Swatters -- Bugs Attack the Earth in 1950s!

 

Keith checks the rules for the new Ganesha Games set "Swatters" -- a Starship Troopers vs. Bugs style game

We tried out a new Ganesha Game called "Swatters" -- meant for Starship Troopers vs. Arachnid Aliens. Keith had an interesting twist on it, placing it in the 1950s with a Bug invasion of the Earth (explaining all those flying saucers and the Roswell incident). He used his ample supply of plastic insect figures along with 15mm WW II miniatures for the humans, tossed them on flocked CD movement trays, and boom! A new chapter of our history (well, alternative chapter...) was gamed out on the tabletop.

 

My UN Marine force of 4 squads supported by heavy weapons

Since it was our first time playing the game, we did a few things wrong (of course). It happens with every rules set that you miss subtle rules. And of course, we had no real idea what the proper force matchup should be. As it was, the game was heavily weighted in favor of the humans -- despite the equal points. In my opinion, a successful bug assault on heavily armed humans requires more experience than our first-time players could pull off.

 

Allen's armored force of two tanks and power-armored infantry (experimental 1950s version, of course!)

We had 3 human forces -- my UN Marine force of good quality infantry, each squad supported by a heavy weapon such as a grenade launcher, rocket launcher, etc. The armored force, which consisted of two tanks and a power-armored squad. Finally, there was the militia force, controlled by Joel, which was the only force which sustained any significant losses. Allen controlled the armor and I controlled the UN Marines. We both whacked the bugs handily -- me shooting them down at range and Allen repelling all of their desperate assaults on his tanks. As it turns out, that was one of the things we did wrong. Tanks should NOT cause melee damage against a bug assault.

 

The bug force arrayed against me -- warriors, giant bugs, and flyer bugs

Nevertheless, we liked certain things about the rules and will doubtless play them again. For a more detailed look at the scenario, read Keith's report on his blog: Swatters Game Report - Orcafinn's Basement

 

The bug forces advance!

For me, I'll just let the pictures tell the story!

My Marine force begins to gun them down at long range

The armored force boldly advances, while my troops move up to support

The Warrior bugs swarm a tank!

Only to be blasted away by the resolute UN armored force

The battle between bugs and humans rages across the board

The bug commanders, Mike S, Tom, and Steve seek a way to break the stout human defenses

They gang up on the Militia force on the left and score their only successes of the battle

Will that lead to success against the human center and right? The bugs throw everything at the tanks, but fail

The UN infantry holds steady and continues to gun down the bugs, until their force gives up, and scuttles back to its holes

But Keith says they'll be back again, and with the what we learned in this playtest, perhaps the next bug assault will prove more menacing and deadly...