Blackbeard's Final Battle AAR and Photos

I ran a Blackbeard the Pirate game Friday afternoon at our big Labor Day weekend convention in Santa Clara, California using Fistful of Lead Horse and Musket rules. I had 6 players, a father and son team took the pirates with 20 miniatures and 4 players teamed up as the Royal Navy in 2 sloops, with 10 sailors in each boat. What the pirates did not know was that there were 5 additional sailors below decks, as there were historically. The pirate ship was stuck on a sandbar and the RN boats had to approach within range of the 2 pirate light cannon. I used the round shot rules from the Horse and Musket book and the pirates were able to hit 3 sailors in each boat, losing 1 sailor right off the bat. The RN maneuvered their boats to contact the pirate ship on either side of its bow, to avoid more cannon shots. I allowed the sailors to use grappling hooks to climb up and over onto the pirate's deck using a medium task roll. There were lots of hand to hand combats, with the pirates winning more thanks to their Bloodthirsty trait. Next move, the RN boats slid further alongside the pirate ship so that more sailors could either fire their muskets or board the pirate ship. At that time the hidden sailors made their appearance. It was a tough fight for the sailors. They rolled low when they needed to roll high and they rolled high when they needed to roll low. The RN lost both of their named commanders, Lt. Maynard and Midshipman Hyde. They had accumulated twice as many casualties as the pirates when their musket fire finally turned the tide. The pirates never reloaded their firearms, preferring to fight hand to hand. Blackbeard was involved in several duels and took 2 wounds and a lucky shot finally killed him. Aside from some solo play, I did not have a chance to play test the game before the convention, but I don't think I would have changed anything if had. P.S. The pirate second in command took off with the treasure chest in the dingy as soon as Blackbeard was killed.

I apologize for the funky white rings. The figures moved individually and it was the only way to remember who had moved this turn.

Quatre Bras 1815 game in 54mm with britains figures

Patrick VDB,  a veteran of our group, invited two possible new members, who happen to be Britains collectors. Patrick saw the opportunity to stage a Quatre Bras game.

New guy John meated with Patrick P and Adrien on the French side, while Patrick  VDB took the Brunswick and Dutch troops, and novice Philippe and Steven commanded the British - Hanoverian  units.

As expected, the French threw rather quickly the Brunswick force out of the farm and drove back the Dutch troops. 

The Hanoverian and British divisions were just in time to stall the French progress.

The French cavalry came on the scene

And also the British cavalry was present.

Due to lack of time, we did not manage to play till the end, but to give our novice players an impression of a cavalry battle we staged a big confrontation of the Britains  french and British cavalry

The Carabineers and Chasseur à Cheval units defeated the Britsch heavy cavalry, while on the other side the 3 units of British Hussars were to strong for the French Cuirassiers.

Sudan Skirmish Outdoor Game

 A friend who I hadn't played with for a long time hosted a Sudan game in his backyard last weekend. The rules were his own Terra Incognita company level colonial rules and we played with his superb 54mm Imperial Productions collection of metal figures. The Imperials' victory condition was to escort a wagon carrying a prisoner across the board and off the table edge, a distance of about 6 feet. To make life interesting, there were about a dozen markers dotted around the table and my friend, as GM, had his 3 young children roll dice to see where and which unit of natives would show up each turn. The Egyptian and Sudanese escort only made it a foot into the table when they were attacked at close range by a unit of fanatic Hadendowah. Egyptian volley fire wounded many, but the natives managed to close with the Egyptians and killed 1 and wounded 2 before they were driven off. Less than another foot into the table and a second unit of Hadendowah charged the Sudanese escort, but they were far enough away that the Sudanese, who were better shots than the Egyptians, were able to break the natives before they made contact. And so it went, the colonial troops making slow progress and fighting off attacks every six inches or so to the middle of the table where the last of the Egyptians were lost while dismantling a barricade across the road. It looked like all hope was gone for the colonials, but a small relief force of Britains Naval Brigade appeared at the far table edge and, with their superior firepower, helped take some of the pressure off the surviving wagon escort. Still, it was a nail biter down to the very end when the wagon finally made it off the edge of the table. It was a fun game with fast, easy rules and beautiful figures. What I really appreciated was being reminded of how much fun could be had with just a handful of colonial figures and several handfuls of natives - and the right scenario and rules.