Deadzone: Battle for Magnetar City - Breakthrough

In the latest (and last) of our Magnetar City campaign games we played out the Breakthrough scenario. This sees both sides trying to cross the map and get off the other side. Extra VP's are scored for getting off the table before the end of round 5.

In order to mix things up a little I deployed the Marauders to take on the Forge Fathers in the final game of the global campaign. These are the first faction I played when I started Deadzone so I have a soft spot for them, they also have plenty of solid options.

I took a mix of solid shooting options and decent melee, with the speed 2-3 Mawbeasts being useful for covering ground across the table as well as getting into the face of the enemy.

1 * Commando Sergeant

3 * Commando

1 * Commando with Flamer

2 * Commando with HMG

3 * Mawbeast

1 * Gruntbot

2 * Ripper Rainmaker

I haven't got Mr T's exact list but he did drop the very expensive Iron Ancestor to include some extra Brokkr's and a Militia, otherwise I think it was the same as in previous battles. This gave him a few more models and I had one less so the numbers were about even.

We both started off by moving forwards conscious of the bonus 1 VP per model for getting a model off the other side, but also wanting to kill the enemy to both earn VP's and stop them from earning them for exiting the table.

Having played another 2 games in town since this one the details are a little hazy but I don't recall much killing happening in the first turn.

In the second turn a melee broke out on the Marauder right flank that sucked in plenty of Forge Fathers but whilst it raged I couldn't make the most of my Ripper suits shooting. In fact they didn't really do much for most of the game so I don't think I got the points back on them.

On my right the combination of a Mawbeast and the Gruntbot did sterling work and they managed to kill off the Steel Warrior Huscarl and then the Steel Warrior with autocannon. They may even have killed a Militia as well.

The Forge Fathers had started to chew through the Marauders on the right so I decided to start making a run for it instead of trying to fight it out.

My leader did almost make it across the board before he fell to a Brokkr on the last but one turn.

We both ended up with a few models that could make it off on the last turn and as the smoke cleared it had ended 22 VP's each so the game as a draw. So a good fun game to round out the campaign for us both.

Nido de Plaga IV: Escape

Status Report:

Having fought through the Asterian cordon your forces regroup to make a final push towards the pickup area and count your losses. Fortunately they aren't as serious as first thought and Commander Bolts has engaged emergency backup protocols to bring his suit back into action. Unfortunately you have lost one of the Commando's and the Mawbeast which had been vaporised by the Asterian Spectra.
A brief communication from your orbiting ship promises some reinforcements and a rescue ship will be launched to coincide with your arrival at the extraction point.
You know you must make sure Subject F is removed from the planet and hope that you and your fellow Marauders can make it as well.

This was the final battle in our 6 part narrative campaign which has seen the Marauders bravely fight and die above and below the surface of Nido de Plaga IV. It's also going to be the last game of v2 of Deadzone as my v3 box arrived this week. I got some extra terrain in the box including some all new cyber-punk style pieces which I've painted up in red, this adds another different colour onto the board.

The new terrain set includes several signs, awnings, boxes, shelves and a recycling bin amongst it's contents. This helps to add the impression of a Deadzone that has just come into being and hasn't had a chance to fall entirely into decay.

I purchased an extra set of the new additional pieces and made up a couple of little street eateries to place out on the table, the awnings will allow troops to shelter from enemies on higher ground and the little shelves with sauce bottles on look rather good.

Facing off against the escaping Marauders where a horde of ravenous Plague victims, with some starting at the edge of the battle and some already deployed forwards of the raised area the Marauders had to make it too.

The Marauders got some reinforcements for the two lost troops from the last battle in the shape of two Skyscrapper Commando's who dropped onto the battlefield after deployment was completed.

The first turns saw both sides advance with the Marauders laying down some fire into the Plague Zombies who shambled forwards. One Zombie did catch a Skyscrapper in melee and manage to kill him before being gunned down in return.

After that is was more of a punching match between the Marauders and the Plague with the Commando Specialist making good use of his HMG to shoot several Plague and even put two wounds on the mighty Aberration. 

The Commando escorting Subject F was killed by a Zombie and as Subject F ran away Bolts stepped up to tie down the Plague whilst the Gruntbot secured the rear lines.

With everyone else tied up the Gruntbot made a break for the extraction zone but held off calling in the rescue flight (after a fair bit of deliberation) in the hope that more Marauders could be rescued. The Marauder commander had by this point realised that as only one pickup could be made the size of the landing area meant not all the troops engaged could be rescued.

On the next turn Bolts was engaged by the Aberration and the Commando Specialist went down to a Plague Zombie.

When Bolts was killed by the Aberration the Gruntbot called in the rescue. To pile extra troubles on the Marauders the advance guard of an Asterian force had arrived on the battlefield and started to fire on both sides.

There was just time for the Rainmaker to run into the pickup zone in time to be rescued and along with the Mauler and Gruntbot, Subject F was picked up from the planet surface.

The decision of the Gruntbot to stay an extra turn didn't save Bolts or the Commando Specialist but it did mean the Rainmaker and Mauler managed to get away as well and it made for a tense finale to our final v2 game.

Now onto Deadzone v3 so we need to forget the rules we know and check through the book to make sure we adjust to the rules that have been updated.

Our next campaign should be using the Saga Age of Hannibal rules which Mr T is putting together, so hopefully we will be starting that in the near future.

Nido de Plaga IV: Breakthrough

 ***Priority Transmission***

From Captain, Marauder Assault Cruiser Mandrake
To Assault Commander, Ground Forces, Nido de Plaga IV

Commander Bolts,

Whilst you have been underground the Asterians have launched a massive attack on the ground base of operations. The fragments of messages we have received indicate an attack with overwhelming forces has wiped out the forces defending the base. We can only assume that the Asterians have somehow brought reinforcements onto the planet without us spotting them.
In order to safeguard Subject F and ensure we do not lose the information gained from the lab you are to lead the forces from the lab to a nearby LZ we have identified for extraction. The Asterian forces are sweeping the area in an attempt to find you so you should avoid becoming engaged in a protracted battle and should move at your best speed to the LZ.

Captain T.

The scenario for this battle was Breakthrough 2.0 with the Marauders aiming to break through the Asterian cordon and make their way to the pickup zone. They had Subject F in tow and would gain 2 Victory Points for getting him off the opposite board edge. VP's where also awarded for getting other members of the Strike Team off the opposite board edge or killing enemy troops.

The Marauders had managed to patch themselves up from the lab fight so went in with the same roster as last time:

1 * Bolts - Commander

3 * Marauder Commando

2 * Mawbeast

1 * Marauder Commando Specialist with HMG

1 * Ripper Rainmaker

1 * Ripper Mauler

1 * Gruntbot

The Asterians took advantage of the influx of new troops onto the planet to bring in a Spectra giant robot:

1 * Marionette Prime

4 * Marionette

1 * Kalyshi

2 * Marionette with Grenade Launcher

1 * Matsudan Inashi

1 * Spectra with Micro Fission Beamer

The game started with 10 Plague victims out on the table all of whom died during the first turn as both sides moved up into cover. The Spectra drew first blood when it smoked a Mawbeast with a shot from it's Fission Beamer, it may only be a pistol but it's a damned big one.

During the second turn both sides got sucked into surprise melees. The Spectra was engaged by the second Mawbeast who took a wound but managed to tie it up and Bolts was charged by the Inashi. Once you've pushed up a bit even a charge of 2 squares can be hard to spot and stop from happening and with the Mawbeasts charge of 3 squares that is extra difficult.

Turn 3 saw the Marauders move first and the Gruntbot join the fight against the Spectra, the Spectra survived the combats but some bad rolling meant it lost it's Energy Shield. The shield is used to block incoming damage but if you roll more 1's than successes it fails and cannot be used again for the rest of the game. 

The fight between Bolts and the Inashi continued with neither side gaining and advantage. 

The next turn was decisive with the Marionette Prime popping up onto the purple building to kill both the Commando Specialist and a normal Commando before falling to returning fire. Bolts was also killed in the same turn along with the Spectra and a couple of Marionette's. Once the shield is stripped from the Spectra it's pretty squishy so it was fairly easy meat for the Mawbeast & Gruntbot.

The exchange of kills left the Marauders in a better position with the Asterians having lost their most powerful piece in the Spectra and now only rolling 3 command dice due to the loss of their leader.

The Asterians did however notice that Subject F was unattended so made a last-gasp effort to secure the win by seizing it.

Some good shooting and then the intervention of the Ripper Mauler saw the Asterian forces further depleted and the Marauders managed to secure the win (18 VP's) by killing the last of the Marionette's leaving only the Inashi standing.

So what was a really hard fought and bloody game came to a close with the Marauders breaking through by virtue of almost total annihilation of the opposing force.

So we just have one more mission to play out in which the Marauders will attempt to escape the planet with their prize and hopefully their lives.

Nido de Plaga IV: Subject F

From Captain, Marauder Assault Cruiser Mandrake
To Assault Commander, Ground Forces, Nido de Plaga IV

Commander,

Our analysts have deciphered the data you managed to retrieve on your last mission have obtained several valuable pieces of intelligence.
Firstly, the artefact you observed being studied is believed by Mazon Labs to be of Asterian manufacture and to be some sort of biological weapon system.
Secondly, shortly after the discovery of the object a Subject F was also found and taken to a secure underground location to be studied. Subject F seems to have some way of controlling the biological agent released by the object which Mazon Labs was investigating.
Thirdly, some sort of catastrophic event took place in the research facility shortly before the planet went silent and the 'plague' started to spread. From the fragmented messages you where able to retrieve we believe it may have been a Veer-myn attack. As you know the Veer-myn are found on many planets in the outer spheres and tend to remain hidden deep beneath the surface. We suspect they must have realised what the Mazon Labs had discovered and tried to seize it themselves.
Our deep surface scans have pin-pointed the research lab and found an area that looks to still be securely contained. You should make your way to the lab and secure any information and samples you can find with Subject F being your top priority.

Captain T.

This weeks Deadzone campaign game saw the Marauders venture into an underground Mazon Labs facility in search of Subject F. As the area is under ground we played all the buildings as blocking terrain which could not be climbed onto. This meant the action would be confined to the corridors between the buildings and would be a more close-quarters affair than is normally the case. I setup a research area in the middle with a couple of  1 cube buildings which had doors, these could be hacked to release the occupant(s).

The Marauders went combat heavy again with a very similar line-up to the last mission:

1 * Bolts - Commander

3 * Marauder Commando

2 * Mawbeast

1 * Marauder Commando Specialist with HMG

1 * Ripper Rainmaker

1 * Ripper Mauler

1 * Gruntbot

The Veer-Myn also went melee heavy with :

1 * Crone Mother

1 * Piper with 2 Rat Swarms

2 * Volt Runner

2 * Volt Stalker

1 * Nightmare

1 * Shocker

1 * Fuser

In order to win the Marauders needed to take control of Subject F and also have at least 16 victory points.

On the first turn both sides pushed forwards without firing.

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The second turn started badly for the Veer-Myn as a Volt Runner activated and then flipped the booby-trap object and was then blown into an exposed square only to be eaten by a Mawbeast. The Mawbeast was then attacked and killed by a couple of Veer-Myn who avenged the fallen Runner. Everyone else pushed forwards with a Commando being killed by gun fire.

On the third turn the Goblins got stuck in with their Gruntbot suits and a couple of melees that would last the rest of the game formed up, with the Veer-Myn feeding units into the Goblin mincer.

The Marauder Specialist was then committed to opening the first cell and struck lucky with Subject F being released straight away, the Marauder didn't have time to chat as the Veer-Myn also pressed forwards.

More bodies pressed forwards into the standing melees with the Ripper Rainmaker trying to help Bolt's, this however lead to it's death in the next turn.

With Subject F in tow the Commando Specialist went to investigate a containment tank only to release a Plague Victim who promptly added to the Specialists issues which got worse when a pack of rats joined the fun.

This lead to the death of the Specialist which left the Marauders on 16 VP's but without Subject F.

They then got a lucky break as Subject F frightened by the rats and Plague victim scattered in a random direction into the open arms of Bolts as the last action of the round.

This left a badly bloodied Marauder strike team licking their wounds but also victorious, they now need to get Subject F back to base and off the planet.

Hopefully we will see how that goes next week.