Tempest 2013: Dystopian Wars

Last Saturday was Tempest 2013. This is the Christchurch Cavaliers annual charity event - where the takings go to some worthy cause. I can't say that I know which cause this year, the committees beer money? Canterbury Kids Cancer? Anyway, it is a nice low key, one day event. Last year I played FOW. Like many of the usual contenders, I didn't play that this year but someone put on Dystopian Wars. Here is a game we used to be REALLY into. We had a whole campaign, with actual rules and a map and some Epic Battles with our fairly sizable collections (all naval). Then it all seemed to stop.The setup for this event was starter boxes only (no Dreads, Commodore Sheridan was beside himself with joy) and all sorts of crazy mission twists offered. So how did the FSA South Pacific Fleet fare? 

April 20th 08:45 hours - Here we are in the freezing open seas, facing our old foes the Blazing Sun, led by a new Admiral. Our objective was three refineries in the middle of the engagement area. There was plenty of fuel aboard though so we must take care to capture these intact and NOT blow ourselves sky high in the process.

April 20th 09:30 hours - Well that was 'bracing'. Initial encounters were pretty even with us trading our ships for those of the enemy, blow for blow. I thought things had gone well to plan there - prize the odd over-exited Japanese frigate while sneaking up to take the rightmost refinery on the last turn (anyone remember the battle of the Eyrie? Heh). It worked perfectly, with us having an objective each then somehow the marines let the last Blazing Sun rocket-Samurai run his sword though his own jet pack then -Kaboom! When the smoke cleared we had lost two frigates and with that, the game.

April 20th 10:00 hours - This is more like it, here I am striding the wooden decks of my old warhorse the battleship FSS Constitution. The egg-heads tell me there is something odd about the ammo though. Apparently it is extra prone to blowing up, which can be good and bad. I think our course is clear though, line up and sink those Prussians!

April 20th 11:05 hours - This is madness. The whole sea seems choked with red smoke, and there is the flotsam of destroyed ships everywhere. The battle had been chaos from the beginning with the first serious hits on our fleet coming from the Constitution's own Rockets. It got so we were racing to close with the enemy to board. When all was done though, the FSA had prevailed.

April 20th 12:45 hours - Somehow the Egg-Heads have got Constitution imobilised under what they call an 'impenetrable energy field'. As I understand it, it is all but immune to everything but bombs. We have our own squadrons of experimental Dive-bombers on hand too, just in case. Good thing, as it turns out - as the midday fog has lifted and we can see the looming shadow of a likewise shielded Kingdom of Britannia battleship. 

April 20th 13:30 hours - that was too close for comfort. The Limey bombers almost got through. Almost don't cut it though, our boys showed them how just afterward by smashing the enemy flagship in two roaring waves of dive-bomber attacks!

April 20th 14:00 hours - this is ominous. We have drifted near a great purple sturginium vortex. This vortex with annihilate any ship that touches it. Worse, we will have to fight off some crazy Ivan's and their rumoured to be un-sinkable Borodino, while we try to break free!

April 20th 15:50 hours - The Russian Bear got the better of us here. The Marines gave it their all but we just couldn't beat that many enemy militia. Worse still, none of our guns could manage to even once crack the ablative armour on their battleship - it really was unsinkable! All in all, a good shakedown for my rusty sailors but I don't think 'It's a draw' is what the press back home were wanting out of my four battles.... 

I loved the crazy scenario rules and guess I have to be pretty happy with winning two and losing two.  Lots of fun, and thanks to my four opponents and to Sassmo for running the event.