Another Day in the FiveCore - Part 3: Scouting Solace Ridge

Solace Ridge provides an excellent vantage point. 1st Squad, led by Silas Raeburn, had been tasked with reconnoitering Solace Ridge with an eye to setting up some kind of advanced warning system. The ridge overlooked the area where the creatures had been most active. There were many abandonned farms and a few smaller settlements left in ruins from the fighting. Solace Ridge could probably become part of the quarantine measures that were being put in place. 

These creatures had been killing farmers, overwhelming isolated garrisons, turning certain places on Biitas into no-go zones. It was time to make a more concerted effort to find out what was going on. 

A few science teams had managed to examine some alien remains - they were not native to the Biitas system. Something had brought them here, or developed them here. It was unclear if they were natural or bioengineered. It was unclear if they wanted anything more than just species propegation. Nothing was clear. 

Clearing the ridge of trees had been an on-again-off-again project for decades. This outpost was a pretty standard affair - a few loggers living together to save money. Honest work for honest money. 

Raeburn and squad advanced up the lane, through the woods. They needed to check out the view and see how viable a lookout post would be for this location.

While stolling up the lane, one of the creatures burst out of a copse of trees! 

It ran straight for one of the loggers, tearing him asunder! The other two retreated behind a stack of logs, handguns at the ready - hoping for the best. 

As the creature ran to attack the other loggers, Siebert opened fire with the squad auto rifle. This sent it scurrying behind the building for cover. 

Another creature appeared and started running up behind the marines!

Luckily the marines were moving at the double, and the creature struggled to catch up with them!

The beast at the top of the ridge retreated further, back into the woods.

A third creature emerged from the trees on the left flank. 

Surrounded, Raeburn turned and shot down the beast to their rear. It went down in a spray of acid.

Siebert sprayed down the other creature with rapid-fire shells. It exploded into a burst of members and acidic blood.

Atop the ridge the final creature charged down towards Nyssa Johnson. 

She let rip and watched her ammo counter tick down. The creature slowed, stopped, slumped to the ground in a fizzing, bubbling mess.

With the creatures out of the way it was time to set up a perimeter and wait for the sappers to come and install some more permanent infrastucture for the overwatch post. 

Simple Fantasy Map - RPG with the kids

 Hi all,

When I took the kids to UK Games Expo, they did the Kids' DnD activity. My eldest did it a couple of years ago also. They have expressed interest in doing this as a family. I wanted to give it a go. We are going on holiday to France over the summer and I wonder if I should try and run a holiday campaign. 

I have also subscribed to JP Coovert who does fantasy artwork on YouTube. He posted this video about how to make a simple map. I decided to use the same process last night and am pleased with what happened. I went on Chat GPT and asked it to generate some nice fantasy names of mountain ranges, cities, smaller settlements, oceans. All names on this map are from Chat GPT.

Step 1: drop a bunch of dice onto a page.

Step 2: draw squigly lines around the dice to make landmasses.

Step 3: Write the place names in. Then add in the icons. 

This map isn't finished by far, but I am super pleased with it. I think I want to draw the forests differently. I will likely just put together a second map. I also want my kids to do this themselves. We will see how they go. It might be a nice after school activity instead of just watching TV, which I am trying to move away from. 

Fringe Settlers

 Hi all,

Here are some settlers out on the Fringe. They are something like Black Powder Peasants from Perfect Six Miniatures, but painted up some brighter colours mean they will fit in out on the edge of space. I am heavily inspired by Firefly at the moment and most of my Sci Fi painting is being devoted to figures who wouldn't look out of place on a wild-wild west battle. 

These have been sitting stuck to lolly sticks for a few months now. Glad to have them cleared off my table.

Up next:

1. Finish off the Soviet LMG teams. 

2. Finish off the British support weapons teams. 

3. Choose a new project. 

Another Day in the FiveCore - Part 2: Reinforcements have arrived.

 A low pitched rumble approached. The noise was rising, a small dust cloud neared, and then, beautiful, sweet relief emerged from the cloud - two Ranger scout cars. The lead Ranger was crewed by Anders (driver) and Caldo (gunner). It was the transport for Vandro's squad of marines. The following Ranger, the true reinforcements held Mira Ashwood and her veteran squad of grunts. It was crewed by Vera Thorne and Jaye Wun, driver and gunner respectively. 

Vandro's squad had been holding onto their position for two hours now and dusk was approaching. It was decided to set up a perimeter and try to find out what the hell was going on at this farm. What were these things, and what did they want? A more heavily protected science team were on the way, but wouldn't make for another few hours. 

Ashwood and squad de-bussed. Raines and Brax took up positions on top of the farmhouse while Ashwood, Drayton and Quade took cover behind some logs and crates. They had good arcs of supporting fire. Raines and Brax would radio down anything they saw. Thorne drove the Ranger around and parked it further down the entrance track, covering the field where Christensen's squad had been massacred earlier in the day.

Vandro's squad took up the right flank, grouping up behind the crates with Simmons covering a blind spot behind the grey out buildings. Anders kept the Ranger close, also covering the open field.

Three creatures charged headlong into withering fire from the marines and the Ranger. The heavy machine gun did a lot of damage, killing one of them and knocking another one down. Hopefully the science team wouldn't take those few hours to arrive. 

Three more creatures prowled through the field on the left flank. Seeing the rustling of crops the Ashwood's marines readied their weapons.

The Ranger and marines opened fire, killing two of the beasts and sending another one scurrying. They got too close. Ashwood warned the marines to not let this happen again.

Simmons came on the comms to announce the appearance of three more of the creatures at the rear of the farm. The marines were surrounded!

Some of the creatures charged at the marines. On the left flank one of them got caught in reactionary fire from Wun in the Ranger, it decintegrated in a hail of gauss fire. It wouldn't be troubling anyone every again. On the right flank an advancing creature came under fire from Kreel on the truck. It went scurrying away. Meanwhile Simmons engaged the beasts facing the rear and stopped one in its tracks. It took far too much ammo to achieve that though.

It was this point at which I remembered a thing called Reaction Fire. My understanding is that an enemy caught moving within 4 of a figure can be shot at with kill dice from that figure/another figure. Any movement over 4 can be reacted to with only shock dice - no killing but you can shock and send them to cover.

Recovering from the shock of the fire one of the creatures managed to jump up onto the truck and tussle with Kreel. Claws ripped, tail stabbed, Kreel went down in a pool of blood.

 

Another creature ran at Simmons and was shot at ineffectually. 

On the left flank Raines and Brax rained some fire down on the creatures, sending a few of them looking to stay alive. It looked like the marines might be able to hold off this onslaught. 

Caldo tore into the charging creature with the Ranger's HMG. The rest of Vandro's squad withdrew back into the farm complex. Quade turned to support the right flank and fired his auto cannon on the beast that killed Kreel. 

Disaster! Another three figures started hulking up at the rear of the farm! 

As the creatures prowled forward around the rear of the farm Brax and Raines opened up a storm of fire upon them, sending a few running the other way, instinctively trying to avoid the stinging fire. 

On the left flank one of the creatures ran through Ashwood's fire to take Quade down. He managed to bring his auto cannon to bear and got of some rounds but it wasn't enough. The spearlike tail tore through flesh, muscles and organs. His frag armour did not protect him this time.

Simmons retreated to the roof of the farmhouse. Anders drove the Ranger into the courtyard. The marines on the roof poured enough fire at the charging creature to stop it in its tracks. It was getting close though. They all were, and there didn't seem to be an end to them.

The creature that killed Quade charged at the Ranger but was taken out by heavy reactive fire from Ashrood and Drayton.

 

More creatures were running at the marines, sensing weakness. More heavy reactive fire stopping them in their tracks. But not stopping them far away enough. Things were looking dicey. Vandro commed Ashwood - it was time to circle the wagons and get the hell out of there. There was no way they were going to hold out until the science team arrived. 

Pulling the Rangers in close, it was time to embark and drive like crazy. All marines ran over, shooting wildly behind them, hoping to keep these beasts at bay. 

They were everywhere! No matter how many you killed, they just kept coming. Bloodthirsty predators, hardened warriors, what were they? It was going to require more for the science team to get hold of some of these for study. 

Pedal to the metal, it was time to get out. Flooring it both Thorne and Anders managed to evade hitting any of the creatures. It was time to head back to Fort Nelson and regroup. Warning the local population? Well that was a call for command to make. Vandro, Ashwood et al. could just report what they had seen and get ready for the next round. Command wouldn't want to cause a panic, the local sector govenor might agree, but ultimately the marines had bigger guns and better troops if it came down to it. 

Another Day in the FiveCore - Part 1: First Contact.

Foot patrols. Making the locals feel safe. Chickensh*t in other words. It was Christensen's turn to take a couple of squads aound the local farmsteads and let these civilians feel like law and order exist here on Verdantia. The procedure was standard at this point. Radio ahead, give an ETA, leave the Specialist Anders and the transport behind (an Aegiron Dynamics Mk. II Ranger), walk upto the property, chat, accept drinks, wander the perimiter, scan some stuff, blah blah blah. 

Satlink images have the farm looking just like the one before, and also the one after. And every other farm on this rock. A few vehicles in various states of repair. Crates of parts, milk, produce lying around. There had to be a more efficient way to feed humanity. 

Being unable to raise the farmers on the comms was a minor red flag. the SOP was clear - fan out into a rough skirmish line and advance in a non-threatening way. But be ready for trouble. Sometimes farmers got the hump and fired a few shotgun rounds. Sometimes they send the dogs out. Christensen ordered them into squads, skirmish line, weapons ready. His order lacked urgency and enthusiasm. He took his squad through the crops. Ashwood advanced with hers up the track. 

SURPRISE! Something jumped out of the crops, landed on Spencer, and pinned him to the ground. in a flash the spear-like tip of its tail spun around and impaled Spencer like a kebab. He was a goner. 

Jumping off of Spencer it landed a blow on Perry, then Fisher, both killed with blood gushing from various slash and bite wounds. Seeing this unfold over a matter of seconds, Christensen readied himself and managed to swing his gun around and fire off a couple of shots with this creature almost on top of him. With the thing wounded and flailing, it was still dangerous. Christensen popped off a few more rounds and it stopped moving. Crops disolved wherever its blood landed. These things were dangerous even in death!

Christensen actually won what was a brawl, but narratively speaking I liked the idea of him bringing his rifle to bear just in time. The thought of him having a physical brawl with a xenomorph doesn't make me think it will end well - unless he is wearing a yellow bulk loader exo skeleton.  

At risk of breaking, Christensen helped rally himself and Specialist White. They would change direction to rejoin the rest of the team and get out of this field. 

I rolled 1 on the force morale test. As it was below or equal to the number of people left they remained on the table. 

As Christensen and White approached the edge of the field another creature appeared a few metres away. However, it went unnoticed, waiting, prowling.

The creature moved. It wanted to inch closer to its victims. Christensen, White and Vandro, who led 2nd Squad, moved into closer range and unloaded their weapons at it - causing it to hide behind the truck. It might be some kind of unthinking, unfeeling predator but its instinct for self preservation recognised the danger.

When the fire abated a little it charged forward, attacking Vandro who took the brunt of the spear tail on his frag armour. He was down but not out. The creature then tore Specialist White into pieces while Christensen fired more point blank fire onto the beast. This time it stopped moving faster. 

 

Watching his entire squad be torn apart in front of him was too much for Christensen. He turned an ran, followed closely by another one of those creatures. Vandro tried to raise him on the comms but was only getting garbled static, until all he was getting was silence. 

With half the team gone and the more experienced squad leader MIA, Vandro took charge. He ordered his squad to dash into the farm where there might be better protection from whatever these things were, and would give breathing space to raise Anders to bring the Ranger up and bug out... pun intended. 

Talor, Kreel and Simmons took up positions around the shabby, windswept farm buildings, ready to cover Vando and Henderson as they approached. 

Vando and Henderson took up positions behind crates of things. Vando radioed Anders to get here. Three more of those things began approaching at once!

Henderson and Kreel fired on two of the creatures, attempting to slow them down. Their fire went too far overhead. Vando did his best to calm them and have them aim lower. 

The creatures ran closer, running further than they had done before. They could sense the unease of their prey. They were almost on Henderson at this point!

The entire squad opened fire! Round after round, clip after clip, the three beasts went down in a mess of flailing limbs and acidic blood spraying everywhere. There had to be more where these came from! Where the hell was Anders with the Ranger? 

Just then Vando's comm buzzed and cracked with the familiar voice of Lt. Newton. It was time to hold steady. Reinforcements were on the way.