"The Messenger - Lion Rampant Game #1" Topic

Our first game with the rules. Gave it a go with Japanese.
I realize I desperately need to get a real camera and apologize for the subpar photos.

The scenario was right out of the book (there are 12 included in the rules and are easily connected for a campaign). The objective was for the Red Team to get their messenger off the opposite corner of the table before the game ended. Failure to do so would result in a Black Team win.

The Red Force
1 x 6 Mounted MAA
1 x 6 Mounted MAA
1 x 12 Foot Sergeants
1 x 12 Archers
1 x 6 Bidowers
1 x 6 Bidowers
1 Messenger w/ Centipede Banner
1 Leader Special Ability – Vulnerable

The Black Force
1 x 6 Mounted MAA Drilled
1 x 6 Mounted MAA Drilled
1 x 12 Foot Yeomen
1 x 12 Foot Yeomen
1 x 12 Archers
1 Leader Special Ability – Strong

Opening Moves

The messenger is in the far Red MAA unit, the leader in the near one. Archers moving on the right flank. Bidowers moving across the creek along with the Foot Serjeants across the bridge.

Black pours out of the woods and are met by Bidowers in the village.

Red archers slogging through the creek.

Bidowers driven off by Black Mtd MAA. Red serjeants move to establish a bridgehead.

Bidowers move to cover in the village. Foot serjeants driven off the bridge by fire from the Black Archers and a failed Courage check. They would continue to refuse to fight underlings below their status. They are mocked by the Black general John M.

Black Foot Yeoman move up in a blocking position.

The Black Retinue moves up to engage.

Black Foot Yeoman attempt to drive Red Archers out of cover. They would fail repeatedly.

A mad dash across the bridge.

Support on the way. The Foot Serjeants stay out. They continue to fail to rally. Are they cowards or are they traitors?

Clash !!!

Challenge issued and answered/.

RIP Despite the Red leaders Vulnerable status he takes the head of his opponent.

The Black Foot Yeoman are not happy about the death of their leader and leave the field.

When the result seems imminent…..they finally move forward. We'll keep a close eye on them in future battles.

A last ditch effort to stop the messenger.

The result.

Game over? Does the Messenger get off the table? Very close but no. With only four units left on the table we rolled a die to see if the game continued. A five was rolled and the game ended.

We really liked the rules. Easily converted for any number of periods. Lots of well thought out nuances in the order and combat stats. I think we'll go with Norman on Norman, William fighting his sons next.

I downloaded the rules as an Nook ebook (Sorry Dennis)figuring I'd try it (actually it was an impulse buy and wanted them immediately)and it worked pretty well. The search function easily got me where I needed to go when questions came up.

Good gaming to you all in 2015!!!

DM

excellent !! – almost tempted to buy a copy …

Very cool. I am going to add this to my next Amazon order. I am very interested in the Samurai period for it, but also El Cid.

Good solid set of rules. A nice change from SAGA, which I still like very much. I will pick up my own copy of Lion Rampant soon. Thanks for the game Don, your figures and terrain also made the game fun.

The rules have much to commend them and your game looked great. I feel, however, that the rules 'as is' favour shooting too much. I've played 2 games so far and in the last game, my unit of Bidowers placed into a wood, together with a unit of Expert Archers shooting from further away, destroyed a unit of Expert Archers, a unit of Foot Serjeants and mauled a unit of Mounted Serjeants without taking any significant casualties themselves. The weak Attack value (5+) of Foot Serjeants (compared with Defence value of 5+ of Archers) does not make them the 'Jack of all Trades' that I believe they should be. Instead, they are relatively vulnerable to ranged shooting and not decisive when committed to attack. This is the one aspect of the rules that we already think we'll have to change to suit us if we are to continue to play them. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

I've thought about not allowing missle units to fire from cover at full strength. They would be restricted to half strength if firing from cover, full strength if firing from the open.
If the unit was reduced to half strength, its firing would not be affected.