Painting Update - SW:A, ADLG

Here's what I've been working on since the last update. 

This group of Harlequins was my original choice for a kill team when the local gaming group started a Shadow War campaign in anticipation of Warhammer 40,000's 8th Edition, as I only needed a single box of miniatures. The team is headed by a Troupe Leader, backed up by a pair of Virutosos and three Players (or Mimes, the less experienced versions). I also picked up a Death Jester, who helped cover a couple of the Harlequins weaknesses - a lack of long range and large blast templates.

Of course, after a couple weeks, the group realized that the Harlequins seemed far too powerful, and so they were put on the sidelines in favor of an Ork mob.

I've also been working on a Free Company force for L'Art de la Guerre. This is the general's command - heavy knights supported by a couple units of light infantry with crossbows. The light infantry can move as quickly as the knights, so they're useful for covering and attacking flanks in combat.

The second command is comprised of heavy infantry - foot knights and halberdiers. The javelin-armed light infantry provide cover from shooting for the unarmored halberdiers, and can act as flank support in combat.

The third command is the smallest and comprises the ranged elements in the force. These English Longbowmen are Elite and reduce the protection of units they're shooting. They're not great in combat, however, so this is a command that will need to keep away from the enemy or place them in terrain that will offer some bonuses.

Camel Dervish - ADLG AAR

This past weekend I took a trip over to On Military Matters to play a game of ADLG with Dennis, the store's owner. 

Dennis' Sumerians won the initiative roll and elected to attack. My Free Company had three commands consisting of knights, heavy swordsmen, and longbowmen. The Sumerian commands had camel-mounted archers, heavy spearmen, and a mixed group of heavy chariots and medium spearmen.

Both sides advanced. The camels got within bow range of the knights and managed a few hits.

As the infantry stand off, the knights continued to chase after the camels.

Here's where I think I made a mistake (apart from, as usual, deployment) - I took a turn to try and rally the disorder from the knights instead of moving after the camels. This gave Dennis the opportunity to move some infantry from the middle command over and threaten the knights, drawing one of them off.

The knights kicked their mounts back into motion, leaving one unit behind to be swarmed by Sumerian spearmen.

The camels, forced to the edge of the table, split into two groups, forcing the knights to split up. Tired of waiting, the Free Company's heavy infantry started to advanced on the Sumerian infantry.

Unfortunately, the camels were able to take the knights apart with support from the diverted infantry. The Sumerian heavy infantry turned and retreated, along with the chariots, as the medium infantry moved into the flanks of the longbowmen.

At this point, I conceded. I was more than halfway to my breakpoint, and I knew that my own heavy infantry wouldn't get into combat before Dennis would be able to chew up my longbowmen with his medium infantry and chariots.

Oh, Shiny! - Strange Aeons AAR

Following last week's game, Kevyn and I switched sides. We rolled for the scenario and got Treasure Hunt.

In a strangely familiar shantytown in Somewhere Else, USA, another Threshhold team was searching for a powerful artifact that someone had tipped them off about. But a sect of the Cult of the Dying Light was in the area, also looking for the treasure.

The Threshold Team was led by a Character with two Agents, while the Lurkers had a Cult Leader and three Cultists (although one had a battleaxe and light armor).

Both sides spent their first turns hunkered down, waiting until they could start searching in earnest (at the start of Turn 3).

Kevyn attempted to sneak his battleaxe wielding cultist into charge range. But one of the Threshold Agent's wasn't going to sit by and wait, so she ran out and gave the cultists both barrels of her shotgun, blowing the Lurker into grisly chunks.

Both sides were searching desperately as shots rang out.

One cultist charge the shotgun-wielding Agent, not realizing that she was as handy with a knife as she was with a firearm.

It was one of the Cultists who finally found the treasure, eliciting a cry of triumph from the Cult Leader. The Threshold Agents rushed forward, not willing to let the cultists get away with the objective.

The Threshold Character opened fire with his Tommy Gun, downing the cultist carrying the Treasure.

The Threshold team's assault pays off, with the Cult Leader and the remaining Cultist cut down.

Victorious, the Threshold Agents return with the Treasure, which turns out to be a Ring of Power. They also recover a Map Piece.

Shantytown Massacre - Strange Aeons AAR

After discovering last week that Kevyn had made a rather substantial purchase of Strange Aeons miniatures, we decided to get around to playing the game (also helping with my 6x6 challenge). We both created Threshold Lists, which we'll play while alternating control of the Lurkers. 

Kevyn offered to lead his Threshold team into the fray, and we rolled Fight for the scenario. We set the table up as a ramshackle shanty town in Nowhere, USA, where a cult had set itself up and created a ritual site.

Kevyn's Threshold team consisted of a Character, two Agents, and a Civilian. The Lurkers were members of the Cult of the Dying Light, with a Cult Leader, five cultists, and an Ancient Warrior that the cult had resurrected.

The goal of the scenario was simple - kill the other side!

The Cult Leader, covered by two .22 pistol wielding followers, advanced behind the shambling Ancient Warrior. Due to it's skeletal frame and unnatural physicality, the undead monstrosity shrugged off the Threshold team's bullets.

The Ancient Warrior lurched into contact with one of the Threshold Agents, who managed to pass her Resolve test to withstand the fear-inducing Lurker.

But the Ancient Warrior's claws made quick work of the Agent. Her companion, unable to stand the sight of flayed and brutalized flesh and bone, fell to the ground, catatonic.

The Threshold Character, cursing his bad luck, hunkered behind a fence and fired his .45 at the Ancient Warrior. Ignoring the bullets, the undead Lurker attacked the catatonic Agent, removing her from play.

Finally, the .45's hollowpoint round managed to connect, tearing the monster to shreds.

But now the Threshold Character had to deal with the remaining cultists.

One cultist's advance put him within charge range of the Threshold Character, and the government agent leaped onto the servant of darkness, cutting him down with his knife.

Unwilling to close, the remaining cultists (not counting those who never got beyond their starting positions) starting to shoot at the Character.

After several rounds of shooting, the Character caught a bullet and fell. The remaining member of the Threshold team - a mere Civilian - decided to run for it.

The Threshold team retreated and treated their wounded, while the Cult of the Dying Light went back to their dark machinations. Only time would tell if the Threshold could put a stop to their nefarious plans...

Who Brought the Big Guns? - Warhammer 40k AAR

With Warhammer 40,000's 8th edition release, Kevyn and I have been drawn back by its siren's call. The rules seem alright, although we're somewhat wary of some of the stuff we've seen on other tables. 

The scenario was Big Guns Never Tire and deployment was Dawn of War. We were playing with the combined 7th and 8th edition starter sets. Kevyn had Chaos and Death Guard, while I was playing with Dark Angels backed by Primaris Marines.

I finished deploying first, and Kevyn failed to steal the first turn.

My units shuffled forward into cover and took potshots where they could. The forces of chaos charged forward, returning fire.

Both sides continued to exchange fire. The Deathwing Terminators teleported behind the Chaos lines and fired on the Sorcerer and Cultists protecting one of the Objectives.

The battle essentially turned into three engagements. A Chaos force led by a Lord and supported by Chosen, Cultists, and and Hellbrute assaulted an objective held by a Tactical Squad and Ravenwing Bikers.

In the Center, a Plague Drone and Poxwalkers bore down on the main contingent of Marines - the Captain, Librarian, and Primaris Lieutenants with two Intercessors and a Hellblaster squad (funnily enough, the only Heavy Support option on either side).

The Deathwing Terminators sprinted into combat (after rolling an 11 for their charge distance). They tore through the Cultists and the Chaos psyker.

As the game neared it's conclusion, the score was still almost even. Kevyn's assault on the objective on the left side was complete after annihilating the Marines defending it. But the Deathwing had also secured the objective they had attacked, and the Plague Drone and Poxwalkers had been killed.

The game came down to a single Primaris Lieutenant who attempted to grab an objective in the last turn. Kevyn's Lord of Contagion wasn't having any of that, first slaughtering the last of the Intercessors, and then taking the head of the Lieutenant off with his weapon.

The score was 8 to 7, with the Marines just managing to secure victory.