I'm planning a series of limited taster forces for Beach Head. But rather than do it in advance I thought I'd try the concept out first.
In the summer we lost days due to heat. Now we lose days for snow, ice and unsafe driving conditions.
Four new sets for OGAM
2x3 activation dice.
3 used-for-activation (plain) dice markers.
6 Awed or transfixed dice markers.
12 Activated markers (from Blotz)
Scenario. In the centre of the table you need two objectives to be recovered. My original thought was 2 mutually destroyed legends, but it could be baggage (as below), hostages or whatever you feel fits. Like my Olympics series, this has a limited points value and 2 legends limit.
These should be about a medium apart and normal deployment rules apply. I'd suggest 1-3 scenic items.
Now each force has to grab, or destroy, the objective and transport it to their baseline. How fast they move - hostages can be released and told to "Run"! Baggage probably restricted to road and Slow, motivated by the defending unit.
What worked:
Animals. Once the legends are gone, so goes the animals, usually with the invoking power-.
Fewer mortals means that once they are gone, god cannot return & game over.
Good, limited aims causes good game play. Use of limited terrain by the defender is very important, as is deployment. Well, it always is, but you know-.
Be firm, once the game has an ending, call it and do another one. Don't be afraid to do "swapsies" or repeats.
Osirus Q2 C4 256
Raise the dead, 1 action 1 mortal.
Healing, 2 actions 1 mortal, legend to stand, remove transfix.
Protection. Armoured trait on unit within 1 long until end turn.
Legends
Serpopard Q3 C3
Big. Dashing. Desert walk. Confound. Long move. Poison. 108
Son of Sebek
Q3 C3 Amphibious. Armoured. Ambusher. Big. 84
Mortals
Sons of the snake. Q4 C2. Ambusher.
Dashing. Desert walk. Long move. Poison. Shooter short. 8 x 38 = 304
God 256
Legends 192
Mortals 304
752
Anubis 232 Q2 C4
Animal mastery p30
Raise the dead, 1 action 1 mortal.
Legends
2x Beast of Ammut Q3 C4 Amphibious. Animal. Armoured. Huge. 98 = 192
Mortals
Jackals Q4 C2 Animal. Greedy 8x10 = 80
Hippo guard Q4 C3 Amphibious, Armoured, Big, Dashing. Hammering blow.
47 x 4 = 188
Mummies Q4 C2 Undead, Armoured, Slow 4x 18= 72
God 232
Legends 192
Mortals 340
764
Set 356
Q2 C4 Desert walk, Weather control, Confound, Plague, Poison, Shooter Long
Transfix.
Legends Hounds Q3 C3 Long, Dashing 2x 84 = 168
Mortals
Hounds Q4 C2 Animal Long, Dashing 25 x 4 = 100
Light spear Q4 C1 Desert walk 8 x 10 = 80
Mummies Q4 C2 Undead, Armoured, Slow 3 x 18 = 54
Set 356
Legends 168
Mortals 234
758
Isis Q2 C3 Transfix, Stealth, Healing, Teleportation. 304
Legends.
Beast. Q3 C4. Armoured. Desert walk. Huge 100
General. Q3 C2 Desert walk. 44
Mortals
Hatched. Q4 C2. Armoured. Desert walk. Long 4x 30 = 120
Formed. Q4 C3 Armoured. Desert walk. Long. 4x 38 = 152
Light spear Q4 C1 Desert Walk 4 x 10 = 40
Isis 304
Legends 144
Mortals 322
760
Sobek. Q2 C5 Amphibious, Dashing, Water God. 200
Legends
Beast of Sobek Q3 C3 Amphibious, Huge, Dashing, Armoured, Long move, Combat Master 126.
Son of Sobek Q3 C3 Amphibious, Big, Dashing, Armoured 88
Mortals
10 Lesser Sons Q4 C2 Amphibious, Dashing, Armoured 27 = 270
4 Crocodiles Q4 C2 Amphibious, Big, Animal, Short move, Armoured 18 = 72
Sobek 200
Legends 214
Mortals 342
756
Finally, the start of a new force! I've some "mundane" troops that need "doing up" that would be ideal for a new force. I have more of the new Lemurians: https://www.alternative-armies.com/collections/15mm-hof-science-fiction-range and several more bits to throw into the mix.
Both big cats are from Battle Valor: https://www.dragonfroggames.co.uk/product/elvian-war-blynkx-18-figures-
https://www.dragonfroggames.co.uk/product/legian-war-lions-18-figures-
The chariot from Magister Militum https://www.magistermilitum.com/era/fantasy.html?cat%5B0%5D=60037
Quick note on the first batch- (all) these games take part at Entoyment in Poole. All the high standard scenery, only roads were mine, is the shops - and is supposed to be 28mm or bigger. These designers need to look at trees and buildings!
Bast Q2 C4 292 Danger sense. V difficult target. Stealth. Protection.
Legends
Pharaoh Q3 C2 Shooter L. Long. 70
Priestess Q3 C3 Shooter L. Good shot. L. 96
Mortals.
Lions Q4 C2 Dashing. Animal 6 & 17 = 102
Cats Q4 C1 Stealth, Animal, free disengage 6 @ 12 = 72
Guards Q4 C3 Steadfast. Desert walk. 4 @ 27 = 108
God. 292
Legends 166
Mortals 282
740
Day 1 Game 1. Set vs Anubis. It became apparent that whilst I'd set the road thus, forces will align that I should have done it widdershins or diagon alley. Thus -
Set set's out. - "go that way".
A beast attacks the puppies, sending them reeling and broken!
The other one has far less luck against the spear, and gets bounced by the other unit. Anubis sneaks so as not to get shot-.
"Hah, I have you now" Push & shove ensues.
The big dog goes in and ravages the beast!
Only to then pick on the jackals!
A breather whilst the mummies shuffles up.
"Go grab that wagon! - Bugger!"
Down goes Anubis!
"Where did they go?"
And he's back! Grabbing the wagon. Marker show they were the invocatorists.
Set dashes in "Oi! get yer paws off!" And gets clobbered as thanks.
Grab the other wagon--.
Set's back. Dashes in.
Wallop with the staff again! Set goes down. And the last "4" does a runner, so he cannot return. Game over.
The Charlie Foxtrot single bases I've used for legends work - but I've got to finish them orf. More post Beach Head jobsworth!
The only chance to stop Sobek.
While the brute's distracted grab that wagon.
Big snappy (One of Ganesha's from Alternative Armies in some obscure scale) tries his luck and gets gone.
Some see this as a disadvantage - but to me having to hunt for the figures is worth it. Here you have Museum Miniatures, Battle Valor, Gods of Aegyptus, Splintered Light and Peter Pig - Magister Miletum in the distance.
Yes, the plot - grab the wagons and get 'em going!
Confidence is high - distract the brute!
Take that!
But the crocs make it snappy! Crunch!
Bundle the beast!
Not enough - clobber the crocs instead.
Rolls 1, is C3 and +2 as greatly outnumbers (11 vs 4) for a pushback.
The General does spectacularly well.
Damn, the beast was the best hope to quell the savage beast!
Crush the infantry, kill the power base!
Sobek grabs the wagons.
This is close - only one "4" left on the field, but Sobek is very powerful and has the wagons.
Game 3. All-new Bast vs Osirus.
Using animals is fun, they're cheap - BUT! If your legends die, they go---.
Bast has to have cats, Pendraken has fantastic ranges that includes animals. Cats in 5 sized but all in the same pose. I was tempted to have regimented lines of cats descending the scales. https://www.pendraken.co.uk/animals-834-c.asp
Set up.
"Get orf that wagon!"
Chariots move up in support.
Slapped down.
Oh the iggynimminny! Rolls 1, is a 2 and +1 for a massive 4. Somehow only a pushback!
Ow! Her turn to be slapped down!
Bast's forces retire on morale.
Get those wagons moving and manoeuvre to protect them.
Long distance to travel-.
Osirus is moving the wagons and troops as fast as Bast can move them forward. Game over.Day 2 Game 1
Look! It's Matt not Tony! Gasp!
Bast again, vs Set.
Not a bad day, in 6ish hours I got in 5 games, Matt 3 and Tony 3.
Set up. Minor change, road now diagonal. Cosmetic but good change.
Chariot gets jumped and overun.
Race for the wagons.
Mutual destruction! Ah wait! I had animals - then I didn't!
So it's 'er and the guards!
Clever! Doggy grabs the wagon and puuuuls!
Without the guards she cannot come back!
They put up a good fight! But that just left -- game over!
Game 2 a quick "swopsies". Slight change. River was an excellent change/focus.
And they're orf!
One legend down-.
Wagon railroaded.
Shoot the pussies!
On a roll, now the mummies!
Taking a shot - pushback.
A proper confused melee that goes nowhere.
6:1! Bast wins! Set's forces fall apart. Second legend goes so doggies go - leaving no-one to bring him back!Game 3 Sobek vs Anubis. Crocs vs hippos. Tony turned up at the opportune time, Matt had some leeway before playing Legion so they had a mutual quicky (as consenting adults) for once!
Note the dead zone.
Just enough! Considering the size of the forces, it don't arf look busy. Start of the Battle for the Wagon.
2 hippo's vs 1 croc for control of a wagon. That's fantasy wargaming that is!
Now this is overkill - but the wagon is captured and dragged.
Hyenas praying, using new blank dice markers. Saves confusion.
Crunch! Croc's get clobbered!
Wagons dragged & captured! Job done-. We ended it there, saved bloodshed!
Game 4. A quickie swapsie with me. We know no shame - I nearly missed this one!
Can you guess which side I'm playing?
Sobek attacks the Hippo guard. He rolls a 1. They don't. He's dead. Curse those mortals!
Could be worse, they're all back in a bunch.
It's still my activation, slow advance.
Where did he come from?
He's back and he's not a happy crocky.
Another legend bites the dust.
"Hah I have you now and I'm your muvver."
Oh yes, get those wagons moving!
He's back. Reverse crunch. Sobek's got no more "4"s so game over.Game 5! Yes 5. Out with the Ladies! Bast's 4th game. Isis's 2nd.
How's that for a tight fit?
Giraffe yer 'aving! Why is it always the first one of a game?
Imhoduck looks on inscrutibullly on.
First clash.
Nutcracker tactics, but they've got hard shells.
Slapped down and head under the tap!
Gone - and back by pussy power!
Bast bashed! The guards go - that's her heavy hitters!
Back and fuming. Another 6:1!
They're not going away - this could have been a much shorter game.
Chitter chitter, pushed back.
Chariot repulsed, wagon within their grasp!
Pick on the big puddy tats? You sure?
Crunching on the last legend - there go the animals!
Now it's all or nothing as Bast cannot come back.
Excuse me, coming through-
Scenario. In the centre of the table you need two objectives to be recovered. My original thought was 2 mutually destroyed legends, but it could be baggage (as below), hostages or whatever you feel fits. Like my Olympics series, this has a limited points value and 2 legends limit.
