Pulp Alley Doctor Who game: Day of the Daleks.

This is my effort at converting a Doctor Who the Miniatures Game (DWMG) scenario "Day of the Daleks" to a Pulp Alley game.  I had run the DWMG game at home and at convention and it was very successful and I wanted to see how Pulp Alley would handle the game.



Doctor Who Day of the Daleks Pulp Alley Scenario

Background

History is in the balance, it is September 1971. British diplomat Sir Reginald Styles is holding last minute negotiations at his country home, Audelry House, to attempt to prevent World War III.  If he fails the Earths future will be a nuclear war followed by a post apolitical world in which Earth will be invaded by the Daleks and turned into a slave planet mined for its resources. 

The Doctor and UNIT are attempting to protect Sir Reginald and the delegates while the Daleks and a Earth guerilla force from the future (who believe Sir Reginald started the War) are trying to kill or capture him.

Scenario set up.

This scenario  based on the Pulp Alley Lost Keys scenario with the following modifications.

The board is 50” square, leaving 2-3” beyond the walls.

Perilous areas: woods, ruins, walls, houses

Extremely perilous: ponds

The hedges provide cover, and prevent characters from running.

Scenario Rules:

1.                  The Major Plot Point Sir Reginald Styles is in the Mansion

2.                  The 4 minor plot points (Servants and Sir Reginald’s secretary) are deployed one by each player, and they can’t be within 6” of any other plot point and they will move.

3.                  The Defenders: UNIT and the Doctor Leagues deploy first 1 character at a time alternating between the 2 leagues.  They can’t deploy within 6” of the mansion or the walls. However the Doctor’s League and UNIT League can deploy up to 1.1” away from each other.

4.                  The Attackers: Daleks and Future Guerillas deploy after all the defenders deploy and do so alternating between each league. They can’t deploy within 6” of: the mansion, a plot point or an enemy unit (including each other).  They may deploy outside the wall.

5.                  The major plot point can’t be attempted without securing 1 minor plot point

6.                  Starting at the end of turn 1 the minor plot points move randomly 1 d6 “

7.                  The Defenders (UNIT and Doctor Leagues) may not attack one and other, meaning no brawling or shooting each other.  They may however play cards against each other provided the cards don’t involve the player playing it shooting or brawling.

8.                  The game lasts 6 turns unless a card is drawn to extend it.

 

The Leagues:

1. UNIT with the Brigadier, A marksman, 2' Mortar, Bazooka team, Land Rover with GPMG  and a squad of troops.

2. The Third Doctor, Jo Grant, and  Sgt. Benton.

3. Future Guerillas: Leader and 3 Guerillas

4. Gold Dalek, 3 Grey Regular Daleks and a gang of Ogrons

5. NPC (plot points):  2 Maids, butler, gardener, secretary plus Sir Reginald.

The Game:

Each League started in their set up areass and moved to get minor plot points (servants) who could show them how to gain entry to the house.

Overview of the board, with Sir Reginald's Mansion 
(Major Plot point) in the centre.

UNIT troops are engaged by Daleks and Ogrons on their right and Guerillas on their left.  Sir Reginald's secretary (minor plot point) is being pursued by  the Guerillas and the woods prove dangerous for UNIT.

UNIT has already lost one team member in the woods.

overview of the battle

UNIT also manages to capture a servant, the butler.

UNIT vehicles with GPMG on board. 
UNIT marksman captures the Butler

 For Some reason Sir Reginald decides to Leave the Mansion. Perhaps UNIT has convinced him to escape in the Land Rover

Sir Reginald by the Land Rover

The Guerillas capture Sir Reginald's Secretary, a minor plot point.

Captured!

The Daleks send their Ogron gang to capture a servant.

Ogron gang approaches a maid

Ogron gang hat has lost 1 figure.  
Grey Dalek keeps an eye on them.

Overview of the battle, Ogrons advancing

 Heavy fighting takes place at the rear of the Mansion the Ogrons and Guerillas exchange fire and 3 Ogrons are lost. The Guerillas attempt to get in the back door but are subject to heavy fire from the Ogrons and Daleks.

Battle at the rear of the mansion 
between Ogrons and Guerillas. 

The UNIT forces having captured the buttler then attempt to gain the main plot point, Sir Reginald. However he does not succeed and Sir Reginald returns to the safety of his mansion.

The Brigadier attempt to persuade 
Sir Reginald to leave with him.

 Meanwhile the Daleks open fire on UNIT and the Guerillas, the Ogrons have captured the maid..

Daleks opening fire

 The Doctor attempt to aid UNIT but comes under fire from a blast weapon.

Doctor hit by blast weapon

 The Doctor survives the blast attack and manages to convince one of the maids to join him (minor plot point)

Third Doctor and a maid who will help
 him gain entry to the Mansion

UNIT attempts to aid their leader, as the squad aided by a 2" mortar advance.  Jo Grant is in the lead.

UNIT forces advance, Jo Grant in the lead

 Jo Grant is the first to get to Sir Reginald (her Harmless ability prevents her being shot at from long range).  The Doctor soon joins here to try convince Sir Reginald to join them.  The Brigadier also tries to join in but is injured by fire from the Daleks.

The Doctor and Jo Grant convince 
Sir Reginald to join them. The Brigadier is down.

Jo Grant and the Doctor manage to convince Sir Reginald to join them so he can survie to prevent W.W.III and a Dalek invasion.  The Daleks arrive too late to stop this, but do manage to get in the back door and gun down the Brigadier.

GM Comments:

This was the first Pulp Alley game I ran and it was a bit slow as we learned the rules plus it is a 2 player game with 4 players (it was 8 at the Convention using DWMG)!  We needed time for another turn which unfortunately we did not have.    The Leagues may need some adjustment for play balance and or speed.  It would seem that 4 leagues is about as many as you can have in Pulp Alley if you want to get done in 4 hours.  Perhaps with smaller leagues we could have 6 or 8 Leagues.  For now I am reluctant to use Pulp Alley for my 6 to 8 player Doctor Who convention games but will experiment some more in the future.  Despite taking a bit longer than we hoped we enjoyed the game.  Pulp Alley captures some aspects of Doctor Who that DWMG does not but on the other hand DWMG captures some other aspects better.  Both are good rule sets.