Raid on Mainwarings Farm- Songs of Drums and Tomahawks

[Rob_bresnen]

I have posted a little battle report on my blog for Songs of Drums and Tomahalks. A very enjoyable game indeed.

Here are a few pictures







there whole battle report is over on my blog at http://fourcoloursupers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/french-and-indian-wars-raid-on.html

[pocoloco]

Good looking game! How do you find the rules to be?

[mikedemana]

I read your report on your blog -- very nice! Good story-telling. Plus, looks like the Indians were some pretty crafty tacticians...!

Thanks for posting the report...

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[NickNascati]

Rob,
       Looks like it was a good game.  Can you share the initial set up of both sides?  Also, where does one find that mission generator?

[sespe]

Looks great!  I really have to get some civilian figures

[Rob_bresnen]

The game is great fun. It is fast pace and easy to learn. Leon had never played it before and he had picked it up in just a few minutes. I have also played with my son who is just fifteen and not a gamer, and he picked it up very quickly too. The game is basically powered by the same rules devices as Songs of Drums and Shakos and Songs of Blades and Heroes. It is a pretty unique system where there are random turn lengths, meaning your men might not always do what you want them too, and you have to make some quite tactical thinking about how you activate your troops. Sometimes it is best to be bold and daring, and other times you need to be more cautious.

The game has lost of nice touches that make it stand apart from Songs of Drums and Shakos, and adds to the French and Indian wars feel. I think it is great for playing the small skirmished common during this war, but is probably less good for a battle between two disciplined western style forces (eg the French vs British army). For that you want Muskets and Tomahawks.

One of the best things is how simple it is to come up with an army list. Once Leon and I had rolled mission he decided he wanted to play as Indians. I hadn't written and army list for Indians but it only took a few minutes to work on out, so we could get on and play without any delay.

SoD+T id best for small forces of 8-15 figures aside, but M+T can be used for bigger skirmishes of 40-50 figures aside.

The mission generator we used if taken from the M+T book. We rolled it up then used a bit of creative planning when working out the objectives as M+T is turn based and SoD+T isn't. The M+T mission generator is particularity interesting as it generates a different mission for each side. In this mission Leon roles Slaughter and I rolled Defend, which pretty much dictated the mission and scenery. Other missions can be raids, burning down settlement, ambushes etc.

In the mission I set up three Buildings representing the Mainwaring farm. There were two women in each house. They were unarmed civilians and had no role other than to stay alive. The game was over when all the women were dead or routed off the board. The Menfolk had to be deployed in a building or within 3" of one. 1/3 of the Menfolk were also deployed off the board (they were working in the fields off the tabletop). Each time it was my turn to activate I rolled a D6 for each model off the board. If the roll was equal to or less than the turn then they would be allowed to be deployed anywhere on my table edge. This was not an activation- the model would still need to be deployed like usual before he could do anything. The Indians were deployed 6" in from their table edge. That was the mission in a nut shell.

[NickNascati]

Thanks for all the information Rob.

[MaleGriffin]

I really like the figures, who is the manufacturer?

[Rob_bresnen]

They are from redoubt

[nervisfr]

Great report and game.
That's remember me to build some enclosed fields for my settlers.

Hope to see more reports from you, Rob.

Do you use the new system of action and reaction available in the future SOBH ?
I highly recommand it for use with SODT.

Cheers
Eric

[NickNascati]

Rob,
        Did you use the normal 3 x 3 board for SODT, or the 4 x 4 as M & T uses?  If the latter, did you increase range and movement?

                                                                                             Nick

[Rob_bresnen]

3x3 or there about.

[NickNascati]

Rob,
      Thanks.  I set up the terrain as per the map, and the 3 x 3 seemed very crowded.

                                                                                      Nick

[Rob_bresnen]

Just checked with Leon (we were gaming in his Man Cave) and he said it was a 4x4 table not 3x3. We didn't bother changing range or movement. The Indians all benefited from 'Woodsmen' ability which meant the woods never hampered their movement but still provided them cover so movement wasn't that much of a problem. I had hoped that my rifles would prove an advantage at the longer ranges over the muskets but the Indians used cover well and so I never really got much of an advantage from them.