EotD - Skirmish report - Prisoner (Rescue)

This is the second game that Chris and I played yesterday. Chris had rolled Captured by the Enemy for his Downed Thrall, so we decided to try out the Rescue variant of the Prisoner scenario.

With the after game campaign management already done we line up as follows:

Nosferatu
Graf
w/two swords
Bat Form

Guardian
w/repeating rifle and sword

Thrall
w/sword and hunting rifle

Thrall
w/sword and shotgun

Supernatural Branch
Inspector
w/truncheon and heavy pistol

Sergeant
w/truncheon and light pistol

2 x Constable
w/truncheon and heavy pistol

Constable
w/truncheon, heavy pistol and hunting rifle

I deployed my peelers inside and just outside the middle building of the large center building. The inspector, sergeant and the constable with a hunting rifle just outside the building and my two remaining constables in base contact with the prisoner inside the building. Chris deployed his nosferatu as close as he could around the backyard area. He knew he had the choice of initiative for the first turn and hoped he could remove some of my peelers who were stationed outside before I got to act.

Turn 1 and a thrall started the turn by shooting and killing my constable outside the building. All other shots failed to wound my other peelers. A thrall charged my sergeant and the Graf transformed into Bat Form but did not move. When my turn arrived I started by moving my inspector and firing a shot at a thrall removing him from play. In the combat phase the thrall failed to wound my sergeant.

Turn 2 and I won the initiative. My inspector aimed and fired a shot towards the guardian, who was removed from play. Just like my game the last week, my inspector was on fire. I moved one of the constables from inside out in the open. Now it was the nosferatu to act, and the Graf flew over a building and landed close to my inspector, with only a wooden fence between them. The thrall in combat with my sergeant managed to take a wound of the sergeant.

Turn 3 started with the nosferatu having to make a Bravado check since they were down to 50% of their factions. The Graf made it, but the remaining thrall did not and was removed from play. Chris won the initiative and he decided that he Graf would be in a better position inside the building with the prisoner, so he flew inside the building. On my turn I then fired from my inspector, sergeant and my constable, but only managed to take a wound of the Graf. My constable guarding the prisoner could not get out since the Graf was guarding the doorway, so I moved him to the back of the building, hoping that would leave enough space for some of my other models to move inside.

When turn 4 arrive the Graf once again succeeded in his Bravado check, and Chris again won initiative. The Graf charged my constable. On my turn I could do nothing but move my sergeant inside and the others closer. There was however not space for my sergeant to charge the Graf. In the combat phase the Graf had no problems in killing my constable - the prisoner was now in the control of the Graf.

Turn 5 and another success for the Graf on his Bravado check. I won initiative, but felt locked down, since the prisoner completely blocked line of sight for me to shot at the Graf (the model was only on a 25 mm base and all other models on 30 mm.) and also not leaving enough space for me to get around to charge. My inspector and constable outside were also unable to see the Graf because of the prisoner, so I put them on Watch & Shoot. The Graf charged the sergeant (his base size being smaller allowed him enough space to do so. In the combat phase the sergeant perished.

Turn 6 started with both factions having to make Bravado checks, the Graf duly succeeded, but only my constable made the roll and my inspector was removed from play. Initiave went to me and I put the constable on Watch & Shoot, since I could not see the Graf from were I was standing. The Graf then flew out the window and my constable shot and wounded him, but he still had a wound left. The prisoner moved  into base contact. Things were not looking that good for me, my inspector failing the Bravado check being the game changing point.

Turn 7 and another set of Bravado checks incredibly resulted in the Graf failing and my constable succeeding. On the initiative roll Chris won and the prisoner started to flee towards the board edge. I moved my constable after him, but he was still 2" ahead of me.

Turn 8 and I once again failed to win the initiative roll, and the prisoner got away. Think we forgot to roll Bravado check for my constable.

The game ended in a draw, and both of us agreed that while it had been a close encounter, the Bravado rules changed to much late in the game. Looking through the rules we found nothing about the need for a roll changing if the opposition also got down to 50% of its faction. It seems wrong that when Chris only had his Graf left and I had my inspector and a constable that I should make Bravado checks when the odds were still 2 to 1.

A good game nonetheless which we both enjoyed. Some rules I think we will house rule, such as always having to shot/charge the closest enemy. I think this rule can be exploited quite a bit, and I don't think the game will suffer from removing it. And I think the Bravado checks could be fine tuned as well.