The Unseen University has been investigating the ruins of the great city known as "Frostgrave" for the last year, discovering great artifacts of "magic." Global warming, probably caused by the Unseen University's use of fossil fuels in its research, has seen the lost city slowly emerge from its thousand year icy tomb. More importantly the ruins have begun to give up their secrets and treasure.
Actually my game is not quite like that. There is no "magic." The Wizards of the Unseen University use technology that may appear magical to a medieval mindset, but is actually simply technology. For example, the Wizard Cameronius wears a pair of "boots of speed," but these are actually pink roller skates circa 1970. Frostgrave is a modern city that has been found by a medieval world, specifically "wizards" from the Unseen University, who are essentially the teaching staff and their assistants.
The only Wizard to ever retire from my game intact (alive) was the Evil Lord Blaire, who discovered a "tablet of all knowledge," giving him access to the wisdom of the Imp "Sirry." Blaire swiftly returned home to become Lord Chancellor of the Unseen University. Among the Wizards only Lord Blaire understands that all of this magic is technology, but he isn't about to tell his fellow wizards that!
The other wizards compete in a search for ever more elaborate magical artifacts. Lord Blaire's rival, the Brown wizard, "Gordo" to his few friends, was badly injured by magic fireball, thrown by Cruella the May Witch. (a hand grenade, but don't tell Gordo that) The Brown wizard and his apprentice "Darling" have discovered the "Orange ball of space hopping" and hope to reveal it's power to hop between spaces, but it never seems to activate any real magic. Now there is a proper scratch build project!
I haven't played Frostgrave for a while so I decided on a comeback for Lord Blaire. The Evil Chancellor has used his Imp "Sirry" to trace the presence of a "Book of Air" in the frozen city, and has decided that it's important to recover it.
With the aid of Elder Millibandus, a respected Wizard who left the University years ago, and a band of trained guards, the Chancellor has decided to seek out the "Great Mall." His only clue is that he must discover "the store of the apples."
Unknown to the Chancellor rivals have gathered and followed, from both the right and left wings of the Unseen University. The May Witch and her apprentice Hammondius, are on Lord Blaire's trail, as is the Wizard Corbinus and his apprentice "The Mcdonald."
The May Witch specialises in fireball magic, whilst Corbinus has a wand of magic missiles he calls "The Mandate" which takes ten round magazines.
Straggling along some way behind these more successful Wizards is Old Cables. Since the Apprentice poor Cleggy killed off the Wizard Farondius, by accident, old Cables has taken the idiot boy on as his apprentice.
Cleggy had recovered the Great spellbook of Winstonius Churcillius in the last game, and having now carefully read it, realised that it's a tome about a "Duke of Marlborough," and not a great book of spells at all. He is now however well versed in the subtleties of early 17th century politics and generalship.
The denizens of Frostgrave are not the "Monsters" of the original rules. The Whispering Statues that come to life are animatronics. The strange and often giant creatures are escapees from the Frostgrave Zoo. The race of "Orcs" are a genetic experiment that joined Pig and Human DNA. "Ghosts" are frequently 3D projections. In general the greatest danger to the Wizards is other Wizards, and their own curiosity.
Lord Blaire has speculated that the entire Frozen City is part of some strange "Reality" game-show being run with his University staff as unaware contestants. In many ways he is right!
Lord Blaire's Notes on the List of Magical Items discovered so far...
Fireball = Hand Grenade
Cloak of Darkness = Smoke grenade
Wall of Shock = Thunderflash
Wand of magic missiles = pistol
Staff of magic missiles = musket
Wand of Lightning = Taser
Rain of fire = Jar of Napalm
Cloak of protection = Kevlar
Rain of acid = Potion of Sulphuric Acid
Spell of sleeping = Vial of Sleeping Gas
Spell of Laughter = Vial of Nitrous Oxide
Spell of death = Vial of Nerve Gas
Tube of far seeing = Telescope
Boots of speed = Roller skates
Shoes of Infinite Comfort = Slippers
Web of Universal stickiness = Gaffer tape
Armour of Invulnerability = Kevlar jacket
Oil of extreme slipperiness - WD40
Potion of Speed = the Drug Speed
Potion of Invulnerability = C/Meth
Insect swarm = a glass fishbowl filled with bugs
Elixir of drunkenness = Bottle of Whiskey
Staff of Mighty Smiting = Iron capped Oaken staff
Staff of Water Protection = An Umbrella
Staff of Lightning = A large ranged taser
Goggles of the Night = Night sight
Saturday, 3 November 2018
Thursday, 1 November 2018
1917: Squiffy vs the German Ace
Briefing from Colonel Raymond Air Intelligence.
Settle down Gentlemen, please help yourselves to some fugu sushi, lots of tetrodotoxin in there for the taste. As you will all know, young Lieutenant "Squiffy" Simpson has taken the loss of so many of our fine chaps hard. Damned hard. He has a bad case of the nerves. He had the shakes and he's drinking too much champagne.
Squiffy blames the German we know as the "Yankee," Leutnant Bruno Klattermeir from Grand Forks, Iowa. Fair enough really since that Hun swine shot most of them down, including most of Squiffy's friends.
Lt. Simpson took his camel up at dawn this morning swearing he would bag the Yankee blighter or die trying.
If he succeeds we will celebrate with champagne in the mess tonight. If he fails I shall auction off his personal effects in the mess tonight.
Meantime Gentlemen, get some rest. The Squadron is sitting this one out, its a battle of the Aces.
(Once again my thanks to Capt WE Johns for the scenario.)
"B" Flight 70 Sqd. France F1 Sopwith Camels
Flight Leader Lt "Squiffy" Simpson (Ace) F1 Sopwith Camel
Jasta 3
Leutnant "Yankee" Bruno Klattermier (Ace) DR1 Fokker Triplane
Sopwith
Camel
|
Fokker
Dr I
| |
Speed
|
7
|
6
|
Manoeuvrability
|
6#
|
6#
|
Ceiling
|
11
|
11
|
Rate of Climb
|
3
|
3
|
Robustness
|
2
|
2
|
Size
|
1
|
1
|
Front
|
4
|
4
|
Rear
|
0
|
0
|
Left
|
0
|
0
|
Right
|
0
|
0
|
Notes
Rotary engine torque... |
#The Camel can snap turn to the right
|
#The Dr1 can also snap turn to the right
|
Two well matched pilots, both lucky, but the Yankee German has lured Squiffy over the Lines, and is positioned to the south to try to get into the sun, giving the German an advantage.
This will be a move by move game, heavy on detail. My apologies that I was so immersed in the game that I only took a couple of photos, and having dropped my phone,my tablet camera is pretty useless anyway.
Turn 1
Lt. Squiffy Simpson RFC comes on table at height 10. The Camel moves in straight flight forward 7 plus D4 (2) =9 spaces. Squiffy scans the sky and fails to spot the Hun Fokker lurking in the sun to the south.
Bruno Klattermier moves 6+3 hexes along the southern table edge. The Fokker Dr1 is at height level 11, it's maximum ceiling. (He probably spent half an hour getting to that height.)
Bruno turns and comes down on Squiffy, giving him an oblique burst, but no damage is done.
Squiffy snap turns right, using the camel's famous rotary turn
and climbs a level, getting above Bruno.
I swapped the models onto the taller thinner stands after turn 2. They are on magnets, and the taller ones look better but are fiddly for using a lot of aircraft.
Turn 3
Squiffy hard turns and descends on Bruno, side slipping to come in on the Yankee German's rear. But Bruno's movement card comes out and he swings around in a hard turn. He overcooks it, zooming below Squiffy.
Bruno gets to move first again. He Immelmans and puts his plane into the tail zone, but Squiffy loops and gets the first shot damaging the Fokker's engine, reducing the robustness of the Fokker. It`s really close to a down in flames for Bruno.
Bruno's fire card comes out. He puts as many spandau rounds into the camel as he can. It's not good news for Squiffy. The camel is on fire, and his fuel line cut. The camel drops out of the fight spinning down out of control.
Not quite all over, as the Yankee German heads for the Lines, however I gave Squiffy a chance to pull out of the spin. The dice failed him as the camel dropped to pieces during the spin.
So it's goodbye to poor Squiffy. I`m a little miffed. I had seen him go up from Sprog to Ace. Better go, the Mess auction is starting soon and I want to bid on Squiffy's pocket watch and his collection of Moroccan pornography.
Saturday, 27 October 2018
1917 Squiffy and the Spy
As we are all painfully aware, Jasta 3 and their dirty rotten Fokkers are at Jabekke close to Douai. You Gentlemen will provide an escort to make sure Knobson lands his man.
Jasta 3 have at least three Aces among them, and the Yankee German has been seen with them too, loaned from Jasta 11. Be careful.
Two flights of 70 Squadron's Camels should be enough. Let's have our revenge on them!
Off you toddle, what!
Flight Leader Capt "Bertie" Farthingdale (Ace)
2nd Lt "Parsnips" Ponsonby (Reg)
2nd Lt "Porky" Parkinson (Sprog)
2nd Lt "Dodgy" Davidson (Reg)
B Flight, F1 Sopwith Camels
Flight Leader Lt "Squiffy" Simpson (Ace)
2nd Lt "Cosh" Carlisle (Reg)
2nd Lt "Henry" Hepplethwaite
2nd Lt "Fearless" Finlayson
"Boris" Knobson of 99 Squadron is always prone to a cock up. He will enter with 70 squadron but dice for a random height.
The Germans will see the Bristol as an excellent target, but nine camels should be enough to keep them off him. Jasta 3 fly Fokker Triplanes, and are a dangerous bunch.
Jasta 3
Flying DR1 Fokker Triplanes Major Klaus Buttnauzegger (Ace), Leutnant Jurgen Fucknutz (Jr Ace), Horst Zucker (Jr Ace) 3 regular pilots and 2 sprogs.
On a roll of 1 the Yankee German will enter the table area on the "Land the Spy Here" mark.
On a roll of 6 two more Bristol fighters will enter from the British deployment zone
Sopwith
Camel
|
Bristol
Fighter F2B
|
Fokker
Dr I
|
|
Speed
|
7
|
7
|
6
|
Manoeuvrability
|
6#
|
4
|
6#
|
Ceiling
|
11
|
11
|
11
|
Rate of Climb
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
Robustness
|
2
|
4
|
2
|
Size
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
Front
|
4
|
2
|
4
|
Rear
|
0
|
2/3
|
0
|
Left
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Right
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Notes
|
#The Camel can snap turn to the right
|
#The Dr1 can snap turn to the right
|
The Bristol may not be as manoeuvrable as the Camel or the Fokker, but it`s a robust aircraft with a good rear gun, and an excellent turn of speed.
The Game:
 |
| Jasta 3 come on at band 10 |
 |
| 70 Squadron also at Band 10, in two flights |
 |
| And lagging behind at level 2 is Knobson and his Bristol, carrying the spy |
 |
| As the action starts high up, Knobson slips through |
 |
| Bertie doesn`t even break formation to down a Hun |
 |
| But "Fearless" falls victim to the Hun wingman trick, and his camel explodes |
 |
| The Yankee German kills poor Henry too, another Camel explodes. Something wrong with our damn planes today! |
 |
| Knobson puts down and sends the spy on his way. I suspect that this is the wrong hex but well... It's Knobson... |
 |
| Porky has an entire Kette of Fokkers ganging up on him. |
 |
| But the Hun shooting is pretty poor, Porky Lives! |
 |
| Cosh Carlyle has his fuel line cut and is sprayed with petrol, his engine gone |
 |
| And Klaus the Ace finishes Cosh off with a (pretty Poor burst) one hit and Cosh goes down in flames! |
 |
| Knobson, climbing back into the air, runs for home. |
 |
| As the White Fokker goes after Knobson, Squiffy gets on his tail. The White Fokker goes down in Flames |
 |
| Squiffy escorts "Boris" Knobson back across the lines. |
 |
| As Bertie almost gets the Yankee German, but the Hun escapes off table, like the cowardly sausage eater he is... |
 |
| 70 Squadron's Camels recross the Lines, as The Bristol Fighter leads them home |
Squiffy 1 Kill
Bertie 1 Kill
Roll of Honour
"Fearless" - Camel explodes
"Henry" killed by the Yankee German
"Cosh" Carlyle Down in Flames
After action Note
A Win for the Hun 3:2
Sad to relate that poor Henry was a particular friend of Squiffy, who has taken his death pretty hard, and sworn revenge. The next scenario is "The German Ace," a two plane game as Squiffy seeks out the Yankee German for a duel, Camel vs Fokker triplane...
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