Canyons of Mars

Humans have long been terraforming Mars.  But they are not the only ones who see it as theirs.  At a remote, boring terraforming station on the edge of the canyons sentry drones sound an alarm.  A mass of strange creatures is writhing towards the station.  The small station crew slap the alarm button, activating the auto-turrets and calling for help.  The only nearby help are a few UNE Mars territorials on a training exercise.  Its a race to see who gets to the station first.

UNE wins by defending the station, aliens win by getting two units off the station-edge of the board

The horde approaches, drones determine that there are two types of hostiles, one appears well armed and in armoured suits, the other with only fierce-looking fangs and talons

 The chittering horde, driven on by a mysterious handler

The meagre UNE troops.  A Command group, two fire teams of humans, one of Myrmidon-class droids and one of Scarab-class support droids.  Humans will roll at the start of each turn to see which unit arrives at the station corner

More aliens, these look better armed and equipped.  They are also led by the mysterious aliens.  (the light is poor, I have to fix that...)

 An alien horde appears on the edge of the canyons.  Sentry guns lash out to no effect

A second group appears

SPLAT, SPLAT! Sentry guns are more effective this time

 A better view of bug-splat.  Not that the mind-controlled bugs care...

 Alien scuttlers approach

 The base sounds the alarm

 Aliens rush towards the base

 On both flanks.  Overseers head for high ground

 The Myrmidon unit is first to arrive

An auto-turret takes down one bug

 The Myrmidons take another

 The full aliens horde takes shape, drones ID multiple potential high-threat targets

 A fire-team of UNE territorials rushes to aid the station

 They advance to fire positions

 The horde swarms forward

 A sideways overview (really, I have no idea why Blogger does this sometimes)

 Back at the sharp-end Aliens charge the droids.  This should be no contest for the droids

 DOH!  Aliens wipe out most of the droids

 And the last one goes down fighting.  Message to the UNE - NO close assault with these aliens

 The second auto-turret wipes out the bugs before they can get off the board edge

 The second unit spots the UNE troops and heads for them

 UNE engage, killing three bugs

 Alien heavy weapon open up on the station, destroying an auto-turret

The remaining turret takes down an alien  (not lack of human reinforcements, its not deliberate, just horrible dice rolls)

 The UNE take out the last bug

 Huzzah! finally some help for the humans

 Aliens start a flank rush

 but get caught by the last turret

 The turret manages to miss the heavy weapon alien

 The station takes heavy fire from aliens trying to KO the last turret

 In a risky move the overseer sends a group forwards

 Another overseer opens fire on the humans, armour saves all hits

 Scarab droids enter cautiously

 Scarabs open up with accurate weapons fire on the aliens

 UNE move to cover, blasting at the overseer, three hits, save that slug-boy!

 Oh, it did.

BLAMMO!  the Aliens take out the second turret.  The base is in big trouble now, only the droids and UNE stand between the aliens and entry to the terraforming base

 Scarabs close to optimum range and take down more aliens

 Flanking Aliens get the drop on the UNE

 OMG!  What happened there, best shooting round ever.  Aliens kill four humans

 Last one runs for it

 Overseers engage the Scarabs, taking one out

That flanking move looks a lot less risky now, one unit and one overseer on the way

 Aliens fire

 And take out the final scarab

 UNE territorial running for it.  His mates never showed up.

 The Aliens are victorious, they control the whole area, with free access to the terraforming station

Who knows what diabolical plots these mysterious aliens have hatching.

A fun straight up attack game with some funky aliens in 20mm, why no, why not indeed.  Its time I played with my 20mm stuff more.

The light on the pics is a drag sometimes, the basement has no overhead lights, its from the side ,so shooting pics one way is dark, the other over-exposed.  I'm going to have to try to come up with a better solution.