Sunday, October 21, 2007

Blast from the Past: Radio Fryer, Q&P AAR

As my Earthlink-based gaming website heads towards internet oblivion, I am reposting some fun AARs using the rules we play onto my blog here. This is another game using Tom Graves' For Queen and Planet rules. 
Martian/Mahdist Commanders (L-R), Dave, Joel, and Tom survey the battlefield and the advancing Italians
So, Tom, feeling sorry for my poor Colonial Italians that I'd painted up for his Victorian Sci-Fi/Colonials system, designed a scenario so the oppressors of East Africa could take the field. The background behind the game was this: A Martian vehicle had crashed in Sicily, providing the Italians with a chance to salvage some advanced technology. Jealous of their fellow European powers, they located their research facility in their East African possessions. Their experiments attracted the attention of Martian scouts, who were promptly shot down by the Marconi Radio Cannon. Realizing they were discovered, an Italian field force was dispatched to secure the Research Facility, while simultaneously, the Martians sent a Mahdist force to capture it.
The battle report below was written by one of the players, Joel Sams.
Madhist/Martian force of Flying Machine, Beja Rifle, Beja Warband, and Ansar Cannon advance
Battle Report: Radio FryerMartian/Sudanese Recon Force: Commanders: CnC Joel Sams, Tom Graves, Dave Welch
Italian Rapid Reaction Colonial Force: Commanders: CnC Mike Demana, Joe Merz, Keith Finn

An Italian Radio Cannon brought down the Martian S.S. Millennium Faulkner.  A Martian/Mahdist Recon forces dispatched to investigate had a meeting engagement across the fast moving Dheep Dudu River, with severely restricted crossing points.  The Sudanese forces, on the right flank (Dave), moved quickly to capture Cannon Hill, but the high frequency and highly accurate cannon fire (Joe) drove off all the natives, repeatedly. 

Meanwhile on the left flank (Ptomas) and the S.S. Faulkner were on the verge of being overrun by Eritrean Italian Askaris (Keith).   Martian cannon fire slowed their advance enough to allow a fanatical tribal warband to maneuver onto a Italian flank.  What followed goes down in tribal history as "their finest hour" (if they could tell time that is!). Hats off and a Martian Salute ('nnack 'nacKK!) to Ptomas for a job well done. 

Meanwhile the Martian center (Joel) command developed slowly due to indecision, formation changes and the river crossings.  When the battle draws to an exhausted end, the New Sudanese Army "won" but too few survived to exploit the victory.
Italian center advances in column over a hill towards an East African village
Thanks again Ptomas for running- Keith for letting us use the club house.