Rippers vs Zulus

Back to the Rippers campaign for a bit… last week I was a bit distracted so we played a quick fantasy skirmish (which I took pictures of… but didn’t bother posting any…). Actually the main reason why we were back to Rippers was because I really wanted to play a skirmish sort of game with all these Zulus I’ve been painting and I didn’t think I’d get the Saturday Savages to go for making new characters for a strictly historical skirmish campaign set during the Zulu War or 1879…. The Rippers characters are the same era and could easily be sent to South Africa…

We still haven’t found a new name that I’d like to replace “Rippers” with. “Rippers” just seems not-so-very-victorian to me… I was thinking something like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen… except… well… NOT!

One I had thought of was The Ministry of Paranormal Research and Defence (sort of a mix of the "Ministry of Magic" from Harry Potter and B.P.R.D. from the Hellboy comics...!?). Alternatively I could be the Military Intelligence Department X (Although M.I.5 wasn't formed until 1909...). There was the Special Branch – these could be members of the EXTRA Special Branch… maybe that’s a bit silly….

These all seem very... well... BRITISH (The Ministry would probably be a secret cabinet position - or operate completely separate from the regular government - like the Ministry of Magic in Harry Potter – the minister being appointed by the Queen herself). They also kind of take it away from being and international brotherhood of a masonic nature that transcends the rule of governments to fight for the better good.... which may or may not be a good thing.

I'm still taking suggestions.

Order of the.... somthing...?

In Weird War Two there's the Sons of Solomon - an organization that goes back millennia - whose members vow to oppose supernatural evil in all it's forms...? I guess I could use that.

Anyway… last nights adventure…

[Zululand, 1877]

SITUATION

Our heroes have traveled to the Cape Colony where the local lodge has reported trouble with werewolves along the Transvaal-Zululand border. Their travels took them to the Kalamba Mountains and then south into disputed lands along the border. While some of the werewolves were among the Boer settlers and were quickly dealt with, their hunt took them deeper into Zululand and to their horror they discovered the leader of the pack was the son of a prominent inkhosi. The Zulus didn’t take kindly to what they saw as European assassins hunting their people and decided to do away with them.


SCENARIO

Our Heroes and their companions are being hotly pursued by a Zulu war party. Werewolves may also be in the region – they must retreat across the Phogolo River on the north edge of the table.

FORCES

Sadie MacEwan – Vampire Hunter
Heinrich Neudorf – Wolfenjäger
Father William “the Stomach” Turner - Priest
4 Wolfenjäger
8 Boer Settlers
2 Natal Native Guides

Zulu Inkosi
20 Zulu Warriors with spear and shield
20 Zulu Warriors with muskets


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


Turn One: The Zulus with muskets when first and shot one of the Natal Native Guides


The Zulu Warriors surge forward!


Our Heroes make a run for it – the fleet-footed leader of the Wolfenjäger and the veteran vampaire hunter taking the lead! (cowards)


Two of the Boer settlers were shot by Zulus and the rest of the unit failed a moral test…


Heinrich Neudorf is intercepted by a pack of wolves!


Sadie MacEwan comes to the young leaders aide.


Three of the Boers recovered and scarpered – three others were over-taken by the Zulus – they actually lasted two turns, but eventually were chopped to bits…


A Greater Werewolf made an appearance but was taken apart by the Wolfenjäger.


MacEwan then starts beating on the other wolves too…


The Zulus surge forward again.


The remaining Boers executing a desperate fighting retreat… trying to buy time for the Wolfenjägers fighting the werewolf.


MacEwan and Neudorf finishing of the wolves.


The Wolfenjägers were dealt a joker and took down the werewolf… but it was too late the next turn they were overtaken by the Zulus and massacred.


The last dash to the table edge and the drift across the Phogolo River!

Neudorf was the first off – a turn or two ahead of everyone else – abandoning his fellow wolfenjägers to their doom… ah well… he’s not LOYAL or anything…

The Preist was the next off – which was pretty damn amazing considering he’s a slow portly fellow (Pace: 5, Run: d4!).

Sadie and the Natal native guide then made it across the river with the three remaining Boers settlers.

The game was a bit of a nail-biter! With the Zulus ever surging forward it looked like they'd all be massacred by angry natives... indeed if I hadn't had the additional Wolfmen I'd thrown out retreat after the demise of their leader (the Greater Werewolf), they may very well could have all been killed... but where's the fun in that!?

Lost were five of the Boers settlers, all four Wolfenjäger, and one of the Natal Native Guides. The Zulus lost four of their warriors – plus the son of the Inkhosi (the Greater Werewolf) and a couple of his wolfie companions.


Coming soon on Savage Timmy’s Playhouse:

Hopefully some more character backgrounds for the Rippers characters (hint, hint!) and hopefully we’ll carry on with the mosnster-hunting next week!

William Mclintoch

No one seemed to be available to play this week... but I do have one character backgound to share with you. Christian's charcter for Rippers (look familiar?).


William Mclintoch
Ag d8, Sm d6, Sp d10, St d8, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d10, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidate d8, Throwing d6, Swim d4, Boating d4, Streetwise d4
Edges: Ambidextrous, Two-fisted, Dodge, Fleet-footerd, Trademark Weapon
Hindrances: Greedy (minor), Vengeful (minor), Stubborn
Gear: Dirk (Str+d4), 2x Pistol (Range: 5/10/20, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)
Languages: English, Chinese,


William McClintoch was born in 1842 in the Scottish highlands, in the farming community of Lairg. His parents scratched out an existence as sheep farmers, but William caught the exploring bug early, often running off to fish or go punting with friends on the nearly Loch Shin. This wanderlust led him to Glasgow, where he heard stories of the opportunity to be had in America now that the US Civil War had ended. He stowed away on a trading vessel, and although caught, negotiated a term of service with the captain to pay for his passage. William reneged as soon as the ship reached Boston, and he immediately started moving west to the frontier. William spent several years in the American West, never staying in any one place for long, and picking up the proficiency with dual revolvers that he is known for. Eventually he worked his way out to California, leaving behind him a trail of unpaid bills and irate former partners, a few curious lawmen, and the occasional buried former enemy. Hoping that there was still some gold in the California hills, he staked what turned out to be another fruitless claim with another hapless and eventually vengeful partner. Fleeing to San Francisco, William was dazzled by tales of the opportunities to be had in China, and took passage on a steamer to Shanghai.

In Shanghai William quickly teamed up with another Scotsman by the name of Craig Johnston, and they joined the ranks of those seeking to ransack the treasures of Chinese history for profit. The duo recorded a slew of successes by raiding tombs, towns, and temples for antiquities, which they then sold for huge profits. Again, William showed a talent for utter unscrupulousness combined with a knack for getting out with all the loot at the exact right time., locals and authorities hot on their tails. It was in the farthest Northern corner of Manchuria that William and Craig learned of the fabulous mountain temple of Fang Shen, reputed to be the lost fastness of a group of wealthy monks possessed of great treasures. When they discovered the temple, they found to their horror that it was in fact inhabited by a group of fanatic martial artists. Still, William and Craig and their retainers persevered, shooting their way into the heart of the temple, where they discovered Fang Shen, the temple's master and namesake, a thoroughly ancient and evil sorceror of considerable power . William barely escaped, pursued by the reanimated corpses of his party and the temple guards that they had killed. The experience shook him, and he took passage to London, where he looked for and found others who shared his knowledge of and revulsion for the supernatural.

William is almost a stereotypical stubborn and tightfisted Scot, who is both avaricious and easliy offended. He does not care who he offends, so long as he comes out ahead. He is quite paranoid and narrow-minded, and views anyone who is not a Highlander as some sort of lesser being. He is deeply hateful of the Chinese, although he still is fluent in Mandarin, and views anyone who has any sort of martial arts training as being worthy of the most deep and virulent suspicion. William is, however, despite his flaws, deeply committed to eradicating the supernatural wherever he finds it, and will use whatever means, fair or foul, to accomplish this goal.

Monster Hunt

This past (Savage) Saturday we played Rippers. Some old characters were dug out (from our very first Savage Worlds campaign of the pre-blog era) who haven’t seen action in years, and some new character were created for the players who weren’t around then. We have quite a diverse mix now – two preachers, a Wolfenjäger, a gunslinging Scotsman and a gravedigger all took part this week.

I have to admit I hate the name “Rippers”… Doesn’t seem all that Victorian to me… or good-guy-ish… I think I shall have to rename the organization for the purposes of our campaign. International Fraternity of Monster Hunters…? League of Extraordinary Monster Hunters? (who can come up with a better name? If it’s someone in the gaming group there’s a free level-up in it for you!)

[Norway, 1875]

SITUATION

A Doctor Pedersen of Oslo came into a rare copy of Dr. Frankenstien’s notes a decade or so ago and became obsessed with the idea of reanimation. Five years ago he retired to a property he acquired in a remote northern fjord to do his work in secret. After years of ceaseless work his experiments proved successful. Unfortunately his experiment then killed him and has been terrorizing the lands nearby for some time now.

SCENARIO

The Characters have come to the area to hunt the monster and tracked it to a desolate clearing in the woods not far from his creators estate.

Characters win if they kill of otherwise subdue and prevent the escape of the creature.

The monster wins if he can get off the table…

THE GAME

The players spread themselves out around the table in an attempt to block the monsters retreat. I should have simply charge one, ploughed through them and ran off… but where’s the fun in that…

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


The monster hunters converge on the dark clearing.


The Brave Wolfenjäger is the first into the battle.


Everyone eventually joined in…


…except the Scotsman, who preferred to fire into the melee from a way back…

The creature was eventually taken down. Short game…. But making characters took some time and I’d had a long tiring week so I was happy to kick everyone out a bit early…

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Probably more Rippers and some more character backgrounds. I’m anxious to get back to the Cthulhu campaign actually, but in the meantime we’ll probably play Rippers as it’s easiest to some up with something quickly.

I’d LIKE to play Space: 1889… but I just don’t have the time to properly prepare all the stuff I’d like to have ready for that at this time…

WE may revisit the East Front Campaign as well in the near future (again… easy to throw down a skirmish game for that…)

From the journal of Harrison Challenger

It is quite the mess I fear I've gotten us into. Things have been moving fast and nary a chance to lay pen to paper. But here appears to be the lay of the land. A Mrs. Roweena Preston approached us with a story of pirates murdering her husband and making off with his experimental cloudship. I have a keen ear for languages and was certain that she was not British, as she claimed, but instead perhaps German. But a fine adventure was afoot, and I am certainly not one to shy from that. So off my companions and I went on Captain Shoolo's cloudship-for-hire in search of said pirates in the highlands. We caught up with the scoundrel and apprehended him. My loyal Baraak and I had to stop (lethally) a few of his bodyguards, but we've been in many similar pickles in the past requiring such forcefulness. Captain Shoolo deftly dodged the pirates' pursuing ship and we did a bit of interrogating of our prisoner. Long story short, it turned out my suspicions were correct and the "Lady" Preston did no less than shove a revolver straight in my face! A fierce scuffle ensued and we managed to subdue her (while Baraak dealt, lethally, as is his way, with her maid servant). Our sponsor, Thurston Howell, is in a bad way, but survives. Meanwhile the ship awaits us, and I feel adventure's siren call. Now, down goes the pen and off we go!

Anturiaethau Cymro ar Fawrth

(An excerpt from Anturiaethau Cymro ar Fawrth: y llythyrau Dafydd Thomas (The Adventures of a Welshman on Mars: the letters of Dafydd Thomas, ed. Owain Thomas, trans Prof. Horace Percy Smythe-Bigglesworth, London, 1917)

Dear Nan;

How are you? Please send my love to Grandpa. Also, say hello to Hywel and Gareth and their kiddies. I hope my mother is alright and please keep checking on her like I know you do.

Things here on Mars have become more exciting. One day, some fool of a Midas (ed. note - a Welsh colloquialism for Martian, based on the golden yellow skin of those first Martians to come to Earth) was jabbering at me in the street, so I clattered him. I was about to throw him into his stall and pelt him with his own vegetables, when a hand grasped my shoulder! I turned to see who was going to get hammered next, but to my surprise it was a very English gentleman. He told me that he wanted to hire me on as a bodyguard of sorts, as he had never seen anyone hit so hard. You should hear him talk, Nan, with all of his "chappies" and "pip-pips" and such he sounds a real english bastard, that's for sure. But his name is Hywel, so he must be one of those Welshmen that went to England with Henry Tewdr back in ancient times, like you told me about. But he is still a rich English bugger alright. So since I was getting on at the shipyard, I agreed.

After a day or so of lounging around and fighting whatever poor boyo got in me and Mr Hywel's way, we met up with a English explorer and his pet Midas, a real savage from the mountains. I am sure you have heard stories of the red indians but these mountain Martians are like nothing anyone has ever seen. They are real bloodthirsty buggers. Along with him was a young english army officer there for protection and I think to keep the mountain savage under control. There is also a doctor, and a guide - a woman, if you can believe it. Soon another lady came and Mr Hywel agreed to find her air-boat that her husband had lost. We had to chase a Martian pirate to a wild city and there the explorer, Mr. Challenger, killed two men in cold blood. I had run up to the pirate, and dropped him with only a few jabs and a hook, but I looked back and the Sais bastard had chopped two martians with a machete, and then we had to stop the savage from killing the pirate too, even though he was already out cold. I tell you Nan, it made my blood cold to see those men cut down like that. I have beaten many men, but have killed noone. Mr Hywel took care of the police, and he tells me that it was alright what happened, but I didn't like it.

But we had to get away quick, so we got away. Then we found that the lady who was with us was crossing us, and had hired the pirate. She was going to shoot Mr Challenger. Before we could grab her and her maid, the treacherous ship captain who we had hired spun the wheel, upsetting the ship. I almost fell overboard to the ground, and Mr Hywel got shot badly, also the guide, Miss Johnson. The young officer grabbed the lady and got the situation under control, but not before the Midas savage killed the maid, an Irish who I quite fancied. She didn't need to die either, but he would have eated her if Mr Challenger had let him.

So now I am in a right pickle. I think the ship captain is not on the level, and wanted some of us to fall overboard. I will see, but if he plays us false I will give him a sore jaw and that is for sure. The explorer and his pet are more a problem, they do not care about anyone and kill right easily. I thought the officer was there to protect them but now I think he is there to protect others from them. I will have to watch my back around them, but you know that God and my ten knuckles will see me through. I hope Mr Hywel will be alright, but now we have to get the boat back from the other pirates.

Love Thomas

The Black Bird

We have started a Savage Worlds Space:1889 Campaign. At the end of February we made characters and over the last couple weeks have started adventuring on Mars. A few of which you can find backgrounds for on this blog: Daffyd "y Gordd" Thomas, Thurston Howell I, and Lieutenant William Montgomery. The others include Dr Alexander Carstairs (Medical Doctor), Ruby Johnson (Guide), Harrison Challenger (Intrepid Explorer), Baraak (Beastly High Martian Savage), and Haarn Shoolo (Martian Cloudship Captain).

We have been playing The Black Bird by James L. Cambias, which was originally published in the Volume 4 of the Transmissions of the Royal Martian Geological Society (Players please refrain from reading these adventures!).

So far they have been approached by a Mrs. Rowena Preston, who recently arrived on Mars only to discover he husband murdered and his experimental cloudship stolen! The Group decided to help her out (as she promised a cut of whatever the cloudship could be sold for when recovered) and traced it to a pirate operating out of Kharkarham.

Shortly after their arrival in Kharkarham they spotted the pirate’s chip and followed the captain into town…


Some Sudanese fuzzies standing in for Martian extras until I get some more proper figures…

They managed to trap him in a dead end street and murdered his two guards and a bystander he’d hastily recruited to help against the alien Earthlings. Having rendered the captain unconscious they carted him off to their ship, bribing some local officials along the way (for the corpses left in the street).

Haarn Shoolo deftly evaded the pursuing pirate ship. During the group’s interrogation of the Pirate Captain they discovered (when Miss Johnson inquired how exactly a pirate from Karkarham even found out about such a vessel being built in Parhoon) he had actually been HIRED to steal the ship, but then double crossed his employer when he found the ship would be worth far more to him as a new pirate ship! Somehow they made the connection that “Mrs. Preston” may actually be the “Frau Gutenburg” he claimed hired him.

Challenger led the group down to her cabin to confront her only to find a pistol being shoved in his face and “Mrs. Preston’s” Irish maidservant, Rose, covering them with a double barreled shotgun! All were forced back up on deck where there was a bit of a stand off….

Haarn yanked the wheel of the ship throwing everybody off balance (and nearly throwing at least one character overboard – who had to benny his agility roll). It was enough to distract and throw Mrs. Preston and Rose off-balance and a confused melee ensued:


Melee on Halfbuilt model of Haarn Shoolo’s coudship…

The overconfident Thurston Howell jumped up on the guwale railing of the ship and raft afterwards to give Mrs. Preston a good whack with his walking stick – for his troubles she shot him square in the chest (four wounds – soaked only one!). Miss Johnson was also shot in the brawl, though she was only grazed on the arm. Rose was run through by the Baraak, the beastly High Martian savage, and ingloriously heaved over the side.

…and that’s pretty much where we left off.

You can read Thurson Howells letter to his mum about it or Lt. Mongomery’s letter to his dad about their escapades elsewhere on this blog.

Hopefully next week will be the stunning climax to this adventure!

Thurston's Letter to His Mother

To My Dearest Mother Lovelia,

You were certainly right about non-British women mummy.

I met a lovely lady, Ms. Roweena Preston who knew the Stevensons from Buttridge and many other common acquaintances. She had recently been widowed, not three days earlier! She begged for help recovering an experimental new Martian cloud ship of her husband's invention. This ship had been stolen, evidently by pirates, and her husband had been murdered during the attempt. Intrigue! Excitement!

Anyway, we got on rather well, and she swooned with gratefulness when I hired my own cloud ship and financed an expedition to pursue the thieving brigands. An adventurer, Mr. Harrison Challenger, and a Lieutenant William Montgomery of Manchester joined me, along with a Dr. Carstairs. Regarding Ms. Preston, this Mr Challenger felt he had to challenge 'er (ha ha, great pun, eh mummy?) as he suspected early on that she was perhaps not as British as she seemed. Something about her accent, though it sounded lovely to me - lilting and resonant like when you sing at bath time.

We travelled to a very distasteful Martian town, Karkarham, where we dispatched a few ne'er-do-wells and captured the pirate captain. His mongrel crew had the nerve to pursue us, but of course we evaded them, with the pirate tied securely to the mast of our ship.

Well, it turned that Mr Harrison was right about Ms Preston. It seems she was not Ms. Preston at all, but some German, name of Gutenburt or some such. I should have known that no self-respecting British lady would have a bloody Irish maid-servant! Anyway, this so-called lady actually shot me! With a gun mummy! I think I shall finally have a few fetching scars to show off. Anyway, we were on the cloud ship and I'd just done a really marvelous trick running along the railing (way up in the sky, mummy!) and jumped in behind to strike her (with the cane you'd given me. Remember it, with the sword inside?)

In the resulting fracas, the lieutenant helped subdue the German woman, and somebody tossed the Irish maid over the side. At the moment, things are calm again and I've got time to write this note over a well-deserved cup of tea. I expect we'll be heading to get the stolen ship back from the pirates next, after I get patched up a bit. Then I expect we'll turn the pirate and the German woman over to the authorities, and find an interested buyer for this new cloud ship technology. I wonder if that Edison fellow might be interested? I found him surprisingly bright for a colonist.

Wishing you all the best. I will post as often as possible.

All my love,

Thurston