Guards of Traitor's Toll (in Ankh-Morpork)

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

A couple of weeks ago, my pre-order of Guards of Traitor’s Toll arrived. I liked the sound of a new game with something different. This is not a fantasy battle game. It involves identifying and then chasing criminals with a view to putting them in prison. It’s from Grey for Now Games, with a range of buildings designed especially for it, by Sarissa Precision, for those who don’t know. The miniatures are from Wargames Atlantic and I particularly liked the look of the Guards figures.



This is the preamble from their website:

Guards of Traitor’s Toll is a forthcoming skirmish adventure game set in a fantasy city, written by Graham Davey.

Patrol the streets, alleys and markets of Traitor’s Toll. Chase down and arrest the rogues, cheats and cutthroats that prey on the unwary, ensure the citizens don’t get too rebellious and uncover deeper plots that threaten the city…

The bustling city of Traitor’s Toll is home to a multitude of merchants and travellers, buskers and charlatans, sorcerers and scholars, not to mention – hidden among them – pickpockets, thieves, smugglers and worse! The task of keeping the citizens safe, catching wrongdoers and dealing out justice falls to the city guard.

Gameplay is semi-cooperative. Both players control a Guard Captain and patrol of 5 guardsmen, who must deal with the many challenges hidden among the crowds. Such tasks might be capturing an escaped prisoner, battling a crazed wizard, locating a lost child, taking down a smuggling gang or investigating a mystery. While they have the same goals, each side is trying to make the most arrests, grab the glory and win recognition (and reward) from their superiors. Gain experience, recruit allies and locate useful items – the odd bribe will be useful too. A degree of violence will be necessary but killing suspects will upset the populace. If there is too much discontent, the people riot and rebel – the city lords will be furious (and both players lose)! The game has a strong narrative, legacy element as your guards develop new skills and learn secrets that impact subsequent tasks as well as later games.

I didn’t buy into the buildings range, simply because I already have some fantasy buildings from 4Ground and Warcradle.



 I also have the Hexenjagers from Gripping Beast, who I thought would make a fifth Watch for my game.



You get enough figures in the bundle to make 4 watches and so I immediately assembled my first six figures. I particularly like the portly figure. He looks a bit like me!



So, this is a log of things painted and games played. Very happy to hear from anyone else who has bought into the game. Personally, I am very glad I bought it. We are only halfway through the training mission and I am enjoying it immensely.

[fred]

Looks good - the game bundle seems to have some high production values - and good to hear it is playing well too

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

You're right fred, all the components of the bundle are high quality. Roster sheets, cards, rulebook etc. are all quality printing.

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

I decided to set my game in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, owing to my love of his novels.

A visitor to Ankh-Morpork (who is willing to take their life in their hands), might cross the Misbegot Bridge after a stroll in Hide Park. Probably best not to glance down into the River Ankh as you cross the bridge!

Quote from Discworld Wiki:

The Ankh was a river which flowed through Ankh-Morpork. A part of the city was named after it. It split up at the Isle of Gods then came back together before flowing out into the Circle Sea.

The river Ankh is famous for the sheer amount of silt mixed in with its waters, to the point where it's only considered a "river" because it moves faster than its banks (even once being described as "a river you could chew"). Its density is such that one would bounce off the surface if they jumped in, though its actual consistency can differ- those who fall in might be able to walk on the river's surface or simply sink slowly; Rincewind was noted as being scared of drowning in it. For those who have drowned (or,
more likely, suffocated) in the river, the city Watch could actually draw a chalk outline on its surface.

Fishes are known to dwell in the Ankh, but they can't be easily observed, because they tend to explode when removed from their natural habitat. Few of them are eaten, due to the "terrible gastric trouble" that would otherwise occur.

There is a legend in Ankh-Morpork of an ancient drum in the palace that will bang itself if ever an enemy fleet is seen sailing up the Ankh, although the legend has died out in recent centuries, partly because it's the Age of Reason , but mostly because no enemy fleet could sail up the Ankh without a gang of men with shovels going in front.

The visitor will then come across a thoroughfare known as Treacle Mine Road, the gateway to The Shades. The Shades mainly houses such industrious types as thieves and muggers.

Walking along Treacle Mine Road (if you are still alive), at the junction of Whore Pits, proudly stands the remains of the Treacle Mine Road City Watch House. (This is the area I will be setting my games in).

The Watch House here provides easy access to the dens of iniquity, including the nefarious Crumpets Lane and the licentiousness and venality of Hanky Panky Passage. Be warned.



(please excuse the clock tower, I haven’t finished painting it yet)

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

The Wargames Atlantic figures are ideal for portraying the City Watch. I decided on a lot of rusty armour and weapons! With 24 figures in the box, I cunningly worked out that I could have four Watches, with six Watch persons in each.

I opted for:

Treacle Mine Road Watch

Dolly Sisters Watch

Long Wall Watch

Chitterling Street Watch

There will also possibly be the Old Lemonade Factory (the Watch’s training school), Pseudoplis Yard (the Watch headquarters) and the Tanty (Ankh-Morpork’s prison).

I started first on the Dolly Sister’s Watch.





Also assembled, the first two members of the Chitterling Street Watch.

[Storm Wolf]

Amazing table(s?), I love the fact that you can base the game where and when you like. Keep up the good work, look forward to seeing more

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

Many thanks, Storm Wolf.

[2010sunburst]

Great stuff.  You know, you could have set it in Wincanton in Somerset….it’s twinned with Ankh Morpork after all….and one of the pubs has a blue plaque…..it even has a treacle mine road…. and is about five miles south of where I live 

[zemjw]

I am going to have to resist the temptation of buying that in a few weeks at the local show. You are making that much more difficult 

Oddly, it never occurred to me to set it in Discworld, so that isn't helping either. I just need to remember to take my dried frog pills before the show, and I'm sure the temptation will pass.

Hopefully it plays as well as it looks

[Ultravanillasmurf]

A great start, and that town board looks great.
I look forward to seeing how this progresses.

Having started to read the rules, the initial figure count  is a bit daunting, not the guard part, but the 20 civilians, (why,  see https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=126942.msg1909548#msg1909548 for the progress of my 2921 Revenant army ^___^).

[Rick]

Ah, so it's become "Guards! Guards! of Traitors Toll" then! 
Do you have the street map of Ankh-Morpork? Well worth getting and pretty reasonable too.

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

Great stuff.  You know, you could have set it in Wincanton in Somerset….it’s twinned with Ankh Morpork after all….and one of the pubs has a blue plaque…..it even has a treacle mine road…. and is about five miles south of where I live

2010sunburst, I didn't know that. How wonderful and I see you have the the official Ankh-Morpork Consulate there as well. Magic!

I am going to have to resist the temptation of buying that in a few weeks at the local show. You are making that much more difficult

Go on zemjw, you know you want to!

A great start, and that town board looks great.
I look forward to seeing how this progresses.

Thanks, Ultravanillasmurf. The WA Villagers are quite nice to assemble, but I take your point from the link. 

Ah, so it's become "Guards! Guards! of Traitors Toll" then! 
Do you have the street map of Ankh-Morpork? Well worth getting and pretty reasonable too

Yes, I have this book which contains a large double-sided map of Ankh-Morpork, aerial view and street plan.

[wkeyser]

The village looks great!  One question, is the mat with the cobbelstone roads from deep cut studios?
Thanks
William

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

Hi wkeyser, yes I believe it is. It's a 4' x 4' mat which I've had for some time. Guards of TT is meant to be played on a 3' x 3' mat, so I'm using some of the buildings to be boundary edges.

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

Some random project photos:

A couple of villagers. The one on the left is WA, the one on the right I found on Etsy.



The Shades notice board.



A couple of new wagons.



The Troll's Head. It's located on Romeo Street in the outer Shades. The pub is known for being locked and requiring a password to enter.