Miami Vice at Historicon 2023

At Historicon 2023, I ran a game using the 7TV rules.  The scenario was based on the 1980s tv show Miami Vice and was set up for 4 players: Miami Vice, a Colombian Cartel, the Miami Mafia, and the Japanese Yakuza.  As documented in my previous posts, I created the scenario in part as motivation to paint the excellent Brigade Games miniatures that I had for Miami Vice and the Cartel.  Research consisted of watching seasons 1 & 2 of Miami Vice on DVD.  The links below will take you to the post for the factions that I painted for the game (the Mafia were older miniatures):

Miami Vice

Cartel

Yakuza

Each faction started with 7-10 miniatures.  In 7TV terms, each was 31 points and consisted of a Star, a Co-Star, and assorted extras.  I created custom game cards using the 7TV Casting agency, which allows you to edit the profile cards used for each miniature and add your own photos.  I then printed them out at a larger size.  You never know how the lighting will be and they are easier to read.

Each player also had a chance of reinforcements showing up in a random location during the game  Miami Vice frequently had guest stars on the show, so I chose miniatures that best fit the 1980s setting.  Each had a special ability that fit their character.  All were painted for this scenario except the Cartel ones.

Miami Vice's reinforcement was police officer Axel Foley from Beverly Hills Cop (Eddie Murphy), on vacation in Miami.  Next to him is ex-Taxi Driver Travis Bickle (Robert DeNiro), who has moved to South Florida and is now a UPS driver, since I have a UPS van.  If he shows up he shoots at a random target.  Both are from Studio Miniatures/Hayland Terrain who have an extensive line of film and tv inspired miniatures.

The Cartel reinforcements consisted of two local dealers.  The one on the left is a Reaper Bones mini; the one on the right is from Hasslefree.  I already had these in my collection and thought they fit the setting perfectly.

The Mafia reinforcements were some associates from out-of-town.  Years before their starring roles in Pulp Fiction, Jules and Vincent (Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta) are visiting Miami on a business trip.  Also from Studio/Hayland., 

The Yakuza were able to call on their ship's crew, who have disembarked from the freighter and are visiting local businesses.  They are from North Star's Tong line

Now on to the games.  I ran the same scenario twice, which featured a warehouse complex with various tokens representing drugs, money, guns, etc (the yellow tokens in the pictures).  Setup areas were in each corner of the table.  Miami Vice had the complex under surveillance from a jewelry store (lower left) and moved in when they spotted the Cartel boats had docked (upper right).  Joining in the action were the Yakuza on a freighter (lower right) and the Miam Mafia at Carfagna's butcher shop (upper left).

Some highlights from the first game.  The Yakuza sumo wrestler attempted to crush Crockett and Tubbs in their convertible.  He wounded them but was thrown off the car when it moved the next turn.  The Yakuza leader is at the right holding a sword.  He met his end after being crushed between the car and a building.

Two DEA agents have confiscated some drugs.  Unfortunately there was an explosion and they are now on fire.

The tanker truck was hijacked by the Yakuza, but shot up by the police and has come to a stop.  The police surveillance van was destroyed.

The Cartel are escaping with their goods at bottom.  In the upper left, the Cartel 2nd in command (behind the row of barrels) is shooting at Crockett and Tubbs with his submachine gun.  

At the end of the game, Crockett took his third and final wound thanks to Cartel bullets with Tubbs frantically trying to revive him.  In true tv fashion, I am sure that he will have recovered next week!  The Cartel managed victory with 8 points (3 from killing Crockett), the Mafia 5, Miami Vice 4, and the Yakuza 2.  The Mafia won a shootout with the police to claim objectives, while the Yakuza fought both the police and cartel which wore them down.

The second game started with Miami vice deploying.

The Mafia approach the warehouse complex.

A view of the table.

Cartel advancing

The Yakuza advanced and had an early lead after taking control of the big warehouse to the right.

Jules and Vincent from Pulp Fiction taking shots at the police.

The Yakuza have forced the Cartel to retreat from the warehouse.  The Sumo Wrestler nearly crushed the Cartel boss (orange shirt) to death, he had one wound left and barely escaped.  The Cartel minion wasn't so fortunate.

Crockett and Tubbs have exited the car (after running down a Mafia soldier) and are exchanging shots with the Mafia.

The Yakuza were in the lead with 6 points, but the tide has turned against them.  They have moved through the warehouse, into the alley, and are now trapped in between the Mafia (top) and the Cartel (in the building at center right and the wharf at bottom.). Three of them are down and the 4th was shot while retreating.

Miami Vice have cleared the upper warehouse and left side and are moving against the Mafia.

The Cartel attempted to recover their drugs but were whittled down by the Mafia.

At the end the Cartel managed a narrow victory on points with 8 (1 from objectives and 7 from killing opposing stars and co-stars), Miami Vice 6 (and satisfied that they had confiscated a large quantity of drugs), the Mafia 1, and the Yakuza 0. 

Both games were fun to run and the players all seemed to have a good time.  7TV is a great set of rules that are adaptable to a wide range of settings.  I am already working on ideas for next year.