Escape to "Freedom"

Back after a bit of a break…

Thought I’d try out some new weapon ranges. It always seemed absurd to me that submachineguns and pistols had half the effective range of rifles… so I thought I’d lower their ranges for this game to give it a try… Seemed to work out.

21 August 1941

SITUATION

Having been on the run behind enemy lines for two months our Soviet Heroes are finally approaching the front lines. The have run into a squad of Soviet scouts who will lead them through the lines where it is lightly held.

SCENARIO

Get off the east end of the table. There is a limited number of turns to do so before additional troops arrive from the flanking table edges.

FORCES

Soviet Forces

Serzhant Boris Trotsky - Wild Card - Dave
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d4, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 8
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Throwing d4
Edges: Rank (NCO)
Hindrances:
Gear: Ppsh SMG (Range: 10/20/40, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)

Soviet Conscripts - 4
Ag d6, Sm d4, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4 (5), Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Throwing d4
Gear: 1x Ppsh SMG (Range: 10/20/40, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto), 3xMosin-Nagant Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) +Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1)

Rayadovoy Androv Virgilovski - Wild Card - Rick
Ag d8, Sm d4, Sp d4, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 6 (7), Toughness 7
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Driving d4, Throwing d4
Edges: Brawny
Hindrances:
Gear: Mosin-Nagant Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1)

Serzhant Pyotr Dizalotski - Wild Card - Patrick
Ag d8, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d4, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4 , Toughness 8
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Throwing d4, Driving d4, Repair d6
Edges: Rank (NCO)
Gear: Pistol (Range: 6/12/24, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)

Soviet Scouts - 4
Ag d8, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 4 (5), Toughness 6
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d4
Gear: 4x Ppsh SMG (Range: 10/20/40, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)

Efreytor Marcov - Wild Card - Jackson
Ag d6, Sm d8, Sp d4, St d4, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 4
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d4, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Driving d4, Throwing d4, Repair d8
Edges: Command
Hindrances:
Gear: Pistol (Range: 6/12/24, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)

German Forces (elements of Army Group Center)

Feldwebel Ernst Schnitzel – Wild Card
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidate d6, Throwing d6
Edges: Rock-n-Roll, Command
Hindrances:
Gear:
MP-40 SMG (Range: 10/20/40, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)
Luger Pistol (Range: 6/12/24, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)

German Rifle Team #1 (6)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges:
Hindrances:
Gear: 1x MP-40 SMG (Range: 10/20/40, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)
5x Kar 98K Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1)

German MG Team #1 (4)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges:
Hindrances:
Gear: 3x Kar 98K Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1), 1x MG34 (Range: 30/60/120, ROF3, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2, Auto, Snapfire)


THE GAME
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The Scouts led them through a ruined town. They knew there was only about a squad operating in the immediate area – with the rest of the platoon stretched out on either side. A single MG post covered the central road.


Serzhant Trotski sent his riflemen ahead up the edge of the table… all three ran into mines and blew themselves apart.

(note to players – if the GM leaves an area of nice open terrain along the edge of the table that is completely covered from the otherwise excellent fields of fire that your known enemy has… it’s probably mined…)


Serzhant Dizalotski(L) and Efreytor Marcov(R) – I have hats for just about everyone now…


The group was shot at by another German MG team that was hidden in a ruined building. The Soviets poured heavy and surprisingly accurate (i.e. LUCKY) fire into the building and knocked out two of the team and suppressed the others.


Efreytor Marcov, braving mines and Machineguns charged the building and threw in the groups sole grenade.


BOOM! The rest of the German team was knocked out.

The rest of the team rushed for the cover of the building.


Meanwhile, however, the Rifle section was redeploying to support the MG team that sounded like it was in trouble – or block any Russians that might have gotten through.


Efreytor Marcov decided he’d rather take his luck with the minefield that face the German firing squad and ran back out and around the building… His fellow ex-tanker followed and dashed past him… and stepped on a mine…

BLAM!!

Serzhant Dizalotski took seven (SEVEN!!) wounds and was reduced to a fine red mist. He apparently took most of the blast because Markov was only shaken – probably from being splattered by Dizalotki’s gooified body-bits.

The other sent the Scouts out – apparently hoping it would draw the fire of the sitting-on-hold rifle squad and then dash past their corpses… I let them go…


Vigilovski popped his head out of cover to take a shot – the Soviets all tried to interrupt – they all ended up going at the same time. Virgilovski wounded (well… shook) one of the Germans, but in the hail of fire from them he lost a few bennies (SOAK!) and ended up with a wound…

In the end the remaining three had to make a dash across so open ground. SErzhant Trotski made it (unscathed, I believe). Virgilovski and Marcov both staggered to safety with three wounds…

They made it back to “friendly” lines and were all taken out of the line to hospital… They should all be back and ready for Operation Typhoon!!

Coming Soon to Savage Timmy’s Playhouse:

This Savage Saturday night we should be back to Realms of Cthulhu and next Wednesday we’ll be back at it on the Eastern Front!!

What's Been Going On...!?

I’ve come to the realization that I fend RPG session reports dreadfully boring to read… and even WORSE to have to write… I don’t mind skirmish wargame reports – just take lots of pictures, add caption, done. But describing what went on while role-playing… too much work. I have very little time, and I’d rather spend time preparing the next adventure…

Just a little update however…

In the last Realms of Cthulhu adventure (after “Anarchy in the Ukraine”) the group was contacted by Bartholemew Ronson (The London Bank Manager from “Dueling Necros”). He bid them to travel to London at their earliest possible convenience to meet with him. Upon their arrival they found his house on fire and, after sending the cab off to summon the fire brigade, ran around back to find Mr. Ronson being dragged off by some masked cultist types.


Our Heroes rush to the aid of Mr. Ronson.

The Cultists were all slain and hidden in the bushes at the back to the property until the fire brigade was finished.

Some occult tomes were recovered from the secret cellar deep under the ruins of Mr. Ronson’s mansion.

I can’t remember what happened after that.

The last couple Savage Saturdays I didn’t have anything ready for another Cthulhu adventure so we played a coupel Fantasy games.

First we made some characters using the Fantasy Character Generator Toolkit to make some completely random characters. While this is fun, and it does a really good job of fleshing out a character background in a way that most players are too lazy or lack the imagination to do, it often makes characters that are virtually unplayable – and even harder to come up with an appropriate figures for!!

Here’s what everyone came up with…

Jerrot “the Hawk” Twoflowers (John)
Ag d10, Sm d6, Sp d4, St d6, Vg d4,
Pace 6, Parry 2, Toughness 4, Charisma -4
Skills: Shooting d4, Notice d10, Stealth d10, Persuasion d8, Lockpicking d8, Climbing d8, Streetwise d6, Riding d4
Edges: Low-Light Vision, Strong Willed
Hindrances: Overconfident, Loyal, Phobia (Major-Stairs), Very Ugly, Enemy
Gear: clothes, backpack, blanket, lockpicks, flask, Dagger (str+d4), Bow (Range: 12/24/48, ROF 1, Damage: 2d6)

The Hawk (Jerrot Twoflower) is an adult elf. He has strawberry blond hair and brown eyes. He is otherwise pretty average – other than the fact that he is fuckugly.

His parents were powerful merchants who owned three stores in the capitol city. Their family had residedt there since the very founding of the city untold generations ago. Jerrot’s dad is alive but going a little funny in the head, and his mother is also in poor health. While his mother treats him fairly his father thinks him a disgrace. Jerrot had two younger siblings. He has a sister (only 10 years younger) who is terribly jealous of him. He also had a brother who was about 30 years younger, but died in a work related accident (took up with a human and became a traveling merchant, fell off wagon and got run over).

In his youth Jerrot tried to make up for his lack of fine physical features with a charming personality (+persuasion). He was also very good at Hide and Seek (+notice and stealth). He somehow also developed a frightful fear of… stairs (fell down them a few too many times…?)

During his adolescence fell in with a bad crowd and became a petty thief (+lock pick and stealth, may become thief). He became very good at what he did (overconfident), and was fiercely loyal to his friends (loyal).

Theiving seemed more interesting than working in his parents shop so he continued his nefarious teenage hobbies as a profession. He mostly flitted about the city pulling off minor jobs, and tried his hand at being a highwayman. At some point he robbed the wrong person who swore he’d see Jerrot hanged (Enemy – Male, half-orc, entertainer, seasoned, leader of a small group - 2d6 followers – will attempt to kill Jerrot)

Ilesha (Brenda)
Ag d8, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5(7)
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d4, Notice d4, Persuasion d6, Knowledge (geography) d4, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Law) d6, Streetwise d6
Edges: Low-light vision, Berserker
Hindrances: Bad Temper, Young, Outsider, Major Delusion (I am the captain of the city guard)
Gear: Clothes, Chain hauberk, Backpack, bedroll, blanker, canteen, flint an steel, handcuffs, rope, Shortsword (Str+d6)

Ilesha is a spirited young half-elf girl of 12 or so… She is bald and has red eyes(!?). She is Jerrot’s niece.

Her parents were powerful traveling merchant/traders. Her dad (Jerrot’s younger brother) fell off one of the family’s wagons and was run over and died. Her mother is alive and well but is struggling to keep the family business going while raising seven children. Ilesha has two older sisters One treats her well, while the other ignores her. She also have four younger brothers. Three are alive and well and treat her fairly, the thirs was sold into slavery…!?

The family operates from a large village surrounded by farmland. They mostly brought farm goods to the city and returned with goods for the regions farmers.

Ilesha was an angry child, when bullies tried to steal her toys the red mist descended (berserk). A strange old man once told her she’d have a glorious career (+1 roll on professional table – so…one roll… as , being a youngster she would have none…).

As she entered her adolescence she was sent to the city to live with the elf side of her family as her mother could not handle her any more. Upon her arrival in the city she decided she was the new captain of the city guard…

(yeah… okay this is how it worked… despite being a “youngster” and having no rolls on the profession tables I let her roll for a career and gave her the basic career package; she became a City Guard. Then I gave her the one roll on the professional table – from the “strange old man” event in her childhood. She rolled 99; “Promoted to Captain”… as she had also rolled a “Major Delusion” on her sole roll on the adolescence table we dicided that she, in fact, believed herself to be the captain of the city guard and wandered around the city inspecting and giving orders to all the guardsmen – the guardsmen, of course, humor her most of the time, thinking it rather hilarious…)


Brother Tobias
Ag d4, Sm d8, Sp d8, St d8, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 2, Toughness 5
Skills: Throwing d6, Knowledge (Battle) d4, Knowledge (Religion) d6, Intimidation d4, Climbing d4, Healing d8, Persuasion d4, Faith d10
Edges: Secret Friend (Trow King), Arcane Background (Miracles), Healer, Power Points x2
Hindrances: Enem, Cautious, vow (pray five times a day)
Gear: Clothing, prayer mat, 2x Throwing Axes (3/6/12, Str+d6), Backpack, bedroll, blanker, waterskin, flint an steel, candle, soap, torch, food

Brother Tobias is a middle-aged human with red hair and brown eyes.

He grew up in a large village in the hills. His family had only recently settled there having fled their ancestral homelands due to political upheaval. His father had been an officer in a unit of Light Infantry loyal to the king who was deposed. He has recently returned to his homeland to fight against the tyrant and has not been heard from since.

Brother Tobias mother alive and in poor health and thinks Tobias a disgrace (perhaps for not going along with his foather…?). He has five siblings. An older sister (by two years) wh o ignores Tobias), a sister less than a year younger who left home some time ago, but had always taken an interest in Toias. He had one brother, a year and a half younger, who dies of the plague. He has two other younger sister,s 2 and 4 years younger, the elder physically bullies tobias, while the younger takes great interest in him and all that he does.

A god (of healing) called tobias to serve him at an early age (may become priest, lots of bonuses). In his spare time he used to climb trees that were too high for his friends (+climbing). A strnge old man also paid him a visit to proclaim he would have a glorious career (+roll on professional table)

In his teenage years he was accepted by a knight as a squire (not skill bonus but had the option of becoming a knight..). At one point he thought he’d fallen in love and eloped. After a couple weeks he grew bored and sent her home. Her father has never forgiven Tobias and wants revenge (Enemy – Mercenary- Cavalry, Seasoned, DWARF(!?), swears to kill family). Afterwards he realized he should think before he acted (cautious). He also made friends with a Trow King. It swore Tobias to secrecy and he never broke that promise. The Trow King remains friendly to this day.

Tobias became a Novitiate in the church of the god of healing… He had strong faith (+Power Points). He became a full priest (+Spirit, Faith, healing, Knowledge). He took a major vow (to pray five times a day), Received a blessing… was strong in the lord… bla-bla-bla… oh, and then he became the member of s secret society… “The Faithful” a sect of hard-core believers in a diety (at first I thought it’d automatically be the diety that he is already a priest in… but, oh no! “If the character is a priest and rolls a different diety, he is a turncoat to haid faith (not the sect). The Faithful perform acts of intimidation against priests of rival gods and despoil their temples”… and so he became a member of The Faithful… for the God of Death…

yeah…

We decided that Brother Tobias was the cousin of

Anyway I made a character for myself for fun…

Nelwyn Darkleaf
Ag d10, Sm d8, Sp d4, St d6, Vg d4,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 3
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d10, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Knowledge (silversmith)d6, Gambling d4, lockpick d4, Streetwise d6, Tracking d6
Edges: Jack of all Trades, Ally
Hindrances: Small, Cautious, Minor vengeful, Enemy, Minor “vow”
Gear: Clothes, Cloak, Quiver, Arrows (20), Bow (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6)

Nelwyn Darkleaf is a smallish adult half-elf. He has platinum blond hair and dark blue eyes, and a perpetually reddish nose…?

He comes from a family of silversmiths that lived in a small village in the jungle…? They have lived there since the dawn of time.

Nelwyn’s dad is alive and well and treats him fairly. His mom, also alive and well, more or less ignores him. He also has three sisters. An older one that hates him, one that’s about the same age that worships him and a younger one that “left home” and no one has any idea where she’s gotten to, who used to always tattle on Nelwyn.

While not a super genious, Nelwyn certainly showed an amazing ability to recount facts his parents never knew he had ever learned (“Lesser Prodigy” - Jack of all Trades). A foolish dare almost got him killed, however, and he quickly learned to look before he leaped (cautious). When someone picked on him or stole his toys he never cried or grassed on them. He got even (Minor Vengeful)

In his adolescence he turned out to be a bit of a book-learner, reading a smuch as he could (+smarts). He and a friend swore to remain friends forever, becoming “blood brothers” (Ally – Female, Halfling, bounty Hunter, Heroic)!? His father let Nelwyn accompany him to the tavern where he took up with some ill-favoured sorts (+gambling)

One thing led to another and somehow Nelwyn moved to the capitol and became an Assassin!? He started out in surveillance (+notice, streetwise, tracking) but then had an opportunity for a Big Hit , unfortunately the mark had powerful friends (Enemy – Assassin, seasoned, Human, male, leader of large group – 5d6 – out to kill Nelwyn…). Things went from bad to worse after that. He assassinated a Druid and the God of Nature took offense – Nelwyn can not sleep outdoors (equivaent to a vow – gains level of fatigue – presumably he is harassed by birds and squirrels and instest if he tries to do so and thus cannot – gaining him the level of fatigue…). At some point along the road he grew a conscience and had a change of heart and decided to become a… City Guard… further rolls on the professional table would have been on that one… but I didn’t have anymore – ti did however give me a reason for knowing one other member of the group – the CAPTIAN of the City Guard of course!!

That night we played a quick encounter. I said Nelwyn, through his contacts, had found out that a group od assassins, disguised as City Guard, were going to assassinate a visiting dignitary… He wormed his way into the dignitaries personal guard detail…


They were unsure who the other assassins were or when they would strike, to they had to follow the dignitaries around.


Turns out it was the guys out front…. Before the group could do anything the Dignitaries wife and personal body guard were down.


The whole group jumped in and took out the assassins saving the dignitary.

Here is “The Hawk’s Journal” entry on the evenings shenanigans (submitted to me by John):

The day dawn brisk and clear, I was in my usual perch, high atop a building. I was both vigilant and planning, always planning, for my next job.

I am still unsure of my niece Alisha, or her cousin, the priest. Her eyes seem to be glowing angry and red all the time (note to self, get her checked for pinkeye), she also claims to be captain of the guard, but she wears no tabard and her "office" is the shed behind our home. The priest seems to spend all his time on his knees... praying. The next thing I suppose is the priest will claim to be the God of Thunder. The other one is Nelwyn, the midget, he is a mixture of dangerous like a rattlesnake and skittish like a newborn colt, a bad combination for a city guard. I think, based on his looks, he tends to spend too much time in the wine. It appears my job will be to protect them all, a job I do not take gladly. The Hawk was born to fly solo.

The Hawk has heard rumblings of an assassination attempt on the Ilien Ambassador's life, I guess it will be up to me to protect him as well. I set up my forces, with three pikeman on the ground in front of him, the Ambassador, his wife and his security guard together. Behind them I station the bowmen, Alisha and the midget. Tobias brings up the rear, struggling to keep up, because he needs to pray every 3 minutes.The Hawk soars above, on a building. It is hot out here, hot and dirty, but I fear the work will get hotter and dirtier before too long because too late, I realise that the three pikeman are all assassins!

They strike before I am able to warn my team, killing the ambassador's wife, and his body guard. The fight commences, my bow whistles and critically wounds one, to be kill by another bowman. The ambassador wounds one, and Alisha kills him with a lucky shot. I almost have another one as my bow sings death again, Fie these men are tough, and Alisha kills the one I had severely wounded. The midget meanwhile tags one with a lucky shot but it must have only hit his cape as he is attacked again immediately. The midget and the crossbowman tag team the final assassin and the Amabssador is safe for now. I instruct the priest, Alisha and Nelwyn to guard the ambassador while I fade into the background. The Hawk needs no recognition, he only does what must be done.


THE NEXT WEEK

The Game Room still being in a state of… um… reorganization… and me still not having anything prepared for our Cthulhu campaign… I ran another little fantasy skirmish scenario.

This week Christian also made it. He also rolled up a random character… I can’t be bothered to type out another right now…

For the encounter I had the others wandering down a dark alley when Nelwyn Darkleaf came skittering around the corner. He ran up to them and said “Thank goodness I found you! You have to help me!” Before they could do anything 5d6 ninjas came following him around the corner


The gang


I think Nelwyn was killed….

Surprisingly none of the others were. I had kind of thought it’d be a party-kill encounter and I could have them all make new character for Rokugan and rekindle my Legends of the Five Rings campaign… The feeling has past, however, and after taking this past Saturday off, I’m hoping next week they’ll be back battling cosmic horror in the 1920s!

Run For It!

12 August 1941, Southwest of Vitbesk

SITUATION

Already the Partisans are proving too much of a thorn in the Germans side, with a little help from the locals they began a sweep through the woods where the partisans were hiding. The commander left with most of the infantry right away. Virgilovski and a small band of riflemen stayed behind to help get the tanks going.

SCENARIO

Get off the east end of the table. There is a limited number of turns to do so before encirdling troops from the other side of the woods arrive.

The tanks crews have just entered their tanks and must get them started up. To get the tanks stated required the lesser of driving or repair (-4 the first turn, -3 the second turn, etc).

FORCES

Soviet Forces

Rayadovoy Androv Virgilovski - Wild Card - Rick
Ag d8, Sm d4, Sp d4, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 6 (7), Toughness 7
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Driving d4, Throwing d4
Edges: Brawny
Hindrances:
Gear: Mosin-Nagant Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1)

Soviet Partisans - 5
Ag d6, Sm d4, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4 (5), Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Throwing d4
Gear: Mosin-Nagant Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2)

Efreytor Marcov - Wild Card - Jackson
Ag d6, Sm d8, Sp d4, St d4, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 4
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d4, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Driving d4, Throwing d4, Repair d8
Edges: Command
Hindrances:
Gear: Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)

Soviet BT-7 Tank Crew - 2
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d4, Driving d6, Repair d4

BT-7 Tank
Acceleration 6, Top Speed 14, Toughness 16/14/15 (6/4/5)
Heavy Armour
DT Co-Ax MG (Range: 24/48/96, ROF3, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2, Auto)
45L76 AP (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1/2, Damage: 3d8, AP: 5)
45L76 HE (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1/2, Damage: 3d6, AP: 3, Medium Template)

Serzhant Pyotr Dizalotski - Wild Card - Patrick
Ag d8, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d4, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4 , Toughness 8
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Throwing d4, Driving d4, Repair d6
Edges: Rank (NCO)
Gear: Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)

Soviet T-26S Tank Crew - 2
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d4, Driving d6, Repair d4

T-26S Tank
Acceleration 3, top Speed 8, Toughness 17/15/15 (7/5/5)
Heavy Armour
DT Co-Ax MG (Range: 24/48/96, ROF3, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2, Auto)
45L76 AP (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 3d8, AP: 5, 1 Action to Reload)
45L76 HE (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 3d6, AP: 3, Medium Burst Template),


German Forces (elements of Army Group Center)

Feldwebel Karl Ulrich – Wild Card
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidate d6, Throwing d6
Edges: Rock-n-Roll, Command
Hindrances:
Gear:
MP-40 SMG (Range: 12/24/48, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)
Luger Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)

German Rifle Team #1 (6)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges:
Hindrances:
Gear: 6x Kar 98K Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1)

German MG Team #1 (4)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges:
Hindrances:
Gear: 3x Kar 98K Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1), 1x MG34 (Range: 30/60/120, ROF3, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2, Auto, Snapfire)

German Stug D Crew - 4
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Driving d6, Repair d4

Stug D
Acceleration 5, Top Speed 10, Toughness 19/17/18 (9/7/8)
Heavy Armour
75L24 AP (Range: 60/120/240, ROF1/2, Damage: 4d10, AP: 10)
45L76 HE (Range: 60/120/240, ROF1/2, Damage: 3d8, AP: 3, Medium Template)

German Assault Team (4)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges:
Hindrances:
Gear: Kar 98K Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1), MP-40 SMG (Range: 12/24/48, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto), Flamethrower, AT Grenades.


THE GAME
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The Soviets getting ready to escape.


The Germans searching the woods

The Joker is one of the Soviets… didn’t help much on the first turn…


A Stug cautiously rumbles throught he wood.


Germans spot some fleeing Russians


Vigrilovski and his partisan group decided to leave the tanks behind and make a run for it along one edge of the table. Two were pegged as they tried to cross a gap in the wooded area covered by Germans on hold…


Kind of went south all in one turn when my two infantry teams BOTH got jokers – one of them rolling “Teamwork” on the Fortune and Calamity adding Feldwebel Ulrich to those with the +2 for the turn…


The Partisans were cut to pieces. Virgilovski somehow escaped. I think it might have had something to do with the bonus bennies aquired through Bribery Brews.


In the top right Virigilovski makes his escape through a hail of bullets

From then on he was known as “Lucky Androv”


Just as “Lucky Androv” was making his escape off the table the Soviet tanks were revving up and starting to roll.


They exchanged a couple shots with the Stug through gaps in the wood as they made a break for the opposite side edge of the table…

Unfortunately, waiting for them over there was the Pioneer team…


VOOOOSSSSSH! The assault Pioneers light up Dizalotski’s T-26. The tank only suffered one wound and Dizalotski was fine, but after the tank swerved into the trees and got bogged down, his crew bailed and Dizalotski decided to follow and make a run for it.


VOOOOSSSSSH! The Flame thrower tries to light up the BT-7 as it passes on the other side of the stand of trees. The flame did negligible damage and everyone stayed mounted, however on of the other assault pioneers lobbed an AT grenade onto the tanks deck and blew a big nasty hole in it. It did two or three wounds and I can’t remember the criticals… crew maybe..? controls…? The crew bailed but Marcov tried to stay with his tank and crawl down into the drivers seat and drive it off the table himself!!


VOOOOSSSSSH! Another blast of flame finished off the tank and Marcov was forced to abandon it and make a run for it!


The BT-7 brews up.

Coming Soon to Savage Timmy’s Playhouse:

Took a break from gaming last Saturday and might take a break from this campaign – to play something else this Wednesday (stay tuned to the other blog for a report on that action).

Anarchy in the Ukraine

Wow… had the whole crew out Saturday… Christian warned all that they were all going to die. He seemed to be under the impression that I’d had such bad luck on Wednesday that the pendulum was sure to swing and take them all out in the process.

October/November 1921

SITUATION

After securing the Golden Fugazi and sending it back to England with Henry Davis, Professor Wraight found herself in Alexandria getting ready to return to Suez where she and her crew would sail for Mombassa and another expedition to East Africa. Before they could get going they received an urgent telegram from von Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg, urging them, with all haste, to make for Bucharest where he would meet them.

They sailed immediately for Athens and made their way by train to Bucharest in just under a week. Upon their arrival von Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg explained that for some time he had been trying to ascertain the location of the famed Russian occultist Aleksey Borsokovski – and his extensive library (reputed to have Rasputin’s personal papers).

He discovered Borsokovski had escaped the Bolsheviks in St. Petersburg and made his way, along with his books, to Ukraine and had take up with the anarchist “Black Army” . Since the demise of the Black Army in August, von Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg became more desperate to track down Borsokovski. He was relieved to find, only two weeks ago, that Borsokovski was alive and well enough and hiding with other Black Army fugitives in a small village west of Chenovstky.

Von Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg has arranged a truck and an anarchist guide to take them through the Carpathians, on a forgotten cart track, to Borsokovski’s hiding place and collect him and his books and sneak back through the mountains into Transylvania.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Dr. Emma Wraight – Cultural Anthropologist and Archaeologist (Amanda)
Ag d6, Sm d10, Sp d10, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 6, Sanity 6, Corruption 1
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d10, Stealth d4, Knowledge: Anthropology d8, Knowledge; Archaeology d8, Investigation d8, Survival 4d, Tracking d4, Swimming d4, Healing d4, Knowledge: Mythos d4, Streetwise d8,
Edges: Scholar, Linguist, Alertness
Hindrances: Curious, Phobia (Major – Snakes)
Gear: Clothes, Anti-Snake Boots (Armour +2), Webley (Range: 12/24/48, ROF 1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1), Knife (Str+d4),

Tom Cranston – labourer – (John)
Ag d8, Sm d4, Sp d6, St d10, Vg d12,
Pace 6, Parry 7, Toughness 9, , Sanity 5, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d10, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Riding d4, Throwing d4, Knowledge ( Farmin’) d10, healing d4, Repair d4, Survival d4,
Edges: Quick, Brawny, Fast Healer, First Strike, Scrapper
Hindrances: Illiterate, Loyal, Quirk (Depressed – over the loss of his wife), Heroic
Gear: Work Clothes, Shovel (Str+d6, -1 to hit), Lee Enfield Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF 1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2)

Sgt. Shivanshu Malaker – Gurkha (Darrin)
Ag d8, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d8, Vg d10,
Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 8, Sanity 6, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidate d8, Climbing d8, Swimming d4, Survival d10, Tracking d10
Edges: Brawny, Woodsman, Alertness, First Strike
Hindrances: Heroic, Code of Honour
Gear: Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Kukri (Str+d6)

Freiherr und Ritter Jochimm von und zu Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg – Retired German Army Officer - (Christian)
Ag d10, Sm d6, Sp d10, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 4 (+d4), Parry 5, Toughness 6, Sanity 7, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d10, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidate d8, Persuade d8, Driving d4, Streetwise, d6, Survival d4, Stealth d4, Knowledge: Occult d6
Edges: Well Adjusted, Rich, Trademark Weapon (Luger)
Hindrances: Vow (major), Quirk (?), Vengeful, Lame
Gear: Fine Clothes, Luger (Range: 12/24/48, ROF 1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1), Knife (Str+d4), Sword Cane(Str+d6)

Feldwebel Shultz – NPC – aide/driver for Von Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg
Ag d8, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d8, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 6 (7), Toughness 6, Sanity 5, Corruption 1
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Intimidate d8, Throwing d6, Knowledge: Mythos d4
Edges: Command
Hindrances: Mean
Gear: Luger (Range: 12/24/48, ROF 1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1), Knife (Str+d4),

Laurel Trebeau – Administrative assistant (Brenda)
Ag d6, Sm d12, Sp d8, St d4, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 6
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d8, Stealth d4, Investigation d10, Riding d4, Healing d8, Knowledge (Psychology) d8, Taunt d6, Swimming d4, Streetwise d8, Persuasion d6
Edges: Alertness, Psychotherapist
Hindrances: Quirk (wears glasses, but doesn’t really need them…), Loyal
Gear: Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF 1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1), Silver Letter Opener (Str+d4, -1 to hit),


Alexsey Borsokovski – Wild Card – Russian Occultist
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5 (6), Toughness 5, Sanity 5, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6,
Gear: Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) and/or Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)

Black Army Anarchists (8)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5 (6), Toughness 5, Sanity 5, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6,
Gear: Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) and/or Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)

Black Army Anarchists (8)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5 (6), Toughness 5, Sanity 5, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6,
Gear: Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) and/or Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)

Bolsheviks

Valery Malenkov – Wild Card – Cheka Agent
Ag d8, Sm d8, Sp d8, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5, Sanity 3, Corruption 3
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d8, Notice d10, Stealth d8, Streetwise d8, Investigation d6, Knowledge: Mythos d6
Gear: Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6+1, AP: 1)

Natashya Kasakova (6) – Wild Card – Bolshevik Commissar
Ag d6, Sm d8, Sp d8, St d4, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 5, Sanity 6, Corruption 1
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d10, Stealth d6, Streetwise d8
Gear: Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6+1, AP: 1)

Bolshevik Riflemen (15)
Ag d6, Sm d4, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5 (6), Toughness 5, Sanity 5, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6,
Gear: Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) , Bayonet (Str+d6, parry+1)

THE GAME

The Truck and company made it through with little trouble – other than the road which reduced their rate of travel to only marginally faster than walking. Hopefully they could make it in and back before it began to snow too much!!

The group met with Borsokovski and the Black Army Anarchists at a farm house west of Chenovstky it didn’t take much convincing to get them to come, but Borsokovski refused to leave his Anarchist comrades and so all left together – and not a moment too soon! Just as they were out of the yard and down a side road the Cheka raided the farm and executed all that remained!

Just as they though they were about to cross the border and be in the clear they came round a bend and saw their way was blocked up ahead – someone had tipped off the cheka – or those devious bastards had guessed the Anarchists intentions…



(click on the pics to see a larger version)


Bolsheviks blocking the way


The pendulum wasn’t showing any sign of swinging the other way to start….


Our heroes and their Black Army Anarchist allies.


Shivansu and Tom lead groups of anarchist through the woods to flank oneither side. Jochim, Otto, and Laurel were in the cab of the truck. Proffessor Wraight and Alexsey Borsokovski rode in the back of the truck.


First contact – a few wild shots fired at half-seen ghosts in the woods.



Malenkov scores a hit – with a raise – with his pistol… apparently it went right through a loose haning part of the anarchists jacket without them even realizing it…

Where’s that awesome luck, Christian!?


The Anarchists with Cranston move up under cover while the Bolsheviks fire wildly (and ineffectively).


The truck slowly creeps forward trying to keep pace with the advancing anarchists. Jochimm, leaning out the window fires at any Bolshevik he sees.


The firefight intensifies. Bolsheviks are dropping.


Otto takes a bullet – luckily while the truck is stopped. Laurel pushes him out and follows so Jochimm can move over and take overdriving and she can attempt to administer some first aid.


The battle continues at very short range. Bolsheviks still taking the worst of it.


One unit of Bolshevkis fails morale (the for one). The others soldier on despite heavier losses!?


Seven men firing on one… sounds more like a firing squad than a fire fight!?


The Anarchists overrun the Bolsheviks position accepting the surrender of the few surviving (uninjured) soldiers.


Both Malenkov and Natashya Kasakova scarpered and made it out, despite their wounds, and Cranston's attempt to pursue!



“Curses, foiled again!”

At least I had an excuse to wear my budenovka!

The Black Army anarchists suffered one dead. That’s it. (oh, and Otto was wounded…).

The Bolsheviks suffered, I think, four dead, four seriously wounded (would probably die out there in the wilderness) and four lightly wounded. The other four that surrendered were disarmed and sent on their way…

The group made it over the mountains into translvania. The Anarchist dispersed and the rest of the group made their way back to England…

The Bridge

Christian finally made it out to a World War Wednesday! Yay!!

8 August 1941, Southwest of Vitbesk

SITUATION

Still trying to establish a partisan base camp in the woods southwest of Vitbesk, our heroes of the revolution continue to patrol to determine the dispositions of the fascist enemy and gather up any more stragglers.

Through his network of informants the Camp Commander has contacted another smaller group and convinced them to join forces. The Group has an operational truck and a LOT of cached supplies. To get the supplies to camp it can only cross at a bridge currently guarded by fascists!

SCENARIO

Secure the Bridge.

Once the bridge is secured fire the signal flare. The truck will arrive on the table 1-6 turns later. The truck and troops must all exit the southern ede of the table by turn 20.

FORCES

Soviet Forces

Leytenant Gennay Vasilievich Steianoff - Wild Card - Christian
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d4, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 8
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Throwing d4, Intimidate d6
Edges: Rank (Officer)
Hindrances:
Gear: Ppsh SMG (Range: 12/24/48, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)

Soviet Riflemen - 5
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5 (6), Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Throwing d4
Gear: 5xMosin-Nagant Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) +Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1)

Rayadovoy Androv Virgilovski - Wild Card - Rick
Ag d8, Sm d4, Sp d4, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 6 (7), Toughness 7
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Driving d4, Throwing d4
Edges: Brawny
Hindrances:
Gear: Mosin-Nagant Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1)

Efreytor Marcov - Wild Card - Jackson
Ag d6, Sm d8, Sp d4, St d4, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 4
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d4, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Driving d4, Throwing d4, Repair d8
Edges: Command
Hindrances:
Gear: Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)


German Forces (elements of Army Group Center)

Feldwebel Karl Möller – Wild Card
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidate d6, Throwing d6
Edges: Rock-n-Roll, Command
Hindrances:
Gear:
MP-40 SMG (Range: 12/24/48, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)
Luger Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)

Feldpolizei (5)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Gear: Kar 98K Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1), MP-40 SMG (Range: 12/24/48, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)

Feldpolizei HMG Team (3)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges:
Hindrances:
Gear: 2x Luger Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)
1x MG34 on Tripod (Range: 30/60/120, ROF3, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2, Auto, No Move)


THE GAME

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The Feldpolizei road block at the bridge.


Christian in the “lucky Pilotka” (first play to show up gets to wear mine and – as with anyone that wears a hat appropriate to their characters – gets a bonus benny!) looks over his troops positions ready to assault the bridge.


Rayadovoy Virgilovski, hidden in the woods on the other side of the river, snipes the sentry in the roadway! One shot – one dead fascist!


Leytenant Steianoff and his section made a startlingly quick dash across the open field and were almost onto the position before the HMG team could get their gun turned around! (I don’t think he rolled anything less than 5 for running rolls!?)


A Feldpolizei is roused from the guard hut and causes some soviet riflemen to duck for cover!


Leytenant Steianoff catches up and is the first into the trench – as he leaps in he let off a burst that shook the feldpolizei across the river.


A hit with a raise on one of the Russians enters through the helmet, zings around the inside and back out, causing momentary confusion, but not enough to slow him down… curses…


Two soviets rush the emerging feldpolizei!


Battling it out on the bridge.


He is quickly dispatched!


The position is overrun and Leytenant Steianoff fires the signal flare.


The truck arrives the next turn and all are carried off in HALF the time required!?

Not a single wounded soviet in the whole action. I think this was a case of them having a lucky night combined with some pretty atrocious luck on my part.


Coming Soon to Savage Timmy’s Playhouse:

Tonight is Savage Saturday night and we’ll be carrying on with our Realms of Cthulhu and next Wednesday we’ll be back at it on the Eastern Front!!