Building a Frostgrave Table for Cold Wars, Part 1

I'm running another Large Frostgrave game at Cold Wars. I will use a lot of the pieces I did last time, but I am adding 2 feet to the table length and building some new stuff. I'm also painting up some new Warbands. I only have about 20 days to finish, so once again this will be done in a rush and most likely paint will be drying on the drive to Lancaster. So here we go.

 I'm using 2 board sections from last time, but need to make 2 more. Each section is 2x4 feet. I will roll/grind a tin foil ball all over the boards to give it texture.

Base of white down, takes 2 coats.

Paint the edge to match the other boards.

Dapple blue paint onto the boards. Again roll/grind the boards with the tin foil ball, as paint fills in the texture. Makes a slight cracked effect.

Making some big pieces to give it 3 dimensions. I will also make some structures with playable interiors.

That's it, off to a slow start, but it will ramp up quick as time ticks away.

Xin/Jeff

Update to my statues post

A member of the Lead Adventurers Forum, Jennifer was so inspired, of my Frostgrave Statues, she did a 3d design of the pedestal for a statue and printed her own.

Using Sketch Up, free 3d modeling software

 Jennifer made this

 She ported it over to Blender, and made some adjustments

 And printed it.

I really really really need a 3d printer.

Jennifer kindly uploaded it to Thingverse(a hosting site for 3d designs)
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1368675

On The DM's Craft Forum she talks about how she did it.

Thanks Jennifer, nicely done.

Statues for Frostgrave

I recently made some statues for Frostgrave. From a flea market, I picked up 6 High Elves from the Combat Hex game. They are larger than 28mm figures so are good to be large statues.

With wire cutters the hex base comes apart very easy.

The spear on the figure is very flimsy and bendy. Actually it's glued in and with pliers I just ripped out the spear. I had left over spears from GW Skeletons that are large and fit nicely with the figure.

 Mounted to 7/8 inch fender washers.

 The pedestal is from Hunger Games Wizkids Collectable figures. The base is what the kids stand on when the game starts. I bought a bunch when the first movie came out, thinking the figures would be good for Zombie games, but really they are too big. Here's the funny thing, I tried to sell these off at the last Historicon Flea Market. The Hunger Game figs pop right off.

 The pedestal is glued to a few MDF round bases, to give it a little more height.

 Scale shot, next to a Frostgrave soldier.

 I wanted to figures to be able to animate, but not just fall of the pedestal. I drilled a 1/8 inch hole and inserted a rare earth magnet.

 A drop of glue, push it down flush with the base and we are good to go.

 Now the figure is fairly secure on the base

 It also can jump down and kill unsuspecting explorers in Frostgrave.

 All painted up.

 Fireforge and Frostgrave figures for scale

 It animates!

Ready to kill intruders in Frostgrave.

Every once in a while I try to clear my basement of junk. Those pedestals were in the clear pile, but they did not sell. The spears where left over from plastic sprues. Sometimes it's like magic, the pieces come together almost on their own. This is why I need a bigger basement. Sadly the wife doesn't understand...

Xin

Frost Giants for Frostgrave, Part 1

For a while now I've wanted some Frost Giants, but was never happy with the look of what was available. I saw a TMP member, Sgt Slag, post about using 54mm figures as giants. I thought that was a good idea so I hunted around ebay till I found some I liked.

I found these Russian figures and ordered them. 3 weeks later they are on my painting table. I think they are supposed to be generic Barbarians. Whatever, they work for me.

With a FrostGrave Soldier

 With a Fireforge Templar

With a Reaper Mage

With a GW 90's Acolyte

5 Figures in the box, all different poses.

Getting them based on 40mm round bases. I thought 40mm was a touch to small, but 50 was too big, so I went with 40.

I'm trying a new technique, using tree bark as rocks. Soon they will be primed and ready for painting.


Xin

Frostgrave Battle Report, Enchanter vs Necromancer

On Wednesday my friend John came over for a game of Frostgrave. We have started a 3 player campaign a few weeks ago then life got in the way and we haven't got a lot of games in. In the campaign I have a Chronomancer, with 2 big wins under my belt. John's Necromancer has only gotten 1 game in with only 1 treasure grab. So I took this opportunity to try a different Warband, an Enchanter.

Enchanter Warband:
Enchanter and Apprentice
2 Archers
Ranger
4 Thugs
Animal Companion- Bear

Necromancer Warband
Necromancer and Apprentice
Barbarian and Templar
Infantryman and 2 Thugs

 Initial setup on a 4x4 board. We are ignoring the outer 6"'s to make it a 3x3 board.

Treasures marked with blue circles.

 Setup shot

 Setup shot from Necro's side

 Setup shot

 My Missile group activated by my apprentice, heading straight for the Necromancer

 My Wizard heading towards his apprentice.

 I cast Strength on the bear! I am expecting a lot of mauling in a few minutes.

 The Necro Apprentice casts Lightning bolt at the bear. One shotted!!!

I start shooting at the Necromancer. I have never killed anything with bow fire. I go for mass fire, all shoot the Necro. All miss.

 Necro Apprentice's group reaches a treasure.

 I summon another Animal Companion, Cave Bear 2. I made a mistake here, I didn't realize that spell is an Out of Combat spell. Didn't figure it out till the end of the game.

 The my new bear and a thug charge in, just to stop Treasure grabbing.

 I continue to miss with bow fire. My apprentice casts Telekinesis and moves the treasure closer, just as the Necro's Templar was about to grab it. Awesome spell.

 The Necro Apprentice trys  to Lighting Bolt me, fails.

 My thug climbs up the tower and the Necro Barbarian grabs an easy treasure on the ground.

 Zzzzaaaaapp. Down goes the Ranger in one shot. My Apprentice once again gets off Telekinesis

 I use my archer to charge the Necromancer. The idea is to tie him up in combat to stop all the Lighting bolts.

 Wild melee with my Thug and Bear vs 2 thugs, Infantryman and Apprentice.

 So much for me "tying up" the Necromancer in combat. He dropped my archer like a bad habit.

 I think the Barbarian forgot to move. My thug finally climbed to the top.

 The Necromancer is on fire, or more specifically I am on fire and dead. Another Lighting Bolt

 Bodies starting to pile up. The troll there is a proxy for the Bear Wandering Monster. The troll will kill a Necro thug.  My Thug is down, the Necro's Infantryman is down.

 My bear finished off a Thug and had Charged the Necro Apprentice.  Also off camera is the Necro Apprentice hitting my wizard with Lighting Bolt leaving me with 1 health. It was the last turn, my Enchanter Fled the board. If I failed a spell I could kill myself.

 In the center of the board I had a thug quietly sneaking into the church, grabbing a treasure and make a run for it. Well the Templar saw me...

He catches me with his last move, and the game ends.

Wrap up. I grabbed 3 treasures and the Necromancer 1 treasure. I realized my mistake with the Bear, so we agreed the Necro gets another treasure, since it was my 2nd bear really stopping him from grabbing an easy treasure. It was a bloody game. I lost an Apprentice, 1 Archer and 1 Ranger, 1 Thug and the Bear. The Necromancer lost his Apprentice, an Infantryman and 2 thugs.

It was late so we broke there. Next time we will roll for recovery and treasures.

Cheers, Xin