Hmmm, does that set-up sound familiar? It should, it was the exact same set-up I
used for my last game of Tomorrow’s War. It is based on the first scenario in the main
rulebook. You can see the results of
that battle report here. The Stormtroopers proved why they are one of
the most feared shock troops in the galaxy in that battle.
Today, I thought it would be fun to play the exact same
battle, but this time use the rules for Rampant
Stars instead. Let’s see what
happens.
Forces:
Imperial Stormtroopers of the Galactic Empire
3 units of Stormtroopers of the Galactic Empire
Alpha- Command
Bravo
Charlie
Regular Infantry- 3 pts
Armored- +2 pts
Disciplined- +2 Pts
Force= 21 Points
Rebel Scum
4 Units of Rebel Scum
Team 1- Command
Team 2,3, 4
Irregular Infantry- 2 Pts.
Rapid Fire- +2 Pts
Rapid Movement- +1 pt
1 unit has the Commanding Leader- +2 Pts.
Force= 22 Pts
Today’s miniatures are old Micro Machine toys from
Galoob.
Mission:
Normally, Missions in Rampant Stars are determined randomly. However, I want to play the same mission as Tomorrow’s War Lost and Found. The mission is for the Imperial Stormtroopers
to get to the Imperial Navy Pilot and escort him off the board back to
base. They can do this by moving him
into coherency and “picking him up”. If
the unit is destroyed or wiped out the pilot remains where the unit was until
another unit “picks him up” by moving into coherency. Only the Imperials may pick-up the pilot and
the pilot can not be killed by shooting or assault.
The game lasts 1 hour, 8 turns, or until one side is
destroyed/routing.
Now, Rampant Stars
also typically has Complications and Locations as well. This location is Outdoors, Jungle. We will not be using a complication for this
battle.
Set-up:
In the center of the board is my trusty electrical box
barn surrounded by a fence. There are
two bridges over the center stream. The
outskirts of the board are all jungle with some jungle in the center. The pilot is in the barn. The Rebels start in the edges of the Jungle
while the Imperials are in the south edge near some ruins.
Turn 1:
Rampant Stars uses
a relatively simple I-Go-U-Go system with the Attackers usually going
first. In this scenario, that means the
Stormtroopers are going to be giving orders first.
All the Stormtrooper squads move forward with successful
command rolls. Two even double time it
forward. All Rebel Units managed to fail
their orders and start the game shaken!
That was a poor bit of rolling to get us going. Even the Inspiring Leadership failed to do
anything.
Turn 2:
Stormtrooper units rush towards the first bridge.
Rebel team 2 and the command squad rally. The others are still confused.
Turn 3:
Stormtrooper squad Alpha (The command squad) begins
moving across the bridge using a Move and Shoot order. They target the Rebel Squad two in
cover. They manage to reduce them three
effectiveness points. Stormtrooper squad
Charlie rushes towards the second bridge, while Bravo is momentarily confused
by the shooting.
Rebel team 4 stays shaken. In the meantime, team 3 rallies. The command squad double times it to the edge
of the barnyard.
Team 2 returns fire on Stormtrooper squad Alpha on the
bridge. There shots are true and the
Stormtroopers lose 2 Effectiveness.
Turn 4:
Alpha squad doesn’t both shooting and instead hoofs it
across the bridge towards the pilot.
Charlie moves forward and shoots at the shaken Team 4 and reduces them 3
effectiveness at long range. Bravo
rallies.
Rebel team 4 is shaken from the Stormtrooper shots and
can not rally. Team 3 rushes towards the
second bridge.
Meanwhile the command squad opens up on the Alpha team
approaching the pilot. Their shooting is
accurate and reduces them 2 Effectiveness rating and causes them to retreat to
the bridge shaken.
Rebel team 2 also fires on the retreating Alpha, but
their shooting is ineffective.
Turn 5:
Charlie moves to the stream edge and fires across the
barnyard at the command squad and reducing them 1 effectiveness. Alpha rallies while Bravo pours fire into
Rebel Team 2. They are down to 4
effectiveness and just barely keep from retreating.
Team 4 stays shaken.
Team 3 moves up and fires on Charlie but fails to find the mark. The command team’s accurate fire again causes
Alpha to retreat, the Imperial Navy Officer appears unwilling to risk his own
skin in this battle. Team 2 tries some
long range potshots at the retreating unit reducing them an additional 1
effectiveness.
Turn 6:
Charlie and Bravo concentrate fire on the Rebel Command
squad and reduce it to 4 Effectiveness.
However, they refuse to retreat from their position! Meanwhile, Alpha rallies.
Rebel Team 4 rallies!
However Team 2 and 3 are confused and shaken momentarily. The Command Squad moves to a position out of
fire behind the barn.
Turn 7:
Alpha fires on Team 2 and causes them to retreat
back. They are at Effectiveness 3
only. Charlie gets confused and
shaken. Meanwhile, Bravo double times it
across the bridge desperate to get to the Pilot.
Team 4 finally does something and shoots into Charlie
squad reducing them 1 effectiveness!
Team 3 fails to rally. Team 2
fails to rally. The Command Squad moves
into the Barnyard to contest the Pilot from squad Bravo.
Turn 8- Final Turn
Bravo team opens fire on the Command squad and shoots
them down to 0 Effectiveness. Alpha team
tries to rout Team 2, but fails to cause anymore damage. Charlie rallies.
Team 4 shoots up Charlie squad and reduces them another Effectiveness
rating. Team 2 and 3 fail to rally and
end the game shaken.
Conclusion:
The game ends after 8 turns and 45 minutes of game play
with photos and documenting.
Stormtroopers were reduced 8 Combat Effectiveness and the Rebels lost 20
Combat Effectiveness. However, despite
the lopsided Combat Effectiveness totals, the rebels won the scenario by
holding off the Stormtroopers long enough!
The battle took a
sudden with familiar whip-crack of X-wing blaster cannons. The ground around the barn was ripped apart
as the rebel X-wing zoomed in from overhead.
The Imperial officer was forced to sound a withdrawal as his troopers
had nothing that could put that X-wing down.
The remaining rebels looked around confused for a moment before a ragged
cheer went up. The X-wing circled for a
few moments and waggled his wings in victory before peeling away to a new
challenge. Rebel troopers had soon
rousted out the Imperial pilot and took him prisoner.
Final Thoughts:
The scenario ended much differently for the Imperials in Rampant Stars than it did in Tomorrow’s War. In this battle, the Rebels were out classed
but were able to stall the Stormtroopers long enough for the win. The Disciplined Trait of the Stormtroopers
helped them push forward consistently, while the rebels Rapid Fire skill
allowed them to still make long range shooting deadly. A well matched game that went down to a few
key decisions and dice rolls.
If you are interested in reading more Rampant Stars battle reports look here and here. You can pick-up the
rules for yourself here.
That was even more fun than the Tomorrow's War report. The constant failing of activation rolls really adds a sense of troops more interested in living to fight another day.
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