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.

Why put a tree there? It just seemed right.

You never know where one will show up.
(A really old Games Workshop figure)

Silver Bayonet Co-op

 

    That appeared to be the proper way to get your attention.

    In any event, since I've had a few days off now that the Easter weekend is over, my wife, Beth, and I decided to play another game of The Silver Bayonet, Osprey's "game of Napoleonic horror" (as if war wasn't horrible enough I suppose.) It adds a heavy dose of cinematic horror to the era of the Napoleonic Wars. We set our game in that little side event of what's known as "the War of 1812." I hear it's forgotten in Europe, ignored in most of the USA, and celebrated in Canada.

     So we set up the game, using Beth's Lenni Lenape (Delaware nation) warband and my squad of US troops. It was a "cooperative game" where we were in competition rather than contention. We didn't use the cooperative rules from the game... 'cause we didn't. Our common mission was to free two sisters (whom Beth declared to be the Austin sisters, Jane and Cassandra) from captors of unknown numbers and powers. We entered the table on opposite sides and went from there.

The US team - Officer commanding, pioneer, rifleman, occultist, investigator, infantryman, & scout

The Lenape warband - Sachem (in red cap), rifles, and medicine woman (gesturing)

Note: Not EVERYTHING dangerous is SUPERNATURAL.

     My advance was slowed by a band of rough terrain and a small hill. Beth entered with then band moving up a hill and receiving a shower of rocks from the edge of the forest. They encountered both a clue (a note from one of the women saying there were four bandits and a nasty cult leader in the house ahead) and a band of "Little People" from Iroquois legend, the Rock Throwers. One or two of the group were hit by rocks before they returned fire with rifles and the shaman charged the Little People and fought hand-to-hand with one for two turns.

The main Rock Thrower (Paymaster Miniatures) flings a few at the Lenape.
(Blue Moon, Trent, and Prince August miniatures)

The shaman attacks the Rock Throwers. His silvered weapon was of no use since the little guys
have an allergy to cold iron. Some of the smaller figs are old GW "snotlings." The bingo chip
denotes a wound. (We've developed a better system.)

Headed for the house with one bandit facing them.
(The white scrap of paper indicates he's fired his musket,
and yes, we're adopting a better system,)
Beth's figures are marked and named.

This is how the Rock Throwers made their presence known.

     On my end of the table, I was moving slowly, impeded by some rough ground. I headed to the house and two more bandit exited and began to exchange fire with my team. My rifleman returned fire. Eventually the fourth bandit - who had gone out for water or beer or something - came up behind the rifleman and wounded him. The rest of my team rushed the house, and the Kentucky scout and the Pioneer confronted the bandits directly.

The US force, with its newest member, occultist the Rev. Heldooser (in black)
begin their entry.

The captain and an infantryman (Old Glory and Wargames Factory)

From Beth's perspective... as the rough ground slows the advance.

Because I won the initiative a number of time, I moved first and had to split the unit as per the rules.

Lousy bandit!!

A GW Warhammer fantasy figure - Empire militia
with two pistols

As the rifleman reloads, the sneaky bandit fires.
He actually ran off at the end of the game.

    The rifleman downed one of the bandits and the scout dashed past him to get to the door of the house. My Pioneer attacked the bandit with his axe and a melee ensued.

Bandit vs. Combat Engineer while the Kentucky scout opens the door.

Bandits in the murk! I might have put my finger over the flash. Yeah, that's the ticket!
(The one figure might be a deserter from the Glangarry Fencibles although I don't know the
manufacturer. The other is an Dixon FIW ranger I believe.)

Infantry (Wargames Factory) and the Rev. Heldooser (RAFM)

My supernatural investigator passes the dead bandit.

To the house!

     When my scout entered the house, he was faced with the leader of the bandit's cult, a Possessed, and as they began to struggle, the Possessed breathed Demonic Fire on the scout, burning him badly but not killing him. The Pioneer soon took out the other bandit and joined the fray in the house. Meanwhile the Medicine Woman attacked the bandit on Beth's side of the house. My officer soon came up to join the melee and the bandit was "dispatched" as it were. Two warriors broke down the door on their side and fired into the back of the Possessed and he soon died, although he burned my scout to within one point of his ending!

My officer fencing with the bandit. Don't mess with the Regulars!

The bandit before he was attacked by everybody.

The overhead view from Beth's private Zeppelin. The d6 was there to count the turns,

More of the same,

The melee at the house door with the Austin sisters revealed on the second floor of the house.

The sachem and one warrior added their weight to the melee in the house. The body on the ground
in that of the Possessed. One nasty character.

     Beth's shaman proved his worth by enchanting one warrior's rifle thereby negating the injury deduction on the Possessed stats. That did the trick and he was done in by the Lenape warriors. They saved the day and Beth gets the credit for rescuing the Austin sisters.

With the Possessed laid out on the ground, the Lenape warband prepare to escort the sisters
to safety. The Kentucky scout was badly burned and would probably be taken home to his family,

The Austin sisters (Bad Squido minis) look with disgust toward their place of captivity.

The Lenni Lenape save the day!

     We're still learning the rules and we thoroughly enjoyed this cooperative game. With a little adjusting and finagling, a cooperative game can be played. I hope to battle my son again when he can make it down to our house.

     The game is well thought out and can be adjusted for varying time periods, like the French-and-Indian wars or the American Civil War. I've seen versions for the Russo-Japanese War and the wars in Japan. I'm thinking of adapting the rules (without the supernatural stuff) for a skirmish game based on the sci-fi novel, Dune. Time will tell.

     I hope you all can enjoy whatever gaming you usually enjoy!