Last weekend, Neil and I played our second full playtest of the forthcoming 15mm sci-fi rules based on the TooFatLardies system. We played one of the missions from the rulebook: the insectoid Hive, consisting of Spugs and Space Bugs, would attempt to hold an objective in the middle of the table for a randomly generated length of time before retreating in the face of an attack from the Pelagic Dominate.
The Hive had a platoon each of Spug and Space Bugs, plus two support squads: one of three 8-legged AFVs, one of two 8-legged SP missile launchers. The Pelagics had three platoons of infantry, one of which comprised Orca assault troops in battle armour, supported by a scout squad of two small scout flyers, a squad of three flying tanks, and a squad of two flying SP artillery.
Space Bugs hunkered down in trenches (above) and Spug 8-legged walkers (right)
The Hive began the game dug-in on table. They decided not to actually occupy the objective building, but to place their infantry in two positions overlooking it. The Space Bugs were on the right, supported by artillery; the Spugs on the left, supported by the tanks. The terrain was fairly open: rolling hills overlooking a small mining settlement with a road running through it.
The Pelagics moved their SP artillery onto the table in hover mode, their FO scout craft rapidly spotting the enemy works, although not the troops therein. As the enemy SP artillery were now in view, the Hive then opened fire with their rocket launchers from a position behind a hill. Unfortunately, no damage was done, and a return salvo immediately KO'd one Spug vehicle! Things had not begun well!
The Pelagics then moved up their tanks, hover mode meaning they skimmed effortlessly over any obstacles, and threatened the remaining Spug missile launcher. The Spug tanks quickly scuttled over to that side of the battlefield, and battle was joined. A quick burst of speed gave one Spug tank the opportunity to catch the Pelagic tanks unaware from close range, but the resultant fire proved sadly ineffective, and the Spug tank was blown to bits next turn! The duel between the Spug and Pelagic tanks would continue for the rest of the game.
Meanwhile, the Pelagic artillery had begun to rain down fire on the Space Bugs who, over the course of the game, were largely annihilated! With the Spug tanks occupied with the Pelagic tanks, the Hive had nothing to send against the Pelagic artillery, who did exactly what artillery is supposed to do, and sat behind a hill firing missile barrage after missile barrage at the opposition. Only four Space Bugs (out of 24) made it out of the trenches, and they were shot down as they ran away!
With half the Hive infantry taken out, the Pelagic foot moved in towards the objective. The Myzontid Rangers moved through the town, air cover provided by the scout flyers; and the Karkarine moved over the hills on the right hand side of the battlefield. An ominously large Blind moved up behind the now-spotted Myzontids! The Spug infantry had begun to inflict casualties on the advancing Myzontids, including a lucky hit that turned their Cnidrian Big Man into gherkin slices! One of the Myzontid squads was effectively taken out, two more pinned down, but one had managed to get close to the objective building.
Quickly one Spug squad left their trenches to protect the objective: the situation ending up with one squad from each side on opposite sides of the same corner! Meanwhile, the Karks had been pinned down as well, but all changed as the Pelagic scout flyers came screaming out of the sun from behind the Spug trenches: sowing death and chaos as they came!
By this time, the Spug artillery had all been destroyed, and only one Spug tank was left standing, albeit with its main gun destroyed. With the Spug is disarray, and the Pelagic tanks moving in for the kill, the coup de grace came from the Orca Assault Platoon, which charged through the remaining Myzontids to well and truly take the objective. The Pelagic's Cnidrian overlords would be pleased!
A great game that was over all too quickly. The rules flowed really well, and there was only a little polishing to be done. Publication time soon!
Robert Avery