Blood on the Sands **NEW** Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears...

[H.M.Stanley]

Our own jimbibbly has done a nice one of those http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=59338.0

Now you tell me  .Very nice. Exactly what i had in mind

[H.M.Stanley]

Top fun playing BotS with Nice John yesterday.

NJ wanted to try out an Arbelas so naturally i reached for the Retiarius. John rolled a Skill 4 while all my stats were at 3

We'd not played for quite some time so were very rusty. That's not a criticism of the rules by the way; they play really well. Its just that you can only hold so many rule sets in your head at any one time. Or is that just me?

And that, your honour, is my excuse for what subsequently happened!! My gladiator was decapitated in turn 2, taking 6 wounds to the head on a Killing Blow.

It wasn't until our 2nd game; when my Tiro Retiarius faced another Tiro Arbelas (as an Exotic he should have been more experienced, we know), who was a monster with Skill 5!! [damn that man's dice rolling for abilities], that i remembered the Defence actions incl Net Trips & Retreat that suit a Retiarius so well (i'd not actually played one before)

Crappy camera phone shot or two to follow.

I can't recommend this game highly enough. A couple of figures and you're away.

Best

James

[John Grant]

I'll endorse all the comments made by James.

More games would make the whole process flow more smoothly, I just need to enter the total ethos of the rule set (naming models etc) and play more games.

Quite a few of the chaps at the club stopped by and chatted to us, the number of figures required was appreciated and I think that once we have total familiarity with the process we wouldn't have much of a problem getting more of them involved - we could have a White Hart Ludos!!!!!!!

J

[H.M.Stanley]

A WH Ludos. There's a thought.

[Furt]

Quite a few of the chaps at the club stopped by and chatted to us, the number of figures required was appreciated and I think that once we have total familiarity with the process we wouldn't have much of a problem getting more of them involved - we could have a White Hart Ludos!!!!!!!

I shall have to include you gents in the campaign playtest then.

Where are those piccies? 

[John Grant]

Or even a WH Ludus, not your error James its all mine!!!!!!!!!
J

[H.M.Stanley]

Or even a WH Ludus, not your error James its all mine!!!!!!!!!
J

This should be interesting. Two men from Yorkshire correcting each other's Latin 

[Furt]

Spent a couple of hours yesterday with some local ancients re-enactors, who do Roman, Greek and Macedonian.

It was great watching them go through their Roman marching and pilum throwing drills in 30+ degree heat. 

Unfortunately the couple of gladiators amongst them were too worn out and injured to put on a gladiatorial display for me (I would have been a lenient editor too).

I did get to touch their cool stuff and pick their brains though, concerning Blood on the Sands. It was very informative.

After talking to these gents I am fairly confident I have done my best to capture the feel of a man on man gladiator match and hope it confers that feeling to the players.

And concerning which hand a reitiarius holds his trident - they are convinced he wields it in his armored left hand. 

A picture of their cool stuff - those helmets were heavy!!

[Poiter50]

That would avoid getting the net tangled on rivets/protusions on the armour and protect the spear arm as well.

[Juan]

First hand study of the topic... I´m really interested in your ruleset, and I have ordered some of the new Brigade Games´gladiators.

So I need to nuy your rulebook!!! 

[Watts]

AAR - Waldhar vs. Dumnorix

I played my first game of Blood on the Sands this week! Although i messed up a few rules the game went really well and my opponent and I had a blast! Here's how it went down.

Waldhar, a beast of a Murmillo (Strength 4) plucked from some dirty hovel in Germania glared at the rather unimpressive looking Thraex - Dumnorix of Gaul. This would be a match of finesse over brawn.

Dumnorix easily won the advantage thanks to the Murmillo's heavy scutum. He opened the match with a flurry of blows attempting to flank Waldhar and get in some early strikes with his sica, but they bounced harmlessly of the German's giant shield. The crowd was unimpressed.

Waldhar responded with a series of quick brutal attacks, pressing with a savage beatdown that knocked Dumnorix flat on his back. The crowd was whipped into a frenzy as the Thraex lay bleeding from the wounds to his right leg! Pain shot up the Gaul's wounded limb as he attempted to stand while the German rained blows down upon him. Dumnorix managed to ward off most of the strikes with his parma and regain his footing. There were scattered cheers in the crowd - they appreciated his determination, but they were still solidly behind Waldhar's savage performance!

Dumnorix tried in vain to respond with more attacks that bounced off the huge scutum yet again. The German, sensing victory struck his gladius square in the side of his opponent's helmet with a mighty THUNK. The Gaul fell to the ground and dropped his weapon. Surely he would be asking for missio now...

The Gaul had one more good attack left in him. Waldhar hadn't suffered a scratch and had the crowd firmly on his side. Dumnorix rose and plucked his weapon from the ground under Waldhar's nose and attacked. Laughs poured out from behind his helmet while the Thraex bounced blow after blow off his seemingly invincible shield. With one last strike, Waldhar struck another blow on Dumnorix's right leg, crippling him. The Gaul fell to the ground in a heap.

Dumnorix plead for mercy. The crowd were cheering wildly for the massive German, but they must have admired the Gaul's tenacity. He was spared and carted away as a trail of blood marked his exit from the arena.

***

Blood on the Sands is such a good game. The guys in my club seem to be really interested in trying it, and my opponent from last night is about to start painting some gladiators as well. More to come next week!

[Dr Mathias]

Great report!!!

[Malamute]

Great report!!!

Seconded!

It certain;y is a great game

[Furt]

What an awesome first report!! Thanks for posting this Watts.

I fear poor Dumnorix may have fared a little better had he been holding his sica the right way round. 

At least he was spared for his tenacity and may have a victory yet, But that leg looks pretty bad!! 

Another "marker pen" fan I see - was it a case of not having cut out the counters or do you prefer the marker?

[Watts]

Th marker worked OK but I can see how the counters might be a bit better for some things (at least with the playsheet as-is). I didn't have time to do all the markers for my game so I went with the pen, but I think I will try them out next week.