1/31/2010

Marine Academy II.

Today ( Sunday) we played the second scenario of this mini campaign where Imperial guards are applying to become Space Marines.

Hoy (domingo) jugamos el segundo escenario de esta mini campaña en la que unos guardias imperiales tratan de convertirse en Marines Espaciales.

Except two guards who didn't make enough merits in the previous mission, plus another one who is still recovering from wounds, all the troops have been upgraded with Marine armour and weaponry, Power armour and Bolter. The Alpha squad is now Yellow squad and Bravo is Orange squad. Some of them have raised their Rep to 5.

Exceptuando a dos guardias que no hicieron meritos suficientes en la misión anterior, más otro que todavía se está recuperando de sus heridas, todas las tropas han mejorado su equipamiento y ahora llevan armadura de Marines y bolters. La escuadra Alfa es ahora escuadra Amarilla, y la Bravo es Naranja. Algunos de los guardias ahora tienen Rep 5.

The troopers have been deployed in a heavily bombed village located in an isolated area with the only ford in miles around; and according to intelligence, where an Ork warband will try to pass through.
The mission is called "Perimeter Defense" and the objective is to avoid the Orks pass through the ford and exit the board. The only acceptable failure is death.

Las tropas se despliegan en un pueblo fuertemente bombardeado, en una zona aislada y con el único paso en kilómetros a la redonda; y por el que según Inteligencia, intentará pasar una hueste de Orkos. La misión se llama "Defensa del perímetro" y el objetivo es evitar que los Orkos atraviesen el vado y salgan de la mesa de juego. Fallar significa la muerte.

The battlefield with troops and PEFs already deployed.
El campo de batalla con las tropas y las PFE ya despegladas.


After deploying our forces, we rolled for PEF deployment and then rolled for the first activation.

Después de desplegar nuestras fuerzas tiramos para colocar las PFE y después por la primera activación.

Awaiting for the Green Tide.
Esperando a la Marea Verde.



First turn and Orks activate with one of the PEF moving towards the ford and being resolved. They are six in total and are caught in the open. After the first salvo two fall down and another ducks back; the other two knock down one Marine and then take cover in the ruins near the ford.

Primer turno y los Orkos se activan con un PFE moviendo hacia el vado que al verser se resuelve. Son seis en total y les cogen en campo abierto. Después de la primera descarga dos mueren y otro se tira a cubierto; los otros dos noquean a un Marine y luego se parapetan en las ruinas próximas al vado.

-Look out!

-¡Cuidado!


-Gabriel is down and I'm outta ammo! (red marker)
-¡Gabriel ha caído y yo estoy sin munición! (marcador rojo)


The PEF at the bottom advances and is spotted by the two scouts from Yellow squad. They are the main group with eleven Orks in total and again they are caught in the open and thus, during the first shootout most of them duck back.
The last PEF next to the river doesn't activate yet as its Rep is one.

La PFE al fondo de la mesa avanza y es detectada por los dos exploradores de la escuadra Amarilla. Son el grupo principal formado por once Orkos, y de nuevo son pillados en campo abierto y así, durante el primer tiroteo la mayoría se tira a cubierto. La última PFE cerca del río no se activa aún porque tiene Rep uno.
-'Ere we go, 'ere we go!
-¡Akí bamoz, akí bamoz!



A green mob starts gathering at the pass with the intention to lauch a massive assault.

Una peña verde cada vez mayor empieza a reunirse cerca del paso con la intención de lanzar un asalto masivo.


-Stand fast!
-¡Aguanten!


A new turn and more Orks appear on the right flank. Things start looking ugly.

Un nuevo turno y más Orkos aparecen por el flanco derecho. Las cosas empiezan a pintar mal
.

-Sarge, more greenskins!

-¡Sargen, más pieles verdes!


Fortunately this time Orange squad manages to kill all the Orks, although one of the Marines falls down Out of Fight. Their buddies yell for the medic who is with the Yellow squad, who heroically dashes through the line of fire to reach the wounded in time. After checking him out he realizes it's just a flesh wound and the soldier can get back into action.

Afortunadamente esta vez la escuadra Naranja consigue acabar con todos los Orkos, aunque uno de los Marines cae Fuera de Combate. Sus camaradas gritan pidiendo asistencia médica de la escuadra Amarilla, y el médico heroicamente atraviesa la línea de fuego corriendo y llega a tiempo para salvarlo. Tan solo era un arañazo y puede seguir en la lucha.

But right in that moment a new wave of Orks attack, and this time they come from the back of the river; surely they have crossed the river during the night and now are threatening the right flank.

Pero justo en ese momento una nueva oleada de Orkos ataca, y esta vez por detrás del río; seguramente cruzaron el río durante la noche y ahora amenazan el flanco derecho.

-Treason!
We
need backup here!
-¡Traición. Necesitamos apoyo!


The attacking Orks suffer some casualties but quickly dispatch the recovering Marine and the doctor and put another one unconscious. The position has been breached and it's seriously threatened.

Aunque los Orkos sufren algunas bajas, liquidan rápidamente al Marine que se estaba recuperando y al médico, y dejan a otro más inconsciente. La línea defensiva se ha roto y peligra seriamente.

-Get 'em ladz!
-¡A por elloz!


The Orks keep the initiative and charge again as the Marines were out of ammo (red markers), killing the Marine on the ground and stunning down the weapon specialist of the squad. But now the rest of the Orange squad strikes back and after a fierce firefight at close quarters amongst the ruins, the Orks are finally contained. Regrettfully, the specialist didn't make it.

Los Orkos mantienen la iniciativa y cargan de nuevo aprovechando que los Marines están sin munición (marcadores rojos), rematando al Marine en el suelo y tumbando al especialista en armas pesadas. Pero ahora el resto de la escuadra Naranja contrataca y después de un feroz tiroteo a quemarropa entre las ruinas consiguen detener el avance Orko. Lamentablemente el especialista no sobrevivió.

-Die abomination!
-¡Muere abominación!


After that, the Orks try twice the same tactic on the left flank but in both cases the well trenched Yellow squad repulses them without suffering any casualties.

Después de esto los Orkos intentaron la misma táctica dos veces más por el flanco izquierdo, pero la escuadra Amarilla estaba bien atrincherada y repelieron sendos ataques sin sufrir ninguna baja.

-Eat this!
-¡Cómete esto!


Finally, the few surviving Orks at the ford are mowed down. The green tide is no more and all finishes as suddenly as it started.

Finalmente, los pocos Orkos atrincherados frente al paso son aniquilados. La marea verde perdió impulso y desapareció tan repentinamente como vino.


Conclusion All the Marines wannabees from Yellow squad survived the battle; six of them gained the right to wear a Terminator armour and the other two Marine, Power armour.
From Orange squad only survived four of them. Three of them gained their Terminator armour and one raised his Rep to 6; the last one incorporates into action but he still is as he started, with his standard Imperial armour and rifle.

Conclusión
Todos los aspirantes a Marine de la escuara Amarilla sobrevivieron al encuentro; seis de ellos ganaron el derecho a portar armadura de Exterminador, y los dos restantes armadura de Marine con sus respectivos equipamientos.

De la escuadra Naranja sólo quedaron cuatro. Tres ganaron armadura de Exterminador y uno aumentó su Rep a seis; el último se incorpora a filas pero sigue como cuando empezó, con su equipamiento de guardia imperial estándar.


1/26/2010

Dipping Chaos Marauders

Here you have my next batch of dipped Chaos troops that I'm slowly painting to play someday with Impetus Fantasy and Horde of the Things . This time I used a much darker mixture, and I didn't like it much in the end as it came out too dark for the skin, although it was fine on the armour.
Pictures are clickable. Two pics, first undipped.


1/18/2010

Marine Academy

Today a friend and I started a small campaign of four scenarios, using the free rules CR 3.0 from THW, and making some minor adaptations for new creatures as well as Genestealers, Space Marine and Orks status and equipment.

Hoy yo y un amigo empezamos una pequeña campaña de cuatro escenarios con las reglas CR 3.0 de THW, y algunas adaptaciones para los perfiles y equipamiento de nuevas criaturas, así como Robagenes, Marines Espaciales y Orkos.

Two squads of ten Rep 4 men plus one medic from the Imperial Guard, have been detached from their duty to apply to become Space Marines for the glory of their Emperor. First nonetheless, they must pass several deadly missions to gain the right to be insuflated with the genetic seed of a Space Marine Chapter, and thus be called brother Marines.

Dos escuadras de diez hombres con Rep 4 más un médico de la Guardia Imperial han sido apartados de su deber, para intentar convertirse en Marines Espaciales para la gloria de su Emperador. No obstante, primero deben pasar una serie de peligrosas misiones para ganar el derecho a recibir la semilla genética de un Capítulo de Marines Espaciales.

All the pictures are clickable.
Todas las fotos se agrandan al pinchar sobre ellas.

First mission. Cleanse the local fauna. Reconaissance.
Erradicate all bugs from the board.
Surviving soldiers may roll for one Rep rise. Also, those surviving soldiers who kill a bug will have access to one equipment advancement (bolter and marine armour?).

Primera misión. Exterminar la fauna local. Reconocimiento.
Exterminar a todos los bichos del tablero.
Los guardias supervivientes podrán tirar para un aumento de Rep. Además tendrán acceso a mejoras de equipamiento (bolter y armadura de Marine?) los que consigan matar a un bicho.

Local fauna:

Stinger: Natural armour with -1 to impact. Hardiness 4 (Star Power 4). Rep 4. Poisonous, Steady, Beast, Vicious. It ignores Stunned effects. It can fire a poisonous sting with impact 2 with its tail; but it only fires it when it cannot reach hand to hand combat.

Fauna local:
Stinger: Armadura natural que reduce en uno el impacto de los tiros. Dureza 4. Rep 4. Venenoso, Constante, Bestia, Feroz. Ignora el resultado de Aturdido. Puede disparar dardos venenosos de impacto 2; pero sólo dispara cuando no puede llegar a luchar en cuerpo a cuerpo.

Dragonbull: natural armour with -1 to impact. Hardiness 3. Rep 5. Brawler, Steady, Beast. Ignores Stunned effects. Overrun ability.

Dragonbull: Armadura natural que reduce en uno el impacto de los tiros. Dureza 3. Rep 5. Camorrista, Constante, Bestia. Ignora el resultado de Aturdido. Habilidad de Arrollar.

Buzzer: Fast movement with permanent -1 to be hit. Unlimited movement when flying. Surprise rear attacks.

Buzzer: Movimiento rápido con un -1 permanente para que le acierten. Movimiento ilimitado cuando vuela. Ataques sorpresa por la espalda.

The battlefield. Guards already deployed and 3 PEFs on the board (yellow & blue discs)
El campo de batalla. Guardias ya desplegados y 3 PFEs (discos amarillos y azul)
Bravo squad splits in two sections. The second section advances on the left flank and spots a PEF which turns into a Stinger. When it charges them is caught in a crossfire from both sections but it continues unscathed.

La escuadra Bravo se divide en dos secciones. La segunda sección avanza por el flanco izquierdo y revela un PFE que resulta ser un Stinger. Cuando les carga sufre el fuego cruzado de ambas secciones, pero no le pasa nada.
Incoming!
¡Aquí viene!
The Stinger cannot reach that far and then it fires a sting with its tail, killing the first guard; his comrades duck back behind the rocks and one behind the hedge where he sees another PEF which turns into another Stinger!

El Stinger no los puede alcanzar y entonces les dispara un dardo con su cola, matando al primer guardia; sus camaradas se ponen a cubierto detrás de las rocas y uno detrás del seto donde hay otro PFE ¡que se convierte en otro Stinger!

-Throne, we're all going to die!
-¡Trono, vamos a morir todos!
-Click, click! Yarrrrgh*!


Alpha squad didn't activate in a few turns so Bravo squad had to take care of the two Stings, losing two men in the process plus another one who resulted Out of Fight but later was fully recovered by the medic, although he was poisoned.
When Alpha squad finally activates, they meet a terrific creature, a Dragonbull.

La escuadra Alfa no se activó durante algunos turnos, así que la escuadra Bravo tuvo que apañarselas ella sola para acabar con los dos Stings, perdiendo a dos hombres en el proceso, más otro que resultó Fuera de Combate pero más tarde el médico lo recuperó por completo, aunque quedó envenenado.
Cuando la escuadra Alfa finalmente se activó, avanzó y se encontró con una terrorífica criatura, un Dragonbull.

Dragonbull at ten o'clock!
¡Dragonbull a las diez!


Fortunately, they could slain the monster from the distance with nobody resulting injured.

Por suerte pudieron acabar con el monstruo desde lejos y nadie resultó herido.



After that, Bravo squad continues advancing and when they enter into the ruins, they discover a new and strange creature, a big flying insect that dissappears flying away so fast that the troopers do not have time to fire at it.

Después de eso, la escuadra Bravo continúa avanzando y cuando entran en las ruinas descubren una nueva y extraña criatura, un gigantesco bicho volador que desaparece volando tan deprisa que los soldados no tienen tiempo de dispararle.



In the next activation the vanished Buzzer reappears at the back of the Alpha squad, attacking by surprise at one of the soldiers, who falls OOF. The medic couldn't check him in time and he died from his wounds.

En la siguiente activación el desaparecido Buzzer reaparece por la espalda de la escuadra alfa, atacando por sorpresa a uno de los soldados, que cae Fuera de Combate. El médico no pudo verlo a tiempo y murió desangrado.
Death from above
Muerte desde el cielo


Just when they thought they have explored all the terrain and killed the bugs, they suffered an ambush by a large pack of meat-eating giant lizards. These smart critters were waiting in ambush in the edge of the forest, and jumped on the troopers when they were at disadvantage crossing the river.

Justo cuando pensaban que habían terminado de explorar todo el terreno y que habían acabado con los bichos, sufrieron una emboscada de manos de una manada de gigantes lagartos carnívoros. Estos astutos bichejos habían estado apostados en el borde del bosque, y saltaron sobre los guardias cuando éstos estaban en desventaja cruzando el río.

Both squads fire like mad, killing four lizards and forcing to retreat to the woods two more. The other two reach hand to hand combat and kill one soldier each. After that they are slained together with those at the woods, without suffering more casualties. The end.

Ambas escuadras disparan como locos y matan a cuatro lagartos y hacen que dos más se retiren a los bosques. Los dos restantes llegan al cuerpo a cuerpo y matan a un soldado cada uno. Después los guardias acaban con ellos y a continuación con los del bosque, sin sufrir más bajas. Fin.
Red dots mean no ammo
Los puntos rojos indican sin munición
After the game we rolled for Rep rise of the guards and noted down who has killed a bug and deserved an improve in equipment.
Alpha squad lose two soldiers, and two grunts raised their Rep to 5; also six of them gained equipment improvement for the next battle.
Bravo squad lose three soldiers plus another one who resulted poisoned and have to rest for one mission to fully recover. Two grunts and the leader raised their Rep to 5, and six of them gained equipment improvement.

However, they haven't earned yet their right to become Space Marines and therefore they will have to pass more trials.

Después de la partida tiramos para ver quienes subían de Rep, y marcamos quienes habían matado a un bicho y por lo tanto merecido una mejora de equipamiento.
La escuadra Alfa perdió a dos soldados, y dos de ellos subieron a Rep 5; también seis de ellos ganaron mejoras de equipamiento para la siguiente batalla.
La escuadra Bravo perdió a tres soldados más otro que resultó envenenado y que no podrá participar en la siguiente misión mientras se recupera. Dos soldados y el líder subieron a Rep 5, y seis de ellos ganaron una mejora del equipo.

Sin embargo, todavía no han ganado el derecho a convertirse en Marines Espaciales y por lo tanto deberán pasar más pruebas.

1/04/2010

First try with MDRG

Last sunday my buddy and I decided to try Mutants and Death Ray Guns from Ganesha Games. We did as suggested by the rulebook, and played a short campaign of three scenarios with five member war bands.
I chose a pure human of only four members whereas my opponent rolled for a pure mutant war band.

Soon we discover the power of having a Leader with Quality 2+, when I wiped out three mutants in one go. We felt Q2+ Leaders a bit unbalancing as all the Q3+ humans withing a long distance of their leader had also a Q2+, and thus I ended always rolling three dice for the activation of each element of my war band, as it was very difficult to score even a single one with a three dice roll. This fact also spoiled to some extent the activation mechanism of the rules, as there weren't many surprises in the activations.

The first scenario was Radioactive Wasteland, and it finished once we reached into combat range.

The shell holes are the radioactive areas

Kill the mutant scum!

Having Q2+ made me faster and more manoeuvrable than my opponent, and thus I managed to put my four humans in front of only three mutants that I quickly dispatched. After that, my opponent run away and the game ended.

Sayonara mutant!

The second scenario was Smoke on the Water. With the lesson learnt, my opponent substituted his three dead with humans instead of mutants, naming one of them as their leader.



Now having both sides Leaders with Q2+ we moved swiftly. First I advanced my leader with flamethrower and incinerated two enemies, but after that, they threw one fragmentation and then one photon grenade, and killed three of my men, with the last one running away.

Fwooosh, Bam, Blam, Gaaaah! -Game Over man-

The third and last scenario was Military Installation. To replace my dead I picked up two humans, and then a mutant and a mutated bug for the sake of variety. My leader had a needler and a death ray gun, but the rest of the band had nothing. On the contrary, my opponent had now his initial weaponry plus what he looted from me in the last encounter, a plasma grenade, a flame thrower and a force field. A flame thrower that burned my bug and a plasma grenade that ate my leader and another human as soon as they get closer.


No leader and no weapons. Now what? Run!

The games were extraordinary fast, just a very few turns and everybody was dead or running away; which a very good thing if you want to play a whole campaign in an evening. The downside is perhaps its simplicity, that sometimes lose important details or unbalance the game.

A very important thing for this type of rule sets and that we missed here, was a points system to allow you to design your monsters and mutants, and give them appropriate equipment for their skills. This is something you can find in SBH but not in MDRG, and it is something badly needed to spice up your games.

In the end, we were not totally convinced by this rule set, and the next time we will probably play SBH instead.

1/02/2010

My first figures of 2010!

These are some flagellants from GW's Warmaster range that I'll be using as priests or cultists in the saga of Einar. The girl is a Dark Elf Witch from Warmaster as well, and soon she'll be joining forces with Einar's party!
Pictures are clickable.

1/01/2010

Happy 2010!

Happy New Year to all the fellow wargamers all around the World! Another year of lead unpainted and projects unfinished!
Aaaah! I remember my very first wargames in the early eighties when it started all for me. Here you can see me in one of those moments, and I still remember my sounded defeat when all my French cavalry crashed wave after wave against the English infantry formed on the hill to the right. Look at my silly face thinking what to do after the deployment :) I think the rules used were from WRG and the miniatures from H&R.



¡Feliz Año Nuevo a todos los wargameros del mundo! ¡Un año más de figuras por pintar y projectos sin acabar!
¡Puf! Todavía recuerdo mis primeras partidas a principio de los ochenta, cuando todo comenzó. Aquí me pueden ver en uno de esos momentos, en el que todavía recuerdo como fui derrotado de manera aplastante, cuando toda mi caballería francesa se estrelló contra la infantería inglesa que formó cuadros detrás de la colina de la derecha. Fíjense en la cara de tonto que tenía mientras pensaba qué hacer después del despliegue :)