2014 saw big things happening for the SAGA wargame. Fans of Saga finally got to see and own copies of the long-awaited "The Crescent & the Cross". This was not just an expansion to the other Dark Age supplements but took the game into the early Crusades along with the full game rules and seven new scenarios. A review of "C&C" on this website saw some 2,300 views in 24 hours. It seems fans of Saga couldn't get enough!
At the end of 2013 the lovely guys at Gripping Beast kindly started sending models to me for review for the sagatapestry. The quality of the products seen has been very high.
2014 saw the release of the plastic Arab spearmen and archers box set from Gripping Beast - a great addition to support C&C. You can see our review here.
Other Vendors products have been covered as well - we would welcome more items for review. You can contact us at WWPD - see the About page on the www.wwpd.net website.
So, what else has gone on and will be going on?
Motivation. No, not a speech all about it. It's just that sometimes it is hard to get the energy and enthusiasm to do anything. Last year I had a swift deadline to work to for the WWPD4Vets day. It turned out the day coincided in the UK with the massive 'Salute' show in London. I decided to go and cover the event for WWPD and also to get to meet up with both Gripping Beast and Studio Tomahawk (in the guise of Alex Buchel!) It was all a bit of a whirlwind and a very long day (trains, underground, overground, lots of walking... okay, miles of walking!) Here is the Sagatapestry post and the photo dump.
From my experience it seems that the best work comes from working to tight deadlines. They help focus the mind and stop the energy zapping effects of procrastination.
At the end of last year I seemed to have a lack of energy and could only really manage to play some online gaming and solo Lord of the Rings card games (and what a good game that is!). With a busy Christmas neither time nor energy were available to get on with the painting and modelling that I needed to get done.
This weekend just gone I met up with friends and had a good chat about gaming in general. I came home feeling energised and motivated again - my batteries recharging.
Now I have lots of ideas and projects and need to get them done (self-imposed deadlines!). So what is in store for Saga at the Sagatapestry.com website?
Here's what I would like to do for 2015 - you can follow my progress as the year goes on!
Finish off those armies - Welsh for me! Then play them. The Welsh seem to be alive and well liked by Saga gamers. This is a credit to a game when an original faction is still fun and competitive. I also have a box or so of Rus Princes from Gripping Beast that I would like to match up versus the Byzantines!
Next up are the Baggage items I have put on hold. These need to be completed!
Plastics - these have come a long way since I started gaming! I want to get more plastic armies done for Saga. These can help keep the costs and weight down and are flexible enough to allow some adaptation. Armies on the cards are Bretons, Saxons and Spanish. Bonus armies would be Vikings, Danes and Steppe Tribes (as I have the models for all of these!) the down sides of plastic can be the lack of variety offered - this adds a challenge to the 'plastic' modeller and painter.
On another note: I really would like to see a box set of plastic 'peasant levy' for Saga soon. Anyone? It would include javelins, bows and slings and NO boots on feet and NO shields! This would compliment the Warriors box set from Gripping Beast very nicely.
Terrain - there is some wonderful stuff out there looking at people's blogs. I want to have a 3x4 play area that looks great for various Saga scenarios. A river, fords, bridges, rolling hills, hedges, woods and a village. GB and 4Ground both offer great buildings so lets see where this idea goes.
My terrain project for this year will be the above. Plus, I really want to have at least one boat (a Viking longboat would be good) as a focal point i.e. the kick off point for raiding scenarios!
Finally. Civilians. With a village in the offing and a boat or two as well then it seems good to have some non-combat models to use in AAR's that compliment game tables. Gripping Beast have these and I will be looking at these.
Nothing much from me then for 2015(!)
Watch this site. 2015 should be an even better year!
What are you going to be doing? Tell us on our forum...
--Mike.
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