Game #7 : The Alien
If I hear people starting to talk about animals (and worse!) running around, I start moving toward the Laboratory to get some cages (also I'll try to put my hand of any animal I might find whilst doing that.
"Maybe Johnny actually survived being thrown out in space by the commander and he found a way back in! I'll find him and put him back inside his cage <3"
First of all, cap. I'm an officer, I have some dignity in this God-forgotten ship.
Second point, trust me, I'm an expert on all things Xenomorph. I guarantee that the only time they got me was on Odobenus Station, and no one could have predicted that.
So I guess that for now the Alien is small and weak. If we follow procedure, we should get weapons and stick together, identify the possible Alien locations from the bridge, a Scientist should ask Mother for data and then we rush the critter. Less chances for anyone to get facehugged or else. So I move to the Bridge (should be three moves).
I mean, this works on standard Xenomorph rules, right? It's not like they'll change stuff randomly. I mean, I clearly remember the Fontemas and Unipeds in Alien.
I knew this was a bad idea.
I could have stayed on Earth, treating the minor aches of little old ladies and kids until it's time for retirement, but noooo, I had to be a space doctor!
To begin with, it was a lot more boring than the posters led me to believe. There's no high adventure, here; I'm just doing the same thing as back home, except everything has a "space" prefix now. "Here's some Space Aspirin for your Space Cold." "Let me get the Space Plasters for that Space Cut on your hand." There's nothing exotic about that...
And now we apparently have a situation with the specimens getting loose. The details are sketchy, but what I do know is that I'll be doing more work for the same pathetic pay.
This is Space Bullshit.
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I advise Strange Fellow to grab the cat, so we can put it in a cage somewhere and not have to worry about it.
I move to the Computer Room, going through Passageway 1. I guess we'll see what's there, then...
We're going to have to try to isolate and capture this thing as quickly as possible.
Years of experience in space (ooc: tinkering with the game) I discovered that only a scientist can operate a cage, and also that you can't move if you're holding an animal you captured. It's probably a good idea to try clear up all the blips quickly, I reckon the computer can probably wait a bit. If we're going to herd these cats and unicycles first then we need scientists to get cages and then to go to folks that have chased down and caught beasties before we can contain them.
In meantime Chief Porker, will be in the Maintenance Room quietly constructing some electronic Animal Prods. I'll make two and then take them to the Bridge.
"I advise Strange Fellow to grab the cat" - Wow, how about taking a fella out for drinks first?!
As for me, I'll be grabbing the 2 gas canisters which according to my calculations should cost 2 action points (in case you couldn't tell, I majored in mathematics at my for-profit university back home). I then move to the Starboard Reactor Control. Not sure what's happening there, but I suspect there might be a lot of shiny buttons. I like buttons.
Oh, and whatever is in the Passageway, I grab it and proceed on to the bridge!
Thanks all. Missing @strange-fellow and @captaingrimlock
Oh, and whatever is in the Passageway, I grab it and proceed on to the bridge!
=> Actually, you can grab items during the movement phase, but animal/alien you can only grab them (or try to) during the Special Action Phase.
Everyone can operate cages, but only scientists can transfer from mobile cages to the fixed cages in the lab, which are gameover for the Alien (I think).
Quote from The Wargaming Scribe on 7 June 2022, 13h56=> Actually, you can grab items during the movement phase, but animal/alien you can only grab them (or try to) during the Special Action Phase.
That's right, I forgot!
Then, if I understood correctly, what I want to do is to take no special action, then move to the Passageway, then pick up whatever is there.
Can you move to the special action phase if you have movement points left? Otherwise I'd have to burn them by going trhough the ventilation shaft...
You don't need to burn your movement points. You can do 5 "things" in a turn (special action, 3 movements, special action) or 0, or anything in between if you want.
I will not use my special actions. Instead, I’ll move to the armoury, pick up a laser pistol, and move back to the bridge.
I will carry out the following orders:
- Pick up the cat.
- Pet the cat.
- Assure the cat that he is a very good boy, yes he is, good boy.
- Pet the cat some more.
- Put the cat in a cage.
- Assure the cat that it is for his own protection, I'm very sorry, I will come back and release him once this is all over and he will receive all my snuggles and kisses.
Next turn I'll pick up a cage and start moving to locate the remaining kitties and other strange beings.
You need a second person to transfer an animal to a cage. Those are not well designed cat.
I ll just assume you try to grab the cat :).
Ow, ow! Hey! Mr Kibbles, will you calm down?
Oy, could I get some help in here??
Turn 2
Well, well, well. Fellow fails to grab the cat, and the little furry friend scurry away.
On the other hand, as Engineer Helly goes through the Port Passageway, he stops for a cat (in theory, you should not know what you pass by during your movement, but I am bending some rules with the help of savestates) and manages to pick it up. The cat is not too happy : he can't move as long as he is holding the cat - someone needs to bring a cage - that's a general rule for holding animals/the alien.
Porker starts building an electric prod - it is now 50% done. Gubbison enters the engine room with two gas canisters like some kind of saboteur.
Captain Grimlock enters the armoury, takes a laser gun for himself, and gets out.
Final note - and most important one - as Argyraspide enters the computer room, he has a surprise :
Uh oh ! Someone protected the data. That's ... unexpected.
You remember the rumors... In all its alien research expeditions, the Wayland-Yutani corporation always introduce one Android - never more than one - to make sure the specimens are brought back alive.
It is clear now. one of you is an Android !
You don't know who but he/she does (or rather will soon, the game does not pick who the Android is until a specific event triggers, and that even has not triggered yet). Normally, when playing in solitaire, the Android is just a character which sometimes disobeys orders. But here, it will be different. The Android has a different agenda : the Android will want to bring the Alien home, no matter what. The Android also have access to more information than you do.
It will be tricky to breach through the computer protection - but it can totally be done (again, scientists are better at this, only scientists and officers can try). In any case, it will not be very useful as long as you don't see the alien at least once.
Here is the situation :
While on its way towards the laboratory, ensign Helly sees something on the corner of his eyes... Something seems to be stalking him!...
He hides away, waiting for the predator to make a move, then, as it passes him by, he jumps it! Yes! It's that damn huge cat, the one that was always tormenting poor ol' Johnny!
"Time for you to have a nappy old time in a cage, you filthy fleabag!"
However, the feline, now exasperated by this puny human, activated his claws of death & suffering and started to work on the demise of its catnapper.
"Guys... guys! Help! Helllllppppp! My armmmmsssss!"
Hey, looks like Helly found my cat, Fenton!
Careful he hates being handled, and he hasn't eaten in weeks. While you two are having a good wrestle, someone will need to bring you a cage.
In meantime, I'll finish off this Electric Prod. We'll only be able to use passive weapons to capture these things. Sleep Dart pistols and Prods.
I move two spaces to get to the Bridge and drop off my canisters. Since we haven't found the Alien yet, I figure it's best to leave these in a central location and pick them up again if the need arises. (something tells me the need will arise).
Since I'm an engineer, there's no point in me trying to use the Lab, or Computer Room, or Armory, so it's back to the sweatshop for me. I use my final action point to move back to the central passageway, and next turn I'll join Porker in the Maintenance Room to try and produce a flamethrower.
My science senses are tingling. Somewhere, someone's in need of a cage!
I pick one up, and start moving towards Helly via the vent and Port Passageway 1.
An android, huh? Well, that surely makes things more interesting.
Quote from Porkbelly on 7 June 2022, 7h13I reckon the computer can probably wait a bit.
That sounds like something an android would say...
That reminds me: why don't I have a gun? What, I can't be trusted, but I have to trust others? Where are the guns? I need a gun!
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At any rate, I will use my first action phase to try and access the computer.
If it works on the first try, I move to the closest blip and try and catch whatever it is. If not, I don't move and try again.