Rogue Stars - first game report

I have now played a game of Rogue Stars.  After having read the book twice, read multiple reviews, and watched a couple videos, I was confident enough to at least give it a shot.  I wish I had waited on the QRS that will be available soon, but I survived nonetheless and the book isn't damaged from too much flipping.

So I had two teams ready to go, both from the Infinity Operation Icestorm box set.  The Panoceania are the Star Cops and have the tactical discipline of Determined.  The Nomads are Pirates and have the tactical discipline of Hard to Kill.

The Nomads rolled highest on initiative so became the Attackers and rolled for the "Make it to the Ship Alive" Mission.  Panoceania are the Defenders and rolled for the Location of "Space Port" (very fitting) and the Complication of "They Said It Might Rain", then rolled for the Weather which turned out to be "Cold" (which only affects Reptiloids, so no big deal).

Here is the "Space Port" which oddly enough looks like the terrain from Infinity Operation Icestorm.  It mostly has the appearance of some large docking station.  The left side baseline is where the Attackers (Nomads) begin and must reach the spaceship gate on the far right side.

Here are the two Nomad troopers and their leader.

Here is the Nomad Ninja and Sister Soldier.

The Panoceania Star Cops positioned themselves to receive the naughty Pirate Nomads.

The Nomads tried to push towards the center.  The Star Cop trooper on the rooftop is pinned and loses his gun and the other trooper is knocked prone from a hail of fire.

The Panoceania Knight valiantly attempts to cut down the foes, but is sadly defeated by the deadly Ninja.

The Nomads keep running, trying to spread the Star Cops out and allow others to escape.

Deadly shooting fells two of the Pirate Nomads.

A Nomad trooper and the Ninja sprint for safety even as gunfire chases them.

Despite the best efforts of the Panoceania Star Cops, two of the Nomad Pirates escape in their starship.

After the Game:  The Nomad Pirates lost three of their teammates along the way.  Although when playing Star Cops you could declare them captured instead and play a Rescue mission to free them, I doubt the two remaining Pirates would have much luck.  So the three OOA characters are officially dead and they will be clones in the future.  The two surviving Nomads each received 3 XP; the Ninja spent his to upgrade to Weapon Master 3 and the trooper is banking his.

The Panoceania were able to stabilize their one OOA character, the Knight.  They received 9 XP for causing three OOA on the Nomads.  Both troopers gained Fast 1 and the remaining 3 XP is stored for the future.

In Conclusion:  In the beginning of the game there was a steep learning curve as to be expected.  As things went along I was able to pick up the flow easier.  It is a challenge playing solo, having to keep track of Reactions and all the markers can be a bit daunting, but I think with practice things will smooth out.  A QRS would help cut down on most of the book flipping, and a decent sheet that shows all your characters and their gear and for holding Stress/Pins/Wounds would be nice.

I lucked out on the Mission/Location/Complications.  I'm not sure if I could design some of the more bizarre choices listed.  But that would give me the excuse to do it.  Also the NPC creatures, I hope I have some suitable options.

And yes I do believe I will be playing it again.  It will be joining the other honorable mentions in my collection (ITEN, FUBAR, One Page Rules, etc.)  It just takes a bit more preparation, but I think it can be worth it.

Rogue Stars - the beginning

Rogue Stars published by Osprey and created by Andrea Sfiligoi, (https://ospreypublishing.com/rogue-stars), is a very dense skirmish game.  Not complex or overly difficult, just crammed with so much information in such a thin book.  I imagine if they had no page limit the book might have been 400+ pages easily.  I am not going to do a review of the game, as there are quite a few out there already and describe all the mechanics perfectly.  In fact, here is a video about how to play: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P71OHehKktk&t=104s)

Instead I will give my opinions and show what I have started on in preparation to play the game.

Here is the book in all its glory.  It is 64 pages of tightly compacted rpg-lite skirmish goodness.

The book is filled with characterful artwork (much like the cover) and overloaded with so many options, it really is a sandbox and you can design just about anything you want for your teams.  With all the missions, locations, and complications you will have plenty of exciting gaming in your future.

These "official" tokens/markers came from Andrea Sfiligoi himself via Ganesha Games (http://www.ganeshagames.net/product_info.php?cPath=1_58&products_id=311)

The game mechanics rely heavily on tokens and markers.  The majority of the negative reviews pertain to the use of tokens on a gaming table.  Its all about personal preference, as I don't mind using tokens and plan on putting them to the side on the characters' sheets.  Stress, Pins, and Wounds will be used most frequently, the rest of the shown markers are based on certain situations and will rarely come into play.

So I picked through my miniatures collection, trying to make a few random teams.  I was not prepared for how many options were available.  I kept adding and removing traits, weapons, and equipment.  The paper I was writing on is filled with scratches as I changed my mind so many times.  But once I settled into the rhythm of 'looking' at the miniature to decide what weapons/traits it has, things smoothed out some.

Deadzone Enforcers - Theme: Cyborgs, Tactical Discipline:  Opportunity Fire -  Captain (Power Armor, Molecular Slug Thrower, Vibroblade built-in, Veteran), Engineer (Light Power Armor, Assault Rifle, Tech 2, Neuro-jack Array), Heavy Gunner (Light Power Armor, Machine Gun), Trooper (Light Power Armor, Assault Rifle), Assault Trooper (Light Power Armor, Slug Pistol, Vibroblade)  - 201 XP total

Sedition Wars Vanguard - Theme:  Militia, Tactical Discipline:  Cool Under Fire - Sergeant (Light Combat Dress, Plasma Pistol, Vibroblade, Slug Pistol, Veteran, Weapon Master 3, Free Disengage), Sniper (Light Combat Dress, Musket w/ Accurate, Marksman 3, Stealth 1), Medic (Light Combat Dress, Slug Pistol, Molecular Slug Thrower, Medic 2), two Troopers (Light Power Armor, Assault Rifle, Marksman 1) - 201 XP total

Infinity Panoceania - Theme:  Star Cops, Tactical Discipline:  Determined - Repair Bot (Artificial, Nonreactive, Tech 2, Medic 3, Fast 2, Extra Legs 1, Zap Rifle, Neuro-jack Array), Father Knight (Monowire Scythe, Light Power Armor, Weapon Master 2, Veteran, Free Disengage, Electromag Shackles), Jumper (Assault Rifle, Light Power Armor, Slug Pistol, Jump Pack, Medic 1), two Troopers (Assault Rifle, Slug Pistol, Light Combat Dress, Medic 1) - 200 XP total

Infinity Nomads - Theme:  Pirates, Tactical Discipline:  Hard to Kill - Leader (Light Power Armor, Submachine Gun, Veteran, Marksman 2), Sister Knight (Light Combat Dress, Submachine Gun, Slug Pistol, Ambidexterity, Medic 1), Ninja (Light Combat Dress, Submachine Gun, Monowire Blade, Slug Pistol, Difficult Target 3, Weapon Master 2), two Troopers (Light Combat Dress, Submachine Gun, Slug Pistol, Tech 1, Medic 1) - 200 XP total

Reaper Bones Chronoscope - Theme:  Merchants, Tactical Discipline:  Opportunists - Captain (Kevlar, Powered Gauntlet, Molecular Slug Thrower, Veteran, Marksman 2), Engineer (Kevlar, Submachine Gun, Tech 3, Medic 3, Marksman 1), Twin Guy (Kevlar, Zap Pistol, Vibroblade, Fast 1, Weapon Master 3, Difficult Target 1, Marksman 2), Twin Girl (Kevlar, Zap Pistol, Monowire Blade, Fast 1, Weapon Master 3, Difficult Target 1, Marksman 2), Sister Penitent (Kevlar, Submachine Gun, Vibroblade, Weapon Master 3, Free Disengage, Marksman 2), Tome Raider (Kevlar, Submachine Gun, Submachine Gun, Ambidexterity, Fast 1, Difficult Target 1) - 200 XP total

As you can see, there is just so much variety in creating teams.  In my opinion, just like in roleplaying games, character creation is one of the best parts of the game and becomes a mini-game of its own.  I'm sure there are ways to 'break' this process to make ultimate soldiers and odd pairings, but if you stick with the WYSIWYG philosophy (that is: What You See Is What You Get) and design characters based on what they look like, then there won't be any problems.

Now I just need to play a game or two to really see how things work.

Deadzone - sci-fi miniatures assemble!

As I look to the future; with Rogue Stars from Osprey in late December and Harder than Steel from Ganesha Games sometime next year, or as I think of Double Tap by One Page Rules and In the Emperor's Name and FUBAR by Forge of War, I have come to the conclusion that I'm severely lacking in my sci-fi miniatures collection.

With this serious injustice to my meager miniature stockpile, I have searched for ways to inexpensively augment my horde.  One option I discovered was the starter boxes for Deadzone from Mantic Games.

I picked up three starters; Forge Fathers (Dwarves in Space!), Veer-myn (Ratmen in Space!), and Marauders (Orcs in Space!).

Due to a slight error, I was sent the faction booster instead of the actual starter, but it contains plenty for my needs regardless.  Here is a big cannon-tank thing, a couple engineer/pilots with tracked drones (which I put weapons on), and a couple motorcycles.

Here are the grunts of the Forge Fathers.  I made a sergeant stand on an orc head while holding a maul and one-handing the rifle.

I made one of each special/heavy weapon and one hussar.  Then there are the Brokkrs, which would make great space pirates or miners or engineers or scouts.

The Veer-myn, space rats.  I made one of each type of rat ogre then the two progenitors/leaders.  The giant drilling machine is a cobbled together contraption from random bits, I love constructing stuff out of leftovers.

The swarm of Veer-myn.  Up front are the 12 pistol/knife wielders, then three heavy weapons, and in the back are the rats from the Project Pandora boardgame.  

The Marauders, or Space Orcs.  The two big guys I outfitted each with heavy ranged and close combat weapons, instead of making them only one type.  Then there are the four mutant dog-things and goblin snipers.  The fourth goblin sniper was supposed to look like he is scared or running away, so I modified him to look like he is sneaking up instead.

And the Orc horde.  In the back are the Marauders I picked up many moons ago, they have pistols and close combat weapons, along with two heavy weapons and a couple with power claws.  The Marauders up front are more like commandos; with rifles, shotguns, and a guy with a flamer.  The commando captain has some kind of power spear thing.

At this point, I have plenty to use for sci-fi games.  Coupled with the Sedition Wars' Vanguard, Deadzone Enforcers, Infinity Haqqislam/Nomads/Panoceania, and miscellaneous Reaper Bones Chronoscope minis, I should have enough variety to play anything.

Now I just need to paint....alot.

Rogue Stars

One of my favorite game designers, Andrea Sfiligoi (creator of Song of Blades and Heroes, Of Gods and Mortals, etc.), has penned another ruleset for Osprey Games, called Rogue Stars.  According to the description of the game:

Rogue Stars is a character-based science fiction skirmish wargame, where players command crews of bounty hunters, space pirates, merchants, prospectors, smugglers, mercenary outfits, planetary police and other such shady factions from the fringes of galactic civilization. Crews can vary in size, typically from four to six, and the character and crew creation systems allow for practically any concept to be built. Detailed environmental rules that include options for flora, fauna, gravity, dangerous terrain and atmosphere, and scenario design rules that ensure that missions are varied and demand adaptation and cunning on the parts of the combatants, make practically any encounter possible. Run contraband tech to rebel fighters on an ocean world while hunted by an alien kill-team or hunt down a research vessel and fight zero-gravity boarding actions in the cold depths of space - whatever you can imagine, you can do.

Of course I had to join in on the pre-order program available from Osprey and North Star, called a Nickstarter:  http://nstarmagazine.com/ROGUE_STARS.htm

It won't be shipped out until late December, but I've already started making plans and purchases in preparation.  I had to beef up my sci-fi collection and progress is looking great.  Standby for more posts....

Of Gods and Mortals - fantasy warbands

I finally got around to trying out Osprey Games' Of Gods and Mortals (which is actually written by Andrea Sfiligoi of Ganesha Games and uses the same engine as Song of Blades & Heroes).  Essentially the game is a slightly larger scale version of SoBH, but includes a three-tiered system of Gods, Legends, and Mortals.  And like other games using SoBH's engine, Andrea Sfiligoi was nice enough to include a unit calculator so players can make up their own units.  So I decided to stat up some fantasy miniatures to give the game a test run.

Very nice rulebook, inexpensive, and has lots of great artwork and pictures.

Lizardmen Warband

Lizardmen (946 points)
Carnosaurus Rex (God) Q2 C4 - Armoured, Huge, Tremble Before My Might
Skink Priest (Legend) Q3 C2 - Healing, Shooter Long
Lizardman Champion (Legend) Q3 C3 - Armoured, Hammering Blow
Lizardman Cavalry (Mortals, x4) Q4 C2 - Armoured, Long Move, Mounted
Lizardman Cavalry (Mortals, x4) Q4 C2 - Armoured, Long Move, Mounted
Lizardman Warriors (Mortals, x8) Q4 C2 - Armoured
Lizardman Warriors (Mortals, x4) Q4 C2 - Armoured

Humanoids and Things Warband

Humanoids and Things (951 points)

Bog Troll Demon (God) Q2 C4 - Big, Hammering Blow

Ogre Chief (Legend) Q3 C3 - Big, Hammering Blow

Goblin Shaman (Legend) Q3 C2 - Lightning, Shooter Long

Mincemeat Chariot (Legend) Q3 C3 - Big, Combat Master, Dashing, Long Move

Trolls (Mortals, x3) Q4 C2 - Big

Orcs (Mortals, x8) Q4 C2

Bugbears (Mortals, x7) Q4 C2 - Ambusher

Gnolls (Mortals, x7) Q4 C2 - Traitorous Strike

This is after deployment.

The scenario was Showdown, just a good ol' fashion battle to the death.  There are three woods and a couple hills for terrain but they wouldn't be a factor in this game.

Lizardmen went first.  The majority of the Lizardmen units moved this first turn, no turn-overs.  The unit of 4 Lizardman Warriors used an Invocation to give their God an extra die.

The Goblin Shaman blasted the Lizardman Champion with a Lightning bolt out of the blue, leaving only ashes behind.  The Lizardman God would begin whittling away at the Gnolls and Orcs.

A lot of back and forth combat occurred midfield.

Mortal units are no match for the mighty Carnosaurus Rex.  The Lizardmen's right flank was in jeopardy until the Lizardman Cavalry charged the Ogre Chief.

The Gnolls have been removed and casualties piling up midfield.  The Orcs would flee after this when they had more dead than living models.

The Bugbears finally were able to advance after a couple turnovers, trying to pile on outnumbering bonuses against the Lizardman God.  So the Lizardmen all piled in as well for a complex fray.  The Goblin Shaman cast another Lightning bolt, this time obliterating the Skink Priest.

Saurus Cavalry were able to take out the Goblin Shaman as the Carnosaurus Rex continued taking out Bugbears, thanks to the Invocations from the 4 Lizardman Warriors relaxing in the back.

The Orcs finally charged back into the mix.  The Mincemeat Chariot killed off one of the Lizardman Warriors used as part of the Invoking squard.

The Lizardman warband had more dead than living, so morale test taken.  All the Mortal units ran back some, but the larger group of Lizardman Warriors completely fled the battlefield.

The Bog Troll Demon charged into Carnosaurus Rex, causing a Clash of Titans, which Awed the Orcs and Bugbears.  Then a follow up attack, the Bog Troll Demon slayed the Lizardmen's God. 

Morale test taken for Lizardman God slain.  All the Lizardmen Cavalry run, their movement takes them off the board.  There are not enough Mortals remaining to perform an Invocation to bring back the Carnosaurus Rex, the Lizardmen have lost this battle.

It really helps already being familiar with the Song of Blades & Heroes mechanics, so the game didn't take long nor was it difficult picking up the new rules.  There are enough differences where I still had to look some things up occasionally, but nothing to worry about.  I made my own quick reference sheet to go along with the one included in the rulebook;  mainly on how CO and OO units move, Invocations, outnumbering, etc.

Its definitely a step up from skirmish, with 29 models for the Humanoids and 23 models for the Lizardmen.  I have mostly individual models in my collection, which is perfect for skirmish games, but not so much for mass combat.  

Overall the game is great.  It might not be something I'll play regularly, however I can see it being used as a way to escalate a SoBH campaign.  There should be a way to incorporate SoBH into OGAM; strip away the God/Invocation mechanic, change the tiers to allow more variety, etc.  We'll see what the future holds.

Of Gods and Mortals - assembling in progress

I have been slack with my tabletop gaming hobbies.  REALLY slack.  Anyways, I finally decided what to do with the 100+ minis I got with the Arcane Legions game.  I based them all, using the footprint of 10 figures to a base that is 125mm x 50mm, and single figures on a 25mm x 25mm base.  The purpose is to obviously allow easy transportation of these smaller miniatures in block formations, aimed at games such as Kings of War and Of Gods and Mortals.  I went cheap, using cardboard and hot glue.  Hopefully after painting and flocking they'll look tabletop presentable enough.

Although this design is more strongly suited towards Kings of War, my ultimate goal is to have large-scale battles using Of Gods and Mortals and Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes.  I would increase allowable unit sizes to 10 and increase how much Legends and Gods count in outnumbering.  Instead of model removal as casualties, I would use dice to represent losses.  And instead of Invocations and Gods, use that category for monsters and heroes.

Here are some Greek Hoplite type warriors and archers along with a Reaper Bones Cloud Giant that looks like a Greek Goddess or just use as a giant.

In this picture are Roman spearmen and hero and Minotaur.

Some Undead soldiers, ancient bowmen, Pharoah Lich, mummies, and skeleton monster.

Some ancient Asian spearmen, bowmen, swordsmen, ninja hero, and samurai hero.

Of Gods and Mortals....use with Song of Blades and Heroes perhaps?

I have been wanting to get a copy of Osprey's Of Gods and Mortals for a while now.  Its always been on the back of my mind with other projects at the forefront.  But I have finally caved in and ordered a copy and it showed up on my doorstep today.

I have skimmed through it and like what I see.  Although I had not really wanted to recreate battles between Greek or Egyptian Gods, I definitely see the opportunity to use some of the rules for Fightin' Fungi/Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes.

For example; the Swamp Fungus could be a God for the Rotten Hearts faction along with an Enoki Cleric and the Reaper as Legends.  Or go generic fantasy and have my large Forest Giant as a God and a Dryad or Centaur for Legends as Elves and Animals represent Mortals.

Lots of potential using Of Gods and Mortals, thanks Andrea Sfiligoi for writing more great rules!