This morning my good friend and gaming buddy, Mike Strong came over to play a bit of Pulp Alley. Pulp Alley is a game that I’ve been playing for well over a decade and can’t think of a game I’ve had that I have not enjoyed, regardless of if I have won or lost. Over the years we’ve played Pulp Alley WW2, Marvel Captain America, James Bond, Scooby-Doo, Western, Pirates, Judge Dredd and many, many more genres. We’ve even played, more than a few games set in the 1920-40’s Pulp Genre, but today was the day to try out Pulp Alley with my favourite childhood book, Peter Pan. 50 years ago (at the age of 5), I was one of the biggest Peter Pan fan boys out there. According to my parents, I was obsessed; so much so that when I learnt I was going to have a baby sister, I insisted that she be called ‘Wendy Moira Angela Darling (Abbey… I guess)’. Luckily for my sister, I did not get my way, but a compromise was made and she was christened Wendy Abbey.

The story for the scenario was that Tiger Lilly had been captured and was being held hostage by Captain Hook. This translated to a Pulp Alley ‘The Raid’ scenario. Tiger Lilly became the major plot point. Minor plot points became some casks of powder on board the Jolly Rodger, cutting the Jolly Rodgers anchor chain, the pirates bottles of grog and ships biscuits that were positioned around the pirates camp that had been set up on the beach at ‘Pirates Cove’.

Once the plot points had been set up, Tiger Lilly in the centre, the others at least 6″ from other plot points and 6″ from the sides of the table, Hook, Smee and the Pirate defenders set up anywhere in the table that was 6″ away from the sides. (Although the game was set up on a 5′ x 7′ table, it was only the 3′ square of the bay that was used for the game).

Peter Pan and the rest of the rescue party then deployed anywhere in the 6″ around the edge of the table. Pan and the rescuers had the starting initiative. Peter Pan can fly. (You knew that though… didn’t you?). Pan fly’s 16″ up into the crows nest of the Jolly Rodger to be ready to attempt a rescue next turn.

Unfortunately the game did not go well for Michael and John Darling. The life of a Pulp Alley Follower can be a bit short and brutal. A brutish shot from a pirates musket leaves poor Michael bleeding out on the sand. His brother John, incensed by the meaningless death of his brother rushes the sniper and sets about him with his umbrella. He takes the cad down but is then charged and hacked to pieces by a whole gang of pirates thugs. (I’m very pleased Disney had the good sense to cut this scene from the 1953 adaptation… very distressing)

Another pirate marksman makes his way up the ratlines, steadies his musket in the crows nest and takes a shot at Peter. Peter replies by throwing his pocket knife at the pirate. (Pan’s league has the ‘short ranged’ league perk. This means there shooting is restricted to 12″, to represent throwing stones, catapults and blowpipes, but they get a reroll when brawling to compensate). Pan’s knife finds it’s mark and the sniper goes down.

Wendy responds to coming under effective enemy fire from the pirates by hurrying to the cover of the rowing boat. Mr Smee rushes her and attempts to do physical harm. Wendy proves quite well equipped at dodging his blows.

At the start of the second turn, Peter Pan swoops down, avoids all perils, solves all challenges and rescues Tiger Lilly.

Unfortunately, the pirates are not going to let him get away that easily. A pirate gang rushes up the stairs to brawl with him. Two of the pirates perish, but Pan is also wounded.

At this point, Captain Hook sees his opportunity to finish of the wounded Pan. However, Pan manages to dodge and flies off just outside the reach of Hook’s sword.

Meanwhile, back on the beach, Tinkerbell manages to steal the pirates Grog. They do not seem to be very happy.

Man of the match goes to ‘unnamed Lost Boy follower’ who some how, against all odds manages to defeat a whole gang of pirates by himself!

Wendy is in trouble. Smee just won’t leave her alone. In an uncharacteristic fit of team-spirit-ness, ‘Tink’ overcomes her jealousy and flies over to help Wendy out.

A gang of pirates take to a Jolly Boat and row for all they are worth to try to stop Peter from cutting the Jolly Rodger free from her moorings. As fate would have it, after overcoming the perils and challenge associated with this task, Pan draws the ‘Red Herring’ reward card. The line going over the port bow was just attached to a net where the pirates were keeping there beer cold, the anchor was obviously over the starboard bow, after all!

Mr Smee bites off more than he can chew when he levels his flint lock pistol at Miss Bell, who retaliates with a flurry of fairy shards, taking Smee out of the game.

Unfortunately our heroic lost boy follower, did not make it to the closing credits, and I’m not sure what Wendy was thinking of, letting him go out of the camp in his ‘Rabbit Onesie’ anyway!

As a scenario rule we allowed characters in Pans League (other than Peter and Tinkerbell who had the fly attribute anyway), to attempt to fly by ‘thinking a happy thought and sprinkling some fairy dust’, this enabled them to draw a peril. If they succeeded they could fly, if they failed they had to take the consequences of the peril. Our Lost Boy attempted to fly. The peril card was for one success with Brawl… how hard could that be? He had two D6 for Brawl with a one dice reroll. Unfortunately he rolled two ones, followed by another one on the reroll! Some things are just not meant to be!

Tinkerbell takes out another Pirate marksman.

Peter Pan flies around to the starboard bow and this time he is successful in cutting the anchor line.

This gave the rescuers the major plot point and three minor plot points, compared to one remaining under the pirates control. Peter and Tink fly off into the setting sun crowing.

The scenario was a lot of fun, and in reality was not as one sided as my write up might suggest. The ‘dice gods’ were not with Hook today and both Peter, Wendy and Tinkerbell were severely injured and rolling to survive on more than one occasion. Mike and I are planning a rematch in two weeks time, seeing how Peter Pan and Pirates translate to the world of 7TV.

The ships, boats and other terrain have been 3D printed from designs by Iain Lovecraft.

The miniatures inspired by Peter Pan are coming soon as 3D printable miniatures and metal castings. Sign up to the Sally 4th Newsletter to be kept informed.

Many of the Pirates are from the Sally 4th ‘Swashbuckling Adventures range, designed by Iain Lovecraft and available as metal miniatures from Sally 4th.

The game was played using Pulp Alley. Click here to find out all about it. We have made a free downloadable set of Peter Pan character cards for Pulp Alley. Click here to take a look.

If you’ve not tried Pulp Alley you can download a free copy to try out the scenario here.