Something Wicked: STEEL AND GLORY Battle Report

Here is the battle report for the scenario I posted yesterday.

Turn 1: The two groups advance. The mayor and the wraith are the first to trade blows, while Connor moves out to the flank to get a clear angle on the wraith.

Turn 2: The wraith projects his death field, draining life from the mayor, Alaine, and Titus, then touches the mayor with his deadly hand. The mayor's stout heart does not succumb to the touch however, and he pulls away unscathed. Connor, from his new position takes a carefully aimed shot which, with some additional luck, severely wounds the wraith. Titus commands Alaine to charge the wraith and she successfully gathers her courage and does so. Titus then steels himself against the deadly aura of the wraith and charges the fiend as well. The skeletons rush to their master's defense. One strikes Alaine from behind but her armor deflects the blow. Alaine unleashes two mighty blows that further wound the wraith, before a second skeleton attacks her from behind cutting deeply, through her armor this time, and into her flesh. A third skeleton strikes at Titus who avoids the blow, while the last one charges into contact with Connor who must drop his bow and use his dagger to fight close. The mayor strikes the wraith hard with his mace and very nearly destroys the evil creature's tenuous connection to the world of the living. Nearly, but not quite. The foul spirit's death field continues to drain the life of all those near him. The undead wretch again reaches out his ghastly hand to the mayor, who this time blanches as a measure of his life force is wrenched out of him.

Turn 3: Because of his wounds, however, the Wraith's will is shaken and he disengages from the melee in order to fall back and compose himself. Titus is locked in combat with a skeleton and cannot pursue. The skeletons protect their master well. Though their attacks are ineffective, they continue to harry the Barony brave hearts. Alaine successfully strikes one with a bone-cracking blow, as does Connor, but neither hero is willing to risk breaking away in order to go after the wraith. The mayor, though, is not engaged. He successfully grits his teeth against the terror of the undead lord and charges the wraith, reinitiating contact. The wraith, for his part, uses his deadly touch to great effect as he receives the mayor's charge, weakening the mayor severely.

Turn 4: Now carving a wide arc in the air with his great sword, the wraith smashes through the mayor's armor, flesh and bone, killing him. Having regained his own force of will, the wraith rashly rushes Sir Titus who puts his sword straight through the center of the Wraith's hood.

All at once a great squealing howl goes up and a swirling wind spins violently outward from the village square as the wraith's sword and robes drop to the ground. The night grows blacker, and the skeletons' bones snap and crack and turn to powder, caught by the twisting tempest wind and carried off into nothingness. A burst of sickly blue light springs from the ground where the wraith's robes have fallen, speeding into the sky and then exploding like a hell-sent firework. Where the robes fell, there is nothing but a scorched patch of turf.

Then just as suddenly all is silent, and the light of moon and star returns. Titus, Alaine and Connor stand alone on the green, beside the dead body of the mayor.

The village of Candlewick has been saved from an evil fate, but only at the cost of its well-loved leader.

Something Wicked Comes to Candlewick: a STEEL AND GLORY Scenario

Sir Titus looked at Alaine, the mayor, and Connor as the rays of the setting sun came through the windows of the mayor's house.

"I suspect," he said, "that the wraith was holding us to use our blood in some dark spell that would increase his power. He will not like having lost us, and will most likely come for us soon, perhaps even tonight."

"However," said the mayor, "until now, he only attacked our livestock. He hasn't yet come into the village to strike at any of us."

"This is true," replied Connor. "But it may be that his power has grown even with the draining of life from our animals."

Alaine nodded. "And in our fight with him, he drained life from us, making him more powerful still."

"Yes," said Titus. "We can no longer count on the runes protecting the village, effective as they have been until now, to go on keeping out the wraith. It will be up to us to stop him."

The sun dipped below the horizon, and the room went dark but for the small fire in the hearth. The mayor stood up. "Very well. We shall keep watch by night and sleep by day until the wraith makes his move, beginning tonight."

The four kept watch beginning that night, and soon they grew accustomed to resting by day and holding vigil through the hours of darkness. On the seventh night, as the moon rose to its zenith, there was a shift in the air, and a cold wind began to blow.

"This is no natural chill," said Connor.

"No," said Titus. "He is coming."

Game start, viewed from the side.

The Board:

The scenario uses a 24" x 24" board, as per the diagram:

Characters, Factions, and Abilities:

Titus (Barony): Command (gives Barony characters an extra action); Parry (blocks blows); Shield Rush (use shield as a weapon)

Alaine (Barony): Mighty Blow (does extra damage); War Horn (gives Barony characters an attack bonus)

Connor (Barony): Dead-Eye (improved bow shot); Luck Shot (alternative improved bow-shot); Dodge (avoid attacks)

Mayor (Barony): Mighty Blow (does extra damage); Shield Rush (use shield as a weapon).

Wraith (Bloodlord Undead): Death Field (drain health at a distance); Death Touch (drain health with touch); Undead (enemies need to pass a will test to move close to him).

Four Skeletons (Bloodlord Undead): None.

Special Rules:

If the wraith is slain, the skeletons are instantly destroyed.

Game End and Victory:

This is a simple fight to the death. If the Barony characters destroy the wraith, they win. If all the Barony characters die or flee, the Bloodlord Undead win.

The Warden Goes Scouting: Battle Report for STEEL AND GLORY

Connor finds himself face to face with two skeletons on the far side of the chamber.

 

Turn 1: Connor moves forward and to the right to get a clear shot past the sleeping bodies of Titus and Alaine, and to draw the skeletons to one side in the hopes that he can fall back from them and make maximum use of his bow rather than fighting hand to hand. The skeletons advance on him at top speed. Connor takes advantage of their hasty push and puts two arrows into one of the skeletons at nearly point blank range. Neither one of the sleepers stirs.

 

Turn 2: Connor falls back to avoid close contact with the skeletons, who in turn pursue him. Connor takes a luck shot on the skeleton he previously hit, and puts and arrow right through the center of its skull, splitting its head half, and the skeleton falls to pieces on the floor. A second luck shot staggers the remaining skeleton. Still Titus and Alaine both remain motionless.

 

Turn 3: Connor shoots once more, and his arrow pierces the last skeleton's spine, viciously slicing the undead minion's body in two, leaving him motionless and in pieces on the floor. After looking around the room and seeing no other enemies, Connor makes for the inert figures of Alaine and Titus in the circle.

Turn 4: Connor successfully rouses Titus and Alaine from their fell sleep. "Come on, we've got to hurry out of here and get back to the village!" Titus and Alaine groggily follow Connor toward the exit from the ruin.

Turn 5: The heroes make the trek back to Candlewick.

Conclusion: The Barony characters clearly win this one with a final VP score of 5-0.

The Warden Goes Scouting: A Scenario for STEEL AND GLORY

The Game Warden of Candlewick:

Connor, the Baron's Game Warden in Candlewick village, stepped out of his half-timbered house as the sky began to get lighter behind the trees to the east. The mayor was walking up the lane toward him. Connor set his gear down on the porch and greeted the mayor with a nod.

"They didn't come back?" Connor asked as the mayor stepped up.

"No." The mayor looked at the bow, quiver and haversack at Connor's feet. "You sure this is a good idea?"

Connor shrugged. "I'm just going scouting. Nothing else." Neither of them knew what had happened to Sir Titus and Alaine. Only that they should have returned by sun-up. "I'll be back for supper," Connor added.

"And if you don't come back at all?"

Connor grinned. "Then you'll know you have a real problem."

Connor knew in which direction Titus and Alaine had set off. Following their trail wasn't difficult. He came on the ruin a little before noon, and the tracks went from a simple marching pattern into the frenetically scattered dance indicative of a fight. No tracks led away from the ruin. "Damn."

Connor examined the tracks more closely, and saw that Alaine's had gone as far as the shadowy arches of the ruin itself. "Double damn," he muttered between clenched teeth.

Even in the bright noon-day sun, the ruin gave him the creeps. He didn't know for sure what he'd find inside, but since all the tracks from the fight belonged to Titus and Alaine, he had some idea. Their adversary had left no tracks at all. No living thing he knew of could do that.

Maybe enough midday sunlight would reach down into the ruin so that whatever it was wouldn't want to stir from its dark slumber. He nocked an arrow as he stepped into the shade of the arches.

"I'm just going scouting," he thought. "Just going scouting."

Once inside, the only place to go was down a narrow stairway that opened into a large underground chamber. As he had hoped, sunlight somehow filtered through openings high in the chamber walls and pierced the gloom like rays of sun coming through a cloud, rays that glittered and sparkled on the motes of dust that floated through them.

In the center of the floor, in the middle of a circle of strange figures traced on the stone, lay Titus and Alaine, side by side, pale as if in death, but still slowly breathing. Their weapons lay at their feet.

Connor cautiously began to move toward them, when he heard the scrape of steel on a scabbard, and the clicking of boney feet on the flagstone floor. At least he didn't have to face the horror Titus and Alaine had the night before...

Dungeon Tile by Fat Dragon

The Board: 

The scenario uses a 24" x 24" board set up as per the diagram.

Characters, Factions and Abilities:

Sir Titus (Barony) and Alaine (Barony): Both begin the game unconscious. At the end of each turn, each of them gets to make a will test. If successful, s/he breaks the sleep spell and can pick up her/his weapon to help Connor fight the next turn.

Game Warden Connor, Lowland Archer (Barony): Dead-Eye (gives him an improved chance to hit with his bow); Luck Shot (gives him an alternative improved shot with his bow); Dodge (allows him to try to avoid an attack made against him).

Two Skeletons (Bloodlord Undead): No special abilities.

The Wraith, though a formidable opponent at night, lies dormant during the day and will not come out in the sunlight, even within the ruin. It is his spell however that keeps Titus and Alaine asleep at the start of the game.

Game End: The game ends at the close of turn 10.

Victory: Based on VP. The Barony characters get 1 VP for each skeleton killed, 1 VP for each Barony character that escapes the ruin alive. The Bloodlord Undead get 2 VP for each Barony character still in the ruin at game end.

Wraith and Ruin: Battle Report for STEEL AND GLORY

Turn 1: The wraith moves to block the Barony characters' access to the ruin. This is not lost on Sir Titus. "He doesn't want us to reach the ruin," cries Titus, "Make for it and find out why as I draw him off!" The Barony characters advance separately. The wraith, forced to choose between Titus and Alaine, picks the former, advancing on Sir Titus and using his death field to drain life from the Barony noble.

Turn 2: The wraith moves into contact with Titus. Undead creature and barony knight have at each other, human steel versus the cold deadly touch of the grave. Little by little, human flesh falls victim to the uncanny powers of darkness.

Turn 3: Finally the wraith's ghastly strength is too much for Titus, and the Barony knight falls senseless to the ground. Alaine reaches the ruin, but fails to see anything that would help her to weaken or defeat the wraith, who turns to attack her on the ruins' stairs.

Turn 4: Alaine now struggles with the wraith, unleashing mighty blow after mighty blow, but to no avail. Slowly the other-worldly touches of her undead adversary wear her down. Once his own reserves of supernatural power have drained, the wraith resorts to brutal physical blows with his great sword, crashing through Alaine's armor.

Turn 5: Wounded and faced with a seemingly unstoppable adversary from the depths of hell, Alaine panics and flees. She does not get far, however, before the dark terror strikes her from behind with his cruel blade, and she drops off into horrifying blackness.

Conclusion: The weakened, pale, near-dead bodies of Sir Titus and Alaine lie at the wraith's feet in the dim starlight filtering through the now silent forest. With a gesture, the wraith raises them into the air and floats them under the archways of the ruin. He will keep them alive, for now. When the full moon comes, their warm blood will fuel his fell ritual. In the meantime, the wraith will be free to roam and feast in Candlewick village in the nights to come.

[A victory for the Bloodlord Undead Faction. Final VP score for the game: 2-0]

Wraith and Ruin: A Test Scenario for STEEL AND GLORY

Candlewick's Plight:

People began locking doors in the southern Barony village of Candlewick when the sun went down. The tavern was filled with tales of unnatural shadows and eerie sounds coming from the forests after dark. On the farms nearest the woods, livestock were found stone dead when farmers went to their fields in the morning. There were no marks on the animals – no cuts, no stabs, no broken bones – just dead eyes open unnaturally wide from the wild fear that filled them before they died. A messenger was sent to the baron for help.

The baron dispatched Sir Titus, a trusted Barony Noble, and Alaine, his sergeant, to investigate. Before they set out, they consulted with the baron's scribe and sage, Master Scrall, who told them of an ancient ruin in the wilds near the village. This, he believed, might be the source of the uncanny occurrences near Candlewick. It took three days for Titus and Alaine to reach the village, and they approached the ruin shortly after sunset. Soon their blood went cold as they caught a glimpse of a wraith through the trees.

The Board: 

The scenario uses a 24" x 24" board set up as per the diagram.

Characters, Factions and Abilities:

 

Sir Titus (Barony): Command (essentially gives Alaine an extra action each turn); Parry (allows Titus to block blows from his foes); Shield Rush (allows Titus to use his shield as a weapon to knock down opponenent).

Alaine (Barony): Mighty Blow (gives her a strong attack); War Horn (gives both her and Titus an attack bonus when blown).

 

The Wraith (Bloodlord Undead): Death Field (allows him to automatically drain health from anyone within range); Death Touch (allows the Wraith to attack by touch, ignoring enemy armor); Undead (enemies need to pass a will test to move close to him).

Special Rules:

There is a magic circle inscribed on the floor within the ruin, which is to be part of a blood ritual to take place at the next full moon – a ritual that will increase the Wraith's power. Each Barony character that enters the ruin can make a will test (each character can only make the test once). If successful, that character recognizes the circle for what it is and spoils it (by pouring holy water on it, scrawling over it with a weapon, etc.).

Game End:

The game is over at the end of turn 10, unless one side or the other is completely eliminated earlier.

Victory:

If one side completely eliminates the other prior to game end, that side wins. If neither side is completely eliminated at the end of turn 10, victory is based on victory points (VP) calculated at the end of the game. The side with the most accumulated VP wins; if VP are equal the game is drawn. The Barony characters receive 1 VP for reducing the Wraith to half his health points or fewer, and 1 point for destroying the magic circle in the ruin. The Wraith gets 1 VP for each Barony character eliminated.

Connor, Yeoman Archer

Another figure from Reaper: Connor, Yeoman Archer.

I think he'll make a nice Barony faction figure for Steel and Glory, or a similar character for a human warband in Song of Blades and Heroes.

Giving STEEL AND GLORY a Try

After watching a series of videos by NEUICON on youtube (video 1, video 2, video 3), I've decided to give Avalon Games' Steel and Glory a try.

 

The basic rules are fairly short (about 14 pages in a very reasonable font) and seem intuitive, with no unnecessarily "fiddly" elements as far as I can tell after a first reading. Characters have basic attributes of attack and defense, health and a few other numbers like speed, which determines initiative, and "adrenal," which determines the number and power of special abilities the character can use in the game. Special abilities can be attack and defense options, or other things like fast movement or leadership abilities, and each has a cost in adrenal points. Most characters are divided into factions (Barony, Undead, Barbarians, Elves, Orcs, Dwarves) though there are special "solo" monsters as well that can be bought by any faction.

 

The scenarios range from one-on-one fights to skirmishes with 40 points or 75 points worth of characters on a side. Since most characters are worth about 10-15 points, these would typically break down roughly to one-on-one, four-on-four and seven-on-seven skirmishes. The playing areas range from 6" x 12" to 12" x 18".

All of the above are very positive features of the game for me, as I like relative simplicity of mechanics coupled with individuality of characters, and I like games designed specifically with small numbers of figures and a small playing area in mind.

My only negative impressions are extremely minor nit-picks. First, the character cards have a small font that other forty-plus-year-olds like me may have trouble reading. I remedied this by copy-pasting details of characters I wanted to use into a Word document and made my own half-sheet-sized cards with a larger font – problem solved. Also, there is a consistent typographical error throughout the document (the word "than" appears as "then"), which is mildly distracting.  But, as I say, this is an extremely minor nit-pick, and does not at all impact the content.

Additionally on the plus side, the basic rules are available for FREE at RPGNow and some other places. They come with four character cards (two fantasy and two superhero characters) so you can give the game a try.  To get pdfs of other character cards, you need to buy one or more expansion sets (each no more than $5.99, some as low as $2.99) or make your own using the Advanced Rules (which also sell for $5.99) – the prices seem very reasonable IMO. Each of the expansion sets comes with the printable counters and terrain tiles for use with that set, or you can just as easily play with miniatures, as I plan to do.

I haven't yet had a chance to play with these yet, but after a first read I think they look very, very promising. I can't wait to get in a test game in the near future.