I did not actually get to playing En
Garde! over the weekend, but last night I did finally get to kick off
a new Frostgrave
campaign just with the family. I thought it would be fun to run a campaign just
with the family - and it would give me an opportunity to get back up to speed
with the rules and playtest a few scenarios before the 12th Annual
Wargaming Birthday Bash/Winter Wargaing weekend coming up in lightly less than
four weeks! Originally I’d planned to run a A
Song of Blades and Heroes campaign, but decided to switch to
Frostgrave because… well… it would just be easier… Mostly because I’ve been
working on a new campaign system for Song of Blades and Heroes, but I knew I
wouldn’t have an opportunity to fully playtest it at all before the wargaming
weekend and I hate trying out totally new things at a campaign weekend where
there will be a little bit of competition and, even among the friendly gamers
I’ll be playing with, holes in the system would likely be found (alarmingly
quickly) and exploited… Frostgrave is at least is a known quantity – I know what
to expect from it… and it’s fun… I’m sure it will be a great weekend!
SCENARIO
As we got started a bit later
than I expected, we simply played a standard scenario without any special rules
or even any wandering monsters (which is, I think, a first!?). Next week we’ll
spice it up with something new!
I think all of us, except
perhaps The Boy, tried out a new type of spellcaster that we’ve never played
before.
FORCES
Amanda played an Elementalist
named Winona and her apprentice Raisin(…? Yeah, I have no idea…). Exploring the
ruins with them was a Tracker named Tammy, two Treasure Hunters named Helen and
Ellen, and three Thugs names Sandra, Melissa, and Carrie. (The figures are all
from my own collection – Amanda likes to play, but can’t be bothered to get her
own figures…)
The Girl played a band of giant
anthropomorphic mice lead by a Chronomancer names Rumpy Silkskins and his
apprentice Glinda Mistletoe. With them were three Archers names Redfeather
Tickle, Milly Greenbottom, and Tilly Yellowpatch, a Crossbowmouse named Lara
Dustfur, Two thieves named The Blue Squeaker and Lumpy Cheesecakes, and
Infantrymouse names Admiral Browntail and a Warhound names Flash. The figures
are all the frem The Girl’s own collection and, with the the exception of one
of them, were all painted by her.
(I think this is the first time ANYONE had played a Chronomancer in any
of our games so far)
The Boy rolled out with another
Lizard Witch warband lead by Bloopblupblop and his apprentice Sithana. He commanded
a Knight namd Sthanos, two Infantrylizards names Sotha and Hiskanal, two
Javalineers names Hroot and Grook, a thug names Gurth and Theif named Inkath.
I tired out the Soothsayer
(using my recently
painted Green Wizards). Alvareda and her apprentice Jonquil led a
band of rough sorts; Lars (the Archer) and his brother Darragh and his other
brother Darragh (both Men-at-Arms), four Thieves named Will, Jenny, Alfonso,
and Cerebus (an Aardvark!?), and a big mean dog named Spike.
Despite the decision to allow
the new Captains presented in Sellsword,
no on opted to try one out…?
THE GAME
Before the game got going my
soothsayers successfully cast Reveal Secret (allowing me to place an extra
piece of treasure just in front of my deployment zone. The Boy’s Witch also
successfully summoned an Animal Companion – a giant Ice Toad who was quickly
named “Ribbet”
It’s been a while since I’ve
played so I didn’t have the smartest set-up. Jonquil went off with the three
brothers leaving Alvareda with the thieves… so all the hitters with one
spellcaster, all the carriers with the other… doh…
Jonquil and the three borhters
set up next to a treasure – looked like easy-pickins…
Alvareda and the Theives with
three more treasures that looked easy enough to grab – we would be in and out
without any contact with the other delvers of the ruined city!
Then Amanda’s Elementalist set
up with eyes on that same treasure…
On the flank I had The Girl’s
Giant Mice Chronoimancer warband. WE always seem to end up having a non-verbal
“you-take-these-I’ll-take-those-and-we’ll-leave-each-other-alone” type pact in
all our games of Frostgrave…?
The Boy and his Lizard Witches were across from me and I would have no contact with them at all.
On the first turn the
Elementalist went first and whisked away that closest treasure to an eagerly
waiting thug who then picked it up and ran!
The Theives with Alvareda
quickly snatched the treasures in front of them and readied for a quick
get-away – eyeing the giant mice with suspicion! Alvareda successfully cast
Mind Control on Tammy – the Elementalists’ Tracker – but Tammy successfully
resisted
The Mice and Lizards mixed it up
a bit – in the course of the game Mouse Archers took down two Lizard
Javelineers.
Lars put an arrow in the thug
with our treasure the Darraghs rushed out to grab it, but the Elementalist hit
them with a fireball knocking Darragh our and wounding Other Darragh! Other
Darragh soldiered on and, with the help of Spike, took on one of the
elementalists Treasure Hunters.
And then I forgot to keep taking
pictures…
Alvareda and Jonquil made a few
more attempts at casting Mind Control on various members of the Elementalists –
which mostly ended with them bleeding out their nose and ears (failing
horribly!). Then Alvareda was hit by a scattershot from Winona the Elementalist
and the two soothsayers spent a few turns trying to heal themselves… Eventually
they got better and manged a few successful Combat Awareness spells too late in
the game to have any affect (other than gaining them some experience).
In the end, the severly wounded
Darragh managed to take down the Treasure Hunter and Alvareda successfully cast
Mind Control on Tammy the Tracker – who was coming to get him. As Tammy and
Winona were the only members of the Elementalist’s warband still on the table,
the Elementalist decided to beat a hasty retreat of the table rather than fight
her own hireling…
I really missed not having
wandering monsters or special rules… it adds a lot to the game. Otherwise there
is temptation to just grab a couple of the closest treasures and scarper…
The Girl’s mice soffered no
casualties at all and hauled away three treasures. Among those treasure she
collected 295 gold, an Orb of Power, and three Potions (Elixer of Speed, Potion
of Invisibility, and Potion of Invulnerability). Her wizard gained 210
experience (150 from treasures, 60 from successful spells cast) and gained two
levels.
Amanda’s Elementalist’s warband
suffered four casualties. Her Apprentice was badly wounded and will miss the
next game (or require some expensive healing!), Helen and Sandra were patched
up well enough that they’d be able to soldier on next game, but Helen was a
little more seriously injured and will give the next game a miss… Among the two
treasures they hauled off the collected 120 gold, a Staff of Power (1) and a Grimoire
of Invisibility. Winona earned 160 experience points (100 for treasures, 60 for
spells cast). I think Amanda is planning to abandon this warband and try
something else next game.
The Boy also suffered four
casualties The two Javelineers and the Toad were all wounded lightly enough
that they’d be able to soldier on next game, but Sotha the Infantrylizard will
be out of action a bit longer. The Lizards collected three treasures which
included 220 gold, a Grimoire of Wizard’s Eye, and three Potions (Explosive
Cocktail, Potion of Strength, Elixer of Speed). His wizard earned 290
experience points (150 for treasures, 60 for spells cast, and 80 for taking out
Raisin the Elementalist’s apprentice).
The Darraghs and Spike the dog
recovered from their injuries quick enough that they’ll be ready for the next
expedition into the frozen city. Among the FIVE treasures the Soothsayer’s
warband collected they found 280 gold, Potions of Healing and Invidibility, TWO
Scrolls of Raise Zombie, a Magic Dagger (+1), a Ring of Teleportation, and
Grimoire of Fog. Alvareda earned 320 experience (250 for treasure and 70 for
spells cast). She decided to improve her fighting and practice up on Mind
Control and Combat Awareness.
I like the Soothsayer – though
most of my spells were 12+ to cast… I took Mind Control, Combat Awareness, and
Reveal Secret for my Soothsayer spells, though I’m kind of wishing I’d taken
Forget Spell… I think my first grimoire purchase will that. I also took Bind
Demon and Control Construct just to be THAT Wizard that messes with EVERYONE’s
heads… but with the current group of wizards it’s looking like those won’t be
so useful. I should have taken Control Undead as well. Control Animal, being a
Witch spell (which is opposed to Soothsaying) would be a tough one… I rounded
things out with Heal, Invisibility and Fleet Feet.
I think we’ll play a few
scenarios out of the main book and then I’d like to try playing trough either
the Hunt for the Golem or Thaw of the Lich Lord campaign (or perhaps BOTH!).
In other exciting – but Frostgrave related – news, just as I
sat down to type up this game report this morning I had one email that informed
me that my order from Black
Tree Design has finally shipped (with figures all destined for
Frostgrave and Dragon Rampant
warbands and Lion
Rampant retinues) had FINALLY shipped AND a note from Joseph McCullough himself informing me
I’d been selected as one of our winners for the Frostgrave Wizard Sheet
giveaway! How cool is that!?
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
I’ve started cleaning up the basement this weekend and had a
big clear off of the workbench. It was getting mighty cluttered. I tend to just
keep adding things to it fast than I can actually paint – keeping things “in
the wings” to remind myself that I SHOULD paint them up in the not-too-distant
future. What remained were a few remaining swashbucklers and lots of
Medieval/Fanatasy stuff… and a few other odds and ends… hopefully I’ll get to
finishing a few more things up this week before our next adventure into the
Frozen City!
I'd still like to get in a game of En Garde! at some point this week - even if it's just a small game just to try it out.
I also need to get working on some MORE TERRAIN!
I'd still like to get in a game of En Garde! at some point this week - even if it's just a small game just to try it out.
I also need to get working on some MORE TERRAIN!
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