This year it's exactly 40 years since the 'V' tv-series was aired and I saw it on Swedish television for the first time. -It never found its way to Norwegian television, so luckily we could receive tv-signals from Sweden where I lived (with an own areal). I think this was one of the most expensive productions of its time. I was a great fan of it, and still is, so I think this 40 year anniversary is a good reason to to play a small skirmish wargame based upon it as a homage.
Creating a Visitor-army
Not many manufacturers makes 'Visitor'-miniatures, and those which exist are either to wrong scale for me, or too expensive if you want to build an army. As the TV series was never aired in Norway, none of the merch never hit the shelves in Norwegian toystores either.
This is a budget wargaming blog after all, so I needed to find a cheaper substitute for the V-miniatures. Some few years ago I bought a bucket of futuristic soldiers looking like Space Marines from 'Starship Troopers' in the local toy shop, and that was what I planned to use them for. On a toysoldier group on Facebook I once saw that one have painted figures like this in all kind of different colors; blue, green, red... -When I saw the red ones they reminded me of the 'V - Shock Troopers', and I decided I wanted to try making a similar conversion. If you want to read more about that prosess please visit the blogger-post "Making V-miniatures on a budget"
The landing ship is a 3D-printed 'V - Skyfighter' - Free STL-file from Thingiverse, just resized, assembled and painted. The Skyfighters are capable of both atmospheric and space travel with an unlimited range, with speeds up to mach 3 in the atmosphere and 20-30% of the speed of light in the space.
The Rules
To take advantage of the 'Visitors' body armor, considerations to small firearms vs. laser-rifles, heavy weapons and different troop quality levels, I think the rules dictated them self as FUBAR, which is the only free wargame rules I know which includes all of them.
Playing FUBAR Solo?
What the FUBAR-rules does not include is any SOLO-mechanics, so when I play FUBAR alone I usually just play both sides (as best as I can). I like wargame rules that has it's own SOLO-mechanics as it is more unpredictable and add to the 'chaos' during battle. Therefore I've created a simple chart or table for my FUBAR 'AI-opponent' in this game. I'm looking forward to try it out to see if it works:
The Scenario
100 years before the (1984) tv-series and the militaristic race of reptilian aliens from a star near Sirius arrived earth with 50 'Motherships' to start their invasion and plundering in 1984, they sent out several reconnaissance patrols across the solar system to search for suitable plantes to invade and plunder. - Space-travelling back and forth + planning such a massive operation takes time (!).
In 1884 one such reconnaissance-ship arrived earth and landed close to the frontier town of Singate, New Mexico. A reconnaissance-patrol of 6 Visitor Shock Troopers (as a 'V' Skyfighter only holds a crew of 3 + 3 Troopers) was set out to search the surroundings to their landing zone.
The outlaw gang 'The Sinful Eight' (with, guess what, 8 members) was located in the same area, and approached the landing ship while the reconnaissance patrol were away and tried to open the landing ship to search it for values. They still had their hands on the landing-ship trying to open it when the alien reconnaissance-patrol returned to it.
The outlaw gang 'The Sinful Eight' (with, guess what, 8 members) was located in the same area, and approached the landing ship while the reconnaissance patrol were away and tried to open the landing ship to search it for values. They still had their hands on the landing-ship trying to open it when the alien reconnaissance-patrol returned to it.
The landing ship's initial approach to the wasteland outside the town of Singate was observed by one of the inhabitants, who reported it to a nearby Army Post, which sent out an patrol of 5 members to check it out. Due to the distance they won't arrive at the scene before turn 6.
Forces:
- The Shock Troopers:
- 1 squad of 2 fireteams:
- Fireteam 1: 2 troopers with High-Output Energy Rifles (like assault rifles according to the rules) and 1 trooper with a heavy laser blaster (like a LMG in the rules)
- Fireteam 2: 2 troopers with High-output Energy Rifles (like assault rifles according to the rules) and 1 trooper with laser launcher (rocket launcher in the rules).
- The Shock Troopers have body armour which will save on 5+ and are 'Veterans'.
- The Sinful Eight:
- A outlaw gang of 8 members acting like 2 fireteams of 4 each, armed with pistols and rifles.
- These outlaws are ruthless and experienced gunfighters and are 'Elite'.
- The US Army patrol:
- A unit of 5 soldiers armed with rifles and pistols.
- Their commander is 'Veteran' and the soldiers are 'Seasoned'.
Mission:
- The Shock Troopers:
- To fight The Sinful Eight and regain control and access to their landing ship so they can eventually fly away from Earth and report their observations.
- If possible in the process; bring back one human sample for further investigation and testing.
- The Sinful Eight:
- To fight the Shock Troopers so they can seize their innovative weapons and armour to get an upper hand in their future raids.
- The US Army patrol:
- To fight any invaders and gain control of the landing craft.
I'll play the human units in this game, and the V-Shock-troopers are commanded by the AI-chart.
The Game
Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Turns: 12
Result: The professional gunfighters won the shootout against the Lizards and gunned down the Army patrol as well.
When the alien reconnaissance teams are returning to their craft after checking out the surroundings, they see that there are already other armed men at their ship. When the Sinful Eight sees one of the Alien fireteams too, they don't hesitate and are immediately are fronting this new threat. Besides it seems like there are only 3 of them (as they could spot only one fireteam).
The Outlaws ran for the nearest cover and took their battle stance behind some rocks. One of the Fireteams of the Shock troopers started to advance against the outlaws behind the cover, and placing them under heavy fire...
...But despite heavy fire, the Outlaws was far more better shooters and managed to suppress a couple of the aliens in this fireteam. They also benefited from being cover as well, which the aliens were not.
After exchanging fire for a while, the Outlaws manage to kill the Alien with the heavy blaster...
At the same time the 2 other members of this lizard fireteam got back on their feet and started to return fire, but another group of Outlaws was about to flank them.
While the first Visitor-fireteam was in heavy fighting the second team was very careful and were hiding in cover for 5 turns (due to insuffisient activation):
In turn 6 An Army Patrol arrived the scene, and saw the gunfight going on. They decided to open fire at those strangers looking like soldiers with high tech weapons...
The first V-fireteam was almost surrounded now, being shot at from 3 sides by 3 different units.
...This alien fireteam was soon supressed and the Outlaws decided to run and take them out in a hand-to-hand fight.
Now the second alien fireteam (which had been hiding in the bushes for 5 turns) decided to relief their alien friends from the first fireteam, and come to the rescue...
...but it was just too late by this time, and they were running into a nasty and fierce melee. While the Outlaws was busy killing the lizard aliens, the Army patrol went for that strange craft...
...but they were ambushed by the first team of Outlaws who were now leaving their cover...
The 2 sides were exchanging fire for a couple of turns...
...until the the Army patrol was finally wiped out.
The Outlaws lost a couple of members in the firefights, and have now become the "Sinful Six". Now it was time to focus on their loot, but they were hearing a dreadful noise from above. When looking up they saw another Skyfighter started to shoot at the landed and abandoned one. It was clearly that the aliens didn't want to simply hand over this technology to humans. Perhaps they are planning to come back at some time?
The FUBAR rules works well for SOLO-playing when playing both sides with it's activation mechanichs, and as unactivated units automatically goes on guard, which gives them the ability to perform actions; shoot at opposing units moving towards them or fires at them. Units in melee also activates automatically into the following assault action. I think my table/chart for the other side just merely filled in some holes for AI-opponents in these already superb wargaming rules. I think I'll use them again, and if you do so too, please feel free to give me a feedback on how they worked for you or didn't...
