Star Wars - the force awakens - my thoughts

Well I got to see Star Wars - the force awakens last night. 

So for what it's is worth here are some of my thoughts on it.

1- did I enjoy the film? Yes I did thank you very much.

2- did it pass the numb backside test? Yes it did. It moved along at a good pace.

3- did I enjoy it? Yes - fits in with the Star Wars we all know and love.

The new and returning characters were developed and you cared for them - remember Peter Jackson characters you care about drive the story not big set piece special fx! Still narked how PJ managed to not make a good version of the Hobbit - I think there is a good film in there just needs editing, I digress. 

So it is a good film, but ....... Something was missing from it.

There wasn't anything new in this film to the Star Wars universe - it followed the same basic story as the original - even some of the ship scenes came out of 1977 (but with better special fx). Some of the plot twists were similar to those employed in Star Trek into darkness - changes of character, dark having doubts/worries of going to light. 

For all of the prequels failings and there were many they did expand the universe and how things worked politically - the big picture. In the force awakens set 30 years after the fall of the empire there is talk of the New Republic, the First Order and the Resistance. 

Now I know that I am massively over thinking this but after the fall of the Empire there would be chaos across the galaxy far far away - lots of peoples carving out their own bit of space in the aftermath - this is only 50 years or so since the clone wars and the Rebellion would have struggled to manage a smooth transition as it had been fighting the Imperial military for a number of years - or did most of the old imperial commanders just sign up with the Rebels and the New Republic? If so they would have lots of imperial kit.

So as I see it the First Order are a gang of old imperials trying to restore the empire - the Resistance are a front for the New Republic to fight the First Order. But I am guessing, so I personally think a bit of background development would have benefited the universe development... But perhaps they were worried about repeating the errors of the prequels.

Anyway go a watch it - it is a good film.

Morts

Men of Gondor

Well got some more figures painted - Men of Gondor or Numnenoreans for the Lord of the Rings range by GW.

On the whole pretty happy with them - not the best paint job I've done - but it'll do ....

Also did Denathor - again an ok job. 

Plan to use this lot with the GW games skirmish and War of the Ring, Lion Rampant (the soon to be arriving Dragon Rampant 👍), HotT (using sabot bases - see the old posts) .... They might also make in into a Frostgrave warband - Denathor would make a good wizard!

What to paint next ..... Should try and finish something, but my attention span probably means I won't!

Morts

Got some painting done!

Finished off some archers for Warhammer and or Lion Rampant! Or for Dragon Rampant which is on order from Amazon with release date of the 20th December, but if I'd ordered from Northstar would be in my grubby mitts! Hey oh my fault for going with the global beast .....

There are 12 - but not in the picture. Just got to varnish and base.

Morts

Cheap super glue!

Wasn't even making a model ..... Fixing Christmas decorations and this happened!

I keep buying cheap super glue and the nozzle doesn't seal probably, so the  bloody stuff escapes onto the tube! Had a number of finger sticking incidents when I put the gripping beast Vikings and Saxons together!

This was the worst to date 15 minutes of wiggling under running water sorted it!

Caught the index finger on the same hand on the gate latch - blood and ouch!

Hopefully will get some painting done so I can update with something else!

Morts

Battlelore - first game for me!

DK brought over his nicely painted copy of Battlelore. 

Took a little time to set up but I enjoyed  it. A nice cross over between a boardgame and a wargame (could be a nice diversion from all those computer games for you and the boy bro!).

The setting is Fantasy Flights Runebound world - which appears similar to the Warhammer old world. 

If I am honest l'm not that keen on the Chaos demon thing but I am obviously in a minority - I like the Knights versus barbarians thing. 

The game flowed well with the orders/action deck dealing with what units did what - no order no action - which was a little frustrating at times, no doubt the intention of the cards. These cards could be used in conjunction with the lore cards which allowed you to act in the others players turn or buff up units for an attack.

The purpose of the game is to get 16 objective points to win. You pick your objectives and the terrain on your side of the board and your opponent does the same using cards. The points are scored every turn so getting your objectives holding and knocking you opponent off theirs is the key to victory - something I didn't really grasp in the game we played so even after starting first I ended up chasing DK for points until he won :(

I did kill many more of DK's troops - which should be worth points so a moral victory to me :)

Overall a good game of that I'd like to play again, which also (with DK's painting) has some of the spectacle of a wargame - and certainly not beyond the wit of man to make some 3D hills etc for it.

Morts

ORC'S DRIFT - The outcome......

Well we finally got together and fought out the final battle at Orc's Drift. 

How did it go?  ..... There were some issues with the conversion of a 2nd Edition scenario park and 6th Edition rules - most were fudged but some just didn't seem to work. Probably because I didn't think about it enough! 

The compound at morning muster. 

Turn 1 - King F'yar and the Severed Hand Orcs arrive from Ashak Rise. 

Turn 2 - The Kwae Karr Orcs arrive fresh from Linden Way.

The Elves pepper the advancing orcs with arrows - but they pass the morale check

Excellent use of Mistress of the Marsh - on either side of the bridge really slowed the Kwae Karr Orcs!

King F'yar goes in for the kill...... Forgot the fear tests!

The wall makes it difficult for the orcs to land hits - but their unit strength, ranks mean they "win" the melee - but the special rules mean the defenders don't rout! I hadn't thought this through - I felt this poor bit of fudging by me turned the game into a bit of a dull grind fest. 

Approximately turn 7 - More Orcs arriving from Kachas Pass and more attack the outpost compound. 

Brommedir holds the Orcs back - this character had a poor game - I don't think he killed a single Orc with his bow! Using the skirmish rules the orcs would have been able to surround him!

Meanwhile King F'yar and Chardz battle it out - the use of the Beast Cowers made the Wyvern impotent in the combat....... The result was a see-saw fight which F'yar lost!

I should have made the orcs take morale checks at this point to see if the loss of their King would dishearten them ... Another error!

The distressed Wyvern defends F'yar's body! As more Orcs and Guthrum Mane (although he was too drunk to do anything this turn) attack to test the defenders resolve!

The mass of Orcs break into the compound - which is where I called time.

I have to say that I was disappointed with the way the game played out - it started well but didn't develop how I hoped it would. There were errors in my reading of the rules (and I should have used considered rules from the 6th Edition's  Skirmish and Seige Appendices, but I didn't think about it at the time). 

The key sticking point was the defenders not routing within the compound - so no break tests - but this meant the Orcs couldn't push the defenders off/away from the walls - I think playing the game as a Skirmish would have made a lot more sense - after all Warhammer Rules are basically large skirmish rules anyway. Or if the Orcs won allowing some over the wall, or pushing the defenders back 1" and the Orcs get over the wall ... The benefit of hindsight!

However there were some really cool parts it the game as well - the Druid being an Alcoholic which mean the defenders lost the ability to cast or defend magic - although when be was sober he made the Orc shaman Bagrash a little redundant with the disparity in levels. 

Hopefully Steedo and Snake-eyes (the defenders) and DK and Sylon (the attackers) enjoyed the game - which was also curtailed due to time constraints. As I have said the game didn't flow right for me and I made too many errors GMing - not sorting the "wall" issue, Wyvern and Giant fear tests and not making the Orcs take a morale check when F'yar was killed......

I am wondering about running this battle again, now that I know what to do or what might be more appropriate solutions.

Morts

ORC'S DRIFT - they are almost upon us ....

Been quiet recently - got a quick game of Star Trek Attack Wing (and an argument over the "cloaking" rules), a number of hands of Have At Thee and a few of Carcassone with my bro while he was over. 

But the weekend is the grand finale of Bloodbath at Orc's Drift so I thought I should muster the forces so that DK and Sylon know what they have and Steedo and Snake-eyes know what they face ....

Sorry for the picture quality and lightning....

Anyway 

King F'yar and his guard 

Now the Vile Rune Tribe fresh from Kachas Pass

The rich Severed Hand Orcs from Ashak Rise

The victorious Kwae Karr who stormed through Linden Way

Now the defenders of the outpost - Brommedir's Bows, Osrim Chardz Engineers and the Druid Snart and his patients ....

Good luck ......