Turn 7/8 (6-3-1)(6-4-3)
"Come on Connor. We need to check out those shots.With luck those zeds are no more." Helping the sergeant to his feet the pair left the graves and headed to to the hamlet.
Zeb crept to the shack's door and cautiously pushed it ajar. His son had reached the bridge and looked like he wasn't going to stop. Zeb took off after him.
Turn 9/10 (5-4-2)(4-6-1)
Hamilton and Ski made their way to the edge of Zeb's shack. Peering around the corner he saw Zeb running away.
"Hey, feller!" he hollered, "Don't head that way! There's ...."
Zeb spun around and without thinking he opened up with both barrels. The shot crashed into his shack. Hamilton popped off a round and ducked into the shanty.
"Damn. G-men!"
Connor Ski turned from looking at Hamilton's gunfight to be faced with a pair of moonshiners. He dropped into a crouch and fanned the hammer on his police issue revolver, the rounds flashed past their intended targets and into the building behind them.
The furthest 'shiner, Tom Monroe, reacted first and fired, the bullet took Connor's stripes as it cut through his tunic. Connor followed Hamilton. The second 'shiner had no chance to fire as Zeb's shotgun opened up again and hit him in the chest. He fell lifeless.
Hamilton tried to engage with Zeb but lost the encounter rolls and it resulted in a 'running gunfight' which he lost and ducked back into the shack. The PEF was resolved as 2 gangers. Connor's insight test came out the same as HS. Zeb took an insight test and passed opening fire and puting the first ganger OOF.
Turn 11 (1-1-5-5) (RE-Fire and NE) (2-6) (2-5) Turn 12 (5-1)
Connor prepared himself, cocked the hammer on his pistol and swung into the door jamb. He fired as soon as he got a bead on the ganger.
Tom Monroe stood and stared at his dead uncle. Seeing Zeb he vowed to end his life, fumbling with the bolt on his rifle he didn't see Connor's move nor did he feel the .38 piece of lead rip through his head. As he fell smoke began to billow from the building behind where he stood.
"Hey out there!" Hamilton shouted, "we're cops! Truly, believe what I have to tell you. Don't go down that track!"
"Listen to me coppers. I've got to find my boy. Now you leave me be and we can part friends!"
"So be it," Hamilton stepped from Zeb's place holding his Mauser high. Connor followed.
Zeb turned and jogged after his now disappeared son.
A crash behind brought their attention to the situation as a pair of un-dead stumbled from the burning shack. Hamilton didn't think twice and disposed of the first zed, Connor did likewise. Smoke whist around the pair.
"Far shack first?" asked Hamilton. Connor nodded.
The double/doubles created a fire and a no effect. Having recovered from their fights HS had no problem in dispatching the 2nd ganger,with a head shot. He lost the 'talk the talk' test with Zeb who would have no truck with the team. It was possible that Nozzer would be in the fire building, so an R&R card was drawn and two zeds were created. They were easily dispatched without the 'easy to hit' rule. Hamilton's ammo situation now stood at 8, still healthy. Connor had two loads giving him 12, he now had 10 remaining.
Turn 13/14 (5-4)(5-5)
Moving cautiously through the smoke Hamilton and Ski mad progress. A couple of shots rang out.Hamilton identified the location as the burning shack officers twisted to face the threat. Both men had their weapons levelled into the smoke.
Seconds pass and another shot sounded.
"Ski, you check out the building, I'll cover the rear."
The Sergeant moved out, Hamilton peered into the cloud, whilst flames licked up the walls and sparks jumped about like fireflies looking for mates.
With no zed movement the team got a free move, Ski moved to check if Nozzer was in the penultimate building, HS covered his rear. The doubles in T14 yielded a car alarm, as my campaign is set in 1930's 'backwater' USA, the car alarm was not invented yet, so this resulted in unused shells going off in the fire. This drew the remaining 2 PEFs to the hamlet.
Turn 15 (6-6)
"Ski relax that firing was just some shells going off in the bonfire."
Connor back stepped away from the building.
"If there was anyone in there, they're now cinder."
Hamilton glanced over his shoulder, "come on then Sergeant Ski. If he's still here he can only be in that hovel at the edge."
Connor left the burning building and the two men pushed their way through the smoke.
Fairly much writes itself. No movement but the doubles created another fire and the R & R card was blank for everything.
Turn 16 (1-6)
Hamilton wiped the tears from his eyes, shaking his head to clear it of the acrid smoke. It sounded as loud as the bells of 'Big Ben' at six-o-clock, the unmistakable report of a Thompson cocking handle being engaged. Hamilton froze and dropped to his knee, indicating to Ski to follow him.
Nothing followed, no challenge, no firing. Hamilton strained to hear more. A gentle breeze picked up and the smoke that surrounded them dissipated.
Hamilton took a double handed grip on his Mauser and pulled back the hammer.
"Conway!"
"Who you expecting, the President?"
Hamilton ran over to his friend, his pistol now in his left hand and pumped the hand of his partner. "Couldn't wish to see anyone else. But what? How..?"
Conway Park raised a palm to silence the Britisher, "I'll tell you all about it later. This road takes to the main turnpike where I got a vehicle waiting."
"Brother, you're a sight for sore eyes," chipped in Connor joining them.
The PEFs got resolved. The first being a no effect and the other being a 'Traveller'. HR 'travellers' were to be the proverbial cavalry. The rolls were so beneficial that I made it as good as it could be and Conway Park was it.
Turn 18 finish.
Nozzer had to be in the last building and after rallying him the team left the board without incident.
Epilogue
This was a straight forward game with no great surprises although for a short time the dice were not favouring Hamilton. I'm a bit at a loss now up until this game my campaign has had direction with the game leading the next outing. I'll give it some thought and let us see what the future brings.
Personal
I may be off the net for a week or so. For tomorrow I get my heart stopped and re-booted, those of you that are regular readers of my blog know that I have a heart problem and this should sort it.
Thanks for reading and good luck and health to you all.
Lorcan
