It is a report from a Savage Worlds Pulp Adventure skirmish game I ran a couple of weeks back.
The Lost City of Chin'Lin
Staring:
Darrin Moris as Arnold Smith, Archaeologist (and Chalie Davis, Explorer)
Curtis Tessmer as Seth Blackmore, Head Digger/Foreman (and his crew of diggers)
Lloyd Sisk as Professor Henry Daventhorpe (and Penelope Smith, Archaeologist and wife of Arnold)
(these are the players, each had a Main character and either a supporting character/actor or a group of extras)
and, of course, I (Tim Brown) played all the bad guys...
Capatin Lee Feng, corrupt officer of the local warlord (and two squads of Chinese soldiers)
Baron Vladimir Smirnov, Officer of the russian army posted to the Tashkent garrison and collector of Central Asian antiquities (and two squads of Russian Soldiers)
Abdul Mohammed Yang, leader of the ruthless "Orange Gang" a mob of chinese muslim bandits.
23 September, 1912. Sinkaing Province, North-West China.
Professor Daventhorpe is leading an expedition to Sinkaing funded by the Royal Geographic Society. They have criss-crossed the Gobi several times over the last year. A month ago they stumbled upon what Proffesor Daventhorpe believed to be the Lost City of Chin'Lin, where, legend has it, were incredible riches before it was mysteriously "swallowed by the desert" in about 1272 AD. Being low on supplies one of the trucks was sent to Kashgar to aquire provisions. Unfortunately, during their brief stay, one of the local hired hands told a friend of his about thier discovery. Said friend, lacking any sense of discretion blabed the news all about town. A week later all were back at the dig sight and just sitting down to tea after a hard afternoon of work when they spotted a group of soldiers approaching form the east...
Captain Feng entered their camp and informed them that they were all under arrest by order of the Governor of Sinkaing for thievery, grave-robbing, sedition, murder and a load of other trumped up charges. They were to hand over all their arms and tools immediately. Daventhorpe doubted that Feng was really acting under the orders of the Governor and figured if they handed over their equipment they'd shortly end up in shallow graves. The riches of Chin'lin would make Capatin Feng a very wealthy man as he sold them on the black markets to private collectors. They would certainly never end up in a museum where they belong! So the members of the expedition stood their ground.
The stand-off was broken when Captain Feng spotted some movement beyond the other side of the ruins. Peering over Daventhorpe's shoulder he cursed; "DAMN YOU BARON SMIRNOV!" Looking back Daventhorpe spotted another group of soldiers approaching from the west.
These were Russian soldiers lead by Baron Vladimir Smirnov, an officer of the Russian Imperial Army posted to the Tashkent garrison and collector of Central Asian antiquities. His spies in Kashgar had informed him of the discovery and he lead a group of trusted soldiers covertly across the border into China.
Unknown to any of them the entire encounter was also being observed by a group of bandits hidden on a nearby hillside.
This is where everyone was dealt in. Unknown to the players there was also a yeti sleeping in his cave on one of the nearby rocky outcroppings. Any time a Joker was dealt I had them roll 2d6 on a 2 or a 12 the yeti would be woken by the commotion and would charge down off the hill and attack the closest figures.
Turn One
Arnold was dealt a joker but, being the ever cautious one, Darrin put him on hold. His wife penelope, going next with an ace, tried to shoot Feng (and missed) and made a run for the boxes of supplies!
"Well that's torn it" says Arnold Smith and blasted Capatin Feng with his shotgun (who, in turn, soaked it...) then ran for cover behind one of the trucks.
Abdul and his bandits opened fire and took down half of one of the squads of Chinese soldiers! The Chinese soldiers then all ran for cover. One squad sought cover behind a ruined building and fired upon the diggers, taking down one of them. The other squad, or rather the REMAINS of the other squad, took cover behind a wall and returned the bandits fire with little effect.
Then it was Blackmore and the Diggers turn to head for cover! They then started working their way around the building the chinese were hiding behind (on the other side).
Feng finally went and took a shot at A. Smith as he dove for cover around the oposite end of the truck Smith is behind.
Davis and Daventhorpe both shot chinese soldiers then split for cover in different directions. Daventhorpe joined Smith by the truck and Davis dove behind a wall of the ruined building opposite the group of Chinese soldiers.
The Russians all advanced towards the ruins. One squad trying to flank around to the South.
Turn Two.
Another Joker helped Professor Daventhorpe blast another Chinese soldier. The shotgun helped too. You need all the help you can get when your shooting is d4.
Davis and Feng, though in cover from the bulk of their respective enemies, realized they were in plain view of each other! Davis went first shooting Feng (who soaked but was rapidly running out of bennies!). Feng then maneuvered for better cover and shot back at Davis, missing.
The Chinese and Bandits exhanged fire once again. Vladamir and the Russians dashed from cover to cover as they advanced upon the ruins.
Arnold maneuvered around the truck and shot Feng, causing a wound! Penelope then joined the Professor behind the truck and fired her pistol at the Chinese behind the building, missing.
Around the other end of the building Seth hobbled up to one of the Chinese soldiers and tried to bash him with his shovel. The soldier ducked. The rest of the diggers joined him, mobbing the remaining soldiers.
Turn Three.
Davis shot Feng causing two more wounds.
Feng was in a bad way! He did, however, miraculously recover from being shaken (at -3!) but couldn't manage to do anything else.
The Chinese soldiers in the melee by the building fought back! Their kung-fu and bayonets was no match for Seth or the diggers with shovels, however, as the turn ended with two shaken Chinamen!
Smirnov finally maneuvered to a position behind the stacks of supply crates. He stood up tall and leveled his pistol at Daventhorpe and shouted "Give up proffessor, you can not hope to win". Daventhorpe, however, is unintimidated by this (both rolled 11 in their contest of wills!) and climbed into the truck and started it. Penelope climbed in the other door after loosing a shot off at Feng. Arnold also tried blasting Feng again but missed.
Feng hiding behind the truck, surrounded by the bodies of his soldiers that have been picked off by the bandits. Daventhorpe and Smith are around the other side. Russians can be seen on either side at the top of the picture. One injured Digger lies out in the open where all the Heros started.
In the immediate foreground is one of the Chinese from the squad that was shot up by the Bandits. He has taken cover behind the wall and is returning fire. In the background are the Diggers, along with their Foreman, Mr. Blackmore, fighting the other Chinese hand to hand. The Dead Chinese near them were shot by Daventhorpe and Davis.
The Bandits on the hill.
The flanking squad of Russians.
Turn Four.
The flanking Russians continued their trek while their leader, Vladamir, on the other side of the ruins shot at Davis, shaking him. Later in the turn the other squad of Russians (the ones with Smirnov) were finally in position and also fired at Davis. This time he took a wound he was unable to soak! Davis however super-recovered from being shaken sliped around the side of the building he is up against and pumped of a shot at the flanking Russians causing one to reconsider this foolish adventure ino China (shaken).
Meanwhile Seth bashed in the head of a Chinese soldier with his shovel. The diggers finished off the other after the Bandits, firing into the melee, killed one.
Daventhorpe threw the truck into gear and tries to back up over Feng. Feng rolled out of the way. Arnold pumped another shot into Feng as their respective cover rolls away, shaking Feng, then backed up to get some cover behind the pile of supplies. Feng couldn't recover this time. Penelope picked up Daventhorpes shotgun and reloaded it.
Left to right: Flanking Russians, one shaken by Davis, Davis in the hat shooting at the Russians, Mr. Seth Blackmore brandishing his shovel over the body of the Chinese soldier he has just brained, and Diggers finishing off the other Chinese. In the background can be seen the other Russians behind the stack of crates and in the ruins.
There's a better shot of what's going on in the background with the Russians. Smith is behind the tent.
Turn Five.
Penelope leaning out the window of the truck blasted the remaining Chinese soldier. Daventhorpe having stopped the truck, gunned it forward to crush the shaken Feng against a wall. The truck, Davnethorpe and Penelope escaped injury in the collision.
Feng Crushed between a ruck and a rock wall.... I guess he won't be a reoccuring character....
The Bandits lacking chinese to shoot at, killed two diggers!
The flanking Russians charged Davis. He was stabbed with a bayonet but soaked it. Davis fought back with little effect. The two remaining diggers and Seth joined the melee with the Russians. Seth took one down as did the Diggers.
Arnold draws his machete (handy those, in the desert...) and charged around the pile of crates and whacking one Russian soldier good. Two other Russians turned and joined in the melee, while the remaining three shot at the truck. Smirnov drew his sword and brandishing it above his head shouted: "You will die now, Smith!". Smith was not intimidated. The Russian's ego was seriously undermined and he decided not to persue this tactic of intimidation in the future.
Turn Six.
Smith (A.) took down one of the three Russians fighting him. They fought back while the others, again, shot at the truck. They must have gone to the Imperial Stormtrooper School of Armed Combat. Couldn't hit anything.
Seth bashed another Russian with his shovel. The Diggers took one down. The Russians, fighting back, shook Davis.
The Bandits shot up the truck as well, shaking Penelope.
Smirnov jumped into the melee with Smith. He slashed Smith, shaking him.
Daventhorpe backed up the truck.
Smith battling Smirnov and Two Russians.
Davis (right), Seth (center) and Digger (left) battle Russians.
Turn Seven
Seth took down ANOTHER Russian, the remaining two failed a morale check and were shaken. Davis took out one of them and the remaining one tries to surrender to the Diggers.
Smith recovered from being shaken and took off Smirnov's head with one slash from his machete (SIX WOUNDS, only managed to soak one...). Another character that will not be returning. The other two Russians gave Smith a jab though, shaking him once again... The others shot at the truck.
Daventhorpe drove the truck at the three Russians shooting at him from behind the wall...
The Bandits shot into the melee with Smith and killed one of the Russians.
Turn Eight
The Digger decide they no time for tying up Russians and thus give no quarter. The bashed him to a pulp with their shovels.
Davis dashed for some cover, followed by Seth.
Davnethorpe braked at the last moment deciding the wall might be a tad sturdier than the truck...! The Russian vacated the area anyway, going to the aid of their last comrade fighting Smith. Penelope leans out the window and fired at the melee HITTING HER HUSBAND!?! (ooops...)
Turn Nine
Bandits shooting into the melee finished off the last three Russians entirely missing Smith!!!
Over the next couple turns all the heros loaded up into the trucks thinking they would drive out to the hill and face the Bandits. Smith even did a spectacular leap onto the truck driven by Daventhorpe as he lumbered by. On Turn 12, however, Abdul got a joker and shot Daventhorpe good through the front window of the truck. He took a wound and had to do a driving test to see if he could keep control of the truck. He failed. The truck veered right and crashed into the side of the wall they were just about to pass through. The truck was damaged, though the Smiths and Daventhorpe escaped further damage.
Truck crashing into wall.
We decided to call the game at that point. Curtis had to go.... I was getting tired.... Finnegan was causing havock for his mother upstairs... and it would have been a few more turns to get that truck started up again, back it up, and drive it out to the hill (followed by the other truck who's path was blocked by the crashed turck) and fight off the Bandits.... Had they just hunkered down behind cover I would have had the bandits come to them and they could have shot them up in the open and sent any survivors scurrying back off to the hills.... so that's what I'm saying happened....
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