I have been hanging out to try the Osprey ” Pikeman’s Lament” rules as my 15mm Royalist, Parliamentarian and Montrose Scots armies have been sitting idle for years awaiting a good set of rules. The last set that had been used in earnest was Forlorn Hope which were great fun but far to complicated for my liking nowadays.

My biggest bug-bear has been the inability of rules writers to adequately reflect the impact that the various percentages of Pike and Musket unit combinations have.

Pikeman’s Lament doesn’t attempt this as units are only representing sections of 6 to 12 men armed uniformly as such a small section would be. I played the Royalists while the dastardly David K played the Parliamentarians.

Sir Reginald Archibald Wessex the Third (Reggie Da Turd)

 

Reggies Company

Pastor Bland (Blah Blah) – weren’t they all rather bland religious fanatics?

The Bland Company

Pikeman’s Lament consists of three games within the one. Playing the scenario, trying to achieve your special orders, and trying to increase the rank of your officer.

Firstly we had to determine the characters of our commanders.

Bland turned out to be a Brimstone and Hellfire preaching “Hothead” (during attacks may re-roll one failed to hit dice) and, as an officer always ready to meet his maker, was “Brave” (adds +2 instead of +1 to morale tests).

Sir Reggie was a natural leader who was disinheritated by his father and forced to rise up through the ranks (each turn you may re-roll one failed move, attack, or shoot test within 12″). As an officer he was a brilliant tactician (can add +1 or -1 to final total for choosing to be attacker or defender).

Pastor Bland’s special mission was to stand firm – as if!!!

Sir Reggie chose “This Time its Personal” as he wanted to oblige the Pastor by sending him to his maker………. personally.

By the pre-game pre-campaign process you should already get a feel for how these rules play.

The dice-off for attacker defender meant that the brilliant tactician ability of Sir Reggie was redundant because whatever he decided he was still going to be the attacker.

The game began by Sir Reggie moving all of his units forward to the attack, making sure that he secured the bridge and gave his raw musketeers the stream as protection against the Pastors trotters and regimental gun.

The Royalsit musketeers and forlorn hope dispatched two units of trotters whilst the Elite Gallopers of the Reggie completely routed Blah blah and his unit of trotters

Having smashed one unit of trotters and taking on a second Sir Reggie and his Elite Gallopers were gradually becoming fatigued.

Eventually this became to much for them and they were forced to retire to the safety of the muskleteers (code for routed off board).

The parliamentarian army artillery was proving its worth by routing the other unit of Elite Gallopers.

Eventually Blah blah’s company routed leaving Sir Reggie in control of the vital bridge and village.

The post game anaysis showed that Sir Reggie achieved 5 honour points for securing victory but none for routing Blah Blah as he did not do this personally. blah Blah lost and did not achieve his special order of standing firm (all but one unit in rout).

Blah blah remained as an Ensign on 10 points while Sir Reggie was half way to being promoted a to a Lieutenant on 15 points.

All that was left to do was to see if Blah blah and Sir Reggie survived the battle. A dice roll of a 6 and an 8 meant that both were wounded and rescued by their loyal soldiers and will recover in time for the next engagement.

Loved the game and the mini campaign so much I will now re-base and flock all three of my armies.