We finally managed to play Rangers of Shadowdeep, which turned out to fit the bill for our regular RPG group. We wanted a co-op tabletop miniatures skirmish game in which we could use some of our existing fantasy figures. Rangers, by lauded games designer Joseph McCullough, uses the same core rules as Frostgrave and Stargrave, both of which we have played a great deal to date.
Rangers does not disappoint. We played two scenarios from the first mission (Rangers 'campaigns' are based on missions for the kingdom of Alladore, which are sub-divided into scenarios, usually between one and three). These early scenarios are designed for novice rangers and I will outline our experience with the first mission - the Missing - below.
I cooked up the initial party. This would be composed of four rangers, so our choice of companions was going to be limited, as we would have very few recruitment points. I designed the rangers myself:
- Brakka Ironmaul: a big bruiser in heavy armour with a two handed great axe
- Faelen Mossborn: a spell caster and scout primed to deal with undead threats
- Aelarion Swiftwind: an elven archer and skilled infiltrator
- Silent Wolf: a barbarain sword wielder who can enchant his blade
I also added a war hound called Grim, plus a crossbowman (Rook Halvane) and a recruit (Pip Merrick). That completed our party. With four rangers this makes it fairly potent, with less reliance on companions, and even these are at the weaker end of the spectrum. Note that you can rejig your companions before every mission. We would not be able to activate any companions in the rangers phase of the turn, unless they are in close proximity to a ranger or a ranger was using a special ability.
The opening of the first scenario, our posse of rangers and their companions explore a deserted village looking for a missing ranger. This is the classic starting point for many Rangers of Shadowdeep campaigns!
We wanted a co-operative miniatures game which we could play to a conclusion in an evening and the Missing worked very well. The first scenario, the Deserted Village, is the one most people begin with, and we enjoyed it. My only concern with both these early scenarios is that the rangers were able to succeed too easily.
Brakka Ironmaul is attacked by a zombie as he is trying to break into a hut, looking for clues.
In the village our team had little real difficulty. Our war hound Grim was taken out (by a zombie (IIRC) but survived his survival roll between scenarios, so was available again, unscathed, for the Evil Trees. I was playing Faelen Mossborn and had a run of bad luck being ambushed and bitten by a giant rat behind one of the cottages.
The war hound Grim is down and Faelen Mossborn and the recruit Pip battle with a zombie.
Subsequently, the luckless Pip explored an abandoned hut and found the body of a the missing ranger we were looking for. He missed the magic sword the dead ranger had with him and was further distracted when the hut fell on top of him. Faelen, who was standing outside, also got injured. Other than that, however, we made a clean sweep of the village. What I've yet to work out is whether the rangers are allowed to leave the scenario once they have all the clues, or have to wait around until the end of the scenario - i.e. the turn limit - is reached.
The Infected Trees, and early in the scenario Brakka and Silent Wolf face off against a swarm of the giant spiders.
Moving on to the second scenario, the Infected Trees, we again managed to fulfil all the objectives in short order. We had a little bit of difficulty with the giant spiders - yes, it was the luckless Faelen who got bitten and poisoned - but once more, all the spider-haunted trees were burning and two survivors had been rescued from cocoons before we got the end of the turn limit.
The Infected Trees, and here we have Aelarion Swiftwind escorting a villager to safety.
We all had a great time and there seems to be demand to play again, so the relative ease of the mission does not seem to have put a dampener on things. The scenarios provide the option to make them harder, so this may be something we look at for the next mission, as our rangers head off to investigate the tower of Tor Valen. I am wondering whether the presence of four rangers on the table means we do need to consider reinforcing the opposition.
The end of the road for the last of the giant spiders as two rangers and three companions all gang up on it.
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