Labor 'Scape 9/1/08

[Dennys]

So Labor Day brought Taeblewalker, Kathy and Josh to my place where Me and Dennyjr prepared a day of scape games, scapeburgers, scapedogs and Bar-B-scaped Chicken.

I had 3 maps set up so with 5 players (Mrs Dennys politely "approves" of this pasttime), we continued a series of round robin play as space and food allowed.

My army - 600 points of Samurai/Ashigaru
Kato Katsuro
Hatamoto Taro
2x Ashigaru Yari
1x Ashigaru Harquebus
Tagawa Samurai
Isamu

My opponent - Josh & a terrifying army
Zombies x 5 (?6)
Shades x 2
Iskara
Rechets

Our map - Ice Blossom


Josh got initiative and raced his shades for the glyphs, taking +2 move and Initiative, while I slid to the side gaining +1 commons attack for my ahsigaru using the Tagawa. They offed 2 zombies on this side getting to 5 attack dice, but then most of the action moved to the center as he started pushing his speedy zombies in and around the ice, headed for my command group. Iskara showed up soon enough, but a Yari rush and surround finished her before the rechets could apperar. We continued to trade zombies for ashigaru... which became zombies again while I had the Tagawa pinned on the glyph, not wanting to weaken my Ashigaru. Josh eventually moved his flanking zombies off, so the Samurai could get into the ice to take out the shades who were holding glyphs. Josh then charged my center allowing this to occcur


Samurai Last stand. Beyond the borders of this picture what you don't see are my 2 remaining Tagawa Samurai getting ready to charge down slope and save the command group. Isamu went poof, but in the end all the undead were eliminated, leaving Kato, Hatamoto, and 2 Tagawa.


My second match was against Kathy on The Secret Passage

Her Army-
Zelrig
AE
Tagawa Archers
Kaemon Awesome
Theracus
James Murphy

This map has almost no height, and a lot of bushes/trees. Great for sneak and peeking. One random glyph, in the swampwater (we got Attack +1).

Kathy got Zelrig up first, preparing to fry my ashigaru in the start zone, but I had learned from the last time she did this to me and split 2 squads up around the big lizard. Even though he fried 2 spearmen, a combined yari assault twice and some wait then fire musketry felled the beast. I took the glyph and was consolidating when the AE dropped, and started plinking at me, with a grenade killing no one. Theracus dropped Kaemon off near my troops, but before he could get a chance to attack, he was attacked by muskets and 2 lucky spears who felled him (and his little pony next turn). Meanwhile the AE were sneaking around the jungle plinking at my Ashigaru (by now I was down to 2 spears and 2 muskets). With a spearman holding down the glyph, my Tagawa charged in, felling 3 AE in as many turns, so with 7 attack... the rest was history. James blasted 2 more ashigaru before he and the archers became sushi.

3rd Battle - Taeblewalker on Hot Heights with 2 random glyphs

His army
3x Glads (4?)
2x Blasts
Q10
Warden 816

This battle produced the quote of the day from Mrs D. She looked at the armies lined up in the start zones and proclaimed " You've got sticks, he's got lasers. This is NOT rocket science!"

Her words would be prophetic. Turn markers for both of us were like targets in a shooting gallery, stacked on 1 card each all game. Me on Kato, him on Blasts. I lead with my Samurai to the right, picking up defense +2, he did the same with Attack +1. Trying to maximize my samurai (D=7 now), I attempted to climb the center, killing every glad I could. A lucky shot took 1 out early, and as the glads were falling my second samurai fell attampting to gain height. The 3rd one, on the glyph, would be the focus of the remainder of the game. Glads charged in to kill him, ashigaru countercharged to save him. Both fell in high numbers, but his blasts on height made the prophesy come true. With my army in tatters, eventually it would end with Hatamoto Taro charging one last Gladiatron in final defiance. Considering my opponent, I see my killing 4 of his squads as a win, but Mr Taeblewalker came out undefeated.

And the humor also extended to Dennys Jr vs Josh when I heard form the other room... WAIT, DONT FIRE! and saw this.....

[roostertail9000]

awesome battles, great pictures!

[Barbasol]

Great read!