Guildball Tokens and Demo Playing Field

For Guildball,  i've finished tokens and two demo fields for this weekend's Gottacon convention. Myself and a friend will be demoing Guildball, and have been using my Malifaux tokens I made a while ago. The newest rules and character sheets are here.

First off, the pitch above is two feet by two feet because of the quicker playing time of thirty minutes and fewer players, three. The starting line and goal line are also different, at six inches and four inches respectively. For how I make my pitches go here.

First is the goal. Now with victory points up to twelve, tokens didn't cut it anymore.  I made these instead. For demo games, it goes up to six points and...

 ...is double sided. These are made of wooden disks from Bear Woods.

The game designers recommend for the Fishermen: Shark, Angel and Siren. For the Butchers: Ox, Brisket and Boiler. The influence markers are small wooden disks painted either red or light blue.

For momentum markers i've painted the disks silver, alluding to coins. I think of momentum as sponsor money; the better show you put on, the more you can change the game. I also like the small tape measure. It only goes three feet but that seems like more than enough for most of the games I play.

 The demo sheets are different from normal first season sheets. There is also no conditions that can be put on others. Remember that when giving a demo because what you think a model can do is different.

Here are the templates, on card stock. I'm also going to have a handy quick measuring tool for one and two inch measurements.

For my regular games, I painted these larger condition markers: poison, bleed and knockdown.

Thor Steinhammer

Thor Steinhammer is a super solid solo. He can be a jack marshal with Drive: Pronto, can boost Rhulic jack's attack or damage rolls, and has a flamethrower!
I started with a spray primer of Krylon black then a rough drybrush of Hammerfall Khaki. Then a drybrush of Gun Corps Brown on the shaded areas and a drybrush of 50/50 Hammerfall Khaki and Menoth White Highlight on the raised sunny side of the model. Then it was Cold Steel to the metal parts. The face was done with Dark Flesh then a drybrush of Midlund Flesh and a light drybrush of Ryn Flesh.
Molten Bronze was applied to some metal parts and those were drybrushed with Rhulic Gold. The flames were painted with Khador Red then drybrushed with Khador Red Highlight and finally lightly drybrushed with Cygnar Yellow. The leather parts were painted with Bootstrap Leather and drybrushed with Gun Corps Brown and lightly drybrushed with Rucksack Tan. The visor lens was painted with Arcane Blue. The whole model (except flames) was washed with Army Painter Dark Tone. The side of the model facing the flames was drybrushed with Cygnar Yellow to give some object source lighting. The base and arc was painted with Bootstrap Leather, graveled and flocked with GW stuff with Army Painter Wasteland Tuft.

This little guy will probably be an auto include because he's so awesome with Rhulic Jacks.

Wroughthammer Rockham

 The Wroughthammer Rockham is a good melee and ranged jack.

I started with a spray primer of Krylon black then a rough drybrush of Hammerfall Khaki. Then a drybrush of Gun Corps Brown on the shaded areas and a drybrush of 50/50 Hammerfall Khaki and Menoth White Highlight on the raised sunny side of the model. Then it was Cold Steel to the metal parts.

Molten Bronze was applied to some metal parts and those were drybrushed with Rhulic Gold. The red accent area was painted with Skorne Red then drybrushed with Khador Red and finally lightly drybrushed with Khador Red Highlight. The whole model was washed with Army Painter Dark Tone. The base and arc was painted with Bootstrap Leather, graveled and flocked with GW stuff with Army Painter Wasteland Tuft. I then drew Rhulic glyphs on their sides with a paint pen.

Now for more Rhulic units and solos!

Gamma World - Eight Editions and Thirty-Seven Years later

Gamma World has been a quintessential part of Science-Fantasy in roleplaying for the last thirty-seven years. Each edition takes place in the future where advanced technology once existed before the Earth was devastated by war. Generations later, the survivors are eking out a life out of the ruins surrounded by insane machines, altered animals and humans and far stranger things.

The players themselves can be human, mutant, plant, animal and in later editions a robot. Most editions are slightly humorous in nature with a tongue-in-cheek look at a global apocalypse.

The first edition came out in a boxed set in 1978. It had two adventures, Legion of Gold and Famine in Far-Go. I don't own the boxed set but do own the adventures.

The second edition was also a boxed set and came out in 1983. This was the set I was first exposed to and holds a warm place in my heart. Growing up as a teenager in the 80's, the threat of a nuclear war was present and was infused in the decade's music, film, books and television; at least the stuff I consumed. The fold out map of a ruined North America in the box was a great bonus. Two adventures were made for this edition, Cleansing Wars of Garak Blackhand and the Mind Masters. Although this edition was compatible with the previous two adventures, I didn't like these as much as the first edition ones.

The third edition was published in 1985 and used a different conflict resolution chart: TSR's Marvel Super Heroes RPG one. Besides the solo adventure in the box and the ideas in the five adventures, this was a weak edition of the rules. The adventure series, Alpha to Epsilon took the players searching for parts to a spaceship to go to the moon to save the Earth. The adventure line was discontinued before the last concluding adventure was published.

The fourth edition was published in 1992 and used many of the features in the second edition of Dungeons and Dragons. It was made in a softcover book form and five adventures were made: Treasures of the Ancients, Overlords of Bonparr, Mutant Master, All Animals are Equal, and Home Before the Sky Falls. This edition was very solidly made for both the rules and adventures.

The fifth edition was made using the Alternity rules in 2000, a predecessor of the d20 Modern system. Shortly after it came out, TSR abandoned the Alternity line. I don't have this edition of the rules.

The sixth edition was a Dungeon magazine bonus RPG using the d20 system. It was made by Johnathan Tweet and acclaimed for its solid rules.

The seventh edition made by Sword and Sorcery Studios in 2003. It was the most somber of the editions and has great materiel for anyone running a d20 system game, as it used that system. The three main books (Player's, Gamemaster's, and Mutants and Machines Manual) and three supplement books (Beyond the Horizons, Cryptic Alliances and Unknown Enemies, and Out of the Vaults) were excellent books. Mutants and Machines and Out of the Vaults were my favourites of the entire Gamma World line for creatures that can be used in any d20 game.

The eighth edition was produced in 2010 and heavily influenced by the fourth edition of Dungeons of Dragons and was a boxed set. This is the weakest edition of them all. The packs of extra Alpha and Omega mutations, sold separately, made me retch in my mouth at the unabashed marketing of it. Two adventures, Famine in Far-Go and Legion of Gold, were made for this edition. Although they have the same name as the original two adventures, they differ from them.

Will WOTC make a ninth edition of Gamma World with the new fifth edition of Dungeons and Dragons ruleset? I hope so. I really like the new edition of rules for Dungeons and Dragons and can see it being easily adapted, in fact using the Sword and Sorcery seventh edition books would the be easiest way to port it over until that occurs.

Ghordson Avalancher

The Ghordson Avalancher can dish damage out at range and take it too.

I started with a spray primer of Krylon black then a rough drybrush of Hammerfall Khaki. Then a drybrush of Gun Corps Brown on the shaded areas and a drybrush of 50/50 Hammerfall Khaki and Menoth White Highlight on the raised sunny side of the model. Then it was Cold Steel to the metal parts.

Molten Bronze was applied to some metal parts and those were drybrushed with Rhulic Gold. The red accent area was painted with Skorne Red then drybrushed with Khador Red and finally lightly drybrushed with Khador Red Highlight. The whole model was washed with Army Painter Dark Tone. The base and arc was painted with Bootstrap Leather, graveled and flocked with GW stuff with Army Painter Wasteland Tuft. I then drew Rhulic glyphs on their sides with a paint pen.

One more Rhulic Jack model to go (besides the second Driller jack)!

Ghordson Basher

 The Ghordson Basher has some notariety as an assasain jack. With the right spells and focus it can bash its way to a caster kill but it also can help with scenario and board control as well as eliminating fragile models.

I started with a spray primer of Krylon black then a rough drybrush of Hammerfall Khaki. Then a drybrush of Gun Corps Brown on the shaded areas and a drybrush of 50/50 Hammerfall Khaki and Menoth White Highlight on the raised sunny side of the model. Then it was Cold Steel to the metal parts.

Molten Bronze was applied to some metal parts and those were drybrushed with Rhulic Gold. The red accent area was painted with Skorne Red then drybrushed with Khador Red and finally lightly drybrushed with Khador Red Highlight. The whole model was washed with Army Painter Dark Tone. The base and arc was painted with Bootstrap Leather, graveled and flocked with GW stuff with Army Painter Wasteland Tuft. I then drew Rhulic glyphs on their sides with a paint pen.

Looking forward to playing it!

Ghordson Driller

The Ghordson Driller is a very focus efficient jack and is amongst the cheapest heavys in the game. Add the auto hit if previously hit means lots of attacks or boosted damage rolls.

I started with a spray primer of Krylon black then a rough drybrush of Hammerfall Khaki. Then a drybrush of Gun Corps Brown on the shaded areas and a drybrush of 50/50 Hammerfall Khaki and Menoth White Highlight on the raised sunny side of the model. Then it was Cold Steel to the metal parts.

Molten Bronze was applied to some metal parts and those were drybrushed with Rhulic Gold. The red accent area was painted with Skorne Red then drybrushed with Khador Red and finally lightly drybrushed with Khador Red Highlight. The whole model was washed with Army Painter Dark Tone. The base and arc was painted with Bootstrap Leather, graveled and flocked with GW stuff with Army Painter Wasteland Tuft. I then drew Rhulic glyphs on their sides with a paint pen.

I have another Driller that will be painted but I had to wait for the missing leg to arrive from Privateer Press. An excellent missing part service they have.

Sun Tzu for Gamers - Part 3 - Attack by Stratagem

The next chapter from Sun Zsu's Art of War is "Attack by Stratagem".

In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them. Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

Intimidation is a powerful tool to defeating the enemy. If you play against someone with models that are top tier painted does it not take the wind out of your sails a little?

Same as when they set up their army in a better position than yours. Even before the first turn you feel defeated and realize that you have to work harder.

Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans; the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces; the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field; and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.

Balking here is implied as attacking before the enemy does. Anticipating what the enemy will do and foiling that plan is an excellent way of fustrating your foe, such that they will make more mistakes.

Preventing junction means to isolate an enemy from allies or reinforcments. By doing so you can undermine the morale of those isolated and those who are trying to help them. Having fast moving forces also helps to prevent the enemy from executing thier perfect plan.

Facing one's enemy on the field is the normal for generalship. Aim higher in your strategies.

By laying seige, you are static and cannot respond to attack. You also are expending energy, equipment and personnel on an unknown variable.

The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided. The preparation of mantlets, movable shelters, and various implements of war, will take up three whole months; and the piling up of mounds over against the walls will take three months more. The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain, while the town still remains untaken. Such are the disastrous effects of a siege.

Seiges take a long time. If you know your foe is going to build or utilize a strong defence, react quickly and with force to prevent the enemy taking this action. When faced with a failing strategy, they may give up on those forces, allowing you to defeat them with little energy.

Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field. With his forces intact he will dispute the mastery of the Empire, and thus, without losing a man, his triumph will be complete.

Subduing your enemies forces is nigh-impossible in miniature games but often a strong element in wargames. Remember to change how you play when changing between the two. Utilize the potential of conflict to your advantage.

This is the method of attacking by stratagem. It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him;

By surrounding them, you intimidate the foe and whatever decision they make will be countered by your forces in their rear and flank.

if five to one, to attack him;

Never hesitate as your casulties will be minor compared to the rush of your assault if they have no time to establish defences.

if twice as numerous, to divide our army into two.

Divinding into two forces enables one to be used for distraction or flanking.

If equally matched, we can offer battle;

Equal numbers with equal skill means equal casulties.

if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy;

Never confrount the enemy when at a disadvantage. Avoid until you get equal or superior forces. This also gives the advantage of scouting thier intent.

if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him.

A general who keeps thier forces alive to win a future battle is better than those who throw away the strength of those under them. Unless they are a distraction from your other forces.

Hence, though an obstinate fight may be made by a small force, in the end it must be captured by the larger force.

You do not have control of the area until you have presence in the area. That way you make the conquored people understand that they are defeated and can resist a counter attack.

Now the general is the bulwark of the State; if the bulwark is complete at all points; the State will be strong; if the bulwark is defective, the State will be weak.

Generals must be strong in all aspects to be the perfect general. Be that perfect general by practicing your strengths and strengthening your weaknesses.

There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune upon his army: (1) By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey. This is called hobbling the army.

Not only will your troops lose confidence in thier leaders but you can cause more casulties than the enemy will.

(2) By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army. This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds.

Soldiers like action followed by rest. Actual soldiering duties. To do otherwise will make them wonder why they are here and not at home tilling the fields and gathering crops or earning a trade.

(3) By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers.

Adjust to the enemy instead of following through with a plan means the army will trust your skill as a General.

But when the army is restless and distrustful, trouble is sure to come from the other feudal princes. This is simply bringing anarchy into the army, and flinging victory away.

Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory: (1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.

Do not fight for fighting sake. Know when to strike with an advantage.

(2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.

Never be overconfident or despondant. Everyone can be beaten and suffer defeat.

(3) He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.

Neither officers or men should be given special treatment. All must be encouraged by thier leader's abilities to win.

(4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.

Knowing when to either take the fight to the enemy when they are unprepared or to upset thier balance is key to this point.

(5) He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.

The soverign is in charge of the kingdom and should be given reports on the state of the army after given its mandate. Anything more depletes resources and distracts the General's true goal of victory in the field and victory in the campaign.

Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

This statement is one of the ones I always remember about Sun Tzu. It works for conflict of military and personal battles.