Author Topic: Rangers of Shadow Deep (Flewdurr’s epic quest) (Read 15023 times)

grubman · « **Reply #30 on:** October 11, 2019, 04:46:37 PM »

...and all the boring stuff is officially finished for my first mission!

grubman · « **Reply #31 on:** October 11, 2019, 10:09:21 PM »

So I had my first game today...spoilers, I had a great time, even though the dice were against me.

I’m going to do my first write up, but this may take a while and several posts.

Most important lesson for anyone about to read this who HASN'T yet played the game...print of some monster reference cards beforehand! Flipping through, even for only 2 monsters is a big pain in the butt.

So here’s how horrible my heroes did...

Mission 1, The Missing, Scenario 1: the Deserted village

So here’s what the set up ended up looking like...it looks a little barren in pictures, and much better in real life.

TURN 1

The only logical thing to do is immediately run in several different directions, splitting the party and opening up all my flanks. The plan is for Flewdurr to pick off the zombies while Rebecca runs around and looks for clues about what happened. Jane and Schmedly would guard Rebecca’s flanks while Baldrick...well, there was no real plan for Baldrick.

Flewders first shot of the game easily dispatches a rat...this game is easy! Rebecca runs to the first clue marker, with zombies hot on her trail, discovers some strange tracks, and figures out “their nature”...yep, that’s the explanation.

Then the monsters just start bulldozing us. Flewdurr gets bit by a rat, that Baldrick subsequently dispatches, while a zombie shambles into Schmedly, an attack he barely fields off.

Jane utters a battle cry and charges a zombie, only to stab through it’s dead heart for absolutely no damage (it’s not a vital spot, after all)...my dice are really stinking up the joint!

The turn ends with 4 MORE zombies coming on the board.

End of turn...

Arundel · « **Reply #32 on:** October 11, 2019, 10:24:02 PM »

I have a feeling this might get ugly.

If it's any comfort, I've had a game or two like that, where bad dice rolls simply buried my team, the one bad thing, perhaps, with D20's - they can be swingy. Glad to hear you still have a good time, though. It's a great game! Looking forward to any future reports.

grubman · « **Reply #33 on:** October 11, 2019, 10:26:32 PM »

TURN 2

Flewdurr spins, launches an arrow at the zombie eyeing up Rebecca and fells the rotting thing! Maybe this plan is working? Meanwhile Baldrick runs to assist Jane and feverishly stabs the zombie about a dozen times and actually does 4 points of damage.

Most of the zombies spend their time limping and crawling toward our heroes. They get to them, but don’t have the time to attack.

The zombie battling Jane rolls a 20...the second time already for out villains, and just like that Jane takes a grievous 9 point wound. She tries to fight back but misses...these must be “fast zombies”

In the other part of the village, Rebecca finds some treasure in the ruined temple. Already SO tempted to just run off the table edge and secure the treasure!

Meanwhile Schmedly gets flanked and can’t hit the broadside of a zombie. End turn 2...and time for a new die for the heroes...let’s try blue!

grubman · « **Reply #34 on:** October 11, 2019, 11:03:46 PM »

TURN 3

Flewdurr decides to get serious, and uses frenzied attack...hits...but does absolutely no damage! What the hell! Stupid dice...but manages to crit on the defensive and kills one of his rotting opponent, while the other zombie slices a long gash in his side.

Meanwhile the random moving monsters seem to be strangely coordinated, converging and flanking heroes in all quarters.

Schmedly manages to kill one zombie, but just can’t fell the other, even though he does cut off one of its arms. Rebecca runs to help the old man but is to winded to attack.

Jane kills the wounded zombie while Baldrick swings madly about with his eyes closed....so Jane just abandons Baldrick to go help Flewdurr (after all, he’s the one who pays her gold).

Apparently this shakes Baldrick who is immediately bit in the neck by a zombie and begins bleeding profusely.

Suddenly one of the buildings creaks...and collapses. Much to Baldricks disappointment, it doesn’t even crush the zombie it falls on.

End turn 3...

grubman · « **Reply #35 on:** October 11, 2019, 11:47:27 PM »

TURN 4

Jane slashed at the zombie attacking Flewdurr and sent it’s bloody head flying in the air as it’s body tumbled to the ground in a heap. This allowed Flewdurr to spin around and shoot at a rat sneaking up from behind...but the sun apparently glared in his eyes and hi missed it by a mile.

Seriously...how do you miss this shot?

Schmedly is locked in a battle where he keeps landing blows, slicing off body parts, but not doing any real damage. Even Rebecca, a professional backstabbed can’t seem to do any damage.

The zombie attacking Baldrick doesn’t seem to be having the same problem as it tears a vicious chunk out of Baldriks side...only 3 health left! Damn you Jane for leaving me to die!

As Baldrick laments his fate, a huge rat crawls out of the recently collapsed building attracted to the smell of fresh blood.

End turn 4...

grubman · « **Reply #36 on:** October 12, 2019, 12:09:53 AM »

TURN 5...things get uglier!

Jane yells a mighty barbarian yell and swings at the rat...but the vermin launches itself through the air, rips her throat out, and she falls to the ground clutching her bleeding wound, out of the fight. In a fit of rage Flewdurr slices the furry thing in half with his sword.

The rat that crawled out of the collapsed building rushes up to Baldrick and bites him in the Achilles tendon...Baldrick hits the ground face first!

Schmedly decapitates one zombie only to engage another one who claws him in the groin...dropping the veteran warrior.

Rebecca starts to run away, but stumbles across the body of Aventine...the missing ranger! Dead...but sporting a shiny magic sword. The table edge is soooooooo close.

3 heroes down and 4 more zombies shamble onto the battlefield.

End turn 5...

grubman · « **Reply #37 on:** October 12, 2019, 12:19:33 AM »

TURN 6

Flewdurr is assaulted from all directions. He wins combat with the zombie he is engaged with, and uses hand of fate to try and do some damage...but rolls a 2!?! A rat scampers up to attack, but Flewdurr simply stomps it under his boot, leaving nothing but a bloody stain. All this while the zombie, still chewing on a piece of Schmedly lumbers towards Flewdurr.

Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the village, Rebecca is SOOO tempted to run and secure the treasure. With 2 turns yet to go, the battle is surely lost!

...but instead, she rushes back into the fray to help Flewdurr.

End turn 6

grubman · « **Reply #38 on:** October 12, 2019, 12:27:31 AM »

TURN 7

In this darkest hour, Flewdurr rolls a crit, slaying the zombie he is battling! He takes the opportunity to flee towards Rebecca, with all the zombies hot on his tail.

As the zombie attacks Rebecca, she seriously starts to regret her decision...but that doesn’t stop her from lodging her dagger in the abominations forehead, killing it with one blow!

More zombies appear in the evening shadows as turn 7 ends...

grubman · « **Reply #39 on:** October 12, 2019, 12:36:03 AM »

TURN 8...OMG, we survived!

In the classic tradition on all great heroes...Flewdurr and Rebecca RUN AWAY, to live and fight another day. They make it to the sacred ruined temple grounds where the zombies dare not tread!

VICTORY!

Well...sort of...

AFTERWORDS

I thought there would be casualties, but everyone made a full recovery free of disease.

63 XP, a sword +1 fight for next battle, and a stupid pair of boots of soft tread.

Great time!

ragbones · « **Reply #40 on:** October 12, 2019, 12:46:42 AM »

Sounds like your dice were cursed!

Great AAR!

grubman · « **Reply #41 on:** October 12, 2019, 12:52:09 AM »

Quote from: ragbones on October 12, 2019, 12:46:42 AM

Sounds like your dice were cursed! Great AAR!

I won combat so many times...but not by enough to do damage, but when I LOST combat, I got killed by 18, 19, and 20s.

Lost Egg · « **Reply #42 on:** October 12, 2019, 07:16:22 AM »

Great read, thanks for sharing! Sounds like a real nail biter. I look forward to reading your next game.

grubman · « **Reply #43 on:** October 12, 2019, 10:36:09 AM »

Quote from: Lost Egg on October 12, 2019, 07:16:22 AM

Great read, thanks for sharing! Sounds like a real nail biter. I look forward to reading your next game.

Thanks, I enjoyed doing it.

I’ve never been a solo gamer before, and it was an interesting experience. Who would have thought you can feel almost all the same emotions without an opponent.

Funny thing is there are defining moments when you have bad luck, or miss something by 1 or 2 points when you go, “come on!”, and are VERY tempted to cheat...I mean, only you will know, after all. But it’s just those moments when you take the honest route (with yourself) that make the game fun and exciting. I think if a person succumbs to those cheat temptations, it would make the whole experience pointless.

Came real close to failing at this mission, so victory, no matter how ugly, was that much sweeter.

Lost Egg · « **Reply #44 on:** October 12, 2019, 02:36:15 PM »

I've never played a (designed as) solo wargame before, though when I was a kid I did play the odd game on my own when opponents were lacking.

The narrative of the game does appeal. I've got enough on my plate for the now though so will just have to wait for your next installment.

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Author Topic: Rangers of Shadow Deep (Flewdurr’s epic quest) (Read 15023 times)