The Black Order - All Things End

[Elbows]

This thread is best thread. 

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

Well, after watching Ogrob and Koyote in their respective SAGA: Age of Magic journeys, I finally got the chance to jump back into a bit of Saga myself. Started with historicals, as that's what I had the dice and battle boards for, and played a game of my Black Order (running as Teutonic Order) vs a friend's slaver dwarves (as Vikings).

In brief, we had a great time, and I've found out there are a few AoM players near me so I've ordered the book. From what I've seen, it looks like a great game for providing excuses to model cool terrain and other things, so I'm really excited to get started!



The Black Order's scouting force - a 4pt warband of 8 Inner Chamber knights (Hearthguard), 8 Chapterhouse Guard (Warriors) and 12 archers from the Yolwood levies.



The slaver dwarves - 16 Warriors and 8 Hearthguard (from what I remember, the Vikings do best with large Warrior blocks, so I tried to boost his numbers a bit).



Black Order knights hack into the heavily armoured dwarven warriors, while the enemy warlord looks on.

[Ogrob]

Cool! I find myself itching for some SAGA, ahevn't played in a year I think. Did you do the random scenario from the core book? We've found that the expanded random scenario in Book of Battles makes for great weeknight games.

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

Cool! I find myself itching for some SAGA, ahevn't played in a year I think. Did you do the random scenario from the core book? We've found that the expanded random scenario in Book of Battles makes for great weeknight games.

Cheers! We played Clash of Heroes (the bog standard one from the main rulebook) just to re-learn the rules, but next time it will definitely be the Book of Battles. It's an amazing little book - so much gaming material. I'm really excited to try out more unusual scenarios like Urban Uprising and Unknown Land, too. And from what I can tell there are a few AoM players in London, so hopefully we'll be able to get a little scene going.

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

A couple more knights:

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

SAGA: Age of Magic arrived today! Very excited to jump into this.

[Ogrob]

Nice, enjoy! Hoping to get a game in myself next week.

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

Soooo...I've reworked the leader of my Black Order force, Knight-Captain Tyr, a whopping, ridiculous, six times since starting this project.

As the wise greybeards say: every sixth...must be followed by a seventh.

Basically, I've ripped apart the model on foot to add some more bulk and heft to his stature, after realising the 3D printed head I used slightly warped the proportions. I also wanted to add some more interest to the model, so I've decided to make him a 50mm square display base to slot into, and give him a severed head in his off hand, still living - something of a cross between Mimir's Head from Norse mythology, and the head of the Gorgon from Greek myth.

Also, of course, it's a callback to the infamous Head from Myth: The Fallen Lords:

So here's Tyr so far, with shoulder pads added - furs and The Head still to come:

Otherwise, I've been working on more foot knights to serve in SAGA, with a couple bearing halberds to round out my two-handed-weapon-equipped Hearthguard, and four shield-bearing knights to act as regular Hearthguard (need that Armour 5!).

Astute viewers will note that the character standing between the two knights at the end is the beginning of my take on Myth's Journeymen:

[Angrypantz]

Are you using the revenants for the new models? They look really cool. It’s been nice to catch up on your work.

[Kaleb Daark]

 
I went to all your thread ( took me the afternoon) I love your armies, your stories and dramatis personae,  your theme and your painting skills ( you've got Mad painting Skills)
You'll see with Age Of Magic you'll have some new perspective on your stuff!!

Total respect
JuJu
Kaleb Daark

[Gibby]

Wonderful stuff! Really love the Journeyman, he looks perfect!

Now make some mandrake roots as objectives

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

So, it must be said I've fallen in love slightly with SAGA.

I had a similar reaction to Oathmark when I first got into it, shortly after moving on from Kings of War, and that love affair proved somewhat short-lived as several players in my group found it a little frustrating not to have stronger 'balance' mechanisms in place. Understandably so, especially having just moved from KoW, but it means Oathmark will remain a 'sometimes' game for us, sadly. I'm still keen to play it as and when, though.

Saga, however, is proving pretty good so far - I've just had two games of Age of Magic so far, and am loving the depth added by the Magic supplement. In particular, it feels like it adds a certain cinematic, wild quality that's been lacking from thngs like Kings of War.

Today we got two games in  - my Black Order masquerading as Great Kingdoms vs a friend's slaver dwarfs (first Masters of the Underearth, then Otherworld). We had a blast! I lost both games, but it was a great time nonetheless. I don't think my Black Order are well suited to the Great Kingdoms, who feel more like an Empire analogue from WHFB (or at least more of a combined arms force). I will be trying them under the Horde rules next time we play.

As I usually like to go over the top, I'm thinking of making a reskinned Horde Battle Board specially for my guys...

Oh, and one quick rules question: does Chasm (from the Underearth board) allow armour rolls to be made? It seems INSANELY strong!

[Ogrob]

Nice! Can't remember exactly what Chasm does, but if it deals out hits it should allow saving rolls.

[Knight-Captain Tyr]

Nice! Can't remember exactly what Chasm does, but if it deals out hits it should allow saving rolls.

It's "remove 1d6 casualties" from units within a certain distance of the Chasm itself. Which I would assume means no saving throws, fatigue/Resilience etc - so if the Underearth player is going second, it appears to be a great way to snipe enemy characters/monsters etc?

[Gibby]

SAGA is a really fun game. I find that, although there was an official campaign supplement, it works a lot better for one off games than it does for ongoing (particularly narrative focussed) campaigns, simply because of how bloody it is.
Very often in nearly every game I've played, even the winner has a Pyrrhic Victory on their hands, and most units that aren't wiped out have only a handful of soldiers left! Also, someone's Warlord usually always dies simply by virtue that there isn't much room to avoid getting in range of the enemy's Warlord (and trying to dodge the required duel is not very thematic for most forces ).