Frostgrave: Sellsword

Wednesday will be a day of nervous excitement for me, for it is the day that Frostgrave: Sellsword goes up for sale. This mini-supplement for Frostgrave includes rules for hiring Captains, a new type of customizable soldier who gains experience and can learn ‘Tricks of the Trade’. It also contains three new scenarios.

I’m actually more nervous about this release than I was Thaw of the Lich Lord, despite the fact that it is only about a fifth of the length. That is because, unlike Lich Lord, Sellsword presents a more fundamental change to the game. While all of the rules for Captains are optional and wizards don’t necessarily have to hire them, I think it very likely that most players will want to use them. I think they will become ‘part of the game’ in a way that no individual item in Lich Lord is likely to do.

Okay – here is the reason I’m most worried – Captain’s don’t have skills! Not as such anyway.

In most of the discussions I’ve seen about captains in Frostgrave, both before and after Sellsword was announced, people have wondered what skills they would have. I suppose skills have become such an ingrained part of skirmish wargaming that they are almost assumed, but I wanted to try something different. I wanted to try something that would bring a bit more tactical nuance and a bit more decision-making to the game. So, I came up with ‘Tricks of the Trade’. Unlike the skills found in most wargames that are ‘always on’, Tricks of the Trade can only be used once each game. In general they can be used to modify one die roll. Thus a player really has to think about when to use it, and, while they certainly give a captain an advantage, they won’t be applicable all of the time.

This does, unfortunately, add another little level of complexity and record keeping to the game. I struggled with the decision, because I know the game’s inherent simplicity is one of its strong attractions. In the end, I thought it was worth it. Ever since I finished the first version of Frostgrave, I thought there was something missing, that one extra ‘named’ character that represented the poor, non-magical soldiers.

Well, I guess I’ll know if the players agree with me on Wednesday!

Knight of Minas Tirith

Since Christmas, I’ve actually found a little time (and even rarer) energy to do some painting. Sorting through my backlog of minis, I found two boxes of metal Knights of Minas Tirith that I picked up at the Historicon flee market some seven months ago. I got both boxes for $15!

It’s an interesting set. At some point, Games Workshop replaced the original boxes with a ful plastic version. I’ve got one of those as well (unpainted). The differences between the two sets are minor, with one exception. The plastic box set comes with shields whereas the metal one do not. Now, as it turns out, I think the models actually look better without shields, so it’s not a big deal.

There is one other issue I just had to deal with though. I hate long metal lances (and spears and pikes) because when they are cast in white metal, it is impossible to keep them straight. They invariably bend and no matter how much time you spend trying to straighten them out, they never quite look right again. So, for my first knight here, I cut the lance out of his hand. I then drilled out the hand and inserted a steel rod. It was a bit of a pain, but worth the trouble. Also troublesome was connecting the hand, with the new lance, to the wrist. I got a little carried away with the glue, so now the knight appears to have a heavy falconry glove on his right hand, but it’s a minor thing.

Normally, I don’t like painting cavalry, I just find the horses a pain, but I enjoyed this. I’ve always been a fan of knights in shining armour and this guy fits the bill!

Good thing, I suppose, since I have 18 more of these guys (I picked up an extra banner barer somewhere down the line). Combine that with the 6 Knights of Dol Amroth I’ve got (also unpainted) and someday I will be able to field a full Gondorian cavalry force!

Frostgrave Scenario: Standing in the Eye

I hope everyone enjoys this new Frostgrave scenario, which I decided to publish on my blog as part of a charity raising effort. I am asking anyone who plays this scenario, prints it off, or downloads it to add to their collection to please donate at least £1 to Save the Children through the MyDonate page I have set up. I am hoping to raise £500. For more information on this campaign of The Order of the Sword and Dice, please see the blog post immediately preceding this one. Enjoy your adventure into Frostgrave!

Frostgrave: Standing in the Eye

Over a thousand years ago, a wizard named Grodek Humphrizes built a walled house in the southwest corner of Felstad. In the centre of his house, he created a unique spherical chamber called the Rondure. He linked the Rondure to four permanent wizard eyes which he installed at the corners of his walls so that he could spy on his neighbours. He also linked it to the two security constructs that patrolled his grounds.

Grodek Humphrizes died in the great storm that buried Felstad, and much of his house was destroyed. However the Rondure survived, mostly intact, as did the two constructs...

Set-Up

Begin the set-up by placing the Rondure in the middle of the table. The Rondure can be any small chamber which is mostly made up of windows or open walls. Alternatively, just designate a small rooftop as the Rondure. Next, place four ‘wizard eye’ markers on the diagonals between the Rondure and the four corners of the board. Each marker should be 12” away from the Rondure. Fill the rest of the board with ruins and rubble as per a standard game of Frostgrave. Place treasure as normal. Finally, place two ‘security constructs’ next to the two treasures that are closest to the Rondure.

Special Rules

Any spellcaster standing within the Rondure at the start of a turn immediately takes 2 points of damage. A spellcaster standing in the Rondure may use any of the four wizard eye markers to draw line of sight for the purposes of casting spells. Unlike normal wizard eyes, these have 360 degree vision. Additionally, any spell from the Soothsayer school cast while standing in the Rondure gains +3 on the casting roll.

A spellcaster standing in the Rondure may sacrifice one action (which may be his required movement action) to take control of and activate one of the security constructs.  Take the actions for this construct at the end of the current players phase. This construct will not activate again this turn. The spellcaster loses control over this construct immediately after the phase. A spellcaster may not take control of a construct currently under the control of another player. A security construct cannot leave the board for any reason.

Treasure and Experience

Roll for treasure as per a normal game of Frostgrave. Calculate experience as normal with the following additions:

                +25 Experience if either the wizard or his apprentice begins a turn standing in the Rondure.

                +10 Experience for each security construct killed by the wizard or his warband.

Security Constructs

Security Constructs look like empty suits of armour carrying large weapons, usually a battleaxe or warhammer. They were a popular ‘budget’ option for wizards looking for a bit of household security.

	Move	Fight	Shoot	Armour	Will	Health	Notes
Security Construct	6	+2	+0	12	+0	14	Construct. Treat as using a two-handed weapon.

New Frostgrave Scenario

Just a quick note to say that the new issue of Tabletop Gaming Magazine is out today, and includes an exclusive Frostgrave scenario called The Bridges of Mal Dreath. I wrote the scenario when I was still very much in the Thaw of the Lich Lord mindset, so it should slot right into that campaign. In the UK, you can pick up a copy at WH Smiths. Elsewhere in the world, you are probably best off ordering direct. Anyway, here is their Facebook page.

I like to think that I was going to be on the cover until I got bumped for Wil Wheaton and then he got bumped for Darth Vader!

Frostgrave – State of Play (and Spoilers)

It is now just three days since the official release of Thaw of the Lich Lord, the first print supplement for Frostgrave: Fantasy Wargames in the Frozen City. I am excited to report that the book has already sold out in Europe, which means you can’t get it directly from Osprey or Amazon at the moment. That said, it should not be too hard to find a wargames dealer that has a copy if you want one. A second print run is inbound and should be here in a few weeks.

The main rulebook is currently on its fourth print run, and, in total, has sold somewhere between 9,000 and 10,000 copies. While that doesn’t put it anywhere near ‘the big boys’, it is a very good number for a wargame. In fact, it makes it Osprey’s third best-selling wargame after Bolt Action and Field of Glory.

Perhaps more amazing, there are now two plastic box sets of figures for the game, and over 30 different blister packs of metal or resin figures (most of which contain two figures each). There is also a printed deck of spell cards.

Not everything has gone perfectly, however. A number of copies of the second print run of the book proved defective, which resulted in the spine cracking and pages falling out. Thankfully, this doesn't seem to have effected too many books, but if you have a book that is falling apart, please contact wargames@ospreypublishing.com and let them know.

What does the future hold for Frostgrave? Well, the first half of next year, will see the release of two small, digital-only supplements: Sellsword and Dark Alchemy. For those that are wondering, why Osprey is releasing new material this way – well, that is mostly my fault. As soon as Osprey realized the game was a hit, I was asked to write more material. However, the result of having a full-time job and a full-time baby daughter is that I only have so much writing time. I said there was no way I could work another full supplement into my schedule…however, I could do some smaller ones.  For those, like me, who much prefer print of digital, I can say that the plan is to collect these smaller releases into a print companion in the future.

July next year will see the release of the next print supplement with Into the Breeding Pits, which I've talked a bit about in a previous blog.

The Spoilers

One of the most common requests I have received from fans of Frostgrave is for some kind of ‘captain’ to help lead their warbands. Thankfully, this is something I also wanted for the game. Sellsword presents new rules for hiring captains, a soldier who can choose his own weapons and armour, who can gain experience up to a limit, and who can learn ‘tricks of the trade’. (Not exactly skills, you see, but I’ll leave that discussion for another day). Of course, captains want a bit more than the mere retainer paid to other soldiers… Sellsword will also include three new scenarios, all of which have some sort of magical ‘limitation’ in them, so that wizards have to rely a bit more on their soldiers in those situations.

The focus of Frostgrave has always been about the wizards, and that is not something I want to change. Most soldiers will always be ‘extras’ as far as the rules are concerned. But the idea of a wizard having a trusted swordsman friend is just too good for me to ignore. Hopefully players will find the little bit of added complexity a worthwhile trade off.

I won’t say too much about Dark Alchemy at this point, except that it will focus on potions, scrolls, and grimoires. I have never been completely happy with the rules for these magical treasures, and with a lot more time to think about them and hearing a lot of people voicing various opinions, I think this will be a good opportunity to review and tweak those rules, as well as introducing a lot of fun new magical items!

Heartbreak Quadrant

My best buddy from high school, Barrett Stanley, has just launched a kickstarter to print his own comic book, Heartbreak Quadrant. Barrett has spent years working on it, doing all of the writing, pencilling, inking, lettering, and colouring himself. He's done all of this while holding down a full-time job and being a father, which is no mean feat! So, if you think it is something that might interest you, take a look and maybe support his efforts.

For me, this is exactly the kind of project that kickstarter should be used to fund.


Check out the campaign here: http://kck.st/1P1mxGl

The Loot From Spiel!

To those who have never been to Spiel, it is very hard to describe. Imagine all of the people from a major rock concert crammed into four large halls, filled with stalls and booths selling games. Many areas are just given over to numerous tables where people can sit and try out games. Everywhere you look are games, people, more games and more people. The noise level is a steady, good-natured, roar.

I went to the show as part of work, so it was a very, very long weekend. That said, I did get a couple of chances to slip away and do some shopping! Most of the show is devoted to board and card games of all descriptions, but there are also sections for comic books, wargames and role-playing games. It was in these last two that most of my personal interest lay.

My first purchase was a Reaper bones figure I had been wanting to pick up for a while, an elf wizard who serves as a counterpart to the elf ranger I painted a while back. Then I made a wonderful discovery, an original Silent Death box set! The box has taken a few knocks, but the contents appear to have been untouched since it was first printed. I have actually been looking for this box set for awhile to replace one I lost long ago. I can still remember, in my youth, when I saw the game first advertised in Dragon magazine. I got the box set then, and I played the game to death! I still think it has one of the most elegant combat mechanics I've ever seen in a game. I have been looking to replace my lost set for awhile, but copies aren't that easy to come by. So, as you can gather, I was thrilled with this purchase.

Finally, on the last day, I went past a stand that was selling off 3e and 4e Dungeons and Dragons books for €2.50! Hardback book for about £2! Okay, they aren't for the current edition of the game, and they are perhaps some of the more obscure titles, but since I'm only getting them as reference material anyway...we'll, I got more than a couple! 

All-in-all, an extremely successful shopping experience. It was also a huge success for work as well.