Wolfhounds and hound with two heads

I haven't had much time for painting but I've gotten in a little brush time Since Huzzah and these are some of the results. A two headed dog from Reaper Miniatures and 4 Gripping Beast wolfhounds.

One of many pieces from the Bones collection. I have no idea what he'll be used for but I'm very happy with how he came out. 

I did him in a very dark gray with two layers of lighter gray the last one being almost white. The fur look great, the model had great texture to work with 

As the picture at the top shows he's a very large dog towering over the wolfhounds.

Years ago I got a full set of wolfhounds but traded away some of them, I've regretted doing it since I started playing Saga (I had originally bought them as War hounds for Frostgrave)

I've painted them in similar fashion to the two haded dog except that the middle layer is light brown rather than a medium gray.  They should match my existing wolfhounds I should get a picture of them all together once I get rid of the snow basing on the original wolfhounds.

Saga The Irish invade Vineland

Last Thursday John and I met for a very interesting game of Saga his report is already up here  he describes the scenario and force mix.  I didn't get an initial set up picture but on the left I had two Curaidh and a unit of warriors with Javelins.  Also a unit of wolfhounds that was sent racing to the other side.  I wanted to drive these troops back and keep them form attacking the other side of the board.  One of my champions is already looking a little haggard from canceling shots form arrows.

on the right side I wanted to fight a delaying action using cover where I could.

Still when Javelin troops are in charge range its best to charge especially when the enemy had Javelins too.  The fight was sharp and bloody with several casualties on both sides.

one Curaidh is down but I'm causing damage to both of John's units on the left.

The Javelin troops are down two three figures..

I got the better of the other melee too but only just barely

But John has his men rolling up as well and with some good tactics and good dice he takes out one of my warrior units.

and then pairs down the Hearth guard with multiple attack with Javelins

My Warlord manages to get some revenge but not enough.  John had a small but significant miscue in his last turn that probably saved at least one of my units.  When we totaled up the score it was 18 point to 18 points a dead tie.  I was ahead most of the game but John did really well in his last two turns and evened things up.  Had he used "we obey" to launch an attack with his one unit of warriors that was in good shape before his warlord attacked he would have probably won the game.  These two armies were a very interesting match.

Saga Meeting encounter: How do you say "Custer" in old Norse

Last night John and I played another game of Saga at the Hobby Bunker.  I went "historical" and ran Vikings under the hero Ragnar. (John uses him a lot and I wanted to have a chance a the fun).  We used the book of battle sand got: Rough Ground, Meeting Encounter, Pithced battle, Forced March, subjugation.

Two turns passed with little action because of the slow movement imposed by forced march.  My left Flank warriors made the first contact of the game

and threw back the Skrelings threatening that side of my formations... then my shield maidens started falling under a rain of arrows, spear and tomahawks..

The poor girls didn't last long... I had hoped their "large shields" would help but this was not the case.

My Left flank warriors are also picked apart thought they did reduce the enemy down below the 4 warriors for a saga dice in the process.

My Hearthguard stood off the charge of the Skrealings but that was the last good turn... We did almost no damage thanks to the darn Agility ability of theirs.

last turn charges... I do damage taking down the last of on unit of Skrealing warriors but loosing most of my Hearth guard.  Ragnar kills six Skrealings personally but is exhausted by damage and the melee.

He goes down under arrows... a warlord killed by levies... how shameful.

A grand total of two of my war bands survived the battle... hopefully the are adopted into the tribe since I think getting back to Iceland with two men to man the ship is unlikely!  John won this battle in convinceing fashion with 34 points to my 14

Normans and Skraelings Rematch

This game was last Thursday apologies for the delay.  John and I again met at the Hobby Bunker for a game of saga a rematch of the last one. John has covered battle as well: Refused Flank 

With a refused flank set up you start on the short edged of the table. John tucked in close behind cover...

I tried to get as far forward as reasonable.

My Cavalry was running up on the flank

While archer face each other I was able to get off shots with my double range saga ability

In race the warriors hurling Javelins as they go...

Then racing away when the enemy counter charges...

The Hammer of God cavalry formation slams into the Skrealing infantry (I rolled more dice than was legal it seems but we'll fix that next time) crushing them completely

John brings a rain of Javelins down on the mounted warriors.

That unit is reduced to a single figure who runs off to hide. John picked up a fatigue of my cavalry slowing them s they miss a chance at the warriors in the cent.

He showers my Warlord with javelins. but I take little damage and after softening them up with arrows

My Hearth guard of heavy cavalry routs them form the field.

John sends out his men but my cavalry dance aside...

Leaving my warlord vulnerable... javelins strike and then in they charge.

I manage to battle them back with my warlord. The final count was 18 points for the Normans and 7 for the Skraelings.  Look forward to playing these again and to seeing how some of my other armies fair against Skraelings

Saga Normans and Skraelings

This poste was delayed becasue of my need to get in my Friday entry inot the Anlalog Hobbies Paining challenge and a very bussy weekend. 

Last Thursday John and I met at the Hobby Bunker.  John had book of bbles and we set up for a meeting engament in marshy lands.  We both were playing new warbands.  Mine was brand new my Normans.  Johns wass new in the sense that it was the first time he had used Skraelings since the Saga 2 came out.  I started hout heged in by terrain. John had a force of one levy and 5 points of levy. I had 3 points of Herthguard (mounted) 1 Point in Flemish Mercenaries 1 Point in Cross bow men and one point in levys (with bows)

I Drew first blood with a quick cavalry charge that struck home on turn two with Killing off a unit of six Warriors. John countered casing me off and killing several men with multiple Javelin strikes reducing the unit from 8 to 3 men. (basicly outing it out of action)

Then cam several round of long range sniping and maneuver.

John had the better of exchange leading to the serious reducing of my Crossbowmen.

My warlord killed off 4 warriors driving the rest back but took 4 hits doing it.  (three fatigue and one body guard).

John wen for the Heroic option having his warlord move twice to engage me.  My valiant Norman Barron fell in the battle.

John got his Warlord out of harms way and my Flemish mercenaries took a measure of revenge hitting the Skraeling warriors and driving them back. Both of us made errors with our new battle boards and John's tactic and dice were better tonight.  I managed 10 points to his 16.  I think that when fighting Skraelings I'll leave my Flemish Mercenaries at home in favor of something with more range and/or Mobility.  You can read John's take on the battle here: Meeting Encounter

Clash of Warlords Irish vs. Ragnar's Vikings

John and I met at Hobby Bunker for another game of Saga.  John's copy of Book of battles is still in the mail so we did the Clash of Warlords game. We did a standard game but rolled deployment C. This meant our troops had to be deployed at least M (6") form each other.   John used the same list as last game.   I had two Champions and a Personal Champion.  Two points of Warriors, 1 point of Shield Maidens, and a unit of Sling armed levys (women) I think of this as a 7 Samurai list the heroes helping defend a village from raiders.

I lead with my slingers moving them up into cover to hit the Vikings as the cam forward.

Here's a Ragnar's eye view of the village laddies.

Viking Levies came up and killed one of the women... then the Hearthguard came up and killed all but two of the ladies.  I'm pretty sure the game designers said this was a contemptible move...

John got one of my warriors with arrows from his Steppe Warriors allies.

My larger group of warriors came crashing into one unit of Viking Levies killing 7 of them and depriving John of one of his Saga Dice.

I brought in multiple javelin units and turned John's Hearthgard into a pin cushion.  I got lucky and John didn't make a single save.

John Decided that Berserkers would clearly view Shield maidens as an insult to their man hood. They charged, but  with the powerful combination of closed ranks and the "shield maiden's pride" they wiped out the Berskerkers for the loss of one of their own.

One of my Champions charged the levies but only killed one.  Sill they were driven back. 

Ragnar is now fairly isolated and after trying to wear him down with Javelins my warlord engages him for the first time.  I had both Blood of Kings and Ireland's heart in effect.  The result is..

A draw Ragnar is very hard to kill.  Ragnar kills one of my champions and then holds off the attack of a second.

My warlord reengaged again I have both Blood of Kings and Ireland's heart and Ragnar falls to my blade.  The end result when the massacre points are totaled are 10 for John and 23 for me probably our most lopsided battle since the new saga rules came out.  I think John might have been able to keep Ragnar alive had he "closed ranks"  he would have been harder to hit (6 rather than 5) and he would have been able to cancel more hits.  That said he had a better chance of killing my warlord by throwing all 8 dice in each of our combats... I did well on my saves to cancel hits and my Saga Abilities made my heroes very hard to kill. As the game wrapped up John got a call from his wife who must have asked if he had won his response: "No Adam beat me rather badly and about half his little men were women so I'm not sure how to take that. "  LOL