IHMN: To the death on the Island of Astragard

COMMUNICATIONS FROM LIEUTENANT COLONEL JACQUES DUCHESNE
No. 156893

RECEPIENT: MR SHERLOCK HOLMES
221B BAKER STREET WESTMINSTER LONDON ENGLAND

WITCH KING HAS DISAPPEARED -(STOP)- ZOUAVE GUARDS FOUND DEAD WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE -(STOP)- I APOLOGIZE ON BEHALF OF THE HONOR OF FRANCE -(STOP)- BE CAREFUL MON AMI.

LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAQUES DUCHESNE

The Witch King of Sokur, known to the inhabitants of Astragard as Surtr, the bringer of Ragnarök has appeared on the lost Viking Island Astragard for some unknown, nefarious purpose.  Erik Niallson has ordered the evacuation of the village of Børglum as scouts have spotted his company moving toward that direction. 

 Børglum

Erik gathers his most powerful companions and goes to kill Surtr or forever dwell in Valhalla . . .

The Vikings of Astragard.

Once again the evil forces of Honorable Son #5 (The Witch King) will face off against an adventuring company I have designed for the highly versatile game In Her Majesty's Name.  The army list for the Sons of Asgard can be found here. I have made some modifications since I first came up with the list; most notably I gave the bard Bersi Skáldtorfuson 30 points of Mystical powers and the berserker Gunnbjorn armor is 11 no matter what weapon he is using.  Each side will have a different objective for the game:  The Sons of Asgard must kill the Witch King to win and the Witch King must kill all of the opposing adventuring company to win.

 My first initiative roll. Why do I think this will not end well?

 Erik Niallson and his company advance toward Børglum.

 Fenrir the Wolf runs ahead to cross the bridge when he spots the Witch King's Destroyer in Børglum.

 Meanwhile members of the Ruga-ruga guard look for high ground.  

 

 The Witch King advances.

 

 For Astragard!

 

 The Destroyer.

 

 The small die represents the number of phases that the Mystical Power Strengthen will last on the troglodyte the Witch King enchanted.

 An epic showdown is approaching . . .

 A furious melee starts as the men of Astragard cross the bridge.

 

 Spears are thrown for no effect at the Witch King.

 BWAH HAH HAH!

 The Destroyer and Fenrir are locked in furious combat, neither giving ground.

 Meanwhile Ruga-ruga sniper fire starts to rain down on the men of Astragard.

 No Quarter is asked or given.

 

 "Hey, it's the big Viking with the spear."

 

 Bang! Wow, what a pluck roll (sigh).

 

 Erik Niallson is shot right between the eyes by the dastardly Ruga-ruga while the Destroyer cleaves Fenrir's skull.  Not good.

 

 Gunnbjorn cuts a troglodyte in half with his mighty axe.

 

 With the help of his use of Dragon Talons, Bersi Skáldtorfuson kills a troglodyte.

 Another viking joins his ancestors in Valhalla.  This is not looking good for Astragard.

 

 The Vikings try to break through to engage the Witch King.

 Vikings and minions of the Witch King fall left and right but the Witch King stands tall amongst the carnage.

 

 The next champion engages the Witch King and the Witch King fights back.

 With a -3 Pluck penalty . . . yep, lost another Viking.  Does the Witch King have the Mystical Power of making your opponent roll low numbers?  Yikes!

 

 Gunnbjorn the Beserker is no match for the Destroyer while Bersi Skáldtorfuson uses Dragon Breath to knock down most of the minions of the Witch King as they believe they are on fire.

 A troglodyte engages Bersi Skáldtorfuson and he rolls a pluck of 2 with a -2 pluck penalty.  I am now convinced that the Witch King is using telekinesis against me!

 That's one dead bard that won't write this ballad.

 One Viking left to kill the Witch King.  He fells one troglodyte as he advances . . . the Witch King swings his cursed two handed sword . . . and I roll a 1 for pluck (double sigh).

 BWAH HAH HAH!  WE WANT BAMA NEXT! (for my friends not in the United States that is some collegiate American football humor)

Wow what a great game.  It was actually a lot closer than it seemed as the Witch King also failed to roll a single pluck roll to activate any of his Mystical Powers against the Vikings of Astragard.  As I told Honorable Son #5 with a handshake, "Bravo sir!  Well done."

COMMUNICATIONS FROM MR SHERLOCK HOLMES
No. 159387

RECEPIENT: CAPTAIN J. T. KIRK
FORMERLY OF THE USS AUDACITY PORTSMOUTH NAVAL YARD ENGLAND

I AM CONFRONTING THE PROFESSOR -(STOP)-YOUR SERVICES ARE NEEDED IMMEDIATELY -(STOP)- I WILL SEND DOCTOR WATSON TO EXPLAIN -(STOP)- THIS MAYBE A NO WIN SCENARIO -(STOP)- GOOD LUCK AND GOD SPEED.

SHERLOCK HOLMES

COMMUNICATIONS FROM CAPTAIN J. T. KIRK
No. 161478

RECEPIENT: MR SHERLOCK HOLMES
221B BAKER STREET WESTMINSTER LONDON ENGLAND

I DON'T BELIEVE IN NO WIN SCENARIOS -(STOP)-

CAPTAIN J. T. KIRK

IHMN: Welcome to the Island of Astragard

Since the discovery of the uncharted island name Astragard by the French dirigible Hyperion, the lost Viking civilization that has been cut off from the rest of the world for centuries is now making an impact at the end of the 19th Century in the world of In Her Majesty's Name 

The Hyperion

In Norse mythology, Surtr (Old Norse "black"or "the swarthy one") is a jötunn or giant. Surtr is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both sources, Surtr is foretold as being a major figure during the events of Ragnarök; carrying his bright sword, he will go to battle against the Æsir and their allies, and the flames that he brings forth will engulf the Earth.

 Is the Witch King Surtr in disguise?

The people of Astrgard believe that the Witch King of Sokur is Surtr.  And nothing will get in their way from killing him . . .  

 Erik Niallson and the men of Astragard.  His constant companion is his wolf Fenrir who is officially classified as a War Poodle.

 The village of Børglum on the island of Astragard.

 Looking at Børglum from the west.

 

 Børglum from the southeast.

 

 Børglum is know for the quality of their pork. Note the War Poodle in the upper right hand corner keeping guard over the village of Børglum.

 Børglum looking from the east.

Erik Niallson has discovered that the Witch King (how did he escape from the French Foreign Legion?) has landed on Astragard and has been spotted near Børglum.  He has gathered his mightiest warriors and heads out to kill Surtr and remove him from Midgård.

IHMN: "The Legion does not surrender!" The Epilogue

Honorable Son #5 (The evil Witch King) and I refought the scenario for fun the other day . . . and true to form, the Legion did not surrender.

 "The Legion dies;  It does not surrender!"

I didn't say the Legion won, but they did not surrender!

IHMN: "The Legion does not surrender!" Part 2

When we left off Part 1, a small detachment of the French Foreign Legion was protecting a "waypoint"; literally a door that gives instantaneous travel from on point to another.  The Legion is attempting to prevent the escape of the Witch King of Sokur from entering the waypoint in order for overwhelming help to arrive and capture him.

 Amelie's mesmerism (and I lucky die roll for initiative) forces the Destroyer to once again fight his master the Witch King.  The Mobieus' and Chef Sergeant Baptiste form a firing line while the other legionnaires deal with the troglodyte that penetrated the perimeter.

 The Ruga-Ruga sniper continues to harass the defenses.

 The bayonets of the Legion deal with the last remaining troglodyte.

 With the initiative again,  Lieutenant-Colonel Jacques Duchesne places a well aimed shot with his arc pistol killing the Destroyer.  He didn't earn his Expert Pistol Marksmanship badge not to use it.

 "Okay, no more Mr. Nice Guy."

 Baptiste is hit by rifle fire while Amelie (with the Medic talent) rushes to his aid.

 Who knew Professor Moebius was so good with a pistol?

 "Feel the wrath of my anger!"(the cursed sword doesn't hurt either!)

  Lieutenant-Colonel Duchesne engages the Witch King.

 Continuous fire from the Ruga-Ruga guard.

 Searching for a target.

 The Witch King is knocked down in hand to hand while Amelie is grazed by a bullet.  Fortunately the Medic talent will bring her back.

 Chef Sergeant Baptiste charges in anger . . .

 . . . while the Witch King recovers.

  Legionnaire Jean Genet engages the Witch King with bayonet.

 Chef Sergeant Baptiste takes out the Ruga-Ruga.

 Amelie and the Chef Sergeant move to a better position to deal with the sniper.

 Battle continues between Genet and the Witch King . . .  

 Legionnaire Genet knocks the Witch King down!

 Baptiste and Amelie volley fire against the sniper . . . 

  . . . with fatal results for the sniper.

On the last turn the Witch King fails his pluck roll to get back up and is captured.  Now what we do with him?

The final score was French Foreign Legion 36 and Witch King 6.  The superior fire power and bayonet drill (plus with some good die rolls) did in the troglodytes which have been usually deadly in Fights.  The other big difference in this game was the use of the Mesmerism talent to keep the Witch King out of most of the game and having two figures with the Medic talent to keep the Legion in the fight.

With the Witch King in Legion Custody, what next?

"Well, well, what do we have here?" muses the Napoleon of Crime.