Strange Aeons 2014-01-19 AAR, Part 4.

Miss Marsden succeeds in purifying the grave of the 2nd Banshee - not letting herself be distracted by the moans of a nearby zombie...

Agent Phelps has his own affairs to attend to; while he is trying to find and remove the last amulets from the grave, the Restless Spirit catches him and tries to shake him with the Frighteners. Phelps keeps calm, and triumphantly unearths another trinket. "Gotcha!"

 

With a sigh, the ghost dissipates - but whats that skulking thing over there, behind the headstone?

Perrywinkle decides to solve the puzzle in a manly fashion, charging in with his saber held high. The Ghoull lashes out at the gung-ho professor, but he parries, and quickly dispatches the foul creature.

A cultist sneaks up on Phelps and tries his luck with his .22 pea-shooter, but he's a bit jumby, and forgets to take aim.

Agent Byrne runs up to the zombie, and opens up with both his .45 handguns, but the bullets don't seem to make an impression.

The zombie attacks Byrne, and the Professor decides to go lend a hand... or saber.

The zombie gets knocked down - but it gets up again..."No! The HEAD!! Never mind, go get Phelps!"

Byrne obeys, and guides Phelps to the fight...

...while Perrywinkle occupies the undead brawler.

The 3 companions fight several rounds with the Zombie That Refused to Die.

But, finally the professor lands a blow with his saber that removes the zombies head.

 

Treshold stands triumphant - for now...

Windows 8 Start Button - Yay!

I installed Classic Shell yesterday, and now I once more have a Start Button, despite Microsofts latest brainfart.



I downloaded and installed, but the application didn't launch at re-boot. Solutions to this can be:

• In Classic Start Menu settings, General Behavior tab (All Settings), check if "Start automatically for this user" is checked.
• Create a shortcut to "C:\Program Files\Classic Shell\ClassicStartMenu.exe" and put it in your startup folder as a workaround.

If it still doesn't launch at start-up:

Disable your antivirus. It may be blocking the start menu.

Open an administrative command prompt and type "regsvr32 startmenuhelper64.dll" (for 32-bit Windows type "regsvr32 startmenuhelper32.dll")

To do this last step:

1. [Windows Button] + [X]
2. Click 'Command Promt (Administrative)
3. Type in: regsvr32 startmenuhelper64.dll  OR regsvr32 startmenuhelper32.dll
4. [Enter]

This worked for me - if you still can't get it to launch, visit:

http://www.classicshell.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=1479

where I found my solutions.

Strange Aeons 2014-01-19 AAR, Part 3.

In the meantime, at the graveyard:

A Restless Spirit floats towards our heroes, while agent Marsden spots a headstone surrounded by an eerie mist:

Agent marsden decides to investigate the matter - and the Banshee, sensing a mortal soul near its shallow grave, rushes back through the hillock, and  screams at marsden, making her attempt suicide with her Bowie Knife - which she fails (she probably never uses it for anything but picking her fingernails).

Perrywinkle and Phelps both rush past the Restless Spirit, Phelps having figured out what grave it eminated from. Frantically clawing at the dirt, Phelps starts removing amulets and other trinkets from the grave. Marsden also reaches her objective and gets to work.

The Banshee, sensing imminent doom, again screams at Marsden, resulting in another failed suicide attempt.

 

 

END OF PART 3 (I spent most of the evening getting a START-button for Windows 8, and trying to figure out how to start scanning from a Windows 8 computer... damn Microsoft...)

Hey, That's My Fish!

Friday, I received a little game in the mail that goes by the above title.

I played it with my daughters, and though at first glance it seems quite simple, it's actually kind of complicated to play.

I'll take some pics, and discuss the rules to some extent, somewhen during this week.

Strange Aeons 2014-01-19 AAR, Part 2.

Has it been a week, already? Time flies with preparations for DwA, PSZ, Attic Attack, mead bottlind, and the gods know what...

Never the less:

Having arrived at the forest edge, the Treshold operatives quickly dismounted an fanned out to both sides of the track leading into the shadow, to avoid any possible ambushes.

A small truck from a chocolaterie was found parking near and old, moldy cabin - while chanting voices were heard between the trees.

What nefarious deeds were in the making here? Prof. Perrywinkle promtly ordered his team to advance.

Frank S. and Harry J. both hesitated, having not undergone the training programme of the agency, while the agents surged forward to cover the entrance to the old graveyard.

Suddenly, a misty outline materializes on the right flank, and assuming the form of a grotesquely ugly woman, it scares the living daylights out of the civilians.

Perrywinkle, recognizing the Banshee for what it is, grabs his Holy Book, orders the civilians to safety, and runs to face the ghost.

The Banshee unleashes an unearthly wail, and the stalwart Professor succumbs to stupefaction. The Treshold team is shaken - barely has contact been made, and the leader goes down!

Attracted by the sound of the Banshee, a Ghoul starts moving towards the Treshold lines.

The Professor shrugs off the effects of the Banshee's wail, and gets back on his feet. He quickly uses his Holy Book to dispatch the ghost.

But, mere seconds later, another Banshee materializes at the cabin. Will agent Marsden keep her resolve, or be a victim of this hellish apparition?

Byrne orders Marsden to ignore the ghost, and he, Marsden,, and Phelps run forward to survey the graveyard.

The Banshee, seemingly drawn towards Perrywinkle, turns both the civilians into babbling wrecks.

The good Professor now has to face the horror without the help of his Holy Book, having already used up its supernatural properties.

 

Will he keep his resolve, when the Banshee unleashes its blood-curdling scream at him?

 

 

END OF PART 2.

Slow Weekend.

Yesterday, I spent some time painting and almost finishing 2 zeds, but the entire afternoon I was in Odense with my youngest daughter, buying a lot of stuff I need for both hobby- and other purposes.

I got a can of spray varnish for when I start paointing my first DreadBall team (soon, I hope), and a can of Army Painter brown spray primer for my Mantic zeds + some deck boxes for my Star Trek: Attack Wing cards, and my Pulp Alley cards (the PA cards come in a clear acrylic box, but I want to put the cards in card sleeves, and they don't fit in there).

I also got a vice for my workshop in the garage, and some pieces for putting up light in the garage attic I didn't get last time - and some stuff not interesting in this context.

Today, I spent the morning in the garden with my eldest daughter, moving a lot of wood to the 'driveway' in front of the shed, where I cut up firewood.

This afternoon I had to make another trip to Odense, as yesterday I forgot a bag with a shining new pajama in a store. I also tried to get some machine screws for attaching my new vice to the workshop desk, but it proved impossible to get some in the right thickness that are the right length. Instead I bought a 1 m. threaded rod the right thickness, and some washers and nuts - I then have to saw appropriate pieces from the rod, and use those instead of screws.

The rest of the afternoon was spent on preparations for bottling my first batch of home-brewed mead.

I removed front and back labels from 37 wine bottles, and a single Bailey's bottle:

During the coming week I'll remove the tin foils from the bottlenecks, and though I probably have enough bottles for 25 liters of mead (36 bottles containing .70 liter should do the trick), I have another batch of bottles to prepare:

The weather forecast talks about lots of blowing snow tomorrow, so this evening I'll have to cover my stuff in the garage attic with the tarpaulins I bought some weeks ago.

The handball European Championship ended with an embarassing defeat against France in the finals, so I should have more time for getting some painting done, and updating this little blog from tomorrow on...

Strange Aeons Collection Expanded!



 

Got Morbid Adventures and Shocking Tales of Madness and Mayhem Issue No. 3 Arrived in the post yesterday, along with my T-Shirt, Submerged Deep One, and Membership Card for the Cult of the Black Goat (#84 - we are a small, exclusive club, still).

Rules for Psychic Powers/Skills, and Necronomicon Spells, and a bunch of new Quest Scenarios to choose from. Just in time we got the old Treshold team back to work - they are now up for Psychic Latency Screening to see if any of them might posess extraordinary talents.

Human Lurkers may be tested too, and Rogue Treshold Characters and Agents may even buy Psychic Powers and Skills, just like ordinary upgrades!

I think we may now have another good reason to play some more games of SA (and for me to get those cults for Vuk painted).

Back to the Strange Aeons AAR - I hope to continue it tomorrow, but work, combined with the Handball European Championship (Denmark plays semi-final Friday), really puts some limits to my hobby activities atm. Finals on Sunday, and conditions will return to normal thereafter, I reckon.

Strange Aeons 2014-01-19 AAR, Part 1.

As mentioned I hosted a game of Strange Aeons yesterday, and though it was by no means an exemplary game, it was sufficiently fun that I think it's worth sharing.

We hadn't played for about 1½ years, and last game the Treshold team failed miserably at the Devil's Hop Yard (a shambler ripped a couple of members apart), so I wanted to give the F.O.O.L (Field Operatives' Office Liaison - the Treshold player - Duregar) an easy time while getting back to grips with the rules and trying out a couple of new Liurkers (Banshee and Restless Spirit).

Thus, I made a Lurker list consisting of

2 Cultists
2 Ghouls
1 Zombie
2 Banshees
2 Restless Spirits

No skills/extra equipment was purchased, and as yoou can see, I would only be able to nominate/activate 1 Lurker per turn, which should give Treshold an edge while figuring out how to handle the Ghosts.

The newly re-equipped Treshold team of Prof. Perrywinkle looks as follows:

From left to right: Agent Phelps, Harry J. (civ.), Prof. Perrywinkle, Agent Marsden, Agent Byrne, Frank S. (civ.)-
And, yes, I use Old West minis for interwar settings - depicting American characters.

Prof. Perrywinkle:
Standard Gear (.45 Handgun + Bowie Knife)
Civil War Saber
Holy Book
Dynamite
Detonator
- Command
- Bookish
- +1 Res

Agent Marsden:
Standard Gear (.45 Handgun + Bowie Knife)
Tight Boots
Double Barreled Shotgun
- Smart

Agent Phelps:
Standard Gear (.45 Handgun + Bowie Knife)
Bolt Action Rifle
Lead Breastplate
ß Lucky Idol
- Duck
- +1 Dex
* Teratophobia

Agent Byrne:
Standard Gear (.45 Handgun + Bowie Knife)
+1 .45 Handgun
Molotov Cocktail
- Lieutenant

Frank S. (civ.):
Bowie Knife
Tommygun
Heavy Armoured Vest

Harry J. (civ.):
Bowie Knife
Bolt Action Rifle
Heavy Armoured Vest

Library:
2 map Pieces

Special Agent Lolk looked up from the dossier in front of him, as the seemingly elderly man entered the old cabin wearing the pith helmet he stubbornly refused to dispose of, even though his later years of service had taken him away from the tropical investigations he formerly coducted with such fervour.
   "Well met, Professor, have a seat!" Lolk pointed casually at the old wooden chair in front of the makeshift desk, two sawhorses and the door of a long gone outhouse. He suspiciously inspected some stains, not really wanting to know what they consisted of.
  Professor Perrywinkle sat down, and began wiping his misted glasses while squinting at the younger man in front of him.
  Clerk! He thought. Sharp creases, clean shirt, well manicured soft hands. Not a field agent, not a man who got his hands dirty.
  As if he sensed the dislike of his counterpart, Lolk flinched, and looked down at the dingy ducuments in front of him.
  "Well, as you may have heard, we have had reports of... sinister occurrences from this part of the county, and recent interrogations of the locals have all pointed to a certain location as the origin of the... activity..." Lolk paused, wondering if the silent figure in front of him was even listening. "Headquarters demand we upgrade to full scale investigation, meaning that..."
  "Meaning that my team is going in to see if something nasty that may rip a head or an arm off is haunting these woods, right, Sir?" Perrywinkle interupted.
  "Well, if you prefer seeing it that way, Professor. What ever the point of view, here's a map of the area. The 'X' marks an abandoned graveyard from which the sighted phenomenae seem to originate. We are talking ectoplasma, possibly undead creatures, most probably cult activity. Your primary objective is to secure the area for forensic investigations by Special Branch, secondary objective is to bring in a subject for interrogation. Any questions?"
  "Only one: Where's our ride?" Perrywinkle inspected his glasses; seemingly content with the result he placed them back on the tip of his nose and stared at the younger man. Lolk looked away again. This guy is creepy, he thought. And younger than he looks - a trait shared by many field operatives.
  "We have a covered lorry out back - I assume you want to pick up your team right away?"
  "Of course! The bad guys will not stop their evil deeds while we are talking, now, would they, Sir? My team is at the Old Moose Hotel in the town, so if I read this map correctly, we should arrive at the scene in about... two hours."
  "O.K., Professor. When you arrive, be sure to leave the lorry outside the wood, not to alert any delinquents in advance!" Perrywinkle nodded, got on his feet, and pressed the pith helmet down over his brow.
  "Expect debrief in four hours from now, Agent Lolk. Either that, or not at all." He left the cabin, and a minute later the engine of the lorry indicated his departure.
  Agent Lolk turned off the kerosene lamp, tugged his trenchcoat around him, sat back, and closed the eyes. Better get some sleep now, in just five hours he probably would be searching the forest floor for bloody remains of God knows what... or the Treshold agents...

The Lurkers deployed. I forgot to take into account that I would only be able to activate 1 mini per turn, and thus should place all Lurkers in cover from the start, just in case.

Treshold deployed.

Another DIY Weekend.

Not much done in terms of the hobby this weekend, apart from basing some ghosts and grave-markers (and playing Strange Aeons today), but I got some long overdue projects in my eldest daughter's room out of the way:

First I put up the long shelf at the top, here. Drilled the screw-holes yesterday, but the old walls are so bad, I had to stuff some of them with filler and put in the plugs to let the stuff dry, before I could attach the brackets with screws.

Then Anna and I put up the two hanging shelves to the left, followed by the small bulletin board.

Finally, the room-dividing curtains were put up (or merely the rod to hang them from):


Anna's room is kind of L-shaped, because of the stairway from the hall, and her bed is cuddled up between the walls, and now screened by the curtains.


Job well done, and a happy 10 year old girl promtly held a drawing session with her sister behind the pulled curtains.

H.P. Lovecraft - an Eerie Basing Experience...

As promised, here are some pics showing what happened when I based the ghost version of the H.P. mini.

Notice the larger stones on the base, and how they kind of sit in a rough circle.

I did NOT manipulate the gravel in any way, just covered the base in white glue, and dipped it into the gravel.

Sometimes real life can be a little scary, too?

Of course, I glued the flock in a circle around the edge of the base to enhance the effect, but still...

Strange Aeons Revisited.

I am hosting a game of Strange Aeons tomorrow, and am busy getting a Lurker list ready. I am providing both Treshold and the Lurkers, and as the Treshold team was trashed in an attempt at The Devil's Hop Yard last game (about 1½ year ago), and the Field Operatives' Office Liaison (the Treshold player) is going to be Duregar just like the last time, I'm giving him a break with a fairly easy Lurker opposition consisting af a couple of Cultists, some Ghosts (can't wait to try out the Banshees), and a couple of Ghouls and Zombies (do you see a pattern?).

I just finished painting and basing these headstones from Fenris, and basing the ghosts (took me long enough to get done... have had them for quite a few years, now).

Star Trek: Attack Wing, 2014-01-02

Ulrik (duregar), Lea, Anna, and I played a 4-way game of ST:AW near the end of my vacation:

Lea played the Federation
Anna played Romulans
Ulrik played the Dominion
I took command of the Klingons

We played the first scenario of the rulebook, as it is a race game nicely suited for multi-player action.

Everybody heading for the planet

Rush hour. Federation, Romulans, and Klingons have away teams on the surface. Klingons and Romulans cloaked.

Dominion and Romulans chasing the Enterprise, while the Klingons skulk arond the planet.

While the other 3 factions started fighting, I beamed up my away team and slipped away to Victory. The Enterprise was hunted Down by the Dominion ship, and finally got blown up.

Next time I play this game, I'll be moving on to the next scenario.

Fistful of Lead: Finally Tried the Rules! 2014-01-02

It's been quite a while since I purchased and printed this little beauty; I actually brought them with me to Horisont III two years ago, but somehow it managed to slip under the radar until now.

Shortly before my Chrismas vacation ended, Ulrik (duregar) came down from Odense to play a couple of games, and after we played a 4-way game of Star Trek: Attack Wing with my daughters, he and I brought out my Whitewash City Buildings and had a quick and dirty showdown with only 3 vs 2 figures (my entire painted Collection of Old West minis).

I only took one pic, as the action was intense and over much more quickly than I expected (partly due to some extreme dice-rolls, partly to underestimating the power of the Colt .45).

The buildings had soaked up a little moisture from the air, and I couldn't correct the sidewalk railings before they dried up, and I think I may have to glue matchsticks to their backside for stability - but thats a project for the future!

I should have put all the rifles in the same Group; having both long range and short range armed characters gave the 3-man Group too many strings to play, as their lone rifle could provide suppressive fire while the other 2 closed in.

Had one Group had short range weapons only, they would have had to duck and weave to close in on the rifle-Guys, while the latter could try to circle their opponents to keep them at bay.

Lesson learned the hard way, as my 2 outlaws could not exploit their rifles to the limit; ome got gunned Down by the opposing rifleman almost immediately, leaving the other one hopelessly outgunned.

I think we played 3 turns in total, but it was enough to show that the game needs more items to break up LoS and provide cover, such as civilians and 'street furniture' (wagons, barrels, crates, etc.).

More Buildings, forming several roads/alleys to move along, would also be nice, as would bigger posses, but, Again, it's a matter to deal with later...

The game flows fast, and the Card activation engine seems to work a blast. The game was too short, but mainly because of the limited number of combattants, and a couple of odd dice rolls by Ulrik.

I'll be playing it again, for sure, each time I have painted or built something new to put on the table.

CROM!: Rise of the Mummy King - Part Five.

It's about time I get this finished, methinks....

I may not remember all details, but the story must go on!

The Mummy King sets another skull for the incantation

The evil dead close in on Thrombur

Being the fastest dwarf in the desert, Thrombur slips past the slow skeletons and engage the foul fiend.

Heeding the call of their master, the rest of the minions surge towards the mastaba.



Thrombur goes medieval on the sorcerer

A mummy tries to distract the stalwart hero, but is quickly dispatched...



And down goes the Mummy King, his evil plans thwarted.

As far as I remember, we may have made a mistake regarding the dice of the mummy King on the last turn; I'm not quite sure if he got all the dice he was entitled to (something about recovering dice burned for magic), but I think we should re-play the scenario, perhaps with some slight changes: For instance, I don't think any of the minions inside the necropolis should activate (have their cards in the activation deck), until a hero enters the area. This will speed up the game considerably. I also now have in my possession the complete CROM! ruleset, and a torough read-through should harness me for further gaming.

I think I'll use the scenario for Attic Attack I; I only need to get some of the minions rebased and touched up, and as I'm also going to use the skeletons for Pike & Shot AND Zombies (they are really just a kind of very old reanimated dead, anyway), it's a no-brainer.