More Gladiators

Caesar and I played 'Blood, Sweat & Cheers' last night. It was Caesar's first time.

He picked a conventional murmillo (Murannus) for his first game. I went with a whip-armed light gladiator (Rodan - he uses the Cestus stats). 

The first game lasted one round. I got a perfect hand and after Caesar warily closed with me, unleashed a whip attack followed through with a knife to Murannus's throat to force a surrender (I had two Glory to do my best attack and a Roar Of The Crows card to boost the difference on my win spending the crowd favour It picked up - I scored a straight kill).

We set them up and played again, and this time the fight lasted longer. At one stage Murannus was knocked down, and it looked to be all over for him, but Rodan couldn't finish him off and the bout continued. 

Murannus was wounded, but as Rodan closed for an attack, he countered with an adrenaline fueled strike and cut down the wily light gladiator for an unexpected win. 

In the next bout Caesar went for Verus the hoplomachus, whilst I used Syphax the crupellarius. Caesar initially struggled to defeat the heavy gladiator's armour, whilst I lumbered into a series of attacks designed to take down Verus before he got a chance to hurl his spear. I survived one spear attack, but Verus recovered it and was then poised for another. As I closed for another attack he threw it again, and Syphax was down and defeated. 

This was actually a pretty close fight, with neither gladiator wounded until right at the end. There was lots of maneuver and bluff going on. 

The final game of the evening saw Caesar take Titan the retiarius, whilst I used Ferox the dimacherius. 

Titan caught Ferox in his net, but Ferox immediately cut free, much to Caesar's annoyance. Ferox then wounded Titan, slowing him down. Titan fought back, wounding Ferox, but as the retiarius readied his net for another throw, Ferox finished him off with a furious series of attacks. 

So we won two bouts each. 

We checked for whether the crowd bayed for blood after each bout and, amazingly, they didn't call for the death of any of the defeated gladiators. 

Thanks to Caesar for being such a good sport. And to Darren for spectating and dealing out cards.