Here be heroes

Today is also the day when I finished all pewter miniatures that came with When Darkness Comes.

They were a nice change of pace, and I'm quite pleased with the results.

But since they're pewter, it comes with a slight problem.

Paint tends to chip away quite easily from such a hard material. And since they're playing pieces for a board game, chances are that they'd find themselves stored at some very inconvenient places at times.

So that's the reason why I made them a little home too where only hard hits should threaten their colors, as they don't really shuffle around in their little house:

Here be dragons

I bought The Dragon expansion today for Talisman.

I guess my hopes were too high for this expansion - now, after skimming through contents, I'm a bit underwhelmed. Though some of the stuff amazed me.

Let's start listing up stuff.

First, I opened new cards and quickly looked through them. To my amazement The Dragon expansion has no new spells and no new regular adventure cards at all - it comes only with three small decks for each draconic lord. This isn't exactly a bad thing, at first I was quite interested in it. However, when the real disappointments came in, I guess it added up... Though to be honest, Talisman with all earlier expansion can survive one expansion without new spells and other such stuff.

Next I opened up the thing I had had the highest level of anticipation about - the dual sided inner region. And that one was a sore disappointment, really. Yes, the real draconic map is awesome and will be a blast to play with when playing with draconic lords. However, the other side... is actually only a simplified version of the main draconic map. Really. It's an inner region with instructions to draw cards.

Then I started looking at alternative ending cards and new characters. Alternative ending cards were nice. That's the way how you can incorporate the dragon lords with normal game without actually playing with, well, all the bookkeeping material.

New characters were rather nice, too. But what literally caught my eye was that these miniatures must be the biggest that have been yet released for Talisman. They are huge.

Dual infected

All kinds of nasty things has happened lately. Obviously new field of study makes it difficult to be all social and energetic enough to go and arrange games. I've managed to paint a couple When Darkness Comes miniatures, though.

Last weekend I got rather ill, it's funny as I don't get sick very often. And now it just came and ravaged me in a couple of days. Today has been a day of hellish pain in my throat whenever I cough up, but otherwise I guess I'm good enough to get going next day.

Also, as I got infected, my laptop got infected too. If I had to guess, I got the infection from Tabletop Gaming News -website, that had apparently been hacked. I guess this is the main thing of my posting. Also, Privateer Press had closed its forums because of some security issues. Is there a big virtual attack going on against the miniature hobby? Heh. Probably not, more likely we're collateral damage.

Yet I'm a bit worried how I will manage to do some of my stuff I have made into some sort of a habit on the internet.

Anyway, both my laptop being under quarantine until I get to save personal files and reformat the whole thing and me being sick, it has given me a bit of free time on other stuff.

As I've been painting When Darkness Comes -miniatures I've also kept some terrain close by to add in details if the current palette makes it possible. Such multitasking usually feels like a horrible chore, but somehow today it felt like casual, nice, relaxing thing to do. Probably because the WDC playing pieces are less detailed than in actual miniature games, so you just add paint as you feel like it without stressing about some insane detail.

First "demo" given in Mk2

Just a few moments ago I finished giving a demo game for a new potential player.

This presented somewhat of a weird challenge for me. I mean, for the statistics...

I mean, if in some time in the future I've given lots of demo games to random people with my own models with lists I've constructed myself, I feel it would fudge my win/loss ratio unfairly.

So I decided that I will not note down demo games I've given to people under my faction and caster based statistics.

However, I made a separate field in my spreadsheet for demo games. As no matter what, they are still games and need to be counted up... right? Am I crazy?

Anyway, as I have only one faction (yet...) for Warmachine, I had to make two demo lists using Cryx with both.

I made 11 point lists that were:

Warwitch Deneghra
- 2x Deathrippers
- Slayer

Satyxis Raider Captain

and

Iron Lich Asphyxious
- Ripjaw
- Nightwretch
- Reaper

Necrotech & Scrap Thrall

When I gave demo games in Mk1 I always wanted to include a solo in the demo armies too. Well, I think I never gave demo games to players who had no earlier experience with miniature games, so I felt that one model that worked a bit differently than most models wasn't too much.

My "opponent" played with Deneghra's troupe.

He actually played pretty well for a first-timer, instinctively figuring out what a boon knock down effect is for landing shots at normally def 15 bonejacks.

However, one little thing undermined a little this particular demo game.

Times I rolled 6,6,6 or 6,5 or 5,5,6 for damage were a bit too... often. And opponent had more than one persons share of double 1's or otherwise much below average rolls.

Actually I should have lost the game as opponent managed to score one awesome damage roll at Asphyxious with Satyxis Captain, dealing 8 points in.

Then, a round later, Deneghra got a charge at Asphyxious after casting Ghost Walk on herself and upkeeping Crippling Grasp on Asphyxious. Boosted charge attack hit, but dealt only two points of damage. Second attack with a damage boost dealt zero damage. Asphyxious had armor of 17 at that moment as he was camping 3 focus.

Then it was Satyxis Captain's time to win the game and she dealt 5 points of damage in, leaving Asphyxious at 3.

After that Asphyxious just skewered Deneghra, against all odds.

Anyway, the "demoed" one seemed interested about the game despite my disgusting rolls and his equally pitiful rolls, let's just hope this city's scene eventually gets a new player.

Harsh. (When Darkness Comes)

It took quite a while to actually get to play When Darkness Comes.

I'm not sure if this can be called a good first take on the game, but it surely taught some valuable lessons about the nature of the game.

We had two players and we created our own characters.

We entered the city hall, both players separately. First mistake. This game really needs coordinated teamwork most of the time.

No-one really bothered to make a perception roll to check for one random encounter that was next to door that had to be walked through. Second mistake. That encounter happened to be the second-toughest adversary in the game (if we don't count the mega-adversary).

Combat proved to be horrifically brutal and merciless. Maybe it gets easier if you have some items and victory points in reserve, but as it happened, the adversary number 5 brutalised one of the characters to 1 health remaining.

The other character ran to rescue him and managed to survive the beasts attacks with only one wound taken, so the other character was able to escape.

Next round it was the rescuers attempt to escape. Failed and she was killed outright. And because other character lose one health when someone else dies, it was game over for us.

So, really.

It's not a walk in the park when darkness comes.

Because if there is no time limit, you really must take every precaution you can before entering into the unknown.

Also, the "pseudo roleplaying" style of the game was a tough nut to crack for someone who has played mostly miniature games, where "on the go" house rules are a big no-no. But to counter that I think it would be good to come up with a list of skill uses that are "approved" within my box of When Darkness Comes.

Fried Cygnaran Thigh

Today I finally get to play a game of Warmachine first time for a couple of weeks.

I've started new studies, which has seriously reduced my time to nerd around. The woe that is me...

Anyway. We played a 35 point game, me being Cryx and opponent waving a Cygnaran flag.

My list was:

Epic Asphyxious
- Harrower
- Cankerworm
- Nightwretch

Minimum unit of Bane Thralls + Unit Attachment
Withershadow Combine
Pistol Wraith
Skarlock
Gorman diWulfe
Orin Midwinter

And opponent had:

Kara Sloan
- Hunter
- Thunderhead

Maximum unit of Long Gunners
Maximum unit of Sword Knights
Black 13th
Squire
Reinholdt

In the pictures the Charger model represents Hunter.

We were playing a randomised scenario that happened to be the Gauntlet. To us it looked like just another word for a "caster kill" ...

Anyway, I won the starting roll and first picture is from the end of opponents first turn.

Sword Knights looked like a delicious spot for landing in a Deathknell. Which is what I eventually did, since I've rarely got much mileage out of that spell.

First I did a little blooper, though. I wanted to Death Chill the Thunderhead for obvious reasons. I moved Pistol Wraith as forward as possible and took a shot at it. I was about 1.5 inches out of reach, so it wasn't even a close call. So, Pistol Wraith just floated through a building and turned corporeal, nothing else.

Then Nightwretch ran into position to launch a Deathknell. In the end I got a little bit less models under than I originally wanted, making it so-and-so sort of a trade, as I was certain I'd lose my only arc node in the process.

Epic Asphyxious, being always a courageous warcaster, teleported into safety after moving up, putting Soul Reaper on two sword knights (failing to kill the other...) and launching Deathknell.

At this point I managed to take a picture of Lord Toruk him/herself.

S/he looked a bit disinterested.

Oh, and then it was opponents turn. Refuge was cast on Thunderhead. Kara Sloan blasted the fumbling Pistol Wraith and took a shot at Nightwretch.

Thunderhead then moves up, makes its special attack, killing two Bane Thralls and landing in a sustained attack to nightwretch, who was electrocuted fast enough.

Black 13th shot a fire beacon and combined their powers with Long Gunners to kill as many bane thralls as possible. The standard bearer passed tough roll twice before finally getting killed. Hmm. Remembering past games it's starting to look like the only model in my bane thrall unit that passes tough rolls is the standard bearer itself?

Suddenly my army looked being so much... less... on the table.

And now it looks like I have forgotten to take a picture from the end of my next turn.

First, Harrower moves up, loaded with two focus, and shoots Hunter that's hiding in rubble. After an amazing damage roll Hunter loses both its cannon and movement.

Orin Midwinter moves next to Harrower and shoots lightning at Long Gunners who were standing in a row near bane thralls. Three fried cygnarans there and then.

A couple Dark Fires later (from Withershadow Combine) Long Gunners took a morale check and decided to leave.

Gorman diWulfe moved up and throwed Black Oil on Thunderhead. Now that was a close call, but Thunderhead was left under. I don't even want to imagine how different game would have looked had Thunderhead been... umm... unblind?

Remaining Bane Thralls ran up to engage Black 13th.

Opponent then beat all the bane thralls into a pulp and Gorman diWulfe didn't continue his legacy as being invincible (maybe because he had managed to throw his bombs before getting any hits?) as first sword knight scored a hit and did rather horrible damage.

Kara Sloan cast Refuge on herself, went into forest, took a couple of shots at Cankerworm and then ran into safety again. Cankerworm was left with three damage boxes, which were luckily in movement and cortex.

On my next turn Orin Midwinter continued to serve cygnarans their own medicine. Shooting lightning at the Hunter he managed to score a hit on Hunter and whole unit of Black 13th. First damage roll against Black 13th was botched, though, and the Ryan or Watts or whatever it was, survived.

Harrower advanced and shot at Kara Sloan. To my demise I messed up my order of activations and hadn't cast Puppet Master on it, which resulted in a miss.

Then Cankerworm advanced into contact with Squire and tried to kill it with a boosted attack roll. Missed with 1, 1, 2 and then bought another attack with Replicator with focus that was reserved for boosting damage. Missed. With affinity movement it advanced to engage Kara.

Asphyxious tried to charge the sword knights who had killed Gorman, but failed miserably. Only a third attack scored a hit. But he did use his feat and teleported away.

Bane Thralls managed to wreck Thunderhead and Pistol Wraith then charged Kara, resulting in all kinds of misses.

On opponents turn Kara shot Cankerworm with Dust to Dust and took aimed shot at Orin Midwinter to punish him for his crimes. Another shot dropped Maelovus.

Long Gunners killed Skarlock too.

Then it was the last turn. Harrower was allocated 3 focus.

Withershadow combine activated and Tremulus put puppet master on Harrower and Admonia tried to launch a Dark Fire on Kara Sloan.

Kara was in cover, which meant defense value of 20 against shooting. What I intended to do was to get an accurate measurement of 10" (which was Harrower's threat range) to see if it'd be better to try to charge or shoot a ghost shot. But what I did was rolling double 6's instead, scoring a hit. Damage roll happened to be rather excessive too.

And Harrower was easily within range.

Epic Haley: The horror reveals itself to me

Today I played a 50 point game of Warmachine. I played again with Goreshade the Bastard and he was confronted by epic Haley.

We rolled a scenario, which was Destruction.

My list was:

Goreshade the Bastard
- Ripjaw
- Helldiver
- Nightmare
- Reaper

Full unit of Satyxis Raiders + Sea Witch
Two minimum units of Bile Thralls!
Necrotech & Scrap Thrall
Bane Lord Tartarus
Warwitch Siren
Satyxis Captain
Gorman diWulfe

And opponent had:

Epic Haley
- Thorn
- Hammersmith

Arcane Tempest Gun Mages + Officer
Stormblades + Unit Attachment
Black 13th
Maximum unit of Swordknights
Arlan Strangewayes
Journeyman Warcaster
- Hunter

The khadoran warjacks there are destruction objectives.

Lancer represents Thorn, headless and armless plastic jack is the Hammersmith and Charger is trying to fit in the boots of Hunter.

Anyway, opponent won the starting roll and the picture is taken from the end of my first round.

Looking at it now it almost looks like nothing bad is going to happen. I had cast Shadowmancer. However, next turn:

Thorn ran forwards to negate my battlegroups stealth. Then Haley tried twice to cast a telekinesis on Nightmare but failed both rolls. It would almost have been better if the latter would have worked, as opponent changed plans and cast Domination on Reaper. Reaper then stomped about and killed Tartarus with a good damage roll.

Opponent then charged Reaper with Hammersmith but failed every single attack roll against Reapers back arc. A couple of sword knights did some serious damage then, though. But Reaper still had it's melee arm and cortex left intact.

Oh, and obviously Haley had used her feat, but until my own turn began I didn't realise how screwed I actually was.

Picture taken from the end of my turn looks this way:

I did next to nothing.

I had thinked epic Haley's feat to be a pulse-like effect. So that if I brought my Bane Thralls from my own feat and Helldiver that wasn't on table when Haley used her feat they wouldn't suffer from it.

Reading the Haleys card again was a harsh lesson. There was no loophole for navigating through her feat. So Goreshade didn't use his feat and Helldiver went back down to earth.

Gorman diWulfe did manage to throw Black Oil on Thorn, but it didn't really matter, as Thorn could walk into position.

Haley cast Time Bomb and Telekinesis around.

Time Bomb killed the necrotech and telekinesis moved Ripjaw near Thorn. Gorman diWulfe took two points of damage from time bomb. I need to write this down to continue the legacy of Gorman, the arm 12 model that always takes damage first, often multiple times during fight, until he dies.

Then swordknights killed what was left of Reaper (three damage boxes if memory serves) and Hammersmith charged time bombed Goreshade.

This is where I took another lesson. For some reason I read Deathwalkers stat card again. Somehow I had never noticed that Dark Restoration had been changed a lot from Mk1 rules. Until this day I had been playing Goreshade wrong, as Dark Restoration no longer places Goreshade on Deathwalker. Deathwalker just dies and Goreshade heals one damage point.

Goreshade was then promptly hammersmith'd.