Instructables: Warmachine Gaming Table

Warmachine Gaming Table for Penny Arcade

Fantastic gaming table with interactive, microprocessor controlled effects.

Ambushed by the Undead!

Doctor Joseph Hartley, Sgt. Bertie MacKay, Pvts Abel and Baker face the unknown.

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"Odd." Dr. Hartley commented as they entered the clearing. "I don't recognize this architecture at all. Not quite African is it, Sergent."
Sgt. MacKay raised his rifle as he glared at the strange buildings.
"Who's that lot then?" inquired Pvt. Abel. "Natives?"

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I decided to do something a little different and set a small group of my Colonial Brits against the walking dead. The rule set is THWs ATZ. I had a sneaking suspicion this was going to be a short game when I rolled 2 6s and 2 5s for the starting number of zombies. In a rural area that meant 12 zombies!

3 zombies to the left, 3 zombies to the right and the remaining 6 all bunched up behind!

Adding to the dilemma the soldiers rolled a 6 vs. the zombies' 4. Technically they won the initiative but the Doctor and Sgt. are rep 5 while Abel and Baker are rep 4.

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Ragged figures stumbled down the temple steps and into full view. The stench of the dead drifted through the clearing.
"They're not natives no more." growled Sgt. MacKay. "Open fire lads!"
Dr. Hartley shouldered his shotgun and fired. Torn by lead shot two of the advancing creatures fell but, to Dr. Hartley's horror, they continued to move and awkwardly struggled to rise. He heard the two soldiers behind him cry out as their shots missed and the foul corpses seized them.
Sgt. MacKay shot down one of the revanants charging him and braced himself to bayonet the second.

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The zombies advanced. The Zed/No Zed tests caused 5 zombies to charge but all the soldiers passed their being charged test and had a chance to fire. Pvt. Abel passed with 1,1 and triggered Heroes All!

The Doctor knocked down 2 zombies with his shotgun, Sgt. MacKay knocked down one, but both Abel and Baker missed! The zombies closed into melee.

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Sgt. MacKay rammed his bayonet full into the body of the vile thing attacking him. Dark ichor dripped from the wound but the creature pressed on, undeterred. It took all the Sergent's strength to keep the wretched thing at bay. Still he was keenly aware of the horrid cries of Abel and Baker as the undead tore and bit their flesh.

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Sgt. MacKay fought his opponent to a standstill but Abel and Baker were taken out of the fight.

The shots attracted only 3 more zombies and the soldiers beat the zombies 3 to 1 for initiative.

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No time to reload, Dr. Hartley drew his service revolver. The two he had shot down before were still struggling to rise so he shot the third one on the temple steps clean through the head. The monster collapsed with a groan and lay unmoving, truly dead, on the temple paving.
"Quickly Sergent, double time!" he called out and ran down the path.
Sgt. MacKay swiftly pulled free and followed, pausing to shoulder his rifle.
"Through the head, that does the trick!" advised Dr. Hartley.
The Sergent shot and his former opponent dropped and lay motionless.
More of the beasts fell to feasting on Abel and Baker, gouging out bloody gobbets of meat and offal and devouring them.
Dr, Hartley, no stranger to the butchery of war, shuddered and turned quite pale. "We have to leave now, before more of them appear!" he whispered hoarsely.
Grudgingly Sgt. MacKay agreed. "Aye. But we'll be back." His eyes blazed with steely resolve. "We'll find the Regiment. We'll come back here and burn this cursed, unnatural place to the ground."

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Dr. Hartley drew his service revolver and shot the remaining standing zombie dead. The Sgt. broke off melee and he and the Doctor took a Fast Move down the path. The Sgt. turned and fired at the zombie he had been fighting and killed it.

The remaining zombies were far more interested in Abel and Baker and crowded around to feast. Both the Dr. Hartley and the Sgt. passed their See the Feast rolls, Sgt. MacKay passed with a ice cold 1,1.

No new zombies were attracted by the shooting, so here's where I decided to end it.

The minis are all from the Wargames Factory except for Dr. Hartley who's from Foundry.

Related articles

• The neurology of the undead (mindhacks.com)

VSF and 15 mm Science Fiction Gaming: The Victorian Web: An Overview

VSF and 15 mm Science Fiction Gaming: The Victorian Web: An Overview

Cyclopean Steampunk Spiders!

Cyclopean Steampunk Spiders! via 1-800-Recycling

Fantastic creatures of copper and brass.
Sculpture by Daniel Proulx.

Experimental Weapons Squad

Professor Fenton's Punjabi manservant directs two brave volunteers.

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Ramshackle Games VSF heads added to Wargames Factory Shock Troops. The pith helmet heads seem a little narrow but I think the overall effect is good.

Leviathans Lieutenant’s Manual Revised And Now Free

Leviathans is the game of turn-of-the-century (last century, 1910ish) ship-to-ship combat in the sky. Personally, I'm more a fan of swashbuckling sky pirates rather than Imperial Navies. I'm willing to bet there's room for mercenaries and rogue nations in the world of Leviathans.
http://monstersinthesky.com/2011/05/26/leviathans-lieutenants-manual-qsr-pdf-revised-and-now-free/

Attack of the Real Life

Why is it whenever you manage to set aside a little time to indulge in something fun, Real Life always forces its way in? I find time to game a little and >bam< timecrunch. New pictures and even a batrep or 2 soon. (Not as soon as I'd like though.)

Atlas Obscura: Kinetic Steam Works

Atlas Obscura is a great place for inspiration and story hooks. Here's an article on Kinetic Steam Works , a Bay Area collective dedicated to restoring steam-powered kinetic art.

Report from the B.R.T.S.

The British Royal Terranautical Society is pleased to report the successful test launch of the Subterranean Scoutship "Antaeus."

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The "Antaeus" is just about finished. I mean to add some suitable Victorian scrollwork and the name "Antaeus" above the door.

Members of the Expedition

Received my order from Recreational Conflict on Wednesday. Three items from Ramshackle Games. The Boring Machine -->

VSF heads with pith helmets -->

And VSF heads with turbans -->

Also my order from the War Store came in on Friday. Some Victorian adventurers from Foundry -->

A big Thank You to Richard at Recreational Conflict and Neal at the War Store!

News of Note

This is probably not news right now, but it is still fun: http://blog.secretweaponminiatures.com/2011/05/two-contests.html Two contests at Secret Weapon Miniatures, enjoy!


Also, my order from Recreational Conflict came in today, the Boring Machine and VSF heads from Ramshackle Games.
Woot!

Pictures this weekend.

Fire It Up!

At a certain distance above the Earth and below the Sky and adjacent to some other nonsense lie certain Aetheric Nexus, holes in space and some say even time. Trained Airship pilots steer clear of these "Doldrums of the Air" but for Sky Pirates and other Men of Adventure the "Sky Sargasso" is a swift but dangerous short-cut or a convenient but treacherous port in a storm. Surviving the Sargasso is the mark of a true Airship Captain.

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But it's all really just an excuse for me to drone on about games and gaming, miniatures and terrain, and other random chunks of mental flotsam and jetsam.
Enjoy!
:)