Stargrunt II Demo-Day: Success!

Greetings!

        Our thanks to everyone who helped with the demos/games!  Thank
you, Geo-Hex, for the great prizes!

> WHAT: Stargrunt II Demo Day

> WHEN: Sat, OCT 17, 1998

> WHERE: Sci-Fi World and Cafe

The demos were set up by 11am and we were ready to go soon after.
We brought 16 platoons representing 11 different forces/factions, plus
enough vehicles to make ANYONE happy... <g>. We had three 3x6 tables set up
simultaneously to accomodate everyone. For the big game in the evening, we set
up one 4x8 table and broke down the other two.

We were worried a bit by the plethora of unscheduled Warhammer 40k players who
decended on the place, but within the hour, they were playing Stargrunt!

        Adrian ran a platoon level game with an under-strength NAC
platoon defending an artillery park against an ESU platoon. Both sides had a
mix of jeeps and infantry walkers. The ESU destroyrd the arty (their
objective), and the NAC fled. He had about 5 players, with a few hangers
on that eventually joined our company-level game that evening!

        I ran a platoon level game with an under-strength FSE platoon
doing a recon-in-force of a town defended by an understrength Merc
platoon. The FSE were supported by a squad of powered armour and two recon
bikes. The Mercs had an infantry walker. The FSE just took 3 casualties (two
of whom got right back up!). I had four players, all of whom played attackers
(as I ran the defense).

Dave ran a platoon level game with a reinforced OUDF platoon going
against a dug-in force of ESU.  The OUDF have a few squads of powered
armour, a few APCs, and 6 grav-bikes.  The OUDF attack stalled, but the
game was still in progress when we had to cut it. He had about 4 players, half
of whom joined our later demos.

Adrian had enough time to run another of his intro demos. The ESU still won,
but this time the NAC surrendered. WAY too many dead (no wouded, just
DEAD!)... After all of the games, prizes were given. We had a few copies of
the rules, as well as a number of blisters and
mail-order
gift vouchers. A number of Babylon 5 players saw the Full Thrust line of
ships, so next Sci-Fi demo-day it looks like we have our hands full!

        I started the Company-level game at 6:30pm.  We were supposed to
run until 11pm or so, but new (and unannounced) store hours had us ending the
game prematurely at 9pm. We were VERY disappointed! Two of the staff didn't
even know about the new hours...

However, we managed to complete 4 turns in two and a half hours. To speed
play, I controlled the defending forces (with a little help), as this would
move things along. We had ten people playing the attackers, with myself and
one other playing defense. We also had a few observers from the 40K table who
stopped playing and hung out!:)

        The scenario was a company-level assault on a resort town with a
ski schloss.  Holed up in the schloss was a general/warlord guilty of
war crimes. The attacking forces had to capture him alive (we had special
rules for that...)

The attacking company consisted of; 1 Company command (UN) 1 understrength UN
platoon 1 NSL platoon 1 NSL Gebirgsjaeger platoon (we used Scandinavian Fed
figs) 1 OUDF reinforced platoon 1 understrength OUDF powered armour platoon
        4 APCs
4 Infantry walkers 1 squad of grav bikes

The attacking forces were REGULAR in quality, with a few GREEN or VETERAN
units.

The defending forces consisted of;

1 Company command (The warlord and his ESU 'advisor')
        1 under-strength platoon of Japanese Mercs (ELITE)
        1 platoon (under-strength) of Israeli Mercs
1 Combat Walker
        1 Jeep
2 Infantry Walkers 1 emplaced plasma gun 1 emplaced RFAC Plus minefields,
CDMs, dummy markers, etc.

The defending forces were a mix of REGULAR and GREEN (with the exception of
the Japanese). The warlord's command was, of course,
GREEN... :)

The 4x8 board was cut in half by a river. In the center of the table was a
ruined resort town. Towards one end of the table was the
large hill/plateau with the ski schloss.  The other end of the table
consisted of parks, farmland, and forests.

The OUDF thrust up one side, with the Gebirgsjaegers going up the other (as
light infantry, their move was pretty good). They were supported by NSL, UN,
and OUDF Infantry Walkers in the middle.

The warlord was in the schloss, supported by one squad of elite Japanese. On
the roof of the schloss was a squad of Mercs. Other Merc squads were emplaced
in front of the Schloss or in the ruined resort town (as was the other
Japanese squad). The combat walker was hiding between buldings, as were the
two infantry walkers. The emplaced plasma gun and
RFAC were on the plateau, and the MERC GMS/L was on the top floor of a
ruined building in the town.

The OUDF got it the worst. Three of the four APCs went up from
being hit by walkers or the Merc GMS/L.  As they were carrying squads, a
number of men didn't get out...  The grav-bike recon squad got hosed at
the river by the walkers, and became pretty much useless as a tactical force.

The Gebirgsjaegers did better. Using the forest and parts of the town as
cover, they spotted the mines and dummy markers, and were making their way
through the river. Rather than follow them, the OUDF powered armour decided to
hit the bridge and assault the (empty) buildings on the other side. Both
squads went over a mixed minefield (only losing one man) and then each hit a
command mine in their respective buildings, but no one wa lost. However, this
now exposed them to the Japanese and the size 3 comabt walker...

In the end, it was geting ugly. The defenders were out of
GMS/Ps
and GMS/Ls, and both emplaced guns were lost, as was an infantry walker
and the jeep. Casualties were minimal, but the true assault phase of the
battle was starting in earnest.  The attackers had lost 10-12 men, 3
APCs, 4 bikes, 1 infantry walker, and some powered armour, but the defenders
had little to use against the rest of the vehicles.

It was getting ugly.

Thanks to everyone who made the day a success! Thanks agin to
Geo-Hex for the great support!  Our next Stargrunt II/Dirtside II demo
day
will be at GameFreek '98 on November 21-22 at the Toronto International
Center.  Our next big company-level game will be at Pandemonium (which
will be supporting SGII, DSII, and FT events). This year promises to be even
bigger than last!

Hope to see you there!