Cowboys vs. Aliens

Here’s the link to my main Wild West project blog:  https://www.beastsofwar.com/project/1839562/

This was an immensely fun game with much hilarity and an incredible number of natural 1s and natural 10s being rolled.

Tactically interesting as the bad guys (Outlaws and Aliens) started in the Northwest and Southeast corners while the good guys (Cowboys and Indians) started in the Southwest and Northeast corners creating a tactical X deployment.  The bad guys are outnumbered 9 to 10 but only have one rifle and one shotgun whereas the good guys have three rifles and one shotgun.  The outlaws do have an advantage in that they can use the hostages as shields.  If someone fires at the outlaws and score a hit, you randomly pick who is actually hit.

The Indians had the scout trait so they had an easier time moving through the terrain which they used to their advantage charging into close combat as often as possible to try and rescue the hostages.

The cowboys and Indians each rescued one hostage and the Aliens successfully took off with two so on the good guy/bad guy front it was a tie.

But as the aliens ended with two and the outlaws none, I’m calling it an alien win!

Ack! Ack!

“What in the name of holy hell is that?!” exclaimed Fireman Flanders pointing at the strange creature atop a low hill.

Boss Spearman looked at where Flanders was pointing and cried out, “I don’t know but he’s got a gun and don’t look friendly!”

Dutch Johnson sighted down the long barrel of his Winchester, took careful aim and watched as the creature’s head exploded in an explosive burst of blue/green gore and a satisfactory splat! sound.

“Still don’t know what it was,” intoned Dutch, but seems he’s allergic to lead.”

Seeing Angry Bear dispatch a Tin Man inspired Running Wolf to run, weave and dodge towards the other Tin Man.  With unnatural reflexes the Tin Man cracks off two quick shots.  The first misses causing Running Wolf to surge forward.  The second though hits Running Wolf directly in the chest.  But then something… odd? happens.

Mid leap, Running Wolf is frozen in place, unable to move a muscle.  Almost as if HE was a tin based figure …

One of the Tin Men moves out of cover to close the range with the Indians who are running and dodging through the broken terrain.  He raises his pistol and there’s a brief glow before the Raygun shorts out, the power pack completely drained.  The Indians find the range and begin to pepper him with well placed shots.  He goes down and begins to leak a viscous fluid.  He struggles back to his feet only to be charged by Angry Bear who begins chopping open his chest with a tomahawk.

Down goes the Tin Man! Right into a nest of snakes! The snakes writhe and contort in fear and panic and worm their way into the openings caused by the bullets and the tomahawks.

We’re using the Fistful of Lead, Reloaded rules for the scenario Cowboys and Saucermen.  Both are from Wiley Games.  Ben Wade and his gang have been hired to bring specimens to the aliens. The cowboys and Indians are trying to stop them. The hostages have been semi dazed and each bad guy can control up to two at a time. If left unattended they just stand there. However they can be shaken back to their senses by rescuers.

The aliens and their robots have Rayguns with two settings, lethal but inaccurate and stun.  The robots are immune to shock but are so big they’re easier to hit.

The goal for the bad guys is to get as many hostages to the flying saucer as possible before it takes off while the good guys are trying to rescue as many as possible.  The four parties each have one corner of the board as their deployment zone.

The aliens and robots are from Hydra Miniatures from their Retro Raygun range.

“Ack! Ack ack! Ack ack ack!”

”Roger Roger.”

Ben Wade looked at the little device the aliens had given him. He couldn’t figure out how it worked but it did. Made those milk toast townies even meeker and milder than he thought possible.  He caught Charlie Prince looking at him and raised a quizzical eyebrow.

“What do you think those aliens plan on doing to them?”

Wade just smiled, “Don’t know, don’t care, their gold feels good in the hand and spends just as well as anyone else’s.”

Wade looked at his captives and just smiled.  He was earning a lot of gold tonight.

“All right men, listen up. Ben Wade and his gang have kidnapped a bunch of townies and have taken them out towards the mesas.  What they plan to do and why they went there is a complete mystery so don’t bother asking.”

Boss Spearman fixed his eyes firmly on Charley Waite, heading off the question he could see was forming.  Charley just leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“I know you’ve all had run ins with Wade’s men and I’ve had more than enough of him.  But I’ve never had cause to go against him until now.  Ain’t right taking folks out in the middle of the night and herding them like cattle.  He’s up to no good and I won’t stand for it. Now I know when you hired on, it was just to punch cattle, but this, this is important.  I ain’t gonna let the likes of Wade to tell me or anyone else to bow down to him like he was a king. Now, who’s with me?”

Charley straightened up, and looked fixedly at Boss Spearman.  “It’s not a question of will I join you.  It’s a question of whether you’re all in. Because this is Ben Wade we’re talking about.  And if he’s involved, there will be killing.  I won’t shy away from it if it’s called for, but I don’t want no man to come who ain’t all in.”

Charley looked around and everyone returned his gaze and nodded in agreement.

They were all in.

“Sees Far, tell the others what you saw,” said Great Eagle.

Sees Far paused, considering his words.  “I was on the little hill with the small stand of pines when I heard the coyotes go silent.  This was not normal.  I began to look around to see what had silenced them.  Then I saw it, up in the sky, a great silver disk. At first I thought it was the moon, then I realized the moon was already in the sky.  How can there be two moons?”

The others nodded understanding and spoke their heads in agreement.  Great Eagle looked grave but said nothing but gestured for Sees Far to continue.

“I then saw this false moon move rapidly and move beyond the hills towards the mesas.  It then came out of the sky and settled down below the horizon.  I took my rifle and headed out to see what this could be.  I was able to come up and find a good hiding place to see what was happening.  This false moon was on the ground standing on four legs.  A door opened up and green skinned demons came out along with mechanical men.  Great big hulking beasts similar to the white man’s iron horses but these were not made by any white man.”

“But white men were there, evil men, even by the standards of white men, it was Ben Wade and his gang.  They met with the sky demons and talked  I was too far away to hear what was said but the sky demons gave the white men something and they seemed to have agreed to something.  The outlaws then headed into town and the sky demons returned to their false moon.  I followed Wade and his men and I saw them approach townsfolk and touch them with the sky demons magic and the townsfolk became as meek as cubs and did whatever Wade and his men bid.  I came back to tell you this tale but when last I saw, Wade and his men were taking the townsfolk to the sky demons.”

“Of what concern is this to us,?” asked Running Wolf.

Great Eagle gestured for silence.  “There are stories from many generations ago told to me by our elders of these same sky demons from a time long before the arrival of the white man.  I bear the white man no great love but these sky demons abducted our own people and I would not wish that on any human being, even a white one.  And the townspeople are of little concern to us, unlike the cowboys and banditos.  Make ready and prepare yourselves, we raid the sky demons camp.”

Angry Bear just grinned and gripped his tomahawk.