\ yy ae. bis —(ad Pg KODT: Black Hands #1 February, 2003 © Copyright. 2003. Kenzer and Company, All Righs Reserved Knights ofthe Dinnee Table: Black Hands™ is. publish Kenzer and Compan: Hilliew Court, Mundelein, IL World Wide Web bhtepulwwwkenzerco.com, Inmernet: questions@kenzrw.com al inquii) Mailing Address Kenzer and Company, 25667 Hillview Cour, in I. 60060 Submisone: We do accep submit ‘We ar interes in ean ing anything tha other gam fi nog, Check out our web tat Or email AM Ghia aldo@impressionsadvnet, Lega Notice: Back ds, rg of he Diner Tl, Hard eghe Enterprises, ier ak Kg, Hicker Hl ‘nn. Bick Hinds Genie Seve ths aur and Conpary Loo a a prom (rer fered Corey. nes The KODT Development Team is Jolly R. Blackburn « Brian Jelke * Steve Johansson * David S. Kenzer “Myanmar Memoirs” Cover Artist: Pat Quinn THE STRIPS: A Call to ARM Pcie eae es See oo ee ee Ok Welcome to Hell. Boot Camp Blues ............ 2. ‘A Man with a Mission .......... ge. 14A Call to Arms by Steve Johansson YEAH PETE, WHAT DO YOu WANT? > Hey, HOW DID YA KNOW DUH. CALLER ID. WELCOME TO THe NINETIES, PETE! —SO-WHAT IS-TT? MAKE IT QUICK BECAUSE I’M NOT ‘SUPPOSED TO TAKE PERSONAL CALLS HERE, T QUST WANTED TO Ler You KNOW THAT I GOT THE WACKBURGER HILL EXPANSION IN FOR HACK KRIEG. THAT'S GREAT PETE. REALLY. SINCE WHEN DID YOU START DOING TELEMARKETING FOR WARD EIGHT ANYWAY? ue // TELEMARKETING? WAIT A MINUTE! THERE'S NO WAY T CAN MAKE THAT THIS AIN'T A FRICKIN’ SALES || HORRIFIC DRIVE MORE THAN CALL. t JUST WANTED To LET || ONCE A WEEK. IT THROWS YOU KNOW THAT T TALKED To || MY WHOLE SATURDAY OFF NITRO AND 1’M THINKIN’ OF STARTIN’ UP A CAMPAIGN, THAT'S WHY I CALLED NITRO, WE'RE GONNA PUT THE OLD HACKMASTER CAMPAIGN ON WOLD FOR A WHILE, Black Hands" * Issue One‘SERVED COLD, WOULON'T HURT TO Le? 11 KNOW, T KNOW. BUT REVENGE |S A DISH BEST BT. BESIDES, YOU MIGHT PICK UP SOME NEW TRICKS IN THE BUSH. THINK ABOUT IT IT'D BE LIKE PLAYING YOUR GREL FIGHTER ONLY THIS TIME YOU GOT “AUTOMATIC WEAPONS. (GREAT. I'LL COUNT YOU IN, CHECK OUT THE BRIEFING PACKAGE ON THE HARD EIGHT SITE TO GET UP TO ‘SPEED BEFORE YOU GET HERE FRIDAY. TIT SIMMER A IT USES THE SAME ENGINE AS THE OSTFRONT EXPANSION FROM A FEW YEARS BACK SO YOU SHOULD “ALREADY BE FAMILIAR ENCUGH TO PLAY. WHEN You pur Ir THAT WAY x WELL TLL JUST HAVE TO DIG uP OBERSTLEUTNANT YON MALTHUS AND REFRESH MY RULES KNOWLEDGE, “COURSE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ENHANCEMENTS THAT MAKE THIS AN ATTRACTIVE PURCHASE. LAW ROCKETS, ASSAULT RIFLES, STARLIGHT SCOPES. $0 THIS 16 A ‘SALES CALL APTER ALL, EH 1 SEEM TO RECALL THAT THE OBERSTLEUTNANT HAD A PANZERFAUST AND A ZF 1229 VAMPIR IR SCOPE ON HIS ‘STURMGEWEHR 44. SO BASICALLY T1VE ALREADY PLAYED WITH ALL THOSE >) "ENHANCEMENTS", / SOUNDS LiKe ANOTHER HARD — BIGHT REHASH (OH YEA, 1 FORGOT THAT YOU PURCHASED THE KOMMANDO PLAYER'S ENHANCEMENT KIT FOR YEA, 1 CAN SEE WHY YOU FORGOT. THAT NEW EQUIPMENT REALLY CANE IN HANDY WHEN WE DESTROYED YOUR PRECIOUS ARMORED COLUMN OUTSIDE OF RIGAL You Just cor LUCKY WT THAT CRITICAL Hr ON. HAL BUT DON'T COUNT ON HAVING YER LATVIAN THUGS AROUND TO SAVE YER ASS THIS TIME/ T GOT SOMETHING SPECIAL LINED UP. BRING IT ON FAT MAN? ‘A RECRUITER'S Wi EEEEP! IM TELLIN’ YA SQUIRRLEY, NEVER DONE, “gle seeens “Fetote Nout PETE. T WONDER TO HAVE A WARD COPY wit var ou gor uP ea ‘ete CBP geon, Heat's ms FL 342 Phas? CRAP, TTL Here. guess T/L GUST HAVE TO ‘PRINT If OUT WELL, WELL, WELL. LOOK WHO'S HERE HOGGING THE PRINTER AGAIN, VAN HOSTLE! Buzz OFF COLLEON. I JUST STOPPED BY TO PICK UP MY MARKETING REPORT. ‘SHOULDA BEEN DONE 10 MINUTES AGO ‘CEPT FOR YOUR JOB, \ WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU FIELD FAILURE REPORTS, MIND IFT TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE? MIGHT HELP THE BOYS UPSTAIRS PUT A BETTER SPIN ON THIS WARRANTY COSTS ISSUE. ERR. UMM. YOU'D BETTER NOT. IT’S ALL RAW STATISTICAL DATA, REALLY HEAVY < (MATH STUFF, WAY OUT (OF YOUR LEAGUE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A REASON WHY EVERYONE HATES YOU GUYS IN ENGINEERING. Black Hands" * Issue One ‘THAT WAS A CLOSE ONE. NEXT TIME TLL STAY. LATE AND THEN PRINT I.Welcome to Hell FRIDAY NIGHT IN WEIRD PETE'S BACK ROOM. by Steve Johansson PARENTS! 114 ALL RIGHT GUYS. I HOPE YOU'RE READY... DON’T WORRY ABOUT THAT PETE. I'VE BEEN \ READING MY BOOK SINCE T BOUGHT YOUR LAST COPY ON WEDNESDAY. { . SOLD OUT ALREADY. WOW, MUST BE ONE HOT GAME! PETE, WHY DOES THIS PLACE ‘SMELL LIKE THE 200? weun xcruaLLy.. sonny — \ ) ‘ORDERED TWO COPIES. DION’T | KNOW HOW WELL IT WOULD 0 $0 T ORDERED TIGHT. Suir MORE LiKE THe PRIMATE Houser LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD, I CAME HERE TO GAME, 0H, OOH, 1’LL GO FIRST, MY CHARACTER’S NATE FALDWELL. He’S AN ARMY ‘BRAT SO HE PICKED UP A BIT OF ESPRIT DE CORPS IN HIS YOUTH. FINALLY ‘SETTLED IN ALASKA FOR THE TAX BENEFIT. JONED UP AT SIXTEEN BY DOCTORING MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE. 1/M SMALL BUT SCRAPPY AND T GOT A | BLACK BELT IN JUMITSU TO PROVE IT. IN FACT, I WAS A JUMOR OLYMPIAN. ALASKA HAS TAX BENEFITS? OF COURSE, WHO THE HELL GREAT. REAL WOULD WANT TO LIVE THERE ORIGINAL, NEWT. OTHERWISE? 7 rer rie snonBonnon’sGUESS T/M UP, MY GUY'S NAMED TERRY MCGWYER. T/M JUST A SUBURBAN KID FROM ORANGE COUNTY. I SCORED WELL ON MY S.A.T, BUT T WAS TOO POOR TO AFFORD COLLEGE SO. GOT DRAFTED. I’M HOPIN’ TO GET pear. INTO ELECTRONICS OR MAYBE BROADCAST JOURNALISM. you Ger To HUMP THE RADIO, ‘ TERRY MCGWYER? SNICKER- THAT'S $0 LAME/ CONRAD VON MALTHUS ESCAPED RUSSIAN CLUTCHES Near geienG ana onie: TING BURATED 10 THE US UNG AFORE MY OLD OSTFRONT CHARACTER - DESPITE THERE BEING RULES TO D0 SO - I HAD TO RESORT TO THE GENE POOL METHOD. T DIDN'T ALLOW You TO HE DEVELOPED TRYING TO Kel TRANSFER YOUR PANTHER TANK RUNNING. CHARACTER BECAUSE THAT NUTJOB WOULDA WRECKED THE GAME FOR EVERYONE, YEA, WHATEVER, 6000 CALL, Si HE GOT A JOB TROUBLESHOOTING CHEVYS IN DETROIT USING THAT MECHANICS SKILL SUITE EP HIS OLD HE MARRIED A HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER NAMED EUNICE AND HAD A KID - ENGLISH I WAS TAUGHT IN SCHOOL. UNFORTUNATELY T GOT THE POOR PARENTING QUIRK SINCE MY MOM LEFT US WHEN I WAS EIGHT BECAUSE MY DAD WAS SLICH A NUTCASE. NUTCASE AIN'T THE HALF OF IT/ DAD TAUGHT ME TO REBUILD A DIESEL ENGINE BLINDFOLDED AS WELL AS PROFICIENCY IN RIFLES AND PISTOLS, T ALSO LEARNED GERMAN, POLISH, LATVIAN AND RUSSIAN IN ADDITION TO THE MY CHARACTER, LEMME Guess, HE WAS A PEROT Black Hands” * Issue One$0 TELL US ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER, TY. YEAH, WHAT!RE YOu BRINGING TO THE TEAMP S62 HERE MY NAME IS JOE SMITH. BLAH, BLAH... & Besives your LOOKS LIKE PRETTY NATURALLY 58-P0OR STANDARD NPC FODDER ‘ATTITUDE, an NPC FODDER? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? / HEY, I’M ONLY A TEMP, - REMEMBER? “ac orncramsonn | TL SMBDHE Me sr , ecoen oe ne oP fedancars fares stack ae 1M GLAD YOU GUYS PUT SO MUCH THOUGHT INTO MIN-MAXING YOUR BACKGROUNDS BUT YOU CAN ERASE ‘ALL THOSE SKILLS. 1’M USING THE BOOT CAMP STARTING SCENARIO/ 8007 CAMP?? YES, BOOT CAMP. AND I BROUGHT ALONG AN ASS/STANT GM TO SERVE AS YOUR DRILL INSTRUCTOR. 1 DON'T UNDERSTAND. THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE, T'VE ALREADY DONE BOOT CAMP, SAYS SO RIGHT HERE ON MY CHARACTER SHEET/ WHAT IS THISP SOME KIND OF ‘SICK JOKE? WELCOME TO HELL GIRLS//Boot Gamp Blues SERGEANT FERGUESON HERE WILL BE YOUR PRIMARY INSTRUCTOR, INTERESTING. My INSTRUCTOR WAS. SERGEANT FERGUESON??!! ‘AW, CALM DOWN GUYS, NITRO’S JUST RATTLIN’ YER CAGE. RATTLIN’ YER CAGE?? I'LL SHOW YOU SOME CAGE RATTLIN’ BOY!! HOW'S YER PUNK ASS Feet ABOUT WALKIN! HOME TONIGHT? WHAT'S WITH THE ATTITUDE UNCLE YOU WILL ADDRESS ME AS SERGEANT - GOT THAT?? I Witt NOT TOLERATE ANY ISS FROM MY TRAINEES! UST WAIT UNTIL 1 TELL MY MOM ABOUT THIS, SHE'S GONNA COME DOWN ON You G00D. 1S THERE SOMETHING THAT AMUSES YOU HERE VAN HOSTLE?P WHY DON'T YOU DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY/! UM .TWENTY? i TWENTY WHATP PUSH-UPS » You 1D/0Tt eur t HAVE Black Hands” * Issue One by Steve Johansson & David 8. KenzerNOW THAT I HAVE YOUR FULL ATTENTION, WE CAN PROCEED WITH TONIGHT’S TRAINING, ER, ADVENTURE, T HAVE TO PEE. THs AIN'T WORTH THREE BUCKS AN THis Is 60 ; ONE. Ke! ee Request DENIED. (SR {YOU ARRIVE IN THE MIDOLE OF THE NIGHT COMPLETELY JETLAGGED AND DISORIENTED, ‘SEVERAL BURLY SOLDIERS BARK ORDERS [AT YOU IN PORTUGUESE. WHEN THEY REALIZE YOU CAN'T LINDERSTAND A WORD THEY'RE SAYING, THEY SHAKE THEIR HEADS ‘AND MLTTER NORTEAMERICANO, ONE POINTS AT A SIGN MARKED /NGLES. SOLDADO AND GIVES YOU A ROUGH ‘SHOVE IN ITS DIRECTION. APTER YOU ALL “ENLISTED” IN THE UNITED FORCES, YOU WERE SENT TO THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE DEFENSE TRAINING INSTITUTE IN MONTEVIDEO. MONTEVIDEO? WHERE THE HELL IS THAT? I THINK IT’S IN IMPATIENTLY AWAITS YOU. HE HUSSLES YOU ON TO A RICKETY OLD BUS FOR YOUR TRIP TO THE TRAINNG CAND. GORDO... CAN YOU PASS We liv MMALER> A MOUNT? KEWL, 1 Geer DUDLEY DO-RIGHT W ALAGKAN = HE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE DALECT. nieserer OK NEWT, APTER PUNCHING YOU IN” aera THE GNADS, He THROWS YOUR LMe -awieeze- ‘BODY ONTO THE BUS WITH THE REST (OF THE RABBLE, IWS IN MY BACKPACK. -WEEZE- ON MY CHAIR -weeze- 1 JUST CAN'T REACH IT RIGHT NOW. 1 GUESS ASKING You 10 FLY FOR A COUPLE OF ‘SODAS IS OUT OF THE QUESTION, EH sev? |AT DAYBREAK YOU REACH CAMP ASHTON. YOU'RE BROUGHT OUT INTO FORMATION AND ADDRESSED BY ‘THE CAMP COMMANDANT, COLONEL PICKENS. FIRST THING WE GOTTA 00 BOYS IS SOME PHYSICAL TRAINNG TO HELP 0.” PETE OUT IN (DETERMINING YOUR STRENGTH SCORE. HE LETS YOU KNOW THAT HE EXPECTS A LOT OUT OF "YOU BOYS AND THAT HE'S SURE YOU'LL BE WELL "MOTIVATED 8Y THE CADRE HE'S ASSEMBLED. STEVIL, 17M GIVING YOU A TAREE ‘STRENGTH BASED ON THE LUNDERWHELMING PERFORMANCE LTHOUGHT THIS Was A YOU JUST EXHIBITED. ROLE-PLAYING GAME, 1/0 LIKE TO SEE HOW MANY PUSH-UP YOU COULD DO DROP MAGGOTS! BUT 1’M IN A WHEELCHAIRY 0 I LOOK BLIND TO you, YOU'LL PERFORM THE ALTERNATE EXERCISES, YEA, HI YOLANDA. IT'S VICTOR. I'VE GOT TY HERE WITH ME. PETE, CAN T BORROW THE PHONE? T GOT A CALL TO MAKE, YES, HE'S FINE. ‘Sune, I'S OVER ON THe CHARGER, 1 KNOW HE’s GOT CHOIR PRACTICE TOMORROW. DON’T ~ WORRY, {’LL HAVE HIM HOME BY’ MIDNIGHT. bom \ ort} EK Black Hands™ + Issue One 9NOW YOU DON'T MIND IF WE DO A LITTLE EXERCISE TOGETHER 0 YOU? NO. T’M NOT AT THE GYM. T TOLD YOU WE WERE GOING To PETE'S STORE. YES, THE WIERD ONE, HE'S NOT 60 BAD ONCE You GET TO KNOW HIM, BECAUSE IT’S PART OF THE GAME WE'RE PLAYING. WO, We'RE NOT PLAYING FLOOR HOCKEY. IT’S ONE OF THOSE ROLE-PLAYING. GAMES, AM NOT A $0 YOU DON’T MIND THEN. I AGREE. THE BOY DOES NEED To GET SOME EXERCISE, ALRIGHT, T’LL SEE YOU LATER TONIGHT, OK TY, NOW THAT T CLEARED Ir WITH YER MOMMA, WE’RE ABOUT TO SEE A LITTLE MORE RESPECT FOR ‘OL SERGEANT FERGIE/ THIRTY-FIVE, THIRTY-SIX... QUIT SHOWING OFF NEWT. QUIT CHEATING TY. I WANNA SEE YER CHEST TOUCH THE GROUND ON EVERY REPETITION”PRETTY GOOD NEWT. 1’LL ASSIGN YOU A 15. STRENGTH, GORDO, YOU GET A 5 FOR EFFORT. UM TY. T GUESS T/L GIVE YOU A SEVEN, THANK YOU SIR. T 00 PUSH-UPS AT HOME DURING THE COMMERCIAL BREAKS ON BUFFY AND NO DOUBT WORKING OFF SHE SPIES. ‘SOME FRUSTRATION. T AIN'T INTO ‘THOSE CHICKS MYSELF. f Le Sis NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LITTLE INTELLIGENCE TEST + OUTTA BE A REAL CHALLENGE FOR YOU GUYS. WAR HARI! YOU HEARD THE MAN! CLEAR OFF YOUR DESKS IN SEV, can YOU S5PREPARATION FOR THE EXAM. STi, oligos, 1M CONSE: MOMENTS LATER... YOU HAVE TWENTY MINUTES... WHO THE HELL IS PRESIDENT CARTER? WAS HE ONE OF THOSE GUYS AROUND THE SHUT YER YAPS AND JUST TAKE THE TEST. ‘TIME OF RUTHERFORD 8. HAYES? these tests Do seem " REALLY OATED PETE. i Black Hands” * Issue OneT USED TO RUN A 6.4.7. PREP CENTER OUT OF THE STORE BACK IN THE LATE 705, THAD ALL THESE SAMPLE TESTS LYING AROUND AND FIGURED THIS WAS AS GOOD A TIME AS ANY TO USE 'EM UP. TESTS YET. No FAIR sie. Her, 1 THINK 1 700K YOU'RE RIGHT. Be cratep hl THIS ONE IN HIGH 60RD. IT DOES ANY COLLEGE ‘SCHOOL! “SEEM VERY quit THE ‘ADWISSIONS FAMILAR, CuarreR/ ata ee ee LOOKS LIKE WE GOT US A COUPLE OF EINSTEINS, GORDO, YOU GOT EVERY ANSWER RIGHT. T GUESS T HAVE TO GIVE YOU AN 18 INTELLIGENCE EVEN THOUGH HATE 10 00 IT, STEVIL, YOU MISSED A COUPLE OF GRAMMAR QUESTIONS SO 1’M KNOCKIN’ YOU DOWN TO A 16. ‘COURSE THE REST A YA DIDN'T 90 50 HOT. NEWT, THEY TEACH YOU HOW TO ‘SPELL IN THAT SCHOOL A’ YERS? AWM, THAT WAS & DUMB TEST, IFT HAD ACCESS TO THE GRAMMAR ‘9K, TSK NEWT, [AND SPELL CHECKER ON MY THOSE ARE CRUTCHES ‘COMPUTER, I WOULDA ACED IT. FOR WEAK WRITERS. NOW IT’S OFF TO THE RIFLE RANGE, NEWT, USE THAT DART GUN TO FIRE AT THE TARGET T SET UP ON THE FAR WALL. THIS IS A NCE PIECE, SiR. WEIGHTY. ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE REAL THING, BE CAREFUL WHERE You'Re POINTING THAT THING/ AAAHHRRGG!! 1M SHOT! HA HALL COULDN'T Have HAPPENED TO A NICER GUY. 2rourry-oMe.. : Tana carer a, TM RBALLY Some ABC aT SR. rene Goad usr age? mat TNO PORTED TOO use avaaeesan, — nay ow hee PoURTY Toes ‘A REAL LIGHT TRIGGER, ‘FOURTY-FOUR DON’T WORRY, T KNOW HOW TO USE ONE OF THESE THINGS. WELL MAYBE NEXT TIME | AS LONG AS YOU STAY AWAY FROM My YOU'LL OBSERVE THE HONDA WITH YOUR SPRAY PAINT, YOU O8 SAFETY GOT NOTHING TO WORRY ABOLIT/ \ Cele ei (OK NEN, LOOKS LIKE YOU NADE IT THROUGH CAMP ASHTON, TO CELEBRATE I’M GONNA ORDER IN SOME FOOD - ON ME, IN THE MEANTIME, NITRO’S GONNA PASS OUT SOME MOOD ENWANCEMENT PROPS TO ALLOW YoU TO BETTER ROLE-PLAY ‘THE MILITARY OCCUPATION SPECIALTIES 1’M ASSIGNING YOU BASED ON YOUR PERFORMANCE. (0000... CAN HARDLY WAIT? EXCELLENT j a Beer IDEA, SiR” ll ii i] X L \ NATE FALOWELL - AIRBORNE RANGER, LAIEUTENANT MCGYWER, AIRBORNE RANGER? 1 MADE OFFICER? KEWL/ WOWI/P THANKS SIR/ YOUR MARINE SNIPER - KEVIN MALTHUSKI, ‘SNIPER? I? eH HEH. Black Hands" * Issue One- — 3A Man with a Mission FIELD RATIONS/ WAITING UPSTAIRS FOR THIS NITRO. MMA, THAT CHICKEN \ \ SMELLS GOOD! IS IT CAJUN FRIED? BUT IT’S ALL FOR ME, YOU GRUNTS ARE GETTING MRES FOR UN. YEA, 2 COULDN'T EVEN TE Ger THe CHIMP TO EAT EM. by Steve Johansson & David S. Kenzer MY MOM MADE ME DINNER BEFORE \s THs LEFT oveR BURT: ReTes FROM ¥2kP C/MON GUYS, THIS STUFF AIN'T HALF BAD TF YA KNOW WHAT TO 00 WITH IT. I PRACTICALLY GREW UP ON THIS STUFF’ ont, oe chom! Mie eur KNOW WHAT TO 00 WaTH TT. PETE - WHERE'S THe TRASH CAN! Rew upp? BRIGADE H@ JUST RECEIVED SOME INTELLIGENCE FROM ‘OUR ALLIES THAT THE SHAN LIBERATION ARMY IS GETTING READY FOR THEIR FALL OFFENSIVE. YOUR TEAM HAS BEEN ASSEMBLED FOR A LITTLE RECON MISSION. ORDINARILY WE WOULON'T SEND ROOKIES LIKE You OUT ON A Jos Like THIS BuT THe BODY COUNTS: BEEN A LITTLE STEEP LATELY AND WE DON’T HAVE ANYONE ELSE TO FORTUNATELY WE JUST GOT A NEW ARRIVAL IN BASE LAST NIGHT, HE’LL BE HEADING OUT WITH YOU, 1 BELIEVE YOU/RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH SERGEANT FERGUESON?? $..5..SERGEANT FERGUESONP T THOUGHT WE'D SEEN THE LAST OF HIM WHEN WE SHIPPED | OUT OF MONTEVIDEO. CHILL our GORDO. DON'T 4WELL THE OLD GANG’S BACK LOOK HERE NITRO. I’M AN TOGETHER, t GUESS THE AIRBORNE RAN W SiTunTION'S WORSE THAN SO ROUGK WITH The” YOU GOT A LOT OF BRASS FOR A FIVE WHAT T READ IN THE PAPERS IF ‘BULLYING. YUMP CHUMP, NEWT, THAT’S GOOD. YOU'RE ALL HERE, t CAN'T YOU'LL NEED IT WHERE WE'RE GOIN’. BELIEVE WEE RESORTED TO ‘YOU LADIES. AN’ LOOK WHO'S GOT HIMSELF A SHINY NEW BUTTERBAR. T HOPE YOU PAID ATTENTION AT OCS, LT. SERGEANT FERGUESON, TAKE YOUR MEN OVER TO SUPPLY AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE PREPARED FOR THE MISSION, LIEUTENANT MCGWYER, REPORT TO THE OPERATIONS TENT IN /O MINUTES FOR YOUR BRIEFING. YOU GUYS HEARD THE COLONEL, DISMISSED. FOLLOW ME OVER TO SUPPLY. Seaacionis THNTS ‘AND MAKE IT SMAPPY. WHERE’S THAT, PETE? DOWN IN THE BASEMENT. C'MON GORDO T/L GIVE You YES SERGEANT! YOUR MISSION OBJECTIVE AND INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING DOWN THERE, ’ oes THE SUPPLY SERGEANT AND T GO WAY BACK SO T HAD NO PROBLEM AGUIRING A LaaW ROCKET, A SATCHEL OF C4 ‘AND PLENTY OF WAND GRENADES, KEWL! I CALL Dis ON THE LAAW, ‘I’M GETTING A ‘SNIPER RIFLE, RIGHT? \ rm crorenwe ‘T/LL NEED A SCOPE seoitinas GRENADES TOO/ PREFERABLY " SOX WITH STARLIGHT SER EOR CERRY: CAPABILITIES, prt Wee BELT Black Hands” * Issue One- roWOW PETE. T NEVER KNEW THERE WAS A DUNGEON LEVEL TO THE GAMES PIT/ I1"S A BASEMENT, GORDO! WHAT 010 YOU GROW UP IN FLORIDA OR SUMTHIN’? ER, NO. SAY, WHAT’S WITH THIS KEWL SETUP ON THE TABLE HERE? IS THIS THE TACTICAL SITUATION? YOU SURE WENT TO ‘A LOT OF DETAIL FOR THIS ADVENTURE. ‘THIS? No, IT AIN'T THE TACTICAL SITUATION, TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MAP AND YOU'LL SEE IT’S NORTHEAST FRANCE. HEY, YOU'RE RIGHT. SO WHAT IS THIS FOR? I’S JUST A LITTLE GAME BRIAN AND 1 HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, PAST FEW YEARS? IT’S A LONG STORY, ANYWAY, BACK TO THE BRIEFING. COLONEL KILGORE AND HIS KO MAJOR MEIJER ARE STANDING BY A LARGE MAP HANGING FROM THE WALL. ON IT ARE DRAWN A NUMBER OF RED ARROWS. T LOOK AROUND, D0 1 SEE ANYONE T KNOW FROM OCS? MAD 006 MACINTOSH? JERVIS? UH, No. ‘i \ THEY BEGIN THE BRIEFING, "THIS IS WHERE WE BELIEVE THE SHIN LIBERATION ARMY |S STAGING FOR THEIR OFFENSIVE. ‘YOUR TEAM IS TO AIRLIFTED TO MOA KWONG PROVINCE TO A FRIENDLY VILLAGE NAMED BONG HOK, MAJOR ‘RANGO OF THE MYANMAR ARMY WILL MEET YOU THERE. HELL UPDATE YOU ON THE TACTICAL SITUATION.” HOW ‘BOUT Tex WITTER? —— Je oP SS * ee"Tir 54” Bune of Treble vk Three 16‘THE JUNGLE CANOPY IS TOO THICK SO AERIAL RECON HAS REVEALED LITTLE, YOUR TEAM \S TO DETERMINE ENEMY TROOP CONCENTRATIONS, LOCATIONS OF FORTIFIED POSITIONS AND ANY ARTILLERY AND A/R DEFENSE BATTERIES BETWEEN GRID COORDINATES ¥D329378 AND YD331375. REPORTS ARE TO BE RADIOED IN EVERY FOUR HOURS ON FREQUENCY 36.2 WITH 41.4 AS AN ALTERNATE. YOUR CALL SIGN WILL BE XRAY WHISKEY FOXTROT WHILE WE WILL BE DELTA HOTEL ALPHA, IF YOU GUYS ‘SPOT ANY SAM BATTERIES, CALL YOUR FIRE SUPPORT COORDINATOR, CAPTAIN ORTIZ, ON FREQUENCY 42.8 WITH THE GRID COORDINATES, IF TIME PERMITS, YOU ARE ALSO TO LAY MAGNETIC SENSORS AT GRID COORDINATES ¥D33783756 AND ¥D333/370B, ‘ J AREN'T You DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME, PETE. 1 GOT IT ALL UP IN MY HEAD. YOUR HUEY IS WAITING OUT BY THE PAD. THE PILOT, LT: HERNANDEZ, WAVES YOU OVER. "LOOKS LIKE WE GOT SOME FRESH STATESIDERS, YOU'LL Z/KE IT UP IN WOUA KHONG.” WHAT DOES HE (MEAN BY THAT? ACCORDING TO THE LONDON ILIKE ANYPLACE TIMES, 73% OF ALL THE NOW DON'T You WITH BPS WAITIN’ CASUALTIES SUFFERED HAVE BOYS GO GETTIN’ \ TO BE HARVESTED/ ‘OCCURED UP THERE. ‘ALL WEAK IN THE KNEES ON ME, THE CHOPPER RIDE GIVES YOU AN EAGLES-EYE VIEW OF THE STINKING MORASS THAT IS MYANMAR, RICE PADDIES FILLED WITH VILLAGERS WHO FLEE IN TERROR AS THE HELICOPTER BLIZZES OVERHEAD. GRAB YER GEAR BOYS, LOOKS LIKE PETE JUST THREW A RINGER AT US, ABOUT AN HOUR LATER YOU APPROACH BONG HOK, BELOW YOU SEE SMALL ARMS FIRE AND AN OCCASIONAL MORTAR EXPLOSION, EW SCANNING Fo 'Y TARGETS O1 CRAP, IT’S A HOT Lz/ OPPORTUNITY. 21 GaapBIN’ THE DOOR ( ‘60 AND FIRING AT ANYTHING 1 SEE? Black Hands" « Issue Oni —_— 17YOUR CHOPPER SEEMS TO HAVE CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF JUST ABOUT EVERYONE ON THE GROLIND AND THEY ARE REPLYING WITH Amebois iock HEAVY FIRE, LET’S SEE... YOUR TAM BOOM |S HIT. THE HUEY A/N'T PANTIES, GIRLS. THIS GONNA BE AIRBORNE FOR MLICH LONGER, cot ROUGH, HOW FAR ARE WE UP? MAYBE IF WE DIE HERE I’M et TON tse iy Sam sonboe rabbrouret xo vir were we 7% 0 ar axmunio TRAINING aN ScHrE, MieEgtip YM GONG THROUGH viru ni coe Gt nonce. noite 1 aso | Wize. << LT. HERNANDEZ MANAGES TO GUIDE THE STRIKEN BIRD DOWN IN, ‘A CONTROLLED CRASH, UNFORTUNATELY HE’S KILLED WHEN THE NOSE SMASHES INTO A BRICK WALL. ROLL SAVING THROWS TO TONLY GOT AN 6, Pere, DETERMINE IF YOU SURVIVE THE CRASH. BUT T GET 42 FOR BEING ELITE [AND ANOTHER «3 FOR MY MASTER CREW CHIEF SKILL. 15 - MADE IT/ paste WOW! THIS IS JUST LIKE pee BLACKHAWK DOWN. "Hey, No SPoeRS! THAVEN'T SEEN THAT Yer. OK, YOU ALL MAKE IT. HOWEVER, YOU'RE IN THE MIDST OF A FIREFIGHT, WHAT D0 YOU DOP WELL LTPP Ca + sIRPP UMM... UMMM. 1 TRY TO SALVAGE ( re Bode uN OM THE CHOPPER, 18MACHINEGUN FIRE IS RAKING THE WALL YOU'RE HIDING BEHIND. TRACERS IMPACT THE HELICOPTER’S FUEL TANKS AND A FIRE HAS ‘STARTED. MORE OMINOUSLY THOUGH, MORTARS Mae LANDING ane 42H ONE EEN Te "TW Take a COUPLE OF caused (eertne dust tire er cLosen.- ‘McAd Suiore ar tre Neattst nu or YnreveR Tie Hes. Nese Give Wene cae exit We GOTTA, Ger our oF HERE, A aera ' m Li aa \ Mit, Ud a \ inoue tir oo eek vaca aoe Lica ne. FOLLOW ME INTO THE WOODLINE GUYS. WORTH OF SOLDIERS ARE ADVANCING ON THE SMOLDERING HELICOPTER. THEY QUICKLY DROP WE GOTTA REGROUP AND FIGURE OUT DOWN AND LOW CRAWL WHEN TWO OF THEIR WHERE TO GO FROM HERE. NUMBER HAVE THEIR BRAINS SCRAMBLED BY STEVIL’S SNIPER FIRE. ‘SWEET! Wo Less GOTCHA saRGe, WHATCHAMACALLITS. nemaaiore samen HOW Heavy Is TO THE WOODLINE MEN, T/M SCANNING THE BATTLE THROUGH THE MOKE FROM THE THE HEAVY SI eee SCOPE ON MY RIFLE, WHAT 00 1 SEEP BURNING HELICOPTER EASILY COVERS YOUR RETREAT. THAT'S USIN’ YER HEAD, STEVIL. THE ENEMY FIRE SEEMS TO BE CONCENTRATED INA HILL ABOUT A KLICK TO THE NORTHWEST. ANY SAFE WAY TO GET THERE PETEP 1 GOT A 67 IN TERRAIN ANALYSIS. Black Hands” * Issue Ons 19THERE'S AN /RRIGATION DITCH RUNNING DUE NORTH FROM YOUR POSITION. THE ELEPHANT GRASS ON EITHER SIDE OF IT SHOULD PROVIDE FOLLOW ME GUYS, WE'RE GONNA HIT ‘EM IN THE FLANK. T/L SCOUT AHEAD USING INFILTRATION. 3.GOT A 72 IN THATS GOO0 THINKING NEWT. 1’LL ‘COVER’ YOU WITH MY RIFLE, 20 Anyone Ger HOW MUCH AMMO {He RADIO out oF WAS LEFT FOR THAT DOOR GUN PETE? NeW, THERE’S SOME TANGLEFOOT IN THE DITCH BUT IT?S BEEN BLOWN APART BY ARTuLRY £6 Tr VONT 1LroRoot, wnar’s 11's & LN yard pemoD\ x IMPEDE YER PROGRESS. THE MAP SYMBOL MARKED ON IT. T THOUGHT FOR BARBEO WiREF YOU SAID THAT YOU PAID ; arTeNTON AT OCS. sr, mays ys it Qtavae we cower woRRY Newn, 148 Rest oF ~ Pty ele a eee erat, THERE ARE ANY MINES WHEN YOU / We in hos acon Ore PETE, 1/M TRYING TO FIGURE OuT EXACTLY ee WO AS YOU REACH THE END OF THE IRRIGATION DITCH, YOU SUDDENLY REALIZE WHAT ALL cea a in pipraeiess COLONEL KiLLMORE CAMOUFLAGE NETIING = USELE55 PROM San mr eee ay ER Sas RN ee Rae piers careers Mi Lost aay gd UM... 18%" ANYONE, PETE? : ices duseuucetss, wes pena ere sci, Ngee a eae ae ooee3 ro ivgsue, ‘NEPAL FOR ALL You 20WHAT 00 YOu Guys DOP T-THINK WE'RE JUST SUPPOSED TO SNOOP AROUND AND REPORT IN ON, STUFF, I OON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT ATTACKING ANYONE. rev cam vaxcoy — | ib Tira N08 am ' ig cote eae TARE URES, meen ca \ Mi core UE AIT a csee. OMEN ALURE oR dr ure WE'RE FREAKIN’ COULD ATTACK Wir THis ‘COMMANDOS/ x - MTR? “ACTUALLY STEVIL, POSITION. ean \ A SERICUS EP AMARDS OR BEING A NARC. HERE'S HOW WE'RE ‘GONNA DO IT. LISTEN Up AND PAY (CAREFUL ATTENTION... Mee kis ea FINALLY, NEWT, YOU AND THE LIEUTENANT WILL FOLLOW ME UP THE HILL AND TO THE RIGHT OF THAT POSITION. WE'LL GET IN CHARGES TO TAKE IT OUT. PM LUBA! MY M8 x nae rat TY AND STEVI, YOU'LL PROVIDE CLOSE AND THROW OUR SATCHEL TY AND STEVIL, YOU'LL PROVIDE OUR ASSAULT, DON'T OPEN UP UNTIL T POP SMOKE, GOT (7? WHEN you eT ABOUT 50 METERS FROM THE PILLEOX, GORDO SETS OFF A COUPLE OF TRIP FLARES THAT WERE CONCEALED IN THE BRUSH. T/M SPRAYING ANYTHING THAT MOVES - ANYTHING! T/M RAKING THAT POSITION UNTIL MY BARREL MELTS. THEN I’M THROWING ALL THE FRAG GRENADES I CROTCHED, WHEN THEY'RE ALL GONE, I SHOOT OFF THE LAAW ROCKET NEWT LEFT WITH ME. WHAT THE WELL I'M DIVING FOR ARE YOU DOING PP PETE SADDLED ME WITH THE DRUGGIE FLAW. I DROPPED SOME ACID |N THE CHOPPER AND FAILED MY PARANOID DELUSION SAVE. IT JUST TOOK THE FIRST STRESSFUL SITUATION TO PUSH ME OVER THE EDGE. FOR GAWD’S SAKE \ TY/ YOU COULD. HAVE WARNED US, WOULDA BUT BEING Black Hands" Issue One— 21HERE'S A MAJOR BLOW. PUMP A 7.62 INTO YOUR FACE/ So wHaT! 3/M GUST AN NPC ANYWAY, TY, YER INSANE FUSILLADE NOT ONLY KILLS NEWT AND NITRO BUT ALSO THE ENTIRE CONTINGENT OF SHIN TROOPS AT THE SAM BATTERY. TURNS OUT THEY WERE STOCKPILING WARHEADS HERE AND ‘ABOUT FIVE TONS OF HIGH EXPLOSINE BEGINS TO COCK OFF, MASSIVE DETONATIONS THUNDER ACROSS THE VALLEY HURLING PARTS: OF VEHICLES, TREE LIMBS AND TORN HUMAN FRAGMENTS UP TO 500 METERS FROM THE SITE. ‘A THICK PLUME OF DARK BLACK SMOKE RISES INTO THE Sky. I GUESS THERE’S NOTHING LEFT TO DO BUT CALL IN THE MEDIVAC. 7 1 GRAB THE PRICK 25 OFF OF TY’S CORPSE AND RADIO IN TO Qe THE CHOPPERS FIND YOU EASILY ENOUGH AS THEY WERE GUIDED IN BY THE F/VE KILOMETER HIGH PLUME OF SMOKE. “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE £7?” AMBUSHED ~ UM, THERE WAS A MISSILE BATTERY ON THIS HILL. UM. WELL YOU See... WE KINCA GOT COLONEL KILLGORE NODS AS YOU RELAY YOUR REPORT, PANN SHAME ‘BOUT LOSING HALF YER BOYS THERE LT. COST ‘A DOING THIS DIRTY BUSINESS, BUT YOU KNOCKED OUT THAT MISSILE BATTERY AND THAT'S WHAT COUNTS. A LOT OF PILOTS ARE GONNA OWE THEIR LIVES TO YOU, 1M GONNA RECOMMEND PROMOTING YOU, CHARLIE COMPANY COULD USE A BRIGHT YOUNG (GO-GETTER LIKE YERSELF AS COMMANDER/. 4 ‘DON’T HAVE 0 GO BACK THROUGH BOOT CAMP, BO IP WOW! THANKS SiR/ ty 10) bs 4 oO te a aa QO < oO IN THE FOG OF war You NEVER KNOW HOW THINGS’LL TURN OUT. el P Sere Ry, besSometimes you CAN judge a book by its cover... There are some games that simply end up on the shelf — condemned to gathering dust. Then there are games that are subjected to the RIGORS OF PLAY over and over again. * Last year, in a market crowded with quality fantasy role-playing games, HackMaster™ was singled out as ‘Game of the Year’. Doesn’t it make you wonder why? Set your browser to www.kenzerco.com and find your answer.Vietor Ferpueson became known as the Lord of Steam when he adapred the HackMaster rules co. live- action play and began raking hand picked groups of players on lace night forays inco the labyrinth of steam APS Pecans tunnels beneath Ball Stare Univ “Ber ersity. Afier resor’s Folly’ made national headlines (Victor and his group were lost for 7 days prompting 2 massive rescue search), the steam tunnels were secured and dozens of entrances were sealed with concrete. ‘There are several contradicting accounts of what happened weeks later on the evening of January 5th, 1987 butieinvolved a satchel of C-4 high explosive, a miseal- culation of che expected blast radius, and a médical evacua tion of the Campus Administration Building which collapsed during an attempt co breach the steam tunnels. The incident earned Viewr the nickname ‘Nitto’ and 5-year probation, Niuo as been president of the Black Hand Gaming Society for 8 years, taking over From Weird Pee Stevil has a day job investigating customer warranty claims. For years his freelance wo he satis ming, itch through for various gaming industry publications. However, his 7 divorce a couple of years back freed up time for him wo get back into real gaming, He met Gordon Sheckberry at work [prior to his unfortunate?) accidenc) and ‘Gordo’ subsequently introduced him to the Black Hands, He now commutes to Muncie every Friday night from his apartment in suburban Indianapolis. BA Rs fat o1—18 9 Encerprises but sold his shares mere days before HackMaster Veird” Pete Ashton is | J from Ball State with a Chemical the sole proprietor of 2 | | Engineering degree in his back pocket. local game store called the | } (Although never proven, it has long Games Pit. He is proud | | been suspected that he cooked up the ‘of the fact that he was one | } batch of C-4 Nitro used to level the of the co-designers of the | | Administration Building). Gordo was cult classic role-p involved in a bizarre industrial accident game, Lynch Mob™. Pete | | chat seriously impaired his vision and loves to relate the story of | | resulted in the loss of ALL his body how he was burned by his | | hair, He is famous for his bad toupee partners and lost J | and coke bortle-lens glasses ‘millions’. Pete is always The accident bestowed Gordo with available for advice but | | che gift of coral lifetime disability [ Gorton ‘Gordo’ Sheckberry graduated OOPS TOIN: oialy seems to be very | | allowing him to game almost daily with various groups around biter about the hobby he | | Delaware county, (Thus hes the envy of gamers everywhere) Gordo loves so much. He was a major stockholder in Hard 8 | | has been a member of the Black Hands for four years. was released. Pete co-founded the Black Hand Gaming Socicty along with Nitvo and seeved as president for the first four yeats of the club’ existence. The backroom of Petes shop serves as home table for the Sociey. Newt was the only child of a career + military couple, He spent his childhood cither being dragged around the globe or tossed back and forth benween various uncles and grandparents. Peth why Newt has trouble making friends and fiaing in. He wer his feet in gaming by playing every play-by-mail game he could ze track down and earned a bit of notoriety le ee ae by toppling the five year powergrip of the top player in the PBM game, ‘Tribes of Angst and essentially shutting down the game, Later he was introduced to HackMaster through a MUDD on the internet and embraced the game. Afier running through every Solo-Adventure published he set out on a ‘quest to find a group to play with. The Black Hands Gaming Society have allowed him to play at their table for some time. Unfortunately he’ finding it dificule to find a group who will rolerate his personality quitks. ‘Ty Ferfe is the driving force behind the Gamer Temp Corps, He came up with the idea when a campaign he was playing in was ~ wrecked because several regular players dropped out with litle notice, “Ty and his fiends volunteered to fill che occasional ‘empty ie? for GameMasters who 4 found themselves in a similar FERFEL, situation. Ty even managed co talk Weird Pete into becoming a sponsor for the program after the local chapter of the HackMAasters Players’ Association rclised co endorse the Gamer ‘Temp Corps. ‘Ty, who happens to be a nephew of Nitro Fergueson, was once a Black Hand but_was dlrummed out after a physical altercation with Stevi van Hostle, (Head he agreed 10. wear the “hubcap of shame’ as punishment he could have stayed.) He still sits in occasionally asa “temp” much to the annoy- ce of everyone elsePause Recent a Lalla PU ROC oe Ua eC MAAR aoe CUE aes ee EN eis Ona oe and the stout warrior, can you lead your team safely through the perils of the mountain to oC Me Lg Ml Lela yg oli amo) roma CUE) clas oT rela dco ata Cas Reece and Teele Ie ura ok: eae be cu Per Roa ORM Reacts sacUrhy Tc (ime a ae ete) rc) Ce eee Lame RUM en een C i) ] | A game for 2-4 player's coming in April from Kenzer & Company. ra Ce eee eu Re mC) Guay Las Vegas,March 17-20th. Tr ae: eee ee AME LCM RY eh a www.kenzerco.com ote Te y Cre ter el peeceey eipeecsialpliier Revell vine eee reneAV Vectcovm use Nao Nae UN B TKO TOM NSD UST LU NUR SUB UCU e WHO WILL STAND AGAINST THE DARKNESS? WILL You? THAT’s RIGHT, THE END-TIMES ARE HERE, AND YOU'RE ONE OF THE POOR BASTARDS WHO GETS TO SEE THEM FIRST HAND. Fina Days” THE END IS COMING IN May OF 2003 ACOMPLETE BOXED MINIATURES GAME FROM KENZER & COMPANY SAVE A BULLET FOR YOURSELF. www.kenzerco.com ~ © Copyright 2003 Kenzer and Company. All Rights Reserved. Final Days, the Final Days logo, the Kenzer and Company logo perpen Atoll pli