Last night we played our Christmas special game. Four players fighting over the small Schleswig town of Kappel. The town was chosen because it takes its name from a chapel devoted to Skt. Nicolaus, and it being Christmas and all. The town is situated on the peninsula Svans, a few kilometers before Slien runs in to the Baltic Sea. The Hansa League has hired the Baltic pirate Swarta Dierk to persuade the town to take its protection from them instead of the Danish King. Swarta Dierk is joined be his second in command Heinrich Langmesser. The defense of Kappel is led by Thomas Kappel, head of the towns watch and joined by the son of the local lord William von Ahlefeldt.
Dr. Zombie had designed a scenario where all four parties had their own different objectives that only they themselves knew. Swarta Dierk had to set fire to four houses and seize the town hall and watch tower. Both stone building. Heinrich Langmesser, tired of being second, had to empty the town treachery situated in the watch tower and makes his escape in either both the cogs, Stinksoen and Bjørnen, or just his own and then set fire to Bjørnen, robing Swarta Dierk of his escape possibilities. William von Ahlefeldts objectives were to capture Swarta Dierk and protect the treachery. Thomas Kappel was bored out of his mind in the small town of Kappel and wanted to try out his sea legs as a Baltic pirate. His objective was therefor to loot the town armoury situated in the town hall and get away on one of the cogs and burn the other so that no one could follow him.
Dr. Zombie had also written a set of event cards that could be played by the holding players at any given time. Everyone started off with three cards and could draw a new one whenever they rolled a double for activation, though never hold more than three cards at the same time. To add some more tension and fog of war the order of activation was determined by drawing cards. Every fraction had two cards in the pile, so one player could potentially have two turn in a row while other players might wait longer between their activations.
All four fractions had 24 points size Lions Rampant forces consisting of a mix of primarily sergeants and crossbowmen. The game started with the two pirate forces deployed on the beach to the east of Kappel. The towns watch and William von Ahlefeldt entered the town from the west. As already mentioned none of the players knew the others objectives (except off course Dr. Zombie, but he promised solemnly to be absolutely impartial).
Heinrich Langmesser deployed on the beach in front of his cog Stinksoen (the Smelly Pig). Crossbows, fiercefoot, hangunners and two sergeants.
The towns watch on the north western edge of Kappel. Two yeomen with crossbows, two sergeants and one crossbow.
William von Ahlefeldt on the south western side of town. Mounted sergeants, sergeants, foot MAA and two crossbows.
Swarta Dierk deployed on the beach in front of his cog Bjørnen (the Bear) on the northern side of Kappel. Crossbows, fiercefoot, foot MAA and two sergeants.
Swarta Dierks fierce sailors quickly advance to engage the towns watch sergeants on the northern side of town. The initial engament ends in a draw.
While the sailors keep the town watch occupied Swarta Dierk leads his armored bodyguard into Kappel where the towns watch ready themselves for the assault.
Birds view of Kappel seen from the east as the fractions enter Kappel from all sides. Apparently Swarta Dierk has completely forgotten about burning houses or taking the town hall as his forces head of in other directions.
Swarta Dierk continuous to struggle with the towns watch and is nowhere nearer his objective.
Elsewhere the town square is being filled up with combatants from all sides. William von Ahlefeldts force is crossing the square from the southwest to reach Swarta Dierk and the treachery.
At once pirates charge in from all sides. Disaster strikes as William von Ahlefeldt and his personal guard are cut down in the town square by fierce sailors from Stinksoen (blue arrow). The towns watch on the other side of the town square manages to fend off an attack from Swarta Dierks men (green arrow).
Heinrich Langmesser move more troops into Kappel from the south, but they suddenly find themselves under friendly fire from the handgunners and have to take cover. Dr. Zombie played one of the event cards that forced the handgunners to engage their closest friendly unit.
The handgunners steady their aim and finally hit some enemy troops. Probably having figured out which end of their boomstiks worked best. William von Ahlefledts sergant, his last combat unit, are sent packing.
All is not going the pirates’ way as through joint effort William von Ahlefelds men and the towns watch manage to clear the town square of pirates.
From the north Swarta Dierk makes a final desperate attempt to seize the guard tower, it being one of his objectives, but he is cut down along with his bodyguard by crossbowmen of the towns watch. A group of munks quickly get out of the way
The last remaining men of William von Ahlefelds once proud force have seized the guard tower and with it the treachery. Only a few crossbow armed pirates remain in any sort of fighting condition.
It seems that the people of Kappel have prevailed and repulsed the pirate attack, but what is this now. Thomas Kappel who earlier on entered the town hall and seized all the towns weapons and armor suddenly make a run for Swarta Dierks cog Bjørnen.
Having seized Bjørnen they set fire to Stinksoen using burning arrows and set sail for a new career as a full blood Baltic pirate.
We decided to end the game here as nobody was in a state to do much more about anything. As the sun set over Kappel the streets were lit up from the burning wreck of Stinksoen and in the light of the flames piles of bodies covered the town and especially the town square. The town had been saved from the pirates but at a terribly cost. The severely wounded William von Ahlefeld was discovered under a heap of dead pirates. His father quickly took over the town and made his son the new leader of the towns watch. Thomas Kappel made good his escape and took up pirating for a living working for both the Hansa League and the Danish Kings. The heads of Swarta Dierk and Heinrich Langmesser were put on spikes near the harbor to warn of anyone else thinking of taking up pirating.
Looking at the objectives neither pirate came anywhere near their respective objectives. They both claimed to have been more interested in killing landlubbers and working out pirate curses in German, especially Swarta Dierk. William von Ahlefeldt managed to keep the towns treachery safe but failed to single handedly kill Swarta Dierk. However with Thomas Kappel being made official enemy of the state there was no one alive to argue, when he reported to have killed him in single combat, and he did have Swarta Dierks head as prof. William von Ahlefeld remained in Kappel as the hero of the day and in my humble view the true winner of our game.
In all respect Thomas Kappel did manage to complete all his objectives, but as he was commandeered by Dr. Zombie, writer of the scenario, there were many shouts and murmurs from the backrows about ridged games and foul play.
All in all it was a very enjoyable game and Dr. Zombie’s event card worked really well and gave the game just the right atmosphere and twist. Using randomly drawn cards to decide the order of activation was also a real bonus for a multiplayer game and especially having two cards from each fraction in the stack.
I would like to thank my fellow games for at well-played game, good spirit and thoroughly enjoyable company.
Cheers and happy new year.
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May 01, 2024, 07:22:48 PM
December 02, 2008, 07:43:49 AM