For All Bayonets of Silver

 

A few days ago, Beth and I got the opportunity to introduce The Silver Bayonet to Nick, our Wren's partner. He'd played D&D and many video game, but he was a newbie to skirmish gaming and since he is had a taste for horror movies, TSB seemed the right thing to do. Nick took command of a Scots-heavy British-Canadian unit while Beth ran an Aboriginal/Lenni-Lanape warband. The scenario was a variation on the fort/trading post scenario from the "Canada" book.

Although this show later-game action, the photo shows the table in a good light.

The kitchen table prior to the game starting. Dark green patches indicate
dense, heavy woods and lighter green light woods. 

The trading post had not been heard from in a while and two opposing units came to investigate as night was falling and some figures could be seen working within the walls of the post. "Working"... yeah, that's the ticket!

Beth's warband with a dog included.
The turtle was there just for fun.

Nick's from Scotland originally so his unit was heavy with a
the Scot's Burr. He also had a dog with the unit. Here you see
a Native scout, two infantymen, a rifleman, the Highlander, and
the officer in Highland kit 'way to the left.

Since cobbled the game together, some of the foliage - like the 
palm trees - were left to the "Theatre of the Mind" to be re-imagined.

Both sides moved to enter the trading post's area with Nick moving slower than Beth. Once the troops entered the area defined by the walls, the people inside were revealed to be ghouls! A clue marker showed a stew being cooked, but a human finger floating on the top gave away the source of the protein for that dish.

Imagine a stew pot here.
This campfire was a gift from our friend and fellow Silver
Bayonet-er, Mark T.

Ghouls milling about and a clue marker using an extra-large rat head,
(I have a slew of GW Skaven heads that need to be used up... somehow.)

Ghouls looking ghoul-ish.

Funny... you don't look ghoulish.
(Pulp Miniatures dungeon torturer)

The approach!

Beth's warriors encounter the disgusting stewpot... and a surprise revenant!
Why he was in Russian uniform is easy to explain: he was handy!
Now he's doubly dead.

The Lenape explore the trading post after dispatching two ghouls.
(Figures by Blue Moon, Trent, Old Glory, and Prince August)

The dog took an active part in the fray.

Soon enough, both warbands were in the post.
Beth's "woodsman" (a great new troop type) is in the center of the photo, setting fire to the building.

The units meet the hard way!
The red beads means the weapon has been fired and needs to be reloaded.
The yellow bead is the fire. I rolled percentage dice each turn to see how
the fire had spread.

The dogs are fighting! Much growling ensued!

Scots wa' here! And here they are!

At this point, the house was on fire... and horror erupted in the midst of the fire fight!
The Baxbaxwalanuxsiwae came roaring out of the conflagration!
I fudged the entry a bit, cutting down the conditions outlined in the scenario...
'cause I wanted to see "how the monster worked!" (That's what Star Trek redshirts are for!)
(Monster Figure from North Star)

The Cannibal Monster embodying Hunger was taken on by both Scots and Lenape.
We removed the house to make movement and melee simpler.

We can see the Crown's Supernatural Investigator in his bicorne.
The Baxbax (please don't make me type the whole thing!) rolled
barely mediocre attack dice and was killed by both although the
Crown unit put it down and gained the victory points.

The melee from Beth's perspective.

One the Embodiment of Hunger was put down, we decided to score things. Each player had taken out 2 ghouls (+1 point each), Beth recovered the hidden journal (+1 point), and Nick gained the credit for finally dispatching the Baxbax (+3 points) although half of his unit was killed in the encounter. Since it was getting late in the afternoon, we called it a "winning draw" in Nick's favour.

Well, Nick is VERY much in favour of this game and looks forward to playing it again. I'm hoping to host a game of this at an upcoming reenactment with some other reenactors who are keen on the game. I'll keep you informed!

The photo at the top of the blog is my first attempt at making grave stones for "table clutter" and atmospheric things on the table.

It's amazing what imagination and cardboard can do!

On the left, the Restless Dead.
In the center, Spirit Fire? Phantom Flames? Ghostly apparition?
On the right... check back later!

Royal Marines to back a Royal Navy war crew
(Knuckleduster Miniatures)

Part of a naval crew I've been working on.
(Blood & Plunder)

A proper Naval officer.

Nosfaratu vampire from Reaper

Swiss guards for a possible Vatican warband
(kitbashed from a few sources)

All for now. Clean your brushes and enjoy both playing and painting! Otherwise, why do it?

The Seven Years War Convention 2024

 

     About 10 days or so ago, Beth and I travelled to South Bend, Indiana, in the USA for this year's Seven Years War convention. Our friend, Andy convinced us to go as he and his wife were going as well as another friend, Glenn. I'd never been there before and since my present schedule at the church permitted me the time to be there, we went. Fortunately, I had received my Cortisone shots in both knees just prior to this event. Of course, I twisted my left knee before leaving which left me "less than optimal."

     Besides all that, we had an uneventful drive down and found ourselves at the Doubletree Hotel in South Bend. The place was connected to the convention centre by an overhead walk way, which was always dry if a touch chilly. 

     When we arrived Thursday evening, we went to our room and on Friday morning, took in the whole place, both games and vendors. In the afternoon, I played a game, "Fox Hunt on the Diemel" using Tricorne rules. This is a "classic style" set of rules, using d6s for everything. For some unknown and un-Godly reason I ended up as the commander of the Allied side. Yes, I was the Duke of Brunswick! Andy took the left flank and other gentleman gamers were the right and the right centre grenadier brigade. The French were opposing a river crossing by a mixed force of German troops allied to Prussia..(The following photos are a bit out of order and often somewhat blurry. Apologies.)

Swiss regiments in the service of France at the advance.

My Brunswick troops exchange fire with the French

More firing! Losses were recorded on separate sheets in a style reminiscent of WRG rules.

Hanoverians troops face French cavalry and Swiss Infantry. Tough going!

More of the same.

Out of order... the Allied right flank over the stream before the cavalry arrived.

Allied grenadiers and artillery advance.

The French at the stream.

Inspired by their brigadier, the French infantry hold the stream.

Out of order again... the Brunswick brigade moves to take position in the light woods.

French strongholds on either side of the stream.

Me! In all my plumbastic glory!

     Friday evening (after dinner) saw both Beth and I engaged in a "French & Indian War" scenario - "The Raid at Kittaning" using Muskets & Tomahawks II skirmish rules. The group graciously brought Beth into the game although she originally had not decided to play. Glenn, Beth, and I played the Lenni-Lenape ("Delaware") warriors in the village of Kittaning, set just north-east of Pittsburgh, PA. (Beth and I had moved from the eastern part of Pennsylvania about 16 years ago, but I had lived in Pittsburgh briefly and had a good idea of the area.) The game was a blast. The rangers and Pennsylvania Militia were to free captives, burn buildings, and capture livestock while battling the warriors of the Lenape Nation. The Colonials were able to free some of the captives, and either "liberated" or killed some of the livestock. They set fire to four dwellings, but only one collapsed so they were stimmied in that sense. As it got later and later, I remember calling out to the Militia: "Just kill a d**n chicken, get the point, and end the game!" It didn't work so Glenn, Beth, and I called it a winning draw among ourselves. I'm not sure the other players would see it the same way,

The battle in full swing. Beth held the left wing, Glenn's warriors arrived by
canoe on the right, and I held the centre with Captain Jacobs in the blockhouse,
firing while wife reloaded for him!

The birds atop the dwelling represented the presence of unactivated
warriors within. A chief/"sachem" had to run to the building to 
activate the warriors. The small boy running at left centre has a story
all his own!

Whoops! One dwelling is on fire while the French regulars arrive late in the game.
They were marching hard from Fort Dusquesne.

The French troops were originally going to be under the command of the gamesmaster.
However, he turned them over to the Lenape players and Beth took command.
It was frustrating for the Militia because the French chit was pulled -literally- four times
in a row!

Earlier in the game.

"Silverheels"
A young boy who moved only when the Militia's move came up.
He ran for the table edge and once he got there, the French came in
a turn later. Beth may have surprised the other gamers with her handling
of regular troops in linear tactics. "Make ready! Present! FIRE!"

     Lastly, Glenn and I played a very unusual game: "The Relief of Chernovtsky 1738" where we both played on the Ottoman side against the Russians. Chernovtsky was under siege by the Ottoman Turks and a large Russian relief force was sent to break the siege. For some unknown reason, a reason beyond comprehension, I was set up as the chief Ottoman Pasha. (Do I look that competent? Fooled you all!!) Glenn commanded the centre cavalry and the elite Janissaries. The game used 10mm figures and was played with For King or Empress rules using the War of the Austrian Succession Expansion. The field was impressive and looked great. There were a lot of figures!

The Ottoman left facing a HUGE number of Russian infantry

Elite Janissaries with artillery and other Ottoman troops to their left.

Glenn Pasha's cavalry and my Kapikulu guard cavalry

Russian cavalry - dragoons and hussars - facing Ottoman horse archers, Delis, and Sipihi lancers.

Kapikulu... as you can plainly see!
The colour-coded labeling made things much easier to know who was commanding who.

Sipihis move in support of the crazed horse archers.

Russians! Russians! Russians!

     We thoroughly enjoy the con, bought some fantastic figs, and found the flea market ("Bring-and-buy" if you're Canadian.) quite interesting. Some of my latest painting will reflect these purchases! Our thanks go out to all who hosted games and set up this con. Excellent work!

     Will we go back again? It depends on a number of things, to be honest - post-retirement finances, health, and border politics. As the Magic Eight-Ball says "Ask again later." Maybe there will be some naval games next time! (We had hoped to find some at this con, but alas!)

    'Til later enjoy this pastoral scene: