Silver Bayonet: Solo Campaign 3 - Troll Hunt

 Here’s a summary of my third game of The Silver Bayonet solo campaign involving my unit of Polish “deserters” in Haiti. 

Captain Milna’s men along with their Haitian allies previously raided a ruined Spanish chapel to recover artifacts that will be useful in the fight against the supernatural.  After a hard couple of fights, they are camped in a clearing in the jungle on the way back to their mountain refuge.

Most of the unit is asleep with only two sentries awake, Sulavi the Mambo and Private Dobusz, when trouble erupts.

Suddenly several lizardmen charge from the jungle.  Note: the scenario calls for goblins and a troll to attack the unit.  Although I used the game stats for these opponents, the names didn’t quite sound right for the Caribbean setting so I used old GW skink lizardmen figures for the goblins, calling them Simbis, named after the guardian spirits of water and marshes.   Instead of a troll, I used a vaguely Cthulhu figure, naming it Bosou after a particularly strong and aggressive loa spirit.

Dobusz fired at one of the Simbi but missed while Sulavi charged it and struck it down. She found a bag of iron nails. (In game terms, she investigated a clue marker finding the iron nails, giving the unit’s shooting attacks to count as using Cold Iron.)

However, three more of the Simbi charged into the sleeping camp.

 

Soroka awoke at the last minute and barely fended off an attacking Simbi.

Bien Amee awoke and charged toward Simbi attacking Soroka, his blades slicing into the lizardman, killing it.

More of the lizardmen emerged from the woods.

Dobusz hastily reloaded his musket and fired, dropping another Simbi.

One of the lizardmen approached Milna who was struggling to awake from a deep slumber.

Milna held off the attacker and struck it with his sword.

Despite the surprise, the unit was holding its own.  They turned to face the three Simbi approaching from the south side of the clearing.

Milna sortied out to investigate a promising object at the edge of the woods, hoping to draw one of the Simbi into attacking him.

The ploy worked.  Milna parried the creature’s attack and struck it down with his blessed sword.

The two remaining Simbi hugged the woods seeking cover from the Poles’ musket fire.

 

Milna made it to the object and found a bundle of kindling wood that would be useful in adding fire to the unit’s melee attack.

Bien Amee ran to an old totem at the edge of the woods, it would prove to be ideal firewood, good for torches.

Suddenly, a horrific giant emerged from the woods behind Sulavi.  It sank its talons into her as its tentacled mouth grasped at her throat.

 

Grievously wounded, she managed to pull away from the horror.  The courageous mambo managed to steel her nerves against the thing of nightmares.  (In game terms, Sulavi took 8 points of damage and the creature had the Soul Shear ability that causes the victim to make  aTerror Check with a penalty equal to the damage inflicted. Sulavi has a +3 Courage and rolled incredible well on this check, suffering no ill effects from the horrific attack.)

Soroka and Dobusz rushed to her aid, interposing themselves between Sulavi and the Bosou.

Meanwhile, the remaining Simbi attacked the sluggish Poles Szymanski and Kowalczyk who were still trying to rouse themselves.

The Simbi exuded an aura that interfered with technology, rendering the two Poles’ muskets inoperable. The pair had to defend themselves with their bayonets.  Ultimately, the Poles were able to prevail against the two creatures.

At the same time, the Bosou struck down Private Dobusz and then turned on Sergeant Soroka. Despite being a veteran monster hunter, when Soroka saw the creature’s claws entering his flesh, his mind reeled and he fell to the ground unconscious. (Mechanically, Soroka suffered 6 points of damage and failed his Terror Check with a “Collapse” result).

Another Simbi joined the fray, adding to the unit’s crisis.

Making up for his earlier sloth, Szymanski put a cold iron bullet through the creature’s head.  (I rolled a critical success on Szymanski’s shot.)

The remaining members of the party rallied around the fire to face the Bosou.

Bien Amee rushed forward and struck a fearsome blow against the creature with his flaming torch.

The creature struck back at the Bien Amee but the scout held it bay with its torches.  Milna now charged and struck at the creature with another flaming brand.  The horror burst into flames.

 

As quiet descended on the clearing, the party  took stock, Sulavi saw the glint of a gold ring, some ancient artifact. (Sulavi investigated the last clue marker.)

 

At the end of the game, the party had earned 6 experience points, for investigating 3 or more clue markers, killing 3 or more Simbi (goblins), killing the Bosou (troll) and have at least four soldiers on the board at the end of the game.  I rolled for the fate of Soroka and Dobusz.  Dobusz roll a 2 on the Injury and Death table, receiving a permanent wound.  He received a result of “the Shakes” meaning he will be at a permanent -1 to his Shoot.  Soroka rolled on the Insanity Table, also receiving a 2 “Episodes of Madness” meaning that in each scenario, there is a possibility that he will activate as a monster for one turn.