Operation: Farside

[Sgt Whiskey Swiper]

I was coming up with a mini-campaign like this to post on the site!

[This is a style of SST that is internal campaign based mission inside an abandoned Freighter. Alien Vs Predator style. Read though and say what you think.]

The Dunkirk drifted slowly through space. The last four weeks had been spent on a search and rescue mission after a convoy was reported missing on the fringes of the Arachnid Quarantine Zone. Fifteen civilian and citizen ships, 150 Mobile Infantry, and two Destroyers seemed to have vanished without a trace. Captain Michael Rule knew that four weeks of no contact generally meant that there were few, if any survivors.

Rule sat in silence, in the Captain's Quarters, a glass of brandy in his hand, considering his next move. Do we continue moving into the Arachnid Quarantine Zone, or do we double back on our route, looking for survivors? He knew many of those onboard the Dunkirk wanted to find some survivors, or at least some evidence of the missing ships.

The door suddenly opened, and a young Luietenant strode in, "Captain, we've sighted a freighter drifting. I request permission to send a Mobile Infantry Platoon across to investigate."

Rule stood up, "What ship is it? One of the convoy?"

"Yes sir, The Pride of Kyazlow, its a medium freighter. According to the roster a complement of two hundred and sixty crew, fifty Defence personel and three hundred civilians."

"Luietenant, send a platoon of Mobile Infantry to check it out. Send them to it in Slingshots. I want two TAC fighters covering them as they move out. I'm coming to the bridge now, understood?"

"Yes sir."

The Mobile Infantry Platoon is equipped as follows:

Horving's Hunters

Leuitenant James Horving
-Fire King
- Lizard Line

NCO - Staff Sergeant Manison
- Rallying Cry
- Frag Grenades

NCO - Chief Combat Engineer Bates
- Plasma Munition
- Lizard Line
- Trench Sweeper Lazer
- Armourer

1st Squad - 7 men
Sergeant Multan - Sniper
Corporal
Frag Grenades
2 Triple Thud Grenade Launchers

2nd Squad - 7 Men
Sergeant Fuller - Stay Frosty
Corporal
2 Javelins

3rd Squad - 6 Men
Sergeant Johanson - Pathfinder
Lizard Lines
Frag Grenades
Sniper Rifle

The above Platoon is the men sent on board by the Dunkirk. They are fielded exactly as shown.

Arachnid Bonuses
Several nasty tricks come into play by the Arachnids once the Hunters get in despite they lack the 'larger' Arachnids they are by all means as dangerous... and more...

Foot Fall
In a mission, if an Arachnid force has a number of Foot Falls it represents some arachnid dragging an unfortunate member of the MI under the floorboards, or up into the vents.

The Arachnid player chooses which squad to target. He may chose an individual within a squad, but it makes the chance of success reduced.

The Arachnid player rolls a D6. If he rolls a 5, a squad member (chosen by the MI) is removed, a dodge save is the only save that can be attempted, or a Grab action if the squad is Ready.

If the Arachnid player chooses a particular model he has to roll a 6 followed by a 4 on another D6. The model can make standard dodge saves, armour is no use against these cunning arachnids.

This, naturally, encourages the MI to stick together - but if they do so, will they reach their objectives?

Once an Arachnid player has use his Foot Fall, it cannot be used again, the Arachnid attempting has either succeeded or failed.

The casualty should be 'held on to' by the Arachnid player, as they may return later...

Grab
If the MI squad had Readied in a previous action, then they can attempt to 'Grab' their falling squad member. Models within 2" can attempt to 'Grab' a falling model, and save him if they roll a D6 and roll a 5 or above.


Continuing On
Naturally those are only two of several special moves/attacks an Arachnid and MI player can make.

What do you think of the basis of this game? Skinnies appear soon, and I'll soon upload one of the scenarios. It has a strong narrative element, and successes/mistakes can help/hinder you later on...

~Swipe.

 

[swissjak]

not so much AvP but I get a definete feeling of Spave Hulk when I read this. What have you deceided as far as the board layout is concerned? How wide are the corridors going to be, are there doors that bugs of certain sizes can't enter, what unit restrictions had you thought of?

 

[awesomeshotdude]

Great fluff at the start mate.

Yeah I love it. It sounds great. Anything that is vaguely Space Hulkish is a winner in my book...I just love the atmosphere of those style of games.

Foot Fall and Grab sound like two good actions to have and definately add to the flavour of the game and would add some tension, especially on the MI players part. Although having to ready to be able to grab someone will certainly slow down the MI's advancemnet through the ships corridors.

Great stuff, looking forward to seeing more.

 

[Captain_Nemo]

DO it! I'd love to take a crack at something like this, I don't have the imagination to work it out on my own.

 

[Sgt Whiskey Swiper]

not so much AvP but I get a definete feeling of Spave Hulk when I read this. What have you deceided as far as the board layout is concerned? How wide are the corridors going to be, are there doors that bugs of certain sizes can't enter, what unit restrictions had you thought of?

Board layout - will try and do some basic images of it. The Hanger - would be a board, with several levels and scenery. There would be no size limit in here - as transports are designed to move around inside.

Corridors would have a Size Allowance - i.e. some would allow Size 1 down them, others Size 2. Very few corridors would allow Size 3.

Unit restrictions. Most basic ones are the lack of Nukes (obvious why...) unless it was for example a mission to overload a reactor or recover an arms stash.

Generally there will be no 'nasties' like plasma bugs or tankers inside a space ship as they would be disasterous for the Arachnids. There would be very few 'convential' units in an Arachnid force, limitation of Warriors and hoppers.

And doors will play obstacles for some arachnids - but not for others...

Foot Fall and Grab sound like two good actions to have and definately add to the flavour of the game and would add some tension, especially on the MI players part. Although having to ready to be able to grab someone will certainly slow down the MI's advancemnet through the ships corridors.

Great stuff, looking forward to seeing more.

Cheers, if you are a cautious MI player you will lose fewer men, but not complete your objectives then you will not gain newer weapons, advantages etc. Some of these are 'Trackers' like the blips from in aliens...

DO it! I'd love to take a crack at something like this, I don't have the imagination to work it out on my own.

Cheers, comment on what I am doing, suggest more ideas etc.

I'll add more tomorrow evening...

~Swipe.

 

[awesomeshotdude]

Cheers, comment on what I am doing, suggest more ideas etc.

How are you going to run the movement. Is it going to be similar to Space Hulk and Doom: The Boardgame where the floor plan is in squares and each model can move a certain amount...say 4" per action = 4 squares per action. OR are you keeping it as close as posssible to the actual SST game buy keeping movement in inches along an unmarked playing surface ?

Considering the limitations in the rule book for Artillery fire mode within structures. How are you going to apply the Artillery fire mode ? Are you going to modify it or just disallow it and force all weapons to fire in direct mode ? If you do make them fire in direct mode only, which is not a bad idea I guess, I would probably think about allow grenades to still be thrown in Artillery mode. There would be nothing worse than, when moving through trying to clear an area like this, not being able to use grenades to indirectly hit the enemy who were staying hidden behind crates/containers/around corners etc. I think due to the fact that the thrower of the grenade can reasonably control the throwing power behind the grenade, then grenades should still be able to use the Artillery mode inside structures.

This would also help with reducing the casualties taken by MI in close combat. I can see in such confined areas, the Arachnids hiding behind numerous crates/cover out of LOS, then when it is their turn, rush out and due to the closeness of the confined area, they would probably make hand to hand almost everytime, there by stealing alot of the effectiveness of the MI's reaction fire. I think grenades being able to be used indirectly would play a big part in helping the MI 'Flush out' totally hidden Arachnid units.

 

[LtLeonJonson]

not to be like, a major copy right breaker, but the video inside the science ship in the original Stracraft is what i am thinking, the bugs running along vents and not using the walk ways, unless of course they were swarming a position. It also has a Drop attack/Foot Fall and that is what you are after right?

hmm, trackers, the scene in Aliens were the jarhead sticks his head into the vents and see the massive ammout of aliens, hehehehehe, "mutley snigger".

perhaps for the grenades keep the Frag grenades as thrown, and have Bugshot in the underslung GL? or replace with a shotgun type of weapon.

board ideas, hmm, what ever goes for you, personally the muiltilevel thing is gonna be a bummer, can the MI shoot through the Floor/Wall, if they arrive a door the bugs metled shut how do they get through? Blister bugs have acid, acids melts, perhaps add some holes in the main deck for them to emerge from.

Are there going to be rules about shooting the reactors? or do the bugs like the reactors for the heat generation? will flamers be able to do more damage because of a hull breach?

 

[Sgt Whiskey Swiper]

How are you going to run the movement. Is it going to be similar to Space Hulk and Doom: The Boardgame where the floor plan is in squares and each model can move a certain amount...say 4" per action = 4 squares per action. OR are you keeping it as close as posssible to the actual SST game buy keeping movement in inches along an unmarked playing surface ?

The floor plan in this game varies a lot, and I don't think the squares method would be too pratical. As a result they move the same distance they move in the main SST game. Some corridors may have squares, but I think using the 'squares method' can be a little sterile, and has been done before.

Considering the limitations in the rule book for Artillery fire mode within structures. How are you going to apply the Artillery fire mode ? Are you going to modify it or just disallow it and force all weapons to fire in direct mode ? If you do make them fire in direct mode only, which is not a bad idea I guess, I would probably think about allow grenades to still be thrown in Artillery mode. There would be nothing worse than, when moving through trying to clear an area like this, not being able to use grenades to indirectly hit the enemy who were staying hidden behind crates/containers/around corners etc. I think due to the fact that the thrower of the grenade can reasonably control the throwing power behind the grenade, then grenades should still be able to use the Artillery mode inside structures.

All weapons fire in Direct Mode, asides from grenades that are fired indirectly. I may include rules for using tables and consoles for cover, i.e. if a grenade explodes it may destroy the cover... Its more realistic having the grenades fired in Artillery mode.

This would also help with reducing the casualties taken by MI in close combat. I can see in such confined areas, the Arachnids hiding behind numerous crates/cover out of LOS, then when it is their turn, rush out and due to the closeness of the confined area, they would probably make hand to hand almost everytime, there by stealing alot of the effectiveness of the MI's reaction fire. I think grenades being able to be used indirectly would play a big part in helping the MI 'Flush out' totally hidden Arachnid units.

Grenades are more for supressing units and destroying cover. I'm not sure whether to allow plasma munition and maybe 'demolition charges' to destroy sections of corridors (including rules for collapsing corridors as well...)

not to be like, a major copy right breaker, but the video inside the science ship in the original Stracraft is what i am thinking, the bugs running along vents and not using the walk ways, unless of course they were swarming a position. It also has a Drop attack/Foot Fall and that is what you are after right?

Footfall is more taken from the classic Alien films and classic horror films. The rules for vents are more complex, and require a lot of thought before I could implement htem.

hmm, trackers, the scene in Aliens were the jarhead sticks his head into the vents and see the massive ammout of aliens, hehehehehe, "mutley snigger".

If I implemented rules for this, the MI could always do that - but there may be a nasty surprise...

perhaps for the grenades keep the Frag grenades as thrown, and have Bugshot in the underslung GL? or replace with a shotgun type of weapon.

Standard underslung grenade launcher ammunition applies, allows the MI player more options in combat.

board ideas, hmm, what ever goes for you, personally the muiltilevel thing is gonna be a bummer, can the MI shoot through the Floor/Wall, if they arrive a door the bugs metled shut how do they get through? Blister bugs have acid, acids melts, perhaps add some holes in the main deck for them to emerge from.

Multilevel games would be fun, but I fear far too fiddly. The Blister bugs are really too large to be useful in most corridors. If the MI arrived at a door melted shut, they would have to blow it open or find a way around. Naturally blowing a door can be lethal later on, if you are being overrun and have no where to hide... And some bugs will be more 'intelligent...' maybe code cracking bugs... a new species...

Are there going to be rules about shooting the reactors? or do the bugs like the reactors for the heat generation? will flamers be able to do more damage because of a hull breach?

The bugs will try and make a 'nest' near a heat source as possible, one reason the swarm descended upon the convoy. When a reactor explodes, power drops dramatically - doors short out (so I'll implement cutting equipment...)
This can lead to a lack of lighting, doors closing too fast... a series of risks. And a whopping great explosion. Corridors would collapse, fireballs race out... And possibly blow a hole in the side of the ship.

A Hull breach is nigh on lethal. It drags all models 2" towards the breach, to represent the suction, and 'unsecure objects' i.e. tables and objects move the same as well - if they touch another model they move an extra 2" towards the breach. If a model is sucked out, they are done for - it is unlikely they will survive even in power armour - its hard to find one person in a vast universe...

Several levels of Hull Breach would exist. Roll a D6
The size of the hole is the D6+1

(1-3)Level 1 - Minor Breach - small hole - maybe 2-4", contained by sealing doors at a Control Point.
(4-5) Level 2 - Medium Breach - larger hole, 4-6" - contained by sealing doors, if not standard rules apply
(6) Level 3 - Major Breach - Large holes, 6"+ - contained by sealing doors. If unable to seal, the suction becomes 3" a turn...

Hull Breach is disasterous for both sides, and can lead to successful missions turning into a disaster...

~Swipe.

 

[Roughneck2zero]

I'm definitely loving this so far, Swipe! Should be a lot of fun to play!

 

[DaltonCalford]

That is exactly the idea our group was going for.

I would definately get some players for the game with a few fleshed out rules and perhaps an experience/campain setup.

best regards

Dalton

 

[Sgt Whiskey Swiper]

Cheers! 8)

If your groups could playtest that would be great, I could see if everyone who participates in this project gets a 'custom made' avatar - same background, but different names - if you wanted, but need to ask around about that :roll:

I'm already planning missions for the game, the first mission is the hardest to do, and I'm working out how the mission will plan out... Lots of 'fluff' I'd love it if we could make this almost a finished 'product' and a resource for SST gamers to play.

If someone could do CGI drawings of freighters, or sketches that would be great as well...

And I'm trying to work out how computer screens should control doors...
The more I think about this the more excited I get by the sheer number of options and amount of 'cinematic action' that can be had...

~Swipe.

 

[DaltonCalford]

Don't know about the custom avatar, but I could go for some suggestions for unit names for my newly created MI company and perhaps a unit crest (If you are into graphics, great cause I am horrible at it).

I will get some pictures taken as well - I will use doom boardgame flooring initially and get some world works first light stuff in later once I get the graphics kit-bashed up to the proper scale.

best regards

Dalton

Cheers! 8)

If your groups could playtest that would be great, I could see if everyone who participates in this project gets a 'custom made' avatar - same background, but different names - if you wanted, but need to ask around about that :roll:

I'm already planning missions for the game, the first mission is the hardest to do, and I'm working out how the mission will plan out... Lots of 'fluff' I'd love it if we could make this almost a finished 'product' and a resource for SST gamers to play.

If someone could do CGI drawings of freighters, or sketches that would be great as well...

And I'm trying to work out how computer screens should control doors...
The more I think about this the more excited I get by the sheer number of options and amount of 'cinematic action' that can be had...

~Swipe.

 

[Sgt Whiskey Swiper]

Cool, I actually meant signiture... I'm a silly bugger at times

~Swipe.

 

[Carloss]

cool. But tankers should be allowed in big hangers and whatnot. Especially if marauders are.

 

[DaltonCalford]

I would say that adding possible actions (such as open door) combined with locked/jammed doors and hidden movement (markers for both the bugs and MI so you know they are there but you do not know how many) would give a real edge to this game.

A mission generator would also be interesting.

Different PL's with possible point bonus's for taking certain penalties.

ie 500 pt game if pl3 option, 550 point game if pl2 etc.

with recue missions and traps.

You could even come up with a card system that holds all the possible scenario objectives for the bugs and troopers so that at the beggining of the game, each player picks a card but does not show thier opponent -and the card has special victory conditions - You never know exactly what your opponent is up to.


just a few thoughts

Dalton

 

[Sgt Whiskey Swiper]

cool. But tankers should be allowed in big hangers and whatnot. Especially if marauders are.

The issue here lies in HOW the tankers move around not just in the hangers... I personally see the Arachnids as being smart enough not to rely on these massive bugs, more a dependance on small swarms, a few warriors here and there, and one or two absolutely lethal Arachnids that tear through anything...

I would say that adding possible actions (such as open door) combined with locked/jammed doors and hidden movement (markers for both the bugs and MI so you know they are there but you do not know how many) would give a real edge to this game.

A mission generator would also be interesting.

Different PL's with possible point bonus's for taking certain penalties.

ie 500 pt game if pl3 option, 550 point game if pl2 etc.

with recue missions and traps.

You could even come up with a card system that holds all the possible scenario objectives for the bugs and troopers so that at the beggining of the game, each player picks a card but does not show thier opponent -and the card has special victory conditions - You never know exactly what your opponent is up to.

A mission generator is a fantastic idea for non-campaign based games, it would definatley add a large element of variety to the game.

I like the PL idea, but the PL levels would have to be adjusted slightly to show the increased arsenal available - democharges, plasma cutters etc. And other specialist options.

Another aspect I'm mulling over is an Engineer, or Software Specialist - who hack into the system, or rig defences (can you say SENTRY GUNS!)

I like the idea of Objective Cards, that would definately add an element of tension on top of the game -completing objectives gives you VPs and extras, for example Arachnids releasing a creature from a lab using a control bug infested MI trooper. (One mission I'm planning for the 'full game' to put a different slant on the game as a whole - its not just the MI sneaking around, being devious...)

~Swipe.

 

[DaltonCalford]

Hey Swiper,

Is this an actual wip game concept or is it just fan generated.

If it is going to become a downloadable rule addon, I would suggest taking to the guys at world works since they are some of the best in pdf terrain makers on the web.

best regards

Dalton

 

[Sgt Whiskey Swiper]

Fan generated, but I'd love it if someone contacted me about getting it live - naturally Mongoose for the rules Maybe putting them on the site...

I've always wanted to do GD, and did make a very complex WW2 game around 5/6 years ago when I was 12/13. I included rules for tables, rifles, smgs - pretty much every model and most tanks...

A game of 200pts would have taken 20 minutes, whereas a 2000 pt game would take 6 hours - at least in theory... a stupid length of time.

I did work on 40kO and make 'Infestation' a survival horror game with zombies to be played with 'armies' bands of survivors and hordes of zombies... Its on the internet somewhere, I keep revising the fluff and idea, and the latest 'version' i.e. loadsa fluff and masses of ideas are pretty confusing to say the least.

And after watching waaay too much SST, Predator, Aliens, and various films set in space I thought "Hell I could do an ok job, but a community assisting could do an amazing job."

~Swipe.

 

[Sgt Whiskey Swiper]

Ok, ideas for today:

Pl1 - 0-1 Software Specialist or Engineer
Pl2 - 0-2 Software Specialists or Engineers
Pl3 - 0-3 Software Specialists or Engineers

Should this be a trait or a new unit? I'm leading towards a separate 'character' to represent how 'rare' these units are and that they are not assigned to squads easily.

Also I'm considering rules for the surviving crew, using similar stats to the LAMI but weaker...

More thoughts?


~Swipe.

 

[awesomeshotdude]

Pl1 - 0-1 Software Specialist or Engineer
Pl2 - 0-2 Software Specialists or Engineers
Pl3 - 0-3 Software Specialists or Engineers

Should this be a trait or a new unit? I'm leading towards a separate 'character' to represent how 'rare' these units are and that they are not assigned to squads easily.

I am digging these guys. I guess it doesn't really matter whether it is a trait or a special character. Either way you could limit the specialty to one per squad (or whatever you choose) by simply stating something like;

"Only one model per squad may upgrade with the Software Specialist or Engineer Traits"
OR
"Only one one model per squad may be a Software Specialist or Engineer"

You can word the rules to reflect whatever ideas you want to impose.

I do like this idea though. It gives th game flavour and a tactical twist by having specialist who can perform certain, sometimes critical, actions. In some cases, the whole mission may revolve around these guys.

Also I'm considering rules for the surviving crew, using similar stats to the LAMI but weaker....

What do you mean by survivors ? Guys who at the start of the game, have survived an Arachnid attack and are awaiting rescue, or, guys who survive the game get certain experience for the next mission ?

I am think that you mean the former. In that case it would be cool and would provide even more flavour and some objectives during the missions.

The later would be good too. It would make you want to have as many mission suvivors as possible so they gain experience and become more competant in future missions. This would also make the MI player more anxious when in dangerous situations, thereby providing even more flavour and a great atmosphere....very enjoyable.

More thoughts?

Just back to the grenades again. I don't think fired grenades i.e. those from the Triple Thid or Underslung grenade Launchers should be allowed to fire in Artillery Mode as the firer doesn't really have control over how powerful the grenade is launched and in such close confines, like inside spaceship corridors, rooms etc, the firer couldn't really just 'Lob' a grenade over an obstacle. However when grenades are thrown, it is MUCH easier to control where the grenade goes and it is far easier to 'Lob' it over a close piece of cover.

Perhaps when inside, you should lesson the deviation of the grenade a bit as the max deviation is 8" and if the player throws the grenade over a piece of cover only 2" away, it has a chance to land 6" behind him !!! Now this is not impossible indoors considering all the obstacles, walls etc that are so close to one another and in most cases the thrower. I have seen a few blokes throw grenades and have them hit an obstruction and 'bounce' back towards them or spin off to one side a considerable distance, especially when thrown hard. (only prac grenades thankfully, never seen it happen with live grenades, although I bet it has somewhere).

So, in my opinion, only thrown grenades should be allowed Artillery Fire.