Stargrave in 2021

[Brianuk]

It's a fantastic looking game, love that it's been extended out for the additional players. Lots of zombies then! 

[Chris Palmer]

On 5/9/2022 at 5:27 AM, Brianuk said:

Lots of zombies then! 

So…many…zombies!!! 😄🧟‍♂️

[CaptainPete]

Well, that sold me on Q37... After I already ordered some books for Ghost Archipelago and pre-ordered SpellJammer... My wallet weeps.

[Great Khan Artist]

Q37 translates really well to Frostgrave, too. (Well, mostly just the scenarios, but you could make creative use of the treasures, too.) I am in the process of making the table for the medical pods. Mine is a crypt. Since it's Sandgrave, I have sarcophagi with removeable lids. (When you read the scenario, you'll understand the lids.) When my present dungeon is finished, I'll set it up and take pics for my topic. (The present dungeon is for the solo scenario in "Wizards Conclave".) 

[Corsair]

Well, I have been re-organizing my Stargrave minis as my g'niece is playing and went through them all finding minis she liked, so left several teams twisted about. Been in the 90s here so a good excuse to dig out a bunch of unpainted minis and attack them the last few days. Also did up some Frostgrave warbands while I was at it.

Here is my primary Team:

[Chris Palmer]

12 hours ago, Great Khan Artist said:

Q37 translates really well to Frostgrave, too. (Well, mostly just the scenarios, but you could make creative use of the treasures, too.) I am in the process of making the table for the medical pods. Mine is a crypt. Since it's Sandgrave, I have sarcophagi with removeable lids. (When you read the scenario, you'll understand the lids.) When my present dungeon is finished, I'll set it up and take pics for my topic. (The present dungeon is for the solo scenario in "Wizards Conclave".) 

 

That is a great idea! The scenario would work perfectly in Frostgrave. 

[Rob Dean]

Make a note, if we go back to Frostgrave for the next campaign. 😀

[Great Khan Artist]

I got my copy of "Last Prospector" from the post office, where I have finally convinced the postmaster to quit bending my books and stuffing them in the box--win!

 

Anyway, here are my initial impressions. (I haven't read the whole thing yet.) This one has flavours of "Ghost Archipelago: Gods of Fire". Instead of tribes, you get five factions and you gain or lose influence with them based on goals you do or don't do in each of the scenarios. Like the GA tribes, each faction has boons applied to your warband if you reach a certain status with them, but these are static (unlike the tribes which are created by rolling off a chart).You start with scenario one, then players choose what scenario to play next based on faction standing. There are piles of special rules for each scenario. They aren't anything new, but are a creative reworking into something fun and different. I would recommend this book for a gaming group who play together often. Rules are included to easily have four players. This book has a real campaign feeling that is best achieved through dedicated play, and while you could disregard the faction special rules and play the scenarios as one-shots, it would effectively lose half the content. 

 

 

Because of the throwback to "Gods of Fire", I believe that it is possible to play the game as a Frostgrave or Ghost Archipelago campaign. I am using the tribal guides as opposed to the stats in the Stargrave rulebook. You could make tribes instead of the five factions, but they wouldn't be too out of place in a fantasy setting, as they repesent gangs, homesteaders and a mining corporations for example.  

 

Tiny spoiler: You can use your Green Griffon/Brinewind bar for the first scenario! (Meanwhile, in Sandgrave we have a marketplace with small stalls instead of a giant bar with tables and chairs to make.)

[CaptainPete]

On 5/11/2022 at 3:04 PM, Great Khan Artist said:

Q37 translates really well to Frostgrave, too. (Well, mostly just the scenarios, but you could make creative use of the treasures, too.) I am in the process of making the table for the medical pods. Mine is a crypt. Since it's Sandgrave, I have sarcophagi with removeable lids. (When you read the scenario, you'll understand the lids.) When my present dungeon is finished, I'll set it up and take pics for my topic. (The present dungeon is for the solo scenario in "Wizards Conclave".) 

I'm looking forward to giving it a shot. I have more than enough zombies (I hope, I think I have over 30 at this point) but I don't think I have enough bugs. I'll deal with that problem after I play the zombie stuff.

 

12 hours ago, Great Khan Artist said:

I got my copy of "Last Prospector" from the post office, where I have finally convinced the postmaster to quit bending my books and stuffing them in the box--win!

 

Anyway, here are my initial impressions. (I haven't read the whole thing yet.) This one has flavours of "Ghost Archipelago: Gods of Fire". Instead of tribes, you get five factions and you gain or lose influence with them based on goals you do or don't do in each of the scenarios. Like the GA tribes, each faction has boons applied to your warband if you reach a certain status with them, but these are static (unlike the tribes which are created by rolling off a chart).You start with scenario one, then players choose what scenario to play next based on faction standing. There are piles of special rules for each scenario. They aren't anything new, but are a creative reworking into something fun and different. I would recommend this book for a gaming group who play together often. Rules are included to easily have four players. This book has a real campaign feeling that is best achieved through dedicated play, and while you could disregard the faction special rules and play the scenarios as one-shots, it would effectively lose half the content. 

 

 

Because of the throwback to "Gods of Fire", I believe that it is possible to play the game as a Frostgrave or Ghost Archipelago campaign. I am using the tribal guides as opposed to the stats in the Stargrave rulebook. You could make tribes instead of the five factions, but they wouldn't be too out of place in a fantasy setting, as they repesent gangs, homesteaders and a mining corporations for example.  

 

Tiny spoiler: You can use your Green Griffon/Brinewind bar for the first scenario! (Meanwhile, in Sandgrave we have a marketplace with small stalls instead of a giant bar with tables and chairs to make.)

My copy also turned up yesterday and I haven't looked through the campaign completely yet. I was happy for the new crew and other stuff, however. I'm really happy to have melee combat crew, so I can use some minis I got a while back.

As far as I've read, I agree with you, this campaign is really a good thing for a consistent group to play with. I'd love to try it with four players, as it would be a fun bit of chaos.

Oddly enough, Gods of Fire is the one Ghost Archipelago supplement that I didn't pick up.

[Inarah]

17 minutes ago, CaptainPete said:

I'm looking forward to giving it a shot. I have more than enough zombies (I hope, I think I have over 30 at this point) but I don't think I have enough bugs. I'll deal with that problem after I play the zombie stuff.

 

If you have Dollar Tree in your area check out the toy aisle for their Final Faction action figures. They're on the small side, and these Kharn aliens would work really well as giant bugs: 

 

 

[Great Khan Artist]

12 hours ago, CaptainPete said:

I'm looking forward to giving it a shot. I have more than enough zombies (I hope, I think I have over 30 at this point) but I don't think I have enough bugs. I'll deal with that problem after I play the zombie stuff.

 

 

I bought the GW ghouls to use as zombies. I also have the Mantic ones. They're both decent minis, if a bit small compared to most of Reaper's stuff. Oh well, maybe you shrink when you die. We saw Patiherchef at the Ether Dome in Boston and he's really quite small.

 

I don't have enough bugs either. I'm using spiders. If you wait until Halloween, you can get plenty of cheap spiders. I'd like to use scorpions, but there just aren't enough cheap ones out there for all the different kinds of bug needed. GW 'nids are the easiest answer. The official Aliens minis could be fun, but last time I checked they only had a few sets. I bought Wargames Atlantic giant spiders--decent minis, but a pain in the butt to assemble. Because of their pointy legs I'm building them custom ruined bases from Hirst Arts miscasts. 

 

The ghouls are on my painting desk to batch paint next, then a nice unique hero or two and onto the spiders, hopefully. Maybe my Bones 5.5 Arakoth will show up in time to be painted inbetween hordes. 

[CaptainPete]

4 hours ago, Great Khan Artist said:

 

I bought the GW ghouls to use as zombies. I also have the Mantic ones. They're both decent minis, if a bit small compared to most of Reaper's stuff. Oh well, maybe you shrink when you die. We saw Patiherchef at the Ether Dome in Boston and he's really quite small.

 

I don't have enough bugs either. I'm using spiders. If you wait until Halloween, you can get plenty of cheap spiders. I'd like to use scorpions, but there just aren't enough cheap ones out there for all the different kinds of bug needed. GW 'nids are the easiest answer. The official Aliens minis could be fun, but last time I checked they only had a few sets. I bought Wargames Atlantic giant spiders--decent minis, but a pain in the butt to assemble. Because of their pointy legs I'm building them custom ruined bases from Hirst Arts miscasts. 

 

The ghouls are on my painting desk to batch paint next, then a nice unique hero or two and onto the spiders, hopefully. Maybe my Bones 5.5 Arakoth will show up in time to be painted inbetween hordes. 

I have a ton of Reaper zombies and the first Walk Of The Dead from Zombiecide, so I'm pretty sure I have enough. But I'll also have the scale problem, if I have to use the Walk zombies.

Oh, that's a good idea. I'll have to give that some thought after I get a chance to read the book.

[Werkrobotwerk]

I really like crew box 2. 

[Corsair]

I might just buy the "Bag o Zombies" that has 100 zombies in it. A little small, but for the price kinda hard to ignore.

[zemjw]

7 hours ago, Corsair said:

I might just buy the "Bag o Zombies" that has 100 zombies in it. A little small, but for the price kinda hard to ignore.

 

I have a bunch of them painted up. They are definitely on the small side - true 25mm at best. However, they work not too badly if you put them on a really tall base, as once they match at head height the proportions etc. are fine.

 

I painted them before I got a 3d printer, so it was a base and a lot of filler to bulk it up. If I was doing it now I'd print some custom tall bases with a recess to drop the integral base into, which would make it easier to look like they were on roads.

 

The other downside is that they are all the same pose. I did some minor conversions, but I do prefer a bit more variety in my undead than they offer 😁