Moor City Zeds - Episode 2 - Dockland

Turn 1 (Gangers 3- Cops 6)

Buggs was not happy. Fog had held up the Paula M. and with her docking only an hour before sunrise the gang were still offloading the hooch. Still Jay and Mr. Joshey had worked hard. The tanker was full and they only needed to load a score of crates on the remaining truck. Now the sun was up Buggs regretted only arming Ally the Eagle. They could all use some fire power. Anyway Ally was a good lad and patrolling the top of their warehouse would give the team an eye in the sky, on the plus side they shouldn't be long.

 Ally the Eagle, checked the ABs working Paula M’s deck, and started his umpteenth stroll, he was tired and bored.

A random dice throw gave the gang four activations to load the remaining wagon. Then it was ‘all aboard’ and away.

Turn 2 (G6-C5)

Jack Regan ducked under the barrier and cautiously moved up the dock road. Don Orville followed a bemused look on his face.

It was a slight sign movement in his peripheral vision that pulled Jack’s attention to the warehouse roof. He didn't need a second glance, the sight of Ally’s rifle was all he needed. Grabbing Don’s belt he dragged him into the cover of a nearby warehouse.

“Keep it shut Orville. Do as I say, when I say it and don’t think about it.”

Don’s face paled and he nodded his understanding.

In sight test was passed by JR but failed by Ally.

Turn 3-4 (5-6) (1-3)

Jack pointed to the far corner of their cover away from Ally. He made a walking sign with his fingers and then indicated a right turn. He formed a circle with his thumb and forefinger and put it to his eye, indicating he wanted to spy out the land.

Don just stared at him. Jack mouthed, ‘follow me.”

Buggs put his hands into the small of his back and stretched, “well done laddy. North End Bobby’ll be right pleased there’s a fine haul here.” He pulled a bottle from a crate and examined the label, Canadian Scotch, “Mr Joshey, a little bonus for the boys. What do you think?”

Mr. Joshey, finished roping down his load. Despite not being the sharpest tool in the box, he knew enough to cotton on. He threw a wave at his boss. Jay strolled up to his boss and pursed his lips at the fresh booty.

Turn 5 (4-4) (No random event) (1-2)

Jack, followed by Don, edged his way to the front warehouse corner and peered around. Buggs’ work gang filled his eyes, ‘bloody hell, Lynch was right,’ he thought. Ducking back he turned to his rookie.

“Listen sharp. We got the Shamrocks loading hooch. I count only two and there’s the gat on the roof, bit that’s the only weapon I see. We’re going to take them down. We’ll move, double quick, to a stack of crates near the waterline, you can’t miss them. From there it’s all or nothing. Questions?”

Ally snapped from his revere at the sound of breaking wood coming from below his position. He strained his eyes into the flotsam that had formed behind his station.

“Buggs, we got something back here,” he sung out covering the pile with his rifle.

JR’s in sight passed as did Ally’s revealing the PEF’s location at the back of his warehouse.

Turn 6 (4-3)

Buggs sighed, “Joshey, I’m going to check out the ghosts that Ally’s found, you saddle up the tanker and get ready to leave. Jay come with me.”

Mr. Joshey dropped from the rear of the truck and headed towards his task.

Turning the corner Buggs spied a figure, “Ally, I got him, behind the cases, cover him! OK buddy what’s your beef?”

A dishevelled figure rose from the rubbish, “Mister, I never seen nothin’. I was just trying to get some shut eye. Don’t do me no harm, I means nothing.”

 Buggs yawned, “Skedaddle, you seen nothing, right?”

The hobo nodded, turned and made off.

“Ally, just a bum. Git yerself down here we’re hightailing it.”

“Ready? Move,” Jack burst from cover and headed to his next bound.

Mr. Joshey jumped out of his skin at the sight of two officers running across the dock.

“G-MEN!”

Jack redoubled his effort and crashed into the packing case, Orville panted after him. Jack, glanced around his cover, “freeze there boy!”

Don Orville stood rooted to the ground as a figure barely recognisable as human staggered from nearby warehouse. He brought his police special to bear and loosed two rounds. He knew not where they ended up all he knew was the figure lunged at him.

Acting instinctively, Don swung his revolver at the beast’s head. His barrel passed right through the creature’s lower face taking its jaw clean off. It grabbed Don’s arm and tried to force it into what was left of its mouth.

The 1^st  PEF resolution led to one civilian. Joshey was making to his tanker when the cops moved his insight test spotted them. As the cops got to their cover, the 2^nd PEF resolved to a zed, DO ended up locked in melee. A second zed was created which appeared on the boat. I won’t go into this action any detail, it attacks one of the ABs and spends the rest of the encounter feasting.

Turn 7 (G4-Z5-C1)

Buggs and Jay pulled around the corner and for the second time in less than an hour Buggs cursed his lack of arms as he took in the scene at a glance, “Mr. Joshey get going! Jay the wagon! Ally double quick laddy, we need your artillery!”

 Jack stepped from behind his cover and levelled his pistol, “Game’s up boys. You coming quietly?”

“Go to hell copper!” answered Buggs picking up a piece of four by two.

Joshey said nothing. He was transfixed by the sights he had just witnessed and remained paralysed at the rear of his vehicle.

Don, brought the butt of his revolver crashing onto his attacker’s cranium. The metal crashed through weakened bone and the beast collapsed in a pile of rotten gore.

Mr.Joshey ducked back and all others were out of range.

Turn 8 (3-1)

The only thing Ally saw as he turned the corner was the inside of county gaol. He propped his rifle against the corner of the warehouse, steadied his aim and fired. He cursed as his shot whistled its way into the dock’s hinterland.

Jay Bellisini, slipped unseen between the back of the roped up truck and his boss. He slipped along it’s offside towards the cab.

Jack drew a bead on Buggs and sent him across the Jordan. He shot a glance at Orville who was staring bemused into the distance.

“Don, no time for that! The tanker. Follow me, NOW!” he yelled as he struck out towards Mr. Joshey’s ride.

Mr. Joshey shrank to his haunches and tried to make himself as small as possible, he rocked back a forward hoping it would all just end.

Turn 9 (3-2)

Ally the Eagle took stock. His boss was dead Joshey was less than useless and he couldn’t even see Jay. He turned and fled.

Jay struggled behind the wagon’s wheel and tried to kick over the engine. It burst into life

Jack stepped from behind Joshey’s tanker and into the path of Jay. He levelled his automatic at the gangster. Jay revved the engine, Jack fired twice and Jay Bellisini met it boss.

Turn 10

Jack offed the zed that had pushed itself above Paula M’s bulwarks.

“Don. Lock him up,” he said jerking his head towards the cowering youth. “You did good there kid. Now about that play. You sure Duck bought the farm. Couldn't he have survived, been captured and the others have to rescue him? Then you've got a series.

Epilogue

North End Bobby has lost his shipment, zeds are creeping into the city bit by bit, the ‘Stallions’ (a gang) have yet to appear. Where to next?

Thoughts

I went the whole hog in FFO and it developed a very enjoyable RPG type of encounter. I’m going to stick with it for the next couple of games and see how it pans out. Playing on a smaller board I converted the inches to centimetres. It works well for movement but not so well for firing. I’m going to have to alter this little house rule.