AAR HAVOC gameday Worcester Massachusetts USA 3/28/15 Mighty Monsters!

AAR HAVOC gameday Worcester Massachusetts USA 3/28/15 Mighty Monsters!

Seven players. I gave them the opportunity as usual to build their own gameboard with two features preplaced by me, the nuclear power plant and the oil refinery.  A brief orientation beforehand, which I am getting better at. Only two or three oh-by-the-ways later in the game, but the players were very understanding.

I did learn later that some kids came by and would of liked to join in, but, I didn't notice them. but were a little intimidated by the crowd around the table. I will have to advertise better next time, or put up a sign saying "Walk Ins, Especially Kids, Are Most Welcome".

I am most proud that I have not paid full price for anything on the table that I can think of, I am trying to show the young folks that you do not need hundreds of dollars to get a toe hold into gaming. I tout Andrea's rulesets as an economical start into the hobby.

Notice my Short measuring stick in the lower left corner. I have several like it for measuring other measurements in Ganesha Games' rulesets.

Today I also uploaded a look at some of the terrain pieces I've built for these games here on my blog.

One tool no one at this table was the god [insert divinity of your choice] die. The god die is a blank six sided die with YES on three faces and NO [or ON, as the players joked] on the other three. A gamer's way of flipping a coin. It was used several times during this game to settle disputed matters.

I used the pirated Savage Worlds initiative system with playing cards. Drawing the Joker gave you your choice of action, a +1 to all rolls, and operation of "The Bat" [see below] for that turn.
.

Cautiously, cautiously, monsters make their way into town.



The nuclear power plant only lasted about four turns into the game, as expected. I thought someone would shoot it from a distance. The gallant player shot it point blank after touching it and being blown backwards a couple of times.

The young player muses on the wisdom of blowing up the nuclear power plant.

My debris is cut up packing material. The glow rings add color and flash to the destruction.

So, 4 Arm Tree Man wanted to drop a building as a bridge across the water as a bridge. Use of the god die and the monster's Combat and Quality rolls decided it in his favor.

Mecha Zeta peeks around corner.

My tall skyscraper me its ubiquitous end midway through the game with 4 Arm Tree Man bashing it with an automobile and then his fists. No one seems to like this building, it gets knocked down every game I use it in.

You can't really see Gobira because he is standing in water over his head. Minutes later, yellow monster gets his rear toasted in radioactive breath!

Gobira bears down on yellow Spikey.

Gobira spends a moment to stomp a car!

You can see the The Bat flying low between the buildings. It is a reconnaissance vehicle controlled by the player drawing the Joker during his turn. It was very undergunned, and never got to shoot at anything during this game. It just looked cool.

The dino at the right off the board is the second monster force off the board. I ruled that they had to be dealt out of the initiative for the next turn and then be allowed to reenter at the same place they were forced out the turn after that.

Display your initiative card!

Young man on the left does fist pump for a good roll. It did not save him at the end.

Here are a couple of more pictures, courtesy of my good friend Mike Paine!

There's me with the blue Battle Group Boston South shirt and glasses. I never get a picture of myself,

My million dollar dice tower and a view of "The Bat". My area effect template is on the building on the left.

Carnage around the nuclear power plant.

Gobira leaving the water to radiation blast the yellow spikey guy!

All in all, a great game. I need to query the players more about the Special Rules on their monster sheets, so they understand them completely earlier in the game. I find the gamemaster gets less and less useful as the game gets going and the players catch on to the mechanics of the game. It makes his job a lot easier and fun!

I was scheduled to run A Fistful of Kung Fu in the afternoon, but no players showed up. Sad for me!