Baja Campground -- Pulp Alley Scenario

We had our first four-player game of Pulp Alley this past Sunday.  Our Leagues were:

The GREEDS -- gangsters with "Company of Heroes" perk -- Alex's League

"The Yellow Peril" -- also with "Company of Heroes" perk -- Rob's League

The "Greene Team" -- with "Eagle-Eyed Trooper" perk -- my League

"The Cowboys" -- based on Arizona's historic outlaw gang -- Murdock's league

 ALERT --  Please note that Murdock was using my figures (which have different names on the figure bases) so kindly think of them by the names indicated in the above photo (and not those on the figure bases).

Early action between "The Cowboys" and "The Yellow Peril"

Sadly (as usual) I got too caught up in the action to remember to take photos.   One thing I note for these photos.  Blue disks mean that a figure has activated; amber indicated a combat action; and red, decreased health.
 
In addition my memory is fairly hazy.  I do know that the major "action" was between The Yellow Peril and The Cowboys; with a lesser degree of combat between the GREEDS and the Greene Team; then a bunch of conflict between GREEDS and The Cowboys.

Alex's "GREEDS" started in the village and tangled with my "Greene Team".

 "The Cowboys" jumped out to an early lead, capturing both an early minor plot point and Lady Elaine (the main plot point, this scenario being loosely based on the first "Perilous Island" campaign).  Sadly for Murdock, his leader, Curly Bill, was finally knocked down during the final turn and lost both plot points (and no one else could get them).

Rather viciously a number of us (yeah, I did this as well) placed our "fire icons" right on top of opposing characters (see below):

Gouts of purple/green flames erupted . . . often sending many on their way to medical aid.

By game's end, both Rob's and Murdock's Leagues were gone and I had only two of my six left on the table.  Alex had also lost most of his League as well . . . but the GREEDS did end up with one minor plot point and my "Greene Team" with a pair of them.

ALERT --  Murdock has now posted his account of the game here (clicky)

-- Jeff

Al Bubu Village -- a "Pulp Alley" Game

In a little while as I write this, Rob will be here for his first "Pulp Alley" game.  He will run the "Yellow Peril", while I will try out the "Greene Team":

The "Yellow Peril" -- with 'Company of Heroes' perk

The "Greene Team" -- with 'Eagle-Eyed Troopers' perk

Somewhere in Algeria is the small settlement of Al Bubu . . . where a mysterious and elusive archaeologist, Professor Jacob Florida, is reported to have stashed an amulet allegedly from an unknown civilization:

Dark creature (upper right) is a possible associate of the Professer . . . or a "Terror".

Rob will have his choice of table side . . . and each of the 2'x2' boards can easily be moved to accomplish this (i.e., no terrain 'bridges' the boards).  The scrub (closest to camera) does not block sight.  Palm trees do block sight (use base as determiner).  The four central palm groves and the area they enclose are an extremely perilous area.  Other perilous areas yet to be determined.

Greene Team is leery of Native Patrol

Rob arrived and we decided to use both two-story buildings as fixed perilous areas AND to have two "patrols" of native soldiers (pictured above).  Anything within 3" of them would be considered to be "perilous".  At turn's end, the Patrol would continue in line in a random direction (I used Games Workshop 'scatter die' and 1d12 for each patrol). 

Here Tong is unexpectedly in a "perilous area" with the approach of the Native Patrol.

Indeed, there were several times during the game where a Native Patrol inconvenienced the Yellow Peril characters in particular.  Their Leader, Feng Yi, was trapped a couple of times.

While the wily Orientals unexpectedly found a "Red Herring" when Wu Fang drew their first minor plot point, the obviously superior Greene Team (since I'm writing this   they are "obviously superior") secured a pair of early plot points (admittedly after a pair of failures).

Captain Greene has one plot point and heads for the Main one, while Lt. Winger also has a point.

Feng Yi (as you can see above) has been cut-off from the main plot point by a Native Patrol.  As she, Captain Greene and Lt. Winger converged on the Main Plot Point, the Native Patrols prepared to quit the central area.

Greene solves the Plot Point as Lt. Winger and a wounded Feng Yi watch.

Captain Greene not only not only overcame the area's extreme peril challenge, but solved the Main Plot Point as well.  Indeed the "Greene Team" 'won' the scenario with two minor and one main plot points, while the Yellow Peril only had one minor point . . . plus one "Red Herring" and another minor point when Wu Fang was shot and dropped the item.

-- Jeff

The Whiskyville Raid -- a PULP ALLEY game

We had expected four players for our "Pulp Alley" game last evening . . . but, alas, Rob wasn't feeling well so he had to cancel.

Some early deployments.

I am blaming this for my miserable showing in the game.  The whole concept of my league depended upon lots of other players preying on each other and then my taking plot points from them . . . oh well (it did not work out well for me).

The Leagues for the game:

"The Dark Fire" -- my League for the evening

"The Yellow Peril" . . . Murdock played Rob's League

"GREEDS"  . . .  Alex's League

(Gang for Reducing Everyone's Eventual Dollar Salary)

Due to circumstances it turned out that Murdock played Rob's League since he had been prevented from designing his League . . . darn it, how 'real life' keeps interfering with gaming . . . *sigh*.

As it turned out, a great many characters (and some plot points) started inside some of Whiskyville's buildings:

Gold Star Saloon (top) and the Hardware Store . . . 

. . . both contained figures . . . Feng Yi in the saloon & The Faithful in the Hardware Store

I was particularly unlucky with my Fortune Cards and two of the Plot Points that I captured turned out to be "Red Herrings" and I lost a third plot point on the final turn when the Yellow Peril played a Fortune Card on Brother #2, which he failed to pass.  (Below is a photo that Murdock took of me when I got the second "Red Herring'.)

*sigh* . . . both plot points I captured turned out to be false leads . . . *sigh*

Our minor plot points were all people who were subject to random movement . . . and, at game's end, three were still walking around . . .

Elder Flame failed to win over Lily, while fellow plot points, Iris and George still wandered about.

As usual with "Pulp Alley" we got too caught-up in the action to remember to take many photos . . . but we got some great laughs during the action.

So how did it turn out?  The "Yellow Peril" walked away with both the minor and major plot points in a convincing win while playing Rob's League; while both Alex and I ended up with nada.

If you have not tried "Pulp Alley" yet, you should because it is very very flexible and a heck of a lot of fun.  Also I urge you to read Murdock's account of the game (clicky).

-- Jeff

Mayhem comming to Western Town

Well we are planning on playing some "Pulp Alley" on this coming Sunday evening.

The setting is a small western town . . . and a bunch of people are about to descend upon it.  Why not only will there be 'cowboys' but also 'Chinese'. 'Mobsters' and 'Cultists' . . . chances are that it will not be a quiet time.

Overview from South

Overview from North

Overview from West

We will be playing a variation of "The Lost Keys" scenario.  Both corrals are "Extremely Perilous and all cactus plants are Perils if you get withing 1". 

All buildings block line-of-sight.  All Cactus (penny bases) provide 'cover'; and block line-of-sight if they are not super-short (even these provide cover is the character is crawling.

Primary purpose of this post is to give players a bit of a look at the table.

-- Jeff

Raw Characters for Leagues

Following will be photos of some raw figures suitable for "Pulp Alley" Leagues.

People here in the Comox Valley who wish to do so may select a group of figures and create a League using some or all of the figures in the photo.  OR they may select a group of figures and use the simple (rather generic ) League that I have for them.  Please note that most groups have more figures than you will want in your League; this gives you a choice of figures.

For locals, please contact me to tell me which group of figures you would like to work with (first come, first choice).  Also note that the "names" are just useful to identify figure groups . . . you may select your own League name.

Archeology, Inc.

Blue Menace

Clan McGunny

Dark Fire

Green Team

Guido's Gang

Scientists

Tommy's Boys

Yellow Peril

-- Jeff

Encounter at El-Birbir

The word was out that many weird and valuable antiquities were showing up at El-Birbir . . . the former habitation for the mad-inventor, Maximilian Wonderof . . . and so a number of adventurous groups were headed there.

El-Birbir and environs

 Speculation abounded that Wonderof had developed a device capable of locating valuables.

Any such device would probably be housed in the local fort . . . so a night-time attempt at a snatch was indicated.

Three groups chanced to come to El-Birbir under a full moon.

First was "The Dark Fire", a red-robed cult (run by Pete).  They, of course, were primarily interested in some of the dark relics such as the ancient tomes of foul magics.

But it was treasure that attracted the attention of a group of Gangsters known as "Capo Condottiera's Casa" (or CCC for short).  They were led by Silvio, one of Condottiera's chief lieutenants.   (Murdock ran these Gangsters).

Finally were those bastions of goodness and righteousness, "Winchester, Smith and Weston" (run by myself).  They wished to end the wanton desecration of ancient sites and the sale of antiquities.

Rules were "Pulp Alley" with a slight variation added by me.  I added some wandering guards who acted as mobile perils.  They and for 3" around them were deemed "perilous areas".

There were six regular guards (numbered 1 to 6).  "One" patrolled the upper level of the fort; "two" circled the outside of the fort; guards "three" through "six" started out in the areas around the fort.  In addition the Captain of the Guard patrolled randomly.

The way I worked this was simple.  At the start of each turn and every time a "plot point" was attained (or lost), I'd have the caller roll 2d6 and the numbers rolled would each move randomly (1d12" and an arrow die for direction).  If "doubles" were rolled on the dice, that guard would move and two more d6 would be rolled and moved.  In addition the Captain of the Guard would also move.

My League deploys with a plot point in view . . . *sigh*

 In this photo you can see the sentry and Captain of the Guard just leaving the fort.

Another guard is seen not far from the documents (plot point) on the right side of the photo.

Sadly I lost four of my six characters in trying to recover the documents (which twice turned out to be Red Herrings . . . *sigh*).  I never did acquire a plot point and so couldn't try for Wonderof's Device.

Early in the game.  Dark Fire to the right; Gangsters on the left.

Pete's Cultists gained (then ultimately lost) two plot points (the Death Cult Tome and a hoard of Golden Artifacts).

Meanwhile Murdock's Gangsters captured, then lost, then captured, then lost and ultimately captured a final time The Ivory Dagger plot point . . . my leader, Ted Winchester and his wife, Sue, kept shooting the Thugs holding the Dagger . . . *smile*.

Sadly though they kept hold of that plot point even though the threat of the Winchester's shooting prevented Silvio from attempting the major plot point of the Wonderof's Device.

The Winchesters faced a constant stream of Gangsters.

Of the 21 characters to start the game, only 5 remained on their feet at game's end . . . uh, it is possible that some of us were more fixated on eliminating each other than getting that final main plot point . . . but we had fun!

-- Jeff

1st Game -- Good News / Bad News

Well my friend David and I played our first game of Pulp Alley this Friday afternoon.  And, as they say, there is "good news" and "bad news".

We certainly enjoyed the game . . . but (bad news) when I tried to take a photo, my digital camera wouldn't work (and changing the batteries didn't help) . . . indeed I think that it needs replacing . . . *sigh*.

The game's only photo was one David took of me using my scratch-built "microphone" to "broadcast" the action.

However you can see what our playing board looked like by checking out this earlier post.

The mic was my attempt at an object to keep track of who had the Initiative (because it can change hands so quickly in Pulp Alley) . . . and it worked splendidly.

It was simple to build.  It consists of a candlestick, an old-fasioned clothespin, a bunch of cardboard stuck into and around the clothespin, masking tape and a bit of paint.

Note that I do want to get a different candlestick for it . . . one with straight sides . . . then I'll finish painting the whole thing a charcoal color.

As for the game, it was somewhat hampered by our both rolling only a 12" visibility so there wasn't much shooting.

I "won" with 4 victory points to David's three . . . even though I lost 4 of my 6 characters; while he only lost his one Follower, keeping his other 5 characters alive.

However, in the post-game discussion, David came up with an idea about the microphone.  Since we were using it to "broadcast" the action describing what was happening, he suggested that (particularly in multi-player games) the best storyteller get a prize.  Perhaps their choice of one of Tips, Contacts, Gear or Backup.


Anyway, with the camera excepted, we had an enjoyable afternoon.

-- Jeff