Planning a skirmish session (part one)

Vargram, captain of wolves

I'm planning a game of Song of Blades and Heroes to entertain the kids and friends this Sunday. I though I'd set down my thoughts to see if it helps to improve their shape.

We'll have six players. Although we've had six-sided games with everyone out for themselves in Mutants and Death Ray Guns, I want to try something more structured this time. So, to keep things simple, I'll create six warbands in two allied sets of three.

The key for this kind of game is to ensure that no one's left out for long. Song of Blades is great for that, because the turns are of unpredictable length. We'll zigzag across the table, so Side A's first player activates, then Side B's first, and so on. Each player will have a natural opponent, but they'll be free to ignore the enemies facing them to help out their allies to left or right.

So, what should the sides be? Well, I have a lot of orcs. I want to use my recently paint Nick Lund orcs, and they break neatly into various divisions - normal orcs (chiefly Grenadier), elites (Chronicle giant black orcs), wolfriders (Chronicle and Grenadier) and some very large ogreish types (Chronicle ogres and very large Grenadier orcs). I also have some smaller and older Chronicle orc, should pint-sized rabble be required. 

That gives us three divisions: an orcish chief with giant bodyguards, an infantry division (perhaps with some elites) and a band of wolfriders. Each division needs a leader: the chief, obviously, and the cavalry commander (above), and one other. Initially, I was going to have a shaman as the third leader, but I think he might be needed in the chief's warband, to give that group a little firepower. So the infantry leader could be an ambitious sub-chief - perhaps the chief's son (Bolg to his Azog). And that suggests a patricidal subplot. And perhaps the cavalry commander is loyal, but detests the son. I can sense some individual victory conditions coming on ...

Each warband should be about 400 points. In Song of Blades and Heroes, routs can be sudden and devastating. So, to keep all the players involved, those who are eliminated can play "reinforcements" in the form of 200-point warbands. We'll use the Advanced SoBH rules to maximise variety among the warbands. I'm not sure if we'll use reactions: a great rule, but one that might slow things down with so many players. If we do, it'll be in this format: A1 can only react to B1's failures, and vice versa.

Magtrur the Mighty (with one of Morgrat's warriors and one of his bodyguards)

Warband one: Magtrur the Mighty's guards (387 points)

Magtrur the Mighty: Q3, C4, Big, Bludgeon, Heavily Armoured, Leader @94

Ogre 1: Q4, C4, Big, Bludgeon @ 45

Ogre 2: Q4, C4, Big, Huge Weapon @ 45

Giant orc bodyguard: Q4, C4, Big, Block, Dashing, Heavily Armoured, Hero, Standard Bearer @74

Graghuz, orc shaman: Q3, C2, Spell-caster, Fireball, Mind Control, Switcheroo @132

NB: this warband violates the usual 50% limit on personalities. But that's OK.

One of Margtrur's ogre guards

Warband two: Vargram's wolf-riders (392 points)

Vargram, captain of wolves: Q3, C4, Heavily Armoured, Leader, Long Move, Mounted, Savage @106

3 x wolf-riders: Q4, C3, Composite Bow, Long Move, Mounted, Savage @62 = 186

5 x lesser orcs: Q4, C2, Gang @20 = 100

NB: this warband has too many points in personalities because of the Savage rule. But it's essential for those nasty great Lund wolves (and wasn't a personality trait in the original SoBH)

Vargram and Morgrat

Warband three: Morgrat's orcs (405 points)

Morgrat, orc princeling: Q3, C3, Leader, Melee Block @66

Bodyguard 1: Q4, C4, Heavy Weapon @36

Bodyguard 2: Q4, C4, Block @36

Armoured orc archer: Q4, C3, Heavily Armoured, Long bow @39

3 x orc archers: Q4, C3, Long bow @33 = 66

Elite orc archer: Q4, C3, Good Shot, Long bow, Unerring aim @42

3 x orc warriors: Q4, C3, Heavy weapon @29 = 87

Collectively, these orc warbands are trying to secure the advantageous territory on the battlefield - probably some areas of ruins with an underground section. They'll all get victory points for each area and treasure item secured by any of their side. But there will also be some individual victory conditions, each known only to the pertinent player:

• Margtrur gets a bonus if his son Morgrat remains alive at the end of the game (to secure the succession)
• Morgrat gets a bonus if his father is dead at the end of the game (to accelerate the succession)
• Vargram gets a bonus if Morgrat is dead at the end of the game - and also if Graghuz is killed. (to alter the succession)
• A rival's dishonour (i.e. routing off the table) isn't quite as good as death in these circumstances, but gives half the victory points that a death would entail

Vargram may seem to get off lightly in these conditions, but he'll be a target for the opposition (vengeful dwarves, hungry lizardmen and perhaps some elves). More on them tomorrow ...