Visiting the GrimDark

 My son, Robb, came down from his place in London on Family Day and stayed for dinner. He and I played a game on the kitchen table using the GrimDark Codex for Galactic Heroes from Wiley Games. While the setting bears a resemblance to another game, that shall remain nameless here, the mechanics of the game itself are far simpler. One of the great advantages of Wiley Games offerings is the fact that no matter what the setting or era, the mechanics remain the same or almost the same.

Both Robb and I decided that the GrimDark Codex worked well for our game. He fielded a small warband of Warriors of a chaotic nature while I fielded a similar sized squad of what the codex calls "Dynasty." 

Some of Robb's Chaos-iters sneak around the ruined house we put in
the middle of the table.

Some others came around the other side of the house, including a Sorcerer type.

I think the big dude is an "Obliterator."

...which my pin-point accuracy on firing made short work of. (Whew!)

My Crisis Suit wearer jumped into the second floor of the house.

My Fireblade leader took up an ambush position.

Robb's "Possessed" (I think that what the thing is) faces the Gun Drone squad.
They were quite useful.

I came off the worst in this face-off.

These crazies kept attacking.

My gunner had taken two hits, but he stood his ground!

Actually earlier in the game, my Stealth Suit wearer laid a hurt
on the Chaos-ite wierdie.
(I've come to like heavy lasers.)

After the Stealth Suit bought the farm, 
the face down-continued with the three laser rifle armed
Fire Warriors shooting up the attacking Chaos... people.

The Sorcerer used two spells. One confused the gunner, the second
"held" him in place, denying him his actions.
But not for long!

The Gun Drone flight took one casualty, wiped out the Chaos troops
opposing them, then joined the Crisis Suit to reinforce the Dynasty right.

Here they come!
Red bead = wound
Blue bead = our of ammo
The Crisis Suit wearer didn't fare so well after this.

Hey! Wait! I took those guys down a little bit ago!
(Ah, I just liked the photo.)

Chaos won the day, leaving on lone Gun Drone alone... without a controller.

A great day and a good game! The Wiley Games rules really work and (I think) they're simpler than other rules around. We'll do another game before long. Robb has Chaos, Dynasty/Tau, and some Loyalist Marines. He wants some Traitor Guard in the future. I have some Dwarves from Wargames Atlantic that should serve has the Sons of Vultan another time. I have other troops that are un-named as yet.

Who knows? We may use a combo of the Horse & Musket and the magic/monster rules for some Napoleonic horror gaming. Keep up the good work, Jaye!

Been Busy... in more ways than one.

 I'm not going to say I have no free time. In truth, I probably waste a lot of the free time I have. Since I'm still working and have not retired yet, my ministry can be busy. Still I have taken time to paint and to play... and it is a joyful thing!

Here are a few things of busy-ness:

I attempted to use Wiley Games set of Sci-fi rules, "Galactic Heroes" to
play a skirmish game based on the novel and movies of DUNE.
Here you see Fremen warriors reacting to a grenade thrown by their Sardaukar
opponents.

More Fremen including one with a rocket launcher.
I felt that ninja figures would be the most likely to look like Fremen
so Ironwind Metals' version of old Ral Partha figures got the call for
both Fremen and Sardaukar. 

More blade armed Fremen.

The Sardaukar advance
More Ironwind figures using a sci-fi version of troopers.

Minimal terrain since it is Arrakis!
Here the Sardaukar rocket launcher has taken a hit.

A closer look at that rocket launcher.

So did Dune with Wiley Games rules work out? It did, with fits and starts. I need to fine tune the weapons offered and put more emphasis on knife work when fighting on Arrakis. The glitches were mine and not the rules. I'll do some more work and get back to you.

By the way, there was provision for having a Joker in the deck. If it was dealt, a Sandworm appeared and the game would be promptly adjourned!

From MiniaturesBeGone, some sort of sci-fi fighter.
I thought he'd and his team would serve as Landsraad troops

More Landsraad from MiniaturesBeGone.
3D printed and sent from the UK.

From MiniaturesBeGone, Sardaukar based on the 1984 movie's version of Dune.
I like the figures; I just didn't imagine the Sardaukar dressed that way.
The picture below is my favourite visualization - from a Dune calendar

Those I'd buy in a heart-beat!

This robot and his compatriot below were included in 
the Sci-fi trooper pack from MiniaturesBeGone.
I like it.

Bringing a gun to a robot fight? Smart!

This past Saturday, Andy and I tried out a new (to us) set of rules for battles in the era of the Seven Years War, Honours of War by Osprey Books. Andy, Ralph, and I ran Prussians vs. French. Ralph the Great's Prussians beat my French in this rule-trial game. It was not a blow-out, and there were a few "white knuckle" moments.

A brigade of French advance over some grain fields.
The field are cut up door mats less than a half-inch deep; just the right thing!
Dollar stores are great for such things.

My other brigade move through rough terrain - a hill and a forest. The blue coated outfit is a regiment
of the French army recruited in Germany,

Now we're getting into it! The red beads are hits.
"Hits" are both casualties and morale problems. No units disappeared without suffering some real hits!

Charge! See how the monster works!

I have to say I'm sold on these rules! I hope to cobble together either Russians or Austrians from my old KoenigKrieg based troops.

So we took the plunge! Our family purchased a 3D printer.
My eldest, Wren, ran off a ruined wall for me... and I'm pleased with the results.

An ancient Ral Partha King Arthur stands in the open wall... so all of us can get the scale.

Not bad at all, I say!

And you thought "normal" Canada geese were bad!
A 3D printed Hydra-goose given to Wren a while ago and finally got around to being painted by me.

A Wargames Atlantic camp follower offered by an auxiliary 3D printing firm
marketed with the Wargames Atlantic logo.
It's a great figure! The frying pan actually has two fried eggs molded in it!
How cool is that?

Another Wargames Atlantic camp follower, this time an armed one!
Perfect for a Silver Bayonet warband!
I'd recommend them!