The Testiad, Book Two, the battle in the Mist

 Of King Testes I speak, swollen and Proud after Victory,

He advances on the Greeks, Mighty King of Tumesces.

But the mist comes down, and it's all a bit of a cock-up.

Oh sing ye muses, shall he be victorious, or is he yet fated?

The field of mist

And as we deployed we realised that the mist had messed with us.

A cautious central advance for the Sea Peoples as we attacked the Greek flanks.

And I have to admit that the heroes shooting reflected the Iliad quite nicely.

Gradually we closed in.  Not too impetuous but then again Testes is an old hand at this kind of job.

The Greeks were waiting g for the mist to lift.  It didn't.

Meanwhile the Sea Peoples bullied the flanks.

Finally Testes charges in.

And my dice were enough to win big occasionally as well as stave off defeat repeatedly.

The centre of both lines breaks into small groups melees

And it's all pretty evenly matched although Testes is wounded with a spear up his chitterlings.

The Greek chariots shooting is pretty great.

Bur tge Sea Peoples use the open flanks to support with light chariots and javelinmen.

The end of Pajamarama's hopes, as the Sea Peoples bite at both his flanks and the centre Melee sees him held.  To be honest it was a brutal fight that went both ways. 

Fated Testes wins again though wounded.  I shall field him as a level 2 hero in the next game to reflect the spear to his chitterlings.  I fear for his future.

Old Withered Testes faces Achillies

From the Testiad of Blind Humor

Sing you Muses, tell of Old Withered Testes,  son of Gonad, father of the Mighty Hero Phallus.  Tell of the wrath of fleet footed Achillies, and how the Alashians gave him a mighty blow.

Three there were faced the enemy, Old Testes, Young Arsius and Patroclitorus the elusive.  Heroes all, but obviously Testes was a level three.

Against them came Mighty Achillies the four, up on a hilltop.  With him Diomedes, and Patroclus, that poor imitation, yet to show up.

The landing near Kourion

Deployment.  The Greeks get the hill, the Sea Peoples face them.

And not just Sea Peoples, the local "Caananite" King and his forces.  I realised halfway through the battle that Arsiusvwas meant to command this flank.  I had given him "unleash Hell" and then gave the Bowmen to Patroclitorus.

And despite his advanced years Testes rushes forward and gets stuck in.

Whilst the Caananite flank is more cautious, since Achillies is looming large up on that hill.

Achillies stands on his objective rock and glowers.

PatroC loses his chariots to Achillies.

Meanwhile Testes and Diomedes knock seven bells off each other.

The Myrmidons have a proper go but exhaust themselves.

And Patroclitorus ends up hiding among the Caananite Spearmen.  Well that is Achillies over there.

Finally the Greeks chariots turn up.  Patroclus leads them on.  It's cramped!

But the Sea Peoples dice is favoured by Aphrodite!

And on such a small tale being pushed back can mean getting pushed off table.

A win for the Sea Peoples with eight token points left in the pot.  Testes is given the sacred love ring of Aphrodite as a reward.  

Not totally fair.  This scenario is odd on a small table.  The Sea Peoples were "fearsome" and Missile armed (javelins) not sure if either is warranted but I followed what I thought looked right.

Some campaign ideas

A narrative campaign.  Five scenarios, four players with 200 point armies.  

Each player is supported by a god and can gain rewards by soending the tokens remaining after a game.  Rewards may be: 

The Sword of Ares  10 tokens

The Bow of Apollo   8 tokens  

Upgrade a unit to brutal etc...

A new hero rises

Add a heroic trait

If no tokens remain the gods may randomly punish you ie...

Downgrade a unit to reluctant

Remove a heroic trait

Become fated etc...

Scenarios in this order

Battle ➡ None shall pass ➡ Take the High ground ➡ Battle in the mist  ➡  Last stand

Each Game will be written up as part of a heroic epic poem in the manner of Blind Humor and the Testiad example above.   The name of the winning hero of the campaign will become the title of the poem.

Midgard goes bronze

Congratulations to the club Secretary for getting this Bronze age Midgard game set up.  The Trojan War was about to kick off.

The Trojan War using Midgard.  New rules to us all.

Achilles fights the Trojan Champion.

And my advice, if it involves Achillies avoid him.  The Trojan is finished off in short order.

Deployment.  Unfair to the defender.  Moving two units a little distance in response is a poor reply to the attacker being able to see your deployment and plan.  Having seen our deployment the Heroic Trojan attackers advance in a cautious echelon, holding back their right.

The come on swiftly on the left.  I hold Patroclus is back a turn.  More about those light troops later.

Patroclus charges.  The Trojans countercharge.  However countercharge is a trait.  Foot warriors don't get this and I'm not convinced that's realistic.  In a game of heroic combat it promotes attempts to get the move into combat advantage.

A view down the line.  It's a great looking game.

Patroclus has his unit finished off.  He joins the second.  I have my doubts about that boy.  However I'm  still sceptical when bow armed skirmishers are allowed to charge into a flank. 

Achilles vs Hector.  A big fight kicks off in the centre.

But Achillies destroys one warrior unit, charges into its supports and loses his own.  Like the man he is he stands and fights. 

Over on our left, where were were hung out to dry in deployment, Diomedes gets into the fight.  To turn his line he had to rotate his units.  His dice is not up to it!

I sort of observed this fight as Diomedes struggled to get into the combat.  If Midgard is seeking to avoid the wheeling into combat and dancing light troops around to get supports similar to the geometric nonsense of DBA, it only partially succeeds.  I liked these rules a lot but there are issues.

And last of our Greek Heroes is Patroclus, fleeing in terror.  I have a soft spot for him and hope he can make a comeback!

Blood and Crowns 200 points

 

Much Rutting near Pelton.  The Scots have invaded and the Bishop of Cestria has raised a Company to defend his lands.

The Vintenar commanding the archers on my right does great work, killing Gallowglass.  The rest of my lads not so great!

My big spearmen unit under a Grizzled Veteran gets stuck into the Scots Pike.

And the Vintenar does more good work.  These Foundry routier types look great as low class bowmen.

The Pike fight in full swing.  My left hand archers are shot to pieces   the Bishopnadvances his retinue.

The spearmen defeat the Scots Pike but the casualties were huge.  The Bishop gets into a reserve position.

And my left flank archers look miserable.

The Bishop intervenes and is killed almost immediately.  The body and armour are taken by the Scots.

And my Grizxled Veteran is now almost alone.  The entire left and centre run away.

Only the Vintenar and his men make it home to Cestria.  Some Barons Wsr Robin Hood figures among these.

A great game, it was in the balance for ages.  Spurred me on to game more Crowns!