Kolakoski’s Pre-SoV Custom Corner

[kolakoski]

Well met!

The next Captain America?

NAME = CAPTAIN AMERICA

SECRET IDENTITY = KAMALA HARRIS

SPECIES = HUMAN

UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO

CLASS = CRIME FIGHTER

PERSONALITY = PATRIOTIC

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 5

MOVE = 6

RANGE = 5

ATTACK = 4

DEFENSE = 4

POINTS = 220

BOUNDLESS ENTHUSIASM

Before taking a turn with a Unique Hero you control, if Captain America is within 5 clear sight spaces of that Hero, you may reveal an “X” Order Marker on that Hero's Army Card and choose one for the rest of the round:

• Add 1 to that Hero’s Attack and Defense numbers;

• After revealing an Order Marker on that Hero's Army Card and taking a turn with only that Hero, you may take a turn with Captain America. You may not take any additional turns with figures you control.

IMPENETRABLE SKIN

When Captain America defends against a normal or special attack, if at least one shield is rolled, the most wounds Captain America can take from this attack is one.

FRIEND OF THE LAW

Friendly Lawmen adjacent to Captain America add 1 to their Defense numbers.

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

Seems like a C3G Legacy Hunter to me. Zabu could fill in for the big dog.

NAME = EL NUBARRON
SECRET IDENTITY = RODRIGO DESTREZA

SPECIES = HUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = ASSASSIN
PERSONALITY = DETERMINED

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 4

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 5
ATTACK = 4
DEFENSE = 4

POINTS = 200

MASTER OF SHADOWS
While he is on a Shadow space or when adjacent to any terrain, obstacle, or destructible object with a height higher than El Nubarrón’s base, El Nubarrón adds 1 die to his attack and he cannot be targeted by opponents' non-adjacent figures for any attacks or for any opponents' special powers that require clear sight.

MASTER OF SWORDS
El Nubarrón may attack an opponent's figure within 2 spaces with his normal attack. If at least one skull is rolled, he may attack an opponent's figure within 2 spaces again. He may continue attacking opponent's figures within 2 spaces, rolling 1 fewer attack die for each subsequent attack, until you fail to roll a skull. Before any of these attacks, if you reveal an "X" Order Marker on this card, you may add one automatic skull to that attack.

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

On the subject of Templars and warrior-monk types...

Willem van Bonem was a Knight Hospitaller and key figure in the Flemish resistance to Philip the Fair of France. He played a significant role in Edward I's expedition to Flanders in 1297, and commanded one wing of the Flemish army at the Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302.

Van Bonem frequently appears in the records from about 1287, serving as Count Guy's bailiff of Ghent and Damme. Oddly, van Bonem was married and held property all over Flanders. Such things were technically forbidden to members of the Military Orders, but it seems the rules were waived in his case.

When the French invaded Flanders in 1297, van Bonem fought for Guy and his ally, Edward I. The French quickly overran much of the county and in September the citizens of Bruges and the adjacent port town of Damme surrendered to Philip. Van Bonem, who held a castle near Damme, secretly made contact with the younger aldermen of the town, who were anti-French. He then conveyed a message to Edward I at Ghent, informing him the aldermen were ready to attack the French garrison.

In response the king gave some of his Welsh and English infantry to Count Guy's son, Robert of Béthune, called the Lion of Flanders. On about 6 October a combined Welsh-English-Flemish army came howling out of the dawn mist, swarmed over the incomplete defences of Damme and butchered the French defenders. The Welsh then quickly repaired the fort, and a French relief force from Bruges was forced to withdraw.

After the truce had expired in Flanders, van Bonem contined to resist the French. Flemish poets gave vivid accounts of his performance at Kortrijk in 1302, the famous battle of the Golden Spurs:

“He struggled with the greatest violence, and many a Frenchman fell under his butcher's blade...”

Other Flemish sources claim van Bonem raised three separate companies of Templars to fight the French. Each wore different 'uniforms' – grey, white, and black. Van Bonem himself wore a white cloak with a red cross, while the 'boys' under his command wore black cloaks (yeah I know the kit sounds wrong, I'm just quoting the sources).

When Philip started to persecute the Templars, Van Bonem disappeared. He was allegedly 'banned' by the church for committing certain atrocities – not described – and one source claims he fled East and converted to Islam. There is no certainty, however. Like many a hero, he simply vanished, to go no man knows where.

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

Final Jacobite Rebellion: The 1745 Uprising

In 1745, Charles Edward Stuart, known as "the Young Pretender" or Bonnie Prince Charlie, landed at Eriskay Island in the Hebrides, igniting the final Jacobite Rebellion. This rebellion was a bold attempt to reclaim the British throne for the House of Stuart.

Bonnie Prince Charlie's arrival marked the start of a significant and dramatic chapter in British history. Despite early successes, the rebellion ultimately culminated in the devastating Battle of Culloden in 1746, which saw the defeat of the Jacobite forces and marked the end of their aspirations.

The aftermath of the rebellion had lasting impacts on Scottish culture and society, leading to the suppression of Highland traditions and the migration of many Scots. The 1745 Jacobite Rebellion remains a poignant reminder of the fierce loyalty and determination of the Jacobites and their enduring place in British history.

Historical Significance

The rebellion highlighted the deep-rooted divisions and aspirations within Britain, shaping the course of its political and cultural landscape.

Key Figure

Bonnie Prince Charlie, a charismatic and determined leader, whose legacy is still remembered in Scottish folklore and history.

Heritage and Culture

The 1745 uprising is commemorated in various cultural works, songs, and traditions, preserving the memory of the Jacobite cause.

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

In 1512, a statute was enacted requiring boys aged between seven and seventeen to be provided with a bow and two arrows, emphasizing the importance of archery skills in medieval England.

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

Kani Saizo was a brave, warrior, a fierce fighter and somewhat of a maverick samurai. He was one of the heroes of The Battle of Sekigahara.
A master of the Naginata, a halberd-like weapon, Kani Saizo was a native of Kani (modern-day Gifu Prefecture), where Akechi Mitsuhide had also been born. Kani had quite a reputation as a brave, strong fighter, and although a loyal samurai, was somewhat maverick in his ways.

Instead of a standard sashimono, the tall flag worn on the back of the armor, Kani wore a stalk of freshly cut bamboo grass, which he claimed brought him luck. Strips of strong washi paper were twisted into strings and tied between the lower ring of his helmet’s neck guard and the shoulder braces of his body armor. This would have hindered his mobility, but was done to prevent other samurai from getting a sword or naginata to his vulnerable neck area.

The taking of heads in battle was a custom by which a samurai could distinguish himself. Once an enemy was defeated he was decapitated. The head was then cleaned, perfumed, and mounted for inspection and registration back at the base camp.

Kani Saizo left many of his victim’s heads on the battlefield, not wanting to miss the action and excitement of the fight. Other lesser samurai sometimes took advantage of finding a head on the ground and a number were taken to the base camp with the finder claiming it as his own kill. These unscrupulous soldiers were later to be disgraced, however, as the clever Kani had not just left the heads on the ground, but had hidden his “calling card,” a rolled-up bamboo leaf taken from his unorthodox sashimono battle flag, in the ear, nose, and throat cavities.

When it came time to inspect the heads, Kani was found to have taken a record of some 17 to 20 enemy heads alone at Sekigahara.

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

 

[chas]

Serving in the guard and eventually the commander of it was the greatest Viking at the end of the Viking Age--Harald Hardrada ("Hard Ruler") who as King of Norway later invaded northern England in 1066, but was defeated at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Then William the Conqueror landed in the south soon afterwards and defeated the Anglo Saxons to establish the Norman dynasty there, which had itself been started years earlier by the Viking Hrolf (aka Rollo) in Normandy! The French king had given him that fief to "fight fire with fire," after other Vikings had raided Paris several times.

Harald fought in civil wars of Scandanavia, in Viking Rus, and all over the Byzantine Empire, founded Oslo Norway's modern capital, and was a major figure. He will be portrayed in the sequel series to Vikings, which is Vikings Valhalla.

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

P.S.: Losing a lot of these as they are "copy image address" since "copy image" doesn't work.

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

 

[chas]

The Siege of Paris is very well shown in the TV series Vikings, over several episodes. Rollo is one of the main characters in the show. The sequel series, Vikings Valhalla, comes out with its First Season August 27.

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

 

[chas]

Ivan the Cabbage? Really? Well, there is a lot of history in Eastern Europe most of us don't know about. It is touched upon with a Byzantine theme in Commands & Colors Medieval, a game I have here if you want to try it out. In its scenarios, The Byzantines fight Attila and then mostly the Persians. The First Expansion, which isn't out yet, will skip ahead to the First Crusade. But since you like tactical and started off with me in Battle Lore, you might enjoy it!

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

Meet the most feared women in African history – The Dahomey Amazons. Known as the Mino warriors, this fierce all-female military squad from the kingdom of Dahomey, West Africa (modern-day Benin), operated from the 17th to 19th centuries. The Mino, nicknamed the Dahomey Amazons by Europeans, were initially elephant hunters who evolved into a formidable military force. These warriors, also called N’Nonmiton or "Our Mothers," were revered for their unmatched combat skills and loyalty to the kingdom.

Recruited as young as 8 years old, many Mino sought escape from poverty or oppressive marriages. They took vows of celibacy to stay focused on their duties. The Mino's rigorous training included survival expeditions and mastering combat techniques. With the motto "Conquer or Die," they dominated the battlefield and held significant roles in the kingdom’s Grand Council.

Armed with Winchester rifles, clubs, and knives, the Mino were a force to be reckoned with. By the mid-19th century, they numbered between 1,000 and 6,000, making up a third of Dahomey’s army. The kingdom eventually fell to French colonization, and the Mino were disbanded, but their legacy of courage and empowerment endures.

 

[chas]

I know they fought against the French Foreign Legion!

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

Painting commemorating the Battle of Grunwald, where the combined forces of Polish and Lithuanian knights, crushed the power of the Teutonic Order. It was also the largest battle of the Middle Ages.

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

 

[kolakoski]

Well met!

This Yaqui soldadera (woman soldier) is on the move during the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Yaqui women bolstered their ranks fresh out of slavery in 1911. Photographed in 1913 clad in a trench coat with a scarf on her head, she is either returning from or on her way to the chapel. In those days women had to cover their heads in church, and even today in Mediterranean states they must cover their shoulders to enter chapels if wearing sleeveless garments. These women of the revolution gave blood, sweat and tears for a better Mexico. One in which their children would have rights that they did not. The soldaderas not only fought alongside men in trenches, as they also turned around and nursed them back to health when wounded. They are being honored increasingly in Mexico today.