Baygar and the Beggar

24/06/2018

Another couple of golden oldies.

Baygar from the C02 Wizards range. Often mistaken for the Agyar Mistletaine model, of which it is an obvious variant.

This one I painted back at uni some 25 years ago, and the basing just isn’t up to scratch. There were also a few knocks chipping off the paint.

So I tidied up the chipped paintwork, and re-based him. Obviously you can tell. 😉

FSS 11 hunchback beggar on crutch – must have got this as part of a job lot a few years ago on Evil-Bay.

The old beggar Jon Priceless always in need of Lead Cross parcels. He claims to have had two daughters and a wife, but lost everything on the roll of a d20 in a gaming session….

No known gaming use but one ion those nostalgic pieces that just cry out to be painted

Its a study in sludgy browns. The hood is Bay brown, the cloak Quagmire, the trousers Tan, the stick Spearshaft. All Foundry paints.

Filed under Frostgrave, Frostgrave, Mordheim, Painting

Red Faced Thug and a Thief (Updated)

23/06/2018

Caught red faced ?

The first of two pre-slotta C04 Thieves finished today. he looks somewhat red faced, despite using Foundry Expert Flesh D, might have to have another go at photographing him, and the club needs straightening.

UPDATE: Slightly less red fced, and with a straight club !

The second pre-lsotta thief painted in exactly the same way and photographed at the same time, but not red faced. Duh ?

Both useful minions for Mordheim and Frostgrave.

Nice and simple to paint and lovely sculpts despite being from ~1983.

Filed under Mordheim, Painting

The Astromancer’s lair

22/06/2018

having started to play the Forgotten Pacts campaign, and then bought the Maze of Malcor, I promised JP I’d get some scenery pieces that were required for the scenarios. he’s done so many items I thought it was time I ponied up some more scenery.

The Nickstarter, the Maze of Malcor is much longer than other supplements.

However, in both supplements there is a need for telescopes !

Good job I had one, bought and painted whilst at uni some 25 years ago. Metal Magic.

Could I find the other five I needed to make the half dozen needed ?

Yes I could !

Once again Midlam Miniatures have re-released the item, I think re-mastered as they are slightly larger. So now I have the half dozen telescopes required.

With a few other pieces of scenery being painted up/finished, I think I have some suitable scenery for an Astromancer’s lair.

And the all important throne – this time by Ainsty, bought as part of a not so secret project.

Filed under Frost Grave, Frostgrave, Mordheim, Scenery

FG: The Coming of Ambronnax

13/06/2018

The third part of the first scenario. We were amazed we’d got through the first two scenarios so fast.

Slight re-arrange of scenery.

My full warband, and this time, Axel Starsong is a real Templar with a real double handed weapon ! As JP comment4d, he knew it was a real soldier this time as I couldn’t do the same trick twice. Though there may also have been another illusionary soldier along for the ride.

Aeon’s bunch of hippies opposite.

The target as per the scenario was the central treasure with the true name of Ambrronix.

My warband punted on the first treasure luring the failing wretch to jus, which my REAL templar promptly dispatched.

Whilst the second wretch was felled by Aeon’s Demon hunter – this is a scenario about demons so it was totally appropriate !

As my rangers lugged the treasure away, Shazzam’s! Captain and Templar reached the central alter and took the central treasure, along with the war hound, only for Ambronnax to materialise.

At this point both Jp and I went in to narrative overdrive as opposed to power gaming.

A failing wretch popped up and attacked Shazzam! My ranger intervened and helped Shazzam! fell the creature. Curiously the thug didn’t. 😉

Having no beef with the demon, my Captain, Templar and war hound made a swift exit – well as swift as one action allows (scenario rules).

But Aeon threw her minions at this dangerous demon as per her back story as written by JP.

A few sticks were hurled at the war hound who became confused that they were aimed at it, not for it.

But this didn’t stop me from half hinching another piece of treasure.

Captain, Demon Hunter, thugs were all thrown in to the fray by Aeon (JP). At this point a lot of good fighters went down against the demon.

BUT….

The demon was being whittled down on Health points despite the Captain dying, the demon slayer dying etc…

Until…

…it was felled by a roll of 20 by the last remaining thug !

An excellent game that swung back and forth until decided by a final single dice roll.

JP advanced the narrative and I have now threatened to use the True Name of Ambronnax to forge a pact to help play in to this narrative.

Here is JP’s take on these three scenarios.

Filed under Frostgave, Frostgrave, Mordheim

FG: Time Rot

12/06/2018

Scenario One, Part Two.

This was the second part of the scenario where the “other” half of the warband got to fight.

We didn’t shift the scenery around much as we wanted another quick game.

Aeon and her minions this time – the reverse of what happened before.

Marvo III and the Captain with a few side kicks.

Off we go, I picked up some loot, and a Barbarian Thief was attracted to the sound of gold coins ! This would prove a rather important event later.

Whilst Aeon’s thief lugged away another item of treasure.

Alerting a ghoul, hunched, dirty and generally insanitary. So nothing like JP or I. 😉

This time we had remembered to add the failing wretch to the central item (another Amulet of Constancy), but that was drawn off when it went for one of JP’s thugs, thus leaving my tunnel fighter and Captain to nab it. At this point the Captain was on one Action due to the Initiative Roll table that is special to this scenario !

Marvo III had hidden from the Barbarian thief, and my thief and illusionary soldier were trying to peg it, when the Barbarian caught up with them.

My Captain made a rush for Aeon to slay here (again), and ended in combat with a thug, who slew him (again). Worth a try.

A threesome – my thief, Aeon’s Archer, and the barbarian thief…we all fall down.

So Aeon (JP) one the battle, as I only got 3 items off, but I did get the second Amulet much to JP’s annoyance.

On to the third and final part of the scenario…

Filed under Frostgave, Frostgrave, Mordheim

FG: Secrets Uncovered

11/06/2018

Now that we had finished the last campaign, I suggested to JP that we do Forgotten Pacts. For once JP had a random day available, so off we went !

Unfortunately, I’d managed to lose Louis the camera, so all the photos are from JP.

JP’s failing wretch, which resembles neither of us !!!

As per the scenario, we only had half our war bands, so I fielded Shazam! first, with a mysterious new warrior with a great big axe.

And JP did the opposite – Apprentice and Captain, which I had planned for the next part of the scenario.

Aeon’s warband struck first killing a failing wretch.

And then the puppy killers shot my war hound.

Before shooting the second failing wretch.

With such firepower Shazam! approached the central treasure which was an Amulet of Constancy somewhat cautiously.

Before sprinting in to action after his Illusionary Soldier had been revealed ! His Rangerer joined him as the enemy war hound attacked. Obviously this brutal beast got the treatment it deserved.

A timely retreat was in order.

An act of petty revenge and the Rangerer/meat shield was cut down.

Quite a quick game, not surprisingly due to only having half sized war bands. We forgot to have a failing wretch guarding the amulet.

Now on to the second part of the scenario with the other half of the war bands with roles reversed…

Filed under Frostgave, Frostgrave, Mordheim

Doors to the Maze of Malcor

09/06/2018

Northstar/Ospreys latest bundle arrived today.

Having read through the book (not the novel) it looks an interesting expansion to say the least, with new deployment of treasure, XP and spells. There are twelve scenarios that will certainly test players, and it also introduces the potential for the wandering monsters to be controlled either by a player, or a third party – my preference is for a third party/GM.

Many of the scenarios call for doorways as entry points, and quite by co-incidence I have been busy painting some doorways up ! So that was serendipitous.

Old Metal Magic items now available vis Midlam Miniatures.

I had bought them for the Alone in the Crypt scenario from the Spellcaster magazine.

Filed under Frostgrave, Mordheim, Scenery

FG: With Magnetic Force

08/06/2018

Alan and my second game was this scenario from the Folio. We both used new Wizard’s so expected little and in Alan’s case got even less !

I was playing a Soothsayer, provisionally called Kenny, with his Apprentice – Craig (see below)

My enemy Silas Crow (where does Aloan think this names up from ?) cast an Imp first off, which had to be dealt with as my Ranger nabbed the first piece of loot.

My thug and Apprentice acquired the second piece of loot, that set off the giant magnets. Luckily as neither warband was wearing mail armour the effect was minimal even if it did stop us using our paltry magical powers.

Silas and minions move forward.

Another Imp is thrown at me, and is killed by archer and war hound, delaying me.

And then my archer was shot by Siulas’ archer !

Worse was to come, as my Apprentice (Craig) covered the escape of the thug with loot, he got int to a bit of a fracas.

Good job Kenny was on hand to zap the perpetrators and ensure that the thug got off with the loot.

Though the entire escape did require another thief to bite the dust. :-/

Overall I won, with more loot, and Alan’s comments about his new Wizard are unrepeatable.

next up, 3 games JP and I had which especially the third one “titanic”…

Filed under Frostgrave, Frostgrave, Mordheim

FG: The House of the Golem

06/06/2018

The third and final scenario of the Golem campaign.

Alan and I had a gaming session and finished the campaign off, played on his newly fashioned white battle mat (courtesy of his wife Rita).

We also borrowed the Golem from Jon.

The enemy, clearly aiming to move in, and cross the bridge (RHS of photo).

Shazamm!’s minion raced forward only to be stymied by a Wall spell cutting the war hound of from his owners, poor mutt. You can guess what the puppy killers did next.

And then the Golem spotted my minions, and charged into combat. Luckily I had three in combat with the stone construct.

Meanwhile things kicked off in the middle of the table where the Golem had been.

M<y captain decked the Golem (shamefully both Aland and I forgot to roll to see if it exploded, as I often say, if we get it wrong, make sure we get it consistently wrong so no-one is disadvantaged).

Shazzam! – in combat with a zombie summoned by the enemy (Hashpot Dribbleweed).

All too easy !

But things weren’t all going my way…

Hashpot had a pyhrric victory, losing 3 minions to my two, but gaining the treasure.

The battle swung in Alan’s favour, with the Captain being downed by an Elemental bolt.

And then Marvo III was cut down similarly – he survived on the recovery roll.

Shazam! cut down another enemy, but it was too late to rescue much of the loot.

Alan’s Wizard conclusively won the battle with 4 items of loot to my two.At least I had no casualties.

Now on to the next battle with two new Wizards…

Filed under Frostgrave, Frostgrave, Mordheim

Brizzle gig 2018 06 01 Rookes and DIDI

04/06/2018

Two new artists I am following did a double headlining tour with the Brizzle gig in Cafe Kino. (see later for gourmet restaurant critique)

Bouncy stage.

DIDI had not brought her band with her, so a one woman show, excellent stuff and I got to hear the “radio edit” of Back Off. Filmed it as well. Previously only heard the live version which uses a different four letter word.

Rookes.

I took a load of video footage but annoyingly used up all of Louis’ memory before that last two tracks which were quite different and very good.

Now I am going to go all Jay Rayner on you, I arrived early because I didn’t stop off at the m-way services for an over processed rubbish burger as this gig was beneath a vegan cafe. So I decided to sample their menu, and had one of the bean burgers.

As it happened I ended up with Richard and DIDI in the queue and DIDI and I had the same bean burger, It was LOVELY. And way cheaper than a Burger King thing.

The ingredients were being prepared as we watched, and the size of the burger was enormous as were the curly fries I had as a side dish.

So make sure if you go here for food that you are really hungry.

I had some organic cider which went down a treat and DIDI had some pink lemonade that really didn’t touch the sides either.

If you are after vegan, local, organic produce this is the place to go. Service was great and cheerful. I’m definitely a flexitarian but this burger beat hands down a withered offering from the usual suspects.

So whilst we were waiting for it to be served, DIDI unveiled her secret new limited edition EP she had had produced and will not be available in general circulation IIRC. So I bought a couple then and there, and she signed/doodled one for me.

As ever, go out and find new bands and artists and support them. You will probably find you get cool new stuff, cut rate tickets and a warm welcome that most large bands don’t offer to their anonymous punters.

Now to process the photos of Alan and my games last Saturday, as JP and I have a session lined up on Friday !

Filed under Music, Music