Mars : Code Aurora

 

Alan got himself a set of the new Mars : Code Aurora rules. These a skirmish set of miniature agnostic scifi skirmish rules. The rules come with its own background but could be used in all sorts of settings.

I got out my Scifi terrain from Sarissa Precision. Combined with my aquarium Jungle and Alan's GW we made up a colony layout.

I need to finish painting the decking, but its usable on the table.

I took a Justice Department force. We have to recover clues about criminal activity. However some locals are not keen on the Justice department poking around in their territory and decide to do some agitating for democracy. Obviously they were concerned about the Justice Department infringing on the rights of colonists to own firearms.

Here is half of the team ready to start their sweep. The idea is to catch the locals between two rocks of the Justice Departments finest.

Here is the other half of the team ready to receive guests.

Alan has his Democracy Now protestors ready to agitate. One has a converted mining laser. One of the local news bots has wandered over for a scoop. You are not allowed to shoot within 10 cm of one of these bots. But they will go for a close up if someone shoots you.

Here is Alan's heavy hitters. Alan has to get a company exec over to the other side of the table. The company exec is going to offer the protestors weapons for a share of their local product. The blue markers are the clues I need to pick up.

Alan's sniper sets himself up with a good nest.

The Justice Department start advancing. One of the Judges has a laser rifle and the other has a Stub laser. Long range laser blasts zip down range.

Meanwhile over on the other side the table, the Judges are waiting a chance to activate.

Alan's team are still waiting for a chance to ventilate a Judge or two.

Alan sends up one of his rebels to try and get himself a slice of Judge, however the Judge holds up under fire.

Heavy fire from the Judges eliminates the leader of the protest movement and some of the protestors. Meanwhile we are trying to get to some of the evidence before the protestors can flush it away. The company exec has disappeared from sight.

Alan's heavy with missile launcher is proving to be a bit of a pain. Tough armour and a powerful weapon. We aren't arresting him with a lawgiver.

The Judges start breaking out from the other corner. The rookie made it to the clue marker then got sniped and made a break for it into the buildings.

Alan's sniper continues to annoy the Judges and would do so all game.

Alan's machinegun wielding rebel is dealt with by the judges and not sentenced to time in the ISO cubes.

This side is thinning out of combatants on both sides. Alan is now deploying a rebel with rocket launcher. 

A firefight is heating up around the corner of the building. The Judge leader is offering tactical leadership from behind a bush.

fighting now erupts on the other side of the table as the Judges try and cut off the company exec. This is up close and personal stuff.

The judges are trying to investigate the clues, however this is a risky business with Alan's sniper and missile launcher.

Alan sneaks down a rebel to try and thin out the judges in this quarter.

The Judges start making a push down the left hand side. and through the buildings.

In a display of spectacular heroics. The Judge leader gets up close and personal with several rebels. 2 level 1 rebels, one level 2 and the heavy with missile launcher all get a taste of day stick and sent to the cubes.

A fight erupts on the catwalk as two of Alan's rebels try and overpower the Judge with stub gun.

Alan has taken out the Judge with stubgun and has snuck a rebel into the Judges deployment area. The Judges manage to rush back a street Judge but he wasn't able to bring down the rebel with his lawgiver in one shot.

Alan's sniper leaves his perch to try and zero in on another target.

The game ended in a draw. The Judges recovered the evidence they needed and took down the leader of the protest movement.

Alan had escorted his corporate exec out of the sector and got a protestor into the Judges deployment zones.

With each side having a primary and secondary mission which are different and there being multiple different types of deployment there is a high degree of replayability and variability within games. Two sides doing different missions at the same time is something that most games don't try and achieve.

This is a very interesting and fun game.