House of Oscarus...humble beginnings. (Pontus fight, last page!)

[Elbows]

Photobucket pics re-arranged, broken links fixed - all photos moved to first post for now. 

[Furt]

A very nice compilation that should be very useful to beginning lanistae. 

[Elbows]

Some Retiarius is about to hate life...probably get around to painting it tomorrow.



(and yes, Mr. Furt I'll be using BOTS for this scenario...)

[Furt]

(and yes, Mr. Furt I'll be using BOTS for this scenario...)

Cool. You are always pushing the boundaries of what I believe is possible Elbows. 

Looking forward to seeing your scenario.

[Elbows]

Weather has been miserable lately...once I get a reasonable afternoon I'll get a lick of paint on it.  The question is...Retiarius in the center with his trident and a pile of stones --- do you think he had access to his net during this kind of scenario?  I'm planning to run a Prowess 5 (or 6) Retiarius against two Prowess 3 Secutors.  I'll allow the Retiarius a handful of stones which can be thrown as normal weapons.

Just not sure about the net.  I've decided that the Secutors must use a move action for each of the two steps on the platform (making it slow and a little exhausting getting up top).  Using our rather dangerous "attacked from behind" rules my brother and I use, if both Secutors get up to the platform, the Retiarius is in trouble.  The platform has been designed to cover precisely 7 hexes (you can just make out that the slats on the platform are divided into 7 sections).  So any dropped weapons may fall off the platform, requiring the Secutors to move back to retrieve them etc.

Also I think I'll add a +1 bonus for fighting from an elevated position on the platform (if the Retiarius catches one of the Secutors on the ramp).  Should be fun... (or bloody and brief)

[Furt]

Sounds interesting and well thought out.

I've used reenactments as inspiration often in BotS and found this clip of some retiarii versus secutors on a pontus. They do not wield nets.

Looking forward to hearing if this works.  

[Mason]

As inventive as usual, Elbows.
 

I too am curious just how this will pan out with the BotS rules.

[Elbows]

Sooo...after...I dunno, about half a year I finally got around to painting my pontius thing...seen here it's scaled to mount directly on a normal 1.5" hex, and it features seven "spaces" which measure appropriately so the game play doesn't change, it's merely limited to a straight line.  I'll have to dig out my BOTS rules again shortly and see how I can run it all in a game.  I will be adding a small pyramid-like pile of stones to the bridge at some point.

Sorry for the crap photos - was too lazy to plug in my lights!





I'll post up if/when I play this fight out using BOTS. 

[Mason]

That looks great.
I like the way that you have kept the 'spaces' but it still looks right.
 

[Elbows]

Illustrations seem to show the pontus a bit taller with steerper/narrow bridges leading up - but this is the only way I could really see it being playable.  The way we play with two-vs-two games in BOTS if both Secutors get up on the platform the Retiarius is hosed.  Off the top of my head, my thoughts:

1) Retiarius has access to stones he can throw using a normal attack (not special)
2) Secutors must spend one foot per space - carefully climbing up the platforms
3) Retiarius will gain an advantage if he is attacking down (but loses this bonus if a Secutor gets to the top of the platform and becomes level)
4) I'm guessing we'll start with a more skilled Retiarius
5) Try games both with and without the Retiarius having his net
6) Create some quick rule for "falling" should a gladiator somehow be forced off the pontus

I have 10 new gladiator figures from Brigade Games I'll be painting up, and that includes a third secutor and two more retiarii, so I'll have plenty of meat for the grind.

[Mason]

Possible further options:
The Retiarius could have the abilty to jump down unimpeded whilst any other Gladioli would need to test for losing balance.

The Retiarius could also then attack those on the structure using the extended reach of their trident.

[Dr Mathias]

Possible further options:
The Retiarius could have the abilty to jump down unimpeded whilst any other Gladioli would need to test for losing balance.

The Retiarius could also then attack those on the structure using the extended reach of their trident.

That's what I was thinking, I'd have to assume there was more to this setup than a simple pincer tactic.

[Elbows]

Perhaps a favor penalty though is the Retiarius leaves the platform?

[Elbows]

Some new recruits.  I started painting up my final Brigade Games gladiators.  I had a suspicion while painting the Arbelas that he was small, and I was right.  I've never seen reverse scale creep in a line by the same sculptor so this is a little disappointing.



Still not lovin' the Brigade Games figures...but they're historically pretty spot on and come in a nice variety.



Note the Secutor on the left is Foundry and he's a giant among men...then my first Brigade Games Secutor and then...the Arbelas/Scissor --- he's friggin' tiny.  I'm sad to say I think most of the figures from sets 2 and 3 might be smaller.  I'll have them painted and compared shortly...

Enter the Dimachaerus.  So I wanted a Dimachaerus and didn't like any of the available models or themes I'd seen.  Using a picture from a Russian authored book that I liked I grabbed a bunch of plastic bits and kitbashed one which will hopefully stand in until I find better models.  Viking body, Roman legs, 100-years-war helmet, Greek swords and plume etc.  Not amazing, but works.



Sorry for the crap photos!  I have a Crupelarius and Retiarius waiting to be matted/based tomorrow, and then another four gladiators.

[Mason]

People come in different sizes, so old scissorhands wont look so bad, mate.
As long as his weapons look 'in-scale' he should be fine.
Nice paintjob on him.
 

As for kit-bash Kev: He works for me.
Very clever use of bits.