Fallout Wasteland Warfare - Mission 3: The Water Treatment Plant

The following is a play-through of tutorial mission 3 from the FWW campaign book, it incorporates  the previous sections of the rulebook discussed in the two earlier play-throughs but adds interesting scenario mechanics and the use of drugs. You’ll also note if you are familiar with the scenario I am allowing several of the recurring characters to retain one item gained in the previous mission.

Who can forget in Fallout 4, heading over to the Weston water treatment plant on behalf of the robots at Graygarden and being woefully under prepared for what awaits, this mission I think pays homage to that minus, the army of Mirelurks..LOL.

Scenario-  After the events at Fort Davis, Nora was resigned to the fact that Hobbs and Silver were dead and in the Super Mutant Meat Bags, much to her Surprise when a week later both return to the settlement , wounded but alive with the Super Mutants , enslaved tech, Albert in tow.  Apparently the Mutants got sloppy and Albert made a run for it freeing Silver and Hobbs from their cages in time to slide away into the night.. .

Lack of Water is major concern at the Settlement and the timing could not be better,  the plan has been to reactivate the generators at the old Water Treatment  Plant and pump the water into the nearby settlement’s reservoir . With Albert and the others returning they now have the manpower to try this, although it means returning deep into the Super Mutant Territory.  Boss Ram of the Super Mutants is outraged at the escape of Albert and his food supply, He personally leads a party tracking the escaped prisoners in a effort to recapture them.

Objectives

Survivors- Pump 30,000 galllons of water

Super Mutants – Capture 4 models, or after 6 rounds the Survivors have not pumped the 30,000 gallons. 

Note: Recapturing Albert counts as “2” Models toward a Super Mutant Victory.

Super Mutants begin the game with the Advantage Marker. And again AI Cards with dictate the Super Mutants actions..

SURVIVORS

Nora,  Sole Survivor, Day One - 10mm Pistol, Jet , Baseball Bat

Silver , Settler- Assault Rifle

Hobbs , Settler- Assault Rifle-   Nuka Cherry. (shared whomever needs it 1^st)

Dogmeat , Dogbite  .

Albert- Enslaved Tech, Combat Shotgun, Sturdy Leather Armor

SUPER MUTANTS

Boss Ram-   Brute with Sledgehammer, Nuka Cola and Psycho

Hound- Mutant Hound with Hound Bite

Viktor (Aviator)  - Bolt Action Pipe Rifle, Board,  Mentats

Hammer-  Bolt Action Pipe Rifle, Board,  Laser Pistol- Blood Pack (shared whomever needs it 1^st)

MAP

ROUND 1

SUPER MUTANTS

ACTIVATION # ‘s

#1 Boss Ram

#2 Hammer

#3  Viktor

#4 The Hound

  

SUPER MUTANTS

TURN 1

 SUPERMUTANTS

AI chooses Hammer to Act First ,his AI roll is…single bottle or Recklessly  pursue the Objective, which in this case is get the “meat back in the meat bag!” the roll also dictates he will use melee combat. 

Hammer  moves twice ,  the middle of his second move he meets ladder  this isn’t a difficult as a free climb (so no agility test) but it IS  difficult terrain so Hammer continues a short way up the ladder  ending  half way up the ladder toward reaching Hobbs!

SURVIVORS

Hobbs is readied, Hobbs has no interest into returning to Super Mutant captivity he moves away from the Pump station as his first action until he has a clear shot at Hammer with his Assault Rifle.

For his second action he opens fire. He rolls (  7 , -1, bonus damage x 2, ) the 7 to hit becomes a 6 thanks to the -1 which is exactly what he needs., Hammer is looking at 4 Damage! His Armor can only block 1, we make an Armor Check and he rolls a ‘1”  - Hammer takes 3 damage…

TURN 2

SUPERMUTANTS

AI  Chooses Viktor to act next… his AI roll is an explosion, which mean he will Carefully Attack at Range. Viktor make a single to nearby cover and fire at Dogmeat , While both Dogmeat and Nora are in range they are elevated (significant edge cover) so Dogmeat being in Short Range he gets a better chance to hit.  Viktor fire his Bolt Action Pipe Rifle at Dogmeat Rolls (3, Armor Break and Bottle) …, Viktor needed a 4 but with -1 cover he needed a 3, so he just hits…the Armor Break wipes Dogmeats , Survivor faction Bonus Armor. And its now 2 damage from the rifle vs 2 armor for dogmeat…dogmeats armor check is a 1 so he blocks 1 damage and takes a wound..ARFFF..

SURVIVORS

Nora is readied I have Nora go next, while we have to start pumping water, I’ll have the next 2  do that..Nora has some Jet,  funny I never have my characters use Jet in the video game, but here it make no sense not to take it turn 3 then roll for addiction at the end of the game

Here there is no reason for Nora not to light Viktor up with her 10mm Pistol

He does, however have cover so Nora is looking for a “4”  she misses but picks up a prepared action (x, cog) , the Rolls is a (7) a miss on her second shot.

TURN 3

.

SUPERMUTANTS

AI Chooses Boss Ram next, his AI roll is a double bottle or "Carefully" go for Objective in melee,  He makes a single move as his 1^st action ,he can see the enslaved tech inside the pump station , He also sees he get the going thru dogmeat who's in his charge range.  Boss Ram, lets out a BATTLE CRY and Charges Dogmeat.

Boss Rams battle cry test is a “6” pass needs less that 8, Dogmeats is a 5 and rolls a 7 so he fails

Dogmeat is facing a ton of dice here Rams get Black bonus for his Strength a Green bonus for the charge and another black and green for the battle cry..plus the two standard yellows… he rolls (2, -1,-2, 2 bonus damage , 2 armor break.)Ouch!!  Dogmeat takes the 4 full damage and has a single health point remaining.

SURVIVORS

Despite Dogmeats  predicament ,its time to pump some water.  The Enslaved Tech is readied  goes to make a computer check and send some water to our settlement he needs an “8” or less,  roll (8) Success  , on the nose  6000, gallons is pumped,  We make second test for extra 1000 gallons he rolls a (cog) fails but picks up a prepared action.

TURN 4

SUPERMUTANTS

Only the Mutant Hound remains,  AI roll is a bottle and star (count as bottle)  which is recklessly attack (melee) interestingly enough I haven’t used mutant hounds yet and look pretty useful they can charge with LoS and the can leap (climb) as long as they don’t stop mid climb,  I have the Hound leap into the Pump station over the railing, since he has tons of room we can also call it a charge, the Enslave Tech’s prepared action gives him a change to unload his Combat Shotgun as the Hound leaps thru the window, He shoots (X, miss) but misses.  the hound picks up a black dice from the charge for the next rounds Close Combat

SURVIVORS

Silver is readied. I can have her pump additional water at 1000 gallons per try or try to take down the wounded super mutant Hammer climbing the ladder

We go with the latter , she has to move as her first action to get a clean shot, on second action she shoots but rolls (10) so its miss..

Dogmeat is readied, locked in combat with Boss Ram fighting for his life he gives it his all he rolls (Cog) so he picks up an action point,  Dogmeat can move on a action point not just prepare an action so I am going to try to have get the heck out of there.. Boss Ram gets a free swing,  rolls (7, -1, armor break and blank) damn that armor break seals the deal,  as while Dogmeat has 1 health he has 2 armor so he could potentially block both damage here but the Sledge does 2 damage and he could only block one due to the armor break,..so dogmeat goes down and goes into the meatbag!

Boss Ram bellows (  I  can’t resist )  “looks like meats back on the menu boys!!’

Dogmeat did get a chance to do much this game.

  

END OF ROUND 1

WATER PUMPED 6000 gallons

SURVIVORS CAPTURED , 1, Dogmeat.

Scene end of round 1

ROUND 2

Sides are tied so the Survivors have the advantage.

TURN 1

SURVIVORS

Strategy: lots of choices here, lets take a moment to look at the Survivors options

1.       Nora has a prepared action, prepared actions carry over turns but are removed when a model activates

So the in the chance that Boss Ram activates before I have to activate her , I want to get that extra shot off at him, because we are going to need it

2.       Enslaved Tech- with 3 health at his full his full and a  3 Melee stat, we don’t want him in Close combat with the mutant hound…with his Sturdy Leather Armor and armor boost..he  islikely survive the 1^st round of melee, even with the extra charge dice.  Alberts best option is break away, risk the free attack and jump out pump tower and run  to a generator.  Jumping out the window isn’t a huge problem  while the jump is a yellow height meaning I roll a black die and +2 damage..so the damage is  potentially 2-4 for Falling…Jumping is resolved as one less so it Orange or just a black die..still he could take 2 damage worse case.

3.       Hobbs and Silver- Hammer is a half health..they can probably kill him if the can both go before he does.

I decide to risk #2, and get the enslaved tech out of there

Albert post jump from the Towers second floor, if there was an MVP its surely him., might have to plan a rescue mission.

Albert withdraws from combat with the Mutant hound facing at free strike,   Roll ,(6, bonus damage x 2, Black, Bottle)

Ok pretty bad the hound needs a 6 so it’s a hit and it’s a total of 4 damage, with armor boost Albert does have 4 armor

I make and armor check roll (4)  and holy cow he saves all 4 points of damage…lucky man…(thanks and good bye armor boost token) 

Albert now jumps out the window I roll a black die (1 damage)  His Armor is now a 3 I roll an armor check (2)  again his armor saves him, Albert survives unscathed

His second action he moves toward the white generator but just cant reach it

SUPERMUTANTS

AI Chooses #1  Boss Ram  , AI roll is double bottle, or carefully pursue the objective .

Interestingly enough Ram is set up perfectly to charge Nora battle cry and all, but with her prepared action I could have Jump away as well as shoot, Ram would sure realize this plus he can see Albert escape the hound..

I have Boss Ram turn around and pursue Albert, he is the main objective , after all.

Nora will use her prepared action to fire a shot off the Brute.  Roll (3.-1 , blank)  Nora hits with a 2, Boss Ram has 2 armor

Vs the 2 damage, and his Armor check is a “2” so he takes no damage!  Argh

Boss Ram moves twice getting very close to Albert.

TURN 2

SURVIVORS

Hobbs takes a shot at Hammer coming up the ladder with his assault rifle.  Roll (7, -2, Blank )  a hit with a 5 for potential 2 damage. Hammer armor is 1, and he rolls a 1 so he take 1 more damage he’s up to 4,

For Hobbs second action it’s a gamble, move away or try to finish him, I have Hobbs unload his AR again

Roll (4, -2, Armor Break) this time he gets lucky with the Armor break. Hammer will take the full 2 damage and falls to the ground , Out of Action.  That’s one for the good guys

Hammer was an Assault Rifle sponge.

SUPERMUTANTS

AI chooses #4 Mutant Hound next, AI Roll is double bottle or reckless attack, it cant reach Albert due to terrain and Ram being in the way , plus is faces and damage taking jump,  path of least resistance is nearby Nora who with a leap and charge is contact with her getting an extra green die from the charge next attack.

TURN 3

SURVIVORS

Silver is readied, she’s going to move and try to pump water she moves back to the terminal and makes a computer check  shes needs a 4 and rolls (a critical)  succeeding on pumping another 6000 gallons.

SUPERMUTANTS

Viktor remains for team Super Mutant, AI Roll is Reckless Objective

Some common sense comes into play here,  I have Viktor first action go retrieve an item he does

And he gets lucy with Supermutant  Heavy Gauntlets,

he then returns to cover to await the Hound vs Nora fight As if he she jumps to escape or loses, and Ram most like captures Albert . it a victory for the Super Mutants

Nothing to do?  grab some items, the chance to do so is limited in this scenario despite the amount there are

TURN 4

SURVIVORS

Nora is readied, in combat with the mutant hound, she has a baseball bat, but it still seems like a better deal to shoot her 10mm pistol in close combat -roll (critical, extra damage , -3)  nice hit for potential 3 damage,  Hound gets a bonus armor since shes shooting in CC.  making it armor 2, armor check is a  2 so it only takes a wound, second shot is a miss

END OF ROUND 2

WATER PUMPED 6000 gallons,  12000 total.

SURVIVORS CAPTURED , 1, Dogmeat.

SUPERMUTANTS  OoA, 1 Hammer

  

ROUND 3

SUPERMUTANTS have 3 and gain the Advantage.

TURN 1

AI chooses # 4 The Hound, which proceeds to attack Nora  roll ( Crit, 2 armor break, double bottle, single bottle, blank) Its hits with a double armor break, Nora’s armor is 4 which reduced to 2, her armor check is a “2” she saves the 2 damage

The Hound attacks again  roll (Crit (again! Come on!)  2 armor breaks and an explosion, same this and again Nora rolls a 2 so she save both damage BUT the explosion means she now has an injured arm and all skills are -2 including shooting!!

Ouch

SURVIVORS

Albert the enslaved tech has on chance here, he moves the Generator and fires it up. Albert needs a 8 or less.

Roll (7)  luck has it again The generator will now pump 5000 gallons a turn on its own and the Super Mutants Are not smart enough to know how to shut it down.

TURN 2

SUPERMUTANTS

AI chooses #1 . Boss Ram who immediately charges Albert with his Battle Cry that Albert has no defense against.

Ram rolls  2 yellow, 3 black ( 1 strength 1 charge, 1 battle cry) and 1 green (battle cry)

He rolls and its beyond brutal   to Hit 1, green -2 (thanks not needed)  3 armor breaks from the yellow, and 3 Bonus damage from the black!!!!  Alberts  3 armor is negated he takes 5 full damage against his 3 health..and is back in the bag!   One more kill and the mutants win!

just brutal, 5 damage in one go doesnt happen too much...

SURVIVORS

Nora is readied,  Nora uses her Jet.

Nora’s first move it too withdraw by Jumping off the walkway, again an Orange height fall one potential damage from the black die

The Hound gets a free strike , Hits again..but Nora again saves roll (3) both damage with her armor,  she also does take a damage from the black die on the jump but again Rolls(1)  shaking it off she then moves to get line of sight on the hound and gets a prepared action from the Jet ( if she was heroic jet would be great as she could shoot away with the extra AP) as it stands all she can do is single prepare.

TURN 3

SUPERMUTANTS

Viktor remains AI Roll says  Bottle or recklessly pursue objective in melee, Just what Viktor wants to do with his new heavy gauntlets (+2 energy damage)  unfortunately after his 1^st action his potential charge is just short so he has to make a regular move,  this movement triggers Nora prepared action and she fires  roll (2, -1, Bonus Damage)  a hit for up to 3 damage Viktor has 1 armor and rolls a 1 so stops 1 point and takes 2 damage from Nora

SURVIVORS

Silver is readied , From her spot at the terminal  Silver has a clear line of sight on  The Mutant Hound and Viktor

She fires her assault rifle at long range , at the Hound first  roll (crit, extra damage)   Hound has 1 armor and makes the save rolling a 1 so it takes 2 damage , She fires again but misses

Hound is just off the north edge of the photo , its still on the walkway near pump control 3 at this point.

Hobbs is readied, he cant move anywhere and get shot off, the massive water tank is blocking his LoS, he can see Boss Ram but he’s outside Assault Rifle range. Since we’ve already pumped I have him move twice over by Silver so we can maximize firepower next turn.

END OF ROUND 3

WATER PUMPED 5000 gallons,  17000 total.

WATER LOST  Enslaved Tech Not inside Pump area at start of turn – 2000 gallons

WATER NET  15,000

SURVIVORS CAPTURED , 3, Dogmeat. Albert, (Enslaved tech , counts as 2)

SUPERMUTANTS  OoA, 1 -Hammer

,

ROUND 4

Sides are tied at 3 , so the Survivors are in luck and gain the Advantage.

TURN 1

SURVIVORS

Strategy- Thanks to Albert the Generators will pump 15000 galllons of water automatically over the next 3 turns. Thu we do lose some without  him,  all the Survivors need to do is stay alive.

Nora is readied,  Jet is still kicking, Nora fires 2 shots at Viktor, the first misses, roll (8)  the second is Roll (crit, -1, bonus damage) for up to damage, Viktor fails his save and takes all 3, he’s down to 1 health.

Nora withdrawing after filling Viktor full of lead.,  Chems for the win here.

 Nora gets 2 extra moves thanks to the Jet and maneuvers over 2 piece of difficult terrain to put distance between herself and the Mutants.

SUPERMUTANTS

The AI unwisely chooses #1, Boss Ram to go first.  Ram is far away from the action and makes his toward it moving twice

He cant end a move touching a searchable marker and picks up some Iguana Bits on his way.

TURN 2

SURVIVORS

Silver is readied,  She fires her Assault Rifle hoping to put down Viktor, roll (3, armor break) and she does  Viktor loses his chance to make an armor save with the Armor Break and takes  2 damage, Viktor is OoA.

Silver fires  her second shot at the Hound and misses , roll (8)

SUPERMUTANTS

It the Hounds turn, the Supertmutants are down to Boss Ram and his pet.

AI roll is double bottle which of course mean recklessly attack, and the target is of course the wounded Nora.

The Hound leaps off the walk way it still incurs a black die as potential damage, roll ( 1 damage) it lands badly and is hurt its fails its armor save taking its 4^th wound…it then even across the difficult terrain has enough room to charge Nora

It does picking up an extra Green die from the charge.

TURN 3

SURVIVORS

Hobbs is readied, Hobbs too leaps down from the walkway.  He get the lone black die and too rolls (1 damage) his armor boost is yet used, so he has 2 armor, his armor check is (1) so he saves the damage

His second action he shoots his assault rifle at the Hound, this risks hitting Nora but if he hits he will kill the hound and wont kill her, so its risk he’s willing to take  roll (x,cog, 2 armor breaks)  He misses but does get a prepared action moving into the next turn.

END OF ROUND  4

WATER PUMPED  5000 gallons, 20000 gallons total.

WATER LOSS- Zero , Generator  pumped Water

SURVIVORS CAPTURED , 3, Dogmeat. Albert, (Enslaved tech , counts as 2)

SUPERMUTANTS  OoA, 2 –Hammer, Viktor

ROUND 5

Supermutants are down to 2 units, the gain the advantage marker

TURN 1

SUPERMUTANTS

AI again chooses # 1 Boss Ram,  Ram keep making his way toward the action hitting another searchable marker on the way,  Oops it’s a Danger Card….turns out to be an electric shock, Ram takes a point of damage with no save, but picks up a Stimpak in the process , he’s now close enough he can probably get into the action next turn,

SURVIVORS

Nora is readied , she breaks away from the Hound taking the Free Strike..the Hound uses his charge dice..

Roll (crit,  2x Armor break, 2 x Bottle)  bottles don’t mean much here but the double armor break means Nora needs a 1 on the Armor check die and she rolls (1) …she does it again but this time she takes 1 damage

She open fires on the hound  Roll (5, -1, -1) the resulting “3” is just what she needs,  The hound can only block one damage , with one health left is goes OoA. Good job Nora.

Nora's last round of Jet here, she passed the addiction roll, and ended the turn with a prepared action, I just forgot to mark it.

Silver is readied, Silver going to try to pump an extra 6000 this turn and win it for the Survivors.

Roll she rolls (4) just what she needs success!..

For he second action she moves to walk way to be ready to shoot next turn.

Hobbs is readied, giving up his prepared action from last turn Hobbs moves to  a close searchable finds a Chain Dog Collar and moves to cover for the last round.

WATER PUMPED 11,000 gallons,  31000 gallons total.

WATER LOSS, Enslaved Tech captured – 2000 gallons

WATER NET, 29,000 gallons

SURVIVORS CAPTURED , 3, Dogmeat. Albert, (Enslaved tech , counts as 2)

SUPERMUTANTS  OoA, 2 –Hammer, Viktor

ROUND 6

Supermutants are down to Boss Ram  so he gains the advantage marker

SUPERMUTANTS

AI roll is a single bottle or Carefully Pursue the objective, not much chance of that now, I have Ram hit the pyscho

Make a double move ending on searchable token, which is blank. Thanks to the Psycho Ram gets 3 armor boosts this round.

SURVIVORS

Sliver is readied, Silver move as first action to get into short range with her Assault Rifle and then shoots at Boss Ram, she misses

Game end...Ram probably would have won if we went another turn and he could have got into it with say, Hobbs

Hobbs is readied  fires from cover at the corner of the building his first shot misses but on the second shot he  rolls (crit, -2)  Ram’s looking at 2 damage and has 3 armor , he rolls a 1, blocking a single point…Ram has 2 wounds.

Nora is readied,  She moves to a nearby searchable marker  finding a .44 Revolver and done

WATER PUMPED 5000 gallons,  36000 gallons total.

WATER LOSS, zero all Generator pumpeds

WATER NET, 34,000 gallons

SURVIVORS CAPTURED , 3, Dogmeat. Albert, (Enslaved tech , counts as 2)

SUPERMUTANTS  OoA, 2 –Hammer, Viktor

SURVIVOR VICTORY – The Water pumped will make life easier until the next rains, unconscious and wounded  Dogmeat was recovered

34,000 gallons of water pumped

Items recovered  .44 Revolver, Chain Dog Collar

SUPERMUTANT LOSS- Albert has been recaptured, Boss Ram is happy but Humans must pay the price this area is under Ram’s Authority

Items Recovered : Heavy Gauntlets, Iguana bits, Stimpak

A nice comeback for the Survivors hanging in there and not giving up getting another membered captured. Albert absolutely won the game by getting that generating going before getting recaptured.

The AI (well,  luck of the dice really ) did the Super Mutants no favors having Boss Ram go first on two of those turns where the advantage of going in the 1^st turn of the Round ,really could have helped the Super Mutants,  Viktor could have used the Blood Pack, for example if he just got the chance , the Mutants do recover some nice items thou.

Next up……The Lost Journal

My Favorite Things 2018

My Favorite Things 2018

I always finish the year out on the blog with some sort of year  end commentary on my wargaming hobby. This year I thought I’d try something different, instead of toothless resolutions or lamenting my lack of posting I thought I mention my favorite wargaming related things of 2018, I may not have played a ton of games this year or go to Adepticon but I did actually do more than last couple years combined (or least it feels like it) so as we kiss off 2018 here’s what was keeping me busy this year when it comes to wargaming.

Favorite Miniatures Company:

Reaper Miniatures

Not too much of a shock if you’ve read the blog the last 12 years, they’re always in the background and always right there besides whatever else I am talking about.  I’ve been a fan, I’ve been highly irritated by some decisions thye’ve made but they’ve have persevered and have kept my loyalty longer than any other miniature company. This year I bought , built and painted more Reaper than any other manufacture, for  overall variety., customer service and turning The “Bones”  line around- I would say 180 degrees in the time between Bones I and IV. Reaper I don’t give you props enough and while you don’t get the credit in the wargaming world  like you do from the RPG world…this year I want to take the time and say you rocked.

Favorite Gaming product

Hands down, no contest. 

 Terrain Crate from Mantic Games.

 Ronnie Renton is clearly a "throw it all at the wall and see what sticks kind of guy", Mantics taken its lumps when it comes to its games , games design and its miniatures , they’ve got stuff people love and stuff people hate but there is definitely something to be said about  their ability to “please some of the people- all of the time”  in fact -they should use that as their new motto !.  Terrain Crate was a well designed brilliant idea.  I am kicking myself (no pun intended) for not getting in huge (or at all) on the Kickstarter , I was happy I got in early post kickstarter ebay scene to gobble some stuff up before it all KS releases sold out.  Now I am not sure how the Kickstarter played out for backers but for as the retail consumer on this it worked out great for me, large sets, small sets , even little one of tiny sets,. Well priced and good durable material and  nice solid , old school designs without stupid skulls all over everything….. Great job Mantic.

Favorite Hobby Accessory

Woodland Scenics Earth Colors Black Pigment- 

This stuff is my hobby mojo, black gold, magic powder.It’s been around forever I’ve used it forever and its something again I don’t mention enough. I use it for terrain painting and shading , vehicle detailing and shading  and as miniature wash and shade. A thick pigment that you can use as is or mix with water or a medium gel  to create the desired consistency, I never found a black wash on the market I’ve liked as much as any I can make from this stuff. I use their Raw and Brunt Umber pigments with much regularity too, but not as much as black…If you think my miniatures look cool..Ive used this on all of them!

Favorite Game 2018-

Another “no contest”  choice :

Rangers of Shadow Deep by Joseph McCullough

While I have not played a ton of games this year , I have picked up or at least  checked out a decent amount of games. Things I played : Otherworld Skirmish, Rogue Stars, Deadzone and even a refresher game of Frostgrave, just the other day.  Things I checked out I wish I could play but know I never will:  Song of Ice and Fire, Gaslands, This is not a Test, and Last Days: Zombie apocalypse and Dracula’s America .To finally games I bought but never played or have not gotten a chance to yet: Frostgrave -(Maze of Malcor), Star Saga,  New Releases for Song of Blades and Heroes, and Bolt Action 2^nd Edition books.  Out of all that- nothing got me as excited to roll dice as Rangers of Shadow Deep, what can I say it just clicks all  the right buttons for me AND I get to use my painted miniatures and terrain that I haven’t in used in years again..WIN/WIN

Thanks Joe.   (Rangers Ep3 ..is coming soon hopefully this year!)

Favorite You Tube “Gamer” Channel  2018

Guerrilla Miniature Games- 

I probably subscribe to about dozen or so Hobby related You Tube channels. This one kind of took off for me this year. I met Ash Barker way back in probably 2007 when he was still with GW and was visiting my local GW shop that my pal Jeff used to run. It took a while of watching the channel to realize I had actually met the guy years ago  and chatted with him about our WFB club at the time. Not sure if the fleeting personal connection  has biased me but I started gravitating to his channel more and more. As a stay home at dad, he manages to produce a mind blowing amount of content,  sure I don’t like at least half of it , but the other half I do and he’s is great at play testing and demoing games and his hobby skills are top notch. check him out and subscribe and even support him if you are so inclined.

 Favorite Stupid Idea 2018

Mantic Games – Star Saga

Mantic has to take the good with bad, another “promise you the world” , “looks awesome” Kickstarter that you’ll get at some point- long after you stopped caring . This was actually ordered in 2016!!  Shipped Dec 2017 And didn’t arrive at my door until first thing 2018..  To make the pain a little stronger- all my extras (what I wanted most ) were in Wave 2 AND didn’t arrive until just this month a year! after the initial game shipped, while this looked super cool at the time of the KS campaign, In the end  I was way less than impressed with the final components  and did even want to punch it out, after checking out the figures , I packed it up nice and sold this thing on eBay  ASAP while the release buzz was hot. The reason I call this my favorite stupid idea was I sold it to a nice fellow who paid for it and the mystery wave 2 game play items  in advance even thou I couldn’t ship it to him until 9 months later , I got a great price and got to keep the resin core figures and extra terrain I added on as an extra and still made all my money back and some…for me that doesn’t happen too often. I should backed Terrain Crate instead, no..I should just say NO to Mantic kickstarters and get the stuff retail.

Favorite Kickstarter 2018

Reaper Bones IV

Some of you might remember  I was big Bones I supporter, and I came out right away calling it “crap” as soon as I got my hands on it. And I still stand by that -the Bones I figures are crap, I cut them up use them as tokens , dead bodies , scenery whatever, some of the small figures paint up ok, many are unusable sitting in a box my kids test paint them.- they’ll never see the gaming table.  Cheap bendy plastic lacking the detail of even your average board game pieces on the market  today. All of the larger figures were ok I always said that, BUT Bones has come along way and Reaper has taken all that investment to making these figures better, The Bones figures  now at retail that were in Bones I are miles better than their original counterparts. Post Bones II and III releases have gotten progressively and noticeable better and better.  Its why I decided to take the plunge and back Bones IV, I love the designs many done by my favorite Reaper Sculptors  , Bob Ridolfi and Julie Guthrie,  This was 2017 Buy in for 2019 delivery , it my favorite Kickstarter because of regular  informed updates all thru the year with pictures of finished products and delivery looks to be on time for Feb 2019…Reaper has got the KS thing figured out.

And…That’s it for my obligatory year end post….one more Bat Rep for me this year  and I’ll be head down work mode with a big project in January, Ill be back in the new year, with more Blackbarrow, More Rangers of Shadow Deep, A new Hirst Arts project,  Frostgrave and Adepticon…see ya then .

Rogue Stars Part I, A Review

Recently Osprey games has been cranking out rulebooks like crazy, and after the hit that is Frostgrave, why not?. One that recently caught my attention was Rogue Stars , a small scale Science Fiction themed skirmish game. Written by Andrea Sfiligoi, who is the man behind Songs of Blades and Heroes and Ganesha Games. Considering I have ton of Sci Fi figures and Terrain I rarely use and am familiar with the authors other games , was really all it took to get me to click "buy" over on Amazon.

Now while Song of Blades and Heroes never became my go to fantasy skirmish game for many reasons that I will not going into here, Rogue Stars is a much different game. A skill based game with a freeform turn system, that uses rotating “on the fly” turns based on one player voluntarily passing initiative or having stolen from him, via reactions to his failed activations.  The game also revolves on accumulated stress placed on characters through successful actions which push turns to the limit where you eventually have to pass in order to manage character stress.

If this sounds way complicated, it is at first.  Rogue Stars is, in its own way the antithesis of Frostgrave. While my 10 year old was rolling dice and playing Frostgrave  like anyone else within a couple hours , Rogue Stars is for someone who is familiar with complexity of different wargames and likes rules heavy RPG mashed into a Tactical Wargame.  Now that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is mine, I rolled enough RPG dice playing Traveller and Alternity back in the day, I immediately get what the author is going for.

Now that is not to say the book itself is not without its flaws, Like many of these Osprey Wargame Books, they are all of similar length regardless of the need for content. I found the RS book at 64 pages at least 46 pages short.  So while character creation is covered in depth and good detail with all kinds of charts for Missions, Locations and Complications , and well wide selection of Themes for squads , equipment and skills, I found the core mechanic sections, jumbled , oddly layed out and somewhat confusing.  To really get a handle on the rules to where I could play without going crazy took numerous visits to Authors Facebook Page, The Rogue Stars Fan Page, and the Lead Adventure Rogue Stars Forum.

There is also a healthy errata sheet and immediate updates available at those locations. In end I am fine with it being a living document with currently a lot of interest, however  I think not really being an off shelf , ready to play product without alot of guessing rules intent Is really doing the game or Osprey any favors. 

  The book certainly need its front end reorganized a bit with a lot more play examples illustrated in detail. I also found it odd there is no section on “Movement” . Figure movement being so key to many a tactical to having the only mention of movement in game limited to Walk, Sprint and Run distances, some addition movement mention in some skills and equipment to be off putting, however after a test game I think this isn’t really necessary because the game doesn’t need it, it should just be spelled out early in the rules so you aren’t  referencing other games in the back of your head wondering  “how do I move”.

Despite these logistical shortcomings, Once I got a handle on it , I really enjoyed the game. A much different experience than the boardgame like feel of say Deadzone,  (which I also like and love the figures for, as I am using them here) .  I definitely think Rogue Stars is a game I will be returning too often.   I’ll save play mechanics for my After Action Report coming up in part II.  Let me close here with a quick recap.

Rogue Stars,  Osprey Publishing

Overall  **** 4 Stars out of 5.

Gameplay  ***** 5 Stars

Rulebook  *** 3 Stars

Pros- Fantastic skill based Character system, (no stats)  Great  mission layout and thematic details. Designed as a campaign style system. I love the old school RRG vibe the game is going for.  its also D20 which I like, (some wont as it characterized a too wide a number spread, but I think this is countered by the option to roll multiple dice)

Cons-  Mechanics are poorly laid out, lack of play examples , no quick reference sheet, relies  heavily on charts that need to be referenced,  three different live mechanics per character to be tracked , Stress, Pins and Wounds.

If you like old school Sci Fi Rpgs, like  Original Traveller, Gamma World, or Alternity, and have an itch for narrative sci fi skirmish game and with the time to wrap your head around it…this is for you.

If you are wondering what the hell I have been up to since October I’ll be back with more of that after I wrap up the Rogue Stars AAR.

I’ll leave you  with a couple shots from my AAR, which of course takes place on my Hirst Arts Space Station now augmented with Mantic terrain.