Today, my friends Lawrence and Phil were kind enough to give my new Fantasy rules another playtest.
The scenario for today's game (Generated by my BareBones scenario generator) is as follows:
Conan of Cimmeria was serving as a scout in the forces of the king of Aquilonia, in his troubled border with the Pictish Wilderness.
Conan was escorting a Princess of the blood, Vanaria, who had been requested as an intermediary by the Pictish envoy to help negotiate a new border between Bossonia and the Picts. The Pictish tribe at this point in the border were more 'civilised' than most Picts from long contact with the Aquilonians, they even wore breeches!
Conan was not alone, he had another Cimmerian scout as well as some Aquilonian adventurers and men-at-arms for security.
One night, just after crossing the Pictish border, Conan was on watch, when he was approached by the Pictish envoy, who engaged him in conversation. The Pict offered Conan a drink of Pictish ale, but Conan was not one to get drunk on watch when others lives were at stake, so he declined. He agreed to have water which the Pict drew from the barrel, drawing a drink for both of them. Conan's last memory was sipping the water before...
...he awoke with a start! - rushing back to the encampment, his head splitting with pain worse than any hangover, he found all as normal, but no envoy, and no princess!
Now awake, Count Lorenzo was furious at the loss of princess and railed at Conan, he even thought of drawing his sword in his fury, but he knew the reputation of his scout only too well!- and he would not forgive him.
The Aquilonians met in conclave the next morning, without either barbarian, and decided the princess would be used by the Picts to trade for more land in the negotiations, and that Lorenzo would lose face at court for the disaster now unfolding.
Ricardo, the other Knight with the party, suggested they must continue with the mission, but now to rescue the princess! Conan had told him the Princess would most likely be held at a Pictish Sacred Grove some miles deeper into Pictland, but she would probably be moved soon.
Lorenzo reluctantly agreed, especially as this would mean having to use the Barbarians as scouts, as they were the only ones familiar with the Picts, and the lay of the land.
However, needs must....
The ( ok,rather oversized!) table of play.
Conan deployed in the centre, with the Aquilonians on either flank.
Count Lorenzo, with a man-at-arms, a Gentleman adventurer, and a Bossonian archer. These were run by Lawrence.
Phil as ever, used one of my Conan figures!
I had 2 men-at-arms and a lady-at-arms, the sister of Princess Vanaria.
Lorenzo stayed back, Ricardo probed the woods on the right, while Conan moved ahead.
With sufficient distance between Lorenzo and Conan, he led his men forward.
Ricardo continued through the woods, trying to avoid Pictish eyes!
Conan took the high ground, he feared no Pict!
Ricardo protected his flank, he thought, but Conan was protecting his!
Lorenzo advanced in their wake.
Conan stopped behind the hill brow, to allow Lorenzo to catch up.
Conan ran down the hillside, as silently as a panther, but halted as the Aquilonians unexpectedly drew their swords threateningly toward him. Conan, visibly unperturbed, suggested to Lorenzo they bear right around the denser woods there.
Meanwhile, Ricardo had joined the other Barbarian on the hill.
Conan moved through the wood back to his hilltop, he didn't want to tempt a Bossonian archer's arrow in his back!
Lorenzo and Ricardo reunited on the hill, as the scouts led the way right.
Unexpectedly, a Pictish patrol appeared ahead.
The Picts raised a war-cry, sure to attract more picts before...
...Rushing into contact!
Conan, light on his feet, fell back so he would not face all the Picts at once.
The Aquilonians saw what was happening and advanced to join battle.
The Picts were putting up a good fight, even Conan could only wound one!
More Picts followed the first, so Ricardo's men had plenty to fight.
Conan was in his stride now, and the Aquilonians got another two.
Lorenzo heard a noise behind him, and he beheld 12 Picts sneaking up from behind!
The Picts in the original battle were being whittled down.
Onrie, the Bossonian archer wounded a Pict, and the whole group paused!
Despite being overwhelmed, the Picts against Conan continued fighting hard.
More Picts were coming in from the flank.
Lorenzo was now hit by the Picts, over their shock!
Conan was mopping up.
Ricardo ran his men back to help Count Lorenzo.
More Picts were rushing into the Aquilonian rear.
Oneri nocked an arrow...
Conan and the Aquilonians cut into the Picts.
A small group of Picts arrived to reinforce their beleaguered colleagues.
The Cimmerians went to face the rear attack.
Oneri shot a shaft at one of the attackers, in their support...it went nowhere near Conan!!!
The Aquilonians took advantage of Conan's move to clean up the Picts against them.
With the arraival of reserves, the Picts now had us surrounded!!!
We formed a sort of loose circle!
The Picts fought hard!...
...until the dice went our way, thank Mitra!
The survivors scattered.
The Aquilonians pushed into the woods, getting back on mission. A new group of Picts were engaged by Oneri.
Inside the wood Lorenzo organised a defensive line while Conan scouted ahead.
The Picts charged blindly into the wood...
...and as quickly Routed back out!
The Aquilonians made an uneventful passage through the dense woods until they came in sight of the Sacred Grove.
The Pictishe defenders charged, guided by the traitorous envoy!
The first Pictish charge was recoiled.
The 'Envoy' joined a final charge!
The Picts withdrew, licking their wounds, but Conan ran to engage the leader.
After a few rounds of tense combat, Conan prevailed! Epic!
The Princess was being held in a trap made of vines and poisonous darts, which she could not leave without triggering a lethal response. As the cleverest member of our group, Ricardo skillfully deactivated the trap, and led the Princess to safety.
And so it ended, with faces saved all round in the Aquilonian ranks.
I got a few suggestions for slight rule amendments, which I have added, so I hope a future game will be even better!
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