Moodys Adventures: July 2017

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Pikemens Lament

Hello all,
About time I got up to some gaming again. And this game was the "The Pikemen's Lament!

It was the 2nd time I have played the rules and the first time my fiancée Stephanie Cooper gave the game a try. The Game was hosted by my friend Kurt, who provided the terrain, scenario and Photos.

The Poor Duke of Parmia, in Sunny Italy, has lost his only Son. The Boy ran off to Join the Catholic League in its fight against the Protestants and their Swedish Allies. Unfortunately the dead lay as they Fell in the deep, cold, winter's snow of Germany.
He has sent a request for any Officer of ether side, to bring his son home and will Reward that Gentleman with 5 Honors and 100 Gold!
Reales! Will you, good sire, Urge your men in the cold and Reap the Winter's Bounty?

'Winter's Bounty' Pikeman's Lament pike & shot skirmish game held (7-22-17) at The War Room Games on Sunset Rd behind the McDonald's across from Sunset park. To the Right is Herr Smorgasbord the Protestant Swedish Officer who took up the call for Honor and Gold. To the right is the Turkish, Definitely not Serbian, Hussars or Russian Cossack, leader Vadim Podolvsky. (Steph's leader) Who would ride off into the snowy sunset with the win.

The humble Ensign Malcom Abercombie of clan Fitch's Scottish Mercenaries wading into the deep snow for Honor and Gold. Calvinist serving the Swedish King, but not on this day. This day was each officer for himself. (Kurt's Words)

Steph's Turkish/Cossack/Not Serbian force is on the left. They were fighting on the 'protestant' side. Steve Massey's colorful Persian mercenaries hired by crazy Ludwig von Hyborian, the mad Austrian duke to fight on the Catholic side. The Persians were more about flamboyant flair, than burying or burning Christian dead. And they hated their erstwhile Allies the German D'fleur's (Jason's) company of the Catholic league

D'fleur's Catholic league Germans

Team 'Fabulous' (Steve Massey's Persian immortals) make the first move towards one of the Christian dead, only to stomp and spit on it then move on.

Jason Coffey in the blue (Germans) Steve Massey in the greay shirt. (Persians) Steve provided Steph and I with the miniatures for are forces.

Ensign Eric Smorgasbord (Myself) on the advance! (in Swedish)

"Not" Zoroastrian persians on the move

Swedes moving up along the frozen river.

A view of the Catholic Mercenaries side of the field

Fabulous Persian heavy Gallopers decide to slam into the German Reiters. An indecisive engagement that left more persians dead than German, and saw the Persians fall back.

Catholic casualty consumed by fire as Stephanie's Turks/Cossacks/Not Serbians set a enemy body on fire to earn 1 Honor. And to keep warm

Scot's gallopers led by none other than Ensign Abercrombie, rush into the farm.
While the Scot Shot unit fires their 'first salvo' on the German Catholic cavalry, inflicting casualties and forcing them to fall back wavering

The Swedes get reinforcements too, a unit of shot. their Gallopers enter the stable and would bury two dead protestant casualty objective for 2 honors. The commanded shot, mouth frothing at the sign of all that bacon on the hoof, failed to activate twice until they gave up on the pig stealing.
Note the Scottish lancers getting closer, they also buried a dead protestant.

The Scots and Swedes eye each other tensely, focusing on gaining honor points over fighting.

Scots and Swedes are busy interring the protestant dead.

Mid way through the game, Steph has the Dukes dead Son and the other Protestant players are moving to stop her from getting off the board, while on the right, the Catholic players continue to gut one another

Steph's Dragoons find the Dead Son of the Duke of Parmia and now all restraint is off. They will claw their way off board while her Allies the Scots and Swedes try to stop her. Gold is Gold!

Steph moves in as much firepower on the right as she can to attempt to clear out the Swedes in order to move her Dragoons with the Dukes Son, off the board between the hill and the frozen river. Smorgasbord moves up his new Shot unit towards the frozen river in order to block her path to the board edge

Smorgasbord's commanded shot get hit with a cavalry charge and fall back wavering. Steph is clearing her route along the river. Now for the Shot unit.

Her other Dragoon unit, with her officer and the body of the Dukes Son (on the officer's base) head for the board edge to win Honor and Gold!

The Swedish Gallopers move around their wavering comrades and attack the turk/cossack/not Serbian blocking cavalry.

A line of mounted Turks/Cossaks/not Serbians defending the Frozen river. The ice was heard to groan but didn't crack! (Steph blocks Kurts and my Gallopers.

Steph's Commanded Shot blows holes through the my Swedish Shot unit. I rolled poorly so it broke and routed off the board. Steph then won by getting the Dukes Son to the board edge, ending the turn and the game

It was a fun game, and enjoyed by all. I have pulled my neglected Pike and shot figs from the storage unit and will be working on a couple war bands in the near future.