Games evening

We all went around Steedo's to play Skull and Shackles but he wasn't ready so we played ....

Chrononauts - an interesting game where you can change history and create paradoxes - stealing artifacts from history and each other. Certainly worth another play - Win to Morts. 

We then moved onto code words - the teams were DK and myself versus Steedo and Snake-eyes. 

It started well with 2 quick wins before Steedo and Snake-eyes pulled it back to 2 all with an impressive "Airwolf" 5 ....... Don't ask. 

However the decider went to DK and myself! This was the high point of the evening for me. 

Then Risk Legacy - lots of meta-gaming going on - many poor dice rolls by yours truly. I enjoyed the position of NEVER being a threat or in contention to win - picture shows the basic position for me for the whole game - 3 territories in Europe. 

Steedo and Snake-eyes control the Americas - DK in Oz .... I was placing 3 troops a turn getting one territory and stopping - It was at this point that I was reduced to drinking and consuming snacks (even kiddies R2D2 popcorn). 

Snake-eyes went for the win but this allowed DK to charge across Africa and take Snake-eyes capital for his first win (on game 6). Well done for breaking your duck. 

We then played Jamacia - I like this game but am just rubbish at it!

1st DK 26 pts, 2nd Steedo 20 pts, 3rd Morts 0 pts and Snake-eyes -1pts. 

The evening was finished off with Welcome to the Dungeon - I really must read what is on the cards ....

Win to Steedo and I was killed ....... It did not end as a good evening for me.

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

Kings of War - Loot! Battle of Fru'bowl

Steedo and I got together for a civilised morning game of Kings of War. 

This is the 2nd game we have had - this time it was the loot scenario from the rule book.

It was Elves versus Hobgoblins (Orcs with some Goblin and Ogre allies) as these are the armies I have. We played 2000 points - mainly because of the quick pointing using http://kow2.easyarmy.com/

It also gave me the chance to use the new sabot bases - which are painted but not grassed yet. 

Initial deployment 

The Elves .... Under the command of Steedo. 

The Hobgoblins - lead by Morts. 

The vanguards have moved. 

Turn one - the Hobgoblins advance!

Turn 2 - the Elves react! Charging the Hobgoblin horde in the centre with knights and light cavalry. 

Some archery and magic is used but to little affect. The Hobgoblin vanguards are both eliminated. 

Turn 3 - The Hobgoblins counter-charge! Catching the Elves on the left in the flank! The Knights waver!

The Ogres pick up a loot token.

The end of Turn 3 - lots of issues for the Elves.

Turn 4 - the Knights drop back and the Dragon attacked the Horde!

The Dragon sees off the horde - can the Elves pull off the win?

Turn 5 - the Dragon is pinned by a unit of Hobgoblins, allowing the Wyvern to crash into the Dragon's flank! A CLASH OF TITANS!

The Dragon is chewed up and spat out! The Hobgoblins follow-up (note we didn't fight the combat indicated below - the Hobgoblins were shuffled back an inch). 

The Wyvern is now sitting on top on a loot marker. 

Turn 6 - the Elves make some missile, magic and counter-attacks across the front but by this time the Hobgoblins have picked up (or in the case of the Wyvern on top of) all 3 loot markers. The Hobgoblins also have a heavy cavalry unit and a horde of Ogres to unleash on the Elves .....

But Steedo rolls a 3 and the game is over - another victory to the Hobgoblins!

A really enjoyable game - Steedo didn't protect his left flank. 

I think for the next game the Elves need more fire power (- Mages) and perhaps a treeman. 

We did make a tiny error - the Hobgoblins were given vicious rather than the crushing strength they should have got from tribal might (but this probably benefited the Elves). 

Morts

Well I think l am clever .......

Well I failed to complete the Viking warband and for SAGA by Easter - still 8 to do, base coated and washed but I haven't done the detail! This failure is due in part to work commitments and being distracted by sorting out the sabot bases from last summer. 

By sorting I mean putting the backs on and texturing them - still got the painting and grassing to do!

The sabotting has been done so that figures can be used for HotT and Kings of War. 

These images show the HotT bases - 80mm frontages. The Vikings are on round 25mm bases the elves are on 20mm squares. 

I have also have done some bases with various numbers of 25mm round cut-outs and with 2 cavalry base cut-outs (some shown in the top picture). The depth on most of the bases is 60mm apart from the 20mm squares which have depth of 50mm - but this is so by rotating the miniatures 90 degrees two bases have the same foot print as a regiment for Kings of War!

A regiment of elves face off against human Knights in KoW. Also the basing means that they are over the minimum model count recommended by mantic. 

However my plans have been slightly stuffed up by some 20mm square bases being bigger than 20mm - which is a really pain. Will probably get some more bases cut or I have to sand the bases ...

Anyway got some games on this week so - might not get much further with this!

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 .......

Odin's Ravens - quick review

Well I managed to get the better half to play Odin's Ravens (2 games in fact!). 

Well I think is a a really good little game - Osprey have done well with the book style box and the quality of the components is very good. 

The idea is that the Ravens Huginn and Muninn fly in opposite directions around the world gathering information. The winner is the one who gets back to Odin first.

 

The game play is simple - play cards to move through the different areas of the world - line up matching areas and move further. Use your Loki cards for advantage or to sabotage, but think about where to play them because they might impact you as you go back around the world!

The game and winning strategies will improve with playing. 

Explained the rules and played two games in under an hour!

The better half described the game as "alright" and she would play it again ..... 

So a 5* game!! Recommended.

I also have to admit that she right royally thrashed me in both games! But I will have my revenge!

Morts

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