INSTANT THUNDER SCENARIO

“…ROBOTS IN DE SKIES…” (Modern-day Hollywood Sci-fi)

This represents the scene from the movie ‘Transformers’ where USAF F-22 Raptors
tangle with an alien transforming robot in the skies over New York City.

HUMAN (USAF)

4 x F/A 22 Raptors each armed with 2 x AIM9 (modern) HS missiles, 4 x Aim120 RH

missiles plus cannon. All pilots are AVERAGE. Do not use Formation rules in this
scenario.

ALIEN (DECEPTICON)

1 x Robot, capable of transforming into one of three distinct forms.

MAP SET UP.

In this scenario there are NO environmental factors such as sun or cloud.

Before the game the player(s) draw six cards from the full deck. Ignore the suit of the
cards but place one BUILDING in each of the SPADE squares corresponding to the value
of the cards drawn. This represents the tallest buildings in the New York skyline over this
part of the city. If a single value is drawn more than once this has no additional effect –
ignore the card but do NOT draw one to replace it.

THE TRANSFORMER

The Alien Robot is a vari-tech transformer, capable of changing its shape and abilities as
desired. The Transformer player can alter the shape of the robot at TWO SPECIFIC
TIMES during a turn. These are:

- After the deployment phase but before movement. The player announces the form
the robot is changing to when his movement phase is due but before taking any
movement and;
- Immediately AFTER he has completed his movement phase. The player similarly
announces the new form adopted AFTER he has completed his movement phase.

The player may change shape at both opportunities if desired or he may use either one or
indeed none of the opportunities as he wishes. The robot may not transform at any other
time other than described above.

The Robot has THREE different forms to choose from. Each form has certain
characteristics, advantages and disadvantages which the player will need to weigh given
the tactical circumstances of the game.
However, no matter what form the Robot takes, it has two fundamental characteristics
which are common to it in all its forms.

1) The robot has a capacity of 20 Hit Points, no matter what form it is in. The robot
is crippled after sustaining 15 or more Hit Points.
2) The robot has unlimited ammunition and ordnance in whatever form. There is no
need to keep a record of ammunition used (cannon or missiles) as the robot has
superior technology which enables it to instantly regenerate expended
ammunition.

ROBOT FORMS – CHARACTERISTICS

The three different forms are:

RAPTOR – the robot assumes the guise of an F-22 and adopts its performance figures.
When it is Raptor format it moves and has combat in EXACTLY the same manner as a
normal F22, including missile lock, shooting procedure combat responses and
prohibitions. It uses AIM9 (modern) HS missiles and AIM 120 RH missiles, but without
the ammo limitations. The robot starts the scenario in its Raptor format.

INTERMEDIATE (INTER) this is an intermediate stage between Raptor and

Humanoid. In this form it may not use RH missiles. Its basic performance numbers are
reduced to V6 M6. It may not use advanced manoeuvres. It may still attack using HS
missiles or cannon. As a target it causes a +1 to the target number of any cannon shot
against it and any HS or Radar lock on numbers are halved when attacking the robot in
Inter mode. It has normal combat response options and combat prohibitions in this
format.

HUMANOID (HUMAN) The robot has assumed a large Humanoid shape. It still has
flight capability at a reduced level of V4 M4. In this format it may NOT use either type of
missile. It may attack with cannon and gains the capability of firing TWICE with cannon
in the same turn. It is a large target and, as such, may neither jink against enemy gunfire
or engage enemy missiles that enter its square. However, even if it sustains any Hit Point
damage in a given turn it may still fire both cannons in the same turn. It may also attack
any enemy aircraft in the same square as itself with a melee type of attack. The robot has
no special manoeuvres available to it in this format. However it gains the special ‘leap’
ability.
 SPECIAL ROBOT RULES – HUMANOID FORMAT

LEAP ABILITY

If, whilst in Human format the robot either moves into a building square in the SPADE
band, or is initially deployed into such a square, it may use the building to immediately
‘leap’ into any square in either of the three bands directly above. That is the end of the
movement for the robot that turn.

Leaping is a voluntary action and a robot is not obliged to leap.

(E.g. The robot is in Human form and is deployed into the 6 of Spades square. There is a
building at 4 of Spades and, during movement the Robot manages to reach the 4 of
spades square. It may now immediately ‘leap’ into the 4 of Diamonds, 4 of Clubs or 4 of
Hearts square as desired. If it does so it will finish its movement for the turn in the new
square.)

CANNON FIRE

Whilst in Human form the robot can fire cannon TWICE. The target(s) may not be in the
same square as the robot. The robot may fire twice at the same aircraft, or at two different
aircraft. The robot player may wait to see the outcome of the first shot before deciding the
target of the second. Both cannon have an effect rating of -3.

If a single target jinks against the shots then it draws separate cards to determine success
for the jinks against each attack.

MELEE ATTACK

The robot, if in Human form, may attack a target in the same square as itself to represent
an attack with its fists. The target will jink against the attack in the normal way, drawing
against its V and M numbers. The standard target number for the attack is 1, with any
modifiers for jinking added. The attack is resolved as if it was a gunnery attack. If all
guesses are correct then the blow has struck and the effect on the target is resolved by
drawing a single card and scoring the indicated value as Hit Points on the target, without
modifiers.

CRIPPLED TRANSFORMER

The robot is crippled if it sustains 15 or more hit Points. The instant the robot is crippled
it is unable to change its shape for the rest of the game. It remains frozen in the form it
was in when it became crippled. In whatever format all flight performance numbers are
halved, including radar lock on numbers (round up), and the robot may not use any
special manoeuvres which it would normally be capable of. The Humanoid form of the
robot also loses its ‘leap’ capability. Any cannon shots or melee attacks by the robot
suffer a +2 penalty to the target numbers to hit.
 BUILDING SQUARES AS HAZARDS

If an aircraft, including the robot if in Raptor form, ends its movement phase in a building
square then there is a danger of collision. Draw a card for the aircraft and if the card is
RED then the aircraft has hit the building and takes damage. Draw a further card and
score the indicated number of Hit Points on the aircraft without modification. An aircraft
that takes Hit Point damage through Collision MAY still have a combat action this turn.

If a CRIPPLED aircraft finishes its movement in a building square then a Red card
automatically destroys it (including the robot in Raptor form).

Note that aircraft may freely pass through a building square during movement and only
tests for collision if OCCUPYING a building square AFTER movement.

If the robot is in Raptor form and occupies a building square then it must take the above
collision test BEFORE any transformation at the end of its movement. A robot in Inter or
Human form is not required to take a collision test.

VICTORY

The scenario may be played to a finish or a result determined after 10 turns. If the robot is
destroyed the human player wins, no matter what losses he has sustained. If the robot is
crippled at the end of the 10-turn game then it will need to have downed at least 3
Raptors to claim victory or 2 for a draw. Any other result is a human win.

VARIANTS

- try more or less Raptors

- use 8 Raptors and 2 robots
- try different aircraft. If this option is used the robot assumes the form of the
aircraft type opposing it.