Pregame mockup...

Yes, there is some sort of 'earthen' lump in the background.

Looks great, and an interesting idea. I can't help wondering if something is lurking inside the mound. I look forward to more being revealed

Arabin

Very nice. I always enjoy seeing other peoples work. Although you might want to get some "Frebreeze" for the manure pile, it can smell.

I like the alley between the two buildings closest to the manure pile. Very well thought out.

CCotD'

Very nice indeed!

Suh-weet!

Nice build you got there!

Any chance of some better pics of the individual buildings? Esp the one in the middle by the manure pile

great work....

Post game day report:

The players were shocked when they came back in (I banished them from the room while I set up) as prior to this we had been doing the standard, wet erase hex/grid map, with matchbox cars and minis with some supplemental standees.

So a bit of ooing and aahing made me feel pretty damn good about my effort, on to the game!

It is a Shadowrun scenario where I am taking them through a convoluted story arc. (Actually kinda typical of me...)

You can skip all the way down to the Bolded text and start there for the current scenario synopsis.

WARNING: WALL O' TEXT
The story thus far:
The campaign started as a typical Warhammer Fantasy RP game. We played quite a few sessions over the course of a year (a session a month or every other month) leading the players from just meeting each other and having an odd familiarity going on to attempting to stop a reborn chaos daemon prince. Now I could go into particulars but I’ll hit the highlights to speed things up (as it is this will probably be far longer than I thought)
Lowly first career characters managed to hitch a ride as guards for the very first trade caravan of the season to Erengrad on the far reaches of Kislev from Altdorf shining capitol of The Empire.
Deciding to stay in Erengrad they progressed into a mercenary roll being hired by the Baron (with quite a few other mercenary groups) to clear up reported chaos band activity. Now this wasn’t as easy as I may make it sound. It was grueling work and quite deadly at times.
Many sessions down and the party has realized they inadvertently released something nasty, and became embroiled in a siege that was aiming to raze Erengrad as its appetizer. Against all better judgment, odds and anything sensible else, they decided to join a strike force determined to topple the daemon prince Gregor Bohka, once Baron and Hero of Erengrad a thousand years hence, thus removing the element that held all four Chaos factions from each others throats.
It was unknown if the attempt succeeded or failed, as the only player character left had taken off on his horse just prior to the attack. (Yes he ran like a scared little girl)

Shock washes over the faces of the players (and confusion over the characters) As I describe what seems like an after life. Masked faces, bright lights, the sounds of something beeping? And the strangely familiar high-pitched voices of children.

Yes yes, I pulled that one. They look around eventually to realize that they are not dead heroes in Warhammer, but very much alive and confused 9-year-old children in the year 2043 in Shadowrun. They just completed the alpha testing of Warhammer Online, (keep in mind this was before the real Warhammer online game was picked back up and was really a dead project.) using ‘State of the Art’ immersion methods for non-cyber equipped youth. It was a bit too immersive.

At this point we have played 1-2 sessions per age bracket (9-10, 13-14,17-18,21-22,25-26) over the course of 2 more years.
Leading from minor riots at 9-10 to major riots at 13-14 (and their magic manifesting, yes all 5 manifested magic curious no?). Ages 17-18 got them out of public schooling and recruited by Saeder Krupp to get additional schooling and job training. (For those not in the know, Shadowrun is a degenerative society where the vast majority of persons live in squalor and without basic human rights, so this is huge!)
Ages 21-22 they entered SKs military service arm and at 25-26 they were forcibly recruited (read, publicly killed and left little option) into Kommando Saeder Krupp a black ops division that does not exist. Again, the entire time the 5 friends are kept together and their abilities nurtured, nurtured to the point that their development is bypassing others with the gift.

Now, during this entire time at least one of the characters wanted to get out of SK but was talked into signing back up by the others and of course benefits are nicely convincing too.

The previous mission had the team assigned to an extraction of a high level Aztechnology scientist, this got them out of the public view after a botched job in Seattle. (They retrieved the stolen nukes, but failed to recover all the missing data and ended up getting front-page coverage… o_O )

Below is the After Action Report by the team lead:

” [official header, operation, personnel involved (coded: for your info, Commander is me, Scout is Inali, Pilot is John, Assault is Mark, and Watcher is Alex), and date information]
OBJECTIVE: Retrieval of live package (3 personnel) from Aztechnology-controlled territory from a remote archaeological dig site
MISSION PARAMETERS: Primary package and two subordinates were to be retrieved unharmed, with approximately a four-hour window. Transportation to and from the site would be acquired from local civilian contacts. Requested equipment and cash to secure air transport were provided before entering hostile territory. Rendezvous was arranged with a passing water transport. Time from insertion to extraction was approximately 24 hours.
OPERATION DETAILS:
Upon insertion in neutral territory, the team was given a ground transport with a map to our rendezvous site with local civilian contact to purchase air transportation to reach the objective site. Travel into Aztechnology and to the buy was uneventful, no contacts. We arrived at the meeting point and used the cash supplied to purchase a transport helicopter after Pilot inspected the craft. Equipment was transferred to the helicopter and we proceeded at low altitude (below 50 ft AGL) to the lake located approximately 6 klicks northeast of the objective site. We were undetected throughout the flight.
As we approached our targeted base camp, Scout and Watcher reported increasing size and frequency of unidentified pockets of "dead space" in the astral environment. These appeared to be free-floating pockets, origin and nature unknown. We set down on the southwestern shore of the lake in the early evening. Pilot and Watcher camouflaged our position while myself, Scout, and Assault proceeded on a recon mission to the site. We arrived in the early evening, approaching the objective from the east and circling slowly around to the west. Results of our observations are on the attached recon map [this would basically be what was drawn on the battlemap, with flagged indicators for points of interest, noted in the narrative]. Our initial assessment was that the site appeared to be an ancient Aztec, Mayan, or Incan pyramid covered completely with topsoil and foliage, with only the upper entry level and some small side areas excavated. One of the secondary objectives was present, but no other Aztechnology personnel were on site, which was expected. Site security consisted of roughly a dozen local military, which were supervising approximately twenty civilians (likely forced labor). Scout reported that there was a Level I background count emanating from the site in approximately a one-mile radius, and that within a few hundred feet, the background count increased to Level II. This appeared to be directly centered on the pyramid. The density of the dead pockets in astral space also appeared to be highest around the dig site. In addition, our magical support informed us that the pyramid was in the direct path of a "ley-line" that existed only from sunset to sunrise.
We chose our assault position (identified on the recon map) and started back for our base camp by way of the local village to the east. No military or Aztechnology presence was observed at the village. Our plan consisted of moving in on foot before dawn, leaving Pilot behind with the camouflaged air transport. We would wait for the Aztechnology personnel to arrive, assess the situation for final operational adjustments, and signal Pilot when we were ready to go hot, at which time he would take down the camo and move in on our position at the dig site. A secondary plan was made to cover two possible contingencies; lack of a viable landing zone, or a need to vacate the dig site before the air transport could arrive. This consisted of taking one of the Aztechnology ground transport vehicles and proceeding to an emergency rendezvous point in a field on the west side of the village.
We posted a standard watch for the night, which was uneventful. The ground assault team left our base camp at approximately 0200 hours, arriving at the dig site approximately 0400 hours. We did a final recon with no significant operational changes and dug in to wait for the Aztechnology personnel. Scout took an elevated sniper position and the rest of us took staggered positions below him. We maintained limited radio contact with Pilot to minimize the possibility of communications interception.
At approximately 0730 hours, an Aztechnology Lobo Scout LAV approached the site from the northeast, passing directly over our base camp. Pilot's position remained undetected, and he began prepping the chopper for evac. The assault chopper landed at the position indicated on the recon map, and four Aztechnology personnel in full ceremonial milspec armor took up positions outside the aircraft, followed by the two remaining scientists which we confirmed to be our objectives. The ceremonial armor included an adorned helmet that identified the personnel as Leopard Guards. The pilot, and possibly one other individual manning the command center, remained onboard the aircraft. Two of the military personnel were armed with assault rifles, and two with what appeared to be ceremonial swords of some kind, one of which was the weapon we retrieved and turned in. One of each of these escorted the objectives to the top of the pyramid. After a brief exchange with the local military commander and the primary objective, the two sword-bearers took positions near the restrained civilians identified on the recon map and the ground transports near our position. One of the two rifle-bearers assumed a position near the lower machine-gun nest, and the other assumed a roving position around the base of the pyramid. As soon as we were confident of their positioning, I radioed to Pilot to approach the dig site and declared the mission hot.
In our initial assault, we neutralized the assault chopper, approximately two-thirds of the local military forces, one sword-bearer (the one near the ground transports), and one rifle-bearer (the roving guard). Before they were able to pinpoint our exact location, we had cut their operational forces down to a single sword-bearer near the top of the pyramid and negligible local military forces, which posed no threat. Considering the background count and the readiness of the security forces, the initial assault was a massive success. What happened next, however, deserves special attention. It is important to note that most of this information was pieced together by the entire team after we evacuated the area, as it was almost impossible to ascertain what was happening during the battle.
As we were dispatching the second rifle-bearer and the remaining local military, the sword-bearer executed one of the restrained civilians, then immediately launched a barrage of three spells simultaneously. At least one of these was a physical manipulation that our magical support confirmed as an acid bomb, and one was likely a fireball. The radius of at least two of these spells was sufficient to affect all four of us, although Assault took the brunt of it, being almost directly in the center of the area of effect. He was knocked unconscious almost instantly, and both Scout and Watcher sustained serious, but not debilitating, injuries. However, these injuries coupled with the background count made it almost impossible for either of them to provide any more substantial aid with spells. I myself was almost outside the area of effect and was not injured, although all of us suffered from the after-effects of the acid in the air and on the ground, which made our footing unstable.
At this point we were finishing up with the last of the other personnel, then began to concentrate our full attention on the sword-bearer. Before we were able to do anything, however, he went invisible and launched another fireball centered around the same general area. Watcher sustained enough injuries at this point as to be basically unable to cast spells at all, so he made his way over to Assault and stabilized him. Scout continued to provide sniper fire, trying to neutralize the mage. I was still sufficiently covered to avoid any significant injuries and concentrated my fire on the area where we believed the mage to be. Moments later, the other restrained civilian was executed, and we were able to pinpoint the mage's general position. He cast another barrage of two spells as we continued to fire toward his location. This barrage consisted of yet another acid bomb and another spell and nearly killed both Scout and Watcher. Finally, we managed to bring him down as far as we could tell, and we waited to confirm that there was no more activity for several moments before moving in to secure the site.
Scout began to clear an area for Pilot to land (identified on the recon map), and I moved up the southern side of the pyramid to the top. I secured the area and moved the objectives down the pyramid to the landing site as Pilot was arriving. The objectives were restrained, but were otherwise unharmed and cooperative. I managed to find the invisible body of the mage to confirm that he was in fact dead, then proceeded back down to the landing site. We proceeded to clean the area, but the acid bombs and fireballs had all but wiped out any evidence. I attempted to retrieve the sword from the soldier near the ground transports, but it was smashed in the skirmish. We loaded ourselves, the objectives, and the body of the visible sword-bearer onto the chopper. Our remaining equipment was left in one of the ground transports and was torched. Residual presence is believed to be zero.
We proceeded west to the rendezvous point, again maintaining under 50 ft AGL. We remained undetected all the way to the coastline. Once we left the area of the background count, Scout and Watcher were able to stabilize themselves and stabilize Assault enough to bring him back to consciousness. As we cleared the coastline and neared the rendezvous point, we prepared to evacuate the aircraft in the two inflatables per our exit plan. The convoy radioed us a warning as expected as soon as we entered international waters, and we readied the inflatables. However, two Aztechnology gunships had managed to acquire our signal shortly after leaving the coastline, and they locked weapons on us. Pilot engaged the autopilot and we were forced to abandon the aircraft early as the gunships fired missiles, causing us to leave the body of the Leopard Guard, and the chopper was destroyed. The gunships did not proceed into international waters, so they were too far out of range to determine that we had abandoned the chopper. This may actually have been more advantageous that our actual plan. We scuttled the smaller inflatable and proceeded to the convoy, where we met up with Safe Harbor.
SUCCESS LEVEL: 100%”

NOW we are up to the current game!! (told you it would be long)
Of course Saeder Krupp wanted more information about the site post reports from the team and the scientist’s reports. Of course they wanted to send the same team back and of course they knew the success chance was negligible. The team was to take the lead assistant, site researcher back to the site, they were not willing to chance loss of the primary extractee of course. Below is a very rough summary of the game from my recall. Keep in mind my writing skills are not stellar.

Synopsis:

Saeder Krupp, intent on finding out more information about Aztechnologies discovery, deemed it necessary to send the team back to the dig site. With Dr. Cuerras, former extractee, in tow the team heads back to the Aztlan and into a civil war battle zone.
It seemed like old hat, meeting with Happy Jack and his ladies (Ursula and Miss Piggy), jumping across the border to find Don Hoe and his ladies, dropping a wad of cash for a serviceable chopper and hitting the lake-based LZ. In the distance the sounds of battle echoed across the jungle, automatic gunfire, explosions and some heavy ordinance. The entire team took the trek, again with Dr. Cuerras in tow, to the temple to find there to be a dozen battle weary Aztlan National guards with sandbagged LMGs overlooking a week old battlefield littered with bodies and scrapped vehicles. Some fairly quick planning, placed all the guards face down, the southern roads trapped and the team in position to get started with the temple study.

Fast foward after the earthquake and our team is picking themselves up from the ground, the Dr. is no where in sight and the scene outside the temple is disturbing. Where a battlefield and jungle was once is a thriving metroplex. Buildings, streets, vehicles and people as far as the eye can see. Quickly deducing that all is not right with the world, given a few uncomfortable tests, some drastic measures are taken and a sky streaking Alex falls in a hail of gunfire disappearing as he falls, but not before uttering his discovery of five cloaked individuals on top of the only other unique building; a high-rise bank building. Kyle, in a fit of desperation leaves the remainder of the team to engage the skinless inhabitants in an effort to reach the base of the high-rise. John rushes to catch up while Inali after a moment of indecisiveness, transforms into a snake to be safely carried by Marcus following Kyle as well.

Amid thousands of rounds of gun fire from the skinless inhabitants, who also are weaponless save for shooting with empty hands, the team makes it to the base of the high-rise and dispatches the waves of armored security who also happen to be skinless. The team makes it into the building to find out the 1st through 3rd floors are entirely empty.

The 4th floor is filled with skinless motionless humanoids, barely breathing and dripping fresh blood. Marcus carefully moves between them towards the stair but ends up brushing one of them. They erupt in a mass of flailing arms surrounding Marcus, who quickly with Kyle dispatch the entire floor leaving gore everywhere particularly on themselves. The 5th and 6th floors are identical and the skinjobs fall just as easily.

The 7th floor reveals an entirely new layout; huge pots and pans line the walls and a banquet table with chairs are centered in the room. A feast lays on the table with fruit, freshly baked bread, glazed roasted pig, if not for the gore below the team might have been a little interested. A voice rough slightly feminine voice of wet leather invites the team to join in the dinner, as an immensely obese woman squeezes down the rear stairs. When Beatrice the Guardian comes into full view with her fresh new skin suit of faces all orifices ooze blood and puss and the ample rolls of flesh, John and Kyle can take no more and let the floor have their breakfast. Beatrice, being very proud of her appearance is horrible offended, and proceeds to draw the hurling Kyle across the floor engulfing him into her bare pubic folds. Kyle is not happy. Marcus and John jump to action with little effect, Beatrice continues her assault using arms and strange abilities, however she explodes eventually under the fire of Johns assault rifle and Marcus' assault cannon. I'nali managed to drop out of hiding changing form back to human just in time to miss having at Beatrice.
Resting and recovering from the exchange, gives the team time enough to blockade the lower stair and see that the entire city is engrossed in ripping each other to shreds, having lost their master. The 8th and 9th floors open to reveal tens if not hundreds of thousands of humanoid skins, bloody, slimy, some rotting, some fresh all very nasty and flooding down the stairs. The assault cannon again comes to life ripping a hole into the roof to grant access revealing four robed individuals with a fifth pile of robes. The figures are entirely cloaked but closely resemble the team members in size and shape. Cautiously, and impatiently John strips the hood off of his twin both vanish, the rest of the team follows also vanishing.

Back in the real world naked everyone has strange images that they eventually piece together revealing their secret, each and every team member has Awakened into Drakes, for better or worse.

So whats the next plan of action...


” Plan? I'll tell you what the damn plan is! I'm gonna try flying, breathing fire, talking in dragonspeak, casting spells, chomping the shit out of stuff, etc. I know my claws do real damage. The question is can I bite as well for combat purposes? I wanna find some clothes or something that passes and shift to see if they stay with me or get torn apart or whatever. I want to study astral space since I've never seen it before. I have dozens of questions, but there's one thing I definitely want to do.

I want to scare some people. >=D”, Kyle grade 4 physical adept and newly awakened drake

GOOD STUFF

Below are a couple of shots. Unfortunately we didnt take shots the entire time, only at the start.
The top of the temple is off showing the innards. then another shot of the game area, *PRIOR* to the team drawing all the attention of every inhabitant in the entire city.





Edited:
added some red warning labels

That's one heck of a long post!

I'll be honest, I skipped most of it for now to look at the photos though I'll go back and read it later. Love the photos... can we get some close ups of your custom buildings like the little brick building in front of the hill, with the sliped roof. Is that a custom model or from somewhere else? I can't see enough detail to tell...

Arabin

Yeah, I don't blame you for not reading that much.

I have everything packed up so images are a bit tough right now. However, I'll show you what I do have and explain a little.

These two building were my first bash ever, I had only UM:BoM kit and was needy of some alt building looks. I picked up UM:Armoury and Downtown a bit later.

They are based off the Hollywood flat from UM:BoM. I just replaced all the grey block with a custom brick texture. Notice the columns are the same.

The roof is a bash from the underside of the gas station canopy to give me a hipped metal room.


Close shot of the 2 story building. No those bikes are down on purpose we had a errant GM van driver...


Here are the flats wall I made.

Very cool. Those are nice kitbashes.

Arabin

Nice work! I might try the foam bit with the hills from Dinas Fordd