Session Three "Stuck In" Wherein it Becomes a Stand Up Fight and Not Just a Bug Hunt

The Marines of Sulaco Strike Force Lion's Den pressed on into sector 007.  The terrain was mixed destruction and alien ectoplasm and egg casings were evident in the corridors leading to what must be the queen chamber.  The APC was pressed in on all sides by the deployed marines of squads 1, 2, 3.  The seargants Carr, Lathrop, and Cowney were keeping up a constant radio chatter to LT. Conn in the APC.  "Get us outa here" was frequently the non-standard sign off to each fervent message.

The column advances into sector 007.  High walled and densely packed terrrain added to the terror.

Into the valley of death rode the 30 + heavily armed badasses!

And then all hell breaks lose.  Casualty count consisted of at least 12-16 MIA. HUD went static on the APC monitor but life signs didn't always extinguish.  Damn xenos!  This was a regular Thursday night wargame in the Second-hand Lions game club.  Leave a comment or sign up for a full tour of duty.

Regards

Aliens on Acheron The Assault on Hadley's Hope

The United Americas Allied Command has selected the brave and stalwart marines of the Secondhand Lions wargame club to participate in the play-test of an Aliens by GASLIGHT game. 

Here we see the deployment and pregame strategy develop in the minds of the attackers.



The GM gets to play the bugs.

The scenario was the second instalment of the Aliens on Hadley's Hope mini campaign played using the GASLIGHT rules mechanics and the Tree House Kids 54mm Aliens collectibles in my sci fi collection.  The players are presented with a campaign map that is divided into 3 x 3 sectors.  Each sector is a wargame table and the marines must be successful in holding the terrain objective in order to move from one table to the next.  As the marines move closer to the queen's chamber the resistance of the xenomorphs increases.  The marines in scenario one entered the game map from the lower left hand sector labelled 001. Following the success of brushing aside three pods of 13 aliens each, the marines used phalanx fire from the squad flamer units to push into sector 004.  This instalment of the Penny Whistle has images from our second game.

This image shows the APC with the command squad inside flanked by the marines of squad 2 commanded by Sgt. Carr.

The image to the right is an aerial view of  sector 004.   From the foreground to the background we see squads 3, 2, and 1 sequentially.

The APC pushed forward agressively.  It got swarmed by one pod of aliens.  The aliens began assaulting the hatches and entry points on the machine.  Some damage was encountered but the command squad remained safely inside. 

Aliens on Hadley's Hope The Attack on LV426

The Colonial Marine Platoon lands on Acheron near the planetary atmospheric plant.

Alien presence is immediately anticipated.  Planetary scans have detected a large hive complex well established inside the confines of the facility.

The platton APC rolls through the front gate from the landing pad flanked on either side by squad 2 and 3. HUD contact is maintained with the commander on a sustain roll. Alien xenomorphs are contacted visually and on bio scans of the facility.

As the entrance is breached by the APC. The hive comes alive. Wave attacks of warrior class xenos pour from the facility.

 Squad two is contacted first.  Pulse rifles and smart guns mow down the fast attackers. Shoot, Scuffle and Save rolls are used in the GASLIGHT moderated combat.

 The second squad is overrun and takes heavy casualties.  Amazingly they make their moral roll with only 4 members left.  They fire on but to little effect.

 The view from behind the alien left flank.  They are vaulting over the machinery in the open yard before the factory.

Scenario is currently at this stage.  APC overrun and taking acid hits.  2nd squad ineffective.  Let's pull back and nuke this place from orbit.

It's the only way to be sure.



Star Trek Fleet Captains in the Lion's Den

The wargame club gathered around the Lion's Den table at Ken's for a try at the new November birthday present, "Star Trek Fleet Captains." Many people have reveiwed this game and the production quality is reknown for the obstacles and difficulty of actually acquiring a playable copy. I was in that group that purchased a model kit instead of a game. After 3 attempts by customer service I was able to put my copy in play. I bought it in November. It's January.

Enough griping, cue the theme music...


We played a four player version with all 50 space location hexes in play. I got the motion picture soundtrack and played it on the cd player. We had a video from youtube as a game precursor. I emailed this link to the players pre game night. I also downloaded some cheat sheets from the board game geek web site.

The game is fun and has a variety of victory paths. This game went to the might of Klingon combat force. We scored our 12th victory point by causing a catastrophic kill on a Fed science vessel.
Go figure.

We will be playing this game again now that it is on it's legs.

Song of Arthur and Merlin

It was the Duke's birthday and the castle was festive in preparation for the event. The household knights had been in training for weeks to put on a grand melee. The twins Cadlew and Connor watched from the parapet as the retainers and house men at arms assembled on the melee field. Gwynfannon and his band was an easy favorite.

Gwynfannon (right) would prove his mettle this day on the field. Surrounded and being assailed on all sides he would sweep the opponents from the field and cause wiser men to rethink even to cross lances with the castle champion.


Sir Tyllid surveys the field and tries to send in his lance to his advantage.
The day went well for Tyllid and his warband but the strength and prowess of the castle champion became too much. In fatigue and disgust Tyllid retired from the field to try and fight another day.

The height of the action. 90mm wargame fun in the Lion's Den using Ganesha Games, Song of Arthur and Merlin.

Napoleonic 5MM Battle of Knieffer-Haffen

The Lion's Den Wargamers convened for an evening of Napoleonic warfare using the DBA period variant DBN. The rules are DBA with element alternatives that depict Napoleonic troop types and weapons. Very easy to adapt to if you are familiar with DBA. The download from Fanaticus prints out on 3 pages with combat factors and outcomes listed for the variety of new elements during this period

These images are of new troops in uniform from my scratchbuilding 5mm activities. The figures are made from needlepoint knitting plastic. They are based on 40mm element bases as per DBA.

Our game pitted myself and Carl vs. the Napoleonic afficianado Nick. Nick commanded the British in their attack of the Belgium commercial center of Knieffer-Haffen. Nick won by demoralizing two of our divisions and commanded a successful river crossing in the attempt.

Aerial view of the battlefield showing the Knieffer river and tributaries leading into the city.

My left flank division crossing the river to try and outflank the British.

The British cross unopposed and gain the foothold that would threaten the center of the French defense.

This is an early disposition shot after turn two or three.

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Pre-battle.

Troops on manuever.

Aliens - This Time It's War 54mm Sci-Fi

The Secondhand Lions converged on the Lion's Den this Thursday the 1st of September 2011 to prepare our convention presentation at Recruits September convention. We did a practice run through the Aliens Leading Edge title "This Time It's War." This is a recreation of the movie reactor room scene where the colonial marines face the xenomorph in an attempt to get the hell out of the alien hive. Double click images for a heads up display.
"Hicks check your helmet cam.."

For those about to Rock We Salute You!!!!


Initial deployment screens with fire.

Xenomorph encounterd and neutralized.

Being watched.

The retreat is cut off.

I played Crowe and was about to be consigned to the bagage column. This xeno incapacitated me and next thing I knew was waking up in the APC on the way back to base.

A view of the reactor room.

Our left flank is wave attacked by multiple contacts!!!!!

My other marine, Dietrich was to remain behind for close personal contact with the new alien species. She did in the course of the retreat whip 2 xenos off of Apone. Only to be the last marine in the hive firing away with the flamer as she was covered in acid and dead bodies of the aliens....

7 marines made it to the awaiting APC for a complete marine victory. I however was down 50% and wounded.