Hill 107: Venitian Rumble

Mercoledi 15th Gennaio

In true tv studio style we didn't want to waste the wonderful scenery on display so this weeks game found us back in Venice.This time 1920's Venice with an encounter between up and coming Fascisti and one of Colin Jack's fav characters Corto Maltese.

Venice 1940's or 1920's-Never changes.

And they are still chanting!

A non-used female crewed gunboat.

Corto Maltese is an early 20th century adventurer brought to life in the Hugo Pratt graphic novels and in this 7TV episode finds himself with some followers vying with the local "Blackshirts" for the possession of a golden buddha which was meant to bring great wisdom or something like that.Actually the search for the golden buddha was largely forgotten about as the game developed into one big brawl which encompassed most of the game.

Corto arrives.

Showing off his bellissimo compagno.

The black mass.

At the start of the evening Colin and I had a dummy run through game in order to reacquaint ourselves with the rules and gameplay as sadly we haven't played the game for a while and it showed.We didn't take long to get back into the swing of things and by the time pizza break had arrived we were nearly back up to speed.We were joined by Andrew in the Garvald Inn and after the consumption of some not very alcoholic beer and our customary pizza we headed back to the gamesroom and Andrew's initiation into 7TV.Andrew had wanted a gameuse of theses rules to get him up to speed for the Crooked Dice Post Apocalyptic game he bought which has the same basic gameplay.Obviously a game for the future.

Making themselves a bigger target.

Checking the buildings.

A dead shark in the canals of Venice-something you don't see every day.

Colin took charge of Corto Maltese's gang whilst Andrew took charge of the local Blackshirts.I basically became gamesmaster in order to keep game going but also took charge of the local masons/cult who were looking after the buddha and would only come into play once the buddha was threatened which in this case was never.

Corto having p'd of the Blackshirts finds himself surrounded.

And eventually goes down.

His "burd" tries to avenge.

The game kicked off with Colin dispersing his gang to search the waterside buildings whereas Andrew's forces used their usual bully boy tactics and spread out in a bunch.He found out that was not the best tactic for as soon as his gang crossed the first bridge he was shot at by Corto himself and immediately two of his minions(or extras as they are called in this game)bit the Venice dust.
This immediately raised the ire of the remainder of the Fascisti and they headed en masse into the building occupied by Corto with a definite vendetta on their minds.I'm afraid this is where the majority of the rest of the action took place with one almighty fisticuff taking place with Corto initially surrounded by the vengeful Blackshirts intent on revenge and although Corto had a martial art trait he gradually got withered down by the remainder of the Blackshirts.Colin had the rest of Corto's followers rushing to his assistance but alas he had eventually succumbed to the physical onslaught.

Corto's gang pile in.

But dwindle.

The remainder of the gang arrived hoping to save the day but found themselves eventually outfought.Corto's female sidekick gave a showing especially with the use of her stunning perfume but Andrew's Countdown card's which are random cards drawn before activations helped him a lot especially when his leader couldn't be attacked for a turn and the reintroduction of one of his lost figures swayed the fight his way.All but one of Colin's figures succumbed to the attacks of the Fascisti leaving one guy who was still searching buildings blissfully unaware what was happening to his partners in crime.E La Vita!

"Is anybody there?"

A hollow Blackshirt victory-No buddha,

As always a good game apart from the idea of an objective being thrown out of the window but rules and gameplay were reacquainted with and I hope to use the for a Daphne Du Maurier Rule Britannia game which takes place in a Britain which has left the Common Market and become a vassal state of the United States-sound familiar.This book was written in 1972 but very prophetic.