Dark Ages - St Brice's Day Massacre

For this weeks game we played the St Brice's Day Massacre scenario from Pillage. The attackers must assault a defended village and set fire to the church. To help the attackers there are 3 fire sources on the table that can be used to help with the fire setting. 

On table 1 we had Vikings / Saxons attacking vs Picts / Arabs defending. On table 2 we double Saxons attacking vs  Vikings / Merrymen defending. 

Fire source on table 2

Table 1

Picts defending the church on table 1

Table 1 was a hard fought game with the attacker eventually setting a fire late in the game.  

 

Saxons attacking on table 2

On table 2 the first battle saw the attacking Saxons very quickly overwhelmed the defenders and set fire to the church within 7 moves. So we swapped around and had the Merrymen/Vikings attack. This was a closer battle with the attackers managing to set a fire late in the game. 

 

Tussle around the church on table 2 

Dark Ages - The Raid

A shorter report this week on our latest Dark Ages games. This weeks scenario was a a race between two raiding forces ro grab loot from the middle of the table and search some buildings. Game 1 was Robin Hood + Vikings vs Picts + Vikings. Gamer 2 was Welsh + Anglo-Saxons vs Irish + Arabs.

Hoodies on the road

Picts advance

Game 1 was a win for the Hoodies / Vikings with a 5-2 victory for them. 

Irish moving around the flanks

Irish and Welsh clash

Anglo-Saxons claim some loot

Game 2 was a win for the Arabs / Irish with them claiming a 10-1 victory

Release the hounds

 

An Irishman, a Russian and a Samurai walk into a bar...

A busy week of gaming to round off May with three different periods played. 

Monday night was a game of Pillage with Irish/Viking attacking Picts in a game based on the battle of Stamford Bridge. The Picts were very cautious and so opted to defend their starting position rather than move out to block the bridge.

The second game was based on the battle of Stanilesti from the Russo-Turkish wars. The Ottomans have created a bridgehead across the river Pruth and must expand it before the Russian reinforcements can throw them back. 

Ottoman bridgehead

Janissaries in campaign dress

The Russians did heavy damage thew the Ottoman foot but could not prevent the more numerous Turkish cavalry from pushing put on the flanks.  

Russian Dragoons attacking

Finally some more test of honour at the weekend. In this game both sides are searching for a spy who is cunningly disguised. The Warrior Monks did nt help themselves by shooting one of their own heroes early on.

Warrior Monks advancing

Lots of action in the village sqaure

In a close game the Warrior Monks caused lots of casualties but the Samurai just managed  to reveal the spy and get them to safety at the end of the game. The Monks focus on martial prowess does mean they have lower Wits than other factions, which is a disadvantage in some of the scenarios.   

  

The spy is discovered 

Dark ages - The Landing

In this weeks game we played a classic raid from the sea.  Two boats loaded with raiders arrive and head for a local village. The attackers have 12 turns to secure 5 loot tokens and return them to their boats. There is plenty of loot available with 10 points placed around the village and several buildings to search, but time is tight.  

Game 1 - Robin Hood / Vikings raiding vs Vikings

The attackers headed for the centre and right-hand end of the village. Landing unopposed they moved in-land in search of booty.  

Viking raiders

The Vikings attacked and made inroads into the raiders forces before their own Berserker when into a bloodlust killing friend and foe alike.   

 

Robin Hood's band on the beach

The raiders were able to get some loot back to their boat but fell sort of the required 5. Defender Wins   

 

Game 2 - Saxons / Irish raiding vs Welsh / Normans

In this game both boats headed straight of the left-hand end of the village, isolating the Welsh from the Normans. 

Saxon raiders

The attackers quickly came ashore and assaulted the isolated Welsh, pushing them back and securing some loot. As the Welsh suffered the Normans rushed across the beach to their aid.   

Irish pack claims a victim

When they were about 2/3 of the way there the Irish boat suddenly pushed off from the bank and headed for the opposite end of the village. They had not unloaded all their troops and now threatened the undefended right-hand end of the village. The Normans had to choice but to leave the Welsh to their fate and run back across the beach.  

The Irish lost some troops from their second raiding party but the attackers secured 5 loot for an Attacker Win.    

More games and project completed

A busy week of gaming saw me over in Fishponds at the weekend for another game of Test of Honour with my monks once again facing off against my brothers samurai. The mission was to search a village and identify casualties from a previous battle who could be saved.   

 

Temple guards attacking

The monks proved good in combat but terrible at searching and so the game ended in a draw with both sides nabbing two objectives and the fifth going unclaimed. 

Battle is joined in the centre of the village

The completed project is my Great North War Russians and Swedes, with the final unit some dismounted Dragoons for the Tzar's army. Its been a couple of years work but I now have 24 Russian units and 16 Swedish units done, with a roughly 50/50 cavalry ratio. All are based for Beneath the Lilly Banners.    

Great North War Russian Dragoons - NorthStar figures  

With Nigel's armies we've enough for some large games. We both have Ottomans who could also be fielded.  

Finally some more Blucher during the week. This game pitted an very elite French army (mostly Guard) against a much larger Austrian army in a resetting of the 1814 Battle of Laon. The game was tied but with the Austrians feeling a bit happier as they were holding 2 of the scoring three villages.      

Laon for Blucher