At OWG, we were lucky to have plenty of figures from our Battle of Bara game and so I rebased one of my units as single figures, added some old GW plastic bowmen and hey presto a lord and his retinue were ready to take the field. Facing these were a selection of the superb E-Bob "Revenge" range which we had on loan.
We decided that to identical retinues would be used in this first test and used the village skirmish scenario from the rules.
My retinue were placed in the center of the village while my opponent placed his on the eastern edge. I moved off to meet him, thinking he would advance directly in, but instead he moved round the perimeter and entered round the side of the church in the north side, facing me to turn my men.
My bowmen moved stealthily forward to take pot shots at the approaching foe, but no hits were scored. My opponent entered the village with his foot leading the way, while his mounted contingent swept round the flank.
Again my bow fire failed to score hits as his mounted sergeant jumped the dike round the field in which one of my archer was positioned and struck him down with his axe.
The two forces were now in a general melee. My foot moving up to engage my opponent while my mounted men waited to take advantage.
The mods stay true and close to the original rules. Both my opponent and myself liked the fact that shields and armour do not, unlike most rules, simply give a saving throw. Instead the shield works as "cover" providing an "in the way" check whilst armour adds to the "toughness" of a figure making it more difficult to wound. This is quite a realistic way of dealing with these aspects of the game.
My Lord and Knight attacked and after a few rounds of melee managed to say the impudent sergeant who had cut down my archer. Meanwhile the rest of the foot slugged it out with my opponents men.
In the end the dice were slightly kinder to me and casualties began to tell. Although my opponent passed his "Head to the Hills" check on receiving his 6th casualty, he decided that distress ion was indeed the better part of valour and retreated, leaving me in possession of the village!
We both liked the rules and for a first game felt they worked well and will add them to the Old west and Pirate games we currently enjoy.
North East Scotland was home to many feuding families like the Forbeses, Leslies, Hays, Crichtons and Comyns, some of whom we already have represented in miniature. My favourite is the "wicked Laird of Balquhain", "Red" Andrew Leslie, about whom I read years ago in a wonderful little book belonging to my father called "Legends of North East Scotland" by Fenton Wyness. Red Andrew will shortly be out again raiding and feuding with his neighbours the Forbeses!
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