Dark Age Lard

[Lardy Rich]

Hi Chaps



Another update here:  http://toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/?p=843

It's been really interesting developing rules where non-ranged weapons dominate, this close-up and personal type of combat really needs some careful balancing in order to get the right feel and game balance.  I've been dwelling on this for a while now and drew up some amendments a couple of weeks ago but not able to get a game since then, so it was great to wheel them out yetserday and get exactly the result I was looking for. 

While we're on the subject of the Dark Ages, Matt Slade of Glenbrook Games have painted up some really nice "raiders" for me.  In the campaign set up the main forces are Romano-British and Saxon (albeit your contingent will vary depending where you are located) but the Irish, Scotti and Picts make walk on appearances as raiders out for loot and fun.  Anyway, Matt has done a great job which you can see here:   http://toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/?p=831



Cheers

Rich

[Arlequín]

Ah... Tar son of Adam, or Tar Mac Adam as it would be written in his own tongue.   

Nice to see these progressing! 

[Lardy Rich]

You may care to note that the bloke on the left has some lucky heather at his feet..

[Arlequín]

Lucky for who? Certainly not the first chap those lot run into. 

[Christian]

A really good battle report, I enjoyed it very much. Going back to your post on starting forces, how will army composition work? Are there points by which pitched battles are held or is there scope for "Force on Force"-style assymteric battles?

[OSHIROmodels]

Looks promising 

I've got some Arthur figures in a box somewhere, just enough for a large skirmish as well 

cheers

James

[Lardy Rich]

Christian

The rules won't have a point system as they are based around a campaign system which will generate the scenarios and dictate the forces you have.  Your forces will depend on the senario and whether you wish to hire foderati (mercenaries) to supplement your force.  That will cost you money and reduce the status of your victories, there by reducing the benefits you get from them.  

As you go through the campaign you'll find that victories bring new followers, wealth and influence.  Ultimately you are looking to protect your kingdom and beyond that become recognised as the Dux Brittaniarum, the Duke of the Britons (hence the neam of the rules), or the Bretwalda, the main Saxon war leader.  

We'll have our starter army packs on sale within the week, which we're excited about.  

Arelquin - wise words!  They look a tough lot to me.  

Rich

[Christian]

That sounds really interesting! I can't wait to find out more.

[LeadAsbestos]

That sounds really interesting! I can't wait to find out more.

Agreed! I'm ready to buy!

[Lowtardog]

Bleeding hell just sold off my Viking, Saxon, Scots Pict and Romano British armies and first Saga and now these

They sound a good set of rules

Could the my Celtos warriors head out this way

[LeadAsbestos]

Could the my Celtos warriors head out this way

Exactly! I thought SAGA would be good for them, but this looks even more like what I was looking for to do some Tain style cattle-raiding.

[Lardy Rich]

Funnily enough I am just working on the cattle raiding rules now. 

The campaign starts off with the Saxon leader attempting to gain status and followers by proving his mettle, and much of that is based around successful raiding and "wealth creation" by nicking it from the Britons.  Only when he has built up a bit of a reputation can he seek to carve out a Kingdom.

Rich

[Aaron]

Those starter armies look like a great way to dive in!

[Arlequín]

I appreciate that in a set-piece campaign it works to have a Saxon 'attacker' versus a British 'Defender', but I presume in the wider context that the same process can be followed for a British (or Irish) leader? They hardly sat around twiddling their thumbs waiting for Saxons to make their way to their land before doing anything exciting... barring the fornication, incest and other 'naughtyness' they are accused of that is..

I'll throw some Gildas at you...

"For it has always been a custom with our nation, as it is at present, to be impotent in repelling foreign foes, but bold and invincible in raising civil war..."

"Why do you raise so great a war as well against men as also against God himself, against men, yes, thy own countrymen..."

Then of course you have the Angles/Saxons who fought Angles/Saxons.

Sure though... Reputation and having wealth to pass out amongst the lads is the way to become a Warlord. To me that is the essence of what it is all about.

I see that there are two types of conceivable player, the wannabe Warlord (whatever his origins - Briton or 'Saxon') and the 'Defender of the People' - the schmuck who either sought, or was landed with, the job of defending a settlement and its hinterland and is probably answerable to a civilian oversight committee of sorts. This seems to be all borne out by the blog reports and notes, so it's all good.

I'm quite looking forwards to all this and so far it all looks spot on, but I do get on my high horsa about solid divides between Briton and Saxon.  

 

[Sterling Moose]

but I do get on my high horsa about solid divides between Briton and Saxon

Nice one Centurion