Pulp Alley - First Game

Last week my good friend Matt invited me round to his place for our first experience of Pulp Alley. We’d both bought the rulesets and cards a few weeks ago and were keen to give the game a whirl. Joined by another mate, Paul, we settled down to a couple of games and a few beers.

 

The Basic Rule Set & Cards

 

I have known these guys for several years having worked with them in a previous role. The weirdest thing was that for the best part of two years we sat in the same office of 25 and had no idea that we were all gamers. On top of that we all lived about 10 minutes from each other. It was only be chance that we discovered that we all had the same interest whilst I was working out my notice period. What are the odds on three gamers living closely to each other work in the same small office. I digress.

Indiana Jones looking for plot points

 I took the camera along to get some snaps but unfortunately both the wine and the excitement prevented me from taking a story board format. So i'll focus this post on the rules themselves and just add the few photos taken of the game.

Pulp Alley is a skirmish rule set that allows players to re-enact all those pulp action stories eg Indiana Jones. It’s a simple fayre using about 10 figures per side on a small table. Ideally the table should be loaded with terrain for cover, perils and plots. The purpose of the game is for the players to seize plot points and complete the adventure by securing a defined number. Of course both teams have the same mission and ensures that combat will ensue.

He still can't find them

Movement is straight forward but as you enter a new zone you might come across a hazard/peril eg climbing over a wall. This is where it gets fun. At the beginning of the game each player is handed three cards randomly from the card deck. These cards tell you skills you must roll against and the penalty if you fail. To give you an example one of Pauls henchmen tried to climb through an window. I played a card that required him to successfully roll against the characters cunning skill,, needless to say he failed and knocked himself out for the rest of the game.

Maybe they are here

 

Combat is very straightforward with each character having a shooting and a brawling skill. These are expressed in the dumber of dice rolled and the type of dice used. Heroes get d10’s, allies d8’s and lowly folk get d6’s. To hit you need to roll a four. This is a very similar mechanic to force on force. However the similarity stops here. The opponent can elect to dodge (another skill) or shoot back. Both sides roll their respective dice and effectively hits gets cancelled out by the defenders roll. This does mean the super heroes are most effective – as it should be. If a character is hit they drop a health level (again denoted by type of dice) and when they drop belowe a d6 they are rendered unconscious. There is a chance that they may awake each turn.

The Captains allied

When a player activates a plot point they must fulfil a task (same as perils but harder) and can spend many turns completing this. We found that again our super heroes were best at accomplishing these whilst the enemy were held back by allies. Upon completion the next plot point is revealed on the board.

The Village - Matts going to repaint the buildings for an arab flavour

I have been really simplistic in my write up but the rules do capture the essence of the period.

In our games Matt had set out two forces – Indian Jones and his crew versus some dodgy looking character known as the Captain. The captain’s forces were significantly stronger and as such won both our games. The games has a good balance with all players getting involved.
 

Helicopter view

My only criticism is the layout of the first set of plot points – the rules said that these should be 12 inches away from the player. With the second 12 inches away etc. We quickly worked out that if this was the case canny gamers would merely place these as far away as they could from the opposition and combat becomes less likely. We opted for a completely random placement.

The Greek...didn't last long on the building

So whats next well Indy and his friends will appear again. I have just purchased a great big pyramid and will be building a ruined temple complete with Egyptian village in the full ness of time….

Until next time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Gold Rush - A VBCW Scenario

Managed to squeeze in an additional game for a couple of new folks to the world of VBCW.

An old friend Richard who has been to the shed a couple of times , a newcomer called Stephen (better known as Legatus Hedlius

 (check out his blog - very amusing - http://legatuswargamesarmies.blogspot.co.uk/)

and my good friend Matt.

The game was all set up and hopefully the following background notes help to explain the objectives.

The Gold Rush

This particular scenario sees those dastardly fellows in Black Shirts trying to move gold bullion from London to Portsmouth – to do this they must break the cordon of Anglican supporters in the A3 region. In a nutshell the BUF win if they can move the gold across the table, the League win if they can capture the gold.

The BUF will move from right to left

BUF Instructions

The BUF is particularly keen to lay its hands on supplies from the continent but to do so it must stump up the cash first. Gold bullion taken from the bank of England has been hastily loaded onto a reinforced truck and sent south. Its ultimate destination being Portsmouth. At which point in time the gold will be passed over to loyal elements of the Royal Navy.

The convoy has been hastily assembled and must run the gauntlet of known Anglican forces operating in the Ripley Area. Two routes are open to the BUF – the direct but guarded route through the town and out onto Guildford along the rail line or the less built up area towards the bridge at Pyrford Lock.

Recognising that spies and traitors have almost certainly reported the transportation of the gold at the last minute a decoy truck has also been commandeered and assigned its own protection.

In essence the BUF forces must traverse the board successfully with the gold convoy. The player commanding these forces has been assigned two escort forces for these convoys the truck containing the gold maybe placed in either of these convoys (this is their choice).

The BUF players may then decide which road(s) the convoys should enter. The BUF player may not put both Convoys on the same road although they may both exit at the same point if they get that far.

Whatever happens the gold must not fall into the enemies hands. If there is a danger of this occurring the bullion should be returned to Woking.

The truck carrying the gold is extremely loaded and as such has restricted movement (umpire will advise) – it will also bog down on a 1-3 if it leaves the road – two successive boggings will render the vehicle immobile – best keep it on the roads. Tracks will cause the trucks to bog down on a 1-2. The decoy truck has been loaded with lead to simulate the gold.

If by chance the truck is bogged down or rendered immobilised, the only way the BUF can draw this engagement is to ensure that it is not captured. All enemy units on the table must therefore be neutralised.

Prior to the convoy leaving Aerial reconnaissance revealed the positions of a number of League forces in the area but bear in mind these photos are over 8 hours old.

The BUF player should bear in mind that the League may have moved troops, placed obstacles on the road etc. The visible items will not be placed on the table until the convoy forces have been determined.

The Village of Ripley

 

The Anglican League Instructions

 

Last night the League’s Surrey forces were informed that BUF is planning to move sizeable but unknown volume of gold to the Navy in Portsmouth from its regional  headquarters in Woking. Realising that such a treasure would be a valuable asset in the war for themselves tan urgent order has been sent out to sure the gold. A screen of forces have been thrown up along the stretch of land between Ripley to Pyrford Lock.

Intelligence suggests that the convoy is attempting to reach Portsmouth and as such could leave the area on any one of the roads leading to the A3.

Your mission is quite simple prevent the truck carrying the gold from crossing the board. A word of caution destrying the truck with the gold on board is probably not particularly sensible this close to enemy lines much better to capture the vehicle intact.

The Forces at your disposal have been placed. Some of these are observable by the enemy from the start of the game others have been hidden. These have been marked on the map and are assumed to be in Ambush mode at the beginning of the game.

Your forces are limited and spread across the territory. You will need to cover all roads at the beginning until such time that you know which route the BUF are taking.

The Bridge at Pyrford

 

I created the following tables to help the players manage their forces

League Forces

Unit	Weapons	Damage Value	Morale	Notes
2 x Light Tanks	Co Ax MMG Lt AT Gun	8+	Regular
1 x Medium Tank	Co ax MMG Hull MMG Med AT Gun	9+
Rolls Royce Armoured Car	Turret HMG	7+
Wheeled Truck	LT AT Gun	6+
Squad1 (6)	Rifles + 1 LMG	4+
Squad 2 (6)	Rifles +1 LMG	4+
Squad 3 (6)	Rifles	4+
Command
HMG Unit	2 HMG’s Bunker	4+
Major	Pistol	4+		+2 Morale
Lieutenant	Pistol	4+		+1 Morale
Medic	nil	4+

 

The approaching road to Pyrford blocked by barbed wire

 

BUF Convoys

Unit	Weapons	Damage Value	Morale	Notes
Light Tanks (3)	Co Ax MMG Lt AT Gun	8+	Regular
2 x Lancia Armoured Car	HMG Turret MMG Car	7+
Gold Truck		7+		Slow
Lead Truck		7+		Slow
Squad1 (6)	Rifles + 1 LMG	4+
Squad 2 (6)	Rifles +1 LMG	4+
Squad 3 (6)	Rifles	4+
Squad 5 (5)	SMG	4+
HMG Unit	HMG	4+
Major	Pistol	4+		+2 Morale
Lieutenant	Pistol	4+		+1 Morale
Standard Bearer	Pistol	4+		+1 Morale
Medic	nil	4+

 
Now I have an apology to make here I took very few photos of the game in play and as such there will not be a complete storyboard of pictures. However where possible I will set out the events as they played out and add in the pictures at the right time.

Fortunately Richard turned up early and I was able to point out where his hidden units were - these were chiefly hidden around the bridge area. Suffice to stay that most of the action took place in the village so by the end of the game they were rushing across the board to try and get into the action !

Matt & Stephen decided who would manage the real gold truck and the decoy - unknown to the League forces. I was both umpiring and managing the HMGs in the bunker.

Their tactic was simple enter the board on the roads that headed into the village and bypass what they felt was the strongest defences on the board. This worked well as they were able to combine their firepower against a smaller league force. It did however mean that all the action centred on the roads leading into the village itself. One of the joys of having a big table does allow players to use the space.

Stephens column nervously approached the village on the far right road. No sooner had he entered his Panzer 1's were involved in a firefight with the Medium Tank sited in the Village. A few shells were thrown and the first Panzer brewed. A subsequent logjam of vehicles ensued.

Realising his trucks were not going to make headway down the road he set his infantry squads off on foot towards the village.

Note: All Armour shown in these photos comes from the excellent range sold by Empress Miniatures
http://www.empressminiatures.com/userimages/procart31.htm

 

The League Tank opened fire

 

The highway to hell - a tanks and armoured car succumbed to AT fire on this stretch



 

Meanwhilst Matt had advanced up the middle of the road. His armoured car soon falling foul to the KMG on the Anglican League Rolls Royce. I was beginning to feel sorry for the fascists especially as my bunker sited HMGs opened up on Matts dismounting infantry.

Things weren't going well for the Blackshirts ...and things were going to become a lot worse



Richard decided to unleash his secret weapon...Gods Fist - A truck and gun combo I recently bought on ebay. Driving out from behind the buildings groans of despair could be heard.

The truck and panzer began to slug it out close range both missing.

With the Fascists forcing there way into the village - the Mgs on the Panzer had made shortwork of a league infantry force. We started to move League forces in from the right. Could they get there in time. 

At this point the Fascist tide turned. Stephens Panzer knocked out the Leagues big tank...boom

Matt decided it was time to move up his gold truck as the road was now clear. Slinging Gods Fist into Reverse Richard tried to to knock it out...to no avail.

Matt slung his truck round the corner and down the road. A unit of league troopers under the command of somebody just like Capt Mainwaring tried to stop the vehicle passing. No luck there...as the laden truck whisked off the board. Could this have been the decoy?

By now Matts Panzer had knocked out Gods Fist and was going toe to toe with the last remaining League tank. Eventually the Panzer was hit, caught flame and the crew panicked and fled...

Mean whilst Stephens troopers had command of the village crossroads. All that remained to hold back the tide was a meagre Rolls Royce armoured car. Needless to say Stephens Panzer made short shrift of the armoured car...he even contemplated ramming it but decided a shell was much neater.

 With the second road cleared and no league forces top counter the BUF the second laden truck ambled off the board. As it transpired the second truck carried the BUF gold.

All credit to Matt and Stephen for fighting there way through.

Until next time

The Manor is born part 2

Part 1 can be found here

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/the-manor-is-born.html

The picture below is the progress I made a few weeks ago. So with the bank holiday in front of me I decided to crack on with this project.

First up I cut a base for the house to sit on.  The bits jutting out are the steps to the portico (entrance) the backdoor and the veranda.

This can be seen clearer in this picture. The patio/veranda sits to the left of the building.

The portico entrance needed to be grand. I picked up some pillars from Fenris Games - link below
and then I built up around these using plasticard.

http://www.fenrisgames.com/shop.html#!/~/search/keywords=columns&offset=0&sort=relevance

The embossed sheets came from Wills which I sourced many years ago

As you can see the Colonel quite likes his new entrance (28mm figure by the way)

I decided that the Manor would be based on one of my terrain boards but rather than fixed to the board it would be lifted off for easy storage. This gives me the opportunity to 'landscape the gardens' of the Colonels home.

Some time ago I found these brick walls at a show so they will be perfect for the surrounding wall. If you look carefully the drive way is marked out in pencil.

You will also notice that I have covered the 8mm MDF base edges where the building meets the board with another thin strip of blue foam.

The chimney has also had an extension

Next up was to asphalt the drive using ballast and pva within the marked area. Once dry it was painted acrylic black.

I was intending to use flock and static grass for the lawn in two tones to give a striped appearance. I even got as far as painting the lawn areas a base green!

But then I discovered so off cuts of old GW battle mat - never ever throw anything away !

With the lawn laid the Manor got its first and second coat of paint - a mustardy yellow. The roof was primed black.

Eventually the window frames and portico will be painted white along with the corner stones.

Still not happy with the windows - I really need some 5mm thick plastic mesh

I think its starting to look the business now. The untreated area between the building and lawn/drive will be flower beds.

Just a quick pointer on the chimney. I really struggled here to find some decent pots then a moment of inspriration  - Lego !

Until next time