Pulp Alley: Star Wars!

I statted up 2 Pulp Alley leagues for a a Star Wars game. One side is the Imperials on Tatooine, so they also make use of some local mercs. The other is a smuggler gang with Rebel sympathies.


I then played a 2 episode game, starting with “Trail of clues” (from the core Pulp Alley Rulebook).


Some freelance agents have managed to get the location of a secret hidden Rebel base. The deal will take place on Mos Eisley in Tatooine. The Rebels cannot get a team there in time so they hire a local gang of smugglers who have Rebel leanings to retrieve it. 


The location is in a place familiar to the gang: a ruined section of Mos Eisley where no one will bother if a few blaster shots are fired. 


Meanwhile, the Imperials led by Captain van Tam and backed up by some local mercs are on their way to retrieve the data of the hidden Rebel base. 


Minor plot points

  • Sealed blueprints
  • Wired Bomb
  • Classified Info
  • Unfamiliar Transmitter
Major plot point
  • Courier

Both sides move cautiously, taking advantage of cover. They then get into gunfights and brawls when they get into range. 


Biv finishes off an entire squad (gang) of Stormtroopers with his heavy weapon.

While the rest of the Imperials and smugglers are engaged in combat, Boba Fett uses his jump jets and grabs a clue (plot point) that tells him the data is being carried by a courier. He spots the courier headed to the HQ of the local crime boss. No doubt going to sell the info to the highest bidder.


Boba Fett intercepts the courier and attempts to persuade him to hand over the data. But the courier isn’t just any old courier. He's a war vet and he refuses.


Meanwhile the smugglers are still trying to find the location of the data. Jyn finally scores a clue (sealed documents) so they know about the courier.

Saska is closest and she attempts to persuade the courier to hand the data over to her. The courier isn’t having any of it and promptly decks her while fending off Boba Fett at the same time!

Diala gets into the fray and moves closer to Boba Fett and then uses the Force to drag him closer to her. They engage in a brawl. Boba is wounded. Diala isn’t.


Finally Jyn gets into the act while the others are fighting with the Imperials.


The courier turns out to be an old war buddy of Jyn’s. They saved each others’ lives so many times they've lost count. Jyn persuades him to hand the data over to her.


Diala manages to knock Boba Fett down!


The smugglers run off with their prize as the crime boss’ goons finally run out to investigate all the blaster fire. The sole Imperial (Captain van Tam) talks his way past the crime boss’ goons.


The followup is “Dangerous Delivery” (again from the core rulebook) where the smugglers have to get the data (turns out it’s been encased in carbonate so they can’t access it) physically off planet. They have to make their way to a secluded corner of the space port where a Rebel shuttle is waiting for them. They are joined by a Rebel Fleet trooper (a level 1 backup shooter) who is there to guide them to the shuttle.


The imperials, led by Capt. van Tam have to stop them.


The Imperials charge ahead.

Boba Fett again goes after the main plot point (secret Rebel base location) this time carried by Jyn, leader of the smugglers.


Mak fires at the stormtrooper squad and puts two of them out of action. Sadly, they do the same to him. 

Diala attacks them and manages to finish off the stormtrooper unit.

The heavy stormtrooper puts the Rebel Fleet trooper out of action.

In the end, both Biv and Mak go down and out, leaving Jyn, Diala and Saska as the ones carrying the plot points to make it to the end.


Capt. van Tam is a resourceful adversary. He uses the old “reinforcements have surrounded you” trick on the smugglers, causing Jyn and Diala to crouch down in firing positions to prepare for the onslaught. (Solo cards immobilised them both!) Jyn hands the secret data to Saska, who is the only one who can make a run for the shuttle.

But Capt. van Tam is well placed and blocks Saska’s way to the shuttle. But the shuttle crew are alert and emerge from the shuttle, chasing the Imperial officer away.

Saska hands over the valuable data to the shuttle crew and the smugglers get paid.


+ + +


That was a nice, short story in 2 games. Pulp Alley, as I've said before, is amazingly flexible. The story emerges from the gameplay and cards drawn. Very suitable for those who prefer narrative gaming to straightforward combat oriented objectives. 


I'm seriously considering using something like 5 Parsecs or even Starport Scum to drive the narrative for my Mos Eisley smuggler gang and playing the game out using Pulp Alley. I can see they can have encounters with Imperials as well as other crime gangs... Jabba's being one of them.


Sound exciting?





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