28mm Battle Report: Judge Dredd And Commissioner Gordon Verses The Riddler

GOTHAM CITY'S NEWEST LAWMAN JUDGE JOSEPH DREDD FACES THE RIDDLER

This adventure takes place upon my usual 2x2 gaming board, with a small forest to the northeast, a larger forest to the southwest, and a single story building at the centre. Five objective markers, ranging from value 1 – 5, have been dotted around the board and the winner is the side who holds the most points at the end of the sixth turn. However no-one will know how many points each objective is worth until the end of the game.

THE TABLETOP - PART OF THE GROUNDS OF ARKHAM ASYLUM

“The story so far… The Riddler is desperately trying to instigate a breakout from Arkham Asylum. Alerted to his escape attempt, Commissioner Gordon attends along with Gotham City Police. Aware he’s outmatched the senior policeman summons help via the bat signal, but when the batmobile arrives it is an altogether different kind of lawman that emerges from the vehicle… it is Judge Dredd."

At the start of each turn both sides would have to roll to see whether any of their models would arrive on the tabletop. Amazingly none of the forces of justice did, so despite Edward Nigma not being present himself, a number of his ‘eavies did appear from the southeast corner and immediately began to fan out towards the objective markers.

SEEKING COVER BEHIND THE BATMOBILE GOTHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT TAKE AIM AND FIRE

The second turn amazingly saw both Gordon and Dredd, as well as all of the Gotham Police, arrive from the northwest corner. In addition the Event Card Cliff-hanger was played giving both sides an additional Luck card each. Two cops ran east along the north edge and stopped with clear line on sight on the objective in the centre of the table, right beside the front of the derelict building [Objective Three]. Gordon dived for cover behind the batmobile [Objective One]. He was joined by another cop and together they fired off a couple of pistol shots at an ‘eavy approaching Objective Three. Despite using their Luck, the shots went wide. Finally a cop ran south along the western edge towards the objective marker buried deep with a forest in the southwest corner [Objective Four]. With still no sign of the Riddler himself, but with another three ‘eavies coming onto the table, the hired muscle began taking position around some of the objectives. Two disappeared into the trees to take Objective Four, whilst another crouched beside the small rocky outcrop in the southeast corner [Objective Five]. Another ‘Eavy joined the hired muscle near to Objective Three.

ENSURING HIS OWN SAFETY FIRST AND FOREMOST THE RIDDLER LEADS HIS 'EAVIES

Turn three saw the forces of evil start to take the upper hand as the Riddler appeared and immediately played the Event Card Red Jersey on Gordon allowing his men to reroll any hits or wounds on the commissioner for the rest of the game. Using his Leadership, Nigma ordered three of his ‘Eavies to dominate the centre of the table (and Objective Three), as well as the objective in the north-eastern forest [Objective Two]. Urging his men on, Gordon and his Gotham Police officers all took aim [giving them +2 to hit] and poured pistol fire into the group of hired muscle taking shelter within the shadow of the central building. Disappointingly none of the shots struck home. And even the cop giving an ‘Eavy a taste of Gotham nightstick by Objective Two failed to land a telling blow. It was clear it was time for a taste of Mega-city one justice. Judge Dredd rushed up alongside Gordon and using his Signature Weapon, the Lawgiver, felled one of the ‘Eavies by Objective Three. 

Suddenly however the entire game changed as the Riddler used his ‘On The Payroll’ Star Quality and having won an opposed Morale Test revealed that the Gotham cop in the forest by Objective Two was actually on his side. As a result the remaining loyal Gotham police officer on the northern table edge found himself swamped by baddies, and was pulverised by an ‘Eavy thanks to ‘A Good Offence’. Realising the day was about to be lost, Judge Dredd interrupted the Baddies’ turn with a Heroic Surge and running towards the centre of the table shot the ‘Eavy who had just brained the hapless flatfoot. “The crime is murder of a Gotham police officer. The sentence is… death.”

JUDGE DREDD DISHES OUT SOME SERIOUS MEGA-CITY ONE JUSTICE

Sensing the veteran street judge was capable of taking Objective three on his own if he wasn’t quickly stopped, an ‘Eavy charged into Dredd, but failed to land a blow. Incensed ‘Uncle Joe’ gave the hired muscle a one-course supper of Mega-City knuckles, and then promptly pulled out a Miniature Flamethrower on another nearby extra. The ‘hotshot’ roasted the perp on the spot. Meanwhile Commissioner Gordon, encouraged by the lawman’s sentencing rushed to the centre of the table and claimed Objective Three.

The penultimate turn saw the ‘Eavy by Judge Dredd momentarily rise to his feet as both sides used their Audience Appreciation tokens to activate an additional model. The traitor cop ran out of the north-eastern forest and tried to put a slug into the cop taking shelter by the batmobile. He missed and then took a bullet himself for his trouble. So much for taking the Riddler’s dollar bills. Watching from the first story floor of the central building, Nigma realised the battle was lost if he let Gordon and Dredd dominate Objective Three, so threw himself out of the derelict structure’s window and landed beside an astonished police commissioner. Using his sword cane, his signature weapon, the supervillain speared Gordon straight through and the elderly policeman crumpled to the ground. Distraught as his bosses’ demise the cop in the south-western forest [Objective Four] beat one of the ‘Eavies there unconscious. Fortunately, now down to just three models, the forces for good easily passed their Shaken Test thanks to Dredd’s high morale.

GORDON FACES OFF AGAINST THE RIDDLER, WHILST GOTHAM P.D. FIGHT IN THE FOREST

The final turn saw the future lawman charge into the Riddler. Everything went quiet as this confrontation was without a doubt going to make or break the game for Gotham Police Department. Thanks to an Audience Appreciation token Dredd landed a hefty smack on Enigma’s jaw, but before the master of puzzles started to need to eat through a straw, the Riddler used his Luck to force the judge to roll the hit again. The lawman missed, but was allowed another reroll due to his Good Offence and the punch not only struck home but knocked the criminal senseless. Inspired by Dredd’s fisticuffs the cop in the south-western forest amazingly stunned the other ‘Eavy by Objective Four. Desperate to consolidate their hold of some of the objectives the remaining hired muscle rushed to contest Objective Four and ensure they held Objective Two and Objective Five. Finally all was quiet to see whether the Riddler would regain his senses enough to challenge Dredd for Objective Three. Because he had three hits, Nigma had three chances to roll a six and recover… and did so with one of his dice.

As a result all the Gotham Police Department held was Objective One by the batmobile but when revealed it showed it was worth 5 victory points. With a groan the Riddler’s two successfully held objectives proved to only be worth 2 victory points and 1 victory point; giving the day to Judge Dredd and justice.