D&D Attack Wing - Second Game, Almost Quick Start Rules

Just after playing the first game, we immediately staged a three-way game, as Anna also wanted to play.

We somehow had the movement initiative upside down, so the Lvl 10 Copper Dragon Galadaeros moved first all the time, while the Lvl 8 Red Dragon Balagos moved last.

We were well into the third game before I realized the mistake, but I'll see to that we get it right from now on!

The Dragons start circling each other

Ashaedra just manages to avoid Balagos' bite

Balagos and Galadaeros exchange bites

Ashaedra fails to notice that Balagos just made a wingabout...

...and gets caught between a rock and a hard place...

...sending her spinning towards the ground.

Balagos starts chasing Galadaeros...

...tailing him closely...

...almost losing him...

...but finally catching up, delivering the killing blow.

As mentioned in my previous post on this subject, combat in the Quick-Start rules is very brutal, and as demonstrated, getting caught in cross-fire is a very bad thing.

Under the full rules, Ashaedra might easily have survived getting caught between the two others, but the simple rules should probably not be used as we did for games ivolving more than 2 Dragons, as it is far too easy to gang up and quickly dispatch an opponent.

We are in the middle of a game of treasure hoarding that I hope we can conclude tomorrow (otherwise we'll have to scrap it, as the dining table is reserved for tomorrow eve's feast).

BioCorp Buccaneers: The Team is Growing

A little 'family photo'. The 3rd Striker is WIP at the moment, but I hope to finish him today, and then it is time to get the two Guards done...

D&D Attack Wing - First Game, Quick Start Rules

Turn 1: Both dragons haste forward.

Yesterday, my youngest daughter, Lea, and I broke out the dragons using the Quick-Start rules (except we allowed tail attacks to speed up the proceedings. My eldest offspring was too busy devouring some fantasy novel, so we had the dining table to ourselves.

The starter box contains 3 dragons, blue, red, and copper, and for both there is a named/unique/character, and a generic version (represented by a card, just like the pilot cards in the X-Wing game).

Turn 2: Balagos banks to the right

For the Quick-Start game, the characters Eshaedra (blue) and Balagos (red) are used, without any upgrades. This means no breath attacks, as they are not part of the basic creatures.

Normally, under these rules, the dragons would be able to use their Bite attack only, but as mentioned, we decided to allow the Tail attack (to the rear), as it would mean that you couldn't kill the opponent off by tailing her.

We quickly started circling each other, and my greater experience from playing X-Wing and Star Trek: Attack Wing meant that I got into attack position rather early.

Turn 2: Eshaedra makes a wingabout

Maneuvering the dragons with the rulers feels a lot like real flying creatures circling and swooping while trying to lash out at each other.

Lea didn't quite master the maneuvering part right away, as the large bases of the dragons (they are the size of big X-Wing ship bases like the Millennium Falcon, etc.) means that the moves become a bit longer than immediately obvious from the length of the rulers, but after a few turns she got the hang of it.

The Quick-Start rules do not use the Armour rules, so the Dragons have hit points equal to their Health + Armor values.

Turn 3:
Balagos turns left, while Eshaedra
flyes slowly forward and Bites him in the flank

Thus, victory must go to whomever gets the most attacks to bear - as there is no counter measures, other than the sparse Agility rolls (1 or 2), combat is very lethal.

As can be seen from the pictures, I anticipated most of Lea's moves, and thus I dealt a lot more damage than she did.

In the end, though, the outcome was decided by Balagos accidentially leaving the table (one could argue that he fled the scene being one hit away from getting downed).

Anna finished her book while Lea and I were playing, and she joined us at the table, bringing cookies and clementines to the fray.

Lea wanted a rematch right away, so we organized a 3-Dragon match, using the Quick-Start rules once more. I shall post a write-up tomorrow, if I find the time for it (we have a 3rd game going on, featuring islands and gold, but more of that on a later occation).

Turn 4:
Flying close, the two Dragons angrily snarl and Bite.
Note the 5 Damage cards by now received by Balagos,
and the single one by Eshaedra.

Turn 5:
Balagos flies straight ahead, while Eshaedra makes a wingabout,
and gets a free Bite attack against Balagos' other flank.
Next move saw Balagos in a position where leaving the table was unavoidable, thus ending the game.

BioCorp Buccaneers: Striker Number 2!

Finally got this guy off my pain(t) station.
Meet BioCorp Buccaneers #02, Barry Allen.

I shall probably need to do something about that 'nasal' region before varnishing...

GW Paintpots... why, GW, WHY??!

Couple of weeks ago I needed some black paint.

Only hobby paint readily available anywhere near me is GW, so I bought a pot of Abbadon Black.

The first couple of times I used it, I had much trouble making the lid stay open, and after a while I simply could not get it to do so - thus I had to resort to my old method of placing a matchstick under the 'tongue' protruding from the back end of the lid.

It seems that GW (or the manufacturer of GW's paints) has changed the design of the lid once again for the latest incarnation of their paint range - this time for the worse.

The tab that is supposed to snap in place 'gripping' the lid and hold it open is too soft, and simply bends backwards/to the side when the lid is opened.

I may be able to push it into the right position, holding it back with a finger while opening the pot, but as you can see, paint seeps out aroung the tab, and it might get a little messy.

To the left you can see the difference between the newest and the last versions of the lids.

I really don't understand why a company that keeps boasting about their 'high quality products' does stupid things like this time and time again.

I shall stay away from their paints as much as possible, as long as that stupid design is around, that is for sure.

D&D: Attack Wing

Went out and bought this today.

First impression:

I wish they had made the box a bit bigger, as especially the red dragon is going to need some hot water repositioning of the wings, and I don't think the card components have the same high quality finish that ST:AW and SW:XW sports.

That being said, a lot of components are BIGGER in this game than we have come to expect from playing its two predecessors. All the fiddly markers have been upscaled to a size where they handle much easier and is not so easily dropped by butter-fingered players. This is nice, and I hope FFG does the same for Star Wars: Armada, due out first quarter 2015, if I remember correctly.

A quick read-trough of the rules booklet reveals that the basic system save a few twists, is the same as in the two sci-fi games. There are some interesting features regarding upgrades, and armour, and generally speaking it seems that WizKids have tried to capture the D&D 'feel' with their tweaking.

One fun feature is the TWO manoeuver dials for each dragon type - one for flight, and one for trampling about on the ground.

I hope to try the quick-play rules with my daughters tomorrow, and then a basic game with some upgtades and expanded rules one of the next days.

Christmas Greetings!

Merry Christmas to everybody from Argonor and half the squad of the BioCorp Buccaneers!

Christmas Gaming Loot.

Not a whole lot under the tree this year; three ships for Star Wars: X-Wing - which is nice, but I really hoped to get D&D: Attack Wing, to get some dragons on the table with my daughters (3 dragons in the starter is perfect for Lea, Anna, and I).

Well, I'm off to the attic to bring down a 3x3 black 'space' board for playing some SW:XW. then, and then I'll have to go buy the D&D:AW game Saturday.

My wife promised me to sew a linen tunic for me, though, to use in warm conditions instead of my woolen tunic (for medieval re-enactment), for which I have had the fabric for years, so I should be better off for the events next summer.

When my in-laws have left later this afternoon, it is time to get a game of X-Wing organized, and the re-start the current project of getting my first DreadBall team painted up for some action!

Stove Operational!

I am breaking in the stove in the attic (hardening the varnish, which reeks awfully).

I do not know, yet, if it can actually heat the room, as I have the trap door open to draw in some fresh air while the varnish hardens, but it seems that at least the near surroundings reach a comfortable temperature - meaning that we should probably still dress accordingly to season, and perhaps move a table up close for gaming under winter conditions.

We'll have so see about that - I hope to try out a gaming session with the stove lit somewhen between Christmas and New Year, or very soon in 2015.

SAGA: The Crescent and the Cross

Got this in the mail today.

Initially, I am going to use the rules for Crusaders and Saracens (or Moors) for Gondor vs Haradrim. I already have some Gondor infantry units ready from my GoB army, and I shall have to paint up some cavalry units to represent mounted knights (and possibly serjeants and squires, haven't had time to read the rules/army lists, yet).

That being said, I don't think I'm going to be able to resist the urge to use the Milites Christi rules and make a small Knights Templar army.

BioCorp Buccaneers: First Striker!

BioCorp Buccaneers #01, Jay Garrick

BioCorp Buccaneers: Third Jack Done!

BioCorp Buccaneers #08, Stanley Sparrow.

BioCorp Buccaneers: Another Jack Done!

Finished painting this today:

Meet #07: Jimmy Nicholson

Painted almost exactly like #06, nothing new under the Sun, here.

DreadBall: Magnetic Ball!

As all my DreadBall players are going to be based on steel washers (evenually), I thought it would be reasonable to use magnets to make the balls stick to the bases.

My first take on this is to simply remove the ball's base, and glue the ball to a 1 mm thick disc neodyne magnet, using Loc-Tite Powerglue gel.

If the magnet proves too strong, making the ball flip onto the base of other players, I can remove it and drill a hole for a smaller one to be embedded in the ball instead.

The steel washer is just there to keep the magnet in place for gluing.

BioCorp Buccaneers: First Player Done!

The Future Wars Painting Club at the Lead Adventure Forum is not quite over, yet, so I managed to get my first DreadBall player ready as entry number 92.

BioCorp Buccaneers #06, Jaime Bonaventura.

When the entire team is done, I shall add numbers (transfers) to the circular back plates.

I shall also try to find some tranfers with tiny skull-and-crossbones for a team badge, going on the black circle on the chest (and possibly to the shoulder-pads as well)

Colours Used:

Primer: White

Main Armour:

1. F British Redcoat basecoat
2. OC Devlan Mud wash
3. F British Redcoat drybrush

Armour Pads:

1. Black basecoat
2. Black+OC Shadow Grey 1/2 mix light drybrush (+ a few light solid strokes for highlights)

Face Mask:

1. White
2. Black 'eyes' and 'breather', white 'teeth'
3. OC Devlan Mud wash
4. White highlight

When I've added tranfers and/or painted team badges, I shall give the minis a good heavy layer of varnish to protect them from wear and tear; DreadBall is the kind of game I may on occation play with people who are not accustomed to handling painted minis,, so better safe than sorry!

Stoves Finally in Place!

I have finally managed to get the firewood stove in the garage attic put in its rightful places, and tomorrow I shall contact the chimney-sweeper for him to come and inspect the installation.

The old agicultural sack beneath the stove is just for sliding it over the floor plate, and it will have to be removed before the arraival of the chimney-sweeper.

Below is a picture of the corner that is going to be made into a 'cosy-corner' and mead bar, as soon as I find a couple of free or very cheap old worn leather chairs.

I imagine a corner in front of a roaring fire where you can sit and read or discuss rules or games you just played, while having a drink and a snack or two.

I'm very much looking forward to try out the stove, to see how well it heats the attic; if it is effedtive, the gaming room should see a whole lot more use during the cold season than before, and I shall in that case be organizing one-day events during winter.

I also got the stove in the living room put up, and cannot wait to get it going - a good fire simply provides a much nicer heating than the radiators, and all members of my family are sensitive to cold, so we have been cuddling up in the sofas wid bed quilts and woolen plaids in the evenings (nothing wrong with that, it is actually very cosy), so we look forward to be able to lit a good fire.

And I have graduated from the extra education that has been taking up my time. lately, so I should be able to get some hobby work done over the next few weeks!