LZBravo

LZBravo

Monday, March 28, 2016

Our War Against the Plague Episode 2

Our war against the Plague – Episode 2

March 18, 1152 AD
We spent a month recovering physically and mentally from our ghastly adventure into Einstadt. Our first encounter with the Necromancers and their Legions of Walking Dead had taught us much about the Plague which has befallen our land.
Taking the passing of two comets across the night sky as an omen of pending doom, we felt it necessary to venture out and once more seek to bring an end to the Plague.
Silas the 2nd insisted on joining with the now veteran party of Clovis, Nelly, Ann, Baldric, and Samson. We only hope that his skill with a bow is as great, and fate not as cruel, as was the first Silas.

The adventurers, having received rumors of a mysterious Black Book, quietly snuck into the narrow streets of Schwarzesbuch.

At first the lanes and alleys appeared quiet as the group sought entry into the Wachtturm where rumors reported the Tome was guarded. But they struggled to find access points to the tower.
Almost too late did they realize that the narrow streets had funneled the wandering hordes of walking dead towards them.

As before, when the scary large Sergeants of the Necromancers' armies appeared, only Samson could bar their passage. Half the group sought to fend off the lesser horrors and to protect Samson's back.
Others fought their way into neighboring shacks hoping to find passage and weapons which would help in this fight. Individuals became separated and isolated by hordes of walking dead.

The battled ebbed and flowed, as waves of undead crashed against the party and were smashed. Heavy blows and flights of bolts temporarily stemmed the tide. Many fell bite was turned by leather and metal coats of armor. And Great swords slew countless minions.
Finally, Silas made a rush for the main entrance hall. And it almost proved fatal. Young Silas, standing at the door, discovered he had more enthusiasm than brain, lacking any tool capable of opening the large wooden door. Ann and Nelly covered his hasty retreat to safety.

Nelly was next to rush the door, slaying a pair of sprinting zombies, and gaining entry. Ann and Silas worked to keep the crossroad clear, as Samson was able to join Nelly in clearing the final passage into the Wachtturm.

It was then that Ann, wielding a great sword was betrayed by her coat of armor and a spell of invisibility. Overwhelmed by an uncountable swarm of walking dead, she fell giving young Silas a chance at living to see another day.

Nelly and Samson, having heard Ann's final cries of defiance, made short work of the creatures guarding the Black Book. They quickly rejoined the remaining adventures and ran from Schwarzesbuch.

Another blow against the Plague had been struck. But again the price of victory bore a cost of adventurer blood. Ann would be missed. The next Necromancer will surely meet a swift and vengeful.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

L'Art De La Guerre Rome vs Gaul




Over the last 25 years we have played the all WRG, DBM, Armati, Warrior, Might of Arms, FOG, and many more. Since most FOG players have switched to L'Art De La Guerre (ADLG), we decided that our group should give it a shot. How better to try out ancients rules than with a classic Rome versus Gauls match up. Many systems such as FOG failed at this great match up. We decided to use 200 point armies as that seems pretty standard from USA tournaments and events. We did not setup a pretty board for our Playtest but at the last second I decided to take a few pictures and capture our thoughts.


The Roman general in the center surveys the Gauls in front of his veteran legions.


The lines clash. We enjoyed the speed of movement as it gave a very dynamic exciting flow.



Medium cavalry lock horns on the right flank.




Roman heavy cavalry and lights desperately try to hold the left while the legions do the butchers work in the center.



The Gauls are breaking through!


Just as both Roman wings fail the Gauls lose their leader and several units in the center and the Gauls have had enough.

The final score was Rome losing 7/20 and the Gauls 30/26. The game was much closer and could easily have gone either way. Both of us agreed ALDG passed the test and will be played again. The way combat, command, movement, and morale were handled had the best of many of the other systems. We will definitely be playing again and we might work up a post comparing the systems.

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