Hey all, while I sit here recovering from my Fall-in ordeal, I wanted to supply some details on my current gaming magnum opus. As I have mentioned in a round-about way I was working on some Fallout 3 terrain. Well now I can share the details. At Fall-in 2009 in Gettysburg, PA, I ran two games of a Mutant and Death Ray Gun. Below is the scenario:
An Enclave Divided
Introduction
"Good apocalypse children! This is Three-Dog layin'it down, way down, in the underground of the Galaxy News Radio News-Bunker. I've interrupted everyone's favorite song by the Ink Spots to bring you a little news. Sorry!!! Seems the word around Megaton is some crazy crap involving the Enclave is going on up near the northern stretch of the old Capital Beltway. I love the Enclave getting beat silly as much as the next guy, but that isn’t the best part. I can’t believe, but it appears the Enclave themselves are the ones actually fighting it out in some type of turf war. Of course who cares who wins in a war between a-holes, right? Well I do. Apparently the Enclave has convinced some of your less-than-friendly wasteland neighbors to join their fight. I’m guessing getting working plasma guns and power armor is good way of getting raiders and mercs to do your killing for ya!. Now I'm a firm believer in karma, children, and it seems the E-boys are finally reaping a little bit of what they've been sowin'. But this new war is only good for the mutated vultures, kiddies. Now you’re probably thinking to your self, "Hey Three-Dog, I'm an entrepreneurial wastelander, how can I get in on that action?" To that I would say, don't! But has that ever stopped you fine folks out their in radio land from doing stupid stuff? Of course not. My advice, stay inside, lock your doors, and let the Brotherhood sort it out. Simple as that! Now back to our normally scheduled programming, already in progress. Three-Dog out." Scenario
As a result of the Brotherhood of Steel’s push against the Enclave at the Jefferson Memorial and Adams Air Force Base, the Enclave has become disorganized and scattered throughout the Capital Wasteland. With the “death” of President Eden, parts of the Enclave have fractured away from the whole. Seeing their work go up in flames, this new faction, currently unnamed, has decided to seek their fortunes elsewhere, helping themselves to weapons, ammo, and technology in the process. This runaway faction has run afoul of more loyal Enclave forces and several skirmishes have been fought. Due to heavy losses, both sides have “hired” conscripts forces to bolster their numbers, as always the loyalty of such forces are always in question. A third faction, a temporary alliance of disaffected wastelanders, has gathered together to strike at the Enclave while it is at its weakest. To the north, amongst the ruins of the Capital Beltway, several scouting parties of all three forces converge in a small skirmish that could have a profound effect on the entire Capital Wasteland.
Set-Up
The scenario is designed for up to six players, two of which should be Enclave, with a total of three teams. For up to six players, each team should be deployed at each corner and the two centers of the long board edges, all models should be touching a board edge. If three players, two factions will deploy from the two corners of one of the long board edges and the third player will deploy his forces from the center of the opposing board edge, again all models start touching the board edge. Order of deployment should be determined by the players in an agreeable manner.
Objectives:
War never changes…
The players need to collect victory points; victory points are an abstraction for the faction’s overall battlefield success. The player with the most victory points once all models have been killed or moved off a board edge is the winner. Victor points are won by killing enemy models , recovering valuable Enclave power armor, and through Wasteland Encounters.
Each enemy killed is worth one victory point, each enemy leader or Enclave member is worth two.
Additionally, since the Enclave has the best gear, any model that captures a set of Enclave power armor receives an additional +2 victory points. To capture armor a model must move into base contact with a dead Enclave model and use three activations to strip and stow the armor, the activations need not be consecutive, but must be repeated if the model leaves base contact with the fallen model before completed. Recovered power armor cannot be used in this current game as there is no time to put it on.
Wasteland Encounters
The Capital Wasteland is not a civilized place. Mutated animals and other deadly creatures stalk the blasted plains looking for fresh prey. In addition, valuable items from pre-war times are still out there waiting to be discovered. Just traveling about the wasteland, is dangerous at the best of times; this fact is represented though wasteland encounters.
At the beginning of the game each player should right their name on a piece of paper and place this in a hat or other object. At the beginning of each turn, a random player should roll a d6, on a roll of 1-4 nothing happens, on a 5+ the player have suffered a wasteland encounter. In this case a single name should be drawn out of the hat, that player is the target of the wasteland encounter. Once a player’s name is drawn take their name out until all names have been drawn. Once this happens there will be no further wasteland encounters for the game.
Below is the Wasteland Encounters:
Giant Radscorpion Attack!
You have stumbled in the hunting grounds of one of the Capital Wasteland’s most vicious predators. Place a giant radscorpion model at the closest part of the board edge to a nominated model controlled by the player who received this encounter. Roll for its activation immediately, it will attack if at all possible. This will possibly interrupt a player’s turn in progress, if so simply allow the player to continue after the scorpion has completed its activation.
Gnash Worms Attack!
Your movements have roused a nesting group of three Gnash Worms, a creature made principally of teeth and ravenous hunger. The player who set off this encounter must place the first Gnash Worm anywhere within 8” of one of their models. Afterwards roll 2D6 and a scatter, place a second gnash worm at the spot rolled. Reroll the 2d6 and scatter die from this new spot and place the last worm at the new position. Roll for the gnash worms’ activations immediately, in any order, they will attack the closet model if at all possible. This will possibly interrupt a player’s turn in progress, if so simply allow the player to continue after the gnash worms have completed their activation.
Waste Storm!
You all have been caught in one of the perhaps the wasteland’s most dangerous environmental hazards, the waste storm, a noxious mix of dust storm and acid rain downpour. For the duration of the current game turn and until the end of the next game turn, all range increments (movement, combat, etc.) are reduced to short as the strong winds prevent rapid movement and the driving rain fouls weaponry.
Reading Material
You lucky dog, you have found some great pre-war reading material. Place a counter up to 6” from a model of your choice, that is the actual location of the magazine. Any model may get into base contact with the counter to claim the magazine, don’t miss out! Once in a model’s possession they must spend two activations (not required to be consecutive) to fully read the magazine. Once completed roll a d6 and apply the following bonus to the model: on a 1-2 you find a copy of Guns and Bullets (model gets +1 to ranged combat), 3-4 Pugilism Illustrated (model gets +1 to melee), or Chinese Army Special Ops Manual (model gains Stealth skill).
Dog Pack
You have wandered into an area frequented by the common wild dogs of the wasteland, needless to say they are not friendly. Place three wild dogs at the closest part of the board edge to a nominated model controlled by the player who received this encounter. Roll for their activation immediately, they will attack if at all possible. This will possibly interrupt a player’s turn in progress, if so simply allow the player to continue after the scorpion has completed its activation.
Wasteland Survival Guide
You lucky dog, you have found a well-thumbed copy of the Wasteland Survival Guide. Place a counter up to 6” from a model of your choice, that is the actual location of the guide. Any model may get into base contact with the counter to claim the magazine, don’t miss out! Once in a model’s possession they must spend two activations (not required to be consecutive) to fully read the magazine. Once completed roll, that model get a -1 to Quality checks permanently.
The Teams
The teams involved were the Wasteland Legends (The Lone Wanderer and some friends), The Peoples’ Republic of Jim Liberation Front, Enclave, Renegade Enclave, Brethren of the Cathedral (psychic mutants), Little Lamplighter Scouting Party, Greenbelt Metro Ghouls, Fairfax Raiders, Rough Riders Mercs, and Old Olney Outcasts. All used the basic template from Mutants and Death Ray Guns with some Fallout flavor. For instance Enclave power armor only broke down on three 1’s when checking quality and their guns never test for malfunction.
Added Fun
For a bit of fun I gave each player 5 Nuka-cola bottlecaps (special ordered from a home-brewing company) to spend on special abilities and pre-game equipment and skills rolls Here is the available list.
Tales of a Junktown Vendor
You may have noticed the Nuka-Cola caps lying about. Beyond being cool, they actually serve a purpose. Nuka-Cola caps are the only hard currency of the post-apocalypse. Accepted most everywhere, the caps are one of the most sought after items through out the Capital Wasteland. If you have caps, acquirable through a variety of means, you may spend them on the following:
Pre-game
1 Cap Iguana-on-a-Stick: You get one roll on the Mutants and Death Ray Guns Equipment Table. This item may be given to any model. Each player may only do this once.
1 Cap Vault-tec Lunch Box: You may go first when choosing which faction you are playing, if more than one player does this, we go into a bidding frenzy!
2 Caps Sugar Bombs: You get one roll on the Mutants and Death Ray Guns Skills Table for a model of your choice. Each player may only do this once.
During the Game
1 Cap Jet: You may choose another place in the initiative order, if more than one player wants the same spot, we go into a bidding frenzy!
2 Caps Buffout: You may reroll any one die, but you must accept the new results.
2 Caps Nuka-Cola: If you are the target of a Wasteland Encounter, you may have the encounter target the player to your immediate right or left. You must declare this purchase before determining what the encounter is. No backsies!
3 Caps Nuka-Cola Quantum: If you are the target of a Wasteland Encounter, you may have the encounter target the player of your choice. You must declare this purchase before determining what the encounter is. No backsies!
3 Caps Stimpack: one model of your choice may ignore a kill result, instead they fall down.
500 Caps Power Armor: All models on your team come equipped with plasma rifles, Enclave power armor, and infinite stimpacks.
Post Game
As a special bonus to our loyal customers, we are proud to be hosting a drawing at the end of today’s post-apocalyptic simulation. Sponsored by the fine folks at Vault-tec, one lucky player will walk away with their very own brand-new Vault-tec lunch box. How exciting!
You read that part correctly, through the magic of Ebay I had a box of Vault Tec launch boxes (10 actually) on hand to give away as prizes. I randomly drew a name out of a hat (Lincoln’s stovepipe hat of course) to determine the winner. I also gave a box to the player who took the worst beating.
Conclusions
I think everything went great and my players had a great time. I like the Mutants and Death Ray Guns rules and highly recommend them. While they are not the most details rules I have players, they are wonderfully simple with just enough flavor applied through added abilities to be interested.
Pictures
Through the nicety of my good friend Chris Vaughn I have pictures of my board. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. The set-up took two months of straight building and nearly ruined my marriage.
Pictures can be found at the link below, again courtesy of Mr. Vaughn.
http://chrisvmd.fotki.com/miniatures/fall-in-2009/As always questions and comments are welcome. Thanks for listening.
Joey
Total Members: 1949
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