Salute 2011: Bob Murch China Station

 Vagabond posted some pictures of 'China Station' the (somewhat) famous table of Bob Murch (sculptor and proprietor of Pulp Figures ). He is/was hoping to do something in the same feel....colonial, edge of empire, heart of adventure aesthetic (If I'm groking his post correctly). I casual mentioned in the comments that I had played a game on the table before and he asked me if I knew where any more pictures were......

 

 

 Trumpeter Salute (Vancouver BC April) often sees Bob Murch visit/come out (he lives a couple hours away). I'm not sure how often he hosts games but he certainly has his stall with an awesome display of figs to tempt your spending cash. In 2011 I was lucky enough to sign up in time to play. He game each of the players a hat corresponding to the command. Damn there were a lot of them. Also the secret objectives of every player sometimes overlapped and sometimes completely opposed other players. 

 

What I recall is I was a British commander of a small column of colonial troops (sikhs) and an armored car. We needed to escort some civilians (science types and ladies) safely to the ships. There were some Germans in our way, I forget their exact mission (maybe find some science maguffin in a crate), but VERY USUALLY we joined forces to march on the town. The Chinese Warlord wanted to extract as much money and goods from anyone coming into town (the combined force was able to stare him down well). The science types (suspected of having the maguffin) wanted to sneak a crate containing a poorly sedated giant gorilla to the ships. The zepplin troopers, a radical german outfit, needed to hit the other germans for something but didn't feel confident to do it with the combined brit/german column. The Tong were somehow duplicitous to the Chinese warlord (maybe wanting to steal equipment in town). And there was some sort of two fisted larger than life Hero character also trying to achieve something (possible related to the scientists, the gorilla, or something else in town). 

Hilariously the British-German truce finally broke down in the alleys of town very close to the ships as the British opened fire with their machine gun armoured car on the Germans (it only seemed prudent). It's possible I wasn't a total jerk in that the Germans may have triggered something (The gorilla, now in a frenzy, escaping from his box)....but I can't quite remember. There was hilarity all around. I think the Zepplin trooper was the only person who had quite limited game options (I really was hoping to see the flying zepplin trooper models hit the table). 

 Here is the eye candy pictorial essay to follow.  

Left to Right: Chinese Warlord, Scientist/Civilians, British, Zepplin Truppen, German (I think he took off his hat as he didn't want to be seen with questionable patches), The Hero, Tong, and Mr Murch.

 

 

 

 

British Sikh colonials and armoured car.

 

 

 

 

 

    

 The column with the Scientists Crate. I think I had a crate in my pocket which was hidden in the last trick. I expect there was shenanigans where everyone wanted the crate and I had a decoy. I think the Decoy actually had the Gorilla in it. 

The route hair pinned around a large mountain and through the jungle. 

Across the rice fields you can see the Warlord stacking his force at the entrance to ask politely for a toll.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 While waiting to talk to the Warlord the Germans trot up. It's a bit nervous but the player declares everything is great happiness, we just happen to be going the same way as you. We Europeans should stick together against the perfidious locals. 

Seems dodgy, but better than a two front war.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The warlord is sweating bullets. The Europeans have loudly declared their intent to pass through town without paying any filthy bribes. We won't start shooting, but we will damn well finish it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Meanwhile a junk is sailing towards town. This was two threads I had no idea what was going on. I think the Tong and the Hero. Something about smuggling (everyone is looking for boxes!).

 

 

 

 

 

 Just a routine health and safety inspection, see!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I can't quite tell which picture is the mini, and which is the player.

 

 

 

 

 

 The town is filling with armed figures. I think these might have been the warlord troops, shadowing us on the flank. Looking for opportunities no doubt, those perfidious locals!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Now positioned as a machine gun bunker, with and an alley full of British and Germans....something kicks off the fight. Maybe I insisted that the box be loaded first before the Germans came any closer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The gorilla goes bananas and breaks out of his box (there might have been a die rolling cumulative number mechanic going on).

No idea what the agenda of the Hero was. For some reason he ended up fist fighting the nazi wolfhound on a roof. It's possible he needed to help me escape with the science widget and had no idea who had it.

Frenzied Gorilla and Scientists. 

Colonials, two-fisted hero, and remnants of the Germans on the last ship out.