The best way for me to achieve all this play a game. So here's my photo record of the rehearsals for Episode 3 'He's making a list, he's checking it twice'
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| Santa's cast. I couldn't find all the cards I wanted so I used a Demon Dog villainous card to represent Rudolph (in my imagination). |
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| Overall I found it quite simple to pick cards to use for my 1st edition cast. There wasn't as much detail and character that I would have with a 1st edition cast but we always forgot to use a weapon or special trait so a simpler cards with all the information to hand are ideal. |
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| North Pole Rescue Rangers |
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| Dobby and Rudolph |
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| Santa and Miss Naughty and Nice |
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| The Moon Nazi cast. I couldn't find a card for Minion support weapons so I used the Army support card instead. I couldn't find a card for the flamethrower either. Are they not included in the box? |
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| Otto Von Klank is the star and I made a decision to recast the co stars as the cards didn't quite fit how I used the originals. Their names to be decided after the rehearsal when I write the players briefs. |
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| I forgot to put Santa's sleigh in the top photos |
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| The set. Santa's portal bottom left. The control centre in the middle and the hole top right the tunnel dug under the protection field. |
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| My opponent |
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| The Portal, closed for now. Probably one of many around the globe to allow Santa to get around quickly! |
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| The portal control room. The Moon Nazi's need get inside to see what secrets they can find before getting away |
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| The first thing I did was to place objectives. I hadn't spotted this is the Directors guide, but noticed it in the Producers guide |
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| Dobby was put in charge of the portal control centre. I suspect he may not be paid since he's expected to sleep where he works. I placed an objective marker here. I liked how these worked in the game |
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| The closed portal. My idea is that Santa gets everywhere on Christmas Eve through the use of portals of instantaneous travel. He probably needs to bend time as well. |
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| Camouflaged Control Cabib |
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| Re-used crash site from Episodes 1 and 2 as the tunnel the Moon Nazi tunnelling machine has made. |
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| It arrives |
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| I think it looks rather effective. I release that to stop the Moon Nazis using it like a tank I need to make it a scenery piece and weave the reason in to the players brief. |
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| The Moon Nazi scientist leads the way with the star pointing directions from the back. |
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| I used the Landrover card to represent the Moon Nazi tunnelling machine |
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| Star still leading from the back while everyone heads for the cabin except for a jack booted sadist making a run for the objective bottom right. |
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| My opponent observes his deployment and the lovely countdown card which stops the Elf from doing anything |
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| With a loud whoosh the portal opens and a sleigh flies and the elf makes run for it carrying the the precious portal key. |
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| Still in Act 1 and everyone begins to line up to shoot it out. Santa himself seizes an objective (yes I no he doesn't have a beard but we all know their false). Far right Miss Naughty and Nice Santa's co star sprints for another |
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| The Moon Nazi's get some good shots in and the North Pole Rescue Rangers need to use a gadget card. Rudolph is knocked down by a countdown card |
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| A Moon Nazi tech passes his body stat test and slides into the cabin through the window. Lesson learnt in the club game change the cabin orientation to allow both sides equal opportunity to get to the door. |
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| North Pole Rescue Rangers support weapon blasts the Moon Nazi Scientist taking her out and the technician in the cabin. A blow to the Moon Nazi's as they hadn't had a chance to conduct a mind test and discover anything useful. |
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| As Santa's forces fall back having suffered from more than usual accurate fire from Stormtroopers, the Moon Nazi's advance. The star Otto Von Klank still points the way from the rear |
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| Lucky countdown card. Co stars square off |
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| Got the rules wrong here. Knocked a stunned character down and used the wrong token. Still Miss Naughty and Nice has taken a wound and Santa comes in to help. The objective hasn't been taken yet as everyone has been too busy fighting |
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| Co Star Rudolph leads the North Pole Rescue Ranger in to the control cabin |
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| Overhead cloud obscures view |
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| Tricky card this as it takes opponents in to cover in this episode |
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| The Moon Nazi's try to get into the cabin a second time |
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| The cabin is contested. The jackbooted sadist having recovered from being stunned from before used a jet pack to get to the cabin to be stunned again |
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| Otto von Klank urges his men forward |
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| The opponent decide to throw in the towel as his Moon Nazi's were losing |
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| He may have gotten a bit of tree stuck to his nose |
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| Both casts are axed but pass their tests and I play on |
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| Both casts get even smaller |
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| By now I'd sussed axed casts and both sides kept passing their spirit test until Otto von Klank all alone decided enough was enough. I learnt a lot playing the game through both in how the rules work and in how I need to tighten the episode so that the narrative, hence game play, makes clearer sense to my players. |
Lessons learnt:
1. Objectives and gadgets need sorting before play.
2. Tighter narrative and victory conditions to give the game focus.
3. Check status's and the correct token to use.
4. Rotate Control Cabin so both sides have the same distance to travel to get in through the door
5. Need card sleeves
6. Use stickers to put names on card sleeves so they reinforce the narrative.
7. The vehicles need to scenery once they arrive on board and include the reason in the players brief.
8. Take gadgets out of the pack that don't suit the scenario
9. Support weapons I am using can't move and fire.
10. Give the Moon Nazis a choice of support weapon. The HMG may be better than the panzershreck.
