Murder in Prophetstown

[mikedemana]

So, I had run my 28mm Native American skirmish games for the Sunday night game group, but this was the convention unveiling for this project.  I'd cooked up a scenario I called "Murder in Prophetstown." The idea is that a Delaware prophet is preaching for the Indian tribes to unite against the French and English and cease fighting each other on their behalf. Representatives from six tribes in the Ohio Valley attend a gathering at the prophet's village to listen to his words, then bring them back to their villages.  Just as the prophet finishes his speech, and holds a belt of wampum high in the air, shots ring out. The prophet slumps over dead, and what follows is confusion as fingers are pointed and contradictory stories say who fired the shots. The tribal representatives decide to beat a hasty retreat before their delegation is blamed for the killing. Each takes the opportunity to settle some old scores with bitter enemies and rival tribes.

I ran the game twice and the players seemed to enjoy it quite a bit.  I didn't hear any complaints about the rules -- I use a modified version of "Song of Drums & Shakos" by Ganesha Games.  Everyone picked them up quickly and were running their own moves by the second or third turn.  Thanks a ton to Keith Finn for loaning me about 2/3's of the palisades needed to circle the village.  Thanks to Conquest Miniatures for their incredibly generous donation of miniatures.  All the players were able to walk away with 3 unpainted 28mm miniatures from their line.  Thanks to Tom Graves, who figured out the puzzle of how to place all the palisades together attractively (Keith has mostly angled pieces, while I have mostly straight ones).

Check out the pictures and captions below -- hope you enjoy them!


Erie Indians line up prior to heading off towards the far side of the village (where they have to pick up an elderly, sick member of their delegation before leaving.


Miami Indians advance tentatively towards their objective -- a renegade tribesmen whose scalp they need to take back to their village.


Erie warriors spread out as they move towards the center of Prophetstown.


The Seneca delegation stays together in a compact group, expecting trouble.


Three tribe's delegations collide in the open space between the longhouses -- Huron in the upper left, Fox in the center and Erie at the bottom of the photo.


Howling Cat, a Delaware warrior, checks the body of the prophet slumped on the mound, while his tribesmen advance to cover him.


Miami warriors, having dispensed of their Fox enemies with Huron help, move towards the longhouse containing the renegade.

My apologies to any readers of my website, but I simply copied and pasted this post word for word.  I've been swamped with schoolwork, lately.  I did buy three more packs of Conquest Miniatures immediately prior to running the game, so you will see more updates and pics from time to time.  I'll be mixing them in with my upcoming 1930s Orient Pulp project (which I've started and have the first six figs mostly painted on my desk!)...

Mike

[Colonel Tubby]

Very nice - glad to here that your convention games went well.

[Marine0846]

Fine looking game, lovely figures.
One of my favorite periods, just don't get my figures out enough.
Thanks for sharing.

[mweaver]

The game sounds quite interesting - and certainly was very nicely presented.  Thanks for posting - enjoyed it.

-Michael

[Dr Mathias]

I really like the crisp visuals, very nice presentation! Your post has drawn me one step closer to this increasingly attractive period.

[Langlade]

 I use a modified version of "Song of Drums & Shakos" by Ganesha Games. 

Hi
I'm looking for using SDS for FIW skirmishes.
What kind of mods have you made to the original rules?
Thanks

[mikedemana]

Very few modifications -- the rules stand fairly well as they are.  Here are the main ones:

1. Groups are as Flying Lead (modern version of the same rules engine): All members of a group move must be within one Short distance of another in that group -- and within one Long distance of the leader issuing the order, of course.

2. Shooting Results: I also took from Flying Lead what happens when a model is beaten but not doubled on a shooting roll on an odd number.  The losing model must make a Short move towards the closest cover.  If they are already in cover, they drop prone.  I kept the "knocked down" result on the even number, though.

3. Scalps: When an Indian model wounds (out of the game) another, mark the model.  I use those tiny little pom-poms you can buy at craft stores.  Also mark the location of the model that is out of the game, before removing it from the board.  On its next action, the winning model must make a quality check.  If it fails, it must move to the spot of the fallen model and attempt to scalp it.  So, this can take as many actions as necessary.  It may take one move to get to the location of the downed model, or more if further away.  It takes one action to scalp the model.  I was inspired by the "Greedy" special ability from Song of Blades and Heroes (the fantasy version from the same rules engine).

Stats for Leaders are generally Quality 3, Combat 3, but most other rank and file types are Quality 4, Combat 2.  Other than that, I the special abilities from the books that I use are:
Primitive Weapon -- those big, honking weapons like Chingachgook used in Last of the Mohicans
Musket
Tomahawk
Bow (I can't remember what it is in the book, but I use a Medium stick as its base range)
Marksman
Strong
Hero
Light (pretty much all Indians have this special ability)
Steadfast
Leader
Running Blow
-- I spread them out among members of the warband.  If a model has a primitive weapon or tomahawk, I give it to them.  If they have a Bow, that is what they have, and so on.  The rules provide a fast and fun game and I highly recommend them. 

Mike Demana
 

[Langlade]

Thanks for your quick answer.
It's very clear.
I have FL too and I understand the borrowings.
I'll try them soon.
Au revoir

[Galloping Major]

Great stuff, "Warriors, come out to play-ay!" 

That scerario did fit in nicely!




www.gallopingmajorwargames.com

[mikedemana]

Yes, it did. My favorite moment was when one of my friends I see only a couple times a year was finally getting a chance to play it.  He mumbled, "Man, this scenario sounds like the movie 'The Warriors'..."  I laughed and told him that was indeed the inspiration.

Everybody seemed to have a good time, and the comments about the figs and terrain made me feel pretty satisfied with the effort.

Mike Demana

[Galland]

As I have said before, your miniatures and terrain looks really good, greatly inspiring me to carry on with my own projects!