Travelling with Traveller

At Lady Shadowmoss's insistence, I'm on the road this week visiting my parents and some friends in Western New York. In addition to working during the day and much socializing in the evening, I've reserved some snippets of time to read and game (the 18th session of The Ever Expanding Dungeon took place on the 1st day of the trip). One game I have been looking forward to is Traveller.

I acquired the Starter Edition of Classic Traveller last year, and although I rolled up a character or two and generated a sub-sector, I never really played the game. So, as part of my Save a Dead Tree goal in which I make an effort to use those items I already have, I decided to pack it along on the trip.

Last night I managed to roll up two characters and both survived character creation. Since I'm not sure I understand what a Traveller game is supposed to be like, I really wanted to use a published module. I chose to send them on the Mission on Mithril module, as it looks well suited to solo gaming.

Essentially, it's a limited hex crawl set in a sci-fi world rather than a fantasy one. There are three sites, the PCs objectives, that I'll have to explore a bit and I'm not sure how I'll handle those at the moment, but I suspect Mythic will play a part in that.

As the module is structured, each day is broken down into 7 phases including randomly generating an Encounter for each hex crossed, as well as Temperature and Weather which can effect movement rates.

So far, it feels a lot like playing Adventures in Jimland, without miniatures, and set on a frozen planet instead of on a Lost World island. In fact, I've gone so far as to document journal style which probably explains the feeling of similarity:

 "Day 1, we set off for the location marked B on our map. The ATV is as warm as it is cramped, a blessing when the temperature outside hovers near freezing. Unfortunately, as the day passed, the temperature soared to 4 degrees above freezing and turned the snow to slush, the very ground giving way beneath the weight of the transport. We are, in a word, stuck."

More Gunstorm!

Spacejacker clarified my rule question in the comments to my last post, so I wanted to play Gunstorm again. Plus, I wanted to start using the Stunts rules.

I grabbed a copy of In the Emperor's Name (ItEN) Campaign System and rolled up a mission: "No Stone Unturned"

My objective: 

The player must move at least one team member into contact with each marked doorway of each of the six objective buildings and remain in stationary contact for a whole turn in order to search the structure.

At the end of each search, roll 1d6. On a roll of 5-6, a piece of evidence is found that grants a victory point. Each building can only be searched once. On a roll of 1-3, deploy that number of enemy models just out of sight behind the nearest terrain piece or building to the building just searched. They will commence attacking in their next turn. Repeat until all buildings are searched.

There is a 10-turn limit on this scenario.

My force consisted of 5 figures, one had the Leader stunt and one had Medic (I'm slowly dipping my toe into the Stunt waters!). The enemy had 6 figures, no stunts.

Setup

My Intrepid Warriors

The Team moves out

Since there were no enemy deployed at the setup per the scenario, I drew phases as usual but ignored enemy results. The possibility existed each turn that I would draw Fortune before I drew Player Moves. If I drew Fortune, I still rolled to see who won the phase. If I lost, then my squad wouldn't move at all. In a turn-limit game that makes a big difference!

On turn 3 my force finishes searching the first building:

Which results in the first enemy on the table in Turn 4 (Enemy Shoots, Place on Table):

and they advance -Enemy Move (the scenario said "They will commence attacking in their next turn", which I took to mean they could still move):

and they win the Fortune phase and move again:

Turn 5, Player Move, I finish searching a 2nd building and a new enemy soldier appears on the board. Recognizing that I was half-way through my allotted turns, I opt to tap my Leader stunt.

I draw Fortune next and automatically win thanks to the Stunt. I choose Player Move to move into contact with another building on the left

Turn 6, while the 3rd and 4th buildings are being searched, the enemy moves up on the right and a brutal melee strikes up and lasts into Turn 7:

A shoot out on Turn 8 (Exchange Fire):

My leader is hit and fails his Guts Save. I pull a Wound marker! Phew!

He shoots one of the enemy and they aren't so lucky on their draw:

Meanwhile, on the left, my squad member is gunned down. There goes my Medic:

I draw Player Shoots to start turn 9 and my remaining squad member on the left fires at the enemy MG, and misses. Then I draw Exchange Fire:

Her number was up. 

Next, I pull Player Move. 

My squad leader, who had been freed up thanks to the death of a enemy bleeder, searches another building. I draw Fortune and finally win which allows me to un-tap my Leader stunt.

Turn 10, Player Moves: I tap my stunt but continue searching the building. 

Fortune is drawn next and I automatically win. My search of the building is complete. I roll and get a victory point. Finally! 

Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. I was out of turns, my entire squad was gone save the Leader and the enemy had figures on the board.

Still, in an ItEN campaign, that one point would be useful for recruiting my next squad. 

And, of course, now I have an itch to play an ItEN campaign with Gunstorm!

Playing Gunstorm Sci-Fi Skirmish and a Review

If you haven't heard/already seen it, Spacejacker has put up a set of solo small scale skirmish rules called Gunstorm, over on Tiny Solitary Soldiers. I believe they are technically still in Beta, but they are certainly playable.

It's been awhile since I broke out my 15mm sci-fi minis. This was the excuse I was waiting for.

For the first game, I sent a four-figure squad of Control Battalion against a 5 figure squad from the Resistance in a Extraction Scenario: both sides had the objective to get Master Shake off their side of the table.

The Control Battalion had fewer members because they had better armor. Both sides were led by a figure with a rating of Veteran, the rest were Regular. I did not use Stunts.

 The Setup

Between the number of times I drew Fortune, which were won by Control, and Move Enemy, Control moved unimpeded to within a move of Master Shake's HQ:

While my squad stood around scratching their butts:

"Hey, any of you catch the game last night?"

Then the momentum took a turn for the better:

We got there first!

Victory is mine!

Or not:

And it went down hill from there.

The pink stones are bleeders.

The last pic I took.

In the end, Control had Master Shake, and my squad was wiped out - mostly due to bleed outs.

I enjoyed the game enough that I decided to play a quick game today on a break (hence the less than evocative setup).

1 giant rampaging robot vs one squad

The squad started the game disembarked from their Labtec AFV. The robot is visible in the distance.

The phases went in my favor this time and we got up close fast before it had a chance to use its cannon:

I took a gamble upon winning a Fortune phase and moved out to get a combined shot at the robot (it had an 8+ armor rating and there was no way I would hit it without combining.) and crossed my fingers I wouldn't pull the Enemy Shoots phase next.

As luck would have it, I drew the Player Shoots phase and hit!

The robot rolled his Guts Save. He needed a 2 or higher:

Yeah! Take that Warmachine! I then drew the wound chip and drew a clear, which functions as the black wound markers since I don't have enough black stones, i.e. Out!

All in all a fun little system. I think the hardest part for me was figuring out what to use for phase chips and wound markers.

As I said, I think technically this is a Beta. There are some editing issues as of yet - primarily I couldn't find the base movement rate in v1.1 but I had downloaded v1.0 which showed it as 4", so that's what I used.

Also, there's no SMG on the ranged weapons table - not that it mattered in my games, and it's easy to extrapolate. Similarly, there are no vehicle rules, but again,extrapolating them shouldn't be difficult.

One rule I wasn't clear on was whether a model had to test for bleeding out if their side won the Fortune phase. The rules say: "Additionally, at the start of any of it's [sic] side's Phases, a model with Bleeder counters must make an unmodified Guts save for each counter."

 As I see it, neither the Fortune phase nor the Exchange Fire phase belong to either side, but that may not be the intent.

Much like FUBAR or USE ME, you can probably port these to just about any setting/genre.

The solo enemy control seems to work given the types of scenarios this is designed for: small numbers of figures with specific objectives engaged in gun fights.

In any case, they're free, so you can't beat the price. Download them and have a look if you haven't already!

Another Attempt at a Social RPG Game

I have been doing a lot of reading on how to run social games with less exploration-oriented adventures and more story/plot emphasis. I do this often enough in solo games, so theoretically, it should be possible for me to do so for others, right?

With that bit of questionable reasoning in mind, I've decided to give such a game a try as part of the whole "New Year, New Game" thing. 

Rules: USR

USR is extremely flexible and easy to teach and learn - a benefit when the player(s) don't own or want to read the rules.

I know from experience that it will easily handle the kinds of things Lady Shadowmoss likes to do in a game, without bogging me down with game mechanics I don't like, a pre-generated setting that I have to mentally delete, or handfuls of dice for skill checks - the latter, both Lady Shadowmoss and I dislike immensely.

We'll be using USR with many of my Moldvay-class ideas for USR, Labyrinth Lord for the spell lists and the optional USR Narrative Points system will be in play.


Setting: Post-apocalyptic science-fantasy (essentially Mutant Future + Labyrinth Lord or Gamma World + D & D, if you prefer). 

I have wanted to do this type of game for a very long time. 

The potential for gonzo/goofy is high, but since I tend to be farily light hearted in my treatment of RPG settings, I thought it would be nice change of pace to let a darker, bleaker world have its day in the sun (so to speak). 

In this case, we're looking at a desolate wasteland populated and fought over by nomadic tribes, warlords and slavers. Encounters with strange creatures are of course inevitable and will generally best be dealt with by running away.

As I know Lady Shadowmoss prefers playing casters, magic does exist - but it is a largely forgotten art among humans (only LL main rules spells available at start). 

Still there are libraries of ancient magic waiting to be discovered in the ruins of the ancient cultures. It is also rumored that in a handful of the few cities that exist, there meet societies of mages working to develop new spells and which they teach for a price. 

From a rules perspective, these "new" spells will come from the LL AEC's spell lists, which are a good deal longer than the basic rules.

In addition to magic, "ancient technology" will be found here and there - usually among ruins, although sometimes employed by NPCs; firearms, lasers, or simply old tires can all make appearances.

Progress:

We haven't stat-ed her character yet but we have discussed the setting and brain-stormed some ideas. From that, she was able to come up with her basic concept.

She seems a great deal more enthused with the setting and direction than the LL fantasy campaign. If it goes well, we'll invite another player or two to join us.

I'm well under way with the first adventure's design and I'm hopeful that getting her involved early means less wasted effort on my part and a more satisfying game for everyone.

This post was written for the second annual New Year, New Game blog carnival hosted by Gnome Stew as part of the 2013 New Year, New Game challenge.

Sharpie Addiction + 15mm Sci-Fi Interior

I've been on a Sharpie kick the last month or so - the Ultra Fine Point to be exact. I purchased it to do black lining, but I love it for writing. I look for excuses to write things on paper, just to use one. 

It just feels fun when I use it.

As I mentioned in my last post, I found a use for the card stock scraps I'm producing modeling the T-34 (my mock-up is being done with 65 lb stock) :  making a sci-fi interior. 

Combine the two (you were wondering where I was going with this Sharpie thing weren't you?) and you get something like:

"Hey, Lou, what's with that weird tree-like thing?"
"Beats me, Joe Probably some joker trying to give the joint atmosphere."

"Spacious unfurnished studio located in the heart of a Control base. 1st, last, security. Pets OK. This one will go fast!"

It won't win any awards, but it's functional and puts some of the otherwise wasted card stock to use.

Not to mention it's an excuse to use the Sharpie.

The corridor wall started out as a rectangle 90mm wide, as long as the scrap piece (in this case, 135mm). I folded it in half and then folded out the bottom 15mm on each side (the cross section is an inverted 'T')  to make feet so the wall section stand on its own. I then glued the wall together so it stays closed. 

The result is a 30mm x 135mm corridor section.

The corridor floor, another scrap, rests on the feet.

The room is just a 75mm x 75mm x 30mm box, folded from another piece of scrap. This is probably a good deal larger than I'd like to go for a room in the base. I'm thinking 50mm for the longest edge - and if I'm going to doodle on the interior, I need to do it before I fold it. 

Small-space Sci-Fi Game

I was sitting in a meeting this morning, bored out of mind, so I pulled up Word and made a gridded battle area for a small sci-fi skirmish.

I used a 1" grid, colored in spaces for buildings, indicated doors and windows and threw on some wooded cover("explosions2" in Word). 

The final result was printed on a sheet of sand colored cardstock:

The scenario: Rescue the hostage from the enemy's clutches.

 The rules were made up quickly. Starting positions were determined by die roll:

Turns:
Roll 1d6 for initiative, high score moves first

Figures can move and fire each turn, with some exceptions(see further down)

Movement
Base rate of 4 squares, fast = 1d3 + base rate

Combat:

A close up of the good guys from the enemy's perspective

Ranges
pistols = 4 squares
smg = 6 squares
rifle = 10 squares. 

Short range = 1/2 of range or less.

To hit: 
short range/no cover = 4,5,6
short range/cover = 5,6
long range/no cover = 5/6
long range/cover = 6

smg's roll 2 dice to hit

Regulars save on a 6 on a 1d6

Characters roll 1d6 and consult the following table:
6 = Carry on
4,5 = Knocked down
2,3 = Unconscious
1 = Killed

On next activation: Unconscious becomes Knocked down, Knocked down becomes Carry on.

Unconscious and Knocked down can be auto-killed if enemy in adjacent square.

Other:
To shoot into a building through a window, if target figure is not in a square with a window, can only attack on (4-6 on a 1d6) and in LOS.
Doors can be kicked open on a 4-6 on a 1d6

If empty building (no figures on table) are there enemies in building?:

1 Yes (1d4 figures) and you can fire at them

2,3 Yes (1d4 figures) but they you can't fire this turn

4,5 No but that doesn't mean it's an empty building 

6 No and the building is actually empty

A close up of the other 2 good guys from my position.
They have bear butts. Get it? Bear butts?
 I think this joke says more about me than I'd like.

If a figure looks through a window into an empty building(no figures on table) do they see an enemy?
1 Yes (1d4 figures) and you can fire at them
2,3 Yes (1d4 figures) but you can't fire this turn
4,5 No but that doesn't mean it's an empty building 
6 No and the building is actually empty








Special rule for this scenario:
Characters can spend 1 turn searching a building - no other action may be taken

In the first building, a 6 means the hostage is there
In the 2nd building searched, hostage found on 5 or 6
In 3rd building searched, hostage found on 4-6
In 4th building searched, hostage found on 3-6.

With only four buildings, it does means it is possible hostage may not be in any building. Perhaps the intel was wrong or the hostage has been recently transferred to another location.

Added on the fly during my game:
Each turn, roll to see if a patrol enters the board 1-3 yes, 4-6 no. I used 1d4 figures for the patrol size. And rolled for which open edge square the patrol would enter from. Finally, I rolled to see which group of my players they would advance towards and at what rate (fast or regular).

I also used the Yes/YesAnd/NoBut/NoAnd method for questions about enemy tactics if I had any doubt.

The result: A fun game that ended in a TPK as wave after wave of enemy patrols finally took their course.

The Goldielocks Invasion: A Chain Reaction 3 Report

The other night, I decided to turn the one-shot Chain Reaction 3 game I had played into the start of a mini - campaign just try out the CR3 campaign system. As I had been victorious, the next scenario per the rules was The Raid.

The setup:

Although their encounter with the Control Battalion had been successful, Goldielocks [Rep 5, Star] wasn't surprised when the Ursids departed with their scotch and cigars.They're mercenaries after all and they had another job lined up. [In other words, I failed the Stay or Go test for all four Ursids]

When the call came into command that a Control Battalion monitoring station had been located in a settlement in Sector IG-88, the resistance hadn't enough bodies to assemble a new team. Either they'd have to wait to go in - which meant that Control would have more time to gather intel - or Goldielocks would have to go it alone, get in, steal the data off of their monitoring system and get out. She chose to go it alone.

The Raid:

[EAL remained at 3 from the first encounter. One PEF was placed in the monitoring station and the other two were placed per the rules for PEFs. The first PEF was resolved when it moved out of the village into Goldielocks' line of sight. It ended up being a "Here They Come Result", and both groups were the same size as my party of 1. The first "group" is a rep 4 grunt, while the second group, in the village center, is the NPC star leader, REP 5]

I opted to just use dice for In Sight on the table instead of my Decluttering Players Aid

As the Control Battalion infantry [using the PEF Movement Table] rounded the corner, Goldielocks reacted quickly and opened up on the hapless grunt with her SMG:

"That was easy. Too easy." thought Goldielocks. She didn't have to wait long for it to get annoyingly difficult.

The Control Battalion leader [using the NP Force Movement Table] burst through the building between him and Goldielocks in order to get a clear shot at her through a window:

[The resulting shoot out was costly - both sides needed to spend Star Power to avoid being taken down]

After a heated exchange, Goldielocks took advantage of a brief lull to fall back to the woods.

PEF 2 Looms Menacingly in the Background

Figuring she could swing around the village and make her way to the monitoring station that way she moved through the woods. As she approached the edge of the woods, she cursed under her breath. "Damn it! More CB!"

[Resolved 2nd PEF. Another C result. Both groups ended up the same size as my party. Both were Rep 4 grunts. In Sights were rolled]

A hail of bullets later and the two grunts had been knocked out of the fight:

The markers say Knocked Down, but they were actually OOF

"Nighty night creeps!"

Realizing the enemy leader was still in the village, Goldielocks figured he'd be able to get plenty of shots off at her if she tried to run without going for some kind of cover. She checked her clip and took off running for one of the buildings in the village.

A spray of bullets riddled the door frame as she slammed the door shut. She thought to engage the enemy in a firefight but decided that she would be better off trying to make it to the monitoring station to put some distance between them.

To her surprise the monitoring station was empty [The PEF resolved as Nerves and the EAL went up to 4 - which has no effect this game, but will effect the next scenario]. She immediately set about downloading the contents of their server to her data pack.

Meanwhile, the Control Battalion leader made his way to the monitoring station.

He burst in on Goldielocks but she was waiting.

The exchange was brief:

Not to take any chances he'd get back on his feet [he was out of Star Power and could only get back to stunned], she opted to take him out:

As soon as the data finished transferring and she had replaced the contents of the server with garbage, she slipped out of the station to work her way back to base, a trail of bodies in her wake:

Goldielocks and Her Four Bears on Patrol

I had some time tonight and decided to play a quick game of Chain Reaction 3: Final Version.

I played the patrol scenario.

My "guys":

Goldielocks (Rep 5, Star, Leader, smg)
Ice (Polar bear, Rep 5, assault rifle)
Blackie (Black bear, Rep 4,assault rifle)
Brownie (Brown bear, Rep 4, assault rifle)
Asia (Asiatic Black bear, Rep 4, assault rifle)

Goldielocks and her team were sent to patrol Sector: Ben 1-9:

Enemy Activity Level was at a 3.

The first Possible Enemy Force (PEF) was just a case of nerves.

"It's OK fellas, Ben 1-9 is a sketchy place. But I'll protect ya'" teased Goldielocks.

Expecting an attack from woods to the north or the hill to the west, Goldielocks ordered the squad to fan out into position to defend from both directions.

The next PEF made its way towards Goldielocks and company:

A squad of three Control Battalion troopers (all Rep 4, all armed with assault rifles) out on patrol for resistance elements rumored to be in Ben 1-9 appeared at the wood's edge:

in-sights taken all around except Goldielocks who doesn't have LOS

Brownie locked on the trooper opposite him and blasted away.

"OD baby," growled the brown Ursid, partly boasting partly just stating fact.

Ice accepted the challenge and fired on the middle trooper, knocking him out of the fight:

Blackie and the remaining trooper engaged in a back and forth firefight that lasted quite awhile with neither side gaining the edge. Finally, Blackie scored a hit that dropped the trooper (out of fight)

Unfortunately, the trooper kept his cool during the hail of gun fire and caught Blackie looking:

Goldielocks moved on to scout the next section while the rest of the squad took out the two knocked down troopers.

The third and final PEF entered the woods and turned out to be nothing.

Goldielocks and the bears finished their patrol - victory for the resistance!

"Brothers Grimm, this is Goldielocks. The porridge is just right but we've got a bed that's too soft"

"Roger that Goldielocks. The Pumpkin Coach is on its way with a fairy godmother for the bed."