Space Infantry Campaign Mission 3

A quick note

So between the second game in this campaign and the current report you are reading I sold a house, moved to a new city and then spent a considerable amount of time getting the new house in order. I did my best to carefully pack the cards that defined the state of my campaign but I think that I may not have had all of the STRATOP cards stored correctly. So if you are reading this report and think that I may have a new card or missed on from a previous report that is the reason.

Naming some squads

With the exception of my Squad Leader, none of the squads or team members have names. Hardly something that can continue. I am not the best at coming up with names and quite a few of the ones available online seem as if they were created by people who share my problem. I did happen to stumble across this Squad Name Generator on a Fantasy Name Generator website that managed to give me enough ideas to name all of my troops.

Core Units

• Squad Leader – PeterK
• Red Striped – Fire Team A (Green)
• Trauma Team – Fire Team B
• Omega Crew – Assault Team A
• Banshee Squad – Assault Team B
• Alpha 2 – CQC

Support Units

• Ash Saints – Shot Gunners
• Zebra – Sniper
• Chatter – Heavy Weapon
• Bask Master – Flamer
• One Long Step – Zero-G Team A

Hopefully they don’t sound akin to a group of primary grade students naming their own school.

Scenario 3

The next scenario is S003. Mercenaries have captured the Meridian Gate and we need to blow it up so that it can’t be used to attack earth. The scenario has two starting locations that lead you through two different routes to the final location. No matter which way you go you will have to move through two Zero-G areas that also have the Zero-G skill as the requirement to open the node. As you may recall, a Zero-G node applies a -1 AP penalty to any unit that makes a Skill Check and does not have the Zero-G skill. This means that any unit other than my Zero-G team will have a difficult time generating a success. Without the skill one unit can roll with an equivalent skill of 6 but the -1 AP penalty means they would have to roll a 7+ to generate a single Success Level. It is going to take some time to get through those nodes.

Setup

First I get the map sheet for S003 and then place the required node cards.

Then I need to pick a team and equip them. My Squad Leader is recovering so they won’t be able to participate this scenario. I have 120 points and I will need at least two Specialists to cover the number of skills needed in this mission. I pick an Engineer since the final node has an Engineering skill check as well as a Scientist as they have a Search ability which appears on the node cards I picked.

I want to get my Green Fire Team some experience so I pick them. I then add my C-C as well as the Shotgunners and my only Zero-G team. I suspect that only having one available is going to cause me some problems.

Now I pick two STRAOPS cards from the deck. I get +2 Medkit Resources and Beta Ammo which also gives me one Green and one Line replacement. I decide to use both of these in this game as two of my other STRATOP cards are only usable in AL3 and the other is a mortar. It probably won’t work well in zero G.

For resources I take:

• 5 x Medkit
• 2 x Intel
• 1 x Ammo
• 2 x Grenade

The wording on the +2 Medkit Resources makes it seem as if you can only start with eight resources but that isn’t the case. It is just a reminder that while you get two additional Medkits you still can only resupply up to the eight that the rules allows.

Wading in Zero-G

The first two thirds of the game is darned simple. It takes me nine turns to get through the two Zero-G nodes on the map. On turn 6 I didn’t generate an SL at all. Always take two Zero-G teams! Luckily I didn’t generate any encounters while I was plodding my way across the two Space nodes to get inside.

Turn 10

Now that everyone can finally walk we should make good progress. The squad moves on to the Computer 1 node directly ahead. The Scientist easily gets the one SL to open node and the squad enters. The event roll is a 4 and the Low Power roll is a 2 so this section (A) is usable but not section (B).

Turn 11

Next the squad heads to the Climb 2 node to the “south”. It requires a Climb 2 test to enter and I don’t want to waste any more time so I burn an Intel resource to open the node. The encounter roll is a 1 and so we are safe from any Mercenaries.

Turn 12

There is an Intel stash to the “east” but since I still have nine resources I couldn’t get anything from it. I also don’t want to burn any more turns. The Squad attempts to move into the Repair 2 node but only gets one SL. They move back into the previous node and the event check comes up negative.

Turn 13

The Squad moves out and attempts to enter the Repair 2 node again. The Engineer rolls well and gets the second Sl. The team moves into the node and the event roll is a 3. Luckily we’ve not run into anything so far.

Turn 14

So not only is the next node a Computer 3 test but it is also a Zero-G section and so anyone other than the solitary, and probably exhausted, Zero-G team will be at a -1 AP penalty to all checks. The team floats into the node and only the Engineer is able to generate a Success Level. I add a 1 SL counter to the node and the team heads back to the previous node. The encounter check is a 5 and so we go into combat. One of the special rules for the map is that any A events are automatically a single Drone. This is a less powerful version of the drone that you can get with an event check on the Mercenary chart.

Combat

The Drone is aggressive and has its own range chart. The roll is a 4 and so we are in Melee range. There is only the one enemy so no specialists will be able to attack but that is okay as they are really quite bad in combat anyway.

The Shotgunner generates one wound with a roll of a 1 and then a 4 + 3. The Zero-G team goes all out and generates two wounds. Go One Long Step! The Green Fire Team misses and in response the Drone generates no wounds and explodes is a rather disappointing cloud of sparks and old wire.

Turn 15

After cleaning up, the team attempts to open the next node again. The Engineer and the Scientist generate one SL each and that is enough to open the node. Even with the noise from our quick combat, there are no encounters in this node.

Turn 16

After a quick rest the team attempts to move into the next node with is also a Computer 3 check. The Engineer gets two successes but still not enough to open it up. Maybe the Scientist got used to doing work in Zero-G? So back to previous node. There is no event and so no combat.

Turn 17

At this point I would like to remind everyone that the Squad Leader is still in hospital and that the team is doing the best that they can. They try again to open up the penultimate node. The engineer totally fumbles and gets a 0 for his Skill check but Scientist saves the day and finally the node is open. The event is a 4 so we are safe and sound in the computer room. .

Turn 18

Finally we attempt to move into the Meridian Gate and destroy it before foul xenos can use it to attack earth. Oops wrong sci-fi series. Before aliens or these scummy Mercenaries can use it. I don’t want to waste any time and so I burn the last Intel resource to to get the two SL and then the Engineer gets one SL and we are in. The encounter roll is a 6 so we have some troops guarding the gate. This encounter uses the B chart and so won’t be a Drone. The roll on the B table is a 4 which makes the team of Mercs guarding the gate consist of three Soldiers and one Sergeant.

Combat

Without a Squad Leader this is going to be a bit more difficult for the team. There isn’t anyone there to help turn marginal RNs into a Success.

First Round

So on to la guerre! The range roll is 3 so we will be at Fire range. The range doesn’t change the impact of the Soldiers but it will make the Sergeant more of a threat.

SI team

• Shotgunners miss
• Zero-G team miss
• C-C misses
• Fire Team A hits for 1 SL

Mercs

• The first Soldier rolls a 7 which is happily just 1 SL
• The second Soldier rolls no SL
• The Third Soldier gets no SL
• The Sergeant rolls a 0

That was wildly poor firing from both sides. I place one wound on the Sergeant and one wound on the Scientist which kills them. Sorry but pretend that your sacrifice was for science and it might sting less.

Second Round

The range stays at Fire which makes me nervous since I can’t assume that the Sergeant will continue to whiff on its combat rolls.

SI team

• Shotgunners miss
• Zero-G team miss
• C-C rolls a zero
• The Fire team gets one SL. Barely. It rolls a 4 and has F3 attribute. It loses one AP for being Green but that is still enough for a single wound.

Mercs

• Soldier 1 rolls a 6 and gets one SL
• Soldier 2 rolls a 5 and gets one SL
• Soldier 3 rolls a 5 and gets one SL
• Sarge rolls a 3 and gets 2 SL. The Sergeant has Elite Training and gets +1AP when attacking. It has F2 and so that turns into two wounds.

One wound gets applied to the Sergeant. It is clearly the most problematic unit in the Merc team. I then assign one wound to Engineer who joins the Scientist wherever scientists go when they die. Probably a Maker lab. I then assign two units to C-C, one to the Shotgunners and one to Zero-G team. I roll a 5 for the C-C armour so it voids one hit. I then use three Medkits to clear all other wounds.

Third Round

The range stays at Fire which is not going to help make this situation any better. I am really regretting not taking the Vet Heavy Weapon team for this mission. When it comes time for the team to fire none of them generates an SL.

Mercs

• Soldier 1 rolls a 2. No SL
• Soldier2 rolls an 8 (6+2) and gets 2 SLs
• Soldier 3 rolls a 5 and gets 1 SL
• Sarge rolls a 3 (+1 for Elite Training) and gets 2 SL

So once again I have to apply five wounds to the team. I put two on the C-C and with another 5 RN the armour voids one wound. I use the rest of the medkits to clear all but one wound which remains on the Green Fireteam.

Fourth Round

The range changes to Melee this round which means that the Sergeant will be less effective. Hopefully.

SI team

• The Shotgunner rolls a ‘+’ and then only get a 1 and then a 3 to get no SLs
• The Zero-G team generates 1 wound
• The C-C rolls a 2 but Advanced Training turns that into a 3 for one SL
• The Fire Team rolls a 5(-1) and gets an SL

This can’t go on any longer and since we are finally in Melee range the C-C throws a grenade . She rolls a 6 + 4 to do ten wounds! Bye bye Mercs. There is no way for them to survive 13 wounds.

Mercs

• Soldier 1 rolls a 6 for 1 SL
• Soldier 2 and 3 each roll a 2 for no effect
• The Sergeant rolls a 5 (+1) which is 2 SL even at Melee range.

The Mercenaries manage to do a total of three wounds before all trying to dive on the greande at once. I apply one to the Shorgunners, one to the Zero-G team and the final wound to the C-C. Her armour roll is a 3 so the armour doesn’t save her from the hit.

Since we completed an encounter Check on the node the mission is a success. We pack explosives, and the corpses of our comrades, around some important looking machinery and then hoof it while the timer counts down.

Success!

Debriefing

After a pleasant flight back from the burning remains of what was probably a very expensive bit of construction the team gets to go through the steps of the Debriefing stage. S003 really should be a quick & dirty mission that you should be able to finish in enough time to gain some bonus VP for the campaign. So you can see the impact of only one Zero-G team as well as the Squad Leader. The last combat should have ended quicker if there was a Squad Leader to help push some of the narrow misses into successes with his CP.

So lets go through the steps of the Debriefing phase.

• Squad Leader PeterK is marked as Ready
• Fireteam A is now a Line unit
• No-one needs medical treatment and no-one is OOA
• I mark off the used STRATOP cards on my campaign sheet
• I get 3 VP for success but no other points
• All the units except the Fire Team get 3XP
• 1 XP goes to Fire Team as a bonus point for succeeding on the mission

I decide that I should attempt to spend some experience points so I don’t get stuck in a combat like that again. I upgrade the Shotgunners and Zero-G team to veterans. While PeterK was recuperating he must have read some books on leadership and now has the Aide-de-camp trait. The Omega Crew (Assault Team A) buys the Charge trait and I check it off of the Squad sheet.

The next mission will be the fourth and so the Alert Level increases to 2. And while I am at the table with all of my cards handy I flip the top card from the Mission deck and discover that it is H004. Argh! I hate Hive missions.

Check back next time to see if the team’s next foray into a Hive is as bad as their first.