On Thursday after work I popped into Andrew's place and we had another three small-ish games of his fantasy rules, which I always enjoy! I particularly enjoyed this session, for reasons that will become obvious 😉
Game I
Eye candy shots of my warband. Andrew allowed me to select a team - 20 points total - magic user or strength 3 unit = 3 points, apprentice = 2 points, normal single figures = 1 point.
I had two sorceresses and two apprentices = 10 points
Three archers = 3 points
Two warriors = 2 points
Two warriors = 2 points
Three Warrior Nuns = 3 points
Andrews were based slightly differently - above is a 3 point unit (3 bases)
A grade three champion and a grade two unit behind
A couple of grade two units
A magic user and two single grade one figures
A grade three unit
The battle space. Activation was by usual turn of cards - I was hearts, Andrew was spades - there were also a number of clubs in the pack. When they came up, a magic user from the most recently active side could attempt to summon a "beast" to join that players side on a roll of 9 or better - the beast was then placed within 2 D6 inches of the summoner - and could go straight into combat with the enemy if this was within the range rolled
One about turn three, I successfully summoned this fella!
The stars denote that he is worth three points.
Shortly thereafter, the sorceress above (a genuine Frostgrave figure) summoned another beast to my side!
He got straight into action against one of Andrews mob
Andrew's nasties advance ....
.... but magic will take care of them!
Things looking a bit dicey for these girls ....
.... and Andrew was ganging up on the troll, too!
But the troll rolled well!
The two-point unit was wiped out in the melee.
For the rest of the game, every club that came up was after Andrew's turn - but he almost invariably failed to pass the summoning roll - above is an example - he did this more than once during the game!
Andrew's magic user makes best use of cover.
A couple of general views of the table showing the situation mid game.
My apprentice sorceress works her magic!
Then a Joker came up - this was a surprise event - well, for me, anyway!
The enormous behemoth to the left appeared on the table - the nasty to the right has also just arrived but summoned by Andrew's magic user. The giant "thing" had a value of three AND rolled 3 D6 in combat etc - so really could not fail to get a hit with every combat - three 2's or better would get a total of 9! Fortunately for me, where it appeared, it was slightly closer to one of Andrew's groups!
In the end, I was able to use combined "firepower" from three magic users to evaporate this demon, so it did not really have a major impact on the game.
The monster under Andrew's control looked intimidating ....
... but my nuns made quick work of it!
The final situation at the end of the game - Andrew's one remaining unit can be seen falling back in the centre left of the above image - I did not lose a single figure!
Game II
I swapped out a couple of my team. to get some different figures on the table.
Turn two, and I successfully summoned a minotaur
He didn't last all that long though.
Magic users Team One on overwatch,
The Minotaur meets his end
My Green Lady sorceress and a two-point warrior unit forced back Andrew's flank attack
Nuns in cover
Andrew's solitary sorcerer - he made a tactical error in taking up an elevated position with no cover
For several turns, he engaged in an exchange of "fire" with these two opponents, who are both in cover!
Andrew's apprentice magic user already carrying one (of a possible two) hit
The archers in close combat
Andrew moved forwards on the left flank again
Archers and nuns combine in melee
The lady in green had been pushed back from the melee, but the fight continued with some warrior reinforcements
And my band wiped out their opponents!
Situation in the centre - another band of Andrew's figures advances
Two more melee's developed
The archers lost and had to "retire" towards Andrew's side of the table!
I think this was the time that I lost my one and only unit of the night - the nuns.
But despite losing one fight, the table was looking distinctly bare of enemy forces!
My archers were in the ruined temple type terrain in the top centre above
They emerged to fight the last remaining enemy unit - the result was another success.
Andrew had one figure remaining - the apprentice was forced to withdraw carrying two hits but succeeded in a rally - as a parting shot, he attempted a spell against one of my apprentices, rolled a double 1, and self-immolated instead! This was somewhat symbolic of Andrew's luck with the dice all evening
Game III
Another change of personnel, and this time, we agreed both sides should only have one sorcerer and one apprentice - to be honest, my advantage in "fire power" was a significant factor in the first two wins; albeit Andrew had specifically said at the start of the evening, if I wanted, I could take 6 x 3 point magic users and 1 x 2 point apprentice, if I wanted to!
I got lots more "new" figures onto the table - a lot of these are the Frostgrave plastic human soldiers set, with various female heads substituted (they now make a specific female soldier's box, but I don't think I "need" any more?!)
Above and below are some fantasy figures I got when we were "doing" Frostgrave - Larry Elmore or something like that I think, plus a couple of Reaper ones.
The above were my magic user (right) and apprentice (left) - I think they are Hasslefree Miniatures.
More plastic Frostgrave - archers this time.
Andrew had this three-point monster as part of his band. Adjacent is his magic user.
Various strange looking orcs or goblins or trolls or whatever - I am not a fantasy expert!
Andrew also had this ugly bugger on his team, coming up on his left flank
My band were quite hesitant to begin with (rolled quite low on the two D6 for movement when it was my turn!)
But they were soon in action.
Attacks go in from both sides - a support only adds one to the supported unit and cannot ever exceed three (so, for example, there is no benefit in supporting a grade three unit in combat, it is already at the maximum possible advantage)
That seemed to go well!
I did roll quite a few of these but thought you have probably seen enough images like this on my blog recently 😉
My girls moved on to the next foe - they were generally able to fight at an advantage as above.
A three-on-three fight between Andrew's magician and a grade three warrior unit
All the enemy units have been dispatched
Another melee - these girls all have impressively large .... weapons!
The combat did go to and fro for a bit here, and some of my units accumulated 3 hits and had to fall back - but frustratingly for Andrew, I would then roll a 12 and clear all three hits off again!
Ugly Boy pushed back a couple of my units ....
.... but eventually succumbed
And my units all recovered their nerve and returned to the fray!
Another couple of melees - and again, the girls are victorious
The final close combat of the game - ironically in the same building where the archers finished off the enemy in game two!
A couple of shots of the battle space at the end of game III
As you can imagine, a fun evening's gaming for me, probably not so much so for Andrew but he is a most gracious host and took his bad luck with the dice with very good grace! The games probably lasted about an hour each, we had a break between games II and II for dinner, and I was still home around 10pm - so a very enjoyable end to my Thursday, for sure. On Sunday, we are off over to Barrys place for a First Carlist War game, so a report on that will follow in due course. I also have the first of the three IS II tanks built, so expect them to start making an appearance soon too - it's all go here, I tell yah - but definitely in a good way!
