LOTR Campaign - Back from the annuals of time.

Two years have passed since the last game but Lord of the Rings Campaign is back.....

My secret Wargaming Friend has been amassing more troops for both sides and is keen to throw them into the battle for Middle Earth.

Using the map from the LOTR Risk game and a mechanism lifted directly from the Classic Diplomacy orders are given for each of the forces in play. Each counter represents a maximum of up to 200 points within the Infamy Infamy rules.

Reinforcements are mustered every three months, with each territory worth 10 points and a bonus 50 points if you hold all of a region.

At the moment the good guys (Red) are under pressure on all fronts. In the south the Rohan have been pushed back into Helm's Deep as Orc armies mass to their front. Remnants of Human and Elven forces dodge larger Orc forces in Rhun and Rhovanion looking to clear them from the region and gain bonus points.

We have three battles to fight this round.

• Orc's pour out of Moria attacking Eregion where the defenders take to the field to hold their advance. (Red 195 v Blue 200)
• The Orc's in the Borderlands follow up attacking the remnants of the previous round regrouping at Weathertop. (Red 88 v Blue 177)
• Further Orcs advance into the Borderlands to be met by reinforcements coming out of Eriador (Red 195 v Blue 200)

Let's hope that 2 years coming out of Covid has helped the good guys win a game....

First up the clash in the Borderlands.

Lord of the Rings Campaign - March of the Dark Lord.

Much like many gamers it does not take long for fun games to turn to campaigns and so it proves with the recent run of LOTR games. 

We are a fickle bunch.... mid-lock down I planned on playing out the Narnia campaigns using the risk map, but ideas change and the Infamy Infamy rules are certainly fun so a switch to Middle Earth and a slight tweak to the mechanisms and campaign rules.

I give you the Lord of the Rings Campaign - March of the Dark Lord (or they eat horses don't they?)

Sauron the Dark Lord of Mordor is on the march and his armies of Orc's, Trolls and Goblins are pushing into vast areas of Middle Earth.

The longer the alliances of Elves and Men can hold out the greater the number of troops will rally to the cause.

The first side to secure all Gold locations on the map wins....

The map above shows the opening moves, with Sauron in blue and the forces of good (sorry author bias) in red. The mines of Moria and Isengard in Fangorn are already in Sauron's control and more armies are entering from the east.

The campaign is low on paper work and more an excuse to get in some linked games on the table, I was inspired by the recent diplomacy game with the use of supports and defend options which impact on the scenario options within Infamy Infamy and the points available.

Let's see if the game play changes now there is something to play for rather than simply pride....

For those interest I have outlined the basic campaign rules below.

Points.

Reinforcement Points awarded every 3 months/turns - 10 points for each territory held, with a bonus 50 points for holding an entire region. Points can be spent using the point totals within the Infamy Infamy army lists/ LOTR variants.

These must be deployed from a branded location in a ‘supplied’ territory that can be linked link back to the main home territories.

The maximum points of any Army created from a territory during the reinforcement phase is from a Black branded Territory is 100 Points, A Gold Brand has 200 Points available. Standing armies may be reinforced as long as they are supplied but only to a maximum of 200 points. 

Army Size.

Initial forces are as follows.

1400 Blue.

800 Red.

The maximum points of any Army is 200 Points but must start the campaign as a minimum force of 100 Points.

Map Movement.

Armies move at a rate of one territory per move. Mountains and Rivers can not be crossed unless by mountain pass or bridge. For the purposes of the campaign the sea channels are not available.

Only one Army can move or occupy a territory at any one time.

Army Orders.

Each Army will be given one of the following order choices and must name the territory they are moving to or supporting for the move to be actioned.

Orders	Code
Move	M
Support	S
Defend	D

 Order Definition.

Move – Armies move from one territory to the other between their own lines or attacking enemy forces, if two opposing enemy forces are entering a vacant territory a ‘General engagement’ will always be fought.

Defend - If an Army moves into a defended territory, the defender will roll for the scenario type and can choose to be the attacker or defender in the scenario.

If a Gold Branded location is attacked then Scenario Six ‘Outpost Attack’ will always be played regardless of a defend order.

Support – If an army chooses to support a bordering region then the defender will 25, 35, 45 support points based on 1D6 (to a maximum of the size of the supporting army.) rolled even if this takes the defender beyond 200 points.

Any losses received on the day will be shared equally on a pro-rata basis between defenders and supporters.

Should the supporting territory be attacked then the support option will be removed and the attacker will roll for the scenario and choose the attacker and defender. (if the neighbouring territory given a support order for the named territory under attack or defending a region.

 Territory type and terrain generation.

Rhun – Britain (Orc territory)

Rhovanion – Britain (Orc territory)

Mirkwood – Germania (Human territory)

Rohan – Gaul – (Orc territory)

Arnor – Italia – (Human territory)

Eriador – Italia (Human territory)

So there you have it.

First up an Alliance of Men patrol heads into Emyn Muil from South Mirkwood encounters an advance force of Orc's marching up from the Deadlands... out numbered 2:1 can they avoid the enemy vanguard and spread the word of the pending invasion?

Dispatches from the front X

This week seems to have dragged a little.

Is it the weather, the end of the Diplomacy Campaign or the need to kick off a new project.

The Wyvern Diplomacy Campaign has come to and end, we called it a day when, it came down to myself as Turkey and the Germans. No one wanted to watch two of us battle it out for another couple of years.

A great way to spend the lock down evenings pondering moves and alliances. Well played by everybody and we still left as friends. Such a fun game that has stood the test of time.

Coming soon is the latest release from the Too Fat Lardies and Infamy Infamy.

Designed for gaming warfare in Gaul and Ancient Britain. 

Like many of my projects I wanted to do something slightly different, whilst Roman legions would be good others in the club already have them covered and I would need extra terrain, so with plenty of desert terrain time to roll out the Hittites and Egyptians.

For several months I have been building up the forces storing them up for the launch.

I have started the prep but have a couple more projects to finish before I start them in earnest perfect timing as the rules are due to land at the end of June.

In preparation for the Kings of Bronze Project I took the opportunity to replenish some of the paints, despite having many of these already I still get strangely excited by new paints.

The Foundry paints do last over the years where as the likes of Games Workshop tend to harden as air gets into the newer designed pots.

I have long been a fan of Army Painter's soft tone it gives depth to my painting efforts and covers up some of those minor mistakes but with much of the New Kingdom Egyptians being in white I thought I would give their Flesh wash a try, it looks a little softer and paler and will be perhaps better suited to the whites and lighted colours more prevalent in the Egyptian army.

It looks like the Wyvern Club House will be open in September subject of course to social distancing, bring your own dice and figures and make your own tea :-)

It would be great to have these ready for the club relaunch.

A couple of months to finish a couple of projects and get these under way.

Dispatches from the Front IX

The end of May and as the country slowly creeps out of lock down I look back on another successful month with another major project complete with no more bare metal hanging around for the English or the Forces of Darkness in the Elizabethan Zombie Project.

The new "normal" in terms of working practices has seen an extra couple of hours of hobby time each day which really helps keeping the painting queue moving, whether it's a quick basing session or undercoating its far better than the usual commute. 

Whilst physical gaming has been sparse I have been able to grab a number of Standard Games Cry Havoc and Siege skirmish games over face time. With both of us owning the game we swap pic's of the set up a few hours earlier matching the characters on the map before grabbing a couple of hours gaming time.

The rules have really stood the test of time, I still have an urge to re-create this in miniature but let's see plenty of other projects on the list at the moment.

Whilst Osprey might been offering free downloads when C19 kicked off it does not mean it costs us gamers nothing, reading the pdf on Japanese Infantry it got me thinking using Bolt Action to refight Henderson Airfield, I have a number of 28mm US marines and Japanese Infantry but spotted these from company B on the Great Escape Games website. I needed to add a couple of items from them for the Seven Days to the Rhine Rules and well these would make up the postage.

I found myself flicking through Kickstarter one evening and came across Command and Colors latest offering. I have always fancied gaming the Jacobite Rebellions, but it's not going to happen unless someone really does invent tartan paint.. So this is the next best thing.

Estimated delivery September.... So looking forward to playing this at Christmas based on my usual track record of projects backed.

Meanwhile the boss had the great idea to clear out the loft and I came across my original inspiration for getting into gaming. I remember finding a copy of this in my local library and a poster on the wall for the local historical gaming club, wow that was over 30 years ago.

The Ancient game showed a confrontation between the Sassanid Persians and Romans circa AD363.

Over the years I have only dabbled with ancients but have always thought back to these pics and fancied giving it a proper go...  

So as other projects wind down the Egyptian - Hittite lead pile slowly increases. More on this in the months ahead.

Meanwhile the Diplomacy campaign continues with the Wyvern's with a couple of players down and others tittering on the brink it could all be over in a couple of rounds if truces hold and moves play out. Up until now my Turkish forces and the Austrians have had a mutual agreement but we both know that can't last.

So what of June?

So far the monthly project focus has been very rewarding with 4 projects cleared of all bare metal. As tempted as I am kick off the Ancients I have a number of 'fillers' that need to be brought to life with extras for Russia, Africa, The Far East and Other Egyptian stuff.

Meanwhile some light reading as inspiration for the New Kingdom  - Hittite Project.

Four sons. One throne. A world on the precipice. 

1315 BC: Tensions soar between the great powers of the Late Bronze Age. 

The Hittites stand toe-to-toe with Egypt, Assyria and Ahhiyawa, and war seems inevitable. More, the fierce Kaskan tribes – age-old enemies of the Hittites – amass at the northern borders. 

When Prince Hattu is born, it should be a rare joyous moment for all the Hittite people. But when the Goddess Ishtar comes to King Mursili in a dream, she warns that the boy is no blessing, telling of a dark future where he will stain Mursili’s throne with blood and bring destruction upon the world. Thus, Hattu endures a solitary boyhood in the shadow of his siblings, spurned by his father and shunned by the Hittite people. But when the Kaskans invade, Hattu is drawn into the fray. It is a savage journey in which he strives to show his worth and valour. Yet with his every step, the shadow of Ishtar’s prophecy darkens…

Dispatches from the Front VIII

April was a good month with two projects cleared in one go.

May sees a return to the Elizabethan Project with a plan to complete the English forces and some new evil elements entering the campaign.

As we all know a project is never complete, so why not compliment the new infantry with some extra terrain, I ordered a number of new buildings from Iron Clad Miniatures to bolster the Stickler Campaign. They took a little longer than usual arrive due to the new working practices but will fit both the WW2 campaign and my Chechen War stuff.

Two small ruins these should fit in with the other bombed damaged buildings. They come with some additional flooring to make a second storey.

The log bunker is suitable for a number of periods and comes with two firing slits and a detachable roof, a number of the scenarios in Platoon Forward call for bunker clearance or an OP, so I am sure it will get some use in the next couple of weeks.

When they said a large Russian barn they weren't kidding.... I doubt I will be putting the barn and the ruin next to each other on the table top.

Finally a small Russian church enough for a small family and a church mouse. I will base this piece up to give it some texture on the table top. I suspect these should be gaming table ready in a couple of weeks.

The diplomacy campaign continues to keep the club talking I have had a couple of good turns and the Turkish empire continues to expand with new provinces in Russia and the Mediterranean 

We have been trying to give Standard Games - Cry Havoc/Outremer a run out over facetime with both players having the maps deployed, it was a bit of a bugger setting up the maps as our collective eye sight has failed over the years and it was hard to recognise Fulk vs Giles, but played reasonably well if only the Wi-Fi would hold up.

Another potential distraction?

Every couple of years the conversation turns to turning this to a miniatures game.

And with Footsore's Caliphate range back in stock. Hhhhhmm….

Competition time, I was packing away the new reinforcements for the South Koreans and the new M60's when I noticed that the rear guard rail is slightly smaller on one of them. Answers on a postcode if you an identify the different class ?

(Sorry no actual prizes..)

This looks interesting. I quite liked the idea of the Drowned Earth perhaps my Atlanians will have another excuse to entire the table, besides co-op/solo dinosaur hunting? - I mean what's not to like.

Up next Spanish reinforcements and a return to Elizabethan England.

Dispatches from the Front VII

Another week in lockdown it's desperate times for the kids as they are forced into playing games with dad...

So a family game of Zombicide people hinding in doors looking for food whilst the infected are running around in the streets definitely not practicing social distancing, what does that sound like?

Meanwhile the club Diplomacy game keeps the club talking, it looks like history is repeating itself with the French pushing into Spain, the Italians cruise around the Med and the Germans attack the low countries. Meanwhile the peace loving Turks hold there own in the corner of the board :-)

Well that's frustrating..
Having sold this Warhammer supplement 6 months ago, I find myself buying the very same copy off E-bay, I recall it having some really good segments on the Hittitie Kingdom and New Kingdom Egyptians which will be useful for the summer ancient project. 

Next time I must remember to scan a copy before selling off.

It appears Warlord have been inspired by my Elizabethan Zombie games as they have published some extra rules for Werewolves and Vampires you can down load them here.
Definately some tweaks needed to me evil creatures.

Elsewhere in gaming land a few of us tinkered with scouting mechanisms at table top level, its surprising how your game play changes when you can only see a few feet in front of you. Suddenly hills become really important and behind every hill is an enemy.

In this scenario I was a detachment of 7th cavalry and surprise surprise behind the hill was a war party.

The game got me thinking about revisiting one of my first ever projects which was the Sioux Wars, having played it before in 15mm Frikorps and 28mm Dixons, I not sure how I feel about repeating the exercise over all over again albeit 20 years ago in the same scale.

Then chatting it through with a fellow club member he sent me this.

We are in the final stages of layout and planning.   The rules themselves will be a stand-alone project done outside of Baccus.   The rules are generic in terms of figure scale, originally being staged using 15mm castings and they will be aimed at the whole wargames market, not just 6mm.   They will be funded by subscription and pre-order.   I will be posting more information and details in the next few weeks as the project takes shape.    Alongside this however, Baccus will be releasing a full Pony Wars range.   These will be based directly on the requirements of the rules and provide all the colourful bits and pieces demanded to play the game.   I am also working on getting a range of game-specific scenic items produced.   The aim will be to allow anyone to play this spectacularly fun game on a reasonably sized table for a reasonable cost.   The theme will be Hollywood rather than History….the prime source material will be John Ford films, Wagon Train and the Lone Ranger.   I hope that this will delight more people than it disappoints.

I could be tempted.... But 6mm cavalry..hhhmmmm. I think it must be a touch of cabin fever.

But it would certainly give that sense of open plains and expanse which you might not get in 15 or 28mm.

It looks like a project several years in the making I shall be watching with interest and if the joy of six happens who knows,

Finally as I continue to clear down the various 'fillers' I found myself making a couple of web purchases from the likes of Timecast and Ironclad with a 21 days wait for some of the goods it will give me a chance to clear the decks before they arrive.

Until next time..... Stay in doors and keep painting.....

Dispatches from the front VI

Lock down continues however reading through the various blogs it feels like gamers are finding some great ways of entertaining themselves as days turns to weeks. 

We have a houseful here it's great to have everyone home back from university and schools but I am grateful for the refuge of the garage/office/man cave as three teenage daughters does not make for a peaceful house.
With limited external distractions no one seems to mind the added paint time I have been motoring through the various projects, selling off spares and bringing to the paint table half finished projects. 

Not sure why I have the sudden urge to re-read and game Robinson Crusoe... :-)

The down side of being in doors is the urge to purchase new it's. I have a major project looming in the summer but right now a couple of small purchases to bolster or complete the ranks, with reinforcements rushed in from Warlord, PeterPig, Midlam & Foundry.

A good job as it sounds like a number of businesses are being forced to mothball, I do hope these minor purchases help with cashflow and allow us to see them all come back in the future.

It been great to reacquaint myself with Platoon Forward! and get the WW2 stuff on the table, I was surprised at how well it played. There were enough mechanisms to create uncertainty and stop you cheating yourself and that prized unit or character you spend ages rolling up.

Osprey have been doing some great offers of late and the free PDF's are a great way of keeping people interested, the latest offer of Frostgrave and the solo campaign of Dark Alchemy might mean an outing for Ghost Archipelago in the weeks ahead.

Several of us at the club have kicked off a Diplomacy campaign using pbem.

This was on my wargames bucket list for years, it will be interesting so see how it plays out with a full compliment of 7 players... Having drawn Turkey you can expect to face the some skulduggery from the main Western Powers....
The first move has already thrown up some interesting conversations over e-mail.

After a number of extra's painted up for Fantasy March - What of April?

Keeping with my theme of a painting a different project each month, this month I am shrinking in scale and will be looking to make progress on the Red Dragon Project and some extra's for the WW2 Germans and Russians as the recent solo campaign highlighted some gaps in my forces and another batch of unpainted stuff like these below.

Welcome to small scale April....

Stay in doors all.