Number 2 son was after another game yesterday, so we set up a battlefield for an evacuation mission. He took command of the Mecha force (assisted by some Alternative Armies' Ion Age Muster troops), moving to attack "the village", which consists of some of my Dragon's Rest 3D printed scenery. Number 1 son took control of the defenders (Alternative Armies' Ion Age Retained Knights), tasked with evacuating the civilians (red pawns). Evacuation is via ISSCV, an Inter Solar System Cargo Vehicle from the Space: Above And Beyond TV series (well worth a look for sci-fi fun and scenario ideas if you haven't seen it!) which needs to be fuelled.
The robots approach. They start from within a rocky outcrop. The Muster infantry are already approaching the cliff wall in single file, heading for an access ladder near the industrial plant. You can see the range ruler to the right, it has marks at 5" and 12". Basic to hit roll for shooting is 4+ but +1 is added to the target number for each additional range band.
One of the Retained Knights wonders if there is time to stop at the snack bar?
Retained Knights prepare to defend the entrance. The attacking mecha will try and breach the cliff wall here.
The ISSCV awaits fuelling. A D6 is rolled each turn. When the cumulative total reaches 15, there is enough fuel to escape.
Civilians are all in the buildings at the start. They need to make their way to the ISSCV to escape. The Retained Knights need to delay the mecha and Muster long enough for the ISSCV to finish fuelling and loading the civilians. Retained Knights move 5" per turn. They roll a D6 for small arms with 5" range bands, D8 for grenade launcher with 5" range bands, D10 for missile launcher with 12" range bands. Humans are eliminated on the first wound taken. When firing small arms at mecha or buildings, +2 is added to the target number, meaning that they are ineffective over 5" (needing basic 4+, +2 difficulty against mecha/buildings, +1 per range band over 5" = minimum of 7+ to hit on a D6).
The Muster soldiers troop towards the ladder. They will be climbing up to get a good view of the village from the top of the cliffs. As with the Retained Knights, they move 5" per turn. They roll a D6 for small arms with 5" range bands, D8 for grenade launcher with 5" range bands, D10 for missile launcher with 12" range bands. Humans are eliminated on the first wound taken.
The mecha set off towards the cliffs. They can move 5" and shoot (in either order) or move 12" with no shooting. They are armed with a mixture of missiles (D10 and 12" range bands) and autocannon/particle cannon (D8 and 12" range bands). Each mecha can take 4 damage.
A grav pickup is in the garage, the furthest point from the ISSCV. There are a couple of civilians in here who need to get away.
The command centre houses a number of civilians and Retained Knights.
Retained Knights have a commanding view of the area from the control tower. One readies his missile launcher.
The civilians in the garage hop into the grav pickup to speed them on their way to the ISSCV. The pickup moves only 5" on the turn they climb aboard, but will be able to move a full 12" next turn.
The mecha begin bombarding the cliff face. They need to achieve 16 damage to destroy the section blocking the entrance.
A couple of hits against the command centre. The first civilian, with Retained Knight escort, bursts out of the doors.
The control tower also takes a hit.
Retained Knights pull back into cover behind the cliffs to either side. They don't want to be caught in the open when the entrance barrier rocks collapse!
The ISSCV receives 4 fuel on the first turn. Turn 2, it only receives 1 point of fuel, though at least some of the civilians have arrived and are ready to board.
The mecha continue to bombard the entrance area, and the blocking outcrop crumbles under the barrage.
Muster troops have reached the top of the cliff! The creep forward and spot the evacuation in progress. Opening fire, their attack is mostly ineffective, but the rearmost civilian falls to their shots, and a single shot inflicts additional damage on the command centre.
The Retained Knights need to do something to eliminate this threat, otherwise very few civilians will make it to the evac point.
Fuelling continues, a better result this time with a 6! Only 4 more fuel points needed for the ISSCV's tanks.
The lift has reached the top floor and the last civilian from the control tower climbs into the lift, ready to be escorted to the ground by 2 Retained Knights. The others will remain in the control tower to observe the enemy movements.
With the blocking cliff outcrop gone, the way is clear for the mecha.
Retained Knights sally forth in a delaying action, peppering the lead mecha with missile and grenade fire.
The mecha crashes to the ground, flames billowing from the torn armour plate.
Elsewhere, covering fire from the Retained Knights has caused only a single casualty on the Muster. Their return fire is more effective, the last two civilians from the command centre crumple to the ground, almost within touching distance of the ISSCV.
Spurred on by the cries of their fallen colleagues, the other civilians try to pick up the pace.
More gunfire spatters harmlessly across the nose of the ISSCV... before chewing significantly less harmlessly into the bodies of two more unlucky civilians.
Avenging their fallen leader, the mecha concentrate their fire, shredding the defending Retained Knights and leaving the way into the village wide open.
5 more fuel is pumped into the tank and the ISSCV is ready to launch. They risk waiting another turn for the last civilians to pile in.
The Retained Knights open fire on the Muster on the cliff top and several fall casualty.
The Retained Knights prepare to sell their lives as dearly as possible to give the ISSCV a chance to finish loading and launch.
Attempting to flank the Retained Knights, one of the mecha slips and falls whilst trying to step across from the cliffs to the garage roof.
The mecha takes only a single point of damage and will be able to stand up again next turn, but a delay at this moment may be critical!
Return fire from the cliff top wipes out most of the Retained Knights on the command centre roof, but their delaying action has been crucial. Their sacrifice has not been in vain!
Enemy mecha have breached the defences and stride into the village, but are they too late?
The lead and following mecha target several buildings, inflicting damage but failing to destroy any. The control tower takes a number of hits, but remains standing.
The command centre and some of the smaller huts also take hits, but nothing too serious.
Loaded and fuelled, the ISSCV slowly lifts, accelerating as it shifts into forward flight mode.
... and VROOOSH! They're away!
The end result. 5 civilians dead, but 15 survivors have been successfully evacuated, along with 3 Retained Knights.
Something I added mid-game was a 5-minute timer. This was reasonably successful in focussing the children's attention on moving units and deciding on what/where to fire. They were allowed to finish rolling dice after the 5 minutes had elapsed, but all action decisions had to be made before the timer ran out.
A fun game was had by all, this time with no storming off because things got destroyed.
Scenery is my Lidl "outdoor carpet" games mat, insulation foam rocky outcrops and 3D printed "Dragon's Rest" scenery and ISSCV. Figures are the old Exosquad RoboTech Destroids and Alternative Armies Ion Age Muster & retained Knights. Plastic pawns and counters came from eM4 (they have a vast stock of excellently prices bits and pieces), skull casualty markers from the now sadly defunct Figures in Comfort.
