Welcome to the third in our series of session reports for Attack of the 50 Foot Colossi.
Please see here for an introduction to the series, game overview and scenario set up.
Last time in ‘Attack of the 50 Foot Colossi!’:
The ‘Old Reprobates’ of the 124th Galactic Marine Raider Battalion received an emergency broadcast from the mining facility on Graviton Prime. The mine was under attack from sentient space rocks: the Colossi!
The 124th GMRB dispatched units to free the trapped miners, however, this soon proved far more difficult than expected. Weathering fierce attacks from the Colossi Tribes, the Marines look to the sky for air support and the arrival of anti space rock weapon: The Boring Bit
Turn 5
Hurricane Winds wind up across Mapzone Alpha causing landing procedure issues. Both the second Spec Ops unit and The Boring Bit are blown off course. The Boring Bit needs adjacency to be effective and it lands far away from any Colossi. It will be several turns before this powerful weapon can be used effectively. LOS is also reduced to just 1 hex for all other weapons!
The stunned Scout unit recovers, however, other units including the Heavy Weapons and HQ do not. Stunned units cannot move and fight at reduced strength. Paralysed units cannot do anything during a turn. This severely limits the effectiveness of the GMRB over time as more units become immobile.
As the Dust Storm slowly edges southwards, sporadic fire covers an escaping Miner. This fire fails to make any impression on the Colossi.
Suddenly, Gravel near the Refinery morphs into Red Rocks. A towering impassable land mass that blocks all line of site is now blocking the Ore Carrier route into the Refinery. The Miners will need to find an alternative route south. It also creates major LOS issues for Marine and Heavy Weapons units acting as fire support to Spec Ops.
The Blackstone’s attack! Their Rolling Thunder crushes a Scout unit, eliminating it, before using the Fault Tunnel to quickly change position, bursting out of the ground in front of the Medics, stunning them.
In a co-ordinated assault, the Whitestone’s to the east eliminate the other Scout unit through Rolling Thunder, before stunning and disrupting a Marine Unit with their ranged Boulder Sling attack.
This shocking blow to the GMRB signals the end of the turn.
Turn 6
As the Hurricane Winds ease, there is a terrifying rumble underfoot…the ground itself begins to shift and rise. A battle-weary Heavy Weapons unit in the south east is caught and disrupted by this Tectonic Eruption. One further hit will be the end of them.
Another Miner escapes and flees south. The first escapee has now almost, but not quite, fled the battlefield.
With the weather settling air support finally arrives, however, the air strike goes wild. A sustained attack on the Yellowstone’s sees the Colossus take a full counter worth of damage. But this isn’t the end of the Yellowstones. Colossi counters are stacked and removing one simply reveals the next.
The Whitestones take a step loss from heavy weapons fire. Meanwhile, Spec Ops show what they can do with both units scoring direct hits with their Chiseller guns then quickly withdrawing out of reach of flying Gravel.
Enraged, the Redstone’s use their Medusa Stare, missing Spec Ops by a considerable distance but instead hitting and paralysing the air support crew!
Success earlier in the turn becomes a fading memory as the Yellowstone’s move closer to the IMC Offices, their Avalanche attack disrupting a Marine. All is not lost, however, further air support is inbound and the Mine Boss has now reached the weapons stash at the IMC offices.
To everyones surprise the Mine Boss is revealed as none other than Major Colby, a highly decorated GMRB veteran. His stash is a LAGS weapon – a powerful anti-gravity device that pushes heavy objects great distances. Colby dons his uniform, picks up his LAGS and enters the field.
Turn 7
Another shocking blow…literally. Chain Lighting rips through the air, striking and eliminating an escaping Miner. It ricochets into a nearby Heavy Weapons unit, both stunning and disrupting it. The Lighting ricochets again, this time striking and stunning a Marine.
With the Medics themselves stunned, recovery is ineffective. The GMRB are now feeling the effects of the sustained Colossi assault. Six units are stunned, only able to fire at a reduced rate. Another is paralysed, unable to move or fire.
Spec Ops again prove their worth dealing another step loss to the Redstone Colossus. A screech of metal on rock signals a repositioned Boring Bit dealing damage to the Blackstone’s. A bombing run from newly arrived air support deals further damage to the Yellowstone colossus. Another step loss. Only one Yellowstone counter remains before the Tribe is eliminated…and it is within range of Major Colby and several Marine units. Only a single Gravel unit between them.
The Gravel suddenly morphs into a yawning Quarry Pit. A crater that represents certain death for any Marine or Civilian that enters. The Colossi have no such issues and the Yellowstone moves through it to Piledriver Stomp Colby and one Marine, stunning both.
To the South East the Whitestone’s eliminate a Marine unit as the Dust Storm is finally begins moving away.
Turn 8
Moving into the late stages of the battle, the situation does not look good for our heroes of the GMRB.
Multiple units are stunned and/or disrupted. No further reinforcements are on their way. It’s now a case of hold on as long as possible. Worse still, as the turn begins the Yellowstones Colossi is reinforced by the Gallstones event.
As a Miner finally flees the Southern edge of the map, two glimmers of hope appear. A bombing run forces a Blackstones step loss while under pressure Spec Ops cause another step loss for the Redstones.
Hope begins to fade again shortly after. The Boring Bit glances off the tough hide of the Blackstones, then disaster strikes in the North.
Major Colby brings the LAGS weapon to bear on the Yellowstone colossus, pushing its great bulk backwards…and into the path of a Marine unit.
Multiple units now fire on the Yellowstone’s but to no avail. The Marine unit is pummelled by both Rolling Thunder and the Piledriver Stomp, eliminating it.
Near the refinery, the Redstones disrupt a Spec Ops unit, while the Blackstones take the opportunity to Fault Tunnel out of harm’s way.
Next time on Attack of the 50 Foot Colossi…
…is this end of the ‘Old Reprobates’ or can they escape from their position between a rock and a hard place?
Find out in Turns 9 – 12 here.
