One Hour Wargames: Surprise Attack

Since my last post, I felt driven to play something before too much time passed. While listening to a podcast, the speaker brought up One Hour Wargames, by Neil Thomas. They mentioned the thirty scenarios included in the latter portion of the book. I remembered reading the rules once and knew I shouldn't need a whole lot to get on the table. It sounded perfect for restarting after such a dead stretch. So I worked at getting enough of the table cleared off that I could play a quick. Got out the Junior General micro-scale American Civil War paper cutouts I built a couple years ago. Then I set up a play area before choosing a scenario.

Here is a fork in the road with some green splotches for forest stands, a few buildings, fenced areas, and a couple hills. The top right area is out of bounds as I realized I made more of a 3x4 foot board, maybe it's a lake or something.

With the terrain set up, I rolled a d100 to get a random scenario (1-30) and my first cast got me an 11: Surprise Attack. This scenario states that red controls a crossroads with two units and blue makes a surprise attack with six units. Red gets reinforcements at Turn 3 and Turn 9. Whoever is in control of the crossroads after 15 turns is the winner.

Each side gets 6 units. There is a set of tables in the book that one can roll on to get unit assignments. For the red team (Confederates), I got 4 infantry, 1 artillery, and 1 zouave. Blue (Union) got 3 infantry, 2 cavalry, and 1 zouave. I have no counters for zouaves, so I replaced them with cavalry.

So, trying to be a good general for red, I started the cannon on the hill by the intersection. I figured its range would allow them a shot or two before blue's infantry got into range. The red infantry I put between the road and a forest blob, in case I wanted to retreat them to cover.

Here come the blue troops. Also trying to be a good general for the blue team, I place the cavalry units off to the sides so they are positioned to get around the field obstructions and slower infantry; two on the west and one on the east.

Red artillery starts inflicting damage to the first line of blue infantry. The added distance for troops travelling on the road only allowed one unopposed shot from red. The red infantry slides over to the protection of the woods.

The lead blue infantry unit and the red cannon exchange shots while the following two blue lines try to get around them. The lead blue infantry also takes fire from the reds in the woods. 

The east blue cavalry come into range and start firing into the trees, not doing much damage, but one of the blue infantry gets into position to fire into the trees as well. 

Better rolls for blue see the cannon unit taken from the field, and the red unit in the trees eliminated as the first set of red reinforcements arrive. Blue only loses two stands.

The layout after turn 4. Two red infantry units are on the east side of the hill, but they are taking fire from the blue infantry to the north and cavalry in the south.

The first red reinforcements make a good fight of it until turn 9, when the rest come out from the west. However, they lose one full unit and they lose control of the intersection; the second unit retreating into the larger clump of woods to the southeast.

The layout at turn 12. Blue infantry on the hill and behind the fence to the north, as well as an almost destroyed infantry (1hp left) east of the hill. Blue cavalry in the road junction, behind a fence facing red infantry to the west and the other facing the reds in the trees. A greatly reduced red cavalry taking fire from the hill and in bad shape. I don't think red has a chance at this point to regain the junction in 3 turns, and I called the game a blue victory.

 Someone experienced with the book, One Hour Wargames, will know, the actual combat rules are quite simple. I go, you go turn order (blue always playing first in this scenario). Units may move or attack. Attacks always hit, roll for casualties (modifiers increase or decrease this number), 15 hp per unit.

I like that play and keeping track of hp is quick and easy (in this case I used a die to keep track of damage, removing a stand for every 5 hp lost). I like the very limited turns (move or shoot) since it reinforces the image that a unit has to move to a position, then ready itself to fire, taking time that an opposing unit already in position can take advantage of and fire upon them. This forces decisions like do I move to cover, giving up speed but saving hp, or get there fast and risk taking severe losses.

However, it still felt like something was missing in the end. I wonder if 15 hp per unit is too even. What about rolling for morale? But then I figure that casualties don't necessarily mean soldiers downed, but could also represent lost morale and the resulting fleeing from the field by affected troops. If this was a campaign, one could set up an aftermath generator to see how each unit was affected, otherwise what difference is it if the unit is removed because they were mowed down or ran away? So I guess that wasn't really my issue.

Maybe it's missing the ranking of units and assigning them with different hp values to represent variations in fighting strength/morale/staying power. I do like that kind of thing. There is a form of ranking in the attack roll modifiers assigned to some unit types, but I still think that while most units would likely perform similarly, there could be an accounting for some who might be of a reduced staying power, even at full strength.

Of course I also like the addition of command units, in so many other games, whose proximity to troops affects their ability to carry out orders and/or withstand hp(morale) loss, because it sounds like an aspect that would add some interesting twists to this game.

Well, I guess I can jus go with the knowledge that OHW has left me with some things to think about and that's a good thing, right? Will have to try another session soon.

Also, I should probably make up some zouave units to add a bit of variety to my forces.

Aeronef: Attack over the Falkland Islands

Rules Doctoring

Maybe I'll get this out of the way first: I only have the core rules for Aeronef. Realizing I said I'd play the rules as written, I just couldn't get past some items that I felt needed tweaking, so tweak I did. There is another book out there with additional rules and it may cover some of the things I added, but I don't have that book and am currently in a "don't spend money if you don't have to" mode of thinking and haven't looked into buying it.

So my tweaking included two things:

1) Air torpedoes - I built some of my models with the memory of having read about them in the rules. They are not actually there. So I made up my own that I will, perhaps, post later.

2) I was a little more specific about how many gun dice could be used when firing, taking into account the number of guns I placed on each model and where it looked like they could be pointed. For example, Ansaldo is a round platform with guns positioned so they could all fire forward, but only two turrets could fire out either side or the rear, so full gun dice used for forward fire, and half for the other three arcs.

Reinforcements were rolled for at the end of each turn - 1d6 vs. 1d8. If the d6 beat the d8, reinforcements arrive. For each try after the first, +1 was added to the d6.

On to the scenario...

September 19, 1889

The Falkland Islands have been under British rule for over 60 years. A small force of British air ships is stationed at the archipelago to reinforce British claims over the islands, which are disputed by Argentina.

One of the richest countries on the South American continent, Argentina is still far less wealthy than England. Yet, the Argentine government has bided its time and saved up a reserve which they have started to dip into. They have acquired two airships, which now make their way towards the contested islands. First, the Almirante, a Class 2 airship commissioned of a German builder is accompanied by a small contingent of craft. Second, the Ansaldo, a Class 1 vessel purchased in secret from Russia for a very affordable sum, likely because the Russians didn't tell them about the propulsion problems they were having with it...

The British Admiralty, having known about the Almirante for some time, have sent a second Class 3 airship and torpedo dirigible to beef up their presence in the area. They thought this would be enough to keep Argentina at bay. They didn't know about a second deal with Russia, and the Ansaldo has rounded the Andes and is on course to rendezvous with the other Argentine airships at Islas Malvinas (the Argentine name for the islands), intending to send the English packing.

Set Up

Layed out four islands on the play area (mine was 3' x 3').

British set up their ships (minus one Class 3 and the torpedo dirigible) in any configuration around the isles. All but one start at speed 0. The ships not set up are en route from England (or Canada, perhaps) and come in as reinforcements from the N, NE, or E table edge.

Argentina sets up all of their ships, except Ansaldo, in their choice of NW, W, or SW edge of the table. Ships start at top speed of the slowest airship, probably Almirante. The Ansaldo has experienced propulsion issues en route and arrives late as reinforcements.

Victory conditions

Major Victory, England - Accomplish minor victory conditions and bring down Ansaldo

Minor Victory, England - Inflict 1/2 of total hull points damage to the Argentine force or bring down Almirante

Minor Victory, Argentina - Inflict 1/2 of total hull points damage to British force

Major Victory, Argentina - Down both British Class 3 airships

Battle continues until one of these conditions is met.

The Play (in pictures)

Three British ships sit "at anchor" next to one of the islands. To the north, a fourth, meanders through.

Argentine fleet incoming! Ansaldo waiting to arrive (on table edge).

Turn 2 sees the two groups coming into range and each side fires a torpedo. The white peg torpedo will hit the larger dirigible with minimum damage.

More torpedoes flying in turn 4. The nearer one (friendly fire) misses Almirante and will continue on with no further targets along its path. So far as guns are concerned, small amounts of damage done to either side. In the distance, reinforcements arrive for the Brits.

Ansaldo finally arrives in turn 6 and immediately starts hammering a British Class 3.

Then the larger Argentine dig runs into a torpedo and the damage is too much. Blast that friendly fire!

Ansaldo finishes off that Class 3 in turn 7...

... and gets hit by British air torpedoes! It's only minor damage for a Class 1 ship, but it's enough to trigger the condition for a minor British victory.

So Argentina retreats, saving a badly damaged Almirante from a doom that was too close for comfort. Surely, the Brits will take the Argentine threat quite a bit more seriously and try to send a more beefy support for the islands before another attempt on them is made. But there are rumblings that friction between England and Germany could lead to war, which might limit a response from England. However, other South American countries have been participating in this localized arms race and may see this as their time to make a move. Time will only tell.

Renegade Legion: Leviathan - Planetary Defence

 To try out my scenario generator, I decided on three cards each for the belligerents. So here's what I drew:

Terran Overlord Government:

1 frigate (3 fighter flights)

1 destroyer

5 corvettes

5 missile platforms

4 fighter groups

Renegade Legion:

1 cruiser (1 fighter group)

1 carrier frigate (5 fighter groups)

1 destroyer (1 fighter squadron)

From scenario cards I pulled planetary defence and from special conditions it was asteroid belt.

So after some random and some deliberate placement of terrain and units, the map looked something like this:

Note: I don't use the stat sheets that come with the game. Instead, I favour the ones produced by Jape77 on Boardgamegeek (visible at top right). I like the changes the author made, but I also find them more visually pleasing than the originals. The fighter groups sheet comes from my own Excel tool (which I uploaded to BGG as well). Bottom right are some sheets I made up for small craft, like corvettes, based on some discussions I read in different forums that discussed this very thing (I'll likely post these to BGG as well).

My feeling was that the RL force would have a pretty easy go of things. The cruiser's stats alone look very intimidating compared to the entire TOG force. Then again, doesn't a commander want every possible advantage when they are attacking?

I fashioned the following narrative from my card picks. 

RL forces sent a decoy group through the TOG planet's sensor range. Having succeeded in drawing of a number of the vessels stationed there into a pursuit, the RL command sent a small carrier force to raid the planet with the mission of destroying the orbital defences - five missile platforms capable of firing 2 F-class missile salvos each - as a precursor to a full planetary invasion (or liberation, as the RL prefers to call it). 

The Legion ships approached the planet from behind the nearby asteroid belt to hide their signals. But the interference is a double edged sword and they will have to traverse the belt in order to target anything with the capital ships' weapons. This means they will be in range of TOG missiles from the orbital platforms.

Turn 1: 

Fighters deploy. Everyone closing. The first losses are to the fighters that met in the middle, both dishing out exactly what they received. I found a more planety-looking planet to replace the pail lid.

I had trouble trying to figure out how fighters were supposed to do damage to each other, I came up with a simplified process for dogfight attrition. Thinking on my younger days of playing Chuck Yeager's Air Combat on PC, my hit accuracy with that game's WWII fighters averaged around 20% (unless I was shooting down bombers). Based on that, I decided to roll a d3 for each group and multiply the result by 10 for a percentage (10%, 20%, 30%). Multiplied a group's CRA (or LRA) value by the percentage, using the result rounded down as how many boxes to cross off the enemy group's strength boxes, and vice-versa, treating it as simultaneous fire. 

Example: Red Group A (CRA 108) vs Blue Group B (CRA 122). 

Red rolls a 2. 108 x 0.2 = 21.6. Blue Group B crosses off 21 boxes.

Blue rolls a 3. 122 x 0.3 = 36.6. Red Group A crosses off 36 boxes.

Each side then crosses out CRA values if reduction thresholds were reached.

If fighters have a choice between fighter opposition or targets for their missiles, they could only chose one line of attack. In this case, if fighters wanted to target an orbital missile platform, they could not impose casualties on any attacking interceptors. Missile strength is also reduced in to CRA values as they decline with attrition.

Turn 2:

The heavies are still too far away to do much of anything. Fighters meet and start start duking it out with each other. I should have had the RL fighters (red) attack the platforms right away... Also, I didn't realize the RL cruiser is in range of one of the platforms (both to fire missiles and to be fired on).

Turn 3:

The RL cruiser is now in range to fire missiles at the platforms, but they are in range to fire on her as well, so she takes some damage, losing a large portion of her fore and forward right armour sections. Lucky missile placement destroys her silos so the cruiser's second salvo cannot be fired. The two left-most platforms were hit and destroyed by the RL cruiser and destroyer salvos. We start to see some fighter groups go missing. The RL destroyer races in to launch missiles at the topmost platforms.

I couldn't find any info on orbital installations having missiles, so I made up my own stats: shield factor 3, 50 armour, 8 systems that could get damaged (rolled a d10 for each hit past the armour to damage systems, no systems hit on 9 or 0). 

Turn 4:

Realizing her vulnerability to the platform attacks, the cruiser slows and turns to stay out of missile range and just try to weaken their shields for fighter attacks. The bottom platform's reactor is hit; I decide it can explode if I roll a 1 and it does! I roll a d3 to take out percentages of the near-by fighters. Red fighters also take out the right-most platform. The RL Ajax destroyer (sitting between the cruiser and the planet) is crippled, having lost its left-side thrusters last turn, she is also now out of missiles. Only the top-most platform remains and it's up to the fighters beside it to take it down next turn.

Turn 5:

More red fighter groups are eliminated as they try to make their way back to the carrier. The cruiser is flipped around to put armour on the side of the TOG destroyer bearing down. The small TOG ship fires its spinal mount and does a little damage to armour, same as the Ajax destroyer aiming at the TOG frigate. Most importantly, the RL fighters can send just enough missiles into the final platform (already weakened by the cruiser's long range shots) to put it out of commission.

Unfortunately, I cleaned everything up after that turn, figuring there couldn't be much more done to the RL force, totally forgetting about the fact that the TOG fighters that remained all had missiles. It's possible that some of them might have been able to get close enough to retaliate somewhat effectively, and the RL ships could have come away a little worse off than they were. Even so, I think they took more damage than I was expecting, having lost practically all their fighters and two salvos hitting the cruiser with enough punch to damage systems.

The two most heavily damaged ships of the game.

Leviathan is perhaps the most complex game of any type that I own and while I do like it, it takes a lot out of me to play it solo. This was the largest number of units I've fielded in a game. The turns averaged an hour each, setup was a couple of hours (including making the corvette sheets and statting missile platforms).

Take-aways:

1) Check better for firing opportunities - a missed chance at firing could be crucial

2) Stay on target with fighters - RL wasted a turn dogfighting when they could have been firing missiles at the platforms and getting out of Dodge.

3) More spinal mount attacks? - I played with the thinking that only one spinal weapon attack was possible in a game, but can't find that limitation in the book. If more can be fired, one might use maneuverability of destroyers to stay in front or rear arcs of larger ships and come at them with spinal mount attacks (and missiles, of course). 

4) I really should try getting Full Thrust to the table.

Pulp Alley: The elusive Anastasia

 No pictures, so I will try out my story-telling.

 Pulp Alley solo game. Scenario was Dangerous Delivery.

The Shadow's Agents (me) vs. Anastasia's Heroes (the game AI)

Prelude:

Lamont Cranston looked over his paper as Miss Lane entered his kitchen.

"You should knock." he remarked, fully prepared for a sassy reply.

"Why? You didn't lock the door." Margo teased, "Besides, you always know when it's me!"

She sat at the breakfast table and picked up a croissant, dipped it in his coffee, and took a bite.

"Why on earth..." he began, but was cut short seeing his ring blink, indicating a waiting message. 

***

Some time later, Moe pulls up to the outskirts of a small town, The Shadow and Margo Lane exit the vehicle with him. Three others are waiting, summoned by secretly delivered messages. The Shadow gives further orders.

"What we know is a group of Russians, fugitives of their own country, will be passing through this area. They have in their possession official plans (main plot point) for a potentially dangerous device, stolen no doubt. Our task is to delay them and capture the plans."

"There's an armed guard (pp1) to the north of us, by that building." Officer Burbank, in plain clothes, adds, "We should be careful around him, in case he's got an itchy trigger finger."

"I'll look into that, unless our main target shows themselves first." says the Shadow, "Spread out. Keep your eyes open. They're probably close."

Turn 1:

The Shadow's agents start in the south-east on a crossroad.

Anastasia's Heroes Start in the north-west, behind a building. Anastasia carries the plans, Mikhail has a broken rangefinder (pp2). They activate first. Victor and Yarina both hesitate, must have a bad feeling about this place. Ana and Mikhail run down the west side of the building and cross the street. Igorek makes her way across the north end.

Margo and Dr. Tam head west along a collection of outbuildings, keeping an eye on the open area with an old well in the middle of it just the other side of the sheds. The Shadow and Trixie go north, toward the guard. Moe and Dr. Tam hang back, in case someone gets past.

Turn 2:

I choose AH to activate first again. Mikhail is held up and Anastasia's card instructs that cards be drawn for all characters. Yarina runs around to the east end of the building and spots something odd: an ancient falcon (pp3) statue sitting on a stone protruding from the side of the building. Victor chickens out and runs the other way (fails a challenge, health saves and is out of the game).

The Shadow and Trixie stop just behind a row of trees. They can see the guard, but he can't see them. Moe tripped over a barrier and knocked his head, Dr. Tam gets disoriented in the dark and goes the wrong way, both are out of the game. Margo rounds the outbuilding at the end of the row and spots a very old looking document sticking out from under the door.

Turn 3:

Anastasia and Mikhail make a run for it across the clearing, past the well. The Shadow sees them and rushes Mikhail, but Mikhail's momentum upends the Shadow for a minute. Yarina snatches the falcon statue from the building as Igorek catches up.

Officer Burbank moves to head off Anastasia's escape. Margo carefully pulls a parchment through the crack under the door. It's a map, but it looks quite unfamiliar (pp4). Trixie takes a shot at Anastasia and misses.

Turn 4:

Mikhail, locked in a brawl with the Shadow, calls out, "Ana...keep going!" Then he throws a punch that gets blocked by the Shadow. The Shadow counters and knocks down Mikhail.

Anastasia makes it to the south-east intersection, knocking down Officer Burbank. The Shadow won't let her go so easily, he causes her mind to think she sees a great bear standing in her way. Unfortunately, Anastasia quickly sees through the fearsome image.

Yarina and Igorek stay to the north, headed toward the guard, who is casually watching what he can see of the pandemonium he can see from his post.

Trixie and Margo both run back to where the action is.

Turn 5:

I try to get Margo to Anastasia to stop her getting to the goal, but the card I draw immediately switches initiative to the opposite league and Anastasia gets away with the plans. Igorek and Yarina reach the guard, and through some artful cunning, Yarina relieves him of his weapon and Igorek opens the door of the building to find a small cache of guns and ammunition, which she loads up on.

The Shadow succeeds in getting the rangefinder off of Mikhail, but the game is over. 

Aftermath:

Anastasia has escaped with the plans and her team has two other plot points. The Shadow got the rangefinder and a mysterious map, but has to accept the he was outsmarted and out-fought by these Russians.

Epilogue:

"I wonder if she's a little like me," Margo as she drove Lamont and a recovering Moe back to the city, "You know, able to see through your mind tricks."

"Perhaps" is the only word a defeated Lamont utters, lost in thought wondering if this was a new threat he'd have to worry about facing again.

More words:

Reminded again of how quickly this game can be played. 5 turns took less than an hour. I've had the table set up for a month waiting for some time to play the game in. Almost seems wasteful.

I had the thought that Maybe I'd like to keep this table set-up a little longer and play a few of the different rule sets I've accumulated. I know that I've used the same Idn Kar Wastes battlemat for two or three different games, but it was far enough apart and without the intent of comparing game rules across them that I can't really compare the experiences. Maybe comparing rules on the same map doesn't matter, but it seems like an interesting enough exercise that I want to try it. If nothing else, it will get me to be a little more active in my gaming. So, I'm off to decide which set is next.

Here is the set up I used for this game and what I'll use for the other rules I decide to apply.

Update 20/05/23: I tried playing similar scenarios using other rule sets. Each scenario was the AI side trying to make it from top left to bottom right and me trying to stop them. I used Swordplay 2015, Star Breach, and Five Parsecs: Bug Hunt.

I don't know how comparable Star Breach is to the others as I had to play both sides where the other games used some level of automatic decision making. At any rate, Pulp Alley was the only one I lost. In the end, it was getting harder for me to want to stick with the same layout and the same scenario. I've go no really in depth analysis on similarities and differences. So all I really accomplished was to pull out and dust off rules I hadn't played in a long while. And that's okay.

First Play: Five Parsecs: Bug Hunt

During early pandemic days, I purchased the Five Parsecs From Home rules (2nd Edition?). It's been upgraded and is now available as a hardcover. Either way it's worth checking out. I played set up a crew and played one battle, wrote up an AAR and haven't played again.

Last month, I bought the spin-off Five Parsecs: Bug Hunt. This game is a little more similar to the Vanguard title I wrote so many AAR's for; try and get something done before the alien threat gets too great. Only this title adds that higher level of off-table crew management I enjoyed in Five Parsecs From Home. I rolled up a team (you get a team of three to keep track of in Bug Hunt, but they have a chance at pulling in special teams or weapons to assist in each battle).

I started a spreadsheet file to keep track of everything happening off-table. Will it help me get more games in? I don't know.

So the first mission is on an Earth-like planet and takes place at a historical commemoration site where a couple of old buildings are preserved along with a working lumber yard. Reports come in stating a disturbance in the area. The Anti-Xenomorph Extermination Squad (A.X.E.S.) is sent in to investigate. They are Nik, a space fleet marine; and Treen and Gwisom, two infantry soldiers. 

Our sleepy little out of the way museum of olden-days construction and forest exploitation. Image is pre-generation of objectives (secure west building and hack museum kiosk on south side of display enclosure).

What a good scenario I had: over the course of the game I must have rolled in a grand total of over thirty aliens (used my trusty Tyranids). I rolled well to set up a team of my three heroes, the customary fire team of 4 soldiers, a sergeant, and a team of two engineers (high Tech score for hacking). Also got an incinerator, which I gave to one of the soldiers.

I didn't keep track of turns nor did I get any pictures until it was almost over.

The team encountered aliens right away as they came in on the south east and crossed the road toward the kiosk and the large building. Two blips located among the buildings turned out to be around 11 aliens (I rolled razor lizards). Treen did an outstanding job holding them off while Nik tested a tactical location that opened up a force shield and he and the engineer team got in it. Treen was wounded and put out of play.

Gwisom went for a tactical location among the lumber piles. All he found was a device to distract the six aliens he found for a while. But it gave him time to make his way back to the fire team. They decide to run to the museum courtyard to help clear a path for the engineers to get to the kiosk (a vital objective). 

At this point, Treen, the sergeant, and a fire team soldier are out. The engineers (bottom-left) succeeded in hacking the kiosk and the fire team are about to secure the west building. The dark circle is the marker for the triggered force shield that kept everyone alive while they cleared away all the aliens that were hanging out among the buildings. So many more blips coming from the north!

West building secured! Evac called in! It's a race to the jump ship!

That incinerator is a welcome addition to this mission.

Post action line-up: (left to right) Engineers, surviving Fire Team, Nik, Gwisom, and casualties Treen, sarge and trooper.

In the post-mission phase Nik and Gwisom got their XP and Treen rolled up a torso injury landing her three days in recovery, but I awarded her the bonus XP for her mighty stand against overwhelming odds. Can two agents accomplish get through the next few tasks? We'll see next time on Five Parsecs: Bug Hunt!

This was a great and engaging game! The blip system keeps a person on their toes, I didn't dare approach them because I kept rolling high numbers on contact. The only thing I can think of at the moment that is lacking is a battle area generation system like one sees in Five Klicks from the Zone (which I've yet to play) as I find it hard to just come up with a battle map.

Vanguard: Seeking Sanctuary - Chapter 8: Sanctuary

End of the road. The small band approaches inn that marks the trail to safety, as one of Ivor's scouts has reported that a large army lies just beyond and over a rise. What they had not counted on was a horde of monsters lies between. Among the horde; the biggest of any monsters seen to date. Surely, such a discovery is rare. It seems to wield some form of magic. Perhaps this is a chance to deal the blow to stop the monster problem for good...

Another oddity the group had come across - a strange duo living in the forest. The first, a man named Byron, explained that he and a large wolf had been the subjects of a crazed wizard's experiment. He is human in every way but his appearance, his skin being covered in short reddish hair and having claws and beast-like fangs. The wolf had grown, as a result of the experiment, to the size of a person, though it hunched over as though it would just as easily take to all fours as it fancied. Unseen was a mental connection between the two, where Byron could issue a few basic commands and the man-wolf would obey, however Byron would also experience any physical sensations the man-wolf felt. (Having lost my Rogue last chapter, I'm trying out Beastmaster, a mercenary class Kai posted to the Vanguard facebook group).

Byron and his companion had been safe from the monsters thus far, staying hidden in the deep forest. He had also seen the destruction they left in their wake. It took very little to convince him to join with the mercenaries. He was most welcome as the band had lost seven citizen warriors at the monastery (I decided on two per monster that got out).

Setup:

Game set-up. Rolled a random 20 monsters: 1 boss, 6 elites, 13 grunts. Rolled random placement for all but what I'll call the megaboss.

The megaboss: I figured that he, as the commander, should be near the inn (though why would he care?).

Turn 1:

Wizard William managed to knock down on grunt. Byron sends the man-wolf in to finish it off, after which it moves on to knock down another grunt.

A grunt hidden in the bushes gets a bead on Ivor and knocks him down!

Ranged grunts fire enough times to overwhelm Tombstone and knock him down.

Turn 2:

Man-wolf continues to rage in charge mode, killing the boss in a rush of claws and fang!

Ivor recovers and issues commands to Katya and Red Hulk. Katya joins Tombstone and Val to meet the monsters on the right flank. Red hulk moves forward. Emeralda creates an armour buff for Byron.

Tombstone falls to the onslaught of two elites.

Turn 3:

Man-wolf strikes again at some approaching elites, ripping one to shreds.

Ivor joins Red Hulk in battling the approaching megaboss. In the background, William has conjured a fireball and drops a grunt. Emeralda casts an armour buff on Ivor.

Just another shot of facing off with the megaboss.

Megaboss kills Red Hulk and an elite kills Ivor (megaboss had cut through the magic defence)!

Turn 4:

Emeralda rushes to Ivor's side and takes Springblade. As she lifts the enchanted sword, magic swirls from it, reviving Ivor to full health. Red Hulk is less fortunate and will not rise again.

An elite successfully blocks the man-wolf and knocks it down while the grunt behind it kills Byron.

Val comes to help Ivor. Emeralda fails to cast any protection spells. William is killed by incoming projectiles from the right flank (image left). Elan manages to a hit on megaboss, as does Val.

Turn 5:

Emeralda takes Springblade back to William and he is revived. He stands up to cast a fireball at the megaboss, managing to kill the grunt beside it. With his connection killed, the man-wolf goes into "guard mode"; staying near Byron's body, but that megaboss happened to be just within the 5" radius of the guard attack circle. Megaboss revives one of his own.

After he and Val each manage to wound the megaboss, Ivor is knocked down again.

Turn 6:

Off in Katya's corner, her defence re-roll is keeping her on her feet and she kills a grunt finally.

The team-up of Val, Ivor, and man-wolf wears megaboss down to one action die.

But he's still got fight left in him, keeping Ivor busy. Some grunts manage to knock down the man-wolf.

Then William is shot again and killed. (Lucky that Springblade is still close-by.)

Turn 7:

William is (barely) revived by the Springblade and casts a fireball at megaboss, managing to knock down an elite. But the combined efforts of man-wolf, Ivor and Val wear down the megaboss. Val strikes the killing blow! The day is won!

Afterword:

Their leader killed, the monsters immediately burrow down into the earth. For many years they are not seen and this chapter of the Svartvalt passes into legend and then into myth. Could something like this ever happen again? Stories of the brave mercenaries and citizens of Ivor's Company grow more incredible through the ages.

William and Emeralda continue the work William was doing before the monsters came. They make a startling discovery linking the monsters to a large and strange device that appeared to have crashed into the ground from the sky. They also marry and raise three children.

Katya uses her share of the king's reward to buy the inn. Occasionally, she contributes her services to near-by sheriffs needing help to keep the peace.

Elan refuses her share of the reward, giving it to some citizens who had started an orphanage to take care of those children who survived the monster invasion, but lost their parents. Elan returns to her people and is never seen again.

Ivor retires from the life of a sword-for-hire, buys a mansion and vineyard near the capital and settles down with a local widow.

Immediately after the battle, man-wolf picks up the body of his "twin" and disappears back into the forest. For many years the locals claim to hear him howling in his grief to a full moon.

The incredibly lucky Val, having her whole life ahead of her, travels the continent in search of monsters. While she battles some terrible beasts - and uncovers some elaborate hoaxes - she never sees the likes of those she cut her teeth on. It is rumoured that she married a pirate and sailed to far off places in search of adventure.

Some other words:

A full disclosure here, this scenario was tough. I had to replay it as I lost badly the first play, then lost again. In those, I had forgotten about the Springblade from Chapter 7! As you can see, having it in this scenario made all the difference for me!

As I hang this one up to try out some other titles; this game has been a pleasure to play and fun to write up these reports for. Thanks to Kai for his help and input as he followed my reports, it was fun to tell people I was talking with the game's author!

I know my blog is not frequented by very many, but I'll still say thanks to any and all who read my reports from playing this game over the last few months! If you are a solo skirmish wargamer or would like to be, I encourage you to try out these rules (hey, they're free).  I found them easy to learn and to play and I found the story engaging as well.

Vanguard: Seeking Sanctuary - Chapter 7: Treasure

 "The refugee trek comes across a monastery that looks abandoned.

"According to lore, within its vaults may be the fabled Springblade - a sword with the magical power to revive the fallen. Leaving the trek outside under the guard of the soldiers, the mercenaries dare an attempt to recover the weapon..."

This scenario is very different. Basically I was facing a race; get one mercenary to the end, pick up the sword, and get him/her back to the entrance before 20 monsters get out. The monsters will only stop to fight if there is a mercenary blocking them.

Just to clear it up now, I realized after playing that the path should have been set up diagonally and I didn't do that. However, I had decided to roll a double spawn move for the first monster placement. But, hey, all it means is everyone has a shorter course to run in order accomplish their win condition. So bad guys have a numbers advantage with the first wave.

Dramatic thumbnail?

Before rolling to populate monsters, I chose how to attack this scenario. I decided to run three groups of 2 mercenaries, each group taking one of the three corridors. On the left, Ivor and Willy the Wizard, Thorval and Emeralda in the middle, and Elan and Katya on the right.

Turn 0:

Three elites and six grunts to start!

Turn 1:

I see I made an error: allowed Willy a fireball after moving twice. It knocked down that middle grunt on the left side, so it didn't move forward as far as the rest. Willy also got an armour buff from Emeralda before moving.

Turn 2:

Katya advances and kills a grunt right off the bat! It's clear that I'm going to have to send only one fighter to get the sword while I try to delay as many of the horde as I can with every one else.

Thorval had rushed ahead, counting on Emeralda succeeding on at least one attempt to buff his armour! Perhaps the oncoming wall of monster got to her as she failed to cast the spell! Thorval is killed!!

Turn 3:

With Thorval gone and herself being un armoured, Emeralda retreats to a spot where she can cast a buff on Elan. As a result, any monsters coming down the middle are unopposed the entire way! On the left, Ivor is blocking a grunt from advancing when a boss comes up and knocks him over!

From this point on, Katya is totally occupied by this grunt. She will keep knocking it down and it will keep coming back for more! Emeralda's buffs will keep her from being knocked down.

Turn 4:

Emeralda moves again to cast a buff on Katya, but puts herself in the path of an oncoming grunt. Willy makes it to the sword and lifts it from its resting place.

Turn 5:

Ivor, as he recovers from the monster's blow, rises up and kills that boss monster dead!

Somehow, no monsters have spawned in the middle corridor. Willy takes the road less populated! So far, 11 monsters have left the building! 

Turn 6:

Ivor's sword strikes true again as a grunt falls before him. (Should this elite engage or pass by? It's not technically blocked and I could argue, since Ivor needed two actions to down that grunt, he was too busy to stop the larger monster.)

Willy is only one movement from the door! As soon as she sees him, Emeralda runs out, calling to Katya and Elan to get out, too!

Turn 7:

Willy exits the monastery with the Springblade! The scenario is won. And none too soon either: fifteen monsters were able to get out.

This scenario was very quick playing. Had the course been diagonal, I would have needed one more turn, maybe two. But even after two turns, I'd have had three more monsters leave at most, pushing that counter to 18. Maybe not, they'd have to run farther too! Katya and Elan still had a buff each, and were facing only grunts, not likely to face more than a knocked down status.

So onward to the final face-off. Needing a new mercenary. I'm thinking about having some form of casualty count to reflect the soldiers outside having to fight off the monsters that did exit the monastery.