This week.....something different

This week’s game at the SESWC was something different.  Pirates!

The game was a follow up to last week at the club which I missed being on holiday in Spain   Colin Jack provided the models and we used Angus Konstam’s sea mat on the table.  The rules were the Legends of the High Seas by Tim Kulinski  and Rick Priestley.

Closing on the island with fearsome crew

Dave Cooper and I played the rescue the prisoner scenario.  My band of 13 pirates – 3 male heroes leading 10 female pirates – had to rescue a prisoner from Dave’s huge band of 19 pirates.  Luckily Dave was forced to split his band in 2 locations with the prisoner hidden at one of them.  My band sailed to the central island and landed unopposed by Dave’s 9 pirates.  We then engaged in a desperate swordfight were I cut down 8 of Dave’s crew – the survivor swimming to the village on the next island under a hail of pistol shots.  I found to my chagrin that the prisoner on the island was a decoy and sailed in pursuit to the village.   As I came close the boat came under heavy musket and pistol fire from the village.  After several exchanges and some lucky dicing I dealt with 2 of the ambushers and Dave’s band broke and fled…the true prisoner was rescued.  I had lost 6 of my band including my mate and an unsung hero.  My captain was left commanding a crew of 6 women.

Olivier's Xebec at anchor

On the other half of the table Colin Jack and Olivier Lepreux played out the steal a ship scenario.  A lack of muskets forced Colin’s cutting out party to storm the ship along a narrow wharf defended by Olivier with muskets, blunderbuss and pistols.  It proved a disaster for Colin who lost in a very one sided struggle….

I am not convinced that the rules which are derived from  the Legends of the West gun fighting rules really work for Pirates who are largely hand to hand fighters.  But I enjoyed the game.

Next week - 20mm SCW - still working on the scenario...