In addition to being a roleplayer, I also own a number of miniture armies. One of my great joys in DMing is being able to go to the miniture table and put a hundred orcs on the table (I can do too, just you watch me!). It happened again last night as my party using their usual tactics decided that rather than sneak through the pirate capital to free the elvish slaves from the slave pens(yes my adventure log is a little behind this point in the campaign), they would carve their way through the 500 strong pirate band. But somehow after cutting their way from the very secret sumarine base to the central keep of the pirate stronghold (ignoring the secret tunnels and watereways leading towards the pirate town down below). They are supprised to find the outer perimeter manned by 50 Orcish crossbow men. I go to the miniture closet. And heres one of the other great features of using actual minitures, rather than saying you see 48 heavily armed orcs, one guy in leather and two guys in robes, when the party asks if there are any usual people mixed in with the orcs I can say look at the minitures and decide for yourself. The look on the parties face when their opening volley of fireballs is returned in kind, is definately woth it. Of course orcish crossbowmen melt like snow in a rainstorm once the fireballs begin to fly. So after the inital exchange of fire one of the robed men opens a box and the entire tower is enshrouded in mists. When the wind wall clears a portion of the mist the next round the battlements are completely clear, with nary an orc to flick the digitus impudicus (had to use that) at the party. Once the chest beating stops the party finds this was just the cover the blackspawn ninja needed to get up close and personal.
P.S. Read this post on Odysseus versus Achilles for the aplication of the lessons of Greek myth to old school roleplaying. Unfortunately my players are following the Achilles route right. Oh well Glorious Death awiats them.
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