Xenos Rampant, Star Wars

 

We decided to use virtually the same set-up for the Xenos Rampant game, as for the proceeding Combat Patrol game, but using the Scenario Alpha (but with the “reinforcement” Variant Deployment). For some strange reason, Rob’s Rebels choose the ‘corner to corner’ deployment option, with Rebels entering in the South West corner and the Imperials from the North East corner.

Both sides had 24 points, with the Imperials having 4 Heavy Stormtrooper sections & Darth Vader (Elite, Single Model, 5 hits, Mono Blade). The Rebels had Luke (similar Elite, single figure, 5 hits, mono blade), but they had an Elite 3 figure Hero team (Han, Leia & Chewy), along with 4 Light Infantry Rebel teams, one equipped with a heavy weapon.

Utilising their ‘free’ move actions, the Rebels rapidly occupied most of the centre of the table. The Stormtroopers were  definitely on a ‘go slow’ day, barely able to get two Stormtrooper units established as a defensive fire base, before the Rebels started to swarm around them.

The Rebel light troops then fast discovered that their blasters were not having much impact on the Stormtrooper armour (not helped by Rob forgetting that his heavy Blaster did 2 damage per 6 rolled!).

While the Rebel troops were discovering that Stormtroopers were harder to kill than in the films, Han, Leia & Chewy went on a site tour and Luke decided to stop and fix his hair! Darth used this ‘interval’ to chase out his sloth like remaining Stormtrooper teams.

A Stormtrooper attempt to flank the Rebel left, met with disaster, as Han, Leia & Chewy eventually popped up, to quickly despatch 3 of their 5 Stormtroopers.

On the Imperial left, Darth started a little game of ‘choke the rebel trooper’, one at a time, forcing Luke to come forward.

However, as other Rebel troopers were then arriving in support, Darth sent forward a section of Stormtroopers, to finish Luke, but he rather rapidly reduced them to a pile of severed heads & limbs!

Overawed by his success, Luke rashly rushed forward to tackle Darth himself, by daddy summoned up 14 hits, removing Luke’s right hand, via the left shoulder!?

However, the struggle with Luke had cost Darth, he was down to 2 Strength and his Stormtroopers were dying around him.  He strode forward, ripping through one Rebel trooper squad, but as he turned around the corner, Han Leia & Chewy were waiting for him and there he fell!

Xenos Rampant plays MUCH faster than Combat Patrol. It gives a nice feel for the heroic characters. There is a real danger of ineffectual snipping between standard trooper teams & hence a static ‘dice fest’, but thoughtful terrain selection and maybe using the large squad options, heavy weapons options, etc, should get around this. Will definitely be getting this on the table again. I particularly want to get a Captain America style, weird WW2 style game on the table, using Xenos Rampant. I also want to explore the Boarding Actions / Space Station type scenarios.