WATER, A TALE OF LIFE ON THE EDGE

FOREWARD.
here is another one of my scenarios set set in the future on a frontier world. it is an old one, written for 40K: RT and used in a TRAVELLER miniatures game, originally, that i trotted out and updated for later version of 40K to show folks locked into the GW OFFICIAL mindset how you could still USE 40K rules but PLAY with any available figures and vehicles that you already owned.

there were no points, no psyker stuff, no daemons, no chaos, no supermen, no AFVs, no dreadnoughts, robots, and no bad attitude allowed.

each "squad" could have one basic IG profiled "champion" as its leader and everyone else got basic IG profiled troops. all troops were equipped under the time honored WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) rule, except for rockets, launched and thrown hand grenades (all frag rounds) which i limited for simplicity sake. there were no other ammo limitations-no one would run low or out of ammo during the fight.

the result was a game where everyone who played had FUN, while a lot of the OFFICIAL ONLY set had slack jaws and bug eyes. . ..

i supplied all of the troops, the vehicles, buildings, the all important spring and water pumping/purifictionplant, and the arid terrain used.

i merely updated it again for use with CR v1.0 (modified slightly) and here it is.

SCENARIO BACKGROUND INFO.
OVEN is an arid, sparsely settled world of perpetual daylight, high UV risk (complements of a triple star system), and a breathable atmosphere, rich in fissionable ore and poor in potable water. a. BALCH SPRINGS, HARD ROCK, MOON 'S LANDNG, AND DIABLO are four independently settled mining colonies located fairly close together in the southern hemisphere of OVEN, at natural spring sites. the each colony maintians a barebones "spaceport" consisting of an automated landing beacon and open desert. all four colonies export fissionable ores, with BALCH SPRINGS being at the bottom of the fissionables trade.

b. inexplicably and without any warning, the natural springs that supplied HARD ROCK, DIABLO, and MOON'S LANDING all dried up. drilling and blasting failed to produce any water. the situation was desperate, so the three colonies turned to BALCH SPRINGS, with its ample supply of potable water for help. the government of BALCH SPRING decided to SELL WATER to them for a (the right!) price (fissionables ore).

c. soooo it came to pass that orehaulers would transport fissionables to BALCH SPRINGS, and water tankers would transport potable water to HARD ROCK, DIABLO, and MOON'S LANDING.

d. TIME PASSES. one fine day, the government of BALCH SPRINGS decided to insist that all off planet fissionables and trade in the region pass through the BALCH SPRINGS "spaceport".

e. this was too much! the other colonies protested. BALCH SPRINGS insisted, their way or no way.

f. now the three colonies have banded together to get control of the all important natural springs themselves and BALCH SPRINGS has determied to maintain control of its water supply.

g. all four colonies have placed their tiny standing militias on a war footing. ..

VICTORY CONDITIONS.
a. BALCH SPRINGS. maintain control of the natural spring, the water purification and pumping station!

b. THE ALLIANCE. capture the all important natural spring, the water purification and pumping station without causing an major damage to it! major damage is defined as causing any damage serious enough to interrupt the flow of water!

THE FORCES.
a mix of human 25mm/28mm light infantry types from different makers, with an assortment of re-painted plastic and metal toys vehicles purchased at toy stores, dime stores (remember them?) dollar stores and so-called discount chains like K-Mart and Wal-Mart.

BALCH SPRINGS HOME GUARD.
3 squads of 10 citizen soldiers each have been assigned to protect the all important spring and water supply plant. snazzy terracota and dark red brown dot camou pattern uniforms worn over stillsuits. everyone has helmet, personal comms, light body armor, medi-kit, pistol, combat knife and 2 ea frag hand grenades. grenadiers have 4 each launched frag grenades each as well. there is 1 long range comm unit linking the spring/water plant to BALCH SPRINGS town and spaceport.

a. each quad has 1 ea LMG, 1 ea light flamers, 1 ea assault rifle/GL combo, and 7 assault rifles.

b. the squad leaders are all REP-4, with one being designated as NCOIC. the troopers are all REP-3s.

c. there are 3 civvie vehicles assigned to the detachment.

d. there are six sand-bagged bunkers that can be placed as desired bythe NCOIC.

HARD ROCK MILITIA.
The Hard Rock militia has sent a single squad consisting of 3 fire teams of 5 militia soldiers each. all have someboy surplus gray with black and white tiger striped camou uniforms worn over stillsuits,, helmets with personal comms, light body armor, medi-kits, combat knife and 2 frag hand grenades. fire team leaders also have a pistol, and the grenadier has 4 launched frag grenades.

a. each fire team has 1 LMG, 1 assaualt rifle/GL combo weapon, 2 assault rifles and 1 SMG.

b. first fire team leader is a REP-4, others are REP-3s. all troopers are REP-3 s.

c. the HARD ROCK troops have 2 civvie AT light trucks (think HUMERS).

MOON'S LANDING SELF DEFENSE FORCE.
one squad of 8 part time squaddies wearing khaki, red, and off white blotches of camou uniforms over stillsuits. all have helmets, personal comms, medi-kits, light body armor, combat knives and 2 frag hand grenades.

a. there is 1 LMG, 1 assault rifle/'GL combo weapon, 1 reloadable rocket launcher, and 5 assault rifles in the squad.

b. squad leader is a REP-4, all troopers are REP-3s.

c. the squad has one tracked civvie ore-hauler for transport.

DIABLO DEVILS LIGHT INFANTRY.
A single squad of 7 militia troopers wearing brown with red, gray, green geometric shapes camou uniforms over stillsuits. helmets, with personal comms, light body armor, medi-kits, pistols, combat knives, and 2 frag grenades each. grenadier has 4 launched frag grenades.

a. the squad has 1 LMG, 1 assault carbine/GL combo, and 5 assault carbines (count as an SMG).

b. squad leader is REP-4, all troopers are REP-3s

c. the squad has a 6 wheeled ore-hauler for transport.

ALLIANCE COMMAND STRUCTURE.
one of the ALlIANCE NCOs is the overall commander of the force. NCOIC must designate 1 trooper to be the assigned RTO for the backpack long range commo unit

PERSONAL COMMS AND LONG RANGE COMMS.
These units allow table ONLY commo between troopers on the same side! the LR comm units are for off table commo with HQ.

INITIATIVE.
2D6 different colored dice can used to determine who has initiative instead of cards. count each roll of 1, 1, as JOKER result, and count each roll of 6, 6, as a face card result and keep track of same. highest dice score gets the initiative. in the event of ties, re-roll.

a. BLACK DICE =BALCH SPRINGS

b. RED DICE = DIABLO

c. GREEN DICE = HARD ROCK

d. WHITE DICE = MOON'S LANDING

DEPLOYMENT.
a. BALCH SPRINGS must deploy first around the spring and the water purification /pumping plant. this means inside the chain link fence perimeter ! any troops outside in plain view must be placed on the table top!

b. DIABLO, HARD ROCK, and MOON'S LANDING deploy second. these units can all come on the table at the same time and in the same place, or be deployed at different locations at the same time. any attackers i plain view must be placed on the table top at game start.

BALCH SPRINGS
The water supply plant is placed inside the chain link perimeter fence. there is one gatewa and it is closed. place the sand bagged bunkers and vehicles inside the ELECTRIFIED perimeter fence as desired. the spring and etc is placed in the center of the table and must form a circle 24" across. the gateway faes EAST. towards BALCH SPRINGS town and spaceport.

OTHER TERRAIN.
the rest of the table is covered with low, arid hills, desert and rock formation all of which are placed 30" outside of the chain link fence.

VISIBILITY.
Remember OVEN is a world of perpetual daylight, so there is no sneaking about under the cover of darkness. vehicles wil always raise a plue of dust when moving across the desert.

GAME LENGTH.
The game lasts until the spring and plant is captured, or the attackers are killed or driven off. no chance of outside intervention for either side.

CHAIN LINK FENCE.
This is electrified and lethal to humans! also remember bullets and flames will pass through the chain link fence, but throw or launched grenades or rockets that hit the fence cannot pass through it.

a. grenades throw against it wil bounce off!

b. launched grenades and rockets will exlode when impacting the fence, making a hole in it equal to the blast template.

WELL THAT IS IT! HAVE FUN!

DAWGIE

Additional Note this in answer TECHROMANCER'S question as to what happens toany human that touches the electrified chain link fence surrounding the spring and water purification and pumping plant.

touch that live electrified chain link fence and you are FRIED! ZAPPED! ICED! SMOKED! WASTED! DEAD!

a break in the fence does not interrupt the flow of the current on either side of the break, unless the break is completely isolated from the remainder of the fence

a. XXXX fence is dead at the Xs only.

b. -XXXXXXXXX the section of fence is dead at both X sections and at the dot section between them.

have fun!

DAWGIE

Scenarios