Project Barnum.

I came up with the rules (don’t worry I will post them later in the project and my thinking behind them) and with Project Barnum fully painted it was time to play a game. I have included photos from the game and below my opponent wrote a brief write up of our game. It was without doubt one of the most fun and silly games I have played of any system so far. Here is the write up by Sam Berridge our local Warhost enjoy!

“Turn 1

Problems started with the initiative draw, I won by drawing one of my 4 action point cards. There’s only a few if those in the deck so already that felt like an omen.

My forces fanned out wary of Barnum. The real 1st action came from the Magenta Alpha charging my on lookout Gunslingers and getting 3 10’s from give them hell! Damnit no critical!

Despite Having to mettle a shot she still ploughed into my Gunslingers and made short work of two of them.

A little later Helena Flew into a prime position on Barnum and tried to capture the beast alive for maximum victory points (if the beast was still unconscious at end of game the capturing side got 5 points) I used the lasso (mainly because I thought it funny) I wasn’t really expecting it to work but Holy Moly it did and Barnum went crashing down for a nap!

Scott had something other than a specimen collection on his mind. He was determined today would be the day that his Nemesis Wyatt Earp would die. His grey squad had him in Their sights. But nothing a little quick and the dead wouldn’t solve?

Well my dice had other ideas and I took the full force of the pulse rifles ? but STILL he endured Mettle saved his skin. I breathe a sigh of relief. But Scott wasn’t done with me yet because that squad also had a Deconstruction Cannon. My mouth ran dry as he dropped the dice into the tower… ♠? IRON EARP LIVES AGAIN!

After the iron Earp incident I had two problems.

1) Magenta alpha on my right flank.

2) chigoes occupying the top level of one half of the broken building (we’d ruled each half was a separate structure) this was preventing me from deploying Ida Saxon where I wanted because of the 12″ rule.

Solution to 1) Jed Powell and his electro whack sticks! Down goes the alpha in embarrassingly quick fashion.?(Scott’s dice betrayed him)

Solution to  2)hmmm… Wyatt already tried his shotgun from ground level but only got one of the critters. Aha! I’ve got me an idea (more on this later).

The turn ends we check to see if Dino is still asleep yep still snoring!

Turn 2

I steal initiative, unfortunately the action point card isn’t great but Wyatt has enough fortune to get to the top of the other half of the broken building and unload his shotgun into the chigoe filth claim a VP and let Ida rain death down on the unrighteous alien interlopers.

Well that was the plan anyway…

What actually happened is Wyatt got to the top of the building and rolled a 2 with the shotgun.

Imagine it if you will, in cinematic terms. The roof door burst open, Kurt Russell (moustache in all its glory) strides onto the rooftop Slo-mo kicks in as the wind catches his duster coat, he raises his shot gun and works the Slider, CHA-click… Confusion and horror pass across his face as he realises what’s happened. The chigoe are drawing Thier blasters, he flings the broken weapon down in disgust and braces himself for what’s coming there no where to hide (failed q&td) can he he just mettle this out as he did before?

Nope. Even Wyatt can fall.

Now given Scott’s history with Wyatt (has failed to kill him on every single match) I kinda expected more reaction but I think he was just in shock he’d finally done it and slightly disappointed that it wasn’t his viridian alpha!

Seeing his best friend so cruelly cut down by a twist of fate was more than Doc could bear. His screamed curses alone could have struck a man dead with fear, His Nickel plated pistols spat fury up to the roof where the things cowered, the storm of lead washing away the blight of thier lives. Eventually the clicking of hammers falling on empty chambers broke through Docs rage, his eyes fell to his revolvers, the barrels hot and smoking, he remembers Wyatt giving them to him as a gift years ago, all the memories of his friend tumble through his mind uncontollably and so Doc weeps…

Although Doc mourns there is still work to be done. Helena sees an opportunity and thinking the monster subdued, soars towards the Watcher deployment zone to secure a valuable VP.

But the price will be terrible.

The monster awakens snapping the rope that binds it as easily as a man breaks a cobweb.

It staggers to it feet a little uncertain but it’s senses, unnaturally sharp, detect the one who hurt it. With an Earsplitting roar the beast charges straight for brave Helena.

Grey’s dive to the side to let it past. A Vermilion sentinel, those foul but steadfast guardians of the watchers commanders decides that as there aren’t actually any commanders on the field he doesn’t have to be quite so steadfast and legs it (Magenta is down and the Viridian keeps failing his mind check to get out of reserves – I think he was waiting until Wyatt was gone!)

Unchallenged the beast bore down on the indomitable Helena, she does not flinch, Her expression stern even as the jaws close around her. She does not scream.

With Helena’s demise a shocked silence seemed to descend on the battleground, even the watchers paused in horror and awe at the savagery in their midst. It was broken by the creature itself, a roar of triumph or a scream of pain from its unnatural condition? Whatever the cause, it spurred Helena’s comrades into action

Turn 3.

immediately 20-20 reacted. Bringing his massive rifle to his shoulder he took careful aim and blew the beasts brains out in one devestating shot.

Any satisfaction the automata may have felt was not to last. The beasts corpse began to bubble, melt and reform. What arose from the churning filth was arguably worse than what had been before.

A solitary hex beast.

Of course the Infernal investigations team had dispatched untold number of these horrors in Their time but this one…

This one still wore remenents of Helena’s uniform…

Unwilling to let his commander and friend suffer any more Jed opened fire (triggered activation) alas the Grey’s between him and the creature prevented a kill shot.

The Grey’s for their part seemed no more willing to let the thing live than Jed and in a desperate hand to hand struggle managed to silence the tormented thing.

On the far side if the battle Montoya was in a bad way. (The last round had forced her to mettle out a wound and used her fortune) a Grey unit had tracked her down. If she could just catch her breath she could charge the unit and cut them to ribbons. Otherwise she’d surely fall to their guns.

I drew a 1. Not enough to reach them (about an inch short) but Doc was nearby…

Through his tears Doc saw Montoya, he knew in that moment what he had to do. No longer caring if he lived or died. Doc charged forward (gamble pulled a 3) putting himself between Montoya and the Grey’s his pistols began their terrible song once more. Six targets he had and fanning the hammer 6 bullets he sent forth.

5 found their mark. He had failed.

The lone survivor bore a Deconstruction Cannon. He hadn’t been able to put enough distance between himself and Montoya he glanced back to apologize but she cut him off her eyes locked on to his “it’s ok” she silently mouthed to him.

Then they were gone.

(I could have retreated Montoya but they would have caught her anyway. This made better storytelling)

The battle us becoming a war of attrition now.

My deputies have all eventually been picked off gaining Scott valuable VP.

Jed is eventually felled by a locust long range strike.

With so few units on the board turn 4 and 5 pass quickly Scott has a last desperate gamble to kill 20-20 but fails.

The dust settles and the VP’s are tallied.

Lawmen 8

Watchers 8

A tie to one of the best games I’ve ever played.”