Kingdom Death: Monster: a lion in summer

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

This is what I say out loud. I’ll mutter things from time to time. But this I say. Out loud enough that the cat mewls because he thinks I’m talking to him.


This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://www.quartertothree.com/fp/2018/03/25/kingdom-death-monster-a-lion-in-summer/

Did the entire party survive the encounter? We’re you able to salvage anything valuable from the lion?

There were no casualties. But the lion itself yielded mostly bone and organs. I need hides for leather, dammit!

-Tom

I have three of the first survivor miniatures – and the White Lion, who sings hair metal classics to me – built and sitting on my desk, mocking my failure to start a game of KD:M. Your diaries are motivating me to give it a go shortly.

Mmmm, if you fought the butcher and won you should be able to be hunting level 2 antelopes (I find them easier than level 2 lions) providing you have either sash or surge (preferably dash) unlocked. That’s how you deal with Cunning, BTW, you use one survival per turn as to keep the lion from kiting you through dashing away.

As an aside, that’s why I consider the innovation that let’s you choose between 4 innovations instead of 2 crucial.

And level 2 antelopes are great for farming pelts.

Also, did you complete an screaming armor set yet? Leather is good, but screaming armor is nothing to sniff at and it’s easier/faster to get.

“The lion’s first card is Ground Fighting. It means the lion rolls over and waits to be attacked, at which point it will then freak out with a heavy counterattack.”

Did anyone else immediately think of a cat on its belly, waiting for you to pet her stomach one too many times…?

“Ahhh…that’s nice, that’s nice…that’s nice…(purrrrr)…TOO MUCH!! I KILL YOU!”
-direct quote from my cat, Lucy.

Level 2 lion is tough as hell until you unlock Dash, to negate its grab. You lucked out majorly.

Looked up what screaming antelopes look like. Whoa, everything in this game looks gross.

Corrections:
“on this this hunt”
“that can be dodged .”
“gives way to [the] rest of his AI cards”

That’s a pretty accurate assessment of the art style! :) I would also accept “grotesque”.

-Tom

So, I’m trying to talk a couple of friends into giving KDM a shot on Saturday, since it’s going to be an ugly rainy/snowy day here.

The big push-back? “It just seems like a a game where everything is about the miniatures, and then they tacked on some rules to give you something to do with those as an afterthought.”

I haven’t played even the intro scenario thing yet. Is that an accurate assessment, or does this game stand on its own as well, beyond the cool miniatures?

It stands on its own and it stands very solidly. You could play the game with cardboard tokens and it would still be good.

The problem (?) is that the tactical combats are of course a significant part of the game, and it’s a really cool system based on cards, die rolls, and a very limited pool of interrupts. But what I feel is most compelling is the longer term development of your settlement. That’s not really something you’re going to get to appreciate on a single Saturday afternoon.

-Tom

I agree with Tom. Definitely not a game for a one off session. It is first and foremost a campaign game.

But it’s really not about the miniatures (other than the price, that is about the minis).

A Lion in Winter was a great movie with Peter O’Toole … I thought you didn’t watch grandpa movies, but I caught you, @tomchick I caught you … hehe

Speaking of minis, I was watching this guy paint some KDM minis last night.

Unpainted, the minis look brilliant from what I’ve seen online, but this guy took it to a whole new level as is evident within the first minute of the video.

Stop showing me painted Kingdom Death Monster minis! I’m really happy with the ones I’ve put together until I see the ones other people have put together and then painted.

Although I really did like @Juan_Raigada’s pictures. Partly because that’s a perfectly viable way to give your minis personality, with just a wash to bring out the detail and tastefully restrained swathe of color. But also because I looked and those pictures and thought, “Hey, I could probably do that!”

-Tom

I’m quite sure I have no idea what you’re talking about, as this piece was about a lion in summer. Also, it’s weird seeing Timothy Dalton and Anthony Hopkins before anyone knew who they were.

-Tom

That’s the magic line I wanted to hear. And yeah, we know (they know) that the magic happens in the persistent world/settlement building bits. We’ve talked about playing a couple of times per month if we can figure that part out.

Thanks for the responses Tom, and Juan R.!

So you built your lion and survivors? Pics or it didn’t happen. I want to see if your lion’s face fits as poorly as my lion’s face.

-Tom

It fits that poorly. :) And also the lion’s hindquarters.

Are you guys using plastic cement or glue? Plastic cement of the non-thin variety helps a lot with seams, but the lion is indeed a poor fit overall.

For the expansions I’m getting some green stuff. The putty I have for my sci-fi models do not work with miniatures that well (it requires too much sanding and more even surfaces).