Pass in Review: Champions of Faith

 Champions of Faith is another Biblical boardgame my wife and I have. 

In this game, 2-6 players take on the roles of Old Testament heroes and try to achieve the objectives listed on their character cards. 

Each character has traits in Leadership, Wisdom and Endurance.

As the players move around the board, they'll land on spaces containing challenges that will test them against either their Wisdom or Leadership. The respective values become die roll modifiers.

If the player wins, they gain a blue token.

Endurance is similar to Hit Points in other games.

Collect 3 blue tokens and one gets a key. 

Obtaining the required number of keys, will give the player a chance to enter the Hall of Faith (Heaven).

The first player to enter the Hall of Faith wins.

The game contains high-quality miniatures, and tokens, along with a sturdy game board and character cards.

The clay tokens, colored green (leadership), white (wisdom), red (endurance), and blue (successful challenges), have a nice feel to them.

The only problem my wife and I had with the tokens was it was hard to read the denominations printed on them.

These came in increments of 1, 5 and 10. The blue token has no printed value and just indicates a player succeed in a challenge. 

So I took all the tokens and slathered them in various shades of ink wash: Blue, tan, green and red.

This also help keep the color of the tokens from coming off. The red tokens especially, left stains on our fingers.

If you're in the mood to play a game representing some of the challenges faced by the heroes of the Old Testament, then Champions of Faith is a nice family game to play. 

Pass in Review: Miracles and Pitfalls

 

Several years ago, I bought my wife a couple of Biblical games.

One such games is, Miracles and Pitfalls.

The rules are simple: Draw a card, and answer a question regarding verses in Scripture. Answer correctly, roll a six-sided die (1d6), and move your playing piece the indicated number of squares. Then the next player takes his turn in the same manner.

The rules recommend children can look up Scripture verses in order to answer the question.

The first player to reach the finish, wins.

Think of it as Biblical Trivia Pursuit, for 2-6 players. 

The game is made of good quality items.

However, I found the “Parcheesi” style playing pieces to be bland and boring.

So, I decided to make alternate playing pieces.

I downloaded and printed several cardboard figures from Junior General—Ancient series.

My wife bought a couple bags of Banquet Card Stands on Amazon.

I cut out the figures I wanted to use, folded and glued them, and inserted them on to individual stands.

I painted the bottom of the stands, and wrote the names of each character.

There are 11 characters from The Old Testament:

Each figure represents a specific Old Testament hero or heroine:

My wife and I came up with five New Testament characters:

And these are:

My newfangled playing pieces neither add or detract from the game.

I made these merely to improve players’ immersion into it.

(Image from the film poster: The Ten Commandments)

Pass in Review: Northeast Indians Figures for Horse & Musket Games

(Image: "Three Lions," Getty Images, F&IW Society, Lake George) 

Back in January I had fellow gamer, Reynor Padilla, paint about 20 North East Indians, from Brigade Games. He did an excellent job on them.

Up close, they look fierce!

Here are a couple pics of East Woodland Indians: 

Here’s a pic of several Delaware Indians: 

And here’s a mixture of tribal Indians I had painted as special characters: 

These figures are now part of my slowly growing French and Indian War/American War of Independence collection.

I have several rule books available. 

At this point I’m not sure what rule set I’ll decide on.

The choices are--

Muskets & Tomahawks

Song of Drums and Tomahawks

Rebels and Patriots

 Sharp Practice  

And, Wiley Games Fistful of Lead's  Horse and Musket Series 

No matter what rules system I decide to use, I intend to enjoy seeing my figures on a game table. 

Pass in Review: Corvus Blackstar Shuttle for Warhammer 40K

(Image from: Warhammer 40K Fandom Wiki)

 A couple weeks ago, my wife and I made a trip up to The Wizard's Keep Games in Kent, WA, which I've never been to.

In fact, this was a momentous occasion for me for a couple reasons.

First, it was the first time I entered a game store in over 4 years.  This was due to my failing health, lung transplant, and on-going recovery.  Up until now, my only outings have been to medical appointments.  The level of chronic pain and fatigue was too much for me to do anything else. 

Second, I was meeting a local gamer who became open to do commission work.  When he posted a pic of his own works in progress (WIPs), and announced his availability, I jumped on the chance.  So we met there, and I gave him nearly two dozen figures to paint--Northeast Woodland Indians for the French and Indian War (F&IW), or American War of Independence (AWI).

The Wizard's Keep is easy to find for those of who live in Western WA State.  The store has a good stock of games, and plenty of game tables chocked with terrain.  There are numerous banquet tables for card games, one of which was occupied by a group playing while we were there.  My wife even bought a couple of family games there.  She almost outspent me.  Almost. 

After, meeting with the figure painter, we wandered around the store, and I came across the pre-owned section.  On the top shelf, I found two assembled, and painted Corvus Blackstar Shuttles, for Warhammer 40K, or Xenos Rampant.

According to WH40K grimdark lore, the Corvus Blackstar is used exclusively by the Imperium's Death Watch.  I don't have any Death Watch, or any other "run-of-the-mill" Space Marines.  However, I do have an Inquisitor and acolytes.  From what I've read, Inquisitors can requisition what ever they need.

And my Inquisitor just so happens to need a Corvus Blackstar Shuttle.  Maybe two.  If the second shuttle is available the next time we visit The Wizard's Keep, I plan on buying it.  

Until I acquire the second shuttle, here’s some views of the one Corvus Blackstar Shuttle I currently own.

Right-side oblique view: 

Left-side oblique view:

Left-side view:

Right-side view:

Rear view:

Front view:

The only difference between this model and the one I left on the game store shelf, was the hatch cover was lavender colored, instead of orange.

Like all of my WH40K figures and vehicles, I hope to make use of them someday. 

(Image from:  Warhammer 40K Fandom Wiki)

Pass in Review: British Royal Navy Vessels for Cruel Seas

(Image from:  Italaeri's Models, RN Vosper MTB)

 A few months ago, I had my Cruel Seas Royal Navy (RN) vessels painted.  

My vessels were painted by Joe Keister, of  North East Miniatures.  He does excellent work, but has taken a break from commissions due to his wife just having their first child.

I added the ensigns, but I also had to repair the "spindly bits," the masts and antennas that took a beating during shipment.  

To differentiate between identically painted vessels, I alternated between using the white and red ensigns.  It wasn't until all the ensigns were glued, a friend informed me the white ensigns were used for commissioned vessels and the red ensigns for commercial vessels. Oh well.  I’ll the vessels flagged as is.

Skytrex has taken over the helm in producing this game series. There’s several additional items I’d like to order, but they’re continually out of stock.  At least when I check the website.

So for now, my collection is complete.  Here’s the vessels representing His Majesty’s Royal Navy:

1. The armed trawler, which I had painted different color schemes.  The darker one represents an older ship from World War I, pressed into service for the Second World War.

2. Three Vosper Motor Torpedo Boats (MTBs), Early Models…

3…and Three Late Model boats.

4. Two Fairmile B ML 145 gunboats.

5. Two Fairmile B Minesweepers.

6. Two Fairmile D MGB 660s.

7. Two LCS(L) Fairmile Hs.

I found very little information on these vessels, but they look like fire support ships.  I had to do some modifications because, I lost the packet containing most of the gun and bridge crews.  Fortunately, I had spare bridge crews, but I needed to make ad-hoc mortars, set in the bows’ gun pits,  using spare air intakes. 

8. Two Fairmile B Rescue Motor Launch (RML) 529s.  I had these painted in two different colors.

The black-hulled vessel is suppose to represent a Royal Air Force (RAF), Air-Sea Rescue Launch, similar to the model below.

I was inspired by the 1955 film, The Sea Shall Not Have Them.  I watched it on YouTube, but I liked it so much, I bought the DVD.

Speaking of purchases, until Skytrex restocks the items I want, then I’ll be moving on to other gaming projects to write about.

I'm certainly happy to see my collection complete for the time being.

Thank you for your support and encouragement.

A Sword for Ireland

(Image from:  Warfare History Network)

Most mornings I can’t remember any dreams from the previous night.  But once in a while, something so vivid and coherent will unfold, that it becomes hard-wired to my brain’s memory core.  

I had one such evocative vision when I was still on active-duty and stationed in Asia, over 25 years ago.

It’s stuck with me ever since.

I’m finally writing about it now because, I’ve been dabbling with AI to create art.

Now, through the use of Perchance.org, I’ve generated enough images to illustrate what my mind conjured up so long ago:

It’s sometime in the early 11th Century, and I’m standing near cliffs on the east coast of Ireland.  A striking, red-headed woman sits on a rock in front of me, with the breathtaking view of the cliffs and the sea to my right.  She’s wearing an elegant, full-length, green velvet dress, with a sword encased in a scabbard upon her lap.

She says,  “I’ve taught you everything I know.”  (This was regarding swordsmanship).

I reply,  “Thank you.  I finally feel ready.” 

“What do plan to do now?”

“I intend to join Brian Boru’s army and drive the Norsemen out of Ireland, once and for all.”

She rises from the rock, walks forward, and presents me with the sword and scabbard.

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

“Here then.  I offer you my family's sword.  I pray it serves you well." She draws nearer and drops her voice to a whisper.  "And brings you safely home--back to me."

Her eyes close, she parts her lips, leans closer, and…

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

...I wake up.

<Exasperated sigh>.  Another dream cut short, just when the situation becomes romantic or erotic.

Normally, this frustrates me every time.  However, on this particular night, I had a more pressing issue to deal with.  I couldn’t spare time moping about a curtailed kiss from my dream girl.

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

I sat up, got to the edge of my bed, let out another sigh, and asked out loud:

“What the hell was that all about?  Norsemen? Brian Boru? Who the f*ck is Brian Boru!? And yet, why does this feel familiar to me?”

Fortunately, I lived in a private room, so I wouldn’t disturb anyone with my whispered ravings, and my immediate need to conduct some midnight research.   

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

I was compelled to find an answer that very night.  Fortunately, it didn’t take long.  I turned on a light, and grabbed a book from my bookshelf, then sat down in my lounge chair.  (The internet was in its infancy back then). 

The book I chose was, The Harper Encyclopedia of Military History (4th ed).

I found who I was looking for in the General Index.  There, on page 1590, was the following entry:

Brian Boru, King of Munster, 270, 315.

Okay then.  This guy was real and not a figment of my overactive imagination.  I wasn’t sure if this was a relief or not.

I turned to page 270, part of which read:

976 [A.D.]. Rise of Brian Boru…He steadily increased his power and domains at the expense of Irish and Norse rivals. 

Then on page 315, I found this:

As the 11th Century opened, Brian Boru was consolidating his position as the leading king of the several Irish kingdoms…One further Danish effort to reestablish themselves in Ireland was smashed by Brian at the Battle of Clontarf (23 April 1014).

(Image from:  Celtic Wedding Rings--History)

Well then.  Finding the answers I needed only deepened the mystery.  The additional research I’ve conducted afterwards improved my knowledge of Medieval Irish History, but of course, offered nothing in the way of a dream interpretation. 

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

True, I may have read something in-passing about High King Brian Boru, and then forgot about it.  However, I’ve studied plenty of military history since then.  And still, this moment has been the only time I’ve dreamt of an historical figure, or event.

So my questions remain:  How did I know who Brian Boru was?  How did I know that he was instrumental in driving out the Norsemen?  Is there some ancestral connection?

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

Some years ago, one of my siblings had a DNA test done.  Just over 40% of our family’s genetic origin comes from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

Maybe, if my siblings and I pitch-in, we can conduct an extensive genealogy search to discover more about our family’s Irish ancestry.

And who was kissing whom on the shores of Ireland.