Last weekend, local gamer Marc Fluitt and I got together to play a game of FiveCore using my pulp adventure figures.
The setup of the game was pretty simple. Soldiers of a local Chinese warlord captured Dr. Lashwood on site at his most recent archaeological dig. They are dragging him and a crate of priceless artifacts through the jungle and back to their leader's stronghold. Several US Marines managed to outflank the Chinese and cut off their retreat. To win, my Chinese must carry Dr. Lashwood and the crate of artifacts off the north table edge beyond the Marines. Marc's Marines win if they rescue Dr. Lashwood, capture the artifacts, and carry them off any other table edge.
My Chinese soldiers started at the south (bottom of the picture), ready to push forward. Marc's Marines are at the north end of the table. One is hidden behind a tree.
I moved to the west in my first activation, hoping to flank the Marines and deal with them a few at a time. This didn't work so well. Marc moved over to intercept me.
I took the first casualty, the soldier in charge of Dr. Lashwood was gunned down by the marine at the top center of the picture. The good doctor, now free, fled the gunfire and took cover to the south.
A convenient Scurry result let me shift everyone left into cover and chase down Dr. Lashwood again.
But this let the Marines move to cut me off, too.
I pushed forward into some of the thicker growth, but took fire and lost another soldier.
At last my men figured out how to shoot straight. They killed one of the Marines and knocked another down. Things are starting to look up.
I continued my flanking maneuver, but it just wasn't working out.
So I reversed direction with another Scurry, going back to the east while his men were out of position.
Marc chased me down, of course.
He charged into close combat, driving my men back. I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, and he drove me back.
He tried it again, but this time we found the good bullets. We left one dead and scared off the other.
With the Marines in disarray we tried to get moving to the far end of the table.
But Marc rallied his Marines and charged me again. This time he succeeded.
Marc collected the artifacts and Dr. Lashwood, and quickly exited the battlefield.
Failed recovery rolls left me even more out of position as he pulled out of contact.
The triumphant Marines.
We we had a lot of fun, and the advantage shifted several times. There were a few points where I was sure I was home free, only to have it go wrong again.
I am planning to run a pulp game at Bayou Wars this year. I have some terrain work to finish up and then I'll be ready to go.