Inquisitor Cynole Battle Report (Part 1) – BOYL 2016

This is going to be a big report, so I’ve decided to split it up to make it more manageable (and get something posted).

First, I’d like to thank all the players that made this game a success. Right up until it started, I didn’t really know how it was going to go; the complicated scenario could have degenerated into a total mess, or maybe just a basic firefight. It worked because everyone really got into the spirit of the thing, and played their faction with character and gusto. In addition James supplied a great selection of beasties (particularly important as I had forgotten mine), Niibl brought the Trading Guild – creative conversions done specifically for the scenario, and Fimm produced a beautifully converted set of AdMech in white, copper and green.

Disclaimer: This was a fast moving and anarchic game – although I GMed it, I may well have got some of this wrong, so if you played and have any details or corrections, please do post them in the comments section. I have a number of the paper notes passed during the game – these appear in italics.

The game opened with the Inquisitor flanked by his two marine bodyguards advancing into the temple to inspect the mysterious artefact. Also inside the temple were the Trading Guild, who had been using one end of it as a store room. Their political rivals, the Mechanists were just outside – the advance party being led by the eccentric Dr Moenkhaus. Their primary objective was to secure this potentially powerful technology for themselves – another group of then was unloading a grav-trolley from their ornithopter to carry it away. Over by the gate the first conflict of the game was developing. A large group of natives had turned up – according to their folk lore, a powerful demon was imprisoned inside the cursed temple, and they feared that the ignorant city dwellers would release him. To save their people the natives had to stop them at all costs.

Start of game – temple end

The inquisitor and bodyguards, and a few Trading Guild started in the temple.Everyone else was outside.

Start of game – compound end

At the far end of the compound was the Mechanist’s ornithopter and the Trading Guild shuttle. The shuttle is particularly Oldhammer because the original chassis was made out of a shampoo bottle in 1987, inspired by the famous deodorant grav-tank.

The large compound encloses a lot of ruins and jungle, so there’s plenty of places to hide. Here you can see mercenaries (employed by the Trading Guild) moving to block the natives coming into the compound (bottom left corner). On the right, the Nobles’ hunting party heads for the nearest temple entrance, while in the middle of the compound some of the inquisitor’s experts examine a mysterious carved stone.

Starting positions

Another shot of the start (around 3.30pm). Mercenaries are moving away from the temple to help the other squad with the natives.  Trading Guild are milling around the generator.

At the start of the game, a squad of mercenaries, hired by the Trading Guild to secure the site, lined up against the natives entering the compound and tore into them with their auto-guns. Natives ran in all directions – some retreating back into the jungle, others scattering and trying to hide in the meagre cover inside in the compound. Five or six went down and their mission seemed headed for failure when it had barely begun. Luckily they had a few tricks up their sleeve, and the city dwellers were not as united as they might have appeared.

Meanwhile, the mechanists were coming up with their grav-trolley in the hope of carrying away the artefact.

4.30pm

The sun had come out – we were playing on an outside table next to the marquee, and I remember it being atmospherically hot as the sun beat down. The Mechanist advance party, led by Dr Moenkhaus and attended by a lab-bot with typical scientific instruments such as a chainsaw and massive pincers had entered the temple to be met by the enraged Trading Guild.

Dr Moenkhaus enters the gloom of the temple

The Mechanists and the Trading Guild are political adversaries and to make matters worse, the Trading Guild had things to hide. They were running a secret, unlicensed spiridium mine in the tunnels of the temple, and with unfortunate timing, a Slann merchant was visiting them to negotiate the purchase of a smuggled consignment. The Trading Guild suggested that the Mechanists might like to go somewhere else..

The natives continued to find themselves on the wrong end of civilisation’s firepower and the survivor’s were reduced to hiding in the bushes. The chief’s guard blew his horn to summon more tribesmen.

A quick prompt about game objectives was needed.

GM to Trading Guild: “Remember you don’t want conflict with the natives if possible”

The Trading Guild, preoccupied with the Mechanists, realised what their mercenaries were up to, and after a quick word  the natives were allowed to escape.

Next part coming soon. I’d be interested to get any feedback on what people remember – does anyone have any good photos?