Orcs Invade Libbyland

Another game with the kids – this time we let The Girl Play too. The Girl was very excited to use her mom’s army (when she found out she has her own army of ALL GIRLS!. I had promised her a game a few evenings ago, but it just hasn’t worked out with the outlaws visiting… This morning, however, Amanda and her folks were out to the market and stuff so after we finished ourt violin practice I thought we’d try and sneak in a game before they got back…

SITUATION

The forces of smelliness and brutishness have invaded the land of happy spites, unicorns and ballerinas (though, strangely, there are no sprites… or unicorns… or ballerinas in the army…).

SCENARIO

Orcs attacking the army of Girly Greatness.

FORCES

Orcs of Badthanc
1x Rider General Borgthag the Not-So-Clean
6x Riders – Wolf Riders
3x Beasts – Wolf packs
1x Behemoth – Trolls.

The Army of Libby the Bold
1x Hero General – Libby the Bold and her Giant Pussycat
3x Blade – Dwarves
3x Shooters – Humans and Elf Archers, and stone-throwing Hobbit lasses
3x Warband – Dark Elves and Celts
1x Riders – Centaurinas

THE GAME


(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The “Expert” (boy) sets up his army of Orcish smelliness opposite the Girls’ Girl Army.


Initial set up of the Army of Libby the Bold.


The Orcs pour over the hill with their host of wolves….


The Girl vibrates with excitement at the prospect of throwing for her first PIP roll. I think the die went across the room, bounced off a wall, and ended up on the floor somewhere…


The Boy gets ready to throw for Borgthag the Not-So-Clean’s first PIP roll.


Libby commanded her centaurs to flank the enemy line…


…and enjoyed some initial success, routing the first batch of malodorous miscreants.


Rather than surging forward toward the enemy (and letting the centaurs roll up the line), Borgthag the Not-So-Clean showed some serious lack of impetuosity and ability to grok the taktiks, by holding their general advance long enough to dispatch some riders to deal with the menace on the flank.


The Centaurs were frightened off the field of battle. Driven by the loathsome smells emanating from…. rider or beast? They knew not which was worse! (Girls down one)


No tears yet…


The battle lines met – this time it was the orcs turn to… well… turn the flank…


The Celtic Warrior Wimyn were pretty badass, however and fought off the two packs of baddies. Foes clashed and there was much shoving back and forth.


The hman archers were mauled and driven from the field of battle by one particularly rank mob of wolf riders… (Girls down two)


The next round however the Wolf Riders finally surrounded, overwhelmed and annihilated the Celtic Warrior Wimyn (Girls down three)


Further down the line the Girls only managed to throw back a few units that remained in contact or that were rejoined with the pitiful PIP roll… conveniently redressing the Orc line for them…


The Orcs were then able to charge in again en masse! In a particularly bad turn the Orcs managed to route a unit of Dark Elves, the Elf archers, AND a unit of Dwarf Warriors! (Girls down six, game over…).

Not a great introduction for the girl… but there was conciserably less tears than the boys first game… and he WON!? She too will be a formidable opponent… when she learns to add…

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

More of the same… couple guys coming over to play some more HotT tonight…

Roman Empire Invades the Isle of Berk

Gaming With The Boy – Part II

Finnegan decided he’s like to try and play the Romans . The obvious opponent was my Vikings (the Hairy Hooligan Tribe!). He’s a HUGE fan of Cressida Cowell’s How to… Dragon Books. In one of the books (How to Speak Dragonese) the Hairy Hololigans’ take on an outpost of the Roman Empire!?

Finnegan decided the Hairy Hooligan were more of a “Warband” type of Viking than “Blade”…

SITUATION

The Legions of the Roman Empire lead by “The Fat Consul” have invaded the Isle of Berk and are marching on the village of the Hairy Hooligans!

SCENARIO

Romans are the attackers, Vikings are the defenders.

FORCES

Hairy Hooligan Tribe
1x Hero General– Stoick the Vast
9x Warband – Viking Warriors
1x Shooters – Viking Archers.

The Roman Empire
1x Blade General – The Fat Consul
4x Blade – Roman Legionnaires
4x Spear – Roman Auxiliaries
1x Shooter – Roman Archers
2x Riders – Roman Cavalry

THE GAME

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


Finnegan and his legions (and his reference guide for Roman tactics).


The Hairy Hooligans arrayed before their village, ready to defend the Isle of Berk.


The Roman Legions advance.


Finnegnan demonstrates how the Romans march.


Finnegan demonstrates how Roman cavalry gallop.


Gallop they did – he got a whopping big 6 PIPs and couldn’t hold them back any longer!


The following turn they contacted the left of the Hooligan line. One unit of Roman Cavalry shoved one batch of hooligans back into a creek, but the others were soundly thrashed by the hooligan warbands further down the line! Romans down one.

There was considerably less distress at this "setback" than there was in our last game. Finnegan, is seems, is considerably less concerned when it’s the “bad guys” losing – even if HE’s playing the “bad guys”…


Hooligans surround the remaining squadron of Roman Cavalry…


…but they’re made of sterner stuff and throw back their assailants.


The Cavalry once more charges in trying to shove the Hooligans right back into the water. (the Hooligans threw them back, however).


The Roman battle line advances ever closer to the Hololigan village.


Once more the Hooligans on the left of the line assault the Roman cavalry…


…and finally they are undone… Romans down two.


At the other end of the line the Hooligan archers started harassing the Romans with volleys of arrows, forcing the Roman archers to retire and regroup.


The Legions of Roman advance ever closer….


Finally the battle is joined…


Just look at those neat battle lines… that wasn’t going to last long!

The horrendous din of metal on metal, metal on wood, metal crushing bone and rending flesh and the fearsome cries of the Hairy Hooligans could be heard as far away as the Bog-Burglar Islands and had Big-Boobied Bertha wondering what the terrible racket was…!?


One legion of Romans was vanquished and a hole in the Hooligan line developed where Romans had done their worst…. Others were thrown back here and there. The wild Hooligans pursuing where they could. The neat battle lines in complete disarray! The fat consul shrank from the might of Stoic the Vast.

Romans down three, Hooligans down one.

(a number of turns of bad PIP rolls – for both of us – followed, so only one or two stands would make contact on any give turn as there was nothing resembling “groups” left on the table…)


At the left of the line the Hooligans struck back! Shattering a unit of Auxilia at the far left,, but being thrown back by Legionnaires elsewhere.

Romans down four.


They shattered a unit of Auxilia at the far left, but were thrown back by Legionnaires elsewhere.


The Auxilia at the left of the Roman line finally got up the nerve to enter the woods and find out what was making that fearsome howling noise… as it turns out, it was THE BERSERKERS!


The Berserkers lived up to their “dangerous” reputation and crushed the Auxilia spearmen to their front.

Romans down five.


The Fat Consul had got up the nerve to rejoin the fight with Stoic the Vast…


… but was again thrown back by his… uh.. vastness…


A fierce battle continued between some hooligans and auxilia at the left of the Hooligan line over a couple of turns neither refusing to give ground…


Eventually a lot of Hooligans Got back into it with one of the legions – supported on both sides…


… and the Romans were surrounded and crushed!

Game Over.

100% less tears shed over this battle, which was shocking, considering it was a pretty sound thrashing!! Maybe it was because it was “bad guys” he was playing… or maybe it was because it was all in the context of a story he understood rather than a head-to-head "competition"… Regardless it was good times for all and I’m looking forward to playing lots more!

I actually didn’t expect it to go this well, when he diecided that the vikings should be Warband. All those Blades at+5 and Spears at +4 versus my warbands at +3… but that Warband quick-kill got them more than a couple times….

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Probably more HotT and DBA stands… and more battle reports – I promised The Girl she could play a battle with her mum’s army of “HotT Chicks”…

The Undead…

…but NOT zombies…

Since the kids are enamored with Hordes of the Things, I thought I’d start painting up a few figures I had kicking around for a while. Some are stands to add to existing armies, others for completely new ones. Because I like feeling like I’m accomplishing stuff, I thought I’d start with something super fast and easy – skeletons!

Also the girl (5) has expressed an interest in playing “undead” – I know what your thinking: pre-pre-teen goth girl in the making… and that may very well be… but she doesn’t seem to associate undeath with “evil”. Probably due to the Scary Godmother and Magic Trixie graphic novels we’ve been reading her…

Maybe the leader of her army could be tragic character - distraught by the loss of her daughter she turned to necromancy...

Maybe I'm thinking about it too much... Maybe I should just find an appropriate Scary Godmother or Magic Trixie figure to lead an army. Defending the "Fright Side" from fiendish invaders...

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


Some Skeleton Archers from… Uh… Ral Partha?


A couple of the same based singly for Savage skirmishin’.


A frightful character…! I think this is from I-Kore’s Celtos…? I got it out a Bargain bin for $1… the original price tag was, I believe $18…. Yoinks! This has been in the to be painted box for some time. I remember when I originally assembled it I debated whether to put it one a round base for skirmishin’ or a big square base for HotT… I may still switch it up… Though I’m not entirely sure what I’d classify it as in HotT? Magician? (Anti-)Hero? (Evil) Paladin?

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

More o’ the same – HotT fantasy stuff… fantasy Skirmish stuff… Zulus… Zombies… Giant Robot Monsters… who knows!?

Raid on the Border Post

It’s been far too long since I had a battle report on this blog…

Last week I played a little introductory game of Savage Worlds with the kids – which went over really well (I didn’t take any pics and it would have been chronicled over at Savage Timmy’s Playhouse anyway). This week I thought I’d bust out Hordes of the Things and try it out with the boy.

I haven’t played HotT in over a year… That's far too long, as well...

SITUATION

The Orcs of Gurgthanc had a hankering for stuntie flesh and treasure and so Borg Maulfist lead his mob over the hill to attack the Dwarven border fortress of Finndon.

SCENARIO

Straight up HotT battle. Orcs attacking, Dwaves defending.

FORCES

Army of Borg Maulfist
1x Hero General – Borg Maulfist and retainers
5x Riders – Wolf riders ( in know in the books it suggests they should be beasts as well…)
3x Beasts – Wolves sans rider.
1x Behemoth – Hugo the Giant.

Finndon Garrison
1x Hero General – Lord Finndon
6x Blade Dwarf Warriors
3x Shooters – two units (stands) of Dwarves with guns and a unit of Elves that happened to be in the area.
1x Beasts – Giant Armoured Badgers (no… Really…)

THE GAME

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


Lord Finndon marshals his forces at the Orcy-goblin horde approaches his border outpost.


Lord Finndon still unconcerned about this latest raid… so many have been beaten off before…


The battle lines clash!

Before this the Dwarfie gunner let loose a volley at a stand of wolves that were foolishly positioned in front of Hugo the Giant – as they recoiled many got under foot and squashed as the behemoth lumbered forward and the rest of the pack paniced and fled in terror!


Ba-DAM! Lord Finndon himself smashes a unit of wolf riders. Two down – looking good for the Dwarves so far…


ANOTHER unit of wolfriders is mauled by the dwarves and the survivors set to flight. Three down….

The next turn, however, (the dwarves more) ushered in the first of a few reverses for the dwarves (which ushered in a few tears from Lord Findon…)

The Elf archers and The Giant Armoured Badgers moved out to meet the remaining wolf packs (potential instant death scenario – beasts and shooters quick-killed by mounted….)


The Elves, overpowered by the smell of the wolves decided to quit the field and head back to Elfland – the Dwarves seemed like they had everything pretty much under control anyway…


Unsupported by the elves the Giant Armoured Badgers were surrounded by the wolves and annihilated… Two down for the dwarves.


There was a bit of shoving back and forth elsewhere along the line…


The Orcs seized the initiative and renewed their assault. Hugo stomped on some Dwarf warriors to even up the score – causing considerable distress for Lord Finndon.


More shoving.


When the wolves routed another unit of shooters Lord Finndon became panicked and… rather… er… “emotional”… Four down for the Dwarves.


Appropriately he then rolled a 1 for P.I.P.s….

Despite their leader coming apart his Dwarven warrirors soldiered on!


The one order he issued was for a unit of warrirors to rejoin the line…


…and the desperation of the situation set them to frenzy – they wiped out another pack of wolfriders – evening the score! (four units lost each)


With Wolves nearly at the very gates of Finndon the situation was becoming more desperate!


The loss of another unit of Dwarves nearly ended the game… a few deep breaths were taken and we soldiered on for one more round…


In a final reckless act the two leaders – Lord Finndon and Borg Maulfist – directly faced each other on the filed of battle…


Hugo crushed some more Dwarf warriors with foot and club – Lord Finndon thought this ended the game and tears were shed – until I pointed out we needed to finish the round and that if Borg Maulfist were to loose his combat that would even up the score AND I’d have lost a general – which would loose me the game.

Lord Finndon, though overwhelmed and nearly surrounded – with wolves at the very door of his stronghold – beat down Borg Maulfist and set his nasty hordes to panic and flight…

It would be many years before the Orcs of Gurgthanc had a leader so bold as to lead them against the border post of Finndon…

A good introduction to the game – the youngster picked up the basics with startling swiftness (understanding groups and PIPs and remembering combat factors move distances of the various units – on both sides – and quick-kills and doubling!) If he can learn to keep his head about him and not despair at EVERY minor setback he could prove a formidable opponent… (of course the same could probably be said of me!) (...except for the "formidable opponent" bit!)


Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Now that he’s got the bug – I expect there will be many (MANY) more HotT battle reports filling this blog in the days-weeks-months-years to come.

And I’ve already started painting up a few stands for some new and some existing HotT/DBA armies… expect to see them here soon-ish.

I've even started working on some nre terrain tiles and fixing up some of the older ones that have seen much use and abuse.