Painting Update - Game of Thrones

Hello Folks,

Time for another painting update! I have been busy working away on the Lanisters and have the starter set finished now so figured it was time for another post. Sadly no Wednesday gaming this week, and I am in Halifax next week, and Fall-In the week after, so a bit of a hiatus on that front.

Lanister Guardsmen:

First up a second unit of Guardsmen, once again with their captain. But this time I painted the alternate kickstarter only version to change things up a bit. He looks pretty cool and I like the pose, but is a bit lazy on the details. Basically describes the game of thrones models if we are honest, but it works great on the table and is easy to paint so I am not intending to complain, I am a fan overall.

Cersei Lanister:

The second non-combat unit you get is Cersei. Also a nice model, but particularity the detail in the face is a bit soft. But for this kind of plastic single piece models pretty good. She plays the influence game and lowers enemy units morale which is fun.

Starter Set:

So that all makes up the starter set forces. 2 units of Lanister Guards, the Mountains Men, some Halberd guys, plus the combat and non-combat characters. (Jamie, The Mountain, Tyrion, Assault Veteran, 2x Captains, and Cersei).

High Sparrow:

Also got do the first guy from the heroes set, he is the High Sparrow. He is a non-combat unit that can also be a general which is interesting. Unlike most of the Lanister guys he focuses on helping your units. Hopefully they will add some units to fit in his cult that would be fun.

There are a bunch more heroes of course, and I have a unit of Knights of Casterly Rock to do as well. So good progress but still a few more weeks work to go. Most likely I will add some stuff at Fall-In if anyone is carrying it. As the game is fun to play and fun to paint. Real question is if it will be more Lanisters, or a new army!

Pledge Status, 2018:

Bought: 246 (picked up the Goblin Shade Spire set Zarbags Gitz, going to paint a few of those for Christmas)
Painted: 310
Total: 64

As usual be sure to let me know what you think of all this mess. 

ALso worth noting the Saga book of missions is about to come out, and Warlord is releasing a new small scale naval game. Both things I am very excited about. So expect to see some of that as well! 

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report

Hello Folks,

Time for another Wednesday wargaming battle report! This week we tried out the new second version of Star Wars X-Wing. Was pretty cool. I took a list with a tie defender a couple of tie advanced and a tie fighter. Had to face off against a bunch of x wings and an e wing.

Set up, went for a standard outer space thing. I just spread out to keep my options open, not really any plan.

First turn just advance, getting ready for the first pass.

Next turn a couple of long range shots but the real action is to come.

Then of course shit gets messy! Kept the tie fighter on the outside as he is vulnerable. In general it went ok for both sides. I got some good hits in the e wing. But it's all just shields coming down so far.

Now we have a bit of a scramble. Not flying I to ships is real important. Annoyingly the e wing escaped and is regaining shields. So now I fight x wings.

Next turn we have first blood. The x wings were doing well focusing on the defender and brought him down. But a tie advanced killed an x wing.

Next turn thing get worse. Another tie advance went up in flames but the empire fights back as best as it can.

Next turn I got a nice move with my last advance doing a fancy k turn. But at this point it's looking grim.

Finally the rebels finish the job so it is a win for them!

Final assessment, I liked the new version. The changes are pretty minor thou so it hardly feels like a new game. The app is good for sure. Still find this to be a fun game so will keep playing it occasionally.

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - Game of Thrones - Feast for Crows

Hello Folks,

Time for another Wednesday wargaming battle report! This week more game if thrones of course. Up to 3 units this time with some new commanders and non-combat characters.

I switched my commander over the the Mountain and had Tyrion and his brother helping. The Starks had Rob in command with his mommy and the great john pitching in. Armies came to 24 points.

The scenario was feast for crowd which has a couple of piles of corpses. These have the usual effects and units near them have to pass morale tests or they become worth bonus points when killed.

Forgot to take a picture of starting positions but this is part way through turn 1. As you can see Rob and his unit are rocketing up the board into a flanking position. Not wanting to be flanked I just never moved up very much!

Lines are drawn up, who is going to be the first to try a charge!

Turns out it is the Umber contingent. They absolutely brutalize my Halberds. This is really not ideal.

But just to show he can play this game too the Mountain charges Robs unit, using a tactics card I killed 11 guys and saw off the whole lot! The Stark sworn swords then start to fight my mountain men. This is a bit of a tricky situation as getting charged by 2 units would be bad. But I am able to get 2 attacks in a row with them, and kill that unit as well. However the Umber men charge and strike back hard. Eventually killing off the Mountains Men but taking heavy casualties.

With the game almost over grey wolf is still skulking about. I tried a charge with the mountain but he lost. Tyrion took the throne again which forces a panic test, and the umber guys lost a few guys leaving them with not very many, The Umber guys then charged the Mountain but got a bit unlucky going in with a disordered charge so they could not use any cards. They didn't even kill a single guy. They mountain of course finished them off.

With that we both had gotten 2 extra victory points but I killed 3 units vs 2 for the Starks. So it was a 5-4 in the Lanisters favor. Very enjoyable game, we actually forgot to take a break for supper!

Very close game as well, all the Startks had to do was retreat and they probably could have won by 1 point. I am still really digging this game.

Enjoyed have the Mountain for a commander, he can really dish out the damage, and his tactics are all about murder as you would expect. Tyrion is good also, having the side board to mess around with and cause effects to influence the battle. Plus he adds to the tactic card hand size which is awesome. The starks found Rob to be less awesome, but him giving the free wolf seemed really cool to me.

X-Wing is up next week, but sure to me more Game of Thrones after that. I am excited to try out more different commanders. Maybe Tywin or Tyrion can lead next time!

Thanks;
Mike

Painting Update - Game of Thrones

Thought I would toss up another painting post, as I just finished off another unit just in time for tomorrows game! I like to have the painting post before things show up in a game so there you go.

Lanister Halberdiers:

SO next unit was the Halberd guys, ready to receive charges or bust through armor, always very nice. They have the Assault veteran included who is the character that kind of goes with them. He adds so more attacks if they start off in contact.

The Mountain that Rides:

Also couldn't resist painting the Mountain himself, Gregor Clegane. I cheated a bit and used the alternate kickstarter extra version as I just like it better. Also had to include a regular guy to show how massive this guy is! Lots of murdered Starks incoming!

With this all I have left from the starter set is another unit of Lanister Guardsmen, and Cersei, so making very good progress. I am still really excited about this game so will be looking to grab a couple more sets at Fall In most likely.

Pledge Status, 2018:

Bought: 237 
Painted: 296
Total: 59

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - Saga, Norse Gaels vs Vikings

Hello Folks,

Lots of gaming going on these days so I have another report. This time playing Saga with Duncan.

The goal this time was to try out Brodir of Man Sorceror and king killer whom steel cannot bite. Given that the Norsexwould have a special guy I decided to try one as well and took Ragnar. Had him painted for a while so about time to be in a game.

Brodir only hangs out with heavy weapon hearth guards, I took some regular hearth guards plus berserkers and 1 unit if warriors.

Standard mission as we are still waiting on the battle book!

Here is the set up. Ragnar gives everyone in short determination which is pretty cool so they are surrounding him.

The groupsxadvance bit by bit and get closer to murder range.

The Gaels start charging and beat up my warriors. But 1 guy lived! Also only 1 Gaels lived so not bad.

The Gaels moved around a bit. Brodir has a good bit if space around him must be planning some sorcery.

I decided to send the last warrior to Valhalla so he charged to angry axe guys. He killed 2 so that worked out for me!

2 of my hearthgusrdx had to die to get the last 2 so apparently they are not as good as warriors. Still things looking ok for me.

The Gaels regrouped a bit bit and I set my big group out to kill another unit. Having 16 dice and fuller to reroll is pretty great. More deaths thou. At the point we are pretty even but I have 3 or so more hearth guard remaining.

Next turn brodir hatches his plan to kill ragnar. The axe guys clear a path and in he goes. But with some lucky saves and berserker sacrifices Ragnar lives!

Trips to Valhalla have been working. So considering steel zant bite brodir I sent the last berserker to fight him. I had all the good saga abilities and was lucky so he did it!

Someone else beat up the axe guys but zant remember who honestly.

And that is basically how it ended. There was a turn left but no one really could do much.

Points wise I was up by 1 warlord we both had 5 hearth guard left and I think the same amount of units killed. But a warlord is enough to win so it was a victory for the Vikings!

Really down to luck not with the berserker getting enough 6s to kill brodir but I'll take it!

Ragnar was fun I thin he is a pretty good character. Brodir is a bit more of z toss up but he seemed quite fun if random so I think he is worth it to. Having 0 war and choice is a bit harsh thou!

Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Thanks;
Mike

Battle Report - By Fire and Sword

Hello all,

Yesterday we had our club day and I got the chance to ply a couple of games of By Fire and Sword, Skirmish level of course whichbis my interest.

Game 1: Holy Roman Outpost vs Polish Infantry. Forage.

For the first game Wald was interesting in trying out some infantry. So we put a polish infantry regimant against the Roman skirmish force. Which worked out pretty well.

I had one less force point so got some choice in scenario and choose forage so I could use my tokens!

Here's the deployment with Martin defending the left village and forage and Wald on the right.

I advanced and we started shooting at each other. There was z bit of an artillery battle to start but I was lucky and shot first so got to knock out there guns. I am hoping to shoot down a group to take the forage but I have a couple of dragons trying to get behind.

I tried sending my piles to fight the poles piles which took awhile and they took some fire. But I was grinding down the infantry on the right. On the left I was outnumbered and having less luck.

On the last few turns it was clear I wasn't going to take the markers. But in the final move I got the dragoons on the right one. They pokes shot them up but were 1 hit away from killing a stand so I got to pillage that at the last second.

That put my up 2 points on scenario and we had the same level of losses so a mi fir win for me.

Game 2: Patrol

We decided to go for a cavalry game for the rematch. But stuck with poles vs the empire. This time the poles had to choice of scenario and went for patrol.

Here we are set up for round 2. The recon points are the center of the map and corners of the village. I made a couple of big squadrons plus some dragoons and sent a major to check the town!

Of course the battle gets going real fast. With a couple of big battles. The light horse charged my major but failed to make it badly failed morale and routed.

This went not awesome for me. One unit failed and routed, the other drew!

Well my failure unit if course failed to really but my other unit continued to push through to the last recon.

With the poles surrounding what was left my only option was a break out so I just kept charging.

I finally finished off that unit but now the polish army was in my rear. I lost initiative and the light horse caught me.

The fight went kind of even thou.

At the end we both got all 3 points for recon, but my army was cut to bits and the poles just lost a smallish unit. So it was a tactical victory for them.

Really enjoyed these games. The Skirmish level of By Gire and Sword continues to be great fun for me!

Thanks;
Mike

Painting Update - Game of Thrones and Army of the Dead

Hello Folks,

Time for another painting update! Lately the big things has been painting some stuff from the Game of Thrones kickstarter put off by cool mini or not. But I also have a few lord of the rings guys.

Army of the Dead:

First up a few more spooky ghosts. I am doing pretty good on army of the dead now, would be nice to get a few of the ghost knights so I might add that at some point who knows.

Lanister Guardsmen:

I also finished a couple of units for the new Game of Thrones Kickstarter game by Cool Mini or Not. These are pretty nice models, they cut a very nice balance between cost looks and ease of painting. They come pre assembled to which saves time. I find they look great as a unit. Anyway first up are the guardsmen, very tough guys with a nice armor save.

Mountains Men:

I also have a unit of the Mountains Men, some big angry guys with armor and big swords. They are meant to have a benner as well but mine is missing a part have to request a replacement.

Jamie Lanister:

The Kingslayer himself. This model I really thought was not turning out well when I painted it but it was ok in the end. Probably should have done less white armor but I like it.

Tyrion Lanister:

Also have a non-combat unit, the drunk tatician himself. These guys can't join units or fight but they can play the game of thrones to influence the battle which is kind of cool.

Guard Captain:

And the least impressive of all a lowly captain hah.

So that is where I am at for now, about half of the starter set. I have a unit of Halberds just about done so they should be coming up soon.

We also played a couple of very small test games with my 2 painted units and Serges Starks to give it a try. Always good for more painting inspiration.

Lanisters march out to meet the foe.

Some Umber guys charged the Guardsmen and devastated them which is bad. I had a plan for Jamie and the Mountains Men to double charge on the flank and kill them to a man. They way the turns went they would get to fight twice. If it worked I would kill them all and get to turn and face the Stark Swornswords.

Sadly the Great John survived and I got rear charged and cut to pieces. Turns out we had a card wrong and he should have died but never mind. We will likely try a 3 unit game this week!

Pledge Status, 2017:

Bought: 237 
Painted: 283
Total: 46

Thanks;
Mike