Officially, Roddy was to be hanged at Cold Wars, but things came up, not the least of which was 14 inches of snow.
However, the week before, I ran a dry run at a friend's house. A hanging dress rhearsal, as it were. I used "Gloire" rules.
I had three taverns, and three rescuers: Neil Burke, the notorious Grade 3 highwayman, Roddy's sister, the beautiful and dangerous Claire McCorley, and Father Eamon Sweeney, a Jesuit priest.
The rescuers were to recruit ruffians in the various taverns, by rolling Brains vs Brains. Father Eamon had a "+1 for being a Jesuit" when it came to persuasion. Claire had, ahem, assets (and a high Brains character from among Pete's writings). Neil was next to useless at recruiting, but a fell fighter.
Claire upset my whole scenario plan by using her Ecdysiast skill, which lowered all Brains of those who were affected by her bodice coming undone to insignificance. She was thus able to assemble a Phalanx of Ruffians, 10 in all, including a Fop and a Noble Bystander or two. Fops are tough, by the way. Think Cunningham in Rob Roy, although Pete insists that Cunningham is an Evil Courtier.
Before they could clear the gate, Captain Farrell and his 8 Fusiliers were ambushed by Claire's Task Force, AND Father Sweeney's lads.
Neil and his few friends captured the gallows at the other end of the board from the Class 2 Executioner, and his lowly guard.
I had a few mechanisms which I used here, which I felt were a logical extension of Gloire:
1) Testing Brains vs Brains to form and recruit your gang
2) On Turn 1, the hanging party leaves Goverment House on a roll of 1 on a D10. Turn 2, 1-2 on D10. And so on. This makes the rescuers unsure of how many friends they could count on. I believe they came on on Turn 4.
3) When Claire and Father Eamon ended up with such overwhelming strength, I made an (panicked) Ad Hoc Ruling that to initiate combat, the newly recruited "friends" needed to pass a GUTS test. That eliminated those who just signed up for drink and a glance at Claire's "assets".
Figures used were a Les Higgins dame showing some leg as Claire, a West Wind figure in top hat and cloak as Neil. I think he came from a Vampire hunter, or revolting peasant pack. He had a small hand crossbow, which became a flintlock pistol. Old Glory Marlburian grenadiers as the fusiliers, an Irregular monk as Father Sweeney, and lots of assorted Old Glory, Foundry, Eureka, Front Rank, Hinchliffe etc character figures as bystanders, farmers, ruffians, wagons and so on completed the figure mix. Buildings were the usual suspects.
Gloire is a great game for this type of stuff. Like GASLIGHT, you supply your own fluff, and it is a basic kit on which you can build your own scenarios.
In the end, Roddy escaped as the guard was overwhelmed. However, being a recidivist, he was eventually recaptured, and Judge Murray has decided that he will be hanged at Historicon. Captain Farrell has a reputation to repair, after all. Neil is practicing his Persuasive Speaking. Claire is doing Pilates. Father Sweeney is praying.
BTW, I will not explain terms. Rush right out and buy a copy of "Gloire" for full explanations.
