Lobster award

First of all, I would like to thank Dreamer from SoloRPGgamer and M.C. Monkey - Dew from his MCMDGames for nominating this blog for Lobster Award. 
Unfortunately since all the blogs I read received this award recently, or have more then 200 followers and there fore are not applicable, or publicly reject this kind of inter-blog awarding, I will have to stop the chain.
Once again, thanks to all who read my blog, hope that you will be visiting in the future also.
And look at my blog list on the right of the main page, there are some really good blogs out there, please check them out also.

Luck of the dwarfs

It's been a while since I had a chance to play any wargame. So today I decided to roll some dice, and I decided to go with game of Song of Blades and Heroes, using solo rules by Mats Lintonsson.
Therefor, my Ratmen warband decided to explore old ruined shrine defended by some pesky dwarfs...

Well, it was one of those games when luck just decided not to cooperate. Any good roll I made belonged to dwarfs warband...

 What should be equal fight: Rat ogre (c5!), giant rat and beastmaster against 4 dwarfs, ended with GRUESOME deaths of both my beasts!

 

Beastmaster returned to the forest, where he was joined by assassin and 2 rat pilgrims. I regrouped hoping that my luck will change, but...

Dwarfs also regrouped, except berserker who moved into contact, without enough actions to attack. So, berserker is heavily outnumbered (c1) and my assassin (c2) moves for a kill with power attack... Aaaaand.... 1 for assassin, 6 for berserker, assasin is nothing less but KILLED!
The rest of my warband just picked up their tails and left the table....
Better luck to me next time...

Power Surge Superhero solo card game

Most of my time in last couple of weeks was invested into design of my new game.
Finally I have finished the first version I am satisfied with.

At the moment, the game is called Power Surge and by theme it is Solo Superhero Collectable Card Game.

The current version can be considered material for closed beta testing, and, as some of you already know, I have already distributed the files to several play-testers I know that are interested in superheroes, solo games and/or  CCG.

At the moment, I would like to have 2 or 3 play-testers more, so if you are reading this and wish to try the game, contact me at sharanac (at) yahoo.com

Free again

Its been a year and a half since I started working for a big international company producing parts for automotive industry.
This meant big and secure paycheck, but also 10 to 12 hours in the office each day.
Finally I had enough of that, so I went to plant manager and told him So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish.

The good thing is that I have all my free days available, and with upcoming holidays, I will be at payed vacation from today until 8th of January.
For that time I have big plans, sorted in following order:
1. Catch up spending time with my kid, I was hardly seeing him lately
2. Catch up with my poetry, I have not published a book since April 2010, and I have written only 3 poems since then, so some serious work in that field is in order
3. Catch up with my gaming, painting and this blog :)

And so, with little luck, number of texts on this blog will grow in next month.
Unfortunately, in January I will have to look for new job, since freelance writers in Eastern Europe can not feed hungry mouths in family, not to mention famous irrational hunger for new books, miniatures, boardgames...

Back from vacation / New solo CCG in design

I have just returned from nice sea vacation in Turkey Antalya region.
Here is an monument left from ancient local tribe, found at local beach site by archeological expedition led by my 2 years old son.

Arguably it represents a duck with the tall hat, most likely prehistorical representation of Scrooge McDuck :)

In other news, I started working on new solo collectable card game.
I believe that  I have found new approach to the solo CCG, since every player card will have 3 possible usages - as element attack, support attack or special characteristic card.
Combination of 2 cards will be needed to do damage to enemy, and at least one special card is expected to be played each turn, so the hand will go empty quick. Therefore, for successful play, player will have to think about dealing damage to enemy, draw as many cards from deck as possible and also return as many cards from discard pile into deck, for deck is also getting thinner with each turn, and once there is no more cards in it, it will be game over.
So far, I  made basic components and did some play test, and I am satisfied with the result. Cards are just colors and numbers at the moment.
My next goal is to decide about the theme of the game. It could be generic fantasy, but I think we are all a little bit bored of that.
So far, I think between Munchkin style humor or Superhero game, but I am not convinced what to do. Any suggestion will be appreciated.
Once I finish, I hope to offer this game to some small game making company, but if no one is interested, there is always 2013 Board Game Geek solo game making contest :)
If anyone wants to play test the game (or might be interested in publish it, of course :) ) contact me by commenting here, or by mail sharanac (at) yahoo.com

Crazy Street Preacher III

Almost a year ago I started a Mythic adventure called Crazy street preacher (Part 1 is here, part 2 here). 
I stopped the game when my hero, Gerry, was sent on a road, since I was not quite sure how to roleplay a travel. 
But recently I had an idea to combine Mythic with Microscope RPG and to look at the Gerry’s travel as the Microscope history. 
As usually, I used 3 players rule by Risus Monkey. One player is conspiracy theory freak, one is with both feet on the ground, and the third is, of course, little old me. 
AAR is written in chronological order.

As Gerry started his travel, the change of power happens within the cult. A high court judge takes lead of the cut instead of Buddhist monk. Judge informs police that Gerry stole a painting. Police inspector assigned with the case is a good cop known for his weakness for homeless people (UNE). Since Judge is not convinced that inspector can finish the job, he also engages a private army of TV priest who wants to become a cult member. The hunt for Gerry begins.
While all this happened, Gerry spent the day of travel, and decided to rest in wooded area by the road. He used last light to study painting, and managed to read a word

Ravine 

hidden between the lines in the painting. Unfortunately, he was unable to find anything else since his concentration was broken when TV priest private army found his trail. Gerry moved deeper into the woods and went to sleep.
Next morning, Gerry woke up to find painting missing. While looking for it, he met good inspector, who found out that Judge and TV priest are cult members. In order to stop them, he returns painting to Gerry, and then sends priest’s private army into goose chase. Finally inspector sends story about Judge to his friend journalist.
Gerry reaches destination gallery without a problem, delivers the painting, and becomes initiated into cult member. He also receives invitation for next cult meeting.
After being dragged through newspapers, Judge lost trust of the cult and Buddhist monk becomes leader again. But cult breaks in two, since TV priest and his men join Judge and form a new secret society.
Good inspector was taken out of active duty and promoted into police PR.

Gerry was mostly in control, so CF falls to 6. 

Open threads:
Find more about the cult.
Find the meaning of the word Ravine

NPCs:
Buddhist monk
Judge
Police PR
TV priest

Hishen for mixed campaign

For some time I am planing to play a campaign in the world that mix Star Wars and 5150 universe.
There would be Jedi knights, but on the fringe some Hishen, Zug-Zugs and who knows what else...

At the moment I am painting miniatures needed for the campaign.

Here is the squad of Hishen pirates (originally GW models) :

Squad consists of leader with personal assistant carrying his stuff, 3 pirates with guns and 2 support pirates with heavy weapons. Here is one of the supporters:

Role Playing and Miniatures Games 101

This is an AAR of the game I played yesterday with my son. It can be viewed as superhero RPG with miniatures and LARP elements :)

At the beginning, Spiderman came, and tried to eat my 2 year old. I had to protect him, hide him behind me and knock the Spiderman down.

While Spidermen recovered from knock-down, I brought Thomas the Tank Engine, with refrigerator inside his cabin. Then, we sent Spidermen to take some bread and milk from fridge and eat that instead of little kids.

Suddenly, Darth Vader appeared out of nowhere. He approached Thomas and took some water out of the fridge. My son warned him not to drink it cold, but to mix it with a water from the tap, or he might catch a cold and then will have to go see a doctor (obvious influence by kids mother, I would say).

This more less ended the session and our first adventure... Advance points were awarded, and I think both of us gained a level :)

The 4 Musketee.... ahem Stormtroopers

The year is 1600000026 and Empire is at it's low end. 
Rebels led by evil Light Side of Force Jedy master Richeleu seriously threatens to put an end to monarchy and proclaim something called Republic with Richeleu as President....
A couple of loyal Stormtroopers is all that good Emperor Louis and Dark Side can count on. 
The most famous among them is a group called 4 Stormtroopers, consisting of Sith lord Darth Agnan, elite trooper Athos, scout Aramis and heavy trooper Porthos.

In this game, I tested Carsten's Solo Star Wars Minis Rules published at Solo Nexus blog. 

Carsten's rules are fun and give a solid starting AI for enemies. 

I put 4 of my heroes against 10 low cost enemies, and soon I realized that in original document I miss a rule for enemy combined fire.

Therefore, here is my addition to Carsten's rules:

Whenever 2 or 3 characters can combine fire, they will do so.  This procedure takes priority over all tie-breaking rules in activation procedure.

First select all characters that will combine fire using normal activation procedure. Then pick the one with the highest damage potential as the main shooter, while all other characters will be considered supporters. Main shooter does not have to be the one who's turn it is to act according to activation procedure.

Since this was my first Star Wars game, and I was not familiar with the tactics, I lost. I sent Darth Agnan forward too soon, did not used all his force points, end eventually he was taken down bit by bit by combined fire. Also, my shooters were eventually defeated by enemy fire. I was able to take down some 50% of rebel forces, but I hoped for more.
I think I will replay the scenario in next few days, this time taking better care of my actions :)

Terrible Treeman

One of the reason I built a tree mentioned in previous post was to try the behavior of the flock before I apply it to my new Treeman.

The thing is Ent from GW The Lord of the Rings range, and I acquired it for small cash at local auction web page.
Two hobbits come with him, but I left them out this time, and kept them for some future projects.

First kittens are usualy drowned

Still oppressed with heavy office hours, I try to keep to hobby as much as I can.
This is my first attempt to make a tree using famous green stuff over wire skeleton technique...
So far, all my trees were paper models.
Not the best tree I ever seen, and maybe it needs few extra touches, but for the first try I am quite satisfied.

Crazy office hours :(

Been a crazy two weeks at the office... Business kept me at work up to 2am occasionally, so I had very little time left for the hobby.
Therefore, painting this orc axeman from Mantic is the only result of last several days....

 

Hope that situation will improve next week :)

You are my one and only..... OGRE!

When I think about Fantasy, I want my games to be populated with everything - humans, elfs, dwarfs, daemons, orks, goblins, ogres....
But untill recenty I had no ogres to use.
Then, I got an occasion to exchange one of my whitchers (or if you want GW 40K Dark Eldar Mandragors) for an Ogre.
And here it is, my ogre mercenary/gladiator/monster, finally painted:

 

Games that define me

Following posts from other blogs, I also asked myself which games define me the best. And here are the possible answers:

1. Mythic Game Master Emulator. Something that touched both my gaming and storytelling nerve so many times. A tool that can take you through RPG session in a blink, game with which you never know what to expect. Pure gold.
2. Microscope RPG by Lame Mage. Again combined with Mythic and Risus Monkey’s principle of multiple personalities, this game helped me create worlds I would never think on my own.
3. Song of Drums and Shakos. My favorite game for skirmishers in Napoleonic period. Easily adapted for solo gaming, with engine that can always throw a twist on you based on dice allocation principle…
4. Mmmmm, Dice allocation games. Well I just love dice allocation games of any kind, be it expensive commercial hit like Elder Sign, free one pager game from experimental playground or something in the middle like the games produced for BGG Solo P’n’P contest. I just love them. Period.
5. When you say “Dice allocation”, it will be a sin to omit great minigames from 2 Hour Wargames. Their gladiator combat games, racing games or game of Jousting in Middle Ages represent dice allocation in their best and deserve entry of their own.
6. Chronicles of Blood. Everything that a solo gamer can wish for. Fast, interesting, simple, open to house rules. And most of all, FREE! Go get it.
7. Napoleonic period: Muskets and Mohawks with Napoleonic special rules, Field Commander Napoleon, and why not Flintloque, Sharp Practice and Black Powder Battles. Last two games I actually never played since I still do not have enough painted miniatures to do so, but I read these rules so often, and take ideas from them, that they definitely join the group of games that define me.
8. Paper terrain production. I do not create terrain; I just love cutting and gluing stuff from producers like Worldworks games, Fat Dragon, lord Zsese or Dave’s Games, so this is definitely a game. The one with strange rules, maybe, but a game never the less.
9. Painting miniatures. As above. Great time and extremely stress reliving :)

And that is it. That is me.

Red Sand Arena

Red Sand Black Moon, the game of Fantasy gladiator combat by 2HW is definitely new hit among the miniature wargaming bloggers, getting some excellent  AAR's on places like this one, or this one.
I was also one of those who grabbed the game as soon as it appeared, but my other projects kept me away from it for a while.
Finally, my arena for RSBM (or RSBS HOTA) is ready, and the games may begin.

For the first mach, I connected Silver Elf against Black Moon Goblin, both level 11 fighters.
In short, both gladiators exchanged some blows, but then Gobo over calculated, passed by Elf, got wounded and knocked down on his face. Elf attacked from the rear and cut Gobo to peaces.
If anyone is interested, some earlier gladiator action can be found here.

BGG Solitare contest, Round 2

Last year, Board Game Geek forum organized a contest for the best solo P'n'P game. Contest was lots of fun, and produced some great games (as can be seen here).
Well, a year has passed, and it is time for the second edition of the contest.
Unfortunately, due to heavy office hours I will not be able to participate, but I will definitely find time to read all the entries, and maybe even play the ones that seem the most interesting.
I invite all of you soloist to join me on this. Link to the BGG page with games is here:
http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/798184/2012-solitaire-print-and-play-contest

4 Chariots 4 A Race

For some time now I am planing to play a campaign game of Charioteer by 2HW, where I would take my team from the fringe of the empire to Circus Maximus.
Therefore, I purchased all chariots in 1/72 scale I could get.

Finally, I managed to paint 4 of them for the first race.

 

So I present them to you:

From far North-West comes Gallic Warrior Queen with her chariot (HaT 8140)

Egyptians were famous for their light and fast chariots (Ceasar H024)

 

 From the cradle of civilization, Sumer, comes crude built chariot driven by 4 donkeys (HaT 8130)

 

 Last but not least, Mitanni team consist of two Mariyannu nobles (Ceasar H015)

And the race is on!
But many painting still awaits me, since teams from India, Hittite Empire, Assyria, Persia and of course Rome, wait for their turn to join the circus!

On Parade 2

While Andrzej Niegolewski was visiting 9th Light, not far from their camp British captain John Peoplefolks, widely known as The Bell

performed a review of his own troops.

What he had available was a company of 1st Foot Guard (with mounted officer, NCO, drummer and standard bearer)

company of Rifles with officer, NCO and trumpeter,

and a motley crew of Spanish rebel militia with rebel leader, his second in command, and a priest (his moral influence to the company equals him to standard bearer).

 

Long live the King!

On Parade

On a way back to his unit, Captain Andrzej Niegolewski stopped for refreshment in the camp of the 9th Light (the famous "Incomperable") regiment. 

When Major Lannes got the news that the owner of the L'Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur is coming, he rushed to great his old war companion, since two men knew each other from Somosierra pass.

 Major made a parade for his guest, to show his famous light infantrymen.

His strongest men were elected into the company of Carabiniers (10 men with complete command, including officer, NCO, standard bearer and drummer)

 Most numerous are, of course, Chasseurs.

They consist of two companies (10 men each), first with complete command, while second has only NCO to keep order if things get rough.

Finally, best shots joined light infantry Voltigeurs (one company with complete command including officer, NCO, trumpeter and fanion bearer).

Vive l'Empereur!

Charge of the light brigade, ups...

Real life got in the way one again, and for more than a month I was unable to play any game. What little spare time I had I spent painting a miniature or two, so one thing led to another and finally I have enough models to try slightly bigger Napoleonic event…
The game was played using slightly modified Musket & Mohawks rules by 2HW.Year is 1809. French light battalion (considering of one unit of Chasseurs, Voltigeurs and Carabiniers) led by Rep 6 mounted CinC is attacking a small village in Spain. Unit of British Foot Guards took a position behind the barricade, as the first line of defense. Rifles unit selected shooting position in nearby forest, while local Spanish militia located behind the small hill prepared to help from reserve.
I moved Voltigeurs to the left, to engage rifles, while Carabiniers and Chasseurs connected and marched forward towards guard unit.
In next turn my main body charged at the barricades. Spanish militia tried to join the fight, but passed 0d6 and failed to move, condemning Foot guards to be wiped out.
At this moment I was ready to proclaim my victory and march into unguarded village, but Rifles company had something else in mind. They fired at the flank of my main body, scoring enough hits even with Fire at Will routine to wipe out my Chasseurs, and make Carabiniers run away! Only my CinC left at the center at the field, and this was miracle of the good rolls!
Concluding that things are lost, CinC took fast move towards my table edge. To cover his retreat, Voltigeurs exchanged fire with Rifles, in which officers of both companies got killed.
Rifles stood their ground, while Voltiguers decided that they had have enough.
Clear victory for NPC side.
This time, I definitely learned that firing at the unit flank can be really devastating. Mistake I will not repeat at the next charge :)

Band of Dwarfs

Even if there are plenty of great solo games for fantasy, like Chronicles of Blood, WHAA or new solo rules for Song of Blades ad Heroes, I started to move away from "period" for a simple reason that I do not have enough painted figures for different races.
Therefore, I decided to make as many painted small warbands as possible so that I could enjoy all the diversity of fantasy gaming.
I started with the band of dwarfs from old GW set Battle for Skull Pass.
They are not painted to the extremely high standard, but this is more then enough to become one of the future enemy groups my heroes will have to face...So, let me introduce to you one dwarf hero, one berserk, two warriors, two miners, two hand gunners and even one prisoner of war for the warband to try to rescue every now and then....

Some fun on the convention