First Battle of Midgard

Hold the Hill 

As is tradition, I managed to meet up with a couple of long-term friends for a wargame between Christmas and new year. This year it was Midgard, as friend Jas had just got a copy and was keen to play. None of us had played Midgard before but Jas was familiar with the rules and had organised the forces. 

Not Jason's copy obviously

The Game

In terms of the game, the elves and fae were holding the high ground against an undead & orc horde. A third of the elves & fae were held in reserve until turn four and on turn four each side gained an extra victory (reputation) point for control of each of the three standing stones at the top of the hill. 

The undead and orcs opted to place their low value undead and orcs at the front of the horde to soak up the inevitable elf bowfire. However, the elven archers were clearly having a bit of an off day and most of the orcs and undead survived to contact the enemy. 

This then created a bit of problem in that the best orc and undead units were now all still behind the rabble. Whilst the elven spears and tree men* happily chewed up the front units. And reputation (victory) points of the elves and fae were beginning to rack up. 

*The tree men (large and small) had the brutal trait which meant they wounded on 4+ instead of the standard 5+ which did indeed make them brutal!

The giant treeman taking down the first undead unit

And the second

Before finally meeting his doom against the trolls

It wasn’t all going the elves’ way as the giant treeman had taken down several units of undead but was now surrounded by trolls and the ghouls in the centre were proving surprisingly tough even when faced with an elven spear unit supported by three heroes. 

But the tide had clearly turned and as both the black orc and second troll unit failed to make their charge rolls in the last turn. The elves and fae were then able to break the enemy force before these elite units could make the difference. 

Two heroes face off

And victory went to the elven and fae alliance. 

After the Battle

It was the first game of Midgard for all of us, but we quickly got into the swing of the game. And Jas did a grand job as rules master. Fortunately, he had a large number of movement trays otherwise it would have been a massive pain to move the units. 

And I have already put an order in with Warbases to rectify this situation for future games. And I am now looking to rebase some of the earlier minis fit in with these units. 

Oh and happy new year for tomorrow 😁.

Rob 

Getting ready for the Space Gits

While I am Waiting

I have bought some orks from eBay (before Christmas) and while was waiting. I started to put together a bit of scenery using random stuff from the bits box and the usual rubbish.

One of the items is a Teleportaloo which I think will have a suspiciously little blue box vibe when I paint it up.

Rob 

Advent 25 - Day 24 : Phew! Made It

Just Get to Grandma's House

So, Glenda has finally made it to grandma’s house, but grandma is clearly not at home. And now she must confront the big, bad wolf. Never one to back away from a fight especially when grandma's in peril, Glenda steps up to face the wolf. 

However, the big, bad wolf has form and promptly eats Glenda. 

Oh well, I guess I will just have to chalk this one up as a win for the bad guys. 😟

Snuck off of a crafty hour this morning to paint up Grandma? And of course a team photo*. 

*Just realised that I forgot the ghost. No time now!

Well another advent challenge completed and now time for a lunchtime Christmas beer. 

But before that I also found a bit of time last night to start working on some of my other projects. 

A couple more Roman gangers done.

And a few more bits stuck on an ork dreadnought.

And of course Merry Christmas to everyone 😁

Rob 

Advent 25 - Day 23 : Different Thieving Git

Hand Over the Gold

23rd Dec – new box 23 / 4 Endurance / Stuff: Bread, gold crown & golden key.

So, this annoying git – ‘The Baron’ wants gold or is a right pain to get past. Luckily Glenda has a sack of gold which she hands over and so can be on her way. With grandma’s house is just in sight.

Geoff from Oakbound, kindly sent me the missing ghost. Which quickly got painted up this afternoon. 

Rob 

Advent 25 - Day 22 : Time for a Rest

To the Sound of Music

22nd Dec – new box 11: harp and a path / 2+3 Endurance / Stuff: Bread, bag of gold, gold crown & golden key.

Since it is the last day before the numbered boxes, I opened the last unnumbered box, to reveal a harp. Well at least she would have seen a harp except that Glenda fell asleep and woke up feeling refreshed and the harp had disappeared. 

Rob 

Advent 25 - Day 21 : White Knight

No Need for that Kind of Behaviour

21st Dec – roll of 8: Goblins / 5 Endurance / Stuff: Bread, bag of gold & golden key.

With the same skill as her sister, Glenda keeps the thieving goblins at bay and proceeds along the path. 

21st Dec – roll of 7: Crown / 4 Endurance / Stuff: Bread, bag of gold, gold crown & golden key.

Glenda finds the gold crown left by Brenda. Not knowing this is the last time Brenda was seen. So, she decides to carry on. 

21st Dec – roll of 14 – new box: sir Gebbon the White / 3 Endurance / Stuff: Bread, bag of gold, gold crown & golden key.

Whilst the knight’s offer to attack any creature she has met was generous, Glenda doesn’t take him up on his offer as while the goblins were annoying, she doesn’t really believe in goblinicide. 

Rob 

Advent 25 - Day 20 : A Nice Old Lady

Obsessed with Apples

20th Dec – roll of 3: Witch & Crossroads / 5+1: 6 Endurance / Stuff: Bread, bag of gold & golden key. 

Glenda chats to the old lady who seems to be obsessed by apples, as well asking about a golden delicious apple, she seems pretty keen on Glenda eating at least one apple a day. And the old lady seems to think it will frighten medical professionals’ away if she has breath smelling of fruit.  

Anyway, Glenda eats an apple as it seems this is the old way to shut the old crone up and ponders which direction to take next. 

Rob 

Space Gits

That Sounds Awesome

Every now and again, you see a game that just seems to have got it right. Every games designer talks about innovative game mechanics and a unique approach. But just finished watching the YouTube video by MSPaints on ‘Space Gits’ by the same guy who created Gasland’s. 

And he does seem to have actually come up with something very different some from the random movement to the Shove, Thump, Pinch (a.k.a. Rock, Paper, Scissors) for close combat. You will have to watch the videos fully get what I am talking about on that one.

This will a fast & fun skirmish game with a handful of minis for a Friday night game. With a bit after game development. And any wargame that involves drinking beer* can’t be bad. Bottle caps are used as loot tokens. 

*Or other bottled drink of your choice. 

There are several issues, first is I want the book and not the download but there are enough free downloads to get started (see links) and hopefully will not have to wait too long. Second, I don’t have any orks! However, eBay will sort that ork problem. And thirdly that I don’t have enough bottle caps but that is easily rectified by drinking more beer 😊. 

Quick Start Rules for Space Gits

More to follow once I have got some orks and beer caps.

FYI - MSPaints is  is offering a discount code if you want to get the download copy through his Patreon.  

Rob 

And just to be clear, I am in no way affiliated with this game, it is just that it looks like a really great game. And I took a couple of pictures off the internet, which I hope the owners will not mind. 

Advent 25 - Day 19 : If at First You Don't Succeed

Your are Up Next - Glenda

19^th Dec – 1: Heading to Grandma’s House (Again) / 6 Endurance / Stuff: Bread

Glenda peers out of the little windows of her mother’s cottage. It is bright and sunny but no sign of Brenda.  Brenda was always such a lazy girl, her mother says as she packs Glenda off to deliver some freshly baked bread to grandma.

Unlike Brenda, Glenda is a canny girl. With a keen eye for what is going on around her

So, after thinking about the problem, the answer seems straight forward, start with a new map. Play the first two tiles as per the instructions and then roll a D20 and add 2 to determine the next tile. If it is a tile, I have already played before, then play immediately and carry on. But if it is a new number then stop and pick an unnumbered box.  Then halt as per the normal advent rules.

19^th Dec – 2: Crossroads (Again) / 5 Endurance / Stuff: Bread

Off to grandma’s house.

19^th Dec – new box 5: Golden key & Crossroads / 4 Endurance / Stuff: Bread & golden key.

That didn’t last long to get to a new tile, as Brenda finds a gold key. Ok, wait for tomorrow. 

And a Friday beer of course

Rob 

Advent 25 - Day 18 : That's Unexpected

A Sudden End

Once again, Brenda nearly exhausted by her travels hopes for some refreshment.

There is a wreckage of a cart, covered in moss and rotting away in the middle of the clearing and Brenda spots something glinting amongst the debris, a golden crown. But no food.

Worn out, Brenda decides to rest under the shade of a tall oak tree, but anxious to carry on, Robin in the Green bides her farewell and carries on.

To be clear, I wish I could draw this well. 

But this is an AI generated image.

Brenda has run out of Endurance, so her attempts to get to grandma’s house have ended. So, do I restart the adventure with a second sister but with the same map? If so, what happens to the objects and the characters that Brenda has already met. Or do the woods change after every journey?

Brenda had nearly got Grandma’s house just a few stages left but not this time.

Rob 

Advent 25 - Day 17 : Robin in the Green

Brenda Picks up a Do-Gooder

Robin in the Green offers to help on her journey, which Brenda accepts. So, together they head off down the path. 

And I got a bit of time yesterday to finish of the Tweedles.

Rob 

Advent 25 - Day 16 : Fortune Favours the Bold

Seriously What Was She Thinking*

Never one to pass up a freebie, Brenda spies a stack of bottles next to a bubbling cauldron by side the path. Cautiously she takes a sniff of one or two until she smells one that smells like toffee cider and decides to take a swig. 

Instantly she feels braver (+1 Courage) and ready to take on world. With a spring in her step, she carries on down the path. 

*Drinking unknown liquids from unlabelled containers after meeting a bunch of psychos in the woods. She has no common sense, what would grandma say....

Obviously didn't take long to paint up the potions pot today. 

Rob 

Advent 25 - Day 15 : Tweedle Do

And Tweedle Dum 

Geoff says ‘Stepping into the clearing you see two rotund figures wrestling with each other, seemingly trying to keep hold of a rattle and force the other to let go. They stop as you approach and turn little, piggy eyes upon Brenda.

“Stop there” says the first, “You’re not passing this way”. “No how” says the second.

The Tweedles are unpleasant urchins who move their massive bulk together to block your path whichever way you go.’

For a couple of big lads, they both move surprisingly quickly, and Brenda is not sure if she can take both on at once. So, she backs up down the path and heads back towards the goblins. All the time they are making threats and promises as she disappears from view. 

The goblins must have heard the Tweedles calling Brenda names as she returns to the crossroads and they leap out all at the same time. Through all the poking and prodding, one of the goblin calls out in delight and raises the horn from her sack, high above his head as he runs aways. All of the other goblins laugh and chase after the lucky goblin. 

Brenda picks herself off and dusts herself off. There is nothing for it but to carry on and heads down the other fork at the crossroads.

Brenda eats the golden apple she has been carrying. 

Painting is definitely start to lag behind at the moment, so I could only get to the contrast paint paint stage which I am using as a base coat to speed up the painting for this challenge. 

Rob 

Advent 25 - Day 14 : Watch Out, Watch Out there are Goblins About

Thieving Gits

Geoff says ‘Long shadows stretch across the path, like claws reaching out to grab you. They seem to lengthen as you approach. Suddenly there is a wild jabbering from the trees around you. Dark shapes flit from branch to branch above your head.’

Watch out there are thieving goblins about.

Brenda is assaulted on all sides as the goblins look to steal some loot. But she is used to dealing with her sisters and knows how to keep the thieving paws of the goblins at bay. 

She manages to keep all of her stuff and carries on. 

A really fun little mini, but each goblin is very tiny so I didn't even attempt to paint in the eyes. 

Rob