Go Rangers!

Despite not seeming to have enough hours in the day, despite my semi-retirement, I managed to get along to the club last night leaving several other jobs undone. Rob was up again and this time organised a Muskets and Tomahawks game for our benefit and the benefit of two newcomers to the club.

The background was that the Americans were now pushing west and settlers were beginning to hog the Ohio river valley and the locals were not best pleased, but due to attacks on the incomers America had sent its only regiment to the area to succour the trailblazers. I was in charge of two groups of Militia and one of Rangers whose job was to hold the Indians off and protect the civilians until the arrival of the army. I promptly put everyone in buildings and prepared loopholes expecting a long siege, as well as protecting the village I also had a sub-plot in that I had to thwart the enemy players obtaining their objectives.

Some lovely Heathens.

 One band of especially bloodthirsty savages threw themselves at the village church defended by militia, tomahawks rattled on the boards or spun through the windows but failed to inflict any casualties, one group of Indians was sent packing but the second with their blood up managed to break in and massacre the stalwart Militia. The Rangers meanwhile had been using their long rifles to keep a second band of warriors from emerging from the woods with some excellent shots, they continued to be a pain in the Indians backside for most of the game along with the remaining Militia in a nearby barn. The civilians cowered in another building taking the odd pot shot with their antique weapons, but they held out until the army turned up.

This makes up for last week.

The army eventually turned up and one company moved into the village square the other along with some scouts delayed in order to mop up some nearby Indians, they never managed this and might have been better moving into the village, an artillery piece was set up and began to target the same Indians as the Rangers. At this point in the game with the church infested with natives I was allowed to move one of their leaders due to an event roll, I duly moved the big chief out of the church and he was immediately gunned down by the Army, his men fled leaving one survivor from a previous warband. This lunatic left the church of his own choice, threw a tomahawk and forced the regulars to retire! He then launched himself into their midst and was bayoneted to death, a fearsome warrior indeed.

It's the army!

The remaining Indians and the regulars now both rushed for the church, if the Indians got in they could claim a draw otherwise it was deemed the village was still in friendly hands, my Rangers were busy loading so could not fire, but time was on our side and the game ended with the Indians only several inches short of their objective.

I was declared the winner as there were no Indians in the village and I had thwarted two Indian players from obtaining their objectives. I should mention that a certain Lady Isabel had taken a stroll in the woods and fended off a bunch of savages with nothing but a parasol for around four moves before being captured. No Earldom's this week but a mention in the New York Times I believe.

Sword and Spear.

Also being played this week was the above Sword and Spear game, Late Romans vs Parthians, I bought this set of rules but it was not my cup of tea but it seems popular with several of the guys at the club, the many dice lying about is part of the activation mechanics. There were two boardgames being played, Eldritch Horror and the battle of Kilsyth along with a league game of Bloodbowl which is very popular at the club.