The Bride and the Booty

We played a "big dang" Viking game last week that was a lot of fun. We were using a highly modified set of the Might of Arms rules (so modified it's actually a completely re-written and unpublished set to be called Clans and Companies). Bob was running and hosting the game and it's a test drive for one of the many games he'll be running at this year's Fall-In. So if you like what you see here, you can get in on the action there.


There are games I don't mind just showing up at and rolling dice, but there are other times where I really want to contribute. The latter was true for this game and my 39-strong Viking Warband made the trip and joined the fray.


This was a great scenario and the table was quite the spectacle. There were no fewer than five factions at play, each with their own objectives and secret agendas. Sure, you could ally with another player if you wanted, but would it last? The scenario, as the title states, dealt with the impending wedding in the region and those faction who wanted to stop it (or support it), or just plain wandered into the middle of all of this and haven't decided whose lot they'll throw in with. We played on a somewhat sparsely terrained twelve foot table with over a hundred figs running around and a river running through the center.

Fjord this!

There was a good mix of troops; mounted, foot, heroes, skirmishers...

The action came to a boiling point in the center of the table


My warband's primary objective was basically to steal the bride. If the wedding goes through, my clan's power in the region is going to be greatly diminished, and we can't have that. Maybe a little friendly princess-napping and subsequent ransoming will let the powers at be know that we aren't to be trifled with.


Near the end of the game we had a big, beautifully chaotic mess on our hands. The bride's wagon train moved fast across the table so all the sides were scrambling to keep up and defend, or snatch and grab. Other factions present could care less about the politics of the wedding and just wanted to nab some livestock or other treasure. Unfortunately for my warband, the bride was able to be whisked away to safety by her future husband's retinue.


Here are the player handouts with the factions on them. I think we got some solid playstesting of the scenario down and any tweaks that were needed fixed whatever small gaps that might have cropped up during play. Besides that, it was just plain fun, which is what it's all about. Like I said, Bob plans on running this same game at Fall-In, it might be in the events listing somewhere. Tell him Mik sent you since I can't attend this year!

Clash in the Afghan Highlands, 1879

After tension between Russia and Britain in Europe ended with the June 1878 Congress of Berlin, Russia turned its attention to Central Asia. That same summer, Russia sent an uninvited diplomatic mission to Kabul. Sher Ali Khan, the Amir of Afghanistan, tried unsuccessfully to keep them out. Russian envoys arrived in Kabul on 22 July 1878, and on 14 August, the British demanded that Sher Ali accept a British mission too.

The Amir not only refused to receive a British mission under Neville Bowles Chamberlain, but threatened to stop it if it were dispatched. Lord Lytton, the viceroy, ordered a diplomatic mission to set out for Kabul in September 1878 but the mission was turned back as it approached the eastern entrance of the Khyber Pass, triggering the Second Anglo-Afghan War. -Wikipedia

British cavalry bear down on the dismounted Afghans


Afghan sharpshooters take aim, while allied infantry charge the Sikhs...


More British cavalry with pack guns in the rear


I got into a pretty massive (and fun) historical game the other night at Bob "Might of Arms" Bryant's house. We were playing an unpublished variant of his Might of Arms rules called Clans and Companies. A pretty versatile rules set which also powered this awesome fantasy game a while back. There were no undead or Elves this time around however.

I gotta admit, when Bob sent out the email and said "northwest frontier madness" I was thinking colonial America, haha. I was in for a surprise when I got there however. The terrain was stunning, the armies looked great, and the gameplay went fast. Most of all, we had fun. We were a little shorthanded, just three of us, so Bob and I defended as the Afghans, and Tom took the offensive with his British and Indian forces.

Spring Fever 2011 has already come and gone by the time this posts, but this was the game Bob ran in it and this evening we were just trying to 'break it' from a con point-of-view. Hopefully we were able to do enough damage for Bob to make his necessary tweaks.

Return to the Blighted Lands

In an ongoing effort to tweak and test Bob Bryant's Clans and Companies rules, we returned to the Blighted Lands. Last time Bob and I played out this scenario was around the holidays and no one else could make it, this time however we had a full house including Repple Depple's Brian. This time around the units themselves got a mechanical facelift and closely resemble those found in Pig Wars and the magic system got an overhaul as well. The same characters returned however and the scenario itself was unchanged.


Just like the units of undead last time each had their own character model to lead them, the human forces (I kept calling them the 'kingdom') were now lead by a character model, actually, two models. One was the unit champion, mounted on horseback; this was the true 'leader' of the unit itself. Different than last time though, each unit had a wizard accompanying them as well, each one of varying strengths. Wizard strength is determined by 'caster level', a number between one (novice) and usually three (experiences. These numbers help determine if the caster actually gets their spell off or not. The same goes for the necromancers accompanying the units of undead on the other side of the board.


Release the...wargs!

In the realm of "Boblandia" most of your stock fantasy races are present, but have been redefined in their scope. The goblin tribes are back, a race so alien in their culture and demeanor that the other races of the world can only guess as to their motivations. For some reason, the tribes have thrown their lot in with the undead.


Wargs face off with the kingdom's heavy cavalry...


A monstrous visage compliments of the phantasm spell


Lady Talon returns

Emerging from the trees the elf wizard solemnly knelt by the fallen, gave her regards, and scanned the battlefield, eyes narrowing on the source of their demise, necromancer Lady Hexus. In game turns, Lady Talon got quite the upgrade, being both a level five wizard, as well as a more-than-capable fighter in her own right.


Cat fight! Lady Talon immolates Lady Hexus...


A models' eye view of the tabletop


The carnage was plentiful as the human cavalry and goblin warg riders tore into each other, supported by human archers and skeletal warriors on both sides respectively. In melee you 'bounce back' after each round. You can re-engage if you want to, or if you're lucky, that's just enough respite to get away. This helps prevent, say an elite unit being quagmired all game, by a weenie unit. It also helps define combat a bit more realistically by aligning more in terms with historical accounts.


I do believe the most prominently featured character on my blog has got to be Lady Talon, I had no idea. She made her debut here, sheesh, three years ago now. Just use the search window at the bottom of the blog and type in 'Lady Talon', you'll see here all over the place. She started out as a Warhammer Quest character, did a stint in a role as leader of the Livwald Delegation in Song of Blades and Heroes, and now she's back again.

Today's writeup focused more on the rules, well loosely, of the game we played. It looks like the wheels have been turning in Bob's head, and with a healthy infusion of arcane mechanic ideas from Brian, I see these rules shaping up to be pretty cool. I like the focus on the character models, and wizards (necromancers, warlocks, shaman, etc.) in particular, and the fact that although it's a fantasy setting, it feels a little more grounded than that. Last writeup I lavished a good deal of fluff to the characters, so to save this post from being too redundant, refer back to the first Blighted Lands post. Rock on...

The Blighted Lands

The vile necromancer Nekrotut has been kidnapping fresh bodies in the lands of Count Sevrain far too long. The good count and his loyal troops march to the necromancer’s lair in the blighted lands to destroy the sorcerer of undead and all his minions...


Last week we played another game of Clans and Companies with its author, Bob of Might of Arms. The last time we played Clans, it was the massive Viking raid with just a 'touch of saga', in other words we had a Hill Giant and a couple of seven foot Viking chiefs. This time around we used the same rules, but went full-on, frontal fantasy; I was the forces of the Undead (with some secret allies), and Bob headed up the stalwart humans.

The game was a blast, and with the second go of playing the rules, I'm really digging them, especially after seeing how adaptable they are. I lavished (with a lot of Bob's help!) plenty of narrative with the Viking raid, and this time around is no different. I feel this is one of my more entertaining battle reports to come along in a while, both with the narrative and the photographs themselves, so sit back and enjoy!


Count Sevrain has consulted with none other than Lady Talon of the Elven delegation. She has advised the count that the previous year’s terror in his land has all the markings of a powerful necromancer named Nekrotut. He has operated in this region before, in ages past, and only with great difficulty was he driven out. Lady Talon, a powerful mage in her own right, has consented to accompany the count on his mission to destroy the necromancer.

The count’s men and women have split up to search the valleys in the blighted land, looking for signs of the necromancer’s lair. The [game] begins with three bands of the count’s retainers in the midst of blighted trees facing a large barrow. They are puzzled by what looks like despicable activity, but no one besides the count’s men seems to be present.

The barrow located in the dead wood is long forgotten. This land was once a lush, green forest teeming with life, just scant years ago. The barrow lays within sight of a an older shrine venerating the warrior saint Marcus Gideon himself. Atop the barrow stands a ring of power, carved of black basalt and built by the hands of druids from long ago. The tranquil serenity the area has been known for in previous ages is all but gone.


Lich Rhomus has infested the lost barrow for nearly six decades, and until now has kept his machinations hidden from prying eyes. Rhomus is powerful in his own right, and always at the ready to conduct his master Neckrotut's bidding.

Three groups of skeletons approached through the blighted trees, the large barrow at their backs. They are apparently driven forth by wretched humans in the midst of each band. The central group is equipped with bows, ready to let loose their deadly volley of arrows.


Damien the Blackheart is the youngest of Neckrotut's necromancer acolytes, he makes up for his lack of experience with pure spite and malice. He carries the skull of his former mentor and uses it as his arcane focus. He is tasked with leading a unit of skeletal archers and keeping them animated with his necromantic energies.


Lady Hexus is human, but her pallid skin and cold gaze speak otherwise. She has given up her very soul in pursuit of the dark arts. It is said she prefers to keep the company of the dead opposed to those of the living. Her unit of skeletal warriors speaks to this, and is unique in that they do not originate from the barrow, or from hapless villagers abducted from the kingdom, but are the remnants of her past lovers.


The wily old necromancer, Edgar, was once a promising student at the University of Majics located in the scholarly city of Dornshire. He found a hidden nook filled with all manner of profane and dark tomes within the catacombs of the library while a student. At first he thought he could harness this dark magic and bend it to his will, but as the years wore on, his will could no longer hold out against the call to darkness.


On the longbowmen’s left stood the Count Sevrain’s stalwart halberdiers. They would advance on the flank and exchange blows with Edgar's skeletons.


Count Sevrain visited the venerable Shrine of Marcus at dawn, payinh homage to the patron saint of warfare. Accompanying Count Sevrain is a young apprentice wizard from Pigsmole, the academy of arcane arts for gifted youngsters in the capital city of Dunderholme. This promising young mage is destined for greatness and bears a peculiar scar on his brow. His dreams are haunted however by the image of Neckrotut.


Rising sun at their backs, the count's archers prepare to volley at daybreak.


The count's own household Men-at-Arms, heavily armed.


Damien the Blackheart forms his troops into a long line and with dark energy, commands the archers to return fire on the count's longbowmen. The skeletons' bows are strengthened and given increased range by a timely cast Far Flight spell from lich Rhomus on the nearby barrow. In the distance, on the far right flank, Edgar the Elder sends his skeletal troops into the Duke's halberdiers with wild abandon.


Lady Hexus sends forth her minions to clash with the Men-at-Arms. The count’s spearmen fared well, beating their assailants back. To their dismay, a baying could be heard as howls and barks filled the air over the din of battle. The spearmen pulled back to coordinate their stand with the arrival of the rest of the count’s men.


Cresting the large barrow came the warg pack. Diminuitive, green-skinned goblins armed with short cavalry bows came charging forth, spurring their wolflike mounts on faster and faster. The motivations of goblin-kind is wholly unknown to the other sentient races of the realm. They are completely alien in scope and understanding, but somehow a pact was fashioned between their tribe and Nekrotut's undead. The goblin's speed and tenacity complements that of the slower undead host all too well.


The shieldless halberdiers could not block the blows of Edgar's skeletons, and were forced to fall back demoralized. For the skeletons know no skill but simply power their weapons with mighty blows to their front urged on by animating necromantic energy. The halberdiers did weaken their foe with their murderous weapons, but suffered mightily for their efforts, whereas the skeletons, mindless automatons that they are, just kept coming, unmindful (literally) of the pile of bones left in their trail. The halberdiers had suffered so many fallen, that they lost all heart and continued to retreat to a place besides the shrine of Gideon, some ways from the barrow, where they felt relatively safe.

Edgar, imbued with ample necromantic energy, plowed his unit of skeletal warriors through the count's halberdiers. As they made short work of the humans, scattering them, Edgar whipped them into a frenzy pushing them forth.


Chief Greatswill's warg pack rushes forth, jaws slavering.


Count Sevrain wasn't without his own support as heavy cavalry burst from the rear of the ruined woods, riding hard for the oncoming warg pack. Entangling spells of Phagus Brush were cast on the oncoming warg, stymieing their progress.


The halberdiers, routing back to the shrine from their failed melee with the skeletons, found themselves assaulted by a massive treant! Until this point there had been no sighting of the undead having any such creature. The count prepared to charge the beast, then reeled back, recognizing the trick for what it was. Lich Rhomus had cast the illusion spell Phantasm on one of the mangled, dead trees, making it appear to come to life in the form of a hulking treant. Rhomus fooled the halberdiers, but not Count Sevrain.


Just how were the undead able to ally themselves with Chief Greatswill's tribe? A smaller figure emerged from behind the circle of power and came to stand next to Lich Rhomus. Shroud the Interred was as much a snake now in unlife than he ever was living. His twisted words and honeyed tongue can convince anyone to do his bidding, much of his success bolstered now by arcane means. Who knows what promises he made the goblins? Who knows what might happen if he doesn't keep them?


Greatswill's unit of goblin spearmen.


The long-lived Wood Elf and advisor to the count, Lady Talon.


Goblin archers screen what's left of Lady Hexus' unit.


The enigmatic boy wizard holds off the goblin spearmen with his wand.


The warg pack tore into the heavy cavalry and had initial success. But the heavy cavalry wasn't so easily dispatched. After the initial charge, they regrouped and charged full tilt into the warg, lances cutting a bloody swath through their mangy ranks. The warg pack would have seen more success, but time and time again their charge was plagued by the Phagus Brush spell. Had it not been for this spell hampering them, the thunderous duel with the heavy cavalry might have ended much sooner.


The Phagus Brush spell entangles the unit of goblin archers.


Near dusk, the architect of the undead stepped forth from the barrow. Necromancer, arch-lich, tactician, and more, Nekrotut is evil incarnate. He is said to have harangued even the Elves during their infancy before man or dwarf walked the lands.


As darkness fell, the hostile warriors stood apart some goodly space. It seemed to be a stalemate, but many good men of the count had fallen in battle. It was perilous to remain in these parts with the evil brewed by the night, so the count withdrew with his survivors. The necromancer’s force of evil was too strong and the count was ill-prepared. Another day will come, and soon, vowed Count Sevrain.