The Hunt At Nourishing Moor

 Relationships in Emperor’s Getaway can be a complicated, ever changing dynamic.  In one encounter, two gangs could be blasting away at each other, and in the next they could be side by side clubbing little bugs and other beasts over the head.  

After a brutal bash fest between six new gangs that resulted in one gang, the Wastoids being knocked senseless, those same six gangs now were presented with a tempting offer while looking for deals at the local trading post.  

Beasts are common in the lower hive.   Flooding, hive quakes or emerging predators can rile them up and send them stampeding.  When too many congregate in one area it can be a hazard.   So it’s time for a bug hunt. 

Nourishing Moor is neither nourishing nor really a moor.   It is a bit dark and has many places for little critters to hide.   It’s up to our newly armed young lads to get to work and collect those hides. 

Game Notes-Nourishing Moor is a six foot by four foot board with four entry points represented by the four doors on one of the short table edges. As usual, individual gang members will enter the board as their die is pulled from the cup.  There is no rule against entering the table and immediately shooting another gang member in the face.  But then who is left to kill the beasts?

The beasts are represented by chits located across the board. No beast is revealed until a gang member comes within 6” of a chit. When this happens, the ganger stops immediately and then the chit is flipped.  If it is blank, no beast.  If it is marked, a D20 is rolled to see what kind of beastie is revealed.  The revealing ganger then makes an immediate initiative roll. If the ganger passes, then the beast does not immediately act but instead has a die thrown in the cup for later activation. The ganger then finishes his action. If the initiative roll is failed, the beast immediately acts and likely charges, or if endowed with a ranged attack, launches that attack. 

It is possible to trigger more than one chit per action. -End of Game Notes-

Much like the ancient ritual on Terra of old known as the Blackest Friday, members of six gangs lined up at the doors to rush in to grab beasts. This event would likely be only slightly less violent than the ancient shopping rush. 

Festivities kicked off in an ominous manner.   A little green boyo from a still secretly named gang skipped forward and revealed the first beast.   The Bounce Vine is a gnarly piece of shrubbery that has a tendency to lob a stinky, smokey bomb from its innards that targets the closest group of clustered threats.  

The little green dude failed his initiative test and watched as a stinky bomb sailed over his head and landed amongst his comrades behind him.  While smokey, the Bounce Vine’s bomb is kind of weak.   Three green dudes were knocked  over by the blast, but it was a member of the Mid-Waste Bears who happened to be standing in the area, who was wounded by the blast   A giant smoke plume spread through the group, causing disorientation.  

The gang known as the Pale Veil entered a building far away from the boom, and creeped up a ladder only to run into another Bounce Vine. Fortunately, the veiled fellow passed an initiative test and charged rhe plant. Unfortunately, the attack was so clumsy, that the club wielding juve fumbled his attack and was choked by the vines of the plant.  He would crawl around injured for some time before going out of action as the first loss of the hunt.

The Wastoids were gunning for redemption and marched into the moor on a mission.  One masked fellow downed a giant rat, and three others downed a Bloat Fly, a Millisaur , and another Bounce Vine respectively.

Bloat Flies can provide a nasty surprise as rhe luckless pointy greens found out. When killed, there is a chance the Bloat Fly will explode sending sticky shrapnel into the immediate area. Two greens were uninjured but knocked down by the blast from one of these bugs  

The Kroot of The Shrouded Path and their human interpreter split into two groups. One went high and one went low. The “high” group crossed a long covered bridge and encountered a Prowler Bird but shot it down before it could spew flame into their tightly packed group  

Progress in hunting down the wild beasts was uneven for the six gangs as they swept forward through the moor.  The Pale Veil was initial swamped by a giant swarm of rats but beat them back and collected their tiny pelts.  The sneaks also bagged a giant spider, a spikey bug and a mini-Nigel (more on that later.). One poor juve was taken down by the rats, but the pelt count was rising for the Veil.  

The Mid-Waste Bears were bogged down. A millisaur poisoned one of the group while two others decapitated a giant hound. The Bears were falling behind in the pelt race. 

The Wastoids were awash in pelts.  Beast after beast was flushed from dark holes and under rocks to be stabbed by the ashers, who eschewed the more popular club for a stabbier knives. 

The Shrouded Path fared the worst as Kroot after Kroot was chomped on by giant rats, strangled by vines from bounce vines and pierced by the teeth of sump worms. Half the Pathers were down, including their human interpreter who was bit by a giant worm, crawled around wounded and went out of action. 

The shirtless muscle bound boys, who continue to secretly guard their name also joined in the hunt and immediately had their hands full when they entered an old hab and were beset upon by a a giant spider, a hopping mad, and a toothy tiny worm.  The boys beat the beasts with clubs to claim their share of the bounty. 

 Overall, the hunt was a smashing success….until it was realized that there was a problem.  

Timple and Egus Grand founded the Society To Aid Beautiful Beasts as a way to protect and nourish the often overlooked and misunderstood little guys of the hive.  They established the Nourishment Knoll Beastie Sanctuary as a place where their flock could exist in peace.  Sometimes those beasts would migrate to the adjacent Nourishment Moor.  

Unfortunately, the Grands never bothered to tell anyone, and if they did, it probably wouldn’t matter as not everyone sees the cuddly side of a giant rat.

So it was that our six gangs met the founders of the Society To Aid Beautiful Beasts. Timple and her power broom…

Egus and his spiffy sandals…

And Bonnie the Sump Bear…

These three guardians of Nourishment Moor and all its living things were not going to allow some young punks come into their sanctuary and cause any more havoc.  They arrived to the moor and they meant business. 

Did we mention Nigel?

While the gangs all but ignored the three newly arrived protectors, and one muscle bound  juve even shot at Bonnie, momma Grand put her fingers to her lips and whistled for Nigel.  And Nigel came a runnin.  

Meet Nigel 

Nigel doesn’t bave much of an attention span or much intelligence, but he moves quick and smells bad.  Nigel came loping onto the moor and immediately sniffed the little green dudes.  Sounding a bit like a very loud cat spitting up a hairball, Nigel spewed psychedelic sump juice all over a pair of the greens causing one to become paranoid and start shooting his auto pistol in random directions while another rolled around on the ground while hallucinating that bugs and other creepy crawlers where climbing all over him (given Nigel’s diet, this might not have been a hallucination.) Nigel’s attention span was reached so he wandered away toward the Waste-Side Bears. 

The gangs now decided it was time to go.  It was at this time that the realization hit the Juves that sometimes small vermin hide so that you walk right by them. The gangs turned to run, but they now had to deal with more beasts that sprung up between them and salvation.  

These included…ducks with human hands around their necks…

Ducks with knives…

Ducks with heat…

And even ducks with grenades…

The gangs began to bleed (literally) members as they fled from Nigel and his family.  The bare chested muscle boys tried to pile in on Bonnie the Sunp Bear, but were torn to pieces.  The few remaining Kroot ran into worm trouble and only a single avian fled uninjured. 

A brave Waste Bear held off Nigel to save his friends only to be taken down by a duck. 

Pandemonium was the way, as each gang tried to flee the nightmare moor.   A happy hunt had turned to horror.

In the end, the Pale Veil pulled the most hides, but also paid the biggest price.  Three Veils were amongst seven total juves killed during the day’s hunt.  Many others came out with chest wounds, leg wounds, arm wounds and old battle wounds.  It was a costly lesson, to not anger the lady with a broom and her very large family.

The Next Beginning

 Hive Decastus chews through gangs.  It is rare that gangs last very long, and this brings opportunities for fresh blood to battle it out for (temporary) supremacy.   Six news gangs exploded onto the scene when word was heard that a freshly discovered spore cave was unearthed below an old hab-center.  

Real World Notes-Six gangs would fight it out with the last gang standing gaining possession of the Spore Cave territory.  five loot counters were also placed on the board.   The six gangs would enter from the four corners and centers of the two long table edges. End of Note

The territorial smash up popped off with an Orlock gang in a corner, next to a ash waste gang, next to a Goliath gang next to a gang of small pointy eared green folks, next to a dark and mysterious gang, next to a gang of lanky giant avian gang in clockwise order.  Not a long gun was to be found amongst the entirely juve event. 

There is often a soft entry into the ruins, and the gangs advance with a live and let live attitude as they push for the loot and strategic positions in the middle of the….oops never mind.  The ash wasters, known as the Wastoids pivoted right and immediately blasted the House Orlock Mid-Waste Bears.

Laspistols popped off and one of the Bears dropped with a hole burned in his body.  While the sad lad crawled to safety, the rest of the club wielding tuffs bolted across a bridge under fire and climbed a ladder under the room where the ashers were holed up.  

One, then two then three then four wrench, pipe and axe wielding boys swung and chopped at the Wastoids who were only armed with knives.   A hand to hand bout for the ages (or at least for the rest of the night) ensued as both gangs ignored all else to beat each other senseless.  One Wastoid and one Waster would perish, and the Wastoids would be routed from the fight. 

This is how it began

This is how it ended 

Across the hab-center, another duel played out, but with more nuance and less blood (but only barely less blood.) Boy Goliaths rolled forward from one corner towards a box of loot that sat on the ground level of the hab, while oddly green, little pointy eared creatures with loud guns and sharp teeth advanced from the other corner.  They met in the middle.    

The Red crate is the loot 

The slow crawl towards the precious gear transitioned into a fist fight when neither gang could effectively shoot each other. Juves have bad aim.  The little green gangsters leapt the barriers separating them from the muscle boys and soon the two gangs were exchanging blows.  Again, clubs beat knives and the humans made off with the loot, leaving one dead from each gang. 

It is not uncommon for one gang in particular to casually sneak into the ruins and pluck out loot without anyone noticing.   Almost nobody noticed.   A gang known as the Pale Veil split into two groups; one went high and one went low.  They creeped along while four other gangs bashed in each other’s heads just yards away.   One gang did notice; the avians. 

No description of the Pale Veil was given.   They barely engaged in any combat but did manage to wound a bird and two House Goliath lads who caught on to their scheme too late.  They received no casualties and hauled off two of the five crates of goodies 

Not Burp Chickens 

In the end no one could declare that they held the hab-center.   The Wastoids carried off a crate of loot but were battered.  The muscles carried off another, but were also beat up.   The birds snuck one off, and the Veil grabbed two.   Four lads-each from a different gang died.   It was, overall a smashing start to the story of this new batch of go-getters. 

Two More Gangs

 Things are ramping up in Emperor’s Getaway as more new gangs join the fray. 

Fur, Feathers and Fowl

Hive Decastus is a many varied place that has seen and experienced many things.  It is not surprising, therefore, that gangs in Emperor’s Getaway have mascots and furry friends   It’s also not surprising that not all gangs are traditional as will be discovered thanks to diligent reporting from the local daily  

Real World Notes: As we close in on the start of the campaign, Hive Decastus enjoys some new additions to the community.  Several of us noticed that we had some extra four legged friends siting around that were serving no purpose.   Boxes of miniatures sometimes come with mascots with no other use in the games we play, so it was suggested we add beasts to the gangoshpere.    One player said it best when it was suggested to add animal companions.  “I want a monkey.” 

Necromunda, for us, is a chance to build and paint models we might otherwise not see on the table.   This week’s newspaper hints at that.

 

Meanwhile, the Grimfish Harbor Howler continues to report.   Our first gang is identified…sort of. 

Return to the Hive

 Hive Decastus is not Necromunda.  Hive Decastus is something else.  Whereas tales of Necromunda are covered in the glory of brave gangs and daring adventures, Decastus is less than that.  

Hive Decastus is a place not so glorious, but instead a bit underwhelming.  Sure enough, the Upper Hive is populated by wealthy(ish) Houses and Guilds filled with political intrigue and titular personalities.  That is not where this story takes place.  The somewhat cheekily named Emperor’s Getaway sits near the bottom of the bottom of the hive.   The EG as it is often called is divided into two areas.  The less affluent Blightwater Borough and the downright appallingly destitute Grimfish Harbor.   This is the setting for the adventures and, more often misadventures, of what could in the loosest sense be called gangs. 

This is their story.

Notes From the Real World

The Emperor’s Getaway is about 15 real years old and has been the setting of Necromunda campaigns at least six times over the years.   The game itself has been played since its original introduction, but within the confines of the Irregular(s) group, twenty two years is about right.  

The new version of the rules from a few years back was tried but not found to be to the group’s liking so the beat up original books are still in use.  Being the self destructive group we are, there are of course modifications to the rules.   It was found that once gangers hit the maximum ballistic score of six, the game became unplayable as no one could move without being sniped.  Everyone stayed hidden and everyone stayed on overwatch.   

So some rules have developed over the years and they seem to work (for us) pretty well.  

Each gang starts at 400 creds and is composed of all Juves.   Some of the Outlander gangs have some special rules due to their unique nature, but for the most part, all Juves.  

The leadership of each gang for purposes of bottling is 7 until a member of a gang obtains a higher leadership.   The first ganger to reach Leadership of 8 becomes the Leader and receives the special rules of a Leader per the main rulebook.  

Up to two Juves at a time can be designated Heavies.  This is done when they would advance from Juve to Ganger.  They gain the special rules of a Heavy at that time.  

There is a maximum of one medic and two inventors per gang at any time.  

The maximum stats are as follows:

  M.       WS.      BS.      S.      T      W.     I.      A.     LD

   4.         6.          5.       4.       4.      3.     6.      3.       9

Each gang starts with one territory.   The Outlanders start with one crappy territory.

All gangs use the Outlander scavenging chart to determine income until five territories are obtained at which time the traditional income chart is used.  Outlander gangs can hold more than one territory.  Scenarios that reward territories are a significant part of the campaign. 

Overwatch is determined by subtracting BS of the shooter from 9 to determine what is needed to hit with a roll of a six always hitting.   So a ganger with BS of four would need a five (9-4=5).  This makes stalemates between gangs less likely and was adopted after we ran out of hidden and overwatch counters because everybody on the board was using them.

The biggest change was in the actual playing of the game.   Our group games together as a social activity.  Pairing off and fighting one on one takes away from this, so we play single large games with all the gangs on the board at once.   In order to facilitate this we take a giant cup and each player has a small die for each model they are bringing to the fight.  The dice are dumped in the cup and shaken up.  Dice are pulled out one at a time.  When your die is pulled you activate one not already activated ganger until the cup is empty.   Any out of action models will result in the loss of a die.  The dice are then dumped back in and the process is repeated. 

This process has resulted in a more engaging experience.  Instead of waiting for four or five (or however many) complete gangs to take all their actions, the opportunity to activate models is more frequent.   

This method of playing Necromunda has created a certain atmosphere to fights in Hive Decastus.  To the chagrin of the primary organizer of this particular game, some gangs have a tendency to think they are playing Diplomacy and not Necromunda. “If you don’t shoot me, you can have that loot and I’ll grab this loot.”  

This has led the exasperated game master (Hive Master?) to have to come up with other ideas.  Besides the taunts in the weekly paper The Grimfish Harbor Howler there has been an uptick in the number of lethal NPCs that show up and terrorize the gangs.  Needs must and all that.   

And so it is that another campaign in Emperor’s Getaway kicks off. 

 

The Soviet Village-Scenario 5 Part 3

 The Soviets were on the defensive but were holding. The only building they had lost in the battle in the small Soviet village was burning due to a tank round and at risk of collapse.  The German infantry who had taken it had hastily pulled back.  All along the road that acted as the front line, the Axis forces had the initiative but struggled to make any meaningful advance.  

It was time for a push and both sides tried it in different parts of the village. 

The Germans struck first.  Their first foray into the Soviet lines had been beaten back by the now collapsing house, but the Germans held a second house on the Soviet side of the street.  A small blue roofed dacha positioned in between the two burning houses was in their hands and they decided on the bold move of charging the Soviets holding the yard behind the house.  With a shout, the Landsers pushed out of the building in a hail of bullets and grenades.  They were met in kind by the Soviet rifle squad arrayed to meet them. Bullets and bayonets led to death and ultimately a repulse of the German attack. 

The Germans were not done.  A second squad nearby smashed into the weakened Soviet squad and successfully drove them from the yard. Then another German infantry squad crashed into the other Russian squad that was positioned on the other side of the dacha.  The Germans were forced back with only light casualties but a third German squad crushed the remaining Soviet resistance behind the dacha and secured the yard. Along with the Hungarians reclaiming the mud farm the tide temporarily swung to the Axis 

Soviets 15.     Axis 19     Ongoing Count 6

The Soviets were not idle   The driver of the lumbering T-28 that had taken down the now collapsed second house smacked the gear lever with a wrench and the big green beast rolled forward and out into the road.  The tank’s main gun and machine gun cut down Germans who were caught in the open and forced an enemy infantry squad to flee back to the safety of the Axis lines  

The Germans were helpless against the tank as one of the German Generals forgot to pack the panzerknackers.   Luckily, the Hungarians were not so unprepared and rolled a PAK 38 into the road to challenge the tank.   The first shot hit causing damage to the T-28.  A return shot killed a Hungarian crew member and a further PAK shell killed the main turret gunner.   The T-28 rolled forward slowly and the showdown was coming  

The Germans in the road in front of the church were growing frustrated.  The Panzer IV and other T-28 continued to duel to no definite conclusion and the burning remains of the house in front of them stood in the way of a path of advance.  The Fedlwebel leading the two infantry squads decided that staying in the road was trouble and retreating was not going to win the battle, so he gave the order and the two squads charged a Soviet infantry squad that was posted up behind the collapsed house. 

The assault was decisive. The Soviet squad was wiped out, their Serzhant severely wounded and carried from the field, and an attached Leytenant ran for his life.  The German casualties were light but the personal cost to the Fedlwebel was high.   A bullet brained him ending his life.  

The assault, although successful did not result in the taking of yard as a Maxim machine gun still held and was joined by yet another Soviet rifle squad. 

The Germans again pushed into the yard in front of the big blue house.  Using the narrow path between the yard of the first burnt out building and a high fenced yard next to it, the Germans employed one squad to pin down the Soviet infantry and come in behind the Maxim, which was facing the other way.  Before the Machine gun could turn the Germans were amongst the Soviets with machine pistols and entrenching tools.  The hand to hand fight was bloody.   The remaining two Maxim crew were killed and all the Soviets were killed or routed.  The cost, though was heavy for the Germans.   Another squad leader was dead and only four members of rhe squad survived.  The Germans now held the yard.  

Soviets 13.     Axis 21     Ongoing Count 8

The victory was short lived.  The Germans had no support and a quick and decisive counter attack by another Soviet infantry squad wiped out the four Germans and retook the yard.   This would be the last fight in this part of the village.   Both sides were fought out here 

Soviets 15    Axis 19     Ongoing Count 10

On the far end in front of the pig farm and the larger railroad building, the Hungarians finally jumped into action.  A Soviet squad entered the road in front of the railroad building and advanced on a Hungarian squad in the muddy yard.   A Hungarian squad in the railroad building unseen by the Soviets grabbed the initiative and struck the Soviet squad in the rear, with only a few Soviets facing them to protect the Soviet squad’s six.   The fight was decisive.  The Hungarians threw the Soviets into flight and out of the road.

The Hungarians followed up their success by taking the smaller railroad building across the street.   

Soviets 14    Axis 20     Ongoing Count 11

The Hungarians were pressured by the arrival of another Maxim and infantry squad but barricaded themselves in the small railroad building and would hold out for the remainder of the fight.

In the middle of the village things were heating up (in the literal sense.)

The duel between Pak and tank finally ended when the T-28 crew had enough of AT shells pinging off (and through) their tank and bailed out.  A supporting Soviet infantry squad following the tank up the road was driven back by another German assault, but another German Senior commander was killed.

It was then that the Soviets pulled out their last card.  Their morale was fading and German assaults, though costly were wearing them down.   The squeaking tracks of another T-26 carried on the wind audible above the small arms fire.  In a cramped and closed village this T-26 was a German nightmare. 

The KhT 134 flame tank rolled in behind the other T-26 into the yard containing the second burning building that was held by the Germans.  The twin (sort of) tanks crushed several Germans who couldn’t get out of the way and chased off the rest.  Only a squad in the small blue dacha remained.  

The Germans had their own plan.  A forward thinking squad leader formed a team with panzerknackers and sent them out the door to deal with the tanks.  The two brave men raced out in a charge but fell short of the tanks and were beaten to death by a Soviet squad that had entered the yard through a house in the rear.   Even worse for the Germans, the flame tank rumbled forward and released a blast of flame into the German occupied blue house.  Those Germans who were not incinerated routed out of the house and back across rhe road.  The Russians had retaken  the yard. 

Soviets 16     Axis 18     Ongoing Count 13

This ended up being rhe final significant action of the fight.   Both sides were fought out and all offensive actiom had stalled.   In the end, the victory was for the Axis but only barely and hardly convincing. Only one building had been taken in the end: the small railroad station.  Four other sorties were ultimately repulsed.

Fighting in a village is hard.  Making headway is hard.  Multiple times, buildings and yards were taken, but support could not be brought up due to the limited room with which to work.  When a yard would be entered from one end, the enemy could and did converge from three sides.  

The Germans were on the offensive the entire fight. The Soviets made a quick but superficial push into the mud farm but didn’t stay long.  Nowhere else did they fully cross the street.  Twice, the timely arrival of Soviet tanks stopped the Germans   Once when a T-28 brought down a building, and once when the flame tank burned out the Germans from the dacha.

It was an interesting fight and a fun way to end the Barbarossa campaign.  Twice the Hungarians “won” the day for the Axis forces.   In the deep woods they overwhelmed the Soviets and in the village rhey were the only squad to end in an enemy building or yard.  Bravo to them.

Many house rules were tried during the campaign.  Some worked, some didn’t.  Some sort of worked with tweaking.  Each time we play COC we have new rules.   Unfortunately, each time we play COC we forget rules and have to relearn them all over again.  

Until the next time…

 

The Soviet Village-Scenario 5 Part 2

 The final fight in the five battle campaign heated up as the Soviet army stood against the combined German and Hungarian force across a dirt road in a small Soviet town.  So far, the Soviets had scored a small, but likely temporary, success by taking a farmyard.  Although they controlled it, the men who stormed the muddy lot were forced back out.   

The first stage of the battle was all about maneuver but now it was time for rhe fight.  

A small house on the Soviet line was burning from a tank high explosive shell.  The surviving Russians inside were in danger of being buried alive when the house collapsed, so they exited out the doors and into the adjacent yard where they were mowed down by a German infantry squad occupying the large blue house across the street.   A Soviet medium machine gun firing out of a house behind the burning house tried to support the escaping Soviets and caused casualties to the Germans but couldn’t fully suppress them.  The battered Soviet infantry squad routed from the yard and were done for the day. 

On the opposite end of the village the Nimrod continued to shell the infantry across the street until a new threat lumbered through the woods across the road.  Making its first appearance, a KV-1 rolled forward.  Its first appearance would be a short one.   An 88mm Flak gun that was hidden behind the large rail station opened up.

   The giant shell cut through the front of the Soviet tank and KO’ed it one punch.

In the center of town things escalated quickly   Two German infantry squads dashed across the road and into a large house that was left unguarded   They then assaulted a Soviet infantry squad that was lined up next to the building and drove off the hapless men who ran from the yard.

The taking of the building, was a score for the Axis forces who now had a foothold in the Soviet line  

Soviets 18      Axis 16.     Ongoing Count 3

Taking a building and holding a building were emerging as two very different endeavors.   The Germans were now trapped in the building as two Soviet squads converged on the yard around the building.  The large wooden house was very defensible…but it also burned.

Two T-28 tanks-relics of the winter war-rolled into the village.   One along the railroad tracks and the other behind the burning house.

One of the land battleships engaged the Panzer IV near the blue house   The other engaged the Germans in the newly taken house.  The green beast fired an HE shell which crashed into the German filled house.  It started to burn.   

Much as the Soviets did earlier, the Germans retreated out the back (well…the front) door and into the road.  

While the other T-28 and Panzer IV dueled to a near draw-a shell killed one of the many turret gunners in the T-28 who was replaced- a much more decisive fight finished near the mud farm.  The BA-10 struck the  Nimrod and killed its driver.   The Nimrod retaliated and killed the BA-10.

The Axis forces had the initiative along the line.  In front of the churchyard, a German squad darted into the road hoping to advance in the cover of the original burning house. A Soviet squad responded by moving up one of the cramped side streets to engage.

In the middle, the Axis forces pushed a Jump Off Point forward and then used it to deploy an infantry squad into the road behind and to the right of the second burning house.

The advance, though impressive was a bit of a problem.  What next?   There were a whole lot of Soviets with a whole bunch of guns in those yards.   Could the Axis troops place more troops and more fire in small areas to push in?   It was going to be a hard thing.

The fight would continue.

Soviets 18.     Axis 16     Ongoing Count 2