5150 Batrep - All Things Alien

Nick has been nagging me to do some sci-fi type stuff and he actually set up his own map and scenario so tonight we played.  As usual he tried to nonchalantly get in a fix to make sure he would prevail but I was watching for it closely as I am an old campaigner.  I have labeled this as a 5150 batrep but in reality I don't know what it is.  Over the past few months our THW games have all kind of evolved into one big game system.  I personally prefer the condensed tables from Nuts and ATZ but with the wild stuff that pops up in sci-fi, modifications are necessary.  So the bottom line is we play the game like ATZ or Nuts and just add the extra weapons and armor etc.. with any other additional tweaks and challenges deemed necessary and go at it.  In any case, it works out great and our games are fast and fun like they always are when playing Ed's great rules.  Everything has become so natural that we very rarely have to even look at a chart, everything just falls in place.  If you haven't tried the games from Two Hour Wargames you are simply missing out on great fun.

The situation:  An alien space ship crash landed in the arctic.  A top notch research team was dispatched post haste to investigate the site along with a military and secret service escort.  They found many alien creatures dead, and several more trapped in the wreckage.  Immediately it was found that these aliens were extremely dangerous and finally after much careful planning and trapping, and many deaths, the specimens are finally confined within special cages while the research crews continue their investigations into the alien spacecraft wreckage.  Because of the dangerous nature of these aliens, all workers are required to be armed at all times.

  The habitat compound.

The holding pens where most of the aliens are kept.

The large holding pen where the alien queen is confined.  In case your wondering what that container is, it is my daughters bug catching container!

The flight pad.  The only way in or out of this infernal wilderness.

Researchers are busy going through the wreckage which is spread all through the area.

Bits and pieces are scattered everywhere.

The work drones on uneventfully until early one morning a group of unidentified bipedal creatures moves rapidly towards the flight deck.  After a brief unanswered challenge, the drowsy guard opens fire..

He scores a hit on one of these dog like beings but the creature only seems stunned.

The dog soldiers return fire and their pulse weapons find their mark; the guard goes down.

Upon seeing their mortal enemies arriving on the scene, the aliens in captivity go berserk and their adrenaline gives them the strength to break their cage!  In a flash they are out!

The nearest guard is instantly torn to pieces.  These aliens are fearsome in melee.

 The aliens are not only fearsome and quick, they are also highly intelligent.  In no time they have set upon the next guard and are freeing their brethren in the other cage.

While the humans and the dog soldiers are getting their bearings, the alien captives are streaking for freedom at break neck speed.  They set upon another guard at the cages and charge the guards on duty at the habitat.  The guards manage to take down one alien but are then mangled like the others.

The other escaped aliens head straight across the work area towards the place where their queen is held captive.  Some of the researchers start catching their snap and firing at the alien onslaught but these things are hard to hit, and their natural armor is quite robust.

Most of the human fire is ineffective but Ripley manages to score a hit and stun one of the aliens.  For the most part, the humans are still dazed and confused.

Back at the habitat, the secret service guards are unable to stop alien with their little wussy pistols and they get rended to burger patties.

With lightning speed, Alien keeps their assault hot on the human guards and researchers.  The humans go down like lambs, even Ripley goes OOF because this is not Hollywood.

After this unexpected chain of events the dog soldiers have adjusted their objectives and are back on the move.  They must destroy their mortal enemy!  A couple of hapless researchers are in their way and a firefight ensues.  One dog soldier and both workers go down.  Uh oh, the dog soldiers have a rocket launcher.

Meanwhile, Alien is clearing the Queen's cage.  The last guard turns out to be one damned tough human and an overconfident Alien goes down to this warrior in melee.  But it is not long before more Aliens are upon this brave guard and he is torn to shreds.  The first Alien to hit the high voltage fence blows back in a shower of sparks but is otherwise unharmed.  Another alien is quick to try jumping over the electrified fence and it manages the task!

Finally other humans become aware of the threat and open fire but to little effect.

The dog soldiers are blasting away at everything in sight.. human or alien.

The rocket launcher blast hits short and only one Alien is caught in the blast.  It is blown to bits.

As dog soldier reinforcements arrive, the human pilots open fire but in return one of them goes down and the other prudently ducks back.

The dog soldiers reinforcements are some other alien creatures we'll just call grunts.  They are smaller, chatty little critters that are easily excitable.  All squads are led by large dangerous looking lizard like creatures.  As this squad assaults the compound they gun down a straggling Alien as it headed to it's Queen.

Alien is still very much intent on releasing their Queen.  They have taken quite a few casualties, as have the humans.  It seems that the organized intruders are now the power in this neck of the woods.

Finally the heavily armed human military escort starts to mobilize from their barracks but they immediately come under fire from the alien intruders.

With a couple of men down they are forced to duck back for cover under heavy fire.

A couple of brave workers attempt to attack the dog soldiers from the rear but are sighted by one of the large leaders.  One worker goes down and the other heads for cover.

At the compound, the human soldiers are joined by the secret service guards and the head scientist.  The secret service lads are welcomed to the battle with a hail of pulse fire and a couple of them are hit.

About this time the remaining pilot has decided that enough is enough and the chopper is taking off.

Well that tears it.  Alien has managed to free their Queen!  Just in time too as the intruder rocket launcher fire is starting to come to bear.

The enraged dog soldier commander orders the attack on the Queen but a direct hit from a rocket launcher does not penetrate her tough armor and the Aliens duck back.

 Now the grunt support squad turns it's attention to the compound and the human soldiers cowering there.  The multiple rocket launchers make short work of the remaining humans.

The compound is now a charnel house.

The intruder Elite goes looking for the other impudent human who dared to attack him earlier.  As he stands over a human corpse his prey opens fire at close range with a shotgun and stuns him.  Even his awesome reactive armor is not totally immune.

And then the brave survivor finishes him off!  Nothing like a good scatter gun for killing great big, nasty, mean alien scumbags.

It is all over in the compound.  Everyone has been wiped out except the scientist, and that stogey isn't going to do him much good in combat I'm afraid.

The pilot is getting out, and he's not stopping to pick anyone up.  At least one survivor to tell the tale.  If anyone believes him.

Alien escapes into the wilderness.  The dog soldiers efforts to annihilate their enemy is thwarted, they will have to keep hunting.

So there you have it.  Another idiotic adventure in our THW universe.  Nick has become so comfortable with these games that he is running them for his friends when I am not around.  If a ten year old can do it, I guess the rest of us don't have any excuses.  Just play the game!