With a mind to keep moving on my 6x6 challenge, I offered to run some games of Arena Rex for the group. While I didn't get a chance to record one game (as I was too busy teaching the rules), Gary had played once before.
The arena was fairly simple in it's layout - four pillars, with Nero in the center as a living hazard. On a side note, I need to make/print some pits to help hem in some of the combat that tends to drift off to the side if there's a living hazard in the center of the table.
Gary's cohort consisted of Hermes, Septimus, Infelix, and Otho. Opposing them were Lupa, Urbicus, Otho, and Marcus. Gary started with initiative.
While Gary's cohort split into two groups, mine went straight into the center of the arena. Both side allowed fatigue to accumulate early to enter a clear turn and make use of the Ludus Magnus Rouse tactic. In my clear turn, I then use the Favor to Incite Nero, forcing the bull closer to Gary. But Gary did the same, pushing the living hazard back to near its starting position.
Both sides continued to shuffle around. Micon, however, headed straight for Hermes, looking to through the smaller man towards the enraged bull.
But after multiple attempts, Micon seemed unable to find purchase on Hermes, who was taking advantage of the poor dice to cut chunks out of the giant's flesh.
I forced my Cohort into another clear turn, and once again used the Rouse/Incite combination to move Nero closer to Micon and Hermes. Meanwhile, Urbicus and Lupa engaged with Otho.
Finally, Micon got his hands on Hermes, pushing the gladiator back far enough to catch the bull's attention! Hermes was gravelly injured by Nero's goring.
In a sudden reversal, Septimus strolled up and speared Micon. A single push was all Nero needed to launch a second attack, which removed Micon from the table. Worryingly, Otho was managing to hold off the rest of my cohort by himself, as Hermes retreated behind one of the pillars.
Looking to add to his tally, Septimus moved over and attacked Marcus, who had already been injured by Otho. A single strike was enough to remove a second fight from my cohort of the table. With no ready fighters, I was forced into a clear turn, though I spent a point of Favor to Incite Nero closer to the action.
Seeing a chance, I had Lupa break off from Otho and bash Infelix aside, and again used Incite to move Nero right next to the wounded Hermes.
Of course, I managed to forget that I had to spend Favor to attack Hermes - and I had spent my last point to move the bull! So while Hermes sat nice a safe, Otho and Septimus finished off Urbicus.
Lupa, the lone surviving member of my cohort, managed to finally hit and remove Hermes from the fight. Infelix strolled over, taking advantage of Lupa's fatigued state to get a strike in.
In a risky move, I tried using a power attack to deal a fatal blow to Infelix. But even with the re-roll, the dice failed me. Finally, Septimus came over and, with his own power attack against the exhausted Lupa, struck her down. The roar of the crowd announced victory for Gary's cohort.
Had I sacrificed a chicken before the match, I may have realized that luck was not on my side! But while the battle on the sand was lost, the war may go in my favor, as Gary's expressed interest in buying of the miniatures.
