Upkeep -4 credits
Reece traded, gaining 2 basic supplies. Mila trained, gaining +1XP. Nat explored, gaining +2 XP. Kari sought to track down the raiders that had ambushed the crew, but with no luck.
Despite having a pile of quest clues, I didn't roll up a quest mission this turn. Instead playing out an opportunity mission.
Word had got to the crew that a Press Gang had been raiding farming settlements in the badlands, taking the able bodied to work in mines and factories. A tip off had them raiding a small, one street settlement next, and the crew would be waiting for them.
With Noah still in sick bay, deciphering the cult records, and Anul still absent, it was down to a reduced team to deal with the problem. With both sides having the same numbers, Reece was hoping that being better armed, they could intimidate them into backing off.
I was interested to see if starting the two sides within pistol shot would even the odds given the crew's effectiveness at range. They also needed to try to avoid using explosive weapons and causing property damage! The Press Gang had five members, including a leader with 2 hits, and a heavy with a shotgun.
Yep, time for High Noon, Five Parsecs style!
I used a similar system to the previous negotiation, drawing cards to see what would happen as the two parties faced off, and who would draw first.
Turn 1
Not an auspicious start for the crew, who only rolled up two fast actions, going to Jak and Kari. In a break with the normal turn order, the Press Gang leader drew and fired first, hitting Reece but not causing a wound.
Kari took cover behind a building corner, and Jak behind a green dune buggy. Kari scored two hits on the gang member in the long duster coat, causing no wounds, but receiving a 'stun' in return! Jak's shots at the shotgun wielding ganger missed, but in response the target unloaded his shotgun back in Jak's direction, causing a second stun on the crew, followed up (in the enemy part of the turn) by taking a wound off him as the ganger took cover behind another buggy!
One ganger then dashed down an alley to flank the crew while the other took cover with his shotgun armed colleague, firing at Kari to no effect. The long coated ganger took cover behind a building corner, firing ineffectively at Reece.
Mila and Nat both took cover behind the same buggy as Jak, firing on, but missing, 'Shotgun' (although Nat got a 'stun' result). Reece ran down the alley past Kari, planning to use his jump belt next turn.
Press Gang, who I will refer to (left to right) as
Mask, Shotgun, Boss, Long Coat and Long Hair
Kari, Jak (new model), Reece, Nat and Mila
"go for your guns!"
Jak takes a wound and stun from Shotgun (top right)
"You're getting both barrels!"
Long Hair goes for the flank
Boss in the middle, Shotgun and mask at the top,
Long Coat behind the building
Reece heads past Kari
"Let's all hide here..."
Turn 2
A better start as the crew roll up four quick actions - only Reece didn't get one.
Jak swiftly took out shotgun, causing Mask to run for it.
"Bang!"
"Run away!"
Kari moved up to the buggy that shotgun had been hiding behind and managed to put a wound on the Boss. Nat and Kari tried to follow up but unsuccessfully. The Boss then moved up to take Shotgun's former position and fired at Kari; no hit but he did cause another stun. Brown Coat then fired on Kari from across the street, not hitting, but causing a third stun, forcing Kari to 'bug out'. She rolled high for movement and ran!
"I'm getting out of here!"
Meanwhile Long Hair worked his way around behind the takeaway.
Reece used his jump belt to get on top of the building above the Boss, but couldn't cause a wound.
"Look out below!"
Turn 3
Two quick actions went to Jak and Nat. Jak charged over to the boss and beat him down in a brawl using the suppression maul.
Nat attempted to ambush Long Hair behind the takeaway kiosk, getting a stun result but nothing else.
Browncoat fired at Jak but it was a no sell against his combat armour. Jak snapped a shot off quickly and dropped Browncoat! (rolled a six for 'return fire').
Long hair came around the kiosk and fired a Mila, hitting her but not wounding. In return she charged in to a brawl with him, but lost, taking a hit but, fortunately, no wound.
Meanwhile, Reece took down Mask from his vantage point, and Kari left the table!
Down to only one member, the Long Hair took a morale test, somehow managing not to fail on four dice! Nonetheless it was clear his only chance would be to get out of dodge as quick as possible in the next turn.
Turn 4
Unfortunately for him, it was not to be, as Nat and Jak got fast actions and Jak finally took him down in a three on one brawl.
Conclusions and Aftermath
A short, brutal, fast moving but really fun game! Keeping everything at close range meant the action was pretty fast and furious (the rules for return fire and stuns helped) and we had more brawls than usual - even with higher Combat Skill it's a bit of a lottery how it will turn out!
Kari is not going to cope well with having run, only for Jak to mop pretty much everything else up!
The grateful townsfolk contributed three credits and seven alien relics (who knows where they came from!).
Jak's wound turned out not to be serious, with no long term effects or time in sick bay needed.
Reece +3 XP )levelled up combat and gained a veteran rank)
Nat +3 XP
Kari +3 XP
Jak +5 XP (levelled up combat)
Mila +3 XP (gained a veteran rank)
Reece gained another +2 XP from reflecting on his adventures so far, and another one because of the local food!
