A Dog Rescue Gets Hairy!

Having successfully torn myself away from the seedy underworld of Hong Kong on the Xbox for the moment its back to game development at last... 

Work on the Napoleonic skirmish game has re-commenced. 

This play test involved some new mechanics designed to capture the feel of sharp melodramatic action in the Napolonic era. In particular these entail a new simpler To Hit method, eliminating the need to keep track of who has a loaded weapon, and changes to the effects of Reaction Tests.

Although this game used my Flintloque figures, these were the only fantasy element in the game.

The encounter was a fairly straight Rescue encounter as found  in the By Savvy and Steel rules as my intent here was to concentrate on the combat aspect of the game rather than worry too much about porting the game situations to the Napoleonic period.

 I was very keen to try out some new concepts in sunny Spain. However as my boy had taken a fancy to the Otterman and Undead...

...and had set up the table accordingly for a short lived game...

... I decided on the sunny Balkans...

...instead.

Captain Buster of the Ostarian Horse Marines has been sent on a mission to rescue a VIDI (Very Important Doggy Indeed).

Baron Yippstadt had recently been abducted by Othari bandits and was being held in a village just beyond the Otterman frontier.

 Buster took his command to within striking distance of his target and then proceeded on foot with six of his Chosen Hounds to effect the rescue.

Yippstadt was reportedly being held in the upper story of an inn that faced on the town square. There were, as usual, three Possible Enemy Forces (PEF's) deployed which could turn out to be anything from heavily armed troops to nothing but a case of nerves.

 Buster made good progress at first, against a seemingly inactive, and hopefully inattentive, enemy.

However the number of PEF's had increased to five before a single enemy had been spotted.

In due course, Buster sent two of his hounds onto the balcony of the nearest building to suss out any enemy in the square...which were revealed to be five otters led by a dwarven serjeant.

In the opening exchange of fire the serjeant was shot down much to the dismay of his otters.

Soon the otters were taking fire from their left as well as their center.

 The advent of fire from their left as well proved too much to bear.

The first group of otters was soon set to flight.

Meanwhile one PEF advanced towards the dogs on the outskirts of the village.

Having cleared the square, Buster took a pair of his dogs and readied to assault the inn.

The leftmost pair took up position ready to confront the approaching PEF. Unfortunately the pair had only one working musket between them.

Bursting into the inn, Buster was confronted by an ogre officer backed by three otters.

The otters fired first and Buster fell wounded!

As the wild melee broke out in the inn, the approaching PEF hove into view of the flankers.

Deceived! The dastardly otters had moved the Baron and were in the process of spiriting him out of town.

Yippstadt was being escorted by seven otters with an ogre officer!

The In sight dice were rolled, and the flankers backed by the reserve pair of hounds confronted the otter laskar. 

Losses were suffered on both sides.

With no sign of Yippstadt at the inn, and with their beloved leader down, the center pair of hounds dragged Buster to safety.

The flankers and reserve were reduced to two hounds standing but the action took its toll on otter morale.

Fierce paw to paw fighting ensued.

One dog put down two of his foes.

When the dust cleared, two whipped hounds remained facing the ogre officer. The dogs had so far lost one officer wounded and two other ranks slain.

Otter pursuit was sluggish from the inn, and Buster was dragged to safety.

Unfortunately the ogre officer was able to steal Yippstadt away from the remaining dogs.

Defeat! Oh the Shame of it All.

Final tally was one dog officer wounded and two O.R.'s slain versus a loss of one otter serjeant and four O.R.'s wounded.

Eight otters had scarpered and my seven brave hounds had faced overwhelming odds in the form of 15 otters led by two ogres and a dwarf.

Still, odds are that the odds faced won't mitigate the defeat back at the Ostarian court.

Sleeping Dogs feat. James Hong!

Not been doing anything with miniatures lately but thought I'd just pop in to say a word and acknowledge my continued existence!

Every once in a while I get sidetracked by a video game. It hasn't happened often since the demise of DOS as the preferred video game platform but there it is.

In fact since those halcyon days of computerized play only three games have taken me away from miniatures for any appreciable time:

1. Lucas Arts. "Outlaws!"

2. Gearbox Software's "Borderlands"

and now 

3. Square Enix' "Sleeping Dogs"

"Sleeping Dogs" is an RPG adventure wherein you play an undercover policeman in Hong Kong. Now I am not normally a devotee of the Kung Foo genre...except when it comes to Hong Kong Police stories. Go figure.

In any event a game where you plays as a policeman rather than a low life was immediately appealing. Having watched the trailers I was gobsmacked to learn that among the voice actors were Kelly Hu, Lucy Liu and my favorite actor of all time James Hong!

If you watch American television you have seen James Hong. He's been in everything from "Bonanza" to "Sienfeld", to "2 Broke Girls", in films from "Blade Runner" to "Big Trouble in Little China" to last years' "R.I.P.D.", through in a considerable amount of voice acting and you must have at least heard Mr. Hong at some point.

I have to tell you that simple sound of his voice always brings a smile to my face and his work in children's programming means he has also brought joy to my children as well. 

With that cast, as we say around here, "So? What's not to like"?

The game itself is very enjoyable. The story is solid if a bit cliche in places. The visuals and vibrancy of virtual Hong Kong are fantastic. There is plenty of martial arts action, gunfights, car chases, boat chases, and such although no aerial action, which was fine by me, but could put some off.

The game is often described as a sandbox or open world game. While that is true in so far as there are side missions galore and there is no need to pursue the main plot until you want to, that plot itself was pretty linear. The player does not get to make any meaningful decisions except perhaps to avoid playing out the main mission, which would seem a bit extreme. Some of the player character's forced choices in the plot did bring out the odd groan of "why the heck didn't he see where this was heading" and such like.

That aside the game is great fun and the acting top notch. 

Highly recommended with a strong caution for foul language and graphic mayhem.

Will no doubt be back to miniatures soon as the plot has been resolved!

Thanks for checking in :)

Sam and his Frying Pan

A blast from the past today.

This was me first use of putty, using it to replace Sam's sword.

This was in 2004 before any "official Sam rocking the sautee pan" figures had been released.

Of course that wouldn't do. I've always thought that Sam is the real hero of the piece and Sean Astin's performance of an everyman forced into combat by necessity, and then finding he had a knack for it. was superb.

Here are some other photos from the time:

Giglamps Fights a Duel

It had all happened rather rapidly.

After the affair of McCrusty's Gold, to appear in these pages soon, Giglamps had been summoned to 'Orse Guards by one, Major Wogan. Word had it that the Major is something of a power in Exploring Officer circles, and young Giggers was delighted to have received the order to report.

Arriving in Town after a series of bone jarring coach rides through the north country, and the hour being late, Giggers went straight to the Notables, his club, for a good meal, convivial talk, and a good night's rest. 

Alas, if only that were how it played out.

While dining with his dear Uncle Rogipoos, his uncle raised the topic of Giggers' recent journey from Guinalea via Joccia. In particular Uncle was wondering if Giggers had been delayed by the recent spate of heavy rain that had swollen rivers and even washed out bridges.

"Well Uncle, it really was quite a nice ride for the most part. Although I was late in Ber'ick and the Tweed was in flood."

From behind. Giggers could hear a chair scrape the floor as its occupant rose. Soon Giggers was face to face with a rather large and fierce looking Guinalean officer clad in the tartan of the Strathcarnage & Killmore Highlanders.

"Whatchit Laddie, what was that yee sayed about me being a 'great berk whose tweed looked like mud'?, the Joccian fair growled with breath that smelled strongly of the malt.

"See here my good Rat', said Giggers. "that's not what I said at all."

"Ouch, so now yee are calling me a liar, you sprog of a sassenorc!"

Giggers could see where this was leading.

"Very well then. I can see that you are in your cups. I give no offense, and I am sure that in the morning, with a clear head, you will have thought better of this evening's discourse." he offered.

"Laddie, the only heed I'll be clearing in the morning is yers, if yer don't cower in yer room like the goblin lover yee appear to be" snarled the Joccian, "Yewll be hearing from my second praysently".

And with that he stormed away.

Giglamps returned his attention to Uncle Rogipoo. "Imagine the nerve of that chap, spoiling for a fight here at the Notables of all places."

"Do take care nephew. Do you not know who that fellah is?"

Giglamps nodded in the negative.

"That is Lt. Ratt Mac Rattry of the Strathcarnage & Killmore. He's  a known duelist and na'er do well, though the former prevents many from accusing him of the latter I dare say."

------------------

Lt. Ratt Mac Rattry from his best side.

Giggers lost no time in seeking out his good friend, Lt. Azog St. James, also a club member in attendance that evening. St. Jame agreed to act as Giggers' second even on such short notice.

Just as St. James accepted the honor, a somewhat smaller Joccian approached; "Hoc Mac Andy at yer service Gentleorcs. I have undertaken to act as Lt. Mac Rattry's second, if yoo find that arrangement acceptable".

It was.

Soon the two seconds were conferring on the time, place, and manner of their principal's affair of honor.

Hoc Mac Andy and Azog St. James

Pistols at dawn. It all sounded very melodramatic to Giggers. Melodramatic and potentially deadly of course.

At the appointed time both parties arrived at the appointed place, a small vale behind the Notables.

Along with themselves and their principals, the seconds had arranged for the presence of  coach and a chaplain. The coach to carry a wounded principal to the surgeon. The chaplain if the coach was not required.

The duel would take place as a series of exchanged shots, continuing until one of the principals could no longer continue the exchange one way or another.

Giglamps on the field of honor

Mechanically the duel consisted of a series of rounds.

Each round started with the principals testing to see how their composure was holding up.

Next the two principals would dice to see which one of them got off the first shot.

Finally, should a hit have been scored, the location and effect of the hit needed to be determined.

Round One

Both Giggers and Mac Rattry were a bit shakend, but Giggers managed to get off the first shot.

It was a miss.

Mac Rattry returned fire and he too missed!

Round Two

Giggers continued to feel a bit shaky. Too mach Madeira the previous evening perhaps?

For his part Mac Rattry had collected himself. The duelist calmly cocked his piece and awaited the signal to fire.

Not surprisingly Mac Rattry fired first.

A miss.

Giggers now had the honors.

A hit!

Mac Rattry was hit in the presented leg and was unable to continue the duel.

Honor satisfied, Giggers returned to his rooms to prepare for the coming audience with Wogan.

Mac Rattry was gently loaded into the coach and taken to the nearest surgery...all the while muttering oaths of vengeance.

As usual there are more photos below.

Unusually I have prepared a slide show with musical soundtrack for those who might prefer to see the photos that way. They are the same photos so no need to view them one way if you have viewed them t'other.

Either way I'd love to read your thoughts on this episode of Giglamps' career!

Having just had a look at the uploaded video, the picture quality is quite poor. 

Still you can play it just to listen to the wonderful music while looking at the photos below.

All figures are from Alternative Armies with most pained by same.

The Notables Club is from Sarissa Precision.

Terrain from a variety of makers including Old Glory's modular game boards and Lemax trees.

The rules used are a work in progress for adventuring during the Regency with a focus on the Peninsular War.

And as always, thanks for stopping by!