That weekend went fast!
And it got quite a lot packed in, too.
( Knitting and wargaming, but not together )
( Knitting and wargaming, but not together )
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The final battle - Hordes of the Things
For once, a 15mm opponent. Sharpe's Rifles, complete with two heroes, and excessive numbers of shooters and artillery. The entirely aerial Easter Chicks would not have been wise, so I pulled out the army I'd put together Friday night - the Tribbles. 24 units of Hordes.
Things to remember - Hordes, unlike my usual warband and Shooters, do not like bad going. Stacking them a mere 2 deep is not enough, I need 3 (so take a knife to the Stronghold)
Declan's Hero did his best, with Rider support, to take the Stronghold, but was swamped in cute fluffiness. Eventally he, the shooters and the artillery managed to kill off half my army - me rolling 1s to regenerate did not help.
Things to remember - Hordes, unlike my usual warband and Shooters, do not like bad going. Stacking them a mere 2 deep is not enough, I need 3 (so take a knife to the Stronghold)
Declan's Hero did his best, with Rider support, to take the Stronghold, but was swamped in cute fluffiness. Eventally he, the shooters and the artillery managed to kill off half my army - me rolling 1s to regenerate did not help.
A long battle and a short one
Having been thrashed by Sharrock Junior, it was on to Sharrock Senior. Tim accepted my Lunars as an appropriate opponent for Kallyr, we set up some bad going and hills, and set to, defending Whitewall. There were deployment problems as I tried to shuffle sideways to match his setup, and a flyer did a great jof od disruoting things before dying again, as did a Lurker on the other flank. Meanwhile his Hero General tried to get round to Whitewall, with riders in tow. A hastily shifted Flyer sat in a cornfield and ambushed them. The Hero General heroically chased it into bad going, and it fled, and returned, and fled, and returned, and..... meanwhile Kallyr headed in that direction with the intention of challenging the General to a duel, but had to go bac and sort out the collapsing left flank. The right flank was held up by sneaker and shooters, the centre was Barkered by a flyer, the rest was reshuffling.
Eventually the warband sorted themselves out, and Kallyr led them in a charge. We were up to the end of time, with many troops lost and no clear winner, but then in the final moments, the Lunar right crumpled before the Vingan onslaught. One Rider reached the gates of Whitewall but was driven off. Orlanthi victory - just.
Next - Steve Harris and the Last of the Mohicans. Warband v. warband. His Hero sneaked round the back towards my stronghold, and this time the Flyer, without bad going to help, couldn't stop him. The only other combat was the other flyer being chased off by his Magician.
Eventually the warband sorted themselves out, and Kallyr led them in a charge. We were up to the end of time, with many troops lost and no clear winner, but then in the final moments, the Lunar right crumpled before the Vingan onslaught. One Rider reached the gates of Whitewall but was driven off. Orlanthi victory - just.
Next - Steve Harris and the Last of the Mohicans. Warband v. warband. His Hero sneaked round the back towards my stronghold, and this time the Flyer, without bad going to help, couldn't stop him. The only other combat was the other flyer being chased off by his Magician.
Two short battles
Last night, my Easter Chicks were challenged by young Charlotte. It had to be a short game because Dave and I had booked a table for 15 min later. She deployed, she moved. I rolled a 6 and split into 3 groups. AHG and 2 wingmen hit her flyers, two flyers hit her shooter, AH and wingmen hit her unsupported Airboat General. Two attacks bounced, but the general died.
First real game this morning, Kallyr faced Benedict commanding Richard's morocanth. Magician, knights... nor ideal against my flyers, hero-general and flyers, but we can cope with careful deployment. My Lurker did a lovely job of breaking up the Warband before she died (what was that tree doing in Prax anyway?), but rolling that many 1s (i never got anything higher than a 3) was not something I could cope with. The flyers never moved, and the second time the Morocanth Sorceror tried to ensorcerel Kallyr, he succeeded. There's a story there, I'm sure of it.
First real game this morning, Kallyr faced Benedict commanding Richard's morocanth. Magician, knights... nor ideal against my flyers, hero-general and flyers, but we can cope with careful deployment. My Lurker did a lovely job of breaking up the Warband before she died (what was that tree doing in Prax anyway?), but rolling that many 1s (i never got anything higher than a 3) was not something I could cope with. The flyers never moved, and the second time the Morocanth Sorceror tried to ensorcerel Kallyr, he succeeded. There's a story there, I'm sure of it.
Berkeley day 1 report
Day 1 summary – 3 wins, one loss. Killed three generals and captured a stronghold.
( Read more... )
Happy but tired. Dave turned up at 5, also happy but tired (he's been over at Slimbridge birdwatching). We've booked a table for later, and I'm dozing, writing this, and inspecting photos before dinner.
( Read more... )
Happy but tired. Dave turned up at 5, also happy but tired (he's been over at Slimbridge birdwatching). We've booked a table for later, and I'm dozing, writing this, and inspecting photos before dinner.
Continuum prep, harp notation
The catchup on the end of the holiday will just have to wait (but it needs to happen, because it'll include a link to a WONDERFUL place to stay in Bruges, and directions to a great place to eat).
I had a list of what I need to do before Continuum that made me want to curl up under the bed and hide until it went away. Which probably wouldn't have worked...
Yesterday I went round to Malk's place and we looked at the song he's doing for the Storytelling that he wants me to do harp accompaniment for. This being the harp that I've practiced about once since Xmas....
( beginner harp geekery under here )
So, some practice needed, but at least I know that what's required is well within my capabilities. (And I know that Malk's daughter is at least as delightful as he'd suggested).
One more job off the list - I'd been making up some playing areas for HOTT, knowing that only other other GloryGeek will be there (and since Gregory's bringing the Block Game, he won't be bringing HOTT stuff). HOTT in 25mm requires a 3*3 playing surface (15mm needs 2*2. So I've taken some vinyl floor tiles in a texture that looks a lot like mud, and used their self-adhesive properties to back them with an old green tablecloth. Instant modular playing area, thin enough to pack down nicely.
Now all I need to do is the Duck Point Race prep and sort out the cooking side. All.... no, hiding under the bed is still not allowed!
I had a list of what I need to do before Continuum that made me want to curl up under the bed and hide until it went away. Which probably wouldn't have worked...
Yesterday I went round to Malk's place and we looked at the song he's doing for the Storytelling that he wants me to do harp accompaniment for. This being the harp that I've practiced about once since Xmas....
( beginner harp geekery under here )
So, some practice needed, but at least I know that what's required is well within my capabilities. (And I know that Malk's daughter is at least as delightful as he'd suggested).
One more job off the list - I'd been making up some playing areas for HOTT, knowing that only other other GloryGeek will be there (and since Gregory's bringing the Block Game, he won't be bringing HOTT stuff). HOTT in 25mm requires a 3*3 playing surface (15mm needs 2*2. So I've taken some vinyl floor tiles in a texture that looks a lot like mud, and used their self-adhesive properties to back them with an old green tablecloth. Instant modular playing area, thin enough to pack down nicely.
Now all I need to do is the Duck Point Race prep and sort out the cooking side. All.... no, hiding under the bed is still not allowed!
I got prezzies!
Well, actually, a box of things I paid quite a lot on Ebay for, but since I was buying several lots, the seller threw in a few little extras. Like some personality figures, and a complete extra army....
Pictures will come later, but I now have more pro-painted 25mm Lunars than I know what to do with, some Telmori, woad-clad berserkers, a bunch of centaurs who may go and help the Ducks defend Beast Valley, and a Chaos Zombie Mammoth. The extra army is plastic rather than lead, but still pro-painted. Spears, swords, bows - they look a bit too civilised to be Orlanthi, but we'll see.
Pictures will come later, but I now have more pro-painted 25mm Lunars than I know what to do with, some Telmori, woad-clad berserkers, a bunch of centaurs who may go and help the Ducks defend Beast Valley, and a Chaos Zombie Mammoth. The extra army is plastic rather than lead, but still pro-painted. Spears, swords, bows - they look a bit too civilised to be Orlanthi, but we'll see.
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A busy week coming up
This weekend - I'm home! Wow!
First three days of next week I'm on a course in London, learning ASP. Monday is slimming class, Tuesday is backswording class, Wednesday I'm staying on in London to meet a friend.
Thursday, normal service may resume (or I may just fall over).
Friday afternoon Dave and I head up to Manchester for "HOTT in the Ring" - a little HOTT tournament. Yes, Dave too: and since it's a 15mm event, I need an army for him. So I'm adapting a matched pair from DBA: Romans and Ancient Brits. Adjusting troop types to fit HOTT and make them a contrast to each other left me short of points on the Roman side, and lacking a Stronghold, so I've built up a cardboard Roman Villa we'd picked up on the IOW, and I'm painting an Elephant to be a Behemoth for him. OK, so it was intended for Alexander, and the equipment is 400 years or so out of date, but it was in the lead pile.
( Army lists )
( Photos of the villa and the elephant )
First three days of next week I'm on a course in London, learning ASP. Monday is slimming class, Tuesday is backswording class, Wednesday I'm staying on in London to meet a friend.
Thursday, normal service may resume (or I may just fall over).
Friday afternoon Dave and I head up to Manchester for "HOTT in the Ring" - a little HOTT tournament. Yes, Dave too: and since it's a 15mm event, I need an army for him. So I'm adapting a matched pair from DBA: Romans and Ancient Brits. Adjusting troop types to fit HOTT and make them a contrast to each other left me short of points on the Roman side, and lacking a Stronghold, so I've built up a cardboard Roman Villa we'd picked up on the IOW, and I'm painting an Elephant to be a Behemoth for him. OK, so it was intended for Alexander, and the equipment is 400 years or so out of date, but it was in the lead pile.
( Army lists )
( Photos of the villa and the elephant )
Back, busy, off again
So no post describing last weekend, which is a shame, because I had a great time and there were lots of interesting things. Maybe later.
edit: they say a picture is worth a thousand words: have some pictures. flickr photo-set
This coming weekend is Berkeley: the two-day HOTT competition. I'm driving down Friday night, staying in the Tudor Arms at Slimbridge where the competition's held. And, this time, Dave is coming too: not to wargame, but to birdwatch. Mmm. Hugs. Nice.
But, while I'm using existing armies, I took up the Best Built Up Area challenge, and I'm still working on the *&&*%*% thing. Last night Dave and I explored the problems of the sound effects, and decided that with an MP3 player as input, I simply had to have powered speakers, or I had no hope. And we found some! Modifying the base to fit them in required some woodworking (thanks, Dave), and makes the whole thing rather larger than I'd intended. Also gives it vertical sides :( I did the major part of the building last night, including soundproofing so the motor isn't louder than the sound effects, (went to bed at 3am with fingers covered in glue), and will do the fiddly bits and the bulk of texturing the base tonight. Then I can slap on a second layer of texture Friday morning over breakfast, and take the flock and paint with me to finish at the pub Friday evening.
Me, leave things to the last minute? Who, me?
edit: they say a picture is worth a thousand words: have some pictures. flickr photo-set
This coming weekend is Berkeley: the two-day HOTT competition. I'm driving down Friday night, staying in the Tudor Arms at Slimbridge where the competition's held. And, this time, Dave is coming too: not to wargame, but to birdwatch. Mmm. Hugs. Nice.
But, while I'm using existing armies, I took up the Best Built Up Area challenge, and I'm still working on the *&&*%*% thing. Last night Dave and I explored the problems of the sound effects, and decided that with an MP3 player as input, I simply had to have powered speakers, or I had no hope. And we found some! Modifying the base to fit them in required some woodworking (thanks, Dave), and makes the whole thing rather larger than I'd intended. Also gives it vertical sides :( I did the major part of the building last night, including soundproofing so the motor isn't louder than the sound effects, (went to bed at 3am with fingers covered in glue), and will do the fiddly bits and the bulk of texturing the base tonight. Then I can slap on a second layer of texture Friday morning over breakfast, and take the flock and paint with me to finish at the pub Friday evening.
Me, leave things to the last minute? Who, me?
Furnace is even more fun
Pure HOTT Glorygeeking today.
( and therefore cut to spare the non-wargamers and non-Gloranthans on my friends list )
( and therefore cut to spare the non-wargamers and non-Gloranthans on my friends list )
Furnace is fun
Only got to play one HOTT game yesterday, and watched some visitors playing Brian with help from Richard. I used my Lunar Undead Legion, and learnt that magicians do in fact take the -2 for bad going even when bespelling. And that one magician quick-kills another. Game ended on round 2 with my magician general vanishing. I wrote the battle report as him changing sides, but a frog marker could be handy.
The game I watched was my undead again v my Ducks - rather flattering that with all those gorgeous armies there, they chose to use mine! A long battle, many Hordes lost and regained, blades v blades shoving match, shooters working round the flanks, good fun.
Richard has a scenario for each army combination - last one I watched was Lunars trying to stop the Dragonnewts Dream, around a breach in the Pavis walls. Apparently he has one for my Vingans that classes Kallyr as a Paladin general. Paladin? He explains this as the period at the end of the Rebellion where she's holding her troops together with magic (and has good PR). I'll be interested to see it.
In the afternoon, I was playing in Newt's HQ scenario, "Fortress of Doors". I got to play a Yinkini for the first time (and Comma was brought up from the car to play her alynx). A fun scenario, the players made it more so. Martin Smart as a young Orlanth Adventurous type was good - lots of crazy plans! Loz as a seriously man-hating Vingan was good. Odd concidence time: in two PBeMs I play in and the one I run, we're facing vampires. What was this one about? Yep. It's undead, it drinks blood.... and at one point, boring with facing the thing's triple-mastery combat skill, my Yinkini said "bet he hasn't got a triple-mastery defence for this!" and fired up her Seduce feat. He hadn't. But he got distracted by the other PCs hitting him :(
Out for an Indian last night with Dave. Back to HOTT today.
Picked up the RQ 2nd age book, though won't see it till Xmas. And saw Mythic Russia - someone expressed surprise that I didn't have it, as my name's in it. It is? Oh yeah, I helped playtest, ages ago.
The game I watched was my undead again v my Ducks - rather flattering that with all those gorgeous armies there, they chose to use mine! A long battle, many Hordes lost and regained, blades v blades shoving match, shooters working round the flanks, good fun.
Richard has a scenario for each army combination - last one I watched was Lunars trying to stop the Dragonnewts Dream, around a breach in the Pavis walls. Apparently he has one for my Vingans that classes Kallyr as a Paladin general. Paladin? He explains this as the period at the end of the Rebellion where she's holding her troops together with magic (and has good PR). I'll be interested to see it.
In the afternoon, I was playing in Newt's HQ scenario, "Fortress of Doors". I got to play a Yinkini for the first time (and Comma was brought up from the car to play her alynx). A fun scenario, the players made it more so. Martin Smart as a young Orlanth Adventurous type was good - lots of crazy plans! Loz as a seriously man-hating Vingan was good. Odd concidence time: in two PBeMs I play in and the one I run, we're facing vampires. What was this one about? Yep. It's undead, it drinks blood.... and at one point, boring with facing the thing's triple-mastery combat skill, my Yinkini said "bet he hasn't got a triple-mastery defence for this!" and fired up her Seduce feat. He hadn't. But he got distracted by the other PCs hitting him :(
Out for an Indian last night with Dave. Back to HOTT today.
Picked up the RQ 2nd age book, though won't see it till Xmas. And saw Mythic Russia - someone expressed surprise that I didn't have it, as my name's in it. It is? Oh yeah, I helped playtest, ages ago.
Looking forward to Furnace
RPG convention in Sheffield, this October. I've just booked, having convinced Dave to come too so the accomodation per head isn't quite so silly.
Mainly I'm going as a GLory Geek - two days of playing HOTT in Glorantha! Yes! but there's also the chance to play some Glorantha RPGs. Looking at the list, there's two HQ games, and both are intended for extremely high-level characters. One in Pavis, one in Dorastor. I've never played with high-level HQ before (unless you count writing Kallyr stories and working out every incident in terms of her HQ stats as I do it), so this will be fun!
Memo to self, book hotel.
Mainly I'm going as a GLory Geek - two days of playing HOTT in Glorantha! Yes! but there's also the chance to play some Glorantha RPGs. Looking at the list, there's two HQ games, and both are intended for extremely high-level characters. One in Pavis, one in Dorastor. I've never played with high-level HQ before (unless you count writing Kallyr stories and working out every incident in terms of her HQ stats as I do it), so this will be fun!
Memo to self, book hotel.