A Happy St. Patrick's Day To All!

I raise a cold one to those who celebrate this day-be you Irish, of Irish decent (like Therrri), or just like another day to enjoy life. So here's to all of you on this fine day.

We Bring You this Battle Intermission with a Bang

A mobile light mortar adds needed fire power to Wurttemburg troops on the Western Front in the later years of the Great War. The gunners are wearing the new "coal shuttle" style helmet. These are 25mm metal figures from Old Glory.

Mystery of the Dragon Bones-Turn Four, Lets Get Ready to Rumble Two

Using their portable PRAM devices, Sam and the Dragon Lady have finally gained control of two of the "Dragon Bones." The monsters are directed towards the fighting at the barracks. The rampaging triceratops has moved north looking for more victims.

Due to the shell fire and the shorting of the electronic PRAM machinery, the remains of the destroyed PRAM has started to burn as the controlled monsters move past.

The Colonel General feels more confidant now the the PRAM's are under control. He orders Zola on the HMG to cover the barracks as it is obvious that heavy fighting is occurring there.

Oblivious to the danger approaching, Sgt. Smithers and Pvt. Underlong advance toward the corner of the barracks to better ascertain the situation.

The luck of the Imperial Air Troopers is still holding, no one has sighted them yet and they have seen the HMG (firing in the opposite direction), the PRAM beasts, and Igor hiding in the barn. Roon is proceeding with great caution to see if he can identify any machinery that is being used on the currently docile Dragon Bones in the corner of the paddock (a poor choice to send as his lower Intelligence lead to a failed roll, he will have try again next turn).



Though hand signals and whispered commands, Heinlick is ordered to take out Igor with a gas grenade(being less explosive it was hoped that in the dark the gas grenade would not be seen and identified as a clear attack by the distracted HMG crew-luck held again and neither the HMG nor Dragon Lady sighted the minor explosion). and follow up HTH combat.

Mystery of the Dragon Bones-Turn Four, Lets Get Ready to Rumble

True to his aggressive nature, Magnus decides to test fate and take out that pesky French Marine, Julien. His excellent marksmanship drops the marine and draws the attention of the Count who has taken control of the HMG. Magnus' luck has turned for the worse as he is taken out of action as a full bust riddles his body.



Brave, but foolish, Lieutenant Leufure takes charge of a Lewis Gun. After firing a few rounds he jams the LMG. Even worse as he trys to fix the weapon he exposes himself to the excellent marksmanship of Pvt. Underlong. One well placed shot to the head and the Lieutenant is out of action. (The poor lieutenant couldn't make a good die roll if his life depended on it -which it did. In rapid succession he failed his intellegence roll to lock the trap door, missed three shots with the LMG, jamed the LMG, and failed his luck roll to avoid the shot that put him OOA.)


Avoiding the HMG, Major Fisttriger orders his men into the barracks and has Wailingford pop throught the trap door and toss a grenade at the LMG manned by Pvt. Francois. This was the same trap door that the late Lieutenant had forgotten to latch as he ran to the Lewis Gun.



Marine Francois is stunned, but Andrean reacts quickly and drops Wailingford with a snapshot. Markson, bent on revenging his fallen friend, charges Andrean while Fisttriger relies on his Webly to handle the stunned marine. (Making every roll called for Andrean has all the luck the late lieutenant did not.)


As the major makes quick work of his wounded adversary, Andrean cuts his way through Markson. Captain Reidhammer, apparently over awed by the carnage around him, is unaware of the danger he is in as the victorious marine takes aim and.....

Mystery of the Dragon Bones-Turn Three, Beware, Here there be Monsters

Uncontrolled by any PRAM devices, three monsters run wild. Igor chooses the better part of valor and refrains from shooting. While Pvt. Zola (just out of the bottom of the picture), in fear of his life, brings his own HMG to bear and opens up on the nearest creature.

Seeing the tracers flying into one of the monsters, Pvt. Andrean, on the barracks roof, fires his 37mm cannon and destroys the stegosaurus. Zola's HMG is just visible in the lower right.

Deaxue is OOA (Out of Action) as excellent British shooting has avenged the death of Pvt. Jones. Unfortunately for the British, the other Lewis Gun is working just fine and succeeds in cutting down Tanner.

Tanner and Jones are down, Sgt. Smithers remains pinned but Pvt. Underlong keeps up a brisk covering fire for for the rest of the patrol that has rushed to the cover offered by the barracks. While Magus,a loner as always, rushes the hedge. The major sees the fire from the remaining HMG and has a decision to make-rush the weapon in true Great War fashion or take some other path...

Magnus and Julien exchange shots and succeed in wounding and pinning each other. With all the shooting, the Colonel-General and his manservant are wondering what they have walked into, luckily they have yet to be spotted. One thing though, Colonel-General, Count Alexi Romonav-Stifenback is livid that one of his priceless PRAM creations has been destroyed-someone will pay!

Uncontrolled, the two loose Dragon Bones move where they want. One has decided that Igor looks like a tasty tidbit.

Well, well, well so this is the secret, says Kapitän Richard Himmelskrieger, reanimated monsters, now what should we do. For now proceed with extreme caution and gain these secrets for the Kaiser.

Mystery of the Dragon Bones-Turn Two, Casualties are to be Expected

Marine Routan pits bravery and bayonet against a Prehistoric Reanimated Automatronic Monster (PRAM).

The combat is mercifully short. In its rampage, the horror from a world long dead, also smashes the HMG into a pile of worthless metal. (Routan passed his morale to face the monster and then failed to even hit the beast. The Triceratops literally did twice as much damage as needed to kill the brave but foolish marine and smash the HMG)

Hearing the sounds of multiple combats, the elite Air Troopers slow there advance to avoid unwanted complications.

All weapons are maned and ready on the barracks. The two Lewis guns let loose a stream of lead into the British. (Being a night engagement sighting rolls had to be made, as several British soldiers had fired earlier they were easy targets)

Pvt. Jones takes a fatal burst in his chest. Sgt Smithers is forced to take cover to avoid a similar fate. (Smithers failed his morale and ducked for cover when Jones took three hits from a Lewis Gun)

With the first burst of gunfire, per the Dragon Lady's standing orders, the Mon Cheri brings her engine on line. A smart villain
always has an escape plan.


The Dragon Lady and Sam Shovel rush to a window to see what has happened to her prized reincarnations. In a moment of confusion they fail to take control of any of the creatures with the marvelous portable PRAM controls they both possess. (They both failed their intelligence rolls and tried to take over the same beast therefore canceling each other and allowing another turn of running amok monsters.)

Mystery of the Dragon Bones-Turn One First Encounters

In the predawn hours of darkness Major Fisttriger leads his patrol into the old ruins.



Due to his lack of detailed knowledge of the area, the major proceeds with deliberate caution.








Forgoing the footbridge, the Imperial Air Troopers advance through the stream.
(losing 1/4 of their movement rate in the process)






\

While patrolling the roof Pvt. Deaxue catches a glimpse of several of the British soldiers and snaps off a shot, Pvt.'s Jones and Tanner return fire. (A run of bad luck for the British, Deaxue's move was random and right towards them, he then made a successful sighting and took a snap shot, the two British privates then failed their intelligence test and fired back giving away their positions to anyone in sight range). In the dark none of the shots hit but now the alarm has been sounded.








The volley of fire has startled three of the "Dragon Bones." The uncontrolled monsters break open the gate and charge out of the paddock intent on carnage. (This was a random event occurrence when one of the British shots was a critical miss, it let the "Dragon Bones" out of the bag so to speak-way to early in the adventure.)




Merde!