Fun Castle siege game with kids last night (pictures 9/6)

[Retlaw]

Had a fun game with the kids last night. We used themed armies my son (13) had Ullar, daughter (9) had Vydar, and I had Jandar. My son and I had 600 point armies and my daughter had 800 (we guestimated the castle to be worth 400pts). The map was medium size with the castle (two sets combined for one larger castle) in the middle with a moat arround it except for the two doors on opposite corners. My daughter started in the castle and my son and I started on the opposite corners away from the doors. The map was symmetrical and to get from the start to the doors you could either go through lava or snow (I'll try to take a picture tonight to post here). We also had a "no fly" rule (windy day). To win, my son and I had to both breach the castle and have at least one figure from each of our armies in the castle at the end of the 10th round -- if we didn't my daughter would win. The armies were:

Son (Ullar):
Jotun, Saylind, Elf Archers, Sylvarus, Mittens
Daughter (Vydar):
2x Microcorp, Braxus, Krav, Nakita, Q9, gorillinators.
Mine (Jandar):
AE, Sgt Drake, MacDirk, Scots, Dzu Teh, Johnny, and Tarn Vikings (these just filled up the point total and never got used in the game)

My son's idea was to have Jotun throw Saylind onto the castle wall and then summon the rest of his army up there. Nice idea, but my daughter used the microcorp agents and gorillas to pick off Jotun in the third round. So he fell back to trying to get Mittens to beat the door down (didn't work).

My idea was two pronged -- 1) try to get the snowmen and scots to beat a door down and 2) get AE and Drake over the walls. The first didn't work too well -- I got the snowmen to the door ok (there was a glacier next to the door, so they couldn't be hit with range). So my daughter has Braxus jump into the moat and then proceeds to wipe out the snow men in two turns. I did manage to get 5 wounds on MacDirk, so the Scots were at their top form, but until I got rid of Braxus, I couldn't get near the door. Next was to try to use Johnny to clear some space for Drake to use the grappling hook -- he failed and the Micro Corp finished him off. In the 4th round the AE dropped. Once I had them inside the castle, I got lucky and got rid of the gorillas and half the Micro Corp with the grenades. This allowed Drake to scale the wall. Then it proceed to be a battle within the walls. I was lucky and the AE took out a couple of Nakita and Krav and one more micro corp before they all fell. Sgt Drake made it to the door (took out the last Nakita) and opened it for Mittens (this was near the end of round 7). We thought we were looking good. But Q9 and the last two Micro Corp took out Mittens. No problem, my son brought Saylind through the door -- same result Q9 and the last Microcorp took her out.

In the mean time, my son had moved the archers through the lava field and had managed to finish off Braxus, but the other door was still shut. The Scots started pounding on it, but by round 9 it only had 7 wounds on it. So, change tactics -- Sgt Drake goes after Q9 (who was guarding the other door). Some lucky rolls, and he is gone by the end of round 9.

So round 10 starts - Sgt Drake on the castle floor with one remaining MicroCorp looking down on him from up on a wall and the Scots and Elves trying to get in the door with 7 wounds. So, I move Drake to the second door and opens it (2 turns left and it looks like we have won (all I have to do is move the Scots in so the elves can follow). But my daughter takes the last MicroCorp and runs/jumps down into the open door space (lucky roll didn't take any falling damage). Now the scots can't move in on the 2nd turn and let my son move in on his third (he started the 10th round) (also we were playing where he couldn't move through my figures). So, I had to back one scot away from the door so he could get the archers through and use another to attack the last Microcorp. If the one Scot didn't kill the Microcorp, then the archers would have to kill him and hope for frenzy to move in. The roll was with me, and the pumped up Scot killed the MicroCorp and on my son's last turn in round 10 he moved into the castle with the elves.

This was probably the best game the three of us have played -- usually my daughter looses a few figutes and then looses interest (I think she has only played 3 complete games -- started a lot more, but not finished them). But with the advantage of the castle and her early victories (taking out Johnny in the first round and Jotun and the snowmen in the third round) and then being able to take out Mittens and then Saylind once they did get in the castle she was in fine form (even doing cheers).

Ok here are the pictures:



The start areas for the attacking teams were the rock terrain in the corners away from the doors -- obviously, my daughter's defending army started in the castle.

[feekonea]

wow, that's always great when your daughters doing that and having that much fun. Congrats on your win. I need to get castles...

[jdtenor]

Great game. I was routing for your daughter to win.

[Retlaw]

Don't tell my son, but I was pulling for her to win too.

I did give her advice during the game (helped her with special attacks - what was best to use, etc.) and I helped her pick her starting army -- she wanted all girls team, so she had to have the Nakita and the Krav were ok with one girl. When I showed her that Braxus was a "Dragon Queen", then that was ok.

She was a little upset at the loss, but I pointed out that with her last roll with the Micro Corp that if her stealth armor roll had worked again (she had already had it work twice in earlier rounds), she probably would have won (my son's Frenzy rolls were bad all evening - his archers hadn't frenzied once the whole game, so doubt he would of then). She didn't feel as bad knowing she only lost by one dice roll. And also it helped that she basically beat her brother and it was my AE, Drake, and Scots that beat her. And that she took out all of his army except for the archers and he didn't beat any of her army (well he helped with Braxus).

[DingoDarkly]

OOH! i like your castle!

[deadeyedan42]

as soon as I get my castle sets I will biuld the ultimate castle, and beat my brother to a bloody pulp MWAAHAHAHAHAAA!!!

[Hex_Enduction_Hour]

Retlaw that's a gorgeous map! I must admit, some of the most relaxing, cherishing games of Heroscape are with my kids.
Thanks for sharing the pictures.

[Venom]

that is a sweet map!

[jumpman_14]

Nice map.