VANGUARD: Recent Gameplay-

Arriving later to the southern store later than we had anticipated (the rains helped with Friday rush-hour), the three of us: Brazilian Buddha, C., and I, entered the gaming area beset with Magic: TG players.

We grabbed the sketchy table in the front corner, hammered out the Point-buy Squads [1], and used the McDonald's Cup Holder as a bunker.

The scenario was decidedly simple:

1). Figures start within 6" of the bunker
2). The distance is so short that grenade launchers only need a 14+ on d24 (or 2d12) to be considered a 'driftable' hit -- d12 was then rolled for clock-face orientation of the actual point of impact
3). Entry into the bunker interior required a full Round of inactivity by the figure in question
4). Movement from one 'hold' to one adjacent required moving into the abstracted centre of the structure
5). Diagonal movement through the centre from far 'hold' to 'hold' was not possible
6). The Player with at least one remaining figure within the bunker was the winner

Round 1 was movement.

By Round 2, Buddha had a few figures move to Line of Sight of C.'s figures, and started shooting, just about the same time (Simultaneous Activation) C.'s grenadiers launched a few errant grenades. Figures on C.'s side reached the bunker and the ineffective gren launches were pesky, but her Commander began to enter as Buddha's Operators began to fire at her.

Round 3 turned bloody, and Kills were scored on both sides, although Buddha scored 3:1 Kills on C.'s. However, the troopers were 1 Fight Die (with the Commanders being 2FD), and they wouldn't be eliminated from the fight before taking a second Kill. The Disruption Points C.'s figures were scoring on Buddha's forces were enough to drop his Condition Levels, but his rolls were often better, which evened things out again.

Round 4 moved into the bunker and Close Combat ensued. C. was rolling 5 Colour Dice versus Buddha's 2Cd on a two-on-one fight resulting in a Kill. Even the 4 v. 5 roll went pretty decisively in her favour the first time, but when Buddha's Commander joined the fight, C.'s Commander was taken captive.

We went with a 1 Kill game just to see how quickly it could play through, while still making the figures better trained and equipped than 0FD commoners.

Next week, we plan on using one of the gaming-scapes the store has built onto minis gaming tables. One, in particular, looks like a Quake or Unreal mod, and should prove challenging.

I am particularly happy that the rules are simple enough that virtually no chart lookup is needed in-game, and that I can simply Referee in the observer/arbitrator/clarifier-role, rather than as a Game Master. At least one Round was conducted in my absence while I was indisposed.