Bringing an Ape to a Gun Fight : EotD Report for the Apes

Last Friday we had a short night of gaming, just one game for me, and since I'd be facing the Somber Society, which has had a lot of games and so has a high rating, I used the Apes, since they were the only one of my four factions that was close in rating.

We rolled a straight up fracas, though there would be statues to search for artifacts for the campaign as normal.

Greystoke's Apes, under the guidance of Alphie, the uplifted ape, has continued to expand it's number,
Now having 3 pack masters under his control, along with 4 apes (wolves) and 4 people: 2 humans and 2 chimps ('wolfskins' for the lycan faction).

A few of the characters have had a stat increase, but I've tried to keep quality expansion minimal to go for numbers. I figure since they often have to spend a couple turns running across open ground, I'd better have some extra bodies out there. Three of the four 'people': Woodhouse, Maggie & Bartholomew have bows, and Pim will have one for the next outing too.

By comparison, the dreary fellows of the Somber Society have put their advancing into stats, skills and expensive powerful weapons.

The only way into this section of the city was down a narrow alley, so the apes surged forward like a tide.

The Gloom Squad came on from the opposite corner, and as soon as I poked my head out, I was being shot at from long distance with hunting rifles with scopes (which reduce the range by 1)  making them very accurate, counting as medium range even from corner to corner.  ouch!

Woodhouse tried to give covering fire, but not to much effect, as the majority of the apes ran as fast as they could across the street toward the cover of a walled courtyard.  Maggie also opened fire and wounded the rival President!  Clearly a week of bed rest did her no harm!

But the Edgar Alan Poe Bookclub and Rifle Appreciation Society returned fire.  Percival Penguin's gun failed to fire, eliciting muffled guffaws from the others as they began a process which would bring down 4 of my party before I'd done much of anything to them.  Ouch indeed.

Woodhouse did find a cache of artifacts but as he called out his good fortune he took a bullet to the leg!
Pim ran to his aid, but brave Woodhouse urged him to take the valuable goods back to Greystoke Manor, and that he would follow in due course.

  One of the master Apes was wounded, but he continued on, making for the cover of the building's corner.
The rest of the apes made their way through the courtyard behind the safety of the walls before they'd spill out to rush the color-averse humans.   Then Bartholomew boldly moved out to get a nearly impossible shot on the President and hit her! She went down, but unfortunately not out, she dragged herself behind the cotton bale.

The dirge procession took this opportunity to move up closer.  

Alphie and his Apes run headlong into danger to join their fellows, an ape and master ape struggling in combat.  One of the humans fell, but it wasn't enough.

Just when things started to swing the way of the apes, the crack of a rifle wounding Bartholomew gave them all pause.  The apes looked to Alphie, to see what their Alpha would decide, as now half their number were out of action.  Alphie wanted to continue the fight, knew it would be easy to dispatch these humans before them, but this would only clear the path for the guns still baring down on them.  The safety of the apes came first, and with Pim already safely on his way with the artifacts, it was better they leave.  

With a call the apes leaped and bounded off, back to Greystoke Manor. 

A loss for the Apes, but a profitable one.  No serious damage to the party and the added benefit of finding a supply of artifacts, which contained an amulet for +1 strength, which they are sure to put to good use!

The terrain was especially rough for this fight, more so with rolling opposite corners for deployment type. 

There were two possible routes, both with a bit of cover, but likely 2-3 turns worth of crossing open ground.  

The other choice I had would have been to try to make it behind the building to my left and go through the covered path through the building (can see it in the picture above).  But this would have had more distance to cover in the beginning and give them a bottleneck to charge through. Splitting forces would likely have been a bigger problem.  Sometimes you just have to hope you get to your goal, which enough did that they were a serious threat still, but losing enough of the weaker members caused a break check, which I rolled a 3 and that was that. 

A good game!  It would have been fun to continue for another turn and bring those brass gauntlets down!

Maybe next time :)

In the meantime, the Apes are concerned with the posture of the Dour Dandies, so bring you this service announcement, followed by a movie you might like (starting about 27min in) with the Somber Society's favorite musical artists, The Edgar Allan Poe Marching Band, playing the introduction fanfare. 

Enjoy!

Apes Ambushed by Gypsy Pirate Wenches! EotD Report

James Clayton, the Lord of Greystoke, had heard that the coastal village of Dreary Bluff might have a clutch of artifacts and curiosities, so he dispatched Alphie and the apes to investigate.  Woodhouse would accompany them, in case any arrangements needed to be made, but Maggie was still recovering from the brutal treatment at the hands of dishonorable 'Gentlemen', so the young chimpanzees Bartholomew and Pim would go along as well by way of compensating for her absence.

The intrepid apes split up into small groups, to cover more ground, trying to find any artifacts as quickly as possible in the cold and quiet pre-dawn hours,before any villagers might wake.

But the morning was not as empty as they'd thought- a roving band of Gypsy Pirate Wenches were also out seeking plunder!

The apes surged forward, trying to reach the disguised markers before the unscrupulous women.

The apes advanced using the cover of the homes as best they could, for the wenches opened fire!
That is one way to keep villagers in their homes I suppose.

The secreted markers were within the reach of the apes, but still the women came on, preceded by shots!

At the south end, an Ape and Pim were the most exposed, and stumbled as both were shot!

Woodhouse and a house-ape intercepted two of the violent women, while others searched the marker.

Meanwhile, Alphie and the primates in the center dispatched two of the gunwomen. 

That accomplished, Alphie charged the leader of the Pirates!  

Seeing this, she called for retreat and they ran off back to their camp.  

A couple apes were injured, but nothing serious. The Gypsy Pirates were not so lucky, having one member die and another lost an eye- well, that's why they have eye patches. 

Unfortunately, the rumors of the artifacts were unfounded.  The apes searched every disguised marker, and there was nothing to be found but dirt.  

Still, it was valuable experience for young Bartholomew and Pim as well as more command experience for Alphie, who is coming into his own, one of the goals of Greystoke being to test the effects of the combined nexus within Alphie, to stimulate it's potential within this new form of being. 

New Recruits: Chimpanzee Street Toughs

No surprise here: more apes!  I just can't resist apes & monkeys: they are cool as well as very enjoyable to paint. So when I saw these -on sale no less - I had to get them.

A couple chimpanzee lads from the Judge Dread line. That puts them a bit too modern for the Belgian Liberation Army, and even more advanced for Greystoke's Apes for Empire of the Dead, and not futuristic enough for the Space Apes for the War Rocket based multi-scale game I am planning.. oh yes, there will be space apes!  But that is all ok- they can squeeze in I'm sure.

So here are the Chimpanzee brothers, Bartholomew & Pim, ready to help out Greystoke in London, 1888.

Bartholomew might be the smarter of the two brothers, but sometime in his excitement he forgets to fire his electrum-charged pistol and uses it's weight to beat people instead. 

Pim is much more focused in how he goes about things.  This might not be such a good thing. 

The two brothers have had the advantage of the knowledge and experiments of James Clayton.  His work has mixed the nexus of humanity, namely his own, with the two chimpanzees, unlocking their potential for intelligence, critical thinking, and apparently, greater violence.  

The streets of London are filled with desperate men and women, more dangerous than a cornered rabid dog, willing to do any unspeakable act for a few shillings.  Bartholomew & Pim are exactly what the Apes need to watch their backs among such animals. 

-- The one with the bat had a skull icon on the back of his jacket, but that marked him too much with a biker-gang look, fixing him too much in a narrow time era, so I carved that off. 

These two will head into Greystoke's nightly hunting party straight away...

I'm sure they'll enjoy themselves.

On three, everybody sing!

  

One.. two... three...

Chimp, Chimpanzee

Chimp, Chimpanzee

Chimp Chimp Cher-ee

You better be careful

They'll break both your knees! 

Hunted Apes: Greystoke's Apes Prowl the London Night: EotD Battle Report

Last Friday we played more Empire of the Dead skirmish games, this time breaking up into small one on one matches.  I decided to let the newly restarted Greystoke's Apes (a Lycan faction) have their first game.  I changed up some of the miniatures, leaving the very large transformed James Clayton miniature in the case (He will join the team once the leader gets enough skill upgrades to reflect his appearance) and used Alphie for the Beastlord, and the large apes with gauntlets for pack-masters (they had been 'wolves' in the last version) and so brought in gorillas from my Blood Bowl Ape team for the role of the faction member 'wolves'.  And of course, loyal Woodhouse and no-nonsense Maggie brought their tranquguns for added support.

The Apes of Greystoke gather to make their way home to the estate, under the protective eyes of the staff.

The scenario required me to get my squad off the table safely, at the opposite board edge, while the enemy, deployed split into two groups at those opposite corners would try to prevent it.  That looked like it would be difficult, considering he could patiently wait, knowing I must come to him and he has the guns.

The Apes started in front of the long building at the bottom edge of the board, while the hunters took positions in the opposite corners.  There were also a few small statues around, that a lucky search could reveal some useful items for the campaign.

"No apes will get past us this way sir"

"Aye, We be ready fer them."

The majority of the group moves up, trying to keep as much blocking sight as they can.

Meanwhile, Woodhouse feels it is his duty to investigate one of the statues, but there is nothing there.
"Run along ape, and join your fellows, I will stand guard here and fire upon any from behind that wall who try to pursue you."

Alphie leads the apes across the street in a head-long rush.  The men take aim, but the speed of the apes prevent their shots from finding their targets.

Maggie the maid, moving slower to give answer in kind to the hunter's shots, is grazed by a bullet and spins round, momentarily disoriented.

The villainous rapacious men assault the woman!  What is London coming to?
The apes made it safely home, and Woodhouse, once awaking from his own state of being passed out from a flesh wound, escorted her home.  You can rest easy that after Lord Clayton heard about the night's event that these jumped upped 'Gentlemen' and their Club will have their foul nature and little worth known by the greater society.

Next up: Ancient Nosferatu clash with their rivals: the Holy Order.

Death Walks the Streets of London, 1888: Introduction to the Bone-swords

Like heartbeats, the dull, hollow knocking of old metal on stone reverberates down the winding foggy night street. Shutters hastily snap and doors are barred as death approaches.

Why have they come? There are as many answers to this as there are those who are brave enough to risk uttering a guess. In hushed voices around common room fires some talk of it this same night. Some even claim to have seen the warriors, those with the faces of bone.  But they are all wrong.  None of them know the true tale of the Knights of Death, those who were once men but are no longer: the Bone-swords.

But if you wish to know it, and can brave the telling, I will tell it to you.

It begins in an age now past, when Richard the Lionheart made Crusade in the Holy Land.  Most know of the grand orders of monastic knights: the Tutonics, Templars and Hospitalers, but there were others.  One such was few in numbers and without power or influence for their vow was one of complete self sacrifice and service.  True also is that the requirement of faith and purity was so severe that it was a rare knight who risked his soul to seek to join, for this order was the Knights Reliquar, tasked with finding, securing and protecting the holy relics of the Holy Land.  But unlike the monks who kept such relics safe, entombed within reliquaries to protect the faithful, for even they could not be unharmed by too close of exposure to such mighty artifacts, the Knights Reliquar each had within the hilt of his sword the bone of a martyred saint. Only the most devout and pure could wield such power and remained unharmed.  This precluded the majority of Knights.

The Knights Reliquar numbered just one score and six, but they were mighty.  It was said that with just a few of these knights, the most dire battle could be won.  And this was true.  It was the desire of the Knight Commander, Sir Mikkel of Jutland, to find and protect these relics, but the endless slaughter and acts of abomination he witnessed, and indeed had been asked to commit, caused him, with much regret, to remove his forces from the Crusade and return to Europe.

King Richard of England blamed the loss of Jerusalem on the betrayal of the Knights Reliquar, and the new Pope threatened excommunication upon Mikkel and his Knights.  They were not excommunicated however, though they lost much of the good name and notoriety they had before.

The Knights Reliquar continued to exist down the centuries, taking part in battles when they felt they were just, though their numbers declined until it was decided they would have no more than half at the time of their schism: thirteen.

This continued until the Knights Reliquar was disbanded in 1573 after matters in Istanbul.
How does this bring us to today, 1888 and the streets of London?
For that tale, we must wait until another night.

For now, be on your guard, for the Bone-swords walk the streets.

On to Part II ...

Apes and Artifacts: Empire of the Dead Battle Report

Friday we met for some games of Empire of the Dead.  This time Lord Greystoke and his followers were once again trying to track down the illusive artifacts that were rumored to be hidden in the countryside.  All previous rumors had been revealed false, but never let it be said that James Clayton, Lord of Greystoke, is anything but thorough and persistent! Unfortunately, word of the artifact had reached the ears of Her Highness of the Hinterland Hussies.  It seems they were going to press a claim for the valuable antique and try to discover it first!

The map lead to the ruins of a medieval town, where once a tower stood, and the remains of a graveyard and crumbling stone walls that marked the location of long-gone wooden homes.

As dawn broke the two rival forces approached from opposite directions.


John Clayton, in anthropoid form has grown stronger and more dangerous as time has passed, and his sidekick, Alphie the Ape has increased in formidable nature as well.  With them were two apes, and the household staff and Sergeant York, all with tranquilizer guns (bows).  


The Housefraus had all manner of impressive firearms, though only the President and Vice President appeared to have swords, though the smell of silver was in the air, and this metal had a strange reaction with the physiology of Alphie and Lord Greystoke, it interferes with the nexus of integrated life in a manner that Greystoke has yet to overcome.  

The women took cover in positions at a large old tree and the crumbling walls.  Some others of their party went to the graveyard to search there for the artifact.  One ape went around the south end of the tower, to seek a possible location of the artifact on the other side, but from this longer route he'd be safe from gunfire. 
Staff took cover at a wall and readied their own, weaker guns, while Greystoke searched a location that revealed nothing.  York prepared to give covering fire as Alphie waited at the wall to catch his breath before a charge across the open ground. 

At the Graveyard one of the women pried up a great stone of the step and there found an old box, with something inside wrapped in oilcloth.  They had no time to investigate their find further however, as Milly the maid ran to threaten them.  The Hinterland Ladies were non-pulsedat this, having their attention now fully fixed upon the rampaging ape and ape-man crossing the graveyard at great speed down upon them.


They opened fire, but the bullets had no apparent affect on the bestial man.  

While a firefight broke out to the west, ending when Alphie reached the Hinterland Officers, and soon bringing down the Vice President, while the Butler Woodhouse landed a sharp tranquilizer dart into the President, the most important action was taking place at the graveyard.


Greaystoke laid low the woman who held the artifact he sought, while Cecil the Ape leapt from the wall to block any retreat they might have. One woman did try to run, but Cecil caught her, pummeling her senseless.  
Milly and a soldier exchanged blows and heated words.  Greystoke scooped up the box and the two remaining Hinterland Hussarettes at the tree hurried off in the distraction. 

................................................

I'd lost only one ape, who had strength reduced by 1, while the Hinterlanders lost 5 of 7, with 2 miss next games, 2 with -1 strength and 1 with -1 movement.  Not a great result for them, but not as bad as deaths would have been.  But with only removing 1 of mine and just 2 left on the field, they did not make much cash to speak of.  On the other hand, with a win, removing 5 of them and left with 7 on the field I made a lot of cash.  The artifact turned out to be Garlic Grenades.  Not a very impressive artifact, but useful against the Vampires. 

We'll likely be doing a restart the next time we play.  Having caught a couple mistakes in game play, and some people with more games than others, a reset seems in order to get a level playing field.  It is a lot of fun to advance a warband, to see them get better, get new skills and increase abilities, and since the game is fun at any level it won't be bad to start the Greystoke Apes again.  

Who Gives a Monkey a Gun? Well, I guess I do.

Wow, it was back in December that I converted the Reaper Miniatures pirate goblin into a monkey for a simian Cabin Boy for my Privateers for Legends of the High Seas.  And like most projects, if there isn't an immediate need, then it gets pushed to the side.  The campaign got called on account of lack of participation- was a bad time for a lot of people, me included- I had to miss two sessions and next I knew the league was canceled, so as much my fault as anyone else, just didn't have time with work & life.

So the Privateers remained as they were: bases painted and primed people.
Shifting things around I had to move this warband and thought "Wouldn't hurt to have a monkey for Greystoke's Apes for Empire of the Dead".
So he got some paint!

I decided I wouldn't rebase him- he'll stay with sandy beach, And his colorful attire? Perhaps he works as a spy for Greystoke, begging for pence in the street and keeping an eye & ear out about goings-on in the city, and so this outfit helps draw attention and might loosen the purse strings of charmed gentry.

A very quick paintjob for the monkey, and maybe someday his human swashbuckler friends will join him...

before:

Greystoke's Gallery of Apes & Associates

As promised here are some gallery shots of James Clayton, Lord of Greystoke, and those who assist his efforts in London, 1888.

This is my warband for Empire of the Dead, the Victorian Horror skirmish game from West Wind.
I've taken the Lycaon werewolf list and imposed my Ape-will upon it.

James Clayton, Lord Greystoke

Beastlord

Alphie the Ape

Packmaster

Bernard, Cecil & Dudley

Wolves (apes)

Milly, Woodhouse, Margaret

Wolfskins (Staff with tranq-guns (bows))

Officer Parker and Sergeant York

Wolfskins (Police-in-pocket with bows & clubs)

The next addition will be another packmaster character- I picked up a cheap 'clicky' ape for a dollar, so don't expect much, but the price couldn't be beat- I'll see if I can get something decent out of it :)

Apes Perform Deconstructive Dental Work: Empire of the Dead Battle Report

Life conspired against me from updating this much recently, but I'll be rectifying that, starting with catching up on Friday the 15th's Empire of the Dead game.

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Lord Greystoke was convinced that the western hills near Wales contained plants which might aid his transformations research, traveling under cover of darkness with his apes and trusted companion ape Alphie, as well as members of his household staff, he relocated for a bit of a holiday and some specimen collecting. Though it was day, and not terribly foggy (rare and unseasonable) Greystoke and his entourage were accosted by what at first appeared to be common highwaymen, but they soon caught the scent that revealed the presence of the undead: a Daywalker Vampire and his mate.

The vampire was actually on business of his own, and was just traveling through the area,but on crossing paths with the apes, it riled them to an agitation that they would not be reasoned with.

Lord Greystoke and his followers
(I'll get some better glamour shots of them soon)

...............................................

We set up the table for an outdoor setting with a river, hills and ruins and a graveyard.  

The mission said that the vampires had to get at least 2/3 of their party off the table on my deployment side, while I had to stop them.  The vampires had a lower Warband Standing, so would get an additional 5 shillings from the encounter. from memory, the Vampire leader had the day walking skill and a boost to his combat skill (or one of them) One member was out sick for the day, and he had a good shot with a repeater rifle. My group were as they last were at the end of my last Battle Report.  

A view from the hill overlooking the river. Peaceful... for now. 

Then Alphie directs the apes up the hill to ambush the undead and their ilk. 

Milly the maid covers them, no slouch with a tranquilizer gun (bow). 

At the other end of the small valley Lord Greystoke enters the ruins,a trusted ape tagging along, as well as Police Sergeant York, acting as bodyguard, and faithful household staff Butler Woodhouse and Margaret the Maid, or Mags as she prefers to be called when off duty, which is seldom. 

The Vile Vampyr sensed the danger and one of his enthralled called upon unnatural forces to summon a mob of the undead.  To be more precise, they were not undead, it turns out they were just simple commonfolk.

What they were doing in the graveyard, and what this says about the deplorable conditions of simple folk in Wales, to allow for them to be mistaken for walking dead, is anybody's guess.  

Woodhouse and Margaret spot the Vampire's sharpshooter.  These gypsy types really should refrain from wearing bright colors, as everyone knows there are no bright colors in the whole of Britain!

Quite easy to spot he was. 

The Apes,Cecil and Dudley, prepare to pounce on the enthralled.

Alphie tangles with the Vampire's personal guard while Cecil chases the Vampire, trying to make a run for it.

Unable to see what awaited him, the Vampire graf did not know that Lord Greystoke had already bounded down from the ruins and sprinted across the river, with preternatural speed.  

Woodhouse and Margaret had tried in vain to stop a swarm of bats from escaping, but it was small loss.

His escape cut off by Lord Greystoke, the Vampire turned to face his attackers.

Cecil contemplates the use of a bronze gauntlet in dental work. 

Even cornered vampires are fierce fighters with unnatural resistance. 

Molly began taking shots into the crowd while Dudley charged them after dispatching the fang flunky.

Sustaining minimal damage, the Apes and their Lord pulverize the Vampire, tearing his head from his shoulders.  The vampire turned to a pile of ash.  Sensing the spell broken, the mob scatter and the field remains in the hands of the apes. Srgt York collected the unconscious body of the vampire bodyguard and turned him in to the local authorities under suspicion of unsavory activities.  

...................................................................

In post-game, the vampire's body guard got the 'captured by the peelers' result, which he'd have to play to free him -which we did, and he was easily freed. The worst result was for the vampire leader: Dead.  Dead-dead,not mostly dead, but dead and gone unraisable dead.  Luckily in Empire of the Dead, you can sacrifice another member of the team instead.  Obviously what happened was the Vampire's ashes were collected, placed in a coffin and the sacrificial faction member was brought in, asked quickly 'what's that over there?' and when he turns to look, his throat is cut, blood fills the coffin and in a few days a fresh pasty vampire emerges reconstituted.  

My faction made some decent coin from this victory and I focused it on my two characters. 

Alphie went up in strength, which is nice, and Greystoke gained an extra attack. 

I also brought in my second police officer mini, another 'wolfskin' flunky, and equipped both of the police minis with bows clubs and knives. I had enough money to bring in a second secondary character ('beastlord) but since I didn't have a miniature ready, that will wait until the next time I have the money.  It seems wise to invest in the characters you hope to advance and keep at this stage though, so it is alright. 

With 10members, it is already a large team. 

Thanks for reading, 

Until next time! 

I think the vampire coming back was something like this...enjoy!