A lone samurai stands guard outside the compound gate belonging to lord Toji, unaware of the mortal danger posed by the unseen shadow approaching silently along the wall behind him.
As the doors slide open, Shoda Kizaemon (a senior advisor and sword master) and Azumi Yasoma leap forward with flashing blades into the startled would be murderers -
After the attack, Azumi and the surviving samurai remain with Lord Toji to await the first rays of the morning sun, when they must go and pay their debt of gratitude earned this night.
A little scenario I've played through today as part of the campaign story line, and a token of compensation since I'm going to miss the blog's anniversary.
I'll be away tomorrow and won't get home until Friday, so apologies in advance for my late replies to any comments or queries. The gigs came in at short notice, and have kinda messed up my plans for a "celebratory" post, so I'll make sure I do a belated one asap!
Oh yes, you may have noticed that I've tidied up the blog labels (as previously mentioned, the format was driving me up the wall!), and Blade Runner, England Upturned, Sengoku Jidai, The Dark Conspiracy and Zombie Apocalypse now take you to the respective narrative campaigns - which is where I hope to be focusing from here on, with far less Blether and Painting & Modelling!
Great little AAR Greg, hope the gigs go well, and happy anniversary for the blog, happy to see your painting and modelling as much as your AAR's, but do what makes you happy mate
ReplyDeleteCheers Dave, numbers were down a little at the clubs with some people attending a festival in the area, but we still had a great time and met up with some old friends.
DeleteThe ninja attack is an introduction to another story arc, but also featured all new additions to my 'painted' collection, so I kinda combined painting & modelling with AAR in one post :-)
I couldn't agree more with Dave's comment. Many congratulations on your blog's anniversary. I loved the batrep and was expecting a walk in the park for the ninjas until the point they encountered three fully alert samurai.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Bryan, feeling a little washed out after the late nights and high mileage today, but I'm hoping to put together a celebratory post over the weekend :-)
DeleteI used the Bushi No Yumi rules (which are based on the Song Of Blades And Heroes mechanics), and added percentage chance for success for each "task" the ninja attackers had to accomplish (sneak up on the guard, open the gate etc), with a random choice of results for failure (the guard raises the alarm, attacks the assassin, runs for the gate etc).
The unfolding story arc will hopefully explain why and how Lord Toji managed to receive advanced warning of the attack :-)
What a great scenario and what a great surprise (for the ninjas too I guess) that the defenders were ready for the attack.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe, I've had the outline of a campaign bubbling around in my bonce for a while and the ninja attack seemed like a good place to start playing it out.
DeleteIt wasn't until the assassins passed their activation to enter the buildings that I rolled a percentage dice to find out if the warning had been received on time, if it had been acted on, and how seriously - so it was ALMOST as much as a surprise for me during the game :-)
Happy Anniversary, Greg, and I'm very much looking forward to your future posts, whether AARs or painting. Loved this little BatRep btw. Very nicely done.
ReplyDeleteCheers Simon, 2 years! where does the time go??
DeleteThe ninja attack was great fun to play, Ganesha Games activation system added a bit of tension all the way through :-)
A cracking little episode. Fast and brutal, just like any good Samurai story.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Michael, don't forget the double dealing and betrayal that goes on in the background ;-)
DeleteGreat stuff Greg! And a happy blog anniversary 😃
ReplyDeleteCheers Ivor, and thanks for your continued support :-)
DeleteThis is just fantastic. Oh wow I`ve missed so many good articles from you. I will be reading lots over the coming week end I can see. Can`t wait. This is truly inspirational stuff, and so well done. Love the photos.
ReplyDeleteGosh, many thanks indeed Stevie - to receive a comment like that from one of the bloggers that I consider to be one of my "mentors" is high praise indeed! (and I feel I'd better 'up my game' if you're going to be a regular visitor!!) :-)
DeleteBless. I think perhaps we inspire each other my friend. The work on your blog is truly second to none and gets me right in the mood to want to play. I`d better look to upping my own game I think :-)
DeleteSimply amazing. Like Stevie, I really need to sit down and go through so many past posts. I will I will, that's a promise. This very week end as is :-)
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for your kind comment Tar, I just hope you're not TOO disappointed when you get to read some of my earlier waffle ;-)
DeleteYou might also get a sense of how envious I am of the new "unified" direction you and the gang in The Game Cupboard are taking - there's more than a little of the 'scatter gun' approach in evidence here as the blog, and my gaming have developed ;-)
DeleteOh gosh, and there`s me so completely in awe at your glob writing and the beautiful models and photos, and wishing my humble endeavours could even come up to the knees compared to the boys. Being disappointed is most certainly not a word that enters my mind when I look at your site and lose myself in immersive journeys of delight.. time just seems to pass like a trip to Wonderland when I jump down the rabbit hole into your magical realm. Overjoyed would be a closer definition.
Our unified approach has only come after years of `getting it wrong` and messing up lots. Scattershot could most definitely have been applied to this one, and it was literally hanging with the guys that taught me how to be different, as they patiently showed me that there is another way, for which I am eternally grateful to have discovered. I think the secret trick to it all is discipline. I imagine it must be like giving up smoking or changing your life to get more exercise or a myriad of other things that are hard to do, but which offer their own rewards if adhered to and achieved. Like learning to play a musical instrument proficiently. So many people say to me "Oh wish I could play and sing like you" but my reply is "oh but you CAN.... I wasn't born knowing how to play the guitar and flute like this, it took many, many, many hundreds and thousands of hours and years of hard work, slog and pain to get to this stage." Things only happen if we want them to, and if we don`t do them, then we can`t want to badly enough hehe.
No in truth there`s nothing wrong with the butterfly effect and approach. It's just a different way is all. But (a tiny.. tiny but) I do admit, the unified approach does have its own rather rich and wonderful rewards at the end of a long tunnel of discipline and focus.
blog writing... not glob writing hehehehe.
DeleteI'm highly flattered - you say the nicest things Tarot, and in anagram form too ;-)
DeleteYou're absolutely right in what you say regarding your unified approach (I maybe see it from the same viewpoint as a fellow "plank spanker"), and I'm so looking forward to following your exploits as you tread the path of enlightenment :-)
oO you play too, that's so kewl. I bet you`re in a band. Those wires connected to a bit of plank would most definitely be my most favourite to mess about on.
DeleteAs for the blog, I`m so happy you are following along with our whacky exploits.
Haha I've had my time in bands, but now I'm working towards retirement as one half of a Country Music duo, so nothing spectacular - other than being able to do something I enjoy for a living ;-)
DeleteAs for your 'whacky exploits', I'm finding them informative and inspirational, so keep up the good work :-)
Only back from hols Greg so only catching up, your new stars from the last post look excellent & this exciting movie helped easy me back into blog life :)
ReplyDeleteCheers Frank - I hope you had an enjoyable break and are suitably refreshed, ready to resume productions at the Nickel & Dime studios :-)
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