The final game of my Frostgrave campaign

The Hall of Whispering Statues

For the past year the Unseen University has been sending out teams from various departments, from both the left and right wings of the College building, to investigate the ruins of the great city known as "Frostgrave."  Due to global warming, caused by the Unseen University's research in many peoples' opinion, the lost city has been slowly emerging from its thousand year icy tomb, and more importantly has begun to give up its secrets and its treasure.  

The exploring groups from the University are each lead by a Wizard with an apprentice and up to a dozen so so soldiers and hired thugs in support.  It is a game of looting and treasure hunting, but Frostgrave has not proved an easy or safe place to loot.

There have been some casualties.  The wizard Salmon and his apprentice the witch Sturgeon, two feisty and fishy characters, were killed early on in the Hall of Whispering Statues.*  Boris the Buffoon and his apprentice Backstabber Govius were done to death by a swarm of rats at the end of one particularly difficult scenario.  The Brown Wizard and his apprentice "Darling," did not survive an onslaught by the Lich of the Great Pitt, an ancient and un-dying Wizard. Finally Lord Blair retired from the game, having discovered a "Tablet of all Knowledge," and its demonic voice the Imp "Sirry."  He has returned to the University and become  Lord Chancellor.

* Legend has it that the statues whisper an endless round of chuckling "To me..." "To you..."  "To me..."

The remaining teams from the Unseen University are:

Cameronus and his apprentice Osbournius 
Cruella the witch, her apprentice Hammondius and her minions
Corbinus and his apprentice The MacDonell (the former apprentice Watsinius having been pushed over a cliff by the current apprentice)
Farrond and his apprentice Poor Cleggy!

Each of these four have won several magical artifacts and a great deal of gold (except for Farrond and Poor Cleggy who never seem to win anything but somehow seem to manage to cling on in there.)

The final scenario of my Frostgrave games was to be the Hall of Whispering Statues (revisited) and all four teams were in competition for the prize, the Great spellbook of Winstonius Churcillius, a wizard of legend.

I use 15mm figures for Frostgrave.  I`m rather pleased with them.  A fraction of the price of the 28mm "authorised" figures they store more easily and require less tabletop area.

The game began with the four teams approaching the Hall of Whispering Statues from the four corners of the tabletop.  First into action were Farrond and Poor Cleggy.  The way-point they passed generated an ambush by a huge troll.  

With quite a small team, mainly due to their lack of funds because of a poor showing in the campaign to date, the pair were in trouble. 

Farrond however proved up to the task.  

As his men at arms fought the Troll he cast a fireball, burning it down.  (magic under my amendments has to be real.  The Unseen University works on Science.  A fireball is essentially a hand grenade, but don`t tell the masses that!) So far so good, except that one of his own men was killed in the explosion.  This was a taster of things to come!  Seeing an empty building in front of them Farrond and Poor Cleggy charged inside, finding two treasure tokens and a lot of Skeletal undead. 

Corbinus and his apprentice The MacDonell used their fanatically loyal spearmen as a screen to advance onto the table.  The swarm of rats that rose up from the rocks was soon thumped into submission.  Corbinus once again produced his wand of power  named The Mandate!  (actually a taser) Seizing a Pearl of Wondrous Size as they passed a treasure point Corbinus group and advanced on the Hall of statues.

Cameronus and his apprentice Osbournius advanced on table, killing a single zombie that appeared at the way-point.  Across the table from them Cruella and her minions came on table.  Once part of the same department in the right wing of the Unseen University there was now a terrible hatred and rivalry between these two factions.  Ignoring the Hall of statues these two groups closed to fight.

Cruella cast a huge fireball, exploding it directly behind the front rank of Cameronius supporters. 
  
The apprentice Hammondius actually cast a spell properly (quite astonishing when you consider Cleggy's efforts in this area) and a cloak of darkness descended on Cameronius and his followers.  

A tremendous hand to hand melee began, which the Witch won with convincing ease.   

Cameronius was killed and Osbournius fled the battlefield.

The game returned to Farrond and Cleggy, left with just a few supporters and now battling a building filled with skeletons. Cleggy cast a fireball into the middle of the undead horde, killing most of his own men. Ooops!  

Farrond meanwhile ended up on the sharp end of an undead spear, leaving poor Cleggy as the last survivor.  Digging around he discovered the Great Spellbook, turns out it wasn't near the statues at all!  Having effectively won the game by massacring his own side Cleggy exited the battlefield, and returned to the University, presumably to take up a Professorship in Incompetence Studies.

Corbinus still in the Hall of Whispering Statues, (To me... to you..." flourishing  his wand TheMandate advanced on the statues, prepared to overawe the electorate with the size of his magic wand.

  Now anyone who knows this game is aware that these statues are extremely dangerous things... Just ask Salmon and Sturgeon... Well they were dead but you get what I mean... Not so Corbinus... The statues animated to defend their treasure, and began rampaging among Corbinus supporters. When the wand failed to work (taser against stone?) the Wizard retreated but refused to resign himself to running away.  His Apprentice The McDonnell, who had been relegated to pulling the cart (an excellent use of an apprentice) was one of the few survivors as Corbinus was flattened by a stone sword.  The Party of the left wing (formed in the left wing of the Unseen University Building) was reduced to three members, and fled.

All of this left the Witch Cruella victorious.  She killed off the remaining statues with her stone to mud spells, and her minions packed up the remaining treasure on the tabletop.

Frostgrave is not really a roleplay game, certainly not in the traditional sense.  This was the last of five games I`ve run, and it only emphasises the fact that this is a skirmish wargame, or even boardgame since it has some elements of that too.  It is also really fun, and my use of waypoints has made it a great solo game.  Cruella will be back!

28mm Portuguese for Sharpe Practice 2

Some praise for Warlord Games, not only was the international postage free, but they also completed my order in double quick time, a turn around of 4 days.  The box that arrived in my Pathos Post Office box this morning contained my Portuguese contingent for my Sharpe Practice 2 Peninsular setup.    

My SP2 force composition is based on the 5th Division of Lieutenant-General Sir James Leith (a Scottish Officer who will give his orders in an indecipherable dialect in my games.  The 4th Foot are the British battalion whose adventures I am following, and 5th Division also had an attached Portuguese brigade.  Initially a rag-tag poorly trained rabble they slowly became Wellington`s "fighting cocks" with discipline rivaling that of the British themselves.  At the moment I can field four groups of 8 British Line, two groups of 6 British light Companies, as well as the Brunswick Oels company of two groups of six (or an eight and a six- flexible troops the Oels!).

The addition of the Portuguese will give me 3 groups of 8 Portuguese Line and a colour party, as the 3rd Infantry Regiment, as well as a group of 6 Caçadores. (actually Perry Riflemen I will paint in Caçadore brown.)  The Portuguese are to be commanded by the notoriously camp "Count of Pantalones," a man who has trouble staying inside his pantalones.  The box has 24 figures, 20 plastic musketeers an Officer drummer and two standard bearers (with the option to make one of these an additional Officer instead.)  To get the numbers right I ordered a spare sprue of British foot (5) that I will paint in Portuguese dark blue to fill out the ranks for fielding these as Militia etc...

I am a fan of the Perry plastic Napoleonics, however these Warlord figures are less fiddly to put together than the separate arms of those Perry figures. These also have heads to glue in, meaning that if I want to change headgear I don`t have to hack the figure to decapitate it.  I also like the metal command group.  I will of course be using stove pipe shako for my Portuguese.

I think that, on balance, I prefer these to the Perry figures... although I will reserve judgement perhaps until I`ve painted them.

Lieutenant-General Sir James Leith`s 5th Division, 
Peninsular War order of battle

1st Brigade
3/1st (Royal Scots) Regiment of Foot
1/9th (Norfolk) Regiment of Foot
1/38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot
2/38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot
2/47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot
1 Coy., Brunswick-Oels Jaegers

2nd Brigade
1/4th (King's Own) Regiment of Foot
2/4th (King's Own) Regiment of Foot
2/30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot
2/44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot
2/47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot

Portuguese Brigade
1/3rd Infantry Regiment, Portuguese Army
2/3rd Infantry Regiment, Portuguese Army
1/15th Infantry Regiment, Portuguese Army
2/15th Infantry Regiment, Portuguese Army
8th Caçadores Battalion, Portuguese Army

15mm Colonials: To the last bullet. The defence of the Chakat Sangar

The expedition against the revolting Khasi of Khalabar has been going well.  The 4th (Duke of Lancaster's Own) Foot have won both of their encounters with the Pathans.  Spies, dressed like Errol Flynn in "Kim" have identified two British Companies, separated from the Regiment, and camped at the ancient Sangar of Chakat*.


* Professor Hironomous Quilp in his History of Alexander the Great claims that the Sangar was a Macedonian fort, built when the King invaded India.  According to the Professor the fort saw scenes of  disgraceful debauchery.  The professor's writing is quite wistful on the subject.

Captain (no longer Brevetted since the last game) Sir Henry Selwin-Ibbetson, Bt, (9+: A fine Moustache, but otherwise forgettable.) once again commands the British 3rd Company.  

2nd Lieutenant Charles Cairns (6+:  Ugly.  No mirrors in his house!) commands 4th Company.

An area of rocks and brush lies to the west of the sangar.  An old tower stands in the north east corner of the enclosure.  The higher ground to the valley sides is difficult going.

2nd Lt Carins has once again laagered his wagons, and settled his company inside.  I had no room for the native drivers inside the wagon fort, so they were promptly ejected and told to get lost.  They were last seen running for the hills.

 The Sangar is actually a simple model of a stone enclosure and I hasten to point out that neither it, nor that tower are yet finished.  However the dice said that this was to the last bullet so I needed a bastion.

The figure on top of the tower is Colour Sergeant McNutt, played by Terry Scott in this movie.

The British.

Unit Name	Regular Infantry 3rd Coy.
Speed	6"
Firing	5+   "	Short Range 0-12"  LR 12-24
Fighting	5+
Discipline	+1
Weapons	Modern Rifle
Special Rules  -	May form Close Order	2 Casualties from the last game.
	- May Volley Fire
Points	6

Unit Name	Regular Infantry 4th Coy.
Speed	6"
Firing	5+   "	Short Range 0-12"  LR 12-24
Fighting	5+
Discipline	+1
Weapons	Modern Rifle
Special Rules  -	May form Close Order	Pte Widdle is in this Company and at risk of feinting.
	- May Volley Fire
Points	6

The Pathan.

The Khasi is portrayed by Kenneth Williams (wearing a turban) in this movie.  He has gathered six units, double the points of the hated British.  He is not so much a Pathan as an overacting and rebellious native prince.

Unit Name	Khalabar Tribal Cavalry 2 x  Units
Speed	12"
Firing	6
Fighting	5+
Discipline	0
Weapons	Tribal spears and rag tag muskets
Special Rules	- 2 melee hits for non-cavalry to kill a model
	- Follow ups
	- May Attack using AT the Double
Points	3

Unit Name	Khalabar Tribal Infantry 2 x  Units
Speed	12"
Firing	6
Fighting	5+
Discipline	0
Weapons	Tribal spears and rag tag muskets
Special Rules	"Din Din"
Points	3

Unit Name	Khalabar Irregular Infantry
Speed	12"
Firing	6
Fighting	5+
Discipline	0
Weapons	Obsolete rifes.
Special Rules
Points	3

The Captain readies his men inside the sangar.

The Khasi and his riflemen get among the rocks and begin their sniping

The other Irregular foot unit engages the wagon fort.

The fighting at the walls of the Sangar

The tribal foot come at the walls in waves.

The camel mounted guys try it up against the back wall.

The defenders drop below half strength

Still clinging on

A volley wipes out the last Native foot.  their officer is left on his own!

The endgame.  A V.C. for the Captain and Lieutenant I think!

The casualty station tells it all

The roll call is taken by Colour Sergeant McNutt. 

"Walters?"
"Here Sergeant!"
"Watson?"
"Here Sergeant!"
"Widdle?  ... WIDDLE..?  I Know you're alive Widdle, I`ve seen you..."
"Here Sergeant dear!"

Captain Ibbotsen and 2nd Lt Cairns were both awarded the Victoria Cross for their part in the defence of the Chakat sangar.  Colour Sgt McNutt was awarded  the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Pte. Widdle was awarded extra potato peeling duties.

15mm Colonials: The Road to Khalabar

The 4th (Duke of Lancaster's) Foot have two more games left for their Posting to the North West frontier.  Dicing on the revelant tables from my solo campaign rules I generated Game 2 (Scenario A) Just passing by, and Game 3 (Scenario C) To the last bullet  The defence of the Chakat sangar

"Just Passing by" is similar to an encounter game, although the forces I generated were quite small.  Two Companies of the Regiment escorting a group of wagons along the road to Khalabar are attacked by the revolting Khasi himself.   

Brevet Captain Sir Henry Selwin-Ibbetson, Bt, (9+: A fine Moustache, but otherwise forgettable.) and 2nd Lieutenant Charles Cairns (6+:  Ugly.  No mirrors in his house!) are the King's Officers commanding the column.  

The British.

Unit Name	Regular Infantry 3rd Coy.
Speed	6"
Firing	5+   "	Short Range 0-12"  LR 12-24
Fighting	5+
Discipline	+1
Weapons	Modern Rifle
Special Rules  -	May form Close Order	2 Casualties from the last game.
	- May Volley Fire
Points	6

Unit Name	Regular Infantry 4th Coy.
Speed	6"
Firing	5+   "	Short Range 0-12"  LR 12-24
Fighting	5+
Discipline	+1
Weapons	Modern Rifle
Special Rules  -	May form Close Order	Pte Widdle is in this Company and at risk of feinting.
	- May Volley Fire
Points	6

The Pathan.

The Khasi is portrayed by Kenneth Williams (wearing a turban) in this movie.  He has gathered four units of tribal cavalry.  This is probably an anachronistic force composition for the NWF.  It is however good practice for facing the Mahdists.  He is not so much a Pathan as an overacting and rebellious native prince.

Unit Name	Khalabar Tribal Cavalry 4 x  Units
Speed	12"
Firing	6
Fighting	5+
Discipline	0
Weapons	Tribal spears and rag tag muskets
Special Rules	- 2 melee hits for non-cavalry to kill a model
	- Follow ups
	- May Attack using AT the Double
Points	3

The column is lead by the two infantry companies.

Contact with the horsemen of the Khasi.  Sir Henry deploys his firing lines and forms close order.

2nd Lt. Cairns forms the wagons into a square and places his own company inside.  Clever boy!

The horsemen (on camels here) cannot make any headway against the barricade of wagons.

Captain Ibbotson reduces the numbers.  Modern rifles against sharpened sticks.  Sir Henry comes close to meeting his maker.  (well his maker was Peter Pig, but ...)

The Khasi is seen off for only one British Casualty.  The Queen will receive the news with delight!