Prog 9 - Beneath Thatcher Towers

A continuing series of session reports from my current Judge Dredd game using Starblazer Adventures rules.

The tunnel emerges into an ancient substructure whose concrete walls and lofty ceiling are propped up by massive buttresses and columns.  The scene is dimly illuminated by a pair of lit braziers which flank a large concrete altar at the far end of the cavern.  Lying on the alter is a naked and bound Judge Steel.  15 civilians armed with an array of firearms are spread about the cavern whilst a figure armed with a sacrificial knife addresses them from the altar.

Thatcher Towers - Basement Temple

Wallace issues an arrest phrase which goes unheeded as a foolish perp (#1) raises his stubgun in their general direction and he answers with a burst of 3 GP rounds.  The other Judges do not wait for further instruction.  Que fires a single shot into perp #2, Hiro a burst of GP at a third and Holmes fires a GP burst at perp #2.  In the confusion Steele manages to wrestle his hands free unnoticed.

The perps return fire Holmes takes a shot in the left arm, a bullet ricochets off Hiro's helmet and Que takes two rounds to the left arm.  The hooded cult leader drops the knife onto the altar as he ducks for cover.

Wallace's radio buzzes with static as he calls Sector Control for backup.  He launches a Grenade round at perp #3 which blows him to pieces and showers perp #7 in shrapnel. Que fires a 3 shot burst of AP at perp #4 who goes down clutching at the bloody stump of what used to be his leg.  Hiro fires 2 AP at the center of mass of a fifth perp who slumps to the ground instantly and a third shot wings perp #8 in the right arm. Holmes hits perp #6 with a close grouping to the chest.  Steele grabs the sacrificial dagger lying on the altar beside him and he cuts his legs free whilst rolling off the altar.

Perp #9 gets a lucky head hit on Wallace, perp #6 returns fire and hits Holmes in the left arm and leg.  Perp #7 wildly strafes Hiro with his stub gun hitting him in the left leg and right arm.  A new assailant, perp #11, also targets Hiro but misses.

Wallaces gets off a burst of 3 Grenades at #11 who explosively surrenders.  Que shoots 3 grenades at perp #7 killing him.  Hiro fires 3 AP rounds at perps #8 and #10 hitting them both.  Holmes runs back to the pillar nearest the exit in order to get a better signal.  Steele rolls over to the pile of clothes and reunites himself with his lawgiver "Doris".

The cultists strafe the area with stub gun fire but their lack of training and accuracy is telling and no rounds find a target.

Wallace fires a burst of 3 Grenades at perp #6 but misses.  Que downs both #8 and #10, Hiro blows up #14 with 3 Grenade rounds as Holmes makes it to the tunnel.  As naked as the day he popped out of the cloning tank, Steele leaps to his feet and kills the Cult Leader with a single GP round remarking

"Nobody puts Judge Steele on a sacrificial altar!"

His periferal vision spots two more cultists #12 and #13 on the other side of the altar and he snaps off a round at each but misses.

#12 and #13 return fire at Steele hitting him in the torso and left arm.


Wallace cuts down perps #12 and #13 with 3 grenades.  Hiro rushes at perp #6 who is frantically trying to reload and shoots him in the leg blowing off his kneecap.  He drops his gun, clutching at his mangaled leg and surrenders.  Holmes gets to the stairwell at the entrance to the tunnel and calls in backup from Sector Control.  Wallace shoots #15 in the head with a burst of GP rounds and he drops to the floor with a face that resembles swiss cheese.  Running to the leftmost pillar Que yells at the remaining cultist #9. 

"Drop your weapon, you're outnumbered!"

Stiffling the pain and screwing a hypo round into his lawgiver, Hiro chimes in

"Throw down your weapon"

Considering that the offence of Judge Homicide (Code: 101, 30 Years to Life) carries a lengthy sentence the perp retorts

"You'll never take me alive coppas!"  and shoots himself in the head.  Que mumbles to himself "You just saved me a heap of paperwork".

Surveyng the aftermath, Steele is stabilised but his serious wounds need urgent medical attention.  They cuff the two cultists, #4 and #6 who surrendered and stop them from bleeding out.  They take some robes and a stretcher and carry the pair out sealing off the scene for CSI by a team of Tech Judges.  They leave by the nearest exit and are met by a Med Wagon 30 minutes later.

NEXT PROG -> Confronting Nigel Faraway

Back Issues

• Prog 1 - Another Day in Mega City One
• Prog 2 - Super Duper Loops and Loopy Droops
• Prog 3 - Juve Punks, a Vampire and Meg Way Carnage
• Prog 4 - Pre Race Rumbles, Narcs and Pizza
• Prog 5 - Ed, Edd, Eddy and ED209
• Prog 6 - Vive La Resistance
• Prog 7 - Mitterand Maisons
• Prog 8 - Royal Rumble at Le Teeny Eiffel Tower

Jessie's Prints Episode 6 - Spool Walls Tower Block

This week, I are mostly been printing... 

Spool Walls Tower Block - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4343675 / https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4345022 

Recycle those empty filament spools into Sci-Fi Scenery and... save the planet!

Owning an FDM 3D Printer causes you to inevitably collect empty spools of filament.  I designed this to repurpose those spools into sci-fi scenery for my Judge Dredd and Gaslands games.  The two models can be downloaded for free using the Thingilinks above.  I fully intend to add more models and accessories to this series to help recreate your little piece of Mega City 1.

Stay tuned for more updates and if you like the model don't forget to like, share, add a make and tip the designer.

 

Prog 8 - Royal Rumble at Le Teeny Eiffel Tower

A continuing series of session reports from my current Judge Dredd game using Starblazer Adventures rules.

The Trail of the Vampire

Judges Hiro, Holmes and Steele are at Thatcher Towers whilst Judges Que and Wallace remain at Mitterand Maisons.

Holmes checks the CCTV cameras, Tom Vampire left Thatcher Towers heading in the direction of Mitterand Mansions.  He relays this information to Que and Wallace who check their CCTV.  They pick up Tom Vampire entering Le TET (Le Teeny Eiffel Tower) and head out to Plaza 4A.

Some 43m up (Euro Zone local cultural laws demand the use of metric units, the only place to do so in the whole of Mega City 1) on the 1st floor observation deck, two people can be seen having an  animated conversation.  One is Tom Vampire the other Pepe Le Peu.

Before the Judges can make their next move their attention is drawn away by an almighty ROOOOOAAAAAARRRRR!!!!!!!.  Two gigantic monstrosities 100m tall and 40m wide emerge from around each side of the block.

From a stuttering loudhailer a voice shouts

 "Ladies and gentlemen, for your entertainment Today we have two of the biggest attractions since the opening of the Atomic War Museum.  On your left we have the Guargantuan Gekko from Guantanamo Bay... GIGASAUR!.  On your right we have the Robotic Rabbit with the Radioactive Rapier, it's... CYBERBUNNY!" 

Gigasaur and Cyberbunny Square off infront of Le Teeny Eiffel Tower

Wallace confronts the giant pink robot rabbit and shouts "This is Judge Wallace, Stop in the name of the Law!".  Cyberbunny leans down to face Judge Wallace and roars "TIMEEEEEEEE!!!".  The giant green reptile raises its head and roars "JIMEEEEEE!!!".

Que runs over to her bike and calls for H-Wagon support as a shot rings out and a nearby citizen's head explodes like a squashed synthi-sauce sachet.  The Judges training instinctively kicks in and they both track the trajectory of the bullet back to the top of Le Teeny Eiffel Tower.

Judges Holmes and Hiro are monitoring the situation from Thatcher Towers security suite and rush to Mitterand Maisons to back up their comrades.  Judge Steele is investigating a stairwell which may have been used by the black clad oldienappers.

You Brought a Lawgiver to a Kaiju Fight?

Wallace fires a GP round into Gigasaur's Chest right where he thinks it's heart should be.  The lumbering lizard does not react so he runs towards Le Teeny Eiffel Tower.  Que takes cover behind her bike as another shot rings out smashing the wing mirror she was using to observe the shooter.  She mentally notes the additional crime of Criminal Damage (Code: 902 - 2 to 6 years) to the perps charge sheet.

The monsters begin closing towards each other intent on slugging it out.

Wallace enters the South West leg of Le Teeny Eiffel Tower and begins running up the stairs.  He can hear the unmistakeable sounds of footsteps running down the stairs towards him.  Que can see Pepe Le Peu on the top most observation platform with a rifle.  She breaks from cover and fires a single GP round but misses, the bullet ricochets off the tower's plas-steel girders with an audible zing.

Cyberbunny brings down his glowing green laser sword as Gigasaur lunges in grabbing his right arm and trying to bite the rabbits head off.  Flashes of light ripple across the two gigantic beasts.

Wallace gets to the 1st floor and hears the panicked footsteps louder and closer.  Que fires another round at Pepe Le Peu and hits him in the shoulder.

Gigasaur gets Cyberbunny but the robot brings a giant pink knee swiftly up into the lizards groin.  The giant lizard roars cross-eyed and in pain.  Waves of electrical static noise dance between the two colossal creatures like two badly tuned TV sets.

Wallace gets to the second floor and confronts a hyperventillating Tom Vampire armed with a stub pistol.

"He made me do it!" he gasps, shakily aiming the pistol at Judge Wallace.  Wallace shoots him in the leg as Vampire reflexively fires a round into his right shoulder.  Thank the Chief Judge for these new Mk 12 Shoulder Pads he thinks to himself.  Que radios through Le Peu's location adding "He's down but still an armed threat".

With a mechanical woosh Cyberbunny fires his jetpack thrusters and executes a perfect front flip with a twist to land facing Gigasaur's spiny back.

Wallace shoots Vampire again whittling him down with another minor wound to the right arm.  "The Game is up Vampire".  Que guns her Lawmaster towards the tower hugging the tank for maximum cover.  Another shot rings out and another wing mirror shatters into pieces.  Que returns fire but misses.

Cyberbunny raises his mighty glowing green sword to slash down on Gigasaur's back but the lizard lashes out his large tail sweeping a leg from under the robotic rabbit.  Cyberbunny overbalances and topples silently onto his back.

Sensing that Vampire is close to surrender, Wallace approaches menacingly brandishing a pair of cuffs.  Vampire realises the futility of it all and runs to the observation deck railing.  Pepe Le Peu shoots again at Que but misses.  As her bike nears the tower her attention is drawn to the 2nd floor observation deck where she can see Tom Vampire trying to climb over the railing.  Judges Hiro and Holmes arrive at Plaza 4A.  Behind Gigasaur, Holmes can see a teenager in a medical exosuit at risjk of being crushed by the gigantic lizards scaly tail.  Too late, the behemoth drops his tail to the ground crushing him.  No wait a minute, the tail passed straight through him.  These Kaiju are holographic fakes.

Wallace grabs Vampires arm as he tries to climb over the barrier.  Que rushes up the South West leg stairs.  Holmes guns his bike past the giant lizard and dismounts.  He arrests the boy in the exo suit on a charge of Disorderly Conduct (Code: 1004 - 1 to 5 Years).  Nearby a second teenager in an exosuit exhaultantly punches the air, his movements perfectly synchronised by the giant pink robot bunny.  "Don't move Juve!" says Hiro as he dials up a Rubber Ricochet and shoots the punk in the head smashing his VR headset visor.  One terrified eye stares back as the the juve stammers "JIMMEEEE".

Wallace cuffs Vampire to the railings but the perp struggles, slips and falls.  Fortunately cuffs are made of strong stuff and Vampire is left dangling from his wrist 100 metres above the cold plas-crete below.  Que continues up the stairs passing the second floor landing.  Holmes shoots an HE round at Pepe Le Peu scoring a direct hit.  With a sickening squelch the remains of a bloodied and burnt arm land at her feet.

An H-Wagon arrives a few minutes later to recover Vampire and to transport the two holographic hoodlums to the iso-cubes.  Under interrogation Vampire reveales that Yesterday Le Peu gave him a locked briefcase to give to Nigel Faraway.  It was heavy, but he doesn't know what it contained.

Back at Thatcher Towers

Judge Steele has located the stairwell and descended into the sub-basement.  His radio crackles with static interference which intensifies as he moves deeper into a forgotten part of this block's history.  The stairwell ends at a recently carved tunnel.  Looks like recent excavation work has uncovered a small tunnel which stretches out into darkness.  He continues onwards emerging into a wide cavern.

"Oh my Grodd!" he remarks as an audible thunk strikes the back of his neck and everything goes black.

NEXT PROG -> Beneath Thatcher Towers

Back Issues

• Prog 1 - Another Day in Mega City One
• Prog 2 - Super Duper Loops and Loopy Droops
• Prog 3 - Juve Punks, a Vampire and Meg Way Carnage
• Prog 4 - Pre Race Rumbles, Narcs and Pizza
• Prog 5 - Ed, Edd, Eddy and ED209 
• Prog 6 -Vive La Resistance
• Prog 7 - Mitterand Maison

Reaper Bone #16 - An Orc Patrol

Several years ago I listed all the miniatures needed to fill out the Level 1 Wandering Monster Chart as per Appendix C of the Dungeon Masters Guide.

This was a few years before Reaper Miniatures launched their Bones range of affordable miniatures and whilst these are not classic pig faced orcs (pictured below) they are a very cheap.

Minifig Orcs in an Egyptian Temple (circa 1981)
from Fantasy Role Playing Games by J. Eric Holmes

Orc Marauder, Sword and Shield (Tre Manor SKU: 77042)

Orc Sniper (Tre Manor SKU: 77056)

Orc Stalker (Tre Manor SKU: 77051)

Orc Beserker (Tre Manor SKU: 77059)

Kavorgh, Orc Warboss (Bobby Jackson SKU: 77064)

Bones Progress

Reaper Bones: 245 - Painted: 55

Related Posts

• Reaper Bones #1: The Marathon Begins - Where I paint a dozen Giant Rats.
• Reaper Bones #2: Kobolds, Are They Dogs or Dragons? - Where I paint a dozen kobolds.
• Reaper Bones #3: A Carcase of Skeletons - Where I paint a half dozen skeletons.
• Reaper Bones #4: A Shuffle of Zombies - Where I paint five zombies.
• Reaper Bones #5: Introducing Shaina Coppervein, Dwarven Orc Hunter - First PC mini.
• Reaper Bones #6: Mimic, Treasure Chest and How I re-base my Bones - Where I paint furniture.
• Reaper Bones #7: Fire Elemental Meets Novelty Lamp - Where I hack a mini with LEDs.
• Reaper Bones #8: Flaming Sphere LED Tealight Hack - Another mini LED lighting project.
• Reaper Bones #9: Elliwyn Heatherlark, Gnome Bard - Another PC mini.
• Reaper Bones #10: Horace "Action" Jackson - A Baddass disco dancing Motherfucker.
• Reaper Bones #11: Pirate Captain Thorin Stoneheart - A Swashbuckling Philanthropist. 
• Reaper Bones #12: Monstrous Menagerie - Clay Golem, Eye Beast, Griffon, Owlbear, Marsh Troll
• Reaper Bones #13: Giants - Male Storm Giant and Female Cloud Giant
• Reaper Bones #14: More Monsters! -Ape-X, Female Demon, Two Golems, Oxidation Beast
• Reaper Bones #15 - The Road Warrior - Mad Max

Tales From The Loop - Amazon Prime

I was intrigued to see Tales from the Loop reccomendation on my Amazon watch list so I had to give it a go.  

I had seen the haunting images of artist Simon Stålenhag on the internet many years ago and was not aware that these had been turned into 3 narrative coffee table art books in the same vein as the wonderful Terran Trade Authority Spaceship books of my youth.

Tales From The Loop

Things From The Flood

The Electric State

I was coming at the series completely blind having only having seen the imagery which according to Ståhlenhag was inspired by two of my favourite futurists Syd Mead and Ralph McQuarrie.

Tales from the Loop is an 8 episode series set in a late 1970s / 80s that never was.  Each story focuses on a single character and their tale of living in a community dominated by a secret underground government research facility.  Without plot spoiling here is how I rate each episode and my overall thoughts on the series.

• Episode 1 - Loop.  The story of a girl (Abby Ryder Fortson) intrigued by the secret work her mother does at the Loop searches for answers with unfortunate consequences.  A confusing but haunting 3 out of 5.
  
  
• Episode 2 - Transpose.  Two boys Danny (Tyler Barnhardt) and Jakob (Daniel Zolghadri) discover a machine in the woods which allows them to trade places.  A classic tale of envy which has life changing ramifications for them both. A predictabaly dark 4 out of 5.
  
  
• Episode 3 - Stasis.  May (Nicole Law) is a genius tinkering teen unhappy with the direction her life is going in. She discovers a mysterious capsule on the seashore and manages to get it to work with surprising effects.  A genuinely original take on a much used trope, 5 out of 5.
  
  
• Episode 4 - Echo Sphere.  This episode tells the story of the twilight years of Loop Architect Russ (Jonathan Pryce) and the relationship he has with his grandson.  A slow, beautifully acted but sad 3 out of 5.
  
  
• Episode 5 - Control - As Danny's family come to terms with his coma, his father Ed (Dan Bakkedahl) tries desperately to protect his family from a mysterious intruder and keep his marriage together.  The stories begin to intertwine and truth unravels.  A teasingly good 4 out of 5.
  
• Episode 6 - Parallel - Security Guard Gaddis (Ato Essandoh) has fallen in love with a man in a photo he found in an abandoned hover tractor.  When he fixes the tractor he discovers the truth about both the man and himself.  Inventive whatiffery with a rare hopeful ending (at last!!). 4 out of 5.
  
  
• Episode 7 - Enemies - Russ's son George is marooned on a mysterious island by his friends where he survives as best he can against a terrifying inhabitant.  A naibiting and suspenseful 4 out of 5.
     
• Epsiode 8 - Home - Cole (Duncan Joiner), the youngest of Loretta and George's children struggles to cope with the loss of both his grandfather and his brother.  When Jakob tells him the truth he goes in search of his brother only to lose everything in the process.  Jodie Foster directed episode which tries to tie up the episode into a single arc.  A melancholic 4 out 5. 

What I Liked

This is a rare example of character focussed storytelling in a genre which typically obsesses over the what and the why things happen.  Every epsiode is a cautionary tale about what could happen when technology is misused but more importantly focusses on how this affects the lives of the characters and what is going on inside their heads.  The central premise of each episode is usually a well established trope, with the notable exception of the Echo Sphere.  The series succeeds in taking that trope and heading off in a new direction with dystopian consequences.

I loved the way that the characters are gradually dripped into the series until we get to see their tale.  Jakob's love May is introduced in episode 2 and her story is Episode 3, we meet Danny's family in episode 2 also and his father Ed's story turns up at Episode 5.   

What I didn't

The slow pace is just too slow in places.  I understand that the show is based on Simon Stålenhag's artwork which often looks like time is standing still.  I get that the visual dictionary is those haunting swedish landscapes full of vintage anachronistic flavour.  TV is a different way of telling those stories with a different pace and I think that the cinematography lingered too long to the detriment of the story.

This is a minor gripe really and as a whole I will score the series a 4 out of 5.  It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea and you need to be in a contemplative mood to really enjoy it,  If they make a second series I hope they keep writing those intertwined stories but just up the pace a little.

The Roleplaying Game

The Tales from the Loop RPG has been around for a few years now and is reasonably well established.  In fact I almost bought it at Dragonmeet 2019, perhaps I will pick it up and begin to write my own tales in a dystopian 80s that never was.

Tales From The Loop RPG

Our Friends The Machines

Tales From The Flood

Shameless Plug

You can watch the entire series on Amazon Prime.  If you are not a member you can take advantage of the Free 30 Day Trial.