Match Report: Blood Bowl - Dark Elves vs Humans

 

We have a few traditions in my house, and one of those traditions is to play a game of Blood Bowl around the time of the Super Bowl.  Today's exhibition match is a continuation of that proud tradition.  I am glad my Skumgrod was available for this one.  Despite having the video game version, for the Super Bowl I always insist on using the miniatures.  I broke out the Winter themed board, and we randomly determined that for the game we were going to use the Black Guards Dark Elf team vs. the Nottingham Nobles Human team.

Let's get to the Blood Bowl!  I did not document every single thing that happened in the game, but tried to keep it close enough for a narrative to form.  Let's turn it over to our hosts, Lord Summervale and his co-host Mad Johan.

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Lord Summervale:  Welcome all to Bludwieser Blood Bowl Championship weekend events!  In addition to the "Big Game" Bludweiser also sponsors many exhibition matches to get your mouth watering for more Blood Bowl!  There are skills competitions, exhibition games, and star player meet-and-greets from all levels of the game, intent on celebrating the Greatest Game in the Olde World!  It is an epic celebration of Nuffle and all things Blood Bowl! 

You can tune into the big game Bludweiser Blood Bowl on Cabalvision later this weekend.  However, today on Cabalvision IV we are bringing you the best action from these celebratory exhibition games.  Each Conference, Division and League at all levels of the game have sent some of their ....errrr..... best to represent themselves here.  Altdorf is flooded with players and fans alike! 

Right now, we will be featuring the Deep North- Southern Division exhibition action!  Today we will be featuring the Black Guards led by their team captain Mori-Thai the Velvet Crush versus their division rivals the Nottingham Nobles led by their throwing captain Rick Priestley!  

As always, I am joined in the booth by my .... err..... trusty companion and great Blood Bowl mind, Mad Johan.

Mad Johan: Thanks for getting me out of the stocks in time for the match, Summervale.  I really need to lay-off the Bugman's Brew before the show starts.  As we all know, the Notthingham Nobles are a founding member of the Deep North- Southern Division.  Some say, that the entire league is bankrolled by the Nobles just so they have some other teams to play Blood Bowl with.  I mean, Sigmar knows they aren't good enough to make it in a real division!  

Lord Summervale: You know our contract expressly forbids us from talking about that Johan.  So, let me gracefully pivot!  What can we expect to see today?  

Mad Johan: Probably a lot of mediocre Blood Bowl!  The Nobles only have two Blitzers on their team, a far cry from the rest of the skilled divisions where the orthodoxy of Nuffle seems to be 4 Blitzers.  That means, they are relying on their Lineman to do a lot of the work.  I guess that's what happens when you are using out-of-the-box team building in your league.  

Lord Summervale: Mori-Thai seems to think that her Black Guards are a competitive match-up for the Nobles.  What do you think?  

Mad Johan: I think Dark Elf teams led by a couple of Witch Elves gets more people in the stands than going up against a team of Orks.  To be honest, neither team is that good, and both seem to be hoping to level up their audience by being here.  We have seen them play, they do tend to be a rather violent team, and less finesse than one might expect from a Dark Elf team.  

Lord Summervale: Well, it looks like both teams are lining up and getting ready to play.  The ref sends the commemorative coin into the air..... and it looks like the Nobles have elected to kick-off the ball to the Dark Elves.  

Mad Johan: An interesting choice, as Dark Elves have a reputation for scoring early and often, not that the Black Guards can manage it.

Lord Summervale: The Nobles have their back-up Thrower, Andy Chambers in the dug-out.  He seems to be signaling plays into Rick.  Meanwhile, the Black Guard have a back-up runner, Urlieth Val-Drakken riding the bench.  

 Mad Johan:  Let's play BLOOD BOWL! 

The Nobles in their Purple and White vs. the Black Guard in their Blues and Lizard scales

Lord Summervale: Raz-al-slam is back to receive the kick and...... Boom!  The game is underway!  A terrible kick-off that goes out-of-bounds.  The Refs toss it in to Raz-al-slam and the game gets going.  

Mad Johan: Perhaps an omen for what we are about to see out there today? 

Lord Summervale: The Runner moves up and the Black Guards quickly form a cage around the ball carrier.  However, they shift from the right hash to the left with a display of elvish speed.  

Mad Johan: Those dirty Elves are trixie!  

Lord Summervale: There is a scrum near the line of scrimmage with a lot of pushing and shoving up close.  

Mad Johan: Bang!  The Black Guards are the first to lose a player there.  

Lord Summervale: Looks like ... Jaq the Knife is unconscious.  The Nobles blitzers are moving in and... 

Mad Johan: Boom!  Kurounous the Dreaded a Black Guard blitzer lays out the Noble's blitzer Mat Ward cold!  

Lord Summervale: Mori-Thai is leading the onslaught and manages to punch an opening though the Nobles' lines.  Raz-Al-Slam makes his move and bursts past the Nobles with a fancy spin move and a burst of speed!  The Nobles' Gav Thorpe, a catcher' tries to catch-up to him but it is too little too late!  

Mad Johan: Touchdown for the Black Guard!  Plus, they did not leave much time left in the half for the Nobles to score back.  

Lord Summervale: Indeed Johan.  Plus, it looks like Mat Ward is going to stay off the pitch as the Nobles set-up for their chance with the ball.  Back-up Thrower Andy Chambers is out there with Rick Priestley.  

Mad Johan: Hoepfully for the Nobles, Ward will be back for the second half. 

Lord Summervale: The kick is up and it goes straight to Nobles' Catcher Alessio Cavatorre, who quickly hauls it in.   

Mad Johan: Pretty sure that wasn't the plan!  

Lord Summervale: The Nobles don't have much time left on the clock so they get to work!  Gav Thorpe tries to get into the Black Guard backfield, but is brought down by the Dark Elf Blitzer Darveck the Flayer.  However, Andy Chambers delivers a key block to Korounous the Dreaded, it gives Alessio Cavatorre enough space and he dances around the defenders and cuts back through the line.  He is sprinting deep into the Dark Elf backfield!  

Mad Johan: There is no one around to stop him! 

Lord Summervale: Just the clock, as the half comes to a close before he could score.  The crowd is very upset!  I guess there are plenty of Nobles fans in the audience.         

Mad Johan: A tough break, but the Nobles start the second half with the ball. Both sides have shown they can get to the end zone. 

Lord Summervale: With that, it is time for a break from our sponsors!  Gullotine Razors, a close shave everytime you use one.  Let's go back to the Cabalvision IV Studios for a quick update from around the league! 

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Lord Summervale: Welcome back to the second half of this Bludweiser Blood Bowl Weekend exhibition match between the Dark Elf Black Guards and the Human Nottingham Nobles.  The Nobles are trailing by 1 at the half, but will receive the ball this half.  

Mad Johan: If they want to get back into this game, it is now or never! 

Lord Summervale: The Nobles ended the first half just shy of the goal line due to time.  Can they get there again?  

Mad Johan: I am sure the Black Guard watched the crystal ball replay on that and learned a lot from it.  Don't expect it to be that easy this time for the Nobles.  

Lord Summervale: Let's go down to the field and get into the action.  The Nobles set-up with their Catchers out-wide, and their throwers set to receive.  The Black Guards use their Blitzers and Witch Elves to cover the wings, and their Runner Urlieth Val-Drakken as a roving safety in the back-field.  

Mad Johan: The Nobles will need to eat up as much of the clock as possible and then score to force an overtime.  

Lord Summervale: The kick is up, and the touchback goes to Rick Priestly, the Thrower in the back field for the Nobles.  Right away, the Nobles start to move, with Gav Thorpe stepping through the Dark Elf line and going deep into the backfield.  His counter-part is less successful as the lead block from a returned Mat Ward only pushes the Black Guard defender and fails to open a lane.  

Mad Johan: He is deep, but exposed.  Ker-runch! 

Lord Summervale:  Oof!  In a blow to the Nobles plans, Korounous the Dreaded lives up to his name and flattens Gav Thorpe with Val-Drakken's aid.  Thorpe is not going to be getting up from that hit until tomorrow!  

Mad Johan: Cavatoree is not doing much better, as Mori-Thai works around the edge and flattens him with a hit.  He's still in the game though!  

Lord Summervale:  Gav Thorpe's sacrifice though opened up space on the far side wing, and the Nobles took advantage of it.  The formed a cage and pushed in along the edge.  The Black Guard struggled to respond, as many of their players are tied up at the line.  

Mad Johan: Cavatorre managed to get up and sneak across the field and into the end zone.  He looks open, and he is waving to get Priestley's attention. 

Lord Summervale: I think the Nobles star thrower sees him now!  He goes back to throw, and Val-Drakken jumps to intercept.  Priestley manages to bomb it past the Black Guard defender and it is up, up, up..... this is a long throw! 

Mad Johan: TOUCHDOWN!!!!

Lord Summervale: Oh my, what a pass!  What a catch!   That puts the Nobles back in the game! 

Mad Johan: They managed a quick touchdown, but I think they may have left too much time on the clock! 

Lord Summervale: The two teams reset for a kick-off.  The Nobles try a corer blitz on the Near side, but it doesn't make much progress or open a lane.  Urlieth Van-Drakken picks up the ball easily.  The two sides clash at the line, and The Widow Ariethial uses her Frenzy ability to open a gap on the far side of the field.  

Mad Johan: The speed of a Dark Elf was needed to get through that gap!  

Lord Summervale: Indeed!  The Black Guards are hitting hard and stunning several of the Nobles' players.  That is hampering their ability to respond to the Dark Elf break through! 

Mad Johan: Mori-Thai proves why they call her the Velvet Crush after absolutely dismantling the Noble's Blitzer Jervis Johnson!  

Lord Summervale: With only a few minutes left on the clock, the Black Guard Runner Urlieth Can-Drakken walks untouched into the End Zone.  Touchdown Black Guards! 

Mad Johan: It would take a miracle for the Nobles to win now. 

Lord Summervale: Indeed!  The two teams get back for the kick-off.  It is a high kick, but goes out of the back of the end zone.  This touch back means that Rick Priestley is given the ball and the game begins again!

Mad Johan: A missed block at the line costs the Nobles dearly.  You can't make a basic mistake like that.  This is crunch time! 

Lord Summervale: Priestley dumps the ball to Cavatorre, but there is no path forward and he is held at the line.  The clock winds down, and this game ends in a rather dull finish.  

Lord Summervale: Johan, who do you think were the Bloodwieser MVPs of the game?  

 Mad Johan: Well, going back to the game notes it looks like for the Nobles it is a no-brainer. Rick is the star-thrower for a reason.  He was the one who kept them in the game.  No Rick, and the Nobles are in rough shape this game.  

On the winning side of the ball, Kurounous the Dreaded was all-over the field and making his presence known, especially in the first half.  Mora-Thai was similar.  However, Urlieth Van-Drakken scored the go ahead point, so you have to consider that long running play.  I am going with Van-Drakken for the MVP this time. 

Lord Summervale: Well, that looks like the ball game for us here.  I will turn you back to the Cabalvision IV tower for an update of all the exciting events going on this Blood Bowl Cup weekend!  Remember, if you need to cut it close, Guillotine Razors are a cut above!  

Mad Johan: I have seen worse exhibition games.....

Lord Summervale: This is Lord Summervale and Johan signing off!  

  

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Wargame Design: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

 

Recently, I have run across wargame rulebooks without pictures in them.  I mean, no pictures of models on table.  No artwork of the setting. Sometimes, not even diagrams of play.  This has taken me aback.  Frankly, I am also a bit jealous!  One of the hardest things in post-production is creating, sourcing, and inserting images into a rules document.  I am no lay-out expert, not much of a photographer, and even worse illustrator so the idea of excluding all of these things is really appealing to me!  

I can also understand the choice from a publishers prospective.  Images are much harder to reproduce, has an added detail of doing all the right things legally to use them, and/or having staff to make reproducible charts and diagrams.  All of that costs money and time.  Often times, printing stuff that isn't text is also problematic and an additional hurdle for a publisher. 

Despite all these reasons, I think making a decision to remove artwork and miniatures images is ultimately a mistake.  I think we have all heard the old saying, that a picture is worth a thousand words.  

Cover for Osprey's Wars of the Republic by Giuseppe Rava

What Can Pictures Do For You? 

A good rulebook design uses pictures and images to do a variety of things, these can range along the spectrum of schematic to thematic.   

1. Demonstrate how mechanics actually work! 

Pictures can help illustrate a complicated idea.  It might take several paragraphs to write, but can quickly be intimated with a quick illustration of the point.  This could be a diagram, artwork, or even pictures of models in action.   

2. Act as a quick explanation for game play

Very similar to the first one, except this is setting the "idea of the game".  It gives an idea of unit sizes, space to play, amount of terrain, etc. in a quick easy to look at snapshot.  It essentially sets the tone for the players without having to tell them.  I.e. forces deploy on opposite board edges.  Units are about 10 models per squad.  50% of the board is terrain.  

A picture like this tells you a lot about the game, without reading a single word about the game.....

3. Clarify edge cases

Pictures are a great way to clarify edge cases.  You don't want to spend a great deal of time and space in the rulebook on these, but a quick image can often convey how to play a particular mechanic quickly and easily.  

You can see a good example in the With Hot Lead and Cold Steel rules here: 

4. Provide examples of how the game is supposed to be played

Similar to point 2, it gives a quick visual short hand to the way a game is suppose to be played.  This can be especially helpful for setting up a game or scenario, it sets the tone of what the game should look like before you begin.  The players can follow all the written rules for set-up, but a quick image will allow them to feel confident they did it right.  

The set-up for the above scenario can be complicated to describe in writing, but a quick image gives an immediate impression of the right way to go about it. 

5. Set the theme and tone of a game

Artwork and Photos are also a great way to reinforce the hooks, themes, and tone of a game.  Your text may emphasize certain points, but the images really drive the ideas home.  

For example, in Under the Martian Yoke it is easy to give the idea that the Martians are a big threat, by having a picture of a Martian Tripod hovering over a survivor.  It gets a key concept and explanation of the game across and reinforces the rules of the game visually. 

6. Unlock game potential 

Warhammer 40K would not be as popular as it is today without the accompanying great imagery from 1st edition onward.  The artwork conveys more of a feel and presence than the words alone could provide.  It allows a player to immerse themselves into the world of the game and capture a part of their imagination.  

   

I mean, this cover is iconic of what you will find inside! 

7. Wargaming is a Visual Medium

Most of us got into wargaming because it looked cool!  We saw an awesome picture of a game, some artwork that inspired us, or the pictures of some minis on the table that made our imagination race!  Very few of us read some rules and thought that wargaming would be fun!  

Wargaming is a spectacle, and to capture that spectacle you need images and artwork! 

The Dark Side of Pictures

Of course, there are downsides to using pictures and images within your rulebook.  

1. They are hard! 

Most of us are not professional photographers or artists!  There is a skill to taking photos and making art.  Sadly, it is not one that is easily mastered either!  People spend lifetimes learning these skills.  

2. They are expensive! 

.... and since these are skills people can take a lifetime to build, that means they cost money to access their skillsets for your benefit!    

3. They are time consuming! 

And trying to do it yourself can take a long, long time.  Modern tools make it much easier with better cell phone cameras, digital editing tools at the palm of your hand, and online resources for public domain images.  However, all of those require a bit of time to learn how to use, much less master.  If you are lucky enough to commission some professionals, these things do not appear overnight.  They take time to create on their own.    

In addition, you need things to photograph!  That means getting paint on miniatures.  Making appropriate terrain.  Setting it all up in a useful scene that is photogenic.  It is not as easy as you would hope!  

It is also important to note, that many of the most popular platforms for distributing content are not A.I. generated content friendly.  It is important to know the rules and regulations for these tools based on your distribution model.  

Brigade Models painted and photographed by Tony Francis from Brigade

Integrating Pictures and Words 

The main thing you need to know when deciding how and when to use images is understanding, who is this for?  

• If your target is to create accessible rules for new players in a genre or period, than the bar for images is higher.  
• If it is a new twist for old grognards, their need for images is more functional than spectacle.  
• If you are intending players to enter new worlds they have not explored before, than the needs for scene setting and thematic pictures increases.
• If you have a very crunchy ruleset, then the need for schematic images like diagrams and demonstrations increases.
• If you want to reinforce your POV of the game, some artwork and photos can help demonstrate the choices you made in game.      

Ultimately, there are a number of reasons to add pictures and artwork.  As the designer, it is up to you to decide where, and what is needed.  Like Wargame Design itself, you need to decide what your vision is and then apply the right tool for the job.   

The Games: Blood and Spectacles

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, artwork, photos, and diagrams are just a tool to do a job.  Use the tools to make your vision come to life.  I would argue that reading a set of rules with few or no images is an exercise in tedium.  Wargame rules are not just about playing a game, they are intended to entertain in and of themselves!  Without images, the chances of a potential player finishing the rules and then translating them to table drop.  Excluding visuals cues, reducing rules ambiguity via images, and sharing the potential of a game in visual form is vital to reduce the barriers of entry a player will cross to play your game.  

In short, put in the extra work for effective images in your rules please. 

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles website

Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!              

Review: One-Hour Ancient and Medieval Skirmish Wargames- Pen and Sword

 

Well, the title tells you exactly what this is.  That is a bit of a lost art in today's modern world.  It is no surprise that seeing this made me interested in buying it.  There is not a lot of content out there for Ancient skirmish.  I can think of only a few titles, but it always seems to be an area of perpetual interest, but can never quite grab the market share.  Ancient players seem to want to play the "big battles" of history.  This is a true "Skirmish" game in that the operational unit is one model is one combatant.  I tend to call these Model-vs-Model games.  

The author, John Lambshead; also wrote One-Hour Skirmish Wargames a few years back that has been proven to be a popular ruleset.  That one is focused on gunpowder weapons from the Napoleonic to modern battles.  In the Introduction, Mr. Lambshead is kind enough to provide some "Designer's Notes" details about the differences between these rules and his previous work, and why he made some the decisions he did in the design.  I think the most interesting statement was:

"The key to improving any work is not what you put in but what you strip out"   

With that, I knew I was going to be in for a treat.  Indeed, the focus on the game is to keep the game moving quickly and swiftly.  In the Introduction, he wanted his game to accomplish three key objectives: 

1. Excitement
2. Streamlining
3. Chaos

So, let's take a closer look and see if we can get the review done in less than an hour too! 

One of the rare Diagram's in the book

Things I Liked

The game uses a very clear and simple Unified Game Mechanic.  To determine the results of an action, both players flip the top card of their own deck of standard playing cards, and see who got a higher number.  The more cards a model can flip at once, the better there chance of winning.  There is also a Bridge based system of suits to break ties as needed.  When in doubt you flip a card and compare the results!  

Modifiers are based on the number of extra cards drawn for benefits, while drawbacks often force you to only be able to use 1 card in an opposed draw.  You only ever use the highest card drawn.  

If a Joker is revealed, all play instantly stops and the turn ends.  This leads immediately to the End Phase for the turn.  That is where shocked models have their injury determined, objectives are reviewed, and morale tested.  This means that length of a turn is variable.  

All Models have a 1 inch Zone of Control.  You can not have a model pass through it without intending to attack.  This makes maneuver and order of activation important, especially in dense terrain.  You can also carefully use ZoCs to block access in and out of key points.  This is a great way to add subtle tactics to a game with few rules.  Models who are "Shocked" i.e. failed when hit lose their ZoC and are unable to do anything but fight back in combat.    

This game uses Arcs!  A simple front or rear arc.  There are benefits for attacking models in the rear arc, and you can only shoot at stuff in your front arc!  More skirmish games need this simple approach as it adds a lot of tactical depth to a game, for very simple rules. 

Models that are hit by a missile or melee attack are shocked.  When shocked they lose their ZoC and can only draw 1 card.  In the End Phase, you determine if they are removed as a casualty or re-engage in the fight.  This represents morale and injury in one card flip.  

Things I Do Not Like

When a player begins their Phase of a Turn, they flip a card over.  Th result is the number of Action Points they have in their Phase.  A single model can move up to 3 times for escalating Points costs.  They can then also shoot or fight.  A model can only shoot after moving, so no moving and scooting, which I think is a bit of a missed trick; but in play-testing it must have made shooting too powerful in a melee based Ancients game.  I am also not a huge fan of Action Point systems like the one listed above due to tracking and prefer 1 activation = 1 Action systems as it forces more tactical decision making.  In practice, this system makes this an alternate activation system, with some pile-on abilities.  

There are no pictures of models on the table.  I am not a fan of this for a couple reasons: 

• Wargames are inherently about spectacle and visual appeal, otherwise we would use paper counters and 2D terrain. 
• Gives new players an idea of what a "normal" game should look like
• Provides aspiration to newer players to wargaming of the genre
• Generates excitement to recreate what you see in the rulebook
• There is a lot of work in getting good pictures, and if I do it; everyone should! <Stamps foot petulantly>

Of note, Zones of Control will lock models into combat.  I am generally not a fan of this approach as it reduces maneuver and tactical movement within a game.  However, there are some exceptions such as chariots/cavalry can move away from infantry freely.  Elephants can move away from anyone, except other elephants.  Again, more subtle rules to influence your tactics. 

 

There are a few If This/Than That rules hidden in the game in the appropriate section.  Generally, I am not a fan of those as they can easily get lost.  I don't think any are game breaking, but an example is determining if you are charging into the REAR arc of an enemy before any movement is done.  Therefore, no using multiple actions to run around a model and attack from the rear.  Having this special rule maybe an example of how the multiple movement rules may not be the best final iteration of the rules? 

There is no mention about pre-measuring or not in this game.  The way it is written, I am not sure of what the author's intent would be.  There are clear nods to subtle tactics where Pre-measuring would be useful, but those same nods lead me to believe the author may want clever players to be able to use maneuver to get around some of those tactics or non-measured mistakes?  Not sure either way really, so you as the player get to decide! 

I think there may have been a missed trick to use card flips to accomplish non-combat related tasks like move through terrain, perform non-combat actions, etc.  Basically, an unopposed check to do certain tasks like help a comrade, cross difficult terrain freely, etc. at the cost of Action Points.  This would have expanded the scope of the game and added more RPG-Lite elements.  

The game has 6 scenarios listed in the back.  This includes: 

• Mountain Assault
• Punishment Raid
• On The Rhine
• The Adventures of Robin Hood
• Longbow
• High Medieval Tournament

These all are for a specific set of forces, place, and time.  They are not generic and are intended to give a flavor of what a "skirmish" may look like at various times and places.  This is one of the few sections of the book with diagrams to show you force deployments and board lay-outs. 

 

Meh and Other Uncertainties

Mr. Lambshead deliberately reduces the effectiveness of range-weapons to focus on up-close and personal combat.  I did something similar in my Roman and Greek based games, but the opposite in my Chariot based games.  That is one of the down-sides of a "generic" ruleset like this covering such a vast period.  Thankfully, he encourages tweaks to better fit any specific period or type of game you want to play.  

The terrain rules are basic and easy to use.  Very much of the broad categories type designed to not get in the way of quick game play.  They are reminiscent of Daniel Mersey games, like Lion Rampant. 

War Machines and Elephants have slightly more complicated special rules that relate to how they are injured and what happens.  For example, Elephants can go wild, can trample, etc.  

Each warband has a "Motivation" that is used in the End Phase for morale checks.  These can vary based on the scenario.   In addition, a model with the Leader trait can do a great job by doubling or tripling the results of a card flip for Morale.  However, their loss can be a big problem too.  They also cover some command units like standard bearers, religious figures, musicians, etc. 

There are some optional rules about Light Infantry, special results on certain cards, and the like added in after the core rules.  There are even some suggestions to speed up gameplay!  That made me think of some skit I saw where I guy was pitching 8-minute abs, and the other person said, "But what if someone comes out with 7 minute abs!"  

There is a lot of discussion about creating warbands from a variety of time periods.  It is important to note that these are all suggestions.  Mr. Lambshead breaks most groups down into Heavy infantry with armor and shields, medium infantry with shields, and light infantry that are mostly unarmored.  Therefore, something like a Greek Peltast would be Medium, Roman Legionnaires would be Heavy, and an Egyptian Archer would be Light.  Cavalry are similarly divided into Heavy, Battle, and Light using similar breakdowns.  This includes lists of generic values and 20 sample lists to give you an idea of how it all works.  The author is very clear that this is intended to be a tool box approach.   

In the introduction, Mr. Lambshead recommends between 6-12 units; which in this case is models per side.  The more complicated the special rules the less models that should be used.  He does not really mention this in the scenario or Warband list section, so you will have to go back and look at the section in the Introduction to get an idea of game size.  He also does not recommend a board size, saying 3-4 feet in a square or rectangle in his intro.    

Finally, there are a couple of Appendixes that cover:

1. QRS
2. Mini Makers by scale

Final Thoughts

A pretty good little set of rules that has some tactical depth thanks to the Zones of Control, Facings, and simple Unifying Mechanic.  There is a bit of If This/Then That but when you are covering such a vast period as Bronze-Age to High Medieval that is bound to happen.  Since this uses a tool box approach, it gives you a solid, streamlined starting point to work from.  As the author alludes to, less is more in these rules.  I find the core of the rules and the optional rules to be solid.  

I think the biggest disappointment is some of the vagueness around Scenarios.  A handy generator of some basic, generic scenarios with some complications and the like would have been helpful for people new to the period, genre, or wargaming.  I was also somewhat disappointed by warband creation section, but it does what it needs to do for a quick game.  It is always a decision point to think about how "newbie friendly" a game needs to be.  However, I get the feeling that Mr. Lambshead's target audience are not new to wargaming or the periods per se, but those new to Skirmish gaming in the periods mentioned. 

Anyway, s good core set of rules for a fast game with more tactical depth that many other skirmish games I have read.... just what it says on the cover. 

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Review: Heroquest- First Light

 

Well, well, well...... look what I got in the mail.  I had no intention of buying this, but then I watched a review of it from Ash on Guerrilla Miniature Games and a walk-through of the quests on Always Board Never Boring.  

That changed my mind for a couple of reasons and I ended up ordering it from Target.com.  I ordered it on a Monday afternoon and got it on Thursday!  Zoinks.  Back in my day, you had to wait 6-8 weeks for delivery of games and stuff.  I used to have to order from the Mail Order Trolls from the GW in Baltimore because I lived in the sticks.  There was no FLGS.  This took 4 days, and it would have been 3 but UPS couldn't find my house.... because I still live in the sticks, just a different forest.  

Anyway, you all know I have the Heroquest Core set, because I have reviewed and painted it up.  Why would I need this?  Here is my weaksauce rationale: 

1. This is a lot easier to take to the local coffee shop or across country to play.  I recently took my Core Set across country and it was not easy.  Worse, I never even got to bust it out to play! 

2. This has a whole new set of quests that seemed pretty cool! 

3. New miniatures for the Heroes and that nifty "dragon-esque" monster.  They looked fun. 

4. The new Cavern board!  

5. More of the custom dice so we don't have to keep passing them around the table

6. I get a discount on Target.com

Like I said, they are weak sauce reasons, but they ARE reasons to get it.  So, let's dive in and take a look at what we get.  Grab your short sword, roll your red dice, and let's get moving! 

Huh, that is how you set it all up!

Things That I Liked

The new rulebook is flash!  It is very nicely done, super visual, snazzy, and glossy.  It looks good and covers all the basic stuff only better.  They also include some rules for the multi-square models because the Dragon thing is a two square model.  However, the rules themselves have never looked better.  I never really knew how to set-up all the components on the board..... until now! 

Did I mention that the board is two sided?  Once side is the traditional Heroquest board, and the other is a Caverns board!  It is great to get a new potential lay-out for quests!  The board itself folds down nicely, and is an actual board.  None of this paper map crap!  However, it is not as sturdy as the board in the Core set.  

The monsters are all card standees.  I have no real issue with this.  In fact, I think the art for the monsters look pretty cool.  Nice 2D representations of the furniture too.  Hard to tell the difference between a bookcase and a pantry though.  

In the back of the Questbook, they have the new lay-out in a grid for making your own quests.  I love that so, so much!  I have to get this digitized so I can start making me Shadow Over Innsmouth inspired Questpack!  The Traditional Heroquest board can be the town, and then the other side can be the Caverns beneath the village where the true evil lies!   

Things I Do Not Like

During the quest, you get to fight the Dragon in different forms.  I think you fight him 4 or 5 times in 10 or so quests.  Each time he gets tougher and there is a different twist, but it might get tiring fighting a guy over and over again.  I mean, almost none of the other NPC villains get that much board time!  

I am also not 100% sold on the miniature.  I think he is kinda derpy, but their is a reason he looks like a human/dragon hybrid and they explain it in the quest book.  That said, the miniatures are sold quality and I look forward to painting them all up!  

The movement dice are white with red pips.  Not cool.  The O.G. rules call them red dice.  This is a huge nitpick.  

This Quest seems to be using a "new" set of heroes different from the Core Set.  So, you can have a Varsity Team and a Junior-Varsity team.  The events in these quest supposedly take place at the same time as the Core set quests.  Alternately, you could just have the A-team handle this set of Quests before the Witchlord quests in the main book, and then tie them back in.  However, it makes me wonder how many adventuring teams is Mentor running at once?  Is he like the CIA?  

Meh and Other Uncertainties

The new quests have all ready been loaded in the App.   It is all ready to go for Solo or Co-op play with the App as Zargon.  Pretty fast turn-around time.  

There is a small dice tray, that can also hold all the standees in once you pop them out of the card.  Not sure it is big enough, but I am happy to have the little dice tray.  I am tired of my dice flying all over the board.  

The alternate sculpts for the heroes are nice.  I really like the ones in the Core Set, but these will make a nice alternative.  I wish they had made them boy-girl-boy-girl though.  A minor quibble.  

The minis are easier to get in and out of the plastic on this one, so if I paint them up they are less likely to face wear and tear.  

Final Thoughts

Did I need this?  Heck no.  Am I glad I got it?  Heck yeah!  It is worth it for the new board lay-out and quest book alone.  This adds a lot more replayability and portability to my Heroquest adventures.  Plus, some extra minis to paint is not bad either.  This is a hefty box that is packed full of goodies.  

It is also a big deal that this set is affordable and available at Target.com.  This makes it much more accessible for the fantasy curious out there.  It reminds me much more of the original Milton-Bradley version of the game in that it is a great entry point for people into the world of board gaming, role-playing, miniature gaming, and just fantasy as a hobby in general!  Hopefully, this will be a game-change like when Target had the X-wing start sets on the shelf for that game.  I don't love Hasbro, but I do love things that could expand the hobby and helps make it accessible!  

I look forward to taking this to play with my family on Holidays.  It will be much easier to move around than my Core set.  Less intimidating for them too.  It looks like a standard board game.  

Until next time! 

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Wargame Design: The Corinthian War - Men of Bronze Supplement

 

Find the new supplement here!

Honestly, this was really unexpected.  One day, I was thinking about the trouble I was having moving some games forward.  I was having challenges getting words on the page.  I kept hitting internal road blocks, despite working my usual system.  I was getting frustrated, and my output was suffering.  

I am not even sure what happened, but I decided I needed to pivot.  What I was doing was not working.  I don't even recall the conscious thoughts that led to this supplement for Men of Bronze/Wars of the Republic to happen, but once I pivoted and started working on it..... well..... it poured itself onto the page in a matter of days.  This was not on my "To Do" list at the end of last year, so to see it now is a surprise to me as it is to anyone else.  Writing can be weird sometimes.

 

What is it?

The Corinthian War is a supplement for use with Men of Bronze/Wars of the Republic that were published as part of the Osprey Wargaming Series of games.  This is the 4th supplement I have done for those rules the others being: 

• Hercules Abroad 
• Revolt! The Third Servile War
• The Ionian Revolt

This one focuses on the historical Greek campaign known as The Corinthian War.  This took place about 10 years after the end of the Peloponnesian War, and after the famous March of the Ten Thousand.  The details of the Corinthian War are documents by Xenophon in his work Hellenica.  There is also additional material in Plutarch's Lives and the works of Diodorus Siculus.  

The supplement focuses on re-creating the historical battles of The Corinthian War on the tabletop.  In this way, it is similar to The Ionian Revolt supplement.  Like  The Ionian Revolt this campaign was a combined arms, Land and Sea affair.  It involved a variety of Greek City-States backed by Persia in overthrowing the military power of Sparta.  Therefore, it had a wide cast of interesting characters, unit types, and miniatures that I could use from my collection.  The campaign also had traditional big hoplite battles, ambush actions, raids, and a variety of scenarios to make wargaming it a blast!   

What is in it?    

This supplement is a condensed work of about 25 pages.  This includes the following: 

• A Brief History
• Some Line of Battle modifications
• The main Campaign
• Optional campaign scenarios

Total there are about 10 scenarios and a very brief way to score the campaign for a result.  This includes a Naval battle scenario, a Coastal Raid scenario, a Strong Point scenario, and some more traditional scenarios.  The Line of Battle modifications add Freed Helots and Athenian Marines as unit types that did not really exist before.  Spartan King Agesilaus II gets his own Line of Battle as well.  

Artwork has a few miniatures that I have painted from Victrix, some cool artifacts from the period, and a snazzy map!  

Where do I get it? 

Of course, you will want a copy of Men of Bronze/Wars of the Republic first.  You can get those wherever Osprey Books are sold.  

If you happen to be one of my Patrons on Patreon, you all ready have it!  I provided it to all my paying Patrons back in December as an early Christmas gift.

If you aren't a Patron (Tsk, tsk!) then you can get it now on my Blood and Spectacles Wargame Vault page.  

Thank you for your support!  I put all the profits I make back into the business of wargaming!  That means more wargames, more RPGs, and more content for you to enjoy on my blog, Social Media feeds, and my Patreon.      

Find the new supplement here!    

Until next time! 

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

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Random: Blood and Spectacles 2025

 

2025..... as a youth the year 2025 signified the exotic near-future that was nothing like the world I grew up in.  In some ways, that is very true.  2025 is nothing like the world I grew up in.  The internet has changed a lot, media has changed a lot, politics has changed a lot, wargaming has changed, and culture has changed in ways my teen brain would not be able to comprehend.  So many things have happened since I was a youth.  To name a few; the Columbine shooting, The Matrix, 9/11 attacks, the War on Terror, the invention of the Smartphone, Social Media, new Star Wars movies, Crypto-Currency, and so much more that we take for granted now.  

One of the biggest changes is how much "Nerd Culture" has become mainstreamed.  In my day, you had to keep your RPG hobby on the down-low thanks to the Satanic Panic.  People thought you were some sort of cultist if you were into that sort of thing.  Wargaming was for old British dudes and you only saw it in media for wacked-out Bond villains or social outcasts.  There was a clear line between Nerds, Jocks, and other groups.  None of that is the same anymore, and I would argue that "Nerdsploitation" is en vogue right now.  

This niche hobby has gone mainstream.... and I am not exactly sure how to feel about it!  Part of me is excited to see things I was interested in going mainstream.  That means more players, more people to game with, and more chances to show-off my stuff!  It also means more access to things I am interested in.  Things like movies, TV shows, action figures, LEGO sets, and more and more merch!  If I need something for gaming, I can find it in the marketplace with ease.    

However, part of me is also sad to see it go so mainstream.  You see, it use to feel like a bit of a secret club that you could signal you were part of through subtle references in passing to show your allegiance to others in the secret club.  You couldn't walk into any big-box retailer and see material related to your niche, you had to seek it out and delve in dungeons deep for such esoteric knowledge and loot.  Plus, being part of the secret club was "radical" in the sense that you were against the status quo, you were an outsider, and didn't follow societies' rules.  You were "punk" because so much of the culture around these hobbies was Do-It-Yourself.  None of that is necessarily true anymore.                 

Therefore, I enter 2025 at a bit of a crux of my hobby life.  Normally, this time of year I like to try to put some goals and objectives down for the year.  These act as guidelines for the year and keeps me from going off the rails.  There are always a lot of new games, miniatures, and "things" going on in the world of tabletop wargaming.  This makes it much harder to keep to fixed goals, which is why I prefer guard rails instead.  It can be really hard to stay focused.  These guard rails help me stay focused and get things done for the year.  

Heirs to Empire - Wargaming the Diadochi

Normally, I break my goals down into the following categories: 

• Purchases
• Painting and Modeling
• Playing Games
• Rules Writing
• Other Games Related Stuff

Purchases

Of course, I always start this section with a huge THANK YOU!  Every time you purchase one of my games from Osprey, Wargames Vault, Drive Thru RPG, follow me on Patreon or support me in other ways you help make this all possible.  It is your support that allows me to buy the minis, paints, artwork, web domains, and other supplies needed to keep Blood and Spectacles Publishing operational.  Therefore, I try to keep all the money earned in these endeavors going back into the business of gaming. Thank you!  

Homer's Heroes: Bronze Age Bad Boys

With that said, it is always hard to determine what purchases I might be making in the coming year.  Do I purchase things for new projects, expand on existing rulesets with further support, or do something completely different?  So, here are some thoughts for where I am right now: 

• Stay caught up with the Osprey Wargaming Series
• Purchase Victory at Sea or the Nimitz rulebook
• Purchase three Fantasy Ice Hockey Teams
• Start one or more of the following: Carthaginian, Theban, Late Roman, or Aztec Army 
• Cowboys, terrain, and Fistful of Lead rules for Wild West
• A new set of RPG rules
• A new Heroquest Expansion (or two)
• A fourth Reaper Nativity Scene to paint

This is pretty aggressive as I still have an Anglo-Saxon army to paint up carrying over from last year.  However, the items listed above are for promotions, new rules, post-production, or reviews for the blog.  I am also thinking of trying to get some Cowboy themed gaming for the True Crit Gaming Guild for the year, and I have some mechanics up-my-sleeve too.  

White Star/Red Star

Painting and Modelling

Last year was another strong year for me in this realm.  I doubt I can do it back-to-back without causing some lag in my other areas.  Therefore, I want to paint the following: 

1. Anglo-Saxon army
2. 3x Ice Hockey Teams
3. Reaper Nativity scene
4. A Heroquest Expansion
5. A good start on anything else I happen to pick-up to keep my Pile of Shame to near 0

Half an Anglo-Saxon army for Fury of the Northman

I do have a start on the Anglo-Saxon army, but still need a lot of painting.  Plus, there is about 3-5 more units to add.  Thankfully, I have a pretty good system for batch painting and Speedpaints help too. However, other than this Anglo-Saxon force I went into the year with a relatively clean backlog for painting.     

Gaming

Last year, I jumped out of the gate early with a lot of games then petered out and ended the year mostly doing Solo-gaming and RPGs.  This year, I need to get back to playing with the True Crit Gaming Guild.  They wrapped up some Kill Team, and now it is probably time to offer something different for a bit, we will see.  I am leaning to try to get some Cowboy, Ancients, Heroquest, or Castles in the Sky going there.  However, I think for a bit I will be doing mostly solo-wargaming for a while.  I am still feeling really anti-social for a lot of reasons.

Under the Martian Yoke

All that being said, here are some Gaming related goals: 

• Host a Battle of Kadesh Demo game in a non-gaming venue
• Finish my Under the Martian Yoke solo-campaign
• Start a Heroquest campaign
• Attend at least 2 Board Game nights
• Keep on with my weekly RPG games
• Bring an alternative game to a True Crit Gaming Guild day to play 1 non-GW game
• Play 1+ games of a non-Blood and Spectacles/non-GW game
  

I would be pretty happy with a total of 12-18 wargames, to GM about 3 session for RPGs, and play about 25 RPG sessions for the year.  I don't think that is overly ambitious, fits in with my historic output, and forces me to get out of my shell a bit. 

Castles in the Sky

Rules Writing

This has been a real slog for me lately, and I really need to shake-it off and get finishing stuff.  What exactly is still a bit up-in-the-air.  Based on my painting and modelling goals, it looks like I have a few ideas of what I need to finish this year: 

1. Rise and Fall - Wars of the Republic supplement for Carthage 
2. PHUCK!- The game of Fantastical Hockey
3. Barbarians at the Gates - Late Roman ruleset
4. Gold, Glory and Guns - Wargaming the New World
5. Glittering Void- Mecha RPG
6. Badlands - Wild West RPG

I have started other works, but those ones are furthest along in the pipeline.  However, who knows what inspiration will strike and drive a game forward faster than expected, or delays that will slow getting a game into production.  

I have a long standing goal of getting 50 publications into the world.  I am at about 25, so half way there.  It only took me 10 or so years to get this far, so there is still a long ways to go.    

Other Stuff

Yeah, this is miscellaneous stuff I want to accomplish.  The list this year is pretty short.  

• Continue my Painting Tracker
• Continue my Games played tracker on my blog

Traditionally, I have put other Social Media, Online Presence, Networking, and other goals in this area.  However, I am a bit torn about how much of that I am going to be doing this year.  I am considering scaling back my Social Media content, or at least re-thinking it.  Facebook and Instagram keep getting worse and worse, and I am not confident that any other Social Media won't be different.  Eventually, the user becomes the product instead of the platform being for the users.  It takes a lot of energy to post decent content on Social Media.  I have upped my game a lot in this space, but I think I might be better served using that time and energy for writing more games?

I will still keep up with the Blog and my Patreon, but everything else might have to go.  I only have a precious amount of time to devote to Wargame Design and making Social posts may not be the best use of it?  I don't know.  What do you think?  

I also toyed with the idea of going to one of the big Conventions for Historical Wargaming, but ultimately I am not sure it is worth the cost.  I live in a remote part of the US and airfare to anywhere is brutal, much less the East Coast.  Again, I am not sure it is a good use of my limited game-related budget.  Again, I am open to thoughts on the Pros and Cons?  

Turf War

Conclusion

2025 is here, and it finds me in an odd place.  It is not the shining, neo-future I had hoped for back in 1995.  However, the hobby of RPG and Wargaming is more popular and accessible than ever!  Despite this, I find my real-life taking up more of my time than I have expected, and the energy and time for wargame and RPG design is at a premium.  Therefore, it may end up being a sparse year on this front.  However, I have said that before and the opposite has happened.   We will see!  

One thing that helps keep me going is YOU!  It helps energize me a lot when I hear from folks playing my games and who share pictures with me.  I love to hear about people playing my games, and even better people enjoying them.  That is a big motivator.  Feel free to drop me a line anytime on any of my Socials, the MessageBoard, or directly at Eric@Bloodandspectacles.com. 

Until next time!   

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles website

Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!