The Minstrel Boy: An Bayonet Airgid (The Silver Bayonet in Ireland)

Saturday was my son's birthday and circumstances prevented us from celebrating until Sunday. He and his dog, Atlas, came to our house for a meal, some home-made apple pie (his favourite!), and a game of The Silver Bayonet. This is a game of "Napoleonic Horror" pitting specialist teams from various powers of the time against an other-worldly power feeding on the suffering and pain of the warring sides in the era of Napoleon. We enjoy the game and recommend it.

It is usually set in Europe somewhere, or according to the supplements available, in the Carpathians, in Canada, or in Egypt. An upcoming offering takes the game to Calabria. Anyway, I decided to set our game in Ireland. If there's ANYPLACE of myth and legend, I'd say it would have to be the "Auld Sod." So we set about playing. I was gamesmaster and the players were:

Robb - a Russian unit (a new one we'd never tried before)
Nick - a unit of Scots clan fighters
Wren - a team of Harvestmen Exiles, based on a fan-written supplement where some of the so-called monsters are used as a warband led by either a vampire, a cult leader, or a changeling which was Wren's choice - a Changeling, a Dark Wolf, two Pixies, two Goblins, a Witch, and two bandits.
Beth - A Lenni-Lenape warband.(The English name of the nation is the "Delaware" people.)

Now you may ask how Scots, Russians, and First Nations got to Ireland. For the Scots, it's a short swim. For the others, I will refer you to the theme song of Mystery Science Theatre 3000:

If you're wondering how he eats and breathes

And other science facts,

Just repeat to yourself "It's just a show,

I should really just relax

So anyway, we let the donnybrook begin! I decided to use a castle model Beth and I bought many years ago.

The Castle being used in another setting... shown for demonstration purposes.

The players were informed that the local population were concerned with the loss of cattle in the area as well as mysterious figures prowling the fields and another mysterious figure escorting orphaned children to safety while they were in danger from unknown sources.

Almost immediately, Wren's Exiles encountered a living scarecrow.
Here the Changeling leader and one of the Goblins fight the beastie.

Another of the Changeling's Goblins encountered Nick's Scots.

The Scots used the available cover to advance.

The Lenni-Lenape searched the abandoned chapel for clues
and soon were fighting the Scots.

Abandoned, but the altar is set? Maybe it's still in use!
Altar and thing on it (I don't know what it's supposed to be)
by Wizards of the Coast and the book is balsa.

The Lenni-Lenape are seen through the opened window behind the altar.

Beth took a great photo of the welcoming doorway arch...

... and the sparse furnishings in the ruin.

Meanwhile, one of Wren's Pixies kept tabs in the Scots.

The Scots leader, The Gordon of Gordon engaged the Lenni-Lenape through the broken wall.
We was aided by a battle-mad Highlander and his family piper.
(Yes, I made up some rules for the use of pipes for the Scots and the Irish Rebels.)

The Witch of Wren's party prepared to throw a spell...

... at a cluster of Nick's Scots.

The Gordon steps up to the fight.

One of Wren's Bandits had discharged his musket.

At the other end of the table, Robb's Russians faced off against an annoying bunch of Pixies
who served the Harvestmen. They just annoy.
The two figures with the white "halos" have had their weapons blessed/enchanted by Father Vasil, a champion of the faith. The fellow with the torch is a "Woodsman", a new class found in the Canada supplement and a very useful and worthwhile character to have in your team.

The Woodsman, an Infantryman, and the Major commanding move toward the castle.

Father Vasil, the second Infantryman, and the Grenadier move up.
The pig? He tagged along since it was Robb's birthday for no other reason.
At one point, the group encountered a werewolf escorting five children.
The werewolf set himself between the party and the children.
Why? In Irish myth and legend, werewolves are PROTECTORS of the innocent and helpless!
Robb figured this out, let them pass, and gained victory points.

In the castle, the Banshee began to keen!
She appeared when one of the teams investigated a clue point.
(A lovely Alternative Armies figure)

The Banshee begins to move.

A long distance of Wren's Exiles and Nick's Scots duking it out.

The Pink Pixie encounters a clue and discovers both live cattle and cattle bones
in the castle courtyard. Wren, Nick, and Robb had to split some points for the cattle.

Robb's Russian werebear in melee with Wren's Goblin, Bandit, and Changeling.
Again, the little white "halo" indicates that the weapon was blessed/enchanted.
Robb sent the bear in to soak up trouble, which he did. Too much in fact.

One of the clue markers. Beth encountered a group of four Leprechauns burying a treasure.
They got away with the "pot o' gold" so Beth got partial points for the meeting.
Sad to say, we didn't get any photos!

Wren's Punkin'-Head Pixie watched the Russians from a safe distance.

Who won? Well, Beth recovered the sacred Book of Kelly and got it off the board. Nick, Wren, and Robb split the points for getting the cattle out. Nobody tripped the Big Nasty, Abhartach the Vampire, so he sleeps in his tomb yet. Actually, we all had so much fun we really didn't care much who won!

I based the Lenni-Lenape and the Scots on the British list. The Russians were right out of the book with the addition of the Woodsman from the Canada supplement. I like that character and it could be added to any faction. The Harvestman Exiles were taken from the "Servants of the Harvestmen" fan supplement. I think that could still be found in the "files" section of the Facebook page. Wren really likes to play that one!

Irish Rebel piper from Trent Miniatures

Scots regimental piper

Bagpipes... I know that many nations have some sort of bagpipe among their folk music. It is the Great Highland Pipes of the Scots and the War pipes of the Irish that I'm talking about. When playing, the character uses both actions although they may move but not sprint. It causes a morale/terror recovery for any of the unit within 6". I'd like it to scare the Harvestmen's servants and monsters some way or other, but I'm not sure how to do that. Experimentation will continue!

A rather lengthy blog entry, but it was a great time.