Here's a photo report from this weekend's BLAM gathering...
It's a Robin Hood encounter for 8 players...
Sir Maurice de Bracey (Captain Blood) and his HEROIC free company of knights errant, hove into view of the village…
To the West, the Lady Marian (Malamute) takes the air outside her villa, in company of her guardian, Sir Max Clifford. Sir Max is friend to Sir James de Saville, and his band of knights.
Jimbibbly is the King! No wonder he looks happy.
But alas, uneasy sleeps the head that wears the crown, for poor James is only regent, Sheriff of Nottingham, and not the rightful King…
Not only that, his battlements are under siege from Sir Richard of Lees…
A general view of the table from the north, showing the castle in the south-east corner and the church in the north west corner. The forest, haunt of outlaws, lies to the north.
It’s always nice to see a lovely tidy table, isn't it? And this isn’t one of them.
Come on lads – clear up the clutter!
No wonder Sir Richard of Lees (Chillwind) isn’t looking too happy…
Meanwhile, what should come trundling along the road just southward of the forest fringe, but a heavily fortified treasure wagon, escorted by a tax collector and his men (also Malamute). Whatever could happen I wonder…?
Oh yes – it’s Robin Hood (Hu Rhu). A major dust-up ensues...
Hurriedly leaving the Sheriff to look to the defence of the castle, Sir Guy of Gisborne (Bullshott) sends his men out to drive off the outlaws…
Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the table, Sir Ronald de Corbett (Damas), loyal crusading knight and follower of the rightful King, Richard the Lionheart (Gamer Mac) moves to intercept the Bishop of Hereford, a malign prelate (Malamute, obviously) who has come to do something or other with the treasure or Lady Marian, which now escapes me…
Anyway, whatever it is, it’s bad, and he needs stopping…
Happily, in a sudden, weird, unnatural fog (okay - who moved?!) King Richard and his crusaders fall upon the wayward clergyman and his men at arms, and swiftly drive them off, capturing the bishop…
Meanwhile, up on the battlements, Sir Richard of Lees’ men trade blow for blow with the Sheriff’s defenders.
After a few setbacks, and a furious crossbow battle, gradually gain the upper hand and start to swarm over the battlements…
Soon they will have possession of the all-important inner ward - now occupied by an enormous coca-cola glass, where a proud house formerly stood...
Meanwhile, Sir Maurice de Bracey’s HEROIC knights errant, having one eye on the treasure wagon, and one on the Lady Marian, begin to canter forward – only to see Sir Guy of Gisborne’s men tramping across the open ground right in front of them…
Well, what knight errant could resist such a tempting target?
Suddenly alive to the danger thundering down upon them, Gisborne’s men make an unseemly dash to the safety of A PICNIC TABLE – and reach this ‘COVER’ just in time – wham! Contact.
Surely the party of heavily armoured, mounted HEROIC knights, trained from the cradle in the pursuit of arms, will ride down this gang of lumpen oafs and ruffians…?
Surely it's no contest…
Surely...
But no… Wholly unexpectedly, the PICNIC TABLE provides a robust defensive position of veritable Maginot Line standard impregnability, utterly negating all the knights' manifest natural advantages.
No, really.
Result: Gisborne’s ruffians, thrown back, nonetheless manage to kill two knights and unhorse two more.
And that’s pretty much game over for Sir Maurice
...Not that I’m bitter.
Ah well, at least I got to use those dismounted versions I painted last week… (They later remounted, and rode off - only to be killed by Gisborne’s crossbows… Sob. Snivel… )
Sir Maurice and another survivor make a late, undignified late dash to try to nab the Lady Marian (which they should have done in the first place), but can’t quite get there in time…
Because King Richard has come to claim his ward from Sir Max, and is in no mood for messing around…
After a considerable amount of archery business from the merry men, the remnants of both the tax collector’s men and Gisborne’s men, flee back into the castle – little realising that Jimbibbly is no longer King, or Sheriff, or anything much at all, since Sir Richard of Lees has defenestrated him, taken the castle, and now wears the plastic coronet of destiny…
The merry men have the treasure wagon…
And although Sir Ronald de Corbett starts towards them with a thought to recapturing the loot for the rightful King (or perhaps for himself)…
...he realises the outlaws are too strong, and pulls up short.
(Sir Ronnie Corbett pulling up short is a British in-joke, sorry about that... )
Robin Hood is declared the winner – well done Gary. King Richard hasn’t done too badly either. Nor has Sir Richard of Lees. All in all, a good day for the goodies. I believe they won the second game as well…
Thanks to Dr De’Ath for his admirable scenario planning and games-mastering. The poor chap was quite hoarse by the end of it all…
Terrain by Jimbibbly. Figures by Jimbibbly, Dr De’Ath, Malamute and myself. Anyone else? No thought not. Damas forgot his... Ah well. Next time Kev...
EDIT: Oh yes, Silent Invader made the treasure wagon...
Welcome, Guest. Please 
April 28, 2024, 12:37:59 PM
