STALKER7

A Zona Alfa/Kontraband AAR

Last Saturday saw the final game session for the Sturgis crew this school year. A quick jaunt into the Deep Zone with a ZA/K one-shot mission. The stalker crew was tasked with clearing a district in the ghost town of Devnya. Apparently, the Institute wants them to secure a fuel depot there to facilitate extended reconnaissance in the area. One objective, eight POI, and four anomalies. Team selected, Zone Hostiles and Hazards on standby, POI deck ready to go.

The crew was composed of four veteran stalkers: a Sniper, a Knife Man, a Bone Doc, and a Leader. Demo game with first time players, so it was a very straightforward and streamlined mission. Sweep and Clear.

Out of the Gate

Team entered at the edge of the mat opposite the depot. Lots of POI, ruins, anomalies in between them and the fuel tanks. Oh, and zombies. Just because they are dead, doesn’t mean the residents don’t still love their home town, right?

The first two turns were spent getting onto position and dispatching the shufflers with a few well-placed head shots.

While Tsar, Vasily, and Bones dealt with the locals, Igor the Knife man scurried to the nearest POI.

Booby Trap. ouch That’ll teach him to go running off.

Tsar leads the much chagrined and newly-bandaged Igor deeper into town, toward the red pick up and the glowing blue anomaly. Bones and Vasily shift left toward a gutted office with glowing green crystals and another POI. Spring Artifact recovered and more salvage from an unknown unfortunate who thought he could make his fortune in the Zone.

Out in the town square, Tsar and Igor stir up some ROUS and promptly go into a frantic dance, stabbing and shooting their way free of the swarm. Shotguns may not have range, but they are worth their weight in gold in CQB.

Midway Point

Paired up, the crew advances along two prongs; Tsar and Igor in the center, Bones and Vasily on the left. Both search more buildings, Tsar getting a whiff of Swamp Gas while Bones stirs up a nest o’ snorks. (Tsar and Igor had an easier time.)

The crew is burning through Med Kits and E-Juice, but thankfully the POI rolls allow them to restock. Depot in sight, the team takes a deep breath for the final push.

Grav Anomaly and Zone Sludge

Two great things that go great together.

A full turn spent stuck in place as Igor triggers a Grav Anomaly and Bones steps toward the green pick up to find it mired in a huge puddle of nasty, sticky zone sludge. So the team spends a full two turns in awkward close proximity.

Thankfully, there are no other Hostiles or Hazards to deal with.

Finally free, the stalkers head toward the remaining POI and the fuel depot. Again, Tsar and Igor split off from Bones and Vasily. Finish quick but stay close just in case. Good thing.

Tsar’s searching the downed drone disturbs a BAM while a squad of Bandits starts shooting from a nearby apartment the instant Vasily reaches the gate to the fuel tanks.

A Grenade then another Grenade

That’s how you deal with BAMs – reduce them to component parts as forcefully and rapidly as possible. Same goes for scum-sucking, objective-poaching Bandits. A blizzard of rattle, bang, and boom, the final threats are down.

Depot secure. Area cleared. Mission accomplished.

***

The Sturgis crew picked up on the game quickly and even though they went through Med Kits and E-Juice like candy, they came out on top clearing all 8 POI and gaining two Artifacts. Not too shabby for first timers.

That’s it for now. Made a pact with Occasional Tom to take a break and learn Descent: Legends of the Dark. We both want to see how an APP-driven game works.

If you’re interested in salvage and survival in the Exclusion Zone, you can pick up Zona Alfa and Kontraband at Amazon, Wargame Vault, and other fine hobby retailers.

Until next time – Good hunting.