Friday 8 April 2016

Zombicide Report: Alien Verses Blake's Seven - "Lifeboats" - Part One

ROJ BLAKE, JENNA STANNIS, VILA RESTAL AND SPACE COMMANDER TRAVIS BATTLE ALIENS
This game was played predominantly using the "Zombicide: Toxic City Mall’ rules of “Zombicide” by “Guillotine Games” with a few additional house-agreed variances on account of us attempting to actually play the first "Space Hulk" Mission by "Games Workshop". In addition as I wanted to try out some science fiction heroes and villains, and have already plenty of painted “Crooked Dice”, “Heroscape”, "Prodos Games" and “Horrorclix” models ready for the table, we simply swapped the Survivors, Walkers, Runners and Fatties with some future freedom fighters, Alien stalkers, 'Alien hounds' and larger Aliens. 

“The story so far… A Federation experiment on an extra-terrestrial life-form has gone horribly wrong. Fearing the hostile aliens will breach the orbiting Weapons Research Facility and endanger the Terran Administration, Space Commander Travis has begrudgingly asked his long-time foe Roj Blake for help in destroying the entire artificial satellite. Worryingly however the endoparasitoid species have demonstrated remarkable intelligence during tests, so before the top secret base can be blown up its lifeboats must first be rendered inoperable. Teleporting down to the station Blake, Jenna and Vila encounter a cramped corridor and a heavy airlock door. Whilst Travis has another mission in mind as well..."
THE TABLETOP - THE "GORDON RICHARDS" FEDERATION WEAPONS RESEARCH FACILITY 
As aforementioned before we started we incorporated a few special rules of our own in order to make the game play a little differently. The biggest change was that each 'survivor' could only initially perform two actions instead of three on account of the cramped corridors and sense of claustrophobia. In addition all of the Aliens were treated as being Toxic on account of having acid for blood. This meant that "upon elimination" they would inflict one wound upon their assailant if they were both in the same zone (or rather tile). To counter this the boarding party consisted of the following: Blake was a 'Zombivor' with the skill Born Leader, Vila was a 'Zombivor' with the skill Break-In, Jenna was awarded the skill Matching Set and Travis was allowed to start the game with his Laseron Destroyer (pistol).

The object of the mission was for one of the Liberator's crew to reach the Control Room and de-activate the functioning computer bank inside which allows the lifeboats to be activated. To begin with only the two Alien Spawn points to the East of the station would generate extra-terrestrials. The South Alien Spawn point would only take effect once the eastern door of the Green Room was opened. Three Objective Markers were placed around the base. Each was worth five experience points, and Travis had to reach at least one of these pieces of Space Debris as a Secondary Victory condition.
AVON TELEPORTS BLAKE AND HIS PARTY DEEP DOWN INSIDE THE SPACE STATION
Finding himself inside a narrow passageway, armed with a simple crowbar, Roj Blake used his Born Leader ability on Vila to give the cowardly thief an extra action, and stood by as the lock pick 'magically' opened the airlock door before them. With a hiss the Alien Stalker in the Red Room beyond spun round of the startled criminal. But before the creature could leap Travis threw a (second) space pistol he was carrying to Jenna and blazed away with his hand's built-in energy laser. Incredibly though the Space Commander missed and it Stannis had to kill the toxic creature with her weapon instead. Watching the corpse dissolve into a green gooey mess, the female smuggler walked east into the Red Room and looked around. In the distance she could hear something far away hissing angrily, as if it was searching them out...
VILA PANICS AS HE UNLEASHES AN ALIEN STALKER UPON THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS
Blake walked into the Red Room and discovered a space rifle leaning against a wall. Vila, carrying a simple space fire axe, followed him and discovered a bag of space rice, before using his Break-In ability (free action) to open the eastern air-lock door and (a third action courtesy of the Liberator's captain) to open the southern air-lock as well. Beside him Jenna discovered 'Plenty of Ammo' for her firearm and moved East into the adjoining corridor. Travis also moved into the Red Room and discovered a Sawn-Off Shotgun.
JENNA AND BLAKE PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THE ONCOMING ALIEN HORDE
Moving East past Jenna, Roj Blake headed towards the Red Junction to see just what was making all the hissing sounds from the shadows up ahead of him. There were quite a lot of black shapes rushing towards his position. The "Native of Earth" also gave Vila a (third) order. Jenna, weapon at the ready joined him. Warily Vila travelled South and opened the Green Room's North air-lock door. Another Alien Stalker was waiting for him inside and so with a yelp of terror the cowardly thief raced back North to the Red Room and Travis. Realising the danger the Space COmmander moved South and blew the extra-terrestrial to pieces with his Shotgun. Boom Baby!!

Tapping his wrist communicator, Blake gave Travis an additional action, and then started shooting at the horde of oncoming Aliens racing West across the Red Junction. With a spray of green acidic blood an Alien Stalker exploded into pieces. But there were plenty more of the creatures behind it. Jenna stood alongside her friend, the blonde-haired smuggler's (short-range) space pistol levelled at the deadly darkness before them. Stannis was ready to kill any fiend which evaded Roj's fire.
SPACE COMMANDER TRAVIS ACCOMPLISHES HIS SECONDARY MISSION... BUT WILL HE SURVIVE?
Vila meanwhile sheepishly entered the Green Room and used his free action to open its eastern air-lock. Travis hurried past him and utilising Blake's order reached the southernmost piece of space debris. It was a partially constructed battle robot, whose micro-chip would prove invaluable to future federation armaments. The Space Commander pocketed the small information card, gaining five experience points and bringing the Terran Officer to the cusp of levelling up. At least something useful would come from the Research Facility the ruthless cyborg thought. However Travis was suddenly aware of a sound like air escaping coming from right behind him and spinning round was aghast to see two more Alien Stalker's emerging from an air vent at the southern end of the short corridor he was in...

Da Da Da Dah Da Dahhhhh... Da Da Dah Da Dahhhhhhhh  

30 comments:

  1. Travis asking for Blake's help? Blake accepting? The fool...surely it's all a ploy by Servalan or Travis himself to kill off Blake and crew!

    As for the 'Gordon Richards' Federation Weapons Research Facility...I can only wonder what evil creations or deeds this Gordon Richards did to be honoured so.

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    1. The impossible has indeed happened Gordon... and as you'll soon discover, Travis makes things extremely difficult for his 'colleagues' in the next instalment.

      As to the naming of a Federation Weapons Research Facility? The least I can do for a new follower of my comic collecting blog ;-)

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  2. A most exciting batrep. I wouldn't trust Travis as far as I could throw him. What was Blake thinking by teaming up with him? Travis is clearly the Carter Burke of this team.
    Of course I recognise your Space Hulk tiles but tell me about your star field mat, please? It makes for the perfect backdrop to your game.

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    1. Cheers Bryan, and you'd be quite right in not trusting Travis as his secondary objective has bagged him a fistful of experience points and we both know what happens when survivor's go up a level ;-)

      The Star Field Mat is a "Hotz" Deep Space felt mat I bought a while ago from their website. But I have yet to paint the miniatures up to use on it. I thought it would make the perfect backdrop for a "Space Hulk" tile game, so I'm very glad you like it.

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  3. Gordon Richards WRF.... What an honour? Heh.

    Enjoyed this - looking forward to the next installment.

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    1. Thanks Dai. Your turn will come ;-) Glad you enjoyed this and a second part is on its way for next week.

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  4. Very nice Batrep Simon, I do love the way you mix up your franchises.

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Thanks Roger. This one seemed a bit obvious tbh once I'd got enough Aliens painted.

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  5. Lovely stuff Simon.
    Cracking use of the Space Hulk tiles dude. Nice cliffhanger too.

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    1. Many thanks Bob. The "Space Hulk" tiles are ideal for the mechanics of "Zombicide" and I couldn't think of a better cliffhanger than Travis selfishly grabbing the 5xp knowing that Blake & Jenna are already facing a horde of oncoming Aliens.

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  6. Very cool stuff, Simon. Will the crew of the Liberator and their "ally" survive! I'm betting on the Aliens. Have you seen the new Crooked Dice scuplts of Servalan, Travis, Vila and Avon? They're spot-on likeneses (especially Vila) and I believe will be available at Salute, so best bring your pennies...

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    1. Cheers Jez. The conclusion will be posted next week ;-) I have seen the new "Crooked Dice" minis, and pre-ordered them for collection at "Salute". I think having both versions of Travis will make an especially interesting premise for a future BatRep.

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  7. Top stuff.
    Got tooth ache, so can't think of much other praise.

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    1. Thanks Roy, and I really hope you get that pain sorted out asap!!

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  8. Hisss, hisss. (Translation: Very cool indeed.)

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  9. Loved the AAR and shows that a set of rules can be easily converted to other uses. Loved it, makes me wish I still had my old space hulk game :-(

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    1. Many thanks indeed Damon. "Zombicide" is indeed my current preferred ruleset as it can be used for just about anything imho, and invariably I do. Gutted for you Ref Space Hulk. Those tiles are terrific for sci-fi gaming.

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  10. What an interesting mix of games and the fact it provided a very obviously enjoyable game proved how well it worked.

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    1. Cheers Joe. I've owned a few versions of "Space Hulk", including digital, and frankly never been a fan of it. Indeed I've only ever played my latest version once - and didn't like it. "Zombicide" on the other hand is terrific, and the missions/tiles of "Space Hulk" really lend themselves to it as well. Hopefully they'll be more coming...

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  11. Inspiring. Best customising of Zombicide to date, that I`ve seen. Nice narrative, interesting style of photos, and I WANT those minis.

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    1. Thanks Tarot. Much appreciated. I personally don;t like wading through tonnes of photos, so try and keep mine to the point and in line with my love of comics :-) All of the B7 minis are by "Crooked Dice" under their Freedom Fighters range.

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  12. Most enjoyable and so very well done. Truly enjoyable to read.

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    1. Cheers Stephen. Delighted you've enjoyed it so much :-)

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