AP: The Getaway

Robert Fulton

Greetings Rocketeers!

In our last episode the heroes loaded the ancient Stargate into the hold of the rocket ship Achilles. Fulton leapt into the pilot's seat blasting toward the whiteness of Z-space to avoid capture by a squadron of Nazi war rockets heading their way.

Xander

Leaving behind the wrecked Nazi APC, lots of dead Nazis, and a swamp full of reanimated corpses, the Achilles made for open space. K'hyven, engineer and gadgeteer extraordinaire, manned the atomic engine controls coaxing every last bit of thrust from the large ship. Dash Ransom, hero of Z-Space, the psychic Xander, Saturnian bird girl Peeps, and the beautiful, tomboy Daisy May manned the guns of the Achilles.

K'hyven

To play out this encounter I created a map in Maptool with the deck plan of the Achilles at the bottom and a line of ships at the top (see map below). Given the number of characters and ships, I decided to use the Chase rules located on page 115 of the Savage Worlds: Explorer's Edition. Per the rules, the range increment was 50 inches. I determined the initial range was 100 inches apart (2 range increments). This is well within the range of most of the weapons on both sides but allowed enough space for the Achilles to make good on its escape attempt if Fulton rolled well enough.

Screen Shot of Maptool Session showing Chase Line with deck plans for character movement

Sgt. Parkay

Per the Savage Worlds chase rules, each pilot makes a roll at the beginning of the round. If he succeeds he is able to move his ship by one range increment (50 inches) to either close with his opponents or open the gap a bit. A raise on the roll indicates the pilot can change the distance by two range increments.

Dash Ransom

In this chase, the Nazis were trying to close the gap while our heroes were attempting to escape with their prize. Fulton's a better pilot than the Nazis so the characters had the advantage. Also, the Achilles is a big, well armed ship. The Nazis used it to carry their prized artifacts and in raids against libraries and archaeological dig sites.

Anthem

The gunners of the Achilles also had better shooting scores than the Nazis so more of the ray gun batteries hit than the Nazi rockets and nose-mounted ray guns. Dash, Anthem, and Parkay struck blow after blow to Nazi Fighters and Warships shaking several of them and throwing them back further in the case.

In the end, the Achilles was able to escape from the pursuing Nazis, rocketing into the light-filled expanse known as Z-Space. The heroes gathered on the bridge celebrating their daring escape from the Nazi swamp base.

The ship's radiophone screen flickered to life. The beautiful image of Queen Galaxia glared down at the heroes. "You think yourselves clever stealing property that is rightfully mine. The incompetent Nazis may have let you escape but I know but you pathetic heroics have done nothing! Either deliver the Stargate to me on Gygoth or I will drop an atomic bomb on Hempstead."

Daisy May gasped, "My family."

Dale Oft stepped forward "You fiend!"

Fulton narrowed his eyes at the malevolent femme fatal. "We'll do as you say, Galaxia. Do not harm those innocent people."

Galaxia laughed. "Meet my ship in orbit around Gygoth without delay. Any tricks will be met with destruction of Hempstead and every living thing within 100 miles. Relish your last hours of freedom and prepare to kneel before your queen."

The radiophone went dark as the heroes looked about for ideas.

Will our heroes give themselves up to Galaxia?

What unspeakable horrors await them in Galaxia's throne room?

Tune in in two weeks for the answers in the next exciting episode of Adventures in Z-Space!