Thursday, May 18, 2017

Rampant Stars: Battle Report- Rumble in the Jungle


Welcome to my latest battle report for RAMPANT STARS.  This time, I decided to try using the rules as a 1:1 skirmish game instead of a squad based skirmish game.  That means, each “unit” will be a single model with 10 Effectiveness rating each.  A small tweak, but I wanted to get my old Necromunda Cawdor and Demon Blade Shockforce models on the table for a game.   

A Cult in the nearby dome-city stumbled upon an ancient map to the location of a holy data point.  However, the Cult needs to venture outside into the Jungles that surround their hab to locate it.  Little do they know that the datapoint is also sacred to the local Tribals.  As the Cult approaches, the Tribals set-up to stop them    

Cultists
Irregular Infantry Commander- Grenade Launcher Cawdor
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (+3)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
Squad Support weapon (+2)- Double Potential Hits
Blast (+1)- Ignore cover

Irregular Infantry- Sword and gun
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (+3)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
Combat Weapons (+1)- Short range, double dice for assault
Fierce (+2)

Irregular Infantry- Sword and gun
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (+3)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
Combat Weapons (+1)- Short range, double dice for assault
Fierce (+2)

Irregular Infantry- Auto-gun guy
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (+2)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
Rapid Fire (+2)- Double dice at short, 1.5 at long, may not be used with a  move and shoot order

Irregular Infantry- Shot-gun guy
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (-2 +1)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
Obsolete Weapon (-2)- Short 0-8, Long 9-16
Blast (+1)- Ignores cover

Irregular Infantry- Las-gun guy aiming
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (+2)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
Marksman (+2)- Re-roll failed shoot attacks on shoot orders.

Irregular Infantry- Heavy Bolter
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (+4)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
Armor-piercing (+2)
Rapid-fire (+2)

Total Points= 30 points



Tribals
Irregular Infantry Commander- Shaman
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (+4)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
Psionic Powers (+4)

Irregular Infantry- Saw and Shield
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (+3)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1(+1)
Traits:
Combat Weapons (+1)- Short range, double dice for assault
Armored (+2)

2x Irregular Infantry- Las-gun guy aiming
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (+2)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
Marksman (+2)- Re-roll failed shoot attacks on shoot orders

Irregular Infantry- Las-gun guy white hair
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2 (+3)
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
Hover (+2)- Ignores Difficult Terrain to act as a scout
Rapid Move (+1)- Roll d6 for Rapid Movement

3x Irregular Infantry- Las-gun guy
Irregular Infantry             Effectiveness rating:  10                                Points: 2
Move    Command           Assault                 Defense               Shoot    Armor 
6              4+                           4+                           5+                           4+           1
Traits:
None

Total Points= 30 points


Mission
Missions are generated by rolling 3d6 three times and consulting a mission, complication, and Location chart.  Of course, you don’t have to roll any at all, but for a test game we might as well go for it!  

Secure the Datapoint
The defender sets up the board per the terrain guidelines. A token is placed in the center of the board. The attacker chooses a table edge. The defender deploys on the opposite table edge within 6 inches.
The attacker then deploys within 6 inches of the edge. Each side is trying to hold the data-point token at the center of the board by having an intact unit covering it at the end of turn 8, one hour, or until one side is destroyed/routing. The force on the token at the end wins, if no one is on the token, it is a draw.

The Cultists will be the attackers.

Dawn

The battle starts at the break of dawn. Initial Line-of-sight is 0’ inches. At the end of each turn, the Line-of-Sight distance increases by 6 inches. Therefore, at the end of Turn 1 the Line-of-sight is 6 inches, at the end of turn 2 it is 12 inches, at the end of turn 3 it is 18 inches, etc, etc. This continues until the full length of the board is available.

Location
Outdoor, Jungle

The battle takes place on a Jungle world with huge trees, brightly colored foliage, and dense brush. Shooting only has a Line-of-sight of 6 inches while in the jungle. In addition, the entire board is considered to be difficult terrain. Gaps, clearings and paths are normal, open terrain.

Well then…. this should be something. 

Set-up
This board is 4x4 in size using my classic Jungle terrain segments first made for Codex: Catachan.  The brown is considered open trails with normal LOS and terrain.  Anything green is considered jungle and only has a 6 inch LOS and considered in difficult terrain.     

The totem rock in the center of the board is the data-point.  Overlooking it is the ruins of a hilltop fortress, but there seems to be only one winding path that even gets close to the Totem.  The Tribals set-up on the path on their side of the board and are ready to move in towards the totem as quickly as possible.  The Cultists are on the opposite side, spread out along a game trail.


Turn 1:
The Cultists go first, but only the Shotgun guy, auto-gun guy, and Leader manage to press ahead.  The rest are scared of the darkness and the Jungle. 

The Tribal shaman, a Marksman, and a disposable all make for the Totem.  Meanwhile a Marksman tries to move along a flanking path.  The rest are confused by the darkness. 

Turn 2:
As the sun rises, the Jungle begins to stir.  Only the shotgun cultist and the leader keep their wits about them and press ahead.  The rest failed to rally and stay shaken. 

The jungle noises cause the advancing tribal party to pause and survey their surroundings cautiously, stalling their advance up the trail.  However, their flanking Marksman manages to get to a good position over-watching the totem and in cover. 


Turn 3:
The Cultist leader moves up the flanking trail, but comes to a dead end.  He will have to plunge through the jungle to get closer to his target.  Meanwhile, his Marksman brother moves up towards the main trail.  The rest stay crouched and scanning for danger.  
The Tribals quickly gather their wits.  Their lagging troopers scramble forward to join the main warband.  Meanwhile, their Ghost Who Walks moves to the base of the hill fort.  Their Marksman boldly moves forward to block the path forward for the main Cultist troops.



Turn 4:
The Marksman Bretheren dashes up, covered by his buddy.  The Shotgunner gathers his wits and prepares to press forward.  The Cultist Commander presses forward into the jungle.  The Heavy and the Close Combat gangers stay stricken in fear at the path they started on. 


The Marksman Tribal moves and shoots into the cover the Shotgun cultist is in.  The spray of las-shots cause the Cultist to lose 1 Effectiveness rating from fear.  The shaman and two other tribesman move up towards the totem.  The second Marksman double times to his fellow marksman and sets-up to secure the path. 

Turn 5:
The Cultist Leader double times through the Jungle and gets to the base of the Hill top fort.  The Auto-gun cultist sprints towards the totem.  The Shotgun cultist is shaken and fails to act.  Unsurprisingly, the two “fierce” cultists stand around quaking in fear. 

The Marksman turns and fires at the Marksman tribal through cover.  However, careful aims pays off and reduces the Tribal 3 Effectiveness. 

The Shaman uses “New Ways to Motivate Them” on the shield bearing tribal.  One of the Marksman fires on the Cult Marksman and reduces them 1 Effectiveness rating.  The Tribal soldier moves to base-to-base with the totem. 

Turn 6
In a critical turn, all the Cultists fail their Command Check, except 1.  The Marksman fires on the unhurt and unshaken tribal Marksman and reduces him 4 Effectiveness points!  That is pretty good considering he is in cover! 


The shield bearing tribal manages to fail his activation even with the Pscionics on him!  The Shaman fails his action test to move as well.  One Marksman rallies while the other moves into base-to-base with the totem.  Another Tribal grunt rallies near the shaman.  The rest fail to activate. 

Turn 7
It doesn’t look like the Cultists can do much to stop the Tribals from securing the data-point in the totem.  The Shotgunner rallies, but the rest fail their Command checks.  I should have kept the commander closer to his buddies.    

A Tribal Grunt activates and moves into base-to-base with the Totem, securing the objective with a third unit.  The Shield Bearing Tribal rallies, and the others fail to activate or rally as needed.  One of the Marksman fires at the Auto-gun Cultist and reduces them 3 Effectiveness rating. 

 Conclusion:
Tribals win!  They have 1 Marksman and two Grunts securing the Objective.  A pretty convincing win!  

Final Thoughts:
This was a tough Mission, Complication, and Location for Irregular Infantry forces.  They do not have a reliable Command rating to get them to the Objective in 8 turns easily.  Especially since failing a command check sidelines the unit for the next turn as well while they rally.  Two of the Cultist Units never even moved from the starting point as they could not pass a rally test all game!  Perhaps I should have used a 3x3 board to help the units get into the action quicker? 

The system worked just as well using individual models as it does with squads.  Its simplicity is the key to its versatility.  The Marksman were worth the points and managed to get good shots in tough cover and ranges.  The Pscionist not so much, and Hover/Rapid Movement guy not so much either.  The CC oriented units were absolutely worthless in this game and I will need to see how they fair in other games. 

In addition, I found a few more typos in the rules so I updated the PDF.  Nothing disastrous but some errors in target numbers for Pscionic powers to activate using 2d6 instead of a d6.

This game was set-up, played, documented, and stripped back to bare table again in 1 hour and 15 minutes.  One goal for the game was quick gameplay.  I think Rampant Stars delivers on that front. 


Feel free to try out the rules for yourself here: http://www.wargamevault.com/product/209268/Rampant-Stars?src=newest_recent

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