Pirates of Sartosa

Aaarrrr, matey! The Venerable Mordheim Campaign has begun its residency on the Pirate Isle. Tonight there was too much scratching of heads and consulting of rule books for true piratey-ness, but battles were fought, cargo was stolen and swabs press ganged.

No photos due to camera staying at home instead of getting in the car like it was supposed to...

The Gunpowder Plot--Ghost Pirates vs Bretonnian Corsairs. Weather: lightning storm. The small band of Bretonnian damsels were beset by the weather and the Ghosts. A crewwoman was killed by a lightning strike. The Corsairs fled as soon as they could dragging 2 barrels of gunpowder with them. The Ghosts find a swivel gun! The Corsairs found a double barreled pistol.

Fancy Meetin' You 'ere!--Sartosan Pirates vs Estalian Pirates. Weather: clear. Despite a goodly portion of their crew being drunk the Dons were able to slap the home boys around. 6 Sartosans fell OOA. Only 1 died. The victorious Dons found that their gunner had been pressed by the Sartosans. Fortunately the Dons broke a swab out of the slammer and he turned out to be--a gunner! The Sartosans find a Long Rifle. The victorious Estalians found mostly junk, except for some nice superior black powder which was sold to fund a blunderbuss and some pistols.

The Long Pier (Street Fight)--Estalians vs the Ghosts. Weather: heavy rain. The Dons guns wouldn't fire! And don De Gutzman couldn't hire the witch he'd heard of... So the Dons walked slowly down the pier toward the barely visible Ghosts. The Ghosts cut down the Mad King, Black Pedro and Serhan the Moor (who nearly drowned) for no loss. The Dons fled into the rain. The Mad King was never seen again. Pedro suffered a broken leg. The Ghosts get rich and skillful. The Dons found a cache of jewels and silver bullets. If we meet them when our powder is dry the ghosts are...through! Lorenzo the Lush is promoted to Mate 3rd Class for rescuing Pedro.

Defend the Find---Corsairs vs Sartosans. Pea soup fog. The Sartosans had heard that the Brets were looting a ship in their harbor. They attempted to run the interlopers off, but had real problems finding the harbor in the fog. Eventually it cleared and the Corsairs were seen off, but the fair damsels of Bretonnia took most of the good stuff with them. Both bands become ridiculously rich. I don't remember any casualties.

Next week will feature ship to ship duels on the high seas! Yarr, me hearties!

VERY COOL BEGINNING!

I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing the War Bands in GLORIOUS photos, especially the Band of Bretonian Babes!

DeafNala wrote:

VERY COOL BEGINNING![/]

I'm [b]REALLY looking forward to seeing the War Bands in GLORIOUS photos, especially the Band of Bretonian Babes!

All I can do is second that. The campaigns seems like a lot of fun.

'Evil Ted' wrote:

Randolphus' Raiders

Battle one against the Estalian invaders netted the Raiders a single Estalian Swabbie, a hunting rifle, a blunderbus, a dagger and the experience of fighting the damnable Estalian threats.

Battle two against the Bretonnian Bucanneers netted Randolphus and the crew of the "Swayer's Way" a treasure map, a captain's hat and a rather substantial amount of gold though we did lose our swabbie.

That is all from Randolphus and crew.

Ahoy!
Tonight the quiet seas around the Isle of Sartosa boomed with the thunder of naval guns. Prizes were taken and many a scurvy dog will not see another dawn. We used Warhammer Ahoy rules for ship battles with Sartosan warbands, The photographer was distracted by the intricacies of sailing, naval gunnery and fighting shipboard fires.

The Dons vs the Merry Maids of Bretonnia. The Estalian carrack gained and held the weather gauge for the whole battle, but their carronades did negligible damage to the Bretonnian ship. Exchanges of handgun fire did little to tilt the balance of power in either crew's favor. The Estalians launched their boat to pick up a gunner that fell over board. Serhan the Moor was shot out of the boat for his act of kindness. Finally in desperation the Dons closed on the stern of the Bretonnian and fought their way up the steep sides of the ship. Only Elonzo the gunner actually boarded the enemy but he did so over the fallen body of the Bretonnian captain! The Maids lost heart without their leader and struck their colors. Serhan is pressed into service of the Bretonnians. The poor lad, only the 3rd male on a ship crewed by women!
Pedro the Black is now Pedro the Gimp. He lost an arm in the bitter fighting along the rails. He now has a peg-leg and a hook hand. The Bretonnian Captain gains the Old Battle Wound.

The Ghosts vs Randolphus' Raiders. The Ghosts rode the strong west wind toward the Sartosans. The Cursed manned the guns and sent round shot toward the Swayer's Way. The men of Sartosa bucked into the wind and brought their ship around enough to send a shot into the Ghost ship, which promptly caught fire! The Ghosts lost way as the fire spread and more rounds smashed into the ship. The Sartosans nimbly avoided the enraged Ghost's attempts to ram and continued to pound the Ghosts with cannon and handgun fire. The Ghosts struck their colors as the ship began to take water. A Screaming Ghost will scream no more. The Sartosans gain more wealth from the prize.

The Dons vs Randolphus' Raiders. The wind switched to the east and the Raiders claimed the weather gauge. Don De Gutzman calmly brought the ship around and the first round fired bounced right off the Sartosan hull! The Sartosans sailed briskly with the wind and brought their gun to bear as well. The port gun blew up with the first shot! The two ships then spent some time maneuvering as the Sartosans attempted the come around and bring their remaining gun to bear while the Dons attempted to thwart their attempts while pounding them with round shot. The Estalian gun did little damage to the Swayer's Way before a lucky blunderbuss shot put the gunners out of action. The second Sartosan blunderbuss claimed the bosun and two gunners off the Don's bow. (Elonzo only knocked one Sartosan down with his blast of nails and rocks...) The Dons closed on the Swayer's Way and attempted to force the issue with a boarding action. Only Emilio was able to force his way onto the enemy ship. Don De Gutzman, Pedro and Lorenzo were cut down before they could cross the gunwales. Emilio ordered the colors struck. Don De Gutzman suffers Horrible Scars. Pedro recovers without further loss of limbs. Lorenzo the lush also recovered. A Sartosan gunner died when the cannon exploded. The Sartosans get richer.
Photo-- http://mail.google.com/mail/h/1l2vaqm89gjac/?view=att&th=11fd9ce945af3d87&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

The Ghost and the Maiden. The wind was abeam for both ships. Both rode with the wind and exchanged cannon fire. The desultory exchange inflicted no real damage on either ship. However, the Ghost's crew suffered from the increasingly accurate small arms fire from the Maids. The Ghosts pressed the Bretonnians and finally succeeded in boarding. The stubborn girls ignored the horrific nature of their attackers and proceeded to hack them down. Both crews suffered heavy losses but the Maids of Bretonnia proved the more resolute. The Ghosts struck their colors for the second time. Both a Skeleton Mate and a Cabingirl are killed in Pit Fights after the battle. All other casualties recover.

All crews sail homeward to refit. Next week we'll be back with battles fought in the ports of Sartosa and the surrounding area.
js

The quality of a Battle Report to what passes for a mind with moi is the inspiration factor; i.e. my reaction. My reaction to your report: I NEED TO PAINT PIRATES! VERY WELL DONE!

Thanks DeafNala. We aim to please.

The Duel

Lorenzo Lupo stood at the rail and stared out into the inky night. He belched comfortably and took another swig from the bottle in his right hand. The ways of the gods were strange. Just last week he had drunk with his compadre the Mad King. They had emptied many bottles and the work had been easy. Later they said he and the King had stood off the whole of Sartosa, that Tilean with the northern name…Randolph-Something’s entire crew! Lorenzo didn’t remember, but it sounded like a glorious fight.

Then came that evil walk in the rain along the Long Pier. Why challenge the Ghosts? In driving rain? What was that pompous fool De Gutzman thinking? Those damned Cursed Ones and their undead masters cut them up good. His amigo the King was gone. They had even left his body there on the pier! Sacrilege! He had run with the rest, but at least he, Lorenzo de Richardo de Lupo had dragged poor Pedro away from those beasts. Couldn’t get to the King, too many of them red-eyed bastards… Poor mad son-of-a… Now they make him an officer! So that he cannot drink on watch… Bad example to the men! Pffttt! He is Lor’nzo de Richardo de Isadoro de Lupo! He is a Man!

“De Lupo!” The deep stentorian voice snapped him from his reverie and without thought Lorenzo dropped the near empty bottle over the rail. He cursed himself under his breath as he straightened and turned to face the Captain.

“Si, my Captain!” he sang as the bottle made as small ‘splosh’ below them. “My name is Lorenzo de Richardo de Isadoro Christopher de Lupo and I challenge you!”

The helmsman’s eyes rolled. The Captain took a step forward. His right hand swung free of his body as his left closed on a pistol thrust in his sash. “You what? You low-born dog?”

“I challenge Thee, don Esteban De Gutzman, Captain! I challenge Thee by the Code! I am ele’ted ossifer of this crew and I claim my Right of Challenge! At dawn on the main deck before the crew as it is always done.”

Lorenzo ended his speech with a sudden open hand slap to his Captain’s face. He ruined the moment by glancing at the helmsman for approval and thus did not see the clubbed fist that stretched him senseless on the deck.

“You are supposed to use a glove, peon.” De Gutzman looked down at the now snoring body stretched on his deck. It was so hard to get good help.

“Let him lie!” De Gutzman snarled at the helmsman. “You,” he growled at the lookout on the bow, “awake the Second Officer and inform him he has the Watch. Wake me in 3 hours.”

Lorenzo woke with a start, wet and stinking in the pre-dawn light. He sputtered into awareness lying in a rancid puddle on the deck. A crewman with a bilge bucket stood over him and the rest of the crew were gathered around in an expectant circle. There was something important he was to do today. What…
“As challenged party, I have the choice of weapons. Therefore I declare each party must use his own personal weapons.”

There stood the Captain. Resplendent in puffed breeks, hose, doublet and helm. Sword hung on one hip, a pistol thrust in his sash. Things were coming back to Lorenzo now. He slowly sat up with a silly grin on his face as he surreptitiously checked his body for weapons. One dagger thrust in his boot and another sheathed on his hip. It would have to do.

As First Officer Estevaz read the Articles of the Challenge, Lorenzo rose shakily to his feet. As Emilio finished the Articles Lorenzo took a half step out of sync with the roll of the ship and seemed to fall. The Captain held out his arms and turned smirking to the crew with an elaborate shrug. Lorenzo drew both daggers and hurled himself from the deck toward the startled Captain. De Gutzman managed to draw his sword and pistol but the Master Gunner was inside his guard. As the two grappled, the Captain’s pistol discharged. Lorenzo cursed the sudden burn, but fought on. The Captain bled from several minor cuts but once he was able to push Lorenzo back the issue was never in doubt. The longer reach of the sword meant the Third Officer had no chance. The crew would argue for days whether it was deliberate or not but it was a blow from the guard of the Captain’s sword that stretched Lorenzo senseless on the deck for the second time in 4 hours.

Lorenzo woke once more, this time he had a good idea why there was a sword point at his throat. He prayed to Mannan that the ship’s roll remained constant and the Captain’s hand steady. Then he realized that the yells of the crew had been drowned out by the peals of the ship’s bell. “Sail ho!’ cried the lookout. “Clear for action, ye swabs!”

The Captains merciless eyes met Lorenzo’s along the length of the sword. “I have urgent need of a Master Gunner, you dog! Serve me and live!”

“Aye, my Captain!” Lorenzo rolled away from the sword point already screaming orders at his men.

js

EXCELLENT TALE! You know your Pirate Lore, the Pride of Our Hispanic Brethren, &, more importantly, how to present a narrative in an engrossing manner. VERY WELL DONE!

Hee Hee. I am giddy just reading this thread. Please keep it up

"Evil Ted" wrote--
Battles against the Ghost Pirates of Sartosa

The fight was joined quickly as a medium frigate sailed from the misty banks of the sea. The ghosts seemed not at all afraid and sailed quietly to battle. We quickly prepared and lined up our guns. Gun Crew 1 was on target as several holes were blasted into the enemy ship and fires were set. It seemed to us that the skeleton crew seemed afraid of the fire so we let them have more. As the battle raged, handgun fire and cannon fire quickly made work of the ghost crew and they struck their colors and took off before we were able to catch and board their ship. Afterwards we followed a map of burried treasure and it led us to one of several hidden stashes of Black wyrd the Pirate King. What a fortunate day for the lads of the Swayer's way. Much respect is heaped upon Captain Randolphus.

Estalian Boat Skirmish

The Estalian's know how to sail as their boat and ours circled quite a while. Exchangeing shots as they went on. A misfire of the Swayer's midguns took the life of one of our best gunners. We avenged him as we prepared to board the enemy vessel. The fight was brought to us before we could react though the charge had not helped them. Many Estalian sailors attempted to board us but none were successful as we pushed them back onto their own boat. Arms Officer Fuller managed to take out the Captain as First Officer Mandrin laid low his own share of the Estalian Pirates. None were more useful though than our Gunners Jimmy and "Boatsway" they both managed to take out a fair share of the enemy with their handy blunderbuss. (One of which we had taken from them weeks prior.)

The aftermath of this battle found us at the doorstep of a Luccinian cartographer whom was nice enough to make us a [map] of the local area.

AAARGH! Tales of WOODEN SHIPS & IRON MEN/WOMEN/THINGYS, just can't get enough of ths stuff. WELL DONE & keep it coming!

Great Stuff! This is great!

Thanks for the praise guys. We're all waiting for next Thursday when we can play more games.

In the mean time I thought I'd explain the Duel story. I think I got this rule from Necromunda, and there's a version in LotHS as well.

Challenge.
Whenever a Hero becomes the same or higher Ld as the Leader of the Warband there is a chance that the warrior will challenge the Leader to a duel to determine the leadership of the warband.

A challenge will only occur after a loss. The challenge will occur after the last step of the post game phase.

The hero must pass a Ld test to declare a challenge. (Getting his courage up.) If the Ld test is failed no challenge occurs this time.

If the test is passed, a challenge is declared and the warriors meet as though a Sold to the Pits result was rolled on the injury table.

If the Hero wins he gains +1 experience and becomes the new Leader. He gains the Lead skill and the old Leader loses it. The old Leader rolls on the serious injury table. If he survives he gains +1 experience as well.

If the Leader wins he gains +1 experience. The challenger rolls on the serious injury table. If he survives he gains +1 experience.

A hero may only challenge once. (I used to play challenges after every loss. Until my Beastman Chieftain beat up what had been the best Bestigor until the Chieftain finally killed it). But the hero may challenge once again if the circumstances are right, i.e., the hero challenges once when it is equal to the Leader's Ld and once more if the hero's Ld becomes higher than the Leader's. This means that the backstabbing Skaven only have to worry about each hero once...

In the story above Lorenzo rolled the LgT result right after a loss to the Ghosts. I rolled Ld as his first advance. I decided hey, its pirates, why not play the challenge rule? Lorenzo only had 2 daggers, but he rolled higher to see who moved first and he hit with both his attacks! Then things went down hill and the Captain easily took him OOA. For his injury roll Lorenzo scored a Survived against the Odds!

js

I REALLY like the Challenge Rule; VERY appropriate for a Pirate Band AND carrying the Fluff over into the Rules IS an excellent idea.

It's Thursday, glorious Thursday! Mordheim night!

Senors and Senoritas,
Tonight I bring tales of daring do an' high adventure on the shores of the Big Blue! The Maids and the Sartosans were hiring new crew and having new cannon forged to outfit their ships. The Swayer's Way sports 2 shiny new guns, while the Maids' galleon had a new starboard gun made.

Lootin' (Wyrdstone Hunt). The Merry Maids vs. The Ghosts. Weather--Thunder Storm! The Maids suffered from the lightning again. Those girls are electric! And electrifried. Another crew woman dies in the crackling bolts that follow the Ghosts around Sartosa. Once the storm moved off, the girls settled down to serious shooting and blew the Ghosts off the streets. Riches were gained and laments sung for the dear departed. No one pressed any swabs. Oh yes, the Ghosts swivel gun blew itself to bits with its first shot. A Cursed named Pele dies as does the afore mentioned Maid. I hear no tales of cargo won.

Defend the Find. The Dons vs the Swayer's Way. Weather--clear as bell. The Dons had found an abandoned Great Galleon along the docks and had companionably decided to loot her. The Sartosans claimed all rights of salvage in their own port, damn yer eyes! El Capitain De Gutzman had the lads hide themselves about the ship in fear of Sartosan snipers, but mainly this meant that the Sartosans were up against the sides of the ship before any small arms could be fired to discourage them. The first volley clipped a couple. (One of the bastards may have gone down for good.) But the rest came on regardless, though it slowed them climbing the forecastle. The Sartosan blunderbuss killed a handgunner and scattered good men down and bleeding all over the deck, but the bosun, the Moor and Emilio met the rush amid ships and held them. The fighting was bitter all along the lar'board side. The Dons gave as good as they got, but the bosun died defending the ladder and the Captain called the retreat. It turns out he had got the best of the loot off the ship. Pedro found even more cargo after the fight, but the loss of 2 veteran members of the crew was hard to bear. Fortunately some of the loot was grog, so the lads had a proper send-off! Young Jaun, he loses a leg to that damn blunderbuss. Sad in one so young. He and Pedro spend more time together. Singin' sad songs and annoyin' the trulls with their peglegs...

Lootin' 2 (Wyrdstone Hunt again) The Maids vs the Swayer's Way. Weather--not sure. I swear there was small arms fire coming from the Upper Town. The Maids like the high ground. I'm not really sure what happened. The Sartosan's claimed victory (again). The crew of the Swayer's way have gone on a long streak without defeat. The Maids discover a crate containing a Long Rifle to groans from the rest of us! And a Captain's Hat! (This may have been from the first game...my notes are not the best.) Again I'm a bit sketchy on the details but the Sartosans report even greater wealth.

Skirmish. The Dons vs the Ghosts. Weather--the skies opened up and a Maelstrom swept the docks. Again the Dons' Silver Bullets and brand new blunderbuss did nothing but acquire rust and tarnish. Lorenzo, Elonzo and Gomez y Gomez were still pretty tanked from the bosun's wake, so they stood on the lee side of a building that didn't look to blow away in the gale and sang into the teeth of the storm while the rest of the crew huddled inside. De Gutzman, he could see this bode no good. He called in the flankers and everyone moved down towards the empty hulk they had looted yesterday. The Dons tried to use their quicker movement to out maneuver the Ghosts but found themselves unable to make good time down to the docks. The Ghosts came on with the wind in their sails and climbed aboard the black hulk before Maria could lead the lads to claim it. Maria was tricked into a bad charge and got the lads stranded on the gangplank. The Dons occupied the for-castle but the Ghosts had the waist and never gave it up. Gomez rushed a skeleton in a cage and the blighter stuck him with a pike! Maria cowered from the charge of skeletal marine, who cut her good before she could rearrange his bones for him. Lorenzo leapt into the waist and cut down a Cursed One, but he was attacked in turn by another skeleton in a cage and the enemy's Sea Witch. The Moor went down before the same pike until finally Juan held him at the for-castle.
Lorenzo screamed like a stuck pig and the Captain called retreat. Lorenzo gains hatred of Ghost Pirates, Hardened and the Old Battle Wound. Gomez becomes Accursed and a Northerner named Thomas Hawthorne forswears his foul oath and joins the crew of the Valeria Rojas. The Dons encountered another poor swab as they retreated to the north, so they pressed him as well!

Next week we sail for the islands again.
Fair winds and calm seas,
js

Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. This is amazing to read.

By the way, how are the Warhammer Ahoy rules working? How are you handling buying and campaigning with big boats?

Ahoy Mate!
I'm following LotHS. You get a small ship (a medium by Warhamer Ahoy! standards), dingy and 2 light guns (Zombie Pirates carronades) to start. The ship comes with 4 gunners as cannon crew. These gunners never leave the ship nor gain experience, but they must roll for injury and can be pressed. They must also be replaced if lost. (Or you sail with undermanned guns.)

My references to the new guns referred to the guys actually buying blister packs of Warmachine cannon. (It helps to show the green to our local merchant, since we play an out of print game.)

I'm not sure if I want to allow cannon upgrades or not. Our current plan is to play one 'ship theme' game a week and roll randomly on the Islands tables thereafter. "Boarding Action' becomes a ship duel if rolled. Right now everyone is excited about including the ships so we are going for it.

js

Defend the Find.  A Tale of Salvage by Gunpoint.

Lorenzo leaned against the polished panelling of the great cabin.  Sunlight shone through the many windows and the view of the harbor of Sartosa was splendid!  He looked longingly at the open liquor cabinet.  El Captain De Gutzman followed his eyes and frowned.  He gestured to the half open cabin door and put a finger to his lips for the third time in as many minutes.  Elonzo met de Lupo's eyes and shrugged his shoulders.  The muzzle of his blunderbuss stayed trained on the cabin door.
They had been waiting here in the great cabin for at least ten minutes since the lookouts had run up the plank shouting that the jig was up and armed men were headed this way.  From the garbled account the swabs gave they were surrounded and from the size of the ship Lorenzo could believe it.  There could be hundreds of swabs on their way back to the ship after a night of drinking or whatever had caused this great hulk to be unguarded in Sartosa harbor. 
The Captain, he had hushed the fools and said we have her now, let them come!  Lorenzo had loaded a big gun with grape on each side and left one of his gunners beside it with a lit linstock.  If hundreds came they sure as hell wouldn't all leave in one piece.  He could command most of the obvious approaches and if they gave him time he could just blow the place apart, that would be thirsty work!
This hiding below the decks though, it worried him.  If it was just another small crew like their own they could take the alleys and roof tops and come up on them quietly. Like that!  There was someone in that tumble down ruin beyond the farthest dock to lar'board.  He waved to the Captain and pointed as the man moved cautiously behind the ruined wall.  The faint smudge from a slow match followed his wake.

Pedro stuck his head through the cabin door and recoiled from the wide bell of Elonzo's gun.  "El Captain!" he hissed, "a gang of 3 or 4 armed men are closing 4 points off the lar'board bow."

A loud thump rocked the ship. 

"Now what?" el Captain forgot to whisper.

"Someone just swung a boom out from that tower and dropped a boarding plank on the waist."

"Holy Mannan! Lorenzo?"

"The gun is loaded with grape, I can make noise but the first shot will not hurt anyone behind the walls."

"Mannan's holy mother!  Recall the starboard gunners! Prepare to repel boarders to lar'board! If this is feint..."

Pedro pivoted away on his good leg.  The Captain ground his teeth at the sound the Gimp made as Pedro dragged his pegleg along the deck to the next man to relay the orders.  Lorenzo studied the ceiling and thought of good wine.

"Elonzo get outside and cover that plank.  Blast anyone who tries to use it!"

Even as the Captain said the words a ragged cheer sounded from outside the cabin.  Elonzo dragged the door open and lurched to starboard.  Lorenzo followed him out into the bright sunlight.  He rolled to lar'board expecting a shot from the looming tower.  But no ball flew toward him.  He rolled into the shadows of the high gunwales and looked for'ard.

His gunners had occupied the waist and the forecastle.  Enrico stuck his fool head above the rails and it disappeared in a pink cloud amid a thunderous boom.  Several other men fell screaming including Elonzo.  Lorenzo realized the man in the tower had waited for a better shot.

The bosun and the gunners in the forecastle all swung their guns above the rails and let loose a ragged volley.  Several screams came from below the bows, but the war cries of the crew charging across the boarding plank didn't falter.  Until they left the sunlight and leapt into the waist.  There their eyes took a second to adjust to the sudden gloom and the men of the Valeria Rojas swarmed them.  For all that the fight by the Main mast became a series of individual duels.  The bosun, Fanscico, easily downed his first opponent before the man could recover his wits, but more men rushed across the plank and others swarmed across the docks in front of the now unmanned gun.

Lorenzo and the Captain moved first starboard and then back to lar'board to find a gap in the struggling mass.  A musket banged and the Captain cursed but the range must have been too great or the powder bad because the Captain bled not. Lorenzo had a glimpse of a bloodied Elonzo rising from the deck to fire his gun at the bows. A ragged Sartosan screamed and fell back over the rail.  The young dandy in front of the fallen man looked around wildly, then kept coming.  The Sartosan scampered into the waist trying to stick his boat hook into anybody until he missed and a gunner slashed him with a dagger.  Lorenzo lost track of the little dandy then.  Too many bodies.

The Captain felt the same.  "Fall back to the boats!  Leave off, my rogues!"  Rally on the Valeria Rojas!"

The butcher's bill was high.  Enrico and Franscico were gone.  Young Juan, he would lose that leg.  But the Captain, somehow he had most of the good plunder already off the ship, stowed in the jolly boats.  An' he thought to loot that liquor cabinet, too.  He's a good man, that Captain.

The Dons seem to be accumulating A LOT of wood; they're becoming a sea-going Veterans' Hospital . The colorful characters portrayed in your FINE TALES are beginning to haunt my imagination. You've GOT TO POST SOME PHOTOS!

Thursday night in Indianapolis, many basketball fans are glued to their televisions for the beginning of March Madness. But not the dedicated few gentle reader. The Venerable Mordheim Campaign will soldier on to experience Mordheim adventures despite sports hysteria.

Tonight I must report tragedy and sorrow, comedy and triumph. Many swabs breathed their last in the quest for the Five Treasures of Sobek, the Crocodile God. We played a three player Treasure Hunt because one of our group had a last minute change in plans due to work demands.

We rolled on the multi-player scenario list for the Islands, since we had planned on Island battles and did not have other scenery with us. Once Treasure Hunt was rolled we decided the hunt would take place on an Island Hopping table with lots of islands, jungle. bridges, rowboats and crocodiles. We placed lots of small islands (hills normally) with two larger islands on each narrow table end. (We played on a 4x6, because it was there.) All the islands were connected by bridges, but some islands were only connected to one other island. Large rocks were scattered about between islands and then huts and jungle were added.
The Dons occupied the southern large island and the Merry Maids took the northern island. The Ghosts chose one of the small western islands that was connected to 3 other islands and near a rowboat. The weather was Dry, which sounded great since everyone was afraid of falling off a bridge into the water.
The Dons and the Ghosts ended up in a long slugfest, mainly because the De Gutzman decided to lead from the front and got caught fighting the entire Ghost crew. The melee on the small island activated the crocodile guardians who swarmed toward the wounded crew. All of the warriors who had fallen in the water either recovered and hurried back to land or just drowned. Thus some of the beasts lurked in the channel waiting for another unlucky swab or cruised the islands looking for trouble.
The Merry Maids decided to try for crocodile skin boots and opened up on a nearby brute. Their fire wounded the crocodile and the enraged beast took a crew woman off a bridge. The Maids attempted to kill the beast to rescue their sister, but they were completely unsuccessful. The crocodile dragged its victim below the waves. (The Maids only casualty...)
In the mean time the Dons had redeployed to meet the Ghosts but could never do more than send single warriors into the fray. Each was cut down in turn and the Captain was soon holding a bridge alone against the entire Ghost crew. Lorenzo rushed to his aide but it was too late. As De Gutzman fought the Ghost's Captain a vile skeleton stabbed him in the back with at rusty dagger. The Captain bled out his life before help could arrive.
Lorenzo quickly assumed command and led the crew back to the Valeria Rojas.
The Ghosts surged forward but found their way to the sacred island blocked by the surviving crocodile guardians.
More of the undead and their Cursed allies fell to the Maids musketry and the Ghosts withdrew with no treasure. The Merry Maids gain great riches and both the Dons and the Ghosts suffer losses.
The Moor drowned. Emilio, the first officer, lost an eye. De Gutzman died. Lorenzo killed a skeleton gibbet. The Ghosts exploration phase was hugely disappointing. (No roll above 2...) The Dons use up 2 lots of Silver Bullets with no wounds inflicted... The Maids lose the hench woman, who is eaten by the crocodile.

Observation--the Sartosa swimming rules, while making it simpler to move in the water if you are not aquatic, also make scenarios like this very easy. The rowboats were actually a hinderance to moving because of lost time boarding and debarking. Once we checked the rules for swimming we ignored the boats thereafter.

Sobek's Due
A Tale of Treasure and Murder

The crocodile lazed in the hot sun. Its senses were alert to its surroundings but there was no reason to move so it did not. It was aware that it had been some time since its last meal, but this hunting ground was rich. Food would come soon enough.

The men struggled ashore in the low tide surf. The day was hot, but not unbearably so. But there were other ships scouting these islands and it did not do to get your powder wet, so they watched their footing. This island was the largest of the little chain. Men had been here. For a good long time if you looked--huts everywhere, good plank bridges. But no one was here now. No one who belonged on these islands was here anyway. Beyond the light jungle in front of them they could see the sudden rise of a flock of seabirds to the north. Something or some one had flushed them. It could be a hungry croc, or it could be someone else was looking for treasure.

Captain Esteban De Gutzman checked his crew. Some one was missing, his newest recruit had hung back. No time now to have the watch roust him out of his hiding place on the ship. Time enough for that later. After they got what they had come for. The Five Treasures of Sobek. He had heard legends of them since he was a lad and here he was! The Crocodile Isles.

He checked his pistol one more time. The powder was dry. He had just changed the flint before he left the ship. It was still securely in place. The silver ball firmly tamped down with wadding. You didn’t plan to steal a god’s treasures with out a weapon to fight the supernatural.

The anchorage was good. Sheltered behind the largest island. The sea so clear you could see the bottom here in the shallows. He and the crew had been able to walk through the surf with small fish darting around their legs. He had seen none of the islands namesakes-salt water crocs as big as a jolly boat they said. But everyone clutched a weapon and watched the tree line and the surrounding sea.

De Gutzman didn’t know what he would find on these islands so the crew advanced in a rough skirmish line. The Captain, the Moor, the new man Thomas and the first officer, Emilio, took the left. The new gunner paced a bit to their right, his blunderbuss pointed toward the tree line. Lorenzo and his harquebusiers formed the center. Pedro, Jaun, Maria and Elonzo had the right.

As they emerged from the jungle on the north side of the island the entire island chain lay visible before them. De Gutzman immediately noticed the shore parties on his left. A group of three men were crossing a bridge toward the small island immediately to the northwest. Three other men were inspecting a rowboat moored alongside another bridge. Two of the men shimmered in the bright sun as though seen through a mist. Ghosts! Men long dead walked in the sunlight of the island. Mortal men with black hearts and mortgaged souls walked beside them. The traitor Gomez was with them. No one renounced an oath to Don Esteban De Gutzman!

De Gutzman pointed to the left and the Moor led off across a convenient bridge. Lorenzo looked up from the altar he was inspecting. He stared after the Captain. Quickly he positioned his men by a nice breastwork of crates near the waterline. Pedro and his group moved off to the eastern side of the island. Lorenzo began to worry.

The Captain and his men rushed across the narrow bridge expecting death with every step. But no shots sounded and the men made it to the shelter of one of the huts. But the entire crew of the Ghost Ship rushed toward their sanctuary. They would have to withdraw! De Gutzman looked back at the big island. He could see no sign of Pedro! Where had the crippled fool gotten to? Thomas and Emilio were half way across the bridge trying to keep jungle between them and the crew of the Ghost Ship.

Lorenzo’s gunners let loose with their first volley. Flocks of birds burst into the air with raucous cries. The harquebus shots seemed to have no effect but even Gomez fell when the blunderbuss roared. A walking skeleton spun and fell into the lagoon. The animated bones did not thrash as a living man would but the still forms of the crocodiles rose and glided into the water nonetheless.

The Ghosts pressed on. The small island where De Gutzman had rushed to confront Gomez now held most of the Cursed crew. The Skeleton rose up dripping from the lagoon and marched back to the beach. Gomez stood brushing sand from his clothes and shouted a challenge at his former shipmates before more musketry forced him to seek cover again. A third crew had taken chips in the game. De Gutzman could hear the desultory pop of their guns, but he could see nothing.

The Captain and the Moor exchanged a quick look of understanding. “Hold them as long as you can,” De Gutzman said as he stepped from behind the hut and quickly walked to the base of the bridge. He turned and both he and the Moor emptied their pistols into the chest of the enemy Captain. With an unearthly laugh Blackwater rushed the Moor and sent him spinning into the lagoon with a slash from the Ghost Captain’s cutlass. At De Gutzman’s right the brave gunner was also knocked into the water. Crocodiles could be seen swimming toward the sputtering pirate, who grabbed a trailing vine and struggled back onto land again.

De Gutzman had reached the middle of the bridge. Thomas moved past De Gutzman to face his former masters. Emilio guarded the Captain’s left. The gunners fired their second volley. The other ghost gave a shriek and seemed to disappear completely. Lorenzo unloaded his blunderbuss into a line of caged skeletons. One disintegrated into scrap metal and bone dust. The other was knocked into the lagoon. A human who had been part of the line yelped and also fell to the sand.

Thomas and Emilio met the charge of the Ghost crew. His former comrades cut Thomas down where he stood. Emilio checked Blackwater’s rush but the First Officer’s weapons could not wound the fiend. De Gutzman had reloaded his pistol with another silver bullet, but the cunning Ghost knocked the barrel aside at the last minute and the shot went wild. Blackwater cackled with glee as his sword point took Emilio’s left eye right out of its socket. Emilio fainted dead away. For a moment De Gutzman stood alone against the clamoring Ghosts. He fended off their attacks but could do no damage in the press of bodies. Then Lorenzo was there. The Master Gunner thrust his pistol (also loaded with silver bullets) into Blackwater’s chest and squeezed the trigger. The gun misfired! Blackwater’s laughter rose to maniacal heights as the Ghost crew pressed the two Estalians back toward the largest island.

The caged skeleton that Lorenzo had shot earlier surfaced from the lagoon’s bloodied waters behind the beleaguered men. It slowly pulled itself from the water onto the embattled bridge. Then it jammed its rust encased dagger into De Gutzman’s lower back! The Captain of the Valeria Rojas screamed and died on the blood-slicked bridge. Lorenzo fought on against the press but he was overwhelmed by the victorious Ghosts and cast himself into the lagoon to escape their blades.

The crocodile basked in the late afternoon sun. It was full and content. The smells and sounds of the islands had returned to normal. There was no reason to move, so it did not.

Here is a picture of the battle described above.
(Disclaimer: If it against the rules to post pictures to go with a battle report here please let me know and I'll delete it.)</A>

DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH THAT PHOTO!
It's quite the normal thing to do. Including photos of the battle decribed in the report IS the COOLEST of presentations, AND THAT IS ONE COOL PHOTO!

OK then, here's more...

That looks SO COOL! The table has a Pirates of the Carribbean feel to it; even the azure water looks JUST right. AND the minis ARE a TREAT. It's fun just picking out all the different Mini Makers handicraft. EXCELLENT STUFF!

Do you think we could get a few close ups of the Lads & Lasses?