I was aiming for running this session last weekend, but with Strep and Flu B in the family two weeks in a row, I just didn’t have the energy to do it. The day came though, and I set a game up for the third Field Exercise of Forgotten Ruin. It took me an entire week though to write it down and post it.
This one has the entire Squad (both Fire Teams AND the Squad Leader), but no Platoon officers, so pretty much the regular team that I’ll be taking with me during the campaign.
The enemy force is just two Orc Mobs (Warriors + Archers) of Five orcs each, which sounds easier than last battle, especially considering how I’ll have double the firepower with me this time.
However, the objective is not to eliminate the enemy, but have a troop of mine go to the center of the battlefield and spend an action there. This sounds way more dangerous than sitting in the safety of long range. I can, of course game the game and sit back and let the orcs come to me, but where would the fun be in that!?
Distance conversions Since the game is focused for a 3×3 table, and I’m going with 15mm miniatures on a 2×2 table (with the new 15mm base size, yay!), I’ll do a subtle conversion to gain a bit more room to play, but without being too fiddly to use. I’ll double the values, but measure in centimeters instead of inches, so a Speed of 5″, would convert to 10 cm.
Champions: 1,2 No Champions
The two Fire teams met, and Sergeant First Class Nielsen arrived and took command from Master Sergeant Frank Lee. “Squad is yours Nielsen, I have to get back to Platoon HQ. Tangos are 2 klicks NNE, they seem to be guarding a tower. You are to investigate and eliminate any opposition.” Lee gave the orders and left, M16 strapped on his shoulder. A short while later the 9 soldiers arrived at the point of interest. Two mobs of orcs were visible in the distance, archers sitting behind cover in some ruins. A tower in the middle of the battlefield. Nielsen gathered the squad. “Fire Team 1 take the West Side, Fire Team 2 take the East side, you’ll provide cover against the enemy. I’ll rush in to investigate and dash back to you.”
Pvt. Mays shoots his M70 at the orc archers in cover: 6+1: Great hit: 1+1/1+1: No Damage Pvt. Gibson shoots his M60 at the orc archers in cover: 3,3,4,4: Miss Sgt. Mayer shoots his M16 at the orc archers in cover: 2: Miss
Enemy Phase
The Orc archers suffer from War rage, and they move out of cover The Orc warriors move in a flanking motion from the other side
Slow Phase
SFC Nielsen dashes to the objective tower Pvt Huff shoots his M16 at the Orc archers out of cover: 4: Hit: 2: No Damage Fire team 1 moves to the rock formation
Round 1
Fire Team 2 opens a volley of fire at the orc archers in the ruined gatehouse, however the orcs are in cover, and most of the shots miss, except one aimed shot by Pvt. Mays’ sharpshooter rifle, which grazes an orc, without wounding it. Furious that they’re being shot at, the orc archers jump down from the gatehouse and out of cover, screaming war cries at the soldiers. The other group of orcs, stay in cover and proceed in a flanking movement from the west. With the enemy busy, SFC Nielsen runs in a straight line towards the tower. Pvt. Huff takes an extra shot at the orc archers, but misses, while Fire Team 1 moves in ready position waiting for the enemy to come to them, and keeping overwatch of the open ground at the west side of the tower.
Pvt. Gibson shoots his M60 at the orc archers out of cover:6,2,2,1: Great Hit: 4,1: One orc archer is down Pvt. Mays shoots his M70 at the orc archers out of cover: 4+1: Hit: 1+1: No Damage Cpl. Mayer shoots his M16 at the orc archers out of cover: 5: Hit: 6: Orc archer down Pvt. Huff shoots hiss M16 at the orc archers out of cover: 5: Hit: 1: No Damage SFC Nielsen moves into the tower: Interact: 5+1/4: Success Sgt. Welch Delays Pfc. Shaffer Delays Orc Archers Morale: 2,4: Orc Archers Stay
Enemy Phase
Orc Archers shoot at SFC Nielsen (in cover): 1,5,3: Miss Orc Warriors War rage forwards SFC Nielsen
Slow Phase
PFC Shaffer shoots his M60 at the Orc Warriors: 1,2,3,4: Hit: 6: Orc Warrior is down Sgt Welch shoots his M16 at the Orc Warriors: 5: Hit: 5: Orc Warrior is down Pvt Murphy shoots his M16 at the Orc Warriors: 5: Hit: 4: Orc Warrior is down Pvt. Franks shoots his M16 at the Orc Warriors: 3: Miss Orc Warriors Morale: 2,4,6: Orcs Warriors Stay
Round 2
Fire team 2 keeps shooting at the enemy, who are now carelessly out of cover. Two orc archers are down. SFC Nielsen enters the ruined tower. As he scouts around he sees weird markings of a ritualistic nature. He notes some of them down in his notepad, before noticing the orc archers through the rubble at the dilapidated north wall, aiming at shooting at him. The arrows all strike at the masonry, Nielsen is safe for a few moments, but he knows he has to get out of there. The Orc group from the west, enraged at their enemy in the tower, rush towards him, hoping to get there soon, but they’re now out of cover. Fire team 1 blasts at them with all their guns, killing three of them.
SFC Nielsen moves out of the tower back towards the squad Cpl Mayer shoots his M16 at the Orc Archers: 6: Great Hit: Damage: 5,5: Orc Archer is down Sgt Welch shoots his M16 at the Orc Warriors: 3: Miss Pvt Gibson shoots his M60 at the Orc Archers: 5,5,3,2: 2 Hits: 6,2: Orc Archer is down Pfc Shaffer shoots his M60 at the Orc Warriors: 2,3,3,4: Hit: 5: Orc Warrior is down Morale: Orc Archers: 3,3: Orc Archers Stay Morale Orc Warriors: 2: Orc Warrior Stays
Enemy Phase
Orc archer moves forward and shoots SFC Nielsen: 5: Hit: Damage: 1 SFC Nielsen is stunned Orc Warrior is with war rage and dashes towards Nielsen
Slow Phase
Pvt Mays shoots his M70 at the Orc Archer: 4+1: Hit: 6+1: Orc Archer is down Pvt. Murphy shoots his M16 at the Orc Warrior: 5: Hit: 6: Orc Warrior is down
Battle is over.
Round 3
SFC Nielsen is not going to stay and find out if he can defeat the orcs in close combat. He dashes out of the tower back towards the safety of his own men. In the meantime, the Fire teams don’t stop shooting. 2 more orc archers are down, and another orc warrior. Despite their severe losses, the humanoids stick to fight to the end. The last remaining orc archer has a clear shot at the squad leader and takes it, the arrow hitting the Sergeant. From the west another orc closes at him, screaming with rage and brandishing his weapons. They don’t get a chance to hurt the sergeant again though. A careful shot from Private Mays, takes out the archer, and one from Private Murphy takes out the warrior. The day is victorious, without any casualties, but they need to head back and report to HQ what they found.
Summary
As expected, the player side was victorious. I felt like the odds were in our favor right from the start. We were facing against fewer enemies, and we had more men than in the previous exercise. Perhaps if the table was more busy with terrain it could have been a bit different. During the regular campaign, terrain placement is more random from what I’ve read, and not left up to the player as in the exercises. It is my understanding that this (and of course the Aggression rule) will have severe impact to the flow of battle, but I’ll have to play it out and see for myself. The battle ended quickly and I didn’t even have to (or rather forgot because it was going so well) use the Leadership tactics. For the beginning of the campaign in next session, I’ll write down and finalize my own theme of the world, and perhaps spend a Story point to bring in Athen Smarte from my solo RPG sessions.
Solo, Pen, Paper and Dice 
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