2025 Summer Campaign Discussion. Song of Blades and Heroes!!

[Eilif]

Update 4/29/25
It looks like the summer campaign will be Song of Blades and Heroes. I'm going to use this first post to put together things we've agreed or mostly agreed to. Feel free to comment, I think we're all open to modifying things if the group wishes. I've italicized things that haven't been agreed or discussed. So without further ado....

Summer Song of Blades and Heroes Campaign.
-Starts June 9th.
-Continues for 6 Sessions through August.

Rosters
Each person starts with a 400 point roster. We have not yet decided whether the games will be with the entirety of that roster or with 300 points.

Roster will be built with the warband builder here...
https://www.ganeshagames.net/army_build ... v1217.html
...or drawn or built from the following sources (which are included in the builder):
Song of Blades and Heroes
Song of Wind and Water
Song of Gold and Darkness
Song of Deeds and Glory
Song of the Splintered Lands*
Song of Arthur and Merlin*

*Note that the last two supplements listed are stand-along games overlap alot with the first 4 (the core books of SBH), each having only a few additional special rules. They are likely not necessary for players who don't already have them, but might still be of use for those who are particularly interested in Anthropomorphic Animals and/or Arthurian warbands.

Proposed Rule. As we have done in earlier campaigns I recommend that use of the "Savage" special rule be limited. It's a very powerful rule. In the past we've limited it to one per warband, but I'm open to other options.

Campaign Management:
Warband management and advances will be handled via the rules in "Song of the Deeds and Glory".

Scenarios:
We have not settled on how to determine scenarios. We have a wealth of scenarios available and we do have a randomized scneario table we could use that we created for past campaigns. Or folks can pick scenarios they want to play.


-Setting?
Not yet determined. We could use the Qaarra (Iron Isle and Vidldeberg) setting of past SBH campaigns, or Warhammer Fantasy "Border Princes" setting, or something else.


Any other questions, suggestions and concerns are encouraged.

[Michael S.]

Hi Karl,
1 - Yes I would like a SOBH summer campaign.

2 - A twice monthly schedule is great.

3 – I think we should start off with 300 points and work our way up from there. If we start with a larger warband like 500 points, by the end of the campaign it may be possible for the warbands to take too long to play due to all the models. You can let us know how earlier SOBH campaigns went.
I am open to the Qaarra setting or the Border Princes setting. If we use the Border Princes I will bring my map again.
Using the campaign rules from ‘Song of Deeds and Glory’ sounds good.
A suggestion for the campaign is maybe some sort of award for the winner. When I was doing the Border Princes campaign I was thinking of maybe creating an award suitable for framing

Thanks,
Michael

[timlillig]

I'd like to play a SBH campaign using SDG.

I'll let others decide on timing. I'm hoping to have more ability to come to games by then.

I would lean towards 500, but whatever works. Does the warband grow in SDG? I forget. If not, we could do some games at different levels.

[JamesWrecks]

I'd be fine with it.

I have zero knowledge on the backgrounds of those settings, so you guys can figure it out and let me know what to read to catch up and paint.

Do I need to buy the campaign book?

Also, the game itself seems highly dependent on the scenario if we're worried about game size. But just let me know the point values and I'll put something together.

[Eilif]

Thanks for the feedback. Some thoughts and responses.

-Roster size. 300 points is a bit limiting, but 500 can take a bit longer to play, especially if one is not as familiar with the rules.

The rules do allow for the warband to grow in size and for it's members to advance. I think having a small roster of backup was a good thing, but also can't be too big or it impedes overall advancement. Let me collect my thoughts on warband size and get back to you all.

-As for purchasing the rules, anyone is welcome to consult my books on game night for advancing, warband planning, etc. I would however, recommend purchase of the 4 main Song of Blades and Heroes books.

Song of Blades and Heroes (Revised edition)
Song of Wind and Water
Song of Gold and Darkness
Song of Deeds and Glory

That's a $32 total at the current Wargames Vault prices. It will give a player all the game rules, character special rules and premade character profiles for almost anything. It also provides alot of interesting scenarios and optional game rules.

If one wants to go minimalist, Song of Blades and Heroes (Rev) and Song of Deeds and Glory will probably suffice. That will get you well over half the character special rules and provide the information necessary to advance (and make future plans) for your warband.

https://www.wargamevault.com/m/product/65050

I won't be distributing any free PDFs though. Andrea the author is a good guy who not only has been good to our club in the past, but also has been affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, having to relocate out of the country.

- Regarding setting, Qaarra is nice because you can fit virtually anything in. Border Princes is the Warhammer Fantasy setting. The campaign system in Song of Deeds and Glory is abstract so location matters mostly in game setting and narrative.

[Eilif]

I've been reading the campaign rules. I'd forgotten how great they are.

I think 400 points with no side roster would be a good starting point. Big enough to allow more interesting starting forces and should also keep a bad early result from being too damaging.

As they advance, warbands will have the option of adding members, hirelings or items.

Thoughts?

[JamesWrecks]

Regarding setting, I'm planning on playing some sort of knights. The real question is what will fit the theme better: AOS Stormcast or repurposed Wizkids minis I'll rebase and paint?

[Eilif]

Regarding setting, I'm planning on playing some sort of knights. The real question is what will fit the theme better: AOS Stormcast or repurposed Wizkids minis I'll rebase and paint?

Either could work. I'd lean towards this Wiz Kids, but that's my own bias.

If you'd like to try your hand at a medieval knights warband we've got tons of Perry kits for members to use. Really nice quality multipart models with a ton of options. Light, medium and heavy armor and a wide selection of weapons. Mounted and unmounted.

Also, the campaign does allow you to buy a horse for your characters....

[Jackswift]

I am in. 400pts does sound like a good starting pt value.

[Michael S.]

Hi Karl,
400 points is fine with me.
Michael