The 13 scenarios may be played separately, in any order, or sequentially as the campaign game (look for a future article on the Campaign Game). If played separately, Scenario 12 must be played as a lead-in to Scenario 13, as it determines part of Scenario 13’s force mix.
Scenario 1: A Walk in the Park
Herc: Just a quiet stroll through the park. What could go wrong?
E-Z: Look, just stay frosty. Fitz, you got our backs?
Fitz: Two lines they should never cross…. horizontal and vertical.
Setting: Outskirts of Crawford
ARC Operators E-Z (ARC-1, the team leader), Fitz, Herc, Jolly, Sandy, and Tig, approach Crawford through a mostly open park, crossing a rail line with some train cars, basketball and pickleball courts, and other park elements, including an underground personal accessway below the railroad tracks. Crawford is in the near distance. Their objective is to exit the map from the opposite side. However, the clock is ticking as additional REZ characters are on the way. So, there’s no time to delay.
Fitz is outfitted with a Ghillie suit for his role providing overwatch for the ARC force. All other ARC Operators are fitted with Ranger Body Armor (RBA).
REZ Characters: Brute (2), Soldier (2), and Scout (2).
This is ARC’s first encounter with the REZ. They are armed with projectile weapons that fire metal bolts. ARC calls them Bolters. There appear to be three distinct character sizes: a more diminutive, faster character (ARC names it a Scout), a mid-sized character (Soldier), and a larger, bulkier character (Brute).
The REZ player assigns a non-scout Character as the team leader. Captain as a Brute or Soldier, or Paladin as a Praetorian or Guard. Unlike ARC, the REZ player may move the leader designation to another Character each turn, as tactical situations arise.
Note on REZ armor: it’s available in two types, Carapace and Heavy Carapace. A specific number of each type is available for each scenario. The REZ player assigns them as desired. Not all characters receive armor, and Heavy Carapace may only be allocated to Brute, Guard, or Praetorian-type characters. Once assigned, REZ armor may not be transferred to another Character.
Note on the forces’ deployment. In the game, the characters are first deployed as “unknowns,” including multiple “fakes.” As a consequence, players must discover which characters are real and where they are located—the fog of war.
Scenario 2: What the …
Homer: I got a bad feeling about this.
Brick: You always say that, Homer. You always say, “I got a bad feeling about this.”
Setting: Crawford
ARC Operators Box, Brick (Manpack Radio), Homer, Kip (ARC-1), Pogo, and Rattler (plus his military working dog Tango) enter Crawford. Their objective is to recover Crawford’s Population Database Record (PDR), called The Package. Following 9/11, all small towns and villages were required to maintain an up-to-date population register for reference in the event of national disasters or public emergencies. A copy of The Package is stored both in the police station and on the second floor of the town hall.
Tango, under the command of his handler, Rattler, recons, observes, and, at times, may be ordered to attack REZ Characters and devices.
REZ Characters: Brute (2), Soldier (3), and Scout (3).
The REZ Characters encountered are similar to Scenario 1, but a new weapon type appears. ARC names it the Beehive. It is a shotgun-like weapon that sprays 4mm projectiles.
The REZ may also disguise itself as Civilians. This is an optional loadout (LO) that the player controlling the REZ force may add to a non-scout character. ARC, under its strict rules of engagement (ROE), must approach and protect all civilians. They do, however, do so with caution.
Scenario 3: Doctor X
E-Z: Look, Doc, we’re on our own for this one, and to make matters worse, we’re blind; we don’t have any intelligence on what we’re walking into. Just do what these guys say, move when they move. They’re hammers, to them, some things need fix’n while others just get nailed.
Spider: I heard that.
Setting: Crawford
ARC Operators E-Z (ARC-1), Grip, Jolly, Sandy, Spider, Wink, and their civilian medical advisor (Doctor X) are tasked with recovering a physical REZ sample from an incapacitated REZ character, recovering one of their weapons or personal equipment, and returning both to base.
Possessing the Technician skill, Wink is carrying a Switchblade, a remote drone attack weapon. It flies to and attacks a single target located in the open.
REZ Characters: Brute (3), Soldier (3), and Scout (2).
Scenario 4: Testing the Waters
Homer: This new armor is way too tight in all the wrong places.
Box: Literally, suck it up.
Kip: Brothers, we are leaving!
ARC Operators Box, Homer, Kip (ARC-1), and Tig are on a recon patrol primarily to test out the new armor sets that just arrived – Aqua Mesh. It’s a form-fitted (non-exchangeable between operators) semi-liquid, advanced reactive ballistic armor set. Kip and Homer are initially equipped.
REZ Characters: Guard (1), Brute (2), Soldier (2), and Scout (3).
After contact with the REZ, the Operators attempt to break contact and quickly exit. This is the first encounter with the 4th REZ Character-type (Guard), who seems to be of a higher class and exerts stronger control over the other REZ Characters. It is assigned as a Paladin leader. The Guard is armed with a weapon not seen before (Beamer) that slightly glows when activated. It’s actually a highly sophisticated railgun firing 2mm projectiles.
Scenario 5: Secure the VIPs
Herc: Hey Top, what’s the op?
Pogo: It’s a rescue mission, you’ll love it.
Setting: Crawford
ARC Operators Brick (Manpack Radio), Crow, Fitz, Herc, Pogo (ARC-1), and Rattler (plus Tango) are tasked with rescuing two civilians being held in the police station cells.
Herc and Pogo have now received their Aqua Mesh suits. Fitz is outfitted with an Urban Ghillie suit for his role providing overwatch for the ARC force.
This is the first appearance of Crow and his Exosuit, the TALOS V (tactical assault light operator suit version 5). This mechanical, battery-powered suit, or exoskeleton, enables him to move faster, provides improved ballistic protection and close combat capabilities, and offers superior performance at the cost of potentially depleting its onboard battery pack. It is armed with a belt-fed Mk. 48 light machinegun.
In the game, each time Crow moves one or more squares, the ARC and REZ players compare challenge/response dice rolls to see if the TALOS V battery depletes by a quarter. Once the battery pack is exhausted, the suit is no longer operational.
REZ Characters: Guard (1), Brute (2), Soldier (3), and Scout (2).
This scenario is also the first appearance of the REZ Wizard skill. A REZ Wizard Character (it may not be assigned to Scout-type characters) may carry and deploy either a Guardian (defends) or a Whisperer (seeks out and attacks) mechanical device, plus a single Leprechaun and one or two Ripper biological devices. All of these support devices autonomously function once deployed; they don’t require commands from the Wizard.
Note on REZ skills. Each scenario includes a list of skill options for the REZ player to select. The selected skills are assigned to a character for the duration of the scenario and revealed when the skill is first used.
Scenario 6: No Escape
Andrea: What are we gonna do now!?!
Box: Keep it tight. Help is on the way.
Setting: Crawford
ARC Operators Box, E-Z, Grip, Homer, Kip (ARC-1), and Tig must protect and escort two civilians
(Either Merry or Jay, and either Andrea or Bob) back to safety. The REZ objective is to incapacitate the two Civilian characters (they are not going to go quietly) and then extract them back to their lair.
REZ Characters: Praetorian (1), Guard (1), Brute (2), Soldier (2), Scout (2), and Mule (2).
This is the first appearance of the 5th and 6th REZ Character-types – the Praetorian and Mule. The Praetorian is an even more impressive character than the Guard-type, and the first appearance of an even larger railgun, the Heavy Beamer. The Mule is simply a beast of burden, a general worker-type REZ Character that is pressed into service to haul additional supplies. It is not leadership material, and is unarmed and cannot possess a skill, but is ideally suited to transport incapacitated civilians.
Scenario 7: Creature Comforts
Sandy: Is this gonna be a stand-up fight, or another bug hunt?
Setting: Crawford
ARC Operators Brick (Manpack Radio), Fitz, Jolly, Pogo (ARC-1), Sandy, and Spider are tasked with discovering the REZ’s access point to the sewers located below Crawford. There are six potential access points: two drainage grates situated to the north in the park area that ARC originally crossed in Scenario 1, two manholes situated along the main east-west streets, one drainage grate located in a restroom, and the final drainage grate situated in the basement of the house adjacent to the police station.
Spider received his Aqua Mesh suit. Fitz is outfitted with an Urban Ghillie suit for his role providing overwatch for the ARC force.
REZ Characters: Guard (1), Brute (1), Soldier (2), and Scout (2).
To discover the “real” objective access point, ARC must move to a square containing one of the potential access points and then perform a search action. One positive is that the searches do get easier.
Now is a good time to discuss the game’s Special Action cards. The game doesn’t include the typical “event” cards found in many other games. It features eight “specials” cards, three of which are specific to each force and two general cards.
One of those cards is the REZ HERE DOGGIE! Card. Through the play of this card, the REZ force calls one of their genetically engineered terrestrial insects, called creatures, into play. There are four possibilities: Bulldozer, Creeper, Lil’ Joe, or Spiders. Usually, it’s the luck of the draw to secure one of these special action cards, but in this case, the REZ player starts the scenario with this card in hand, ready to play at any time, to further impede the ARC force.
Scenario 8: What’s that Smell?
Rattler: Will you look at this effin mess?
Spider: Probably hard to get good maid service in a sewer.
Setting: Crawford’s Sewers
ARC Operators Box, Grip (ARC-1), Homer, Pogo, Rattler (Tango), and Spider are tasked with controlling the centrally located access point that enables the ARC force to move further into Crawford’s sewer system. The ARC force is split into two separate groups entering from opposite sides of the map. This is the ARC introduction to the Crawford sewers.
Grip received his Aqua Mesh suit.
REZ Characters: Guard (2), Brute (2), Soldier (2), and Scout (2).
Scenario 9: Deeper Still
Kip: Good evening, ladies. We are the entertainment for this evening’s festivities. Now with his M4, we have my man Wink, and stomping around in his big metal clogs is the unstoppable Crow.
Setting: Crawford’s Sewers
ARC Operators Crow (TALOS V), E-Z, Herc, Kip (ARC-1), Tig, and Wink (Black Hornet) are again tasked with controlling the access point located on the opposite side of the map, which enables the ARC force to move further into Crawford’s sewer system.
The Black Hornet is a micro-UAV. It’s controlled by Wink and is used to observe and discover the REZ force.
REZ Characters: Guard (1), Brute (2), Soldier (2), and Scout (3).
Scenario 10: HVT
Grip: It’s payback time.
Box: You’re bleeding, man!
Grip: I ain’t got time to bleed.
Setting: Crawford’s Sewers
ARC Operators Box, Crow (TALOS V), Grip (ARC-1), Homer, Rattler (Tango), and Spider are tasked with incapacitating the REZ Praetorian and then controlling the access point located on the opposite side of the map, which ultimately enables the ARC force to access the REZ lair. The ARC force is again split into two separate groups.
REZ Characters: Praetorian (1), Brute (2), Soldier (3), and Scout (2).
Scenario 11: Stepping into the Abyss
Herc: Busy little creatures, huh?
Sandy: Looks like they spilled a bucket of paint on the floor.
Tig: You’re looking at it upside-down… or is it sideways?
Setting: REZ’s Lair
ARC Operators Crow (TALOS V), E-Z (ARC-1), Herc, Homer, Sandy, and Tig are tasked with exploring the REZ lair’s various rooms and determining their nature. This marks the ARC’s introduction to the REZ lair.
E-Z received his Aqua Mesh suit.
REZ Characters: Praetorian (1), Guard (1), Brute (1), and Soldier (3).
Scenario 12: Across the Abyss
Jolly: The only easy day was yesterday.
Wink: Yeah, I hear that.
Kip: Hey, there’s no “I” in team, but there’s in stupid. Remember, slow is smooth, smooth is fast.
Setting: REZ’s Lair
ARC Operators Box, Crow (Talos V), Grip, Jolly, Kip (ARC-1), and Wink are tasked to penetrate deeper into the REZ Lair. Equipment includes three special explosive charges for use in the final scenario, as they have no opportunity to exit the REZ lair before the final encounter.
Jolly received his Aqua Mesh suit.
Force management is a key element of this scenario as both sides carry over in-action characters into the final scenario.
REZ Characters: Praetorian (1), Guard (2), Brute (1), and Soldier (2).
Scenario 13: Destroy all Aliens — a two-edged sword
Jolly: They ain’t paying us enough for this, man.
Kip: I’m afraid I have some bad news.
Box: Well, that’s certainly a switch.
Setting: REZ’s Lair
In this final scenario, the carryover ARC Operators are tasked with destroying three key REZ facilities, including the Computation Bay, Fuel Cells, Gestation Pod, Power Bay, or the Restoration Pods, primarily with the special explosive charges.
The scenario also includes two civilians who must be rescued from their cells and protected, but may also assist the ARC Operators in achieving their goal. They may secure weapons from the REZ Armory.
The REZ force consists of any carryover Characters plus the addition of a Praetorian (1), Guard (1), Brute (1), and Soldier (1).
Author: James M. Day
