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After Action Reports => Tabletop AARs => Topic started by: BanzaiCat on June 22, 2017, 11:11:00 PM

Title: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 22, 2017, 11:11:00 PM
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1175.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fr624%2FMichaelE6%2FRecruitPost.jpg&hash=ff9661c3ca7d53e31bc4bdf4071d05f0079de68f)

I'm looking for ten forum members to lend their names to a front page (yes, THAT Front PageTM) multi-part AAR that I'm writing up around the 1981 Dwarfstar Games classic title, Outpost Gamma.

If interested, please sound off below. First come, first armed to face the native alien menace! :)


EDIT: UNIT ROSTER

The positions themselves don't mean there is any responsibility from those that have signed up. This is just a means to add variety and interest to the story, by these forum members lending their names to the AAR. I won't call on you to make decisions or anything.

Legionnaire Commander: MetalDog
Heavy Weaponier: SDR
Heavy Weaponier: bob48
Trooper: Staggerwing
Trooper: bayonetbrant
Trooper: mirth
Trooper: Barthheart
Trooper: bbmike
Trooper: DoctorQuest
Trooper: Gusington


EDIT 2: DISCUSSION THREAD

Thanks, all, for lending your personas to the story. I'm going to try to go lighter on the text so I'm not doing novellas for each post. That should help me time-wise and let me churn out a good number of these.


Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: MetalDog on June 22, 2017, 11:49:42 PM
If all it requires is a fierce name and not much else, I'm your Dog!
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on June 23, 2017, 05:00:58 AM
If there's room for a robot that silently disapproves of the whole business, I'm in.
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: bob48 on June 23, 2017, 05:16:59 AM
..and an elderly English chap.
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: Staggerwing on June 23, 2017, 05:29:33 AM
If you need someone with a permanent lost tourist expression on his face I'm in as well.

No sign of the tour bus anywhere...  ???
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 23, 2017, 07:33:26 AM
Quote from: MetalDog on June 22, 2017, 11:49:42 PM
If all it requires is a fierce name and not much else, I'm your Dog!

Names only! :)

I'm not going to call on anyone to actively participate in the AAR; I'm just borrowing your names to fill the roster slots. I'm going to use your names like call signs in the AAR, which will hopefully add interest to the read. I've done it as a first-come, first-served kind of deal, starting with the Commander slot, moving to the two Heavy Weaponiers, and finally, the seven Troopers.

I've been looking forward to this for some time. I want it to be part of an overarching series of Dwarfstar Games coverage, to not only bring attention to these old yet venerable titles, but also that they're free to print and play (well, most of 'em, anyway).

Thanks for participating!
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: bayonetbrant on June 23, 2017, 07:39:28 AM
Might as well throw me in there. You're going to find a way to include me anyway :)
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: mirth on June 23, 2017, 07:40:51 AM
How do I get into this chickenshit outfit?
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 23, 2017, 07:46:12 AM
Quote from: bayonetbrant on June 23, 2017, 07:39:28 AM
Might as well throw me in there. You're going to find a way to include me anyway :)

When you're right, you're right...lol.  O:-)
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 23, 2017, 07:48:02 AM
Quote from: mirth on June 23, 2017, 07:40:51 AM
How do I get into this chickenshit outfit?

By doing exactly what you just did, Trooper.  O0
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: Barthheart on June 23, 2017, 08:25:30 AM
You need a Canuck on the squad.  :nerd:
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: bbmike on June 23, 2017, 08:27:11 AM
And a Starfleet officer.  :nerd:
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 23, 2017, 08:42:03 AM
Quote from: bbmike on June 23, 2017, 08:27:11 AM
And a Starfleet officer.  :nerd:

And though we have no Starfleet applicants, we'll take you anyway!  :bd:
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: mirth on June 23, 2017, 08:42:54 AM
Quote from: Barthheart on June 23, 2017, 08:25:30 AM
You need a Canuck on the squad.  :nerd:


Red Shirt!
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 23, 2017, 08:44:34 AM
And already, they take bets on which one is going to be gutted like a warm-blooded fish by a rebel with a mining tool...  ::)
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: DoctorQuest on June 23, 2017, 09:52:11 AM
You look like you could use a Phd.
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: bayonetbrant on June 23, 2017, 10:16:28 AM
Quote from: BC on June 23, 2017, 08:44:34 AM
And already, they take bets on which one is going to be gutted like a warm-blooded fish by a rebel with a mining tool...  ::)

if your money's not on me, you're wasting it
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 23, 2017, 10:28:02 AM
Quote from: DoctorQuest on June 23, 2017, 09:52:11 AM
You look like you could use a Phd.

Is that a request to sign on, DQ?
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: mirth on June 23, 2017, 10:31:56 AM
pffft...college boy!
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: DoctorQuest on June 23, 2017, 10:59:08 AM
Quote from: BC on June 23, 2017, 10:28:02 AM
Quote from: DoctorQuest on June 23, 2017, 09:52:11 AM
You look like you could use a Phd.

Is that a request to sign on, DQ?

If you just need a name, I'm in.
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 23, 2017, 11:30:58 AM
Just a name, that's right.

That's one more spot open. It'll be a few weeks before these start I imagine (guess it depends on how quickly I can get these out), so there's no rush.

Once we're full up we can use this thread as a discussion thread for the game itself.

I reached out to the designer - found him on BGG - though I don't know if he'll (a) respond or (b) care. Hopefully both.  :)
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: Gusington on June 23, 2017, 11:37:02 AM
Am I too late?
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: mirth on June 23, 2017, 11:41:59 AM
Looks like one slot left, Shortround.
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: Gusington on June 23, 2017, 11:48:20 AM
So me and one other short guy, perfect.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 23, 2017, 12:19:58 PM
Thanks, Gus! You're in.

With that, I've changed the name of the thread to be a discussion thread of the game.

If you're not familiar with Outpost Gamma, check it out on BGG (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1700/outpost-gamma), or even check it out over on the Dwarfstar page (https://dwarfstar.brainiac.com/ds_outpostgamma.html), where you can download it for free.

I'll be using the VASSAL module (http://www.vassalengine.org/wiki/Module:Outpost_Gamma) for this game.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on June 23, 2017, 12:43:42 PM
Quote from: BC on June 23, 2017, 12:19:58 PM
check it out over on the Dwarfstar page (https://dwarfstar.brainiac.com/ds_outpostgamma.html), where you can download it for free.

Sweet!  O0
Title: Re: Legionnaires Needed: Sign Up Within!
Post by: DoctorQuest on June 23, 2017, 03:10:30 PM
Quote from: mirth on June 23, 2017, 10:31:56 AM
pffft...college boy!

Yup. Card carrying graduate of the University of Hard Knocks.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on June 23, 2017, 03:27:14 PM
Quote from: DoctorQuest on June 23, 2017, 03:10:30 PM
Quote from: mirth on June 23, 2017, 10:31:56 AM
pffft...college boy!

Yup. Card carrying graduate of the University of Hard Knocks.

I'm an alum!
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 23, 2017, 03:44:49 PM
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e6/94/fc/e694fc2240a3aff7af60e376c775c72c.gif)
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: DoctorQuest on June 23, 2017, 05:57:06 PM
Quote from: mirth on June 23, 2017, 03:27:14 PM
Quote from: DoctorQuest on June 23, 2017, 03:10:30 PM
Quote from: mirth on June 23, 2017, 10:31:56 AM
pffft...college boy!

Yup. Card carrying graduate of the University of Hard Knocks.

I'm an alum!


We UHK grads need to stick together.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: bbmike on June 23, 2017, 06:00:00 PM
Full roster! Let's light this candle...
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 25, 2017, 12:35:41 PM
I've begun work on the chapters and have started the game. Since this will be on the front page, it'll be a couple of weeks before it appears.

Meanwhile...any of you every play this game?
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on June 25, 2017, 12:43:09 PM
Quote from: BC on June 25, 2017, 12:35:41 PM
Meanwhile...any of you every play this game?

No, but I did download everything I could from the website after you posted the link.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 25, 2017, 12:51:31 PM
Pretty sure the link I posted wasn't kinky. ;)
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on June 25, 2017, 01:00:54 PM
Quote from: BC on June 25, 2017, 12:51:31 PM
Pretty sure the link I posted wasn't kinky. ;)

Musta been looking at something else.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 25, 2017, 01:03:24 PM
Don't perjure yourself, Mirth! ;D
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 27, 2017, 02:10:37 PM
Progress report: I have the intro and the first turn written out.

Only a hair over 4,000 words so far!  :D
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 28, 2017, 08:18:10 AM
I went back through my document and organized it. There are three parts to the AAR written out as of right now.

I'm going to take a day or two to work with the game in Photoshop. The reason being, the VASSAL module is a major PITA.

I opened it up this morning just to have a look, and saw two Irdan units that were stunned by Imperial fire on Turn 1, were no longer stunned. In fact, one of the units just disappeared from the map.

Also, I don't have finite control over a lot of things...the storms, for example, are hard-coded into the module, as are the turns. I also cannot view counters easily. Those are not necessarily bad things at all, but they're annoying me for the purposes of this AAR.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: bayonetbrant on June 28, 2017, 09:17:55 AM
am I dead yet?
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 28, 2017, 09:34:44 AM
 ???
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: bayonetbrant on June 28, 2017, 09:40:48 AM
Quote from: BC on June 28, 2017, 09:34:44 AM
???

my trooper - am I dead yet?
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 28, 2017, 10:33:18 AM
Quote from: bayonetbrant on June 28, 2017, 09:40:48 AM
Quote from: BC on June 28, 2017, 09:34:44 AM
???

my trooper - am I dead yet?

Oh...  ;D

No, not yet. Turn 1 was the Irdans entering the map and some troopers taking potshots. A few hits were made. But there's a lot more horde where that came from...the next few turns should get interesting.

As soon as I have time to re-build the map in Photoshop (which shouldn't take but a couple of hours), I can get back to it.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on June 28, 2017, 10:39:53 AM
Quote from: bayonetbrant on June 28, 2017, 09:17:55 AM
am I dead yet?

you wish.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: Barthheart on June 28, 2017, 11:20:47 AM
Quote from: mirth on June 28, 2017, 10:39:53 AM
Quote from: bayonetbrant on June 28, 2017, 09:17:55 AM
am I dead yet?

you wish.

I thought you were shooting him in the back?  ???
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on June 28, 2017, 11:24:05 AM
I'm biding my time.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 28, 2017, 12:10:46 PM
This is turning out as I wanted it. I can add names to the trooper counters and make the defensive positions a little less intrusive.

This is how the VASSAL module looks: it's pretty and an improvement on the original, but you can see the defensive position is right on top of the trooper units, and I can't move it out of the way to view the troopers.

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi66.tinypic.com%2F10oipdw.jpg&hash=4cd09ead9226b9d31390936270423a5b761d2540)


And this is what I've created in Photoshop:

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi65.tinypic.com%2F2q30rci.jpg&hash=2d2d59c759e3af2cc78c5c6681edb730d09e8dd3)
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on June 28, 2017, 12:11:34 PM
^nice
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: Barthheart on June 28, 2017, 12:44:52 PM
 O0
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 28, 2017, 12:59:05 PM
Glad you guys like it, too.

Here's more of a preview of the Legionnaire's positions:

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi64.tinypic.com%2F6y2osh.jpg&hash=0a73645d0494d0c700d38db04b7d717dddfeedec)

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi64.tinypic.com%2Fr9ihvk.jpg&hash=56cb77e47e8668b853ea0f448ea7cfc1a8a4a79d)
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on June 28, 2017, 01:24:14 PM
Damn it!  I thought my guy was striking a dramatically aggressive pose but then I saw Bob adopting the same stance and realized it was probably just Rickets.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: bob48 on June 28, 2017, 01:48:22 PM
I thought you knew what you were doing, so I copied you.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: DoctorQuest on June 28, 2017, 02:01:03 PM
We are so screwed.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on June 28, 2017, 02:03:17 PM
Quote from: DoctorQuest on June 28, 2017, 02:01:03 PM
We are so screwed.

SOP.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: DoctorQuest on June 28, 2017, 02:07:16 PM
Quote from: mirth on June 28, 2017, 02:03:17 PM
Quote from: DoctorQuest on June 28, 2017, 02:01:03 PM
We are so screwed.

SOP.

Yes. That makes me feel MUCH better.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on June 28, 2017, 02:27:20 PM
Quote from: bob48 on June 28, 2017, 01:48:22 PM
I thought you knew what you were doing, so I copied you.

If my experiences in Ambush are any indication, I plan to break a leg upon landing and then spend the rest of the mission flopping around in a ditch and blubbering so.....yeah, I've got a plan.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on June 28, 2017, 02:37:33 PM
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on June 28, 2017, 02:27:20 PM
Quote from: bob48 on June 28, 2017, 01:48:22 PM
I thought you knew what you were doing, so I copied you.

If my experiences in Ambush are any indication, I plan to break a leg upon landing and then spend the rest of the mission flopping around in a ditch and blubbering so.....yeah, I've got a plan.

That won't happen. We'll put you out of your misery before there is much flopping or blubbering.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on June 28, 2017, 03:00:58 PM
Flopping and blubbering comprise my core skill set.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 28, 2017, 04:44:26 PM
Another preview/teaser pic. I submitted the first four AAR chapters just moments ago to Brant. I'll be working on more in the coming week.

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi67.tinypic.com%2F212c5v.jpg&hash=8eb945fae1c4057b19c724a410528c2c0f182033)
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on June 28, 2017, 04:46:06 PM
Quote from: BC on June 28, 2017, 04:44:26 PM
I submitted the first four AAR chapters just moments ago to Brant.

So we should be seeing those sometime in August :P
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: Barthheart on July 04, 2017, 01:17:27 PM
What happened to the AAR on the Front Page?  ???
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: bayonetbrant on July 04, 2017, 01:32:41 PM
Quote from: Barthheart on July 04, 2017, 01:17:27 PM
What happened to the AAR on the Front Page?  ???

That was a future episode that accidentally posted about 2 weeks early.  I caught it within 3-4 minutes and got it down.  There are others that need to post before that one, starting tomorrow!
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on July 04, 2017, 04:58:51 PM
Whoopsie

On my count, too, because I went and blabbed about the...ahem, other thing, in various groups on FB.  O0
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 10, 2017, 07:03:05 PM
Did you give up on this?
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on August 10, 2017, 07:14:45 PM
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 10, 2017, 07:03:05 PM
Did you give up on this?

Nope!

I'm going to write a few more episodes up here in the next few weeks.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on August 17, 2017, 05:26:09 PM
I'm working on some additional chapters for this AAR...give me a bit of time and I'll get more out there.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on August 17, 2017, 05:36:46 PM
A 'bit of time' being how many months? :P
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on August 18, 2017, 02:35:15 PM
This weekend, smartarse.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 24, 2017, 08:06:12 AM
Stop playing fireman and get back to work.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on August 24, 2017, 08:11:51 AM
;D

I submitted a new chapter to Brant a few days ago. So there. :P
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on August 24, 2017, 08:17:06 AM
Quote from: BanzaiCat on August 24, 2017, 08:11:51 AM
I submitted a new chapter to Brant a few days ago.

There's your problem.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on August 24, 2017, 08:20:00 AM
You just go right ahead and tell him he's not doing enough for this site. G'wan, I dare you.  :D
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on August 24, 2017, 08:24:50 AM
Quote from: BanzaiCat on August 24, 2017, 08:20:00 AM
You just go right ahead and tell him he's not doing enough for this site. G'wan, I dare you.  :D

Oh, I tell him ;)
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on August 24, 2017, 08:25:59 AM
As GrogHeads' official IT support person (lolzers), you do have that right.
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: mirth on August 24, 2017, 08:27:04 AM
Quote from: BanzaiCat on August 24, 2017, 08:25:59 AM
As GrogHeads' official IT support person (lolzers)

That's not funny at all  :tickedoff:
Title: Re: Outpost Gamma AAR: Discussion Thread
Post by: BanzaiCat on August 24, 2017, 08:28:43 AM
You laughed. You know you did, with your faux outrage. :P