Project Iowa, Ep. 2: “Blood In the Sand”
Background
The Kingdom
of Colores has purchased an advanced warp engine and related parts from the
Rex-Avis Trading Clan from the Tartarus Rim. This advanced technology originates
from the Dwarf worlds, and as such is proscribed in Imperial Space. Both Rex-Avis and Colores have taken every
precaution to maintain the secrecy of the transaction, and the delivery of the
warp engine is taking place in remote space at a secret Colores Facility.
As we pick
up the story, most of the deal has been completed. However, the “Warp Space
Imploder” is a high risk component of the engine, so the principals have traveled
to an abandoned Imperial facility on a nearby moon for trials and final
verification of the Imploder to complete their business.
The members
of the Rex-Avis Clan and the scientific team from Colores have gotten along
well, the transaction is going smoothly, and they are all looking forward to
concluding the deal.
Agents of
the 4th Reich have different plans.
Location
Plain of
Loneliness
Bakkun Moon
Scenario
The game was a tryout for the “Void Pirates”
ruleset.
The Colores/Rex-Avis Operatives are patrolling the perimeter and will be placed randomly. The Reich Grenadiers will arrive from the North and East of the Map.
There are 3 objectives. The Reich will try to grab them and get onboard a getaway APC that will arrive to aid their escape:
The Warp Space Imploder
Professor Applebeck
The Rex-Avis Clan Notables
a.
Livinia January “Colordao” Rex-Avis
b.
Sir Stanley Ursaline-Drakemore
c. Octavia Argentia Rex-Avis
Rex-Avis / Colores Operatives
Agent Sophie
– Hero 5D/5D(3)
Blake Walker – Shooter
6D(3)/4D
AJ Quest –
Shooter 6D(3)/4D
Katherine "Kitty" Luong –
Stealth, Fast 5D/5D(2)
4th Reich, Smash and Grab Team
Kommander
Schaklow– Hero 5D(3)/5D
UO Wulf – Shooter
6D(3)/4D
Panzer
Grenadier 1- Trooper 5D/4D
Panzer
Grenadier 2- Trooper 5D/4D
Panzer
Grenadier 3- Trooper 5D/4D
The
objectives, the Imploder, Prof, Applebeck, and leaders of Rex-Avis are running
the final tests to determine the state of the Warp Space Imploder. They are scattered around an abandoned
manufacturing facility when the 4th Reich makes an appearance.
Blake (Bodyguard, Rex-Avis)
“We’ve got
company!
Blake faces
off against 3 Grenadiers at almost point blank range. Everyone is hit, but Kitty leaps in and turns
the tide.
On the north
side of the map, Agent Sophie squares off against Kmdr Schaklow, and although
he gets the first shots in…
He cannot stand
against the furious charge and goes down.
AJ Quest
guns down UO Wulf, but all the maneuvering has opened a hole in the security
screen. One of the Grenadiers slips
through and makes it onto the observation platform.
The Grenadier uses the Rex-Avis Leaders as human shields as he herds them toward the getaway APC, but AJ Quest climbs on top of a forklift (skillcheck!) for a better angle.
...AJ takes the clutch shot and downs the Grenadier.
(Although, Colorado, Sir Stanley, and Olympia could use a change of clothes.)
Aftermath
Realizing that more powerful forces were certainly on their way, Colores and Rex-Avis decamped immediately. The good news was that all were safe, and the Warp Imploder functioned perfectly.
The bad news is, that despite all their precautions, the secret's out.
Can they get Project Iowa completed before the enemy closes in?
______________________________________
So, this was delayed by the bright and shiny distraction of NEW RULES! I was over at Cheetor's cool blog, Cheetor's Blog, and he had a battle report using the "Void Pirates" rules. I was so impressed that I bought and downloaded them immediately. After trying them out, I just had to rework this episode.
The rules are a lot of fun. A little too fiddly for my tastes, but it's easily fixed as everything is kind of "drop in", so you can sprinkle complexity to taste. For comparison, think the SOBH family. It plays fast, fun, and bloody. Opposed roles for combat keep both players involved. I highly recommend Void Pirates (LINK: FOUR COLOR STUDIOS).
2 more missions over here, and then the action will shift over to the Tartarus Rim.
Welcome to our new readers:
Tiny Basement
Generalissimo Forde
and Tim Edwards
Thanks for looking!
Nice report. Who makes the void pirate rules?
ReplyDeleteHi CM,
DeleteFour Color Studios publishes the rules.
Thanks
Thanks, and just noticed the link you posted.
DeleteExcellent stuff Will, I also keep an eye on Cheetor's blog & was interested in void pirates & noticed your comment & how you'd picked up the rules so I decided to hang on until I got your view of them as well & judging from your report I might go with them.
ReplyDeleteI'm very impressed with the ground that the game was played out on as it's very natural looking is it a new table you made mate ?
It's a new mat, plus a couple of new pieces that play a role in the upcoming episodes.
ReplyDeleteI'll do a quick post to review the mat, it's awesome. From gamemat.eu
Thanks Will, I'll go have a look.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that AJ Quest really did us all a service in saving our collective bacon. And my thanks to Kitty, of course. (Goes without saying, that.) Sounds like it's time for me to invest in a copy of Void Pirates.
ReplyDeleteAs a supporting character, AJ is burdened with a profile that is mediocre at best. But this is the second game in a row where he has made a big roll for the win.
DeleteHe must be a charmed piece of lead.
Kitty was awesome. After Blake and the Grenadiers blasted away in an area the size of a broom closet, she swept in and cleaned up.
(I will say I'm surprised they got the drop on Colorado, Sir Stanley, and Olympia. They're pretty tough characters. Stan's quite a good shot and Olympia's not easy to sneak up on. But if the baddies drew a bead on Colorado first it might be tricky to get either of the other two to take a risk as they're both pretty devoted to her and she's probably the real gambler in that trio.)
ReplyDeleteI would chalk it up to they were immersed in running the tests on the Imploder.
DeleteAs in, "imploding a moon that we are standing on....yeah, that would be bad."
:)
I'm in love with all your reports. The storytelling and the pics are so great. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteThanks Suber,
DeleteWhen the player said, "I'm going to have AJ climb on top of the forklift", all I could think about was the crazy parkour stuff from your last batrep.
An immersive report as expected Will. Where do you get the time to draw up maps as well as paint miniatures, build terrain and play the games?
ReplyDeleteYour games are always an inspiration.
Im glad that you got what you wanted from VP. As you say, the rules are very modular, so there is room to pick and choose what you like.
Playing games is quick, because it is so easy to find players. As in.. "Robert, Sophie, put down that homework and come play a game. We're 'muricans! Y'all don't need all that book learnin'" :)
DeleteThe maps take about 5 minutes in Paint. I'm not sure I like them, but when the action is spread out, miniatures just get lost in wide angle shots. And on the other end, with the close up action shots, I'm not sure I'm communicating what is happening.
So...maps.
Building stuff, yeah that takes awhile.