Welcome to the Battle of Knackerton Prison Camp AAR!
First post of the new year. And its long overdue. The actual game took place sometime before Christmas and is only now seeing the blog.
Summary
The Hobbit town of Knackerton in the Brownlands has been overrun by the forces of Darkness and its inhabitants taken captive. The nearby Dryad/Entwife town of Bougainvillea has also been similarly raided. All prisoners are being held in a prison camp. Goldberry and a group of "mercenaries turned heroes" have taken this quest to save and rescue the prisoners. With little time to prepare for the mission, the last Hobbit Scouts have to choose between baking Bomb Pies or Hot Pies (we can explain later). Goldberry must choose to spend her Magic Mana powers to search the minds of the enemy for clues and/or send a telepathic message of help to any allies in range. Alpha the Mercenary crafts 3 Disintegrate Shells for his Crossbow. "This time, disintegrations ARE allowed!", he exclaims. "I can hear you smiling through your helmet," says Goldberry and turns to the rest of the heroes. "We will ride forth in the name of this quest and please... lets not die trying!"
Board Setup
Table size is 22" x 30". Place a canyon area along the east edge and have a valley opening in its center at least 4" wide. Place a tower/ruin in center of board and another one 3" from south-west corner. Place a Hobbit House 5" east of the central tower, a Morr crypt 5" west of it, and another crypt 5" to the north. Place a Tele-Port-Key Statue 2" from the south-east corner. Place 2 small areas (3" diameter) of rocks, walls, trees.
Deployment
- Place the Orc Chief, Luka the Hellgirl, Mummy-Ra the Tombking and 3 Orcs in central tower/ruin. Place Vovorlaka, Mantis Merc and 3 Orcs in the other tower/ruin. Place 3 patrols (eash patrol consists of 3 Orcs) anywhere else on board south of central tower but not within 6" of any other figures.
- Heroes deploy after villains are placed. They are placed anywhere along the southern board edge.
Reinforcements
See DM Only Info
Special Rules
- Tele-Port-Key Statue: Wizard can begin to activate the Teleportkey at any time. It is ready in 3 turns once started and can be held until ready to use. While being held or preparing to be casted, the wizard must still not be interrupted by moving or attacking. Otherwise, the wizard must then restart Activate Teleport spell again for another 3 turns. Once cast all friendlies in 6" range are teleported. PCs have 2 wizards capable of activating.
Victory Conditions
- Game ends on Turn 8.
- Heroes win if at least half of the Hobbit hostages AND half of all heroes are teleported away. Otherwise villains win.
Left to Right: Vovorlaka and Mantis
Mantis: Uh before we go back to Mordor and sell these Hobbit prisoners, I think we all deserve full shares. I feel the bonus situation has never been on an equitable level.
Vovorlaka: Well, you get what you're contracted for like everyone else.
Mantis: Yeah, but everybody gets more than me.
Vovorlaka: Dont worry, you will get whats coming to you.
Mantis: Cause Im not doing any more guard duty shifts until we are all guaranteed to get full shares.
Vovorlaka: You're guaranteed by Mordor law to get a share... Now knock it off and keep your eye out for intruders!
Below them are another 3 Orc guards.
Orc Guard #1: I agree with Mantis. This is not in my contract to do this kind of duty. Now what about the money? If they want to give me some money to do it, I'll be happy to, y'know, oblige.
Orc Guard #2: There is a clause in our contract that specifically states any systematized transmission indicating a possible intelligent origin must be investigated. On total forfeiture of shares. No money.
Orc Guard #3: All right, we're going in.
Orc Guard #1: Yeah, we're going in, arent we?
Left to Right: Tomb-King Mummy Ra, Hellgirl Luka, and Orc Chief Snotgob
Hellgirl Luka: Uh... Chief. Id like to speak to you. Just take a minute.
Orc Chief Snotgob: Yeah, what is it?
Hellgirl Luka: I got R&R coming up in 3 days. I never asked you for a break, but I was hoping you'd send me out on the chopper, what do you say Chief?
Orc Chief Snotgob: I cant do that for you Red. We need every swinging... uh, sword... in the field.
Hellgirl Luka: Hey Chief, talk to me, come on. Im only asking you for three days.
Orc Chief Snotgob: Im talking to you and Im telling you no. Get back to your position.
Hellgirl Luka: Chief, I gotta bad feeling about this, Im telling you I got a bad feeling man. I dont think Im gonna make it... y'know what I mean?
Orc Chief Snotgob: Everybody got to die sometime, Red. Get back to your foxhole.
Below them are another 3 Orcs.
Orc Guard #1: Glad I aint going with 'em. Somewhere out there is the beast and he hungry tonight... Ten days and a wakeup and Im still dealing with this shit. Man what a bummer.
Orc Guard #2: Whats the matter with you? How come you aint writing no more? You was always writing something home. Looks like youse half a bubble off, Taylor. What about your folks. That grandma you was telling me about? Must be somebody. You been smoking too much shit. Gotta control that. Takes a man down. I remember when you first come out to the bush, you was straight as a
Orc Guard #3: Ever been caught in a mistake and you just cant get out of it?
Orc Guard #2: Just keep your pecker up, your powder dry, the worm will turn. Make it outta here, its all gravy, every day of the rest of your life man - gravy.
3 Orcs near the northern cellblock
3 Orcs in the north east
3 Orcs near the east cell block and the east canyon entrance
Overview of battlefield: the 2 towers, the 3 cell blocks (Hobbit House in the west, north crypt, east crypt) are locations that hold possible hostages. And also the mysterious statue in the south-east.
Left to Right: Goldberry, Rattlebones, Xanthia, Alpha
In the south-east edge of the board some heroes pick their way towards the prison camp.
Goldberry: *telepathically* Ok team, we are at the rendezvous point and ready to go. South-east all clear. Approaching the Tele-Port-Key statue.
The Tele-Port-Key Statue is a remnant of the elder days. Someone's idea of mass transit. The Guild and the Navigators used these statues as beacons for travelling from one waypoint on Middle Earth to another. It was instant teleportation. Of course, you needed to know the incantations and then inhale some orange colored gas.
The beginning was a very delicate time. Know then, that it was in the year 10,191 in the Second Age. At the time, the most precious substance in the universe was the spice - Melange. The spice expands consciousness. The spice is vital to space travel. The orange spice gas gave the ability to fold space - travel to any part of Middle Earth without moving. The Guild and its navigators were mutated by the spice gas and became extinct. And so the knowledge of how to use the statues was lost. But the heroes are hoping to recover its lost secrets as an escape route for their rescue mission today...
Left to Right: Sir Solaire, Zoltar the Enchanter, a Hobbit Scout
Zoltar the Enchanter: Ok, center team is on site. We see the central tower (aka enemy HQ bunker) in the distance.
Sir Solaire: Before us is a place full of dark souls. But we are all righteous knights, warriors of the sun, and guardians of all that is good. We should say a Prayer to the Lord of Sunlight. Then they shall know the brilliance of our Sun!
Left to Right: Bortai, 2 Hobbit Scouts, Kano
Bortai: Speed in finding and escorting the prisoners is of the essence. The open steppe, a fast horse, hawk at your wrist, and wind in your hair.
Kano: I love wind in my hair too! Windblown hair is so 80's! Did we just become best friends?
Hobbit Scout #1: Ok, lets not make this wierd, guys.
Stroika uses her deepstrike ability to deploy behind enemy lines.
Stroika: They tell me to find Hobbit prisoners. But first, I will do what I was born to do. Assassinate Orcs.
Before the battle properly starts, Goldberry uses her pre-game psionic powers. She sends out a Psychic Summons, hoping that some wandering allies will hear her cry for help.
Then she begins her Scrying spell to eavesdrop on the following locations: the center tower (enemy HQ bunker), Hobbit House in the west, and the north cell block. In the north cellblock, Goldberry hears the sound of dead leaves on the dirty ground. DM makes a mistake by then saying that Goldberry hears the sound of puppylike whimpering of a baby dragon coming out of the Hobbit House. Oh, sorry, actually she hears the hopeful yet simple-minded singing of Hobbits in captivity. So now the heroes also know what is heard in the eastern cell block. Oops.
Finally, Goldberry, listens in to the enemy HQ and overhears the Orc Chief commanding Luka the Hellgirl to check on the patrols around the perimeter. She salutes him and says she will take the Mummy with her on her rounds.
The center team assaults the enemy HQ.
A hobbit scout reveals his secret weapon that he has crafted/baked in his pre-game preparation time - a Bomb-Pie! He flings it at the enemy HQ as flames explode out of it.
Hobbit Scout: *holding a Hobbit Pie* I am Enzo the baker. For your father... for your father.
The firebomb blast aftermath. Two Orcs slain. A klaxon alarm sounds and alerts all enemies near and far that they are under attack! The Orc Chief Snotgob, jumps out back. While Hellgirl Luka and the Mummy Tomb King Ra jump out the east side.
Orc Chief Snotgob: Fear! Fire! Foe!
2nd firebomb attack on the south-west tower. Both Vovorlaka and Mantis are wounded.
Hobbit Scout: Fire is your friend!
Stroika assassinates her first victim
Xanthia begins her initial assessment of the Tele-Port-Key statue.
Goldberry: Are you sure you can reverse-engineer this ancient technology?
Xanthia: Are you sure you got me covered? I cant be disturbed once I start the incantations.
Goldberry: Well then, now that you say mention it... can you send one offensive spell to cover us as we move into position?
Goldberry and company go looking for trouble. Xanthia casts an Ice Blast and freezes some orcs.
Goldberry: All right, Ice Witch, start your spell, we got this.
~~~
Next post: The Battle continues...
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