The New Campaign: Or How I Stopped Worrying and Gamed Through the Outbreak

[Rat13]

Since before all this craziness started my wife and I have been saying how we should start gaming again. This of course led to the question of, what to play? After some discussion and explanation (not to mention some gentle nudging) we decided to start a Ghost Archipelago campaign seeing as it ticked the most boxes. Its fantasy based, not too complicated or hard to learn, plays quickly, and the combat/general gameplay is enjoyable. 

 

I'll be the first to admit this discussion and decision occurred at the beginning of the lockdown and our first game was last Saturday. Why the long delay between deciding and starting? A good and valid question, which basically boils down to home repairs, relearning the system, and creating two identical (stat wise at least) crews. So as the lockdowns start to lift in some places our lockdown campaign finally begins. 

 

Before I forget to mention it this was my wife's first game and only my second. So we opted to ignore Heritor and Warden abilities/spells altogether. I know this takes a lot away from the game but we figured it was better to get the basics down first. Our next game will certainly include these however. 

 

By simple luck of the die our first scenario just happened to be X Marks the Spot, the first scenario in the book. We placed all the treasures and deployed our crews. 

 

My deployment.

My wife's orks. 

 

That's when I noticed I hadn't rolled for the creature/creatures defending the central treasure. It almost didn't matter as it ended up being a skeleton that my archer killed on turn one. I'd call it the play of the day.

 

 

Placement after turn one or two. I honestly lost track. 

As you can see we're both positioned to grab two regular treasures apiece while a melee is brewing at the central treasure. 

 

It was around this time that we both really got into the game and subsequently forgot to take any pictures. Not a bad thing, just not great for a battle report, I'll try my best to report everything missed however. 

1.)The central treasure had become quite a melee involving both our Heritors and Wardens. I managed to knock out her Heritor just before mine went down. In the picture you can see the two Wardens squaring off for the treasure afterwards.

2.)At bottom center you can see one of my crewmen getting ready to escape with a treasure.

3.)Top right corner you can see one of my archers getting ready to escape with another treasure. I managed a very lucky shot which outright killed one of her crewmen that had nearly escaped with that treasure. 

4.)Middle right my goblin crewmen is almost off table with a treasure.

5.) Not pictured my wife's orks secured a treasure on the left side of the board.

 

The next turn I secured three regular treasures and the desperate fight began for the central treasure. With only my Warden and mercenary remaining I squared off against her Warden, mercenary, infantryman, two archers, and a regular crewman. Though I came close to taking out her warden mere inches from table edge and safety it wasn't meant to be. Both my Warden and mercenary were knocked out and she secured the central treasure. 

 

Her final positions after removing my last two figures.

 

My casulties and treasure.

Final results: 

My mercenary was killed outright while everyone else made a full recovery. 

 

Treasure:

Fury Leaves +30gc

50gc

Smoke glass and Lingle berry

 

Heritor XP: 185

With my level up I increased my movement to 7.

 

Warden XP: 60

 

Her casulties and treasure (including the central treasure).

Final results: 

Her Heritor took psychological scars subtracting 1 from her Will, while everyone else made a full recovery.

 

Treasure:

Stinkwort and Farlight Leaf

Fury Leaves + 30gc

 

Heritor XP: 160

With her level up she reduced a heritor abilities utilization number by 1.

 

Warden XP: 60

 

All in all it was a ton of fun and neither of us can wait for the next game. This game did however show me just how little fantasy terrain I actually have, so I guess I know what my next project is.

[Kalibak]

Great report! Ghost Archipelago (and Frostgrave) look like SO much fun! Can't wait for the quarantine to be over so I can hopefully find some people to play with at my FLGS.