Radg stomps into 2019.

I received an order of minis recently and decided to knock out this big fella for 2019, number 122.

He'll serve as a generic giant and the Legendary Encounter Radg, the Brute.

And a few random shots I took of some goblins...

Sliding into home base...

At the beginning of the year I decided I would aim for 10 miniatures painted per month, terrain not included.

I had a lot of ups and downs this year, some personal crap, some life nonsense, and some inconsistencies with regards to employment.  However, I did manage just at the closing of the year to reach that goal.

Here are (likely) the last three miniatures for the year.  The muse may descend in the next five or six days, but who knows...I don't have a ton on-hand to paint at the moment.

 A lovely Reaper figure (some type of Arabian-esque noble?) and the lady caster from the Shadespire Barbarian box.  I trimmed off her somewhat bizarre mane that was poking up into the sky simply because that's...not a gaming piece that will last.

 The Kroot character from Blackstone Fortress.  I only painted him because I found him last night and I'd already primed and based him.

The unconfirmed tally for painted miniatures in 2019.

The race to 120! (er...119?)

So, in my laziness...I took a long break from painting minis to work on some game design and some terrain.  I closed the gap to 120 with these 12 goblins from Oathmark (additional baddies for the dungeon crawl - also wanted plastic for use at conventions!).

Better pics sometime soon, but these'll do.

Following the gobbos, this is what I've done in 2019 (excluding terrain of course).  So, at 119 minis I've got one more to choose and knock out by New Year.  I received a few monster minis in a Secret Santa this week, so maybe one of them.

Also, ordered a few more miniatures for the dungeon crawl, but I'm not expecting them until after the new year.

Slow progress..

Been in a serious funk lately and simply not getting much done.  I've started a handful of miniatures, been uninspired and quit (even threw a cheap dragon in the trash when I got frustrated!).

However, I managed two characters, and a handful of wraiths which simply needed bases attached/painted.  I'm not good enough for "spirit" painting, so I'm leaving these guys as-is in their coloured Reaper plastic.

 A Bones Black wizard...dude...thing?  Not a huge fan of Bones at this scale - even the new "Black" type, but it's something.  The Elf is a fantastic Reaper metal.

A generic bad wizard - he'll be used as an NPC or enemy in the dungeon crawl.

A nice and simple Elf ranger type.  Really liked this guy - just the right amount of detail and the colours worked out.

The Reaper Bones clear plastic baddies - used as magic minions in the dungeon crawl.

I used a lit box and some tape to make the wraiths "glow" for some photography for the cards used with the dungeon crawl...

Coffins, Crypts & Catacombs: Chapter Four

A curious thing happened on the way to the dungeon...(bonus points if anyone understand that reference).

So, last we had checked in on our Hero Party they had fled the dungeon, Rosalie having been slain by a Spider Queen.  The ominous remaining rooms of the dungeon had proved too much and they departed, Curious Creature in tow.

Rosalie has returned to the party, but she's lost a few items and all of her crowns - though a fellow Adventurer has given her a small amount (Heroes can only spend crowns in their Zone so having some wealth on hand can be important!)

A new dungeon for Quest 4...the Heroes begin in the center and must locate the Quest Room which also serves as the exit.

 

The Quest Room is shuffled into five Chamber cards which have been placed around the dungeon.

 

The Hero Party is on the last 'White' location...about to step into 'Yellow', where all Creatures become more numerous and more active.  A bad first room could likely kill the Party off or cause it to flee.  Fleeing or losing Quests further increases the Saga Scale - so too many failures and the dungeon will become 'Red' and the party will eventually collapse!

The Hero Party steps into the first chamber...

A lucky break!  No increase...so the Saga Scale is still in White.

The Hero Party violates all protocols and goes to check two doors at once - risking an Unexpected Encounter...but needing to expedite the discovery of the Quest Room.

Holy crap...two cards in a row with no encounters and no increase to the Saga, and this is one of the five rooms which could have been the Quest Room.  One down, four to go!

 The incredibly lucky streak continues!  A reduction in the Saga Scale is tremendously good luck.  Sadly two Encounters must be faced...but two rooms down, three to go!

The Heroes discover a Treasure! (the best kind of Encounter!) and a Troll.  The Warrior Rosalie fumbles in her pouches for crowns...before the Dwarf shows up and begrudgingly pays off the Troll!  No violence yet...how long can this continue?

The Heroes can barely believe it when they pass through yet another room which generates only a trap!  The Curious Creature is shot in the leg with a dart...but is otherwise alive.  The Saga reduces further!  We're rapidly exhausting the good fortune...

Room three of five is a small broom closet at the end of a hallway...

 

It's the Quest Room!  Sadly it's filled with Ghouls and Verminkind...but they can be dealth with!

 

Well this was by far the easiest and most unexpected dungeon I've yet run in CCC.  The handful of cards in the deck which allow for avoiding conflict all seemed to turn up early!  I was quite ready to dispose of this Hero Party if a difficult Chamber popped up and we hit Yellow in the Saga Scale...but alas we ended up escaping, dropping the Saga by a further two!  

The Hero Party is now situated just above the starting position on the Saga Scale.  Somehow, incredibly they managed to slink down the scale and avoid slipping into Yellow.  The one combat was quick and efficient, with the table and cabinets narrowing the Creatures ability to attack. The Heroes killed them off, claimed two rewards (including firing the Curious Creature and replacing him with a Lost Squire!).

Overall...unexpected but nice to see that with the right happenstance the party can teeter on the edge of the disaster and claw its way back!

 

 

Caverns, Crypts & Catacombs: Chapter...three?

Having succeeded in their last adventure, our Hero Party was riding high on enthusiasm and a healthy dose of crowns (having escaped with two significant treasures!).

They set off into a larger dungeon for Quest three.  Their goal was to find the Quest Room (one of the last three Chambers in the deck of eight cards).

The new deadly dungeon awaits...

 

The first Chamber is empty, and a small curious creature joins the party, ally to Rosalie the Warrior.

 

This small creature leads the party as they venture into the next Chamber.

 

In the dark Chamber the Heroes can make out the snarling and gnashing of Ghouls teeth...

 

The Heroes back up to keep the Ghouls at bay for an extra turn...

 

 

As the Ghouls approach, Brulf falls flat on his face...and is about to be devoured.

 

Rosalie the Warrior advances, playing 'Bulwark' and preventing the Ghouls from passing her, bravely taking numerous attacks.  Remarkably Rosalie then slays four of the Ghouls, while the others are dispatched by the other Heroes.  Rosalie stands triumphant!

 

Kicking open the door behind them, the Heroes encounter a skulking Vampire, and a Cave Spider Queen which descends behind them, trapping the party!

 

Brave Rosalie is slowly devoured by a nigh unkillable Spider Queen (the Queen 'traps' heroes and they cannot move from her!)  The Vampire is slain, and eventually the party turns on the Cave Spider Queen.

With Rosalie fallen (losing her items and all of her crowns!), the Heroes kill the Vampire and eventually slay the Spider Queen...

 Wounded and missing a great Hero the party decides they cannot face the next five Chambers...

The Hero Party flees the dungeon back through the entrance...failing the Quest, but at least escaping with their lives.  Rosalie is saved (since the party escaped!).  The only loss was the failure of the Quest and the loss of Rosalie's items and crowns.

This was a rough Quest.  The Spider Queen rolled nothing lower than a 7 for several consecutive turns, devouring Rosalie and wounding Hreimdi. The location (top of the staircase) kept the other Heroes from getting involved, though Layra the Elf got in a few random bow shots.

The Hero Party is now sitting one spot from Yellow on the Saga Scale - where all of the creatures and encounters become more difficult.  They've acquired a variety of items, traits and a few actions...but I don't know if it's enough to survive a Yellow level.

We shall see in Chapter Four...

 

 

Caverns, Crypts & Catacombs: Chapter Two

It's a boring, damp Saturday so I figured I'd bust out the CCC again and get in a few games (at least one!).

When last we departed, our Hero Party had just made it through a five-room dungeon and escaped the clutches of a horde of angry Zombies.

In the second playtest we find the Heroes arrayed again for a six-room dungeon which must be cleared and then exited through the starting door (meaning a long travel back!).

The Hero Party enters the dungeon on the viewer's right (wooden staircase).  They must clear each room of any encounters and then exit via the same staircase.  There are a few cards which create additional exits, but you can't count on them!

 

 Between adventures I use some small cheap coin bags, and some parchment envelopes to keep heroes money/cards from adventure to adventure.

 

 Unlike last Quest, the first Chamber finds only a small group of Goblins, fighting over some treasure nearby...

 

 The Heroes move in and dispatch the Goblins with relative ease.  An arrow shot by the Elf made the last two Goblins flee.

 

Entering the second Chamber, it turns out to be the Guard Room, granting its occupants 'Ambush'!  Luckily one of the Encounters drawn is a treasure.  The Zombies fall upon the party from the collapsing roof!

 

The Zombies are dispatched rather quickly, with one of the better Hero Phases of the game - the Barbarian and Warrior finally doing what they advertise!  Bashing everything to bits.  The Heroes spread out and check out the room, acquiring some goods.  The treasure (bottom of the picture) is left alone.  It's worth a lot of crowns, but it injures the Hero carrying it...better not to risk it.

The Heroes kick in a door, and a trap narrowly misses them.  Luckily this old kitchen seems abandoned...

Heading into the next Chamber they discover a gruesome Torture Chamber (a room which harms all Adventurers!).  Furthermore, a group of angry Verminkind are present...the Heroes decide to fall back and fight in the hallway!

The Heroes fall into the hallway.  This prevents them from being wounded by the malicious Chamber, and forces the Verminkind to fight one-on-one, meaning the Heroes can survive more easily.  Slowly but surely they eliminate the angry ratmen.

Now...a hiccup.  The Chamber inflicts wounds on Heroes who end their Hero Phase inside.  There is a single door leading to the rest of the dungeon.  If it's locked it could trap the group in the room for several turns.  Hreimdi the brave Dwarf decides he'll risk it and takes a wound running through the chamber.  Luckily he finds the door unlocked and opens it, escaping further harm.  He whistles for his companions.

 Brave Hreimdi kicks open the door, avoiding more injuries in the deadly Torture Chamber.

Unfortunately the room is home to some Skeletons.  Now Hreimdi has to hold out until the rest of the Hero Party gets there!

On the way to aid Hreimdi the Skeletons charge, and the Heroes suffer a few wounds as the Elf trips while running through the Torture Chamber.  Luckily she is able to kill enough Skeletons to run into the safety of the next Chamber.  The Heroes burn a lot of Luck dice here to make sure they crush the Skeletons quickly!

 The Heroes reach the final room and kick open the door...only to find it empty.  A poisonous fog lays on the room...injuring the Heroes.  They withdraw.

Another injurious trap was drawn in the final Chamber as well.  Maybe this is what slew any Creatures nearby...

On the way out of the dungeon, the Heroes suffer more wounds in the Torture Chamber.  However, the brave Warrior, Rosalie...grabs the deadly Treasure item on the way out of the dungeon and survives (just!).

 In the middle of the game, the Barbarian is suffering heavily...he ends the Quest on two-dice.

 The Elf nearly got herself killed with this roll...

 The end of Quest two, the Heroes have acquired more skills, traits and some items!

Rosalie, our intrepid Warrior escapes the dungeon carrying the most valuable (and deadly) Treasure.  The reward is suitable!  (Gold = 25 crowns, Silver = 5 crowns, Copper = 1 crown).