Five Parsecs From Home Mini Campaign - Initial Thoughts

 Hi!

In an attempt to get myself out of a bit of a hobby slump caused by lots of work, floods in the flat and having the lurgy that refused to clear up, I decided to have a bash at Five Parsecs From Home.

I've had the book for quite a while now and I've watched quite a few battle reports and campaigns of folks playing the game on Youtube and I quite liked how it looked so rolled up a crew and got gaming.

I used a couple of name generators to help me develop the crew and the worlds they will be fighting in as well as the assorted denizens they will be meeting. This did result in some interesting names and helped flesh out the campaign as it went on.

Setting wise, I'm using a bit of a hybrid of the Void and Kryomek settings so the only alien menaces are going to be the Kryomek while the assorted human or cyborg factions will be making up the bulk of the rest of the encounters.

My initial crew of six consisted of five humans and one robot and I was quite lucky with both firepower and patrons so right from the get go, the crew of the Polaris have found themselves thrust right into the centre of the action on the megacity world of Meerut.

Meerut has turned out to be a gloomy place with every battle having limited lighting thanks to random rolls on the Five Parsecs charts so I'm going to keep it that way throughout the campaign with the sun casting a feeble glow on a twilight city of neon, rain and broken dreams.

Their first job came from a wealthy individual known as Brother Yako Tino, a member of the somewhat secretive Kin who hired the team to secure a remote data core which was being held by a group of mercenaries called the Vicious Riders or VR's (this was one of the random generator results and its pretty lame but it does lend itself to the VR's being a bunch of puffed up buffoons who will make for good rivals!).

During the confrontation, the crew of the Polaris succeeded in securing the core but the ships captain, Finnegan Alucard was badly wounded and much of the cash payment from their patron was spent on medical bills to stop him from dying right from the get go. 

Handily their operation went well enough that Brother Yako has become a persistent patron, meaning that even if we leave the planet, he will follow us (or possibly another of the shadowy members of the Kin will turn up!).

The Vicious Riders, stung at being driven off from a lucrative contract of their own and their pride somewhat deflated have sworn vengeance and have become my crews first rivals in the campaign and I now need to flesh out who they are and what motivates them and indeed why they have such a stupid name (something my crew will no doubt mock them for at every opportunity).

The second campaign turn saw my captain stuck in the infirmary and another patron, this time a governmental toady names Alejandro Ortiz who introduced himself as a member of the Meerut Planetary Relations Council, or MPRC and requested our help in investigating a science station on the nearby moon of Barling-1 which had for some reason, lost communication with the MPRC. 

As the pay was good and my crew needed the cash to pay off the medical expenses of captain Finnegan and their ship debt, they agreed and a reduced crew travelled to the isolated outpost only to find it in ruins and seemingly abandoned. As their job was to secure the site, they set to work doing so when they encountered the reason the facility was in ruins. 

The Converted are rogue AI's that fled the Syntha and seek to enslave humanity by turning them into mindless slaves and a shuffling horde of tech zombies promptly attacked them. During the ensuing desperate firefight, the crews robot Qiao managed to outflank one of the groups of attackers and blast the leading zombie with her pistol but was in turn knocked out of the fight by a hail of return fire and in the swirling chaos, another crew member, Nivian was killed by a lucky shot. 

The remaining trio consisting of Laurinda, Aylin and Onu managed with a mix of luck and insane courage to destroy all the remaining Converted acquisition zombies and secure the site.

Unfortunately in the final moments of the skirmish, Onu was taken out of action and would spend three campaign turns stuck in the sick bay. 

Mourning the loss of their crewmate, bloody and unbowed, the crew then strong armed a profusely sweating Ortiz to pay up, including danger pay and with a little gentle persuasion to provide a friendly Doc to patch up Onu and Finnegan. 

Following the game, Laurinda and Aylin have levelled up and my robot Qiao was undamaged and even managed to repair the kit that the Converted had damaged.

At this point I'm two games into the campaign, have no doubt missed quite a few rules and steps in the campaign system itself but having a great time!

The game itself has a lot going for it for a solo gamer and is very narrative driven and once you get into the swing of how it works, its really quick to play and great fun too. 

I'm adding quite a few little narrative elements to the process to bring the game to life a bit and give each of my crew and their ship as well as the setting a bit more depth but Five Parsecs is a great option that is generic enough to use in pretty much any setting but provides a surprisingly deep amount of engagement. I'm still mourning the loss of my crewman Nivian who only lasted two games but its really giving me the much needed boost to get back into some serious gaming.

The first two games were played using tokens on a pinboard with some scenery thrown on but I do intend on getting some proper crew and opponent figures done but may end up using standees as the casualties do mount up and the number of varied opponents are pretty numerous so collecting and painting a full range of figures for the gam is probably beyond me at present.

I've just rolled up the third campaign turn and it looks like I'm about to mix it up with a squad of enforcers from the VR's so I'm looking forward to playing the game and giving them a damn good thrashing. I've also recruited a new team member called Norm who will be replacing the lamented Nivian. Also with captain Finnegan back on his feet its going to be a really interesting campaign to continue.

Each skirmish lasted 30 or so minutes and was pretty action packed and really encourages you to stick to cover and its worth remembering that your average human isn't going to cope to well with a bullet!

I do recommend folks give the game a try as it's such a fun experience and I'm now eying up my copy of Five Leagues from the Borderlands, the fantasy version of the game for possible miniature gaming!

In the meantime, All the best!

Grune Warthide: Cursed Dwarf

Hi!

I've been beavering away with some RPG stuff and trying to make sense of the assorted ideas I've got floating around but I've managed to get another figure sculpted and painted up in the form of Grune Warthide!

Following one of my previous posts about randomly creating a character for a solo RPG, I ended up with Grune Warthide, previously Grune the Handsome who hails from a northern hold where he was a tunnel fighter, tasked with keeping the Dwarven Labyrinth, a vast network of subterranean tunnels, caverns and halls free from the taint of the upper world of Aeroth.

Sadly he seems to have been mutated and has been exiled from his hold as he searches for a cure.

Armed with a hand axe and equipped with chainmail and a shield, Grune is pretty decent in close combat but not the sharpest tool in the shed, possibly due to his shock at being mutated.

He's made from fimo for the most part with greenstuff details and plasticard shield and axe and was great fun to build as he's going to make for a great addition to my Somewhere on the Border campaign once I get it up and running!

Here's the original artwork:

He's a bit different from the original art as I gave him a leather jerkin and slightly slicked back hair rather than the wild tufts he originally sported but still hopefully recognisable as the same character.

I've been working on quite a few ideas for a solo mini campaign and have actually played out several quests with another character I've rolled up called Fael who is a female barbarian and her goat companion Modwen and its really helping me develop both the setting and getting into the swing of a solo RPG and using both Brutal Quest and Rory's Story Cubes to develop a game that is fun to play and a narrative that is proving to be oddly compelling, despite being created using random dice!

Hopefully I'll get some artwork up for Fael, Modwen and their new companion Arad the Golem in the not too distant future along with a bit of a breakdown of how a session runs but for now, All the best!

Brutal Quest as an RPG Wargame

 Hi!

Following on from my earlier post with all the papertech Goblins, I got to thinking about playing a bit of a mini quest using paper standees and using Brutal Quest as the basis for the rules.

After having a bit of a rummage, I got my copy of the rules, a small notebook, pens and whatnot but also got my assorted Rory's Story Cubes out and set about fiddling around with the rules themselves.

Nic handily has produced a bit of a mini supplement called Pump Those Numbers Up! which covers converting his rules from a D10 system to a D100 which I already use on Planet 28 and I also intend to use Hack and Slash! Experimental combat rules for Planet 28 to add some extra crunch to my games.

With the rules sorted, I decided to create a character and rolled up his stats randomly using the Brutal Quest character creation rules but instead of paying points, I rolled a D44 (or 2 D4's!) to see what I got. Once I'd completed this stage I gave myself 20 points to up different stats to round out the character a bit.

This will create a low level character who may be quite good at a couple of different things but not super powerful. 

I then looked at the stats for the as yet unnamed character I'd rolled up and turned to my copy of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay for a bit of inspiration. Looking at the characters stats, I realised he was more suited to a warrior than say a ranger or scholar or thief so I rolled a D4 and ended up with a Dwarf and then the D100 and got Tunnel Fighter.

Looking at the profession in the rules, it says that he is equipped with a grappling hook and rope so I decided to give my newly created character the Climb trait for Brutal Quest (the Tunnel Fighter in Warhammer Roleplay has lots of other skills too but I figured they were already figured into his stats).

As you can see, the character isn't very agile, is pretty good in melee and can shoot but isn't overly aware of his surroundings and has the intelligence of a rock...

It was now time for me to crack out the Story Cubes to see if I could come up with a background for my Dwarven Tunnel Fighter, who I named Grune. 

By selecting a random trio of Story Cubes and rolling them to see what I got, I ended up with a Frog, a DNA Helix and a Lonely Tower. After a bit of head scratching I settled on Grune being an inhabitant of an isolated hold who had been mutated and now had warty skin.

Grune Warthide (Formerly Grune the Handsome)

Already I seem to have got a bit of personality for Grune so I rolled another trio of dice and got a House, a Book and the Lonely Tower again. This made me think that maybe Grune has left his home to seek a cure for his affliction and he sets off towards a nearby city to begin his search.

Another trio of dice resulted in a Rainstorm, a Skull and Crossbones and a Bodybuilder. Totally random stuff but here we have Grune seeking shelter from a rainstorm on the way from his hold to the city when he is beset by bandits and as I already have the Goblin paper standees, he ends up facing a bunch of lowly Gobbos. But the bodybuilder dice made me think that maybe there's also a bigger tougher foe along with them so I ended up having Grune facing not only a pair of Goblin footpads but also a Goblin leader!

My next step will be to play out the game of Brutal Quest to see how things go so watch this space as we follow the sorrowful tale of Grune!

I had considered setting the session in the Warhammer Old World but think I'll be going for my own setting of Aeroth as it's a good way to flesh out the setting and will allow me to play around with all manner of bits and bobs without getting bogged down in trawling for details on the Old World to keep things accurate.

I now have the paper standee for Grune sorted and am going to put together a couple more Goblins and we shall see how the encounter goes but in the meantime, All the best!

Skirmish On New Viridia

 Hi!

I figured it was high time that I actually posted a bit of an actual hobby update so spent a bit of time this evening playing a quick skirmish using some home brewed rules and featuring a squad of Viridian Assault Marines skirmishing with a Goff warband for control of an abandoned outpost on New Viridia.

The Setup

New Viridia is a megacorporate owned planet that consists of untamed rainforests and large, warm oceans. Settled at great expense by the Viridian Megacorp, it has been used to harvest all manner of rare plants and other compounds for the pharmaceutical sector as well as targeted mining for rare earth minerals and also contains several large farming and fishing franchises all under Viridian control. 

Recently several isolated outposts have gone quiet and when a garbled call for help arrived from one such settlement, the Viridian security force dispatched some Assault Marines by VTOL deployment to secure the site and destroy whatever force was responsible for the raid. 

Upon arrival, the Viridian force found the settlement in ruins, bodies of settlers strewn around the site showing obvious signs of brutal violence and several Ork glyphs daubed on the few buildings that remained standing and as the marines began to sweep the settlement, their scanners recorded incoming blips from the north.

The scenario sees the Viridian troops tasked with driving the  Orks from the settlement while securing as many buildings as they could. In return, the Orks only objective is to wipe out the humies and carry off their loot to their encampment.

The Forces

The Viridian force consisted of a combat squad of three power armoured Assault Troopers armed with blasters, one heavy blaster and led by a sergeant with a power sword and plasma pistol. 

The Ork force consisted of two squads of four Orks led by a Nob and a squad of five Gretchin. The Orks had blast pistols and axes while the Nobs had power weapons and Kombi Blasters (potentially potent but possibly useless depending on a random dice roll each time they were fired) whilst the Grots had a mixture of swords, clubs and a few rusty Autoguns.

The Viridian's would be badly outnumbered but have better arms, equipment and training but would that prove to be enough against a larger Orky onslaught?

The Game

The Viridian's seized the initiative and while the heavy weapon trooper and his number two took up position on the scrap pile in the centre of their deployment zone, the sergeant led his two remaining troops towards the ruins on the east of the settlement.

Bellowing foul Orkish oaths and battlecries, the Ork troops began rushing forward blazing away enthusiastically with their guns, keen to get to grips with the hated humies.

Fire from the heavy weapon trooper in the first few turns saw the lead mob pinned next to a building and after taking ineffective fire from the Gretchin, blasted three of the diminutive greenskins to pulp and sending the survivors running back towards their own deployment zone.

Unfortunately, this distraction allowed the second Ork mob to sweep around from cover and assault the Viridian's in the ruins to the east. 

This assault saw the two troopers cut down by the larger Ork force and while the sergeant fought bravely and succeeded in slaying the mobs Nob, he too was eventually dragged down by the remaining Orks.

Realising their predicament, the heavy weapon trooper and his comrade atop the scrap pile blazed away at the until now pinned Ork mob but bellowing curses, the Nob in command managed to shrug off the intense fire and lead his underlings forward with a roared WAAARGH! The Viridian troops managed to fell one charging Ork but the Nobs surprisingly effective Kombi Blaster managed to vaporise the heavy weapon trooper at which point the remaining trooper fled to the LZ to escape the greenskin onslaught that had killed the rest of his squad.

Conclusion

The game was rather fun and it was great to spend 45 minutes playing with my figures and getting an actual skirmish in. I must admit I expected the Viridian's to do a bit better so next time may reinforce them with a few more troopers to bulk up the force. The Orks on the other hand were brilliant and played in suitably Orky style by charging headlong into their foes and krumping them.

I'll need to get some more stuff painted so I can play some more slightly larger scale skirmishes as they're great fun and may even add a small vehicle or two to the mix to see how things go!

Hopefully I'll have chance to play another skirmish or two in the coming weeks but until then, All the best!

Rangers of Shadowdeep Project Log Part 3: Zombies!

 Hi!

I've finished the last of the zombies I need for the first scenario of my Rangers of Shadowdeep project:

This gives me enough stuff to play out the scenario as I have a load of giant rats and spiders done already as well as some random civilians but looking at my heroes and characters I find myself wanting to make a more varied cast of figures to choose from rather than just heavily armoured Boar Company troopers and characters.

This may mean that I've got to put off playing the first game a wee bit but I think it's going to be worthwhile in the long run as I'm really enjoying sculpting and painting my own stuff!

Speaking of which, I have been soldiering through my lead and plastic pile painting whatever odds and ends I have needing done and for the most part it's been pretty fun but I picked up one of the multipart Orks with the intention of adding to my Goff Ork warband but I found the process incredibly tedious as the figures lack character and I almost gave up. 

I'll post pictures of the warband as it grows as I do want to finish off the rest of the handful of Boyz but the more of the stuff of my own that I make and paint, the more I tempt myself to have a go at just sculpting all my own figures. Sadly this is a somewhat slower process but rather rewarding so I'll see how I get on with the next of the leadpile figures and find out if I enjoy painting it more as it may just be the more modern figures that I find tedious.

I'll try and get some more pics of the other gubbins I've been working on up tomorrow but in the meantime, All the best!

Rangers of Shadowdeep Project Part 2

 Hi!

As part of my Rangers of Shadowdeep project I needed some zombies for the first scenario and have just finished the first trio!

I made them rather scabby, scarred and gribbly and really enjoyed working on the little guys and gave them a mixture of worn military and civilian attire to represent the unfortunates who have been afflicted with the gift of unlife by the Children of the Worm!

I also rummaged out another of my Boar Company troopers who had been sat primed and got him painted too!

Armed with a two handed flail, this little guy means business and adds some heavy hitting power to my Boar Company force. I actually have four of them all together so will be able to field a unit of them in larger games. 

Adventurers disturb a group of shambling Children of the Worm

I've got three more zombies to paint and will post another update in the next few days once they are done along with the intrepid rangers who will be exploring the Shadowdeep, or the wild frontier of Aeroth!

I've also got another post that I'm putting together with some musings about playing some other games that I've got lying around and one or two I'm contemplating picking up and having a bash at in the future but more on that next time as it doesn't really fit in with my Rangers project.

In the meantime, All the best!

Land Ironclads Revisited

 Hi!

It's been a really busy few weeks and I've found myself seeking to get some hobby time in my much needed holiday.

Instead of working on the other gubbins I have, I have decided to revisit my 2mm Land Ironclads project with a vague aim of putting together enough stuff for my Dwarves and Orcs to play out a bit of a campaign in the coming year.

I'm currently working on getting a regiment of Dwarven infantry put together but will be building a load more stuff for the upcoming campaign as I got to thinking about having the Dwarves defending their great wall in the Axebite Pass against a mighty Orc Horde led by the mighty Khan Krull, chosen of Gorath!

There's a lot of fun bits and bobs that I have planned for the coming months including scenery and lots of warbeasts, war engines and flyers as I plan on starting small and building up until I can play a cataclysmic battle for the wall between scores of regiments and engines of destruction clashing including siege engines and all manner of interesting gubbins.

I'll try and get the infantry finished this evening and will showcase it tomorrow so watch this space and I hope to add some new units in the coming week.

In the meantime, All the best!

Still Alive!

 Hi!

Its been a bit busy here at Spacecow HQ over the last month or so with a combination of work, visiting relatives and a total lack of hobby time. Coupled with the fact that my gaming room, our spare room come library has a double bed in it at present, I've managed to get absolutely nothing done!

I've got two weeks holidays coming up from next week but I'm off to Wales so I won't be getting much done there either! 

I do plan on taking my sketchbook with me to get my Somewhere on the Border and Rusty Robots projects a bit of fleshing out with a load of new designs, background and general gubbins planned!

For Somewhere on the Border, I have the Boar Company nearly complete with only a few odds and ends to sculpt and paint to give me the complete force but I do need to sculpt lots of other denizens of Aeroth including some random encounters for my adventurers to do battle with.

My Rusty Robots have kind of stalled with the Blue Tribe I'd been working on as the concept just didn't match the final sculpts so I'll be taking the opportunity to tweak the concept when I'm on holiday. Similarly I need to work on the other tribes, specialists, big guys and leaders for each!

I've also got some vague plans to work on my Planet 28 project as I've got a real hankering to do more for it so I may end up writing up a campaign while I'm away.

No doubt I'll get only a fraction of what I'm hoping to get done actually done but we shall see what I can actually do with two weeks of work free relaxation. I shall post an update when I get home in mid September but until then, All the best!

Lockdown 2.0 Project Log Day 115: Battle for Redforge

 Hi!

As promised, I've managed to play out the first of my mini campaign featuring the Boar Company's search to bring the rogue sorcerer Marik Goldhelm to justice.

The Background

As the fiercest winter in living memory eases and the snowbound Axeblade mountains become navigable, Grimli Ironholm, leader of the Boar Company prepares his force to venture out into the frontier to reconnect communication between the many small settlements dotted around the region and ensure their safety from marauding beasts. He also has a personal quest, to track down his nemesis, Marik Goldhelm and remove his head.

The Boar Company departs early in the morning and after several days trek, stop at one of the Order of the Tower's way stations on their way to Pinecliff, the largest settlement in the area but whilst swapping tales over an ale next to a blazing fire that evening, Grimli discovers Marik has been spotted at a nearby settlement called Redforge. The settlement is small and what reason would Marik have for visiting it but for the purpose of doing evil?

Summoning his battle brothers, Flint and Gunnar, the three decide to set out before dawn the next morning to catch up with Marik and bring the full weight of the Boar Company's justice upon him and his foul followers for too many times has the rogue dogged their path and performed evil upon the inhabitants of the border. Swearing a mighty oath, the three dedicate their lives to the death of Marik and the remaining Boar Company troops do likewise. Now only death will prevent them from their task.

Departing the way station in the cold pre-dawn, the Boar Company marches with all haste towards Redforge and the coming confrontation. As they approach, they can see smoke rising above the settlement and beyond, Marik and his warband preparing to depart. 

Bellowing a challenge, the Boar Company surges forward. It will be a day of swords and sorrows but by the ancestors, they will settle accounts with Marik!

The Forces

The Boar Company consists of Grimli Ironholm, Gunnar Beastspeaker and Flint Dragonbane and are accompanied by a Razorback Rider, hunter with crossbow, Wildling with javelins and six Boar Company troopers including their Banner Bearer who carries a Spelleater rune to counter any malign magics.

Marik is accompanied by his undead Knight, Kull, a Horned Folk warrior named Crimsonhoof, a combat golem, an archer and four minions. He has also summoned a pair of giant bats, three Cavern Dwellers and a sizeable swarm of Giant Spiders.

The Setup

The Settlement of Redforge lies at the centre of the board with woods and newly grown fungal patches surrounding it on three sides. The Boar Company deploys from the south table edge with Mariks forces on the northern edge. Grimli, Flint and Gunnar are all accompanied by two troopers whilst the Hunter, Wildling and Razorback rider deploy along the edge of the trees to the east, preparing to move out towards whatever they see.

The Game

Turn one has both forces moving rapidly towards the settlement, keen to get to grips with their hated foes but things don't go Marik's way as the summoned spiders and Cavern Dwellers mill around and refuse to activate. On the eastern flank, the Razorback rider thunders out of the treeline and sees a group of giant bats moving towards him in the distance.

Marik moves forward, accompanied by a hulking wargolem he's recently acquired from the now deceased inhabitants of Redforge, keen to unleash it upon his pursuers. Seeing the unmistakable form of Flint Dragonbane at the opposite edge of town, he raises his staff, preparing to strike the Dwarf down with a mighty show of his power but something is wrong and he cannot summon enough Earthpower to cast at the Dwarf. Could the Spelleater rune the Boar Company banner is bearing be affecting the rogue?

Meanwhile on the western flank, Crimsonhoof spots movement and issuing a bellow of bloodthirsty rage begins to lumber towards the distant troops. Responding in kind, Gunnar leads his companions forward shouting curses and insults at the Horned Folk beast in its own tongue.

Grimli, accompanied by the banner bearer and a trooper with a flail, spies Marik in the distance and begins a song of battle which his companions take up and soon the stirring tune resounds across the battlefield as the Company gives voice.

Turn two has the giant bats flap forward toward the Razorback rider but are targeted by the sturdy Wildling who hefts a javelin at one, wounding the beast but failing to bring it down, the hunter with the crossbow, now safely ensconced in the wood, draws a bead and fires. His bolt flies true and one of the bats is sent crashing to the ground, dead.

Seizing the moment, the Razorback rider barrels into the wounded bat and dispatches it with his lance but he is now dangerously exposed to a countercharge from the minions accompanying Kull, the dread knights sword glowing a sickly green orders his minions to attack the Dwarf but their charge falls short!

Meanwhile the Boar Company has reached the edge of the town and Flint's party storms in through a narrow alleyway only to see Marik. Uttering a curse, Flint issues a challenge but the sorcerer disdains such scum and attempts to cast a bolt of eldritch lighting at the Dwarves but is shocked to find the spell misfiring and singeing himself. Shaking his head woozily, he can feel the Spelleater rune sapping his power and in a fit of pique, orders his Wargolem to open fire. The clanking monstrosity lets rip with it's blackpowder cannon and the alleyway is filled with fire and fury but when the smoke clears, Flint and co are still standing, their armour pitted but unhurt and the plucky Dwarves rush forward, keen to get to grips with their tormentor.

As Grimli's party moves into the settlement, they come under fire from Marik's archer who manages to score Grimli's breastplate with his barbed arrow but fails to damage the furious Dwarf.

Seeing the Minion's failed charge, the Razorback rider digs his spurs into his mount's flank and crouches his lance as the squealing beast bucks wildly before hurtling into the unit. His lance strikes true, lifting one of the minions off his feet whilst a second is gored by the Razorback but his attack is ended by the ensorcelled blade of the undead knight chopping at his head forcing him to parry wildly.

Turn three begins with the Dwarf hunter taking a potshot at Marik who happens to be just within range but the sorcerer swats the bolt out of the air and unleashes a bolt of his own at Flints party but the stalwart Dwarf emerges unhurt. The Golem once again sends forth a torrent of fire but its aim is off and it manages to destroy a building front instead of its intended target.

Marik's archer transfers his attention to Flint's party and manages to knock over one of the troopers but fails to injure him. 

Meanwhile the spider swarm rushes forward towards the town, finally answering Marik's summons but will it arrive in time?

Meanwhile on the western edge of the settlement, Gunnar's party and Crimsonhoof clash with the mighty Horned Folk shrugging off the blows rained down on it and badly goring Gunnar but the Beastspeaker has dealt with wild beasts before and continues to fight.

Turn four begins with Flint's party being charged by the Wargolem. The magitech beast swings a mighty fist and crashes it into Flint's breastplate, crushing it and seriously wounding the Dwarf. While his bodyguard deals with the closest party, Marik spies the third trooper who is pulling himself to his feet. Sneering under his helm Marik once again tries to cast a bolt of Earthpower but has it rebound upon himself. 

Cursing in pain, he glances to his left and sees the reason. Emerging from the buildings marches Grimli and his party. The Spelleater rune glowing warmly. Knowing he's now outnumbered, Marik begins to move back into the alleyway and safety as the commander of the Boar Company roars a challenge to the craven coward but see's his companion Flint is badly hurt, Grimli rushes forward to provide aid.

 

Uttering his clans battlecry, Grimli launches himself onto the Golem and cleaves it with his trusty broadsword. The rusty machine shudders to a halt, it's magitech core breached and Marik feels a chill as he sees the grizzled Boar Company leader best his vaunted machine. The two lock eyes but before Grimli can move, a barbed arrow from Marik's archer sinks into the back of his banner bearer. The brave Dwarf lets out a groan and sinks to the ground, blood pouring from the jagged wound. 

To the east, the black knight, Kull exchanges a flurry of blows with the Razorback rider, badly wounding him but failing to dispatch the sturdy Dwarf. In response, his Razorback knocks the skeletal knight off his feet, rolling its eyes and frothing at the mouth at the nearness of the terrible being. 

The Wildling rushes in to support the Razorback rider and his timely assistance sees one minion fall gurgling with a javelin through his throat and with renewed energy, the Razorback rider lops off the skeleton's head and the final minion breaks from the swirling combat, fleeing for the safety of the woods.

In the settlement, the spiders surge over the Boar Company Dwarves, killing one and wounding Grimli before the survivors put them to the sword.

Finally over on the western flank of the settlement, Crimsonhoof, seizes up one of the Boar Company troopers and hurls him into a building, the impact breaking the troopers neck. Uttering a roar of outrage, Gunnar, throws himself back into the fray and with the assistance of the remaining trooper succeeds in slaying the beast.

As Grimli painfully pulls himself to his feet, dizzy as the spider venom courses through his body he is dimly aware of the form of Marik dashing from the battlefield into the forest with his surviving minions. 

Conclusion

The battle was over and once again Marik had escaped. Grimli feebly cursed as his brave companions bound their wounds, buried their dead and strapped him onto a crude stretcher. The spider venom would kill him if they didn't make for Pinecliff and the Order of the Tower whose skilled medics would be able to cure him but even in his fever, Grimli cursed and swore vengeance. 

Placing a supportive hand upon his friend and leader's shoulder, the battered and pale Flint exchanged a worried glance with Gunnar. The burly Dwarf was swathed in bandages but stoically ignoring his wounds but the spider venom was beyond his skills to deal with so their vendetta would have to wait. Grimli would live and Marik would get what was coming to him. 

With that the surviving Boar Company marched out towards Pinecliff.

Whee! As usual, a game between Marik and the Boar Company results in a proper grudge match and once again the oily rogue sorcerer has avoided his just desserts but this is only the first game in the campaign. Will the company reach Pinecliff and receive the aid they need to cure Grimli? What will Marik's response to his Golem's destruction and the death of his two most powerful minions be? 

Only time will tell but until then, All the best!