Based on this, I ordered both sets of rules available for the Quar, "This Quar's War" and "Songs of Our Ancestors" and a couple of Quar militia figures to go along with the Crusaders that Mik sent me. The rules were more for the background infromation on the Quar world. Hopefully Josh at Zombiesmith will make a background/setting book much in the same style as the recent "A Very British Civil War" books that are designed for wargaming in a particular world but which are systemless.
The Quar minis got to me superquick and though they are on hold pending the arrival of the militia and the accesory pack on their way from Zombiesmith, but I did write a bit of fluff to give a bit of background on how I intend to use the Quar Crusader minis. I had actually planned to play a Royalist force but am now waiting and biding my time until the actual Fidwog (a Roaylist nation in the Quar setting) figs to be released.
Anyhow, thanks again Mik! Way to game it forward!
5th Company of the 114th Light Infantry Catrawd
Caertren Isik Vaerqd was the Crusader commander of the 5th Company of the 114th Light Infantry Catrawd fighting in the highlands of the Ivnaes region of Fidwog - a steep, treacherous and heavily forested expanse on the northwest edge of the province. The desperate uphill fight left his Quar worn and thinned out to a mere 50% of their original numbers. But this was not the worst of it.
After a massive, reckless push to try to gain a footing in the Bracknal Hills of Ivnaes, Isik found himself and his Quar cut-off behind enemy lines. Unable to find a clear rout back to its battalion, the 5th instead penetrated deep into the craggy forests of Ivnaes, disappearing into the brush where they remained for weeks, hoping that Crusader forces would penetrate into the region allowing them to reconnect, but relief never came.
Desperate and with morale running low, Isik took initiative into his own hands. Calling his Rhyflers together around the camp fire one night he produced a hastily sketched map of the region, showing them how far away they were from their unit’s last position. As the rumbling among his Rhyflers grew, he called up a rather rough looking Quar and introduced him as a local named Cybish. He informed them that Cybish was from a small clan of Fidwoger mountain folk with Crusader ideals.
“Not all Fidwogers are content to be Royalist peons,” explained Cybish.
Isik stepped before him to explain, “Cybish and his family have been secretly scouting this region for us for months and it is through him that I have learned that the 114th has been pushed back far more than we had known.”
Isik drew a dark charcoal line well behind their originally marked position and then snapped the charred twig that served as a writing utensil. Grim-faced and resolute, he turned to his unit and exclaimed, “We are alone.”
Before his Rhyflers could boil themselves into a panic, Isik hissed them back to a low rumble and continued.
“But, we are not beaten. We still have it in our power to continue our fight even far from our forces. We will change our game. With the help of Cybish and his family, we will fight a different sort of war from that which we were trained. The people of this region have long fought a scuffling, sneaky, underhanded sort of infighting, raiding against one another and so shall we.”
The Quar of the 5th looked at him, having quieted. Their commander was asking them to fight on despite having been abandoned by their army. Perhaps it was the sound of belief in his voice, or the leering confidence in the old Quar next to him, but as they listened, Isik’s idea seemed less desperate and more tangible. They couldn’t simply stop and surrender to the Fidwogers was not an option. This would at least give them a chance to fight on and perhaps die with some honor.
Their Caertren continued to explain his plan, telling them how they would take the battle for Fidwog to the people. They would raid the local villages and towns, taking supplies and sewing fear and discension among the local Fidwogers. Cybish would make sure they knew which villages and individuals were loyal to the Crusader cause so that they could be spared or made to look as if they had been spared. Isik and his troops would receive food, shelter and ammunition routed to them by Cybish and his family.
When he had finished, Isik looked out to the contemplative faces of his Rhyflers. They were all good Quar from families that had been torn apart or wrecked by the Long War. They had fought long and hard and despite their being cut off from the rest of the army none of them had once spoken a traitorous word or acted out of character. Sure they were beleaguered and worn, but they had held and they were still here and by his ancestors he would make sure that if they lost their lives that they would do so gloriously.
No more words needed be spoken. The resolute expressions across their features and the darkness in their eyes spoke much more profoundly. The continued leering of Cybish and the low chuckle rolling from his pot belly only added to the morbid certainty of the moment. Isik knew that all of the 5th were committed to the cause and Fidwog would burn from the inside out.
After a massive, reckless push to try to gain a footing in the Bracknal Hills of Ivnaes, Isik found himself and his Quar cut-off behind enemy lines. Unable to find a clear rout back to its battalion, the 5th instead penetrated deep into the craggy forests of Ivnaes, disappearing into the brush where they remained for weeks, hoping that Crusader forces would penetrate into the region allowing them to reconnect, but relief never came.
Desperate and with morale running low, Isik took initiative into his own hands. Calling his Rhyflers together around the camp fire one night he produced a hastily sketched map of the region, showing them how far away they were from their unit’s last position. As the rumbling among his Rhyflers grew, he called up a rather rough looking Quar and introduced him as a local named Cybish. He informed them that Cybish was from a small clan of Fidwoger mountain folk with Crusader ideals.
“Not all Fidwogers are content to be Royalist peons,” explained Cybish.
Isik stepped before him to explain, “Cybish and his family have been secretly scouting this region for us for months and it is through him that I have learned that the 114th has been pushed back far more than we had known.”
Isik drew a dark charcoal line well behind their originally marked position and then snapped the charred twig that served as a writing utensil. Grim-faced and resolute, he turned to his unit and exclaimed, “We are alone.”
Before his Rhyflers could boil themselves into a panic, Isik hissed them back to a low rumble and continued.
“But, we are not beaten. We still have it in our power to continue our fight even far from our forces. We will change our game. With the help of Cybish and his family, we will fight a different sort of war from that which we were trained. The people of this region have long fought a scuffling, sneaky, underhanded sort of infighting, raiding against one another and so shall we.”
The Quar of the 5th looked at him, having quieted. Their commander was asking them to fight on despite having been abandoned by their army. Perhaps it was the sound of belief in his voice, or the leering confidence in the old Quar next to him, but as they listened, Isik’s idea seemed less desperate and more tangible. They couldn’t simply stop and surrender to the Fidwogers was not an option. This would at least give them a chance to fight on and perhaps die with some honor.
Their Caertren continued to explain his plan, telling them how they would take the battle for Fidwog to the people. They would raid the local villages and towns, taking supplies and sewing fear and discension among the local Fidwogers. Cybish would make sure they knew which villages and individuals were loyal to the Crusader cause so that they could be spared or made to look as if they had been spared. Isik and his troops would receive food, shelter and ammunition routed to them by Cybish and his family.
When he had finished, Isik looked out to the contemplative faces of his Rhyflers. They were all good Quar from families that had been torn apart or wrecked by the Long War. They had fought long and hard and despite their being cut off from the rest of the army none of them had once spoken a traitorous word or acted out of character. Sure they were beleaguered and worn, but they had held and they were still here and by his ancestors he would make sure that if they lost their lives that they would do so gloriously.
No more words needed be spoken. The resolute expressions across their features and the darkness in their eyes spoke much more profoundly. The continued leering of Cybish and the low chuckle rolling from his pot belly only added to the morbid certainty of the moment. Isik knew that all of the 5th were committed to the cause and Fidwog would burn from the inside out.
Posts
Please post more on your experiences with the Quar rules and minis in the future.
ReplyDeleteI love the overall design of these and am hoping to follow this product line more closely in the future.
I do plan to. Keep in mind, that I have not made up my mind on what rules to use for the Quar. I bought the two rules sets for the background information they provide on the Quar.
ReplyDelete"The Quar's War" is an original set of rules for larger scale combat and I have not played it.
"Songs of Our Ancestors" is based on the very popular Songs of Blades and Heroes rules from Ganesha Games. I habe played their Mutants and Death Ray Guns rules and like how it played, so SoA may be the way to go if you are looking for smaller skirmish games like I am.
-Eli
You are on a roll with your fiction! Keep it going! Can't wait to see how this progresses...
ReplyDeleteNot sure there will be more Quar fiction except for more background pieces for other units. I might also do some fiction for the background on scenarios I play once I'm up and playing.
ReplyDelete