Hybrid Game #1...

Hello peeps! For your viewing pleasure I present;

"RETURN TO GLASINHAR"

This is the first of (hopefully all of) the HYBRID missions I will be playing with my friend.

'Return to Glasinar' kicks off the campaign that comes with the original boxed set.

As far as rules for this campaign and available characters go we are using the amended rules from the box (thanks to Universal Head!) and the character cards from the Griffin and Dirz factions only. 

Also, the rules supplied in HYBRID's add on box 'NEMESIS' wont be used until we start playing that campaign.

 (Although we will be using the printed errata from the NEMESIS box cause... damn, there are a few errata...)

I wasn't sure how to go about setting this up as a proper battle rep - so I wont! 

TBH, so much happens in even a tiny game of HYBRID that recording every last detail would take all the fun out of playing the game for me and my opponent, so instead of reporting EVERYTHING that transpired, I will (try) to note down the important stuff, and where possible give explanations for what we were doing (this game is very complex!)

So, to summarize; 

Hybrid is a squad-level, tactical boardgame for two players. The game pits the Griffins of Akkylannie and their allies against the Scorpions of Dirz and other Meanders of Darkness. Both sides fight within the depths of the Heresiarch’s hidden network of laboratories to discover the lost secrets of the Alchemical Empire.

The Age of the Ragnarok has begun.

The machines and gestation tanks that have housed the silent, apocalyptic army of the former Heresiarch for centuries have awoken!

In the quiet town of Glasinhar, forgotten horror erupts from the ground to claim the first bloody sacrifice for Dirz.

A group of shadowy figures, devotees to Mira and protectors of Akkylannie, are sent to investigate...

Cool =) So that's all the heavy 'setting the scene' shit out of the way, here's how the game went!

Above is a terrible photo of the game map for this scenario - there are a few errata to account for, but they are pretty minor for this one. 

This game was an 'Extermination' mission for both sides and was pretty brutal and quick - I'm sure that my opponent would agree - though, there are always options for a different strategy in Hybrid!

Speaking of sides, here is my opponent for this campaign and his crew for the mission.

"Olgier (the Magnificent)"

Translator extraordinaire and human calculatory device.

The crew - 

-The Venerable Ambrosious

-A Templar of the Lodge of Hod

-A Purifier of the Lodge of Hod

-A Griffin Fusilier

Their opponents for this match; (led by yours truly!)

"Ace Jagger" 

Despot of no fixed agenda and procrastinatory idolatrobe.

The beasts - 

- A Vicar of Dirz (yes, seriously, a Vicar)

- A Skorize Warrior

- Two Hybrid Warriors

- Two Clones of Dirz

- Two Pests of Flesh

(Yes I used a HQ Chaos Sorcerer for the Vicar and Zombies as Clones - beggars can't be choosers!)

After placing the event (and possible trap) counters down we drew our action cards, army cards and Aura/Mutations.

Olgier ended up with the Venerable Ambrosious (henceforth referred to as Vambro...) getting the Auras of the Penitent and Blessing (The Blessing is a curse for my troops as it buffs his figures near Vambro)

I'm not really going to do this turn for turn but I'll give you an idea of how the game turn breaks down.

You start by each rolling a die, lowest chooses who will go first, then both of you (secretly) decide on what order your troops will activate during that turn. (we use playing cards assigned to figures to remember) Then play commences with each of you activating a model in turn until all models are activated (or dead!)

Special cards that fuck all your plans in the arse are randomly selected at specific points during the game (opening EVENT counters or killing enemies etc) and ACTION cards, which are numbered, can be used to buff rolls or hinder the rolls of your opponent. 

Basically, every turn sees a shit ton of crap going down - I'll try to relate it in as least a boring way as poss.

 

 Heres how my mob started out - I won the roll and opted to go first - my Skorize Warrior found himself endowed with "Epidermal Blades" (and a 10" cock!) and moved out - leading the rabble toward the buffet.

(Vambro looked down the shadowy recess of the hallway, and prayed somebody else would go first...)

The Griffins set up at the entrance to Lab SO11 (not that they know that) and begin their subteranean struggle...

Vambro used his Aura of Blessing (buffing +2 to nearby friend's rolls) and stepped into the lab corridor, moving about halfway in and setting for overwatch. 

The Templar, Purifier and Fusilier would do likewise.

Roadworks, inside a laboratory?

The Skorize zoomed through a door and into the central section of the board (thanks to his 'infiltrator' ability giving extra movement) and opened the first EVENT counter - garnering me a filthy little card to use against Olgier later, Muhahahaaa! =)

 Vambro waits in the gloom, listening to the scary noises...

Door to door salesmen from hell

"Avon calling!"

 All of my remaining beasts moved towards the Skorize, the Clones were place to shield the Vicar and Hybrids and three options presented themselves - Straight on, into the waiting overwatch fire of the Griffs, to the left, safe for a turn but then trapped at the end of the Griffs corridor, or to the right and secreted behind a large closed door ready to pounce (or be pounced upon!!) next turn.

This terrible shot gives you an idea of where we were at, this was about turn two I think. Olgier commands the corridor but needs to guard the large door at his left.

Carefully the Griffs crowd to the edge of the main corridor and set OW (overwatch from now on - I'm tired of typing it!) 

"Hello, we've come to tell you the good news..."

The (cowardly) Griff Fusilier rounds the corner and spots movement ahead - shooting before thinking he pops the brainless head from the shoulders of an unfortunate Clone, and wounds the Hybrid behind him! Wank! 

This death gave me a chance to play my first of two army cards however - 'Pestilent Secretions' which I secretly gave to my Skorize, should he die all enemies within his radius would have to check for debilitating worms in their lungs or succumb!

"I regret nothing!!"

With the Griffs all cowering around the corner and most of my lads too far away to throw poo at them I devised a cunning scheme to end the game early (one way or the other) Rolling the initiative, I activated my time bomb Skorize first and used his huge movement abilities (he gets 4+ move until seen by an enemy) to charge headlong through the two intervening doors and into the heart of the Griff defences!

The Purifier and Vambro blasted the crap out of him reducing him to his last wound (hehee) but he survived to be a thorn!

The next bit all happened exceedingly quickly - Olgier moved his Templar to protect Vambro but my intervening activations saw my master plan unfold. The Two Pests of Flesh - using their ungodly movement, ripped past the (now) spent defensive fire and sacrificed themselves in two enormous toxic explosions that wounded Vambo and the Templar twice each!

 The Templar of Hod deals a savage blow to the Skorize Warrior - only to be covered in flesh tearing maggots!

Meanwhile I closed the trap, the second hybrid attacked the Fusilier from a blind spot and the Clone, Vicar and wounded Hybrid edged closer!

The end was a meat grinder of a battle with Olgier buffing the Griffs with Vambro, while blocking all access to him using the Purifier and the Templar.

The fusilier was laid low by waves of Hybrid and Clone attacks but the other Griffs, using guns, swords and some inspired card play from my opponent (including stealing my action cards to use as his own!) held out for another two activations each before the Dirz Vicar himself had to step in and administer a sermon.

"Give us a hug big boy!"

In the last two turns of play the only remaining Griffin, the Purifier and the Vicar traded blows. All cards were spent and no more dirty tricks could be played. 

At the end, the Vicar stood over the body of the Purifier and breathed with difficulty, heavily wounded. Only one wound seperated him from his now deceased opponent. 

They don't come any closer than that!

We had a great time playing this out, both of us agreeing that it could have gone both ways at numerous points. If it seems from this report that I had it all my own way, please believe me that I did not! I took an early gamble with an all or nothing plan, and it payed off - this time! 

Olgier was a slippery adversary all the way through and really did his best to ensure my troops fought at a disadvantage that allowed him space to counter their attacks and wipe my force out to a, er, Man?

Great stuff! See you for the next mission =)

Ace