5 Parsecs - The Frozen Wastes

The Hermes crews adventures on the frozen moon of Travoris continue with two more missions. 

Mission 5 -  The Rivals

With the number of rivals building-up the Captain took the decision to try and take-out the latest set of rivals, the isolationists of the Travoris Peoples Front. Having previously visited the compound in search of the Ossian Veil Assassins, it was decided to attack the site again. 

Isolationists colony. 

TPF leader waits in ambush

The crew pushed forward while the Isolationists held back in the side streets and tried to outflank the advancing team. As with the last battle they had the services of a Merc to bolster their forces.  

Once in position the Isolationists opened-up and a fierce gun battle ensued. The better trained Hermes crew got the better of the locals but at the cost of  two crew wounded.  Harlan's wounds proved serious and he would be out of action for two turns.    

TPF's hired gun adopts a sniping position

The crew cleared the site but the leader escaped to fight on. Despite the win the Isolationists were not eliminated as Rivals, so will need to be revisited.   

Mission 6 - Foiled!

For this campaign I'm using the  Story Mode option which means that at regular intervals a series of overarching narrative scenarios are inserted. Mission 6 was one of those - the crew were asked to meet a potential Corporate Patron at a discrete station.   

The ambush site

It was an ambush with some Hired Guns waiting for thew crew to arrive.  

Hired Guns

This led to a short-range shoot-out between the crew and hired guns. The outcome was very much in the crews favour with the Hired Guns eliminated within 3 turns with some stuns but no wounds to the Hermes crew.    

Hired Guns leader advances

The crew were then able to search the site for clues, but none were found. So the identify of the figure behind the ambush remained unknown.     

Trusty droid PDP-11 searches the site

      

Half a league onwards - cavalry actions for LaSalle

For our penultimate set of LaSalle games we did some cavalry only actions. The setup was pretty simple - each side an objective to defend on their left flank (their camp) and there was one in the centre to try and capture.

Game 1 - French vs Austrians

Both sides setup to attack the enemies camp and contest the central objective, but with the French placing more emphasis on attacking the centre at the cost of a weaker defence of their camp.   

Austrian's defending the camp

French attacking towards the Austrian flank

Austrian Cuirassier

French Lancers

The Austrians attacked directly towards the French camp while the French looked to move into a flanking position on the Austrian camp, at the cost of additional momentum.  

Early wins went to the Austrians as they drove-off the French guns and destroyed one of the heavy cavalry defending the French camp. The French were able to strike back by capturing the central objective and destroying some Austrian lights.      

French dominate the centre

Both sides were able to capture the enemies camp but the French had a firm grip on the central objective and so won French win, 2-1.   

Austrian Hussars

Game 2 - French vs Russians

In this game both sides deployed fairly evenly across the board with the French guns starting limbered to support the attack. 

French cavalry moving forward

Russian heavies 

I was not playing this the game but it seemed fairly dynamic with swirling melee developing in the centre as both sides seeking to find vulnerable flanks to attack. 

Both sides lights manoeuvre for position

Russian Hussars

Russian Dragoons

The Russians got the upper hand with the French sustaining the heavier losses and eventually surrendering the field for a Russian Win.   

French lights face-off against the Russians

   

Great North War - Flank attack

For the bank holiday game I've delved into the classic Scenarios for Wargames by Charles Grant. We played the flank attack scenario reset into the Great North War with Swedes on the attack. 

The deployment saw the Swedes attacking through a valley with the Russians emplaced on a ridge line. The Swedes Baltic allies, played by British, attacked from the flank. the aim was to control the road passing between the hills.    

Baltic allies flank attack

Both armies massed the bulk of their cavalry on the eastern flank, with the superior Swedes  out numbered about 2 to 1. This lead to them holding back for most of the game and so not posing much of a threat to the Russians position. 

 

Russians on the hill

Swedes ready to attack

The flanking Germans moved forward towards the Russians forcing them to deploy troops top meet this threat including their Grenadiers.  

Flank attack moves forward

As the flank attack slowly developed the Swedish foot in the centre advanced under accurate fore from the Russian guns on the hill. The Russian horse attacked using the Cossacks to disorder the Swedish front rank and heavier troops to push them back.   

Russians defending the flank attack

Horse clash in the east

The main action then switched to the centre where two Swedish units broke two units of Russians before the Grenadiers stablished the position somewhat. By the close of play the flank attack was stalled, the swedes had a foot hold in the centre and things were in the balance on the other flank with neither sides infantry engaged. So something for both sides to feel happy about.    

Russian Grenadiers reinforce the centre

5 Parsecs - into the dark

Turn 3 - Hermes to the rescue

After a few jobs for some "legitimate businessmen" the Hermes crew got something a little more public spirited. An injured miner had become stuck deep in the workings and they were overrun by angry space-bears (Krorgs). The crew was hired to rescue him and clean out the beasts.    

Krorgs are fast and tough so they immediately rushed through the mine towards the crew who were moving slowly with the grav-sled they needed to extract the miner.  

Krorgs rushing through the caves

The twisty caves made long-range shooting impossible so the crew blazed away with shotguns and machine pistols as the Krorgs got close. They were unable to stop them, but did cause some stuns which made them easier to fight. 

 

Steady the Buffs

Only one of the beasts was killed but the rest were driven-off with multiple stuns and the miner retuned safely to the surface.   

Ivarr fights off the leader

Turn 4 - the quest begins

For turn 4 I started a quest chain. Deadly rivals the Ossian Veil Assassins have stolen a data shard based on Captain Gideons digital twin that was developed during secret experiments in the military, hoping to copy and weaponize it by placing it in a suitable robot body. Gideon has no memory of the military experiences its based on, so hopes to regain those as well as thwarting the Assassin

Harper's Station

Half the bad guys

The crew get a tip that the Veil may have a secret lab location in an Isolationist colony on the far side of Tavoris moon and so set off to search the settlement. The heavily armed locals have other ideas though.

Left flank advances 

The crew move carefully through  the buildings coming under heavy fire. The left flank makes good progress but the right gets bogged-down and all three crewmen are casualties. 

Right flank is pinned down 

The remaining crew come to the rescue and manage to neutralise the Isolationists before anyone else is hurt. Luckily the casualties are not killed and will soon be back in action. They have though made rivals of the inhabitants of Harper's Station and they are sure to seek revenge.    

Isolationist leader surveys the scene