New Year, New Game

New Year, new resolution time.  My resolution for me: I will play at least one game per month.  Pah! easy I hear, perhaps not.  As I look back over the blog I've not managed it.  Lets see if I can do better this year.

First up:  X-Com Enemy Unknown

I've had extended in-laws and kid sitting over Christmas, so figure gaming has gone out the window.  Fortunately, I discovered that the old game X-Com has been rebooted and released.  I spent many a hour playing the old one and have greatly enjoyed the new one.  While playing I got to thinking, I have most of everything I need to play this game in miniature. And it turns out I do!  My plan is to play out a series of missions and try to keep the same troopers progressing as in the computer game.

Rules are a poser.  Its an 'I go You Go' game, just like 40K Rogue Trader.  If I keep it up I think I'll use these rules, but for this first mission I'm using my simple 'play with the kids rules'

Mission 1: Alien Encounter

Aliens have taken over Smalltown, scramble X-Com to counter the alien threat.
Mission: eliminate all aliens
Forces: Four X-Com troopers
Aliens: Unknown (actually 6)

The board is divided in sections.  The base three sections are unnumbered,  X-com deploy in the center section.  The remaining six sections are numbered 1-6, aliens randomly deploy.  Aliens are randomly grouped: 3, 2 and 1

 The chittering horde (Rebel greys)

 X-com debus from the VTOL (Old Crow VTOL, Traveller X-com)

 Alien spotted in the center

 A Mk14 Assault Rifle barks out and the alien goes down

 Three aliens reveal on the RHS, the X-com trooper has no time to react

 X-com split into buddy-pairs

 Aliens scuttle to cover

Shots are traded, no effect

 Alien plasma fire wounds an X-com trooper (the alien on the 'roof' is inside the building)

 Two more aliens appear on the LHS

 Two turns in, X-com are pinned down by flanking aliens

 More wounds, alien plasma is more effective than X-com bullets

 Slowly the volume of X-com fire prevails, another alien goes down

 Then a third, the winds of war move in X-Com's direction

 A fourth! X-com is on the brink of a historic victory

 An alien retreats (goes on overwatch)

 Oh NO! first X-com trooper down, alien plasma proved too much for the fragile armour

 X-Com rush the lone alien on the RHS

 Overwatch misses

 And so do X-com...

 The alien shoots and does NOT miss.  Plasma at close range is nasty

 X-com on the LHS is more into sneaking than rushing

 On the RHS, steady, Aim and Fire

 SPLAT! alien down.  One more to go

 Alien retreats

 And is chased,  before it escapes a shot rings out and SPLAT, head shot: down it goes

 Leaking gently on the road

Two X-com rookies survive with two out (one dead, and one critically injured).  Time to evac back to X-com base.

Both rookies are promoted to Squaddies.  I also need new recruits: Rookies 1-4 hired.
Engineering working on: improved body armour
Research working on: laser weaponry

Summary: Short and fun.  Just like the computer game.  Time for another soon.

And, during the game, part of a Xmas present, beer of the month club.  Mmmmmmm Beer