VSF - The Lafitte Incident or The Lost City of Ganash

This Battle happens some time after the Battle of Sandringham.   The conflict has escalated and the war is now fought on two fronts, Earth and Mars.

Several 'keys of power' have been hidden across both earth and Mars.  These keys are what keep the Martians tied to Mars.  they can be used to unlock a barrier allowing the indigenous population of Mars to once again travel beyond its gravity.  If your really interested I can post up the full background behind our campaign.

The setting is a French archaeological dig to recover one of these lost keys.  At the time the French have no idea what the keys is or indeed for.  The Prussians on the other hand know full well how valuable the item is and have plans to break the barrier. 

  

Anyway onto...

The Lafitte Incident


A prelude...

Trooper Dumas of the Legion Terra-Rouge looked out over the dark shapes of the ruins that surrounded him and huddled further down into his coat. The twin Martian moons gave little light to the landscape, but enough for him to shudder at the eerie sight of the twisted and misshapen columns that surrounded him. The lost city of Ganash could stay lost for all he cared. He could hear laughter coming from camp. Sounded like Raymond has just won another game of ca va. He silently cursed the sergeant for taking away his smokes but remembered his words "blinds a man at night and your enemies know just where to aim..two inches above the glow.."  Not for him to argue with the sergeant. Not that anyone did. Sergeant Lafarge WAS the legion. No one knew how old he was or how long he'd been on Mars. There were many stories about him. But the most famous was that of the siege at the fort at Gauche. Over two thousand Termions has attempted to dig under or climb over the battlements for six months. When the Martian war was over the defenders were relieved. Out of five hundred legionnaires only six were found alive. It was said that Lafarge was found with the bodies of fifty Termions piled around him, and had fashioned a crude club from the femur of one enemy, having devoured his flesh..
Dumas shoved his hands so far into his coat that he found an old stub of a Drune charoot he'd forgotten about. Leaning his rifle against the wall he crouched down behind the large stones so that no-one in camp would be able to see him and lit it up. For a split moment he noticed that the glow was reflected by numerous eyes that stood directly in front of him and that the stars above were blotted out by the great legs of the gigantic beast. But that is all he noticed as his head was split in two. About two inches above the glow of his cheroot.

The next morning dawned on the dig site . Lines of Drune labourers were already silhouetted on the skyline, making use of the early morning cool. The soldiers of the French expedition were milling around camp or forming search lines.  In the officers tent  Raymond O'Keefe was amusing himself by flicking dung beetles onto the research table of Gaston, the half deaf researcher from the Sorbonne, who was poring over the findings of the day before, including some rubbings of the central pillar hieroglyphics. The flap opened and in strode the tall shape of Henri, Comte d'Artois and leader of the expedition. His normally placid face looked drawn.
"Do stop annoying Gaston..he has got some work to do.."
"Sorry old bean. Any news on your chap?"
"Not yet. They found this next to one of those foul smelling holes" he placed a stub of cheroot on the table. "Think he may have fallen in. Also they found some blood."

Gasto's head arced up "Hmm, Blood you say? Yes, I think that about sums it up for these inscriptions on the pillars."
"You've found something?" Henri bent over his work table, flicking as he did so a dung beetle out of an inkwell.
"Well, the older stuff still baffles me, but the crude work is definitely Termion, but very old. From the Drune cipher we know that these symbols mean blood, and this one means sacrifice. But I'm stuggling to understand this one. Appears everywhere, this eight pointed star.."
"Well all this is fascinating gentlemen" O'Keefe said swinging his legs off his camp-bed and strolling to the tent flap "but a face doesn't shave itself . Back soon."
Gaston raised one eyebrow at Henri in a way that stated "why did we have to bring him along?". Henri smiled. "Ignore him, he's an old friend. And besides, we may yet have need of his skills".

A moment later O'Keefe re-entered the tent, his face half shaven and a tear in his shirt quite apparent. He strode up to the work table and took another look at the picture. "That is not a star gentlemen, that is a spider?"
Henri smiled "You English are so impetuous. How can you know this?"
But O'Keefe was already opening a box under his bed and pulling from it a stick of dynamite. 
"Because my dear fellow" he said stuffing the fuse into the casing and pausing to light it with the pipe that was now half hanging from the dropped jaw of his friend "you have a spider problem".
Striding outside with O'Keefe, the archeologists were met with the sight of the roof of the officers latrine lifting off to reveal a huge white bulbous thorax . The side walls already had several legs which had split through the timber and the door reading 'officers only' had somehow got wedged on it's mandibles. O'Keefe flung the stick directly at it's eyes.

Ten seconds later the largest pieces of beast and timber latrine had ceased descending on the startled Frenchmen, who lay spread around the crater which had once been the toilet.
"Mon Dieu!" Henri Comte d'Artois exclaimed.
"What is it that we have discovered?"
"Well old chap.." O'Keefe looked at his friend "always check under the toilet seat would be a good start I'd say".

The detonation shook around the old city. Stoned toppled from their perches of aeons and pillars tilted more precariously. And not a mile distant many eyes were watching.
 Colonel Muller of the Kaisers Shocktruppen took the field glasses from his sentry and looked over at the plume of dust emerging from the French camp. More blasting? That one seemed to be on the surface though. Perhaps an accident? He winced a little as he noticed the dark shape of Spiegler appear next to him.
"Problems Muller?."
Spiegler of the Kaisers own secret police knew just how to twist words. It sounded to Muller like "YOUR problem Muller..".
"Probably nothing. Our spy still indicates that they found the main chamber yesterday. The item is already in their keeping. We still go at dusk".
"Good. And the good Professor Snapes will do the rest I am sure. Any news on your missing men?"
"Not yet, but we found traces next to one of those stinking holes. My men are exploring it now."

And further into the city more eyes watched both the Prussians and French. The Drune chieftain and his tribal leaders would not sit by idly as the desecrators destroyed the city of their ancestors or bring forth the power trapped within. At dusk they would be put to the sword..

And as the sun slips it's grasp upon the shattered stones of Ganash for yet another day, the sound of the clicking of mandibles rises from the stinking chasms that surround our brave explorers....







Colonel Muller slid shut the fine hand crafted telescope he had been using to watch the french.  The night was fast approaching and he knew he needed to get this attack underway.  He would have preferred to have waited until total darkness fell across the campsite but he could feel the soul piercing stare of Spielger drilling holes into his back.  There was something very wrong about that man, something very wrong indeed.
He tried carefully to recall the telegram he had received from headquarters.  
French uncovered the item  stop  retrieve at all costs stop  command relinquished to secret police stop  assets expendable  stop

What did it mean assets expendable.  He was travelling light as it was.   With his small force of elite sturmtruppen, veterans of many campaigns, and two newly commissioned armoured cars this would be a lightning fast attack, but an attack that had no expendable components.  

And what of the American.  He had already betrayed his own country in turning to assist the Kaiser.  Apparently a specialist in his field.   An Archaeologist, a man who scrapes through mud and dirt to find things from times gone by.  What use would a man like that be to the war effort.  

Muller was not impressed with how in only a few short days he had in effect lost complete control of the situation.  At least he could trust his men.


As  night closes in the French are posting sentries,  The archaeologists are around the camp studying the items recovered earlier that day, whilst the Drune Labourers head back to camp for some well earned rest.

Under cover of the fading light the small force of elite Prussians moves towards the dig site. Even the Howling of the harsh martian winds cannot hide the sound of steam engines.

From the west, a thunder of hooves, as a horde of Drune Raiders charge through the site of the ruined city.  Close on their heels hordes of raiders on foot, screaming like dervishes.

The Raiders throw themselves upon the French Foreign Legion.  In this sudden and brutal act of carnage many French fall to the savage blades, including Captain Legras. The French fire volley after volley into these fanatics but the fast fading light makes it almost impossible to hit anything.

Darkness finally falls and something large and nasty stirs.

The Sturmtruppen advance under horrific amounts of fire, their resolve put to the test time and time again as men fall under the rain of bullets.  
However, these are no normal soldiers, these are Mullers men and their morale shows no signs of breaking.

Spiders, attracted by the sounds of fighting, catch the Drune raiders unaware.   

Finally the French walker stirs to life and unleashes a hellish blast with its heavy flame thrower directly at one of the Prussian Armoured cars.  Rivets pop and steam erupts from every opening.  The scream of burning men tears across the battlefield.
Hearing the brave crewmen roasted alive the Prussian Navy vows to avenge the fallen and forms up in firing line.

The Prussians push on the attack.  Sticks of dynamite bounce off the hull of the second armoured car as it pushes forward.  A lucky blast having jammed its turret it finds itself without a target.  Shots fly dangerously close to the explosives shed but thankfully not one sets the store off.

As Raider Cavalry attacks the rear of the French camp, they find themselves set upon by the Drune Labourers.   A well aimed shovel puts an end to the Raider Leader and several others are pulled from their horses and beaten to lifeless pulp.  In the confusion one of the Drune Labourers skulks off and locks himself in the toilet.   Despite a promising start the diggers are no match for the crazed fanatics and they are mowed down.

The Prussian Navy, taking cover behind the sand dunes, trades shots with the french walker.  Neither able to cause any damage to the other.  Meanwhile Raider infantry are hotly pursued by a giant spider.

In a remarkable show of bravery the fanatics turn back on their tormentor and bring the big beast down.

O'keefe, his last stick of dynamite gone, charges at Colonel Muller.  Both men of incredible skill with a blade.  Both heroes.  A clash of titans.

More spiders emerge from their burrows.  Sixteen eyes watch the Prussians.  With nowhere to retreat the attack must push on.

As the French death toll rises the few remaining men turn to the fight between the two Heroes.   Whist there backs are turned Spiegler creeps through the ruins behind the french.
With a great show of skill O'Keefe parries then trusts his knife deep into the chest of Muller.   As he falls to his knees, dropping his sword to the ground, he reaches out but falls lifeless to the floor.

With spiders, raiders, and Prussians closing in, the few french survivors decide on desecration being the better part of valour.  Although not conclusive the forces of Prussia hold the upper hand.   Not by much, but by enough.  Well that's providing they survive a night with the spiders.





Conclusion.

It was a great game, The French  player put up a cracking defence and played like a true Gent.   
Some last minute (Very last minute) terrain was quickly knocked together by both of us and helped to create an interesting and different battlefield.
The french look great and it was nice to see another nationality being drawn into our conflict.

For those interested the forces consisted of:


French
4 Archaeologist.
10 Foreign Legion.
16 Regular French Infantry.
8 Drune Diggers/Labourers.
1 Two Legged Patrol Walker with 3 crew armed with a Flamethrower.
Captain Legras of the French Foreign Legion (Hero) 
Henri Comte d'Artois (Hero)
Raymond O'Keefe (Leader) immune to the 'Orrible Monsters Rule.

Prussians
20 Sturmtruppen.
12 Navy.
2 Scout Armoured Cars with 3 crew each and armed with Gatling guns.
Colonel Muller of the Kaisers Shocktruppen (Hero)
Spiegler of the Kaisers Secret Police (hero)   Armed with a repeater long nosed pistol.  Will shoot any Prussians that fail morale checks.
Mercenary American Archeologist.
1 traitor amongst the Drune diggers.


Raiders
20 Raider Infantry with Big swords
12 Raider Cavalry with Big swords
1 Raider Hero


Spiders
4 Giant Spiders that enter at random points (They are treated in a similar way to vehicles and take 3 hits to kill)

VSF - The Battle for Mars

The Battle for Mars

SORRY, PICTURES TO FOLLOW SOON :(

For those who wish to know more about our campaign or who Valentine and his unit are, stay tuned for the post 'Valentines Mobile Steam Artillery'. Ten years has now passed since the Martian Invasion was beaten off by a combination of guts and ..well..a mild cold. Mankind has returned to Mars to pursue the invader but in absence of any sign of them has started to carve great chunks of territory for themselves. The 'great game' of Empire that plays itself out on Earth is mirrored here also. Alliances have been made and broken. A great German aerial mining fleet has been attacked and utterly destroyed in the Floating Archiapeligos. Queen Victoria herself was nearly snatched away at the hands of Prussian forces while visiting her estates in Norfolk (see 'the Battle of Sandringham'). But now our gaze averts to Mars again, as a small armoured steam column trundles across the vast expanses of Mars. Little knowing that the first blow of the war is about to fall on them.

The story continues... There were three types of men who came to Mars. The desperate, the lunatics and the zealots. Which was he? Brigadier General Valentine pondered as he reviewed the progress of his mobile steam artillery column as it crossed the vast Tetris plains from the chair of his command tractor. All around him the red rubble plains extended to the horizon, with only the railway line and the telegraph to his left to break the view. The Romans would have been proud of this road. Or whoever had built this road. He corrected himself….whatever had built this road. He could see why men talked about ‘the red mist’. The dust was everywhere. He couldn’t get the smell out of his nostrils, his hair, his food. He woke with red tears in his remaining eye. He could see how it could drive a man mad. The trials with the French had gone well enough. At least the heights of Louisbourg Rouge had been a break from the monotony of the plains. The steam artillery had demonstrated its ability with hardly a breakdown and the French were obviously impressed. The government had thought it a good idea to send their ‘national hero’ to Mars to beat the drums. But he inwardly knew that he was being brushed under the carpet. Too many inconvenient articles he’d penned in the Times. ‘Britain not ready to fight another War’, ‘Forces too weak’, ‘Who beats the bounds of the Empire?’. They could not confront him publicly. They were too afraid to do that. However, some brain in Whitehall had arranged the ‘tour’ for him and his men. He spat red grit over the side of the tractor. It looked like blood. The Plains of Tetris do eventually peter out in the hills of Mor Gardos. It is here that several passes lead up into the mountains and mining towns have sprung up around them. This area became populated by a mixed bag of colonists prospecting for minerals but it was the huge finds of Martian Grey Coal that kept them here. The town of Llangaston is one such place. Once a Drune settlement, the original population was mostly wiped out by Earth diseases before the time of the Martian Invasion and is now mostly Welsh. The new inhabitants use the Drune buildings and have adapted them to their purposes. Mine entrances and spoil heaps surround the town, and the grey dust percolates over everything. The strange fluted Mourn trees thrive here, their large open tops whistling dirge like music as the winds pass over them. Constable Dai Evans was waiting by the roadside to welcome the column as it arrived. So were most of the inhabitants. Not much had happened in this mining town since the flagpole was erected last month. But it was Mad Eye Davis who got the privilege of the first greeting, walking out in front of the first tractor as it’s driver veered wildly to miss him and causing the whole column to stop quickly in a haze of red dust. His deputy manhandled Davis away while he screamed at the men on the steam tractors. Poor fellow. He’d been a good man when he came to the town but the cave- in had changed that. Fourteen men had perished, but he’d somehow survived by finding another way out. They’d found him in another settlement over 40 miles away, screaming about the ‘strange city underground’ and the ‘spiders…spiders from Mars!!’. When constable Evans turned around he saw a tall form emerging from the swirls of dust. Red dust caked the scarf the man withdrew from around his face and  uniform. But one area of his face no dust would stick to…the mask. It covered half his face and was more polished than any mirror he’s seen. He knew what it was…Duranium. He found he was staring. “What is happening here Constable?” he heard the voice clearly over the roar of the steam turbines. “Er..sorry sir about old Davis. He’s a bit….well..mad sir. Message arrived in the last hour…it’s urgent. They’ve been sending it on repeat for the last day but the lines gone dead sir”. Valentine read the message quickly then seemed to pause and read it again slowly. He passed it to his sergeant. “Sergeant, ask the men to fall in and read them this message. Constable, where is the next repeater station?” “About 12 miles away sir” “And the telegraph has been down for how long EXACTLY?” “An hour and ten minutes sir…just went dead in the middle of the message” “Constable, listen very carefully. Get your people to put every box, table, cart and flour sack you have across the main street. If any of your men have weapons they may wish to find them now. Otherwise keep indoors and lie low. I believe we are about to have some very unwelcome guests”. As the constable ran off Sergeant Tibbit had the men formed and was starting to read the message to them. “A grave and unprovoked attack has been made upon her majesty Queen Victoria on English soil by the forces of the Prussian Empire. The Queen is unharmed and the attack has failed. However, as of 2 o’clock GMT today we are officially at war with Prussia and her allies. All men are requested to return to their stations and prepare for the enemy. God save the Queen”. Brigadier Valentine looked down the main street of the town and around the old piles of mining slag littered with the detritus of years of work by the inhabitants here. It wasn’t much but he knew the Prussians would want to seize this vital link between the forces of Britain and New France. Maybe they did not know he was here…maybe he could surprise them. If only he had more men! A part of him was glad. He’d been vindicated in his fear of this. He’d known it was coming. But what a place to end! Not some valiant last stand before London or the White Cliffs! A filthy dusty mining town just clinging to the edge of civilisation. Ah well…so be it. Let them call him mad, desperate or a zealot. He was still a damned artilleryman. He looked up to find his men looking expectantly at him. The red coats of the Guards indistinguishable from his own. “Sergeant, BATTLE FORMATION!”.

Forces:

Prussian

 2 Officers (including one unusual character in 18th century costume…

40 Prussian Infantry

15 Sea-battalion

5 Heavy Machine Gun teams

10 Clanks with variety of mortars/ machine guns and gramophones to distribute propaganda (!!?)

6 Repairmen

1 Armoured Bicycle scout

1 HUGE Derailer tank

British

1 Officer (Brigadier General Valentine)

1 ‘Character’ (Mad Eye Davis)

20 Guards

15 Artillerymen

10 Layabout townsmen who couldn’t hit the side of a barn

2 Small steam artillery pieces with conventional guns

1 Small artillery piece with lightning generator

1 Large artillery piece (command tractor) with Martian heat-ray, artillery piece and 2 Gatling Guns.

The British forces had thrown up some simple barricades and tried to make best use of what cover they had, which was important against so many machine guns!!

The Prussian commander chose to split his attack into 3 sections, with the Derailler tank taking the middle along with the bulk of the infantry. The Sea-battalion and other Prussian infantry took the left flank and the machine gun group plus a smaller unit the right. The clanks were mainly in the centre and on the right also.

There wasn’t much cover for them so they had to move quickly and try to overwhelm the artillery.

Things went disastrously for the British at the start. Dust had obviously clogged the engines for not one vehicle out of 4 made it’s sustain roll! As I cursed my luck, his machine guns opened fire and both the British Guards units on the flanks took casualties.  Fortunately they didn’t flee before this onslaught (of stern stuff were they!).

The miners in the centre looked nervously on as they saw the soldiers falling and sheltering before a barrage of fire.

 The clanks were going fairly well and making good progress across the table, as were the troops on the left flank.  Most of the artillery was short range (24 inches) so had to bide their time.

The second turn went equally well for the Prussians with another four Guards leaving the table and only 1 Prussian eating schnitzel in the sky. Even worse, on the right flank the mobile steam artillery piece had taken a direct hit from the Derailler which forced the occupants to flee, though the Prussian commander graciously allowed them to flee by retreating in their vehicle.

The Prussians, sensing an easy victory over a crumbling foe, rushed onwards. But now for the first time the British started rolling well!  British vehicles managed to start last turn and sustain (all but one). The command vehicle finally let loose with its ray…3 direct hits on the clank unit nearest to the men. 3 melting piles of clank…

The artillery piece and Gatling gun opened up on the Prussian infantry to their left and most of them were obliterated, with only the officer and 2 men able to turn tail and run. The men were later to be killed but the officer rallied and charged the command vehicle single handed! (he actually got to the end of the game unscratched, to be later handed the 'most lucky blighter left alive award').

On the left flank the Sea-battalion began taking casualties from the remaining Guards (who now down to 4 men here had still not run) plus one of the artillery pieces, which drove a nice area effect shell into their centre. Meanwhile, some of the remaining Clanks were breaking down and slowing the Prussian advance. On the right, the machine gun crews were advancing up close to the 7 or so remaining Guards, but mostly missed.  However, the Clank managed to fire off its mortar and score a direct hit, which reduced them to only 5 men.

Next turn and the Derailler tried to finish off the disabled steam tank.  It hit, but in a bizarre occurrence managed to touch off the weapon which fired directly into the oncoming Prussian unit, destroying the front of it. The tank crew died heroes as they were obliterated by the machine guns. The Guards here, having still not fled returned fire on the machine guns.  They killed only 1 crewman but this was enough to make them run!!   However, as the turn was simultaneous the machine guns returned fire, killing their NCO and all but 2 men, who hastily fled!

The Prussians had had the wind knocked out of them but there were still a lot of infantry on the table and they were now within a march of the artillery. The Guards on the left finally broke and fled with only 2 remaining men alive.  Then another stroke of luck as the Deraillers main weapon was destroyed by a freak hit from one of the small cannon “Good shot Sir!!” was heard to ring out across the carnage.  The clanks were again hit, this time by the electric cannon which welded the nearest one into a solid lump of metal and watched as it slowly toppled to the ground.  In a last ditch attempt at defiance, the British in the lead Steam tank charged at the ranks of encircling Prussians and trampled them, crushing three.

At this point we noticed that no-one else was left at the club and the janitor was tapping his watch. OOPS.

So …what would have happened next?  With so many Clanks (and all the repair crew) left on the table plus probably 20 Prussian infantry it was only a matter of time before the British were engulfed.  As the first wave of a larger force, there was no way that the British could win here, but put up a jolly good show they did.

And so here is what did happen…

The Artillery abandoned their vehicles, dragging the unconscious form of Brigadier Valentine. As a final thought, Sergeant Tibbet had put the Martian Heat ray on overdrive, knowing that it would create a huge explosion in about a minute.  Retreating with what men he could find, the Sergeant headed for the nearest mine entrance.  He had not liked what he’d seen those Clanks do to the wounded men just now…. He’d found a dozen or so townsfolk already in the entrance, sheltering from the bullets and explosions.  It was an absolute shambles.  A few of the Guards took shelter at the entrance and let fly with what little ammunition they had left before he ordered them inside.

 A few miners had taken torches and they followed them down into the tunnel, holding on to each other’s belts.  They had just entered a larger chamber when a tremendous explosion and vibration shook them from their feet and doused the lights. The command vehicle had gone up.  But now the entrance was completely blocked!

Will they survive? What are the Spiders from Mars? Will Mad Eye Davis lead them out? Will he find his hip flask? Did the Prussians manage to follow them in before the entrance was sealed? Will the Welsh start singing? Who built the ‘strange city underground’ and did they have a good bus service and problems with graffiti? Who’s that pinching me?

Until next time!

Happy soldiering!

WW1 - Trench Warfare.

WW1 - Warhammer Style

So we finally got to get a game in with our Late WW1 forces.  Unfortunately I have been lazy and didn't get the chance to finish the bases of my figures before the day of the battle.

We used the Warhammer WW1 rules because it's a very simple system that is easy to pick up and flows pretty well without the need to refer to the rule book on a regular basis.

We didn't write a battle report for this, suffice to say the game was absolutely brutal and the forces of Germany took the field at the end of the day, but not without a punishing butchers bill.