Across The Dead Earth First game.

Hello folks February already here! Played my first game of 2014 Monday night! Which was you've guessed it was Across The Dead Earth!

Being very impressed by the first few sculpts being shown in preparation for the kickstarter on the 1st March. The guys behind it asked for volunteers on facebook to try out the Beta Version of the rules.

I had a good read of the rules the weekend. It uses 2D6  for most results either requiring you to roll over or under various target numbers to hit, damage, etc.

It has a nice activation sequence where you roll to see who has the initiative at the start of the game then each player then takes it in turn to activate one of there gang members until all members of both gangs have had activated for that turn.

Each player usually can perform 2 actions per turn so can Move, Shoot, Heal, Fight, Aim, Watch and Wait (overwatch) and Hide. I say usually 2 because the mechanics gives the gang leader 3 actions however he can use this to give out orders to other members of your gang allowing you to fire again etc which I give the game a tactical edge to it

Across the Dead Earth also has event cards that can be played during the game ranging from booby traps to re-rolls to hit. I like how this works as well you get 3 at the beginning of the game from a deck. You then get a new 1 each turn. However your only allowed 3 active at any one time so it adds another tactical edge to it

Cover plays a key part and if you stand out in the open prepare to become a bullet magnet!

Book keeping is light and once you get into the mindset of how it works you can play fairly well without referring to the rules to often.

Quick mention on Campaign play. (I haven't tried this out....yet!)

The game has its own campaign system, fighting for territory etc quite similar to necromunda but then all games are similar to some extent.

It has very cool tech trees for a number of classes that you can train your various members down obviously some such as Leader are restricted to 1 per faction but there are Assault, Scout, Medic classes each with various levels and choices with new skills which add bonuses to dice rolls in certain situations or unlocks new fire modes for some weapons.

Everything has been point valued so if you want to you can just create a gang and upgrade the members to an agreed points value and have a scrap if you like.

First Test Game.

Played a grudge match where both sides had to just kill the other side or force them to retire. Fairly straight forward vs match. Deployment was in opposite corners in as if the both gangs where just scouting the area.

 First up is the Adam's family chosen from my large pool of zombie survivors not so much to any theme but more to match the ready to go gangs weapons. From Left to Right Skylar, Reggie, Adam, Ezra and Drexyl.

 The opposing gang The Red Claws Left to Right Shrimp, Shayman, Topper, Ronnie, Fatboy (when he was skinnier lol) and Pyro :D

Plenty of scattered terrain having read Lord Siwoc (Johnny) mention that in his try of the rules more would of been better. If you've not read it here is his great first game report here.

 http://lordsiwoc.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/across-dead-earth-want-to-come.html

Turn 1 rolled for initiative with the Redclaws spotting Adam's gang and advancing.

 Shrimp advances in to the ruins and hugs the cover (use's an action to go into hiding will now receive a bonus against incoming fire).

 Skylar double moves upto the large rock for its extra protection.

 

 Pyro double moves and takes cover in the church ruins.

 Reggie double moves forward to a pile of logs in the clearing.

 Shayman double moves and takes cover.

 Adam double moves and goes into hiding behind the tree (Leaders get 3 actions).

 Fatboy double moves and take position behind the high bushes.

 Drexyl double moves across the back in support of Skylar.

 Ronnie double moves and goes into hiding next to Pyro.

Ezra double times it to Adam's left flank to give the boss some cover.

Topper of the runs and takes cover behind some more ruins.

Not much happening this turn mostly manoeuvring towards each other and preparing to give or receive fire.

 Turn 2.

Initiative still stays with the Red claw's (I'm wondering after having played the game a few nights ago if initiative would be better rolled for each turn again it would make it a bit more tactical and you'd have to think more about your final positions of your figures).

 Fatboy hops over the bushes and hides biding his time.

 Skylar hearing something in the bushes advances around the next out crop of rocks letting loose with her shotgun at Fatboy in the bushes but not drawing any cries of pain as he shrugs off the pellets there power obviously reduced by the dense bushes.

 Ronnie joins Fatboy on the other side of the bushes and holla's at Fatboy to open fire! (Ronnie use's one of his activations ordering Fatboy (although already taking his turn) to open fire on Skylar) but the bolt misses the plucky scout and disappears off into the distance.

 Reggie moves behind the nearest tree and seeing Fatboy's head above the bush lets loose a burst from his assault rifle but just blows holes in the bushes with out scoring any hits.

Pyro moves out of his current place in the ruins hides behind the bush in preparation to leap over next turn.

 Drexyl moves forward and takes cover behind a tree sighting down his Optics he zooms in on Fatboys head and looses off a shot from his assault rifle the bullet catching Fatboy and knocking him out of action.

Shayman double times it hoping to fix Fatboy up and get him back in the battle.

 Adam runs over to the centre of the battlefield and draws a bead on Pyro with his pistol hitting him despite hugging the cover but the bullets is reflected from Pyro's steel hat.

 Shrimp seeing a member of the family break from cover sights down her pistol for signs of movement hoping to blast anybody crossing in fron. (Enters Wait and Watch mode using both her activations).

Ezra advances up behind Adam ready to provide some backup. 

 Topper seeing Shrimp preparing her gun moves across to give her some support on that flank.

Turn 3 (final turn due time running out)

 Topper gets his scatter gun ready gets ready to let rip at anything moving (Watch and Wait).

 Ezra climbs over the hedge and advance into cover to attempt to flank the Red Claws.

 Shrimp tighten's her finger on the trigger (Watch and Wait this stacks adding a bonus to hit).

The Medic! card is played by the Red Claw's but is countered swiftly in turn by The Best Laid Plans... which stops the card from working and is now discarded. 

 

Adam advances and lobs a grenade over the bushes in the hope of catching both the skulking gang members tucked away in the ruins the grenades misses its intended place however  it scatters towards Topper and Shrimp rolling into the wall and detonating catching them both in its blast and knocking Shrimp out.

 The photo didn't turn out but Shayman jumps over the hedge and slaps Fatboy in the face abit bringing him round and back into the fight......

Only for a grenade thrown by Shrimp scattering and catching both Fatboy and Shayman in its spray of shrapnel knocking out Fatboy again.....

Ronnie fed up of the little scout draws his knife and charges into Skylar gaining the upper hand but the blade is deflected.

Reggie advances closer and hides behind a tree

Pyro skirts along the hedge and prepares his flame thrower to open fire.

Drexyl double times it over to the base of the watch tower.

End of Turn 3 and the game.

I enjoyed my first game of Across the Dead Earth immensely the rules are fun and fast. They seem simple at first but give you a lot of choice tactics wise and you have to plan ahead a bit or you could be in for a kicking if not positioned properly. I really like the event cards they add a really nice element.

Its still in beta at the moment and another revision is on the cards there are some things I'd change but they are mainly cosmetic. I'd like to see some extra weapons added but will discuss this with the brains behind it all.

There will be a game Friday night and I'll probably write it up and post the outcome early next week as its my eldest 6th Birthday on Sunday so it will pub and party time!