Dungeons and Dragons

Well, it's been a long time... since I first played Dungeons & Dragons. Sometime early in the 1980's. After finding Fighting Fantasy books in the school library, I was hooked on exploring wierd worlds, defeating monsters and playing the role of hero against all manner of evil. Then I discovered something even cooler... Dungeons & Dragons! Three decades later and I'm still loving the game. At the moment I'm preparing for an epic weekend dungeon crawl in April. Characters have been rolled up and the players are eager to test their mettle.

I'll be using the old books, original 'Blue' Holmes through to AD&D 1st edition, and posting some of the fun up here also. Roll a D6!



Wings Of War + Aces High

A real dog fight! Mark, Phil, Lewis and I, the Red Baron...

 

...flying the decidedly unfriendly skies...

 

 

Looking more like a barn dance than a barn storm!

 

One down!

 

Two down!

 

Three down... ...and V is for Victory! The Red Baron flies home for schnaps.



The winning hand. One of four or five games that night as I recall. This one broke the Red Baron's losing streak. A most excellent game night!

Mutants and Death Ray Guns

More Songs of Blades and Glory? Close! Mutants and Death Ray Guns is a fast-paced, skirmish level, post-holocaust, science fantasy miniature system for two or more players.

 

http://www.ganeshagames.net/

  

 

Superfast character creation! This will come in handy, as there will be casualties...

The valiant leader Bretta astride her feline mount, Lily! Followed by two Toadstool fools (actually not fungai but mutant plants!) and a Space Marine... er, an Android. Vicar the Librarian.

 

In the distance... across a jungle wasteland and scattered ruins of civilisation...

 

Canary!

 

Lunch?

 

The mighty Canary, urged forward by its mutant commander.

 

Combat!

 

She's rough, she's tough, she's had enough! Canary brings the hammer down!

 

Fun guys act like terrain. The Toadstool fools stay here for the rest of the game... doh!

 

Over here!

 



 Over there! Not much happening with the mutant bear.

 

Ha! She's tough! Bretta with her faithful librarian. The odds are looking better now! 

 

Ouch.

 

Canary wins!

 

Loot the bodies!

Well, a shattering defeat for me. Well done Lewis. In retrospect, the huge yellow robot was probably best avoided. Fantastic game. Looking forward to the rematch.

Wings Of War + Strategic Bombing Mission



This is one of the scenarios we played during a couple of months of full on Wings of War, late in 2012. Firstly this game is a whole heap of fun. Secondly, the photos below are in no particular order. A mission takes about 20 - 30 minutes, so during the night we would play 4 or 5 games!

 

Wings of War (now called Wings of Glory) is a game series which merges card and board game mechanics including optional scale minatures, to recreate World War One or World War Two aerial combat. (Ages: 10 & up, 2-4 players). 

 

Song of Blades and Heroes + Hobbits Vs. Orcs

Over the next few days I hope to post photos of some games played over the last year. Here is a recent wargame using the most eloquent Song of Blades and Heroes rules.

www.songofblades.blogspot.com

www.ganeshagames.net

 

After a poorly planned mountain ambush involving hurling boulders down upon an unsuspecting wagon train, the once peaceful valley below is turned into a battle ground. The Orcs rush down the slopes to grab the spoils of their hard work. However, a call to arms is sounded in the nearby village. Hobbits approach from the hills...

 

The first to engage the orcs is Magnus Runestar, the famed Dwarf Wizard! He is accompanied by local heroes Leo the Bald and Drunk Martin Shortshanks.

 

Let there be light! Magnus bedazzles the Orc Leader. A boon for the Hobbits!

 

The medium stick... Orcs race forward to destroy the Hobbit militia. 

 

The Orc Leader remains stunned as his lads run past him to engage the enemy.

 

The battle is joined. An Orc Warrior falls to Leo's large sword. The hero rushes onwards...

 

... and is knocked down. The spell is broken!? Angered by the sorcerous entanglement, the Orcs fight with deadly fury. Could this be a turning point for the Orcs? 

 

No. 

Magnus smiles as the Orcs fall one by one. Some Orcs flee in terror!

 

The rest of the Hobbits arrive in time for drinks and dinner!

The Orcs suffer a complete rout after their Leader falls. A good game, though a hard lesson for the Orcs. Entangle proves to be a mighty spell! Fortune favours the bold, the bald and those with a battle buddy in close combat.