Pirates vs Spanish colonials using the Donnybrook ruleset.

[Hiblock]

Donnybrook is a mass-skirmish, card-driven game.  This game was really chaotic.
THE FIGHT FOR THE FOUNTAIN
or
A LAMENT FOR ASSE

Juan Balboa eyed his assembled troops. They were a poor lot, mostly raw  recruits recently drawn into the militia and uncertain as to which end of the  musket hurt most. One unit did not even have muskets, and were issued half-pikes. But Balboa was not concerned. They lacked firepower but had Serjente Pedro Vacuna. Tough and capable he had been drilling them whenever  possible. These lanceros would be deadly in a fight. Two units of musketeers  and a detachment of regular dragoons completed his command.

His orders were clear – Get to the fabled fountain ahead of the pirate Jack Asse.  And he had achieved just that. The fountain was not much to look at, but its  powers were legendary, or perhaps sinister was the better term. No matter. No  pirate scum could be allowed to drink from its waters.

The forces of the benevolent King of Spain were drawn up in a rough line some  little way behind a stream. On the left Capitaine Diego marched with the first unit of musketeers. He was a tall and shadowy character but his skill with a blade  was well known. Balboa was glad to have him along. Next the dragoons waited  on the trail. Then Balboa accompanied by Padre Ramon and the Councilman Luis de Alcazar. Next came the second unit of musketeers. And on the right  Pedro Vacuna and the lanceros were strung out through the wood.

“Where are the pirates?” asked Padre Ramon. The Councilman replied, “No  need to fret. I have made certain arrangements to delay some of them.” Balboa  did not like the feverish glint in the Councilman’s eyes. Clearly he had sampled  the water. The Fountain takes its toll.
But the Councilman was correct. One unit of pirates were late to arrive. 

“Let us begin.” The dragoons moved across the stream in open order. As yet  the pirate force was minimal. A unit of sword and daggers were arrayed opposite  and Balboa gave the order for his musketeers to fire. In close order they fired a  volley and a few of the pirates fell.

The first unit of musketeers moved forward. What was this? A previously  unseen ditch bordering the trail ran in front of the unit. Excellent! Now their  position was well protected. Suddenly all the musketeers threw down their  weapons and scrambled into the ditch. Someone had seen a glint of gold and all  discipline was lost.

But the pirates were in no position to exploit this weakness. Indeed one unit of  musket-armed thugs arrived and seeing the splendor of His Majesty’s troops  promptly disappeared. 

The dragoons closed their ranks in preparation for a charge. This was a mistake.  Now they lacked the range to contact the enemy unit to their front. Very  embarrassing. Instead the first rank fired its brace of pistols and one pirate  dropped.

The pirate sword and dagger mob had been scrambling to avoid another volley.  Now they seized their chance and charged the dragoons. But the dragoons  easily parried with their long blades.

Serjente Vacuna urged the lanceros forward through the stream. They were  close. A charge and the pirates would taste steel. Alas, the stream was not as  fordable as reported. The first rank of lanceros in their eagerness had rushed  forward only to find the water was deep and now they were submerged to their  necks.

Capitaine Diego on the left had managed by application of the flat of his blade to  get the musketeers out to the ditch and formed to fire. And what a volley.  Clearly these men wanted to keep their riches. The elite pirate unit which had  just appeared were destroyed to a man. And Captain Asse was left alone  looking forlorn. At this point all the pirates turned and fled the field.

It had been a dismal day for the pirates. Most of the fighting had been  undertaken by the sword and dagger crew – the worst unit on the pirate side.  One unit had been late. Another had turned and fled upon arrival. Not a single  unit had managed to fire a shot. Spanish losses were very light despite their  errors. 

The Fountain had been defended.

[Golgotha]

That sounds like a nice idea for a scenario, I have these rules but alas still have not tried them.