necessarily for the team trapped in the base with me.
 

  you played it as diametrically opposed as it could have been from Damas but you got away with it just as well. Well, you would have if it wasn't for those meddling kids and that pesky xenomorph!