STALKER7

Deadly Shadows in Guangzhou

“You seeing this?” Omar Patek asked McNevin.

Silent frustration rolled off his supervisor in waves.

The corporate jet’s A.I. pilot had crash-landed the Lear in an empty parking lot on the east side of the Guangzhou High-tech Industrial Zone. Patek had spliced into the facility’s security network thirty seconds earlier, and started streaming live security camera feed to their stations. On one screen they watched as Domenic Van Dorn’s security detail helped the shaken, singed executive clamber up to the roof of a garage, while on another, six heavily armed men in trenchcoats threaded their way through Conex containers and gantries, heading straight toward them.

Facial recog identified two of the intruders: Skinny Jack and Malcolm “Tiny” Figg, leaders of the “V8s”, or the VuDu8 Crew, the largest criminal gang in New Kong. Well-armed,well-funded, the V8s had ties to Yakuza, the Triads, and Russian Mafiya. Recent investigations had linked them to a number of illegal corporate incidents in the Pan-Asian Zone.

“Nakada’s coming, right?” Omar asked.

McNevin ground his teeth. “He better be.”

TURN ONE AND TWO With Van Dorn in the middle, both sides advance towards the nearest Minor Plot points, trying to surround the garage and control the flanks.

NKPD moves up to Pump Bypass (plot point) on left
NKPD moves up to Pump Bypass (plot point) on left
Nakada at Med-tech container on right. (plot point)
Nakada at Med-tech container on right. (plot point)
Hey diddle diddle, Suliya Kova and NKPD trooper go straight up the middle.
Hey diddle diddle, Suliya Kova and NKPD trooper go straight up the middle.
VuDu8 crew advances. Tiny urging 'em on.
VuDu8 crew advances. Tiny urging ’em on.

TURN THREE AND FOUR – Crime does pay. V8 crew siezes two Minor Plot Points and closes in on Van Dorn. The NKPD troopers must be fresh out of the academy, because their Shooting is abysmal and they fumble taking control of the Plot points closest to them. The only highlight is Suliya Kova getting stuck in with Tiny in front of the garage. a horrified Van Dorn looks on from above at the brutal dance of death.

Ganger after grabbing power packs. (Plot point)
Ganger after grabbing power packs. (Plot point)
NKPD Troopers can't shut figure out how to operate the control console. (Plot point fumble)
NKPD Troopers can’t shut figure out how to operate the control console. (Plot point fumble)
Suliya stalking Tiny
Suliya stalking Tiny
Tiny comes around the corner to find Suliya ready to go.
Tiny comes around the corner to find Suliya ready to go.
This turned into a nasty brawl for multiple turns, see-sawing back and forth until they killed each other.
This turned into a nasty brawl for multiple turns, see-sawing back and forth until they killed each other.

TURN FIVE AND SIX NKPD can’t get it together to save their lives – literally. Combined assault rifle fire fails to bring down Skinny Jack, Kova and Tiny succeed in knocking each other out, and Nakada is too little-too late. He goes down to a shotgun blast from one of the V8 thugs. Skinny Jack climbs onto the roof, shoots the guards and takes Domenic Van Dorn prisoner.

“Don’t sweat it, mister,” he laughs. “You’re gonna make me rich.”

NKPD troopers going after Skinny Jack.
NKPD troopers going after Skinny Jack.
Skinny Jack is the Boss for a reason. He faces down the troopers in a fierce firefight.
Skinny Jack is the Boss for a reason. He faces down the troopers in a fierce firefight.
Nakada finally hacked the lock on the Med Tech crate and rushes to help his men.
Nakada finally hacked the lock on the Med Tech crate and rushes to help his men.
Crime *does* pay. Skinny Jack and V8 ganger get Van Dorn.
Crime *does* pay. Skinny Jack and V8 ganger get Van Dorn.
ccglazier
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6 responses to “Deadly Shadows in Guangzhou”

  1. sho3box Avatar
    sho3box

    Thats a lovely looking game, great work. I am not a fan of “and then I rolled a six” batreps, so picture heavy highlights appeal.

    Pulp Alley has been on my radar for a while. Sci-fi skirmish is my chosen “period” and I have seen a few people with similar interests using this system. Im am very close to buying the rules. A short list of pros and cons would be very helpful, assuming you have the time to cater from demands from unknown people on the internet 😀

    Reply
    1. ccglazier Avatar
      ccglazier

      Thanks for commenting and I’m glad you like it.

      I’ll do a brief follow-up review in a couple days. Promise.

      Reply
      1. sho3box Avatar
        sho3box

        Im currently downloading the Pulp Alley Quick Start… but a review from a sci-fi skirmish gamer with similar interests would help me to commit 🙂

  2. ccglazier Avatar
    ccglazier

    One game and a bunch of read-throughs mean my insight is limited. That said, it’s a cinematic, character-based game. Think Indiana Jones or Sky Captain. Not Tomorrow’s War or Future Commander.

    Kind of like Stargrunt 2, polyhedral die are the core of the game mechanic: 4+ = Success. Better characters use higher-sided die and more of them. There’s no differentiating weapons or tons of modifiers/range bands and such. After determining the level of the fig (d6, d8, d10) you use specific Abilities, Gear and Perks to make figs distinct. Lots of detail is abstracted.

    It really comes down to the level of the character and their Abilities. That’s how/where you tweak Move, Shooting, Melee, etc stats. The Fortune Cards either give you a boost or cause grief to your opponent, and really add an exciting variable to game play.

    All for now. Like I said – more later. I promise.

    Reply
  3. Patrick Rollens Avatar
    Patrick Rollens

    This looks great! Sounds like Pulp Alley might be a good ruleset for generic sci-fi. Thanks for the report(s).

    Reply
    1. ccglazier Avatar
      ccglazier

      Glad you like it. I’ll do another after the next linked mission/our next game. Which should be soon.

      Reply

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