The Island of Evil. The DNA Finale.

This is the fourth and final part of my 1980s superhero campaign. In the first episode, our heroes managed to secure the formula of Dr Nichlos Armagus's (DNA) deadly gas. However, at Mission Trail Park, the same heroes failed to stop DNA from exploding his mutation bomb, although they managed to contain the worst of the explosion.

Yet this small victory came at a cost, with Star Phantom, the most potent member of the Aegis team, severely injured. As Star Phantom lies in the Citadel, the rest of the team moves on to the township of Terrasanta, where DNA has erected some booster emitters. The team managed to disable the emitters and drive DNA's minions from the township. Analysing the spoils of their victory, our heroes have finally located DNA's secret hideout on an island called Isla Malvarda.

DNA Hideout - The Island of Malvarda.

The Attack

Star Phantom's stealth powers allowed Knight Eagle, Primor, and Blue Flame to approach the Malvarda undetected. The team entered a huge Cavan filled with storage tanks, generators, and piping. The place had an acrid smell as chemicals seeped through the rocks. Our hero planned to destroy the tie and apprehend DNA and his accomplices.

The Welcome Committee

As expected, DNA and his villains awaited the attack. Deathshot, perched on one of the storage tanks guarding the main entrance to the complex, would be the first into the action. Our hero's plan was for Blue Flame to fly across the cave and block the villains' retreat while the others destroyed the controls for the chemical plant. Star Phantom, the team leader, would try to cover the rest of the team so they could complete their objectives.

DNA's Chemical Sanctuary

Therefore, Star Phantom once again crossed swords with Deathshot. Following the villain’s success with his entanglement arrows, he used the same tactics again. Once more, Star Phantom found himself entangled in electronic netting. However, Star Phantom had learned how to quickly escape the tricks of the evil sharpshooter.

Old Scores 

Meanwhile, Knight Eagle had started deactivating the first control units. Blue Flame took a more direct approach. Flying over the chaos below, she headed to secure the exit, blasting another control desk. However, her actions brought her to the attention of both DNA and Emulator. The latter still had the scars of their previous encounter. Both launched attacks on our young alien but with no effect. Blue Flame alien neurology seems less susceptible to DNA’s mind-control abilities than the other team members.

Primor and Deathshot Fight it Out

Blue Flame unleashed a devastating blast at Emulator, propelling her backwards and reopening her old wounds; her right arm was rendered useless. Known for her temper, Emulator charged at the young alien, unleashing her full power. The pain was evident on Blue Flame's face as she crashed into one of the massive storage tanks. At that moment, DNA seized his opportunity. The alien had resisted his charms, so DNA used his mind control powers on Star Phantom's instead. Soon, the unfortunate hero, now a puppet of the evil scientist, struck his teammate with his Phantom blast. Blue Flame collapsed and was out of the game.

The Eagle Attacks

Despite the setback, the Aegis team maintained the initiative. Knight Eagle leapt toward another control panel, only to find himself blocked by Mayhem, whom he quickly dispatched. Emulator followed soon after. Laughing at her success, she overlooked the rapidly approaching Star Phantom. Angered by his role in Blue Flame’s knockout, he attacked her with an energy blast. Another member of DNA’s entourage would play no further part in the evil scientist's plans.

DNA realised the game was up, and it was time to save himself. Aiming a mental blast at Star Phantom, he ran towards the giant blast doors at the back of the cave. Meanwhile, Knight Eagle used the Eagle Claw to swing to the top of the silo to assist Primor, hitting Deathshot in the stomach and knocking him off the silo. The last of DNA’s henchmen was now down.

The Escape

Now, the only task left was to apprehend DNA himself, but the giant doors were already beginning to close. When Star Phantom was pushed backwards by another mental attack, the last chance to capture the scientist had been lost.

What Next

Team Aegis will soon embark on another adventure. However, my next superhero journey is set in an alternative London in 1880. This is a world of towering chimneys and gleaming brass, where the roar of steam engines mingles with whispers of ancient sorcery.  The Queen's Empire is protected by the Circle, disguised as a London Club in trendy Pall Mall. 

London 1880

Pulp Alley & The Leopard

I recently finished my Tomb of the Serpent campaign. My next project is the Spectacular Adventures of the Leopard, a swashbuckling skirmish game set during the English Civil War. I have already played a test game, The Wayward Messenger, using the 7TV system. However, before setting out on this project, I decided to review what rules were available and which best suited my needs. Finally, I decided to use Pulp Alley. So why am I using a set of rules designed for the first half of the twentieth century for a historical skirmish game? As the Pulp Alley authors made clear, the Pulp genre included a wide range of environments, including gangsters, superheroes, fantasy, horror, and pirates, to name a few. So, in this first missive on my Leopard project, I will examine the rules I have looked at and why I went for Pulp Alley. As you will see, this is a very personal choice that fits my circumstances.

The Leopard, Aurelia St Simon and Aaron Bell (The Preacher)

Seventeenth Century Skirmish Rules. 

There are several good rule sets dedicated to the swashbuckling period, such as Flashing Steel, Glorie, and En Garde, to name just a few. All these games provide an excellent narrative for my campaign, but none are designed for the solo wargamer. Also, why I love collecting and reading rules; for my day-to-day gaming, I try to keep to a handful of core rules. Therefore, I decided to have a set of skirmish rules that  I could use for Indiana Jones-type adventures, gangsters in the 1930s and classic sci-fi settings. This led me back to the Pulp genre.

Pulp Rules - Cost 

In recent years, the pulp genre has become rather crowded with rules. Compared to other periods, all these rules can be obtained cheaply. Most have a free version or can be downloaded cheaply from Wargames Vault. 

Also, the figure count is usually less than a dozen, and most figure rules are agnostic in what figures can be used. Pulp Alley and 7TV have figure ranges, but they are unnecessary for playing the games.

Various supplements, scenarios, and cards add additional costs. Pulp Alley and 7TV have the most support for their games, so more supplements and cards to add to the core game. If you decide to go 'all in' with cards and supplements, this makes them the more expensive end of the spectrum.

The most significant cost is the need for nice-looking terrain. However, card buildings are available, and with careful planning, MDF and resin buildings can be used for other games.

Pulp - The Rules

Here is a brief summary of the rules I have examined. Click on the rules picture for link to the rules.

7TV (Crooked Dice)

7TV was designed to pay tribute to 1960s and 1970s television, focusing on campy adventures from fantasy to science fiction. Initially, each genre had its own supplement, but in 2023, Crooked Dice produced a core rulebook and now concentrates on producing serials (scenarios) that reflect the TV shows of the era.

The gameplay emphasises thematic missions and cinematic effects. Players build “casts” of characters using customisable archetypes. These are played on a set where the game recreates a TV episode. This can lead to odd play; for example, the set can move due to continuity errors.

Fistful of Lead (Wiley Games)

These rules are simple and quick to learn, perfect for fast-paced pulp action. They focus on minor skirmishes with individual character actions. The action deck (standard playing cards) mechanic introduces randomness and variety. The game offers flexible genre support, including Westerns, noir, and pulp sci-fi. Experimental solo rules, which are free to download, have been produced. Although their strength lies in multi-player games where they can handle numerous players (c. 10) without the game getting bogged down.

However, Fistful of Lead does not produce a deep storytelling experience, and the characters are underdeveloped for my tastes. I also found them challenging to customise for my Leopard adventures, although several genre/period supplements are available.

Perilous Tales 

This cooperative skirmish wargame centres around horror and exploration, perfect for Lovecraftian or supernatural pulp settings. The procedural scenario generation and simple yet thematic rules create cinematic challenges and a story-rich encounter, and they are specifically designed to support solo and cooperative gameplay.

Character design is limited because it is driven by predefined templates, which limits the customisation of games outside the horror genre. While all the games in this list are designed to create cinematic cliffhangers, in this instance, the mechanism that produces the excitement seems random, making tactics less critical than other pulp games. However, as a free game that introduces someone to pulp or for solo play, these rules are a winner.

Pulp (Osprey)

Pulp is one of the latest entries in the pulp stable and part of the Osprey Blue Book of wargames. Like all Osprey publications, the rules are cheap and well-produced. The rules offer a fast, streamlined game that is easy to learn, making it a good entry-level game. However, in terms of simplicity, the rules have lost depth in customising the characters, who are limited to archetypes.

Therefore, they miss the full storytelling potential of the genre with limited narrative depth and minimal customisation of characters.

Pulp Alley

Pulp Alley provides deep narrative gameplay, using dice and card mechanisms to represent plot points and random events. Together, these components produce an easy-to-learn game that is difficult to master. As I mentioned, the rules are designed to be highly customisable and fit with the variety of pulp genres. Character creation is good, although I would like more depth added to the character's background.
The game has solo rules and a unique card deck that produces engaging and exciting games, and it has one of the best dedicated communities of any game. The authors produce weakly, at least, videos to support their creation. While the cost is moderate if you want to purchase the cards (downloads are available), it provides an immersive experience into the world of pulp.

  

Comparing Pulp Rules

The rules choice is personal and designed to meet your or the club's needs. Therefore, the list below is designed to meet my gaming needs. I have considered the following factors: Narrative, Complexity ( I like simple to moderate rules), Flexibility, Solo play, Costs, and game/community support.

Narrative

My games must produce a good narrative that could make a good short story. In this category, Pulp Alley, 7TV and Perilous Tales edge this for me. The card mechanics in the first two add much narrative depth to the game.

Complexity

None of these games is particularly hard to learn; most are moderate to low in complexity. Boardgame Geek rates them in the mid-2s out of a total of 5. Fist Full is Lead, and Perilous Tales may have simpler systems.

Flexibility

Pulp Alley and 7TV can support any pulp genre. Pulp Alley nudges this category because 7TV's scenarios are more scripted.

Solo Mechanism

Only Pulp Alley and Perilous Tales have dedicated solo mechanisms. The other games' systems focus primarily on competitive skirmishes, so solo players must develop their own systems.

Cost of Entry

As I mentioned at the opening of this blog, the cost of entry is relatively low for this genre. 7TV is the most expensive, although they have merged most of the genre into one core book, reducing costs. Pulp Alley offers a lot of free stuff, but it will increase if you want to buy the cards and other add-on costs. For those on a tight budget, Perilous Tales and Fist Full of Lead, with downloadable rules and a few add-ons, have the edge on costs.

Support

One of the oddities of solo Wargaming is that you still want to feel part of a wider community. Therefore, online support is an essential aspect of the game for me. Support includes activity communities, forums, and online engagement. In this respect, Pulp Alley is the winner with its Facebook community, weekly videos, and games.

Conclusion

Pulp Alley was the final choice for playing my Leopard campaign because of its flexibility. I only had to write minimal changes to reflect seventeenth-century technology, its solo play capabilities, and the production of a strong narrative. In my Tomb of the Serpent campaign, the characters became more 3-dimensional as the story progressed. However, here, I had to design my own adventurers, so I wanted a clearer picture of the background of my main characters. How the Leopard, his friends and foes came to life will be the subject of the second blog in this project. 

Tomb of the Serpent God - The Final Chapter

The blazing sun of the desert had barely faded from memory when our band of adventurers emerged from a portal in the heart of a desolate land. In the shadow of a cursed tomb, their hopes of finding Sir Francis, Thwaites, and Marjib had crumbled into the dust. Alfie, clinging to life, was carried to a nearby village, where he made another miraculous recovery. His pale, haunted expression betrayed that fate had not finished with him.

Ever the leader, Slade secured the aid of a local guide, Menrit, to navigate the foreboding temple that loomed over their mission like a viper coiled to strike. With each step closer to the Snake God’s lair, an oppressive dread hung heavier. 

The Antechamber

Their journey brought them to the temple’s antechamber, smothered in shadow and silence. Slade’s torch sputtered to life, casting flickering light across the crumbling masonry. A great stone door barred their way, its surface carved with strange glyphs that seemed to slither under the torchlight. As Slade heaved it open, the brittle structure groaned in protest, sending a jagged chunk of stone hurtling toward Honey. She narrowly sidestepped it, her breath catching in her throat.

The Entrance to the Snale god's Prison/Tomb

 

The Writhing Wall

The corridor beyond was long and narrow, its walls crawling with a sickly green luminescence. Daphne leaned closer, her eyes narrowing at the source of the eerie light. “Beetles,” she whispered, her voice tinged with disgust. “And not the friendly kind.” She reached out, brushing her fingers against the writhing insects. The cold struck her like a dagger, and she jerked her hand back, trembling as a pallor overtook her face.

Maat - The Despoiled Goddess of Balance

Further in, they came upon a plinth crowned by a statue of Maat, the goddess of balance, her scales shattered in a cruel mockery of justice. At her feet gleamed a massive ruby, a beacon in the darkness. Slade, ever daring, stepped onto the slippery surface, his muscles taut as he pried the gemstone free. Relief flooded the group as he retreated unscathed—until a harsh scraping noise echoed deeper within the corridor.

Scorpions 

Before anyone could react, a monstrous scorpion burst from the shadows, its claws snapping and its tail poised to strike. Honey’s pistol barked in defiance, the shots briefly staggering the beast before it lunged, swatting her to the ground. Slade and Alfie rushed to her aid, their weapons hammering the creature until it collapsed in a heap of chitin and ichor.

The group pressed on, but their trials had only begun.

The Defenders of the Tomb

Slade was the first to enter the inner chamber, and the stench of decay hit him like a wave. From the gloom emerged the risen priest, his rotted form shrouded in malevolent power. Slade fired, but the bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the creature’s ancient armour. As the priest loomed closer, rubble stirred at the room's edges, disgorging skeletal warriors with rusted blades.

Slade fights the Risen Priest in the Outer Chamber. A Combat that would last to the end of the scenario

Daphne and Alfie fought valiantly as Honey and Menrit struggled to regain their footing. Each step forward was met with fierce resistance as more undead clawed their way from the temple walls. Just as hope began to waver, the Ankh Amulet around Slade’s neck flared to life, its golden light coursing through him. Empowered by its energy, he fought with a ferocity that turned the tide, forcing the priest back. Yet the creature refused to fall, its unholy vitality mocking their every effort.

Then came the final test.

Burial Chamber

Alfie stumbled into the burial chamber first, but an unseen force struck him down, flinging him back like a ragdoll. His limp body sprawled across the chamber floor, another cruel twist of fate in his harrowing journey. The burden now fell to Daphne and Honey. With Menrit holding the line against the horde of undead guardians, the two women edged closer to the sarcophagus of Apophis himself. 

A Tomb Guardian awaits in the Inner Chamber, soon joined by several undead warriors.

The air was heavy, thick with ancient malice. Each step was a battle against the slippery floor and the oppressive force radiating from the tomb. At last, they reached the god’s prison, their voices trembling as they recited the ancient ritual: The Rite of Ra.

As the final words echoed through the chamber, a golden light burst forth from the tomb, its brilliance piercing the darkness. The black, writhing mass within shrieked and writhed as it dissolved into nothingness, its malevolent presence banished at last.

But as the dust settled and silence reclaimed the temple, one question lingered: had the Snake God truly been defeated, or had they merely opened the door to something worse.

Postscript

Three weeks later, the team sat in the shaded gardens of the British Archaeological Society, sipping ice-cold drinks. Alfie had once again recovered from his injuries. Mr Indestructable was Daphne's nickname for him now. Sir Francis, Thwaites, and Majib were reunited with their friends when they crossed the portal in the temple. After sealing the portal, the group returned to Cairo. As they relaxed, the society's director expressed the British government's thanks but added that the breach caused by Aphosis and his disciples had set off some unexplained incidents, including those in the Nile and Sudan. 

Whilst Sir Francis had to return to London accompanied by the ever-faithful Thwites, the others decided that their work in Egypt needed further study.

 

Final Remarks 

The final game lived up to its build-up. Daphne and Honey managed to complete the final plot. As the campaign progressed, the characters began to take on life and became more three-dimensional. The ever unluck Alfie with his soft spot for Daphne, the daredevil amongst the gang. Slade became a solid if a bit of a brooding presence, and Honey became the girl who was never flustered.

We will hear more about the Mace Institute soon, but next, we will move our Pulp experience to turbulent seventeenth-century England.

The Burning Desert

This is the fifth part of my Pulp Alley, Tomb of the Serpent campaign. After the ambush at the oasis, our heroes have been forced to abandon their vehicles and proceed on foot. Carrying the remains of their supplies, they find it hard going. The one advantage they have over is Majib, the Arab foreman that they had rescued from the destruction at Professor Remi's camp. The tall Egyptian knew the ancient way the poor Professor was trying to unearth. As they approached a narrow valley, Farouk waved the party to silence. He whispered, ' This place is cursed.'

The Landscape 

This extract from the future Lady Daphne’s diary provides a vivid description of the cursed valley that the team entered,

The gorge was narrow, and despite the heat, the dark walls ran with stagnant water. Thankfully, this oppressive environment was short, and it quickly opened into a valley flanked by rocky outcrops. On the valley floor, there was evidence that the valley would have been fertile in the past; now, it was a place of death.

As we entered the valley, we could see a temple at its far end, which was largely submerged in the desert’s sand. As we would discover, the rocky valley at its southern end gave way to treacherous sands.

‘Let's Get the Hell Out of Here’

The heat in the valley and obsessive, sucking the air from our heroes. Looking up at the rocky peaks, Slade did not like it and feared an ambush. ‘Let’s get out of here’, and started to jog towards the ruined temple at the other end of the valley. Slade’s assessment was correct as a gunshot rang out, and blood began to pour down Slade’s arm, thankfully only a graze from the bullet. The party looked up and saw more of the tribesmen they had encountered at the oasis appear from the rock outcrops.

The party moved as quickly as possible, but the shots came from both sides of the valley, slowing them down as they exchanged fire. Suddenly, Alfie slumped and a red pool of blood spread from his right side. Daphne immediately dropped to his side and tried to comfort him. It seems Alfie's rotten luck has continued. Stabbed in Italy, then stung by a scorpion in Cairo, once again, it seemed his life was held by a tread.

Honey and Thwaites take cover from the shots fired from the rocky outcrops.

Dangerous Sands.

Slade was the first to reach the ramp that led up to the temple. Ducking behind one of the sphinx guards, he felt his foot being sucked into the sand. Grappling hold of the statue, he heaved himself up and got a shot off at the horde of tribesmen approaching from the west. Sir Francis and Thwaites were more unlucky, and both found themselves knee-deep in the sand. 

Daphne was the first to reach the top of the ramp. Her youthful education in ballet classes and gymnastics had served her well. As she passed into the darkness of the temple, she shouted, 'There is some form of portal here. I can make out some buildings on the other side. ' 

Our heroes make a dash towards the Temple.

Thwaites Sacrifice.

Things were getting worse. Two giant scorpions dragged themselves out of the sand and joined the ever-increasing number of cultists.  Meanwhile, Sir Francis had extracted himself from the treacherous sands. The guide, Majib, was not so lucky and was stuck by a bullet and slumped forward. Thwaites grabbed the man and started to haul him from the treacherous sands to the bottom of the ramp. Meanwhile, Honey had jumped through the portal. Slade, now at the edge of the temple, provided covering fire as Thwaites tried to pull Majib up the temple ramp.

As escape looked possible, a cultist threw himself at Sir Francis and his fellow stragglers. Thwaites, seeing the threat blocking the attack, told Sir Francis to run. Slade and Sir Frances, seeing the gate closing, had no choice but to throw themselves into the closing portal. 

A Costly game.

I thought my League of Heroes had an easy time with this scenario. The tactics were solid, and I was lucky with the cards drawn. Most were low-level enemies, insane mobs, and cultists of various forms. Even when the giant scorpions emerged, it was too late for them to play any critical role. The biggest problem faced by my heroes was the perilous sands surrounding the temple.

Even allowing for my heroes' luck, this was a costly scenario with three team members eliminated from the final conflict. Young Alfie, life hangs in the balance, whilst Thwaites and Farouk are lost somewhere in the ether. More importantly, these were my brawlers, and their loss will make the team unbalanced. More of a shooting party that is about to enter the confirms of the Snake god's tomb.  Maybe Alfie might recover, but that is for the final chapter of this adventure.

The Story Begins - The Song of Thalia

Last year, I started exploring the solo world of role-playing games. Amazingly, I came across some fantastic mechanisms that can be translated into the world of wargamer, but that's another blog. Eventually, the role-playing began to take up all my gaming time, so I placed my role-playing on hold. However, I have some great characters that I could try out in the more scenario-orientated games. Therefore, Thalia Songweaver moved from my D&D campaign to the dangerous world of Shadow Deep.

Rangers of the Shadow Deep.

Shadow Deep is a solo and cooperative tabletop miniatures game by Joseph A. McCullough, the creator of Frostgrave. The premise is that an evil shadow slowly expands across the Kingdom of Alladore. Rangers and their small band of followers are hired or volunteer to enter the forest to learn the cause of the evil and destroy its minions. Enter Talia and her hastily assembled companions.

Thalia Songweaver.

Thalia Songweaver is a striking young woman with an air of mystery. It is even rumoured that she has fey blood. She makes her living by singing in the inns and taverns of Tallis, the fortress capital of Alladore. During the day, she explores the old ruins while studying Alladore’s ancient forebears.

Thalia's slender figure moves with grace and silent agility, making her a master of stealth and subterfuge. Her attire is a blend of practicality and style. She dons a dark leather outfit that allows her to blend into the shadows effortlessly. The subtle embroidery and intricate patterns on her clothing hint at her fey heritage, a touch of elegance in her otherwise pragmatism.

The Companions 

At this stage in the adventure, I have yet to develop companions other than giving them names. The plan is to make them more three-dimensional as the story develops and if they survive their first encounters with the Shadow Deep. Here they are,

• Aurlia Hearthstone - Healer
• Ragnor Battleborn - Fighter
• Calistra Nyx - Fighter
• Emhyr var Emreis - Archer
• Galderas - Battle Mage

The Gang Minus 1 as Ragnor, who missed the photoshoot

The First Adventure

I followed the suggested chronological order, so my first games took place in a woodland village, searching for a lost ranger. The story then continued into the invested forest plagued by giant spiders. I will not give a blow-by-blow battle account, but I will give what I tried to achieve in these first encounters and some thoughts on the game.

• My main aim is to determine how this group worked as a team. In the village scenario, the heroes started by the village well in the centre of the clearing. The strategy was to use Emhyr, the archer, and Galderas, my battle mage, as a fire support base as Thalia and the two fighters hunted for the ranger and clues about what had happened to the deserted farmsteads. Aurelia, the last member of the team, would act as support, healing anyone who got into trouble.
• The hero of this first encounter was Calistra Nyx, who seemed to have a panache for destroying zombies with one strike. Calistra found the ranger's body, Aventine, and his magical sword. Ragnor, my other fighter, seemed to take on the personality of a bodyguard or protector, something that developed further in the second scenario.
• Galdreas, the battle mage, had a mixed couple of games. Perhaps his most noticeable characteristic is his clumsiness. In the forest, he spent most of the game fighting in a spider web and only escaped when everything was decided. His main contribution was as a fighter rather than a mage, raising the question of this slot.
• Emhyr, the team’s marksman, started off nondescript. He shot a few zombies and spiders. He did his bit, but nothing special.  
• Aurelia, the healer, was underused by myself. I treated her a bit like a glass vase, so I held her back. When she had to fight, she did hold her own, and her healing ability was used to restore Ragnor. Should she be on the team? The jury is still out.

What about Thalia herself?

I played her cautiously in the deserted village game, not realising the woman's power. Something I discovered only when she slew a few zombies and harpies. I had replaced the giant fly with harpies because I had some excellent figures in my collection. In the second game, in the forest, I went to the other extreme, and she strode off unsupported and ended up with a poisonous wound. Even your best characters are vulnerable when isolated. However, the two scenarios earned enough experience points to upgrade some of her attributes/skills.

Anyway, here are a few photos of the first chapter from the Song of Thalia

Some Thoughts

While Rangers of the Shadow Deep rules are relatively simple, they present some thoughtful strategic choices. At this early stage, I play the characters in pairs where I can give the best support from some muscle, the fighters in the team. The magic-orientated characters are more challenging to play because of the limited availability of spells, so judging the time to let them unleash their powers is difficult. In the first scenario, I never used any magic, just in case something worse was around the corner. 

Also, playing the game, the characters become more 3 dimensional. The standout character of these introductory games was Calistra Nyx, who had a fantastic skill at throwing great dice against zombies. However, strangely, she was less effective against spiders and harpies. There must be a story in this? Something I plan to develop as I think of giving her a backstory. The other characters did not jump off the 'page' so much, but all gained something that made them more discernible; Ragnor was solid and dependable, Galdreas, the mage, was clumsy and slightly comical, and Aurlia a shy and reserved person, but still waters run deep!

Even these brief introductory thoughts show one of the game's hidden gems: You become emotionally invested in how the characters come to life. I love narrative and depth in my gaming, and this is a massive plus to these rules.

 

 

The Assault on Terrasanta

This is the third part of my superhero campaign. In the first episode, our heroes managed to secure some of Dr Nichlos Armagus's (DNA) via a mutation formula. However, at Mission Trail Park, the same heroes failed to stop DNA from exploding his mutation bomb, although they managed to contain its spread near the National Park. Yet his small victory came at a cost, with Star Phantom, the most potent member of Aegis, severely injured. As Star Phantom lies in the Citadel, the rest of the team moves on to the township of Terrasanta, where DNA has erected some booster emitters.

Blue Flame

In 1982, a meteorite crashed in the Deadlands and was taken to NASA’s California research station, where scientists bombarded the rock with numerous tests. Surprisingly, they found the meteorite hollow, containing a humanoid body in the foetal position. The find was immediately moved to the Mace Institute Department for Aliens and Superbeings. Under their auspices, a young, very blue woman was released from her cocoon. However, the young woman burst into flames after being exposed to Earth's atmosphere. Whilst she suffered no injury, she did manage to burn down a large part of the Mace facility.
Even Star Phantom, with all the knowledge of the Star Corps, could not identify this mysterious woman’s origin, but his database identified the basic syntax of her speech. Over time, Blue Flame, as she was named, adapted to her new environment. She quickly learned dozens of human languages and managed to control her flame form. However, she was still considered too different and dangerous to enter normal society. Confined to the Aegis complex, she began to mingle with the Supers and formed a friendship with Sunwing. Now, two years after her arrival, she officially joins the team and heads to stop DNA's hideous plans.

The Liberation of Terrasanta

Aegis’ team of superheroes approach town at speed, hoping to surprise DNA’s minions. Sunwing was the first to arrive in downtown Terrasanta in partnership with Blue Flame. As they flew above the cityscape, they spotted one of the DNA emitters on top of an apartment roof and landed on the roof to deactivate the die device. Whilst Sunwing struggled, Blue Flame alien intelligence quickly deactivated the device.

A Lethal Team

However, before celebrating their victory, they were hit by blasts that knocked both heroes backwards. The first was one of Deadshot’s explosive arrows that did minor damage. Emmulator’s deadly red energy that pushed out two rooftop heroine damage.

Blue Flame returned the compliment. Unaware of Blue Flames’ powers, Emulator was taken by surprise and thrown backwards into the trees of the nearby park. She fell badly and would take no further part in this skirmish. Sunwing joined the attack. Dropping quickly, she let off her sun blasts at Deadshot, who stumbled but managed to steady himself. Unfortunately for him, before he could reload one of his deadly arrows, Blue Flame hit him with a burst of energy, which he managed to miss by throwing himself behind the water tank. However, this was a short reprieve for the archer, who suffered another combined attack from Sunwing and Blue Flame that sent him flying from the roof. He was out for the count, and the girls became a lethal team.

 

Parking Lot Rukus

Meanwhile, Primo crossed the parking lot and reached the second emitter, only to be met by Mayhem and a horde of DNA’s mutated experiments. Picking up a nearby camper van, Primor swung the vehicle at the advancing group, sending several mutants across the road. The fight ended in an attritional struggle between Mayhem and Primor, and the old rivalry resurfaced.

End Game

After Blue Flame had deactivated the device being protected by Deadshot, our flying heroines took off to aid Primor, who had already gained the assistance of Knight Eagle. The odds were now looking bad for Mayhem, who decided, with the remaining mutants, to make a run for it. Quickly, the last of DNA’s devices had been neutralised. 

The Aftermath

Now that the emitters had been neutralised, the National Guard could enter the area and clean up while Mace scientists started inoculating the local population. Unfortunately, both Emulator and Deadshot, despite their injuries, managed to escape, although the former will be nursing injuries in the next comic.  While events had taken a turn for the worse for our villains, things were looking good for team Aegis. Their reputation had been restored, and Star Phantom had fully recovered and was ready to lead the team again. But, DNA headquarters still alluded them.

Campaigning and Narrative

One of the beauties of linking a series of 'battles together to form the basis of the campaign is the characters become more 3 3-dimensional. Sunwing and Blue Flame have formed a bond of friendship and proved that they are an effective team. Blue Flame alien intelligence will have to be developed. Conversely, Mayhem becomes Primor’s archnemesis, and Emulator shares a similar hatred for Sunwing. Last, the introduction of the Mace Insitute links my super games with my pulp gaming set in the 30s.  Therefore, I am considering developing the Mace Institute’s role in my storylines, building on my hero's backstories.

The Saga of Harold Halfdan & Oswulf Donothing

The Saga rules with several of its extensions have set on my bookshelf, so I thought it was time to try the rules. It is a popular rule set, widely played and used in many tournaments. My ‘learning game’ was very simple,

• I used two of the easier factions that matched my miniature collection, Vikings and Anglo-Danes.
• Four point armies, generally organised in the basic formations. The exception was the Viking herdsmen, who I merged a single unit.
• No objectives were used. I followed the set up procedure in 'Clash of Warlords' chapter. This led to a hill being placed close to the Viking deployment area and a wood that protected the Saxon's left flank.

Tactics and Deployment

Harold tactics were his favoured, and had brought him many victories - charge! Therefore, he combined his Hirdman and placed them in the centre of his line with a unit of warriors on each flank. The warriors on the left were deployed a greater distance from the main force, so they could defend the flat ground. The plan was simple, take the hill and use it to launch an attack at the Saxon lines.

Oswulf adopted a cautious approach. He placed his levy archers on his left where they were protected by the wood on their right the Fyrd (warriors). Next a unit of Huscarls completed the main force. Oswald and another unit of Husacarls took their positions on the far right, with the aim of turning the Viking's flank.

The map below provides an overview. 

The Battle

Harold Hirdman opened the battle by charging the Saxon Huscarls who the Vikings slaughtered. However the warriors (Bondi) proved less successful against the Saxon warriors and were repulsed with heavy losses.  Harold ordered his Hirdman to attack the stubborn Fyrd but they too were repulsed. Even when he joined the battle the Saxons remained stout in their defence. 

Meanwhile, Oswulf had advanced within charging distance of the viking Bondi whom Harold had held back to buy time for his main attack to be successful. The Huscarls charged and pushed the Viking warriors back but they held their line. So far the great Saxon thegn had been a footnote to the battle and this is how it would end. Whilst Oswulf struggled his main force had overcome Harold and his men fled back to the hill top for safety. It was the day of the warriors rather than glamour seeking elites.

The Mead Hall at Saxmundum would sing of the great victory of Oswulf Donothing.

Some Comments

This was my fist game of Saga and I enjoyed it. The game is more fantasy than historical, it is the 'Dark Ages' according to the sagas or Hollywood rather than a historical stimulation. Next I plan to play a full 6 point army and try Age of Magic. I also want to build in some solo options.

I will write a fuller review later and make some comparisons to other skirmish games. However, in the meantime a couple of enjoyable hours where you spent playing the game rather than having your head in the rules. 

Caper at the Oasis

Archie’s teeth chattered, not from cold but from the bumpy desert track. Their convoy had left Alexandria four days prior, navigating the western deserts on the so-called desert highway.

In the lead, Slade Horton's jeep carried the girls and Sir Francis. Beside Archie, Thwaites struggled with the truck’s wheel, cursing as he negotiated the vanishing track. Suddenly, Horton halted the jeep and announced, ‘It's on foot from here, folks. Grab what gear you can. Professor Remi’s camp lies beyond those dunes. He may guide us through this wasteland.’
New Age Comic Issue 4

Professor Remi's Camp

Thankfully, according to the Archaeological Society in Cairo, the professor's camp was nearby. Professor Remi’s party had set out months ago to trace an ancient Egyptian sacred way leading across the Western Desert to the Nile. Their last known position was at the ominously named Serpent’s Shade Oasis, now visible with its bright blue waters.

Approaching the camp, the group sensed trouble. The air turned dense and sickly. Daphne doubled up, vomiting and collapsing. Sir Francis rushed to her aid while the rest cautiously advanced. Equipment scattered around the seemingly abandoned camp hinted at violence.

Tribesmen, Cultist and a Nasty Priest

Horton signalled the team to spread out. As they did, tribesmen approached, prompting them to regroup. Despite Horton's warnings, Alfie charged, sparking a violent clash with some tribesmen. Muscular men wielding scimitars joined the fray, injuring Thwaites and forcing everyone to fight for their lives.

As the battle raged, a serpent priest emerged, casting curses and launching attacks. Despite their desperate struggle, the heroes found themselves overwhelmed. Daphne and Alfie were targeted by the priest's dark magic but overcame his evil spell. 

The Hawk’s Cry

With casualties mounting, a sandstorm loomed on the horizon, freezing the assailants in hesitation. Seizing the opportunity, Daphne escaped, the priest’s clawed hand, as the storm engulfed the camp, its roar reminiscent of a hawk's call echoing in the chaos. 

Majib

After the storm passed, Sir Francis discovered Majid, Professor Remi’s foreman, unconscious. Majid recounted an attack by a half-serpent, half-man creature; he did not know the fate of Professor Remi and his brothers. Seeking revenge and his missing brothers, Majid joined the party on their journey.

Endnote

The story starts here if you want to recap the group adventures in this campaign.

Only two more games to play in this mini-campaign, although that depends on the journey across the desert. This is the first game where our heroes would have lost if the game continued for a few turns. Thank you, the fortune (solo) version, for this lucky escape.

One of the fun things about the campaign is how the characters develop. The two junior members of the party, Daphne and Archie, have started to become more 3 dimensional. During this campaign, Archie nearly dies, is stung by a scorpion, and, in this last adventure with Daphne, becomes the story's hero when they hold the Serpent Priest at bay.

I am already working on the next adventure, based on an old game, for Department E6 of the Mace Institute. Also, a more mature Daphne and Archie are planned to appear in my Weird World War II adventure.

Overall, it was great fun. In my mind, that's what wargaming should be about a good narrative storyline that holds the games together and characters that come alive and are fun to play.

The Grimm

Currently, my main superhero gaming is set in the classic the Bronze Age of comics. My latest adventures involve a struggle against DNA and his Rebirth League. The first episode of this mini-series can be found here. However, the longer plans is to develop a Golden Age team in a Weird World War II setting. The first character to add to the Axis rosta is the Grimm. Here is his origins, a picture and his stats cards for Super Mission Force (SMF).

The Order of the Black Sun. 

Like most of my narrative backgrounds it has it origins in reality. In this case of ‘The Order’, story has a tenuous link to Himmler’s fascination with the occult and the research unit he established at Castle Wewelsburg. Therefore, in this alternative reality the north tower of the castle became the headquarters of the Order.

The Grimm

Grimm, was once a mortal man named Johann Krieger, a brilliant scientist in Bismark’s Germany. A brilliant scientist he studied the power generated between the planes of existence. Krieger was particularly interested in capturing the essence at the time of death. However, his experimentation went awry, and he became trapped between the realms of the living and the dead. Over time, the boundaries between life and death eroded, corrupting The Grimm's essence. His malevolent nature deepened as he existed in this liminal space, with the ethereal energy feeding his dark powers. The once-human side of Johann Krieger faded, replaced by a vengeful spirit.

As a half-man, half-ghost entity, Krieger gained spectral abilities and a sinister appearance. In an attempt to reverse his living death, he offered his services to the Kaiser during the Great War, but he would come into his own with the rise of the Nazi party, whose malevolent ideology gave the Grimm purpose. The Grimm joined Himmler’s occult experiments at Wewelsburg Castle, where he became a founding member of the Order of the Black Sun, known and feared by allies and friends as the Order.

I find it challenging to learn all the power effects - hence the card.

Bomb in the Park.

This is the second game in a series that explores the superhero genre. In the first game, our team of heroes managed to acquire some of Dr Nicholas Amargus’s (DNA) deadly psychogenic gas. As the scientists work on an antidote, our team of superheroes find out that DNA and his minions are planning to detonate a chemical bomb in the Mission Trials Park. If successful, the harmful gases would threaten several small suburban towns. Our team of heroes., although missing, several members rush to prevent the Doctor’s heinous plan.

Super Mission Force

The first game in this DNA campaign, the ever-versatile Pulp Alley, used, but for this scenario, Super Mission Force was my rules of choice. As the name suggests, it is a set of rules designed for the genre. Also, the Kitbash miniatures I used came with character cards, so little pre-game planning was involved.

The Line-Ups

Aegis – the Heroes:

Star Phantom: A cosmic enforcer with blaster powers.
Primor: A stalwart defender from the magical realms, wielding a shard of unparalleled power.
Knight Eagle: The team's tactical genius and relentless vigilante.

DNA’s League of Rebirth:

Dr. Nicholas Amargus (DNA): A brilliant yet deranged scientist with enhanced mental prowess.
Emulator: Alien royalty armed with devastating blaster abilities.
Deadshot: A criminal marksman of unparalleled skill.
Mayhem: DNA's unwavering enforcer and protector.

The Battle Begins

DNA and his malevolent league converge around the ominous Weeping Angel statue, a harbinger of impending chaos within the city park.
Aegis, tracking DNA's movements, prepares to thwart his sinister plans, their resolve hardened by previous encounters and the gravity of the impending battle.

Round 1

Star Phantom, the vanguard of Aegis, launches a dazzling energy assault against DNA, but is swiftly ensnared by Deadshot's cunning arrow, plunging him into peril.
Knight Eagle and Primor surge forward, their determination unyielding amidst Emulator's relentless barrages from above.
Primor, channelling the mystic power of his shard, engages Mayhem in a titanic clash of strength and sorcery.

The Fray Intensifies

Knight Eagle, evading Emulator's onslaught, ascends toward the Weeping Angel, only to face a torrent of devastating blasts that leave him reeling.
In a dire turn, Knight Eagle succumbs to the relentless assault, his valiant efforts snuffed out as darkness descends.
Star Phantom, despite his resilience, falls victim to DNA's insidious mind assault and Deadshot's lethal precision, succumbing to the onslaught.

The Aftermath

With two of their own incapacitated, Primor valiantly attempts to stave off DNA's impending catastrophe, but the UN Chemical Unit arrives too late to prevent the release of DNA's toxic concoction.
As the dust settles, Knight Eagle, fuelled by determination and righteous fury, vows to bring DNA and his cabal to justice, while Star Phantom remains in a precarious coma, the team's beacon of hope hanging in the balance.
Aegis faces a dual dilemma: containing the spread of DNA's chemical calamity and unearthing the mad scientist's hidden lair before his next malevolent scheme unfurls.

To Be Continued...