Robofire! Wednesday

Duke Milo viewed the enemy massing on the far river bank, from the comfort of his command vehicle. The treaty between House Morant and the Hessiamatic League stated the river was to be the dividing line between their two forces. Even when he had signed the treaty a scant few months ago, he knew it would never last. The wounds were too deep, and this treaty was a bandage, used to stop the bleeding long enough take a breather before the next round of the fight.

Made a new tablecover, but still needs another drybrush coat.

So began our next play test of Robofire! We had 6 players each controlling 3-4 vehicles or infantry stands. We got a good conclusion (chased those dirty Heshies back across the river!) in 2 1/2 hours. We toyed with unit activation, rather than single stand, to speed things up, but decided to save that for another game.

Duke Milo's 114th Household Guard Power Infantry

Despite one of the highlights being the 114th Household Guard Infantry taking out a mech with sweet long-distance shot, I'm still not completely happy with how infantry works.

Got a chance to use those desert hills

Still in the process of rebasing and repainting, but work and kid's practice schedules are slowing the operation. A great game so far. This is a perfect convention game.

Sidenote: Welcome back to our long, lost general, Bill.

Places dark and deep

Wanted to post an update on the too-cool-for-words cave complex LUDstuff is working on for me.
Check out his progress.
Off to Lowe's to buy some more pink insulation....

Robofire! test drive

Having been a Super System fan for a long time, I was excited to find out Scott Pyle was working on some giant robot/mecha rules along the same lines as his Goalsystem rules. With Wednesday game called off because of weather, I called Lead Addict, to come over and try Robofire out.
I was already familiar with Goalsystem mechanics, so that part was easy. I spent about a 1/2 hour doing some quick and dirty stats for the old Mechwarrior figs I ordered (all units involved cost me about $15). I haven't rebased or repainted anything, because I really wanted to try the rules before diving in too crazy in miniatures.
I also didn't bother to try and balance the forces point-wise, I just went on looks as to what systems each miniature should have. Basically, each size unit has a number of Attack dice, and a number of Defense dice. Attacker rolls, adding up his successes. defender rolls and does the same. If the attacker scores more, the defender takes the difference in hits. Simple?
The battle started with my Anti-tank gun taking out, you guessed it, an enemy tank. There was some long range skirmishing to little effect. Defenders get bonuses to their Defense dice and longer ranges, the attacker gets dice at closer ranges. Again, a simple mechanic that gives the player a reason to risk getting in close.

The fight raged back and forth and went really quick, which I liked. This would be an excellent convention game, which is essentially what I have every week with 6-8 players. Eventually I had knocked out most of Leady's tanks, and it was over. Over all, a great game. But, then again, I'm bias for Goalsystem.
Liked: Speed and easy to teach the rules. I think with some more added "fluff" to differentiate all the myriad vehicles available, it would be even more fun.
Disliked: No rules for morale yet, I'm sure Scott is working on it. Biggest beef though, is with the infantry. Horribly slow (yes, I could get transport, but what fun driving around trucks?). Also too vulnerable. Even in today's warfare combined arms is still the core. Tanks are very vulnerable without infantry support. Any militia unit with a rocket launcher could take out a giant robot with a shot to the legs. I could make the infantry "Tough" giving them more than one hit, "Jump" capable, and "Anti-Tank" capable, but then they cost as much as a tank. Also ranges are the the same. Infantry can shoot just as far as the Mega-tank using a particle accelerator.
But, for a work in progress I am impressed. We both decided these rules might be the cure for all those Heavy Gear mechs we have (can you say "hundreds?"). Now there;s a company that put out great figs and turd rules. But, I digress.
I'm definitely buying more, rebasing and repainting to play again, both with "Robofire!" and Future war Commander.

Update: Looks like we hit 70 followers! Welcome!

Snowed IN

Got 8" of snow last night. so our weekly game got cancelled. Which was a shame, because I got a bunch of now defunct Mechwarrior clickies to try out the new Robofire! rules Scott R. Pyle generously gave me. I'm a big fan of Super System and the whole Goalsystem.
On another note Warren is working on some more terrain for me. Check out the cave.

Fistful of Lead (or Zombies) Wednesday

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.

Late xmas present from LUDstuff

I walked in last week and found some lovely presents sitting on my desk at work. Santa, I mean Warren of LUDstuff fame, made me some hex terrain to fit with all the Commands and Colors games we've been playing. If you follow the link to his site, you can see how he made it. I'll be taking the hills to my local Home Despot to match the paint, and then making a new terrain hex map to match (which I'll make a "How To" post about). You can kind of see my hex maker template in the background, above.

The rivers are especially nice. I can use them for more temperate climbs, too.

Warren's next project is a mammoth cave project. Can you say "Hollow Earth campaign"? How 'bout, "Dragon's den"?
Thanks again Mr. Lud....

Holiday Painting

Here's what painted over the break:

Lance Vortex, ace pilot and crack shot with a blaster. He'll be joining the ranks of Dash Dixon's Space Rangers.

Heroes and Villains for GASLIGHT. General Custer, hero of the Little Bighorn. Nigel Tuftnell, 4th Earl of Spindletap, stalwart chap and all around hero. Archduke Ladislas. on of the Czar's dandies, but a star with a rifle and the ladies. Finally Lucresia Fume, the Duchess D'Harme (boo, hiss).

Some fine ladies of the Empress's Own Elite Lady Hussars

And finally, I always try and get some more Landsknects done when I can. Here's what a unit looks like.

32 pikes and 6 shot. My fourth unit is almost done, then back to their enemies, the Swiss. Soon, my pets. Soon you shall taste blood.....

Holiday Gaming

Clanky goodness

Sixteen days off. No blogging time, but plenty of time to getting painting done (more on that next time) and even more time to game. Regular Thursday gaming has switched to Wednesday do to practice schedules.

Opening positions

The first night we worked some more on converting Commands and Colors to Fantasy. This was a play test to try out some of the tweaks. Again, worked great.

The elves and orcs were at it again. The elves had help from their centaur and Minotaur friends. The centaurs, at the opening, through great card selection were in the process of crushing the orc right. It looked like a quick game until the pointy ears luck ran out. All movement on that flank stopped, and the orcish counter attack was nasty. Combine with little movement on the Elvish right and a pounding from the orc heavies and it was over. Another green-skin victory. Like most of my C&C games it was a nail biter. Now, to paint some more troops!

The next Wednesday game happened between Christmas and New Years and I knew it would attract quite a crowd. Nothing pleases everyone like GASLIGHT.
That notorious nasty Professor Nightshade was at it again with his German and Russian flunkies. Only the brave forces of Britain, France and the United States stood in their way. The adventurous Sir Archibald Standpipe had captured the secret invasion plans from the League of Calamitous Intents's HQ, and was hiding in the village in the center of the board, awaiting rescue.

The very first turn began with the French Spyder blasting a big chunk on armor plating off the PN's Walking Monitor. Soon after, Russian forces invaded the town. Archduke Ladislaus found Standpipe and struggle ensued. It ended with bullet in the Arch Duke's heart.

Meanwhile, Rokkitruppen captured a fortified farmhouse to use as a forward fire base. Their short range repeaters proved useless to the firefight in the middle so they moved up.

The British, on the Allied right, couldn't get their Brute Class Land Ironclad started, but that didn't keep it from raining lead on the Professor's center. The U.S. forces on the left, spent most of their time cowering in the woods awaiting the Germans to their front. 

Under covering fire from the Tricycle Artillery, French forces routed the remaining Russians out of the town. French Marines killed off the exposed Rokkitruppen, but were slaughtered themselves by Nightshades clankers.

All in all, another great game. It was a slugfest the whole way through, and a marginal victory for the Allies with Standpipe escaping with the plans.

For another perspective, check out Lead Addict's view of the game.

Another note, look what Warren's making me!