Blackstone Fortress - start of the campaign.

So last night Tiger King and myself sat down and started the Blackstone Fortress campaign - “search for the hidden vault”. We picked a couple of tough characters each. Tiger King had Amallyn Shadowguide and UR-025, whisky I had Janus Draik and Pious Vorne. The expedition stared with 2 challenges which we were singular unsuccessful with - in fact due to forgetting the combat rules pious managed to pick up 3 grievous wounds … but she did pick up some archotech in the second challenge. 

We then had a combat session to complete- which meant I had to focus on getting the rules right - which we did (although we did forget a couple of reinforcement rolls at the start). 

The encounter was a fairly straightforward one with 2 units of traitor guard, which the ranger and robot made fairly short work of, where as I continued to roll badly …. Apart from high on the reinforcement table, so none turned up and average on the event table so that the escape lift turned up without too much effort. The Asuryani ranger (Tiger King) did snatch a discovery token from Janus, which seemed a little mean, but possibly in character for the campaign. 

After we had completed the combat, we had to end the expedition as Tiger King had to go home, so before the next game we have to do the Precipice stage for recovery and buying kit, before a new expedition. The early end might have an impact on the Legacy cards. 

Hopefully the group can get together before the end of August for the next round. 

Morts 

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 

Some Hobgoblins

A little painting has been done during the heat wave - I found the heat made me tired rather quickly and painting get be a challenge when it drying quickly beyond the heat. These are some of the Satanic Panic Hobgoblin archers from the Kickstarter I did awhile ago, for Kings of War or a Rampant game. 

Easy miniatures to paint - a reasonable job on these. Another 7 to go for the unit. 

Morts 

Mobile Infantry - a few more done

As it has been a little bit busy recently with both thing 1 and thing 2 returning from University (semi permanently and for the summer) I chose to paint something fairly easy from the undercoated “pile” - a few Starship Troopers (light armour) Mobile Infantry. 

Not a bad job - but not the best for these apes. I will have to work out a way of differentiating the squads for whatever game systems they get used in. Only another 17 or so of these to paint. I have enough for a game just need to play one. 

Morts 

Some dark age cavalry

Well after painting the 15mm stuff on a sort of whim, as I was going through the primed selection on miniatures (looking at the 40k stuff to complete Kill Teams) I thought I would paint the last three of the Oathmark cavalry I picked up last year - they have been slightly kit bashed with Saxon and Viking heads and shields. 

The plan is to use them with the 3 Viking and Saxon horsemen who survived the great cull, before I bought the plastic stuff for saga - which will make another 6 figure unit for Kings of War or Dragon Rampant. It has been quite a pleasant change from the 40k stuff I have been working on for the last 3 years …. Not played much, but I have plans to change that. 

Morts

Saxons - but not the usual ones.

Like a butterfly I have gone off task of painting things for Kill Team/40k and painted some more Saxon infantry for the Great Northern War (imaginations) collection. 

We have the command figures for Saxon Guard (white//Cream flag) and Kurprinz Regiment (Yellow flag).

The Saxon Guard have white hat tape. 

The Kurprinz have yellow hat tape (I am not sure if this is accurate but I makes them a little easier to differentiate).

There is something nice and easy about painting 15mm - the process seems quicker to get more acceptable results. 

I haven’t forgot the Kill Team stuff as I did pick up the new source book - Moroch. 

As it has rules for Phobos marines and the traitor guard (so I can use the Blackstone Fortress guys) - now  I was a bit too impatient buying this as when I decided to get a copy the auction prices were pushing £20 plus postage, so when was offered at £14.90 including p&p I went for it … have I have since had offers from sellers of less than £12 quid as the early adopters got a copy … d’oh!

Now I just have to assemble my Reiver/infiltrator team.

Morts 

Continued progress in Sci-fi

Over the Jubilee weekend I managed to pick up the virus of unknown origin, which was a bit of a arse to be honest. I had survived over 2 years as a key worker and not picked up even a sniff of it! My main symptoms were a rather snotty nose. We missed out on the local Jubilee celebrations and a copy of other party invites due to not wanting to infect anyone else and not wanting to be “looked” at being out and about. Although the current rules are there are no actual restrictions, it does suggest avoid large gatherings … but I do have to go to work on Monday. 

In our self imposed semi isolation I did manage to paint some furniture for thing 2’s bedroom and the garden (still have to do some more of that). 

Today I put together some old GW imperial guard weapon systems with some press-moulded Starship Troop feet. 

Flame thrower, missile system and heavy gun. 

A gun thing and a mortar. I made the press moulds for these years ago and DK picked up a bits box of guns (might be 10 years ago) so I thought that I should actually try to finish these off. They are going to need little bases and some filling. 

I have also been fiddling around with mantic’s industrial set - the raised walkway is causing me some problems … I might need to think about to “raise” them. The plan is to spray black and then gun metal - but I need to assemble the newly purchased  Necron Deathmarks to be able to get value for money out of the spray cans. 

I am also looking at selling off most of my Primaris Space Marine (except 6 which will make an Intercessor Kill Team and the Phobos Space Wolf team which is still on its spruce), but not before I have a game of Xenos Rampant with the Marines versus the Bugs of Starship Troopers. 

Morts