Sorry about the lateness of this AAR - we actually fought this one a week ago!
As I had just printed some crystals, I decided to construct a scenario around them (with a little help from my friends!). Here is the overview:
Tripods and Crystals
The second wave of the invasion is now well and truly underway – the Tripods have established a base just out of a major city but one of the cylinders overshot and landed in the countryside.
For a short time, nothing appeared to emerge from this cylinder, but reconnaissance flights revealed a strange crystal growth springing up around one side of the cylinder and along one of the tracks passing near to the cylinder.
At first, all was quiet but forward observers noted a Mark III Squid sallying forth towards this wayward cylinder and its strange crystals. The combined forces decided to take a chance with the only SPAD that had been up gunned with a 37mm cannon, quickly launched and, after a long flight, a lucky shot destroyed this Tripod.
The smoke and flame soon alerted the Martians to what had happened and a Mark IV Cuttlefish started to make its way forward to investigate. This Tripod appeared to be tasked with determining what happened to its stricken fellow Tripod and also harvesting the crystals that were appearing around the cylinder that had overshot.
The SPAD which by now had returned to base was very quickly rearmed, refueled and took to the air again with a Sopwith Camel as an escort.
Game notes
The Cuttlefish must visit the destroyed Squid and can recharge from the batteries in the wreckage using the same recharge rules as for recharging from an Objective. It must also visit the crystal growth and return back to its starting point. A Tripod in contact with crystals is able to fire its heat ray every movement phase by drawing the energy directly from the crystal. It would still have to play a 'fire heat ray ' chit as its action but there would be no recovery. This does not extend to the black smoke launchers. They would have to recover as normal because of the need to mix the chemicals.
The Camel is armed with its usual complement of machine guns, the SPAD with a 37mm cannon.
Humanity wins by destroying the Cuttlefish or if the Cuttlefish runs out of energy before completing its mission.
Mat Layout
The crystal cylinder that overshot.
The destroyed Squid that was sent to investigate this errant cylinder.
The Cuttlefish waiting back at home base for a report from the (now destroyed) Squid.
The opposition hurriedly rearmed and set out again to take on the Cuttlefish.
Essential supplies for a Martian scenario and also a clue as to what might be the cause of the strange crystal growth reported by recon flights over the cylinder.
Let the fight begin!
And so the battle rages across the table! I don't know how those Mars bars didn't melt with the combination of heat rays, black smoke, 37mm cannon fire and sprays of machine gun bullets!
OH no, the Cuttlefish stumbles into the pond in an attempt to escape it's attackers and topples!
The pilots show no mercy and pummel the now defenseless Cuttlefish!
The Cuttlefish recovers but promptly topples again and the attackers pile in to finish it off.
The final 'butcher's bill'
And so humanity triumphs again (and scoops the pool of Mars Bars as war booty)
Hm, now I look at the mat diagram, I realize that the diagram implies the incorrect orientation. They were actually joined on the long edge, not the short edge!
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