Another Day in the FiveCore - Part 4: The Battle for Solace Ridge

 

Image Generated by Chat GPT.

Rain. Twas the season on the Moon of Biitas 12. It slowed everything. Farming became a pain, building stopped. In olden times military operations might ease up or cease. Not now though. Not when trying to contain these nightmarish creatures. It had been a couple of weeks since Raeburn and 1st squad had scouted Solace Ridge for an observation and containment post. A bunker and scanning centre had so far been erected, and the entire marine platoon, along with their transports were billeted here for security. 

Sat images showed three Rangers parked up in a standard storage formation. One Ranger was on watch. First squad was holding the original hab that it scouted previously. Second squad was positioned in the obvervation bunker in the centre, third squad was in and around the scanning facility on the left. Fourth squad was roughing it by a small copse, ready to spring into action as and when needed. 

 

There were also a number of contractor vehicles as this area was still very much a building site. 

Raeburn's squad had displaced the loggers for the time being. Most civilians had been removed from the area due to quarantine regulations. 

The scanners began tracing a number of signals approaching. The number grew and the signals neared. Tanor got onto the platoon-wide comms to warn the rest. Incoming. Weapons ready. Fourth squad get ready to rush into position. 

The three Rangers roared into action and repositioned themselves at the edge of the ridge. Skulking figures were working their way through the crops below. The rangers opened up with ineffectual fire. Many crops died. 

One of the creatures rushed up the ridge...into an outburst of fire from second squad. The beast was torn asunder under a hail of gunfire, rain mixing with acid blood as it sizzled into the ground.

Another rushed up and approached a Ranger. Accurate autocannon fire tore it apart in a splatter of fizzing acid. 

Shooting through the gaps in the ridge, another Ranger took down another creature as it stormed towards the base. They were getting closer, and many were passing out of line of sight at the bottom of the ridge. They could climb fast - hell they could climb, even in this rain. 

One Ranger along drove quickly to cover the open left flank. The ridge was not so high here - it was a definite weak point. One creature went down in a hail of gunfire. 

The Rangers and third squad continued raining fire down at the shadowy figure that were emerging from the crops and scrambling their way up the rain-slickened rock faces.

The creatures were closing in. Fourth squad was rushing through the rain to secure the flank, great drops of water bouncing off their equipment, it was hard to see. 

Unfortunately as fourth squad advanced, so did the creatures. One of them charged up to the marines and began ripping them to shreds. Spear point tail, claws, teeth. all made short work of the squad. 

Now holding the left flank on its own the Ranger opened up in a long stream of auto fire, killing another two of the creatures. The driver was accutely aware of how he was becoming surrounded and made thoughts to retreat. 

From around the trees another creature emerged, charging at the Ranger. Gunfire slapped into its torso and acid blood sprayed, but it kept coming. Its spearpoint tail smashed through the bullet proof windscreen, impaling Huang, the driver. Its claws destroyed the dashboard and controls. With its last breath it tried to reach Colby, the gunner, who unbuckled and threw himself to the back of the vehicle and unloaded his sidearm clip into the creature's head. It stopped moving. Colby breathed a sigh of relief.

Third squad kept holding the centre, firing at the oncoming beasts. Another was killed.

With the Ranger undrivable Colby decided to leave it behind and joing 3rd squad in the scanning facility. He opened the rear door to be met by another creature. It grabbed at him and stabbed him in the legs and arms, wildly trying to connect. Colby shuffled his way back into the Ranger. With no escape he felt at his belt. One standard issue frag grenade hung there invitingly. He pulled it off, took the pin out and waited until the beast was almost on top of...

The Ranger burst into flames, ammunition cooking off made the flames flare every now and then. Third squad reported on the comms - the left flank was open. They were going to reposition within the facility to help cover. A Ranger would be useful. 

More beasts tried climbing the ridge. More fire from Rangers killed one and sent the others down into cover. 

On the far right flank first squad and their Ranger shot down one more of the creatures. They could not see much more movement. Munroe raised Raeburn on the comms - he was going to start driving around towards second and third squads to help support their flanks. 

As Munroe put the Ranger into gear another creature leapt over the ridge and ran straight towards the vehicle. Taggart fired a few bursts and winged the beast. It jumped up onto the gun and tore the barrel clean off. In a panic Taggart and Munroe grabbed their rifles, jumped outside and unloaded into the creature, killing it. 

In the centre a creature tore its way into the bunker and got amongst second squad Reyes and Brax were killed before the rest of the squad made a run for it. Another creature jumped on Thorne and Wun's Ranger, scratching it up. However, effective fire from Wun killed it outright, then he turned his fire to the creature that routed second squad and killed it.

Third squad desperately took two creatures under fire, killing one but having no impact whatsoever on the other.

The two Rangers in the centre backed up slightly while pouring fire onto the remaining beasts. Both went down. Third squad reported no further signals and no more movement towards the outpost. It looked like they had held off the onslaught...for now.

Once the facility was once more secure a science team was called in to examine the remains of the creatures. There were plenty to examine. Casualties had been lighter than they could have been, but this was bad. The marines had fought well and held the creatures off, but how long would it be before another onslaught. 

The comms buzzed - It looked like there had been other attacks against quarantine facilities. These creatures were not happy to be contained, and likely could not be for any great length of time. 

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.