Having acquired a TNT starter set (two) and a number of Tripods I decided to try out the rules on the very first Introductory scenario in the rulebook to see how it went.
I decided to play the Mk1 tripod and used Dave’s solo rules for the Nieuport 16 (no rockets). I started the Nieuport at level 3 as I wanted to use the altitude rules (well it is a photo recon and scenario states must be at level 1 or 2 so made sense). I also used optional rules for Black Smoke and was going to use special damage rules along with aim, my problems and issues are at the bottom of the AAR for anyone who can help me out. Majority of issues were around altitude application, not least of all there is nowhere that talks about altitude in the TNT rules or what levels to use for the Tripods themselves. So here is my report and stab at the game to keep it flowing and what made sense.
The French were unconvinced that ‘Martians’ had invaded the earth as they had been misled by German propaganda throughout the Great War. Cylinders had been dropping at various places and the French High Command wanted photographic evidence of any invading Martians and also reports of their capability and weapons before committing any forces and especially to set aside current status with Central Powers to deal with these unknown aliens.
There was only one pilot for the job, and Lt Jacques Clouseau had been called for to get the necessary evidence and report back. A Nieuport 16 had been provided with the relevant cameras and Clouseau set off in the early Dawn towards the smoking cylinder that had crash landed close by, not knowing what he would encounter. Testing his rudder controls by right and left side slipping, he closed on the position.
Clouseau closed on the cylinder position, when suddenly the lid unscrewed and fell aside, and spidery mechanical legs climbed out of the smoking hole, an unearthly green glow emanating from around the alien machine. It drew itself to full height, balancing on 3 of those legs and towering over the surrounding countryside. Clouseau stalled his machine to get a better look, the first human to see one of these alien ‘tripods’, he wondered if they were friendly although the very demeanour was menacing.
Clouseau soon had his answer as he moved into firing range. He felt, more than saw, the energy build up in the red eye at the front of the machine, and a nervous sweaty finger quickly reacted on the guns of his machine at long range. Unfortunately for him, his guns jammed without scratching the enormous machine in front of him and in the next instance……….a sweeping, blinding ray of heat came searing up from the evil eye to strike his frail machine, causing major damage to its structural integrity. The heat swept across his exposed skin, instantly searing it and causing him pain and cold chills at the same time. He had discovered at least one of the weapons of these ‘Tripods’ and felt it’s searing power, a devastating heat ray. ( short range, 0 redrawn for explosion and 1/2 max damage (5))
He frantically started to unjam his guns thinking that the deadly machine could end it for him at any time, but it seemed that the machine had stood still and seemed to need to build up its energy before attacking again.
He edged his machine closer, all the while nervous fingers working the gun mechanism to free it, damn new guns, he thought and knew if he made it back would speak with the ground crew to ensure bullet belts were throughly checked in future.
The machine moved forward without firing allowing him a close-up look at it from altitude and cursed that he was too high to take a shot from the camera. He did note a curious shimmering along the side of the machine that was not evident from the front view.
Finally the dud bullet cleared the breach and his guns were useable again. He performed an Immelmann manoeuvre to get back at the rear side of the machine, flying close over the still smoking cylinder but unable to penetrate the green murkiness. He noticed the shimmer at the back of the machine too and fired at long range. The bullets seemed to hit an energy screen that crackled as the bullets hit home but no damage to the main machine could be seen or seemed to penetrate. ( 3 energy cubes lost in attack) Clouseau had discovered another defence weapon of the lumbering machines. He was about to find there was a third as a metallic canister was hurtling towards his plane, fired from a muzzle at the rear of the machine. Luckily for him the canister exploded below his aircraft and left a large black oily, swirling cloud that obscured his sight of the ground, but he was able to fly above it. ( Black smoke only effective at levels 1 or 2)
Clouseau knew he had to get closer to inflict any more damage, but the shimmering screens did seem to glow less following the last attack and it seemed vulnerable at the front with no screens but the devastating heat rays were there! He needed to fly lower to take photographic evidence. He was wary though, what other secrets might the visitor have. For now the machine lumbered on and again seemed to be recharging its energy source somehow. Clouseau stalled his plane and took another long range shot on a protected side, resulting in no noticeable damage.
The tripod turned to the left as he followed it closely from behind. He side-slipped to the left, and with the Tripod standing still and seemingly recharging still, managed a close-range shot into its protected side, but yet again, it seemed to have no effect, the energy screen protecting the precious machine hidden away behind.
The Martian seemed to be making its way towards a factory unit in the countryside and suddenly he realised that this was its target, and that his efforts were being ignored by the Martian. He knew he had to dive and get close for the photo and somehow get in front of the machine, risking all against those deadly heat rays. The Tripod had moved forward again and after the dive, Clouseau unloaded his guns at close range again, resulting in no damage to the protected flank and worse than that, jamming his guns again.
The Tripod moved over the factory and it went quiet and the stood still and turned on the spot to its right, exposing its front, Clouseau threw his machine into a left turn and then stalled to get the close in photos required but his guns were still jammed and he knew he was exposed.
He threw his machine into evasive manoeuvres and a wide right sideslip. The last thing he saw as looked over his shoulder was the angry red eye, spitting heat into the exposed rear of his machine….and then nothing as the burning wreck fell to the floor. (Heat ray at short range, 0 followed by redraw of 8+smoke)).
All the knowledge he had learned came to nothing and other daring pilots would need to learn everything he had seen all over again.
In this way, the alien had gained a victory and was left unmolested to destroy its objectives before moving on. The alliance had learned the hard way that it needed to send 2-3 planes in a joint attack, aimed at its unprotected side. Little did they know or suspect that other Tripods were to come later and differ from this first contact.
“Ulla!”
The next post I will list the problems/rules that I could do with some help with to progress. For reference, I plotted the Tripod moves first and the actions for each phase, before using the D8 rules for the plane movement so could not ‘cheat’ by remembering where the plane would be.
Bookmarks