Raid on Deerfield, 1704 <-- more photos!

[mikedemana]

A painting of the Raid on Deerfield, Massachusetts in 1704

Hi everyone!

Our event that my friends and I will be running at various conventions this year is "Raid on Deerfield, 1704." This French & Indian raid on a sleeping Massachusetts town occurred in the dead of winter during Queen Anne's War. Snowdrifts had accumulated against the palisades, allowing the Indians to climb the walls and then open the gate for the rest of the force. Our convention game will feature the interior of the town divided into four quarters. Each 3'x3' quarter will pit a French & Indian player against the townsfolk in man-to-man (and woman?) skirmish using our Song of Drums and Tomahawks rules.

If you are going to be in the area of Dayton, Ohio, I encourage you to join us for the first running at DayCon Game Day () on Feb. 18. We will run it at 1 pm and 6 pm. Check out the convention site if you're interested in pre-registering to guarantee your spot!
http://www.daycongaming.com/

Expect more photos on this thread as I set it up and do test-runs (as well as painting additional troops and terrain!).


The raiders on their way to Deerfield

Link to our website featuring Song of Drums and Tomahawks rules:http://www.firstcommandwargames.com/published-rules/song-of-drums-and-tomahawks.html

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/

[marianas_gamer]

Love it, wish I could be there for the game! I have been to Deerfield itself.
LB

[axabrax]

Awesome! There's just something about Black Powder games done in the snow 

[michaelsbagley]

Since it is within an hour's drive... and on a weekend I don't have plans/obligations, and it encompasses one of my favourite histrical eras (and specifically, an event I have reenacted at the original site)... I am going to try to make this one!

Thanks for the heads up!

[Malamute]

Great scenario, lots of photos please

[dave@noquartergiven]

It's a great scenario, I've been running it using the Engarde  ruleset since last Fall.  I have tons of research if you need any help setting it up.

https://www.facebook.com/MADDDWargaming/posts/275907022825841:0

[mikedemana]

Thanks, everyone! Sorry to take so long to reply. Between school, work on setting up the scenario, and my entry into the LAF's Build Something contest, I haven't had much chance to read posts on the forum. 

Michael, I look forward to having you in the game! I'm honored you are planning on attending to play.

Dave, I will be contacting you today! Thanks for offering to share your research...

The first playtest is tomorrow night. I should have pics and some reflection then...

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/

[zippyfusenet]

I'm also looking forward to you running this game, Mike. Next Saturday! Of course it's no great honor for me to attend, I show up and make a pest of myself all the time.

[mikedemana]

Two weeks, my friend! Don't take away a week of my preparation!! 

Mike Demana

[mikedemana]

My playtesters gather to try out the Raid on Deerfield, 1704, scenario

My buddies and I got together for a playtest this evening. I had to alter the board layout to fit the table size we had. At the convention, it will be on a 6'x6' square table with four sectors all within the walls of the palisade. Tonight, I laid out three of the 3'x3' boards side by side so that my six players would all have a chance to test it out.


A look at the board, which represents the town inside the stockade

The playtest went well. I think I will increase the force sizes a tad. Also, we did run into one scenario rules conundrum. What to do about troops and women/children who are inside of a building, surrounded by French & Indians, that fail morale? Under the rules, they should flee. But where? Running out of a building you are defending into the waiting arms of an enemy makes no sense. We had a couple suggestions. One is to have them surrender. Another would be to have them try to scramble out the windows if the door is blocked by enemy. A third was to have them immune to morale failures. I'll chew that one over for awhile and come up with a fix in time for the convention.


The French and Indian raiders begin to batter down the doors to cabins to capture townsfolk

Here are some photos of the game. I created these flocked felt boards this weekend. You can't see it in the photos, but I used "glitter felt," which gives a slight sparkle of light reflecting off the snow. Nothing to overstated, but subtle enough to add some color.


Some stalwart townsfolk fight back against the raiders from the shelter of a woodpile


Some captive women and children are led away by Indian raiders

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/

[zippyfusenet]

Oh. Ah. This is gonna be great. Two weeks.

[wsurugby10]

I wish I could have been there. Excited to start playing this game.

[GamesPoet]

I like the scenery!

[mikedemana]

All packed up and ready for the game tomorrow! My friends finished off some more buildings, women, and children, so more stuff for the Indian raiders to pillage...

Hope to post some pics tomorrow or Sunday...

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/

[zippyfusenet]

Great game Mike, it looked and played every bit as well as I was hoping. You were very patient to tolerate my long cross-examination about the SODT rules. In light of yesterday's game, I'd say that you were right about how some things work, I'll have to try those tricks in my own game room. If Mike takes this Deerfield game on  the road to other cons, definitely grab a ticket, guys. My crummy photos don't do the game justice, but here are a few of them anyway.

Here's GM Mike Demana, surveying his fully dressed table with understandable satisfaction:



Here is a broader view of Deerfield town. I can see why you came up with an urban scenario Mike, you have so many gosh-darn great looking buildings and doo-dads, let's put 'em on the table and play with them:



Here is what I thought was the masterpiece, a burning cabin lit by flickering, battery-powered votive candles that Mike taped to the windows. Whatta model, whatta model: