Tanksgiving 2023

 It's been a while since I attended a Tanksgiving event, but made the trek on Saturday for an afternoon of gaming with a group. I didn't actively play anything, I just GM'ed a game of my Stardust: Ground sci-fi battle game. I set up a four-player game, in teams of two. The setup...

Investigation at Spiritreach

Or

The Spiritreach Standoff

a Stardust: Ground scenario

Miners at Spiritreach outpost have recently uncovered ancient tablets containing Contaminant markings. The people of Spiritreach have slowly succumbed to the dangerous whispers released by the unearthed tablets. Not only have civilians in the mining community been turned by the powers of Contaminant, but the Red Guard posted nearby have been twisted and see nothing wrong with what’s going on. Outsiders of course have sensed the change and know it cannot be allowed to continue.

Dawgs of course are naturally quite sensitive to the Contaminant and after a few weeks of being released, Khanate forces were aware of what was happening at Spiritreach. Likewise, Brother-Chaplian Tobias of the Imperial Space Marines also sensed the disturbance. Both forces dispatched troops to investigate and end the threat. The erstwhile foes encountered each other en route. The leaders met and it wasn’t long before BigDawg Moonrunner and Space Marine Lieutenant Secundus entered into an agreement to enter the outpost and eliminate the threat.

It’s dusk so expect it to get dark soon.

Defenders’ Orders and Situation

Why can’t those nosy troublemakers leave us alone? We’re doing our own thing and they’re still getting their shipments of unobtanium. Well, it looks like they want a fight so we aim to give ‘em one!

Your forces are deployed around the mining outpost. You might be able to play a bit of cat-and mouse hiding among the buildings for the early parts of the battle. The Red Guard have two VTOLs that each carry a squad of infantry. Those enter the game as reinforcements and should catch your opponents by surprise. The VTOLs are transports, not fighter-bombers, so be careful with them!

The Cultist Demolishers and Red Guard Lancers are both very capable heavy tanks. The Harrier is more of a specialist and the Catapult tanks are rocket artillery vehicles more useful against infantry than vehicles. The Python Walker is quite strong, particularly in close combat and targeting the flanks of enemy vehicles. Its Elite status can allow it to activate twice in a turn, a very rare capability. Keep it hidden so you don’t lose it quickly to lucky shot.

Yadin played the Red Guard and David commanded the Cultists.

Attackers’ Orders and Situation

These rubes never learn… you play around with ancient writings, you get mutated and lose your eternal soul. What’s so hard to remember about that?

Aside from neutralizing any resistance, there are three locations within the outpost that are likely to house the unholy tablets. Finding those tablets is a high priority. The GM will let you know those locations that should be searched.

Your forces include Space Marine Terminators. They can deploy onto the battlefield via Teleporter. When you’re ready to deploy them, give them an Order and place the Terminators anywhere on the battlefield in base contact with one another and not within 5” of any friendly or enemy unit.. Yeah, it’s just that easy. They may immediately take their action. This sudden appearance should be a nasty surprise for the defenders! The Captain must remain with the squad; unfortunately this means his Elite ability won’t be available.

The Dawg’s Brawler tanks are very powerful heavy tanks, but your force, overall, is quite outnumbered in the tank department. Terminators are good for anti-tank work in close combat as are the Dreadnoughts. Keeping the Dreadnoughts healthy during their transit could be difficult.

Disembark the Space Marines from the Rhinos once they’ve made some good progress onto the battlefield. Marines are quite difficult to kill while on foot due to their Veteran status.

 Wayne B was the Dawg Commander while Ziggy ran the Marines.

 

Our battlefiled. The Cultists and Red Guard occupied the big hill and buildings while the Marines and Dawgs joined the battle from the far end of the table.

I didn't take many pictures, especially early into the game as I was GMing and helping my players understand the process.

Ziggy's Terminators teleported in atop the hill and assaulted a squad of cultists in the large building. The terminators were in-turn assaulted by a second group of cultists. Terminators, being the most powerful infantry unit in Stardust, were able to handle the challenge without much trouble. They entered the gray building a turn later and searched for the tablets they were hunting. Of course, they found them sitting right there on the coffee table being used as coasters!

The battle continued to rage all over the tabletop. Batteries must've been weak and gunpowder wet because for all the shooting, there were remarkably few casualties. 

But melee was a different story. The Python walker vehicle was manhandled by a unit of Space Marines!

In the attacker's backfield, the Red Guard sent two airborne infantry units. One of the VTOLs was hit by AAA and crash-landed, but only one of the infantry stands was taken out. Not pictured... moments later, the Dawgs called in artillery on the downed VTOL, wiping out the squad except for the medic! 

Darkness fell and of course visibility was now a major issue. True to form, weapons fire was still almost completely ineffective.

Dawgs and Cult Fanatics mix it up!

It was a bad day for fliers! The Red Guard airborne troops assault and destroy the immobilized Marine Dreadnought. They'll take all the kills the can find.

The last shots of the game. The Guard's tanks fire another barrage of plasma at another immobilized Dreadnought. More misses. More failures to cause meaningful damage! Yadin had spent 3/4 of the game shooting at that thing all all he could muster was a mobility kill. It truly was amazing.

We decided to call the game. The attackers, Wayne B and Ziggy won handily but all the players enjoyed themselves. The two who'd never played before (Yadin and Wayne B) both were quite happy with their choice of a day's entertainment so that makes me feel good as a game designer and scenario maker. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!