Diablo 3: Whimsydale

Last night we took a temporary break from our non-electronic gaming to revisit Diablo 3. Rest assured, we will return to our regular board/card/miniature/RPG gaming next week. Magnus recently suggested a game of Diablo 3, which prompted us to break out our old Blizzard accounts and fire up the computers.

We managed to level up from ~51 to ~65 and completed the Reaper of Souls Act V by defeating Malthael.

Alas, the most frightening encounter we had looked something like this:

What we saw and did on the other side of that strange gate was not natural.

Like so many of Lovecraft's protagonists, going through that gate to this other dimension had a profound effect on us and our sanity. Whimsydale changed us forever.

I didn't sleep last night...and I doubt I will tonight. We know the true meaning of diabolical.

28mm German Infantry WIP - GF

I picked up these 28mm Germans from Village Games when they were clearing out their WW2 stuff a few years back. They've been sitting neglected for far too long. Some detail work and basing to finish up on, but these guys are getting closer to being finished.

Our gaming group has played a fair amount of Flames of War in 15mm, but not much in 28mm. We did try Bolt Action once and I'd like to give the rules another try. I've heard good things about Chain of Command as well.

Imperial Assault - Story Mission #1: Aftermath

Imperial Assault is a strategy board game of tactical combat and missions for two to five players, offering two distinct games of battle and adventure in the Star Wars™ universe!

Imperial Assault puts you in the midst of the Galactic Civil War between the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire after the destruction of the Death Star over Yavin 4. Imperial Assault offers two separate game experiences. The campaign game pits the limitless troops and resources of the Galactic Empire against a crack team of elite Rebel operatives as they strive to break the Empire’s hold on the galaxy, while the skirmish game invites you and a friend to muster strike teams and battle head-to-head over conflicting objectives.

Last night we played the first mission in the campaign: Aftermath! Jim took on the role of the Rebels while I was in charge of the Empire. The heroes selected were

     · Diala Passil - Haunted Exile
     · Gideon Argus - Valiant Commander
     · Jyn Odan - The Smuggler
     · Gaarkhan - Fierce Warrior (Wookie)

The game mechanics are an evolution of the Descent system, which were based on the Doom board game. In Imperial Assault, players take turns activating a hero (Rebels) or deployment card (Empire). This back-and-forth keeps you engaged with the game even when it's not your turn. Combat uses a variety of colorful dice. To attacking you simply roll the dice based on the ranged or melee weapon to determine the results. The defender rolls a defense die to see if they're able to dodge or reduce the amount of damage taken.

Each character has special abilities which can be triggered using either "surges" from the dice or by spending endurance points. Stormtroopers, for example, are allowed to re-roll an attack die if they are adjacent to another trooper, while the Imperial Officer is able to order nearby friendly models to move out of turn.

The Rebels ended up destroying all four Imperial transmission terminals and won the game. This gave them additional credits to spend on items/upgrades before the next mission.

Reaper Bones Bookcase and metal "Tierce" rogue - DS

Bookcase and Tierce #03265

I bought Tierce as it reminded me of a friend's hooded rogue character:  Pepper Von Bennetstein.  I really like the figure, but it is a bit sleight compared to a lot of Reaper's line.  I glued it on a 25mm circular base and that added enough height to fit in with scale creep-ed heroically proportioned minis that are so popular.  I think it would fit well with Red Box Games line of more realistic figures.

Tierce was sculpted by Jeff Grace.  It's a very classic rogue and fun to paint.  I think I may try another one with a weapon swap.

The bookcase is part of the my Reaper Bones II order, and is the first mini completed out of that particular mountain.  It was part of the "Dungeon Dressing" add-on pack.

As a reminder:  Don't forget to wash your plastic minis (and really all minis.)  I used Foundry Spearshaft colours for the wood on the bookcase.  Foundry paint, for the most part, is the best paint I own for basecoats...especially as I do not prime any minis before painting.  I had problems with painting the books though.  Whatever flux they use to get them out of the molds resisted the normal ease of applying paint.  Then I recalled that in my excitement to start, I forgot to soap it up.

Come to think of it, I forgot to soap up and wash Tierce too, but that proved far less problematic.

Remember kids, wash those minis with soap and water before you paint!

Legends of the Old West - JR, GF

LEGENDS OF THE OLD WEST is a tabletop miniatures game which allows you to bring to life the deeds of the brave lawmen and gunfighters of the most famous period in America's history.

This 136-page book lays out rules for gunfights (and bar fights and knife fights) using miniatures to represent the famous gunslingers of the old American West. Beyond the rules for combat, the book is really an invitation to start a light RPG compaign, evaluating each member of your potential gang and assigning a dollar value to keep him on retainer. So use your old railroad buildings to stage a gunfight or created an entire economic campaign pitting the ranchers against the sod-busters. All the tools are in this book.

Like all Games Workshop books, there is plenty of eye candy and tips on painting and scenery.

LotOW is based on Warhammer and Lord of the Rings tabletop battle game with Necromunda and Mordheim mixed in.

We played two games last night, both using the High Noon scenario. Jim brought his posse of Lawmen and I pulled out my Outlaws. Not much finesse, just straight forward shootin' and fightin'!

The first game was played in town and the second took place in the wilderness. The Outlaws came out on top in both, partially due to their special "Life is Cheap" rule. Sometimes crime does pay!

Pathfinder RPG Session 09: Thistletop (3)

After the melee finished, the party recovers and searches the areas where the Thistletop goblins emerged from.

The continuation of the Pathfinder RPG path Rise of the Runelords!  As always ahead be *spoilers*

Gilly the halfling rogue leads the way using her size and stealth abilities to scout.

A room full of rancid meat and other foodstuffs is discovered.  To Gilly's horror there appear to be some humans, probably unfortunate travelers are present in this grisly pantry.  Tuihirdock says he will bury the unfortunates later if he is able.

The courtyard of the fort had several goblin dogs in it.  Rather than engage them in hand to hand, the party ascends the stairs of a guard tower to fire arrows at the vicious creatures rather than risk being bit.  The goblins own bows and arrows were used to dispatch their minions.

Entering the courtyard.

There is a side door in the corner that is boarded up.  Snorts are heard and the door is kicked when it is approached.  The goblins have trapped a horse!  Tuihirdock ushers everyone out of the area and gets to work on releasing the panicky animal.

Using a crowbar, he pries the nails and boards off the door.  Eventually he is able to open the door and narrowly misses being trampled.  The horse is quite scared when released and trots around the courtyard nervously.

Eventually the horse calms down and is given some of Gilly's carrots.  In another room off the courtyard a prisoner is discovered.  Brother Malcolm, a priest of Desna, was waylay-ed and thrown into the makeshift jail. He is given food and drink and recovers.  Malcolm agrees to go along with the group.

A room is found with a stairwell going down.

At the bottom of the stairs is a room with another door.  Gilly hears someone moving around inside.  Tuihirdock suggests a charge on the occupant to maximize surprise.

A human woman, potentially a mage, is sitting at a table that is covered with scrolls and books.  Before she can react, the warriors have engaged her and Gilly has fired her bow.

Shock and awe.  The mage falls before she has a chance cast her vile magicks.  A number of books and scrolls are found.  Chance Arcane finds several spell scrolls that may be useful.  Evidently "Lira" was doing some sort of other research.  The group makes a note of this for later investigation, but decides to press on as, -during the search of the room...

...A secret door is found in the wall.  A stairwell leads down.

Moving down the stairs to the lower level.

A room is found.  The goblin fort was built on ruins of some sort.  This room had ancient statues in alcoves in the walls. 

After searching the room, the party moves through a door on the far side...

A trap is sprung on Rolf! A portcullis falls down from the ceiling trapping Rolf away from the rest of the party.  Halberd like blades come out of the wall and slash him.

Tuihirdock tries an old school bend bars/lift gate.  He rolls a nat 20 and succeeds!  Rolf is released as the gate is held just as the floor beneath him gives way to a pit trap.  Gilly neutralizes the trap, so it will not triggered again.

Opening the door at the end of the hallway they find Nualia Tobyn, orchestrator of the attack on Sandpoint!  She and her outsider ally are prepared for the adventurers.

The room has a unnerving red coloring to it.  Foul magic is present.

Nualia and allies...  Her left arm is mutated in some strange way.

Despite wounds and fatigue the adventurers take the battle to Nualia.  She has had time to prepare her defenses and has used some magic to augment her abilities.  The Yith hound lets out a horrific howl.  Cinart and Oswal (not in the room) are startled and panicked by this dark scream.

The Yith hound goes down!  Chance Arcane sends in volleys of magic missles with his wand, and Gilly uses a wand of shocking grasp to great effect.  Nualia is wearing metal armor which makes her easier to hit.

Brother Malcolm lends his healing powers to his wounded allies.

Cinart and Oswald were waiting in the hall when they see Nualia's mercenaries coming to her aid.  It's the bugbear Bruzthalamuz and a fighting man named Oren.

Cinart runs and Oswald does his best to parry off the blows of his attackers.  Although wounded he manages to get away.  Chance Arcane sends a volley of magic missles into the bugbear to over the retreat of the henchmen.

Nualia has fallen!  The party has retreated into her room to await the attack by her mercenaries.

The bugbear charges into the room and is greeted by the weapons and magic of the party!

The bugbear is slain.

Oren the mercenary, seeing no hope in resisting surrenders.  He is bound, secured, and questioned. 

Although most of the enemies in the complex appear to have been defeated, there is one very ominous door across from Nualia's chambers that remains unexplored.  The party is wounded, and much of their magicks and resources have been spent.   There will have to be a rest before they can continue clearing Thistletop.

Some questions do remain to be solved.  What ritual did Nualia have planned?  What is the nature of this structure...the goblins may have built the fort above, but these hallways are quite old.  What was Lira researching?  It could have something to do with the structure or Nualia's ritual.  And lastly what fearsome beast is located behind the last door?

More soon!   The finale of the Assault on Thistletop!