More Kings of War on Hamilton Road

It appears that the Mantic Games "Kings of War" has made inroads in the Hamilton Road Games Group in London, ON. There were skeptics... as there should be... but a number have come to enjoy this large army fantasy game.

First off, a few photos of my wife's Baselian army. Drawing from the historical Byzantine Empire but "warping" it more than a little, Beth felt that the army list would lend itself to an Arthurian Mythos treatment. She's well on her way.

Beth's Phoenix ... using Reaper Miniatures model, at it's fiery best.

Bolt throwers, using Whiz Kids D&D Ballistae and crew drawn from whatever I could find.

Two Saturday's ago, Andy tried his hand at KoW using a Britonnian army he'd had for a long time. He faced off against Ralph's "Empire" army in a Battle Royal.

Andy's quite-colourful knights, light cavalry, and Robin-hood style archers.

Ralph's knights, light horse archers, and arquebusiers/"Commanded Shot".
Behind them is a unit of greatswords.

The greatswords and a large clump of spears, actually a unit size referred to as a "horde" by the rules.
They are allowed the "Phalanx" rule with forbids a frontal charge by cavalry.

Sunlight! It's been a dark and dreary winter in Southwestern Ontario and the sight of the sun is welcome!
The 'battle mat' is Ralph's, purchased from a firm in the Czech Republic he said.

Andy's force - loads of knights and a TON of archers. That much missile power cannot be ignored!

Ralph's light horse archers who began life as Skythians or some other steppe folk.

Andy's force is incredibly colourful and a lot of fun to see deployed.

Ralph's battle line. His cavalry was kept on the flanks and the centre was filled with foot troops.

Andy's force doesn't lack for chivalry. He says there's more at home, itching to get on the field.

Need I say this will NOT end well for the handgunners?
The d10's keep track of the casualties. A Regiment of Kights can take alot more punishment than a 'troop' of gunners.

Knights charge the greatswords while the archers get into hand-to-hand combat.
To be honest, I didn't expect that, but it worked for Andy whose archers swarmed Ralph's troops
after showering them with arrows

Knights, bowman, and crossbowmen of Ralph's army.
This from the second game, where he and I squared off.

An impressive of spears in phalanx from Cambridge backed by a cannon. Ralph also took a mortar.
I took two cannon.

My regiment of knights and a phalanx horde of spears under the banners of the Black Company
(a mailed fist with German text around it.)
The horsed figure is "The Captain", a hero-type general who permits shifting of up to three of the army's units
prior to the start of the game, 'cause he's a 'superior tactician.' I recommend taking him and using a more humble figure
... just to throw off your opponent.

Ahh! My favourite unit - the horde of heavy pikemen in phalanx. The unit is mostly Old Glory's pikemen
from their Italian Wars range with a few additions - command, music, etc. You can also see one of my cannon,
a regiment of archers, a troop of 'rifles', and my giant, "Tiny." I wanted a more vicious name, but Andy called him
"Tiny" and it stuck. He slapped around Ralph's archers and crossbowmen, and chased around the copse of trees
to mess with the mortar hidden there (It can be seen to the right of the trees at the top of the photo,)

We're really enjoying this set of rules and we've seen 3 different Kings of Men armies, two different Salamander armies (re-titled Lizardmen), and an Elvish host. I waiting to see my son's dwarves, by wife's Baselians, and Samurai Kings of Men army rumoured to be in the wings.

There will be more...