A walk in Felstad...

[DinoTitanedition]

Thanks a lot everybody! This is actually all preperation for the next year, for an article series about Frostgrave on Chaosbunker.de

To be honest, I haven't played a single game so far, the book was just so inspiring that I really wanted to paint something fantasy. What I've noticed so far from numerous batreps on YouTube was, that the field seems rather large to me with 90x90cm (3x3). Yes, the mostly infinite amount of play turns seems to make that irrelevant, but I think Ash on GMG solved this pretty good with a set amount of 5 turns.

Now I might be a bit spoiled by playing a bit of WarCry recently, but it gave me the impression that a smaller playing fields really help skirmish games as a whole. So, taking Ash's 5 turn rule into account, what do you think about a smaller field? I've skimmed through the scenarios and thought about creating a 75x75cm (29,5x29,5 inch) gaming table.

This doesn't seem to be a problem with the scenarios in the core book and I believe it would speed the game up enormously, as miniatures most of the time move only once per turn, which is a very short distance for a 90x90cm table.

There's also another catch - though the rules are fairly easy, they are still "above average" complexity, if it comes down to be a game for people who have neither played tabletop or roleplaying games. And...I'd really like to get my wife to play some Frostgrave with me

So far I've only been able to get her to play some Warhammer Quest Silver Tower with me and I wondered why. I've also been to some conventions with her, where various games could be testplayed. What I've noticed so far was, that, she as a non TT player, was mostly into games that could be played quickly and didn't need a long time to learn. But, if it had a catching narrative, like an evolving story throughout the game (Dungeon Explore or Legends of Amalur for example), her willingness to get a bit more involved with rules was better.

I'm no fool though, I won't get her to paint minis or build terrain, but playing might work with a quicker, smaller game.

So, your thoughts?

[DinoTitanedition]

So, no thoughts on a smaller playing surface and a turn limit? Aaaaw....

Well, I have made some progress on my critters, and as promised, I'll be sharing one of the pictures from the article series here, while the rest is in the official article: https://www.chaosbunker.de/en/2019/10/11/frostgrave-zombies/?fbclid=IwAR1Z2nJJ14tJumkt_pvvYQiwbVfywi8o8bJqxOf6oOc2UHH1gIRsBTmqQyA

I'd appreciate if you'd take a look there and maybe leave some feedback, as it's a great motivational driver and, as our official teamspace, helps to make us more visible.

The Chamber of Necromancers was a safe place to delve deeper into his studies and Archibald was grateful that he did not have to take the next step in the training of necromancy alone. He was assisted by his Master Balthasar Tenebris, who had just resurrected a corpse, only to return it to death a few moments later.

   "Now you." Balthasar said to his apprentice.

   Trembling, the young man approached the corpse and stretched out his hand over the dead man's face. Carefully reciting the magic formula, he spoke the words while a faint glow formed in the center of his hand.

   "Excitare in conspectu meo invenit."

   For a moment that seemed endless to Archibald, nothing happened. But then a finger on the corpse began to flinch barely noticeably. The head of the corpse lay in a torturous slow movement in its neck and it's eyes opened flickering. A moaning followed, with the air of his breath emerging from the mouth of the zombie, which he had sucked in with the recently worked invigoration. The moaning changed and what had just sounded like a sigh changed into a hateful hiss.

   Archibald withdrew frightened as the hands of the undead tried to reach for him. Now Balthasar stepped forward, touched the zombie calmly on his forehead and said, "Non cesses.".

   Robbed of life again, the body of the zombie slackened again and sank back onto the stone table.

   "The undead serves always those with strong will, Archibald. Concentrate not on the magic itself, but on the command inherent in it." said Balthasar.

   Although Archibald didn't fully understand him, he nodded, but his master was too experienced to let him get away with it. Yet Balthasar smiled as he noticed the embarrassment of his disciple.

   "You will understand soon enough what that means. Until then that means 'Repetatio est studiuorum', my disciple." the master necromancer encouraged his apprentice and Archibald prepared himself for the next attempt.

[AWu]

Wonderfull
I am using same zombies (finding zombies I like the looks was hardest part), but I doubt i could finish them to this level!
But I am reassured that they in theory at last can look great :>

[Bloggard]

as far as smaller table-size and limited turns - not what I'm after in a skirmish game (presumably the idea is that teams get to grips as quickly as possible and have at 'em ...?), but I don't doubt that they (the games) actually work best when limited in such ways.

I think if rules are included for wandering monsters and other randomised events, and exploration / discovery goals unconnected with the direct need for combat (i.e. a degree of RPG-lite), then the larger tables etc probably come into their own. But haven't played enough games either way to form a considered opinion tbh    .

[DinoTitanedition]

presumably the idea is that teams get to grips as quickly as possible and have at 'em ...?

No, it's to make the game quicker and more accessible to my wife, who isn't into our kind of hobby at all. She likes boardgames, if they're not overly complicated, but that's it. She likes fantasy though. Let's see if I'll get her to play a couple of games...

As I've been on a vacation last week, I didn't paint much...except for this guy here. Hector's a good boy. The mini is from Mantic Games' dwarf regiment. Had this dog layin around for a while and finally came around to paint him.

[Karadek]

I dig him, but where's the handle you you can throw him into a scrum?

[Grimmnar]

I dig him, but where's the handle you you can throw him into a scrum?

The handle has always been a bad idea for obvious reasons.

Grimm

[Wirelizard]

So, no thoughts on a smaller playing surface and a turn limit? Aaaaw....

Pulp Alley uses a 3x3 area and six turn limit by default and works really well. The turn limit keeps everyone moving and helps prevent players from bunkering up and just sniping at each other, and the smallish play area means you don't waste the first half of your playing time in pointless marching toward each other.

Density of terrain helps, too. If you try to play on a 40k style table with one pond, an empty Coke can, and one random building things just won't work as well.

I've only played Frostgrave a few times and don't yet own the rules (strongly tempted, though) but a turn limit and restricted playing area sound worth trying.

[DinoTitanedition]

Yes, the terrain has to be very dense, definitely. Not only does it drive the atmosphere a lot, it changes the way the spells are used as well. I have seen a similiar effect in Freebooters Fate, when I played that (and that I did play A LOT). Some spells and items just become a lot more useful as well, especially when it comes down to movement.

Regarding the part of the game where folks don't do nothing else but simply move around is exactly what I am trying to avoid - it's lengthy, boring and though it may be of strategic relevance, my wife probably would lose interest in playing when it takes too long before anything happens (and getting her to play against me in the campaign is my goal for this project).

@Karadek and Grimnar

Yeah, I didn't like the handle visually and this way I had the option of glueing bags left and right from the dog, like he's a little carrier. I actually did that in the beginning, but simply thought it didn't fit his narrative role. If you want to try that, I'd advise you to use the G.I. backpacks from Bolt Action. They are small and look quite neat on hin. There is also additional bags with shovels on that sprue, which make him look like a true miners pup. But as I said...for the narrative I don't need a weight reliever...but a mean little helper in battle.

[Karadek]

The handle has always been a bad idea for obvious reasons.

Grimm

Not wrong.  I need to paint mine up.

[joe5mc]

A bit late - but that's a stunning paint job on the dwarf crossbowman!

[DinoTitanedition]

Thanks! I have noticed only now, that he wasn't painted yet, when I prepped my article series for the Chaosbunker, but hey, I'm doing this only as a hobby, so professionalism is far away from me

Speaking of, I'm officially kicking of the article series with a slightly modified concept, but it'll stay this way throughout 2020, when I intend to have my Frostgrave base project completed. Take a look and leave some feedback 

https://www.chaosbunker.de/en/

[Bloggard]

No, it's to make the game quicker and more accessible to my wife, who isn't into our kind of hobby at all. She likes boardgames, if they're not overly complicated, but that's it. She likes fantasy though. Let's see if I'll get her to play a couple of games...

oh right. I would still think that a larger board, and more 'random' elements, such as I mentioned above, makes the games more entertaining potentially.
I see from the link that you're combining with Warcry - it's introducing the random stuff I guess, but such a small board ... which I've bought some of, but am putting two side by side.

[DinoTitanedition]

Doh, that was actually the wrong link, it was intended to lead to the blog, where the article is available in english too - I have corrected it.

The link you've seen before is just the blog topic I have in the german tabletopforum. I usually write what I'm working on currently into the title, so that changes pretty often as well  WarCry is still in there, but there's only two more minis to go until I'm done.

I also have to say, that I my tendecies towards other games than from GW is quite strong, and that I am a very narratively driven hobbyist. WarCry is more of a short time thing. The only GW I've constantly been playing the last 20 years was Blood Bowl. Other than that, I prefer smaller systems with a dense atmosphere and this is where Frostgrave simply is the thing for me.

When I'm done with this, I'll probably give Ghost Archipelago a go too...it's basically Pirates Adventure stuff with a bit of Indiana Jones in it - what else to say?

[Bloggard]

I imagine it's touched on above somewhere, so sorry if so - but sounds like 'Underworlds' is the game for your missus?
I was very tempted by it recently - and was going to mod it to make it a bit more 'skirmish' like ... but then realised I might as well stick with the real thing ...

but if she likes boardgames etc ... should find it an appealing 'gateway' game?