Pulp Alley AAR - On the Trail of the Despicable Debutante

This week's Pulp Alley game was a learning game at a new local store called Round the Table, a nice little spot that touts itself as a gamer pub and offers cold beverages, locally farmed ice cream and even beer along with deals with the pizza place in the strip mall to deliver orders placed in the store.

As this was a learning game, I didn't bog down too much on lots of story and theme and the terrain was a pretty add-hock arrangements of ruins and jungle terrain. There were several areas of perilous terrain marked by terrain mounted on round bases. The scenario was a trail of clues. The leagues involved were my daughter's Mystery Ranch versus my Countess Velasco league. The two leagues are pretty evenly matched, both including multiple sidekicks and lesser members.

The story in this scenario picks up with the Mystery family having tracked the Countess and her minions to the jungles of South America. We played it as a Trail of Clues scenario with each league is trying to locate the truck, following a trail of supplies...

Opening moves saw both league moving toward their starting plot points with little in the way of direct action against one another. Once the second minor plots points were revealed, they moved into more direct conflict with one another with more than just Fortune Cards being played.

As Ma and Pa Mystery moved toward the collection of barrels after securing a crate of goods, the Countess' men moves into position among the ruins, ready to fire on them when they came into view.

Ma and Pa moved to provide cover for one another on either side of the lane between the ruins. If this was going to be a shooting match, they wanted to have something more than twigs and brush between them and a hail of bullets.

A strange sort of mystical showdown developed on the far side of the board as Eva and her pony totem moved toward the truck (major plot point now placed) and was met by Velasco's own gypsy mystic, Zelda.

Meanwhile, Ma had gotten herself tangled up with Bronzini and Theo as the two mercenaries laid down a hail of heavy caliber fire. She responded in kind with her pistol and shotgun. Holding her own, for the time being.

The countess had beat Eva to the truck and was working on getting it started as Ma finally lost the gun fight (below), going down in a hail of shattering branches and sputtering turf.

With Ma out of the way, Theo rushed forward to take hold of the goods she was carrying around. He took first one and then later would take the second minor plot point she carried.

In the end, the Countess won the day. She held all five of the plot points and sped away in the truck, laughing in that way that only a truly wicked and aloof villainess such as herself could.

Once more it was, "Arrivederci cowboys," that echoed through the trees.

We also managed to get another game started and half way through before the night was over and a second player learned how to play Pulp Alley. This time it was Dr. Mentallo and his miscreant mooks versus The Investigators, a new league i had put together just that day using a new experimental league organization.

That scenario ended after turn two but already saw some heated combat.

Pulp Alley AAR - Mystery of The Mine

Old Gabby has sent word to the Mystery Ranch, hoping that Pa would be able to help. According to the messenger, ol' Gabby had finally found the lost El Dorito mine he had been on about for years. But according to the message, he wasn't the only one who knew where it was. That gap-toothed coot had managed to shoot his mouth off in the local saloon and word had spread through the grapevine, a grapevine that wound its tendrils all the way to the villa of Countess Velasco. The Mystery family would have to skedaddle if they were going to help the old man.

They arrived in time to hear Gabby's grizzled voice echoing through the woods in the foothills. He was spewing an endless assault of colorful language at a group of assailants that retorted and responded in their own colorful Italian cursing. There was a woman's voice among them and it could be none other than the Countess Velasco, international treasure hunter, thief and black marketeer. 

THE SCENARIO

For this game we played a basic Lost Keys scenario. The major plot point was the truck with the minor plot points being Gabby, a crate of treasure already for transport, a stash of treasure hidden by Gabby and the truck's driver that had gotten a case of nerves and had run into the woods to hide. Any one of the minor plot points would be useful in either returning to the scene or proving to the authorities that it existed.

Pa Mystery, his wife and two girls set up in the tree line, ready to see what the Countess and her minions were up to.

The Countess had spread out. While she and Zelda kept close to the mine, Bronzini had spread himself and the two gunmen, Theo and Aldo through the trees, trying to hem in the spooked driver.

Aldo and Theo make a move to try to grab the driver. Figuring guns are more intimidating than the spooky woods and old legends, they close in on either side.

Unfortunately, the driver was not in the mood to cooperate and proved perilous enough to take down the two gunmen. A string of spectacularly romantic curses echoed through the woods as Bronzini watched his men taken out by a bat-wielding mook.

Determined to make up for his men, Bronzini rushes the crate and manages to figure it a way to leverage the big box and its contents.

Countess Velasco, seeing that Bronzini has the crate, move in to secure the truck, taking Zelda with her. But Wild Bess Mystery steps out of the underbrush, brandishing twin pistols. "Not so fast ya' pretty talkin' bandits!"

With a sneer, the Countess squeezed the trigger on her Mauser. the two ladies exchanged a hefty volley of fire but Bess proved to be ill-suited to taking on the likes of the wicked Countess.

With his daughter down and Ma Mystery and his other daughter racing to her aid, Pa decides to make a move to the back of the rocky outcropping, sure that Gabby has himself secreted someplace close to the mine. He trips and stumbles (Unexpected Peril), but still makes it across the clearing.

Ma came out of the trees shooting and takes Zelda out. The gypsy falls next to her countess who narrows her steely eyes.

"Gabby? That you?" Pa Mystery, searched the cracks of the rocks and found the frightened prospector.

"Thank my lucky britches! Yer sure a sight for sore eyes, Marshal!"

"Gabby, you know I don't wear a badge no more, but I'm glad you're doing alright. Now, let's get out of here."

Pa Mystery coaxed the old dude out of the rocks and started to lead him to safety.

Eva Mystery takes a chance, in all the chaos, to try to skirt around through the trees, hoping to get into position to make a move to intercept the driver who had by that time been apprehended by Theo.

Meanwhile, Bronzini had managed to get the crate to the truck and was muscling the hefty package into the back of the truck. 

"I don't know what it is, but it's heavy," growled the brawny blonde mercenary.

"Heavy is always good," chuckled the Countess as she covered the loading of the goods.

Bess had managed to get herself back up and made another push at Bronzini, supported by her Ma, but the heavy fire from his BAR cut through the woods and dropped the cowgirl again. It was no mystery who had the upper hand in that firefight.

Bronzini climbed into the truck and hotwired the engine to a rumbling, sputtering start. Unfortunately, Ma Mystery proved a dead-eye shot and took the Countess down. 

Behind the rocks, Pa Mystery was still trying to figure out how to get Gabby to safety when he heard the truck roar to life. Knowing the quickest route out of the woods was straight ahead of where the truck had been parked, he waited and took his shot as Bronzini rolled into view.

The driver was proving difficult to wrangle and as Theo was trying to catch him again, Eva swept out of the woods, snatching him to safety.

Ma Mystery joined her husband in a last ditch effort to stop Bronzini from escaping with both truck and treasure, but their shots ricocheted off the metal body and got caught up in the overhanging growth.

"Arrivederci cowboys!" 

Bronzini rumbled off into the darkening woods. He'd come back later to recover the Countess and the rest of them.

CONCLUSION

The game was a close one, 4-3. My 10-year old daughter played well and could have one it if she had been able to stop Bronzini who held all my victory points. 

Zakaar vs. The Outsiders

Pulp Sunday is upon us again and my buddy Chuck and I set down to play a game of Pulp Alley over dinner.

This evening's game took us once more to a Savage land, the land of Zakaar and his Monestone Guardians. The guardians had heard tale of stranger in their land. Again the people from Outside had come with their strange, metallic smells and their booming charms. This time they came seeking the creatures of his land. Zakaar would have none of it.

This time, the visitors were not simple treasure hunters or villains with exploitation on their dark minds. This time the explorers were none other that Loupe the boy reporter and detective and his comrades, Pepen the wonder dog, Captain Haddock and Professor Algebra. They had found there way to this secret place through tales and mysteries uncovered through long days spent burying themselves in obscure maps, ancient volumes and those places where the odd and strange dwell.

Chuck is just getting back into Pulp Alley after only playing a coupe of games before his long break and so we decided to keep it simple with a Smash and Grab scenario. The plot points would all take the form of various creatures of this lost world with the major plot point being the blue nosed raptor hidden in the rocky cave in the center of the board. The others - giant centipede, scorpion and juvenile dinosaurs were places around the rocky grotto.

A scorpion the size of a horse lurks in one dark hollow.

Zakaar and the caveman brothers Roku and Doba move forward, hoping to get the creatures to safety.

"By Darwin's Beard, look at that magnificent specimen!" Professor algebra and Captain Haddock rush up the rocky outcropping to get to the giant centipede, hoping to collect a specimen for later study. the two scramble up the ragged, natural steps despite some trouble in finding purchase.

Roku make his way to the cave and approaches the normally deadly carnivore. Speaking its wild language, the caveman manages to coax it out of the cave and into his care. His brother Doba watches on, stunned at his brother's stupidity for approaching such a killer beast. Meanwhile, Loupe and Pepen (the dog) have managed to secure the longneck for the museum. 

Doba races to the cliffs, hoping to beat the invaders to the centipede as Zakaar, summons his lengendary courage and moves to take command of a lethal cave scorpion.

M'wapi, the living dead Gtungi Worm, sneaks his way up behind the club tail and begins to try to soothe the grumpy giant lizard. He is not as successful as his comrades and will have to continue working at it (mutiple turns).

Doba climbs the cliffs and, dangerous as it might be, makes it to the top, just out of reach of the massive many legs. Meanwhile Professor Algebra has made it to the creature and begins to examine the specimen to find the best way of capturing it.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Captain Haddock makes his way to confront these Savagelanders, intent on taking their prizes from them.

Zakaar and Nabba make their way to Roku consolidating their might and protecting the great creatures of their home. Haddock and Loupe move in, menacing the simple folk of this ancient place.

Despite having the patience of the dead, M'wapi fails to settle the club tail and finds himself pounded into the rock.

Loupe has his sights on Roku and chases the caveman and his dinosaur ward back toward the jungle under a hail of bullets. While several shots hit the burly neanderthal, he is unharmed and keeps his wits.

The many-legged creeper proves too great a challenge and Doba falls to the mandibles of the great hunter. Professor Algebra is now free to continue his studies and secure his prize. "Amazing!," The professor exclaims as the rugged primitive is bested.

As the captain makes his ways to join up with Loupe and his prize, Nabba lets out a vicious roar. The inebriate sea captain is unshaken, numbed to the danger of a mighty sabertooth cat bearing down on him. The captain shoots, hoping to repell the beast and while several shots find their mark, it is not enough. The two fight and then fight again (used Savage) and in the end, both are brought down by the battle.

Loupe now pursue the boy Atlantean, set on taking a giant scorpion back to civilization and fame. Shot crack the air as bullets and the blue energies of the Moonstone fly back and forth. Fortune is on Zakaar's side as he narrowly avoid fumbling his club and the ancient stone set in it.

Atop the rocky cliffs, Professor Algebra manages to solve the riddle of the centipede and had the creature feeding from his hand instead of on it.

Loupe continues to gun for Zakaar, not really wanting to hurt the lad, but intent on separating him from the giant scorpion. Unfortunately, the boy is too quick and the shots find only the earth and rocks. Zakaar retreats back, trying to put some jungle between him and the boomstick.

Nabba and Captain Haddock, both recover and before the great cat can regain he composure, the sailor unload another volley into her, taking her down. Pepen barks in celebration as the captain belches his disdain for the dispatched feline.

Zakaar has decided that the only hope is to flee into the underbrush with Roku, hoping to get some of their animal friends to safety. Nabba and the others would be fine.

the fight draws on, Loupe and his friends pressing on, desperate to claim more.

Pepen tries to sooth the angry club tail, hoping the presence of another dino will camouflage his intent but alas, the cantankerous reptile is having none of it.

The battle ends with Zakaar and his brethren slipping back into the jungle while Loupe and his compatriots retreat, having to be content with what they have. The fight has drawn other denizens of the Savage World and the very rocks begin to crawl with hungry life...