Some games with the Danes

So my brother is over from Denmark with is family. He and my nephew came over for a game or two. My nephew is very into Vikings and Norse Mythology so I thought we would have a go at SAGA - which would be a little challenging as I have only played it once - about 2 years ago with DK.  

My brother was the Anglo-Saxons and my nephew was the Vikings - both with 2 units of heathguard and 2 units of warriors. They set the terrain out by packing the centre of the board with marsh and woods (probably got the set up rules a bit wrong as well). We were using the Warlords kill each other scenario  

The first two turns saw a passive Viking force move up onto the hill. The Anglo-Saxons were moving forward …

The next two turns saw the berserkers attack the Saxons by the building - only for them to be repelled with significant loses. The low armour and poor saving throws weren’t helping the Vikings cause. 

The fifth turn saw my nephew to use the warlord special command to attack the Saxon by the building only for some very vicious fighting to kill both the units of heathguard and unfortunately the Viking warlord ending the scenario - a win for my brother … 

My brother seemed to get SAGA quicker than my nephew who was a little tentative with his forces - all learning curve. 

We then moved onto a more challenging game of Dungeonquest. 

This resulted in an all out win for the Dungeon! It can be a merciless but fun as the time runs out. My nephew lost the barbarian down the bottomless pit - my brother the adventurer to a a couple of traps and a death warrior … my nephew took the knight in only for him to be trapped in the dungeon with my ranger …

Morts 

A few Heroes .....

So in between the Argonauts being done I was working on 3 Viking heroes by warlord games which I was given for my birthday and 3 very old Runequest figures I have had on the painting queue for years ....

I still have to varnish and finish off the bases - but I thought I would show them off. 

The Vikings could be used for SAGA and the Runequest figures could be adventurers in Sellswords and Spellslingers (or more likely they will sit in the painted cabinet for years). 

Morts

SAGA - Finally to the table!

Well after many years DK and I finally got SAGA to the table - first edition mind you ... 2nd edition has just come out in the last couple of months. 

Anyhow DK and I set up a 4 point force each - DK with Vikings, 2 units of warriors and a 8 figure unit of Heathguard. I was using Anglo-Saxons, 2 units of warriors and 2 units of Heathguard. 

The initial table was with 4 terrain items. 

I had first move and moved my forces up to either side of the woods - DK pushed one of his warrior units and his Warlord up to my Heathguard - in combat the Heathguard are pretty lethal against warriors ! So with some cunning moves DK's Warlord was surrounded and despatched by my warriors! A quick win for me! So another game!

We kept the same organisation and forces - this time DK started ... Much more cautiously, pushing up his Heathguard.... To counter I moved my Heathguard units together... In an attempt to get his Heathguard in a pincer .... 

Unfortunately this cunning plan didn't quite come off - I lost both my Heathguard units - DK's Heathguard were reduced to 1 figure. I then sent out my warriors to try a pincer on one of DK's warrior units - which I did manage but at the cost of "significant damage" to my units. Allowing his other unit to maul one of my units. We also discovered at this time that figures need to be within very short range to count it a melee - something that we had missed/ignored in all the previous combats. Then he sent in his Warlord against mine ..... The final picture shows the result, win to the Vikings and  DK. 

SAGA was a tie for the evening. We found SAGA a challenging and a frustrating game with the SAGA dice not rolling for you as you want - also placing of the dice on the battle boards causes plenty of frustration as you realise that you put the dice in the wrong place for the units you have, or in my case you roll 5 dice getting the the same result - none of which I could use on my warriors. (A 1 in 7776). 

We need to get SAGA to the table again - but we need to do that with so many games.  

Morts

SAGA Saxons - finished.

Well I have finally finished the Saxons for SAGA - not that I have the rules. 

The Warlord and Standard. 

Heathguard with Axes

Heathguard with Spears

Warriors with Swords/Axes

Warriors with Spears

The Saxon Horde

I have tried to colour theme them so that they are easy to identify on the tabletop. The first game this lot will probably get will be a Lion Rampant with Dark-Age amendments which was in Wargames Illustrated a year or so back. 

No doubt some of this lot will be called in as auxiliary troops for the Kings of War human army.

Anyway done. 

Morts

New Year - first post.

Well 2017 is here. 

Work is busy, but I have managed to get a few games of Odin's Ravens with Steedo and see Star Wars - Rogue One. I'm not going to do a full review of Rogue One' but let's just say I enjoyed it. Liked the nods to a New Hope and Vader being kick-ass. 

Also I managed to paint a group of Saxon Thegns (Heathguard) for SAGA. 

I have re touched the shields as I find that painting simple shields can be a real pain. I now have 8 Saxons to go to complete the force. I hope to finish these in the next couple of weeks but I have a big game at the weekend - Twilight Imperium ...... Apparently it is epic!

Morts

A few more painted!

Some Saxon thegns painted - more for SAGA and combined with the other unit of warriors a 12 men Regiment for Kings of War. 

Morts

Work in progress ......

Well been doing some reviewing of stuff and thinking about the order of painting ....

Currently working on Saxons for my SAGA warband and Lion Rampant. Thegns with axes and the Warlord and Standard.

Then I have extra command figures for the Kings of War Kingdoms of Men army - mounted standard and the Captain (and a Sargent to add the the 3 I already have). Then I have the Slaughter Priest and an Ogre Hero.

All of the above have had a base coat then a wash - sepia and or black over the armour. Then hopefully a couple of hours and a unit will be complete. There are 2 more units of Saxons to do (4 thegns and 8 warriors with spears).

The plan is to finish off the Hobgoblin archers and Hobhounds next, then either some Starship Troopers stuff or some men of Gondor!

So this a plan - let's see if I can keep to it when the frostgrave stuff turns up. 

Morts

Saxons - first warriors done ...

Well I have painted 8 Saxon warriors with swords and axes for SAGA, Dragon Rampant and Kings of War. 

Not the best paint job - but a good gaming standard. Went for the green and white as had already used red on the Vikings so needed a contrasting scheme. The shields work with the Devon flag (not Plymouth Argyle!) - will be putting some red and black in some of the other shields.

Varnish and basing to go!

Morts

On the workbench.....

After the last KoW battle it was felt - by me, no one else mentioned it that the Kingdoms of Men need a bit more Grrrrrr. So I rummaged through the lead pile to get the reinforcements at least to the ready yo paint stage.

We have another elephant (beast of war) - got to sort the crew and light ballista out. 

Adding to the fire power will be this very old Orc War Machine (TA4) with its human crew! Hand to be done. 

Will also paint up the old Orc crew - and dual purpose it!

The an army standard bearer and the Captain both mounted - from the foundry King Arthur pack!

Printed colour on the flag to save some time. 

Managed to paint (still to base) the 12 figure Saxon/Viking unit for SAGA - also works for KoW. 

I think another colour (black?) stripe or something on the shield might be good. But I am waiting to sort the Saxons shields out - thinking green or blue background with a red or white cross. I'm planning a similar shield/colouring thing as I did for the Vikings. 

The Hobgoblins/Orcs can't miss out so a regiment of "gore" riders

Nice old Nick Lund grenadier/chronicle sculpts - black orcs (planning a purple skin colour!)

And a war machine of their own - which in KoW will be classed a goblin unit!

I was planning to do some undead but got side tracked.....

Morts

SAGA - Vikings! ...... And Kings of War.

Well I finished of the Vikings - hurrah!

Got to think of a Raven based name now - suggestions appreciated. 

Warlord abd Standard

Berserkers

Hirdmen - two handed axes

Hirdmen - Sword and Shield

At present I have 5 figures in these units - if I only need 4 (DK please confirm) the dudes on the far left of the pictures will be transferring the the evil Vikings with a head swap .... Not to much work 😀

Warriors/Bondi with Axes and Swords

Warriors and Bondi with Spears

The 5 point warband all together. 

I think that the red/cream and Raven theme works pretty well. It may not be historical but it brings the warband together. 

It works well for creating a Kings of War shield horde (or two regiments) by combining the Hirdmen and Warriors. 

Also rebased 3 Viking/Saxon cavalry (stupidly I sold 8 of these a few years ago) - these might be useful for SAGA or other skirmish game - they make a troop for KoW. 

The evil Vikings ...... Run!

Morts

Nearly there ..... SAGA almost over.....

Well I have completed the final unit of Viking warriors (bondi) for my SAGA warband. 

Apart from the varnishing and basing - which will be when the whole lot are seen again.

I have kept the shields in the same colour palate for all the units and "Raven" shield design - hopefully this will pay off when they are altogether. 

They will also be turning up as a unit in my Kingdoms of Men Kings of War army - probably as a shield wall horde. 

Also finish the evil Vikings .....

Must resist getting making any more.... At the moment they make an element for HotT or a troop for KoW. 

Also managed a few games with Steedo and DK a couple of days ago ....

Odin's Ravens 

Steedo 2 wins

Morts 1 win 1 loss

DK 2 losses

Jamaica 

Steedo 1st, Morts 2nd, DK 3rd

This was the first time I have played this - good fun but requires more thought than you think!

Hope to play again. 

Kaosball

1st Morts, 2nd Steedo, 3rd DK (played until half-time). 

Again the first time for me - enjoyed beating up Steedo and killing 3 of his players. Steedo reckoned it is better with 2 players as the board will get very crowded with 3/4 teams. The scoring changes as you get into the 3/4 periods. An interesting game with some nice playing pieces.  

So a good evening for Steedo and me ..... Not so much for DK - but there is always Risk!

Morts

Whirlwind from the north ...... More Vikings

We I have repurposed some Vikings for SAGA (and anything else I can come up with). 

I have only painted 2 of these and redone the shields on the rest - trying to match the scheme with the previously painted Vikings (red/cream shields). 

Hirdmen - 3 old Citadel on the left, a metal and a plastic Gripping Beast.

Then the Hirdmen with 2 handed weapons and a standard bearer. 

4 Citadel in the middle and a metal and plastic Gripping Beast in the middle. 

Only have another 7 Vikings to paint to complete the SAGA force!

Quite a lot of Saxons to do mind you .......

Also managed to get a couple games of Odin's Ravens in against Steedo (won 2-1) last week. 

But lost Star Realms .......

Norse times .......

Well I have managed to finish a Viking unit for SAGA.

This is a mixture of old and new painting, metal and plastic figures (Citadel, Ral Partha and Gripping Beast). 

I have tried to make a clear base colour scheme for the unit (and probably the whole Viking force) - hopefully it works and will look ok on the table. 

The metals

The plastics 

Together 

The basing should finish them off nicely.

Also arrived and looking good - with clear rules. 

Hopefully to a table soon ....

Morts

What I have been faffing about with .....

Been a bit busy with work so I haven't done a lot.

Need to get the painting mojo back - plans are out stripping the ability to complete those plans!

Such is the curse of the gamer!

Managed to put together the Ogre hero that me bro got me for my birthday - got to pause him (circle or square?). Answers on a postcard. 

Then some Chaos Maurader Viking mash ups - DK give me some spare parts and I had 6 Saxon/Vikings spare from the SAGA build. 

The heads are a little big but nevermind - evil Viking Reavers ..... And cheap!

All I need to do is paint the little Bast*#ds!

And the others ..........

Must stop buying stuff!

Morts

Basing - dealing with duplication Part 3

Well I finally got around to playing with the laser cutter at work!

The office now smells of burnt MDF! Pretty pleased with what I have produced 😃

Need to make a few more things but I think most things are covered.

Warlord sabot base for SAGA (probably not legal - an elipse 60mm by 48mm) with my Saxon warlord and standard bearer.

The rest of the "frames" are 80mm by 60mm, with various combinations of 25mm circles and 25mm by 50mm "pills". Suitable for SAGA, OGAM and making armies into HoTT forces 😃

Berserkers modelling a 4 figure base. 

Saxon Heathguard with axes (and 2 others) on a 6 figure 2 rank base.

Next up Gondorian/Numenorian Cavalry on "pill" bases.

I noticed an error in my design while getting the pictures ready - on the 2 rank infantry bases the "space" between the circles had been cut out due to the design. Initially I though this could be a problem for the aesthetics but unusually for me I saw an opportunity! 

Mixed cavalry and infantry bases - useful for Heroes (and their hangers-on) in HoTT.  

The plan is to have some "blanks" to put in. 

I also have frames to take 25mm by 25/50mm rectangular bases. 

I need to do a couple more types - 2 "pills" on a base (the same for rectangles) and 3/5 circles on a base for light troops/warbands. 

Hopefully I will get more use out on the stuff I have already painted - always good!

Morts