Sunday 24 May 2015

The Sontaran Experiment

So the scene is set. The Galsec colonists have been taken prisoner and Field Marshal Styre is conducting his unspeakable experiments. The Doctor, Harry and Sarah have arrived via Transmat beam.

It's time for us to play The Sontaran Experiment!

Here's our game board. North is to the top.

 

The Sontaran spaceship is located in the southeast corner. Nearby is a yellow Communication Device. In our game we decided that, should he get to it, the Communication Device permits the Doctor to use his invent special ability. Field Marshal Styre starts close to his spaceship and the robot starts within 4 inches of the Transmat Circle (middle of board).

 

 

Having repaired the Transmat Circle the Doctor, Harry and Sarah start the game in the NW corner. Each of the four surviving Galsec prisoners are tied to rocks in the centre of the four table edges.

The scenario is simple; the heroes must rescue the prisoners and escape via Transmat Circle before dastardly Styre finishes his wicked experiments. Although there's no turn limit, at the end of each Sontaran turn the nasty experiments mean that a roll of 4+ results in the strength of one prisoner being reduced by 1. We all know what happens if this drops to zero...

 

Initiative is rolled and Mighty Kyle (aka Tom Baker, aka the fourth Doctor) goes first!

 

 

Sarah Jane makes a dash to the south and manages to reach a prisoner! Harry heads east but finds the ground heavy going.

 

He stumbles and stubs his toe losing a hit point as he goes down,

 

 

Meanwhile the Doctor heads through the rocks to scout out the land.

Time for Field Marshal Styre to head forth...

 

 

The Doctor whips out his sonic screwdriver and takes aim at the approaching robot. There is a fizzle and... Nothing! He misses!

The robot turns and four metal tentacles leap towards the Doctor. Success! The Doctor is captured!

 

 

Summoning all the strength he can muster, the Doctor breaks free. Before the mechanical monstrosity can react the Doctor retunes his screwdriver and the robot is immobilised...

 

 

Despite her lack of strength, Sarah is so outraged at the sight of the captured prisoner that she breaks his bonds. The prisoner makes a dash for the Transmat Circle, but the uneven ground proves his undoing. He stumbles and falls to the ground, stunned.

 

 

Laughing as only a man in dodgy makeup can, Styre whips out a card and runs towards the Doctor.

 

 

Mocking the Doctor for his puniness, Styre looks up and takes aim. Unfortunately Mighty Kyle plays a blinder.

 

 

The shot misses!

 

Now it's the Doctor's turn!

 

 

Shooting twice, the Doctor scores a hit and Styre crumples into the heather, stunned...

 

Without wasting any more time the Doctor runs towards the Sontaran spaceship, perhaps the secret to success will be found by examining the Sontaran Communication Device?

 

 

Unfortunately for the Doctor, the Communication Device is booby trapped...

 

 

Unfortunately for Styre, he needs better dice!

 

Having picked himself up, albeit with a throbbing big toe, Harry manages to free another prisoner. The prisoner takes a chance and makes a run for it!

He better watch out though, having rewired itself the robot is once more on the prowl...

 

 

Sidestepping the robot, the prisoner makes it to the Transmat Circle and beams up to Spacestation Nova, earning Mighty Kyle his first vp.

 

Having missed it's quarry, the robot switches target and captures Sarah Jane! Not content with capturing one of the Doctor's companions, the robot then rushes towards the other released prisoner.

 

 

Tentacles flail and punches are thrown. With nothing to show but sore knuckles (!), the prisoner breaks free and legs it. Perhaps the robot will have more luck capturing a Time Lord (again...).

 

Meanwhile the Doctor gets started on inventing something that will help to defeat Styre. It could take a while...

 

 

A cackling chuckle resonates across the game board...

 

 

Looks like somebody has it in for Harry...

He'd better make a run for it! Let's hope he doesn't roll a one...

 

 

Oops.

Rather than risk losing another hit point, Mighty Kyle elects for Harry to fall down stunned.

 

"Eureka!" Shouts the Doctor...

 

His invention allows him to retune his sonic screwdriver to fry the Sontaran nerve system. A successful hit will now cause an automatic hit point.

 

Childhood memories of sofas return as Mighty Kyle plonks down a card that allows him to move things more to his liking.

 

 

The advancing robot is sent backwards, while the Doctor moves towards his foe. Meanwhile a second prisoner dematerialises... Another vp for Mighty Kyle!

 

 

Unfortunately the strain of repeated experiments is starting to take its toll and a Galsec prisoner expires.

 

 

Field Marshal Styre earns his first vp.

 

Whilst engaged in his unpleasant activities, Styre doesn't notice the Doctor creeping through the heather. ZAP! Styre is hit and his neural network is frazzled... Only one hit point left...

Styre decides that since Harry is still prone, he'll make an easy target. Luckily for Mighty Kyle Harry rolls a six and manages to get to his feet. Unfortunately for Harry he stands just as Styre unleashes a well aimed volley...

 

 

Harry falls to the ground. With no hit points left, is he dead?

 

Meanwhile, another prisoner expires...

 

 

Harry is down, Sarah is captured and Styre has another vp!

 

Just as things are starting to look bleak, the Doctor pops up from behind a rock and unleashes his sonic screwdriver. Field Marshal Style's nerves start to tingle and suddenly his head deflates like a long forgotten party balloon.

 

 

Styre drops dead and his robot becomes immobilised, releasing Sarah Jane.

 

 

The heroes save the day and Mighty Kyle wins the game, 4 vps to 2.

 

 

It's only a minor victory, but a victory nonetheless.

But what about Harry?!

 

13 comments:

  1. Great battle report! Loved it.

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  2. Dude! That looks sooo cool!

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    1. Thanks Kevin, we had a lot of fun putting the table together. Not sure Kyle as too impressed by my (poor) impersonation of a Sontaran though...

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  3. Excellent tale! Love a bit of Doctor Who gaming ☺

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    1. Thanks! Next up is Pyramids of Mars - just have to paint the figures and all the scenery first!

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  4. Brilliant - I love it! Harry really wasn't having a good day, was he?

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  5. Ha! No he didn't! You should have heard Kyle when he rolled yet another one when running across uneven ground....

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  6. Great report. Sounds like it was great fun.

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    1. Thanks, it was fun but next time I'm playing the Doctor!

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  7. Great batrep from a great Dr Who setting. I always loved those first few linked episodes with Tom Baker & Co.

    Well done!

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    1. Cheers! Looking forward to running Pyramids of Mars as a mini campaign later this year. Need to get painting!

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