Sunday, October 26, 2008






The St. Maurice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Flintlocks has received word of and illegal spirits processing operation, developed in the small town of Chagrin, on the border with Ardoberg-Holstein. Never one to allow free enterprise to go unpunished, His Grace Edmond, Duke of Duque, has dispatched a patrol from the Clare Regiment (His Majesty's "Royal Shenanigans") to obtain a sampling of the volatile liquid and bring in a member of the current development crew to "answer a few questions." When they arrive, the patrol discovers that the substance created has turned out to be something less than a world class vermouth. The whole town has been turned into zombies, and the Irishmen realize they must return with enough evidence of the disaster here to convince His Majesty to dispatch the remainder of Clare to kill, burn, and otherwise destroy all of Chagrin and the immediate surroundings (in the interests of the survival of human-kind don't-ya'-know).
The first picture is of our intrepid band of St. Maurice's finest, led by that legendary Irish sergeant Victor McLaughlin, and includes privates O'Dool, O;Tool and McGillicuty. In the game, each trooper had 5 activity points per turn, while the zombies had 4. The objective was to search the tavern ("La Vin Noir") and find 4 items (by card draw) that could be used as evidence.
Move 1 - O'Dool shoots a zombie, killing him (again), as McLaughlin advances toward the bar (goes without saying). O'Tool and McGillicuty move to the door of the processing room.
Move 2 - O'Dool's shot was not enough as his zombie opponent rises almost immediately and attacks McLaughlin. The sergeant shoots him in the face, and this time he stays dead. O'Tool and McGillicuty enter the processing room where the latter shoots another zombie. O'Tool searches the work tables and, over the next two turns, comes up with a recipe for the swill and a fluid sample.
Move 5 - Our intrepid pair in the bar have been slugging it out with the dead from the beginning, and it's beginning to tell. O'Dool is down to 2 activity points while McLaughlin remains unscathed. In the mean time, O'Tool and McGillicuty have moved on to the kitchen, where they kill anothe zombie and manage to turn up the secret ingredient for the whole concoction.
Move 8 - O'Dool is in really rough shape and developing a craving for barBQ'd brains. McLaughlin remains uninjured, but severely disappointed that the bar seems to offer nothing but wine ("It's a sin I tell ya"! A mortal sin!"). The adventuresome pair from the kitchen have made their way back into the bar just in time to take on several more zombies that have broken in through the back and side doors.
Move 9 - O'Tool (with a final card draw) manages to locate the creator of the concoction, Henri Pissoir, hiding in a barrel. "Why did you not arrive sooner," cried the indignant Pissoir. "Can't you see that I've ruined my clothes?!"
Move 10 - Our final picture shows the Irishmen extricating themselves from the bar (Begorrah, who'd have thought we'd be fightin' our way OUT of a bar?")

This was a great little game which took Gary and I about an hour and a half to play. Fast moving a a roaring lot of fun. We're planning a follow-up with the troopers in the street trying to exit the town. Great fun. I would be remiss if I didn't give credit for the rules. They were originally developed by Bruce Hurst of Hurst Arts Fantasy Architecture. I no longer have the web address, or I'd put a link here.
Sorry, but the pictures are not coming through, Will try to add them later.

Thursday, October 23, 2008


La Marne - This is the infantry La Marne. When originally conceived, it was titled "La Marine" (hence the blue coats as opposed to the Quaker gray worn by all other line infantry), but became the oxymoronic given St. Maurice's land-locked status, and the fact that there isn't a navigable waterway in the whole country. La Marne brigades with Dauphin As the St. Maurice brigade III, and has been in existence for about fifteen years. In accordance with the royal decree of 1758 (right now), the regiment will add a second battalion, in the continental style, hopefully before next Summer.

Coming Next - Bad Wine - An 18th century zombie game just in time for Holloween.