Five Parsecs From Home advertises itself as “Solo Adventure Wargaming.” While I wait for my hardcover copy of the latest product, Bug Hunt, I took the pdf version out for a spin this past holiday weekend.
In Bug Hunt – a variant of Five Parsecs From Home – you take charge of a “Hunter Squad” tasked with going into deep-space wrecks, abandoned colonies, or decrepit space stations to clear out any hostile alien lifeforms found there.
This is not honorable combat against a foe that believes in self-preservation or a negotiated truce – it’s brutal, dirty fighting at close quarters, lasting until the last lifeform crawls from the battle site.
As you play, your characters will gain in experience and reputation, hopefully earning promotions and commendations… or at least five days of R&R all paid for.
Bug Hunt is a standalone game, but allows characters to be transferred to (or from) Five Parsecs From Home, allowing you to pursue an expanded game universe.
Bug Hunt, Introduction
Main Characters
Tshering Yong
Profile: Reaction +1 / Speed 4″ / Combat Skill +1 / Toughness +3 / Savvy +1 / XP +4 / Completed Mission +1 || Origin: Trade Hub (+2 XP). Basic Training: Ground Forces (Cavalry) (+1 Combat Skill, +1 Savvy, +1 XP). Service History: Anti-Pirate Operation (Combat) (+1 Completed Mission, +1 XP). Standard Equipment: Service Pistol, Trooper Armor.
Indigo Senna
Profile – Reaction +2 / Speed 4″ / Combat Skill +2 / Toughness +3 / Savvy +0 / XP 1 / Reputation +1 || Origin: Military Outpost (+1 Combat Skill, +1 Reputation). Basic Training: Naval Forces (Marines) (+1 Combat Skill, +1 Reactions). Service History: Patrol in Fringe Space (Combat) (+1 XP). Standard Equipment: Service Pistol.
Kiran Hallel
Profile – Reaction +1 / Speed 4″ / Combat Skill +2 / Toughness +5 / Savvy +0 / XP +1 / Competed Mission +1 || Origin: Prison Planet (+1 Toughness, +1 Combat Skill). Basic Training: Ground Forces (Infantry) (+1 Combat Skill, +1 Toughness). Service History: Anti-Pirate Operation (Combat) (+1 Completed Mission, +1 XP). Standard Equipment: Service Pistol.
Reputation. Tracked as a group. Current Reputation: +1.
Special Assignments
Before a mission each character can try to attend a Special Assignment.
Tshering tries to add some Physical Training but fails; apparently they didn’t hit the gym enough. Indigo tries out for Commando School but fails to make it even with that Combat Skill of +2. Kiran tries out cross-training but gives it up early. No main character gains any benefit.
Mission Generation Steps
- Patrol. (Contact markers -1, Encounter Modifier -1, +2 Support Points)
- Objectives: 4 + Vital Objective.
- Difficulty: “I’m Too Pretty to Die.”
- Priority: 2
- Spawn Rating: 1
- Loadout: Tshering and Indigo carry a Combat Rifle; Kiran selects a Shotgun.
- Force Strength: Fire Team plus three Support Points adding another Fire Team, a Recon Patrol, and Weapons Support which allows Indigo to trade the Combat Rifle for an Incinerator.
- Fire Team: 4x Troopers with Combat Rifle and Trooper Armor. Reactions 1, Speed 4”, Combat Skill +0, Toughness 4, Savvy +0.
- Recon Patrol: 2x Troopers with Carbines. Reactions 3, Speed 6”, Combat Skill +0, Toughness 4, Savvy +0.
- Tactical Locations and Initial Contacts: Patrol mission places one less for six total.
Battle Round
“Just a little sweep,” the brass said. Nobody had seen any Converted in weeks here on Mao 23J so the team was a bit relaxed. Heck, the planet was declared “pacified” over five years ago as the Reclamation War wound down. Of course, nothing was every really “pacified” when it came to the cyber-zombie Converted. With plenty of support this patrol should be nothing more than a cakewalk. Tshering and Kiran moved out with A-Team while Indigo traveled with B-Team. The recon patrol, callsign “Romeo,” ranged ahead.
Romeo quickly moved out and took a look at Objective 1. “We got movement all over the place,” they radioed. Tshering and Kiran exchanged looks—that’s not what either wanted.
“CONTACT!” Indigo shouted as the four Converted troopers came into sight at Objective 2. “Smoke ’em,” he called to his Fire Team. As one the four grunts fired their combat rifles as Indigo aimed his flamer at the nearest Converted. “Infiltration Team,” he muttered to nobody in particular.
Tshering was very unhappy with the intel geeks on this one. How on Terra did all the objectives they identified turn out to be Converted Infiltration Teams? Four of the pre-mission objectives turned out to be Converted Infiltration Teams. Another objective (the vital one no less) ended up being a conduit for reinforcements. Two Spawn Points were also discovered but at least they were able to shut one down before more Converted came through.
It took a bit of some work, but after a while no more Converted seemed to be coming. As Tshering called for Evac and rallied the Teams there was some concern as Romeo couldn’t be found..
“Body count?” he asked.
Indigo was carefully holding the Incinerator away from the group as the business end was charred and still smoking. “Combat cams show about 30 with about half-smoking-no-longer-joking,” he chuckled nervously at his own weak joke.
As the Evac shuttle came overhead Tshering and Kiran called out for Romeo while taking one final look around. As the shuttle lifted Tshering thought to themself, “I really didn’t want to be the one at the start of a new Reclamation War…”
Post Battle
Later sweeps of the battlefield found the two Recon Patrol troopers. Both had been knocked out but otherwise were ok (Determine Casualties and Lost Marines). Tshering, Indigo, and Kiran spent way too much time with the personnel records clerk making sure their service jacket showed not only a Completed Mission but a combat one at that (Update Completed Missions). All three also rolled their eyes when the Recruiting Sergeant paid them a visit; they had already agreed that they were staying in (Check for Mustering Out). After all, they were the heroes of the Solar Coyotes (+4 Reputation from Determine Reputation). In quieter moments, Tshering and Kiran considered what they had learned (+2 XP) while Indigo took tender care of the now well-used Incinerator (+3 XP for completing objectives and being the MVP) (Experience and Leveling). They all rolled their eyes (again) when the intel geeks explained that the enemy was well-entrenched on Mao 23J (Roll for Operational Progress). Indigo was a bit disappointed that the brass decided to hold them out of the next battle, but the pay back was another Special Assignment next go round (Roll for Military Life). Brass promised there would indeed be another go round, as OPERATION COBALT was now in full swing (Ready for Another Campaign Turn).
Feature image courtesy BdOX on artstation.com
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