Summer 2021 at the Club

 Sadly, I have been quite remiss in my posting for the past few months. I'm determined to break through the blocks and get back to more regular postings, so here is the next post forward. It was a busy summer so there is a decent amount below.

I was happy to get a chance to revisit one of my favorite old rule systems, TSR's Battlesystem 2nd edition. I got to run my longtime army, the Bondswords, in their original game system. It was a simple set up, the Bondswords defending a fortified river against a humanoid horde led by giant, played by Eric. The goal was to help familiarize Eric with the system for future Battlesystem games in the SAG roleplaying off-shoot club. (like the Battle of Saltmarsh)

The Bondswords brace to defend the fortified ford
as their commander, Gildor, flies above the battle 
hurling magic on the advancing horde.

The Bondswords hold the ford as Gildor flies down
the river, raining eldritch death and destruction and
devastating their foes.

We had a lot of other game systems played over the summer. Predominantly Kings of War but also Gunslinger's Paradise, Black Powder, and Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game.

Chris smiles down as his Mexican banditos slaughter
the Duke and his men - Mississippi, Colorado, and
Stumpy in Gunslinger's Paradise.

Uruk-hai and Riders of Rohan battle on the wold 
in Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game.

Mike teaches the finer points of Kings of War.

Napoleonic French and British battle over a
farmhouse using Black Powder rules.

The YHP Bolt Action Club, another SAG offshoot that meets at YHP Fredericksburg, tried to restart its monthly meetings with a refight of the battle of Bir Hakiem in July. We had only a four players and it was more of a generic desert battle then Bir Hakiem (no legionnaires on the board!) but the game was a blast. 

The Afrika Korps advances on on the British left.

The Leichter Panzerspähwagen advances with an 
infantry squad against Tommies in the trenches.

The biggest event over the summer was the club's participation in the "Unmasked & Merciless" Kings of War tournament hosted by Your Hobby Place Fredericksburg in July.  The club entered six players and dominated the bottom of the rankings in the 16 player event. ;) But we had fun, and we were very new to the game. Mike, the tournament organizer, is one of our newest members. It was one of our first experiences with a chess clock for tournament play. I can't speak for the rest but I find it does make the game flow better. One of our members, Rob, brought home the title of "Bloodiest General"! 

Buck and Chris face off in Round 2, Chris managed
to pull the win, 17-4.

Rob and Mike begin their game in round 2, 
which Mike won 17-4.

Chuck makes his move against Alex of "The Aristocrats"
club in round 2. Alex won 18-3.

Ken crosses his arms in satisfaction. he knows he 
will soon slaughter Paul's Bondswords, 19-2.

SAG's January

Blackstone Fortress

SAG was busy in January. We kicked off our new expansion campaign for Kings of War with the 500 points game, we continued the Ad Imperii L'Art de la Guerre campaign, and we played a lot of other games, including home-brewed mecha, Black Sails, Necromunda, Black Powder, and Blackstone Fortress.

Ren & Wayne lead their Prussians in a crushing defeat of Paul's French.

Ken's squadron for Black Seas.

Wayne's stately French man-o-war.

Wayne and Ken are the iron men commanding the wooden ships in Black Seas.

Undead monstrosities on the march in Kings of War.

Mike's indomitable ogres prepare for battle. 

A scene from Jake's home-brewed mecha game. 

The Bondswords face off against the ogres, their defeat, sadly, inevitable.

Ogres and Order of the Green Lady facing an orcish horde.

Jake, Allen, James, and Ed ponder the mecha battle.

Chris, Mike, and eric maneuver their forces in a large Kings of War game.

Order of the Green Lady fighting the Northern Alliance.

The fight for the homestead.

The Bondswords, mercenaries of the Kingdom of Men,
try to defend their favorite tavern.

The Bondswords face off against fellow Kingdom of Men army, the Svenska.

Jake's Goblins face Ren's Kingdom of Men, the Svenska. 

Goblin fleabag riders attack Svenska cavalry.

Chris and James ponder.

The Bondswords for Kings of War

Ath Tel' Kerym Manth or “By the Sword Bonded” 

-Bondswords’ motto

The Bondswords, An Army for Kings of War

Many years ago, in high school, I was inspired by the ‘Sacred Band of Stepsons’ of Thieves' World to create a character for our AD&D campaigns who would establish and run his own mercenary company. Unfortunately, at the time the groups I gamed with were falling apart so I was forced into a lot of solo play, but that worked out, since once the company was established I could ‘play’ it as the gamemaster and set up various miniature war game battles to watch the group advance in power and influence. Thus Gildor Inglorion and the Bondswords were born, and they served me well as a background for player characters, non-player characters allies and antagonists, and just general flavor background in my AD&D campaigns and miniatures battles using our preferred fantasy miniatures wargame, TSR’s Battlesystem 2nd edition.

I even wrote them up for an article that Dragon magazine rejected, but which the Candlekeep website has published: The Red Knights: Soldiers of Fortune. The Bondswords were basically retired back in 1998 or so, when our Forgotten Realms campaigns and associated miniatures battles petered out.  It saw some resurgence in the play by email RPG campaigns I ran, but only a few individual members and small parts of the whole.

Now, however, SAG is beginning a Kings of War escalation campaign, one without any narrative.  I was inspired to pull the Gildor Inglorion & the Bondswords from retirement and see how they perform in this new system. Below is their conversion to Kings of War 3rd edition, with little of the old fluff or AD&D stats, which can still be found on the Candlekeep site at the link above.  I’m hoping to write up each battle they fight in the campaign as if it had occurred in the Sword Coast region of the Forgotten Realms, where the Bondswords were based (most likely in the years 1371 DR and later).

Sadly, when I left Columbus back in 2003 I left 95% of the Bondswords miniatures with my old gaming group. So I am rebuilding and repainting the army, I’ll post pictures when it is finished. The idea is to use old school miniatures when possible, but sadly most of the army will be newer plastics.

The Bondswords mercenary army is a Kingdoms of Men list.  When options and magic items are included below, there points have already been added into the unit point costs listed.

Sword Company is made up of two-handed swordsmen in plate mail. This company's captain is the elven warrior Romul. They are represented by Foot Guards in Kings of War.

Arrow Company is made up of longbowmen in a plate breast plate. They are led by Kellin, a half-elven archer. Since Kings of War doesn’t allow one to armor archers, I gave them the Aegis of the Elohi as the closest thing. They are represented by Bowmen in Kings of War.

Bolt Company is composed of crossbowmen in chainmail. Their captain is Gelmark, a human warrior who wields a Blade of Slashing. They are represented by the Crossbow Block in Kings of War.

Scout Company is a skirmisher company, its members scouts and thieves.  They carries short swords,  short bows,  and slings while wearing leather armor under camouflaged cloaks.  The scouts are led by Rodro, a half-elven thief. They are represented by Bowmen in Kings of War. In order to duplicate their scouting skills, they start with either The Scrying Gem or Maccwar’s Potion of the Caterpillar.

Lance Company is the cavalry company.  Its troops wear plate breastplates and ride warhorses into battle.  They carry shields, lances, and longswords into battle.  Lance Company is led by human warrior Arborious. The have the Pipes of Doom to reflect their impact on enemy morale. They are represented by Mounted Sergeants in Kings of War.

Sapper Company is the artillery of the Bondswords.  The troops wear leather armor and carry shortswords, while crewing up to three ballistae. These are light weight machines and break down into six component parts that can be easily assembled or disassembled.  The company uses mules to carry the ballistae & ammunition. Mylor, a human engineer, is the sapper company commander.

Recruit company is made up of new members. The recruits wear chainmail, shields, and are armed with spear and long sword. Recruit Company is represented by a Shield Wall in Kings of War.

Spell Company consists Gildor's apprentice mages.  They are represented by Wizards in Kings of War. Up to 3 of them might be fielded, unless Turuko is fielded as a wizard.

Athovul is the Bondsword’s assassin and spy, he is represented in Kings of War by the Assassin with either the Scrying Gem (when not used by the Scouts) or the Brew of Sharpness.

Sergeant Major Gres, who possesses a loud,  leathery voice, is in charge of training and discipline for all the Bondswords, and often acts as the Bondsword’s standard bearer.

Turuko is the Bondswords’ war priest, devoted to the Red Knight, goddess of strategy.  In Kings of War he is either the Captain [1] (when Gildor is not in that role) or as Wizard.

Finally, Gildor Inglorion is the commander of the Bondswords. He’s a half-elven warrior/mage, and is represented in Kings of War by a General with a Boomstick, sometimes a foot, sometimes on a warhorse, sometimes on a pegasus. Sometimes, he is represented by the Captain [1].