Frostgrave game 4

The Haunted Houses

We had a great morning and needed the bit of lunch when it came. Lots to talk about and the hand to hand combat proved to be something a bit more devastating than we had expected. For our next game we kept the random encounter special rule, even though nothing had appeared last game. On a 16 or above a random creature attacks the person who is picking up treasure. We rolled on the scenario table and The Haunted Houses came up.

Haunted Board

The idea is that there are 6 huts represented by the cups each of which holds a piece of treasure. When you open the door (the handle) you roll to see if there is a Wraith in the hut. All very straight forward until we looked up the Wraith. Only magic items do damage to it. It doubles all the damage that it does (we didn't remember that) and it can walk through walls (we didn't remember that either)

We just panicked at the only magic can do damage. None of our soldiers had magic items yet so we had problems. We nearly decided to ignore that rule but didn't in the end. It would be down to our Wizards and Apprentices to take care of business.

The nerves started in again but I was feeling confident and decided to be more aggressive in my approach.

First round

I set-up on the right and put myself in 3 groups. My wizard took a group out to the right flank. I was going to use Leap to get someone quickly to the furthest away hut. I held a second group of 2 centrally and took the rest with my Apprentice to the left. I planned to blow by the third hut and pressure a forth piece of treasure.

Treasure Hunter has a look

I advanced the Treasure Hunter using my Wizard and put up a wall between the entrance door and party of opposition soldiers. Now if I could just sneak in and grab the treasure we would be sorted. I opened the door and .....

Wraith (looks rather like an old fashioned Genestealer)

Damn and blast and damn again. Also because I had moved and then opened the door I had no actions left to escape. He was on me.

He was on me

Not only that but my wall came down between phases. I had soldiers and an Apprentice bearing down on me. I contemplated using my new AOE fireball but thought it too risky. I would have had to step out to get in position and if I failed I was certain to lose my Wizard, but I was tempted, like really tempted.

In the end I put the wall back up and slunk away. There were 4 in the enemy party and if I stuck around they would soon be having shots at me. I would lose my Treasure Hunter but such is life. I did manage some success though, as I got a sneaky shot at the opposing Apprentice with my Ranger and she was killed!!

Retreat

On the other side things had also got interesting.  The Dark Templar got very excited and in a particularly aggressive manoeuvre came at me with everything he had including his Wizard. I was taken aback. I lost my Apprentice as they came bursting through a wall of fog.

Through the fog

But then I called on the great Orkish gods Gork and Mork to bless my dice rolling. This was hand to hand - Ork style. I sent in my Man at Arms, Thatcher. He has +4 Fight and had Gloves of Strength. It was a rolling maul and we were all having lumps knocked out of Health stats. I was surviving and beginning to put pressure on the opposing Wizard. And then it happened I rolled some amazing dice and the Dark Templar must have slipped on a banana skin because I had him!

His Wizard broke free and ran. My Rangers, who were now down to 3 & 5 points of Health tracked him down and killed him!! Oh Yes. Ranger Edmund  did the final deed. What a game. Breathtaking in the extreme.

We called the game at this point and agreed to only take the treasure we were carrying i.e. two each.

In the after game roll up the Wizards and Apprentices survived but I lost my Marksman, Cedric. Dead and gone for ever.

You know, I am just loving this game. It takes you through the full range of emotions. I will have some rebuilding to do in the after game. For the Dark Templar's take see here.