Stargrave Campaign game 1

I got in the first two games of a new Stargrave Campaign and we plan to play through all of the scenarios in all the books, starting with the main book. My opponent H (for anonymity) brought some terrain and a crew made from Games workshop 40K Squats. 

H's Crew "hail from Nidavalier, a remote system nestled in a labyrinth of colliding starts, black holes and asteroid fields near the galactic edge. They belong to the Duargan, the Kin, a genetically modified race distantly related to ancient Terrans....Their society is chiefly concerned with exploring the vast resources of their home system, through they are also well versed in the arts of war. An isolationist, and even xenophobic, bunch. The Duargan have...managed to largely avoid both the Last War and the Pirate Fleets that followed....Unfortunately, rich as their claims are, they cannot supply all the Kin's needs. To this end, the ruling Council outfits small expeditions manned by some of their best soldiers, engineers and tech experts in order to acquire their needs by whatever means are most Practical." 

The Ulfgrim's Oathband aboard the Ignvar's Prospect is one such crew. Lead by captain Thane Ulfgrim, veteran. First Mate Brokker, engineer. Asgrim the Subtle, Codebreaker. Sigeweard Nimblefingers, Casecracker. Bjomulf the Broad, Comando. Thorvald Bloodaxe, Sentry. Rognvald War-tooth, Trooper. Arnfinn the Quick, Chiseler. Ragni Forkbeard, Recruit. and Iric the Boaster, Recruit. 

My crew was RAPTOR Team 3 (see my last entry to learn more about RAPTOR teams and the adventures of Team 1). Team 3 is lead by Captain Juan Thomas, a Veteran. His "First Mate" is MSgt (Master Sargent) Coleman Lewis, a Robotics Expert. They are joined by SSgt (Staff Sargent) Hunter an Armroured Trooper, Specialist Hoff a Codebreaker, Specialist Trent a Casecracker, Private Pile a Trooper, Trainee Hunter (younger cousin of SSgt Hunter) a Recruit, and the only Human in the group Trainee Ana the Recruit. 

RAPTOR Team 3 had been contracted to extract a package from a contact hiding on a backwater planet in a remote system. The system and been the home of a booming mining and  manufacturing economy and even boasted a proper start port, but that had been before the Pirate Fleets. The contact was out in an industrial sector on the edge of town so Team 3 took their ship (Falconer 3) to the near by space port and proceeded on foot. Unfortunately they where not the only ones looking for the package.

Table setup. 3 physical loot and 2 data loot on the table.

 

1 data loot is guarded by a local ruffian.

The central physical loot is also guarded by a local ruffian.

The 2nd data loot is actually the small consul attached to this dish.

Everyone is deployed and ready for action.

H's Captain is deployed to my right with 5 members of his Crew.

His First Mate is on my left with the remaining 3 crew.

On my left I have Spc Hoff, MSgt Lewis, Spc Trent, and Trainee Hunter.

On my right I have Cap Thomas, SSgt Hunter, Pvt Pile, and Trainee Ana.

Turn 1

H won first initiative and moved his Captain and 3 surrounding crew members up on my right.

I did the same with Thomas and the crew around him. Thomas also successfully deployed a drone.

H's First Mate moved up and dusted the ruffian guarding the Data Loot.

Lewis group activated as well and also deployed a drone. Both Drones moved up in the soldier phase.

One of H's crew managed to dust the remaining ruffian guarding the central loot. That brought an end to turn 1.

Turn 2

At the start of turn 2 a local ruffian popped out of building after hearing all the shooting and screams of his buddies. 

I won initiative and Group activated Thomas with the others around him. Thomas climbed a ladder to get a vantage point over the right hand board center while Pile and SSgt Hunter moved up to the Data loot.

Lewis also group activated during the First Mate phase, sending his drone to impede the enemy while Trainee Hunter dashed towards the loot. Both Lewis and Trent provided supporting fire while Hoff moved to assist with the data loot on the right.

SSgt Hunter dusted the 3rd Ruffian while Thomas's Drone and Pile advanced up the right center.

Meanwhile H was trying to flank around my right while his First Mate secured the data loot on the left.

Turn 3

H took the Imitative and moved his Captain up to put fire on my crew trying to secure the Data loot. He also moved 2 crew up to the roof with on of the Physical loots in order to secure it.

In the center he sent a crew men up the building to contest Hoff who was heading the same way.

Thomas's Drone was finally brought down but it had done its job well by drawing enemy fire away from my crew.

Trainee Ana moved up to contest the far right flank. 

Lewis and Trent moved up with Trainee Hunter in order to secure the loot.

Lewis's Drone moved up to attack one of H's crew and block fire while Trainee Hunter tried (and failed) to open the case.

Turn 4

With the Data loot unlocked, SSgt Hunter moved up to provide heavy fire on H's Captain.

This picture might be out of order. At some point Trainee Ana ran and collected the data loot, then made her way back towards our table edge. 

Pile had worked his way to the roof to engage H's crew there while SSgt Hunter landed hits on H's Captain. 

Meanwhile, H had managed to get the loot crate open and picked up and positioned a crew member to provide covering fire.

In the center, Hoff was taking a beating from point blank and flanking fire. He had moved to the exposed position in order to open the loot but was met by one of H's crew.

On the left, Lewis climbed up to a roof to provide covering fire while Trainee Hunter and Trent tried and failed to open the loot.

 H's First Mate had managed to destroy Lewis's Drone.

Then H landed a grenade injuring both Hunter and Trent before another crew member closed in for point blank shots.

Turn 5

Hoff and Trainee Hunter finally got the case open.

SSgt Hunter moved towards the left to support that flank as they where taking a beating.

Hoff continued to exchange point blank fire and was getting the worst of it.

Turn 6

Another ruffian popped out of the same building as the last one.

Thomas tried to provide supporting fire to his men in the center. (By this point Trainee Ana had exited the board with her data loot).

SSgt Hunter charged H's First Mate, landing some heavy blows.

With the loot secured, Trent and Trainee Hunter fell back to some cover, hoping to start moving towards the exit.

Hoff went down in the center and H was able to secure the loot.

Another grenade and charge saw both Trent and Trainee Hunter go down.

With the crew collapsing, Pile tried to fall back but was pursued and brought down.

Turn 7

With the majority of the crew down, Lewis started to fall back.

Thomas also started to fall back while providing covering fire.

After delivering heavy damage to H's First Mate, SSgt Hunter finally started to fall back.

At this point we called the game. I ended with 1 loot secured to H's 4 and over half my crew down. In the after game actions we found out that both Trainees had survived their injuries along with Pvt Pile. Unfortunately both Specialists Hoff and Trent succumbed to their wounds and died. 

The data loot ended up only being worth 75cr but I was able to level up Lewis. With so few credits the team could only afford to purchase two Recruits, both robots, and a pair of Giant Spider Guard Dogs. Hopefully they will be enough to allow the team to make it back to the Falconer 3 in the Space Port.