Stargrave - Cloudy with a chance of plague

 

Background

Several colony worlds have suffered from an outbreak of sickness. This disease is highly contagious, and planetary governments are trying to implement lockdowns and movement restrictions and curfews to contain the spread of the disease. However, a large number of independent spacer crews have ignored these restrictions and are moving around as normal. Some have even made planet fall on infected planets to rescue high paying passengers.

Medical teams have identified that the mineral Pyrethium is a key catalyst in the making of a vaccine. However, this mineral is rare.

A search of survey and exploration archives have identified that deposits or Pyrethium were identified on the planet Tranzilor.

The planet Tranzilor

Tranzilor was the scene of sustained and intense fighting during the last Great War. Many parts of the planets are now burn scarred by weapons of immense destructive power. Worse, widespread use of biogenetic weapons left long lasting scars on the scattered populations of survivors. These survivors are now reduced to scattered bands of mutants and the genetically wounded reduced to a stone-age existence.

The planet is now covered in abandoned fighting positions and scattered deactivated war machines.

The scenario

The teams arrive in the corners of an area of war-torn landscape. Everyone is running low on ammunition after being chased by bands of mutants and crazed former soldiers. Mineral scanners have detected nearby deposits of Pyrethium.

In order to get back to our ships we will need to boost the transmat signal. To do this we will need to build or repair a surface transmat station. Fortunately one has been detected near the Pyrethium deposits.

Here is an overview of the table laid out with my trench terrain set. It's not quite packed enough for a 6*4 table but it does OK at creating a trench type layout. I did get inspired to build some more bunkers.

On the way to Tranzilor, I encountered a temporal anomaly, this turned out to be an ancient space probe. We investigated and managed to make one of the roles to extract some data and obtained 50 credits.

I'm not sure what the frilly bits are, probably the sensors. Glad to have found something valuable and not had a fight.

 

Here we are making our way towards the trench lines in order to try and escape the horde of cannibals and zombies that have been chasing us for what seems like forever. Billy the Kid and Trooper Lytton are both at half health after the last mission. 

Alan's team are scuttling through the ruined landscape climbing over a low hill.

Georges crew is entering from the top. I'm not quite sure why they are in a halo of light. You can also see one of the Time War era Daleks we need to get past. These Dalaks have valuable information and when incapacitated can be collected as Data loot. We used the rules for Daleks from Wargames Illustrated created by Joeseph McCollough. These Daleks proved very tough to get rid of with shots bouncing off their shielding.

Richards crew are scrambling up the embankment.

Here is what is chasing me. A horde of plague zombies and mutants. Everyone has their own problems to deal with.

Alan's crew is advancing and have damaged one of the Daleks which is now taking cover behind a TARDIS. George's crew are in the top of the picture with the zombies hot on their heels. George used his grenade launcher to maximum effect against the lightly armoured targets while they are all bunched up.

Billy is leading the advance towards the nearest Pyrethium cache. This is the first test of how cooperative the players are. My Classic Era Dalek is taking shots at the Time War Era Dalek. Each side accusing the other of being not the true Daleks. Richard's Captain has created a forcefield to delay the zombies and direct them into some Barbed Wire to further hold them up.

My Lieutenant and Gunner try to hold back the zombies but it is like trying to hold back the tide with a rake. With all the weapons at my disposal I think I managed to lightly scratch one zombie.

Lay down a suppressing fire and fall back to the Transmat pad! The zombies pour into the trenches while the Mutants stop to take potshots with their weapons.

The survivors of another mining crew arrive attracted by the sound of battle and mining they might be able to get off the table and if they can snag some Pyrethium then they could be rich. However, one wrong move and they will be zombie fodder.

Here is the Horde of Zombies attacking George's team. They have poured over the trench wall and leapt on his soldiers in an attempt to drag them down.

Richard's team is closing in on a Pyrethium crystal but a Dalek is closing on his team.

The Master and one of the Dalek Hybrids have almost reached the transmat station. It is now being guarded by two Time War Daleks. One of My Hybrids took down a Dalek with a shot from it's blaster.

Alan's rearguard a putting up a brave defence from the pack of marauding zombies attacking them.

The Black Dalek gets damaged by a shot from a mutant and the Dalek Soldier is taken out with a critical hit. Right in the eyestalk. Doc Holliday has run over and enables the Dalek to ignore being stunned so it gets two actions. The Master healed it.

Agents Laurel and Hardy get flanked by a pack of plague victims while trying to make it to the next trench.

My Ogron Gunner is still using short, controlled bursts as it falls back, however this isn't stopping them.

The Dalek has zipped around the corner. Richards Lieutenant, a genetically engineered Cat-adapt, has ripped open one Dalek and is now looking for seconds. The Master and Hybrid Sek are hiding under an improvised roof, while they wait for a chance to make it to the Transmat.

The core, read most valuable, of Alan's crew have almost made it to the Transmat machine. They have been exchanging fire with the Dalek by the TARDIS but without any effect. Some or Alan's crew are in danger of being cut off and surrounded by Zombies.

Richard's crew have made it to the Transmat pad and started repairs. Billy collected the Pyrethium. "This here space dynamite works a treat on these here space crystals, Ye Haw!" My rearguard is almost compressed to the same position as my advance guard.

Space Cowboy and his lizard buddy arrive, Lizard boy doesn't last very long and the cowboy starts getting mobbed by the mutants.

The Zombies are rapidly closing on my rear guard. "I've got movement in front and behind!"My Ogron Gunner and Hybrid Expert don't really have anywhere to fall back to and are likely to get into hand-to-hand combat next turn.

Here is a quick view from down in the trenches "they are right behind me, aren't they?"

Some more independent salvagers arrive. This might help keep the mutants busy for a while.

The Black Dalek and Gunner are now fighting the zombies up close and personal. The Hybrid has evaded the zombies by climbing up the side of the trench. Billy is dragging his sack of Pyrethium to the Transmat pad.

The Black Dalek and the Ogron fight back-to-back.

The Dalek Levitates to the top of the Trench. It's getting crowded up there and it won't be long before the zombies arrive.

Space Cowboy meets his end pinned against a rubble pile by a gang of mutants. His sacrifice will be remembered .... briefly.

The others have made it past the first of the mutants with only minor injuries.

The Ogron Gunner falls to the zombies. He will have to roll for infection next game. Billy gets bushwacked by some zombies. The master is coordinating the teams repair efforts. it's like 3 engineer monty, you keep swapping them in and out to maximise the repair rolls. Alan has been busy using Data skip to scoop up some of the data loot dropped by incapacitated Daleks.

The transmat finally activates and everyone on the pads disappears. The Master and my Engineer determine that I need some treasure out of this whole disaster and rush back to get the crystals from Billy. The Master blew up a zombie with a grenade

The Engineer charges the second zombie and kills it. Doc Holliday jumps on a transmat pad. Richards crew are loading their side of the pad with comrades. My Dalek did try and shoot Alan's runner to try and get some data loot. The shot left the runner on one health. With that the Dalek stepped on the pad and disappeared.

The Master and the Engineer made it to the pad and teleported away. Richard's and Alan's crew all left.

I had two casualties to mutant shooting. The Dalek survived by Trooper Lytton did not. The Gunner and Billy both survived but need to test for infection next scenario.

I made it out with one treasure which I managed to trade for an Alien Artefact. All the items were junk but that was the best of a bad deal. What can you do when you are dealing with broke colony governments.