Five Parsecs the Ballad of Dr Cranium Game 1: The Delivery
If you missed the story background and Prologue for this new space campaign then please catch up here:https://www.novorasa.com/single-post/starship-log-201-34pg-56-in-a-galaxy-far-far-away
The Good (?)
Cranium leads his crew to the basement of an industrial factory. They have the objective of uploading the virus into the Cult's databanks via the terminal at the centre of the board. As a side mission Cranium is to also meet with one of his contacts near the terminal objective.
The Bad
The cult had despatched a Priest (Lieutenant) with an auto rifle, and 4 Parish Cleansers - two with handguns, one with shotgun and the last with an auto rifle, to intercept Dr Cranium and his crew.
The Game Board
The good DR and the crew start at the entrance to the south. The terminal objective is at the central room and the contact has arrived at the same location. Meanwhile the Cult cleansing team has arrived at the north east entrance (they could have arrived at the north west - but the dice god decided!).
On the first turn the crew get some good luck and manage to get an extra move! they split up. Doc leads Ji-Aan and Klaang to the East and makes for the central room and his contact. Meanwhile Priest leads Jones and Gabby to the West, aiming to get to the terminal objective as quickly as they can. Ahead of the them the cultists advance and fan out from the North East entrance (they are 'aggressive' so will seek to make contact as soon as they can).
Turn 2: Cranium, Ji-Aan and Klaang all activate in the speedy phase and rush towards the central room in the hope of getting there before the Cult block their way. In the Cult's activation phase they take up positions down the corridor and their Lieutenant gets a line of sight on the Dr. He is firing with an auto rifle, within range with two shots. The first shot misses and falls short. The second shot however hits and the Doc fails his toughness save! Luckily for him he has a point of 'luck' and while the shot hits home it deflects off the reinforced jar holding Craniums brain. The shot does knock the Dr back and he suffers a stun.
"Good grief gentlemen - it seems these Cultists know how to handle firearms!"
Turn 3 & 4: The Dr, with the aid of Ji-Aan manages to get to some cover and recovers from his 'near miss'. The Cultists move up trying to get better firing positions on them (but all miss). Priest, Jones and Gabby all make good progress towards the central room unmolested. Dr Cranium manages to get a bead on the Cultist Lieutenant who crosses into his line of sight. The Dr is armed with a laser rifle with two shots. The first shot misses but the second shot doesn't and tears a neat hole through the robes of the cultist. "Those glaring purple robes do make awfully good targets"
A panic check on the cultists reveals they seem un-phased by the loss of their cleansing leader. They press on.
Turn 5: Cranium, Ji-Aan and Klaang reposition and have both the objective and contact in their sights. Priest, Gabby and Jones are not far off the central room either. The Cult advance and try to take up covering positions to block the crew.
Noticing the arrival of the cultists Gabby turns to Priest "You've got to cover me - I need to get on that terminal and load this in" as she takes a small metal disc out of her jacket pocket. Priest surveys ahead and grits his teeth. "Follow me and keep low."
Turn 6: Cranium, ji-Aan and Klaang get to go first and head into the central room and get to the Terminal objective - trying to hold it for when Gabby catches up. The cultists continue to press and one of their party gets within range of his shotgun. He lets both barrels fly and Klaang is the target (a random dice roll given all three were within equal range). The first shot peppers the back of the terminal sending sparks in all directions. As Klaang shields his eyes from the flying shrapnel the second shot hits home (he fails his toughness score) and is thrown backwards to the floor. Ji-Aan utters a whining sound and then growls.
"Very unsporting!" shouts Cranium as he targets the cultist with his laser targeting. He hits - sending the cultist sprawling backwards into the corridor - a thin plume of smoke emanating from his torched shoulder.
Just before the Dr avenges Kraang's demise - Priest reaches one of the central rooms outer corners and gets a line of sight on one of the handgun armed cultists. He managed to fell the fellow. The cultists now down to 2 - have to do a panic attack and one of the remaining two turns tail and runs. The last cultist hunkers down behind one of the walls out of sight of the crew.
Gabby manages to run into the room and make it to the terminal, inserting the metal disc she 'delivers' the virus package.
Turn 7: Gabby successfully uploads the virus. Ji-Aan manages to successfully avoid the shots from the last cultist as he crouches down to check on Klaang. Priest skirts around the walls of the central room and outflanks the remaining cultist. With continued accuracy he manages to gun the unsuspecting cultist down. Ji-Aan confirms that Klaang is just unconscious (it seems his combat armour saved him - in the after game casualty check he scored only minor injuries and one campaign turn to recover in sickbay). Reassured that Klaang was still alive Dr Cranium meets up with his contact.
" Took your time" the contact mutters.
"Yes sorry old chap it seems we drew some unwelcome party crashers" Cranium replies.
The contact hands him a folder. "I take it we are square now?" asked the contact seeking reassurances.
"It seems we are" Answered the Doc. "I'd take the southern exit if I were you - it seems the northern passageways are full of vermin" Cranium advises glancing down at the dead Cultists. The contact nods quickly before making a hasty retreat.
"How's metalhead? asks Jones looking at Klaang. "He will live another day" replies Ji-Aan.
Priest enters to join them. "The last one ran off. I've searched the others. Found these" he says hading two sets of 'booster pills' to Ji-Aan. "This might interest you" he puts a round disc in Craniums scanner receptacle. "Found it on the dead priest". (The party gain a Quest Rumour). "Thank you Victor" Cranium replies taking the disc. "We had better get our dear friend attended to" he adds. "I will stay and attend the dead" states Priest in matter of fact way. "Let them rot!" retorts Ji-Aan.
"Come now Ji-Aan let us remain civilised" answers Dr Cranium, "what will become of the galaxy if we do not try and keep some decorum". "It's going to shit anyway" Jones states. "Quite my dear quite"
With that the Dr leads the party back, Ji-Aan carrying Klaang and Priest informing them he will catch up with them.
Epilogue
A successful first mission for the team. Klaang was lucky in his post battle injury roll.
Klaang gained 1 Experience point, Dr Cranium 5, Ji-Aan, Gabby and Jones 3 each, and Priest 3 (+2 in a random roll of the post battle events). The party gain 5 credits for the job (3 for the package delivery and another 2 for danger money provided by the local Government patron. Sadly - the local authorities also demanded 5 credits in overdue ship parking charges. So the crew gained no new money overall.
They have 14 credits left; 18 debts still on their ship; 8 story points; 1 Patron; 1 Rival and 1 Quest Rumour.
Go to game 2: https://www.novorasa.com/single-post/the-ballad-of-dr-cranium-game-2-an-unexpected-interception
