ASoBaH: Wood Elves vs. Goblins
Most of the players at my local gaming club are hardcore Warhammer 40K players, and I’ve really wanted to get into miniatures wargaming for a long time. Unfortunately, the minimum up-front cost to get into Warhammer is $300 or more, once you buy models, rulebooks, paints, tools, etc. Plus, I’m already heavily invested in cardstock miniatures and terrain crafting. Upon the recommendation of Uncle Atom at Tabletop Minions, I picked up the rules for Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes, a skirmish-level fantasy wargame that lets you play with whatever models you own—even cardstock ones! Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes, often called ASoBaH by its fans, is an elegant, easy-to-learn skirmish wargame from indie publisher Ganesha Games.
Song of Dice and Cardstock
Last night, I finally got enough of the right models and terrain together to bring ASoBaH to my local gaming club and take it for a spin. I brought two small warbands—250 points each of Goblins and Wood Elves—along with a small selection of ruined buildings and set up a table to play. Although I was technically playing by myself as I worked my way through the rules for the first time, I wanted the hardcore Warhammer 40K players who make up most of the club to see something a little different. Here’s a sample of what they saw:
Reaction Rolls
What's on the Table?
I printed and assembled everything in the photos from downloadable PDF files. Here’s the info on the major pieces on the table:
Wood Elf Warband
These are five of the eighteen figures included in the Darkfast Classic Fantasy Set Two: Wood Elves, from Okumarts Games. As in most of his sets, David Okum uses layers in the PDF file to let you print warbands in several different color schemes. Bonus minis in the set include four wood elves mounted on galloping stags!
Goblin Warband
My goblin warband comes from Paper Forge, one of the cardstock mini publishers I support on Patreon. Paper Forge’s line currently offers almost 50 miniatures. Several goblin and gnoll variants are included, allowing you to assemble warbands with a wide variety of arms and armor.
Ruined Church
The amazing Ruined Church model from Dave Graffam Models blew the Warhammer players away last night. It’s one of his more complex models, so assemble a few simpler buildings before you attempt this one.
Archway Ruins
The Archway Ruins are just one of several compatible sets of slotted crosspiece terrain offered by David Graffam Models. They can be arranged differently every time you set up a table. Last night, I set them up in a large cross shape, to suggest a ruined cathedral.
What's Next with ASoBaH?
I really enjoyed my first full game of Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes, even if I was mostly playing against myself. I definitely plan to bring it to the club again in two weeks (next week is our regular D&D campaign). I’ll probably also set up a table in the basement and explore the rules a bit more on my own. Once I’m a bit more familiar with the game, I’ll post a full review of the rule system. That will be a longer Friday post, probably either this week or next.
In the meantime, if you’re interested in trying out miniatures wargaming on the cheap, I strongly recommend Advanced Song of Blades and Heroes. You can get the ASoBaH rules from DriveThruRPG or Wargame Vault, and play the game using the miniatures—paper or plastic!—that you already own. I promise you, you’re gonna have a good time!
Until next time, keep printing, and keep playing!
