Frostgrave - The Mausoleum

Following up from the previous game of Frostgrave, it was time to run a proper book scenario. Given that quite a few of the scenarios require specific pieces of terrain I set up "The Mausoleum", which would also provide us with our first proper creature encounters.

The scenario has a structure in the centre with special treasures at each corner. Each player then positions a treasure token each. Additionally each player places a single skeleton warrior before play starts, and at the end of each round an additional skeleton emerges from a randomly determined doorway on one of the buildings sides.


The spells and warbands:

• Necromancer: Bone Dart, Raise Zombie, Steal Health, Fast Act, Enchant Armour, Imp, Wizard Eye, Poison Dart. Barbarian, Treasure Hunter, one archer and three thugs to keep company with the Necromancer and his apprentice. 
• Elementalist: Scatter Shot, Telekinesis, Plane Walk, Elemental Shield, Wizard's Eye, Banish, Fast Act, Elemental Bolt. Ranger, Archer, Infantryman and five thugs escorting Elementalist Bayaz and his young apprentice, Jezal.

MacSver pushed the majority of his force through the central gap in the walls towards the Mausoleum, with the appentice and ranger flanking round. He had failed to notice a skeleton lurking behind a wall though and it rushed into contact on it's turn.

Meanwhile The necromancer's warband headed for a couple of treasures. the Necromancer's casting was way off the mark and he hid out of harms way of any opposition. The barbarian guarded his flank from an advancing skeleton.

For the second game in a row the Necromancers Apprentice was doing more damage to himself than the opposition. After suffering a couple of magical blow backs he spotted the enemy apprentice and cast "Poison Dart". He had to boost it for a hit, but his opposite number was now down to just one action a turn. His glee was short lived however as the foe returned fire and an elemental bolt whizzed through the railings and killed him.

The first skeleton to emrge did so on the Necromancer's side of the building, threatening the treasure hunter. But a well aimed arrow from his supporting archer took the undead creature out before it could cause any mischief. On the other side of the building the Barbarian similarly dealt with his boney target.

On the other side of the structure the skeleton was proving to be a bit tougher. It repelled initial attacks and took out the infantryman.

More human's rushed in to stop it further. but as they took a deap breath the door opened and another undead warrior stepped out. The lead Elementalist took the space he had to cast a Wizards eye onto a position that took in the whole end of table, giving him ideal (and safe) elemental bolt sniping position.

Through the graveyard a lone archer looked over a treasure, daring the Elementalist's man to try and take it. He approached and a shot was loosed, but for all it's intent it missed.

Now pinned by the Elementalist's extended line of sight, the Necromancer summoned a zombie to add to the force at that end of the table (especially as a couple of his thugs were slowly moving back carrying treasure).

The sniping archer paid for his poor aim, and was shot down and the treasure was collected.

The skeleton's seemed to like the warmth of the Elemental fireballs, and were keeping a couple of Thugs tied up repelling the wave coming through the door.

WIth 3 treasures making their way (slowly!) to safety, The Necromancer realised that his warband had taken more costly losses, and the only way victory was coming his way was to stop the enemy rescuing 3 of their own treasures. So a charge round the corner, bobbing and weaving the odd Elemental bolt was the only option. Shouting "Charge!", he stepping out round the corner. Managing to find some cover behind a statue he had enough line of sight to summon an Imp into a fine position to intercept any treasure carriers.

He followed up to try and get a bead on anyone else, but found that the Barbarian and Zombie had sped round to assault the opposition and blocked any field of fire.

Bayaz sent in his available free thugs to tie up the flanking threats. Both charges did their job as they slashed and parried away, presenting the treasures carriers with a path to try and escape along.

To try and force a gap in the defences the Treasure Hunter rushes in and manages to dispatch the opposition, freeing up the Barbarian to advance.

At the same time the Imp gets the better of it's opponent.

The loot tries to makes it's way off table, but the Barbarian just has enough to engage the last treasure carrier, but not attack. But as time runs out though, it enough to stop the prize falling into the clutches of Bayaz the Elemental Wizard.

Result:
The Necromancer lost an archer and his apprentice wizard whilst Bayaz the Fire Elementalist lost three soldiers, but when the clock finally ran out the Necromancer and taken off 2 treasures to the Elementalist's one and so scraped a win (victory conditions just focused on the number of treasures taken)
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Yet again a game of two halves, with an exciting rush at the end.

The Mausoleum on the table was probably a bit too big and prevented hand-to-hand tactics. It was possible to move over the top of it, but both sides no doubt thought it too exposed and risky a manoeuvre.

Also I am not sure about the treasure placement rules, as it seems too tempting to take the 3 nearest treasures and scarper to safety. Perhaps some house ruling combined with consensus placement would serve to provide a more confrontational game earlier.

But the whole thing is part of the new "rules learning process", with both sides still learning about force construction, use and what spells to choose. All good fun.