Snow Station Moose

 Date 29th November 197odd.

Place Northern Canada.

                     Another winter day in northern Canada found us on some deserted airfield with a hidden forgotten secret.This uncovered “secret”was to provide tonight’s entertainment with a Svalbardian incursion involving sleeper cells,paratroopers,evil KGB manipulators and intervening Canadians(how dare they).

The deserted airfield.

      I’d been working on this game for a wee while getting figs and scenery ready but it did turn out to be a wee bit of a damp squib.I always find that anticipation always far exceeds the event but one wasn’t giving up.I used the 7TV original game rules with the original random event cards as I find they provide for a better game than the new ones. I also added a few rule adjustments to move the plot. The plan was for the sleeper cell to do away with the security guards making way for a para drop leading to the arrival of the KGB mastermind and eventually the arrival of the transport plane that was going to whisk away the “maguffin”.

Target rich environment.

The Sleepers.

Spreading out in a bunch.

Here come the paras.

     The game kicked off with the arrival of the sleeper team who proceeded to do away with the security guards within two turns.I suppose I was to blame as I had set them up having a chinwag in the middle of the snow strewn runway.The only guard who got a shot in was the female squad commander but even then it only managed to dislodge a few flakes of snow.The quick disposal of the guards made way for the safe arrival of the Svalbardian paras who proceeded to drop all over the airfield with the squad commander and one of his lackeys landing in the “dense”forest.This arrival drew the attention of two passing ski troops who came to investigate the aircraft noise.One of the skiers was immediately dispatched whilst the other sped towards the nearest cover.

On her tod.

Taking up position.

Here come Hoddit and Doddit.

              The disposal and cowering of the ski troops meant that the evil KGB mastermind Vladi Vostock and his seductive assistant Nikita Cruiseshipski could arrive safely in their helicopter hoping for no setbacks to their appropriation of the super duper forgotten secret gadget.This was to prove fruitess as the gunfire drew the attention of Canada’s most sooper dooper agent Monte the Mountie ,his trusty sidekick ,Pandora Box,and a whole load of gun toting soldiers this time sans skis.

Regrouping.

And regrouping behind Doddit.

Landing in six feet of snow.

         The Svalbardian paras put a ring of steel around the newly found Maguffin and were ready to defend it till the arrival of the transport plane in the third act.The Canadians edged forward into the hail of bullets that were coming from the ensconced defenders.The Canadians dived for whatever cover they could find taking some casualties along the way.

Vladi and Nikita arrive.

Finding the lost secret.

       The main contingent of the Canucks headed for the main building and proceeded to do battle with the Svalbardians whilst the remainder (all two of them)traded shots with the sleepers cowering behind oil drums on the other side of the runway.The Canuck star Monte the Mountie made his costar Pandora Box,make her way around the rear of the nearest hanger whist he slowly edged his way around the front door drawing fire from the paras on top of the main building.A bit of luck came my way with the drawing of an event card that caused a three inch blast amongst some of El Presidente’s bunched up paras.Two down but still a s***load to go.

Ring of steel.

“Is this it(in Svalbardian)?

     Mr KGB Vladi,meanwhile had made his way to the now appropriated vehicle and was wondering how to hot wire it when he heard the sound of approaching aeroplane engines.Time to get a move on .He delegated his Babooshka to hinder the Canuck movements and she headed venomously towards the rear of the main building and immediately took out an unsuspecting Canuck.This gave Pandora the opportunity to fire back unhindered but she wasted both opportunities.

Waiting for his mates.

The Canucks congregate.

       The unmarked aeroplane made its landing run in hoping to land,turn,load the cargo and be offski.It was then I had realised I hadn’t given the Canucks anything to bring the plane down with but I wasn’t going to tell El Presidente.I even thought of commandeering the helicopter and hover in front of the plane but realistically that wasn’t going to happen.

Pandora boxing herself in.

Two interlopers spontaneously combusting.

     Pandora’s shooting eventually proved successful as she took out the babooshka,sexy black number and all,but I still hadn’t a plan to stop the plane in the game’s time schedule but I’m sure in the TV series world something would and it did(sort off).I drew an event card ending the game after the next turn-boo yah!

Getting roond the back.

The plane arrives.

Times running out for Pandora.

        The game ended in yet another cliffhanger with the sight of the vehicle being driven into the cargo plane and the sound of gunfire resonating around the airfield.What a stroke of luck.A scoring draw was snatched from the jaws of a Svalbardian victory.One doesn’t complain.

Vladi hot wiring the car.

Nikita goes down.

       The game was enjoyable with a few more ideas and thoughts for future games.My thanks to El Presidente for supplying the mat and various pieces of scenery.The remainder came from a few years of picking  things up and scrounging.

Into the plane.

“And off we go!”-or does it?

       See You All When I See You!

          This has been a Garvald Film Studios