Game Tonight - Rogue Trader

'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the hous(es), many creatures were stirring, as Orks had overrun the planet.  In the heavy fighting, the Imperial Warhound class titan Revenge of Rudolphus, known affentionately as "The Red Nose", was destroyed by Ork Stompa mobs.  It seems, however, that the crew survived, bailing out from the crew compartment while the Titan went down, and now they are hiding in some ruins at the edge of an urban sector.  The crew sent a single distress signal on the way out, hoping Imperial forces would detect it, and then went silent, for fear of attracting too much Ork attention.

The Ork Warlord, Snagrod the Arch-Arsonist, is furious - meaning, more furious than he usually is. The victory is not complete without the heads of the titan's crew.  Snagrod rolls out personally with his lads to find these suriving humies and get them for his "collection", ready to finish the job the over-sized mek toys could not.  It's the holidays, after all, and the heads of the Titan crew would make great decorations.

Meanwhile, from the Imperial perspective, Titan crews are precious assets - way more important than any other ground-troop types. That means other, less important, lives, such as those of the ground troops, are to be risked in order to save them!

Will the Imperial forces find and resecue the Titan Crew in time for Christmas (where the crew will be ruthlessly interrogated to find out how it was they could have lost their precious machine)?  Or will the Ork Warlord get another set of "decorations" for his, er, "tree"?  We'll find out tonight!

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Tonight we will ring in the holidays with a game of Warhammer 40k, using the classic "Rogue Trader" rules.  Of course, I guess they won't be completely "classic", in that we will play with some amendments, including:

• Vehicle rules - we will use the vehicles rules of the current edition of 40k for the vehicles, with combat speed, crew shaken etc.  So no worrying about the turn radius, acceleration etc.  Although we'll still have a little twist to keep the power fields around!
• Infantry armour - we'll up the armour a little bit, so power armour saves on a 3+ instead of a 4+, and flak armour saves on a 5+ instead of a 6+, etc.  Not to worry - lots of saving throw modifiers abound, so everything will be killed at a rapid pace, I'm sure.
• Templates - we will use the templates from the current edition, as common sense dictates, as opposed to worrying about a half-inch blast radius for this weapon, a one-and-a-half inch for that one, etc. etc.
• Deviation/Area Fire - we will use the updated rules from pg. 89 of the 40k Compendium, where deviation of area fire weapons is related to the model's ballistic skill, and not the size of the template.
• Terrain - we'll be sure to have "true line of sight".....NOT.

So come on out tonight to Dallas' place and hearken back to the time when Warhammer 40k was a fun skirmish game!

Thunderbolts over the Med batrep - "Enemy fleet located, sir!"

SETTING
Date: 13 August, 1942, morning
Location: West of Malta, in the Mediterranean Sea
History: Operation Pedestal started on 9 August 1942, when a convoy of 14 merchant ships sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar, heading for Malta. On the 13th, the Regia Aeronautica sent Tenente Adriano Visconti and a wingman on an armed photo recce patrol, each flying an MC.202 Folgore ("Thunderbolt").

Last Thursday Bill, Kevin, and Brian came over to play the Check Your 6! scenario "Thunderbolts over the Med" - the second scenario I've written set during Operation Pedestal, Aug. 9-15, 1942.

As the scenario started, the Italian pilots have just made visual contact with the merchant ships when they are "bounced" by four RAF Spitfires escorting the convoy.

Below are the 1/144 scale model Italian fighter aircraft run by Bill and myself - Bill graciously allowed me to play the lead ship. The Folgore in tan and green camo represented the aircraft flown by the flight leader, Adriano Visconti. Bill ran the wing man, in the green plane. The Regia Aeronautica Italia started by the northern table edge, the RAF from the south.

(Note: Click on the pictures for larger images.)



The Malta-based Spitfires started at a higher altitude than the Italian planes. The latter, due to the rules of the scenario, had to plot their first move as forward, level flight. Below, Ken and Brian can be seen plotting their first moves. The RAF hoped to capitalize on their altitude advantage and the element of surpise.



The Regia Aeronautica planes moved in a southeast direction to engage the easternmost pair of aircraft first, hoping to whittle down the RAF's 2-1 advantage in numbers.



The Italians traded speed for altitude, climbing to meet the RAF fighters. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Bill's green Folgore inflicted airframe damage upon one of Kevin's Spitfires.



Things started to get interesting as the furball escalated. Bill's plane stayed high and banked west. The damaged Spitfire gently turned east. The other planes spiralled down to mix it up. The Italian ace and one of Brian's planes narrowly avoided a collision as they passed each other in the same hex, at the same altitude.



The ace squeezed off some shots, hitting the damaged Spitfire, but the Folgore's light armament failed to inflict any damage.

Kevin sensed an opportunity to put fire on the Italian ace. He pulled his plane around in a much tighter turn, but the Spitfire's damaged airframe couldn't stand the strain and the plane crashed into the sea.



As the dogfight continued, one of Brian's planes managed to get on the "six" of Bill's MC.202, damaging its engine. In the photo below, Bill can be seen contemplating the CY6! quick reference card.



Brian's second Spitfire managed to stay on Bill's tail. This Spitfire, due to the scenario's variable rules, had an all-machine gun armament. This came in handy later. Brian rolled to hit for that plane such that it would have run out of cannon ammo but, not having any cannons, its offensive capability remained undiminished.

In the photo below, Spitfires run by Kevin and Brian avoid another collision as their pilots concentrated on their Italian targets. Brian's Spitfire got in a close range burst that sent Bill's Folgore falling into the Mediterranean. The ace's Folgore maneuvered away from the Spitfires which, factoring in deflection, prevented a hit from Kevin's cannons.



The remaining Italian plane banked right and dove, picking up a lot of speed. A quick burst put an airframe hit on Kevin's remaining Spitfire.



Seeing an opportunity to get some revenge for his wingman, the Italian ace pushed his throttle wide open and dived at Brian's all-MG Spitfire. In a head-on exchange of gunfire at point-blank range, Brian damaged the airframe of the ace's plane. The Italian's machine guns also struck true, luckily shooting down the Spitfire in a long burst.



With his plane damaged, the Italian ace decided that honour had been served and so dived out of the fight. The remaining Spitfires were unable to prevent the Folgore from escaping.

With one plane damaged and one plane lost, the Regia Aeronautica manged to squeeze out a win, since the RAF lost two planes and had had a further Spitfire damaged.

[Historically, one Spitfire and its pilot was lost in the engagement.]

"Buzz" Beurling over the Med

Sorry for the late post. I finally got around to writing up the Check Your 6! game held in honour of the visit of Conscript Sean, who now lives in Ottawa. We played the "Operation Pedestal" scenario again, minus the Stukas and a pair of Spits.

Note: click on the photos for larger images.

Here's Sean, who ran a pair of Spitfires, led by the Canadian ace, George "Buzz" Beurling. Kev ran the other pair of Maltese based fighters.



Brian ran a flight of JU-88s, in a bombing run on three merchant ships. I ran a pair of Bf-109s.



The three ships all had light AA, which shot indiscriminately at the closest plane. Very historical.



Things went wrong from the beginning, due to the Luftwaffe's setup. In hindsight, the bombers and escorting fighters should have swapped places.



As it was, the Spitfires were able to get good positions on the bombers, shooting down two bombers in rapid succession. The Bf-109s tried a head-on pass, losing one fighter for their trouble. The lead bomber is getting shot at by the ships, hence the splashes.



The trailing Spitfire, damaged by the lead Bf-109, failed to shoot down the bomber. The JU-88 managed to drop its stick of bombs (more splashes) but missed:



In the end, Buzz Buerling merely damaged a plane. However, his wing man was credited with downing two bombers.

The final tally was two splashed JU-88s and a Bf-109, in return for a couple of damaged Spitfires. This is in direct opposition to the result the last time this scenario was run, which was a clear Luftwaffe victory. Maybe the scenario is balanced after all...

The heat is on - time for some Cold War...

Now that balmy summer temperatures have arrived in Winnipeg, the Conscripts will cool off this week with some Modern Spearhead. The clock will be set to 1988, and our setting will change from the scenic splendour of the Fulda Gap, to northern West Germany, where the Soviet 2nd Guards Tank Army is blasting its way to the North Sea coast.

NATO doctrine calls for troops to trade space for time. The Bundeswehr don't quite agree, and a West German Panzer Division has decided to give the Russians a bloody nose. Be sure to join us on Wednesday night as the West Germans launch a sudden counter-attack. Will the Soviets be stopped? Driven back? Or chuckle at the attempted schnitzel speed bump as they roll on to the coast?

TRUCK STOP

Overview

Corporal Parnell shifted the truck into third and reformed to cross the open space ahead of them. The Planetary Defense Force trucks quickly sorted themselves out into a double column and picked up speed across the open ground. Lance, his mechanic, tracked the heavy stubber back and forth. Suddenly he let go a long burst toward the tree line and Parnell was horrified to see attackers leap from hiding on both sides of his convoy.

“Convoy! Break! Break! It’s every truck for himself – save yourselves as best you can!” he roared into his microbead as he jammed the truck into 4th gear and stomped the accelerator all the way to the floor…

***
Last night, on 40K night at the local Games Workshop store, MikeM and I play tested the 5th Edition version of “Truck Stop” – an Astronomi-con tournament scenario. Each of the six trucks was transporting a cargo canister. The players’ job was to disable the trucks and secure the cargo canisters while preventing their opponent from doing the same. All the trucks started in a double column in the middle of the table. Each turn, in between each player’s cycle, the trucks would move 3D6” in a random direction. The cargo canisters could be seized by anything with hands, not just Troops, so Dreadnoughts with DCCWs and Wraithlords could potentially capture the cargo canisters.

Mike fielded a balanced Imperial Guard force: two platoons of infantry (60 guys!), plus attached anti-tank and mortar squads, a squad of Rough Rider (horse) cavalry, a Hellhound flamethrower tank, and a Leman Russ main battle tank. There were lots of laser cannons, plasma rifles and grenade launchers.

My Fire Prism wasn’t quite finished yet, so I stuck with my usual Swordwind semi-mechanized list: 4 Wave Serpents filled with Aspect Warriors (2 x Dire Avengers, Howling Banshees, and Fire Dragons), a two-gun Wraithlord, all led by a Farseer.

I won choice, so I chose to go second. Mike chose the table side with slightly more cover. He set up all his infantry in a gun line in craters and woods, keeping the vehicles and cavalry in reserve. Looking at all the anti-tank firepower, I used the reserves denial ploy and declined to set up. (Note: this cost the Eldar later in the game, since the Farseer and the Dragons didn’t show up until 4th turn.)

As it turns out, Corporal Parnell’s shouted order was his last. The Guard opened up with all their heavy weapons against the soft-skinned trucks. As a result, four of them were destroyed in fiery explosions, taking their cargoes, and Corporal Parnell, with them. One truck was immobilized in the middle of the table, leaving the tail end Charlie truck free to move. Carrying its precious cargo of Unobtanium ™, it turned around and drove slowly toward Guards’ right flank corner. The driver was obviously in shock from witnessing all the carnage in front of him.

The scenario allows for first turn Reserves, and the Eldar were rolling hot. Everything but the Farseer and Dragons showed up. The three Wave Serpent skimmers moved toward the centre of the table, relying on the immobilized truck and moving flat out to provide cover saves. The Wraithlord came on just left of the centre of the table edge, mixing it up with infantry directly across the table.

The Guard tanks and cavalry showed up. The Hellhound came near the Guard’s right table corner, the Leman Russ showed up right of centre. The Rough Riders came on the table on Mike’s left. The cav and an infantry squad pushed on, in a left hook. Concentrated lascannon and plasma fire blew up the Banshees Serpent, leaving 6 of them on the ground. The mortars dropped several blasts on them, leaving two of the girls alive.

The mobile truck kept going for the far corner.

The two Avenger Serpents skimmed at combat speed over the immobilized truck. They moved within mutual supporting distance, setting up for disembarking next turn. Their fire killed some Guardsmen, including two members of the Imperial Guard commander’s bodyguard. The surviving Banshees reached the immobilized truck. Ignoring the crew cowering beneath the truck bed, the Aspect Warriors grabbed the cargo canister – it took two normal infantry to carry each prize, but only one monstrous creature or walker.

The Guard’s mortars landed dead on the Banshees. Supported by heavy bolter fire from the flanking squad, both Banshees went down in a hail of shrapnel and bullets. The right hand Avenger Serpent was immobilized by the anti-tank squad’s rocket launcher and it had its turret shot off; the other Serpent was shaken. The Hellhound’s heavy bolter failed to stop the last truck.

Perhaps seeing that the Guardsmen were the only ones shooting at him, the truck driver turned around and headed back towards the Eldar side of the field.



Going against the usual Eldar grain, the Aspect Warriors had to trade lives for time and distance. The right hand Avengers disembarked from their immobilized skimmer. A Bladestorm would wipe out the squad in front of them, but the return fire would be brutal. Their Exarch ordered a charge. If they could contact two squads, it would tie up a few Guard heavy and special weapons, and with luck they would survive, locked in combat, for a couple of turns. They must have stumbled getting out of their Serpent, since they rolled a “1” for their run move. They contacted, defeated and broke the squad right in front of them, then consolidated within 6” to keep them broken. The other Serpent moved left, setting up some left flank action next turn. Meanwhile, the Wraithlord immobilized the Russ.

The broken Guard squad ran off the table. The Hellhound fired both its flame gun and its heavy bolter at the escaping truck, doing nothing. Concentrated fire from multiple Guard infantry squads wiped out the disembarked Avengers. Guardsmen on both flanks started to run, to try and capture the remaining prizes.

The surviving truck kept on towards the Eldar, who had yet to fire at it.

At the top of their fourth turn, the Farseer and the Dragons finally showed up. The Serpent landed a plasma shell on the Rough Riders, who passed their pin and morale checks only through the presence of the Guard commander’s banner nearby. The other Avenger Serpent backed up towards the mobile truck; the disembarking Avenger squad Bladestormed the truck, blowing out all the tires and wrecking the suspension, but keeping the cargo intact. The Wraithlord moved behind the truck, wrecking the Hellhound’s flame gun with a Brightlance shot.

The Guard flanks kept advancing. In the middle, the Guard commander and the surviving Rough Riders made for the center truck. The mortars and the Russ were firing like Daniel Boone, landing small and large blasts on the Avengers, reducing them below half. Somehow, their morale held.

The Wraithlord reached into the other truck and grabbed the cargo canister. The Farseer also decided it was time to lead from the front. The Dragon Serpent moved to interpose itself between the Rough Riders and the central truck. The Dragons and the Farseer dismounted, with a clear LOS to the Guard command squad - killing the enemy commander counted for a secondary objective. They didn’t even need the Doom the Farseer cast, as the commander and his bodyguards disappeared in a hail of actinic fire.

After the Wraithlord seized the canister it could not fire any weaponry. If the game went another turn, the Fire Dragons could be vapourized by the Russ.

The death of their commander must have disrupted the Imperial Guard’s commo net. Rolling for random game length the game ended, leaving the Eldar in possession of both a single canister and the win.

***

The game was a real nail-biter and a lot of fun.

The tweaking done by MikeM and Christian to the scenario for 5th edition all seem to work. There were no ambiguities in all the various special scenario rules.

The MVP award surely had to go to the Guard mortar section, who served their weapons with great skill throughout the game.

(As an aside, if some of the protective vehicle upgrades on the Serpents are removed, that frees up enough points for me to again field a cheap, Dire Avenger-style Autarch, whose Master Strategist ability allows a bonus to Reserves rolls…)