Wednesday 25 May 2016

Giving 9th Age a crack

9th Ed Fantasy Battles, giving it a go: Game 1

Comfortable shoes ok, but then also not. So MacCrae comes over for some 9th Ed at the weekend.

 Great guns! I have read the rules but once, and skimmed through the rules for my fave army, Dark  ahem, sorry Dread Elves. Quick look on the website, find a ready-made list.

MacCrae brings his tried and trusted Dwarf list, with the addition of some works in progress, his two mole-dwarf-digger grudge buster chariot thingies. I do like the concept of what he's building there: Monstrous tunnelling chariot-machines. And two vengance seeker whirligig guys.

Vengeance Seeker ​60 pts single model

M WS BS S T W I A Ld 3 5 3 4 4 3 2 * 10
 Whirling Chains of Doom: Close Combat Weapon. +1 Strength, strikes at Initiative 10, and the wielder gain Random Attacks (3D3). A model with this weapon cannot be joined by Characters.

Dwarf Special Rules: Relentless Seeker Special Rules: Unbreakable, Ward Save (6+), “The bigger they are...”, ”Yer comin’ with me!” Special Rules: Hard Target, Distracting

To be honest I struggled a bit with the plethora of new and subtly changed rules, like no more ASF for dark (ah, sorry) dread elves, but lightning reflexes. Also the bullet-proof dreadlord builds no longer apply, and mounted characters are seen as one unit, and lose some of the benefit of their kit-outs.

My head was spinning before I even started. Never the less, into the fray we went.

So first up DEs against Dwarfs.
Not quite sure what to make of the venga boys and the tunnelly screw chariots.

Deployment rules are different. What the ? Hey? Not necessarily a good start.

For a comparison summary check this post out: (Later. Finish reading my blog first):

8th Ed vs Ninth Age.


Large block of Tower guard - anvil unit
Tower Guard ​110 pts 10 ​models, may add up to 20 ​models 15 pts/model 
M 5 WS 5 BS 5 S 3 T 3 W 1 I 6 A2 Ld 9

Weapons: Halberd Armour: Heavy Armour Elven Special Rules: Killer Instinct, Lightning Reflexes Special Rules: Immune to Psychology, Bodyguard, Armour Piercing (1) 

Would usually have preferred executioners in this role, but what the heck, we'll try this list.


Lots of chaff, units w vanguard, not too sure if this will be useful against dwarfs, but we'll try and flank em, possibly take out the warmachines



Trusty ol' repeater Giant Xbows


No 2 Reaper XB and substitute light cav. 
The warlocks have (rightfully) been nerfed.


More fast cav with ersatz stand-ins on the sides.
Dark Raiders ​85 pts 5 ​models, may add up to 10​ models 15 pts/model 
M WS BS S T W I A Ld 
Rider 5 4 4 3 3 1 5 1 8 Elven Horse 9 3 ­ 3 3 1 4 1 3 

Light Lance Armour: Mount’s Protection (6+), Light Armour Elven Special Rules: Killer Instinct (Rider only), Lightning Reflexes (Rider only) Special Rules: Fast Cavalry Options: pts May take a Repeater Crossbow 3 / model May take a Shield 3 / model
The list I borrowed off the interwebz did not choose shields



So MacRae deploys his chopper, grungy-bungy, seekers and hammerer (or was it longbeard) equivalents, either way, tough, hard and strong dwarfs. They all look the same to me, now even more confusing than ever. Can only recognise my own dwarfs. Sometimes.


Venga Boy no.1 and Thunderers 
(ahem... Marksmen) Dang this is difficult!



Another Vega Master dancer and more Slay...Seekers, and Forge Wardens. Had to look that one up.
Flame shooters them.


Anyhow, we play, fast Cav deploy in vanguard phase


Dread knights, pretty much the same as 8th Ed, mounts still suffer from stupidity. 
No special characters so just a standard unit. Characters including caster go in tower guard bunker. No more look-out sir. Unit of spearmen. Don't like 'em. Not worthy of a photo.


MacRae goes first, charges Chopper One into the Dark Ri(a)ders
Takes out one rider


Sheesh. Dwarfs now move fast on the charge. Pre-emptive strike of slayers get in, Whirligig guy doesn't. The Tunnel-machine grunge-grinder almost does too.


New relative size rule makes my glass cannon on dragonet (read pegasus here) less of a target with the new rules: no actual direct line of sight 


Chopper two prepares to shoot at the Shades, or whatever they are called now, or does he?


Whirlygig guy is in direct line of sight of the reaper XBows


Chopper ? Chopper, what chopper ? Do you hear a chopper?
Oh yes: pew,pew- no effect.


My shooting phase. Multiple shot reaper XBs take out Vengaboy no 1.
Flamer guys look on impassionately


Phalanx of spearmen march up, followed by buff-machine


War of attrition on the Dark Riders continues


Elves get to strike first. 
Note that the seekers have been buffed up in Dwarf magic phase


They manage to take out 2 riders



Tower guard move out of sight of the cannon and arc of flame shooter guys.


Pegasus rider hops over skull-mountain but only manages to kill one crewman.


Thunders fail a panic test triggered by the death of Whirlyigig, and run off for a while

...fast forward a bit here, I think: 
Knights get flank-charged by tunneler during ML's turn, they kill all the seekers in the combat, and reform to take out the mole machine in my next turn. 
Knight takes rook, or tunnelmolemachine.




Meanwhile, back at the temple ML has charged Chopper Two into the Reaper XB, in turn to be charged by my shades and riders. This turns into a total slugfest, with neither being able to destroy the other for several turns.


Unlike Chopper One, who chews through the riders (with the assistance of the slayers) in short shrift, and then takes bead on the Tower Guard. 

The spearmen had taken heavy casualties and broke, were caught and destroyed. 
Would have taken Xbowmen, Shards (Never liked that name) or whatever they're now if it was my list, but well, ok. Deal with the issue at hand


Miners arrive to harass the knights


While the elves finally get rid of the chopper


Glass cannon chews through the dwarven cannon, and attempts to frighten the shooters


In ML's next turn MoleMachine no 2 and Vengaboy no 1  attack the Altar. 
Bitchygirls give Vengaboy his marching orders, followed by Molemachine
 

Taking one wound



Only to be charged by the Seekers, 
and attacked in the rear in dastardly fashion by the miners
This can only end in one way.

 

 Meanwhile, in the centre of the table the two anvil blocks meet. The dwarfs have numbers and strength and toughness. The nasty elves speed and agility.
 


Only the front rank remains




Next turn Chopper One charges in


As do the Old Flames


Chopper One down. Harshly dealt with


BSB and Tower guard commands pay the ultimate price
While the caster and highborn escapes with their lives


Ever the gentleman, if such a thing can ever be said of a dread elf, the dreadlord prepares to meet his flaming doom. 
I cant remember if the witch caster died before or after him, or whether she actually escaped after bewitching him to take the fall.

Either way an enjoyable introduction (albeit a bit of a tour deforce) to the Ninth Age.
Thanks Macrae. I enjoyed that!













Thursday 5 May 2016

Hobby supplies in Kapiti to break the drought

Paraparaumu Beach Pharmacy to stock model supplies!


Good news for all us Kapiti Coasters. Fellow modeler and gamer, Scott Bowman has opened a modeling corner in his pharmacy in Paraparaumu beach !

He will soon be stocking the Warlord Games range, Woodlands scenics, Army Painter and Vallejo.
Bolt Action will be the primary thrust, but I have already ordered other figures from the Perry Range

Says Scott:

" Guys , I am going to be opening a hobby corner in the pharmacy (Paraparaumu Beach Pharmacy), and will be stocking a range of Warlord Games products .

My primary thinking was Bolt Action, as this games system seems on the rise,
and the Army painter range of paints brushes washed and hobby tools etc.

I have also had some interest from comments about Frostgrave, so could add that if wanted? (would you just want rules or figures too?)"

He attached a products list, which you can get from him: " I was surprised at what extent of stuff is on there - PERRY Miniatures, Judge Dredd, Terminator, Gates of Antares, Hail Caesar, Black Powder, 4Ground Scenery etc etc."

"I  won't obviously be able to keep everything in stock - its going to be a hobby corner after all, not a hobby shop! ;-)



I will be able to place regular orders for whatever you want and will be receiving stock via airmail, so fairly quick (1-2 weeks) supply time (Minimum order level having been attained).will try and keep pricing competitive, though cant promise to be able to beat a certain large gorilla in the corner - but I will be a 'bricks and mortar store' on your doorstep... so any support you can give me will be greatly appreciated."

 Scott will be running a loyalty scheme as well, so head down his way for your hobby fix!


Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Paraparaumu-Beach-Pharmacy-1413364908990368/