Arwen and I managed to get around the table again on Sunday afternoon for another game of
Across the Dead Earth. A quick shuffle of terrain and we were good to go. We've not quite got around to naming our gang members yet (I may have as I wrote this up) as there may be some rebuilding of them before we start any sort of progressive gaming with them. I'm also beginning the hunt to find models that scream Forest-kin to me so I'm using models from my other AtDE gangs for the moment. It was definitely a much smoother run through this time, not that it's a hard rule set to pick up. We decided to limit it to a six turns as someone had some previous homework commitments.
The late afternoon sun began to slip behind the hills, there wouldn't be much time to get this done. Rumors of a caravan raid and dropped cargo had drawn them here but across the way there was the distinctive glint of sunlight on metal. The rumors had obviously attracted others....
The two rival gangs quickly began flitting across the landscape, moving quickly to get into the best firing lines while keeping to cover the best the could all the while focusing on getting the prize. Finally as the Forest-kin Alpha ran into the doorway of a ruined building a shot shot rang out as barked orders had Eagle-Eye attempt a long range shot at the distant Engineer leader though the range proved too far.
Continuing on his way the Alpha headed to the rooftop and quickly filled his pack with the forgotten items, there'd be time to assess the haul later. Across the clearing a crossbow toting Engineer began to swiftly do the same thing with another dropped stash; Eagle-Eye seeing a shot lets off another sighting through a long broken window, but the round merely grazes across the man's shoulder leaving the Forest-kin sniper to adjust his sight. The remaining members of the gangs continue to move attempt to apply pressure to the opposing men and women while protecting their own. Hare-tip the Forest-kin scout tries a shot of her own at her Engineer opposite but again the shot goes wild as the range proves to be too far for effective shooting. The Engineer medic closes in through the ruins towards Hare-tip but as he advances the time weakened structure crumbles further and despite the sharp cry of "Lookout!" from his fellows he is knocked to the ground by broken concrete and bits of rusted rebar. Sensing danger approaching her scout the Alpha Mother moves up ready to support her family member, or give first aid which ever may be required.
Hare-tip moving to the other side of the window fires off another round this time at the heavily laden Engineer crossbowman and a well placed shot drops the man to the floor with a grunt of pain. Perhaps spurred by the sound of his fallen comrade the Engineer medic regains his feet shaking off the effects of his heavy blow to the head. The Forest-kin Alpha begins to head back toward the meeting point again barking orders at Eagle-Eye positioning the man to cover the flank approach of his Forest-kin family members. The Engineer scout begins to climb the ruins looking to the higher ground for a better shot. With no enemy yet in sight Eagle-Eye settles down to watch and wait and is quickly offered a target by the Engineer heavy who after calculating the risk makes a dash for the cover of the rocks nearby but is taken down by the Forest-kin sharpshooters careful shot. The Engineer leader settles down to watch and wait himself decided to play a denial game for the last remaining stash of loot rather than risk the firing lines of the entire Forest-kin family.
The Engineer assault trooper tries to pick himself up but the bullet seems to have hit somewhere relatively vital so the man is forced to stay down and apply pressure. Hare-tip decides to rely on her speed and agility and risks the firing line of the Engineer leader and runs to grab the remaining loot, but after the rifle barks out she is left attempting to crawl back toward her Alpha Mother clutching her side. The higher ground seems to pay off for the Engineer scout as he lines up a shot at the Alpha but the Forest-kin leader shakes it off and continues to move dropping the loot safely off near the bug out point and head back into the fray to protect his family. The Alpha Mother begins to clear the path to her fallen daughter dropping her opponents medic with a blast from her shotgun, but the man quickly patches himself up and regains his feet.
The sense of urgency growing in the Engineers ranks the medic continues to move heading over to the fallen assault gang member and patching him up. The Alpha begins to head around the building hoping to flank the Engineers, stopping to finish off the heavy along the way. The rest of the Forest-kin family move to cover the remaining loot while being careful not to expose themselves hoping the deepening twilight lasts long enough for their Alpha to flank and take out the dug in Engineer leader. While the remaining Engineers begin to fall back relying on their leader to cover the withdrawal.
Hare-tip manages to regain her feet and despite taking another round from the Engineer leader stays on them. The Alpha rushes around the corner and tucks into the far wall, knocking down the Engineer medic on the way with a blast from his hand cannon.
Finally the with the shadows have become an engulfing blackness across the area and the gangs are forced to withdraw, slipping back through the surrounding rocks and trees like phantoms heading back to their camps to see what prizes they managed to secure.
It was a nice tight game with both of us securing one loot marker each, but after revealing the values it was a slim victory to me. It was great to get a good game of Across the Dead Earth in as it's been a while since I've had it out on the table, Arwen really enjoyed herself as well and I'm thinking I might have the motivation to pull out some of my
Urban Apocalypse Battle Systems terrain to set up a more urban style area to play on. Meanwhile the weathers looking good today I'll try to get some better shots of those Malifaux Gremlins and get them up this afternoon and I potentially have a game of something happening today against Toby so possibly another battle report in the near future as well.
