Ratty rumble - Fightin Fungi rules playest #2

It's been a long few weeks without any gaming due to work commitments, however I finally managed to get my fix with more SoBH rule play-testing with my regular gaming buddy, Arabianknight. Indeed, soon after my return from working away I had the paints back out and quickly resumed with my In Her Majesty's Name production line, with nine miniatures completed already for Lord Curr's Q Division - Extraordinary Affairs. It's all coming along nicely and I hope to get the first pictures up in the new few weeks.

So, yesterday evening I set-off down the hill to Arabianknight's hobby shed with my trusty SoBH box containing all the usual gaming paraphernalia - lots of dice that all suspiciously seem to roll inopportune numbers at the most crucial time (or is that just me?), my custom SoBH measuring sticks and the

small (pun intended) dwarf warband that I'd previously deployed to little effect against Arabianknight's Bishop-led humans. 

This time Arabianknight commanded a rat warband, which I suspect was partially encouraged by the possibility of much ratty outnumbering tactics, especially with long spears now giving reach abilities.  The plan was to play test the new magic rules, or at least Arabianknight's warband was, as Valgen the Dwarf leader forgot to bring along a Runemaster!

Arabianknight set-up another simple but very effective table using some of his Dave Graffam buildings and new 15mm roads I understand he purchased from Fat Frank! No scenario, just a simple brawl to distract us from all the catch-up banter.

A few 'free' moves aside, the combatants were quickly slugging it out, with Valgen and his lads surprisingly maintaining discipline by sticking together for a change! The rat warboss, (and magic user), appeared to be in a bit of a dilemma - stand back from the action to prepare some of his new-fangled spells or support his ratty warriors that were now all too eager to pile in on the developing scrum? With the Dwarfs disappointingly not splitting up to provide soft targets for a bit of magic-sniping the battle soon turned into one big melee, with the dwarf crossbow-lad, Squint Ironsights, deciding somehow that he couldn't be bothered to set-up a good firing position so instead was first to charge in, (and first to fall), with his cold steel - "they don't like it up em' you know!"

With a swirling clash of blades, shields, fists, fur and beards the ratty warboss was disappointingly forced to provide close support to his warriors, with only a couple of failed attempts to conjure up the winds of magic throughout the whole battle. It was this close support that led to an irresistible opportunity for the dwarf, Ireheart, armed with his huge hammer to charge and crush the ratty warboss. This inevitably led to a morale check for the rats - not helped by their low quality - and followed by a another check for warband below half strength! The ratty bodies were piling up at the feet of Valgen's lads with only a couple of the ratty warriors still fighting. It was all over for the rats and Valgen's lads would be celebrating a rare victory in the ale-house that night! 

So, as it turned out, hardly any magic was tested but the latest draft rules for armour, shields and particularly the reaction system played out very well. A couple of minor questions were noted for the official play-test forum. A good wee battle after a bit of a gaming hiatus.