This is part two of a campaign game of 5150: Platoon Leader by THW that I am playing while sailing across the Atlantic for work. Making everything out of things I was able to scavenge from the recycle bins. It may not be lead, it may not be painting, or fancy terrain.. just good old simple gaming :)
Battle of New Terra:
Mission: Attack
Investment Level: 3
Enemy Investment Level: 1
Locke: Star, Rep 5
Platoon Asset 1: Rocket Launcher; Rep 4
Platoon Asset 2: Plasma Gun Rep 4
Squad 1: Star Army
Leader: Rep 3
Troops: Rep 4
Squad 2: Star Army
Leader: Rep 4
Troops: Rep 4
Squad 3: Star Army
Leader: Rep 5
Troops: Rep 4
With the ruse foiled by Lockes last recon mission, the Star Army now decides to strike out at the invading forces. Locke and his platoon, along with his special weapons team are ordered to attack. Lockes mission is to move 3/4 of his troops of the board sections of 1,2 or 3.
Locke and the weapons team move and take the first middle building while squad 1 and squad 2 move up on each flank. Squad 3 moves up and moves to support Locke.
The first 3 buildings in sections 7, 8 and 4 turn out to be empty, while PEFs are generated in sections 1 (one PEF) and 5 (two PEFs)
This caused a few things to happen, the 2 PEFs directly in front section 8, where the Locke and the weapon teams, were the first to trigger the insight tests and turned out to be just bad nerves. This left the last PEF in section 1 in LOS to both Locke and Squad 2. It turned out to be a full squad of Hishen troops.
The Rocket Launcher managed to be the only team to get a shot to hit, and its 5" blast decimated the entire Hishen squad.
Squad 3 then move to the sector 5, while squad 1 and 2 moved up the flanks. Each time they triggers PEF checks on the buildings as they moved near them. With the Hishen investment levels so low, they all turned out to be nothing.
The reminder of the mission, Locke ordered all troops to dash off the field. Knowing full well, that now the only way enemy troops could spawn, is if his men entered a building or the Hishen got lucky on its reinforcement roll.
Squad 3 and Locke were able to make to the edge of the board with making several fast moves, while Squad 1 and squad 2 were both short, inches away from the edge.
On the last turn, the activation rolled turned up a seven. A 6 and a 1.. sure enough it was the Hishen that rolled a 6 and got reinforcements. Right next to the edge of the table, in sector 1 a lone Hishen rocketeer arived in the same building where the previous Hishen squad was previously blown apart.
Fearing the worst, as I have seen a RL in action just a few turns before, Squad 2 needed to get the in sight test, which they did. With the whole squad opening up, only 1 shot managed to hit!! I thought it was over, but the damage roll turned out to be a 6+ killing him outright.
With this last building being cleared, squads 1 and 2 leave the table to complete the mission.
Results:
Star Army Morale: 5
Hishen Morale: 1
I know I have been kinda lucky with the low investment levels of the Hishen. So on my next game I am going to bump it up to maybe 3.. See how different it will be.
So far, I am liking the 5150: Platoon Leader rules, as it deals almost entirely then foot based troops. So you do not vehicle models, or anything else for that matter. The rules are very fast once you understand them, as this game took me all of 30 minutes to play. Which, for me, being on a rig. I can get a quick game or two in before I head off to bed before the next shift.
Compared to 5150: Star Army, SA has a more serious feel to it and is considerably slower but it has much more detail and customizing to it. I would assume that Star Army was designed for those who like more complex games that involve a larger range of models.
