Saturday saw myself and two friends Alistair and Simon Coldrick (Owns Board in Brum) off to Wargames Foundry in Newark for the annual Wargames Illustrated 7TV bash.
There were several boards put on using terrain owned by Foundry and WI but also several gamers including myself brought along boards for everyone to play on during the day.
Shaun Pikes fab Jungle ruin board
Mik Holland's Jungle Ruin board.
Mike Strong's Brilliant Venetian themed board
Matthew Wildsmith's Musuem and hidden base board. The roof lifted off and had various exhibits. Escaping through the rear brought you down into the basement which housed various experiments!!
This was ana excellent Antartic base by a guy called Sam. It was split in two parts with this being the brrr chilly exterior.
With the some what warmer base hidden below.
This was a cracking board and was much bigger than it seems here.
Here are some the casts I spotted around on the day.
Mike Marshall'ss excellent Dr Mobius cast
Dave King's excellent The Esoteric Order of Dagon
Kieron's Captain USA and Bucky cast. You can Click Here to read Kieron's report
Andy Bascombe's Captain Flash and Timmy the dogs Polar Expedition. Click Here to read his report of the day
James Alrdidge's fabulour Ming the Merciless cast with his walker superweapon.
Mik Holland's Lost Worlds cast
Simon Clarke's brilliant 34th Street Commando's
Christopher Flux's Excellent Egyptian themed cast. The Hippo Chariot was his Super Weapon to be used in the final game. More on that later.
Alistair's Monarch and cohorts
My own cast Don Quintonelli and his mobsters
Alan Hall's great Ice Cold in Alex themed cast. (my first opponent of the day)
Tony Yate's mad but brilliant Space Ace cast (Second Opponent and great to finally get a game in with him.) Tony wrote up his own report Here.
Matt Lilley's Perishables whom I played against in the final game.
The day itself was split into 3 games. We all pre chose whether we would be on the side of Hydra (villains of course) or the S.S.R (Strategic Scientific Reserve). Each game had a special objective and the results would be recorded to see what the outcome would be at the end of the day.
Don Quintonelli was on the side of Hydra and found his Import and Export business a useful front for the organisation in moving goods around the world using his network.
Game 1
We all split off and hunted down opponents of the SSR or Hydra factions. My first opponent was Alan Hall with his Ice Cold in Alex cast. It was Alan's second game of 7TV so we kept it simple and left out the optional perils and the maguffin rules. For this Scenario we had to collect as many of the objectives (representing part of or plans for a Super Weapon) positioned mostly along the centre of the table and then escape off the board with them.
From memory it was composed of 2 Rugger Veterans, Doctor, Newshound, Ambulance (van I think), Grease Monkey and a small unit of soldiers.
It was my first try of the Pulp rules and a few things cropped up which we didn't realise one being that character may only make a single fight action in around (exception of the free one you get when you charge) This was interesting and there was much debate on Facebook when this came to light. But I must admit it didn't really affect how the game flowed at all for me. The other thing was trying out the new Capture status inflicted by some fight actions and other Star abilities. It was a lot of fun and once you got your head around it flowed smoothly.
The game went down to the wire. We both advanced snagging a few objectives with the cliffhanger deck interfering with activations and such. I almost had the upperhand then in the final but one turn a card meant Don Quintonelli got dominated and defected to the other side! Alan's side was close to being axed but he clung in there. I managed to escpae with 3 objectives to Alan's 2 but also managed to remove one of his co stars. Netting me a 5-3 minor victory. Alan was a great opponent to play against and his cast looked great on the board we played on.
A submarine mysterously found in the desert but how did it get there. Don Quintonelli and his boys investigate looking for secrets to plunder.
Some 8th Army SSR busy bodies show up in an Ambulance all incognito like
Officer Murphy on summer vacation looks for Scorpions for his collection amongst the rocks.
The Don and his cronies all spread out and approach the sub.
Officer Murphy finds some documentation up in the building.
A nosy parker with a camera (newshound) clambers up on top of the sub and finds a strange looking instrument. Not impressed The Bull, Mumbles and Big Jimmy take some potshots themselves.
The 8th Army boys advance and return fire at the Don and his triggermen.
Igancio slips over and a fire fight between the soldiers and mobster errupts across the submarine.
The 8th Army mechanic finds some sort of strange device in the rocks which looks like some sort of backpack. Strapping it on he press the 'on' button and finds himself flying off the board.
Game 2.
The second game I played against Tony Yates and his Space Ace cast. This game we had to select a building which was where the Super weapon was being stored or made and then have 3 or more models in/on it come the end of the game. Looking at the table we rearranged it slightly and had the Rocket as the objective as it made more sense.
Both sides advanced cautiously taking pot shots. Officer Murphy manages to dodge a fair few shots from the Otherworldy guards taking one out before succumbing to the wait of fire. The Don wades up with his Triggermen and the tommy guns weight of fire wipes them all out.
On the other side the Strange Blue alien monster is swiftly gunned down by the Bull and his boys. The Space Ace snipes Two Face from a far. Afraid of the strange alien weapons the Bull charges and a huge punch up results with both the Stars being stunned then captured by Little Louis. The Witch Doctor enters the fight but is soon brought down by Big Jimmy and Mumbles. Little Louis carries off the Space Ace and Renegade Royal towards a nearby truck so the Don can interrogate them later. But they both break free. The Renegade Royal escapes and a fight breaks out between Louis and the Ace.
The game ends with the rocket firmly in the hands of Don Quintonelli.
Renegade Royal, Space Ace, Witch Doctor and then a small Otherworldy Guard squad accompanied by a Greater Animal Companion.
The Otherworldy guards adavance cautiously trading shots with Officer Murphy who was hunkered down behind some walls. The Don his Trigger men and Little Louis charge forward exchanging fire.
The Bull and his boys let rip at the Scary looking blue creature bringing it down. The Space Ace and Reneage Royal let rip with their strange ray weapons gunning down Two Face.
The Bull and Little Louis charge forward. Mumbles and Big Jimmy manage to Stun the Space Ace and Renegade Royal and Little Louis captures them both in a huge Bear Hug and carries them off.
Game 3.
Hydra was leading and in the final game they are about to unleash the superweapon upon the world. In this game Hydra were defending the superweapon launch site which at the end of the game would be unleashed. The SSR team had to infiltrate and plant an explosive charge which would automatically explode at the end of the next turn unless a Hydra Star or Co Star could get to it and defuse it.
I played against Matt Lilley's Perishables a Covert Agent, Rugged Veteran, Spy a VIP a Soldier of Fortune and a unit of Soldiers.
The Secret Weapon yes a board with nails in it.....
The Secret weapon poised for launch. Hearing a screech of tires off in the distance Don Quintonelli and his gang take cover and prepare for trouble
The Don and his Triggermen mo down most the infantry squad in a blaze of bullets leaving one survivor who flees the scene.
The Rugger Veteran lets rips with his own tommy gun. Taking out Mumbles, Two Face and Big Jimmy. Little Louis charges forward and manages to grab hold of him in a bear hug but he manages to slip his grasp and run forward to plant the explosives on the Super Weapon.
The Spy and VIP are gunned down by Ignacio. The SSR Are running out of operatives The Don runs to the device and tries to disarm the explosives. Is it the blue? or the Red? SNIP cuts the Red Wire.....curses it was the Blue!!!
Great game and Matt had a tough proposition to advance into the teeth of my guns. I had him on the back foot but he literally managed to slip my grasp and plant the explosives the Don couldn't disarm them in time and the game ended.
Talking of Superweapons here are some the others on the day
I forget who brought Cthulhu but it was humongous and fabulously done!
Chris's Chariot which I am now unsure whether he brought two or if it was part of his cast lol!
James Aldridge's Ming Walker
Mik Hollands's bomb
Matt's board with nails in.
This was a fab one by Christopher Flux which deservedly got the prize for the best one. It had a little pyramid which went over the top
Other top prize went to best cast, Nicest Player and one other which I forgot. But as usual there was something for everyone to take away and I came away with 2 sprues of Warlord WW2 US Infantry and some cool looking Japanese Anthropomorphic animals all given away by Wargames illustrated!!
Plans are already in motion for next years theme which is looking to jump up the ratings to 40 for a change which should be very interesting.
