Spinward Marches Solutions, LLIC.

Art by Ian Stead, by commission.

Spinward Marches Solutions
Rhylanor/2716 Spinward Marches

UCP: Im◄2444●23►LLPAR●Sec◄0466●56►

Established at the end of the Fourth Frontier War by mustered-out senior Naval personnel, Spinward Marches Solutions, LLIC., is a family-owned and operated mercenary, security and troubleshooter company, based on Rhylanor.  

Using their naval contacts, SMS were able to obtain a series of tickets for a subsidized 800-ton Type-M cruiser in the service of various march planetary governments, eager to re-establish peace and order in the wake of the recent war.  The first cruiser was paid off in just under ten years (1094). A second Type M was purchased used and paid off in eight years (1104).

The recent purchase of two additional Type M cruisers, while allowing SMS to service multiple tickets, has stretched corporate finances to their limit. It remains to be seen whether SMS can make the payments or has over-extended themselves.

Corporate recruiting policy is to engage previous-service mercenaries with either Army, Marine or Navy backgrounds. While this limits recruitment intakes, it reduces costs by reducing the need for basic training, and focuses on physical and mental reconditioning, as well as technical education.

Benefits are generous, with the leadership committed to attracting the best veterans in the subsector to their enterprise.

In addition to dirtside security, SMS offers a range of aerospace services, employing 6-ton light aero-space fighters. The company depends on High-Ticket, Moderate Risk assignments to keep operations profitable. Long term tickets with success-only bonuses are preferred.

Founder: Seth Coraille, Count of Aramanx

CEO: Garith Coraille,

CFO: Jone Coraille

Main Office on Rhylanor.  Servicing the Porozlo Schism on a retainer to Ling-Standard Products and the Free Trade Bloc.  3 Broadsword Cruisers carrying a Light Infantry Company.

Recruiting office: Marovic/Porozlo (5d+5 recruits per month)

Subsidiary Office on Vilis (4d+3 recruits per month).  Servicing Garda-Vilis brushwar in a government-supportive security capacity. 1 Broadsword Cruiser with Light Infantry Platoon.

Possible expansion projected to:

Aramis Subsector, with a recruiting office on Aramanx. (4d+3 RPM)

Glisten Subsector, with a recruiting office on Glisten (4d+3 RPM)

...Ω

"Tide's up. Time to stay alive..."

Yes, admittedly..."Ghosts of Mars" was a fairly disappointing film - especially at the time of release. However, compared to what's being turned out nowadays, that movie is now classic cinema gold.  Recently, having viewed a dvd version, I decided to paint up one Desolation Williams.

I used the RAFM miniature Karl Unger, from the USX Modern Day Heroes line, which had been loitering around my painting table for nearly a year, as the basis for my Williams - the weapon was easily  swapped from the stock, and there was no other modification necessary.

Aside from the Martian Red Desert Camo pattern, the colour palette for the character is very narrow - black undershirt, black webbing, black gloves, black boots. Yes, John Carpenter was quite burnt-out in anno 2001...

There's actually no scenario from "Ghosts of Mars" that I'm eager to play - it's just 'Zombies meet Wild West on Mars' which doesn't really interest me, tactically. That said, if I can find miniatures suitable for "Uno, Dos, and Tres", I'd paint them up to complete the posse...Ω

 

More 28mm SciFi for Five Parsecs from Home

More brushwork over the (enforced) weekend, for use with Five Parsecs from Home:

Inspired by the character of Eve Logan from The Chronicles of Riddick. This is a Copplestone Casting that I've had from the late '90s. Still available from Northstar Figures/Copplestone in the Babes with Guns set.

Nifty miniature with smooth lines, nice curves and tall to boot. Matches well with the Riddick lore, it that Eve Logan might also be a Furyan.

Next; Santana from the 2013 Riddick film.  A Moonraker Miniature (Wasteland Adventurer) that I think is intended to be a Road Warrior.  The scarf pretty much makes the mini. The machete has been added.  The 5:00 O'Clock Shadow at Noon is darker in real life, as is the hair.

Machete really needs another going over, with shiny metallic silver, to capture the well-kept and honed image, suggested in the film.

Leeloo Dallas Multipass and the Major. These excellent wee beauties are from Heresy Miniatures.

They show what a fine talent Andy F. is, and why he should turn out some new Sci-Fi minis...like Mangalores.

 Final offering of the day - two more Copplestone figures via Moonraker Miniatures.

I'm unable to provide a hotlink, since Moonraker has temporarily paused trading until the Virus situation stabilises.

Edit 11/2020: Moonraker Miniatures is now a part of Forlorn Hope Games...Ω

Not Quite Another Bughunt - 5P/FMA

With the lock-down firmly in place, it was time to have a go at a Five Parsecs from Home/Full Metal Anorak/Bughunt game.  A fireteam of four was rapidly generated: Logan, Kupperberg, Farlander, and Correia. From various backgrounds: Prison Planet, Hi-Tech World, and Trade World - each location providing some small benefit for that particular trooper.

Quick word on mechanics: I use the 5PfH/BH campaign shell to generate the troopers backgrounds, the scenario and objectives, and the campaign turn in between encounters. The actual scenario resolution is driven by Full Metal Anorak. So there are twice as many rulebooks to search through than normal. But, hey!  It's Lockdown!

For this scenario, I used part of my paper-terrain space station as the encounter board. Three green  poker chips were placed as 'Objective' markers, each of these gets a 'Contact' marker (potential hostiles). Also, six 'Tactical' markers are placed, as evenly spaced as possible, about the board.

Rolling 1d6 for mission Priority, I had a 1, which was a relief, as this was essentially a training mission for me and my squaddies. Priority 1 also means 1 additional 'contact' marker is placed on each objective...you see where this is going? Had I rolled a 6, it would be six times the "fun".

Mission Priority also provides points where you can shop for support - in this scenario, I picked a tough-as-nails Gunnery Sgt., named Sigler, armed with a boarding cutlass and auto-shotgun.

Contact markers are randomly moved several d6 in various directions. Your squad enters a random board edge. And the Hunt begins.

Turn 1 and 2: The squad headed for the first objective, and immediately encountered the opposition: crazed robots.  I decided to roll randomly, and that's what was selected.

"I thought it was supposed to be bugs..." said Logan.
"Maybe it's bugs in their programs!" joked Kuppenberg.
"Secure that pun!" growled the Gunny.

D6 with the '2' will move in the Slow Phase

Initiative in 5P is slightly different, since it's designed as a solo game. Adapted for FMA, each player figure has a Motivation Rating, from 1 - 3, 1 being best. To move in the first phase, AKA the 'Fast' Phase, a number of d6 are thrown, those that roll over their Motivation may now move, shoot and take special actions.

The aliens/bugs/robots move and take action in the second phase.

Finally, in the last or 'Slow' phase, any player models that haven't yet moved are free to do so.

It's a neat system, and it reminds me of Two Hour Wargames

"I just Burked myself..."

reaction system, but IMO it works more smoothly and is less cumbersome.

Turn 3 - 4: The robots at the first objective were quickly dispatched, due to some hot die rolls. The objective turned out to be the Evac point.  Each objective is rolled for details, usually before actual play begins. One objective was lifted, and the other, in the Med Bay, had a 'hack' result, meaning someone was going to be using their Tech skillz.

"You are BURKED, my lad!'

While the main squad was clearing the first objective, Trooper Kuppenberg went off to investigate on his own. He found a Tactical marker, made his Tech roll, and was able to remove a Contact marker that was getting close to his fellow squaddies...and then he bumped into two more robots.

Kuppenburg ran for the exit, and decided to make a Tech roll (5-6 on a D6) to lock the door. Rolled a 4. "NOOOOOooooo!"

"C'mon you Rednecks!"

As Burke, I mean Kuppenberg, dodged mechanical claws, he dropped his ACR and pulled out his standard issue Heavy Service Pistol. Shots rang out and slugs ricocheted off the robotic steel plating.

The rest of the squad, hearing the shots, ran toward the sound of the gunfire.

"And that's what we mean when we say
'Fight Like Robot'"

Running in FMA/Stargrunt II, to me, has always seemed awkward, with many players conflicted on what works best.  For my games, I've implemented "Run" as an additional action. First action, you get your regular move distance. With Run, you get to add your movement Die type. So, if your model has an 8" move, it gets that distance, then rolls a D8 when it Runs.

Results seem to be, you will occasionally fail to make the distance, but you won't be standing 2" from where you started 3 minutes ago.

Pvt. Logan has stabilised Kuppenberg,
and he's walking.

By turns 5 - 6, The rest of the squad had reached the room, from where they'd heard the shots. Kuppenberg lay crumpled on the floor, with an obviously chuffed robot standing over him.

Extending it's claws, the robot advance on the squad...

...however, walking into a three-way crossfire of aimed shots doesn't do anyone a bit of good...and the saucy 'bot was gunned down with dispatch

Main Objective in Sight

Turn 7 - 8: Pvt. Logan was able to stabilise Kuppenberg on the second attempt (luckily she didn't kill him on a '1') and since the damage taken wasn't heavy, he was able to walk and fight at a reduced level (he dropped a Quality die).  I was glad I had traded some of Logan's pre-gen points for Medic-1. She is fast becoming my favourite model.

The rest of the squad headed for the Med Bay, where the objective was to hack the computer and bring the data back to HQ for analysis.

"Who's our tech?" asked Sgt. Sigler

"That'd be Kuppenberg, Sarge" replied Pvt. Correia.

"Well sheet!" swore the Sergeant, "I guess you're our new Tech, Correia!"

"I lay awake at night and think of you, Sergeant..." muttered Correia.

"What's that, Marine?" growled Sgt. Sigler.

"I said, 'Sergeant! Yes, Sergeant!'" Correia exclaimed.

"Damn straight, you did." said Sigler. "And now that we're all in agreement, let's get into Med Bay, grab the data, and GTF off this rattle-trap.  On the DOUBLE!"


There was a single robot in Med Bay, but a Contact marker was slowly moving closer. The Sgt and Pvt Farlander charged the Bot, guns blazing, while Correia swung clear of the brawl and ran to the Med Computer.

"Jesús en una muleta!" she cursed under her breath. ¿Dónde está el maldito fabricante de capuchino en esta puta?

"Marines! EXFILTRATION!

Just behind Correia's back, Pvt. Farlander took a swipe from a claw and went down hard. Sgt. Sigler emptied his service pistol into the metal attacker and was pleasantly surprised when it began to gout smoke from it's seams and crashed over satisfactorily.

"No time for triage" Sigler said to himself, as he picked up Farlander and slung him over the shoulder.
Sigler yelled to Corriea, "Don't be gentle, Cariño! Kick the drive loose if you have to!"


Correia drew back her armoured combat boot. Wham! she kicked. Wham! Wham! WHAM! The impacts kept time to shouts in Spanish:
"Abre! Abre! ABRE! TU PERRA!"
There was a snapping sound, accompanied by the skittering of some plastic something across the floor. The drive, with a data crystal,  slid open.

Correia picked up the crystal and grinned as she showed it to Sgt. Sigler. "Just like Prom Night, Gunny!"

"A natural Romantic..." said Sigler. "Marines, EXFILTRATION TIME!"


Outside the Med Bay, Logan and Kupperberg headed cautiously into the comms room.  Logan held up Kupp's ACR, "Can you handle this?"

"Yeah" he said. "Just don't ask me to dance..."

Logan grinnned "I'm not asking you to dance. I'm asking you to fight..."

FMA allows for fighting while wounded, unlike SGII. For a light wound, the model has it's combat quality degrade by one level, so Kupperberg drops from a D8 Quality to a D6. He also cannot run.

The two marines made slowly for the EVAC point.

"Dropship Kalgon; take us away!"

Turn 9 - 10.  Just behind Logan and Kupperberg, Sgt. Sigler crossed the main corridor. Several close contacts were being held off by a Tactical marker (more on these in the notes).

They entered Comms just as two more Robots moved in.

Putting the unconscious Farlander down, Sgt Sigler swore, "Jesús en una muleta!" as he raised his shotgun. Correia raised an eyebrow.

The shotgun blast caught both bots, destroying the lead one. The other advanced on Corriea,metal claws grasping.

Actually, Gunny Sigler took the brunt of the melee, because he is one tough hombre (AC d12!) and I was playing the odds. Correia and Logan provided fire support, again, playing the odds that any stray shots wouldn't damage Sigler.  The strategy worked, even had it failed, Sigler is not a regular member of the squad, and can be replaced by an exact copy - but I would have missed him.

By turn 11(pursued by yet again two more robots) the Squad had reached the EVAC objective - not sure how they were extracted, possibly a hole in the ceiling. There was one walking wounded, one incapacitated, and two objectives achieved.  Mission: Success.

Post-Game Thoughts:

Tactical Markers - these add a neat twist. When contacted, a successful Tech roll (5-6) creates a tactical effect - it can be removing a Contact marker or creating a Blocking Zone vs. Aliens. This latter was how the Sarge got across the main corridor whilst carrying the wounded Farlander.

This scenario was pretty hard, for a priority 1 game. I was getting close to despairing, until I realised I had short-changed the main squad a second Fire Team. That's an automatic back up, and then you can requisition heavier weapons, etc. by paying some Priotity points.  Of course, the first Smart LMG the squad acquires goes to Pvt. Correia.

Creature Movement Does Eventually Get Boring - rolling movement dice for a dozen Contact markers does get a little tiresome, especially on the far side of the board, where one just knows they will never come into contact. I'm thinking about a hack.

On the other hand, there's always an off-chance that a new Contact marker will appear in your squad's way. This happened on the penultimate turn, where the EVAC point was attacked by a single robot. Logan and Kupperberg were able to bring it down with concentrated, aimed fire.  Still, made for a tense turn.

Campaign Turn: After the encounter, models use are assigned experience points, roll for reputation increase, apply for cross training, go on R&R, if up for some and recover in sick bay. In the case of Kuppenberg, since he had been stabilised with a light wound, he would require a turn in sickbay, so if the team goes out, it will be without him, and Farlander as well.

Farlander had been recovered while incapacitated, so  he had to roll on the chart  and take his chances - fortunately, he also came up "Lightly Wounded" so he'll have Kuppenberg to keep company.

Correria had enough experience points to buy a trait upgrade - she was a half-point down on her Move trait (3.5") so that was increased to 4". They're still slow, but at least they're all slow together.

Logan was able to improve her Motivation to a "2", meaning she will be taking a more active role in future encounters.

Sgt. Sigler went on to his next assignment, nannying another set of wet-arsed boots on a thankless job of keeping Mankind's Final Frontier safely expanding.

"Damn Straight!"...Ω

Just Another Bug Hunt...Full Metal Anorak

Two weeks ago, Megz and I had another visit with the Wargames Association of Metro Philadelphia (The WAMPS) and decided to test my basic concept for a bug hunt scenario, featuring Traveller's favourite Alien derivative, the Chamax Horde. Miniatures used are Denizen Ventaurans, and WoTC D&D Mad Slashers. Acid Splash and Suppression Markers were from Litko.

Miller's Crossing Farm

These wicked wee beasties have featured on my blog in the past; this time, Zhodani troops, supported by their famous Teleport Commandos, would attempt to quell the Chamax threat.

The situation at hand: A Zhodani agricultural colony has had an outbreak of Chamax, and a platoon of Zhodani regular lift infantry is sweeping a protected farm for bug contacts.

We were using the beta test of Full Metal Anorak, basically an abandoned rules set, derived from GZG's StarGrunt II. Supplementing this were element of Nordic Weasel's Bug Hunt, part of the Five Parsecs from Home rules group.

First Contact - A Questing Bug

Players take the part of the hunters, whilst the bugs are run automatically. In Bug Hunt, there are contact markers (we're using chits) and objective markers (again, chits) which I assigned random rolls once encountered. There was also a random value assigned (my own inclusion) which meant that players could compete with each other, while also working together.

I was also using the Bug tables from 5150, hence, there are a lot more bugs than you tend to have in Bug Hunt. OTOH, there are also more soldiers.

Second Contact - these chamax are more alert

Bug Hunt assigns a random set of d6 for rolling  movement and aggression. To simulate the chamax state of "questing" - where the bug is not actively attacking potential food sources, I altered the aggression level down to a d4, making it less likely the chamax would attack unless a figure got within 8" (movement range).

Once a bug was killed, however, it emitted a radio/psychic shriek, which caused all other chamax on board to increase their aggression dice by one die type. This would eventually max out at a d12.

Forming a firing line?

The Zhodani Infantry were standard line, so they were armed with 4mm Gauss Rifles. These had an impact of 2d6, vs the Chamax armour/toughness of d8. A trooper had to at least double his impact roll vs the chamax defense roll to kill it, or else there was no result (alien biology, and all that...)

As an added bonus, when a chamax is killed, it's because the acid sack behind its gullet was ruptured, causing a spray of fluoric acid and molecular debonder to shower out in a 1.5 inch radius.

The Hive is aroused...

 The first two turns were spent with the Zhos advancing cautiously toward the contact markers.  half proved to be non-contacts (random wildlife fleeing the area, puddles of digested colonists, etc.), but still worth VPs.  The first chamax contacted was blown away fairly easily - as Megz noted, a little too easily.

"We've got movement all over the place!"

As each chamax died, another 2d6 swarm would activate, with dead figures recycled back into my "bug pool". Then they enter via a random map edge. By the third/fourth turn, there were bug swarms on all sides of the Zhos, except to their left flank.

So they began to draw together.

And they called for help.

*TADAAH* The Teleport Commandos Arrive.

One of the nice things about playing the Zhos is their high degree of telepathic officers and NCOs - all of them, to be exact. This means that actions can be passed from higher ups to riflemen with greater flexibility than in Stargrunt II or FMA,  Another perk is you can ask for help from the Consular Guard Commandos, who can teleport in like...magic.

A fireteam of three commandos and senior NCO was held in reserve for just such an occasion.

Effects of directly applied Plasma Gun fire.

Armed with PGMPs (Plasma Gun, Man Portable) and the comforting thought that they could, if necessary, just manage a quick teleport back to base if things got too dicey, the Commandos arrived. The Effing New Guy in the team got teleport sickness (out for a turn - suppressed) but the rest opened up on the bugs with their plasma guns - with devastating effect.

"HERE THEY COME!"

Chamax melted and burst, sending showers of acid on those bugs next to them, causing them to melt and burst as well. A cheer went up from the encircled Zhos.

And more swarms activated.

And other hives in the area were beginning to activate, as well.

"Time to go!"

There were three waves of chamax swarms coming toward them from the building area, and the Zhodani decided it was time to breakout back to their rally point, call in an airstrike, and then return for the mop-up sweep.

First though, they had to deal with the bugs that were reaching them.

Chamax have no morale to break, so they keep coming until they're all dead or you're all bite-sized niblets. The two or three survivors of the plasma-storm reached the commandos and attacked.

In melee, chamax get two slashing attacks - if both are successful, there is an automatic acid-laden bite on the following turn. Also, armour is degraded by one level for each bite, this can continue even after the bug is dead. And speaking of dead - don't forget the acid spray.

Winning the melee is also losing the melee...

Three chamax sprang at the commandos - the senior NCO/TD* was able to use his gauss pistol in melee and got off a lucky shot, killing the chamax and spraying everyone in the immediate area with acid. The two commandos took a couple of slashes, but not enough to warrant the dreaded bite attack.  By the second round of combat, the NCO had killed another chamax and acid spray did the rest to its companion.


With armour smoking and more Chamax on the way, the Leading Officer saw the opening and gave the telepathic code: "Guardsmen, we are leaving..."

The final result was Megz had gathered more VP than myself, but the calling in of the Commandos had elevated the priority of the sweep, meaning we'd be going back in after a quick refit to take out the Maternal/Queen. So no clear victory as far as a campaign would be concerned.

Post Game Thoughts:
Usually, I find games with the Chamax Plague to be lots of fun, and this was no exception. There is plenty for the players to do, while the mounting numbers of opposition keeps the pressure on to take objectives, gather clues and keep from becoming tomorrow's leftovers.

My main thought is the chamax might be too vulnerable to their own acid. With a d8 Strength vs. a d8 defence, it seemed that they were dying more from their own acid than from Zhodani fire. I'll need to play again and keep closer track of the casualties.

Bug Hunt has more tweaks and options I'd like to incorporate, like Location Effects. Kinda like Objectives/Clues except they effect the environment, possible slowing bugs down or delaying swarm activations.

Plans are to run this at Cold Wars and at GZG:ECC in March. I'm going to add some grain silos and water towers, as well as an out building or two.  That will reduce the lines of fire a bit and make the game more...interesting...Ω

*TD: Teleport Director. That's a real MOS in the Zhodani Armed Forces

Traveller: Interstellar Wars, using Dirtside II in 15mm

Megz and I decided to try a little Dirtside II while visiting the Tri-State Gamers Day of Games in Springfield, PA this past 17th November. Megz had never played before (though is familiar with StarGrunt II) and I hadn't played in some 4 years - time to knock some rust off.

We were joined by Cliff B. and Gil (?), which was a pleasant development (They were enthralled by the GEV APCs and first thought it was a Hammer's Slammers game - why disappoint them?)

Imperials Advance
I have no idea why my camera is tinting blue.

This was another "Assault on Alpha Centauri" scenario, first taken from the old boardgame Imperium and answers the statement "You should only attack with 3 to 1 odds." with "Sometimes, you only have  2 to 1 odds and you hope to get lucky...". Happens in Imperium all the time.


(Picture note: my I*Phone was fussing, so the first picture turned out rather blue-ish. We switched to the MegzCam(TM) for the rest of the game.)

The Vilani make a key mistake...they bunch up.

The Imps weren't playing very clever, we were just trying to close to range. Bit of a mistake, really. The Terran mortars took out an artillery scout sled, and then sustained heavy missile fire and high velocity rounds from the light tanks (nicknamed "Terridens") destroying the T53 Area Defense sled. Loss of the AD sled is always bad, as it protects the advance against missiles and mortar rounds. And so, the defeat begins...

The line is dressed,
and the advance may now continue...

Some good news; the artillery spotters were able to deploy a pair of mortars on the reverse of the ridge. The third mortar was still in the burning hover sled. Also, an attached Electronic Warfare sled set up jamming of the Terran communications.

Dirtside II doesn't have EW rules, so we ported them in from StarGrunt II. An active EW stand receive three chits, each can be spent to spot units, jam commo or spoof enemy guidance systems. The Imperial immediately began to jam the Terran artillery spotters requests for mortar fire. This blunted the Terran mortar fire, but did not entirely halt it.

The Terrans had very little capability to counter these EW attacks - Terran Tech lags behind Imperial, so their ECW assets aren't effective except in quantity, and there had been no room to land those expensive, and limited effective units.

The ConFed Marines would defend the giant
 drink cup facility, whatever the cost...

Terran Marine platoon, dug in on three low rises. The big building is some sort of infrastructure objective - maybe it refines and bottles water. It has to be strategically important for the Vilani to capture and not simply nuke.

The marines are supported by light, airmobile AIFVs and a pair of light tanks (with hi-velocity guns). There are mortar teams behind the crests of the rises, the squad leaders are acting as spotters - something the Vilani would never contemplate.

The near squad has lost their Chariot-class AIFV to the 44mm gun of the T53 sled. These small vehicles are light enough to drop into positions, but they have thin armour. All Terran Marine Jump Infantry vehicles are built on the same light chassis, easing logistics ever so slightly.

The view of the Vilani, humping over the ridge, from the Terran ConFed perspective. The Terran mortar teams are still being jammed, as the Command Post attempts to re-activate a mortar section to hit the Imps. This was another StarGrunt II rule we imported - a command unit may pass it's activation to a subordinate unit upon making a successful commo roll.

One thing we did not get on camera was an auto-cannon armed Chariot raced down the Vilani right flank and shot up several elements - Imperial mortar section and spotter section as well as the EW sled.  Megz is a lunatic, but the attack worked. Though the "Mad Chariot" was destroyed by the 22mm autocannons of an Imperial AIFV, with the loss of the Imperial EW team, and the supporting mortar, AND the squandered T43 ADA sled, the Vilani cancelled the assault.

The Vilani have second thoughts...

Post Game Thoughts:

Designing Interstellar Wars ground actions can be tricky, especially if you're trying to stay in Traveller Canon. The first few wars must have been a nightmare, with the Ziru Sirka/Vilani lobbing tactical nukes about like lawn darts. The Terran ConFed would need to keep very mobile, which would be somewhat difficult if they're dropping light troops from orbit - unless they're dropping directly onto targets the Imperials can't (or won't) nuke.

Ziru Sirka/Imperial scouts - these poor b@stards.  Light, open hover-sleds leaves them vulnerable to all kinds of artillery shenanigans. They might need their own Area Defence Artillery, also in a light, open hover-sled.

The Electronic Warfare sled was a lot of fun to play. Blocking unit activations makes up for a lot of a beating. In hindsight, we should have jammed both mortar sections and the command post. Live and learn.

Converting Traveller vehicle designs is, in itself, entertaining. Ken Pick has several excellent articles over at Freelance Traveller - highly recommended....Ω

Marines watch while a Chariot brews up.
Let's hope the crew got out.

Doctor Who and the Mist from Mars

The Mist from Mars...has arrived.

This past Cold Wars, in Lancaster, PA, saw Megz and I run a 7TV 1st ed. game: "Doctor Who and the Mist from Mars", adapted from the Rogues Gallery programme guide by Crooked Dice.

We ran two sessions, Friday and Saturday, in the 1:00 PM time slot. One of the advantages of running at a convention is we usually have a full game, and this year was no exception.

Three weeks had elapsed since the initial playtest and the convention, and I was able to complete the barracks and medical hut, paint the crates, paint the Third Doctor in his plaid/tweed cape, and add additional forces for both sides.


For an additional UNIT player, I added Sgt. Benton and a Heavy Weapons Team (HMG), in a Landrover.

For the additional Mist player, I added three guards  - unfortunate RAF airmen, who have since been assimilated by the Mist. I also added Captain Gray, a human victim/servitor of the Mist who has retained her personality but has gone over to the dark side. The character is reminiscent of Captain Black, agent of the Mysterons, which I like very much.

Another Victim...hypnotised.

There was a great deal of hypnotised victims, captured Doctors, Boffins building insidious alien tech, companions screaming, and players doing their best Donald Gray impressions.

Victory was fickle, once favouring the Mist, and once favouring UNIT.  The Doctor was taken out of the former game - cue an early Tom Baker regen.

Boffins...building.

 An amusing game to referee. Megz has come along quite well as a ref, and was able to run the game herself, with me relegated to fetching the tea and the occasional rules interpretation. Good stuff...Ω

Third Doctor...captured.

Another...angle.