Posts by McGran

"He pulls a knife? You pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital? You send one of his to the morgue!"

Cynfarchwyn didn't know what a gun, a hospital, or a morgue, was, but he understood the lesson his old dancing master, Malone, had taught him. And now he was putting that lesson into practice.

Only when it was too late did Dai realise that his 'victories' had achieved nothing more than the sacrifice of the few remaining Welshmen that had stayed by his side. Each fight had seen him drawn back into the fray, only for his opponents to melt away.

"Come on and fight me like a man" cried Dai, in rage and frustration, as time and again Cynfarchwyn's horsemen peppered the old king with Javelin then moved away before they could be engaged.

"That's the Chicago way!" roared Cynfarchwyn in reply, as he gave the order for a final massive salvo of javelins and slings. Under the darkening sky, Dai knew that he had been beaten.

Hearing news of German mobilisation, in St Petersburg, the wheels of industry are starting to turn.

The Russians are filling out:

3 squads of regular infantry plus 2 squads kitted out with Adriane helmet

2 cavalry units, spear and sabre

Maxim MG team

Schneider 107mm Cannon (pre-cursor to the French 105)

Schneider-Danglis 76mm Mountain Gun

Gun crews

Command team, including an Orthodox Priest to remind the men God is on their side.

Outrageous slurs against the good name of Priest Diddly!

For years now, Alt Clud's youths have referenced P Diddly as being instrumental in motivating them to become experts in close quarters evasion.

And in combat all the young men race ever faster towards the enemy knowing that their favourite tutor is right behind them every step of the way.

In countless battles, commanders have remarked that such is the zeal inspired by the approach of our beloved Priest, even gravely wounded boys will pick themselves up and hurl themselves, once more, towards their enemies.

Truly heroic!

Flight

With my dice rolling it’ll be more like a special needs operation!

Russkies after receiving their shiny strong tone wash.

Just need to figure out where they’ll be fighting so I can do the bases.

Reckon slings should be restricted to Marksmen too with just javelins for the rest.

Otherwise, at just 2gc it'd be madness not to equip everyone.

Witchcraft and Devilry!

Del Monte's depredations know no bounds. Cynfarchwyn watched in horror as the murderous Roman slew defenceless monks as they prayed.

Spurring on his faithful horse, Dylan, he charged at the monster, determined to avenge the holy men. But some unseen force stopped him from moving - he was frozen in place. As the whole area around him erupted with the cries of battle, Cynfarchwyn remained frozen, only able to watch in rage as the coward Del Monte fled the field.

Only with Del Monte hopelessly out of reach did the force holding Cynfarchwyn begin to diminish. With no chance for revenge, he had to fall back and save the elders. As he turned to support his younger brother, Arthmael, half a dozen or more Frankish thugs ambushed him with a hail of arrows and javelins. Battered and bloodied he made his way back to the others only in time to see the old maid, Gwendolyn, cut down by a Pictish brute.

As Arthmael bore away the old seer, Huw, to safety, Cynfarchwyn stood guard over the body of the fallen maid, ensuring neither heathen Pict nor ignoble Frank could desecrate her body.

But his mind was still on Witchcraft, Devilry and Del Monte.

Hi Rory, welcome aboard. Hope to see you at the club soon.

Clearly we need to institute:

The Ser Robin Award

For the conspicuous application of discretion over valour

In seasons past this award would have been rather pointless, given that Dave would have held the title continuously for the past ten years, but with Generals looking more vulnerable than ever, we may see some heated competition for this coveted title.

Yes, I'm afraid we don't have any active RPGing at this time. If you can round up some players, you are, of course, welcome to use the club as a venue to host.

Love it. This could be the beginning of a beautiful enmity!

Cynfarchwyn of Alt Clut

Character: Cynfarchwyn is a formidable figure in the tumultuous landscape of Britain in 410 AD. At 30 years old, he stands tall with a well-muscled build, his hands weathered from years spent riding and training horses. He has deep-set green eyes that reflect both determination and a hint of vulnerability. Dressed in a worn leather tunic, emblazoned with symbols of his lineage, he often carries a sturdy sword at his side, a reminder of the blood spilled in battles past.

Born into a family of lesser nobility in the region of Strathclyde, Cynfarchwyn grapples with the weight of expectations. Raised among the lush hills and valleys of what is now Southern Scotland, he learned the art of horsemanship from a young age. Tales of ancient kings and legendary warriors inspired him, driving him to seek not only glory for himself but also stability and peace for his people.

Motivation and Goals: Cynfarchwyn's ambition to become the King of Strathclyde stems from a mixture of personal pride, a desire for legacy, and a yearning for unity among the fractured tribes of the region. He seeks to establish a kingdom that thrives in prosperity and strength, dreaming of a realm where clans set aside their rivalries to stand together against external threats.

However, his motivations are also deeply rooted in his love for his homeland. Cynfarchwyn believes that through strong leadership, he can protect Strathclyde from the encroaching Saxon invasions and the political instability that has plagued the region since the fall of Roman authority. His goal is to rally other tribes, winning their respect and alliance through displays of courage in battle and wise governance.

Significant Events: Cynfarchwyn's journey is marked by formative experiences that shape his character and ambitions:

1. The Loss of His Father: At the young age of 12, Cynfarchwyn witnessed his father's death during a skirmish against Saxon raiders. This event ignited his desire to protect his people and fueled his commitment to becoming a leader worthy of the title.
2. The First Confrontation with Roman Tribune Del Monte:
   During a skirmish while raiding supplies from Roman outposts, Cynfarchwyn faced off against Del Monte for the first time. The Roman Tribune, known for his ruthless tactics and ambitions of reestablishing Roman dominance, bested Cynfarchwyn in this early encounter by burning down the whole outpost, costing the lives of dozens of Cynfarchwyn's strongest warriors and closest friends, leaving him humiliated but more determined than ever to prove himself.
3. The Alliance with Eira: Cynfarchwyn forms a bond with Eira, a healer from a rival tribe. Their relationship blossoms into a deep romance, but it also intertwines political ambitions as Eira's tribe holds significant influence in the region. Their love becomes a symbol of potential unity but also of conflict, as both struggle against their own peoples’ prejudices.

Relationships: Cynfarchwyn's relationships have a profound impact on his development:

• Eira: The love he shares with Eira influences his ideas about unity and leadership; she challenges him to consider the needs of others and the importance of compassion alongside power. However, her rival family's disdain for him poses a continuous challenge to their relationship.
• His Mentor, Rhys: A veteran warrior and sage, Rhys guides Cynfarchwyn in both combat and strategy, instilling in him the wisdom of patience and the necessity of forging alliances. His eventual passing due to illness acts as a catalyst, pushing Cynfarchwyn to honor his mentor's teachings by pursuing leadership with honor.
• Roman Tribune Del Monte: Cynfarchwyn’s arch enemy, Del Monte embodies the threats to his ambitions. The two engage in a game of cat and mouse, each trying to outmaneuver the other. The rivalry grows personal, with Del Monte representing not just the Roman influence but also the betrayal of promises made to the tribes.

We discussed reviving the rewards system we played in the Adriatic campaign. Basically this means that Minor and Major plot points won in Pulp games have a bonus effect carry over to the campaign games. Drawing from the previous table I've built up a fair few examples of Minor and Major bonuses.

• For those less familiar with Pulp Alley, you can typically expect to win one or two minor plot points per game and, usually, only one player will win a major plot point.
  • Also we tend to allow one Minor plot point to a player who misses the Pulp Alley game
• Generally speaking, Major bonuses are applied to one unit and are in effect for the duration of the game while Minor bonuses are for one turn only or provide a modest benefit at the start of the game.
• There's still several spaces unfilled in the Minor bonuses table, so please share your suggestions
• Also, I've rattled this together quite quickly, so shout up if you think a Major bonus should be Minor (or vice-versa), or if you think there is a better major bonus (or if any of the ones I've listed are too powerful)

Paul, you're going to have to calm it down a bit. You're putting the rest of us to shame with this level of professinalism!

Confirm that Pueri Foot is now 12pts, Mounted is 20pts.

Initially build a 1200 point force.

There are restrictions on characters, as we are starting in the service of our respective kings.

So max 3 characters, max 20% of force and no character higher than Antrustio.

Your leader can have one character advantage of your choice, regardless of whether this is normally allowed (paid for as normal). Character advantages are fixed for the duration of the campaign, so choose wisely.

Campaign Rules here show the guidance given to the other forces, so you'll see your restrictions are in line with everyone elses. It also shows the battles, force strengths, and bonuses you acquire as you level up.

We're going to bring you in as if you'd played the first two battles, with the average of points scored from everyone's first two missions, so you're ready to fight your third battle. I don't know exactly what the points will be, but it'll be at least 8, so you get the additional 10pts of character advantage (can be applied to any character) plus your leader can be promoted to Dux.

Hi Paul,

I'll add you to the subscriber group. Then you can get it here.

I'll pm you the details to set up a standing order.

Andrew

Turning to the Wigan Games Club official source for conflict resolution, Wikipedia, we find this for Dyke:

Etymology 1

A variant of dike, from Northern Middle English dik and dike (“ditch”), from Old Norse díki (“ditch”). Influenced by Middle Dutch dijc (“ditch; dam”) and Middle Low German dīk (“dam”).^[1] See also ditch.

dyke (plural dykes)(British spelling)

1. (historical) A long, narrow hollow dug from the ground to serve as a boundary marker.
2. A long, narrow hollow dug from the ground to conduct water.
3. (dialect) Any navigable watercourse.
4. (dialect) Any watercourse.
5. (dialect) Any small body of water.
6. (obsolete) Any hollow dug into the ground.
7. (now chiefly Australia, slang) A place to urinate and defecate: an outhouse or lavatory.
8. An embankment formed by the spoil from the creation of a ditch.
9. A wall, especially (obsolete outside heraldry) a masoned city or castle wall.
10. (now chiefly Scotland) A low embankment or stone wall serving as an enclosure and boundary marker.
11. (dialect) Any fence or hedge.
12. An earthwork raised to prevent inundation of low land by the sea or flooding rivers.
13. (figuratively) Any impediment, barrier, or difficulty.
14. A beaver's dam.
15. (dialect) A jetty; a pier.
16. A raised causeway.
17. (dialect, mining) A fissure in a rock stratum filled with intrusive rock; a fault.
18. (geology) A body of rock (usually igneous) originally filling a fissure but now often rising above the older stratum as it is eroded away.

Nice one Craig. Great write up. Kinda like the idea of winning or losing as a team too.