Carnevale - Reinforcements

With the mysterious medallion in the hands of the Guild, the Rashaar launch a viscious counter attack to retrieve it.

This is the fourth scenario from the introductory campaign in the Carnevale starter set and is the first one to have asymmetric objectives.

My Rashaar: 2 Ugdru and 2 Slaves reinforced by a hulking Raadru, needed to complete agendas to score victory points. However, Matt's Guild: 3 Citizens and a Gondolier (with a Gondola) aided by 2 Fishermen, would score points for each of them that survived.

Therefore, with 6 Guild members in play, the Rashaar would have to kill several whilst also completing agendas.

With only 5 turns to play, there would be no hanging around for the Rashaar, with the added complication of the Guild always having initiative due to the command points of the Fishermen.

Turn One

With survival as their goal, the Guild realised that being as far away from the Rashaar infested canals as possible would their priority and began clambering up onto a nearby building for safety.

Seeing their prey climbing out of reach, the Rashaar surged forwards, but the Raadru exposed itself to a viscious counter attack from the spear-wielding Fisherman.

Meanwhile, one of the Lesser Ugdru ordered the Slaves to imitate the Guild and they all clambered up onto rooftops as well. They were planning something.

Guild 6 - Rashaar 0

Turn Two

The Raadru was exposed to another flurry of attacks from both Fishermen (a harpoon shot flew from the roof), leaving it severely wounded, before it was able to grapple one of them into the canal, where an Ugdru began trying to drown him.

Seeing the monstrous Raadru in pain, one of the Slaves performed a flawlessly controlled dive into its jaws, restoring its vitality with her sacrifice.

Seemingly linked to this ritual death, the other Slave also leapt from a rooftop simultaneously with the other Ugdru, which landed on top of the floundering Fishermen in the water.

Agenda Complete - Get To Ground

Guild 6 - Rashaar 1

Turn Three

The struggling Fishermen, isolated from his companions, fought valiantly and managed somehow to slay one of the Ugdru, which had already been skewered by a harpoon.

However, he finally succumbed and was dragged beneath the surface to a watery grave.

Agenda Complete - Watery Grave

With one of the Guild dead, the Rashaar redoubled theory attack. The remaining Ugdru clambered up the wall, hurled one of the Citizens into the water and then leapt in after the poor souk, attempting to drown him too.

Guild 5 - Rashaar 2

Turn Four

Whilst failing in an attempt drive off the Ugdru, the desperate Citizen didnt see the clossal shape moving towards him through the water, and he too was dragged to his death.

Unable to strike back at the water monsters, the Guild Citizens cowered on the rooftop awaiting the inevitable.

Once again the nimble Ugdru hauled itself out of the water, grabbing and hurling a screaming woman into the canal.

Guild 4 - Rashaar 2

Turn Five

Unable to help the stricken woman, the Gondolier struck fiercely at the Ugdru, injuring it.

In return the beast grabbed him and hurled him off the edge, leaping after the man and attempting to drown him.

Agenda Complete - Let The Tide Take Them

The Gondolier fought back bravely and didn't succumb. A harpoon flew straight and true at the Ugdru, slaying the beast and giving the chance for the Gondolier to get out of the water before anything else came along.

The woman in the clutches was not so lucky and her screams were stifled as she disappeared from view.

As the dust settled and the forces disengaged, all that remained in the square was a solitary Slave, leaping off barrels and and cavorting around as if he were trying to perform some sort of Acrobatic Display.

The reasons and motivations for his bizarre behaviour could only be guessed at...

Guild 3 - Rashaar 3

The game ended in a draw, although it really was bizarre as the life and death struggle in the water finally became overshadowed by a Slave's attempt to perform three 4" jumps in a row, failing the third one with the last roll of the game. The agendas are odd sometimes.

The Rashaar are lethal in the water, as they probably should be, and although climbing up on a roof kept most of the Guild out of danger, it did prevent them from using their ability to support each other and gang up on their enemies.

I was quite fortunate in getting g two drowning related agendas, and without this I would really have struggled to get on terms with him.

I like Carnevale. I'm looking forward to thr next scenario which introduces leaders and magic.