Sunday, 28 June 2026

Dragon Rampant "Gimme me golden fleece back!" Bronze Age style.

 

I did a good job of these way back in 2018.   Every one is a conversion, mostly cast shield bits to turn round into figure 8.  Some carved up and then reassembled wrong.  A few added rags.  Mostly Alternative Armies.  I have some of their new ones to do a couple more chariots---.  Of all the uniformed armies I hate the most, skeletons top my list.




People have busy lives, players don't want to engage at a level.  The line 'em up and go approach is difficult to counter.  People turn up or have to leave at different times, players range from 2 to 5.  This is why you see me post games before play in the hopes of engaging them.

If you plan for involved for complicated you can dumb down.  At the time of writing I played 2 "swapsies" games with young Easton, Matt being restrained by a tardy Temu.  Our time was further constrained by Easton being involved by another game later.  Ho hum.  Still we got 2 enjoyable games in. 

2nd writing.  This is a tale that has grown in the telling.  Another day, 3 way game as planned plus scenarios.  All from 3x24p forces. 

Entoyment has produced a lot of printed terrain for use.  We turned up to this table and used it as-was.  Good one Carl!

Think then of one of those isausages triangles. Achaean Greek heroes with support of those who do all the work (in this case jolly sailors), have stolen one golden fleece contrary to common law. The alleged victim has unleashed the Hydra and an RDF of undead grown from the sown teeth of same wee beasty. Meanstwhile a horde of hairy centaurs (I have more to convert), are looking for a fight. Locals at one point, centaurs at the other and Greek raiders in the middle trying to get to the other edge, board ship and scarper. How's that for historical?

Three 24 point armies.  Brought to you by Regeneration.  AAR, the Hydra was never able to use it because those pesky centaurs kept it busy wild charging skirmishers who kept peppering it.  Don't mix regen with wild charge.

Quick footnote that these lighter Bronze Age forces are a hit with my group using these rules.


Locals.

10p  Hydra GW.

1 of 5

1

Move 6+ 10”


Attack 5+  Attack V 3+ Defence V 6 

Courage 3 Armour 4 


No shoot


Wild Charge.  Ranger.  Stomper.  Amphibious





Regeneration.  Move action to regain 1 SP 






6p Chariots 2 as 6

1

Move 5+ 10”


Attack 5+  Attack V 4+ Defence V 5  

Courage 4 Armour 4 


No shoot


Countercharge.  No rough or linear







4p Hydra Teeth 

L.Inf  12 

1

Move 5+ 8”


Attack 6+  Attack V 5+ Defence V4+ 

Courage 0 Armour 2 


No shoot


  Wall of Spear. Undead.






2p  Skirmishers  6

2

Move 5+ 8”


Attack 7+  Attack V6+ Defence V6  

Courage 0 Armour 1 


Shoot 7+ 5+  12”


Hard tgt. Arm 2 vs shoot, no tgt 12+”

Skirmish 7+   Evade 7+  Undead 

Centaurs



5p Centaurs Champ 6

2

Move 5+ 10”


Attack 5+  Attack V 4+ Defence V 5  

Courage 4 Armour 3 


No shoot


Countercharge.       Reroll 1 fail.






4p Centaurs  6

1-

Move 5+ 10”


Attack 5+  Attack V 4+ Defence V 5  

Courage 4 Armour 3 


No shoot


Countercharge.       






4p  Centaur Amazon 

Bow  6

1

Move 5+ 12”


Attack 7+  Attack V5+ Defence V6  

Courage 5 Armour 3 


Shoot 6+ 5+  12”


Skirmish 7+   Evade 7+ 






3p  Centaur  Jav  6

2

Move 5+ 12”


Attack 7+  Attack V5+ Defence V6  

Courage 5 Armour 3 


Shoot 6+ 5+  6”


Skirmish 7+   Evade 7+ 







Achaean Heroic 

Fleece Robbers





6p  Heroes E. Inf 

3

Move 5+ 6”


Attack 5+  Attack V 3+ Defence V4+   

Courage 3 Armour 4 


No shoot


.Ranger






2p  Skirmishers  6

3

Move 5+ 8”


Attack 7+  Attack V6+ Defence V6  

Courage 5 Armour 1 


Shoot 7+ 5+  12”


Hard tgt. Arm 2 vs shoot, no tgt 12+”

Skirmish 7+   Evade 7+ 


Game 1.  Easton took the Centaurs.  I've not played undead before. 


I advanced, Easton did a cracking job of annoying and peppering my Hydra.  Here it's broken and reduced to half and being assaulted by heavies.  Look, that's an endangered species!  My skirmishers have successfully evaded.




Heavies took another life from my Hydra but then sensibly ran.


My undead have formed a wall of spear and his heavies are about to ride down my skirmishers.


1 skirmisher remaining and chariots take a hit from the archers


Poor Hydra's led astray - a morale roll and it's lost 4.  3, general not close enough so -1.  It's gone!



Remaining heavies are charged by my chariots.  They go but my general is broken.


Centaur general smashes the skeletons.  Below half so no effective wall of spear.  General keeps going!



Crash!


Game 2.  Swapsies.


Easton takes full advantage of the terrain I didn't have!



Hydra sneaking around the flank.




My light cav did much worse than Easton's use.  Never hurt the brute.  Hiding!


With the Hydra lured off, I take a daring dash!  General in the lead.  You have to play them to type, a centaur war leader is going to be an up front leader.


Ow, just ow.  Evade you twits!


Generals clash.  The centaurs unit gets stomped by the skirmishers first.  1 off the chariots but just the leader left.


Peek a boo!


General goes to shooting.  Nobody liked him.  My skirmishers do some damage.


Heavy cavalry crushes light infantry.


Oh crap--


Chariots go in.  Manky results all around, I get a 0 courage result!



I don't have enough to win!  Time to go--.



Day 2.  As planned!  But this time I've been stippling.  These are the bases used above (and some new)  Lettuce see how this looks--. Needs dark green and small tufts.

I spent more energy playing than taking pics - apologies!

Achaean resource redistributors.


Waskally wampant woustabouts!


Set up.  All they have to do is get the fleece off the table.


Here's Hydra!  I tried to use it's speed to head them off at the pass.


Raiders elite stand off a cavalry charge.


Come on if you think you're hard enough!  Skirmishers and chariots take over intercept duty.  My light infantry proved - sluggish and I never got all moving in a turn!


They are so close!


Centaurs begin to withdraw.




Ridden down by the centaurs, but general and fleece, and they are away!


Hydra is reduced by shooting, centaurs go orfski.


Hydra loses 1, rolls bad and is gone!



Our young Easton did fork off to do other things, so Matt and I hit the scenarios.

Scenario 2.  Grisly bloodfeud on the plains of doom.  Stomp the leader!  First you have to find him riding in his chariot o!


The choke point.  Anything with sconces* that big can smother you.
*With jam and cream even worse!


Hold the door!



They go one way so I swing the other.  If I can achieve numerical superiority--.



Charge!  That was - not good.


Bones ground to powder.


Blows away in the wind.  


Another go!  Rallied!


General vs General.  I go down in glory.


Scenario 7 The crystal gale.  Crystals are placed and the race is on!


We decided that once in contact the next move action was required to gain the prize.



I got orf to a slow start.


My skirmishers are forced to flee the prize, but inflict damage.


Didn't expect this to become the locus.



One seen off!


I lose, then - disappear!


I gain one but my skirmishers get cheesed.


I'm done - that was hard work!



Scenario 4 Hacky Valley.  Well we sort of didn't expect this.  Learning the lesson the Ottomans learn in the Balkans.  Without room to manoeuvre cavalry are in a whole world of hurt. Plus, the chariots went through everything!


Skellingbones looking like the thin off-white line.


Lights first, heavies in support.


Bunching up, skirmishers hit the high, rough ground I cannot. 


Starting to envelope.


Chariots have destroyed one, broken another heavy.  Rest concentrate on the Hydra.  Do they shoot the Hydra or the advancing skirmishers?  Infantry force javelins to flee broken!


Not good.  Red helmet is my leader--.



If I can just get the Hydra to half---.


General gone.  Outnumbered - game over.  That was -- vicious!


Hope you enjoyed this series.  Twas fun to do and worth the effort on new troops and upgraded painting.

Would be nice to hear of your version!
























































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