Gaming with the Gnomies: June 2021

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

(Kickstarter) DCC Dying Earth

Goodman Games is running a Kickstarter to produce a boxed set of Jack Vance's Dying Earth setting, using their Dungeon Crawl Classics system.

The boxed set will include a Player's Libram, The Primer of Practical Magic, and The Intimate Anatomy of Several Creatures and Personages of the Twenty-first Aeon.

Mandatory AAU Basketball Rant: Week 11-12 - The End of the Season

One thing parent miscalculate about travel sports, far more than the unsuspecting kids, is the commitment to the team, especially for a successful program.

Maja's 6th grade team hung it up two weeks ago, although most are still practicing and, of course, the school rec league, but more on that later. Priority goes to Millie's 4th grade team.

With their second invitation to a "National" championship, the program chose to visit Spooky Nook for the East Coast Nationals. Thirty courts going non-stop, hundreds of teams from at least ten different states, and for a first this year... Friday games.

The girls' 4th grade division fielded seven teams, including the teams we eeked out our last championship against, a local team for us, plus a mysterious new team out of Virginia. It looked like pool play might be a challenge if the team didn't execute.

It was far from it. By game 3 or the 4 game pool play, 4th Grade Clutch and the mysterious Virginia team were already guaranteed a spot in the championship games. Those game were against teams that had spirit, but not enough to avoid 35-3, 38-2 and 32-3 losses. While some teams are invited, anyone willing to play the bloated entry fee gets four guaranteed games on the court.

After an afternoon of swimming, shopping and miniature golf, we were back at the Nook 8am Sunday to cheer on the 5th grade girls team and at 9am for a rematch against Team Thrill. With the 21-19 championship fresh in their minds, the girls went to work and dismantled the team, 37-7.

4-0, 142 points scored. 15 points against.

The only problem was the Fairfax All-Stars emerged from their pool:

4-0, 148 points scored. 21 points against.

It was agreed upon by parents on both teams that it simply would have been easier to meet up early on Friday, play this one game, then go home, or enjoy the weekend elsewhere. Most of the divisions in the tourney had spectacular, close games. For 4th grade the championship game was it.

Fairfax came out swinging with the same players they had used since Friday (counter to some alleged shenanigans), our girls not only caught up but held the lead at the half., but the Virginia team slowly pulled ahead in the second half. We were as close as five with two minutes left, but poor shooting and rebounding doomed them down the stretch, and they lost 41-30.

Each team gave up more points in the championship game than they allowed in the four pool games combined.

Millie had a solid tournament, a few nice buckets, great assists, and some more time pretending to be a big, and at many time succeeding.

Overall the team was 29-4 for the season, Undefeated in pool play and 4-4 in championship games. Not bad for a team assemble in March, after a single winter league where they were ripping each other's heads off. Find a key position player, some bench depth, and they're going to be a force to be reckoned with for years.

Maja's relegating time to the still-open AAU practices, and the practices and summer games for the future 7th grade middle school team. If the last two weeks demonstrated anything, it's that the future 7th graders will beat the pants off of the future 8th graders, guaranteed.

Last week, the team played Hazleton, most of which is comprised of the nationally ranked 6th grade Lady Cougars. The coach put our four of her future 8th grade starters plus one more to start the game.

Within a minute it was 10-0 Hazleton and substitutions were flying in. It's not too much of a surprise that upon subbing in the girls who played 6th grade AAU this year, not only did the bleeding stop, but like Millie's game, they were actually up at the half.

With 15 players rotating in groups of five for our team, Hazleton pulled away in the second half to a ten point win. It does beg the question of how Maja's team would have fared against this AAU team. I guess there's always next year.

This week saw the same massive bench, but the arrival of Maja's classmate Charli. She's an extremely tall and coordinated girl and with her playing elsewhere for the past few years, this was the first chance for Maja and her to team up.

The group with Maja and Charli probably scored 3/4 of the points in their win. After the intimate knowledge of each other on 6-7 player AAU teams, it will take awhile for the others to catch up to (and be ready to catch) Maja's passing. Charli took advantage of Maja's passing (and great hustle on her part to get open) to score almost all her points that weren't 3-pointers.

That future 7th grade team was a core of five that should rival most Freshman teams. There might be a future basketball rant, but not for sometime. I'm just going to enjoy the "off-season" while it lasts.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

(Star Wars d6) #8 - The Ritual of Quickdeath

Our "Heroes"
Ne'vets Aharo - an exotic animal broker, both legal and otherwise
Evus - Twi'lek former mercenary, Ne'vets' armed muscle with a tendency to shoot first.
Tarrie - Human pilot for the upcoming mission. "Mother" to two baby reptiles, Tarr and Aye.
Frokazza -Wookie co-pilot, mechanic, and unarmed muscle. Very distrustful.

Ritual of Quickdeath!
Re-united with their traveling companions,
the Ul-Mor,
Our heroes are nearing the sacred,
Valley of Heroes, where, if they succeed
in the Ritual of Quickdeath, they will
become members of the Ul-Mor tribe
But is the Quickdeath, a ritual, a creature,
or worst yet, a misnomer!

After re-uniting with the Ul-Mor, it was still many days to reach the field where the Ritual of Quickdeath . The field was rather unimpressive, a mesa forming a U made for a natural arena for something to occur.

Ah'tru, the Ul-Mor Cheiftain, spoke, "It is now time for the Ritual of Adulthood. Those who succeed will become one of the Ul-Mor. Those who fail will choose a new connection to the One. Grab a spear."

And with that the chieftain revealed four short spears for the group to take.

As the four took the spears, Ah'tru quickly scampered away to a distant high ground, where the rest of the Ul-Mor sat patiently.

Khahai remained and emerged from behind a large rock with four straw dummies, best representing the four of them.

"May you fare well against the Quickdeath," and with that he mounted his Loper and rode towards the mesa."

Ne'vets thought out loud, "Did they say we could or couldn't use our personal weapons? We still have all of them."

Suddenly, a large tiger-like creature emerged from the distance with tentacles and a barb-shooting tail. It began running at an incredible rate.

A Volturnan Quickdeath

Frokazza raised his bowcaster, and Evus jumped in front of him in a kneeling position. The initial bowcaster bolt struck the beast, causing it to tumble, only to regain its footing with only missing a step or two. Ne'vets shot bounced off the creature and it kept pressing.

Frokazza's second shot went high, and the bowcaster made an odd sound. The Quickdeath closed into the group. Evus could only set his spear for the charge. The beast leaped upon him, snapping the spear, but leaving Twi'lek uninjured.

Tarrie pounced upon the Quickdeath with his spear, piercing the armor plates, and with a twist of the shaft, incapacitated the creature.

With the Quickdeath already out, Ne'vets charged the body and gave it a death blow.

The Ul-Mor audience lifted their spears and tentacles in the air in celebration.

Ah'tru rode down back to the "You've done well. You are now One, for you are the Ul-Mor"

*Cue bonfires and squid-equivalent of the Ewok celebration*

In the midst of the celebration, the full Ul-Mor tribe arrived, another 300 members, including children and livestock.

Sometime in the middle of the death, Ah'tru, being full of fermented Loper milk, confides in the group.

"Now that you are members, I can send guides with you to get your closer to the Kurabanda. They are like two of you," pointing to Ne'vets and Tarrie, "but hairy like Frokazza. You are much much smarter than those foolish creatures. Who would live in houses in trees?"

"Waitaminute," exclaimed Ne'vets. "There's trees on this rock?"

"Yes, perhaps they know something else, even if they're silly creatures. The guides will escort you out of the Burning Lands and into the plains much closer to the Kurabanda."

After a full day's rest, Frokazza fixed his bowcaster, the party was stocked up with their share.

The Ul-Mor escort successfully navigated everyone out of the Burning Lands, through a tunnel, for three days. Outside of a few missed attempt at humor, only essential telepathic conversation was made.

Another issue that came up was the complete difference in the concept of time of the Ul-Mor. The journey takes a total of 20 days.

Finally, the group reached the outskirts of the plains, and with a pointing tentacle, they directed them in the right direction.

The saddest moment of the journey on this moon thus far was when Tarrie realized he needed to give up his baby Lopers. Lopers, in general, didn't deal well outside the desert and mountains, however, the escorts pledged that the creatures would always be the property of Tarrie.

No more than two minutes navigating through the two-meter tall grass, everyone noticed themselves bleeding. The grass was razor-sharp, but luckily they could be hacked down with machetes, a slow and possibly painful process.

On the second day of travel, they came upon with a completely flattened path, six meters wide, crossing theirs.

They were able to follow this path for the remainder of the day, but as dusk settled, they discovered a herd of fifteen large mammoth-like creatures. Instead of tusks, the mammals had a large piece of bone jutting from its nose. They used the bone to flatten the grass, and to the amazement of all, were consuming it.

Ne'vets was confident these were a herd of Hough'Mongos, and going around them was not an option.

Hough'Mongos

Realizing that they were heading in the direction away from them, the group settled for the night atop the hill they were on, and by morning the herd of Hough'Mongos was gone...

Next: #9 - Travels to the Kurabanda

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Bolt Action Germans as Cobra... and More!

What is the one true untapped market in wargaming? I'd argue that it's the GI Joe franchise. You know, the 80s toy-selling cartoon. Cobra, Destro, Snakes-Eyes, all the wild vehicles and middle-aged recreational cash. Sure, I'm certain the license from Hasbro would be daunting for most, save WizKids, but I'd much rather have Cobra HISS tanks on the battlefield than some other 40k concoction.

The whole reason for my thought was a recent post over at Must Contain Minis, where a player simply painted Bolt Action Germans in Cobra Regalia to great effect.

The Cobra player/player, Dave Lamers' other work can be found here on the MCM blog.

Numerous people have made cobbling together GI Joe/Cobra armies one of their missions in life, and the one I follow the most is The Realm of Jinnai. Their forces are a cobbling together of 3d prints, individual sculpts, and third party work arounds, and with their painting style, its as bold as the four color comics of my youth.

Of course, children of the 80's who just ripped open the packaging (clipping out the index card GI Joe Files off the card/box) would be able to used their own figures, acquire a few action figure stands to keep them upright, and completely take over the backyard... with wargaming rules. That was always my distant pipe dream when I threw a buck or two at generic action figure Kickstarters. I can't imagine storing full-sized toys anymore, but I'd love to see some historical re-enactments straight from the comics. Heck, with the price of metal figures nowadays, it's not that much more expensive getting action figures on clearance.

The zaniest GI Joe fun that I've seen wasn't even part of the 80's franchise. Twenty-plus years ago, when Fall-In was still in Gettysburg, I witnessed the Classic GI Joe sized "dolls" dressed as WW2 Germans and Russians , fighting on a huge city battlefield on the floor of the Expo Center. That's a level on insanity that only has my undying support and respect.

Friday, June 25, 2021

(Painting) Blue Martians of the Holy Fern

Even with glue dwindling, and the ladies in the house plotting some crazy party, I managed to complete the biggest single job of the year, a unit a Warhammer Night Goblin Archers, who are painted up to resemble primitive Blue Martians.

I picked up a decent pile of WFB goblins off of eBay on the cheap way back when the girls were babies. They were always part of my Blue Martian plan... once I developed a Blue Martian plan.

These Blue Martians are part of the Order of the Holy Fern, fanatical cultists of the Martian Goddess Esut.

Leader of the Order, Gematt Hoektand

This gets me to a nice, even 150 miniatures painted in the last 9 months. That's the third-most figures I've done in a 'gaming year' beaten only by 2016 (a lot of terrain) and 2014 (Painting the Samoan Civil War game from scratch). I don't know if I'm completing any more "Martians" this year, but I probably could finish the wolf and spider riders in the shoebox, plus the other miscellany, and clear out shelf space for the set up the lead up in more manageable boxes.

Next: Wars of Ozz and some quick 15mm fun.

Project 350: 486 (318/168) from 491 (321/170). Fathers Day always clears some projects off the to-do pile, although I doubt much movement for July as I start to built and write out the topics for #RPGaDay2021. Star Wars Actual Play backlog is down to three

Thursday, June 24, 2021

(Kickstarter) Rifts for Savage Worlds - Atlantis Rising

I think I'm passed my mid-life crisis fascination with Savage Rifts is done, but I'm pleasantly intrigued by Pinnacle's expansion of the game with Rifts® for Savage Worlds: Atlantis Rising Kickstarter.

From the Kickstarter itself:

Rifts®: Atlantis and the Demon Seas is a 192-page full-color hardcover sourcebook with new Iconic Frameworks, MARS packages, Edges, Races, and Gear. This Kickstarter also offers an amazing new first for Rifts®—an army of pawns for your table! AND an alluring poster map, two double-sided combat maps, archetype dossiers, and more!

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

(Savage Pulp) #3.12 You Say You Want an Insurrection

Months into the rule of Lt. Col Thaddeus Ovaltine, life had returned to normal the town of Sohai. Sure, the dear Lt Colonel usually demanded a cut of someone's ill-gotten (or properly gotten) gains, but it was a small percentage. Plus, Ovaltine's standing order to shoot troublemaker, and particularly anyone firing a gun within the walls of the town, kept the usual riff-raff out, and the tower was beginning to cover.

Beginning was the key word. As order was restored, complacency fell upon Ovaltine, and ultimately his men. Corruption and bribery were regular occurrences, and when it affected the locals' business plans, it became an issue. With a concerted effort by all the other gangs, tribes, and interests, Ovaltine could be removed, or at least the corruption spread amongst all the groups. They only needed one group, or even one person to incite the town, and a full-blown insurrection should occur within minutes.

Forces:

Lt Colonel Thaddeus Ovaltine and the Rough 'n Ready Riders -

The Russians - Collusion with Ovaltine was just long enough for Keptin Kaputin to replace his depleted ranks and pose a threat to stability in the region

"Doktor"Klockenspiel and the German Archeologists - With the famed archaeologists/heroes missing, the Germans had found great success in the surrounding ruins. however they tired of Ovaltine taking his cut, and sometimes even stealing early leads outright. Ovaltine in power was fine, but the business arrangements needed to be re-negotiated, by force, if necessary.

The Valiant Citizens Brigade - The common citizens of Sohai tired of the state-run vice. They much preferred a bit more danger for more immoral choices. They may team up with another group, or they might decide that someone from their own ranks deserved to be mayor, perhaps the MIA James J. Jimmerson or the charismatic newcomer, Larry of Arabica

The Sohai Askaris - The police were oddly above most of the corruption and graft, serving the town rather the the personas trying to run things. Ovaltine's arrival meant guaranteed their unemployment, but one man got them back together... the famed Bob Njano. With his friends safe on another continent, it was time to correct the wrongs in his adopted home. He also recruited Kagiso a tribesman from the far south, to help reclaim their rightful place in town.

Of course, other surprises might lay within the back alleys of Sohai. Only time would tell.

Sohai, at 3:35 in the afternoon

Turn One: The Germans had snuck behind the stables to the "Mayor's Mansion." The plan had been for them to bide their time and seize the mansion at the right moment. Most agreed, save the three stragglers who decided to take pot shots at Ovaltine's men in a tower. They missed, Ovaltine's men missed their return fire, and with that ineffectualness, the insurrection was begun.

Hey, are those guys actually shooting at us?

Ovaltine's men rush to the commotion.

With the gunshots, most of Ovaltine's crew moved to the sounds, albeit slowly. This made a great time for Keptin Kaptuin and his crew to slowly wander the streets, and take the advantage wherever they could find it.

It is time to emerge, comrades...

Meanwhile Bob Njano and the Sohai Police had settled in a building equidistant from the marketplace and the police station. The police were ineffective against Ovaltine's men station, but Njano blew away the lone remaining patrolman in the marketplace.

Shooting gallery in the center of town.

Turn Two: Kagiso had been brazen in the first few seconds after the gunshots. He stormed down the steps and tried to waylay one of Ovaltine's men, only to be met by an equal resistance. Njano needed to come down from his firing position to knock out the guard with the butt of his shotgun.

The butt of the shotgun is far more effective than those flimsy spears.

With that, the Sohai police in hiding finally emerged.

The Askaris emerge to seize what is rightfully theirs.

With only a few remaining men guarding the the station, the askaris/police used mass fire to dislodge the defenders.

The empty police plaza...

TURN THREE:

With most of the action occurring in buildings and back alleys, the Russians casually strolled down the main thoroughfare.

Bob Njano spies those dastardly Russians.

In the mayor's mansion, Lt Col Ovaltine was surrounded by a squad of heavily armed but exhausted archeologists. He did what any self-respecting politician/villain would do:

The out of breath Germans have Thaddeus Ovaltine cornered.

He took a pot-shot at them and dove down to the street. He performed both items quite poorly.

...unless he jumps out of a window... poorly.

TURN FOUR:

In the biggest surprise of evening the Valiant Citizens Brigade (VCB), bid their time inside their headquarters, drew a Joker, and unleashed their new special guest. Larry of Arabica gave order to attack the Russian stragglers, but the last person to come out the door was non other than Haley O'Killery, former mayor, and bitter rival to the despicable (and dead) Roland Tower, but Keptin Kaputin!

The VCB, with O'Killery, jump the Russians.

Despite having tactical and motivational advantage that would be laughable in fiction, the four failed to even land a glancing blow on the Russians, and Keptin Kaputin was now aware and moving closer.

The Germans, shooting from all directions, couldn't hit the ground, much less Ovaltine.

More incompetence can from Ovaltine's men and the Germans. The men in the tower killed two of the Germans firing at them, but the rest of the action was in or behind buildings. The Germans chasing Lt Col Ovaltine, fired down from the second story, but nothing hit, by then his men had arrived to make covering fire, and to pull him to safety.

Reinforcements for Ovaltine arrive from another neighborhood.

As his forces from the police station and mayor's mansion prepared to board trucks and withdraw from the city, reinforcements came from another part of town. This crew was indiscriminate, shooting any civilians that could pose as a threat.

Turn FIVE:

Keptin Kaputin and his Russian 'bot turned around to face Haley, Kaputin encountered Larry first and within seconds the VCB member had his brains splattered across the walls in the neighborhood.

Ovaltine was dragged to the safety of a truck, and with gunfire in all directions, it was decided a retreat was in order.

Ovaltine is loaded into the truck, and most of the Rough 'n Ready Riders make a hasty retreat.

... except for the reinforcements who fired through the marketplace to hit the brawl beyond it. Haley was worried. Despite her grand entrance, she had yet to successfully strike her foe.

Ovaltine's reinforcements, firing through the marketplace crowd.

TURN SIX: Kaptuin possibly shot, fazed, staggered away from melee and into Bob Njano's shotgun.

Kaputin staggers in front of Bob Njano

Bob levelled his shotgun, but the Russian's erratic movement proved too much to score a point blank hit.

For his police friends, things were going much smoother. They seized the police station with limited casualties to any side.

TURN SEVEN:

Another Joker for the VCB, and that allowed Haley O'Killery to take out the Russian 'bot with power and precision!

The VCB finish the fight with fists and katanas.

In Kaputin's daze he got within melee range of Bob Njano and began relentlessly beating him with his bat. It was a viscous display that stopped most people in their tracks. Bob put up no defense of any sort, and the Russian was covered in his blood and he ended the assault.

RIP Bob Njano

The VCB's victories were quite short-lived as the only folks not interested in the brutal murder of Bob Njano were Ovaltine's merciless reinforcements. The hired guns slaughtered the surviving VCB in the street, leaving only Haley O'Killery.

Ovaltine's men don't fancy the VCB and they are gunned down.

Turn Eight/Nine: While Bob Njano's death drew a crowd, Haley O'Killery's attack on Keptin Kaputin drew a sizable audience, and the pair did not disappoint. Dipping, jumping, and parrying blows, each got a shot in on the over before Haley ran her Katana through the Russian.

A crowd forms to see Hillary finish Kaptuin.

With that, the violence in the streets ended.

Bob Njano's death provided the Sohai police no reason to keep the hot-headed Kasigo around. He left the town with a few trophies, but cursing at every inhabitant left in the town.

The Askaris are back at home in the police, and no longer need some primitive's help.

"Doktor" Klockenspiel had no time to worry the affairs of a governed people, so with the weight of his militia of archeologists behind him, threw in his lot with Haley O'Killery. The returning Sohai police agreed, and with that, a corrupt peace fell upon the desert town once again.

So about revising those outrageous "digging fees..."

With eleven episodes in the bag, and three rough storylines, it was time to put some things to bed. I decided early that it would be a free-for-all for all the power in Sohai. It just took awhile to set up the forces and finally run the game.

Savage Worlds/Showdown is known for some exciting dice rolls, but many of the "mooks" couldn't hit the broad side of a pyramid... and the few heroes on the board weren't much better.

When the dice warmed up, they got way too hot. Kaputin's death blow to Njano and O'Killery's on Kaputin were so explosive, there were simply not enough bennies (re-rolls/wound soaking) to offset the ferocity.

Like a show switching networks, anticipate some changes for Season 4. Start date: TBD.

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

After discovering a beach on the underground lake, and letting the baby lopers frolic in the water, the group decided to search for a different path to find a way around the lake, only to discover a second beach, with a lone Ul-Mor, with a pasty white growth on his face and tentacles.

The Ul-Mor was completely unsettled by the group's arrival.

"What is going on? Are you banished too?"

"I was once called Brom the Banished."

''I was once a powerful Ul-Mor, who stole many things from our enemies and divided these things many ways. My fellows envied me, and, indeed, I believed they had reason to do so. I had been chosen as the tribe's next leader, and this made me feel as though no risk were too great for me to take. But, alas, the One will not tolerate such foolishness. "I was riding herd on a large flock of kwidges when a burrower snake startled them, and they stampeded. Many of the kwidges ran under my loper; alas, I was not quick enough to control the noble beast. Left solely to his own direction, my loper panicked and ran into the tribe's egg cache, destroying several of our young. The elders immediately banished me, forever denying me the rights of an Ul-Mor. ''Since that time I have wandered these caverns, where I have learned the secret of joining the One without the cold sleep' Perhaps the One has sent you to me, so that I may redeem myself by showing you his secret."

Tarrie attempted to analyze the white pasty substances around Brom's face and tentacles, but was met by a disturbed Brom staring at and articulating his covered tentacles. "This is me, yet it is not part of me. I shall live forever."

GM Notes: Say no to drugs, kids.

Despite Brom's delusional ramblings, and an insistence that they should visit the island in middle of the lake, the group was more than happy to accept his help getting fungus rafts together to get across the lake.

As a form of payment for his services, the group was happy to drop Brom off at the island. The island was largely a collection of the white pasty substance covering everything, including rocks, other fungus, and even a few outlines that looked animal-like. Brom jumped off the raft and wished them well.

They landed on the beach and were met by a series of beeps and boops. They seemed quite familiar to Tarrie, so familiar, that they went back.... back to a **FLASHBACK**

Within the days underground, everyone had forgotten their encounter with a small droid, just after the cave-in. The droid was attempting to communicate with the group and clean up the tremendous amount of dust in the chamber. Tarrie had thrown rocks at it and it quickly dashed away.

And now that droid, or a similar looking one, was on this side of the lake.

Sneaking over to the noises, they could spy the little droid cleaning a complicated cavern of stalagmites and stalactites.

A quick Tangler grenade trapped the droid, but during Frokazza and Evus' attempts to analyze it, it exploded in a little fire and great arc of sparks. No one was injured, and a few stepped back in surprise, but the baby Lopers ran away in fear.

The party chased the baby Lopers and found themselves.... waking up off the floor of a new cavern. Everyone was fully refreshed, and the baby Loopers were with them. A single set of footprints left the chamber and it led them back towards the room with the now-fried cleaning droid.

Wandering through some more caves finally found some signs of civilzation. A chamber had rows of folding military tables, a lone cot, and a few boxes. Ne'vets was quite surprised that some of the labeling directed them back to the long-defunct Trade Federation.

Just beyond the reach of the lanterns, the others could barely make out the silhouette or some grey cloaked individual. Before anyone could react two red lightsaber blades lit up in front of them.

Evus immediately shot at the figure, but they were deflected by the lightsaber. Then, multiple crates went flying off the tables, most hitting the group with minimal damage, but by the time they regained their composure, the hooded figure was gone.

Finding another exit out of this cavern, it was decided to wait a bit before following. The ensuing passageway was small than the rest of the caverns, and had no diverging paths. After a few hours, everyone could feel the hot wind of the outside, and they emerged from a cliff-face inside a desert canyon.

Less than an hour later, they found Khahai wandering around in a state of confusion. He was delighted that they have survived the cave in. The scouting party was giving them one more day to emerge out of Caverns of Confusion, "...where no Ul-Mor goes..." In fact, he was out patrolling the canyon looking for them, but now he is without his Ul-Mor and could not remember how that happened. Assuming the worst with the grey-cloaked individual, the group scouted around. They did find Loper tracks, but they disappeared as it traversed the rocks up to higher elevation.

Everyone returned to the Ul-Mor camp further unscathed. There was great relief and some celebration that everyone was alive, although some consternation that Khahai, the greatest Loper wrangler of all the Ul-Mor, could lose his mount with no explanation.

For now, the Ul-Mor could continue their task, and the party could finally reach the Arena of True Warriors for the ritual, the Ritual of Quickdeath.

Next: #8 The Ritual of Quickdeath

Monday, June 21, 2021

Mice versus Cthulhu! - The Father's Day Game

Father's Day doesn't mean breakfast in bed and a weird tie or t-shirt. It's a simple day of a tea party and gaming with my girls. If those two things can happen, I can chalk it up as the best day ever.

The weekend did start off better than expected with boxes from both Sally 4th's Able Company Kickstarter and BattleValor Games' 15mm Baggage Train campaign arriving on Sunday. No, I'm not delving into another scale, rather I took advantage of pledging for this campaign to get significant discounts on Battle Valor's 28mm Pulp, Sci-Fi, and Space Dwarf lines. I basically lost all traction I made on my lead pile this year (and Reaper Bones 5 and Macrocosm's Space Dwarves are shipping soon). As usual, I'm gleefully doomed.

After breakfast and a long meandering drive along the dirt roads in the area (that was requested), we prepped for the annual Father's Day game. I do have a LOT stuck in the gaming queue, but I always attempt to do something different for Father's Day, and this year was over a pandemic year in the making.

I mean, I'm not sure where I initially saw this, but as a man with all similar components in his arsenal, it was a no-brainer.

Despite a pleasant morning, I may have worn out the goodwill of two girls under 13 and when the bickering started during set-up, I did something I've never done before for these games: I sent one away.

With the idea of the giant monster moving ashore and terrorizing a small mousling town, only one game could recreate what I was looking for: Steve Jackson Games' OGRE. Heroes were Heavy Tanks, Archers/Wizard were Missile Carriers, other mouslings were Infantry, and the Eureka Mice Warriors on the board became GEVs.

Here's Millie's encounter with the dread Cthulhu.

Cthulhu's Anti-Personnel System is its large non-Euclidian feet.

*SMOOSH*

Millie kept here troops in front of the charging Cthulhu, ultimately forming a u-shaped defense.

The brave heroes were quickly devoured.

And the band played on, instead of fighting, then getting eaten.

Eye to eye with the Mouse King and Queen, then *poof* vanished.

Needing six turns to destroy the tower, Cthulhu was literally touching the building and only need a 2+ on the last roll of the game, to knock it to the ground and win.

Of course, I rolled a 1.

And to not be a heartless father, once the youngest deemed it right and proper to jump in the pool, I called the eldest back down (after a well-needed nap?) and we played the some scenario. She set up a fairly straight line of defense, and played a game of catch-up as the Elder God burst through. Cthulhu managed to topple the tower on the games's last die roll, using its only remaining tentacle (secondary weapon). Given the lack of experience and lack of mouslings, I did reduce Cthulhu's "treads" down to 30 from the original 45. This slowed down the beast just enough to create some drama.