A Scobie of Scots

A Headless Body Production

Venue: Wyndham Resort, née Lancaster Host
Event: Fall In, 25mm Open Theme, Round 1
Players: Phil Gardocki running Scots Isles, list 187
               Tom McMillan of "Seti on the Flank" fame, running Feudal Scots, list 184
Game System: L'Art de la Guerre, 200 points per side. 

Nothing was working right when I arrived in the morning. Power was off, the PC needed for record keeping was dead, only 4 players showed up. So we were winging it on the 25mm side, and my notes were kind of sparse. 

 

The Forces:

The Futile Scots were commanded by Robert the Bruce, a Strategist, and two other names of no renown.
1 or more Armored Heavy Spearmen
10 Heavy Spearmen
8 Highlanders, "Teuchter", Medium Swordsmen, Bow
2 Medium troops of uncertain qualities
2 Light Infantry, Bow, An fheadhainn òga 
Breakpoint of 23

 

The Scots are commanded by MacLeft, MacCenter and MacRight. All are considered Competent, and easily replaceable.
14 Islemen, "Eileanaich", Heavy Swordsmen, 2HW, some are Elite, some are Mediocre
4 Highland Archers "Boghadairean Gàidhealach" (no, I'm going to pepper the report with that) Medium Swordsmen, Bow
2 Levy, "Sgum"
2 Irish "Gaisgich Èireannach", Medium Sword, 2HW
2 Light Infantry, Bow, An fheadhainn òga 
Breakpoint of 24

Display Conventions: When you see a word bubble like "Ouch!" or "tha sin a' goirteachadh!" or "Auc!" or "Mah poofy culur bahookie", this implies a disorder from missiles. Letters in parenthesis represent some value change for the specific unit. For commanders it is s for strategist, b for Brilliant, c for Competent and o for Ordinary, u for unreliable. For troops it is e for Elite, and m for Mediocre. Other abbreviations, Hvy Heavy, XB Crossbow, LB, Longbow, Jav Javelin, 2HW 2 Handed Weapons, B Bow, Kn Knight, HKn Heavy Knight, HC Heavy Cavalry, Md Medium, Sgt Sergeants, LC Light Cavalry, Chr Chariot, Cat Cataphract, Pa Pavise, LI, Light Infantry, HG Hand Gun, FKn Foot Knight, Hvy Spear, Heavy Spearmen.

Inappropriately capitalized words are used to highlight terms that are specific to the game. For example Brilliant, Competent and Ordinary have specific game values for the commanders.

"XX" implies a unit killed in that location on that turn.

Any inaccuracies and vagueness as to specific units is to be regarded as fog of war and should be considered as part of the fun.

The Board:

It doesn't matter who won the initiative, this fight is in the Mountains.

Deployment:

The Scots right is dominated by Highlanders

Their center mostly heavy spearmen

And we'll just put a stop on the Braveheart references right here.

Their left, more highlanders, + 2.

Meanwhile, the Highlanders and Irish are deployed against their traditional enemies, the Scots.

The Islemen take the center.

And the right.

Both sides pretty much abandoned the right side of the board.

The plan was to use the impassable as a barrier to shoot behind from. The Irish can hold the flanks of the shooters. The Islemen will engage the Scots as they try to divert around terrain.

Turn 1:

Oh my, that is a lot of troops going around the impassable marsh.

But their heavies are spearmen, and -2 for entering the brush where my bowmen are deployed. So not so bad.

The bulk of their remaining heavies divert the other way around.

While their remaining mediums are doing some dancing around the other hill.

An overview of their advance.

MacLeft advances to bow range and ineffectively loose arrows.

MacCenter an MacRicht's islemen advance. Wi aw thon force pivotin on their left, thon gives thaim a numbers an quality advantage i the center...

...and right.

Turn 2:

After one shot, the Scots decide that they sent too much on their right, and withdraw their spearmen to go elsewhere.

Their spearmen try to organize their lines.

Their bow armed highlanders eagerly advance at a trot.

The Irish prepare to receive.

The Highlander bowmen split up to harass the Scots right and center battles.

MacLeft and MacRight adjust their lines. Or at least their stories.

One nice long line.

Turn 3:
 

A quick walk through the Con last night. Some gorgeous scenery.

A great looking harbor setup

Some amazing tall ships.

A back up shot.

OK Phil, stop with the honey shots and get back to the game.

The Highlanders clear the difficult terrain. Arrows are exchanged.

The wiley Scots pull up juist a wee bit oot o range here.

But the Hichlanders here approach tae juist within arrow range. +2 is headin for the flanks.

For reasons, the Erse decide tae charge. Otherwise it wad be a 4 on 2 archery duel.

The Islemen move as fast as they coud, but no enouch tae be within charge reach.

Wi their claidheamh-mòrs, they have the advantage ower the Scots spearmen, as they win ties. An for aw practical purposes, ignore the armor o the dismountit nobles.

On the right, the Highlanders start scoring with their bows.

Turn 4:

The dead cost nothing. One band of Irish is routed.

Robert makes more adjustments tae his line.

Ane o the +2's decides tae pull oot o the line. Why? A dae no know.

Thare is a chance the Erse coud pull this oot, wi some incentive. But alas...

Wi a roar, the eileanaich get tae within shoutin distance.

 

The cotton strewed figures are Levy. As Phil Barker commented, Levy shoud have dust clouds tae denote "late arrivals an early departures."

MacRight orders his young (2HW, but Mediocre) Eileanaich reserves to cover his flank.

Turn 5:

The Scots Highlanders crash into their most hated foes, the Scots Highlanders.

Their lowland cousins wait patiently for the islemen tae get their act together.

The other +2 decides he doesnae want tae play today.

MacLeft's (no longer in this picture) personal highlanders are routed, and he flees the panel.

The pre-show insults are done, time for some fichting!

This is the kynd o charge ye play this game for. Larry has aw his main line troops engagit.

While MacRight manages to get 4 more in hand to hand.

With the catastrophic loss of MacLeft's Irish and Highlanders, the Scots have 15 points towards their demoralization level of 24

While the Scots have just 9 of 23.

Turn 6:

The Highlanders reorganize and begin to advance on the Scots left flank.

MacCenter (green Clan Ramsay banner) routs his foes. But everywhere else, his Eileanaich are failing fast.

MacRight has routed a couple of his foes.

The Scots are at 17 of 24.

While the Scots have just 13 of 23.

MacLeft has lost enough men this day and withdraws.

MacCenter's battle trades losses.

MacRight's forces are totally victorious!

O course, the problem now is thon macricht's battle has noone left tae ficht, an are effectively oot o the game.

The Scots demoralization level has climbit rapidly tae 19 o 23.

While the Scots score juist edges up bi 1 tae 18.

Turn 7:

The Scots war leader has a shortage o command points. He rallies ane clan, an sends another aff tae assist the center battle.

Which needs little help. Their spearmen pummel intae MacLeft's hichlanders, turnin the flank on maccenter's battle.

Bruce's spearmen defeat another islemen clan. But is i a precarious position wi clan O'Lyre on their flank.

The Scots are at 20 of 23

to 19 of 24

MacCenter commits his young men (mediocre) to battle.

MacLeft picks up the pace on his exit.

The Levy are committed to battle. With an assist by Clan O'Lyre on the flanks, they manage to score a tie!

Eileanaich racing for the Scots camp. There are wimmin there.

The score is now 21 all.

Turn 7:

MacCenter (again, the green Ramsay banner) haed a clan rout throuch him an now finds himself sorely pressit. His supportin eileanaich is defeatit. But sae is Robert the Bruce's support.

Taking this game to a nail biter. 22 of 23 for the Futiles Scots, to 23 of 24 for the Scots Isles!

The confusion of the battlefield.

Highlanders advance looking for a target.

MacCenter's Eileanaich are disordered again, and he falls in combat. That is + 2 to the score and the Scots are demoralized.

The Scots camp was hopelessly out of reach.

Mummerings emanate from the Trojan Rabbit about a badger.

The Black Knight has successfully defended his bridge.

What went wrong?

With the benefit of hindsight, the over committing of the left flank Irish to fight was a mistake. They were done so because the situation was even numbers, but the Futiles had 4 shooters to 2. By charging, that took the Futiles down to 1 shooter. But the Irish were defeated handily, losing the flank.

If I had just held them, they still would have been defeated, eventually, by bowfire. But not nearly as quickly. And considering how close the game was, if I had my turn, one of the remaining spearmen would have been fighting on two fronts for one point, guaranteed, for the winning point. 

A perennial favorite, the Warrior(tm) Ice Board.

Massive chaos on another Warrior(tm) board

The crowd lines up for a chariot race.

An amazing set up.

If you didn't get the joke on turn 1, here are the lyrics of a song it refers too.  One of many I am sure.

A Scotsman clad in kilt left the bar one evening fair
And one could tell by how he walked he'd drunk more than his share
He staggered on until he could no longer keep his feet
Then stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street

[Chorus]
Ring ding diddle diddle i de o
Ring di diddle i o
Then stumbled off into the grass to sleep beside the street

[Verse 2]
Later on two young and lovely girls just happened by
And one says to the other with a twinkle in her eye
You see yon sleeping Scotsman who is young and handsome built
I wonder if it’s true what they don't wear beneath their kilt

[Chorus]
Ring ding diddle diddle i de o
Ring di diddle i o
I wonder if it's true what they don’t wear beneath their kilt

[Verse 3]
They crept up to the sleeping Scotsman quiet as could be
Then lifted up his kilt about an inch so they could see
And there behold for them to view beneath his Scottish skirt
Was nothing but what God had graced him with upon his birth
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[Chorus]
Ring ding diddle diddle i de o
Ring di diddle i o
There was nothing there but what God had graced him with upon his birth

[Verse 4]
They marveled for a moment then one said "We'd best be gone
But let's leave a present for our friend before we move along"
They took a blue silk ribbon and they tied it in a bow
Around the bonnie spar that the Scot's lifted kilt did show

[Chorus]
Ring ding diddle diddle i de o
Ring di diddle i o
Around the bonnie spar that the Scot's lifted kilt did show

[Verse 5]
The Scotsman woke to nature's call and stumbled toward a tree
Behind a bush he lifts his kilt and gawks at what he sees
Then in a startled voice he says to what's before his eyes
He said, "Lad I don't know where you’ve been but I see you won first prize"

[Chorus]
Ring ding diddle diddle i de o
Ring di diddle i o
He said, "Lad I don’t know where you've been but I see you won first prize"
Ring ding diddle diddle i de o
Ring di diddle i o
He said, "Lad I don’t know where you've been but I see you won first prize"
Ring ding diddle diddle i de o
Ring di diddle i o
He said, "Lad I don't know where you've been but I see you won first prize"
Lad I don’t know where you've been but I see you won first prize
Lad I don't know where you've been but I see you won first prize