Stuff which I have missed …

Before Christmas we had a little go at Heroquest - without DK, but because we needed to keep the campaign ticking along a spare Elf was drafted in from an expansion.

I have to say this new Elf was much more amenable to the wishes of the group and helped the team succeed in 2 quests without wandering off and causing confusion … 

Recently I have been playing with speed paints again and preparing Celts.

Regenade and Victrix noble cavalry and Renegade and Warlord skirmishers ready for paint. 

The skirmishers finished - generally happy with these, but the crusader flesh looks a bit grey - especially on the Frostgrave Wizards (these 2 may get the faces redone). I did try painting some checks and stripes  on some of the clothes before applying the speed paints - I think I need to make sure there is enough contrast between these base coats to make it work.

I get some pretty good results from speed paints sometimes and some disappointing ones on others - I will continue to practice. I have put together some Warlord Games celts - with a few spare heads from the Victrix cavalry… some look a little bobble headed. I’m sure that with a bit of paint they will look ok. 

Morts 

A little ballista and humans for fantasy games

In my current drive to finish stuff that I have … and I have been looking around eBay for things … slightly tempted by some 40k terminators or sternguard, but not enough to sound with cash. Anyway I did a couple of conversions on some Fireforge medievals I have had lying around as crew for a ballista for the human Kings of War army. 

Obviously this needs basing and a little something to balance the piece on the left of the ballista - not sure what but the space needs something there. 

While i was painting these I took the opportunity to paint a couple more of the Order of the Dragon support troops - well thugs or something similar in terms of Frostgrave/Sellwords etc.

These are ok - the conquest miniatures Norman head on the swordsman is a little bit soft in terms of details. But these are just support for the knights. I would like to get a couple more figures for this little warband - which now stands at 10 - 4 knights (including the leader), 2 crossbow men and 2 spearmen. I was thinking a ranger type and another appropriate henchman type - but I’m not sure and I only have Celt or Barbarian sprues about at the moment. I glad I painted these as I need to up my game in painting small units, individuals as I have a number of these in the to do … ready to paint queue.

Morts

Progress undate ...... Some stuff finished!

So I have completed another 6 Chainrasps/Wraiths for a unit of 12. Just basing and varnish to be done.

Also finished a polar bear for Frostgrave ....

And I have impatiently slapped some paint on the Dwarf steam tank.
Hull.

Turret.

Wheels and commander not worth looking at yet.

Should be having a mid week game with Steedo and DK .... What to play??

Morts

The Worm Hunts ....

Steedo came over and we created a warband each for a game of Frostgrave. Steedo chose a Chronomancer, a barbarian, 2 infantrymen and 2 crossbow men. While I picked Sigilist 2 archers and 2 men at arms - using my Sea Elf team as a theme. 

We used the 3x3 mat - but in future I plan to play 1 vs 1 games on a 2x2 mat to be more intense....

The scenario was the Worm Hunts. 

The dice rolling was dire for both teams when it came to casting spells - I think we managed 6 successful casts between us - however my rolling was spectacularly bad. I don't think that I inflicted a single point of damage against Steedo's warband or the monster. 

The game started ok for me with a crafty use of telekinesis spell, but from then it went down hill. Steedo's crossbow man killed off one of my archers. Then the worm appeared next to my wizard ... To be fair Steedo did inflict significant damage on the worm - but it still managed to "kill" my wizard and a man at arms, before Steedo killed it for 100XP. While this was going on Steedo managed to "kill" my other archer!

I found this a really tough game - a bit like Steedo's last game of Frostgrave. There was literally nothing going right and the dice were against me and once I was behind I couldn't match the numbers in Steedo's warband. I did try 3 different dice to try and change my luck.... But it didn't. 

We only had one monster - the worm arrive in the scenario, a few more would have helped ... If they were on Steedo's side of the table. The crossbows extra damage was very helpful to Steedo damaging my warband and the worm. 

We will play again and upgrade the warbands - my wizard only has a permanent injury -1 on movement, but my magic item is boots of speed or something. Unfortunately Steedo has more to spend so it will be a another tough day at the table. 

I have another set of scenarios I hope to use with the rest of the collective. 

Morts

A Dark Lord and making stuff

We I have managed to paint a Reaper Bones Lich Lord for any game I feel like really.

A nice figure and I think it look good - probably better in the plastic rather than the picture which highlights my limitations as a painter ....

On the left I have also been playing with green stuff to attempt to make a mirror for Galadriel (aka an objective marker) with the aid of an acorn cup. The idea is to have the bowl (acorn cup) grown out of a tree ... It is still a work in progress. 

On the right is the basis of a wardrum for the Hobgoblin kings of war army. It is going to have wheels ( must have some realism as it would be rather heavy to lug around a battlefield). Still some way to go with the skin and decoration.

Got to have something to do on the long winter evenings......

Morts

For Halloween .... Well almost

Managed to paint 12 skellies for Dragon Rampant, KoW or Frostgrave. 

Some Eureka Hoplite ones

Some Mantic ones

I wine with the damaged and dirty shield design. 

To be honest I found painting the bits of fabric a bit of a pain - just 12 more to go and 12 zombies and the undead are finished apart from leaders and stuff. 

Morts

Trying to get things done.

Work is busy as usual but I am trying to find time to paint stuff - although this is difficult to do at times. 

In recent weeks I have completed my 10th Abbots Way walk across Dartmoor and I have reports to write soon. 

I have managed to play 7 Wonder Duel and win a game at lunchtime at work. Although this was a test game so weather it really counts I done know.

Painting wise I have prime coated some Dwarfs, Skeletons and Zombies .... For Frostgrave, Dragon Rampant and Kings of War fun - although playing a game would help with the fun element as well.

I have managed to get some werewolves done. 

2 Reaper Bones and a metal North Star Frostgrave mini. Not a bad job on these - got some basing to do now! More for the forces of the undead!

Morts

Started new job - so not being doing much.

Well the gang managed to get together and get a few games played. Snakes-eyes managed to beat me at Carcassone by 2 or 3 points (Sylon was lapped by the leading pair) grrrr.

We then continued the epic Risk Legacy (I think we played the tenth game) where I have to say Steedo gave me a good slapping but Snake-eyes trounced us all will a win for the new Mutant faction (2 hours for a game of Risk is pretty quick). 

Then we played Nine Worlds - where I was pipped by a couple of points by Sylon ..... 10 pence short!

Not my night, but good banter. 

I have managed to paint this Great Earth Elemental for Frostgrave and Kings of War

Not a bad effort for a couple of hours work and considering the state the painting area is in!

Really have to tidy this up ...... Hopefully later today!

Morts

This week I have mostly been ........in Middle Earth

It has been a fairly busy week .... Helping the outlaws move and trying to keep on top of things around the house, but I did get some painting done.

First up an ice troll for Frostgrave or anything I want really. Also 3 more Dark Aliance "Mordor" war trolls (I now have 6 painted trolls so a horde for Kings of War). 

I went with a grey skin tone to contrast with the brown ones I did earlier in the year. 

Then I have Faramir and 6 of his Rangers - making a scout unit for Dragon Rampant or a Troop for Kings of War or of course Rangers for Lord of the Rings. 

All need varnish and basing. 

I have to choose if I finish off my Dwarf or Gondor forces ...

Morts 

A little bit of painting done .....

Well I have done a little but of painting - the first up a few Asgard Dwarfs to complete a regiment for Kings of War and a unit for Dragon Rampant.

A couple of crossbow Dwarfs for a KoW troop or scouts in Dragon Rampant.

Both units need uniform basing but I will wait until I can do all the Dwarfs at once.

Also did these treasure/objective markers for Frostgrave (although they are useful for lots of games). 

Off to finish some trolls and Rangers .....

Morts

Got some painting done .... And sort of finished the Hobgoblins ...

Well got some serious painting done. Haven't finished the bases yet - got a big game today. 

Some Harpies for Greek myths and rats for Frostgrave.

A demon and Medusa for Frostgrave. 

Now after 30 odd years I have finally completed all the C36 Citadel Hobgoblins* - very Oldhammer!

Top - Voxin the witch. Bottom - the last of the Warriors. 

A converted chariot - crewed by couple of the rocket launcher team.

Finally - the great Khan on a wolf. 

These will see a battlefield soon. 

I plan to do an army showcase for this lot.

*Still have some old Chronicle Hobgoblins/Black Orcs to paint!

Morts

A little painting done

Well I have done a little more painting to go towards Frostgrave denizens and Dragon a Rampant/KoW undead forces. 

A banshee (from Northstar's Of Gods and Mortals range)

A quick job on this but effective - I did miss a couple of mould lines .... Oh nevermind!

Another 6 ghouls ...

Will vanish and base up soon!

Nice to get to the painting table!

Morts

Ghouls!

Well managed to get some painting done - some ghouls for Frostgrave and Dragon Rampant force (and possibly allies for Kings of War). 

First 6 of 12 done - ok paint jobs. All will be based onto 25mm mdf round bases. 

5 games workshop crypt ghouls picked up from the exeter wargames show last week and a mantic ghoul. Will do another 6 ASAP, then varnish and base. 

Must tidy the painting desk!

Morts

Going solo - Frostgrave - Warriors of Athena

Rather than do some painting I thought I would have a go at the solo Greek mythology rules for Frostgrave which were in WSS 86 - which also have 2 scenarios to play. 

It gave me the opportunity to use some of the Runequest figures I have been collecting over the years. 

Rolling on the parentage table my hero is a son of Hephaestus! 

From the attributes available I chose Sprint, Spear thrower, +1 shoot, +1 recruitment and Devine Favour (re roll a dice). 

The warband was made up of a Hoplite with 2 handed weapon, 2 warriors and 2 Amazon archers.

The first scenario is a rescue mission against pirates (the guards were impressed from dark age warriors and the Pirates from the evil Vikings). 

The initial set up.

The heroes emerge! And a guard is taken out with a spear throw!

Getting into rescue the prisoners - guards had to be further than an inch away and an action is needed to release the prisoners. 

Some combats are forced on the guards. But a couple of the heroes are pushed back!

All the guards are despatched and no pirates have turned up, it's all going to plan. Well apart from my Hoplite being killed by a guard - who was despatched by a warrior. 

I am trying to get the prisoners so that 2 are escorted by only one member of the warband. 

As the party is getting ready to leave - a pirate turns up!

And then another! Let battle commence! The hostages are escaping.

Then another pirate turns up! One of my warriors is taken down and an archer seriously hurt! As would the son of Hephaestus had it not been for the divine favour re-roll!

Should be able to get the hostages off the board ... But what do you know another pirate arrives!

A couple of pirates are cut down and a cunning swap of prisoner escorts buys time for the escape of 2 of the hostages... 

Come the end all the prisoners are escorted from the pirate camp and the final 2 heroes make a dash for it .... As 2 more pirates advance on the camp too late to prevent the rescue.

The game turned out to be more tense than I thought due to the arrival of pirates in the final 5 or so turns. It would have been tougher if they had turned up earlier in the game - 3 guards and 6 pirates from the start would have been a challenge. 

So experience points 100 for a complete rescue, 20 for getting off the board, 20 for 2 bad guys killed by the hero (might have been more but I forgot to record it properly), -30 for the 2 members of the warband killed on action. 

The next scenario is the Gorgon - so I do have to do some painting as she isn't painted yet ... Also I need some snake markers for that game as well ....

So to the painting table!

Morts

Frostgrave - the campaign begins ....

We have started a 4 game campaign for Frostgrave.

The warband entering the city are from top left clockwise; DK Elementslist (using Confrontation Dirz minis); Steedo's witch (made up of Amazons); Snake-eyes Elementalist (using a old D&D party with some thugs at the front) and finally my Chronomancer warband using figures from my Kings of War army). 

 

With 4 of us playing we set up in the corners of the board with 12 treasure tokens.

DK was very successful using the telekinesis spell to move the treasure towards him with both his apprentice and wizard. We all started using the group movement at the start of the game. 

Snake-eyes aggressively went for my warband - with his ranger killing my archer in one shot! But revenge would be mine as my apprentice killed his wizard with an elemental bolt!

As the game progressed DK picked up more treasure - killing my barbarian and thug in the process and stealing the treasure they had - git!

Steedo and Snake-eyes were fighting on the other side of the board while DK had collected 5 treasures (including the one he had stolen off me) which he was quietly moving off the board. 

Steedo was having a torrid time failing to cast spells - weakening his wizard sufficiently to be killed by one of DK's crossbow men!

Mean while my final archer was chewed up and spat out by DK's war hound - dice came up 1 - 20 ...

Below in almost the final act of the game I managed to successfully cast Elemental bolt at DK's thug carrying a piece of treasure TWICE ..... But only managed 1 point of damage thus allowing him to escape with the treasure.

The final treasure tallies were:

DK 5

Snake-eyes and Steedo with 3 each

Me with 1!

Obviously this has given DK a massive advantage on the treasure tables and resources for the next game. To add insult to injury when rolling on the injury tables - I lost 2 soldiers killed .... I believe that only one other warband permanently lost a member .....

A couple of things about the game - Steedo's dice rolling was awful, we only managed to get 2 wandering monsters out in the entire game which was a little disappointing (a wolf that was easily despatched by DK and right at the end a troll which chased the pitiful remains of my warband) and annoying as I had had to adapt the table and find loads on minis to use. The game ran longer than I thought it would but now we have played a session it should be quicker. 

Back to the city soon to Hunt for the Golem .....

Morts (not a happy wizard)