Les Assassins Rouges

Another commission has been finished that Michi will soon send to France. Three of the ladies are WestWind miniatures for Empire of the Dead and the two in corsages and capes were former Shadowforge dark elves whose ears were clipped and bases scratchbuilt to match the resin bases of the WestWinds.

Eine weitere Auftragsarbeit, die Michi in Kürze nach Frankreich versenden wird, ist fertig geworden. Drei der Damen sind von WestWind für Empire of the Dead und die korsagierten Umhangträgerinnen waren dereinst Dunkelelfen von Shadowforge, deren Ohren kupiert wurden und deren Sockel den fertigen Kunstharzbasen der anderen drei aus Kunststoff nachgebaut wurden.

Pulp Alley

Friday night, gaming time! This time Doc & Michi tried out the Pulp Alley rules for the first time. That was the third rule set in a series of skirmish systems that Table Terror Team tested in 2014. We compared it to Brink of Battle (which couldn´t pass our test at all) and In Her Majesties Name (which we liked very much). IHMN will definitely remain the rules for Victorian era skirmish on our tables, but Pulp Alley has impacted critically. It is a good candidate to be successor to Blood & Swash which we used for generic skirmish over different periods for years.

Pulp Alley is a very clever system without boring charts and useless dice rolls. It is straightforward, not too detailed and leaves plenty of room for the storytelling element that we oldschool pen&paper roleplayers love so much.
This is what happened yesterday:
German protectorate (somewhere in the eastern European territories), early 1944 - a secret scientific investigation is taking place around a shrine in some desert plains. The Germans have built a railway to provide supplies, scientists and protection to the site. A lone soldier stands guard beside one of two strange medieval buildings (he is the first plot point whose task is to reveal where the second is to find).

There are some henchmen of HYDRA assembled on the railroad track on the lower edge of this photo:

An American task force which is lead by famous Captain America and his sidekick Bucky stands on the track on the upper edge of that photo:

The sentry whistles some tune about a siren on the river Rhine and stands staring bored into nowhere.

The HYDRA villains advance from behind the corrugated tin huts and try to approach the sentinel.

The Captain and one of the agents do the same...

One of the Germans catch a glimpse of the approaching Americans.

These pair in two groups: Cap and two agents on the right...

...and Bucky with another agent on the left of a goods wagon.

Slowly all of them are winning some ground and move forward to the guard.

A bit of shooting at each other causes first casualties...

Captain America climbs on a tank car to overwatch from high ground.

Meanwhile HYDRA focusses on mission objective instead of doing some heroic posing on parked goods wagons and interviews the sentry where to find Oberst von Strutz.

Happy to have somebody to talk to the German explains in all detail where the entrance to the secret bunker is hidden. One of the huts house a staircase that leads deeply below the ground. Just at that moment the Colonel appears in front of the door.

Bucky develops a cunning plan to approach the German Colonel: He ascends another tank car and intents to jump to the roof of the hut next to Von Strutz. Hydra takes out another agent without Bucky taking notice.

As heroic Bucky´s attempts might be, HYDRA is quicker. They contact the Colonel, but fail to get the desired information at first.

The situation isn´t the best for the Americans: With three agents knocked down and only the Captain and Bucky in action, but out of range, the Germans perform way better:

However Bucky manages to jump to the roof while the Germans still haven´t got the information.

He doesn´t notice that he has been trapped with the interviewers being the bait and a stealthy HYDRA henchmen behind an advertising column shooting at him.

But lucky Bucky is a semi-hero at least and returns fire to the villains who goes down immediately.

Then the hero of the day jumps right into a brawl with the interviewers, knocking both down and calling the Captain for help.

Captain America loves to pose atop tank cars and repeats what HYDRA christened the "American Action" meanwhile...

A daring German tries to shoot him from the top but is timbered by the angry Captain instead.

Now round 6 is over and time is running out for the Americans. The Captain was of no use at all. The agents are all dead. Bucky didn´t get in touch with Oberst von Strutz who could have provided the information where one of three secret finds of scientific interest are located: 
- an alien egg
- a crate that contains a piece of the Tesseract
- a mysterious blue phone box that is thought to be a time travelling device
HYDRA got away with one reward and had almost got a second one. The American heroes have to leave for their pick up with empty hands...

...to be continued!

Normannische Ritter zu Fuß (Saga-Tagebuch, Teil 14)

Nach einer etwas längeren viktorianisch-schöpferisch bedingten Unterbrechung in der Aushebung weiterer Krieger für Saga, hat Michi nun ein weiteres Koningent im Wert von einem Punkt für seine Normannen fertig gestellt.

Michi is back into painting more Saga miniatures after a prolonged period of Victorian creativity. The newest recruitment is 1 point worth of Norman warriors on foot.

Cops & Robbers Kickstarter

To all who followed the review with interest and are now willing to support the game:

IT'S NOW LIVE!!!
Get in early to get some early bird goodness.

Here's the link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1173449368/cops-and-robbers-the-card-game-0

Tennessean Belles

Eine kleine Auftragsarbeit aus dem Süden der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika, die Michi gerade abgeschickt hat. Die Bemalung entspricht den exakten Wünschen des Auftraggebers.

A little commission from the USA that Michi has just completed and shipped. The painting design is executed as requested by the customer.

Cops and robbers

Now look at that! Would you believe this is a draft version of a card game that is yet nowhere to buy? We couldn´t, but it actually is. The miniatures are displayed for fun only and of course to get you hooked to read on...

Cops & Robbers

A new card game by Devious Games from New Zealand that will be on kickstarter soon. The link will be posted here of course when it´s due.

AND IT'S NOW LIVE!!!
Get in early to get some early bird goodness.

Here's the link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1173449368/cops-and-robbers-the-card-game-0

The game can be played by 2 to 6 players aged 8 or older. The TableTerrorTeam had the chance to get a pre-fabrication copy of the game to playtest:

It is about cops and robbers (as the title implies) with the players being robbers trying to steal as much money as they can until either a certain sum is achieved or an appointed time has run out. We won´t publish the complete rules here, but will try to give you a summary of what you can expect.

There are three card decks on the table with a discard pile for each as well:

Robbers

Loot

Cops

Players start with 5 robber cards each, which is the maximum of cards on the player´s hand during the game too. When it is his turn a player may choose to either draw 2 robber cards or to draw 1 loot card. If not looted that turn the player may play as many cards as he likes. That can be to prepare his getaway by adding improvements to the getaway preparation or to manipulate his opponents.

When a player decides that he has collected enough loot and his getaway is prepared well, he may stash. That means that the player does not draw any cards, but has to take as many cop cards as he has loot cards in his stash. Robber and cops cards values are added and compared. If the robber´s value is equal or higher, the player is getting away with his stash and adds the loot to his loot pile. This can yet be hindered by other players who are playing cards to prevent the robber from getting away.

If a player is jailed by not getting away or being trapped, his loot is lost and he misses a turn.

We conclude that it is a fast and funny game that is easy to understand. It provides an hour or an entire evening of happiness and laughter, the choice is on the players. The artwork is really nice and Kieran the producer promised to have more illustrations by his brother Neill in the actual game than were available for the pre-production.

 

Two thumbs up from us - we kindly recommend to support that kickstarter to see the game finally produced. 

There is another review of the game by Belgian at Wargames News and Terrain:
http://wargameterrain.blogspot.be/search/label/Devious%20Games 

Here is an announcement by Kieran who is going to make this game:

COPS & ROBBERS competition time!!!!!

Devious Games Ltd is running a Cops and Robbers Competition from March 29th 2014 through to May the 17th 2014.

The competition is simple, all you need to do is like the facebook page . Yes that is all you need to do. For every 100 likes the page gets (up to a maximum of 1000 likes) Devious games will give away, free of charge, postage and packaging included, one copy of Cops and Robbers. If you have already liked the facebook page, Awesome!!! You've already got your entry to the competition. Spread this around as much as you can so we have more cops and robbers games to give away.

Conditions:The Kickstarter beginning on April the 20th 2014 finishing on May the 18th 2014 must raise at least the $4,000 initial funding goal.

1 winner will be chosen for every full 100 likes on facebook e.g. 100-199 likes = 1 winner, 200-299 likes = 2 winners up to a maximum of 1000 likes in which case there will be a maximum of 10 winners.
Winner's will be announced after the Kickstarter has completed on May the 18th 2014. 
Winners will be drawn at random from those people that have liked the facebook page.
The winner is responsible for providing their shipping details to devious games ltd.
The winner will be responsible for any import taxes to their respective country.
Winners chosen are final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding this.

 

Saga: Normans vs. Vikings

Eine uralte Fehde brachte zwei Gegner an einem ungewöhnlich milden Freitagabend im März auf den Plan. Olaf Waldasson war mit seinen Mannen an den Gestaden der Normandie gelandet, um seinem alten Erzfeind Godefroy de Michirail nach Jahren der gegenseitigen Piesackerei endlich den Garaus zu machen. Dem Normannen konnte das nur Recht sein, denn er ersparte sich auf diese Weise eine lange Überfahrt in skandinavische Gefilde und hatte alle Vorteile der Ortskenntnis auf seiner Seite.
An old feud made two opponents meet one extraordinarily mild friday evening in march.
Olaf Waldasson and his men were landed in Normandy to end the deeds of his arch enemy Godefroy den Michirail - very much to the delight of the Norman who could spare a long journey and had all advantages on his side due to the knowledge about the terrain of his own country.

Von der Küste im Norden kommend marschierte ein Haufen Bondi, verpflichtete Wikingerkrieger, rechts neben der Straße auf die Normannen zu.
Coming from the north some bondi marched down from the coast to the right of the road straight to the Normans.

Links neben der Straße hatte sich Olaf hinter einem Kornfeld verschanzt und ließ seine Leibwächter und die Berserker noch weiter links vorbeimarschieren.
Olaf was hiding behind a wheat field left to the road. His hirthmen and berserkers were passing the field further left.

Ein weiterer Haufen Bondi bewegte sich etwas weiter zurückversetzt links parallel zu ihren Mitstreitern.
Another mob of bondi appeared further right from the first, moving in parallel to them.

Normannische Bogenschützen erwarteten die Elitekrieger der Wikinger hinter einem Wäldchen.
Norman archers were prepared to hail the Viking elite with arrows.

Auf der Straße war Godefroy mit seiner Schildwache vor ihm aufgezogen. Zu seiner Linken stand eine Abteilung Armbrustschützen bereit.
Godefroy was shielded by his knights in the middle of the road. His sergeants were equipped with crossbows and deployed to his right.

Olaf Waldasson preschte in den Schatten des Wäldchens, was ihn ziemlich verausgabte.
Olaf Waldasson ran into the shadows of a small forrest which exhausted him quite a bit.

Er wähnte sich dort in Deckung und rief seine besten Kämpfer nach vorn.
He commanded his men forward from the cover.

Die Herdwache zog rechts an ihm vorbei und die Berserker links.
Hirthmen advanced to his right and berserkers to his left.

Godefroy reagierte ohne zu zögern und verlagerte die Sergeanten mit den Armbrüsten zur Verstärkung der Bogenschützen auf seine rechte Flanke, um die Wikinger gebührend in Empfang zu nehmen. Er selbst begab sich hinter die Reihen, um den Überblick zu bewahren.
Godefroy didn´t hesitate and moved his sergeants to his right flank, stepping behind them to keep  overview of what would happen.

Die Berserker brachen weit rechts aus dem Unterholz, aber Olaf und die Herdwache stürmten in den Schutz einer kleinen Hütte am Straßenrand. Beide Haufen wurden ordentlich mit normannischen Armbrustbolzen und Pfeilen eingedeckt.
Berserkers broke free from the woods and were welcomed by a shower of arrows. Olaf and the hirthmen ran to a small hut by the roadside and were hailed with bolts from numerous crossbows.

Dann wagte die wikingische Herdwache einen Ausfall und rannte um die Hütte herum,...
Then the hirthmen charged the knights behind the hut... 

...wo sie bis auf den letzten Mann von der standhaften Schildwache der Normannen niedergemacht wurden.
...and were butchered to the last man by the Norman knights.

Daraufhin machte sich die Schildwache in der Gegenrichtung um die Hütte herum, um auch den Wikingerhäuptling unschädlich zu machen.
The Norman knights went around the hut to charge the Viking warlord in return.

Doch sie hatten nicht mit der bestialischen Kampfkraft des nordischen Recken gerechnet, der sie allesamt im Handumdrehen dahinmetzelte.
Now they were slaughtered themselves by the bestial power of the northern barbarian.

Ein kleines Scharmützel fand noch auf der linken Flanke der Normannen statt, wo sich eine weitere Abteilung Bogenschützen mit den Bondi herumschlug, ohne dass eine Seite die Oberhand gewinnen konnte. Es war ein zähes Ringen bei dem Auge mit Auge und Zahn mit Zahn vergolten wurde.
There was another little skirmish on the Normans left flank where some archers were attacked by the Viking Bondi without one side gaining superiority. They fought an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

Dann brach die Ebbe herein und es wurde Zeit für Olaf seine Mannen zum Schiff zurück zu rufen, damit sie noch auslaufen konnten, bevor normannische Verstärkung eintreffen und das Blatt sich vollends gegen sie richten würde. Mit anderen Worten: Die 6 Runden des Szenarios "Clash of Warlords" aus dem Saga-Regelwerk waren gespielt und die Partie endete knapp zu Gunsten der Wikinger.
Erschlagene Normannen:  12 Bogenschützen (4P), 4 Sergeanten (2P) und 4 Ritter (4P), gesamt 10P
Erschlagene Wikinger: 2 Bondi (1P), 8 Herdwache (8P)
Tide was falling now and it was time for Olaf to call his men to return to their ship before they were trapped and Norman reinforcements would make an end to their trip. In games terminology:
6 rounds of the "Clash of Warlords" scenario from the Saga rulebook were played and endet with a Viking victory.
Slain Normans: 12 archers (4VP), 4 sergeants (2VP), 4 knights (4VP), total of 10 victory points
Slain Vikings: 2 bondi (1VP), 8 hirthmen (8VP), total of 9 victory points