Dog Soldiers Action Report

Had a visit from Halo*Star at the weekend, so he, Arabiansquire and myself finally managed to get a game of Dog Soldiers played (using Two Hour Wargames free CR3 ruleset with their Dog Soldiers scenario - also free). We'll just dive straight in. Play first, thoughts later...

The play area was set up as per scenario recommendations (where possible). 12" from woods to nearest building; 12" from front door to the garage/shed; and exit in the south-eastern corner. I'm going to make the assumption that you are at least slightly familiar with the THW reaction system. This is an action report, not a rules example so references to the rules will be minimal. Suffice to say that the higher the Rep (reputation) of the character the better they are. Also Sgt Wells starts badly injured and in bed at Rep 1. every time doubles are rolled for side activations his Rep improved by one, with the drawback that at Rep 5 he turned into a werewolf.


Game Time: 8pm
Squaddies deployed first. They opted to firmly board up all the windows and external doors, with Cooper and Terry in the Kitchen and Spoon and Joe in the livingroom. Sgt Wells was in his bed in the main bedroom at the rear.

Next the werewolf forces were generated and deployed. Two Rep5 adults and one Rep 4 juvenile were rolled and the deployment rolls put them at the main (back) bedroom window, side kitchen window and front bedroom windows respectively. As there were no squaddies outside the werewolves started at their windows instead of making runs from the woods.

First couple of activation rolls were doubles, so the only effect was that Sgt Wells Rep went up from 1 to 3, possibly just as well as we werewolf was at his window and he couldn't leave his bed. First wolf activations saw only the front wolf managed to remove the barricade. Spoon moved to cover the front bedroom window whilst Joe moved to help Sgt Wells. Cooper and Terry readied themselves in the kitchen. The young werewolf jumped through the front window, only for Spoon to blast it away with his assault rifle.

The kitchen werewolf then managed to break down the window barricade. Cooper managed to get off a couple of shots by reaction and then he and Terry blazed away during their activation, but with the wolf still outside (and hence under cover) the shots had no effect. The wolf climbed through the window, but Cooper and Terry held their ground and made their shots count the second time, sending the wolf away howling into the night.

With only one wolf now at the back, Spoon decided the time was right to make a break for the Land Rover in the shed. Cooper and Terry agreed and headed out the front door, but not before a couple of doubled activation rolls meant that Sgt Wells completed his transformation. Joe loosed of a couple of shotgun blasts as Well's rose from the bed linen but only damaged the aging wall paper, so decided to leg it.

Meanwhile, at the shed, Spoon unfortunately opened the door to find a werewolf lurking in the shed, which reacted first, charged and mauled him (making it the first werewolf to ever use a spoon for a meal!). The wolf exited the shed via the side door, only for Cooper to pull off an impressive reaction shot and knock the wolf down for the next couple of activations.

Werewolf Wells caught Joe at the front door, but Joe kept him at bay with the Two-handed Claymore sword he'd found whilst searching the livingroom earlier. The werewolf at the rear window gave up on the barricade and raced round the house in one movement. Cooper's reaction shots missed the new threat, but he made his proper shots count and sent the wolf packing before fast moving into the shed with Terry to try and get the Land Rover hotwired (a test Terry failed). Joe, enjoying brandishing a massive sword decided to engage Well's in a second round of melee, which ended in a draw.

Not fancying his chances in the impending third round of melee he managed a fast move into the garage. The werewolf gave chase but when it reached the shed doors was gunned down by the waiting Cooper and Terry reaction shots. Crucially the next round saw the squaddies activate first. Joes managed to get the Land Rover started, whilst Cooper and Terry dispatched the recovering werewolf at the side door before climbing into the back of the Landy. With the final wolf away this saw then end of the first turn...

Game Time: 9pm

The renewed wolf forces (2 adults and the alpha male) lined up with their allotted windows & doors. Interestingly all three werewolves lined up at the front of the house - prime positions to intercept the fleeing vehicle with the landrover revving up in the shed. The exit was just close enough to make it in one activation, assuming a clear path. Activations were rolled, but the wolves rolled a 6 so didn't activate. With wheels spinning in the dirt the Land Rover leapt from the shed. As it left the building the wolves made their reaction rolls, but luck had deserted the Lycanthropes and only the further away alpha male got to charge. They say that fortune favours the brave, and so it proved as the males charge left it an inch short as the Land Rover sped out the clearing with the three survivors.
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Great fun all round. Arabiansquire, when asked, said it felt like a film (as he's aged 8 he's not seen the movie). As the game system is meant to be cinematic to a certain degree that would seem mission completed. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I've several (now technically out of date) Two Hour Wargames rules and loved the reaction system principal. Ugo-Igo has never made that much sense to me and this makes more sense. Also I like the fun of possibility of chaos at every encounter. Next step up will be All Things Zombie, which has obvious similarities in non-shooty foe, but with more scope (including some return fire).