Frostgrave - solo intro test game
Had this since the nickstarter and have had some lovingly painted wizards ready to go since not long after.
Yet to my shame despite reading the book a couple of times I had yet to get a game in at all!
Tonight I rectified that somewhat by playing a very quick three way solo game on a far to small table.
This is the layout
A small farm and outpost not far from the ruins of Frostgrave proves a tempting supply point for three competing Wizard bands, conflict over the meagre resources here is likely.
Especially investigating the strange Red crystals.
I stated up three equal wizard bands 520gold a piece.
Soothsayer
Combat awareness
Wizards Eye
Mind control
Heal
Fast act
Monstrous form
Bone dart
Possess
Apprentice
4 Man at arms (the four knightly looking chaps)
Necromancer
Bone Dart
Steal health
strike dead
Timeshare
Possess
Apprentice
4 man at arms (The gladiators)
Warlock (Witch)
Curse
Fog
Poison Dart
Grenade
Bone Dart
Planewalk
Monstrous form
Timestore
Apprentice
4 Trackers
Necromancer on the left
Warlock in the middle
Soothsayer to the right
All sides converge towards the centre of the table
Some excellent shooting by a tracker KIA a man at arms from the get go and leaves another ready to flee!
Bravely the other two rush to close the gap
Across the way the Warlock is trying to out flank the Necromancer
As the men at arms from the right crash into the trackers the Gladiators of the Necromancer also prepare to pile in
The Warlocks apprentice has some bad luck both in casting spells and being shot at/hit.
The Necromancer finishes him off with a Critical Bone dart.
The blood letting intensified as the parties all got into melee together
The Warlock lamenting the loss of his apprentice attempts to get some payback
Successful healing spell gets White shield back in the fight
Things look very bad for the trackers at this point, engaged by two superior melee forces, and having lost their magic support.
The tracker takes a Gladiator down and the Warlock successfully hits the Necromancer.
Some terrible dice see the trackers cut down men at arms on both sides!
With only one man at arms left and having taken damage to his apprentice the Soothsayers begin to withdraw.
The Warlock is killed by the Necromancer when he succeeds in casting Strike dead!
Although he had to enhance it at the cost of his own health plus the 1 damage automatically taken for attempting to cast it!
The final two trackers flee as their pay masters are dead.
Only one Gladiator survived in service to Necromancy.
Thoughts,
Yes the table was too small but that meant combat was on from the get go, although terrain still kept it to turn two.
I skipped treasure and formal scenarios wanting to focus on the mechanics.
Spells really seem like the should add the casters Will power when casting but apparently they don't.
So I found attempting anything over a 8 or 10 was more likely to result in a failure and in many cases damage turn after turn!
However when a spell did come off it felt very satisfying!
Soldiers are both vital, effective and certain to get cut down!
I can see now why it says cheap is often better value than the more expensive guys.
Choosing the spells was fun, although I probably only attempted to cast 3-4 out of the 8 each had available.
Took me less than an hour before I called it, on the basis neither side had an advantage nor sufficient un-injured troops to press onwards.
Good fun and look forwards to playing more soon.
I can see the fun of campaigns here as well as using a larger play area and more players than myself!
I also can't help considering it for other settings compared to the rules I use currently, will need to give it some thought.
Star figure: Tracker - all of them!
Best Spell: Necromancer Strike dead on the Warlock
Worst luck: Warlock apprentice
Sure I forgot a few things and no doubt got some nuances wrong but over all a fast and enjoyable rule set, puts me in mind of Mordenheim as a setting but seems simpler.
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