Chainmail Battle

Using the Chainmail rules for a mass battle was a big change from gaming with Games Workshop Warhammer Fantasy Battle system. With Chainmail the rules are much less rigid where GW has a rule  for almost every possible situation. The Chainmail rules are actually quite fun. The only issue I have is the combat resolution system. The outcome takes a little too long to decide and slows down the game. It was fun to wargame in 10mm as well. The whole army, terrain, and rules fit in a shoe box.

 

 

 

Turn one. The O&G started the game 9" on the table.

Then initiative was rolled. The O&G won.

                                                                                                       

 

Turn 2 and 3. The Orcs are pressing hard for the treasure by the tents.

Another change I could make is when a hero meets a monster, they can go into a "challenge" and only those two characters can fight, as in "man to man". This would also speed up the game. It was hard to watch one of the player characters get tied down in combat with a giant frog.

 

 

 

 

The Orcs are getting closer, but yes that is heavy cavalry coming onto the table.

 

 

 

Another pic of the battle.

 

 

 

Turn 5. The Orcs are holding the tents and treasure, but yes that is the hill tribe coming into view with their own giant.

 

 

 

At this point the Orcs are still holding the tents, but I believe they were finally chased off...

 

I  defiantly would like to try this again, using the same armies and scenario. I will stream line the combat resolution and using heroes/anti-heros. It was really fun to just wargame.

CBC D&D Article from the '80s

Here is an article from the CBC I stumbled upon. There is one line from one of the kids. He say's something like "if adults want to understand the game and what their children are doing, try playing the game" still rings true.  Here is the link. Also check out the related content about LARP'ing.

D&D Starter Box

 Box cover of the D&D starter set. Pretty typical box, this cover reminds me of the D&D Basic set from 1983.

 

 

Here is the 1983 cover.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the inside. You get 5 pre-made characters, and 1 blank character page. The starter rule book, covering: How to play, Combat, Adventuring, and Spell casting. The module covers how to  play, magic items, and monsters.

 

This starter box is great if you want to get gaming right away. If you just want the basic rules, the rules that you can download from Wizards of the Coast are great.

 

You also get some great looking dice.

 

 





 



D&D Rules

 

Down loaded and printed off the new D&D 5th edition rules. These are just the basic rules for character creation, combat, spells and general game play. These "new" rules look refreshing with a lot of queues from Advanced D&D. The only issue I have is the spells listed in the back have no names. When I sent the rules to the printer the spell names did not print. Not only in the list but when spells are mentioned in the rules the names didn't show up there either.

 

I am looking forward to Geekfest and using these new rules. I have been playing D&D for years, recently only once a year at Geekfest. Yet I still look forward to making new characters and going adventuring!

 

Here is the LINK for the rules

The Geekfest mass combat armies are done! and some tents.

 

The good guy's. Heavy cavalry, medium cavalry, light cavalry. All the different units and a giant. The row at the front represents the adventurers.

 

 

 

 

Close up of the heavy cavalry, elves up front,and swordsman.

 

 



These are actually ninja's, but they will represent swordsman from the east.

 

 

 

 

The hill tribes and the giant. The giant is a 25mm figure.

 

 

 

The town guard with their light cavalry.

 

 

 

And finally the adventures.

 

 

 

The Orc and Goblin horde.

 

 

 

Close up.

 

 

 

 

Another view of the units, with the orc giant in the back.

 

 

 

Two orc units up front, two goblin units in the rear.

 

 

 

 

These are the guy's you need to be worried about.