Sunday, May 27, 2012

Wulf fights third

Wulf strikes his axe on his Father's shield. His Faher trained him that this was the way to strike fear in his opponent. He missed the days when he was little and his Father trained him to fight.

One day he will get his revenge on the goblins which killed his Father.

Wulf fixed his mind on the present and would deal with the past later. He positioned the shield and axe as his Father had taught him to.


His opponent wore leather armor and had a mace and shield. His name is Sonam.

They walk to the heart of the dirt arena and faced off.
Wulf attacks head on wounding Sonam in the belly for a loss of -1 to strength. Sonam attacks back but could not find an opening.

Wulf attacks Sonam on his unshielded side but Sonam counterstrikes but Sonam lunges by being hit in the lower back (-2).

Wulf attacks Sonam head on hitting the lower left leg (-2). Sonam attacks head on but lunges by and is hit in the lower right leg (-1) and is knocked down.
Sonam stands up and manuavers to attack. Wulf hits him with a shield bash attack forcing him back. The shield strikes Sonam in the belly (-1) killing him.
Wulf whacked his axe on his shield as he walked back to his friends. Hopefully his Father approved how he had fought today.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Tiigra is Next

As the crowd celebrated Baer's victory, Tiigra was thinking about this morning. Her mother was getting her ready. Tiigra didn't like the leather armor. It was too tight. Her mother simply smiled while her daughter complained. "Sorry, Tiigra. Unfortunately you are taller and more full figured than I was at your age. It does fit well enough and will protect you."

"Besides a snug fit will please the audience." She smiled at her a womanly smile, not her normal motherly smile. "You need to remember that being entertaining is a benefit to a Gladiator. While you don't want to attact a husband you do want men to toady you"

Tiigra blushed. It was true, in both cases. She had chosen to be a gladiator because if she stayed the Settlement Leaders would decide who she would marry. She would still be trained to fight but she would also have to marry.  When she becomes a Gladiator, no one will decide who she married other than herself."

Tiigra made a frown when she saw the leather skull cap. Her mother had adorned it with decorations. Tiigra wanted to argue against wearing but she knew what her mother would say, "Even your thick skull needs protecting and an attractive Gladiator gets better matches than an ugly one".

She took her quarterstaff and prepared to leave. She didn't see sadness in her mother's eyes.  Women in the Barresh Settlements were expected to be Warriors too. There was regret. She knew her parents wished to have been able to give her a spear as well to fight with. Unfortunately her Father's hides were only able to bring enough coin to get the quarterstaff not a spear.

"Don't worry Mom. You taught me how to fight with the spear. This quarterstaff is close enough. I just have to remember that there isn't a point. Wulf will make sure I don't forget."

As she walked toward the door, her Father showed up. She hugged and kissed her parents goodbye, leaving to join her friends.

Tiigra heard the Troupe Leader call her name.

The Troupe Leader then call the name of Braighel. A female Silver Elf stepped forward. She was shorter than Tiigar and the Elfess was carrying 2 Hand Axes.

They both step into the Dirt Arena moving toward each other.
Tiigra moved first.
Tiigra arrived at the center first
The Silver Elf moved to the center. The match officially started.
The Silver Elf maneuvered for an opening but Tiigra used her quarterstaff to prevent her from finding one.

In a frenzy Tiigra attacks head on but the nimble Braighel sidesteps the attack. Tiigra rushed past and is knocked to the ground when the Silver Elf struck her on the head with one of her axes.

Her skull cap prevent Tiigra from recieving anything other than minor damage
I use the Heroica Battlepack to track damage. A single disc is used for each point of strength. There are columns for both legs, arms, belly/lower back, chest/upper back, and head. Here is my removing 1 disc for the wound recieved. Red tiles will be placed on top of the column if a bleeder occurs.

Quickly Tiigra gets up and backs off to catch her breathe. She is relieved to discover she is not bleeding.
Braighel charges to attack head on dual attacking with both her axes. Tiigra dodges and blocks the first swings and the Silver Elf keeps up her flurry of attacks.
Eventually Tiigra battles her to a stand off.
Tiigra reacts first and gains the advantage by hooking her quarterstaff underneath one of the axes forcing her back. She flings it back revealing Braighel's unshielded side. Tiigra strikes the Elfess hard in the unarmored belly. The blow knocks her down.
Here is Braighel's damage: -2
Here is where for the next two turns I forget that Braighel isn't stunned and should get back up and fight. So Tiigra gets 2 more attacks before Braighel gets to attack.

Tiigra's quick reflexes enable her to pursue her attack. She attacks the Silver Elf while she is knocked down striking her on her chest.
Damage is -2
Tiigra follows up with another frenzied attack on her fallen opponent. The slippery Elfess fends of the attack to an even draw. Braighel gets up.

Braighel is exhausted but attacks Tiigra anyway. Axe and quarterstaff strike and counterstike but no opening is found. Both women face each other exhausted but neither is giving ground or quarter.
Tiigra attacks Braighel head on finding an opening in the Silver Elf's guard once again. Knocking her back as she strikes her in the belly once again.

Exhausted and a slight headache, Tiigra breathes a sigh of relief. She has survived her first fight. Braighel is dead.
This was a longer fight than Baer's. While his was 3 rounds, hers went 8 rounds.  I made more mistakes in using and applying the rules. I still had fun and will be sure to include better notes for modifiers to use with the tables.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Baer's First Fight

Every Barbarian in the Barresh Settlements faces a choice when he or she comes of age. Either they can join the Raiders to go to Goblin terriority. They function as a skirmish force to harass and harry the Goblin cities from gaining enough strength to invade.

If that choice was unappealing then the Barbarian can join one of the Border Kingdoms armies to support and fight in the many city state wars that rage within and without.

If brave or crazy enough, then there is the third choice. It offered the quickest path to Fame, Fortune, and Death. It is the path of the Gladiator.

Baer looked with pride at his and his friends brand. The troupe leader stage several fights before it was his turn. He was the first chosen to fight. He had expected it. He was taller than his friends and one of the tallest in all the Settlements.

He looked at his opponent and swung his huge club around.  Wulf had instructed him to do this. "Put doubt in your opponent's mind and fear in his limbs" was what his friend had said.

He stared at his opponent as the troupe leader called out his opponent's name: Hasad.  Hasad had a Sword and Small Sheild and wore no armor just like Baer. He was shorter than Baer but he was not short. Hasad was the small height as his friends.


Both fighters entered the arena and faced each other. The troupe leader entered as well. He would make sure all those watching were entertained. He would not allow Baer to stand around or try to run away.

Both fighters moved forward slowly. Carefully judging each other for weakness.

Baer moved to the center of the ring and motioned for Hasad to attack. "Come little man. You face a true Warrior of Barresh. Lets fight".
Hasad charges into the center yelling, "I am a Kingdom Warrior! You shall die the same day that you took the mark!" Baer was ready and sidesteps the charge. He swings his club as he looks for an opening. Hasad maneuvers them into a standoff.
Hasad attacks with his sword but it is just a fient. He launches into his true attack with his sword. He does a wild swing aiming for Baer's head. Baer ducks the swing. Hasad lurches past him. As he passes by Baer smashes his mighty club into Hasad's lower back knocking him to the ground.
The troupe leader stares at Baer in shock. Hasad is dead.

Four Friends

This is a campaign of Two Hour Wargames rule set: Red Sand Black Moon (RSBM). I am using Lego Heroica figures and Legos for landscape.

I have created team of 4 Stars. I wanted the best chance to get at least 1 Gladiator to the point of retirement and then have the PC adventure in the upcoming Warrior Heroes - Legends when it comes out. These rules are also by Two Hour Wargames.

I wanted to get a feel for the game quicker so I maximized one attribute for the 3 male Gladiators and the female Gladiator is balanced. I did not roll the signatures as I wanted to make sure the characters started low enough that I would be fighting the lowest provided NPCs and levels thats in RSBM

The Barbarian Campaign

There was a lot of excited in the Barresh Settlements this week. The leaders had been told a traveling troupe of Gladiators would be visiting them on their way to the richer areas of the Border Kingdoms. Never before had Gladiators come here. The town quickly built a Dirt Arena for them to use. It wasn't a thing of beauty. The center of it still had grass and tree posts were quickly inset with ropes to define the outer edges.

Still it would get the job done.

Four friends were even more excited than the rest of the settlement. For they would be joining the ranks of the Gladiators and moving on with the troupe when it was done. That is if they survived.

Pantor, Wulf, Tiigra, Baer