Thursday 24 August 2017

Mutants & Death Ray Guns Report: Judge Dredd & Mad Max Verses T-800 Terminators

JUDGE DREDD AND MAD MAX BATTLE KILLER T-800 ROBOTS
This game was played using the basic rules of “Mutants And Death Ray Guns” by “Ganesha Games”, and is the second in a series of adventures involving Mega-City One's toughest lawman as he attempts to thwart the break-out of a virus strain left over from the Great Germ War. The scenario comprised of a small party of four Pure Human characters facing a larger (and slightly more expensive) group of Pure Robots across a 3’ x 3’ tabletop populated with some "Battlefield In A Box" Badlands terrain by “Gale Force Nine” and some additional resin pieces by "Wargames Terrain Workshop".

“The story so far… Finding his city once again threatened by the deadly 2T(FRU)T virus, Judge Dredd has travelled into the Cursed Earth so as to search for vaccine crates. Accompanied by Judge Giant (Senior), Old Stoney Face encounters the road warrior Mad Max and Immortan Joe's favoured soldier, Imperator Furiosa. Together, the band of heroes follow a rumour that some T-800 Terminators might have data on a long-lost supply of medicine."
THE TABLETOP - THE CURSED EARTH
Positioned in the northeast, Judge Dredd assembled his small force just behind Mad Max's black Interceptor, with a somewhat clear view of some promising-looking robot remains. The lawman's mission was to extract eight points worth of data from various locations dotted about the barren landscape before his party were either eliminated by the murderous killer robots which were known to inhabit the local plateau, or the 'intelligence deposits' were wantonly destroyed.

Because the Judges were wearing standard street-uniform, they were all treated as having a Flak Jacket (for armour) as well as carrying a pistol (to represent a lawgiver). "Old Stoney Face" had the additional special rules for being a Hero [always automatically rolls one success, regardless of their Quality], as well as being the group's Champion [+1 to Combat Score] and Leader [Quality increases by +1]. Judge Giant was made Steadfast [+1 Morale Rolls]. Max Rockatansky was also given the Hero trait, as well as Opportunistic [+1 to Activation rolls if there is a Knocked Down or Transfixed opponent a Short move of hi,]. He was given a Shotgun [+2 Combat Score]. Imperator Furiosa was awarded the special rule Coup-de-Grace [May immediately perform another attack against an opponent they've just Knocked Down in hand-to-hand combat] and Sharpshooter [+1 to Hit with ranged weapons but suffers -1 in melee combat]. She was given a Sniper Rifle [Long range and +2 Combat Score].
T-800 TERMINATORS PREPARE TO DESTROY SOME HUMAN INTRUDERS
The T-800 robots were grouped together as if emerging from the southwest. They were all treated as if they had Heavy Armour [If the model is beaten in Combat by only one point, the armour turns the blow and the round is a draw], and armed with Assault Rifles [Long range and +2 Combat Score]. In addition they were given the special rule Energy Cell [useful to manage "Ammunition Expenditure"].

The Terminators won the Initiative and immediately started to move northeast, with three of Skynet's first cybernetic organisms stomping towards a nearby Wrecked Car, and the remaining two moving west towards a Toxic Pool.

Judge Dredd moved west towards a large outcrop of rocks, whilst Max (with three successes) closed to within almost touching distance of some robot remains [Objective Two]. Furiosa, clutching her firearm, took up a sniping position behind the interceptor and Judge Giant started his 'long walk' towards a tall ruin [Objective Four] in the south.
MAD MAX REACHES SOME ROBOT REMAINS AS THE TERMINATORS FAN OUT
Detecting non-robotic lifeforms approaching their positions, the sentient hyperalloy endoskeletons momentarily paused in order to calculate the best strategy to nullify their oncoming opponents (or rather immediately failed their first Activation roll).

Using his experience of 'Hot Dog Runs', Joe Dredd ran behind a small rocky outcrop just northeast of a small grave marker [Objective One], and steadied himself ready to start shooting at any T-800s which unwisely approached his position from the southwest. Mad Max set about collecting data from the robot remains [Objective Two] and 'bagged' three points of intelligence regarding the long lost 2T(FRU)T virus vaccine. He then sprinted towards the Badlands Plateau. Furiosa, realising it would be some time until a Terminator entered her sniper rifle's range, headed west to give Dredd some added support. Judge Giant continued moving south.
AS MAX APPROACHES THE PLATEAU, A T-800 SIZES UP JUDGE DREDD
A T-800 marched towards Judge Dredd's position and opened fire. The robot's target was thrice its assault rifle's range and in cover, so it took a hefty -3 penalty, but because the weapon itself carried a +2 Combat bonus it was still a potentially lethal attack. Indeed, the outcome initially showed "Old Stoney Face" would have died a Gruesome Death, if he hadn't utilised his "once per game" Hero ability, which allowed him to "re-roll a single Combat or Quality roll." This 'second chance' fortunately lead to both the shot simply missing its target and the robot's weapon jamming.

A second Terminator joined the 'momentarily weaponless' T-800 intending to destroy some nearby oil barrels [Objective Three]. Whilst another of the Neural Net Processor CPU-driven automatons stalked past the Wrecked Car towards the Badlands Plateau.

As Judge Dredd calmly waited for a Terminator to enter his lawgiver's range, Furiosa moved ever further west into to provide him with even more firepower support. Max athletically hauled himself up onto the top of the Badlands Plateau and approached a rusty Dr. Pepper drinks machine [Objective Five]. Judge Giant continued south, trying to put the small ruin [Objective Four] between himself and the robots' assault rifles.
MAD MAX REACHES FOR A REFRESHING DRINK AS THE TERMINATORS TAKE UP FIRING POSITIONS
The Terminator with the weapons jam failed to clear his firearm. The 800 series beside him fired at Dredd, missed his target and reached the oil barrels [Objective Three]. The robot closest to the Badlands Plateau started to clamber up the rock formation's natural steps.

Taking a bit more 'heat' than he liked in his current position, Judge Dredd moved back behind a rocky outcrop a bit further northwest. Furiosa moved to take up his vacant position. Mad Max collected two points of data from the derelict Dr. Pepper drinks machine [Objective Five], whilst Giant, having reached and subsequently searched the ruin [Objective Four] for one point of intelligence, ineffectively fired his lawgiver at the T-800 climbing the Plateau's rocky stairway.

With a demoralising explosion, a Terminator destroyed the oil barrels [Objective Three], setting four points of data alight in the process. To the east one robot fired at Judge Giant but missed (and also ran out of ammunition), and another 'hunkered down' beside the Wrecked Car.
MAD MAX BATTLES A T-800 TERMINATOR ON TOP OF A BADLANDS PLATEAU
Sensing the moment had come for decisive action, Dredd broke cover and rushed south towards the grave marker [Objective One]. The Senior Street Judge had left himself badly exposed, but his effort could win him the day, if there was enough vaccine data buried beneath the tiny tombstone. Furiosa fired her sniper rifle at the closest Terminator and found her weapon jammed. Max rushed towards the T-800 clambering up the Badlands Plateau and at almost point-blank range discharged his shotgun at the automaton. The firearm ineffectively clicked... it had misfired!! Judge Giant also tried to dispatch the robot fast-approaching Rockatansky, but also failed to hit his target.

The Terminator stood by the remains of the oil barrels and took an aimed shot at Dredd. Incredibly, the T-800 momentarily staggered back as its assault rifle blew up in its hands. The robot with the jammed firearm finally cleared its chamber, and the 800 series by the Wrecked Car harmlessly fired towards Judge Giant. The endoskeleton in front of Max raised its weapon and momentarily appeared to have gunned the road warrior down. But using his "once per game" Hero ability, Rockatansky, despite still being Knocked Down, actually cheated death and saw the Terminator's weapon blow up!
JUDGE DREDD ATTEMPTS TO WIN THE DAY AS MAD MAX IS SHOT BY A TERMINATOR
Miraculously, the assault rifle of the fifth T-800, who had just joined its colleague beside the Wrecked Car and fired at Judge Giant, also exploded in its users hands. Skynet had clearly issued them with some bad stock. With so many ineffective opponents momentarily 'out of action', Dredd continued on to the grave marker [Objective One], collected the five points of data buried beneath it, and sealed a strong victory for his team-mates and Mega-City One's Justice Department.  

44 comments:

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    1. Thanks Martin. I've never had a game where a series of dice rolls made such a dramatic difference - T-800 assault rifles were jamming and exploding all over the place!!!

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  2. Superb Simon, you had me at 'Judge Dredd & Mad Max Verses'. :)

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  3. I thoroughly enjoyed this battle report as I sit here with my mug of tea.

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    1. Thanks Phil. That's precisely the way I like people to read my BatReps - mug of tea in hand!! :-)

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  4. GreAt stuff! What an explosive finish...

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    1. Cheers Andy... don't give up the day job though ;-)

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  5. A great start to what looks like being a most exciting batrep. Clearly weapon maintenance is a low priority for everyone here, although if Dredd suffers a weapon mishap I would suspect foul play.

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    1. Thanks Bryan. I don't think Dredd should ever suffer a weapon mishap, but that is the beauty of "M&DRG" that anything can happen with the throw of a dice :-)

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  6. Great BatRep Simon, love the combination of characters in this, and I think the resistance may have done a sabotage mission on Skynet's armoury

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    1. Cheers Dave, and it certainly would seem that the resistance has done something to Skynet's armoury!! Never seen so many jams, misfires and self-destroying weapons!!

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  7. Drokk! Looks like Cursed Earth dust wreaked havoc with the weapon systems, but the Judges still recovered the data from the tinheads.
    Great batrep Simon!

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    1. Thanks Wargame Addict. This was a fun battle, which despite not having the fire-fight anticipated, still had plenty of big moments; like Max fighting on top of the plateau and Dredd running for glory.

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  8. Anything including Skynet, Dred and Max.. all together, HAS to be a winner.

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    1. Cheers Hils, glad you enjoyed this latest instalment in the world of Dredd :-)

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  9. Been looking forward to this on for ages. It sure delivers :)

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    1. Thanks Steve. Its not as shooty as I hoped, but there again I wasn't expecting all the T-800 assault rifles to self-destruct as they did!!

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    2. not shooty was nice anyway.. more thematic.

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    3. "more thematic" - "M&DRG" certainly can create some very interesting and unexpected narratives during a game, Hils. I really enjoyed the way this game's storyline panned out.

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  10. An useful and interesting post, Simon. I've the chariot rules from Ganesha and they seem to have certain similarities with these. I'll keep these rules in mind, and if I can't find something of use with what I have I may get a copy since they're not exactly expensive. Cheers.

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    1. Cheers Roy. All the "Ganesha Games" rules seem to follow a similar theme, which is why I like them so much. They're a bit simpler than say first edition "7TV", so don't quite have the same TV feel. But they do make for a very good game with minimum effort imho - plus there's a warband-maker on the "Ganesha Games" website which takes all the maths out of the process :-)

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    2. Ooh, that's useful. Just bookmarked the army builder page.
      [still haven't opened that parcel of not-Star Trek figures from SVFM]

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    3. Glad to be of help, Roy. now get those 'not-Klingons' out of their package, and post up some WIPs ;-)

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    4. Got them opened last night. But, probably, going to work on the 'Marquis-like' resistance that I'm looking at, first.

      Hoping to tie STAW games and insurgent skirmishes planet-side together, in a narrative venture. These MDRG rules might work well for such races as the Klingons and 'skin-of-their-teeth' resistance fighters battling it over a subjugated world in the aftermath of the Dominion War and the final end of the Borg (as featured in the Destiny novels). I've also been swapping of Bajoran and Independent STAW ship models with SWArmada ships to create a to-scale representation of a coalition system that could encounter a resurgent Klingon Empire needing to rebuild.

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    5. Wow! That sounds awesome, Roy. Hopefully they'll be plenty of pics on your blog about this project as its one I'd definitely be very interested in following :-)

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  11. That's one mixed up franchise batrep Simon!

    Great stuff, Roger.

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    1. Thanks Roger. I do like to mix 'em up as you know ;-)

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  12. Brilliant. How many crossover franchise's can you do! :) A great read. Got to love the Ganesha Games rules.

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    1. Cheers Mark. I've a few more crossovers in the pipeline ;-)

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  13. Interesting game which could have gone quite badly for the humans.

    From the previous AAR's you've posted for this ruleset, it seems that there is a higher perecentage of randomnees to the end results of any game played, with victory almost decided by random events within the rules, rather than tactical play. Not having played rhw rules, I'm only looking on from the sidelines, but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this.

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    1. Hmmm... an interesting point, Jez. It certainly doesn't feel like victory is determined by random events whilst playing it. Indeed, tactics is crucial because I try to 'marry up' the two opposing forces points-wise as best I can, so just one mistake can be very costly; such as placing Dredd within range of a T-800 with an assault rifle with just a partial piece of rock to protect him.

      This particular game was noteworthy because so many weapons blew-up. In the past you might be 'unlucky' to get one jam or 'out of ammunition' all game. Having said that, "M&DRG" is certainly a rule-set where you can't take anything for granted, as Max found out firing his shotgun at a T-800 at point blank range - and I think that's why I like it. The best strategist is more likely to win the day, but not necessarily.

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  14. Replies
    1. Cheers Simon. Trying to get a few more BatReps posted over the next month or so, including some "G.I. Joe" stuff :-)

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  15. WHat an exciting read and strangely enough I was rooting for the Termies( I just think that they're a great "bad-guy"!

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    1. Thanks Joe. Nothing wrong with which side you root for in my books, as long as you enjoy the read :-)

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  16. So many rubbish weapons! Someone teach these kids to clean their guns of an evening! ^_^
    Very fun read my friend.

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    1. Cheers Dai. I need to get a few more BatReps in this year, as I don't seem to be playing as much as last year.

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  17. Great comic, hooray for humanity.

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