Really short AARs for two games of Strange Aeons

[obsidian3d]

Copied directly from my blog over at http://obsidian3d.blogspot.ca/2012/08/two-strange-aeons-games.html

I've been meaning to post on these two games for a while, but my desire to upload and link pictures and full reports is rather low. Hence, I'll make this post pretty short.

A few weeks back Brandon, Sebastien and I played a three-player game using one of the search scenarios.  Seb played a 43-point Lurker list Brandon and I put together for him, and we teamed up against it. If I recall there were two mummies, a few cultists, two maniacs and a big scary monster. I want to say Winged Nightmare, but it was a less terrifying winged creature.

We set up a really large board, which in retrospect was to the Threshold's disadvantage. They were to search each of the six areas of the board in order to find some kind of treasure, with the possibility of it being a trap. The first two areas searched by Brandon's team availed us nothing, whereas the second area searched by my team resulted in a nasty poison bite taking the searcher off the table.

Brandon valiantly drew the attention of both maniacs and the big creature.  He was able to take them all down, but at the cost of his entire team being taken down in the process. That left me with the two mummies and a batch of cultists. I took some losses to but was unable to recover the treasure, having to settle instead for killing the rest of the Lurkers.

The toll was high, as Brandon's list disbanded after the death of his character. Mine fared a little better, but my character ended up crippled and has only a single action to spend each round. I was able to recover some scrolls and a map piece, but couldn't even share the spoils with Brandon's team due to their disbanding.

I have a feeling that my team is in dire straights now as well, and their next encounter may be their last. Whenever they're called into action again I think I'll attempt to recruit a special agent to bolster their ranks, and hope that I can score a victory and be able to translate some scrolls. Perhaps a little magic becoming available to my crew can help them survive a little bit longer.

The following week Sebastien and I tried out one of the lovely new boards they've acquired for the shop. He decided to give his earlier list another go (since I killed it on its first outing last time). I wanted a chance to try out some more magical characters and opted for a witch with two extra familiars, and a restless spirit. The ghost was far more useful than I'd anticipated, being able to cause some fear as the Threshold tried to cross the river.

My rolls with the familiars and the witch were almost universally awful though. The only successful spell I was able to cast transported the Threshold leader to the far corner of the board. He shrugged off the possibly-debilitating mental effects and strode bravely back into the fray. Once I'd lost two of my three familiars things were looking bad. With the witch dying shortly thereafter I conceded defeat.

I enjoyed playing with some of the magic spells and think they were quite a bit of fun. The witch profile needs some ranged support though, and I doubt that I'd take extra familiars again in the future. Some cultists would have been far better use of those four points. Perhaps some equipment or maybe an extra spell or two for her instead...

[einarolafson]

I always enjoy reading AARs! Thank you!!

[Mason]

A very interesting read that brings up quite a few points.
A shame to hear about a team being destroyed in its first game, but a lack of experience will often tell, I suppose.
As for your team, I think it is just a case of rethinking your approach.
Equipping your character to stay alive may be their best option.
At your next re-equip maybe some armour and a sword would be a good option, whilst tooling up the rest of the team so that they can protect him would be good.
Also an excellent chance to get yourself a character in a wheelchair!
Very flavourful; Professor X style!

I have not used the Witch myself yet, as she seems very weak.
Will have to give that one a serious bit of thought before using her.

[obsidian3d]

Haha I hadn't thought about changing the character model based on his physical condition. I have been of the mind that the miniature will get retired when the Agent it represents is killed or turns rogue. That said, I'm not sure what I'd do if the list disbands. I suppose they are still alive, so they could come back at some point later on in another Threshold list.

I'll certainly be adding some more firepower to my list in hopes of keeping my character alive, but the next game is going to be a tough one for sure. I'm actually quite looking forward to it!