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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Cossacks & Tartars summer campaign

This summer campaign started with a complete mess. First I've planned to run sandbox in the rutheninan voivodeship set in 1620s, then my player's asked me to run a campaign during the Smoleńsk War (polish-lithuanian commonwealth-russian war (1632-34). Now were're playing at the dawn of the PLC-turkish war (1633-34), being a bit angry about my players for all these changes, now I think we're having a blast! 

Both of the players wanted to play zaporozhian cossacks and wanted to do some chaika raiding along the Black Sea, which in turn will be the cause of the aformentioned PCL-ottoman conflict.

So during the first session we've rolled up two cossacks, and started in the Zaporozhian Sich on Bazavluk island. My friends and I are a history-buffs so we did a lot of role-play in the sich, drinking and doing some other day-to-day stuff typical to cossacks. Then lured by the prospect of earning some money and looting muscovites they've tried to enroll to the registred cossacks, who were sent to the Smoleńsk. So they went to Łubnie, where they were to gather. 

During the trip to Łubnie they've looted a village that belongs to Kniaź Jarema Wiśniowiecki. When they've arrived at Łubnie,  Jarema behaded those, who've looted his estates, however PCs by their wit and sheer luck escaped execution.

Now pissed off  PCs with other  cossacks not allowed to go the Smoleńsk war build chaikas in secrecy to raid some cities on the Black Sea shore.



This session was rather sims-like game, which I and my players really like, exploring cossacks' daily life and main features of their existance. Since the campaign has turned upside down in terms of place in which it's set and period, I did not have the hex map of the Black Sea region. 

While searching for good map for my sandbox I've stumbled at a great site - http://www.maps-for-free.com/
So now I've only had to place a hex layer on the map, and here is how it looks:

Monday, July 29, 2013

Top Ten Troll Questions for Your Game


(1). Race (Elf, Dwarf, Halfling) as a class? Yes or no?

Definitely yes. Demi-humans in the Barbaric Frontier are a very small group, so the issue of one culture one race is non-existent.

(2). Do demi-humans have souls?


Yes like all the sentient races of the Barbaric Frontier.

(3). Ascending or descending armor class?
Definitely ascending AC, I hate  combat tables,



(4). Demi-human level limits?
Yes, in the Barbaric Frontier all PCs (demi- and humans) can achieve 10th level and then retire.


(5). Should thief be a class?

Definitely no, all classes can steal, pick locks etc.. 

(6). Do characters get non-weapon skills?


Yes, in a way, I'm using ST-as-Skills as in Crypts & Things.

(7). Are magic-users more powerful than fighters (and, if yes, what level do they take the lead)?


Yes, dabbling into the dark arts make them more powerful, however they can go easily insane. They can lead even at 1st level if they have rolled high Int.

(8). Do you use alignment languages?


I don't use alignment so alignment languages are non-issue.

(9). XP for gold, or XP for objectives (thieves disarming traps, etc...)?


XP for overcoming monsters (killing, tricking them), per miles of explored wilderness and gold spent on carousing.

(10). Which is the best edition; ODD, Holmes, Moldvay, Mentzer, Rules Cyclopedia, 1E ADD, 2E ADD, 3E ADD, 4E ADD, Next ?


I'd say Swords & Wizardry: Core Rules 4th printing.  I have no nostalgia for the previous editions of D&D as most of my rpging occured during the d20 craze and last breaths of 2E ADD. 

Bonus Question: Unified XP level tables or individual XP level tables for each class?

Individual XP level tables, dunno why but it seems more appropriate 

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Cossack warband for Flashing Steel

Here're my cossacks for Flashing Steel:

Porucznik Myhajło Petruszewski
Points 50Quality 3+Combat 2
Special RulesLeader, Sword - other, Whip

Martyn Sawczuk
Points 45Quality 3+Combat 2
Special RulesBodyguard, Chainmail ( Cuirass SDS), Duellist, Sword - other

Kirył Orendarenko
Points 20Quality 3+Combat 1
Special RulesSword - other

Sawka
Points 40Quality 3+Combat 2
Special RulesPistol, Sword - other

Kirdiaga
Points 40Quality 3+Combat 1
Special RulesBrawler, Hawkeye/Poacher, Musket - light

Taras
Points 40Quality 3+Combat 2
Special RulesPistol, Sword - other

Iwan
Points 33Quality 3+Combat 2
Special RulesAcrobat, Sword - other

Ostap
Points 33Quality 3+Combat 2
Special RulesStrong, Sword - other

Sunday, July 14, 2013

More w.i.p s for C&S campaign

Taras Bulba
                                                                Transylvanian Noble

Friday, July 12, 2013

Update: more wips for Cossacks & Tartars summer campaign(including Solomon Kane in 1/72 scale)

Well, for last two weeks I didn't have time to post, but I've worked on some minis and the inn for my summer campaign(rpg/wargaming mashup, with a bit of braunstein-like).

Innkeeper's room
Stables
Registered cossacks or semeni (some headswaps and handswaps)
Tavern wench
                                                                        Szekely Lofó
                                                                          Solomon Kane

Monday, July 1, 2013

Music inspiration for C&S campaign

Not from polish-lithuanian commonwealth but pretty near - hungarian haidu music: