Stitches had been right, Donnie was not taking Bobbie Tarantine's provocation lying down. It was going to be war.
Donnie had been in the gambling den's office when Stitches pulled Tony Baloney into the room. The kid was still all shaken up, but he had enough wits about him to spill the beans to his boss. Stitches had never seen Donnie turn red in the face like he did that night, and he knew then that Bobbie was going to go big or go home.
"Stitches, gather up the crew. It's time we taught those Double Dueces that we are not under their thumbs no more. We're goin' our own way."
The next week, Suzie Q got the info the boss had needed. The Double Dueces had a small shop where they had stashed a safe. Inside was supposedly a stash of incriminating photos and the like. Tarantine had used the goods in the safe to blackmail the Commissioner to spring his girl Queenie out of the slammer. That was the kind of juice that Donnie needed. He knew getting the goods in the safe would be good for him, and a big loss for Bobbie.
As a added bonus, Suzie had heard that Queenie herself was there after her stay at the concrete hotel. Stitches was eager to pay her back for what she did to Big Knuckles and Tony. However, he was pretty sure he would need to get in line, since big Knuckles had his own ideas. As an added bonus, Donnie thought taking out Bobbie's main squeeze would add just that extra bit of jazz to make this an extra Big Score.
That was how you made a big splash in this town!
The Score
The Upper East Siders had staked a Gambling Den on this scenario, while the Double Deuces staked their new Cheap Hooch turf. Since the Upper Eastsiders turf was worth double the Double Deuces, they got to choose to run a Big Score instead of a normal one. In a Big Score, both sides choose a Score, and the Upper East Siders are trying to accomplish both! This could score them +2 Rep and a Favor in addition to any other winnings!
Donnie Ricketts and the Upper East Sides choose to play The Hit score, and secretly picked Queenie as the target of their Hit. Meanwhile, Bobbie Tarantine and the Double Deuces choose the Safe Cracking Score, so the Upper East Siders would need to get into a locked safe and grab the goods inside.
It's raining and the gangs will clash at dawn. There are no other complications.
The Gangs
During a Big Score, the normal gang limits are not in place. This is the kind of score where everyone gets called to the table!
The Upper East Siders will be lead by Donnie himself. The only one not coming is Tony "Baloney" Maloney because Queenie put him in the hospital last week, and he was still recovering.
Upper East Siders
Donnie Ricketts- Boss- Pistol, Fancy Suit, Pocket Watch
Nanny Nancy Grace- Gun Moll- Shotgun, Lock picks, Cigs
Stitches McAvery- Gangster- Tommy Gun
Ray "Big Knuckles" Smitty- Gangster- Pistol, Brass Knuckles
"Knock-Knock" Lucino- Gangster- Revolver, Billy Club
Billie "Da Babe" Bambino- Hood- Bat, Snubnose
Suzie "Q"- Flapper- Pistol, First-Aid kit
Bobbie and his gang are also bringing everyone to the Big Score. The Double Deuces will be missing Bobby "2 Hearts" Henrizio as he is recovering from an eye injury suffered last week. The Double Deuces also have a Rep of 1, so they have a re-roll.
Double Deuces
Bobbie Taratine- Boss- Pistol, Fancy Suit, Lock Picks
Maria "Queenie" Lambuzzio- Femme Fatale- Tommy Gun
Tony "Spades" Gambio- Gangster- Tommy Gun
Al "9 Clubs" Guizzie- Gangster- Tommy Gun
Rickie "Push" Puzzino- Gangster- Shotgun
The Set-up
The board is a 3x3 foot board. In this case, the defender gets to set-up the terrain to fit the Score. The Safe-Cracking Score requires a building or something similar to be placed in the deployment zone of the defender. In this case, the Double Deuces decide to put the Oldfield Tire Shop as the location of the safe. The Defender's (The Double Deuces) can place models anywhere within the center of the board OR from their hide-out.
The rest of the board is a scattering of industrial buildings, alleyways, and roads. The Upper Eastsiders get to spread themselves to any of the other board edges, but can not come within 12 inches of any of the Double Deuces. This allows them to spread out across town, and move in under cover. They form a loose net with Donnie, Nancy, and the other gangsters out front, while Tony and Suzie form a back-up.
Turn 1:
The Rain and the Dawn will make visibility pretty short this first turn or two.
Bambino from the Upper East Siders moves up the alleyway, and tries to activate a second time but fails. This turns play over to the Double Dueces right away.
The Dueces manage to take positions covering the approaches. Queenie comes out to support Spades on the left side, while Push moves up to help Al on the right. Bobbie stayed in the Tire Shop. With the Double Deuces all moving, play turned over to the Upper East Siders.
The rest of the Upper East Siders move up. Big Knuckles moves up along the far side alleyway. The rest carefully move up, trying to slice the pie on the angels of approach to reduce their risk. Suzie Q stays close to Donnie with her First Aid kit.
Turn 2:
The sun is starting rise and lighten up the damp morning. However, the rain keeps visibility short.
The Upper East Siders maintain the initiative. Smitty "Big Knuckles" rounds a corner and sees Spades, and tries to shoot him. However, the Gangster sees him at the last second and ducks, causing Smitty to miss.
Stitches moves up, and also sees Spades. He levels his Tommy and opens up. This time, Spades barely manages to duck back behind the wall for cover. However, he is out of Combat Pool dice. Bambino moves up and fires his snub nose, but it is not up to the task and misses.
Tony "Knock-Knock" moves to the edge of his alley and takes cover. Meanwhile, Nanny tries to get to the other side, but fails a second activation roll and turns play over to the Double Dueces.
Spades falls back away from Smitty. Queenie moves up enough to shoot at Knock-Knock. However, she fails her second activation test to fire and play goes BACK to the Upper East Siders.
Nanny manages to finish getting into cover. Meanwhile, Donnie and Suzie Q move up and get ready to go where the most trouble is.
Now, the rest of the Double Dueces get to act. They move into position to start shooting next turn when the Upper East Siders have to show themselves.
Turn 2:
The Upper East Siders win Initiative again. The rain let's up, and the sun is coming up, so LOS is up to 18 inches.
Bambino recklessly moves towards Queenie, but fails his second activation roll and is caught out in the open. Thankfully he still has all his CP!
Queenie levels her Tommy and opens up on "The Babe" as he approaches. She scores 1 success more than him, but also uses a Striking Success to try an Pin him in the alley. The shots only ping close by and fail to injure him, but he is pinned as he hunches down for non-existant cover. Queenie tries to activate again to keep shooting, but fails.
Smitty moves up off the edge, and gets Queenie in his sights. He levels his pistol and opens up. He gets a striking success and tries to cash it in on a Jam. However, using the Striking Success means he only ties her results, and misses instead.
Stitches sees his chance and fires on Queenie who is in Blocking and Obscuring cover thanks to Bambino. However, she has no CP, so can only resist with Tough. His shots ricochet wildly off the edge of the building. Out of combat pool, he rushes forward to try to get to the other side of the alley.
Donnie starts heading towards the tommy gun noise to support his boys. However, his second activation roll is failed and play turns over to the Double Dueces.
Spades levels his Tommy Gun, and is determined to take out Big Knuckles Smitty. Spades gets two striking success, and converts 1 into double success, and the other into a Pin result. Smitty fails to dodge and is at 0 CP. Smitty is down to 0 T and is pinned. This could be bad for Smitty if Spades can activate again.... which he fails to do.
Nancy moves up and with a second activation can fire on "Push". She misses, but Push gets a Striking Success to avoid and Jams her gun. It can not fire again until she passes a Brawn test.
Knock-Knock tries to move over to the other alley to support the attack there, leaving Nanny to cover this alley with her jammed shotgun? Suzie Q also moves to where Donnie is.
Bobbie Tarantine steps out of the building, and lines up a shot on Smitty. Bobbie's shot is true and Smitty goes down! First blood to the Double Deuces.
Turn 3:
This time the Double Deuces have the initiative!
Spades goes across the alleyway back to where he started, and gets ready to finish off Smitty. However, he fails his second activation roll. The Upper East Siders have a chance!
Bambino manages to Rally himself from being pinned. Then, Stitches Fires at Queenie, using 2 dice +1 for the Tommy but she resists with 3 and avoids the shots. Stitches activates a second time and runs at the women swinging his gun like a club. The two clash up close, but neither gets the best of it.
Knock-Knock sees his chance and sprint forward. He barrels into the fight between Stitches and Queenie with his Bat. Knock-Knock manages to land a blow and reduce Queenie to 0 Tough.
Nanny manages to pass a Brawn test with 1 dice, and unjams her shotgun. However, she fails her second activation and turns play over.
Push heads back to the building and gets ready to shoot away anyone that gets past Queenie and Spades. Clubs opens fire on Nanny with his Tommy. She dodges back from the shooting. He fails to activate a second time. This turns play back to the Upper East Siders.
Donnie dodges across the alleyway where all the action is, but fails to activate a second time. Bobbie goes back into the building for cover. The only model left to activate is Suzie Q.
Turn 4:
Double Deuces win initiative again.
Spades uses his Tommy two activations in a row, but Bambino manages to avoid getting injured in the spray of bullets. He also avoids getting pinned again.
Push charges in to help Queenie. He manages to land a punch on Stitches and reduce him 1 Tough. Queenie doesn't make a difference in the fight, and fails to land a punch.
Bobbie dashes from the Building, and puts Smitty Out-of-Action for good.
Clubs fires at Nanny, but she is dug into cover and fails to hit her. With all the Double Deuces having gone, it is the Upper East Siders turn.
This time, Knock-Knock's baseball bat puts Queenie out-of-action! 1 Objective complete for the Upper East Siders!
The Babe charges in on Spades with his bat, and starts swinging. It is enough to reduce the Double Deuces gangster to 1 Tough
Donnie starts making his way down the alley way and towards the fight.
Turn 5:
Double Deuces win initiative again.
Bobbie moves in to help Spades. The fight goes no where, even with the Boss helping out.
Being out-numbers, Push tries to conserve his CP. He fails to injure Stitches with a quick jab. Meanwhile, Clubs falls back to the protect the building.
The scuffle between Bambino and Bobbie and Spades heats up as the Tough reduces Spades to 0 Tough. Knock-Knock tries to pummel Push with a Knockdown, but fails to hit. The gangster wards off the bat. However, a cheap shot from Stitches causes him to be wounded.
Turn 6:
Double Deuces win Initiative again. However, things are looking tough for them.
Spades and Bobbie scuffle with the Bambino. The Boss shows Spades how it is done and reduces Bambino to 0 T and wounds him. Meanwhile, Push reduces Stitches to 0 T as well.
Clubs gets back to the doorway of the building.
This time, Push is knock down and taken Out-of-Action by Knock-Knock and his baseball bat. Who knew that Baseball Bats were more dangerous than Tommy Guns!
Stitches sprints to behind the Tire Shop and out of sight. Nanny moves up and tries to fire, but fails her second activation roll.
Clubs uses his last activation and fires on Knock-Knock, but he ducks into the alleyway and avoids get shot to pieces.
Turn 7:
Double Deuces again win initiative despite being down two members. The Upper East Siders do no have much time to get to the safe before the cops show up!
This time, with Spades help, Bobbie takes "the Babe" Bambino out of action up close.
Clubs fires on Knock-Knock again, who stays in cover, but is now pinned.
Stitches climbs up onto the roof of the Tire shop, and starts making for the doorway in.
Nanny fires her shotgun at Clubs, but he is safely in the doorway and taking cover.
Donnie shoots at Bobbie, and reduces him 1 Tough. He also tries to knock him back with the shooting. However, the other boss passes his Brawn test and stays standing. Suzie Q also shoots but misses, the Boss is not pinned.
Turn 8: Final Turn
This time the Upper East Siders win Initiative.
Thanks to some encouragement from the Boss, Knock-Knock rallies himself and gets moving. He dashes forward and swings wildly at Clubs. The baseball bat hits the door jam, and Clubs is fine.
However, with Clubs distracted Stitches drops down into the office and makes a play on the safe. Stitches is not the brightest bulb, but he jimmies the strong box and gets the goods! Two objectives for the Upper East Siders!
Seeing Stitches get inside, Donnie and Suzie fall back.
Nanny takes a long shot at Bobbie and Spades. Her aim is true, and Spades goes Out of Action when he uses his body to shield the Boss.
In the fight at the door, Clubs manages to reduce Knock-Knock to 1 Tough.
Bobbie's return fire at Nanny only forces her to step back into cover.
Conclusion:
The wail of approaching sirens force everyone left standing to scatter to safety. Tommy guns are tucked into jackets, shotguns are put in flower boxes, and pistols get slung. The two gangs scatter into the morning.
Bobbie knew that he had gotten beat.... bad. That was not something he was used to. It was something he never wanted to get used to.
Post-Game:
The Upper East Siders gain back Tony "baloney" Maloney's Cheap Hooch. However, their success also earned them a Favor, and +1 Reputation!
Injuries:
- Queenie- Hardened
- Push- Dead
- Spades- Jailed
- Smitty- Dead
- The Babe Bambino- Survives against the odd- +3 XP
- Stitches- +1 Action
- Knock-Knock- +1 Tough
- Double Deuces- 15
- Upper East Siders- 18
- Double Deuces- 0
- Upper east Siders- 2
