Yesterday saw me off on a jolly to Sheffield with East Leeds Militaria Society Wargames Club chum Glen (Malcolm from ELMS was also there but had sensibly used public transportation).
After fun with the satnav, there was a whole day of fun to be had playing Toofatlardies games at the Steel Lard event at Patriot Games store.
Host Richard welcomes the throng. There was an ample selection of games put on. A few photies…
A very nice looking FIW game using Sharp Practice.
WW1 dogfights.
WW1 and 2 action on the ground.
Colonial actions a-plenty. The quality of the games was great.
Most folk played one game in the morning and another in the afternoon. Glen was hunting down a Napoleonic spy in the morning…
Despite shooting Glen’s miniature version on the tabletop in the face, the spy is captured! Hooray!
In the afternoon Glen was off helping Robin Hood…
My morning was spent hauling anchor, splicing the main brace, etc. in an entertaining naval engagement…
A French and a Spanish squadron sail out of port. I command the Spanish from my flagship El Chongo. We’re no sooner out at sea then two British squadrons are heading to intercept us!
The British head our way whilst… what the what?! The French squadron cuts through my line, cutting my two other ships off from their flag ship. With friends like these…
The action is immediately underway and the Arbusto has lost its mainmast!
The French flagship Bouffant ploughs on through, all plans and thoughts of coordinating efforts between the French and Spanish forgotten. I think that my French counterpart had been at the Port…!
It’s punishing stuff! Both sides are taking a hammering. With the Arbusto damaged and trying to break away and head back to port, I successfully tack with El Chongo. Not only does the game look great, but the rules play well.
Wider views of the engagement. My recommendation: don’t join the navy!
Hmmm, that looks like a bad dice roll…
It is VERY bad! The magazine on the Bouffant explodes!!!
The Arbusto seemingly safe out of harm’s way (that didn’t last - it lost all its masts eventually) with all Hell going on in the background.
It’s a confusing battle. Ships are on fire all over the place. Including my flagship El Chongo!
We try and decide who isn’t badly damaged as two British first line ships are coming into view spelling the end of the game. The umpire Charlie decides that it’s a narrow Franco-Spanish victory as the Pompadour has taken HMS Mullet as a prize. Great fun. I was really taken by the rules. Three out of the four players had never played Kiss Me Hardy before and we all picked it up easily. With Charlie’s help. Big thanks due to him and the other 3 players, Andrew, Simon and Simon for a great game.
A change of pace and setting for my afternoon game…
Using rules that have been adapted from a set at least a year from being published - With Flashing Blades - it was katana slashing action all the way as our Clan seeks to recover our murdered Master’s sword from the despicable Clan that did him in.
Appropriately beautiful terrain for a Japanese skirmish game…
Loved the pond complete with Koi Carp and turtle. The training Sumo (check out his tattoos!) didn’t mess with anyone unless they messed with his Zen garden!
Battle is joined as the goodies try to retrieve the sacred katana before it is reconsecrated by the baddies (no bias here!). Above you also see my three figures and their stat cards, complete with fate tokens for those worthy enough to have any. The figures are just as lovely as the terrain.
We tried to kill the two monks - picking up dishonour for doing so despite one of them being clearly armed - but they got away and one of them has started the reconsecration ceremony!!!
There’s single combats all over the garden. To be supported in a fight is also dishonourable.
Having killed one of the enemy, our best fighter is then decapitated by a bloke that frankly looks like the village idiot!
Whilst warriors are killed on both sides, puddles of blood marking where they fell, Lord Akiyama’s katana has been reconsecrated and is being wielded by the enemy clan Lord with devastating effect. The katana gives him extra dice in combat and drains his Fate tokens. After two combats his Fate is drained and he is cursed!!! But it has been worth it for the extra dice.
It wasn’t just Lord Akiyama’s katana that was special! Check out some of the bad guys’ dice rolls!!!
The bad guys had pretty much won by accruing victory points (our victory points were nothing to write home about!), but both sides’ morale was low enough that each side had to test whether they broke off each turn... A few turns went by with morale tests passed by both sides… then we failed ours needing 2 or less. Darn! Victory to the baddies and their now daemon lord (I forget the other clan name). Really entertaining stuff and I look forward to trying With Flashing Blades when they come out. Special thanks to umpire Sidney, goody Jack and baddies James and Kevin for an exciting samurai adventure.
Whether you’re a Toofatlardies vet or new to their games - neither me nor Glen had played the 4 rule sets we played before yesterday - these (Blank) Lard event days are great fun and I highly recommend them. Loads of the players go for beer n grub afterwards to round off the day (my pass out didn’t extend to that lol).
Less than a week to Stockton! See some of you there. Thanks for reading.
Cheers
Chris
