Todd and Lovett - London AD: After Dark

[huntersmoon]

Having not painted for months, until this weekend, I've decided to share a couple of work in progress figures. These are from the Westwind Vampire Wars range Jack the Ripper set. I'm going to use them as Sweeney Todd (from the London Thugs set) and Mrs Lovett (from the Harlots set). The casts aren't that smooth in places, the hands are off/misshapen, old moulds I guess, but they'll do for this purpose. Plan to add a Toby character to his set up, from Foundry Miniatures Street Urchins, and then use some of the other London Thugs from Westwind to flesh out numbers into a small skirmish gang.

I'd like to get more figures complete, and hope to do this with a quicker more playable / tabletop standard paint job. Spent a good amount of time with my son throwing about a mixed rule set for 'London AD: After Dark', a little mash up of rules we like that could work in a Victorian London setting using a selection of cards that can challenge, boost or hinder characters in the game. I've a ton of Victorian miniatures and it would be cool to create a few gangs. Vampires, werewolves, witches, zombies, the occult, Frankenstein, Hyde, freak show, graverobbers, pick-pockets, the Police and more, all played in a narrative driven adventure type way. We've researched and worded up 50 plus cards using Victorian Slang and Terminology to flavour the setting and are working on how we could involve Non-Playing Characters into the game. Might come to nothing, but the process so far has been great fun and highly amusing.

[Citizen Sade]

Your rules sounds interesting and right up my street. Tell us more and show us your cards

[huntersmoon]

Below is the text we'd written up for game cards based on Victorian slangs and sayings, each can be played on your own or against an opponents character at specific times, such as as activating a model, going into hand to hand, moving, shooting. Some buff abilities, some limit actions or even cancel turns. We are also working through unforeseen events cards like fog, the arrival of sewer rats, the police, zombies, a Gollum - just general fun stuff that could appear After Dark 

Arf 'Arf an 'Arf   One, two and many more beverages impair your characters ability to perform.
Bang up the Elephant   Things are just perfect right now, its all bang up the elephant!
Batty Fang   Be prepared to take a thoroughly good thrashing.
Bricky   You become fearless as a brick.
Back Slang It   Go out the back way, for some there is always a way out.
Bag of Mystery   Because no man but the maker knows what is in them.
Butter Upon Bacon   The extravagance of it all, you even want butter on your bacon!
Cat-Lap   Beer and strong waters are not for you.
Cop a Mouse   Cop in this sense is to catch or suffer.
Sell me a Dog   Apparently people who sell dogs tell lies.
Fifteen Puzzle   Not the game you might be familiar with, complete and absolute confusion.
Gal Sneaker   So devoted to seduction and distraction.
Got the Morbs   Temporary melancholy.
Stuffed Bird Laughs   Absolutely preposterous.
Mafficking   Rowdy in the streets.
Meater   You sir are a coward.
Mind the Grease   Well excuse me
Mutton Shunter   Here come the police.
Not up to Dick   Well below par.
Orf Chump   No appetite for it, not appetite at all.
Shake a Flannin   Fighting is what we do Sir, and fighting is our way!
Shoot the Brown   Your aim is somewhat off.
Skilamalink   Secret, shady, doubtful.
Suggestionize   Listen up fellas, you must do my bidding.
Take the Egg   We are winning, oh yes we are!
Bellows to Mend   A pugilist is said to be 'bellows to mend' when winded.
Throw a Crab   There are many distractions to be found.
Crow   Look-out, watch your back, he's behind you.
Fakement   Beware of forgeries and fakeries.
With Four Outs   You have nothing and are without everything.
Candle to the Devil   Evil is within you and around you.
London Particular   A thick London "Pea Soup" fog descends.
Nobble   Inflicting of grievous bodily harm about the nobbles.
On the Fly   There is a swiftness to your body.
Punisher   Employed to give severe beatings
Quiff   Dodge, trick, ploy.
Tail Down   Loss of heart and courage.
Twirls   Skeleton keys open locks.
Downy   Cunning, false and lacking of moral fortitude.
Poked Up   Well that was rather embarrassing.
Church Bell   She never stops, always ringing like a church bell on Sundays.
Kruger-Spoof   He went that way!
Umble-Cum-Stumble   Finally I umble-cum-stumbled how to do this!
Half-Shot   Swizzling too much drink leaves you thoroughly intoxicated.
Dead-Oh   Swizzling too much drink leaves you thoroughly intoxicated.
Scammered   Swizzling too much drink leaves you thoroughly intoxicated.
Swinging the Stick   Stop thief! Stop thief!
Pigeon-livered   Some are brave as eagles and some are more like pigeons
Charmed   Lucky, lucky, lucky duck.
Jammy   I don't believe it, jammy dodger!

[huntersmoon]

This sort of thing - obviously throwing around lots of ideas, so we are trying to settle on something that appeals to our own interests.

These are the skill types we've discussed:
Perambulate: Movement value
Grapple: Overall effectiveness in melee and close combat
Bullseye: Ranged combat effectiveness when shooting a weapon or throwing a missile
Deft: Physical dexterity including the ability to avoid hits and blows
Brawn: Physical strength
Guile: A measure of intelligence and conjuring ability
Fortitude: Mental toughness, resistance to conjuring
Fettle: Physical well-being and ability to shake off damage and recover

[Citizen Sade]

It’s like a different language. Most of those were unfamiliar to me and I’ve read a lot of Flashman novels.

I like the idea of being able to nobble your enemies as well as buff your own chaps. I suspect that many of my gaming buddies would not be so keen unless there was the possibility of some sort of counter or saving throw.

[huntersmoon]

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I like the idea of being able to nobble your enemies as well as buff your own chaps. I suspect that many of my gaming buddies would not be so keen unless there was the possibility of some sort of counter or saving throw.

I think thats the key to a balanced game, and the challenging part of the mechanic