This is a continuation of my first campaign with Five Parsecs from Home [previous episode], using second edition rules, started in 2019.
Log of the strange alien vessel Byakhee, captain Anton recording.
Since we reached Garrideb-2, we've done a couple of jobs for my old acquaintance Hakon Hardpoint, but something went wrong and now he won't take my calls. We gained a re-conditioned droid to swell our numbers and fitted it with a hunting rifle. Craig has taken up poetry and developed a crush on Dolly. I really hope it won't affect his effectiveness in a firefight.
Between us we have Cr 20, just like we had when we started, and no useful contacts to put work our way. I see tough times ahead.
Campaign turn 3 - on Garrideb-2
Upkeep costs Cr 4. The two crew in sick bay recover after upkeep is paid, and they didn't need any fresh veg delivered last week.
Assignments: Anton goes to find work, taking Boris; Craig & Erica trade, Dolly & Franz are checked out from sick bay but aren't fit to take an assignment this turn, K2 explores the town
Anton meets Lana Lane, a traveller just visiting Garrideb-2. She's trying to find someone called Mike Manton and would appreciate our help. Her only clue is a self-store unit that Manton was renting. I guess we'll speak nicely to the supervisor there.
Craig's trading efforts picked up some medical supplies to shorten a visit to sick bay. Erica came back to the ship with a worthless novelty stuffed animal.
K2 meets an alien merchant, but doesn't have any alien gear to trade with him.
The backwater self-store was just a yard full of shipping containers with an office cabin and a parking area. The whole lot is surrounded by a security fence. This one has an ornamental pond in front of the fuel-storage tanks, but something in the environment has turned it the same rusty brown as the parking area and the footpaths. Best not to go swimming. Even wading is probably a bad idea.
It turns out that Garrideb-2 is home to the Macleans corporation and 90% of the surplus shipping containers carry their logo. The minerals mined here make the cheapest toothpaste in the sector.
Anton went inside the office to talk to the supervisor about how much it would cost us to take a look in Manton's storage unit, while the rest of the crew (K2N4, Boris, Craig & Dolly) waited outside. That's when trouble showed up, back at the main gate.
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| The storage depot, just as trouble arrives |
Genetic renegades: geneered troopers, half as tall again as a normal man, with skin as green as their olive drab uniform, the renegades have deserted from the army and formed their own communities. They loot and steal whatever they need to keep going. Maybe there is something in the storage facility to draw them here and the crew are just in the way?
[as it happens, toothpaste comes in a box just the right size for a 40' container in 1/72 scale. I just need to paint them. The cheap army men are a different story, let's not talk about them, they cost a penny each, and they'll do for today.]
Five renegades armed with rifles split into two groups for a tactical advance. One group can lay down suppressing fire while the other group moves. The larger group probably includes a leader.
Boris has a clear shot at a renegade, but misses. K2 does the same (and also misses).
The renegades run for cover behind the storage tanks and the vehicles in the parking area.
Erica sets off to circle around the pond and close with these guys. Craig follows her, looking for a clear shot on a renegade, but misses.
Anton steps out of the office to see what's going on.
Anton uses his jump belt to get onto the roof of the office, and takes a shot at a renegade, but misses. Craig takes a second shot but misses again
The renegades manoeuvre around the tanks & containers. One renegade shoots back at Craig.
Erica moves into cover between two containers. Boris & K2 move wide, to cover the parking area.
Craig prepares to snap fire as soon as a target moves into sight.
The renegades shift across toward the back of the containers.
Craig takes his shot as one of them dashes between cover. Misses again. Boris moves through the car park for a shot - misses.
Anton is cursing something about all this love poetry affecting Craig's ability to shoot straight..
Craig & Anton prepare snap fire. Boris takes another shot, hits a renegade but only stuns him. The renegade returns fire, hits Boris and stuns him in return.
Another renegade crosses the gap to join the two in position behind the shipping containers. Craig snap fires at him and puts 1 stun marker on him. Anton snap fires too and adds a 2nd stun marker. K2 moves up into a firing position near Boris and takes out the stunned renegade.
Erica steps out at the back of the containers & takes down another renegade.
The renegades take 1 morale failure (their morale is 2)
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| Erica gets a clear shot on a renegade |
K2 & Boris both fire at a renegade & both miss. The renegade returns fire at Boris but also misses.
Two renegades are pinned down behind the fuel tanks. They can't move into a firing position without closing inside 12" and their rifles are no good as brawling weapons. Anton & Craig have no targets in sight & no clear action to take. This is settling into a stand-off.
Meanwhile Erica continues to advance around the back of the containers
K2 hits another renegade & takes him down
Anton prepares snap fire in case the two renegades that are pinned down behind the fuel tanks decide to make a dash for it.
Erica moves up between the containers
Craig and Boris also advance
The renegades take another morale failure & run for it
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| K2N4 picks off another renegade |
Post-battle
The renegades came looking for easy pickings and soon realised that they had chosen the wrong day to visit.
The self-store manager was so pleased we drove them away that he let us in to Manton's storage unit, where we found the rental papers for a farmhouse out in the wilds. Job done here. Lana Lane can go look for him on the farm.
The genetic renegades bear no grudge for losing 3 of their number. They just picked the wrong day to come scavenging.
Lana pays Cr4 for tracing Manton.
Loot: we search the bodies & get 3 items off the Trade table: an instruction manual (+1 XP), a repair kit and a load of fuel for the ship (which reduces the cost of the next journey by Cr2). I didn't see the renegades carrying a huge fuel tank around, so maybe it was on their truck (clearly visible on the road outside the self-store depot).
Nobody got seriously hurt today, so sick bay will be empty for a change.
xps: Anton 3, Boris 3, Craig 3, Dolly 0, Erica 4, Franz 0
Although K2 scored the first casualty, Erica was the first who could claim experience points for it. K2 is just a machine.
Anton decides to let Dolly read the instruction manual, even though she wasn't in the fight, to get her Combat skill up to 1.
Shopping: not this turn, the job paid just enough to cover upkeep. Again.
Campaign event: one of your crew seems to have had an adventure. Anton spends some time thinking about his recent adventures & earns +2 XP
Character event: Craig has a make over to look his best for Dolly. Ditch the bomber jacket and pick out a new look.
As mentioned last time [link], this is probably a good moment to say goodbye to the crew of the Byakhee and start a new campaign with the 3rd edition rules.
Until next time, health & happiness to you all.
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