STAR WARS: RETROSPECTION- Respite

Xeth is ready for action. He will actually march with Kell's men rather than take the lead by hitching a ride on a speeder, wanting to inspire Kell's men himself and gain their comradery. He will talk to some of them and let them know he is for their cause.

He has all his toys packed too, and is ready to unleash his talents as a warrior on Tarne's men and his war machines.

It takes some time for the troops to march into place. Kell and his speeder jockeys zip out ahead to scout the way and make sure the ragtag army does not run into trouble prematurely or without warning. The march is long and arduous as you pick your way through the streets of burned-out urban areas and areas composed entirely of ruins and debris. You pass relics from the days when Respite's wars were fought with hardcore equipment - a rusted hulk of a massive tank, destroyed by torpedoes and time. Skeletons garbed in archaic blast armor. Old discarded weapons. Certainly less than inspiring for the march to war...

Eventually, you come to the place Kell designated as where you want to meet Tarne's forces. The troops hunker in and start taking up defensive positions alone those lines...

And eventually, Tarne's forces show, as expected. While you can sense them from a distance, the rumbling in the pavement and earth beneath you gives away the killing machines first. Kell's men pause momentarily to observe the glistening metal figures coming through the ruins toward them, then resume making preparations with greater haste.

Kell meets with you briefly, Xeth.

"This is it," Kell says. "Any thoughts, Jedi?"

-

Vera-Kin, you are pouring over the maps back at the pump station when one of Kell's bikers returns. He has with him a rough copy of the maps, except he has coordinates for Tarne's army scribbled in.

It looks as though they have occupied the full line.

Xeth is going to inspect the ruins quickly if he can, though I'm sure Kell already has all the best defensive positions picked out if he wanted this to the place where things go down.

"We just need to not take any huge risks offensively," Xeth says.

Vera-Kin will examine the battle lines and see where Kell's forces look most exposed, wishing she understood more about large-scale warfare from her travels. She has mostly dealt with smaller criminal elements.

You scour over the positions... and become painfully aware of the size of the force that Tarne has fielded to retake his water pump station.

You knew you were outnumbered. This makes it a reality.

----

BATTLE FOR RESPITE STRATEGIC SITUATION- Start of Turn 1 (Kell to Move)

Left Debris Field

Kell's Reserves:
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
(60)

Kell's Front Lines:
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
(120)

Tarne's Front Lines:
Super Battle Droids: 30/0
Super Battle Droids: 30/0
Rocket Droids: 40/0
Rocket Droids: 40/0
(140)

Tarne's Reserves:
STAPs: 20/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
(110)

Speedway

Kell's Reserves:
Speederbikes: 20/0
Speederbikes: 20/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
(70) +10

Kell's Front Lines:
Speederbikes: 20/0
Speederbikes: 20/0
Speederbikes: 20/0
Speederbikes: 20/0
(80) +20

Tarne's Front Lines:
STAPs: 20/0
STAPs: 20/0
STAPs: 20/0
Rocket Droids: 40/0
(100) +15

Tarne's Reserves:
STAPs: 20/0
STAPs: 20/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
(100)

Ruins

Kell's Reserves:
Speederbikes: 20/0
Speederbikes: 20/0
Speederbikes: 20/0
Mortar Crew: 15/0
(75)

Kell's Front Lines:
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
Foot Soldiers: 30/0
Speederbikes: 20/0
(110) +15

Tarne's Front Lines:
Rocket Droids: 40/0
Super Battle Droids: 30/0
Super Battle Droids: 30/0
Super Battle Droids: 30/0
(130)

Tarne's Reserves:
Foot Soldiers: 20/0
Foot Soldiers: 20/0
Foot Soldiers: 20/0
Foot Soldiers: 20/0
(80)

Right Debris Field

Kell's Reserves:
(0)

Kell's Front Lines:
(0)

Tarne's Front Lines:
Flame Droids: 20/0
Flame Droids: 20/0
Flame Droids: 20/0
Flame Droids: 20/0
(80)

Tarne's Reserves:
Foot Soldiers: 20/0
Foot Soldiers: 20/0
Foot Soldiers: 20/0
Foot Soldiers: 20/0
(80)

The Ruins consist primarily of toppled towers or their standing remnants. You are not sure what they used to be for, but they were large structures and very sturdy. One tower in particular is fully intact, shooting up from amid the rubble a great deal.

"We'll see," Kell says. "The bikes aren't much good for defense. We will need to strike back if we're going to last."

Vera-Kin thinks they should hold their positions for now, as far as their arrangement across the battlefield. But she agrees with Kell (not that they are present together) that we should take the initiative and launch an attack!

Xeth doesn't disagree, he just emphasizes not overstretching ourselves.

Where does Kell want me in the coming attack? Or should I be laying mines to the right flank still?

Laying mines is an option. It will not give you influence over the turn but it would inflict damage depending on where the mines are laid.

We can give it a go. Does it require any skills or can Xeth just drop them?

It would be Sabotage if you wanted to do anything complicated with the mines; otherwise, they're very basic and can be dropped anywhere.

Let's get on with it then! Can Xeth go this solo? Or do any of our allies want to come with?

If Vera can get a message to Xeth, she'll urge him not to go alone, just in case he runs into the advancing forces.

Xeth does have the option to take NPCs with him, if he wants. I shouldn't need to tell you who they are.

I want to keep it quiet and quick but I also want some firepower. What's Navir up to? I'm sure he's game for it.

Xeth will be packing his full arsenal just in case.

Consider yourself packed!

Navir is more than happy to accompany you.

"I prefer a straight fight to all this sneakin' around," Navir discloses.

"Then let's do this," Xeth says.

Xeth is ready when the Gamemaster is...

Okay! Kell will give you all the land mines he can muster. They're really old, and some of them look like they've been jury-rigged to get them working again. They are heavy enough to hinder your movement, if you want to take all of them. It will be Strength rolls to not be penalized on other activities.

Navir will happily take as many as he can.

Once you are prepared, Kell directs you to the debris field on the far right of the battle lines. He has a pair of his bikers drive you out that way to quickly deploy you, pulling away from the noise and activity of Kell's army preparing for all-out war. They drop you off and zip away, leaving you alone in the destroyed landscape.

It's very quiet over here. Navir and yourself appear to be the only beings over this way.

Xeth will have his sonic blaster out and ready just in case they come across some unfriendly forces.

"Keep a look out," Xeth says to Navir.

He is going to look for some strategic places to hide the mines. He will have taken a full load of them to inflict full damage on the Tarne droids.

Vera-Kin will sit around grumpily. She wants to know if Kell has any historical documents or anything about the history of Respite.