The final game of the weekend for me was something that I was really looking forward to. Not only was it being played on Whiskey Priest's excellent Ferrograd board, but it was also using a ruleset that I had dreamed about since reading them in WD years ago - CONFRONTATION!
JB (Asslessman) had devised the scenario and each of the 3 players had personal objectives (with a back story) and very different equipment and skills.
My Gang, Imamu's Eradicators, consisted of:
Jelani Imamu - Shotgun wealding leader of the gang
Old Father Tuma - The groups spiritual guide, who also packs a shotgun
Butcher - A quiet psycho with no ranged weapons, preferring a machete and a tiger claw
Rufus Blaine - A fat mechanic who prefers an old school crossbow to modern firearms
Jakob Payne - A young hothead with a flamer
The gang had three objectives:
1. Protect Abdul Goldberg (a piece of skum who has information that Imamu's superiors don't want in the wrong hands).
2. Eliminate as many gangers as possible (it's all about reputation!).
3. Stay away from the Imperial authorities (reputation has its down sides).
"When we get inside, Papa Tuma, Rufus, you are with me. We find this "Goldberg" and secure what we can. Butcher go kill things. Jakob you're Butcher's backup."
They entered the sector quietly and headed to the bar where they were to meet Abdul. Before walking out into the open, Imamu spotted a Bratt gang nearby, in the main entrance to the area. "What are those pompous pansies doing here?" he thought to himself. Out loud he simply said "Butcher" and pointed at the invading aristocrats.
"Papa, Rufus - We go in the back."
Papa and Rufus followed their instructions, quickly finding Goldberg alone in the bar. Papa greeted him with a trademark toothy grin, introducing himself and his chubby mechanic friend.
Outside Butcher ran. He ran to cover, then charged at the nearest dandy. The ponce in a white suit dropped like an sack of synth-spuds. "Feth" Butcher muttered as two more of the intruders to the Under-City rounded on him and drew their weapons.
Imamu entered the bar and looked at the snivelling Goldberg. He ignored him.
"Papa, go check the window. Rufus, keep and eye on the back."
Unbeknownst to Imamu, the Bratt's had their own agenda. They had heard rumours of drugs being transported and wanted in on the action. Had he left them alone, the fops would most likely have ignored him and his crew. Had he know this, he'd probably have sent Butcher after them anyway!
Before the gangers threatening Butcher could fire, Jakob swept around the corner. There was a spluttering roar as he spray ignited fluid at the pair. As the smoke cleared, the smile disappeared from Jakob's face. The front most ganger had thrust his scantily clad female admire in front of him. Her now black and crispy form had absorbed the brunt of the flames, leaving the intended victims practically unharmed!
A sudden crack signified the shot of an autopistol; Jakob toppled, only realising he had been hit as he lay on the floor watching the blood spurting from his thigh.
Butcher saw his chance, leaping over the crates he had been using briefly as cover he charged the Bratts before they could fire again.
From inside the bar Tamu saw the Bratts were not the only other gang in Ferrograd. Some Techs had snuck in from another side entrance and one of them had managed to work his way to a position right outside the bar. Papa signalled to Rufus who climbed at of the window (an event that because of his size, would have been funny to watch in different circumstances) in the hope of warning the two Eradicators not currently in the relative safety of the local saloon.
As it turned out, Rufus' altruistic behaviour was misguided. The Tech's first shot with his plasma pistol disintegrate the mechanic's head, his second hit Jakob's flamer tank leaving very little of the youth intact.
The explosion caused by the flamer fuels ignition gave Butcher pause to turn and look. His assailants took advantage of the distraction and set upon him. Butcher cursed himself for a fool, but his self-loathing was short-lived, as the Bratts bludgeoned him with the butts of their guns.
"Retribution!" screamed Jelani Imamu as he swung out of the bars sidedoor, pumping shots from his gun. The first hit the Tech in the chest and failed to penetrate the metallic shell that encased his body. The cry turn to a visceral roar has Eradicator's leader pulled the trigger again. After firing he dived back into cover, knowing to well the lethal power of plasma weapons.
When no shot came, Jelani risked a look through the door's grubby window. His laugh echoed off the local buildings when he saw that he second shot had taken the back off the targets head, leaving his brain matter dribbling down the wall.
Elsewhere in Ferrograd the authorities had arrived. Had he not already made the decision to leave, knowledge of their arrival would have likely made up Imamu's mind.
Thinking that their route out of Ferrograd was secure the two remaining Eradicators, and their 'companion' Goldberg, made a run for the door by which they had entered the sector. High caliber shots made dents and holes in the walls around them as they ran. One of the Techs had activated a robotic sentry and sent it to remove the gangers from the face of the Hive.
The three escapees ran. They ran because it was the only option. To stop would almost certainly result in death by killer robot. At least if the made the door, they could shut it and hopefully escape into the Under-City. By some form of miracle (later to be claimed as a result of the 'protective ward' he had cast by Old Father Tuma) not a single shell hit them.
Having escape the sector they hid. Imamu called for pick up and sighed. That had been close! He had lost good men, who would need replacing, but recruits were easy to find. And then the sky darkened.
The three looked up. Above them an Arvus lander that had been perched on the sector's landing pad was nose-diving straight at them. There was no time to move before it came crashing down. The explosion was deafening. The smoke choked them and the ground shook beneath their feet.
The lander had missed. Their was no visible pilot, which meant it had been flown remotely - a deliberate assassination attempt!
Imamu looked at Papa Tuma. The old man was grinning and tapping the circuit board he wore around his neck and always claimed was a piece of Archeotech.
"Strong JuJu" he said.
As he and the other two survivors climbed on board Talisha (the name he had given to his personal transport), Imamu shook his head and laughed. "Strong JuJu, my arse! Damned fool luck, old man!"
This is not a totally accurate account, but fairly close and definitely close enough for a 'brief' game write up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this game and will be looking to play Confrontation again in the not to distant future. Thank you to my opponents and GM: Jon, Colin and JB.
Well, that is the last of my write ups from the weekend that was BOYL2014. It was a great weekend and I'm definitely intent on going again next year.
I do have one more post to make about BOYL - The new toys I bought and the extra bits I took home. However, this will wait for a couple of days.
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