Crimson Skies!

I just had to try out the new table top and all it's hexey goodness. And since I've always had a weakness for Crimson Skies, this week's game was an obvious choice.

"Border raids into Missouri by ISA forces have steadily increased. Coupled with the ISA providing weapons to sympathizers in St. Louis, Conferate forces felt that had to act. A daring raid on a suspected munitions factory just across the MIssissippi would send the message to the Industrial States to stay out of the CSA."

Brave Confederate pilots begin their run

CSA forces consisted of a Behemoth fighter-bomber escorted by a light Valiant, a Bandit ground attack ship and a Curtiss Warhawk (pictured above).

Intercepting them would be ISA airplanes and a mercenary pirate gang (the Flying Monkeys) consisting of 2 Brigands, a Cutlass, a Vampire and 2 Defenders.

The pilots plot their moves

The bomber had to cross the table and drop his bombs to be successful. From the start he was in trouble. The pilot of the bomber was going to have to redline the engine all the way. Half of his escort flew off to engage the pirates, leaving the lumbering giant exposed.

The behemoth took a beating starting at turn 2, and the pounding never let up. Only it's armor kept it in the air. He managed to blow an ISA Brigand out the sky with a well placed HE rocket before going down himself.

Lots of shooting this round

The fight only lasted 4 turns, but it was a brawl. I've run this same scenario before with equal forces and the bomber always gets away with it. This time I gave the interceptors more planes and it went completely the other way. Still fun, though.

Table Construction

Work on the gaming table continued Saturday. I dropped about $200 at Home Depot and bought some really nice wood to face the rough construction. I faced the top with 1/2" MDF so it's nice and smooth. I painted it the same color as most of my terrain and added hex "corners" so the default top has 5" hexes for Commands and Colors or an aerial combat game.

I'm adding faux "bolts" by glueing dowel caps to make the table, when painted, look like rivetted metal. I'll then give it a rusted look. Steam-punk! Steam-punk!

I've been slowly framing all the military art I've collected over the years, too. It's slowly becoming my dream game room.

Battle of Boscheberg

Franistover's Irish Guards

As every good Unkerlanter knows, the roads in Franistover are terrible. So it was no surprise when good Prince Adalbert raised taxes to help pay for said roads. It was, however, a surprise to the citizens of Boscheberg when their beloved  Schlossenslopp beer got the brunt of the taxation. The town mayor refused to pay, and in an act of near insanity appealed to Franistover's age old rival, Zlobenia for help. A fight was on.

Both forces arrived in late morning (probably because of the state of the aforementioned roads). The Zlobenian center was taking time deploy. Meanwhile, on the Zlob flanks, the cavalry took advantage of open terrain to fly foward. Zlobenia being hilly country, rarely affords a horseman such luxury as open terrain.

On the other side, Franistover forces were also taking their time. Indeed, it was early afternoon before ineffectual cannonade was exchanged. The citizens of Boscheberg lined the walls to watch.

As the Zlobenian cavalry on the right, thundered across the valley, led by the vaunted Ducal Horse Grenadiers in their shining gold breastplates, they spotted the Franistoveran horse still deploying. Now was the chance! But, the Zlobs miscalcualted, and the Franies counter-charged. The Ducal Horse were scattered

and beaten. 

The Ducal Horse Grenadiers charge to their doom.

In the center, the Zlobenian cannon was taking a toll on the Franistoveran infantry, but the Guard were still lagging. The Scots Guard has stopped for lunch, it seems.

With the afternoon wearing on, the Zlobenian cavalry on the far left finally came to grips with the Franistoveran horse. They met the same fate as their broters on the opposite end of the field.

The people of Boscheberg, mesmerized by the battle at their doorstep, had forgotten to lock their gates. The Franistoveran grenaiders occupied the streets and houses and seized the brewery. They lined the walls troops and began reigning fire down on the approaching Zlob infantry.

Night, mercifully fell, and the Zlobenians quickly fell back across the border.

Prince Adalbert enjyoed a lovely dinner in the town square, accompanied by a tall mug of Schlossenslopp and the hanging body of the mayor.

We used Might and Reason again, as it is a flawless, fun system that let us play a fairly large game in a short time. As all my miniatures are not done, a careful observer will notice the use of foamcore stand in:

It is everything I can do, not to do switch from 10mm ( doable scale for this campaign) to 28mm which is soooo pretty.

Once everybody gets a firm grip on the rules, we will continue our Unkerlant campaign started a while back. Stay tuned.

Fistful of Lead Wasteland Warriors

Lead Addict has been bugging me for years to take my Fistful of Lead Wild West rules into other areas. So, when I wouldn't get off my ass and do it, he took a turn at writing some stuff. After a few e-mail exchanges we got some basic ideas locked in that needed play testing. With most of my toys boxed up for the move, I had to play a system I knew by heart. So, Thursday the play test happened.

Gangers seek cover in the hills

The scenario involved 4 rival gangs hunting for resources (cleverly disguised as rocks) in the post-apocalyptic future. The gangs were balanced, but I wanted a variety of weapons to try out. 

The big guy goes down with a shot to the grape.

Like original FfoL rules, I didn't any record keeping, one die type,  and a minimum of gaming clutter on the tabletop. The game evolved into the usual jockeying for position until close range. There wasn't much in the way of cover (I wanted weapon testing, not cover). The automatic weapon rules worked great, simulating suppressive fire well, without alot of extra dice rolling. As with real modern weapons, it was pretty deadly and quick. Through use of treachery and kid luck the Boy came out on top. The rest of us were food for mutated three-headed vultures.

The desolate wastelands

Future play-tests will include vehicle, armor and more advanced tech. But that'll have to wait till after the move. 

So much blood.....

No game this week, RECRUITS! is in town.

Thursday Medievals

"I say Sir Archibald, this looks like it's going to be walk in the park."

With almost everything but minis and terrain packed away for the big move, we had to play something I knew by heart. Flower of Chivalry (or Battle Lust, as it's affectionately known) is favorite for everyone.

We started with everyone getting the same base troops: ONe unit of dismounted knights or retainers, one unit of billmen and one of longbows. Then, starting with the generals, each player picks one unit from the pool. This alternates sides till everyone had four total (for a quicker game).

The forces arrayed in all their splendor

The fun comes when we dice randomly for each commander's efficiency, always a nail biter, especially with the leaders. Of course, one side got a "Buffoon" and the other a "Brilliant" commander. I could see the look of doom come over the Buffoon's side, Roderick the Simple. In the rules, your commanders command radii and ability to issue orders are based on their level of efficiency. It only got worse when his subcommanders rolled another Buffoon, a Plodding and an Efficient, while most of the other side were Brilliant. It looked like it was going to be a short game.

Preparing for the inevitable clash

Wham!

Ahhh, but it was not to be! Through careful management of our meager resources, we (the followers of Roderick) were able to stay in the fight to the bitter end, only losing by one unit! With great glee I crushed the forces opposite me, of my 10-year-old son (hey, he had to go to bed anyway). 

Super Wednesday!

Emperor Ape, in a another bid for world domination, attacked the labs of Veridian Dynamics, in the center of the city. With him, he brought other members of the Crime Syndicate, the monstrous Behemoth, deadly assassin Killshot, the mind scrambler Eggsterminator, the mighty MANtis, and his simian super weapon ChimPANZER.

The Emperor and his ChimPANZER

Emperor Ape was trying to steal the final component he needed for his dreaded Monkeyfier, a ray that would turn the world's population into simians under his control.

Only the Gallant Guardians could stop him. Arriving on the scene were the mammoth Doc Titan, aging government weapon, A.J.A.X., the tiny Mexican wrestler turn hero Flea, galactic heroine Galaxina, Cyclops and that tasty perveyor of Justice, Hero Sandwich.

Things started off badly for our heroes when A.J.A.X was brought down almost immediately by a mind scramble from Eggsterminator. MANtis managed to break into the labs while his evil cohorts kept the heroes at bay.

Cyclops managed to blast Behemoth right through a wall of the local comic shop with one of his gazer-laser. But, Behemoth answered by hurling a taxi at the one-eyed hero and taking him out of the fight.

Cyclops moments before impact with a taxi

Meanwhile, Flea bounced up the building for a roofstop scrap with Killshot and Eggsterminator, The miniscule mite held his own for a awhile.

Down in the lobby of the building Doc Titan battled Emperor Ape. Titan got the upper hand, but soon, the missing piece was discovered and the Emperor and his larcenous crew escaped. How soon before we're all turned to monkeys?

Hero Sandwich struggles with MANtis

Fisful of Zombies

The players only knew the dreaded Dry Gulch Gang were terrorizing the citizens of Lesterville. Even the sheriff was scared to venture from his office, but offered a considerable reward for bringing the infamous outlaws to Justice.

With that in mind, the 6 players deployed their own gangs in search of the Dry Gulch crew. All seemed normal until the outlaws in questions showed up. They were decidedly disheveled even for them, and walked with an awkward gate. Things got really weird when the first Dry Gulcher attacked a citizen, biting them!

Zombies!

We used the regular FfoL rules with a twist. When a black suit face card was played, players could move a zombie 8 inches however they wanted. One a red face, a group. A group consisted of any zombies an inch or closer together. The zombies only used an 8 sided dice, but the same zombie or group could be moved by multiple times, so swarms were a danger. Then, at the end of the turn, after all the players had moved, all the zombies were moved towards the closest non-zombie.

At first, the players used the zombies to attack each other or create more zombies. This tactic, however soon had most the citizens running around as drooling, blood crazed monsters. Soon, the players were just trying to survive.

Only a "kill" result would bring them down. Wounds and pins were ignored.

But, eventually the Dry Gulch gang was picked off, one by one. El Guappo and Johnny One-Leg were able to claim the reward.