Song of Blades and Heroes. Going Classical.

 We felt the need for pre-industrial skirmish rules.  There ain't none.  So let's go back to where it all began.  I chose pirates 'cos they were the first beaded non SF I found.

I took these from the online builder - I guess I used the wrong one as not all are explained in the rules.  Then it clicked.  I thought I'd purchased Advanced, instead I'd got Revised.  Never mind, we're old hands and can extrapolate like a science Dalek.

I didn't go overboard working out points.  You get 300.  1/3 can be spent on personalities.  Easiest way was to work on 3rds.  Thus hand weapons get 4, pistols 3.  Crew 2 was a bit cheaper, so one with 2 pistols.

Crew 1

Longjohn - Personality Points 70

Quality 3+ Combat 2

Handgun (W)

Clumsy, 

Dead Shot (P), 

Leader (L,P)

Ms Dash - Personality
Points 32	Quality 4+	Combat 2
Traits	Disarming Block (MA),  Master Duelist (P)

Pirates with hand weapons Points 24  C J U Y 

Quality 4+Combat 2

Gang, 

Greedy, 

Reckless

Pirates with Pistols  E L D
Points 32	Quality 4+	Combat 2
Traits	Gang, Greedy,  Handgun (W),  Reckless

Crew 2 

Sir Cumvention Points 56

Quality 3+Combat 2

Greedy,   Q test 1D, if fails, requires 1 activation to stop. 

Lead from the Front (L,P), 

Master Duelist (P)

Harry the Axe
Points 42	Quality 3+	Combat 2
Traits	Axe and Sword Technique (W),  Reactive (P)

Pirates with hand weapons - - T G
Points 23	Quality 4+	Combat 2
Traits	Gang,  Greedy,  Reactive (P)

Pirates - with guns I N B
Points 30	Quality 4+	Combat 2
Traits	Gang,  Greedy,  Handgun (W),  Reactive (P)

The Game.

Tony took Sir Cumvention and rolled as defender.  He decided to set up outside the King Charles, obviously waiting for opening time to get in there and quaff.  He also got initiative.

Here come my attackers. Sneaking in.

Group moves pushes the aggressors on.  Getting into pistol range.

I manage not to get any reactions, then I move a wee bit.

Longjohn and a young lady (possibly a niece or possibly assistant)  She lines up for a shot - misses.

Fools rush in and the girl becomes the first casualty.

A quick clash cuts down another - 1 each.

Now the action switches to the other teams & Harry the Axe charges in.  He is met by Ms D who puts him on his arse.  Then skewers 'is giblets.

Another one dashes in, but gets chopped down dead.

J is the last - 3 fails, one reaction then turnover.

The sneaky is sneaked up on, but there's a lot going on--.

Break for Longjohn while everyone's hopefully looking the other way.

Time these 3 did something?

Finding himself being targeted, discretion and distance!

The 2 - gunner from Sir Cumvention

finds himself bracketed, one side by the runner and the other by Longjohn. He takes a shot at each, missing.

  Miss D utters a (possibly rude) challenge to the ungallant Sir.

But the cad rounds on the salt to his right.  

A grizzly death (3x opponents total)

That prompts a morale test.

Ms D and this fine fellow legs it like proper.

This one does a runner in search of his mates.

That leaves Longjohn and his mate.  

Plus the 2 hiding behind the building.  

2 run off, 2 dead.  

Not good.

The 2 rearguards dash forward to meet up.  One takes a shot, evens the numbers a bit.  

J dashes in, his opponent runs away, but finds himself surrounded and cut down!

A general surge forward clears the deck.

Longjohn and his mate retire--

The cad, victorious!

1)  My scenery wasn't designed for skirmish but it don't look bad.

2) No major difference from using Flashing Steel, so not the best test.  Can and will do better.

Some scenery porn for you. 

RS Pirates & Daleks celebrate Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Upon sacred Talk Like A Pirate Day 

We travail to the quarries of the Isle of Purbeck, where so much Dr Who was filmed

This is not really a Timewars game but more of "in a spirit of".

I mentioned last time that I'd got "stuff".  Not only are these 3 Blotz bits unpainted, the glue is still wet.

Skaro Daleks. Blacktop, 2 Drones, Ogron leader & 2 troopers 198

Tactical discipline Cool under fire 8 -1pin. Armour3 Crawl 1” Walk 2” Run 4” Sprint 6”

Daleks not affected by bolster, encourage, guidance, mindbolt, mindscream, nightmares, mind control.

+1 spotting. Halve distance if aimed shot. Nonreactive -2 all reaction rolls.

Blacktop sub-commander Artificial, Nonreactive, Leadership1 Marksman1 Tough1 24 Total 33

Bionic eyes 4

Laser pistol (4) mounted variable, 9

Drone Artificial, Marksman1 Nonreactive, Tough1 18 Total 27

Bionic eyes 4

Laser pistol (4) mounted variable, 9

Ogron Militia

Officer Leader 2, Marksman, Reactive, Veteran Tough, 36 Total 47

Kevlar2, 6 Zap pistol (3) Electrical, Short range, Energy, 5 11

Trooper Marksman, Reactive, Tough, 19 Total 32

Kevlar2, 6 Zap rifle (4) Electrical, 2 handed, Energy, 7 13

Pirate Crew, um, Pirates.

Longjohn, Bilge, 3 crew. Opportunity fire +1 shooting on reaction.

Long John Silvaaar.

Fire into Melee, Leader2, Marksman2 Stealth2 Tough, Veteran. 49 Total 53

Flintlock. (4) Reload. Short range. 4

Crew Ruff, Aaarse, Puckle

Fast, Marksman2, Stealth2 Tough, 30 Total 34

Musket (4) Reload 4

Bilge. Ambidextrous Fast, Marksman2, Stealth2 Tough, 44 Total 52

2x Flintlock. (4) Reload. Short range. (8)

Bosun Yaaar. Ambidextrous Fast, Weaponmaster2, Stealth2 Tough, 34 Total 38

2 Swords (2) Primitive (4)

The game.  as is our wont, the pirate crew are placed randomly.  I took the locals and Tony the cruel invaders.

Here, all is peaceful, the locals go about their everyday business little suspecting the horrors to come!

The transmat glows, an ethereal, inhuman figure materialises.

Sensing danger close, the horror advances and exterminates!

Another!

"Wot do us do captain!"

Sneak up for a shot-

Exterminate!  So Long John does, taking careful aim-.  Armour is made for specific threats.  Hit it with something different-.  You should see kevlar get hit by an arrow-.

But here comes another-.

Hide, seek and destroy!

That's not supposed to happen-.

Now an Ogron.

Break left - wait, what's that?

Captains second kill.  Aaaarse!

Penny shows he's unloaded.

The next Ogron charges him as he calmly reloads - fires.  No.3.

Do you think he's drawing attention to his location?

Here comes the Big Boss.

Aaarse tries a shot from cover, but only causes a pin.

He suffers the consequences.

Now it's Puckle's turn.  Same result.  Here he comes!  Puckle gets shot, wounded and thrown into the corner.

He lets loose in desperation from the ground!  The heavy slug tears through, causing catastrophic damage.  The leader is gone!

That was vicious.  Surprisingly balanced game.  It also lasted about 90 Rels.

Game 2  This one proves that placement is everything.  Again the starting positions were diced for.

I have a quandary with bases for pirates.  The yellow-sand one is my original.  The burnt ocher one is a "basic". and the Tea leaf scrub is my latest. 

Problem is, there's always ground cover where they look off.

Cracking on - Daleks pour through the transmat.

Exterminate!  This time the Captain goes down.

Don't stand on top of a hill - when you get shot you suffer another pin rolling down it.

Sneak, weapon leveled-.

Dalek down, takes serious damage.

Black Top comes through, goes to repair damaged drone.

What?  Oh shit - heads for cover, dodging ray blasts.

Drone repaired, Black top performs outflanking manoever.

Puckle gets crafty!  He runs behind his first foe and blasts it from point blank.  This was a most entertaining fight!

The Black Top goes down to a long shot from Aarse in the ruins.

Now the Ogrons turn up.

Puckle makes a break.

Aaarse shoots & moves.

Ogron checks on the Black Top. He;s probably got the remote.

He's close, real close.  Puckle puckers down.

The Ogron goes hunting the shooter, but gets the worst of it.

Another Ogron, Puckle bides his time.

The damaged Dalek finally gets rid of enough pins to move.

Aarse shoots the poor Dalek from behind.  Have they no shame, these pirates!

Now it's an Ogron vs Pirate game.  Two hunt towards the last shot and their fallen comrade.

A fusilade of shots!  The pirates bang away!  Pennies show unloaded.

First Aarse gets it.

"I'm staying put!"

Puckle goes down!

The last one is winkled out.

But what's this? The Bilge that got shot n tumbled has managed to get up.  He lays it on an unsuspecting Ogron!

That leaves 2 opponents in cover on opposite sides of the table.  Impasse and fin. What a different game!