Back in the mists of time large mega-fauna populated the shores of the great inland sea. Legend has it that two bands of warriors ended up in the same valley, a valley where heroes were made and reputations won and lost…………….

This is a pre-invasion scenario based on a modification of our Queensland Frontier War Rules. You can download a copy of the current version of the rules but they are still very much in development phase.

The valley was a large source of food for the tribes.

One of the many small groups of grey kanagroos that dotted the valley.

The kangaroos and emus were purchased from Eureka Minaitures.

Warrior village

The bark huts were made form sticks and “real” bark. The “Bora” or ceremonial circle was made from stones collected from the garden.

Dromornis protecting their nest.

The Dromornis are from Eureka miniatures

Megalania lurking for prey in the shallows

The crocodile was purchased from the Phillip Island Penguin Park shop because it was perfect size for the 28mm warrior figures from Eureka Miniatures.

Diprotodon grazing but alert for danger

The Diprotodons were purchased from Steve Barber Models but they seem to have disappeared from their website.

Herd of Procoptodon or Giant Kangaroo

The kangaroos were also purchased from the Phillip Island Penguin Park shop.

The objective of the game was gain victory points by hunting Mega-Fauna. The victory points for each was equivalent to their wound points. There were no victory points for attacking another tribes warriors or the grey kangaroos.

For the first turn both groups of warriors moved from their respective camps toward where they thought dinner might be.

Having moved within 12″ of a Megalania (giant crocodile) one group of warriors were promptly charged, but the monster failed to reach them.

Another group of warriors that had hidden in one mob of kangaroos emerged from another next turn causing chaos as Mega-fauna from everywhere became activated by the 12″ rule.

This is a fun rule representing the warriors use of stealth to sneak up on their opponents. In this case the warriors emerged and fired on the Procoptodons (giant kangaroos) nearly taking one down inflicting 2 of the 3 wounds it could withstand. As they were a herd that was shot at they then had to flee 12″ in a random direction. The scatter die indicated they would flee directly away from the danger. If they had charged randomly back through the warriors they may have inflicted casualities on them.

But that was not the only thing that happeneds, as a Megalania was in an adjacent swamp and it immediatley charged them.

Chomp, chomp chomp. In the ensuing fight it was the good guy 4 to the warriors 1.

With all saves failing it was now time for the warriors to try and pass an activation test to remain in play. Needing a 4 with a minus one for each casualty things looked bad for the sole survivor. “Baiame” must have looked favourably on the warrior and although needing an 8 on a D6 he rolled a 6 which always succeeds……………………..

He lives on to fight another day, well at least another round of combat anyway. With that Megalania now chomping away another group of warriors decided to attack the Megalania that charged them but fell short last turn.

This group of warriors faired a lot better taking 2 wounds off the monster for just one casualty. With the reptilian in trouble the warriors Shaman “Pointed the Bone” inflicting another wound.

With all this going on you would think that Dave K’s warriors were doing nothing and you would be right.

Moving too close to a swamp another Megalania charged a group of his warriors taking all 5 out on contact. At least the crocodilian obliged by failing its 2 saving throws

The lone warrior stood bravely against the Megalania, at least until his head was bitten off. We were just beginning to think we had over-powered these ancient reptilians in the rules until we realised the “that’s not a knife… but this is a woomera and spear” tactic.

First I took one down with spears and then Dave K did the same with a combination of boomerangs and the Shaman with his “point the bone” spell.

With all but one Megalania destined for the cooking pot my warriors were were able to take down a Procoptodon with woomera and spear after emerging from a mob of kangaroos. I know it doesn’t sound right that you are jumping out of a group of small kangaroos to attack a group of larger ones, but the “mob rule” is just a funny game mechanic representing warriors using their hunting skills. It is even funnier when you shoot at a mob and they flee randomly straight through your opponents unit causing casualities. When fighting Queensland Froniter scenarios it also allows First Nation peoples to be able to surprise settlers and police giving them a chance against their massive fire power.

The surviving Megalania attacked Dave K’s leader and bodyguard……….

however a veteran warrior close by finished it off.

Desparately trying to find some “cheap” victory points I decided to stay away from the Diprotodons (giant marsupial wombats 7 feet high at the shoulders). These lumbering monsters were dangerous with their number of attacks and high wound count.

Instead I continued to chase the giant roos taking down another one.

Dave K unfortunately decide to shoot a Dromornis or “Thunder Bird” with his Shaman. although inficting another wound in the combat the Shaman went down.

Seeing the Dromornis with only one wound left I tried to manoeuvre my Shaman within line of site to “Point the Bone” but rolled a one and didn’t activate.

A second Dromornis attacked me when I came within 12″ and although my veteran killed “Big Bird” the birds beak sliced him in half.

With it starting to get late and with both sides having taken 50% casualities and being low on morale dice we decided to call it quits. The only remaining Mega-Fauna were the 3 Diprotodons and these would have taken forever to take down.

Although we counted up victory points this was irrelevant as we were testing the rules.

Dave and I had a huge amount of fun particularly as one action lead to another triggering Mega-Fauna to react left, right, and centre. It was also interesting that we were too busy hunting or being hunted that we did not even consider attacking each other.

We modified some of the rules during the game and the link above has these changes.