Escape the Locusts!

We decided to get a game of In Her Majesty's Name last night, and one of our regulars hadn't played before so we set up a 3-player game.  We used smaller model-count companies to keep the game moving along, roughly 117 points aside.  Lord Curr's Company was reduced to 6 members, and the newly painted Servants of Ra from Rookie Wargamer was split in two: the Cultists led by Ahkenaton and Professor Abir, and the Nubian Guard led by Ambdullah.  

We also tried out a new scenario from the book: "Death at your Heels!". A form of creeping death approaches from the edge of the board and the companies need to race off the other edge to escape.  Starting in turn 2, you roll for the advancing line of death - if any model is caught, they're out of the game.    5 VPs for each figure that reaches the exit point (steam boat), 5 VPs for taking an enemy leader out of the game, and 2 VPs for other figures killed.

From a background story, we decided that the creeping death was a swarm of locusts approaching from the center of the city, and the companies needed to exit off the edge of the long pier in the harbor (i didn't have a steam boat model...looks like I know my next purchase!). 

 Deployment: we set up the buildings to create 3 alleys, with each company deploying in an alley.

Turn 1, Lord Curr's company began slowly creeping towards the main road, when suddenly a mummy materialized out of nowhere!

 Mohan Singh, now a veteran of mummy encounters, passed his Pluck test and stood firm.

Meanwhile, the cultists and Nubians moved towards the pier.

Ahkenaton was feeling a bit rambunctious and hastily took the lead, leaving his cult followers to plug up the center.

Back in the alley, Lord Curr ordered Sgt. Borrage (not pictured) to take two of the Incorrigibles make the dash for the pier, while Curr helped Mohan with the mummy.

After some prolonged fisticuffs, the mummy beat the Blue Coat Incorrigible to death, but Lord Curr and Mohan eventually overcame the mummy by sheer weight of numbers.

Jeff and Blue Vest head towards the pier.

Meanwhile, a scramble was happening between the Nubians and the Cultists.  Four of the Cultists made a break for it, hopping onto the pier and dashing down towards the exit point.
Mohan has them in his sights...

...but the recent scrap with the mummy wore him down and his aim was off. The cultists made an amazing number of successful pluck rolls in this game!

The corner of this building, low walls, and corner of the docks was the center of the action. It featured a firefight between some nubians and the Blue Vest Incorrigible, with the close range shotgun of the nubian taking out the Incorrigible.

 ...and a swirling melee between the remaining cultists, Abir, Ahkenaton, and the nubians going back and forth within the walls of the harbor.

However, they all were so distracted by the fight that they failed to notice the swarm of locusts fast approaching... (the little black puff balls representing the advancing line of buzzing locusts)

Lord Curr, hearing the incessant buzzing, quickly ran through the industrial corridor, zapping a nubian with his Arc Rifle.

 At this point, the game was tense.  Lord Curr's company was ahead with 9 points (Sgt Red Coat Borrage had escaped around turn 3 and they had taken out the mummy and a nubian), the Nubians were in second with 4 points (two dead Incorrigibles), but the Servants of Ra were threatening to jump ahead with 20 VPs if they could get the 4 cultists off to the exit point.  So close!

Jeff cuts off the escaping cultists

Jeff noticed the mob of cultists about to escape (and score major victory points), so he ran forward and hopped up on the pier slowing them down.

The melee continued, but the locusts are getting really close and agitated. They've managed to knock over two street lamps!

Just as the hand-to-hand combat was about to reach its climax, the locust swarm overwhelmed the entire group, killing them all!

Mohan and Ambdullah attempt to run away from the locusts as fast as possible

Need better bug spray next time

 Jeff the Incorrigible took on two of the cultists, slowing them down, and broke one of his opponent's jaw with the end of his rifle stock.  Lord Curr zapped another one with his arc rifle, knocking him into the murky depths of the harbor.

Captain Ambdullah managed to take out the last cultist remaining, preventing them from scoring any points.

We called the game there - Lord Curr's company ended with a resounding victory, but it was anyone's game until the very end!

Great scenario, and super fun.