Monday, April 30, 2018

Death in a Tight place

So I am way behind on Blogging (Dad Life) since John already has an AAR up of this action I'm writing it first before my games with Mark that happened on the 22nd.   Death in a Tight Place was a scenario I wrote myself (see Scenarios for Saga) and this was its first Play test. My army consisted of two Curaida, three points of Irish Hearth Guards on foot (in two units of six), on point of mounted Hearthguards and one point of Vagrant warriors.  John had 5 points of Saxon(Germanic peoples) warriors and a unit of scouts (8 mercenary Levys)
John moved up quick with his first move and even scored first blood with bow shots form his scouts.
The Saxon's were quickly threatening the flank.  The flanking warriors and scouts were quickly up on my left side Hearthgard and drove them back killing 4 of 6.
Vagrant Warriors and Saxon Clashed in the center and arrows killed more of the Vagrant warriors.

I opted to fall back at this point concentrate my infantry in the center and let the cavalry guard the right flank.
At this point I realized that my strategy should have been to hurl my hard to kill Curaida at the Saxons from the start.  I began to do this to Johns frustration.
The Saxon storms break in the center killing the last of the vagrant warriors and exhausting my Warlord.
But champions and Hearthguard finish that unit. On the right my cavalry can only manage to slow down the warriors on that side.
 John is bring in up his endless waves units (replacements) as I try to reorganize my forces
John's Warriors on the right kill five of six Hearthguard and I am entering my last stand.
First one Curaidh and then the other are slain.
Another unit of Saxon warriors goes down.
My Warlord now fighting all but alone makes a final charge.  He finishes off one more Saxon unit.   John edged me in points Killing but 3 hearthguards and my Warlord.

Friday, April 13, 2018

Scenarios for Saga

Since Saga V2 has only one scenarios currently I've been writing up some of my own.  I can't claim full owner of these ideas some are inspired by scenarios in Lion and Dragon Rampant, Saga 1 Scenarios or other sources.  If anyone has any objections send me a private message.  I recomend picking up those books for your own insperation.

1) Rescue the Hostage.
Back Ground: A Noble, Princess, priest or other important hostage has escaped and must be rescued.

Set up: Game is played on a 4X6 table. The table should have at least six (6) terrain pieces of rough going that are not impassible placed as per normal rules. Each player will pick a short edge of the table. The defender (who is rescuing for the escaped hostage) deploys within L of his table edge. The Attacker who wants to stop the escape. Deploys within M of his edge.

Special Rules: Each time the defender enter a piece of Rough terrain roll 1d6. In the first terrain piece the hostage is found on a 6 in the second on a 5+ and so forth until the chance of finding the hostage is 2+. A roll of 1 always fails if all terrain is searched by the defender and no hostage is found it is assumed the hostage lies dead of misadventure. The attacker may not search for the hostage. The hostage once found joins that unit and moves as a member of that unit. Should they be engaged they have aggression 0 and armor identical to the unit. The Hostage will be captured by the attacker if the unit is eliminated and will become part of that unit.

Ending the game/Victory: The game continues until the defender moves the Hostage off their table edge or the Attacker kills the escaped hostage by destroying the unit they are with. The Defender gets 5 extra victory points if the hostage is rescued the Attacker gets 3 extra victory points if they kill/recapture the hostage. Slaughtering points are awarded per usual in Saga.

2) When you can’t pillage burn!

Back Ground: Plunder is always best but sometimes you must burn the enemy’s possession to the ground.

Set up: Make a square at the center of the board that is 8” to a side. At each corner of the square place a house, haystack pile of supplies, siege engine or other flammable and valuable resource. Each marker should be about 3x3 inches. Terrain should be place using standard saga rules. The defender may start the game with one non-hero unit in the central area between the objectives. All other troops are places with in M of opposite tables sides.

Special rules: To set an objective on fire you must have at least one figure in contact with the objective at the start of your activation. Once the unit is activated to start a fire roll 2d6 a unit with 7 or more models will start a fire on a roll of 8+ a unit with 6 or fewer figures will start a fire on an 9+. Hearth Guard add +1 to the roll while heroes add a +2 (presence is not considered for this calculation)

Ending the Game/Victory: The game ends when all 4 objectives are on fire or the attacking player is reduced to ½ his starting Saga Dice. Once the attacker is reduced to ½ his starting saga dice play one more turn (each player goes) then end the game. Calculate slaughtering points as usual. The attacker gains 2 points per objective destroyed while the defender gains 2 points per objective to survive. The defender gains 1 additional point if he reduces the attacker to ½ his starting Saga Dice forcing an early end to the game.


3) I just want to get home

Back ground: Both war bands are on their way home from a successful raid when they encounter the other heading in the opposite direction. Each band must try to break though the other with their plunder (nabbing the other guys plunder would be good too!)

Set up: Play on a board that is longer than it is wide (the larger the better for maneuver 4x3 is the smallest you should use 5x3 or even 6x4 would be better). Set out terrain by the normal method described in the clash of war lords scenario. Players set up with in L+M (18”) of opposite corner of the board.

Special rules: Each player will have 2 token representing plunder (Cattle, box of treasure, hostages). This plunder should be placed with 1 or more units. Each token requires two figures to carry or drive them, these figures may not fight unless they drop their plunder (picking plunder up will require an activation as spilled coins are gathers, cattle or hostages are run down and re-secured. (players can choose to abandon their plunder at any time. Players may capture abandon plunder tokens by sending an activation to pick them up.

Ending the Game/Victory: The game ends when only one player has troops on board. Players get 1/2 point for each levy, 1 point for each warrior and 2 points for each Hearth Guard, 3 points for each Hero that makes it safely off the board. Full Strength(non-hero) units that make it off the board are worth an extra victory point. Each plunder token successfully gotten off the board is worth 4 points. Killing enemy soldiers is worth half the normal points and any soldiers left on the board do not count for or against the player.


Death in a Tight Place

Back Ground: This scenario is inspired by those battles where one or a few stood against many. The 300 Spartans, the Lone Viking on Stamford Bridge etc.

Set up: This game is played form the two short ends of the table. In the center of the table there should be an area of open ground not more than L (12”) wide. This this should be flanked by two large sized areas of Dangerous terrain one on each side. Additional terrain should be Deployed based on normal rules. The defender Should have a small elite force. Using Saga the defender’s war band should be Composed of Heroes’ Hearth Guard and Mercenaries. The attacker should have a war band made up only of their war lord, Warriors and Levies. The defender will deploy M (6”) back form the center of the table and may not start the game with any troops in the rough/danger ground. The Attacker must start at a line at least L (12”) back from the center point of the table and may not start the game with any troops in the rough/danger ground.

Special rules: Endless Waves-- At the beginning of this turn the attacker may deploy 4 to 12 “dead” soldiers of the same type on his table edge. Epic Battle—The defender’s War Lord generates, and extra Saga die each turn.

Ending the Game/Victory: The Game ends when all defenders have been killed or retreat off the board. Slaughter points are counted normally (the defender will have to keep a tally since the attacker will respawn) except that the attacker doesn’t get any extra points for eliminating a unit. The defender gains and extra 2 points per unit that is still active starting on turn 10. Any defenders who retreat off board count twice for Slaughtering points.



Monday, April 9, 2018

The 8th Analogue Hobbies Awards

I'm not a winner this year and a quick look at the winners will make why clear.
A sample of my work
Check them out the winners here: Challenge VIII Awards and Wrap-Up