2006 - Aliens Miniature Battle - Year 6

After a two year sabbatical from running my Aliens Miniature Battle event at the local conventions, I returned with a new scenario entitled "Survival of the Fittest" for SIMCON XXVIII.  This event was held on April 1st at the University of Rochester.  

When we designed the AMB rules, we felt it was important to simplify combat so the players could focus on squad tactics.  We also included role playing to make the game fun to play.   After all, who doesn't enjoy quoting lines from Aliens like, "Another glorious day in the Corps.  A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm.  Every meal's a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade.  I LOVE the Corps!"  By this point in the evolution of the rules, we had finalized the set at 6 pages which was short enough for both new and old players to assimilate and flip through during the event.  We also designed character cards (see Figure 1 below) which summarize vital information needed to manage a squad of Colonial Marines.   I'll explain the rules in more detail in a future post.  

In addition to battling a xenomorph infestation, the scenario included a surprise twist beyond the now semi-boring bug hunt.  A detachment of Weyland-Yutani Corporate Mercenaries led by a Bishop synthetic (as in the last part of Alien 3) were on site attempting to acquire a viable xenomorph specimen their bio-weapons division could utilize and sell to the highest bidder.  Their goal was to capture one of the alien warriors using a rapid freeze method that would place the specimen into a cryogenic suspension (remember Predator 2?).



In the end, the Colonial Marines were victorious.  Through a combination of smart tactics, harnessing the Marine "killer instinct," and a little bit of luck, Lt. Steel led his men to rout both the xenomorph population and corporate mercenaries and earned high praise from the Captain sipping tea aboard the dropship carrier orbiting Klondike IV.  Until next year...

 

    Figure 1.  Before the event begins, the APC (1/35th scale Halcyon Model) idles on the tarmac outside the mine on Klondike IV.  Note player character cards with figures.

    Figure 2.  Two squads sweep the mine for xenomorph activity.  Using squad tactics makes all the difference between waking up in a cocoon next to the Queen and walking out alive.

    Figure 3.  Random encounters are an easy way to follow in the footsteps of the Aliens movies.  You never know when a pair of warriors will drop from the ceiling to get the party started!

   Figure 4.  Colonial Marines fight a two front war against Aliens and WY Corporate Mercs.  Throw in a few grenade triggered rock slides and things really get interesting.  

  Figure 5.  Using the same tactics that are successful at eliminating Aliens, the Colonial Marines carve through Weyland-Yutani Corporate Mercs (represented here by Imperial Snowtrooper figures). They wisely massed their firepower and quickly eliminated the mercs.  Note Bishop and the cryogenic frozen Alien drone in the lower right of the photo.

  Figure 6.  A close up of the image displayed in Figure 5. Note the rubble from grenade created cave ins.

  Figure 7.  Colonial Marines maintain numerical superiority in the fight against the WY Corporate Mercs.  They only sustained two WIA casualties to the five merc KIA.