28mm Battle Report: Blake's Seven and Judge Dredd Verses Space Commander Travis

ROJ BLAKE AND JOE DREDD JOIN FORCES AGAINST THE TERRAN FEDERATION

This game was played using some homemade rules and takes place upon my usual 2x2 gaming mat. The battlefield was populated with a variety of pre-painted scenery made by “Tablescape”, most notably a large storage silo which was placed in the centre of the table. The objective was simple, as the winner would be the side which had advanced the furthest unchallenged by the end of Turn Six.

“The story so far… The Terran Federation has decided to invade Mega-City One and dispatched Space Commander Travis to establish a bridgehead on the edge of the city-state. Aware of his archenemy’s plans, freedom fighter Roj Blake has teleported to the urban conurbation’s Justice Department and forewarned Judge Dredd of the imminent attack. Having gathered together a team of Street Judges including Judge Dekker, Old Stoney Face joins forces with Blake, Jenna Stannis and Vila Restal in order to safeguard the metropolis he has sworn to protect.”

THE TABLETOP - A SILO STORAGE SITE WITHIN MEGA-CITY ONE

Turn One started with the Liberator’s crew [Point 1] running north towards the huge central silo storage. Whilst Dredd ordered the three street judges accompanying him [Point 2] to move around the oil barrels located in the south west. Judge Dekker [Point 3] led the three lawmen in her team up onto a large pipeline which crossed in front of their position in the south east. Travis [Point 4] simply waved his men forwards. Whilst in the north east corner five Federation troopers [Point 6] began clambering over a large amount of oil barrels. Captain Jarvik and his men [Point 5] quickly sought the shelter of some crates.

A CLASSIC CONFRONTATION - SPACE COMMANDER TRAVIS VERSES THE LIBERATOR CREW

Turn Two saw the troopers [Point 6] clamber down the oil barrels and hunker down beside a large stack of crates. One gas-marked goon fired his carbine at the Judges in the south east corner. But his weapon was out of range. Judge Dredd moved further north in anticipation of Travis’ approach. But then saw the Space Commander’s number one order his men to ‘crab west’ and start to approach the legendary lawman’s position. Figuring that Joe Dredd could handle himself, Blake and his crewmates pushed north east under cover of the central silo. Whilst Dekker and her men hid behind some radioactive barrels.

STRONG ARM OF THE LAW - JUDGE JOSEPH DREDD

Turn Three had the Federation troopers split up around the crates on the eastern side of the table, and press forwards so the Terran security forces now ‘owned’ a third of the battlefield. Preparing to challenge this position Blake made his way up the east side of the silo, and had his Liberator shipmates join up with Dekker and her Judges by the radioactive barrels in the south east. Hoping to use the cover of a huge pipeline on the western edge of the board, Dredd moved his party forwards and reached the halfway point on the table. The senior Judge immediately came under fire from Captain Jarvik and his troopers as they jogged from out of the cover of some centrally positioned crates. All of the shots fell short however. Meanwhile Travis ordered half of his men forwards, whilst the rest fired at Judge Dredd’s party, felling a street judge.

FIRST BLOOD -  THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT STARTS TAKING LOSSES

Turn Four saw the action heating up along the eastern table edge as the Federation troopers opened fire upon Blake and the Judges holed up there. None of the lawmen were hit. But Roj was clipped in the shoulder. The freedom fighter ducked back behind some crates as Jenna and Vila rushed up alongside the silo. Dekker and her Judges also returned fire but without any result. Meanwhile Judge Dredd also opened fire upon Travis’ men without success. Clearly Mega-City One’s top lawman was having a rookie day. The Space Commander’s men were having no such problems however, as one shot struck Dredd (wounding him) and another blast felled another Street Judge, despite him having sought cover behind a giant pipeline.

DIABOLICAL DESPOT - TRAVIS ORDERS HIS MEN FORWARDS AGAINST THE JUDGES

The penultimate turn had Blake lead his friends forward into the Terran troopers. Jenna charged into one black-clad minion and knocked him out. But Vila was unable to shoot down the floored fiend’s compatriot, leaving the Liberator crew somewhat exposed. Captain Jarvik, realising Blake might be able to outflank his position if left unmolested sent one of his men running towards the eastern edge. The strategist then split his fire up between Stannis and Joe Dredd’s party. With a scream the smuggler fell, terrifying Vila Restal. But worse was to come as Old Stoney Face was hit again, and the last of his fellow Street Judges fell before him. Inspired by the odds, Travis leap onto the pipeline in front of him and ordered his men to blast away Dredd. Amazingly carbine explosions bombarded the veteran Judge’s location. But he remained unharmed. Meanwhile, realising that the eastern flank was about to fall unless she did something, Judge Dekker directed her fellow Judges to shoot at the Federation troopers right in front of them… and their Lawgivers fired true as two of the Federation guards fell dead.

BLONDE BOMBSHELL - JENNA STANNIS KICKS FEDERATION  BUTT IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT

The final turn started with Captain Jarvik pushing his men forwards and firing at both Blake and Dredd. With a cry, Roj crumpled to the ground. But the future lawman refused to budge despite the firepower raining upon him. Turning his attention to Travis’ troopers, Dredd’s lawgiver blazed away and one of the knaves was no more. The remaining Federation guards on the eastern table edge started to fire at Vila but the cowardly thief masterfully kept his skin intact. Suddenly, daysticks drawn, the Judges lead by Dekker were amongst the troopers and all of them quickly succumbed to the cranial beatings. Amazingly the entire eastern half of the board was in the hands of the Justice Department. Realising that he had to kill the stubborn old Judge single-handedly holding up the Terran Federation on the western edge, Travis ordered some of his men forward before the rest fired a series of salvos towards the grizzled lawman. Nine rolls of the dice later… and Judge Dredd was still standing, battered and bloody but resolute, and as a result still challenging the Space Commander for the western side of the tabletop.

ROJ BLAKE IS DOWN - A HERO FALLS AS THE JUDGES 'HOLD THE LINE' AND WIN THE DAY

Having finished the sixth turn, it seemed clear that despite suffering heavier losses, the Justice Department had somehow managed to take the eastern side of the battlefield. Whilst Judge Dredd stoically stood alone in the west. This meant that the future lawman was still contesting that side of the table with Travis and Jarvik’s forces. So the victory belonged to Blake, Dredd and Dekker… for now anyway.

For those interested in the latest "Judge Dredd" comic book adventures by "Rebellion". You can find my review of the two-issue 2012 'Motion Picture' sequel "Dredd: Uprise " here:
Dredd: Uprise #1 Dredd: Uprise #2