Doctor Who: Exterminate! Report: The Daleks Verses The Zygons

"CUBE OF DEATH"

This game was played using the "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" rules by “Warlord Games” and, in essence, followed the parameters established for the "Guide To The Time Vortex" skirmish scenario "Ship Of Death". However, in order to allow both sides to get to grips with the Zygon factions' unique Special Traits, and simply because of the number of painted miniatures available to us, a couple of minor 'House Rules' were also followed concerning Fate Tokens and Adventure Cards. Whilst Battle Cards were not used at all. Lastly, a few last minute 'tweaks' regarding General Deployment and Winning The Game' were necessary so the battle could be accommodated upon a 20" x 20" neoprene gaming mat instead of the recommended 3' x 3' table...

"The story so far... Crafting a stellar converter, which has the power to lay waste to entire solar systems, the Daleks are holding the entire Earth hostage, and planning to turn it into a planet-sized starship. However, after learning of its existence, an incursion force of Zygons has gained access to the location of the device, and plan to stop such a despicable use of their new home world. Aware of the threat to their scheme, the Daleks are trying to expel the raiders and resume the stellar converter's activation..."

THE TABLETOP - A STREET ON EARTH

As the location of the stellar converter was obviously going to be a heavily-guarded zone, the Dalek Faction started with four Recruitment cards: a Patrol Leader (Dalek Sec), two Dalek Patrols (both of which generated three Daleks each) and another Dalek Patrol (which generated two Daleks and a Fate Token). In addition, the Patrol Leader, a special character, also created two Fate tokens to be added to his faction's Fate Pool. Finally, the Dalek's received five Adventure cards "to use during their game." These were randomly dealt from the fifteen generic Adventure cards found within the boxed set. This provided the Daleks with "Regenerate!", "Rapid Response", "Combat Senses", "Shield Of Steel" and "To Arms!"

The Zygons only started with three Recruitment cards: a Zygon Leader, a Zygon (which generated three Zygons) and a Zygon Elite (which generated two Zygons and a Fate Token). The Zygon Leader also generated two Fate tokens for his faction's Fate Pool. However, unlike the Daleks, the Zygons were allowed to select the five "Zygons Only" Adventure cards which come in the "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" boxed set. These cards consisted of "Electrical Discharge", "Friend Or Foe", "Call For Help", "Poison Barbs" and "Conceal Identity".

THE DALEK GARRISON PROTECTS THEIR STELLAR CONVERTER

Following the scenario's general deployment rules, six Vortex Node markers were placed on the battlefield underneath a sewer grate, the stellar converter and a variety of debris. The Dalek garrison guarding the compound were then subsequently set up so as to be in contact with these important pieces of scenery. Finally, the Zygons were deployed on a random table edge and simply had to possess at least three Vortex Nodes and have "at least one character in base-to-base contact with" the stellar converter while the Dalek defenders had none to win the game.

Detecting the presence of several amphibious metamorphic humanoids approaching from the east, the Daleks took the initiative, and immediately ensured the sanctity of the stellar converter by re-positioning one Dalek guarding debris (2) and two Daleks by debris (4) back beside the terror weapon. Dalek Sec also trundled east towards the terrifying device. Further southwest, the Daleks by debris (3) moved southeast towards the fencing in order to cut off the Zygon Leader. All of the other Kaled Mark III travel machines remained stationary so as to use their disruptors at Full Blast...

THE DALEKS CHANGE FORMATION IN ORDER TO MAXIMISE THEIR FIREPOWER

Well aware of the scary amount of firepower about to be unleashed upon them, yet confident in their "Tough" trait's ability to ignore "shocked by Shooting attacks", the Zygon Elite by Tree (1) lumbered west towards debris (2). Close-by, one of the Zygons form the aliens' central group managed to reached debris (4), and activating the site's Spatial Disruption Vortex Node, moved south to put themselves in a gap in the fencing and shield the Zygon Leader. Their two Zygor-born brethren approached debris (4). Lastly, the Zygon Leader travelled west along the grassland using the wooden fencing as cover.

The Dalek by debris (2) raised his disruptor at the Zygon Elite before him. But then, because the Zygons played their "Friend Or Foe?" Adventure Card, it became "unsure whether their target is friend or foe", and was unable to "Shoot or Run this turn." Similarly, the Zygon in the gap in the fencing used "Conceal Identity" to allow it "to appear to be one of the enemy's." This resulted in the Daleks by debris (4) becoming utterly confused. However, the Daleks became even more alarmed when the two Zygons near debris (4) 'Shapeshifted' into two Silents, acquiring the "Hard To hit" trait which caused "all shots against" them to "count as inaccurate."

THE ZYGONS ATTACK AND IMMEDIATELY RECOVER A VORTEX NODE

Bewildered, but still deadly, the Dalek by debris (4) who hadn't moved opened fire upon the Silent-Zygons and shocked the heavily-disguised extraterrestrial. Another Dalek then fired upon the prone form and exterminated it! Sensing blood, the three Daleks by the stellar converter launched a salvo of firepower towards the Zygon Elite in the northeastern corner of the battlefield. All of their attacks were inaccurate on account of their long range, and resultantly, none of the blasts were able to overcome the Zygon's "Toughness".

Similarly, the Zygon Leader proved equally as resilient to the Dalek's firepower on the southern grassland. Whilst Dalek Sec, unable to fire upon any target himself, menacingly glided north of the disorientated Dalek by debris (2) to challenge the two members of the Zygon Elite.

ZYGON INGENUITY BEFUDDLES THE DALEKS AND CONJURES UP SPECIAL REINFORCEMENTS

Disappointingly, despite many of the Daleks overcoming the "Hindering" nature of their disruptors by standing still, and thereby firing their weapons at "Full Blast", the Zygon Faction's nefarious use of Adventure Cards and reliance upon their "Tough" trait, had seen the sucker-covered humanoids withstand the Skaro-based invaders' initial assault. And now, armed with their "Electrical Discharge" and "Poison Barbs", it would be the Zygon's turn to attack...

Dum Da Dum, Diddly Dum, Oo-ee-oos…