Crime Alley Scenario - The Kidnap: Part 1 - The Game Setup

We are sticking to the flavour of the Irish mob being very non kill orientated.  Sure they will bust you up but they won't kill you, and this is how I've organised the scenario for this time around.  I'm also sticking with the special rules for the roads and the police for at least this scenario.  Will see if they are a hindrance to play or not.  After which the next scenario will have them removed and will see how the game play goes.

The Major Plot Point

Tiffany Schowalter

Kidnapping - Holding a Hostage

Tiffany Schowalter is the young wife of a wealthy shipping magnate.  She is often seen taking young Devin junior out for a stroll in the park for some air and for a chance to socialise with others.

Villians:

Grab the child and hoof it.

Constabulary:

Protect Mrs Schowalter's baby from being grabbed.

The Minor Plot Points

Devin Schowalter

Extortion - Ransom Demand.

Devin Schowalter is a successful shipping magnate, advanced in years but married to a much younger and devoted woman who has born to him his heir, Devin junior.  Devin senior is a proud man and will not allow his family name to become embroiled in scandal.

Villians:

Persuade Schowalter that the thugs approaching his wife and child intend harm and kidnap unless he agrees to sign shares in his business.

Constabulary:

Stop the Mob from threatening Schowalter and protect him.

Roberto G. Leavy

Assault - Beating a Victim 

Roberto Leavy has been gambling and loosing too much of late and he knows it.  He's afraid to go home to his dingy one room flop for fear someone is waiting for him.  So he stays at work in the public eye hoping that his public presence will keep him safe until he pay back his debt.

Villians:

Leavy has to have an accident and it has to be a very public one.  No one gets away with not paying their debts, no one.

Constabulary:

Get to Leavy and he will be able to tell you where one of the gambling dens is.  One less den of vice operating in the district will be a blessing no matter what.

Wilfred N. Lash

The Press - Truth of Lies

Wilfred Lash is always looking for a story - any story, whether it's factual or not.  The more salacious the better, he's not a well liked reporter but his capacity to nose out what is actually a story worth printing is truly amazing, because behind every story there is just a grain of truth.

Villians

Feed Lash a story about a corrupt Fed in Newbornes unit.  Dates, times, payouts, all the dirty details are there.  Whether it's true, only a full investigation will tell, and that's time consuming and it's take the heat of the Mob for a short time.

Constabulary:

Lash has asked to meet, but hasn't said why?  Is this another "Meet me at midnight...  aargh.... I'm dead!" mystery meetings? time will tell.

Selena L. Mroczek

Smuggling - Carrying Contraband

Selena Mroczek is a shifty European art dealer known to deal in stolen pieces but has never actually been caught with any.  Her age and dreadful accented english (faked, it's excellent) makes police interrogations difficult.

Villians

Obtain from Madam Mroczek the painting of The Rainbow Ewe with the Cracked Hooves.

Constabulary

Find out what Madam Mroczek is "allegedly" carrying this time.

A Story

Teague was sitting at his usual spot at the Blarney Stone Pub listening to the report from Dinny as to the months past activities.  After a few more minutes of prattle he held up his hand which indicated silence to all in attendance.

"I think it is time I expanded my stocks into maritime holdings." Looking to Donagh the new man he raised his brow enquiringly? "Well Donagh, who'd be a good pick now?"

"Well Mr Flanagan, Titanic Flotsam seems a good bet at present.  Their magnate has his office in this city and I hear his young wife has just had child."

An evil grin spread over Teagues florid face, a kidnapping was an easier caper to pull off and if the right strings were pulled no harm would come to anyone and he'd be a richer man from the bargain.  Yes all up it was a good option.  

"What if they don't play ball Teague," asked Dinny, "what do we do with the baggage? I'm not a killer of babes, Teague!"

"No, nor should you.  No if they don't come to the party, we let them sweat it out.  If after a month or two they still don't pay up then we leave the child with one of the nuns at the local churches, no harm done."  Teague was troubled, the other Mobs in town were ruthless, sure they had their own codes of "honour" but still...

"What else is on the go this time round Dinny?"

" Leavy owes us $500, he's been hiding at the Bamptons hoping we won't touch him there.  What you want to do about it?"

Teague rolled the cigar around his mouth and puffed a few clouds into the air.  "Break him.  Send a message that no matter where you are, if you owe us money you have to pay.  No good will come from hiding or squeeling to the cops.  Dinny, you might like to do that job."

Dinny smiled and continued "Madam Mroczek is in town with the painting of The Rainbow Ewe with the Cracked Hooves.  Stolen of course.  She'll want too much but I suggest we offer her half what she wants, I think she'll settle for that.  I just hope that she hasn't hidden it in a haggis like she did the last painting she sold us."

The Blarney Stone Pub was slowly filling with the midday trade and Teague was eager to finish his meeting before prying ears and eyes wandered to his group.

"Lastly I want one you to see Lash of The Press Gate and feed him this little story I have here," he handed Dinny some papers, "it has some details which will incriminate a member of Newbornes unit in criminal activity with one of our boys, young Eamon, who's sadly left our shores for home but who's infamy will tarnish one of Newbornes men.  At least I hope it will.  It should at the least take some heat of us, if we play our cards right it might even get his unit shut down."

The hum of the midday lunch crowd started to grow.  The Silver Shillelagh's took that as the sign to get up and go about their tasks.

Scenario Special Rules

The Road(s)

Right the road is a very dangerous place in town, while I can't reflect it (yet) it is full of traffic.  A Character may not run across the road, well I suppose they do but to reflect this the most they can move is a walk (6").  This will get them across the street.  However they must encounter a peril when doing so.  Success indicates they have made it across the road, failure means the traffic has defeated them and they remain where they started to cross.  You will take no hits or health checks.

You can also for reasons of strategic planning or madness (who knows) decide to actually remain on the road.  In this case you will encounter a peril, in this case though hits and health checks will occur as normal.  You can assume a passing car or lorry has hit you.

Traffic Signs

One of the locations where you can cross without checking for perils is where there is a street or stop sign.  You can cross in any direction (straight not diagonally).  For instance if the street sign is on the opposite side of the street from you, then you may cross without penalty.

The Police

There are a mumber of Police officer models about the board.  These likely lads are a deterrent (maybe) to gun happy play.  If a character Shoots anywhere within 8" of one of the Police models follow the steps listed:

1. Conduct shooting action and results.

2. Move Police model into base contact with the model that Shot (the one who had the Initiative).

3. Encounter a peril.

If more than one Police model is with 8" move each model one at a time, resolving each peril in turn.  If the Character who initiated the Shoot goes down, any other Police models that could have moved into base contact do not do so.  The are satisfied the malcontent has been dealt with.

Crime Alley Scenario - The Inside Man: Part 2 - The Game

Well this was a very different game from those I've played previously.  This time the plots were actively chased down and some cunning was played with the cards.  The abilities that the characters had also had a hand in the way the game played as well.

So here is how the game went!

TURN ONE

The Silver Shillelagh's won the table edge and the initiative so things were looking good for the mobsters.  Eamon had Speedy and was able to dash up to a plot point, but it proved to be a difficult one required three successes.  Just as well Teague was on hand.  Ronan and Finbar were in position to pounce on the Attorney McMillion the next turn.  Dinny and Ronan started to cut their way toward the park and the bank. The G-Men were having trouble, deployment was no the best.  A lot of running was involved with the hope that turn two would see them in action.

Eamon making a dash to Felix the Fence.

Ronan and Finbar moving in on Attorney McMillion

Excuse us 'mam, government agents, make way.

Dinny decides to make for the bank while telling Brian to go for Lorenzo, however it would be best to use the park and the civilians as cover.

It's a shortcut...

Yet again the business with testing for perils and forgetting that health checks aren't taken.  We had a "take back" on this one as it had no effect on game play.

TURN TWO

The G-Men watched in horror as Felix slipped Teague an evelope (with large sums of money) but which he claimed later was just a letter to post.  (Reward +1 Contact) Thaddeus found Mrs Soderman and successfully secured her statement for the upcoming hearing.  (Reward +1 Tip)

Thaddeus makes sure Mrs Soderman knows her civic duty.

TURN THREE

Thaddeus sees Ronan making his way to Lorenzo the bookie and shoots him.  An inquisitive policeman comes over and investigates, but little comes of the matter. Finbar grabbed the Attorney McMillions briefcase and destroyed the files.  (Reward +1 Contact and +1 Gear)

Finbar has the luck of the Irish.

TURN FOUR

Teague uses his Dread Gaze ability to shut down Thaddeus in the hope of stopping him from doing any further damage.  Thaddeus in turn uses his Deductive skill (this goes on for the rest of the game).

Thaddeus plugs Ronan in an attempt t stop him from getting to Lorenzo but draws the attention of Officer O'Toole.

TURN FIVE

Brian shook down Lorenzo and achieved the plot (+1 Gear).  Outside the bank Voorheese failed to cower Westbrooks, however Thurman turned up and two G-Men were apparently more than enough to make the crooked bank clerk think twice about a life of crime.

The G-Men get to Westbrooks, it was easy as pie, but wait the mob is going to interfere.
(Silly me put the wrong reward card down for the photo it was the +1 Experience.)

Brian gets Lorenzo to pay up.

TURN SIX

The fight at the bank begins in earnest!  All out brawl.  Dinny the sidekick versus two ally G-Men.  While Dinny could take them down, the would not go out.  In the heat of the brawl, Thurman who had the Major Plot (who really should not have engaged) went down,

Ronan uses his shotgun (Blast) to lay down a deadly hail of lead.

Dinny looses his cool and rushes into the G-Men and starts laying into them.

In all the excitment of the brawl Thurman forgets he had the Major Plot and goes down.

A lot of really ineffective gunfire is exchanged, but it does draw another officer of the law in to investigate.

Nothing to worry about officer, I have a license to discharge this weapon.

In the end Dinny remains standing, but the Major Plot is lost.

The Wash Up

A very different game.  Shooting was limited in this scenario, not sure whether it was the threat of Police being with 8" or just that more interest was shown in the plots.  The road was an interesting twist to game play, but I think that it hindered movement somewhat.  Will try a few more scenarios before I come to any conclusions.  Dread Gaze was awesome as it allowed Teague to shut down Thaddeus who was going to be a threat, especially as he had Two Gun skill.  Mind you Thaddeus was able to offset this set back with Deductive and just draw cards, which helped.  The cards in play made a lot of difference as well, certainly not a lack of them.  Had Thurman not gotten caught up in the excitement of brawling he would have held the +1 Experience Reward and the Major Plot and won the game for the G-Men.  Next time Gadget, next time....

Silver Shillelagh - 3vp

Newbornes Special Operations Unit - 1vp

A Story....

Teague puffed away furiously on his rapidly disappearing cigar, he was feeling somewhat elated from todays activities.  He had managed to outwit Newborne in broad daylight, staring the man down across the street while all about them the take downs were happening.

He had gotten the money from Felix the Fence for the Rocksalt Diamonds.  His only problem now was the Eamon was spotted at the bank in the scuffle and old Mrs Soderman had pointed him out to Newborne whom he had persuaded to testify in the heist case.  Eamon was going to have to go back to Ireland and enjoy the dull fruits of potato farming if he knew what was good for his health.  

Finbar had grabbed the Attorney McMillions case and seen to the evidence being burnt to a crisp.  He guessed that earned Finbar a small reduction in his outstanding debts, only another bazillion dollars to go.

Lorenzo had squeeled about the extortion but paid up and will continue to pay up.  Sending honest looking Brian to do the job wasn't such a bad idea of Dinny's after all.  So in the play of things the minor rackets paid off handsomely.

The bank job, well at least Westbrook kept his mouth shut.  When Thurman had the goods on him and got involved in the brawl Dinny started outside the bank, it was all to easy to forget the evidence he was carrying.  When Dinny decked him and he dropped it, at least Westbrooks had the intelligence to grab up the papers and stuff them back in his bag and scuttle back into the safety of the bank before more feds and police turned up.

All up it was not a bad day at all.  He'd find another way to fiddle the bank, and with Eamon on a long journey back to Ireland, things were looking pretty good... for the moment.

Crime Alley Scenario - The Inside Man: Part 1 The Game Setup

This scenario was designed to make use of the terrain and figures I had available to me.  I also threw in a number of twists to change the way the games have been played previously.  As usual there's a story and pictures to go with it all.  I hope you enjoy.

The Major Plot Point

Bank employee:
Freddie Westbrooks

Bribery – Paying off an Accomplice

Meet Freddie Westbrooks - junior bank clerk, ambitious, underpaid, badly treated by his manager and ready to swing either way when it comes to improving his financial and promotional aspects.

Villians:

By getting to Freddie you have obtained the information dealing with the bank alarm system and the guards personnel files.  This is one step towards breaking into the bank.

Constabulary:

You have heard that Freddie is weak, he needs to be reminded that breaking the law has its consequences.  By intercepting Freddie and giving a stern and perhaps rough demonstration of law enforcement will stop Freddie from passing on internal bank protocols to undesirable persons.

The Minor Plot Points

Old Lady:
Mrs Soderman

Witness – Old Lady 

Mrs Soderman was the only witness to the daylight robbery of the almost priceless Rocksalt Diamonds.  She is waiting outside her apartments for a taxi to arrive to take her to her lawyers.

Villians:

Mrs Soderman has to be roughed up and reminded to be silent about who she saw at the heist.  

Constabulary:

Protect Mrs Soderman by reminding her of her civic duty to report the wrong doings of those who break the law.  Even if her life is placed in peril, would suffer great and personal loss, if her family are threatened by people of ill repute, she must do her duty and be at the law court to finger the culprits, no matter the cost.  After all you don't want to make an enemy of the law now?  Do you!

Racketeer
Lorenzo S. Deets

Protection Racket – Extorting a Victim

How low can you go when it comes to running a protection racket, a paperboy - really?  Well Lorenzo Deets is running a racket, he's a bookie and makes a tidy sum.

Villians:

Lorenzo hasn't paid his insurance this week, and the premium has just gone up.  Time to pay Lorenzo if you know what's good for you.

Constabulary:

You need to find out from Lorenzo who's been fixing the races at the local track.  He asks for your protection if he supplies you some names.  You scratch his back... 

The Fence:
Felix D. Berson

Fencing – Selling Stolen Property

The missing Rocksalt Diamonds are in the hands of Felix Berson a know dealer of stolen items.  He runs the slaughterhouse and butchers so people who ask too many question.... may be why the sausage tastes funny.

Villians:

Time to get the money from Felix for the Rocksalt Diamonds and ensure that he has broken them down so they can't be traced.

Constabulary:

Got to shake Felix down and find the goods, they are on his person somewhere.  Might have to rough him up and show him who runs this town.

Attorney:
Eldon C. McMillion

Evidence – Partial Phone Number

Attorney Eldon McMillion has damning evidence that could incriminate the Teague.  One of his idiot underlings left a telephone number of one of his ventures at a crime scene.  It does not look good.  Eldon is on his way to the bank to deposit some papers for security.

Villians:

Get the briefcase of McMillion.  It's as simple as that.

Constabulary:

You've heard that Attorney McMillion has critical evidence that could give you the Silver Shillelagh. Intercept and get that evidence.

A Story...

Teague glared at Dinny across the cloud of cigar smoke he was exhaling in great volumes.  A lot of things were happening today, a lot of it connected to those Rocksalt Diamonds his boys had lifted at the Glasschip Jewellers heist.  They were hot, the fact old Lady Soderman had seen Eamon hadn't helped matters.  Who the hell gets an allergy from diamond dust?  If he hadn't pulled his mask down it wouldn't have been a problem, now he'd have to have Dinny scare the old woman.  Geez he thought, what would his sainted mother think of him if she could see what he was doing now?  He shuddered to think of the flogging and ear bending he'd have gotten for harming an old woman - but business is business these days and his mother's been dead for years.

"Dinny lad, I need you to go scare old lady Soderman.  Just tell her that accidents can happen if she talks in court or fingers that idiot Eamon."

"Yes Teague, no problems, shall I break a leg just to let her know we mean business," chortled Dinny as he got excited over the prospect of some gratuitous violence?

"No you bloody idiot, scare her, not make her turn evidence against us.  By the blessed saints Dinny if you weren't handy to me I'd have your fed to the pigs at Berson's Slaughterhouse.  Speaking of which you go send one of the boys there to collect our money from fencing those diamonds, and tell Felix if he doesn't break them diamonds up it'll be him that'll be broken the next time I see him.  Remind him we do good business, and I want it to remain that way." 

Over from the darkened corner the voice of Ronan McNamara rose, "Mr Flanagan, sir, what about that bank job?  I've been sitting on those cases of dynamite for over a week now and the feds have been nosing around much to much for my liking.  We better be doing it soon before they find the cache and we loose it."

"If we loose the dynamite, it's your bloody stupidity that would be the cause!" roared Teague, his foul temper rising.  "You had to bait the local Orangemen didn't you and that alerted them to your activities.  If you keep interfering in my business with your Fenian rabble-rousing then you can go back to Ireland and hang from an English gibbet for all I care, but while you are here you will do as I say, you hear!" 

"Now you will go to the bank and meet Westbrooks and get the information we need.  He'll want some reassuring, give it to him, promise him whatever you think the gullible fool will believe.  He won't get it of course, he's the scapegoat for the operation and he will have an accident, like you will McNamara if you screw this up."

"Yes Mr Flanagan, sir..." replied McNamara with real fear in his voice.  No one crossed Teague if they knew what was good for them.

"Right, let me settle down... what else was there." said Teague as he resumed his seat and slowed his breathing.  Taking another long pull of his cigar he said "Time to shake down Lorenzo, he's been making a good haul of late and I think it's time he increased his insurance premiums.  It's not safe selling papers on such a busy corner, so easy to trip and fall into the traffic, know what I mean."

The crew laughed at the chance of misfortune happening to someone other than themselves.

"Last piece of business is this Attorney McMillion.  He has some evidence that I don't want coming to court.  Intercept him, get his papers and torch them.  I want nothing but ashes with which they can try and take me to court with."

Teague stood up, "right, now get to work and earn what little I pay you you bums!"

The Table

The table set up for play, lots of civilians and police about to hamper play (I hope).

Long shot of play area.

The Fence: Felix Berson.  Probably a consignment of dodgy meat arriving or being shipped out.

Mrs Soderman the Witness at her building with Lorenzo on his corner running his racket.

The bank where Freddie Westbrooks is.  A Policeman next to him to make things a little interesting.

The park area.

Off in the right corner is the Attorney McMillion on his way with the evidence.

One of a few policemen on the table.

Scenario Special Rules

The Road(s)

Right the road is a very dangerous place in town, while I can't reflect it (yet) it is full of traffic.  A Character may not run across the road, well I suppose they do but to reflect this the most they can move is a walk (6").  This will get them across the street.  However they must encounter a peril when doing so.  Success indicates they have made it across the road, failure means the traffic has defeated them and they remain where they started to cross.  You will take no hits or health checks.

You can also for reasons of strategic planning or madness (who knows) decide to actually remain on the road.  In this case you will encounter a peril, in this case though hits and health checks will occur as normal.  You can assume a passing car or lorry has hit you.

Traffic Signs

One of the locations where you can cross without checking for perils is where there is a street or stop sign.  You can cross in any direction (straight not diagonally).  For instance if the street sign is on the opposite side of the street from you, then you may cross without penalty.

The Police

There are a mumber of Police officer models about the board.  These likely lads are a deterrent (maybe) to gun happy play.  If a character Shoots anywhere within 8" of one of the Police models follow the steps listed:

1. Conduct shooting action and results.

2. Move Police model into base contact with the model that Shot (the one who had the Initiative).

3. Encounter a peril.

If more than one Police model is with 8" move each model one at a time, resolving each peril in turn.  If the Character who initiated the Shoot goes down, any other Police models that could have moved into base contact do not do so.  The are satisfied the malcontent has been dealt with.

The Mysterious Islands - Where's Dr Wong?

Went on a journey today myself, leaving the safety of my Southern suburbs to travel out to the Western suburbs.  Thankfully the little imps trapped inside my mysterious phone of confusion actually got me to my direction without getting me lost once. 

Had two games with Glen exploring the Island of Death, because I got a shellacking, the first game I lost 4-2, the second I won 3-2.  I’ll expand on the games in more details below, Glen will write a report of our first game from his perspective and post in due course.

The Dusty Steamer - literally!
Has been sitting on a shelf literally gathering dust, shall have to give it a good clean and perhaps spend a little more time touching it up.

The above river boat I built quite a few years ago for another game system which I can't quite recall, certainly something to do with Darkest Africa I'm sure.  

A Story....

Sir Garfield sighed heavily, "What about the Mysterious God the White Apes of the Lost Inner Congo Ackers? I thought we were off in pursuit of that beastie, it would make a magnificant catch if not coat for Lady Wishart?"

"No, No, Gar old boy, just had word Wong took a wrong turn at one of those mysterious islands and has either gotten lost, been eaten by tigers or opened another laundry franchise to escape his creditors.  Either way we have to find him, he's got my library copy of Lost Worlds and it's overdue, damned if I'm paying the late fees again."

A soft knock at the door broke the mood, and the door opened to allow entry to Jabari carrying the tea, and followed by Eberhard Pike.

"Pikey, what do you know of the Mysterious Islands?" shouted Lord Wishart enthusiastically as he saw the steaming tea.

Pike looked cautious, clearly a trick question he thought and one to be avoided.  "Ah, well you know m'Lord, it's well, very mysterious.  Not a good place to go to, far better to avoid it and stay safe here, play a few hands of bridge, perhaps some cricket..." his voice trailed off hopefully, but the look he got from Lord Wishart told him he had failed.

"Nonsense man, you seem to be far to cautious these days, what's the matter, the spirit of adventure left you?  I'll have none of it.  You will at once go down to the docks and see that my steamer is brought out of dry dock.  I want her ready to sail immediately, no excuse.  There's a good man, off you go." Lord Wishart smiled into his hot cup of tea, breathing in the hot steam and sighing contentedly, wondering why the world wasn't as content as he.

Several months later the steamer Dusty hove to at the Mysterious Islands where last was seen Dr Wong.  

"You know Ackers, the overdue fine is currently over 21 quid, the book was only worth 10 pence." noted Sir Talbot.

"It's the principal of the thing Gar, no one leaves me holding the cheque at the end of the day, Dr Wong has to give me back the bloody book."

And so the adventure starts.....

The Mysterious Case of Dr Wong Take One

Glen and set up the terrain and went with 1 major and 4 sub plots to avoid ties.

The Mysterious Islands

The Mysterious Islands

A lamentable first turn for Lord Wishart and his League of Adventurers.  While winning the initiative and thinking they had the upper hand, the opposing forces two main players (ie the Leader and Sidekick) had yet to be activated.  This oversight lead to two Allies being mowed down in a vicious gunfight.  Our capacity to make Recovery rolls were horrendous. 

Eberhard and Barrington down and about to be out!

Sir Garfield and Jabari strike dramatic poses, hoping that this might distract the enemy from attacking them.

The main island where danger lurks most foul.

Throughout this game with the early loss of most of the League I struggled to keep it together.  The water was such that you could only walk through it at all times.  The fact that by playing to the concept that we had arrived by boat and disembarked from that one location hampered rather than provided any strategic strength in play.

In the photo above Jabari proved that he was faster than Bolt, dashing across the island, much to the amazement of the enemy.  The Black Flash they named him.  

It was a fighting retreat back to the boat.  

Literally I could not deal with the amount of Shooting that was coming my way.  I'm well known for my bad luck and it gets to me - but it sucked.  My League could not make Recovery rolls, Glen's League would make their Health checks or Recovery rolls without a worry.  It was severely depressing.

Lord Ackerley and his lads pulling back to the boat.

Lord Ackerley had made it to the subplot and easily obtained it.  It was pretty decent reward allowing two fortune cards to be drawn each turn.  This at least offset the opponent using his action of drawing a fortune card through an ability.

Last of the allies down, it was just Lord Ackerley and Sir Garfield left on this tiny island.

Right about turn four we started to come to grips with plot points!  Yes we are slow.  Still took us until the actual second game to get it right (we think).  We were labouring under the impression that Followers would be next to useless in undertaking plots.  No, just takes time.  Yes, we got Perils wrong.  The wording in the book is I'm afraid not that clear, the example just muddied the water.  However I think we got there in the end.  As like in our first game there was a sudden and frantic surge towards the plots in the last few turns, mostly by Glen.

The "bad" British grabbing the plot points.

Brave Jabari, spent two turns earning his plot point, braved the gun fire and survived (thanks to some cards).

Lord Ackerley and Sir Garfield did a runner for the boat with the one plot point they had won.

The board on the last turn.

The man of the match Jabari!  

The Wash Up:

Hmmm.  Still finding that at this point in time the game is very much a shooting match, with not much else happening except the odd plot discovery.  Now this is not a complaint at my opponent, I look at games differently from many other people.  I have viewed Pulp Alley as a narrative storey telling game, and have essentially attempted to pick abilities to suit stories I have crafted for my League.  I'm struggling to work out if it's whether I'm not making use of the terrain, missing the mechanics of the game or some other factor I don't know but at this stage it seems to me a very shooty game, which I'm on the loosing end of.  I could of course go armed for bear, but what point is that, that defeats the purpose of a narrative style of gaming which is what I want.  

As you will see from Take Two we still hadn't worked out Plot Points and Perils properly.  So we will continue to struggle along with our games until we hopefully and finally understand what we are doing.  The basic game mechanics I think are right, it's just, I don't know...

Lord Ackerley Wisharts League  2vp

Belgians masquerading as British 4vp

+2 Tips

The Mysterious Case of Dr Wong Take Two

"Right lads, let's wade in and catch these Belgians disguised as true Britains.  How dare they think that dressing in our brave boys uniforms would give them the right to prance around and claim everything?  Who do they think they are!  British!" Exclaimed Lord Ackerley as he waded testicle deep in cool (rather) ocean waters towards the island shore.

"Damn right Ackers!  Only us British have the right to do that, bugger the rest of that rum lot," chortled Barrington Mallory. The sea spray was already misting his glasses and he was in danger of wading back out to deeper water if it was not for the timely intervention of Jabari.

"Looks quiet m'Lord... oh dash it I just spotted a flash of red over there, sure I heard some dago speak as well, must be them." Eberhard made his way ashore to a tent and surveyed his surrounding.  Why couldn't they have stayed at home and played a few hands of bridge, far safer than being here and being shoot at by bloody foreigners he thought.

A peaceful island chain... or is it?

First turn, ashore, Jabari looks at a plot, Lord Ackerley and Sir Garfield look on.

Jabari found a plot!  A simple one.  It then got difficult.  Here's where we floundered and were confused for two games.  In the end we finally realised that you either played a Peril from your hand for the Plot or drew a random from the deck.  Yes, finally worked that one out!  Then we "discovered" the playing of Perils on attempts to complete plots.  Not realising that you do take hits from these.  Sigh.  Yes we well and truely stuffed this whole thing, but I think that after two games we think we know what we might be doing now.

Belgians disguised as British advancing!  It was the accent that gave them away.

Slightly better shoot of first turn!  Happier days for the League...

Turn two saw Lord Ackerley and Sir Garfield wade across the water to the main island.  Jabari continued to solve the plot, not well though.  The Belgians masquerading as British advanced on the flank attempting to steal a plot, but also fell foul of our complete cock up of understanding the playing of Perils.

Looks so peaceful, no shots fired in anger.

The problem of taking photos with the light in front of you, nice effect though, it seems like it's late afternoon.

Turn 2 activities.

Very little I could do to stop the Belgians masquerading as British from pillaging the plots on this side of the board.  Again, it was our misunderstanding of the rules that stuffed up this play.  But you live and learn.  Mind you a 1d test needing 1 success, and two Followers failed it for two turns straight!

Just prior to grabbing the main plot!  Go Lord Ackerley.

By this stage I was down to just Lord Ackerley and Sir Garfield.  Lord Ackerley had just done the the bolt to put as much distance between himself and anyone else so that his Harmless ability would kick in.

Here he is, brave Lord Ackerley looking for some rocks to hide under.

Yes I had a man on this flank, but a card had been played on him stopping him from making a recovery roll.  Rather unsporting and with the inevitably result of my bad dice roll the only outcome.

Sir Garfields Bodyguard skill came in very handy... for Lord Ackerley.

Lord Ackerly looking very perturbed and wondering who is going to pour him his next cup of tea, all the while looking for a nice rock to hide under.

The rest of the shots are views from the triumphant Belgians masquerading as British.

The Wash Up

All right as you can see from my previous Wash Up report, there is much we got wrong.  I'm still feeling that there is something not being done right, but I'll sort it out eventually.  I do like the system, it works and I'm having fun, even if it's frustrating and depressing (but that's me as a person and probably doesn't have a lot to do with things).

Lord Ackerley Wisharts League  3vp

Belgians masquerading as British 2vp

+1 Backup

I apologise for the brevity and lack of depth I'd usually put into my report.  Hopefully the next one will be better quality.

Regards

Cpt Jack