Escape from Aniron Part 3

Through the valley of death

Jedi Master Vhing and company have evaded bounty hunters after escaping from their ambush in Part 2.

They found refuge in a small Jawa village where they learn that the village and all neighboring villages are under the thumb of the local crime lord: Zenyatta Mondatta. Mondatta is the boss of the Invisible Sun cartel and requires all villages to pay tribute in the form of harvested fungal matter which can be transformed into profitable narcotics. This is very dangerous for the Jawas because of the highly toxic spore clouds that the giant funghi often release when disturbed.

The Jawas offer to guide Master Vhing and company through a valley covered with giant funghi to the headquarters of Mondatta. There Master Vhing intends to steal one of Mondatta's space ships and escape from Aniron.

The good guys

Mondatta has spies in every village, however. One of these informs the cartel that a Jedi knight accompanied by others with a bounty on their head are making their way through the valley. Mondatta sees an opportunity to collect the bounty, neutralise a threat, set an example for other villages and ingratiate himself with the new Imperial overlords, all in one swift strike.

He dispatches Cad Bane and some hired hands to intercept Master Vhing.

The bad guys

My son and I played the game again using the Galactic Heroes Fistful of Lead rules. Two special event cards were put in the deck. When drawn this would trigger the release of a poisonous spore cloud from a random clump of funghi (starting in the middle, throwing a d6 for each clump, spiralling outwards). The first 4+ would eject the cloud drifting in a random direction with a random speed (d6 + direction dice), moving at the beginning of a new turn. The cloud blocks LOS and instantly kills anyone it touches except OU812 and BH90210 since they are droids, and Master Vhing (who could create a Force bubble) and Cad Bane (using his respirator thing).

My son played the good guys and had to get his party from one table edge to the opposite table edge to win.

Both sides moved forward, looking for an opening in the dense fungal growth to fire at each other.

The reprogrammed former battle droid BH 90210 fires its blaster.

And Blayne is hit! Wounded and down.

Meanwhile the cartel's heavy blaster guy Bossassa takes up a position where he can shoot at Master Vhing. The Gamorrean brute Vronk is looking for someone to beat up in close combat.

They have been spotted by Ptanak from Master Vhing's party.

Just when the bad guys are getting ready to shoot again at Master Vhing and Blayne, the nearby clump of funghi releases a poisonous spore cloud conveniently blocking LOS, allowing Master Vhing to Force heal Blayne.

Bossassa leaves his cover, trying to get a clear shot at Master Vhing. This exposes him to Ptanak, who aims, shoots and puts him out of action. The Gamorrean brute takes the opportunity to run towards the guy who just shot his buddy.

In the mean time Cad Bane has been spending his turns firing his laser pistols at two Jawa guides without hitting them!

BH 90210 and the Weequay Kobaki have more success. They take out one of the Jawa guides.

Casualties rise in the next turn when Blayne and the Jawa's blast Cad Bane in a crossfire, taking him out of action.

And Vronk the Gamorrean charges Ptanak, killing him in one swift blow.

Blayne turns round and shreds the Weequay while BH 90210 kills the second Jawa guide.

The other two Jawas have reached the target table edge together with OU812. They can't leave the table yet because of the "loyal" crew trait. They will have to wait for Blayne and Master Vhing.

Master Vhing had rushed to the aid of Ptanak, but was unable to prevent his death. In a flurry of light saber strikes the Gamorrean brute is put out of action.

There is no rest for Master Vhing however. Sensing trouble he turns around and runs back to where BH 90210 has just dropped Blayne (wounded & down).

Blayne manages to get up (recovery roll) but now BH 90210 fires his blaster point blank at Master Vhing.

Master Vhing fails to deflect the blast with his light saber and is put out of action!

Fortunately he has the 9-lives trait and may convert an out of action result into a wound once per game.

Nearly at the end of his strenght he moves within striking distance of the battledroid and neatly slices it in two.

Game over for Mondatta's crew.

Another fun and action packed Galactic Heroes game. In the next game Master Vhing and his remaining crew will face the infamous Zenyatta Mondatta!