Battles and Brews 2025 (Backyard Edition)

 Battles and Brews is usually held yearly at our local brewery. This year I decided I wanted to change things up and design a wargame that could be played outside (more on that later). Thus Yardfighters! was created. St Louis based Basement General McMurray got onboard and designed a naval to play outside too. Wiley Games HQ became the venue.

I had some criteria for the outside game: no rulers, minimal record or status keeping, no dice because I didn't want the action to stop while players moved somewhere to roll the dice.

I decided on airplanes, but I wanted rockets and missiles involved so I moved it up to the early jet age. And because I wanted a mix of different jets I had it take place in a mythical Africa Imagi-Nation where all types of surplus aircraft were dumped.

Rather than build 8 different kits I designed and laser cut out all the planes out. Some quick spray paint with details from paint pens and those were done. I decided paper airplane size was good. For bases I use octagonal  bases. Why? face changes of 45 degrees would be easy as each face is 45 degrees. It also makes for a handy fire arc. I attached the planes to the stand with magnets for easy storage and facing changes.

Turns are divided into two phases: Movement Pahse and Shoot Phase. Players receive two cards each turn. One is for movement order, one is for shooting order (player's choice). Highest player goes first in each phase. Suit is only used to decide ties and aces are wild.

Maneuvers and movement are decided by strides and steps with facing turns made. Extra facing changes could be made at the expense of gaining G-shock.

When it comes to shooting we use Washers (a US backyard game similar to Horse Shoes or Cornhole). Distance was imply from jet to jet so players could chance it from a distance or get in close (where they still missed regularly). The box was divided into 9 squares which determined the damage location on the jet. Getting it in the center meant the attacker could choose. Every player had washers equal to their munitions load out. Whe they ran out, they were out of ammo. The washers were divided into missiles and machine guns each with a colored side and a white side. If you pilot is in G-shock, washers that come up white don't count. Simple!

Despite the heat and incredible humidity, we had a dozen folks come out to give it a try. It turned out really well. Many players said they couldn't wait to play again. That's why I'm leaving details of the game hazy so I can sell it!

We moved inside to the blessed A/C to cool off, have some pizza and run some more games. Steve ran a Terror Island game (using Fistful of Lead of course) while CluckAmok ran an Armored Storm game. 

I played in the Terror Island game and had two members of my elite team, the Howling Aces, taken out by enemy dogs first turn. I was down to my team leader by turn 3 and left with a sad amount of treasure. 

Then as the sun went mercifully down the backyard turn into the Pacific for a duel between British destroyers and Japanese ships. The Japanese had to run a guanlet and almost made it. It was brutal

Once again, hits were decided by tossing washers. 4 hits started a ship sinking. Torpedoes hits were decided by tossing a large foam die. If it landed touching the ship base, the face showing determined the number of hits. Great game. The only change that decided needed to happen was the addition of a bunch more ships! 

The whole thing has me excited to run another Yardfighters! game in the cooler Fall. This time with WW1 biplanes. I'm thinking I'll cut them out and send them out to players to paint their own plane designs like a real ace.

Grandpa Gruesome's Weird War Stories

 We had a great time this past weekend hosting a wargaming day full of spooky games.

I ran the Annual Revenant Hunt. Famous Hunters of the Undead from all over Europe gathered to destroy the latest outbreak of foul creatures that spill forth every Halloween. They were able to destroy 3 of the 6 spawn points before the sun approached and the gates to the Underworld closed once again. Sir Reginald Ramsey took home the trophy this year.

Next, another group of Adventurers visited Terror Island in hopes stealing a strange mutagen from the claws of the mighty Turu the Terrible. The flying dino proved to be a wily opponent. 

 

 

After a fine chili dinner, the wargamers gathered for a little backstabbing fun at the massive fantasy trick or treat game. Players had to visit as many locations as possible and receive treasure before returning home.

 

 While that was going on, there was another game that saw the Rebel forces call upon some dark magics to take on Union forces west of the Mississippi.

Great Saturday of fun. Thanksto everyone who came out.

Galactic Heroes: WW2 Pulp Horror crossover!

Last night I attempted to show the diversity of the Fistful of Lead: Galactic Heroes rules by running a 7 player Weird War 2 Pulp Horror game.
Four Allied players led by Major Victory and the Liberty League had to assault a Nazi research base located in the castle of the mysterious Count Orlock, a noble who had somehow ruled the local area for four centuries.
The Nazi players new the Allies would attack, but not how or where. They had secret reinforcements ready to go in case of just such an attack.
Each player had a Leader with four regular troops. The only special rules were that Leaders had to sustain 3 wounds to be put out of action, even if an out of action result was rolled.

The baddies got a surprise when the Liberty League attacked. I had the allied players stand at the opposite end of the 8' table and throw a cotton ball. Where it landed was where their deployment zone was. This simulated the irregularity of their airbourne drop.
Two groups landed in the castle, two out side.

 Kreigsaffen, Count Orlock and Elsa

 Taking the gate

 The Sentinel and Lucky land and are immediately under fire

 

Major Victory blasts those below

Liberty Belle led one of the outside groups. She was able to use her sonic Liberty Belle ring to knock a hole in the wall (she had the Damaging Aura trait). Sgt. Stone rushed the open drawbridge. Major Victory and the Sentinel of Justice dropped inside, but were quickly attacked from all sides.

In the chaos, Count Orlock opened the door to the underground facility. Out poured undead troops, victims of experiments with the vampires blood.

 Zombies!

 Blood Alley, always one in FfoL.

Totenkopf sees the tide turn.

Each turn, a new horde of zombies lurched threw the open door. They would attack the first living creature they saw, including Germans. Luckily, Count Orlock and robot soldiers weren't alive.

A pile of dead in wounded filled the gatehouse due to Sgt Stone's tommy gun and Major Victory unleashing his "Star-Spangled Vision" from the tower above (he has the Flier trait).

Meanwhile, Count Orlock was able to mesmerize the Sentinel, using him as a puppet to attack his own troops! The Sentinel was able to break the spell, only after killing his own sidekick, Lucky. I can picture the cover to the comic in my head...

After only 2 hours it was clear the Allies had won. Out of the Nazi Leaders, only Count Orlock survived. He was last seen slinking into the caverns beneath the castle.

Great game, and really showed off what I asked it for: robots, zombies, super heroes, vampires...

Mission accomplished!