Desperate Battle Near San Antonio

A Headless Body Production

Location: An undisclosed basement in Carlisle, PA 

Game: Version 2 of the rules: Return of the Tripods

Players: Phil Kearnan, Bill Stahl, George Deppner and +1.

Event: OttoDotCon!

 

OttoDotCon is a yearly event dedicated to the more light hearted versions of war-gaming. Fictional locations, silly victory conditions, absurd troop descriptions and double entendres are to be considered the norm. 

 

This scenario originally was The Desperate Battle at Frankfurt an der Oder. But someone, I won't say who, reminded me of the theme, "South of the Border", and could Marvin have a sombrero? So here we are...

 

Germans, Texans:
6 hastily dug in platoons of Jäger  infantry.
Reinforcements to consist of Texan acquired German tanks and artillery.

The Martian:
3 Slaver
3 Assault Tripods
1 Repair Drone
1 Harvester Tripod 

The new version of Martian Front takes place in Europe, Africa, Asia and Texas...

Our story...

The defense of Texas during the Second Martian war was regarded as a low priority. The Texas militia was the red headed step child adjunct to the US Army, was thrown scraps and old equipment and supplied with ammunition at irregular intervals.

The fact that they held most of the huge state was a testament of their ingenuity, their spunk, and tenacity to resist the invaders. 

Some would say that it was a lack of interest by the Martian. A vast area to hold with nearly zero exploitable resources, an extremely low population density, and an environment that could bake an unprotected Martian in hours. It was also noted that Martians ignored vast herds of cattle implying that beef was distasteful to their palette. Or it could be screwworm, or mad cow...

By 1916 Texans had had enough of depending on Washington’s good graces, and sent secret delegations to Europe looking for equipment in trade for one thing they had in abundance, oil. The US military had little use for the stuff, as their tanks were coal fired steam boilers, and the remaining vehicles were easily supplied by the Standard Oil wells in Pennsylvania.

The UK wasn’t interested, as their sources of oil were supplied by Emirates of Mejd and Hasa. And their combat vehicles were energized by infernal engineering of Martian equipment from the first invasion. The French relied on coal fired boilers. 

 

The Germans had fine-tuned their diesel engines to a high degree. But with the Ploesti oil fields were at risk of capture by the invaders, they decided it was a good idea to have a second supplier of oil and made a deal with the besieged Texans. 

German equipment, including manuals, metric tools and trainers were unloaded in secret at Port Arthur. The vehicles were immediately subjected to a reliability stress test on the long drive to San Antonio. There, they were issued to the unofficially named “2nd Reich” Brigade of the 3rd Texas Division.

The 1st Brigade, deployed along the Oder Nueces River, reported tripods before contact was lost. Fortunately, heavy rains have brought the river to near flood stage, slowing the Martian crossing, allowing for emergency digging in by infantry near Frankfurt an der Oder Crystal City.

With a couple weeks learning the differences between real and metric measuring systems, the 2nd Reich deployed from their training grounds straight into battle with the invaders.

The situation:

The Texan 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, has been dispersed by the Martian spearhead attack across the Oder Nueces River. A thin line of hurriedly dug in infantry is all that there is to impede the alien’s progress. But the Texans have not been idle, as the newly equipped and motorized 2nd Brigade is on the move.

The only silver lining is that only the huge Martian “Assault” Tripods were able to cross the Oder Nueces at speed. Their smaller Tripods are unable to navigate the strong currents of the Oder Nueces River.

The Plaque:

The table plaque. Marvin looks gorgeous!

The Reality is not so good.

Marvin is freshly adorned in a sombrero from some cheap shop in Cancun.

"I'm ready for my close up Mr Demille."

Deployment:

The Martians start on the board having crossed the Nueces river with 3 of their Assault Tripods.

 The Texans have 6 platoons dug in on the other side of Crystal City.

Fearlessly the tripods move forward.

Over the next two turns, the Texans rolled very well on the reinforcement table, calling in their best units, the German Sturmpanzertankthingies.

Starting on turn 2, a Human player can roll a D10 for reinforcements. 
1-3 Infantry Squad 
4-5 Sturmpanzerwagon Oberschlesien (tank) Platoon
6-7 Howitzer Battery (7.7cm battery first) 
8-10 Sturmpanzerwagon A7V + Panzergrenadier Squad arrives.

I looked up "Oberschlesien" and found it means "Upper Silesia." 

 

Turns 2 - 3 

 

The Martian Harvester also crossed the Nueces river, and charged into the town. This is the most feared tripod of all. Even though it has a short range, it gets 4 attacks, re-rolling misses against infantry, making it ideal for pulling infantry out of the buildings and grinding their guts in its maw.

Same view, other side of the map. The Texan foot have occupied the buildings of Crystal City, but have been targeted heavily by the Martian and are down to just 3 of the 6 originally deployed there.

Turn 4:

With most of the infantry neutralized, the Martian begins to trade shots, and damage, with the tanks.

A major difference between Martian front V1 and V2 is the tanks are much harder to kill. Each taking 4 hits to kill. So they can stand and duke it out with the massive tripods.

The victory condition though, is for the Martian to get 3 tripods off the edge of the board to destroy the rail yards, while not being outnumbered too badly on the board. At this point, the Texans only have 5 platoons on the board.

Marvin has taken a number of hits so far.

Turn 5:

Another Martian crosses the Nueces river. Giving them an opportunity to assault the rail yards before being overwhelmed by sheer human numbers.

One tank platoon is routed, but is immediately replaced.

Marvin and unaccredited supporting actors are about to exit.

The two extras exit the board, but Marvin collapses under a hail of 5.7cm cannons. Giving the Humans the 3-1 advantage they needed to win the game.

What is that on the bottom of the stand? Could it be "Flip me over?" No. I can never remember "Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator." So I just pasted it to the stand.

The scenario was a near run thing. The Martians had 2 more tripods available that never arrived. On turn 2 rolling a 7+, they got one, the Harvester, but it was turn 5 needing just a 4+, till the next one arrived. Getting just one more would have had the game continue.

The Texans rolled very well with reinforcements. Getting 3 of their best units on rolls of 4 or 5, and they also got a Howitzer battery, which the Martian immediately targeted and killed. They never rolled their weaker platoons of infantry on a 1-3 or their weaker infantry fighting vehicles on an 8+.

Martians Invade Freedonia! Sylvania Overrun!

A Headless Body Production

Location: An undisclosed basement in Carlisle, PA 

Game:      Version 2 of the rules: Return of the Tripods

Players:   Tracy, James and the other Eric for the Martians (Booo....!)

                    Roger, George and Rich for the Fredonians (yeah!)

Event:    OttoDotCon!

 

OttoDotCon is a yearly event dedicated to the more light hearted versions of war-gaming.  Fictional locations, silly victory conditions, absurd troop descriptions are to be considered the norm. 

Fredonia:
Field Commander (Chicolini, a spy for Sylvania, currently Fredonia’s Secretary of War)
2 Line Platoons + 2 MG Sections (Pinky sans Brain, a spy for Sylvania)
7 A7-V AFV's
6 Panzershlossollsssennsennses (The Germans seem incapable of being brief)
141 points

The Martian:
3 Tri-links of Tripods.
1 Slaver
2 Assault Tripods
1 Repair Drone
1 Harvester Tripod 
6 Raider Tripods
155 points

Note: Inappropriate capitalization is used to highlight specific rules or keywords to the game. 

The new version of Martian Front takes place in Europe, Africa and Asia.  So I was looking for a new location and muse to set the battlefields in.  Previously I was running in Edmonton Canada,  whose 122 acres would make a wonderful shopping area some day.   The commanders were Monty Pythons and the vehicle names were inside jokes.  

Like Sergeant Cleese riding Sybil.  

I had a minor epiphany with Marx Brother's movie "Duck Soup."  

The Game Flyer:

Martians come to Fredonia!

Following the famous slapping incident between Ambassador Trentino, and Rufus T. Firefly, war has been declared between the hyper-militarized, but peaceful country of Freedonia and Sylvania. Both recently formed after the breakup of the Austria-Hungarian empire and both have been insulated from the interplanetary conflict with Mars. 

Ambassador Trentino boards a train back to Sylvania, never to be seen again except for the closing credits. 
<on the border between Sylvania and Freedonia> 
Chicolini, the recently promoted Secretary of War, peers through his binoculars at the border, their lenses obviously still covered. “They are late again. Theya haven't’a been on time once since this war started...” 
Firefly, the recently nonelected leader of Freedonia, “Can’t you start the war without them?” 
Chicolini, “I can't’a do it...” 
Firefly surprised, “Why not? You're the Secretary of War, aren't you? 
Chicolini, “Yes, but I'm not working for you anymore. I'm on the other side.” 
Firefly, more surprised, “Is that so? I used to think you were two-faced, but you can't be, or you wouldn't be wearing that one.”
At this point, an unusually large shell comes crashing from above, embedding itself, point down, in the floor without exploding. Firefly and Chicolini rush over to look at it. 
Reading slowly, moving their lips, “Acme Ammunition Company.” Both look at each other and say, “eh?” 
Removing the lens caps and peering into the distance, Chicolini proclaims, “there they are’a. Who-boy, they hav’a some new equipment!” 
<mayhem ensues> 
Roll Credits…

Our Players… 
Groucho Marx as Rufus T. Firefly, the leader of Freedonia 
Harpo Marx as Pinky, a spy for Sylvania 
Chico Marx as Chicolini, another spy for Sylvania, currently Fredonia’s Secretary of War. 
Zeppo Marx as Lt. Bob Roland, Firefly's secretary 
Margaret Dumont as Mrs. Gloria Teasdale, a rich widow who underwrites the budget of Freedonia 
Louis Calhern as Ambassador Trentino of Sylvania, who schemes to have his country annex Freedonia 
Raquel Torres as Vera Marcal, a femme fatale spying for Sylvania 
Edwin Maxwell as the Secretary of War (retired) 
William Worthington as First Minister of Finance

Since this is a convention game, we have to assume that the players have no familiarity to the game, The rules, the number of unit types, and terrain have been simplified.  

One method I instituted for this game was assigning each player a card.  When his card comes up, he activates one of his units.  This is not in the actual game, but designed to speed up the turn sequence. 

Your experience may vary.

The inaugural dinner at a near by pub on Thursday night.

 

I don't recall what I did to deserve a sandwich named after me, but I had to go with it.

I do know what I did to get my name here...  

A simplified board.  The streams and farm in the center are considered open terrain.

 

Each side had a secret victory condition of which I wasn't going to explain.

 

On a nearby table a much bigger battle was about to ensue.  

The board at the beginning of the second turn

The Martians advanced and took some light "shock" damage.  The Fredonians started "Dug In", but decided to get out of their hasty (+1, +1) defenses and attack.  

The rifles of the infantry only have a range of 10", while the shortest range weapon of the Martian is 15".  

 

This is another case of modifying the scenario to suit a convention environment.  In test games I had the infantry dug in with serious trenches.  Which meant any hit was re-rolled.   While that is fine and balanced, it also means as far as game play goes, the Martian has all the initiative.  The Humans just sit back being a pell.  Not a fun game for them.

This game was deliberately set up to mix-it-up. 

 

One of the rules of the game is a number of command points that can be used for special efforts.  Either "Double Time", "Pour it On", "Rally", or "Maximum Effort."  The Human players decided to spend all but 4 command points and gave "Maximum Effort" to every unit on the board.  This allowed them to double fire. 

In turn 2, the far left squad loses their A7-V armored fighting vehicle.  But the rifles and 3.7cm gun shakes up one of the Raiders.

 

Raiders are relativity fragile in this game.  Armor of only 6.  They take 4 hits.

A7-V's have an armor of 5, and also take 4 hits. 

 

Pinky pushes two squads into the farmer's field, their guns bringing down a Raider.

 

Marvin manages to destroy a real panzer (armor 8, 4 hits)

Another Raider brought down by an unaccredited leaders platoon.

There are messages ("No Step") at the bottom of the fallen tripods.

Turn 3 provides one of those exploding tripods that this game is known for.  Unfortunately for the Fredoniain squad assaulting it with grenades.

Marvin does not need to advance at this point.  His heat ray at short range is 15".  And he has a Repair Drone, "K9", that is removing minor points of damage.  

Turn 4:

A lot of infantry has died.  But most of the vehicles are still running.

One odd decision made by the Martian.  The last Raider tripod standing obliterates the farm house with it's rapid fire blasters.

 

 

 

I have a special reinforcement rule in place for when a player losses his command.  I expected that to happen on turn 2 or 3, but here we are with everyone still having toys to play with.

Turn 5:

There has been a lot of focused firepower applied to "Not Marvin."  And eventually, it crumbles to dust.  But also a full platoon has been lost as well.

Releasing a reserve panzer platoon.

But also releasing the Martian "Harvester" tripod.

The Harvester is designed for close assaults.  It only has "Reaper Coils" to attack, but they have a range of 6", and are "Anti-Personnel" meaning they re-roll misses.  It also has armor of 12, vice the assault tripods 10.

Marvin has only taken minor damage.  But K-9 has been repairing even that as the game goes.

So the humans take out K-9 instead.

Time was running out and we called it here.

The Humans were considered the winners here as it was unlikely the Martian was going to run them off the field  Fredonia was saved!

 

But a Martian Raider in scene 4 disrupted Mrs Teasdale's tea party, which she was having with Vera Marcal, femme fatale, and spy for Sylvania.  The farm house was shredded, a flaming roll of film seen being chased by the producer and an underpaid cameraman, completing the secret, ambiguous and nonsensical victory condition for the Martian, "Burn the film “Duck Soup”, before credits roll."

 

FADE OUT on a shot with Groucho running madly, gesticulating, taking in Harpo and Chico turning the table...

Roger's casualty pile.

Other games.

I just bought this game earlier this year, but only played it once.  Tracy pulled it out and we played it to turn 14.  

 

I had a decisive win when we were thinking of quitting, with a score of 40 - 0 -0 -0. But then we decided to "finish the turn."

 

One bad decision based on hubris later, and I lost, 70-40-0-0.... 

 

Great looking Age of Sail game.

1920's, Wednesday, somewhere south of Siberia, west of Peking.  A Russian held coal mine is being disputed.

Fabulous terrain.

<cough>Amazingly articulated roads.<cough>

Chinese like their toys.  A scratch built tank and a mortar.

The Chinese semi-regulars take up position near the intersection.  The Russians are on the hilltop and have a Machine-Gun back and to the left, ready to hose the Chinese down.

The warlord and his mistress, followed by their coollee, shout words of encouragement.

The Chinese Mortar team sets up.

The armored tractor trundles down the road.  The SMG armed "Tin Hats" head for the wall.

Special rule for the "Chechins", in that they do not care about the Chinese, just the capture of a British spy.

Later...

The Russian Naval infantry assault the chicken coop (right), which held by literally, to the last man.  The Chinese mortar team put a shell right in the Russians midst, and out of the smoke, charged sword wielding Chinese, destroying the Russians.

 

On the left, the Tin Hats, famous for their low morale, and lacking any officer to lead them, were charged by the highly motivated Russian unit.  It was the classic Morale v. 3 dice per figure fight that rolled pretty much average.  With the Russians losing 7 men and their officer for the game.

 

Got in a game of Junta (no pictures though).  I haven't played it this century. Or millennium.  

You play a family in a bannanana republic. The objective is to get as much foreign aid into your Swiss bank account before the game ends.

 

Coups, demonstrations, assassinations, coups, riots are common place.  In an unusual occurrence though, El Presidente for Life,  stayed president, and alive, throughout the game.  The last turn I paid 2 million pesos to have him assassinated while he was at the bank.  Where I was going to pick up his briefcase of foreign aid, and dump it in my Swiss band account.

 

The assassination failed.   We totaled up our bank notes.  The El Presidente, for life, had 37 million pesos, I had 36 million.  So I lost by the amount of the cost of the assassin's fees.

 

Saturday night.  Last game.  The wild west.  This game has a unique feature where being dead is not the crimp in your career that it normally is.  Players still can accrue and play "dirty tricks" card for their team.

 Game ended with both sides losing 2 men each, and the bounty collected by the both teams was exactly $3,750 for a tie game.