Dinosaurs of the Lost World--Need 12 suicidal volunteers

[Kalel21]

Okay, this will be similar to the B-17 game in that you volunteer to take part, but you don't actually do anything but read about your adventures after I run the solitaire version of the game, discovering if you live or die.


Dinosaurs of the Lost World (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/393/dinosaurs-of-the-lost-world) is a an old Avalon Hill game in which competing expeditions explore a newly-discovered South American plateau after getting trapped there, fighting off dinosaurs while trying to score victory points through exploring the plateau AND trying to find a way to escape.

The solitaire version is really pretty fun. The player doesn't compete against other expeditions, but only has 40 turns to get the requisite number of victory points and find a way to escape. After that, a volcano erupts and the Lost World is destroyed. Randomly moving dinosaurs and Event Cards that can represent both good and bad events add to the fun. Rifle ammunition is limited, though it is possible to ally an expedition with either the Indians or the Apemen who live on the plateau to get help against hungry dinosaurs.


I've thought of a way to expand the game to allow individual characters within the expedition to exist. Normally, when an expedition loses a fight against a dinosaur, it chases them along a "chase track" until they get back to their base camp. Every time the dino catches up with the expedition, a tool or victory point is lost.

I thought this could be changed so that an expedition member (chosen at random) is eaten whenever this happens. I'll also give each member a bonus of some sort that helps the expedition, but will be lost if he's eaten.

If I get enough volunteers to form two expeditions (6 members each), then I'll run through the game twice to see how the expeditions compare to each other.


SO:

Not long ago, an explorer named Maple White discovered a nearly inaccessible plateau in South America--a plateau on which many prehistoric beasts still survive. Maple White died soon after from a fever, but his diary, giving the location of the plateau, has been recovered. Now a new expedition has traveled through the thick jungle to explore this Lost World.

The expedition arrives. Finding the plateau walls to be too steep to climb, they instead climb a nearby rocky pinnacle. Once atop this, they fell a tree and form a bridge over to the plateau itself. But soon after cross this bridge, it collapses, leaving them trapped!!! What's more, only a couple of rifles and a few random tools have been saved.

Can the expedition survive long enough to explore the plateau and find a way to escape? And what of the Indians and the Apemen, who are perpetually at war with one another? Will they be friends or enemies?

Only time will tell.

So, I need at least six volunteers to represent the expedition members. If I get twelve volunteers, I'll run the game twice.


EXPEDITION NUMBER 1:

Cranky scientist (allows one die to be re-rolled during an exploration of a dinosaur lair): archaon02


Elderly scientist (allows one extra Experience Card to be drawn prior to an exploration): CurBludgeon


Hunter (adds 1 to each Battle Dice roll): Grinner


Reporter (automatically adds Camera to available tools. Camera lost if Reporter is killed): Melkhor


Maple White's son (gets an extra tool if the Lost Camp of Maple White is discovered): JackAssterson


Servant (may be sacrificed if Carnivorous Plants are discovered instead of incurring normal penalty): Wade Wilson


EXPEDITION #2:


Cranky Scientist: Quebbster

Elderly Scientist: AlienFlanders

Hunter: Space Jawa

Reporter: Smudge

Maple White's son:GroovyBoy

Servant: Thawmus


Post if you want to join an expedition and let me know which part you want to play.

[archaon02]

I'm in, but I am feeling a bit cranky today.

[Melkhor]

Sign me up for the role of Reporter then. The public has a right to know! :)

[Grinner]

Let's shoot us some dinosaurs! I'll take the Hunter.

[Kalel21]

Still need an Elderly Scientist, Maple White's Son and a Servant to get at least one expedition off the ground.

[CurBludgeon]

Heck, I'll take an elderly scientist.

[JackAssterson]

I'll be Maple White's bouncing baby boy!

[Kalel21]

We just need a servant, then we're ready to go.

[Space Jawa]

I'll take the role of Hunter in the second expedition.

[Kalel21]

I'll take the role of Hunter in the second expedition.

Okay. I'm not sure if we'll have enough volunteers for the second expedition, though.

[Kalel21]

Come on--nobody wants to be the Servant? You get to carry everyone else's stuff. What could be more fun than that?

[JackAssterson]

I forcibly volunteer Space Jawa to be the servant!

[Kalel21]

I forcibly volunteer Space Jawa to be the servant!

I may go with that if no one else volunteers. Sorry, Space Jawa, but someone has to carry the equipment. You can't expect JackAssterson to do it!!!!!

[Wade Wilson]

Come on--nobody wants to be the Servant? You get to carry everyone else's stuff. What could be more fun than that?

ok fine -_-;

[Kalel21]

ok fine -_-;

So the Servant slot is full. I'll play through the game tonight and let you know how heroically you all performed as Explorers tomorrow.

I'll still play through it with a second expedition if there's enough volunteers.

[JackAssterson]

Will we see...HIM? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0aTPc66lfk)

[Kalel21]

Will we see...HIM? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0aTPc66lfk)

Well, watching that makes me want to gouge my own eyes out--so hopefully never. :speechles:eek:

[Quebbster]

I wouldn't mind the second Cranky scientist role.

[Smudge]

I wouldn't mind the second Cranky scientist role.

D'oh! Too late. I'll take the Reporter role in the 2nd expedition.

[AlienFlanders]

I'll be the 2nd Elderly Scientist

[Kalel21]

We just need a Maple White's son and a Servant and the second expedition will be good to go.

[GroovyBoy]

I'm am ready to carry the #### outta some bags!

[Thawmus]

I'll be whatever.

[GroovyBoy]

Wait, Thawmus will play whatever? Let him carry the bags and get eaten by carnivorous plants. I'll be Maple White Jr...

[archaon02]

Why is it these expeditions always take ages to get underway? I didn't sign up to NOT make discoveries!

[AlienFlanders]

Good News Everyone! We're going exploring. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D1cap6yETA)

[Kalel21]

Expedition #1:

Cranky scientist: archaon02


Elderly scientist: CurBludgeon


Hunter: Grinner


Reporter: Melkhor


Maple White's son: JackAssterson


Servant: Wade Wilson

After the tree bridge collapses, the expedition inventories the supplies they managed to save. Aside from a pair of rifles and Melkhor’s camera, there are binoculars, a fish tank, a net, a gas bomb (that can be used once to chase off a dinosaur) and a net. There are also some gifts for the Indians to help us make friends.

But the Indian Caves are on the North-west end of the plateau, while our camp (protected by thick thorn bushes) is on the south end. The expedition decides to head to the Central Lake, using the canoe to explore it (with the fish tank and the net to gather specimans), then move on to the Indian Caves.

They sneak past a grazing Apatosaurus and find evidence of vines strong enough to build a rope bridge to the pinnacle and escape. But can they find a spot where there are enough vines to build the bridge? At least the possibility of escape by that route exists.

Wade Wilson is told to climb a tall tree, but sees nothing but jungle between them and the lake. They push on—only to be attacked by a T-Rex.

Grinner tosses the gas bomb, driving away the big carnosaur. They continue on to the lake, but while circling around an ankylosaurus, they stumble upon a Phorusrhacus Nest. The Phorusrhacus is a flightless meat-eating bird that stands about 8-feet tall.

Still, it’s an area worth exploring. But they are attacked by a Phorusrhacus and forced to gun it down. They gather specimans, capture a flightless Archeopteryx in the net and try to find some Phorusrhacus eggs. They can’t find the eggs, but the specimans they do gather earn some Victory Points.

They continue on to the lake, driving off an ill-tempered Ankylosaur with some well-placed rifle shots. Finally, the reach the lake and take to the canoe to explore.

After rowing through some rough waters and collecting some Trilobites as specimans, they are attacked by a huge Elasmosaur. It’s driven off, but now over half the expedition’s ammunition has been expended. They miss a chance to net a baby Elasmosaur, then are attacked again by an adult.

Landing back on the lake shore, they are attacked by an T-Rex. They expend the last of their rifle ammunition, but the monster keeps coming. It chases them all the way back to their camp, but they all make it alive.


Well, ammo or no ammo, the Indian Caves are still the only place to get help (if they can make friends, of course). This time, the expedition tries circling around the edge of the plateau rather than cut through the middle. They discover a Triceratops hatchery about half-way around.

Exploring here gets one of them caught in an Indian snare, which loses time. The volcano has been rumbling steadily, coming ever closer to the moment it will erupt and kill them all.

Continuing the exploration of the triceratops hatchery, the group is set upon by a swooping pterodactyl. Without any ammo, they can’t stop it from making off with some of their collected specimans. But soon afterwards, they collect some Dimetrodon eggs and manage to capture a baby triceratops!! That will impress the keepers at the London Zoo!!!

Soon after leaving the hatchery, they discover a pick—a tool left over from the Maple White expedition. Then they are attacked by the very Indians they were seeking to make friends with!! They hightail it back to camp, but Grinner takes an arrow in the back!!! The hunter dies instantly.

Well, the expedition has lost a man, but they’ve found some valuable specimens and have nearly enough Victory points to win. But they still have not found a way off the plateau and they are still out of ammunition! They MUST make friends with the Indians to get some help against attacking monsters, or they won’t stand a chance.

For the third time, they attempt to reach the Indian Caves. Nearing them, they find the Apatosaurus Swamp. Exploring this, they manage to avoid several dinosaurs and collect some Apatosaurus eggs.

But then they are attacked by Apemen—the perpetual enemies of the Indians. They escape back to camp without loss. But time is rapidly running out!!! The volcano could blow at any moment.

A fourth attempt to reach the Indian Caves is finally successful. They explore the caves and—with the use of the gifts they brought—they manage to make friends with the Indians. Now some braves armed with bows and arrows will accompany them, helping them fight off attacking monsters.

Soon after this, they find the Pterodactyl rookery and manage to capture a small pterodactyl. By now, the expedition has more than enough Victory Points to win—IF they can find a way off the plateau in time. If they can find the Carnivorous Plant Patch, they can gather enough strong vines to build a rope bridge to the pinnacle. Also, they now know the Apemen are holding an Indian Prince prisoner. If they can find Apetown and rescue the Prince, the Indians will give them a map showing a way off the plateau through a network of tunnels.


But time is running out. And more time is lost when a Triceratops attacks. Despite the shower of arrows from the Indians, the expedition is once again chased back to their camp. Archaon02 is gored to death during the chase.

The four remaining expedition members set out to try to find an escape route. They get really lucky and discover Apetown just east of the Central Lake. Trading their binoculars for the Prince, they are in turn rewarded by the Indians with the map. But the volcano is about to blow.


Only a really lucky chance—finding a shortcut through the jungle to get quickly back to the Indian Caves, allows them to get to the caves in time to escape through the tunnels. The volcano blows up just as they escape—it’s a true nick-of-time situation.


So the Expedition is successful, despite the loss of their cranky scientist and their hunter.

They return with:

A live Archeopteryx.

Dimetrodon Eggs

A baby Triceratops

Apatosaurus Eggs

A Small Pterodactyl

A number of minor plant & animal specimens, plus valuable photographs.


It’s a hugely successful expedition, making them all world famous.


I'll run Expedition #2 tonight and we'll see if they do as well.

[archaon02]

Being gored to death did not improve my disposition. The zoo better at least name the baby triceratops after me. Though cranky, I do appreciate good irony.

[Melkhor]

*Takes a bow* Thank you, thank you. I would like to dedicated this Pulitzer Prize to the people who's worthy sacrifice made this outstanding and amazing achievement reality. Thanks in particular goes out to my sadly deceased and chronically cranky expedition member without whom my award-winning photo "Triceratops - peaceful herbivore or bloodthirsty killer?" could never have happened.

I will make sure to send a warm and grateful thought in your direction when I'm basking in the luxury and wealth that your grizzly demise paid for!

[Kalel21]

Expedition #2:

Cranky Scientiest: Quebbster

Elderly Scientist: AlienFlanders

Hunter: Space Jawa

Maple White’s Son: Smudge

Servant: Thawmus


After the tree bridge collapses, the expedition inventories the supplies they managed to save. Aside from a pair of rifles and Smudge’s camera, there’s a lot of equipment salvaged that’s good for catching live specimens, including a lariat, a net, an egg crate and a fish tank. There’s also a protective cage, designed to fend off Pterodactyls while exploring near their rookery and protective clothing that helps when exploring lava pits or geysers.


The Expedition sets out and soon stumbles over the Lave Pit. They also stumble over the sacred Indian Burial Ground, angering the Indians and causing an attack. The attack is driven off, but now there is no chance of the Indians ever becoming allies. It’s an inauspicious start.

But a search of the area around the Lava Pit leads to the discovery of a large priceless ruby! Soon after that, the Indians attack again, but are again driven off.

A Stegasaurus attacks soon after that. A barrage of rifle fire fails to stop it and the expedition is forced to high-tail it back to the base camp. Fortunately, no one is lost.

Setting out again, they walk into a patch of huge carnivorous plants!!! Sadly, Thawmus is swallowed up by the hideous things! The other members of the expedition are now obligated to carry their own stuff!!!!!!

They find a large tree and climb it to look around, spotting both the pterodactyl rookery and the Apemen,s treetop village nearby.


An exploration of the rookery yields a number of minor specimens and a collection of pterodactyl eggs. After an attack by a Dimetrodon is driven off, an exploration of Apetown results in an elderly ape—cast out by his tribe—joining the group. He’ll certainly be a hit at the next meeting of the Scientific Society!!!! The expedition has nearly enough Victory Points for the win, but still has found no way off the plateau.

The Iguanadon Glade is discovered and a young iguanadon is caught in a net. Another valuable specimen, giving the expedition a victory—if they can only escape before the volcano erupts!!!

A T-Rex attacks. The last of the rifle fire is used, but the monster keeps coming and chomps Smudge in half before the expedition can escape!


The expedition makes its way to the Indian Caves, where they find the discarded membrane of a large dinosaur. It can be used to make a hot air balloon. If the Geysers can be found, there is now a way to escape.


But a stampeding Apatosaurus has other ideas. He squashes both Quebster and GroovyBoy. Only Space Jawa is left alive.


Space Jawa heads for one of the few remaining unexplored locations, knowing there is a good chance that it is the Geyser. If so, he has barely enough time to escape before the volcano blows up.

But that darn T-Rex has other ideas and Space Jawa ends up as its latest meal. The expedition has been wiped out.


Had the expedition escaped, the following items would have been brought back to civilization:

Pterodactyl eggs.

A priceless ruby

A cast-out ape man

A young Iguanodon



It would have been enough to ensure fame and fortune for the expedition. But instead, they are lost forever—never to be heard from again.

Ironically, the site Space Jawa was trying to reach was indeed the geysers. If he hadn't gotten eaten, he would have made it off the plateau with two turns to spare before the volcano blew.

[Melkhor]

Hurray! Solo story! Good things do happen to bad people! :)

[Thawmus]

I got swallowed by a plant?

Is....is Poison Ivy around? :devious:

[Smudge]

Eaten by a T-Rex... I hope I gave him indigestion.

[Grinner]

At least you guys saw it coming. I got shot in the back :p

[Melkhor]

At least you guys saw it coming. I got shot in the back :p

But you'll live forever in my *other* award-winning photo "The dangers of applied anthropology!" :laugh:

[Smudge]

I wanna do it again!

[JackAssterson]

Papa White would be proud!

[Kalel21]

I wanna do it again!

Anyone else want to try it again? I'm having fun with this game right now, so I'm happy to play through it one more time.

[DarkCorsair]

Anyone else want to try it again? I'm having fun with this game right now, so I'm happy to play through it one more time.

While it wouldn't be "again" for me, I'd like to try my luck at a dangerous dino-expedition.

[Kalel21]

Well, if we have six interested people, we can try again. Post to sign up for what role you want:


1. Cranky Scientist: Wade Wilson

2. Elderly Scientist: CurBludgeon

3. Hunter: Smudge

4. Reporter: JackAssterson

5. Maple White's Son

6. Servant: JeavesCorsair

[DarkCorsair]

The ill-fated JeevesCorsair will sign up to be the Servant! Not killed in the B-17 explosion, he is instead hurled through a rift torn in time and space to continue to be a faithful manservant!

[JackAssterson]

Ooh! I wanna be a Reporter!

[Smudge]

Sign me up as the Hunter. Wait, I do get a gun, right?

[Wade Wilson]

can I be cranky?!?!

[Kalel21]

We just need an elderly scientist and then we're ready to go.

[CurBludgeon]

I'll reprise my old dude role.

After all, what could possibly go wrong? :grin:

[Kalel21]

We actually need a Maple White's son as well, but I can run the adventure with five guys instead of six if no one volunteers. I'll run it this weekend and post results on Monday.

[Smudge]

We actually need a Maple White's son as well, but I can run the adventure with five guys instead of six if no one volunteers. I'll run it this weekend and post results on Monday.

How do you keep a turkey in suspense...?

[Wade Wilson]

I volunteer BudPalmer for the role

[Smudge]

I volunteer BudPalmer for the role

I second that.

[Wade Wilson]

looks like we have our Maple White's son :cheeky:

[Quebbster]

If he's not willing I'll give it another go.

[Smudge]

If he's not willing I'll give it another go.

We don't really care if he's willing or not.

[Quebbster]

We don't really care if he's willing or not.

Kalel might.

[Smudge]

We'd rather have you, anyway, Q. I think BudPalmer is bad luck...

[archaon02]

Can my ghost haunt this expedition...crankily?

[Melkhor]

Good luck fellows! I'll be sending you all warm thoughts and the best of wishes while I kick back at the Riviera sipping Martini's and being massaged by supermodels! :)

[BigDaddyHub]

I need to throw myself down the gullet of a dinosaur when opportunity arises.

[Kalel21]

I neglected to bring the write-up for your dino adventure in to work today to post it here. I'll have to post it tomorrow.


So I know which of you (if any survive), but you all will have to wait until tomorrow to find out. :cool:

[Wade Wilson]

I hope BudPalmer made it!

[Smudge]

I neglected to bring the write-up for your dino adventure in to work today to post it here. I'll have to post it tomorrow.


So I know which of you (if any survive), but you all will have to wait until tomorrow to find out. :cool:

The suspense may kill me before the dinos...

[Kalel21]

Expedition #2:

Cranky Scientiest: Wade Wilson

Elderly Scientist: CurBludgeon

Reporter: JackAssterson

Hunter: Smudge

Maple White’s Son: Quebbster

Servant: JeevesCorsair


After the tree bridge collapses, the expedition inventories the supplies they managed to save. Aside from a pair of rifles and Jack’s camera, the salvaged equipment includes a machete, a shovel, a protective cage to fend off Pterodactyls, a lariat, an egg crate and a single gas bomb

The Expedition sets out Smudge uses a single round of rifle ammo to drop a charging Iguanodon before it smashes its way through them. Soon after, the gas bomb is used to drive off an ill-tempered T-Rex.

While this is happening, the expedition checks out a number of unexplored sites south and east of the Central Lake. They discover Apetown and go exploring there.

They spot and photograph a giant beaver and stop to help an injured apeman. They also find a spare gas bomb, dropped there by the Maple White expedition. But they aren’t able to make friends with the apemen tribe.


But friends are made with someone. Leaving Apetown, the expedition spots a band of Indians locked in mortal combat with a huge triceratops. Blazing away with both rifles, the expedition helps drive off the dinosaur. The grateful Indians become their allies, vowing to help them in battle when needed.

Soon after, the expedition finds a tall tree and sends JeevesCorsair up to the top. He is able to spot a treasure trove of valuable locations, including the Triceratops Hatchery, the Apatosaurus Swamp and the Iguanodon glade.


They set off for the Triceratops Hatchery first, driving off a charging Dimetrodon and an attacking Pterodactyl before reaching the hatchery. They explore, driving off a mother triceratops with the gas bomb in order to capture a baby triceratops.

They also find another tool lost by the Maple White expedition—a set of protective clothes that will help in exploring the lava pit and geysers.

Reaching the Apatosaurus Swamp, the expedition collects some minor specimens and takes some cool photographs. Driving off an adult Apatosaurus, they collect a crate-full of Apatosaurus eggs.

They also find a specimen cage lying about. Gee whiz, the Maple White expedition lost a lot of stuff!


Reaching the Iguanodon Glade, the expedition finds yet another lost tool—a net—and easily captures a baby Iguanodon.

Soon after, they discover the Lava Pit. They use the last of their rifle ammo to drive off a Pterodactyl, but discover a priceless ruby!!!! And they still have their Indian Allies, giving them some protection against dinosaurs despite the lack of ammo.


They find a spare camera (the Maple White expedition apparently got wiped out because they were unable to keep from losing ANY of their tools) and find the geysers located just north of the Central Lake. Here, they are able to siphon up some noxious gas and use it to improvise two more gas bombs. An unexpected eruption from the geysers force them to run away, but those gas bombs represent two more free victories against attacking dinosaurs.


By now, the expedition easily has enough victory points to win, if they can find a way to escape from the plateau. The volcano is starting to rumble ominously.


But they learn of a plesiosaur membrane located near the Indian Caves. Just the thing to make a hot air balloon! On the way to the caves, they use up a gas bomb to drive off an Apatosaurus. (Probably the mother trying to rescue her baby!) They reach the Caves, find the membrane and start back to the geysers to make the balloon.

But on the way, they stumble across the Carnivorous Plant Patch. Poor JeevesCorsair is eaten!!!


Reaching the geysers, another spot of bad luck hits them. They stumble across the sacred Indian burial grounds and their former allies turn on them. The last gas bomb is used to drive the Indians off. The balloon is filled with hot air from a geyser and the expedition floats to safety. Behind them, the volcano erupts and the plateau is destroyed.


So the expedition survives—well, except for the servant, but it’s not too terribly annoying to hire a new servant.

The expedition returns to London with:

A baby Triceratops.

A baby Iguanodon

Apatosaurus Eggs

A priceless Ruby.

Minor specimens and photographs.



Unlike the previous two games, in which the expeditions were running from dinosaurs after losing fights over and over, this expedition didn’t lose a single fight. Of course, it helped that they ended up with gas bombs pretty much coming out of their ears. They would have not lost a man if I hadn’t given into the temptation to explore one more site before escaping, thus stumbling over the man-eating plants. But, hey, this was a scientific expedition. JeevesCorsair died in pursuit of knowledge.

[Wade Wilson]

we make a good team :D

[Smudge]

Smudge uses a single round of rifle ammo to drop a charging Iguanodon before it smashes its way through them.

Yeah, baby! Y'all can call me Dead-Eye from here on out.
Good fun. Thanks Kalel.