2017 6x6 Challenge - August

Games Played in August

Run the Gauntlet - Strange Aeons AAR

Snakehead Shootout - Fistful of Lead AAR

Graveyard Rave - Strange Aeons AAR

Flipping Out - Warhammer: Diskwars AAR

When Fantasy Flight Games and Games Workshop had their falling out, I took the opportunity to grab enough of the Warhammer: Diskwars boxes to be set for life (two starter boxes and one each of the expansions). I found the premise of the game intriguing, and I'm always interested in playing a game that simulates a miniatures battle through other means. 

Kevyn was kind enough to agree to a game, and chose to form his army from two Vampire Count regiments and one Orc regiment. I decided to take three Empire Regiments. (I've set the game up with the pre-made regiments in each box's rules, which makes 84 possible army combinations!)

The table was set up with two marshes, a lake, and a gully. 

We both set out our deployed units. Early moves saw my Hochland Pistoliers take out a unit of Wolf Riders, but were pinned in return.

Our first turn was mostly spent reinforcing units onto the table, with limited ranged skirmishing.

The Orc hero, Azhag the Slaughterer, rolled up and used his Fist of Mork to take out three of my units and place a wound on my Steam Tank. In return, I had Luthor Huss and a unit of Knights Panther pin Azhag, who took enough damage to be removed from the table. For the moment, the battle seemed to be in the balance.

However, it only took a turn for the battle to turn. One of the Vampire Counts fell, along with more of their units. With numbers on their sides, the advantage fell to the Empire.

The next two turns went quickly, with the Empire units killing another Vampire Counts hero and mopping up the remaining undead units.

With the game ended at turn five, we revealed our objectives. I scored a victory point for every enemy unit removed from the table, while Kevyn scored five victory points for every enemy hero removed from the table. With no heroes lost, the Empire managed a crushing victory (with an asterisk. I did make a mistake with one of the deployment zones, meaning I had a few more activations then I should have been allowed. Something to remember next time!)

Painting Update - Wrath of Kings

Let's take a look at what I've managed to paint since last time. 

I finished the Celestials for my Shael Han force in Wrath of Kings. These guys are awesome looking. They're something of a departure from the humans and Oni-esque infantry that make up the rest of Shael Han's units, but they're still close enough in aesthetic to fit in.

I have one little quibble with the set, and it's that fact that the Leader, an Avatar of the Monkey, is actually a Chimpanzee. Chimps aren't monkeys! Ah, well.

Graveyard Rave - Strange Aeons AAR

Kevyn's Threshold team was back, having dusted themselves off from their last unfortunate encounter with the weird. 

The scenario was Retrieve the Artifacts, with four markers scattered around an old graveyard. The Threshold team would need to secure these artifacts while dealing with the Lurkers.

The night's calm was broken by the shrieking and whooping of an approaching horde of Degenerates - a local family guarding the dark secrets of the burial grounds, whipped into a frenzy by the unseen hand of the Cult of the Dying Light.

It seemed as though the task would be an easy one, as the horde's numbers were countered by the Threshold team's marksmanship. The team managed to secure three of the four artifacts.

The team leader, was set upon by a pair of degenerates, however. He took a wound, but managed to keep fighting. 

Hoping to save her leader, one of the Agents charged into the fray. However, the grisly and hideous nature of the degenerates was enough of a shock to send the agent into a catatonic state.

With no support, the team leader fell, as did the prone and unresponsive agents. It only took a moment, but suddenly the Threshold team's chance of victory suddenly looked very much in doubt. The civilian photographer was attacked and bore down by another degenerate.

The remaining Agent faced off against three of the nearly inhuman monsters. Her .22 pistol fired again and again, but the small caliber bullets weren't enough to drop the approaching Lurkers.

One of the Degenerates finally reached the Agent and bashed her over the head. A backup team from the Threshold was able to rescue the defeated agents, but not before one of their numbers had died. With another defeat, the team was told to re-equip with more weaponry and personnel. Only time would tell if this would be enough to deal with the Cult of the Dying Light's growing influence.

Snakehead Shootout - Fistful of Lead AAR

Gary, Carl and I gathered together for a game of Fistful of Lead. We decided on a variation of one of the scenarios in the book. Each of our gangs had a hidden leader. I needed to kill Gary's leader, Gary had to kill Carl's leader, and Carl had to kill my leader. So all three gangs would need to try and strike at their targets, while keeping the other gang of their back.

The scene was the old abandoned Snakehead mineshaft.

The three gangs arrived, having thought to sneak up on their target, only to be ambushed in turn!

Hot lead quickly filled the air. My gang was mostly armed with pistols compared to Gary's and Carl's rifle-equipped gangs, which meant I had more bodies but had to get closer to engage.

Carl and I savaged each other gangs while Gary's cowpunks moved to take cover by the mine's entrance.

When we realized that Gary's gang was unhurt and looking for a fight, Carl and I decided to call a truce to try and deal with the third gang.

By that point, however, it was too late. Gary's advantage in numbers and guns - along with some decent close combat rolls - saw the end of Carl's gang.

With Carl's gang out of the fight, my remaining gunslinger traded shots with Gary's last two gang members. Both sides had to retreat, however, with the coming arrival of local law enforcement.

That put victory squarely in Gary's hand, as he had managed to both kill his target while keeping his leader alive.

Run the Gauntlet - Strange Aeons AAR

Somehow, my Threshold team found themselves in danger once again. 

After investigating a disturbed graveyard, the team was ambushed by a rogue Threshold agent who had turned against the agency and had brought a number of the Cult of the Dying Light. 

The agents had to reach the opposite edge of the table and escape before the cultists could take them down.

Leading the way, the head Agent's Tommy gun tore through a cultist and the cult leader. Watching his meat shields take the brunt of the attack, the rouge Agent took aim with his .45 pistol and downed the Threshold loyalist.

Seeing her chance, one Agent managed to flee the table.

The remaining Agent exchanged close-range fire with the remaining cultist...

... and then leaped into close combat, knocking the deranged human to the ground.

Now with a clear path for escape, the Agent fled. The rogue Agent fired again and again, the bullets impacting against the mausoleums and graves but missing the loyalist.

The final Agent escapes, and the team is successful, bringing a map piece back to headquarters. The lead Agent took a major wound, unfortunately, and became a Brain Case - fearless, but unable to learn or cast spells.