Monday, November 26, 2018

A snow day means Frostgrave


My original section of Felstad  circa 2015, looking cold and barren, like outside my window.


As  the post Thanksgiving snow falls and we roll into Decemember I am veering off from Blackbarrow a bit ( of which I  hope to get Episode 5 in by end of the year). A couple weekends ago I decided I was going to return to Adepticon in 2019 and actually play in an event. I got registered early and signed up the Frostgrave Campaign Day event "The Great Wyrm"  I know the organizer and have played in many of his events over the years so I know what I will be in for.


This  board photographs pretty decent but this thing is rough, I started on a Saturday morning and was playing the game on the next afternoon...it needs a lot of foamwork, shaping and painting as well as some landscaping.


Despite only ever having played a handful of game when the game was released early, over time I had picked plastic  boxes of Cultists, Soldiers and Barbarians and have been using the figures in my various games. I also have a 3 or  so sets of Wizards from the official line so I have all I need..while I'm not sure what wizard Ill be playing yet. I'm recently modeled up a bunch of the Barbarians and started painting them this weekend. given they'll be my soldiers I am looking at playing a Witch or Sigilist ( so I can use the spells from "Forgotten Pacts") I plan to  refresh myself the rules over the Christmas holidays, but hopefully I can convince one of the few folks I know who play to get together to get some games in before the event. I do have a really cool terrain piece I can use a
display too, something I picked up years ago that Im finally going to get around to that will be a interesting couple posts as I model that up so ill save that for then'

In Frostgrave-ish news elsewhere I recently picked up its Authors newest endeavor "Rangers of Shadow Deep" a skirmish game that uses FG's mechanics with a individualized skill system based around a single character "your Ranger" and his companions.  This games ticked alot of boxes for me, as it has rules to be played "solo" or with friends in a co-op capacity and its designed Campaign style. Upon first read, it seemed to me to sort of bridges the gap between Frostgrave and Mordheim which is great place to be, The book contains the rules (obviously) a Bestiary, some intro
missions and a full fledged desperate campaign. I am going to do some play examples of the 1st couple missions as it will refresh my brain to FG mechanics and this reads like a great game Fortunately I happen to have lots of finished terrain and adversaries that are needed so all I need to do it paint my FG Soldiers and I can give this a try.

Cover of the rules, currently POD or PDF

In other news- winter is here which means I am gearing up for my yearly big "hirst arts" project. having said that I am not forgetting that I am going to finish my last 2 water cavern sections but those are already cast and dry modeled outside letting the damn resin dry..this is something I can finish in a weekend

As for a big project, meaning I start these Dec/Jan and they are usually done spring/summer.
 I have three ideas:

1. a smallish 24 x 24 dungeon that going to have some working traps and its own rules
inspired by classic D&D modules like the Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan and Tomb of Horrors..it going to be a undead  laden ,death trap that will sit under my Ziggurat /jungle layout (which you can see in past posts)

2. a classic Haunted house in the Tudor style based around the Hirst 6 inch tower, the tower is that staircase that takes you between the 4 levels (sub, main, second, attic)

3. My take on the Hirst Arts Watermill, basically that same design and size but I'll be changing the exterior to match my other building and mine will also have a sublevel.

Number 2 or 3 are going on the Blackbarrow table as such as I am limited in space to an 12 "x 10" area  The Mill footprint fits  no problem, the Haunted House, while I can fit the profile with the tower creeping into my river..I worry about the play-ability in that small a space..so # 2 will probably be a separate  piece, left to my future imaginations on some Halloween.


I'm leaning heavily toward number one. its designed and I bought molds for it quite some time (years) ago, it uses some of the Egyptian style molds I have not worked with yet.

thats my snowday update...upward and onward.


playable interior of top left section, those walls need some work!!! LOL.


Saturday, November 10, 2018

The Blackbarrow Chronicles, Ep 4, The Cult of Orcus - Part 2 , Post Game.



Notes on the Post Game:

Following up with the end of our last battle, its time to take a look at our house ruled campaign advancement system for the Otherworld Skimish Rules.

Breaking down VP. 

Total Victory points are immediately converted to Gold piece value for each factions "bank"  to pay for upkeep, unit training , paying apothecary costs and buying magic items or hiring new faction members.   

Gold is awarded at rate of 5gp per Victory Point so with a score of  7 to 5 we also give each faction 1 VP after the match ( non scoring so this has no bearing on who wins or loses the match)
meaning in order to figure that we must figure out for each faction, what happened to each unit that was knocked out of action. 

Recovery of "Out of Action" units


Lets start with the Hall of Tyr, faction

We three members knocked Out of Action to 0 wounds…no one was disintegrated , or otherwise injured where they were below 0 hits. would end up being dead at the games end . therefore they are all eligible to roll on the post game injury chart which looks like this: 
( and if you've played these types of games before they will be very familiar)

Post Game Injury Chart Roll D6


1 Dead
2 Permanent wound 
3.Wounded  miss 2 games or pay a 15gp fee for Apoc  to reduce to 1
4.Minor wound – miss 1 game
5.No ill effects
6. Battle Hardened  +1 Hit  (3 max)

Holger Man at Arms- rolls a 5 -Recovers no ill effects.

Harald, Priest of Tyr, rolls 2, Permanent Wound , roll a 2 again…he has the Jitters for permanent -1 to his Morale…

Permanent wound chart

1         Madness- roll for madness chart every activation
2         Jitters  - roll to activate 6+ morale test or pass
3         Blind in one Eye -1 Agility
4         Maimed  -1 Str
5         Crippled-  -1 Speed
6         Lasting Trauma -1 Morale



Killian, Wild Ranger…rolls a 6!... battle hardened he gain a 3 third  hit!

This is big deal since paying for the 3 hit thru training is expensive.


lets now look at the Cult of Orcus

Ghruzl, Type I Demon- rolls  a 2 Permanent wound, then rolls a 4   -1 Str..ouch…

Acolyte 2. Permanent wound -- , 1 Madness how fitting, character must past an INT test at the start of each activation or babble incoherently (lose turn) or if you roll a "1" he savagely attackes nearest unit friend or foe with a +1 Str.

Executioner- Minor Wound .. must miss 1 game

4 Worshippers  2 Dead,  1- No Ill effects, 1- Battle Hardened (+1 hit)

Compute Total VP

Hall of Tyr

Defeating the Demon 3VP
Enemy Faction forced  take a Shaken test  1vp
Enemy Faction forced  take a Wiped out  test  2 VP
Bags of gold Card 1 VP
All 5 members survived to fight another day 5 VP

12 VP total= converts to 60 gold.

Cult of Orcus

Put 2 Companion level characters OoA..+4 VP
Enemy Faction forced  take a Shaken test  +1 VP
Since they were wiped out they failed to protect any adventure tokens so no awards there.
7 of 9 member survived  for a total of 12 VP

12 VP total= converts to 60 gold.

As far as the campaign is concerned despite the rout this game was a Draw...no if I were playing this competitively I probably let factions who didnt have the "honor bound" trait to Coup de Grace opposing OoA units of opposite alignment , to really put a hurt on the faction, I do that in the next game as an example.

Total rewards

So only 60GP you ask  ? -while the amount seem small the games uses a small cost base so its quite applicable to the listed costs of items and skills

The Hall of Tyr also recovered an Enchanted Shield but in order to use that or any items the unit must purchase the "magic item" skill  just like you use the "Scrolls and Potions" skill,  with additional ranks needing to be purchased for each additional item (up to 3)

Advancement

Factions members can spend a certain amount of Gold between adventures on Training Abilities or Statistics based on EACH  units total GP value before any purchased items

Faction Unit Value                                              Can Spend up too (X) amount between games.

25 gp                                                                                       5   gp
35 gp                                                                                       10 gp
50 gp                                                                                       15 gp
75 gp                                                                                       20 gp
76 or more                                                                               25 gp

Legends and Companions are limited to training in the areas listed in “Additional Abilities” under character creation.
For example if you are allowed an Otherworldly trait at Character creation but "otherworldly" isnt listed under ABILITIES "Additional" they cannot train additional "Otherworldly" abilities
only whats listed ie, Combat, Equipment, Traits,

The only exception being additional ranks  (i.e Magic, Luck, etc)  only you have it you may increase it at specified cost.
Henchman can train from abilities listed in their profile.



Costs of Ability Advancement

Statistics 
   +1 above base=   + 5gp
   +2 above base =  + 10gp
   +3 above  base     +25gp
       additional +25gp

Hits 

2nd Hit +5gp
3rd hit  +15gp

Attacks
Any New basic Attacks  at 4+  = +  5 gp
Improved attack -3+  =10 gp
Improved attack  2+  = 25gp


New Combat and equipment  abilities  -10gp

New Traits- 15gp 

Monstrous (where applicable for faction monsters) -20gp

Otherworldly -25gp

Each Disadvantages  subtract 10gp

Additional Ranks  2nd Rank +15 gp 3rd Rank +20 gp

Looking closely at the book most these things to develop campaign type advancement are in place in the book from no statistic can be increased more than 3 from the initial creation at cost 10, 15 and 25gp.. but page 7 of the rulebook states statistics range from 1 to 10 (godlike) with most units having up to 3 hits.


How do we spend our money?


Upkeep-  Upkeep is pretty common in skirmish campaigns ,  here will keep the tax light but make it 
reasonable that these factions have some cost to operate between adventures
Legends 4 gp
Companions 3 gp
each Henchman  under 25gp  =1gp over 25 gp = 2gp


Hall of Tyr

The Hall is relatively conservative, saving 20%  of there haul (12 gp) for later costs, choosing to pay upkeep before training saves them a gold piece so there upkeep is 13gp ( 1 Legend, 2 Companions and 2 Henchman , 1 of which is worth more than 25gp)

60-25= 35 Gp to spend

The Hall wants to add to its roster, they need another Henchman  but they also want to fix some holes we discovered in our gameplan.  both Luck and the Treasure Hunter ability are key while its be prudent to add a companion  with the Brave Burglar profile, and we probably will..we want to address Holger being so squishy with just one hit a 5 gp its a good choice...also we can sell our Enchanted Shield for its Card listed price (8gp) or pay 10gp to take the skill Magic Items (1) to allow someone to use, since Arturus is close to an unstoppable tank giving him a 3+  armor save is pretty fitting. However giving him the Shield and the require skill will push his value up to 103gp! which is going to make him very tough to field in any but the biggest skirmishes.

I also see where it could be useful for our Veteran Fighter Henchman with a now 2 hits and a potential 4+ Armor save he is pretty respectable BUT  at 40gp of value he can only train for 10gp so its either the Sheild or the Hit and the Hit is more useful

 then we want to give a point of Luck to Killian, since he rolled that luck 6 for a 3rd hit. but js value is to low for a 15gp training.  given his probems shaking the Scarred Status last game Iron Rations (1) seems fitting for a Ranger so i go with that.

with exactly 25 gp left its makes sense to hire a new burglar
and we will go over the new Companion before the next match these guys play.

Holger
 2nd hit + 5gp

Killian 
Iron Rations (1)  +1 gp


we also want to fix Harald's jitters a -1 to his morale is tough  while he is still going to have the Jitters from his injury, his morale to a "5" for an effective 4 will cost 10gp ....

Harald
Morale +1 (+2 from base of 3)  10gp

With 10gp left we dont have  enough for  Hire new Companion (Brave Burglar) for Faction 25gp
but if we sell the Enchanted Shield we get 8gp  and we take 7gp from our reserve to hire the new Companion

this leaves Hall with 5gp in the Bank going into next game. which is useful if we want to pick up and extra potion or scroll at the beginning of the game.

while you do not have to pay for weapons generally post character creation, you do if they are destroyed or lost give some scenario event so extra weapons in Factions armory could be useful 
well go over this in the next game

Hall of Tyr's updated roster after 2 games , still need more room for details

Cult of Orcus

 The Cult isnt going to be conservative at all and wants to blow there cash on as much Kill as possible
with his s 60gp

First off they replace the 2 dead worshipers for 14gp

Then he will most certainly hire an Assassin 
(Savage Slayer)  25gp since his Executioner must sit out a game

finally he'll give himself a 3rd rank in Magic for 20gp to allow him to cast more spells per turn.
which also gives him another spell ( to be determined later)

1 gp remaining.... 

the Injured Demon now Strength 4 will have to suffer with his injury Beleg is incredibly angry with him for his failures anyway.


That pretty much how it works more details in Episode 5- before years end for sure!


 

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