Gaslands Tournament

 

September's meeting saw me running a day campaign to Osprey's excellent rules, "Gaslands Refuelled.

The rules cover races in a post Apocalyptic world. Following a catastrophic war, governments have fallen and major corporations are in charge. The remaining population is fully employed working themselves to death for these businesses. The corporations subscribe to the "bread and circuses" philosophy, feeding the people's physical needs with a subsistence diet. Their need for entertainment is fulfilled by televised motor vehicle races, with a liberal dose of fun with firearms thrown in for good  measure. The rewards for the winners are fame, prestige and cans of fuel. The losers aren't so lucky.

Four players rose to the challenge of racing for the television special. It was to be a series of three races, the last being a "Saturday Night Special".

Chas, Mark C, Rob and Tom drew up on the start grid, piloting a pick up truck, a performance car and two cars respectively. The pick up had a crew of three rednecks, the performance car just the driver and the cars a driver and mate. Each crew member started proceedings with just a pistol.

The announcer reminded participants that it was a six gate race, with drivers having to pass each gate in order. Firearms were not permitted to be used before gate two was passed. In case anyone forgot sentry guns on the first and second gates would remind them.

Each turn was conducted over six gear phases, with only cars in the current or higher gear, able to participate in each round. Each turn the gear phase reset to one and cars raced through the gears again.

Any car wrecked, was respawned at the last gate it had past on the following turn. It only had half its original hull points however.

The movements of vehicles is governed by movement templates, with certain templates only being able to be used in certain gears. Some templates give free gear shifts or hazards. The final position of the active vehicle being modified by the rolling of a number of dice, up to the vehicles handling characteristics. The dice bear "shift", "slide", "spin" and "hazard" symbols, with a "shift" being capable of being or cancelling any other symbol or shifting the vehicles gear up or down ready for the next gear phase or the need to slow for obstacles. Players can "push it" and reroll any or all of their dice, at the expense of gaining a "hazard". Hazards are also gained for collisions, which may be mitigated by attempts to avoid being rammed.

Any vehicle acquiring six "hazard" symbols is "wiped out". Any vehicle losing all hull points is "wrecked".

Gaslands has one strict rule: If you touch a template, you are using it. If you pick an illegal template, the player clockwise of you picks a legal one for you to use. Throughout the game I never bothered to check the legality of any template picked, as the other players loudly let me know every infringement and enthusiastically picked the worst possible template for the offender to use.

The first game was a learning experience, with Chas learning he couldn't drive, but he could burn. Rob learnt bullets and obstacles hurt and everyone else learnt that Tom likes shooting.

Mark got shot up and crashed, but he stayed out of trouble for long enough to win, with Tom second. There was no third and fourth, as Chas and Rob's vehicles were burning out on the track.

Between races, those that were still alive picked up victory points and spent their "cans' on better weapons, armour and other upgrades.

Mark and Tom lined up on the grid for the second race, as Rob brought in a new crew and Chas drafted in three new cousins for another pick up. This time Mark had a minigun, Tom a combat laser, Rob an HMG and Chas a shotgun and pistols. Things were hotting up.

The same rules applied and everyone shot off the line. There was some bumping and ramming, but Tom could not resist his fancy laser and burnt a line down the side of Mark's performance car. The sentry guns reminded him of the rules as he raced on.

The lead changed back and forth, with Rob and Chas trailing a little, but Tom vied with Mark for first across the line.

Mark relied on staying out of trouble and driving carefully. Rob and Chas rearranged the scenery and Tom shot at everyone. The result was as before: First place to Mark, Second Tom, Third Chas and well, yes, elsewhere, Rob.

For the "Saturday Night Special" Rob had run out of people willing to get in his next car, but the rest spent their winnings with gusto. Now Mark had a turreted minigun, Tom had added armour to his car and Chas had some tasty looking rednecks with shotguns.

Mark raced off the line and into the lead, minigun spitting fire. Chas shot off into the barrier, with a little help from Tom, who himself became wedged in a stack of wrecks. Sorting themselves out, Chas and Tom did "donuts" in the width of the track. Combat laser and shotguns wearing both sides down. 

Mark, meanwhile, drove gently down the track, carefully choosing his racing line. Tom and Chas broke off their fight to try and stop Mark, but it was too late and he crossed the line triumphant.

A good day campaign, played in the right spirit. Many thanks to Chas, Mark, Tom and Rob for playing and putting up with me cranking the rules.

Vince