Dragon Rampant - Aslan's Army.

With the first outing later today.
Just time to post up the valiant defenders of Narnia - Aslan, The Pevensie children and the numerous Talking Animals who stand up to the tyrany of the White Witch.

Set out below are the various troop stats for deploying Aslan's Army with Dragon Rampant.
Total Points Playable 95

Aslan (6)
The Lion King of the land of Narnia.
Greater War Beast + Spellcaster
10 Points
Spells - Almighty Prod!, Banish Fear, Befuddle Thee!.

High King Peter the Magnificent (6)
Eldest of the Pevensie Children flanked by Aslan's standard carried by a Centaurs one of the nine classes of Narnian Creatures.
Heavy Riders.
4 Points

Kind Edmund the Just (6)
Second son and Third Child of the Pevensie family.
Riding a Gryphon.
Greater War Beast (Flying)
8 Points

Queen Susan the Gentle (6)

Eldest of Pevensie Daughters, flanked by a Company of Red Dwarves one of the Nine Classes of Narnian Creature.
Susan is armed with an Enhanted Bow.
Heavy Missiles
5 Points

Queen Lucy the Valiant (6)
Youngest of the Pevensie children and accompanied by Mr Tumnus.
Susan carries the Juice of the Fire Flowers, this Cordial heals all who take it.
Ravenous Hordes.
3 Points
Spells - Heal Thee!. 

Satyrs (12)
One of the Nine classes of Narnian Creatures, Goat like in appearance.
Heavy Foot
4 Points

Satyrs (12)
One of the Nine classes of Narnian Creatures, Goat like in appearance.
Heavy Missiles.
4 Points

Fauns (12)
One of the Nine classes of Narnian Creatures, with the legs and feet of Goats.
Light Foot.
3 Points

Fauns (12)
One of the Nine classes of Narnian Creatures, with the legs and feet of Goats.
Light Missiles.
4 Points

Faun Leader (6)
Light Foot
Offensive
5 Points

Faun Shaman (6)
Light Foot
3 Points

Centaurs (6)
Centaurs one of the nine classes of Narnian Creatures, Half Man, Half Horse.
Heavy Riders plus Missiles.
5 Points

Centaurs (6)
Centaurs one of the nine classes of Narnian Creatures, Half Man, Half Horse.
Elite Riders.
6 Points

Boar (6)
Large and aggressive.
Lesser War Beast
4 Points

War Dogs (6)
Honest, humble and loyal in battle.
Lesser War Beasts
4 Points

Gentle Giant of Harfang (12)
A race of tall beings, one of the nine classes of Narnian Creatures.
Elite Foot
6 Points

Giant Eagles (6)
Magestic creatures of the skys.
Elite Riders - Flying
6 Points

Talking Beasts (6)
The animals of Narnia given the gift of speach and dominion over the Dumb Beasts.
Lesser War Beast
4 Points

The White Stag (6)
The quest of the great hunting parties said to grant the wishes of it's captors accompanied by Unicorns they are fierce in battle leading the charge with their horns.
Heavy Riders
4 Points

The battle lines are drawn...

Sharp Practice 2 - An Egyptian Adventure.

Great news - the new version of Sharp Practice landed in the in-box this morning.

Some light reading for the weekend and time to plan the All New Adventures of Ensign Claude Canard and his Friend and mentor Ensign Côtelettes de Mouton of the French Sloop "Le Vendeen"

Claude Canard and Côtelettes de Mouton have been on long leave for a few years SP2 is just the nudge they needed to pull on their boots.

Ensign Claude Canard of the "Le Vendeen"

Every hero needs a side kick. Ensign Côtelettes de Mouton

Time to pull together some shiny new army lists for adventuring in the Middle East.

Another fine production from Mr Clarke....

Dragon Rampant - Narnia. The Army of the White Witch.

Another slow week on the gaming front, but with some over night stays at work, time to catch up on the reading front. I have been itching to get some game time in with Dragon Rampant and have a couple of Fantasy Armies moth balled since Hordes of Things was popular
But with a little adjustment here and there the forces are easily re-purposed Dragon Rampant.

Inspired by the 2005 movie The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. I built up opposing forces for refighting the Battle of Beruna the final battle scene in the movie.
The books were a must read for me as a child and it has to be said the movies did capture the flavour of the stories, the kids even took an interest on what was on the painting table which can't be bad.

It turned into one of those projects that was almost more fun tracking down suitable figures than the actual painting and playing.

A typical Dragon Rampant engagement usually calls for 24 Army points but as usual I got a little carried way, but it does give me plenty of scope to vary the troop types and put down more unusual pieces.

Set out below are the various troop stats for deploying The Army of the White Witch.
Total Points playable 79.

Jadis - The White Witch (6)
Self-proclaimed Queen of Narnia and responsible for the Hundred Years of Winter.
Heavy Riders (Chariot) + Spellcaster
10 Points
Spells - Dragon's Breath, Sharper Blades.

Black Dwarf - Ginarrbrik (6)
Personal servant of Jadis, the White Witch.
Elite Foot
6 Points

Minatour (12)
Enormous earth shaking creatures with Bulls Heads, under the command of General Otmin.
Bellicose Foot
Terrifically Shiny Armour.
6 Points

Dire Wolves (6)
Under the command of Maugrim, a servant of the White Witch and Captain of the Witch's Secret Police.
Greater War Beasts
Cunning.
8 Points

Wildmen (12)
Barbarian hordes from the Western Wilds and early decendants from Telmar.
Light Foot plus Missiles.
5 Points

Rats (6)
Hordes of the foul beasts
Lesser War Beasts
4 Points

Black Dwarves (12)
One of the Nine Classes of Narnian Creature, darker cousins of the Red Dwarves.
Heavy Missiles
4 Points

Satyrs (12)
One of the Nine classes of Narnian Creatures, Goat like in appearance.
Heavy Foot
4 Points

Nasties (6)
Evil beings present at the slaying of Aslan at the stone table. 

Elite Foot
6 Points

Horrors (6)
Evil beings present at the slaying of Aslan at the stone table.
Lesser War Beasts
4 Points

Werewolves (12)
Men who by will or enhantment are able to turn into Wolves.
Bellicose Foot plus Missiles
5 Points

Nasties Leader (6)
Elite Foot
4 Points

Nasties Shaman (6)
Elite Foot
4 Points

Witches Cannon (12)
A monsterous gun manned by Hags.
Heavy Missile
4 Points

Looking forward to the first outing on Sunday - As soon as Aslan gets his forces in order over the weekend.

Thoughts and observations welcome on any tweaks to the forces and the unit types as they may well change once I have committed figures to table.

The Water Margin - Outlaws of the Marsh AAR#1

Games seem to have been a little thin on the ground recently, but last week saw the opportunity to grab a few hours and a chance to put the new Advanced Songs of Blades and Heroes through it's paces.

The latest rule book does not contain any scenario's but their are plenty in the orginal rule books.

We randomly rolled and ended up with "Burn them out"

The defender places a building, which represents an HQ, food store, armory, etc. that his warband is using, in the middle of the table. 

The defender’s models are first setup within Long distance of the target. The attacker then rolls a die,  the number rolled being the number of characters that are bearing torches (I our case 4).

The attacker announces which models have torches, then places his models within Short distance of any table edge, and not within Long distance of any enemy model. 

Victory conditions: the attacker wins if he succeeds in destroying the target building. If all attacker models carrying torches are killed or flee the table, the defender wins. 

Simple.

So our scenario saw Lin Ch'ung until a week ago an honourable officer in the imperial army. Now a victim of a plot by Kao Chiu to discharge him from the the army in disgrace, on route to
Tsang Chou jail. 

He is taken in by Shih Chin - Tattooed Dragon local land owner when the compound is attacked by elements of the Imperial Army looking to kill Lin Ch'ung.

With the approach of the attackers at dusk, in Ch'ung emerges from the farm house with a number of local's standing ready to defend their homestead.

The corrupt Army approach the farm on three sides, with archers taking down a number of the farm hands who are unable to return fire only being armed with hand to hand weapons. They fall back to the far end of the road out of close range.

Shih Chin and Lin Ch'ung having sort cover in the walled compound emerge to stop the advancing soldiers dispatching two of the torch bearers before they could come within reach of the farm house.

Seeing the heroes standing up to the oppresive garrison bolsters the farm hands resolve, who advance on the attackers grappling with the remaining torch bearer.

In a bloody fight in which many on both sides are killed, Lin Ch'ung is knocked to the ground by a cunning billman who stuck him in the back while he faced off against the Army Officer.
As it looked like our heroes journey would end the soldiers morale crumbled as the last torch was snuffed out and they fled into the darkness.

The Soldiers flee having seen over half their number fall. Leaving the farm in the hands of the locals and our two bruised heroes.
Had fate intervened for Lin Ch'ung?

A great scenario played through in a little over an hour and half.

The Advanced rule book has a great feel to it in particular the new failed reaction rule makes for a interesting amendment to the game style, it allows you to slow or block your opponent and hinders potentially that show stopping move.

In our scenario above, that one action was enough to allow a peasant to throw himself in front of Lin Ch'ung's would be killer.

It certainly gives you more to consider - without destroying the overall feel of SoBH.

"Do I take the turn over or take the single actions and allow my opponent to finish their turn?"

Plenty more to come in the following weeks as Lin Ch'ung continues his journey to Tsang Chou jail.

Until then remember.

"Do not despise the snake for having no horns, for who is to say it will not become a dragon?"

Chinese Provincial Militia.... Yet more bad guys...

After the latest modern outing time to go back to the original painting plan and begin to reduce the mountain of lead which seems to has increased somewhat in recent months.

At least until the postman arrives on Monday.

Damn you Wargames Butterfly......

Having painted the local Prefect for the recent Hammerhead outing, I though it only right and proper that he had his own guard detail to protect the emperors taxes.

Definately not historically accurate but very much in keeping with the 1970's TV series where the local police were in a blue and red type uniforms and the Imperial guard in Yellow, besides I had flag to use up and had already cut the flaming thing out and all of the frills.

 The prefect making sure everything is in order.

I am itching to pull the various bits together now and kick off a number of linked scenario's using Advanced Songs and Blades which hit the door mat a few weeks ago.

One idea would be to follow the episodes guide in the DVD box set. - That should keep me occupied for a while 48 Hrs of viewing let alone game time.