Thursday 30 July 2015

Terrain Directory Updated and off on my Summer Holidays

Hi Folks

Just a short post today as I am finishing off work and heading off on the annual summer holidays...

For some ghastly reason the Shed Kids have decided that we needed to go to Orlando !

With a short trip to New York it will be Theme Parks and Thunderstorms this summer - oh well I am sure I'll find some bits and bobs stateside for the table.


Just before I go I wanted to let you know that I have now updated the Shed Wars Terrain Directory - the page link can be found on the top of the blog - just below the Shed Wars banner.  I have to say that even I was quite staggered to see what has been added since I started this blog journey



Happy Holidays to everyone  - more posts at the end of August - unless I get bored

Until next time

Eric the Shed

Tuesday 28 July 2015

The Scales of Anubis - Vessel of the Heart

So here is part 2 of the Scales of Anubis campaign

part 1 can be found here...

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-scales-of-anubis-lost-tomb.html

cue the music...

Suitable Pulp Music




Previously...

Stop Press: 28th March 1936

British Military Intelligence has intercepted a communique between the personal office of Himmler and the Kriegsmarine - the coded message reads that the German Registered steamer Vancouver was to be crewed by Naval personnel and to sail to Acajutla on the West Coast of El Salvador , Central America. The Passenger manifest would include Hauptmann Gruntz (the man responsible for seizing the fulcrum in Egypt).

Local agents in the town report of a sizeable German Archaelogical build up.

Rumours abound that the Germans have been excavating around the pre-columbian Maya complex at Tazumel. 

British Military Intelligence has shared this information with the CIA who are known to have a team in the area. This team lead by the Famous Adventurer Oregon Tom are collaborative with local Rebels

Forces loyal to the President in the Area Are Known to be Sympathisers to the NAZI cause.


As has been said before I am trying to root this campaign in history to give it the right sort of flavour. It is not unreasonable to assume following the adventures in Egypt in January the events can shift to Central America two months later. From now on I'll add the sources...

Sources:

The Vancouver was a Nazi registered boat sunk off the coast of El Savadore in April 1936
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_1936

Tazumel was a pre Columbian Maya complex excavated properly in the 1940's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tazumal

Both Tazumel and Acajutla are on the western side of El Savadore

El Savadores's president  - Martinez was drawn to the fascist ideologies of Germany and Italy but in 1940 committed his country to supporting the allied cause
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_El_Salvador_(1931%E2%80%9379)

Background
So Ahnerbe have captured the first piece of the scales and are close to finding the second in the steamy jungle ruins of Tazumel.

The Stepped Pyramid of Tazumal



Tazumel is situated on the banks of the Rio Paz. This forms the border of El Salvador and Guatemala and the river runs 120km towards the Pacific Ocean.

On the outskirts of Tazumel and by the river is the small trading post of San Cristobal (Ficticious) which was founded by the Jesuits in the 18th century. The settlement is dominated by the crumbling catholic chapel carrying the same name. A local tavern/trading post along with a few other dwellings constitutes this small village. The ruins of Tazumel lie to the south of the settlement.

The Village of San Cristobal
 

Clues for the location of the dish are scattered across the perilous region.

These are chiefly the following

1.       The written memoirs of the old priest Father Jesu Mendez in the chapel

2.       Gossip and rumours that can be found in the Trading Post run by Alfredo Garvas

3.       The Archaelogical digs situated on the outskirts of Tazumel (There are two of them)

4.       The heiroglyphs located on the temple of the sun

With five plot points to secure the party holding three plot points will reveal the location of the dish 
The game is being played with three factions (with so many factions being used last time its nice to be reducing the number - once again the Nazis outnumber the other two factions)
 
The Order of the Black Sun


1.       Hauptmann Gruntz has been rewarded with a bulletproof jacket (automatically counts as in cover)for securing the Fulcrum in Part 1
2.       He starts with start with  a new sidekick Herr Piece, a new Ally Kapitan Drei & six followers – see point 3
3.       He starts on the board in the ruins at the Nazi Excavation site.
4.       One of his followers is a sniper (Eagle Eyed) who is hidden at the top of the temple of the Sun.
5.       He must exit either via the west road – transport has been procured from the local Taverna owner Alfredo Garvas
The White Cross
 
 
1.       He starts with four followers plus a sidekick and an ally
2.       The Priest – Father Jesu will automatically give you his plot point should you come into contact with him at the Chapel of San Christobal.
3.       You must exit the board at the jetty by the river.

Father Jesu
 
The Chicago Institute of Antiquities
 
1.       They start with only two followers
2.       Your Ally Pedro Gonzalves is a native of the area and as such will add +1 to any die roll when encountering any perils in the jungle area – he must be within 6 inches of the character taking the peril
3.       The owner of the trading post Alfredo Garvas is Pedro Gonzales cousin. Provided you can reach Alfredo first he will not only give you the plot point but he will also release his henchmen to become your followers (x3).
4.       Alfredo’s henchmen will protect the plot point from the Nazi’s but will NOT stand in the way of White Cross
5.       You may either exit the board in the truck parked behind the Taverna/Trading post or at the jetty

The Boat awaits at the Jetty
 
Notes on terrain
- All the solid jungle areas block lie of sight, they maybe traversed but count as perils
- All the ruin areas maybe potentially perilous - roll a d6 - 1-3 contain perils
- The River and dock area is perilous - heavy rains have caused the areas to become treacherous
- The vehicles on the board maybe started and driven using two successful finesse rolls
- The Vehicles will only travel at the speed of a man in the jungle - each turn roll d6 - 1 vehicle becomes permanently bogged - 2-3 hazard - peril - Roads do not deliver perils but cars may still bog
- Vehicles afford cover to all those driving/sitting in them

San Cristobal & the ruins of Tazumel


in glorious 1930's sepia
 
 The Action Report
 The game albeit easier with three players was still frenetic and had a number of thrills, spills and a few kills. Apologies but photos are in rather short supply...forgot to take many...
 
Early on the Nazis pushed to capture the plot points in the jungle and Herr Gruntz and his band overcame the perils in each zone meanwhilst the White Cross had picked up the notes from Father Jesu.
The White Cross and the CIA soon met in the tavern, and whilst the White Cross could not persuade the owner to hand over his rumours (plot point) the ally of the CIA had no issue (he was afterall Afredo's cousin. Fisticuffs broke out in the upstairs of the tavern and before men started dying the White Cross leaped from the windows into the alley below. One henchmen almost became a cropper but safely landed in a case of tomatoes !
 
 


As the White Cross traversed the street to head into the jungle one of the men casually sauntered past the tethered donkey...don't these players learn the rear end of animals on the board are almost certainly going to be a peril ! Fortunately for him he dodged the flying hooves.
 
 
 
By now each of our leagues were in possession of one plot point and the action was converging on the centre of the table. As the Americans and Italians broke cover the German Sniper on top of the pyramid opened fire. As he did a peril was played on him. He failed to overcome this ...perhaps his gun exploded in his face we will never know as his unconscious body rolled down the archaic steps.
 

The Germans quickly overcame their second ploy point in the archaeological dig - narrowly escaping the swarming bees that had already killed off the American sidekick Doctor Missouri.
 
The third plot point was almost theirs  - as the forces converged into the centre of the table a furious gun battle erupted. It was apparent that the Nazis were the primary targets and their followers began to diminsh in number. Herr Gruntz's sidekick - Herr Piece and Kapitan Drei soon followed their colleagues into hell (Kapitan Vier will be in the next game !)
 
 
 
The Italians of the White Cross now ha the three plot points and the entrance to the tomb where the Vessel lay was revealed (an aquarium statue). They bundled in only to be knocked out by the trapps lying inside (perils). The American seizing the initiative folled suit and Oregon Tom (leader of the CIA faction) soon had the vessel in his hands only to be gunned down by the pursuing Italians.
 
Again another fire fight broke out - time was running out and I declared that the holder of the vessel in the final rounds would win the game...
 
Guess what - Herr Gruntz of the Order of the Sun came up trumps again. Clasping the vessel he ran from the board....




Closing thoughts....

With the Vessel of the heart now in the hands of the Nazis, the US Government attempted to stop the only known ship leaving El Salvadore the following morning.  The German registered Vancouver.

The USS Porpoise (SS 172) was on training maneuvers off the coast and was ordered to sink the Vancouver. Its first torpedo struck the steering rudder of the Vancouver but before it could launch another strike the Sub suffered some critical failures forcing it to call off the attack. The Vancouver ran aground on the coast two days later.

However the artefact was no longer in the country - two days after the fracas in Tazumal Herr Gruntz headed over the border into Guatemala and picked up a flight to Mexico. Two pieces of the Anubis puzzle are now in the hands of the Germans.... 

Notes:

The Vancouver was registered to the German flag and ran aground off El Salvadore in April 1936
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_1936

The USS Porpoise - was commissioned in June 1935 and passed through the panama canal in September 1936 ( I have just brought the timing forward) given its operating theatre was in the Pacific it seemed reasonable to place this boat here on training maneuvers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Porpoise_(SS-172)


So where to next....

Well I am off on holiday now for the next three weeks so the blog will be quite quiet...however our next adventure will take place in September as our intrepid leagues head to the English Countryside...


I'll be working on the backstory whilst I am away but I can reveal that the next gripping instalment will be called...



Until next time....
 

Sunday 26 July 2015

The Crusader Army - part 1


Having put together my Saracen army it was only right that the next large force I should consider is the opponents - the Crusaders. Fortunately I already have around 24 Horse and a 100 foot painted for my Robin Hood games so what you see in the next few shots are the balance of the army...another 39 Horse and almost 100 foot.

The Saracen Army build started in December 2014 - so I am hoping I can get this lot done by Xmas

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/building-saracen-army-part-1.html


These have all come from the excellent Fire Forge range - still questioning why they never produced an Arab range to go with these guys...


The few metals you see are from Curtey's...plus the one on the right above was a limited edition from Tactica show - his shield not added


These plastics are a delight to build and have so much character. There are three mounted boxes represented here - two from the Mounted Men at arms box set and one from the mounted Crossbow set (no mounted crossbowmen)

 

In addition there are 96 foot - 24 of these are made up as crossbow men and the remainder are all infantry. Unlike my robin hood forces II have not gone for a uniform look or pose. This means they look far more irregular.

Browns, Greys, Greens and dark reds will be the colours









Final group shot
 

If you are looking to field an early medieval army at relatively low cost Fire Forge can be your friend - the infantry work out at less than 50p per figure and the horses about £1.50

As I write this my daughter has just turned 17 and so with a car to buy for her to learn to drive in and the additional cost of insurance I think my hobby spending is going to be curtailed for some time

Until next time....

Friday 24 July 2015

Priests, Mummies and Skeletons

A few weeks ago I managed to pick up some cheap 28mm skeletons on ebay - these can be used in a variety of settings from my pulp adventures to a future planned Jason and the Argonauts game.

The paint job was nice and easy so these got turned round in less than an hour.- I have a total of 18













I also picked up a couple of Egyptian sets from Foundry earlier in the year and these will make there way into my pulp games...

First the diggers (these featured in the Scales of Anubis Game)



and secondly the Priest with his entourage raising the mummy.




Apologies for the poor quality of the pictures but these were taken in bright sunlight...wont be doing that again

Until next time

Wednesday 22 July 2015

The Scales of Anubis - The Lost Tomb

Last night the Shed kicked off the Scales of Anubis Pulp campaign. I you want to read the background head here

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-scales-of-anubis-pulp-campaign.html

Whilst you are reading this you could open the theme tune to this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bTpp8PQSog

So here goes...the Title Slide...


Its 1936, February in Egypt, the news that the lost tomb of Thutmonkon in the valley of the kings has been discovered by local Egyptologists. Secretive agencies from across the world have descended on this small piece of the world to seek out one of the fabled parts of the Scales of Anubis...the balancing piece or specifically the fulcrum.

Our adventurers have no idea where this tomb lies but a series of clues are scattered across the valley there might reveal its whereabouts...

These are

1. The Film crew who captured the initial opening
2. The Diggers themselves
3. Some French historians working in the area
4. The secretive Bedouin
5. Heiroglyphics etched on the entrances of two other tombs

To reveal the location a League had to procure three of these plot points.

Four teams descended on the valley in their search for treasure...

The Valley of the Kings - Shed Style


As part of the background the players were given rosters, some secret information and a symbol of their team...


The Rosters


Up First we have PITH  - lead by the famous hunter Grainger Stewart


PITH - is Britain Secret Paranormal Service - stands for Paranormal Incidents that threaten Humanity - established by Battiscombe Gunn their primary mission to stop the Nazis from procuring artefacts of history that might endanger human civilisation. PITH have infiltrated the Digger Gang with one of their Allies.

Secondly we have the Chicago Institute of Antiquities. This supposedly privately funded organisation has similar goals to PITH but wants to store these artefacts in a large warehouse where nobody can ever use them. The team in Egypt is lead by Texas Jack. The CIA have managed to implant one of their agents (follower) into the Bedouin encampment.


The third in our list is the White Cross - a Vatican Sponsored organisation (with links to the Mafia) that is intent on destroying all pagan artefacts. This team is lead by Cardinal Don Delgado.
The White Cross have in fact discovered that one of the plot points is actually a hoax - this will not be revealed until it is tried to be used. The White Cross chose the Film Crew to be the host plot point.




Finally we have the Order of the Black Sun. The German Nazi sponsored organisation intent on capturing said artefacts of power to ensure the dominance of the third Reich.

The Order have already deciphered some of Adolf Erman's notes and begin the adventure with one plot point already secured -= so they only need two. They also start with a numerical advantage in terms of henchmen (Authors note: the Bad Guys always have the advantage until the end)

 
 
 
 
In the way of theses treasure hunters are the secretive sect known as the Protectors of the Path, Anubis;'s own acolytes who's mission is to stop his legacy from falling into the wrong hands.

Lead by Al Queresh, the high priest they must stop these infidels. Al Queresh already knows the location of the Lost Tomb.


With so much going on I decided that I would Umpire the game - we were due to have a sixth player present but sadly for them they could not pitch in.

The table: I pretty much used all of my desert terrain including recently constructed ruins on this massive board. By using large slabs of foam I was able to terrace the valley.



The Lower Valley
The Upper Plateau



All the Cliffs and Ruins were deemed as perilous terrain with rolls against dodge or might required to traverse these. In addition the Camels on the board were deemed as perils. Anybody running past the rear of one of these beasts could receive a sizeable kick...a dodge roll to avoid. At least one German trooper came a cropper to one of these to much hilarity. 


Mind the Camel...


The plot points were scattered and  I allowed John the player controlling the Path of the Dead to determine where each player would start from the designated starting locations - see map below

The stars denote locations of plot points




The game started relatively smoothly with each of the leagues rushing towards the various Plot points. PITH quick captured the first at the closest tomb, although many of the followers quickly succumbed to the falling masonry. Fortunately only cuts and scrapes were recorded.


The Americans (CIA) recognising the film crew were their closet target headed into town. The Leaders sidekick proceeded to the crew, in the process he avoided the kick of the camel and passed the peril surrounding the camera crew - their copious amounts of kit, film cases etc could cause a nasty cut ! With some smooth talking (finesse) the plot point was his - little did he know that this was a hoax ! mind you it made no difference to the game read on.


The Film Crew


By now those gun toting clerics of the White Cross had emerged on the outskirts of town and engaged in a deadly gun battle with the Yanks. This soon petered out as the Nazis entered the fray.

The Town was soon buzzing with the sound of bullets and cries of the wounded. We genuinely did have a Pulp, Blood and Guts Alley.


Gunfight in Little Egypt


With so much incoming fire the CIA broike cover and headed for the nearest escarpment. No sooner than they had climbed half way they became targets for the nefarious Nazis. A fusillade of lead flew across the dunes cutting down the Americans. Within three short turns Texas Jack lay in a pool of blood. His only grace being that in his dying shoot out he tool at the Nazi Ally Lieutenant Zwei.

The demise of Texas Jack


In both Pulp games we have played the Nazi ally has been a goner - first it was Einz, next it was Zwei...guess what the third ally will be called (no prizes)

The Beduoin Encampment


White Cross sieze the plot point on the escarpment

With all this going on in town PITH was having a relatively easy job of collecting the plot points on the top valley floor. Successfully managing to heave open the second tomb door and avoiding the falling masonry Grainger Stewart held two tokens, and the third was soon his when he managed to persuade the French Archaelogists to hand over theirs. However before this happened many of his gang were overcome by the smell of garlic in the encampment (peril) and they were lucky to leave alive.


PITH engaging with the Protectors of the Path outside a tomb (Plot point)
Protectors of the Path fail to prevent Grainger Stewart from capturing his second plot point
Siezing the plot point from the French


With three plot points in their possession PITH could tell the location of the tomb entrance was under the Anubis crouching statue in the lower board area. Avoiding a slippery death on the cliffs the team made their way towards the tomb revealing its position to the rest of the leagues.


The Lost Tomb entrance is under the statue


It was at thios point the carnage and chaos began. A three way fight broke out between the PITH explorers , the Protectors of the Path  (and the Mummy they controlled inside the tomb) and some rather desperate Nazis who had run across the desert floor.


This is what awaits in the tomb - guarding the fulcrum


The firefights and brawls were chaotic, wearing and bloody.

As the sun slipped behind the hills for  an end to an interesting day a long leather coated figure appeared in the entrance of the tomb clutching part of the fabled artefact. The suns last rays catching the red and white swatika'd armband on his sleeve.
Herr Gruntz exists the tomb with his prize


So the Order of the Black Sun (Nazi's) had captured the first piece of the puzzle. The race is on....

More photos of the game can be found here

http://wargaminggallimaufry.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/crash-and-some-pulp-action.html#comment-form


Background for Part 2 -

THE DISH OF THE HEART

Stop Press: 28th March 1936

British Military Intelligence has intercepted a communique between the personal office of Himmler and the Kriegsmarine - the coded message reads that the German Registered steamer Vancouver was to be crewed by Naval personnel and to sail to Acajutla on the West Coast of El Salvador , Central America. The Passenger manifest would include Hauptmann Gruntz (the man responsible for seizing the fulcrum in Egypt).

Local agents in the town report of a sizeable German Archaelogical build up.

Rumours abound that the Germans have been excavating around the pre-columbian Maya complex at Tazumel. 

British Military Intelligence has shared this information with the CIA who are known to have a team in the area. This team lead by the Famous Adventurer Oregon Tom are collaborative with local Rebels

Forces loyal to the President in the Area Are Known to be Sympathisers to the NAZI cause.


As has been said before I am trying to root this campaign in history to give it the right sort of flavour. It is not unreasonable to assume following the adventures in Egypt in January the events can shift to Central America two months later. From now on I'll add the sources...

Sources:

The Vancouver was a Nazi registered boat sunk off the coast of El Savadore in April 1936
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_1936

Tazumel was a pre Columbian Maya complex excavated properly in the 1940's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tazumal

Both Tazumel and Acajutla are on the western side of El Savadore

El Savadores's president  - Martinez was drawn to the fascist ideologies of Germany and Italy but in 1940 committed his country to supporting the allied cause
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_El_Salvador_(1931%E2%80%9379)


So in good traditional Pulp style here is the map...from Egypt to Central America


Until next time...

Part 2 can now be found here

http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/the-scales-of-anubis-vessel-of-heart.html