5 Parsecs Chirsu campaign – Week 3 and 4

Introduction

Playing a Five Parsecs From Home 1st edition campaign.  Starting with one party member.  No aliens, no psionics. 

Week 3

Inventory: pistol, rifle, autorifle, jump belt, nano-doc.

Enemies: Isolationists, Star crew

Chirsu trades (again!) and acquires a laser carbine.  While Chirsu and Jayy are wandering and seeing the sights, Jayy gets into a heated argument with a off-duty trooper.  Things get really ugly and Jayy can’t let it go. (Met someone, failed a persuade roll and now it is a chance encounter.  This is not the mission – the argument happened during see the sights.)

Chance Encounter: Defeat or drive off the other side. Each side takes turns placing one figure on their half the table. Figures cannot set up within 9” of the halfway point between the two table edges.

The enemy is 1 Trooper with a rifle, talent is sharp shooter and wearing mesh armour.

Terrain – in a room.  Assuming that the argument happened in close range so made it a room.

First turn is the trooper.

Setup

The trooper fire at Jayy.  Rolls a 6 and Jayy is KO.

Poor Jayy

Chirsu fires – misses with both shots; the trooper returns fire, rolls a 6 and Chirsu is KO.

Poor Chirsu

The trooper rolled twice and rolled a 6 both times.  Sometimes it just works out that way.

Chirsu would have got a mental scar from the KO (lose one random talent) but Chirsu use the nano-doc to be fine instead.

Jayy receives a moderate wound and must rest for 4 weeks so will not be around for the mission.

However Jayy did mention to Chirsu that bounty hunters were searching for him (campaign event to add an enemy) and also provided him a lead to an opportunity to deal with the cultists, one of the main factions in the settlement.

Mission is an Encounter (Defeat or drive off the other side. Each side takes turns placing one figure on their half the table. Figures cannot set up within 9” of the halfway point between the two table edges).

Cultists

Enemy: 2 Cultists, armed with rifles. One has a blade.

Terrain

Structure | Structure

                Structure

Structure | Linear obstacles

Conditions are None: None.

Onc again the terrain screams indoors, converting structures to a room and so just set up 4 rooms in a 2x2 grid and I rolled for doors.

First turn is Chirsu. I rolled to see if the Cultist stay together or split up.  They start split up.

Table

Deployment

Chirsu moves to the door to fire at the 1^st cultist, The cultist can reaction fire.  Has a 1 in 6 chance of suppressing Chirsu. The cultist suppresses Chirsu, meaning Chursi turn has ended and cannot fire.

Chirsu is suppressed (two green markers)

The 1^st cultist has a blade and Chirsu is suppressed.  Both of these will give the cultist a very large advantage in melee. So the cultist charges Chirsu, engages in melee and Chirsu is out of action (the cultist roll a 6 to to make sure).

Cultist charging

Chirsu is Knocked out

It is taking longer for me to configure the table than it is to play the game!  I am thinking I may need to recruit to actually have a bit of tactical play in the battles.   Although the narrative that is generated is great.

Mission outcome: failed.

No change to enemy list.

No change to faction strength.

Chirsu gains a light wound and must rest for 2 campaign turns. equipment fine

Campaign event. Found a bargain. Traded away the pistol and rolled on the loot table. Colonist rations: While they all tend to taste the same, colonist rations basically last forever without going bad and are optimized to provide the perfect balance of nutrition, energy and boredom. Rations last for 4 missions. Group may ignore effects of 1 Shock die per mission, chosen whenever the player decides.

Faction: Bandits (6) rolls 6; Corporation (4) rolls 3; Cultists (5) rolls 5. No change. 

Week 4

Inventory:  rifle, autorifle, laser carbine, jump belt, colonist rations (4 missions)

Enemies: Isolationists, Star crew, Bounty Hunters

Resting.

Must lose an item to pay for the week (rifle).

Campaign event. Laying low for a while. All injured characters recover as if they had rested for 1 more turn.  Woo-hoo!  That was lucky.

Bandits (6) rolls 5; Corporation (4) rolls 4; Cultists(5) rolls 4. Bandits and Cultists rolled under while Corporation did not.  Corporation is reduced by 1 to 3 strength.

Character event for PC: Personal milestone - the character has achieved some sort of personal goal. If this result is generated a second time for the same character, they will leave the campaign permanently.

5 Parsecs Chirsu campaign – Week 2

Introduction

Playing a Five Parsecs From Home 1st edition campaign.  Starting with one party member.  No aliens, no psionics. 

Week 2

Inventory: pistol, rifle, jump belt, nano-doc.

Chirsu again trades and needs to choose between a grenade launcher or an autorifle.  They take the autorifle as it is a better all-round weapon for close and long range.

Chirsu did not realise it at the time but sometime in the past they made an enemy of some Isolationists.  They choose now to enact some revenge.  Chirsu gets a little advance notice of their assault and holds up in an office

Assault: Select a location, item or terrain feature that you are defending. The player's forces set up in, on or within 6” of this feature. Attackers set up with 6” of any table edge of their choice.

Isolationists

Enemy: 2 Isolationists, both armed with pistol.

Terrain:
LOS blocking forest or ruins | Scatter e.g. boulders, debris, single trees
                LOS blocking forest or ruins
     Structure                           | LOS blocking hill or bushes

This terrain screams to be inside a building.  I setup some rooms and walls using Battle System Cyberpunk walls.  Chirsu is guarding the room on the bottom left.

Deploy

1^st Isolationist gets a scurry (no reaction fire) so moves close.

2^nd Isolationist moves close but just out of sight of Chirsu.

Chirsu fires at the 1^st Isolationist and they are suppressed.

2^nd Isolationist moves into range of Chirsu, who reaction fires for no result.

2^nd Isolationist then fires and pins Chirsu.

Chirsu activates, as they are pinned they may only fire at closest (i.e. 1^st Isolationist).  The 1^st Isolationist is suppressed and must retreat (as they are already suppressed).

2^nd Isolationist fires and misses, Chirsu fires back and the 2^nd Isolationist is Knocked out.

1^st Isolationist unsuppresses and needs to get into range but has no choice to move into the LOS of Chirsu.  They move to where the 2^nd Isolationist was located. Chirsu fires at 1^st Isolationist and the 1^st Isolationist is Knocked out.

Chirsu KOs 2nd Isolationist next to the 1st one (also KO)

Chirsu wins!

Winning does not convince the Isolationists to leave Chirsu alone (no change to enemy list).

Chirsu also finds out that it is not only the Isolationists he has annoyed in the past,  there was a run-in with some Star crew that have made them an enemy (campaign event).

Faction changes: Bandits (6) rolls 6; Corporation (4) rolls 6; Cultists (5) rolls 5. No change

While chilling, Chirsu runs into Jayy who was a soldier he served with years ago. Chirsu convinces Jayy to join him for the next mission while Jayy is between jobs.

Jayy, Soldier, War torn hell hole origin. Brawler; SMG, jump belt.

5 Parsecs Chirsu campaign – Character generation and week 1

Introduction

Playing a Five Parsecs From Home 1st edition campaign.  Starting with one party member.  No aliens, no psionics. 

This post has the generation of the single character, location and the first week (1 week will equal 1 campaign turn).

Initial party

5PfH 1st Edition has this paragraph in Character Creation “You could even start a campaign with only a single character but note that “heroes” have no special protections in Five Parsecs From Home. One shot and it could be all over.”

Always up for a challenge, I am starting with one character.  Originally I was going to go for 2, but why not go low?

I used the character creation from the rules but with my modified talent, weapon and gear list.  Also I did use the background table from Starport Scum as that seemed to be just a bit better than the one in Every Star an Opportunity.

Chirsu, the sole party member

Chirsu

Chirsu, Soldier, Military outpost origin. Skills: Trader, leader. Gear: pistol, rifle, jump belt.

Trader skill: Roll twice on trade table and choose one or +1 to trade tasks.

Leader skill: When activated, all in 3" may recover, +1 to recovery checks.

Jump Belt: They permit the user to jump to the roof of a building one story tall or to clear most obstacles. The wearer can't move in the turn they use the belt. It can also be used to safely descend from any heights present on a typical gaming table.

Motivation: Power. You dream of one day being on top, legions at your beck and call.

Class: Soldier. “Professional Military” can mean anything from government troops to local goons with (mostly) the same colour helmets.  Game effect: on a roll of 6, begin the game with a random Talent (this was Trader). Add a rifle to groups armoury (added).

Background: After growing up you got a decent job. Things going great and finally you found true love. All was lost because of a system wide market crash.

Location

I am playing this in a version of the Columbia Games High Colonies setting – 200 years in the future, the solar system has lots of nation-aligned colonies and space habitats.  Earth was rendered uninhabitable in a war about 70 years before the current time.  The setting may not have a significant bearing on the game but we shall see.

Location: Dreamtime space colony at Mars GSO

League: Terran Commonwealth; nation Australia; climate Moderate, atmosphere: Breathable, extensive, population: Single large city, biosphere: Moderate biosphere, social: Bureaucratic democracy, main export: Manufactured products.

Factions (strength): Local authorities (1), Corporation (4), Cultists (6).

Problems: Ruthless corporation, Infiltration by external force, Out of control tax collection.

Week 1

Chirsu chooses to trade and acquires another rifle.  They also manage to get in a bit of training but not enough to be skilled in anything.

Searching though the possible missions, there is an opportunity to grab a local map from a mercenary.

Grab: Place an item in a terrain feature on the opposite half of the table. This item must be picked up and carried off your own table edge. Each side sets up within 6" of opposing sides.  PCs go first.

Merc

The enemy is a mercenary with an autorifle.

Terrain (generated as a 2x2 grid with a central zone as well)

Rough e.g. marsh, craters | LOS blocking hill or bushes

                Rough e.g. marsh, craters

Linear obstacles | Rough e.g. marsh, craters

Conditions are pretty gloomy: All fire above 18” range will not score a KO.

The local map is behind a hedge in the bottom corner. 

Battle board

Playing on 2'x2' table so figures move on to the table in the first turn rather than setup on the table.

The mercenary is entering from the left, Chirsu from the right. Chirsu moves into the woods while the mercenary moves to guard the local map.

First moves

Chrisi gets to the edge of the wood, is spotted and the mercenary reaction fires and suppresses Chirsu.

Mercenary firing at Chirsu

The mercenary fires again and the gun jams (double 1!).  Chirsu recovers from the suppression and fires at the mercenary but misses.  The mercenary unjams their autorifle. Chirsu fires and misses, the mercenary reaction fires and Chirsu is KO.

Mission failed.

It was never going to end well.  A rifle Vs an autorifle. And both are in cover.  Chirsu would need to be lucky to win and just had normal dice.

The Mercenary does not seem to hold a grudge (didn’t make them an enemy).

Chirsu comes to later and is all good.  They check their equipment and no damage there either.

There is an opportunity to sell and item.  Chirsu chooses to sell a rifle and acquires a nano-doc (one-use item curing ill effects from an Injury roll).

Faction changes: Local authorities (1) rolls 5; Corporation (4) rolls 3; Cultists (5) rolls 2.  The Local Authorities as a faction is reduced to 0 and gone. New faction: Bandits with strength 6!  There is a story in here that could be leveraged later where bandits have sprung form nowhere and overtaken local authorities, corporation and the cultists to become the main source of the underpinning power across the settlement.

After this initial setback, Chirsu embarks on some self-reflection and their motivation changes from Power to Discovery (The idea that there is uncharted space seems like a wrong that must be corrected).

Start of a Five Parsecs from Home (1st Edition) Campaign

 Introduction

It has been a few years since postig here.  I have not been idle and in those years have gone through about 3 fairly different versions of 1d6 SFRPG.  There is a low priority post coming on them.  But as a detour, I have long wanted to do a 5 Parsecs campaign. 

I have finished playing six quick very small linked FiveCore Pulp Skirmish games using FiveCore Skirmish Pulp Adventures. (on my non-SF blog)  My plan was next for a 10-game (or thereabouts) Five Men in Normandy campaign and then follow that up with a 1st Edition Five Parsecs from Home campaign. I got a bit of a 20mm WW2 fix recently and also got too involved in looking at the 5 Parsecs rules and so started one with 5 Parsecs.  I am also obsessing over how to combine Classic Traveller, my 1d6 simple SF RPG rules and some 5 Parsecs stuff.  But that will be for a later day.

I used an Excel spreadsheet to assist in generating missions and determining pre and post mission results.

5 Parsecs from Home 1^st Edition (5PfH1) rules commentary

I am using 1st edition as it uses the 5Core rules (that I like) and doesn’t track funds.   2nd and 3^rd edition's many tables are tied into the combat system, have credits etc.  1^st Edition is more streamlined that later editions – 1^st edition has less chrome and so less to track!  I am also using parts of Every Star an Opportunity (1^st Edition).

My main aim was to use the process as written as much as possible and to minimise any table changes.  As I play I may change some of the tables.

Changes

• Converted the tables to 1d20 (most of them, even though d100, had around 18-23 entries) and tweaked some of the tables.
• Removed all Unity references and all the Alien & Psionic stuff (wasn't very hard really) as my universe doesn’t have them.
• Created a revised list of 20 talents (mostly based on the ones mentioned in the rules). 9 combat related, most of the rest gleaned from the tables and a couple that seemed useful for pre and post tasks.
• Modified the weapon table significantly – weapons are aligned to Classic Traveller and 5Core Skirmish, and also less chance of the more powerful ones.
• Armour became Classic Traveller armour (mesh, cloth and combat armour)
• Expanded the characteristics of the enemies list (possible weapons, talents etc.) to vary them up.
• Replaced the background table from Every Star an Opportunity with the one from Starport Scum.

For reference, here is the turn sequence I am using (note ESaO = Every Star and Opportunity supplement):

If travelling

• Travel to another world
• Roll starship event (ESaO)
• Each enemy roll 5+ and they follow you, else remove enemies
• Remove patron list

Assign and resolve tasks

• Rest: Any characters must rest if injured. If all injured then turn is only one see the sights and no mission - go straight from see the sights to campaign events
• Pick up to 2 activities, 1 if less than 2 characters not resting in party. No activity other than one see the sights if all characters resting.
• Find Patron: One go only. New patron: 6+, +1 patron talent, +1 if use second activity. Existing patron: 5+, +1 patron talent. Patron may relate to faction.
• Train: 6+ for one character to gain a talent; if already have talent, roll character event
• Trade: can be selected only once.
• Sell: can be selected only once. Sell one item to roll on the Trade table
• Recruit: 5+, +1 recruit talent, +1 < 5 crew, +1 if use second activity. A natural 6 is a goon (no special, talent etc. Handgun or rifle)
• Track down enemies: Select an enemy. 5+ tracked them down and may fight them as the mission
• Repair: Repair a damaged or broken item
• Gamble: See Gear loaded dice
• See the sights: see the sights

After resolving activities, must do a see the sights if not chosen as an activity

Resolve Rumours

If d6 <= #rumours then on a quest.  Remove rumours. Quest type: SS (p49) or problems (EsaO)

Enemy mission

If not tracked enemy then roll a d6 for each enemy. On a 1 then enemy mission (more than 1 then random)

Mission

If not tracked enemies or enemy mission, or starting a quest (must do a mission if start a quest) then optionally not do a mission. Go to Campaign events.

Local travel (p62). An encounter is see the sights.

Type:

• If enemy mission, then roll enemy mission
• If tracked enemy selected, then roll tracked enemy mission
• If on a quest, then roll quest mission
• If patron mission selected, then patron mission
• else roll opportunity mission

Enemy:

• Roll enemy
• Roll if faction related 5+ (more chance if patron = faction, ESaO) or if enemy = faction then yes
• Roll # enemy
• Roll enemy weapons
• Roll leader traits

Battlefield:

• Roll terrain
• Roll battlefield condition
• If mission required target locations, select target locations
• If mission has target object, roll target
• If mission has target civilian, use character creation
• Roll for who moves first    

Play mission

Post-mission

Successful quest mission: roll outcome +1 per lead

If lead: d6=1 travel to a previous location; =6 travel to new location (see p62 for planet travel); xxx = offworld milestone: after second milestone, next mission is final one

Fail patron mission: remove patron from list

If faction related, roll d6=1 +1/-1 to faction strength

Resolve enemies

If fought a successful mission against an enemy, roll 5+ and enemies defeated and no longer enemy

If fought a successful mission against not an enemy, roll a 1 and opposition is a new enemy.

Note: Enemy list is from enemies table.

Loot

Mission successful only

Enemy mission: no loot

Opportunity Mission: roll once

Patron Mission: roll once and roll once on Trade table

Finish Quest: roll twice and once on Trade table

Injuries & breakdowns

Out of action: roll on injury table + equipment d6=1 equipment KO

Suppressed: On a 6, as per out of action, else Ok

Campaign events

If no mission then remove 1 item/weapon from the party per character (paying for overheads)

Campaign event

Roll for faction wars (1d6 for each faction, roll under strength to be fine, roll equal or over and if all others rolled under then -1.  If 0 then gone, roll for another faction) ESaO

Settlement event, ESaO

Character events

Roll once for random character

Player actions

Emergency recruitment: if 0-1 characters able to take to field, may recruit 1-2 goons with handguns or rifles.

Other emergency, only if desperate: Pick one and on a d6=6: a weapon, reduce injury time, add talent, rivalry, friendship, patron, track enemy, repair damaged item

5Core Skirmish rules commentary

Well, when I say 5Core skirmish, the rules are based on 5Core but not the same J I cannot help but tinker!

• I have converted the 1K1S results to 1d6 (I like rolling 1d6) and 3 results – pinned (no reaction fire, can’t move, Ok next activation), suppressed (no move or fire until rallied but if suppressed when already suppressed need to retreat into newer cover.) and KO (out of action).
• To hide a figure needs to be out of LOS (e.g. behind a building) not just ducking down. A figure ducking down can still be fired at but can’t be knocked out, just suppressed (unless with 6” then possibly KO). This stems out of some conversations with Just Jack on how he plays 5MiN (in the comments).
• A figure can react fire if fired on and it missed, or if a figure moves into LOS as per the rules. If a figure reaction fires they can still be activated next turn. This is similar to FiveCore Company Command. It makes it easier to play the game and one less marker!

Table size and figures

Table size will vary from 12”x12” to 2’x2’ depending on what feels right for the mission.  Terrain generation will be for 5 location - a 2x2 grid with a central terrain type as well.

Figures are 20mm and I am using WW2 Russian and partisan figures as they look a little futuristic pulp-ish gang-ish.   

To show pinned and suppressed I use little grass-like tufts – one for pinned, two for suppressed.

Final Comment

That is about enough for an intro.  I have already done half a dozen campaign turns so will start posting them.  Some people are really good at turning a campaign turn into an interesting narrative; I am not that great, and also don’t have enough time to do that.  The actual battles do not take long as I start with (spoiler) only one party member.  I will change the output into something more readable though.

Larger than Life (2020 version) - the included story no. 1 replay

Introduction

I play out the first of two adventures that come with the 2020 version of THW Larger than Life.

Background

I have been running some early Classic Traveller adventures in a spreadsheet.  My latest iteration I was quite happy with how it was playing (based on an RPG call 3 Dice).  But I was hankering for some tabletop action as part of the story.  I thought about creating my own rules based on my 3 Dice variant.  Did that, played a lot (more than 20) of test encounters but not entirely happy.  Thought I could give 5150: Back Alley Bright Lights (the boardgame) a go again.  I did use it a few times in early 2020 but no overarching story.  Thinking of combining with Larger than Life (LTL) and then got distracted into other things such as Five Parsecs From Home.   I then started looking at Larger than Life and was thinking that as I had some games with that previously, and Future Tales, and maybe I should give them a go.

And conveniently the 2020 version of LTL went on special as I was thinking, so got it.  I skimmed it, noted lots of differences.  Rather than go through it is detail and start an adventure after reading all the STOP boxes, I noticed it had two stories that came with the rules.  I thought I would play them through and hopefully come to terms with the rules that way 😊

Note that I may still drag out 5150: Back Alley Bright Lights to combine the LTL story framework with the 51050:BABL encounters.   It will be a 3-4 months before the latest 5150 Kickstarter delivers and may need to continue this itch in the meantime

Rules

It is the latest version of Larger than Life (released 2020).  It is very streamlined compared to previous versions and not as prescriptive on the story framework (e.g. adds in Carousing). I have gone for an SF Solar System feel (using some inspirations from Future Tales).  I do like the latest version it as it will be very easy to combine with the upcoming 5150 New Beginnings (coming via Kickstarter).  I like the story framework of LTL and like the range of encounters in 5150 and combining thes two will be so easy.  When required, I use my own NPC generation system that is mostly that in 5150: Maiden Voyages (no longer in print or PDF).

Figures are Heroscape with the occasional Mage Knights.  The terrain is the Battlesystems Cyberpunk Core set.

The Band

I went with my own randomly generated characters, just because I have spent time creating a random character generator.  I don’t bother with People and Savvy and only one attribute for each Start and Grunt (none for the enemy except the Big Bad). Note: after playing the story I realise that one less in People or Savvy is similar (not the same) to a negative attribute. I may play with them on the NPCs next game. I find Rep and Attribute is sufficient to differentiate a character and are enough I can handle with less to look up and track.  But I understand it does make increasing Rep less balanced.  But I come from a Traveller background where you never got better at anything.   Oh, and I only use seven of the attributes (only positive ones) so I can remember them when on the tabletop!

Anyway, the band:

Roger Lin (Star), Rep 5, Quick Reflexes (Action Rep +1) and a Pistol-1.

Alijah Burch, Rep 4, Resilient (1st Out of Fight = Carry On) and an Auto-2.

Mariana Pratt, Rep 4, Crack Shot (Shooting Rep +1) and an Auto-2.

The band group picture – Roger, Alijah, Mariana

Story 1 - Win, Place or Show?

I try not to give too much away.  Don’t read past here if you ever want to play the story.   The narration is a combination of story and rules/table results leaning towards the latter.  Mainly as I was interested in learning the rules.

1. Opening Scene

Lin has to find the jockey J.T. Barnes in 6 days.  To do this requires 5 Clues.  Who is the Big Bad? Unknown!

2. Travel Scene

Roger Lin travels alone to the Lunar Base.  The time (d6=4) is Nighttime

What’d I Meet (2d6=6+1=7)?: A Femme Fatale!  Gretta

Roger and Gretta at the bar

“Well hello,” purrs Gretta. Interacting results in failure.  Roger follows Gretta outside.

Roger follows Gretta out the bar.

3. Confrontation

Roger is followed by two thugs.

Bodyguard (exotic), REP 4, BAP

Thug (Criminal), REP 4, BAP

They have the advantage. It is night so at least all are in cover at the start.

The opponents in cover for the firefight

The Bodyguard and Thug fires and misses, Roger fires back and misses, the bodyguard returns fire and hits with both shots.  Only glancing shots but enough to force Roger to duck back.

Roger ducks behind the desk.

Roger now activates and recovers.

Seeing futility in continuing, both parties leave the light (both sides failed Will to Fight).

Thugs leaving

Roger escapes down a corridor.

And not a great start: -2 IDRep (Increasing/Decreasing Rep)

4. Find Something

Roger Lin needs to find something – information on owners, jockeys etc for the Race.  He decides to bring along one band member Alijah.  (I randomly rolled a 1d6 – 1-3 both, 4- Alijah, 5 – Mariana, 6 none).

Hmm.  Well, that was a bit easy.  I rolled on the table and found the clue!

Roger and Alijah on the search for a clue.

5. Find Someone (1)

With this first piece of information uncovered, Lin needs to question some people to get more details.  I will bring along everyone, mainly for two reasons – I can see how the rules work with three, and also so they can take some bullets/laser fire for Roger J

Note: for all these “Find Someone”s I assumed I could question just the main character rather than interact with them all then “Single Out” the one of interest.  Otherwise I think it would get a bit procedural (one extra roll when I would prefer to move the story along)

It is daytime.

The entire band is going along to question people.

So there are two potential people available to question.  First up is Jockey #2 – Emilio Garcia.  Is he alone? 1 other with him.

Questioning Garcia

Wait! What? Ah, Lin figures it out (this was a lucky roll – I rolled a 1 with 1 clue so passed 1d6).  Another Clue! Total 2.

The second person is Reporter #1 - Edgar MacDonald, with 3 others.

Questioning McDonald

Failure!  McDonald is no help at all.

5. Find Someone (2)

Still not enough clues to figure it all out so will continue to question people.

Only one person is potentially available. But cannot be found.

5. Find Someone (3)

Two possible people to question with the first being Jockey #1 – Julio Valdez with 3 others.

Wait? What?  But it eludes Lin and there is nothing to be gained.

The second person cannot be found to be questioned.

5. Find Someone (4)

Roger Lin questions Owner#2 - Seymour Butz with one other.

Wait? What?  “If I can just focus…” Lin thinks. But it does not fall into place. This is becoming a bad habit 😊

The next person is Trainer #1 - Jerry Hobbs with one other person.

Questioning Hobbs

Success!  Another Clue.  Three so far.

5. Find Someone (5)

Roger Lin and the band find Bookie #1 – Mullins with one other person

Wait? What?  Once again Lin cannot figure out what Mullins may be hinting at.

Lin is fast running out of people to question.  In hindsight I should have been using Sweet Talk  more. On the Questioning Table equal d6 passing (that Lin excelled at!) and using Sweet Talk, Lin would get a clue.  But I did not want to decrease Lin’s IDRep anymore than it is currently (-2). Next time may see more use of Sweet Talk.

5. Find Someone (6)

I will question Owner #1 - Cynthia Harrison, actually the wife of the Owner.  She is with two others.

OMG, she is a Mover and is smooth. Lin actually passed more than her.  I was not expecting that!

Questioning Cynthia

Lin agrees to drinks and things elsewhere, ditching the rest of the band.

Roger and Cynthia.

He ends up doing something he regrets (and loses a clue, only has 2 now). This leads to….

5a Confrontation

I will assume they jump Roger Lin after his Cynthia catchup so he is alone. It is nighttime and there is one thug (Rep 4 with BAP)

Roget Lin faces up to the Thug.

Roger has the advantage, fires and misses, the Thug fires back on auto and misses.  Roger fires back, putting the Thug out of the fight. +1 IDRep (running total -1)

Lin questions the Thug and gets some information out of him.  A clue! (now back at three).

I have not actually questioned Gretta so will do so now but fail badly and Roger is jumped by the same Thug on the way back to his room. (yep, rolled up the same Thug).

Roger Lin meets the same Thug.

This time Roger fires and knocks the Thug Out of the Fight with his first shot.  Roger questions him but he knows nothing more.

I need to do some Carousing to maybe get some more clues.  The only way to get them is to get increasing REP and then roll against it. That will take a while so I will just do one carousing and then onto the final scene (yes, I know I don’t have enough clues).  It will give me a chance to get a handle on the Carousing rules.

5b Carousing

I choose nighttime due to the cover bonus if a firefight breaks out! And just Roger Lin for now.

There are six PEFs and I will go through them all.  All but the last were undramatic Just for reference here are the first five (using my NPC spreadsheet generator - my own tables sort of from 5150: Maiden Voyage).

PEF #1: Lia Joseph, Rep 3, Exotic and a Knife. Favourable interaction.  +1 IDRep (now at 0).

PEF #2: Abraham Riley, Rep 4, Exotic and an Auto-2. Favourable interaction.  +1 IDRep (now at 1).

PEF #3: Bailey Stokes, Rep 4, Citizen. Ignores Roger.

PEF #4: Erick Bauer, Rep 4, Criminal and a Knife. Ignores Roger.

PEF #5: Bobby King, Rep 4, Citizen and a Knife.  Not impressed. -1 ID Rep (total 0).

PEF #6:

Marissa Jordan, Rep 5, Exotic and an Auto-2.
Lee Drake, Rep 4, Exotic and a Knife.

They are not happy with Roger’s tone and take the low road…Confrontation!

Confrontation – both start in cover

Marissa and Lee have the advantage.

Marissa fires but misses with both shots, Roger fires back and Marissa is out of the fight.

Lee now charges. Roger shoots and forces Lee to duck back.

(Now I was using a QRS updated from 5050:BABL and for those rules you could fire back at all firers and all chargers.  While writing this up I see in LTL (and Maiden Voyage and Chain Reaction) you can only fire at the number of enemy characters that does not exceed your weapon fire rating.  In Roger’s case this is 1 for the pistol and so I believe Roger would not have fired at Lee.  I prefer the limitation and have updated my QRS as a reminder).

Roger has the upper hand.

Lee will still stay in the fight. Lee recovers and Roger shoots at him causing Lee to duck back again to cover.  And again Lee recovers but Roger shoots at him again, now putting him out of the fight. +2 IDRep (total +2)

And Roger is subject to an attempted robbery! Graham Mooney, Rep 3, Criminal and an Auto-2.

Attempted robbery

All in cover. Roger fires and forces Graham to duck back and Graham loses heart in the endeavour and slinks off.

6.The Final Scene

Roger takes along Alijah and Marissa. Nighttime.

We find out who is the Big Bad and why (no spoilers here so you will have to play the story yourself).

So here is Big Bad and 4 (!) minions:

Big Bad Mover, Rep 5, BAP

Bodyguard, Exotic, REP 4, BAP

Thug, Criminal, REP 4, BAP

Thug, Criminal, REP 4, BAP

Thug, Criminal, REP 3, P

The big bad face off

Procedurally -

Matchup:   Roger Vs Big Bad Mover;  Marissa Vs Bodyguard & Thug (Rep 4); Alijah Vs Thug (rep 4) & Thug (Rep 3)

Marissa fires at Bodyguard and Thug 4.  Misses with both shots (she is supposed to be a crack shot!)

Bodyguard and Thug return fire.  Thug hits with both shots from their BAP.  Marissa Ducks back.

Alijah also splits fire between the two Thugs.  His misses completely too.

Thugs fire back and hit, Alijah ducks back.

Roger is also forced to duck back.

Wow. For will to fight, All Big Bad and minions leave.  Alijah slinks away.

Roger has Defeated the Big Bad!

+3 IDRep for “defeating” XX and +1 IDRep for rescuing Barnes. (Total +6 IDRep).

Does Alijah come back? Yes but at a lower rep (LTL is different in that in most versions of THW he would not come back but LTL v3 he comes back at -1 Rep.

Verdict

Well, that was fun.  I last played similar rules with 5150:BABL boardgame about 19 months ago but quite rusty and have forgotten it all! By the end I still have not quite got a hang of confrontations as well as I would like to yet.  But nearly there.  A few more run throughs should do it.

There is another story that comes with the rules so will give it a run through next. LTL version 3 comes with some simple tabletop rules so I am tempted to run that for the next story.  Chain Reaction 2018 has a system where you roll for character action sequences individually.  I am tempted to try that too and I gave it a quick go in a test combat and liked the narrative it generated. And maybe some 5150:BABL boardgame to get my fix before the 5150 New Beginnings kickstarter.  And I have nebulous plans to use LTL to run one of the Pulp Alley campaigns I have (like the structure but the use of fluctuating multiple die types are not for me).  I have lots of other projects on the go so who knows what happens next 😀