Sparrow vs Hound! Going to church on sunday!
A MASSIVE DS event at my house today! Prius and Sturmm would finally get to duke it out, while I would initiate master Telruna’s Hungry Hounds into the ways of the newbie cannon fodder! Let the bleeding begin...
I realized I’d never played a proper skirmish game before (to the death!), so while I set Prius and Sturmm up with the currently being developed ‘Stake Out & Elimination’ scenario I seduced Telruna to bring his little green lambs to my 7-game veteran slaughter. Mwuahaha! (Note: Mord, I wanted to do both scenario’s, but just one new scenario and a new guy was enough to tire me for the next week!).
Because Sturmm had brought his big-ass totally-awesome chemical plant scenery, we had lots to fill our tables. Including the now much-more-painted church! It would quickly become the center of the table.
We set up on opposite table-edges, with my guys starting behind the church to the north and Telruna’s crispy fresh Kroot (borrowed models from Prius!) deployed south. This is after the first movement phase, but it gives a good overview of the table:
Note Telruna’s arms to the right. This guy has a knack for getting his limbs (and crotch!) into my view while I’m taking pics. You have been warned!
Turn 1The Harakoni take the first turn and settle themselves into the church, providing them with a very decent view of the battlefield (we need more tall buildings!). In turn the Kroot move up through the ruins and the scattered hedgerows in the center.
The Harakoni set up camp (no, really, I mean camp
):
The Hungry Hounds hungrily move up into the ruins (and more arms!):
No wait, here are the hounds (and hands!):
Overview after turn 1:
Turn 2EL-E-VA-TION! Finally our guys get to climb into a building... and of course subsequently fail. Nice way to lose your climbing virginity, guys! Then again, they’re new to this, so I can’t really blame ‘em! The WS5 Lieutenant (I
really need to start making up some names) takes a potshot at the approaching Kroot, with no effect.
The Kroot decide to pop some smoke grenades to cover their advance. Pretty advanced tech for the space chickens, eh?
Telruna sends his Kroot forward, while Sturmm gets himself another sandwich!
Smoke grenade!
This is not the above-mentioned Lieutenant, but the resident TLGT... who’s nonetheless found himself a decent spot to snipe from.
As has the ever-vigilant Private John Locke!
Turn 3With the Kroot hounds scratching at the door, the Harakoni flamethrower trooper (his third incarnation by now!) moves up and decides meat’s back on the menu! One hound immediately becomes scorched meat, while the other is knocked down. Meanwhile, suppressing fire stuns one of the approaching Headhunters.
The Kroot fire support kicks in, covering their close combat oriented officers. Their fire harmlessly bounces off the battered church, which is proving to be an effective base of fire for the Harakoni. In response to seeing his kin being turned into hotdogs, a third Kroot hound charges the flamethrower, but the trooper manages to fight the hungry hound off!
The Kroot firing base south, the approaching officers in the middle and the first Kroot hounds reaching the church north.
The Harakoni are quite secure in the church.
Meanwhile...Though Prius may think the situation is looking good (Sturmm’s chemical factory is looking bitching!)...
He is quickly reminded that Sturmm has other plans (while Telruna checks his squad skills once again...)!
But... BACK TO OUR GAME!
Turn 4Lieutenant Kuijt decides to take another view of life and climbs up to the church’s first floor. The Harakoni are starting to show off their superior shooting, scoring hits everywhere. However, the amazing Kroot way of blending in with the cover ensures the Harakoni only succeed in putting down a single hound!
Hitting was not a problem for the Kroot either, but this turn Telruna ensured a nomination for V.I.S.I.O.N.: crappy rolling and 1’s galore! Wounding was out of the question for the Kroot, especially with the WS5 Lieutenant dodging shots! In a rare moment of determination, one of the Headhunters managed to knock the Lieutenant down in close combat anyway.
The Kroot firebase, unable to put a dent in the Harakoni!
The Kroot Headhunter makes use of the smoke cover and knocks the Harakoni Lieutenant on the head! Captain Aetos (on the right) intends to put an end to it (and note Telruna’s crotch on the left...).
Turn 5The freshly bought heavy stubber proves its worth as it opens up on a Kroot Headhunter, shredding it and the surrounding bushes to shreds. The flamethrower acts like a bonafide bouncer in the ensuing assault phase, keeping two Kroot hounds at bay at the churchdoors. In the end he gets eaten, though!
The fighty sergeant on the Harakoni side decides to help his entrenched comerade, swinging about the front of the church. He summarily gunned down by one of the rifle Kroot, sniping from the bushes! Then another guns TLGT from the roof! Hmm... might have to rethink that V.I.S.I.O.N. nomination...
Gunning down the sergeant turned out to be a nasty move, however. The Kroot trying to charge him was caught right in the open!
The stubber opening up from the window (Saving Private Ryan flashback!).
The flamethrower keeps the dogs at bay!
Kroot caught in the open! Notice Locke peeking out through the window...
Turn 6Locke readies, aims and blows the lingering Kroot’s head clean off. Booyah! Captain Aetos attempts to save his beleaguered Lieutenant on the side of the church, but has to cut his way through a score of hounds, first.
In return, the Kroot Shaper shows off his own skills: he snipes another Harakoni recruit from the roof! Merely stunned, he nevertheless topples over and makes a nosedive unto the hard concrete churchfloor. Crunch! Meanwhile, one of the Headhunters finishes off the Lieutenant, before Aetos is able to intervene with his chainsword.
BOOM! Headshot!
It’s a long way down, mate!
Turn 7Quite fed-up with the rampaging Headhunter killing his men, Aetos charges in and hacks the space chicken in mincemeat! Perhaps he should rename to Colonel Sanders?
In turn the Shaper cracks off a few shots, but decides he’s had enough. The Kroot retreat!
Victory to the Harakoni!Aetos takes care of business. The still green sergeant looks up in awe!
Post-battle sequenceTHE HARAKONI MEDIC LIVES! Second game in a row! Whoa, that has to be some kind of record... for me. Well, he did save one of the Lieutenants, who would otherwise have had to miss the next game!
In other news, the flamethrower dude died... again! He’s turning into a freaking avatar (fourth incarnation!). Perhaps I should be more careful with him.
I believe Telruna didn’t do too bad either! His entire squad survived (quite impressive, considering how many hounds and officers went OOA during the game!), but the Stalker had to put up with an eye wound. Now sporting a fabulous BS of 1 and a cool scar (which I subsequently modelled unto the new model!), this guy is ready for vengeance. The shaman ended up with bitter enmity versus all Guard!
A very cool game, despite all the new Kroot rules we overlooked. Telruna rolled abysmally for most of the game, so let’s hope that doesn’t continue (V.I.S.I.O.N. has been warned!).
Subject: To Initiate a Kroot - Sparrows vs the Hungry Hounds! 
Mon Nov 08, 2010 5:30 pm
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