A Song of Fire and Ice - Concept Part 1 (Starks)

Been discussing this with my friend DW and wanted people's opinion (as well as somewhere to collect thoughts). Have discussed how we could play a Game of Thrones wargame (probably in the Robert's Rebellion period) in 10mm with forces that look right.

So to start off with using Pendraken miniatures I'm going to take a look at the Stark armies. Unlike the other forces, although they are spread over a large area, they all appear to come under the same uniform/banner.

Stark Soldier

Basically, the colour for the Starks will be murky brown, grey, (maybe gunmetal) with rounded helmets and round shields. For the foot soldiers, the Viking range from Pendraken seems ideal.

Norse Bondi

For the cavalry, its a similar uniform and could be done by using the Irish Cavalry from the European Late Mediaeval Range.

Irish Cavalry

All in all fairly simple - the only other thing that may need modelling is a Ned Stark model with Ice. You could use one of the models I've shown with some Green Stuff or a Fantasy Barbarian Chieftain.

Sean Bean

On a side note, if we were to do the War of Five Kings then we'd need a Direwolf for Robb - how about a Giant Warwolf.

Grey Wind?

So I think this is a good start - anyone with any other ideas - or indeed rule sets to use please comment.

So Close to a Share

So I am vowing this year to post at least twice a month - at very least one of which must have original images on. So to start this, I have a picture of the WIP on my cavalry. Very close to completion - just static grass then formation marking.

Sneak Peek

Once completed I'll get a better picture along with orbat posted.

Also got for Christmas (and in sales) the following games:

Magic: Duel of the Planeswalkers

Apocalypse Chaos

Dicemasters: Age of Ultron

Also ordered the last bits for my cavalry as well as the start of a new force - woops.

Bonus points if you can guess what.

Carcassonne

So continuing the boardgame theme, me and JT decided to go for a bit of Carcassonne which we haven't played in ages! And mistakes were made - mislaid tiles, poor investment (in farmers) and generally poor stategy led to two games where we in turn blew each other out by 30+ points. So need to play a few more before getting the expansions involved. Intrigued to play the Baron expansion with some alternative gameplay.

Next - hopefully invite some alternatives over for some gaming time.

Pandemic!

I know there has been a gap but I promise I've been busy. My German Cavalry is really coming on and should have pictures by end of week. If anyone has any ideas for scenarios in the Pripet Marshes they would be appreciated.

Loss

In meanwhile me and JT have been playing plenty of boardgames and at the moment Pandemic is turning out to be a favourite. For those who don't know its a co-op game, where we are part of the CDC trying to save the world from 4 diseases - and we did at our second attempt of the night. In the first game mind we lost when blue erupted - running out of blue counters and hitting max outbreaks on the same turn!

Yes thats blue in Buenos Aires.

Plans for future: Keep painting Cavalry, Frostgrave Warband, Vietnam Stuff. Make some swamp/marsh terrain. Try some new boardgames - need volunteers to join us for Arkham Horror and/or Game of Thrones.

Frostgrave Game 2

Bit of a delay but hey.  So ended up playing a Frostgrave against MD at the club. Didn't tkae many pictures and a week in past now but I'll remember what I can.

Again rolled for The Keep but this time there was just 2 of us - both with a games experience behind us. However MD had got a lot more from his game and his Summoner Warband frightened me with Templars and numerous items.

Again in pregame I rolled my potion so ended with a demon - which this time I summoned.

My warband sneaks forward

The game was close - his possessed Templar was worrying but I managed to keep myself in it through mass castings of strength and enchant weapon on my thugs which I was willing to throw away.

Demon confronts the Possessed, Glowing Templar

Eventually  (through annoying use of telekinesis) MD got 4 treasures and I got 2. Katla the Warhound died but everyone else was ok, I think MD just lost an archer. Fortunately I rolled amazingly afterwards and got 200gc and 2 grimoires! Just need to pick my 2 level ups.

Tonight will either be another Frostgrave or Crescent and Cross. And with my shed cleared - huzzah! Should have a mass sweep on painting - may have unearthed my 1941 German Cavalry Division.

Frostgrave - Game 1 (The Keep)

So I finally got a game of Frostgrave at the club. Really enjoyed the game despite the apparent randomness of the scenario. Sorry about the slightly weird finish to the images - new tablets camera isn't great.

I don't have the warband lists available but mine was made up as such;

The Keep

Baldr the Enchanter
Hjalgrim (His apprentice)
Tracker
Archer
Crossbowman
Infantryman
Thug x 2
Thief
Warhound

Advancing through the ruins.

I figured that with no-one boosted up etc it would be best to go for quantity rather than quality and then using my ranged fighters combined with the Grenade spell I'd sit back and see how it went. With "The Keep" scenario dictating there would only be 6 treasure on the table I also figured that I'd just try and keep the treasure on table whilst other warbands were whittled down whilst I tried to learn my spells and abilities. My Man of the Match was definitely my Infantryman - despite being blinded he managed to get his treasure off table and with random swings of his Halberd decapitated 2 enemy soldiers!

It kind of worked - I mean I had few casualties (except for my wizard who was glowing and hit by many arrows and spells). And both him and my wiped out thug fully recovered. And I got a treasure off.

To be honest I would make a few changes to how we played. I think the long range sniping and some of the horrendous area effect attacks would be reduced in potency if we really made it claustrophobic - narrow streets and ruins really closed up - I think this would also add to the usefulness of the more subtle magic schools.

I also think players need to more play it as the game intends - its a raid to get as much treasure and knowledge as possible - NOT a wargame to defeat the opposition in battle per say.

My warband was intact after rolling, I'd gained 140 exp, 50gc, 2 Scrolls. I've decided not to purchase anything for now and my level up has been used to improve my grenade spell by 1 (as its my only offensive spell).

Alternative perspective from Roger (who played an Illusionist) as well as his results:

"My warband was well beaten up. Most of the casualties came from archery and elemental balls, but ultimately I only lost one dead thug. In compensation, my wizard gained 80 experience, 40gc and some Boots of Speed.

I’m still pondering my insights, but there is a definite trade-off between keeping your warband together for efficiency of activation and vulnerability to area-effect spells. Elemental Ball was particularly devastating, taking out my apprentice who was completely hidden from the caster behind a building at the time. After that, my ability to respond to events was severely curtailed.

Also, multiple players makes for a very chaotic and brutal game. With four warbands in such a small space it was so long between phases that it was almost impossible to develop any strategy other than simply reacting to events, and quite possible to be simply overwhelmed without having any chance to respond.  No problem with that per se, but if we were playing a long campaign I wouldn’t want most of the games to be like that.

But I enjoyed it as a first time out, and will certainly come back for more!"

Eldritch Horror, And General Update

So still haven't got internet at home .... grrrr! SO still no pictures. However I'm going to try and remedy this soon. Last night 5 of us had a go at Eldritch Horror at Lancaster Wargames Club. I've played Elder Sign loads, and I own Arkham Horror (although I've still not dared to give it a go tbh) as well as a copy of the Necronomicon.
Was good - the mechanics worked really well and it was a good fun game mixed in with discussions of Frostgrave (game report in a couple of weeks). We were facing Azathoth and although we ran out of time had nearly completed 2 of the 3 challenges to defeat him. Love the condition cards - especially when I flipped an agreement condition to discover that another player was dead - no save - just dead, handily dropping all her items right next to me.

Definitely one I will consider getting myself in the future.

Next week will be another practice game of Savage Worlds and I will try to get some pictures up.