More Irregular play testing (and a 3 for 3 result!)

That's right, we tested out three of the new scenarios of Irregular Wars: Conflict at the World's End last night - and I continue to be hampered by the author's curse. Three games, three losses. Not entirely discouraging though as we nutted out a few more little issues with the scenarios and had many laughs in the process. My thanks to Steve Webb at the Southern Battle Gamers (here) for once again teaching me how to play the game.

First up we played the 'punitive raid' scenario. The aim of the game is for the attacker to burn down as many of the opponents buildings as possible in the allocated time. As the Irish attacker, it was up to me to try to send the English home to their smelly queen. Unfortunately we didn't quite balance the game properly and the village was deployed during deployment rather than during terrain placement (a very silly oversight).

As a result, the English naturally deployed in such a way as to block my approach. My chances were further hampered when I rolled atrociously for disease and mishaps before the first turn and ended up with a sick battle, scattered through some captains being impatient and others late...

Initial deployment showing the scattered Irish line.

The English lord and his demi-lancers were also impetuous - the game
started with the English lord and the Irish redshanks already in a melee.

As the game progressed, it became clear that  the poor Irish stood little chance. I did manage to draw his line beyond the protection of the village walls, and in a fairly rash decision, sent two unengaged companies of kern on a wild outflanking maneuver.

As the kern outflank the English left, they pass out of command range.
One manages to head for the village but the other runs for the hills.

The English heavy horse finally break through the Irish right and
sweep behind the remaining companies of gallowglass.

The remaining kern make it into the village, but the rest
of the Irish battle are surrounded and scattered.

****

The second game was 'reive and retrieve' in which the vile indigenies tried to steal my honest Dutch sheep. The Dutch were outnumbered (not for the first time) but the game looked to be a close one. We only had a single flock of sheep (something which won't happen again) who started between the two lines. As part of the disease and mishap roles, the native priest was bought off by the Duth agents and left the battle field. Not a bad way to start the game.

Initial deployments - the Hollanders have late halberdiers and impatient shot.

Sir Not-appearing-in-this-game-'cause-he-was-bought-off.

Opening volleys go well for the Hollanders who scatter some warriors
causing a ripple of lost resolve through the Caribbean line.

The Dutch rujters forget themselves and charge into the amorphous Caribbean lines... again.

The rujters are swamped and scatter - Indian scouts pinch the sheep and pass
through their own lines which close like an amoeba behind them - thus victory
was assured for the swine.

****

The third game was 'ambush'. The English were doing the ambushing and so decided that minimal terrain would be required. Honestly, who ambushes on flat terrain...?

The ambush is sprung!

The English planters open fire as the Irish scramble for a better position.

The English (through good luck mostly) manage to close their jaws on the main Irish battle.

The last of the Irish resistance crumbles in the face of overwhelming odds.

All in all, a series of fun battles in which I was most undeniably bested. The new scenarios do appear to work well on the whole. We believe that with a tiny bit more tweaking, the raiding scenarios will work well. The ambush seems to be pretty good already. Stay tuned for more... but don't hold your breath the whole time....