Song of Billy No Mates

[Gibby]

Sometimes you just fancy getting some figures out and having a quick and easy game! After reminiscing with a friend about Song of Blades and Heroes, I was fired up to give the rules an outing. With a free afternoon, an impromptu solo game manifested itself.

A Chaos warband, with absurdly large bone-forged weapons (and muscles), gathers around a ruined temple to their thirsty god, perhaps to begin some foul ritual:



Their warhound howls out an alarm as, disturbed by the presence of the living, undead spill forth from a barrow in the dark and haunted forest nearby:



The chaos cultists surge toward this unwelcome foe, fearless (literally in game terms) barbarians matching up against an angry spectre, a hunter and his hound hurling javelins and themselves at an armoured skeleton:





A skeleton is cleft in twain with a double-handed sword seemingly made from some kind of monster's remains:


(In game terms, this was a Gruesome Kill, prompting a morale roll for the undead figures within a long stick, who otherwise ignore morale. The logic is that a Gruesome Kill is so brutal that it shakes the necromantic energies in all those who would be affected, and in this case the spectre and another skeleton vanish/crumble to dust with echoing screams of rage)

An overly keen barbarian is attacked by two skeletons, and is promptly slaughtered in a most gory fashion (another Gruesome Kill, white dice for undead, red for chaos):



Fortunately, the only Chaos fellows near enough to otherwise be rattled were other barbarians, who hold the Fearless trait. They are not in the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp, nor to have their eyes gouged out, or their elbows broken. The smaller, gimpier chaos cultists, who were not Fearless, were far enough away that they only heard the screaming.

Ghouls, who had spent most of the fight to this point skulking in the dark woods, now move towards the barrow to join the remaining skeletons:



The fight was decidedly going against the Undead at this point, mostly from my not having read the Undead trait properly and screwing them over with Morale rolls they should not have taken/would have passed. However, it was still possible for things to turn around.

With javelin and angry barks, the Chaos warband continued the offensive:





A swirling and furious melee proceeded, with initiative passing back and forth at dramatic moments between the two sides:



Despite discovering in myself a fair knack for playing both sides without bias, making narrative-appropriate tactical decisions for each, I did find myself by this point starting to cheer for the Undead. My earlier buggering-up of the Morale rules for them had made them the underdogs. Obviously, that's why from this point their dice rolls were pretty terrible!

As the ghouls crept round the trees to try and flank the warhound, the beast was having none of it, and actually got the better of his would-be assassin. Combined with its Savage trait, this regular kill became a Gruesome Kill and caused a (correctly done this time) Morale roll for every other Undead figure as everyone was pretty close together at this point:





All of the skeletons were so shocked by this cascade of necromantic energy that they crumbled to dust, and the remaining ghouls fled, screeching, back into the dark and dank woods. The Chaos warband had seen off the attack, albeit with one of their number now a pile of gore in front of the barrow. Perhaps when they are done with their purpose here, they will venture forth into the dark wood to find the cause of these restless dead and so avenge their comrade.

All in all, a great fun game, much more dynamic and interesting than the first few turns hinted at. It's good to get back to Song of Blades and Heroes. The way initiative switches around makes it a really good game to play solo, provided you can do your best to avoid bias (which being narrative-focussed helps with).

I am lucky enough to have a number of like-minded gaming pals close by (some are on this forum), but as a last minute, snap decision attempt at a solo game, this was great, and probably will be the first of many!

[Hobgoblin]

Fantastic-looking game! Song of Blades is very hard to beat as a ruleset.

[has.been]

Lovely looking game.

[Gibby]

Thanks chaps.

Hobgoblin, I agree with you on SoBaH. It's funny how long and often I've eyed up other potential skirmish rules over the years, somehow convincing myself that SoBaH wasn't quite meaty enough for me. Now I play it again, I'm baffled how I ever thought that. Having said that, I've neglected small skirmish gaming in general. For too long!

[majorsmith]

Great set up mate! Some fantastic figures too! And scenery! Bones for the blood god 😂

[Gibby]

Thanks Andy. I have you to thank, much of the scenery and all of the undead are your skillful work!

[majorsmith]

Great pics! We need a game

[DivisMal]

Wonderful models and a fun narrative!

Great SoBH fan here, too😎
It’s such an easy yet dynamic ruleset that really creates fun games!

[tikitang]

Excellent! I am glad this turned out to be a fun game after our prior discussions about returning to SoBaH. As somebody who is primarily a "soloist" myself, this is very inspiring stuff!

I am also hoping to get back into SoBaH some day soon, perhaps in the new year, whenever I have got my act together again.

[Padrissimus]

I enjoyed that little insight into something different from my mono' hobby, although I feel a little guilty about you solo-gaming when I should have moved our campaign on faster to start getting the games in! I will re-double my efforts.

[Gibby]

Wonderful models and a fun narrative!

Great SoBH fan here, too😎
It’s such an easy yet dynamic ruleset that really creates fun games!

Thank you! Dynamic is the word. It's a game that's easy to learn, but offers more depth than meets the eye. The traits allow every model you might want to "feel" right, and by the end of the game, you've had a pretty decent story play out, all without tokens and cards and such all over the place. I still haven't even tried any of the expansions yet. I have the dungeoneering one, that might be useful if the Chaos warband decide to plunder into a barrow!

Great pics! We need a game

Absolutely! Soon!

Excellent! I am glad this turned out to be a fun game after our prior discussions about returning to SoBaH. As somebody who is primarily a "soloist" myself, this is very inspiring stuff!

I am also hoping to get back into SoBaH some day soon, perhaps in the new year, whenever I have got my act together again.

It worked really well in solo play. I think it'll revitalise your hobby a bit, especially with the freedom it gives you to utilise the figures and setting of your choice.

I enjoyed that little insight into something different from my mono' hobby, although I feel a little guilty about you solo-gaming when I should have moved our campaign on faster to start getting the games in! I will re-double my efforts.

No need to feel bad. A campaign as in depth and on the scale of the Tilean Campaign cannot be rushed! I'm glad you enjoyed the look of something a bit different. Perhaps it could be worth a go one day, maybe for a "between the battles" story!

[fred]

Good stuff - lovely looking figures

Clearly attacking Skellies with bone weapons is the way to go!

[DivisMal]

Thank you! Dynamic is the word. It's a game that's easy to learn, but offers more depth than meets the eye. The traits allow every model you might want to "feel" right, and by the end of the game, you've had a pretty decent story play out, all without tokens and cards and such all over the place. I still haven't even tried any of the expansions yet. I have the dungeoneering one, that might be useful if the Chaos warband decide to plunder into a barrow!

Absolutely! Soon!

It worked really well in solo play. I think it'll revitalise your hobby a bit, especially with the freedom it gives you to utilise the figures and setting of your choice.

No need to feel bad. A campaign as in depth and on the scale of the Tilean Campaign cannot be rushed! I'm glad you enjoyed the look of something a bit different. Perhaps it could be worth a go one day, maybe for a "between the battles" story!

Over the years, Ive bought most of the SoBH books. They are nearly 100% compatible…even though some feel a bit unifinished.

My favorites:
…dust and shadow: said to be ancient rome, but it screams MORDHEIM very loud!
…flashing steel: beefier melee, better firearms resolution and swashbuckling. What’s not too love?


Very similar are also Of Gods and Mortals and Mighty Monsters.

[Hobgoblin]

Over the years, Ive bought most of the SoBH books. They are nearly 100% compatible…even though some feel a bit unifinished.

My favorites:
…dust and shadow: said to be ancient rome, but it screams MORDHEIM very loud!
…flashing steel: beefier melee, better firearms resolution and swashbuckling. What’s not too love?


Very similar are also Of Gods and Mortals and Mighty Monsters.

I'd agree with all that - also, A Fistful of Kungfu is terrific if you want an 'action movie' skirmish regardless of genre.

[DivisMal]

I'd agree with all that - also, A Fistful of Kungfu is terrific if you want an 'action movie' skirmish regardless of genre.

That, the historical settings and the Fungus one are actually the only ones I’m missing! And at least the Kung Fu one is needed.

It’s such an elegant system and even though reviewers have complained about the enormous special abilities, it’s actually what I like most. I can design an average warband in seconds by now, but just add a few abilities and they really feel different.

The combination s are endless: Steam Tank - vehicle rules from Flying Lead, truly horrible undead/dark fantasy setting - Fear & Faith etc.