Thank You Veterans

 Our democracy has survived to this point because of the valorous conduct of our veterans. Thank you!

Flying Follies

 I decided to do some aerial gaming last weekend. I was inspired by this:

It's from the classic Halloween cartoon, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. After watching the show, I decided that I wanted to be a World War One flying ace.

So I brought out my Fokker Dr 1 and Spowith Camel. I'm using my Sky's No Limit rules, which are an adaptation of Kaptain Kobold's Spandau and Lewis rules (which you can find on his Free Stuff page).

Lieutenant "Snoopy" Brown in his Sopwith Camel spots a red Fokker Triplane.

"It's the Red Baron!"

Snoopy turns to attack, but the Red Baron outmaneuvers him and ends up on his tail. Rat-a-tat-tat. Bullets shred the Camel's tail surface.

And moments later hits the engine.

"Curse you, Red Baron!" yells Snoopy as his guides his plane down for a crash landing.

Well, that was short. Let's try something different.

The Continuing Adventures of the Dragon Squadron

Let's bring back Devin Drake and his Dragon Squadron. I played the first campaign using my variant on Mike Crane's Battle of Britain rules. The Dragon's squeaked out a win, although the last mission was a tough defeat while attacking artillery emplacements.

 

"You've got to be kidding me!" Capt. Devin Drake exclaimed in the telephonic receiver. He could not believe his luck. His squadron, the Dragons, had just returned to the front and they were immediately tasked to attack an artillery emplacement. The last such mission practically destroyed his squadron!

But you can't reason with Wing Command. So Drake took his entire squadron with him. "Let's take out the cover first." he ordered.

As they approach the emplacement, they see two enemy Cobra fighters.

Devin (in the red, white, and blue plane) and his XO Al Hartley lead the charge.

But one of the Cobras cuts back and rakes Drake's side. Severely damaged, he breaks off for home.

The rest of the squadron carries on. Alas, their gunnery is horrific. Finally, Hartley is hit and must retire.

"Let's get out of here, boys." Hartley commands. The two neophytes, Palmer and Hobbes also break from home.

A thoroughly disheartening start for the newly reconstituted squadron. They did not score a single hit on the enemy and lost two planes (damaged beyond repair).

Chasm of Evil

 A Tweedle & Dunh Adventure - Part 1

After their victory over the undead, Tweedle and his new friend Dunh returned to Tweedle's village. They were feted as conquering heroes, but when the novelty wore off Tweedle's life settled back into the monotonous routine of a healer's apprentice.

The duo tried to spice things up by wandering the region, providing adventuring services to the locals. But aside from defeating a "dragon," which turned out to be a rather ornery giant turkey, adventure remained elusive. At least until the day the stumbled upon a hidden cavern deep in the woods.

🎲🎲🎲

As they entered the cavern (1), they were greeted by the grotesque and malevolent-looking statue of some unknown deity. They felt a chill run down their spine, but they were determined to press forward.

They passed down a short corridor to another cavern (2). A fountain of black liquid was set in the middle of the room. When they approached to investigate, a huge boulder fell from the ceiling.

"Watch it!" yelled Tweedle as he pushed Dunh out of the way then leaped clear himself.

"Let's stay away from that." Dunh concluded as he skirted the fountain.

They passed through a corridor (3) filled with scrolls stuffed into alcoves carved into the rock.

Continuing along, the corridor abruptly ended, but a large pit (4) was set in the floor. A sinister glow emanated from the pit. Tweedle approached the edge and peered over. Deep in the pit a flame burned, providing a wan light to the corridor.

"Look!" Tweedle cried, pointing to the walls of the pit. About 30' down was a cave entrance (5). They decided to investigate. Tying a rope to a convenient rock outcropping, they lowered themselves down.

They entered a short corridor that ended in a cavern (6). Suddenly a flaming reptilian creature attacked.

"A fire demon!" exclaimed Tweedle.

As they fought, the intense heat from the demon burned their skin. Fortunately, they quickly cut down their enemy.

Next, they walked down a winding passage (7) and encountered two humans. Or so they thought.

Dunh called out to them. They turned and advanced. Their eyes were dead black and they moaned with an inhuman tone. 

They tried to grapple our heroes who struck and cut the foes down. The bodies then seemed to dissolve into nothingness. while a shrill shriek echoed through the caves.

"What were they?" asked Dunh.

"I don't know. Lost souls, perhaps? They sold their soul to the demon, leaving only a husk of a body."

Continuing down the passage, they came to a dead end (8). A form emerged from the blackness. It was some kind of monster that resembled a mantis but it was as big as a horse. Several tentacles extended from its gaping, tooth-filled maw.

They tried to fight it, but its tentacles and claws kept landing painful blows while their weapons seemed to glance harmlessly off its side.

"We can't beat it!" Tweedle cried out. "Run!"

The duo bolted, with the thing in close pursuit. As they ran through the passage, they saw 4 figures ahead. More lost souls! 

They barreled through, taking wounds as they passed. The thing then set upon the souls, devouring them with gusto. This gave our heroes time to escape!

They climbed up the rope to the first level. Dunh made a beeline for the exit, but Tweedle stopped him.

"Wait, we can't leave here empty handed. Help me carry some of these scrolls."

"Why? Its just paper."

"It may give some clue about the nature of this place."

So they duo gathered some of the scrolls and then returned home, perhaps not wealthier but a little wiser.

Resources for Solo RPGs

 I'm still on an RPG kick, but find myself playing solo. I have been discovering some useful resources.

First, I have been watching a YouTube series called Me, Myself, and Die.

In this series, Trevor Devall (the voice behind Rocket Raccoon), plays a solo roleplaying campaign.

I am intrigued by the various resources he uses to randomize events and characters. I am familiar with some but others are new to me. I am investigating some of his other resources for use in my own campaigns.

One of these resources is The Perilous Wilds, a supplement for the Dungeon World RPG. It is pretty much system agnostic, providing a bunch of charts to randomize adventures.

Alas, I tried creating a dungeon using the rules and found it very boring (it turned out to be very short and without any combat). My current method of randomizing the adventure actually works better for my purposes. Yet there are still some good ideas in there.

Ultimately, I want to come up with my own random tables, inspired by TPW and other randomizers. Right now my goal is to create a simple table to generate the adventure theme. Interestingly, a while ago I did a very simple one for my sci-fi skirmishes. I'd like to do something similar for my fantasy RPGs.

Stay tuned. I'll be posting more RPG musings. 

And when will I get back to miniatures? I wish I could say, but I have to follow my GADD (Gamer's Attention Deficit Disorder).

Illustrating RPGing

 One thing I've struggled with on my blogs is how to illustrate my role playing games. I've tried a number of methods:

I tried miniatures in different scales.

25mm

10mm

But these did not work out because I did not have figures for all the different monsters

I tried virtual

But it was a bit of work to create.

Eventually, I would just write up the report and find a picture or two from the internet

But that ended up being a wall of text.

Lately I've been pondering a different approach - 2D. The concept is similar to that used by the video game Darkest Dungeon. Show the heroes and monsters in a two dimensional manner.

To that end, I have begun a collection of monster tokens. I purchased a Pathfinder Bestiary Pawn Box, which includes over 300 2D monster tokens.

Sample tokens on a flat surface

They are intended to be placed in holders and used like miniatures, but my plan is to create a dungeon wall background and lie them flat on it.

I just need some heroes. Pathfinder had a nice set of NPCs, but it is out of print. I did pick up a PDF version. There is a new PC set coming out in December. Time to save up.

By the way, my cat who likes to game,

Trying to roll the dice

absolutely LOVES the Pawn box

Tweedle Against the Undead

A Tweedle Adventure Using Swords & Six-Siders 

After his previous success the villagers piled gifts upon Tweedle - bags of farm produce and even a goat. It wasn't bags of gold like in the stories, but it was still treasure in Tweedle's eyes. Alas, they gave him more than he could carry! But there was one farm boy named Dunh who was quite impressed by Tweedle.

"I want to be a famous adventurer, just like him!" he was saying at Tweedle's feast. 

When Tweedle asked for help carrying his prizes, Dunh immediately volunteered. He armed himself with a rusty boar spear, a cheaply made wooden shield, and a padded vest. Picking up Tweedle's bags with ease (he was a well built youth), Dunh set off after his hero.

After a couple of days of travel they arrived at an isolated village. When Dunh went around telling everyone that Tweedle was a "famous hero," the whole village wanted to hear about his exploits. Tweedle briefly relayed the story of his rescue mission (conveniently skipping over his failure at the pirate cave), then claimed that he did not want to say more because he did not want to brag. Naturally, the villagers praised his humility.

Then the mayor spoke to Tweedle. "Perhaps you can help us. There have been reports of foul doings in the graveyard. Strange lights, and some of the graves have been opened!"

The rest of the village chimed in with their pleas for help. Reluctantly, Tweedle agreed. But he feared to go alone. Then an idea struck him.

"This sounds like a two-man job," Tweedle declared as he turned toward Dunh. "Perhaps you would like to accompany me, Dunh?"

Dunh's eyes shone with wonder and excitement. It was his dream come true!

🎲🎲🎲

As the two heroes enter the cemetery, they see the disturbed graves. At the far end is a lengthy barrow. Long ago, according to the villagers' legends, a great king lived in the area. He chose to make his burial tomb here. Now, the duo can see that the great stone that enclosed the barrow had been moved.

The Barrow

In the first chamber (1), they see a bloody corpse lying on the floor. Dunh rushes over to help, but the corpse animate and attacks. Dunh stabs it through the eye with his spear. It slumps to the ground.

"Foul doings indeed," intones Tweedle.

When they enter the next chamber (2), they hear growling. Out of nowhere, a ghoul leaps out. It claws Tweedle, who feels a sinister chill run down his spine. He steels himself and counterattacks, but the creature dodges. This brings the ghoul within Dunh's reach. He stabs, but the ghoul sidesteps the attack and countes. Now, Dunh feels the rake of the monster's claws. Dropping his spear, he tries to reach for his dagger, but the creature has a hold of him. Tweedle takes advantage, however, and clocks the ghoul over its head. The creature staggers, releasing its hold. Dunh grips his dagger and stabs, gutting the monster. It collapses.

"Thanks Tweedle," Dunh pants as he tries to recover his breath.

"No, thank you, Dunh. Or should I say Ghoul-slayer."

Dunh breaks into a big grin.

From this room, there are two side exits (3 and 4). They try the left (3). They trigger a trap, and two arrows whiz at them. Both manage to duck. Fortunately, the other (4) is empty, as are the next two chambers (5 and 6).

As they approach the next chamber (7), they hear the rattle of bones. Tweedle takes the opportunity to cast his Mirror Image spell. Three copies of Tweedle appear. Dunh gasps.

"You are a powerful wizard!" Dunh proclaims. Tweedle and his doubles just shake their heads.

Cautiously they enter the next room. A skeleton attacks, striking one of the doubles. It disappears in the blink of an eye. The skeleton then turns on Dunh, slashing his arm. Blood wells up. Enraged, Dunh smashes the skeleton's face with the butt of the spear. The skull splinters and the creature crumbles.

By this time, Dunh has taken some serious wounds. Fortunately, Tweedle has a healing poultice given to him by the village healer. He binds Dunh's wounds. Reinvigorated, Dunh is ready to continue the adventure.

The final room (8) is the burial chamber of the king. Alas, he has been turned into a wight. It attacks Dunh and inflicts a wound. Dunh retaliates with a stab then dodges the next attack. The thing whirls madly, slashing at our heroes. Deftly, they avoid its attacks. Finally, Tweedle smashes the creature's skull. It falls to the ground.

Tweedle and Dunh poke around the burial chamber. They find a small chest with an assortment of coppers and silver. "Great king, indeed," thought Tweedle. Probably just a minor chieftain. Still treasure was treasure.

Then Dunh spoke. "Is it right to rob a tomb, Tweedle?"

Tweedle thought about it. "I don't know. They do say that 'to the victor belong the spoils.' Besides, look at this!"

Amidst rotting finery, rusted iron, and moldy leather, Tweedle pulls a shiny item. Holding it aloft, Dunh sees that it is a majestic sword.

"Ooooooooo." Dunh says.

"For you." Tweedle states as he hands the precious sword to Dunh.

"Can I keep this?" Dunh replies, desire and guilt vying with each other on his face.

"Well," Tweedle declares, "let's return it to the village. They can decide."

🎲🎲🎲

Our heroes relate their tale to the mayor. He thinks about it for a moment, then declares:

"You have saved our village from great evil. For this, you deserve recompense. Keep the spoils you have retrieved. We shall bury the king properly, and we will repay him for his lost treasures."

Impressions of Swords and Six-Siders

 Having played Swords & Six-Siders (S&SS) pretty much as written what are my impressions?

Well, the solo adventure was somewhat disappointing. It was mostly riddles; I did not have a single combat encounter although Tweedle succumbed to a trap.

Nevertheless, I found it very easy to whip up an adventure at a moment's notice. The monsters are identified with a single monster level, which determines combat stats, hit points, etc. I just picked out a few monsters from a satisfyingly long list and away I went. The appendix of the Expanded Edition even has conversion charts to translate classic D&D monsters to S&SS.

Combat was quick and intuitive, similar to D&D. Roll vs the enemy's AC to hit, then roll damage if applicable. S&SS only uses a single D6 so AC is either 4, 5, or 6*. Not a lot of granularity but it makes it easy to remember in combat. Also, there are not a lot of modifiers, so math is minimized. 

* Some higher level monsters can have AC = 7, but a natural 6 still hits.

Damage rolls always use a D6 with a +1 mod for two-handed weapons. No groping for dice. An interesting facet is that body armor does not affect AC but reduces the damage roll (with a minimum of 1). This is a concept with which I have been experimenting so I like the idea. Also, it somewhat solves the granularity problems with to-hit rolls. Even if you reduce armor classifications to light, medium, heavy you potentially have a 3 point modifier, which is extreme on a D6.

Differences in fighting ability for characters with the same type of armor is modeled with the higher skilled (i.e. higher level) character having more hit points. I have quibbles with this system, which I will share at a later time, but it is consistent with D&D and does work.

Ability checks are a simple D6 roll with a target of 6. An ability of 6 gives a +1 modifier to checks while a 1 gives a -1 mod. The GM can also add half the character's level if it seems appropriate. At one point, Tweedle had to make a Dexterity check to avoid falling into a pit trap. With a DEX of 6, he received a +1 mod. His roll of 5 was a success.

I tweaked a couple of minor things during my session:

• Characters generally start with 3-6 hit points, gaining another D6 per level. Tweedle, for example, started with 3. Given that weapons do 1D6 damage, it's quite possible for a novice character to die with one hit, as happened with Tweedle. For my second test, I employed an "operatic" variant from the sci-fi version Lasers & Six-Siders, which gives an additional 10 hit points at start. I think this may be a bit excessive, but as I prefer a more cinematic style I would definitely say that characters need to start with more hit points.
• I added critical hits with resulted in double damage. I ruled that would only happen half the time on a natural 6, however, Criticals definitely helped Tweedle in the Sea Devil Cave. He scored a couple of of them (including a 12-damage crit on the boss!).

Other than that, I pretty much played as written (I did use D12s because they were handy, but I converted results to a D6). Overall, I was very happy with the results. There weren't a myriad of stats to complicate combat and the game ran smoothly. I don't think I had to look at the rules once! I can see myself adopting S&SS as my go-to RPG rules (although I probably won't because I like to tinker and design). Nevertheless, if I were starting a campaign with new players, S&SS would be my go-to system.

Overall, I heartily recommend Swords & Six-Siders.