Mar's Attacks - The Foreshadowing Battle Report - Turn 5

TURN 5

Note: Go over to here if you want to see Turn 4.

"We're screwed. Game over, man. Game over."@

@ - Trivia question. For 5 points, can you identify the movie this line comes from?

Initiative Phase

With things looking very bad for the Bandits, they win the Initiative for the turn giving them a chance to escape. The Martians will activate after the Bandits, then the Mercenaries thereafter before finally the Zombies. But if the Martians escape, its Game over!

Movement Phase

The Bandits waste no time in fleeing the field. The Zombies, who are just out of melee, look on with blank and muted faces.

Run away. Run awaaaaaayyy.

The Bandits lost a total of six of their nine strong crew, leaving only three survivors. A stunning defeat for the Bandits who hopped to find some juicy loot to sell on the black market.

The dishonourable dead and the fleeing.

The Martians get to activate next and the first thing they have to do is see if their Engineer has fixed their flying saucer. Needing a total of 8, and (being now Turn 5) with a +5 bonus to the die roll, he rolls a total of 11. The Martians are out of there.

Each Martian is either within movement range of the saucer or already standing on it. Even the grunt on the mezzanine floor can simply vault over the balcony and on to the saucer. With an "Arkakak!" from the Martian Leader, they all pile on in and kick over the ignition. With a high-pitched wining sound, the saucer begins to lift off and moments later exits the factory main entrance. The Mercenaries look on in stunned amazement as the Martian craft rises slowly before zooming off into the sky.

With that, all that is left of the Mercs to do is search the abandoned factory. There they find pieces of an unusual metal alloy scattered around some discarded strange looking hand tools whose function isn't readily apparent. They also find a number of smouldering ash heaps, a couple of Zombies, whom they dispatch with prejudice, two munched on Bandit corpses, and a single frightened human woman whom they rescue.

One key prize that the Mercs find however lays out in front of the main entrance to the factory. There, its brain popped like an over-ripe melon, is a single alien figure. Next to this oddity is an unusual weapon. The body and weapon they will take back to HQ for sending on to the boffins at the military research facility for further examination. But for now, at least, the military knows that the Martians exist and pose a significant threat to Earth. All wonder what this encounter now foreshadows in the years to come. Earth has been warned.

"What the hell is this ugly thing?"

@ Trivian question answer: Aliens.

Mar's Attacks - The Foreshadowing Battle Report - Turn 4

TURN 4

Note: Turn 3 can be found here.

So, things aren't looking too well for the Bandit crew. They have lost several crew members already and after shooting it out with the Martians, they now are facing down mindless Zone Zombies. Ex-Soldiers who have had their brains fried by the effects of one of the frequent emissions within the Zone.

Initiative Phase

The Mercenaries finally get a chance to act first, winning the Initiative. The Bandits will follow them and then the Martian faction. Last of all will be the Zombies. The benefit of this is that the Martians are now locked down for the entire turn. As soon as they fix their flying saucer, they can escape when each Martian is onboard. With the Mercs getting the Initiative, the Martians are last of all to act this turn. So we will see how they go fixing their craft.

Movement Phase

The Merc's move up to the objective, the abandoned factory where the strange aircraft has been spotted. They move keeping the abandoned military vehicles covering their approach.

The Bandits, having now lost four of their crew, have had enough. Almost half their number gone and nothing good to show for it, it's time to get out of here. So, they begin falling back the way they came covering each other. But they can't make it off the map yet.

It's now time for the Martians to move and first off, their Engineer must test to see if he can get their saucer working properly again. Needing a total of 8, the Engineer rolls a d8 and adds the turn number (i.e. 4). He rolls a 2! Nope, the ship won't kick over and frustration is written all over the Engineers ugly face as he shouts expletives in Martian; "Akakakakakakak." But the Engineer remains at his post so he can try to fix the saucer again next turn.

The Martian Leader and his offsider, having been Rattled by a grenade explosion last turn, get themselves to their feet.

The Martian's on the other side of the main entrance to the factory meanwhile take positions to better get shots at the approaching Zombie who seems to be living a charmed, if somewhat brain-dead, life right now. The Martian on the mezzanine floor also wants to end that Zombies meaningless life and so Aims instead of moving this phase.

Finally, the Zombies shaffle forwards. The two Zombies who took down the Bandit last turn surge after the retreating Bandit crew. One of these Zombies manages to catch another hapless crewmember in a melee.

Meanwhile, the charmed Zombie moves towards the Martians who took a few chunks off it last turn.

Out on the road, the remaining two Zombies from the truck shuffle past the abandoned BTR70 and head in the direction of the Mercenaries after losing sight of them.

Now there remains the issue of the Martian's female human captive. She has been left all alone again and may just have worked up enough courage to make a break for it. She now needs to roll 1 to 3 on a d8 to have enough courage to make a break for freedom. If she doesn't this turn, and remains on her own, her chances next turn will go up by one (i.e. 1-4 on a d8). She rolls a 3 and she is out of there!

She moves quickly and as quietly as possible to the ladder and up to the first floor. Spying that the Martian on the mezzanine floor has his back to her, and the Martian Engineer is also too busy to spot her, she makes a break for the side entrance to the factory. All she can hope for is that the Martian on this floor doesn't look over his shoulder outside one of the windows and spy her. Of course, she has no idea about the two Zombies on the road. This could prove interesting.

Fight Phase

The only melee that currently exists this turn is the Zombie and Bandit. The Zombie proves too good for the Bandit and drags him down screaming as it chomps on his neck. That's five dead Bandits now and the crew drops below half.

Aaaarrrrrrgggg....

Shooting Phase

Only one Merc has any LOS on anything in range, and that's a Zombie. But the Zombie is in Partial Cover due to the vehicles. The Merc shoots and misses the damned thing. Well, be probably hit it a bit, but the creatures Survival successes outnumbered the Merc's shots. These things have proved to be pretty resilient against bullets and heat rays.

Now it's the Bandits turn to shoot. The terrified Bandits open up at close range on the Zombies. The left most Bandit shoots at the Zombie in front of him, but the thing proves too resilient to be taken down. The remaining Bandits open fire on the other Zombie that still has blood and gore streaming from the entrails of their former colleague. The three Bandits fire, each in turn. But incredibly the Zombie shrugs off the hits one after another, surviving them all. The Bandits must have been shooting wildly in terror. Blind panic will do that to you.

Now the Martians get to shoot. The Martian on the mezzanine floor, not having moved last turn, gets an Aim bonus. He targets the Zombie below him and fires his heat ray. Intense concentrated heat blasts down at the creature, the Martian scoring 3 hits. But the Zombie rolls 3 Survival successes and survives. This thing is truly living a charmed brain-dead life.

Next, the Martian on the ground floor, closest to the Zombie, fires his heat ray at point blank range. This time 4 hits to 2 Survival successes sees the creature finally burned to ash. This Zombie has survived five shooting attacks without issue. However, in the end, it was only flesh and blood. Well, now it's just ashes.

"Ak, aak..." Martian for; "I smell BBQ."

Now, only the Martian Leader and his offsider have any target in LOS. The Martian grunt spies the Bandits through the window and shoots his heat ray and one of them. Payback time as the heat ray does 3 hits to the Bandit's 1 Survival success. With that, another Bandit turns to ash.

This must have made the group of Bandits on the right hit the dirt as the Martian Leader only manages to score 1 hit with his own shot, his Bandit target rolling more Survival Success and thus escaping by the skin of his teeth.

One that note Turn 4 comes to a close. Of the nine original Bandits in the crew, three now remain alive and are in a blind panic determined to get out of there. We'll see how that goes.

Mar's Attacks - The Foreshadowing Battle Report - Turn 3

TURN 3

Note: You can find Turn 2 here.

Initiative Phase

The Bandits win the Initiative this turn again. The Martians and then the Mercenaries will follow in sequence thereafter.

Movement Phase

The Bandits get first movement and begin to fall back towards the Skip Bin next to the abandoned warehouse or move from the rear of the truck to the front, cautious to keep cover as they go. Other Bandits hug the factory wall hoping to score another kill on the Martians whilst remaining in Partial Cover.

Now it's the Martian's phase to move. The Martian grunt guarding the woman hostage, at the sound of gunfire and explosions, leaves her and moves to assist his comrades.

Meanwhile, the Martian grunt outside the factory falls back to just inside the entrance, not wanting the possibility of his head exploding like his comrades did. The Martian on the mezzanine floor has had enough of the Zombies and takes Aim. The Martian Leader and grunt, Rattled by the grenade explosion last turn, get back to their feet.

Finally, the Mercenaries get their chance to move. Moving up towards the factory entrance in two firing lines, the Mercs make good use of the cover afforded by the abandoned military vehicles.

Last of all, the Zombies get to move. They automatically move to the closest sound, if they have no line of sight (LOS) to a target or move to the closest target if they have LOS.

The two Zombies inside the factory compound move towards their nearest target, which just happens to now be one of the hapless Bandits near the factory main entrance. Meanwhile a third Zombie enters the compound through the main gate.

Frozen with fright, the bandit gets run down by Zombies.

The Zombies on the back of the military truck jump down and shamble towards to nearest sound, which happens to be the gunfire caused by the Mercenaries the previous turn.

Finally, one last Zombie, who had been on the other side of the line of military vehicles, rushes out towards the Merc Leader. However, it comes up just short of being able to engage the Leader in a Fight.

Surprise!

One final event now has to be checked for. The captive human woman, now all alone as the Martian has left the room to help his comrades, has the chance to attempt to escape if her nerve holds true. On a roll of 1 or 2 she will overcome her fear and flee the safest way possible. Each Turn she is alone, she will be able to add +1 to her die roll to gather her courage and attempt escape. So, the next turn, she can attempt to make her escape on a roll of 1 to 3. The tune after, the roll will be 1 to 4, etc. Eventually, if left alone for and enough turns elapse, she will automatically find her courage and make a break for it.

She rolls a 5. She remains overwhelmed by her situation and stays where she is.

Fight Phase

The Bandits have the Initiative this turn and so Fight first. The Bandit if melee with the two Zombies in the factory compound starts throwing punches at the brainless horrors before him. He scores two hits to the Zombies two Survival successes. Thus, the fighting ends in a draw and he is forced to stay in the melee for next turn fighting for his life. As this is the only fisticuffs, the Fight Phase ends. 

Shooting Phase

The Bandits get the first chance to fire off some rounds. Only the Bandit by the factory window and a Bandit by the front of the truck, have any LOS to an enemy. Both can see ugly Martian heads through the factory windows. Those Martians being in Partial Cover.

The Bandit at the truck shoots through the window but misses his Martian target when the alien rolls four Survival successes due to a number of 8's coming up on the dice. Should have cleaned his gun barrel before heading out today!

Not to be outdone, the Bandit at the window drops another grenade through the broken window frame.

The resultant explosion impacts the Martian Leader and another Martian grunt, knocking them to the ground. But the Martian armour proves too strong, and both become Rattled but and won't be able to shoot this turn. But another lucky escape for both of them. With that, Shooting passes to the Martians.

Three Martians have LOS on a target, that being the two un-Rattled grunts on the ground floor near the main door, and the Martian on the mezzanine floor. Their only target however is the Zombie that just entered the compound.

The Martian on the mezzanine floor got to Aim during the Movement Phase and so opens fire first, scoring a total of four hits. As the smoke clears, the Zombie manages to role a total of six Survival successes, plus Zombies are considered to be Armoured, so a total of seven Survival successes. As the smoke clears, the Zombie shambles onwards. It's missing an arm and has some holes in it. But it's still going, nonetheless.

Next, one of the two Martian grunts on the ground floor fires, scoring three hits. But the Zombie manages a total of three Survival successes, meaning it's a draw and the thing is still standing. It does have a few more chunks off it though.

Finally, the last of the two grunts on the ground floor fires his heat ray, scoring just one hit. Yet again, the Zombie miraculously rolls a single Survival success and remains lumbering towards them. This lump of brainless flesh has taken three hits from Martian heat rays and is still standing. Incredible!

Now Shooting passes to the Mercs. Their immediate concerns lay with the Zombie that's gotten up close and personal as well as the four Zombies lumbering down the road towards them.

The Merc Leader opens up point blank on the Zombie in front of him, riddling it with bullets. But it survives. His colleague next to him also opens fire on the creature, scoring five hits (thanks to rolls of 8 granting additional die rolls!) to the Zombies single Survival success, tearing the hapless thing into nondescript body parts and spraying the green military vehicles next to it in a shade of red.

The next Merc in the right-hand firing line, spying the Zombies coming down the road, tosses a grenade. The resulting explosion however only manages to kill a single Zombie.

Yeap, that should hit three of them.

Damn, only one down!

The last Merc on the right-hand line also tosses a grenade hoping to get the two nearest Zombies in its blast. However, he only succeeds in killing one more of the creatures.

Well, that's two down!

Finally, it's the Zombies turn. They have one of the Bandits locked in melee and, as Zombies get to act last of all, get a cheeky out of sequence Fight Phase. By rights, they should fight in the proper Fight Phase, but this seemed more cinematic and dramatic. So, I decided, "Why not!"

The Bandit manages to fend off the first Zombies attack but is dragged down by the second Zombie and has his neck bitten off. That's another Bandit dead.

Aaaaaaaarrrgh

With that Turn 3 comes to an end. From Turn 4 onwards, the Martians will test each turn to see if they have repaired their saucer. If they do, they can escape back to their Mothership.

Stay tuned!