Frostgrave and Hail Caesar! Army progression

Hello everyone!

Tim and I played another game of Frostgrave.. he had some Otheworld Pig-Orcs in this game, which you can see here. Some sweet looking Knights, and heavy Marksman on the field!

Really cool looking miniatures!

Game 1 -

We used the castle walls at our local model shop and lots of towers this game. Makes for a lot of climbing and tactical defence!
 

Bone dart is a scary spell, so I made good use of hiding my wizards and apprentices.  My infantryman got blasted by Bone Dart in both games rather quick, since I needed a human shield sometimes... 

I didn't take so many photos for the first game- but basically, Tim started out strong, taking out some key characters, but I made a come back with good shooting and ended up taking out both his apprentice and wizard.  My apprentice was taken out.. but none of our spellcasters were injured!  Treasure wise I had the upperhand.  

It was the second game I thought was more juicy.  We turned the castle walls to run diagonally. instead of across the board And it looked something like this.... 

I love having boards with tons of terrain on it. Feels maze like 

A lot of scenery pictures this time.. not so much of gameplay up until this point! 

Tim and I were both heading with all our wizards and soldiers to the central gap in the wall, where the showdown would be.  Tim had placed an archer in a tower on his side, and I had placed a ranger on mine.. 

My thief got dangerously close to the enemy this game.. thought he was going to die for sure and lose his boots, but one move saved him and all my warband later. 

Tim advances.. 

My guys stick to the wall, and I have my crossbowmen climb ladders to make to the top. 

The gap! 

TIm's forces draw near. I buff up my men with Fleet Feet where I can! 

All gathered up around the ladder as the crossbowman goes to join the Ranger in the tower. 

Tim's Zombies and Knights round the gap, as I send forth my men! Great Human shields from Bone Darts! 

I had formulated a plan early on when I saw this map.. . see how it develops. 

Here you can see my Ranger and Crossbowmen in the towers. On the right side my infantryman and a dog were able to pin down one of Tim's marksman, and although he was somehow able to defeat the Infantryman, the dog eventually took the pig out. 

Though not showed here, What happened was that I had a templar drink a potion of teleportation. This sent him magically reappearing beside Tim's archer on his tower.. at the same time, I used Mind Control on the other pig behind Tim's lines.. The Pig Marksman ended up shooting out his Wizard, then charged the apprentice, and critically damaged her, followed by my own men taking her out after! 

But with the loss of his spellcasters and no ranged support, TIm pressed the attack on 

But with the loss of his spellcasters and no ranged support, TIm pressed the attack on my apprentice and his two body guards, hoping to at least take out one of my spellcasters.

But Tim did not have fleet feet on his side, and my soldiers were naturally faster than his heavy knights and templars.. so they were easily avoided. As he advanced my ranger and crossbowman cover fired the retreating soldiers. 

With the wizard gone, the Pig under my Mind Control charged the apprentice! 

The other crossbow pig was able to take out the infantryman , but ended up wounded. That's where my dog finished him off. Mmm, bacon. 

Here Tim tries to advance, but all the cover fire from the ranged units in the tower hurt him greatly... that and I had learned Bone Dart on my own wizard last game!  Fight bone with bones! 

Come here, ham. 

Though not pictured, Tim managed to escape with two treasures. His thieves did their job and made off with their loot. Again only two treasures.   The rest of his forces pursued my Apprentice and bodyguard, but the Templar that had earlier teleported into the tower and also had fleet feet cast on him was able to catch up behind this lot, along with my dog, and they were flanked and rear attacked, and all sorts of nasty things happened to them.

Tim lost every single soldier except his thieves this game! Ouch! 

Fortunately his Wizard and apprentice survived without harm!  It was a very, very bloody battle. 

And that was the game!  I absolutely loved to see Tim's Otherworld Miniature Pig-Orc models. You'll notice he didn't paint them green as most people like to paint orcs.. I think they look much better with the pink shades.. I mean.. they're pigs!  Pigmen! Not orcs!

For our next encounter we will be playing Hail Caesar! again- I am rather excited for it as I've completed another Hastati unit, but more so because Tim will be bringing out his Numidian Cavalry.  I want to see how light cavalry with feigned flight fair in the Punic wars, and look forward to using the tactic myself with my Roman's and their mercenary Numidians in the future!

Also, Graham will be over for a short 175 point game tomorrow evening as he is in the area on a camping trip.  It will be Gauls VS My Roman/Numidian mercenary forces. I'm quite nervous to fight the Gallic forces because a clash of 9 against a small unit like the Hastati sounds absolutely devastating! I think I'll need to keep all my forces aligned with one another and force them to charge two units at once, or get the charge on them first!

I leave you now with my latest additions: The Hastati unit, restored Velites unit, and my latest Casualty marker.

This casualty marker was made using a Wargames Factory Briton Chariot Driver, their Celtic Warrior's shield, and a javelin from their ancient German kit... Great use of a model that doesn't have his chariot I think. Rather like how gruesome it turned out. 

Two units of Hastati done.  I mixed up this unit with armorless fellows and pectoral / Italian Legion ally body armor. I think it reflects the lack of body armor the Hastati had well.. The Principes I plan to do after will appear much better armored with their chain! 

Above are all my small units I've got complete.  Two Victrix Hastati units, one Agema Hastati unit (which I plan to phase out when I get more Victrix units done.. just do not like how brittle their spears are and how hard they are to align) and Victrix Skirmishers / velite unit. 

With some improvising , glue, and painting two fresh velites, this unit is back into action to act as skirmishers or light troops.. don't mind the fellow without the wolf pelt in the back rank.. he's the poorest dude in the army. Please do not discriminate against him for not being normal like the rest of em...   he has seen horrors no soldier should have to experience twice! ! 

Zai jian!