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  AN ONGOING NEWSLETTER May 2006


The Damnettia Incident
by Danny Stevenson

Soon after the Corporations seized power on Earth they started to look to the stars as a way of expansion. Wherever humanity went the combat zones followed...

With the invention of the “Fusion” drive the stars soon lay open for mankind to expand. The new drives allowed travel to distant star systems in weeks rather than lifetimes. All Corporations and factions with enough funds were involved in the frantic planet grab that followed. Many worlds had several colonies on them. Each colony had its own identity be that Corporate, National, or Faction, and all competed fiercely for rescources and other rights.

Out in space it wasn’t much better. Gangs stole ships and took to an easier life of piracy . They lurk in asteroid belts, gas nebulas and ice fields only to swoop upon unfortunate vessels. The pirates will board their prey and take control after a sort and brutal battle.

On the edge of the Hades system is the Shades asteroid field. A lone vessel lurks at the very edge. It is the 'Lost Boy,' a pirate ship looking for easy pickings.

Their sensors pick up a huge, dead hulk drifting in from deep space. Dark and powerless, it looks like it has been lost for some time. The name can barely be made out on the scarred, pitted hull: Damnettia.

The pirates are excited at the thought of easy profits with no risk.

Further gaming:

If the Pirates win:

They will have to take the bridge, and then repair the control to the ships communications and engines in the engineering room. There is also the further surprise game of what lies in the Doktor's lab. The mad doc is now a cyborg. Robotic and cybotic everything. He leads a small army against the intruders. Once the pirates win this it is up to the pirate player what he/she wants to do with the ship. Further campaigns can be drawn from this.

If the pirates lose:

If the any of the crew makes it back to the “Lost boy”, they will be perused by the robots. It will take a further holding action to keep the robots at bay whilst the vessels disengage. If the pirates lose, the robots board the “Lost Boy”.

Depending on how many crew are left, the pirate leader opens fire on the “Damnettia” blowing it to smithereens. If the pirate leader is lost, it can lead to a small spin off whilst the pirates fight it out over who is the new boss.

If the robots win then the mad Doktor has fresh body parts to make more Cyborgs, and a fresh ship to use as a raider. He may even decide to strip the lost boy to repair, arm and fly the Damnettia. Future games may include the Doc’s “babies” raiding and destroying shipping, bases and even planets. Will he become a threat to humanity?

Pirate Briefing

You are Captain Blaggard, Captain of the “Lost Boy”, a pirate ship. You have been skulking in this damn asteroid field waiting for prey for 48 hours now. The field gives your vessel perfect cover from the Corporate Frigates, but keeps you far from likely targets. You may have to creep closer to the space lanes, but you'd really prefer to seek profit with less risk. Suddenly your first mate “Mr Borris” informs you a large object is drifting in from deep space.

Further scans show that it is an large, old, freighter. Its appearance has spooked your crew. Rumours of a ship of the dead is spreading like wildfire. After all this is the Hades system, named after the Greek underworld. After knocking a few heads together (just to restore order), you scan the vessel further. Scans show no life forms, and a visual inspection reveals the hulk's identity: The Damnettia. Life support and power should be easy to restore, as the scans show no serious damage.

To avoid bashing heads together any further you run a check on this vessel, just to show the “lads” that this is not a supernatural occurrence. The check shows that the vessel was a SpaceTek Corporation freighter, converted it into a large mobile lab and workshop. A “Doktor Stienburger”, a leading robotics expert was using the vessel to produce prototype and revolutionary robots. The Damnettia vanished 35 years ago with its six man crew, the Professor and his two assistants. It was assumed that pirates or a rival corporation destroyed the vessel.

You are excited. In salvage value alone the ship would make you all a fortune. There could even be a reward for its recovery (although as pirates, claiming it would be tricky). Who knows what robotic parts there might be aboard? This could be worth a fortune. Your mind is full of possibilities. You could even complement your crew with robots. Or even better sack the lazy buggers and replace them with hi-tech robots. The ship could be put into an orbit somewhere and used as a base, with a robot crew. Perhaps it could be converted to a large battleship. The Galaxy could be your oyster.

This is too good a chance to miss. You tell the lads to prepare to board, and set an intercept course.

You and your crew, cut your way into the cargo bay. As you enter the deserted ship, you notice the corpses of the crew. What happened here? Some are scorched, most are hacked into little bits. No work of pirates this. It must be a inter-corporation thing. They like to go for over-the-top savagery to shift blame.

Photo credit: Michael CrossmanAs you enter,the lights flicker on & off, making shadows dance: You think you spot movement. Are this ship and its grisly contents playing with your imagination? Suddenly the whirring sound of servos tells you that you and the lads are not alone. As several skeletal robots appear at the other end of the bayy ou rally the lads for a fight. No tin cans are going to stop you from getting this ship.

To Win: You are just inside the vessel. This is a vital foot hold. To win the Pirates must destroy or drive back the robots and hold their position.

To Lose: You are all killed or routed by the robots.

Pirates:

Name Quality Rank AP T Weapons and equipment
Captain Blaggard Vet Leader 7 8 Flak jacket, Auto shotgun, sword, Frag Grenade (2)
Mr. Borris Vet Pirate 6 7 Primitive Armour, Rocket Launcher, H.E. missiles (3), medium pistol
Ivana Ave Pirate 6 7 Primitive Armour, Autopistol, knife
Storm Ave Pirate 6 7 Flak Jacket, Heavy pistol, knife, Frag Grenade (1)
Chainsaw Ave Pirate 6 7 Flak Jacket, Autoshotgun, Chainsaw, Frag Grenade (1)
Bluey Ave Pirate 6 7 Flak Jacket, Heavy Pistol, Knife, Frag Grenade (1)
Flyboy Ave Pirate 6 7 Heavy Pistol, Axe
Stripe Ave Pirate 6 7 Assault rifle, knife
Flame Green Pirate 5 7 Assault rifle, knife
Dreadred Green Pirate 5 7 Medium Pistol, knife
Ruby Green Pirate 5 7 Primitive Armour, shotgun, knife

Robot Briefing

Thirty-five years ago the “Damnettia” was a SpaceTek Corporation freighter, converted to use as a mobile lab-cum-workshop. The man in charge of development was Doktor Erik Steinburger. He designed and built many unique robots, but the crew spoke quietly of his near-madness. They were wrong. He had descended far into the depths of paranoia.

Suspecting that the crew and his assistants were whispering against him him the Doktor reprogrammed his “babies” (as he called them). His instructions were simple: Protect the Doktor. Kill the humans. The ensuing battle was a massacre.

The last crew members died buying the Captain a scant few minutes on the bridge Communication was down, and the self-destruct was disabled by a viorus. All he could do was use a manual override to steer the ship out of the galactic plane, to where it could do no one any harm. As the killer robots broke in, the Captain detonated a device, destroying the steering controls, two robots, and himself.

The stricken vessel drifted further and further into deep space, and was all but forgotten. Somehow it changed course and drifted back into human space. Scans of the hulk show no life on the vessel, with life support dormant An abandoned vessel means salvage, and big profits to the salvagers.

As the salvage crew boards the ship through the cargo bay, life support reactivates. The pirates start to spread out looking for valuables, little realising that they are not alone. Cold intellects are awakening withsimple unstructions: Protect the Doktor. Kill the humans They close in on their victims.

To Win: Push back intruders or kill them all.

To Lose: Get pushed out of cargo bay, or destroyed.

Professor's “Babies”:

Action points: CC Attack CC Wound Mod
6 2D6 2D6

Damage Threshold:

Minor Damage Major Damage Critical Damage
9-12 13-15 16+

Robot Left Arm Right Arm Equipment
Phoenix Flamer Sword ---
Samura Sword Med pistol---
Buzz Axe Autoshotgun ---
Sgt Death Assault Rifle Sword ---
Clutter Autopistol Axe ---

All weapons are hand held. Each machine has a weapon in each hand and gets no close combat bonus.

Set Up

The table should be set up to represent a small cargo bay. Boxes, barrels and crates should be placed randomly. You may want some small walled or fenced storage pens too. If you have access to them stacker trucks, control panels, generators, cargo vehicles and even a small shuttle/drop ship could also be deployed. Generally the table should offer lots of cover and keep the lines of sight short.

The pirates can choose which table edge to set up on. They must deploy in the centre within 30cm of the edge. The Robots set up on the opposite edge to the pirates. They can deploy all along that edge as long as it is within 15cm from that edge.

Additional Rules:

Chainsaw:

Chainsaws are a popular close combat weapon in the Combat Zone world. They can cause a lot of damage and make short work of armour. The chainsaw is popular with Scavs and Pirates for cutting up scrap or through doors.

CC Attack modifier: CC Wound Modifier Points
+1D6 +1D8 8

Robotic insanity:

As the robots have been built by a madman with minimal resources, and have not received any maintenance for years they are prone to the odd malfunction. Every turn roll a D8 for each robot. On a roll of 8 the robot malfunctions. Roll on the table below for results:

Roll D10 Malfunction
1 Switches sides - The malfunction causes the robot to fight for the enemy. This is controlled by the Pirate player for the next D4 turns, when it will switch allegiance, again.
2-3 Haywire – The robot starts to spin around wildly firing in all directions. Any models in base contact must roll for damage. It stays in this condition for the next D4 turns, and cannot be used for this time.
4-5 Nuts – For this turn only the robot turns and fires in a random direction (D12). Any models regardless of allegiance in line of fire must roll for damage
6-7 Bloodlust - The robot attacks the nearest object (including packing cases). It will stay in this condition for D4 turns.
8 Fire – The robot sparks and catches fire. Each turn roll D6. On a 6 the fire goes out. The robot takes hit of 2D6 hit every turn it is on fire.
9 Explodes – the robot explodes spectacularly. It causes damage 5cm radius at 3D6.
10 System crash - The Robot just stops. All the lights go out. It is out of the game. Every turn roll D8. On an 8 it comes back to life. Note: whilst crashed it does not need to roll for further malfunction. The robot may be pushed over (see rules on page 21 of battle book).

Photo credit: Michael Crossman

The stricken vessel drifted further and further into deep space, and was all but forgotten. Somehow it changed course and drifted back into human space. Scans of the hulk show no life on the vessel, with life support dormant An abandoned vessel means salvage, and big profits to the salvagers.

As the salvage crew boards the ship through the cargo bay, life support reactivates. The pirates start to spread out looking for valuables, little realising that they are not alone. Cold intellects are awakening with simple unstructions: Protect the Doktor. Kill the humans. They close in on their victims.

To Win: Push back intruders or kill them all.

To Lose: Get pushed out of cargo bay, or destroyed.

Professor's “Babies”:

Action points: CC Attack CC Wound Mod
6 2D6 2D6

Damage Threshold:

Minor Damage Major Damage Critical Damage
9-12 13-15 16+

Robot Left Arm Right Arm Equipment
Phoenix Flamer Sword---
Samura Sword Med pistol---
Buzz Axe Autoshotgun ---
Sgt Death Assault Rifle Sword ---
Clutter Autopistol Axe ---

All weapons are hand held. Each machine carries a weapon in each hand and gets no close combat bonus.

Set Up:

The table should be set up to represent a small cargo bay. Boxes, barrels and crates should be placed randomly. You may want some small walled or fenced storage pens too. If you have access to them stacker trucks, control panels, generators, cargo vehicles and even a small shuttle/drop ship could also be deployed. Generally the table should offer lots of cover and keep the lines of sight short.

The pirates can choose which table edge to set up on. They must deploy in the centre within 30cm of the edge. The Robots set up on the opposite edge to the pirates. They can deploy all along that edge as long as it is within 15cm from that edge.

Additional Rules:

The crew of the Damnettia have to stay in the small cargo hold to win. This is vital. If routed to their vessel (or killed) they have lost.

Chainsaw:

Chainsaws are a popular close combat weapon in the Combat Zone world. They can cause a lot of damage and make short work of armour. The chainsaw is popular with Scavs and Pirates for cutting up scrap or through doors.

CC Attack modifier: CC Wound Modifier Points
+1D6 +1D8 8
:

Robotic insanity:

As the robots have been built by a madman with minimal resources, and have not received any maintenance for years they are prone to the odd malfunction. Every turn roll a D8 for each robot. On a roll of 8 the robot malfunctions. Roll on the table below for results:

Roll D10 Malfunction
1 Switches sides - The malfunction causes the robot to fight for the enemy. This is controlled by the Pirate player for the next D4 turns, when it will switch allegiance, again.
2-3 Haywire – The robot starts to spin around wildly firing in all directions. Any models in base contact must roll for damage. It stays in this condition for the next D4 turns, and cannot be used for this time.
4-5 Nuts – For this turn only the robot turns and fires in a random direction (D12). Any models regardless of allegiance in line of fire must roll for damage
6-7 Bloodlust - The robot attacks the nearest object (including packing cases). It will stay in this condition for D4 turns.
8Fire – The robot sparks and catches fire. Each turn roll D6. On a 6 the fire goes out. The robot takes hit of 2D6 hit every turn it is on fire.
9 Explodes – the robot explodes spectacularly. It causes damage 5cm radius at 3D6.
10System crash - The Robot just stops. All the lights go out. It is out of the game. Every turn roll D8. On an 8 it comes back to life. Note: whilst crashed it does not need to roll for further malfunction. The robot may be pushed over (see rules on page 21 of battle book).

Further gaming:

Robots!If the Pirates win:

They will have to take the bridge, and then repair the control to the ships communications and engines in the engineering room. There is also the further surprise game of what lies in the Professors lab. The mad doc is now a cyborg. Robotic and cybotic everything. He leads a small army against the intruders. Once the pirates win this it is up to the pirate player what he/she wants to do with the ship. Further campaigns can be drawn from this.

If the pirates lose:

If the any of the crew makes it back to the “Lost boy”, they will be perused by the robots. It will take a further holding action to keep the robots at bay whilst the vessels disengage. If the pirates lose, the robots board the “Lost Boy”.

Depending on how many crew are left, the pirate leader opens fire on the “Damnettia” blowing it to smithereens. If the pirate leader is lost, it can lead to a small spin off whilst the pirates fight it out over who is the new boss.

If the robots win then the mad Professor has fresh body parts to make more Cyborgs, and a fresh ship to use as a raider. He may even decide to strip the lost boy to repair, arm and fly the Damnettia. Future games may include the Prof’s “babies” raiding and destroying shipping, bases and even planets. Will he become a threat to humanity?


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