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drusty
78 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Apr 2012 : 09:09:40
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Just a couple of queries before we play this scenario:
1) Can the captives be re-armed and allowed to fight once they are freed; or are they solely to be hurried off the board? If attacked, do they suffer any penalty for being unarmed?
2) Should the prison wagon be placed anywhere in particular? Should the draught horse be harnessed in the shafts, or with the other tethered horses?
Many thanks. |
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Black Sheep
United Kingdom
263 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2012 : 22:19:57
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Hello Drusty, thanks once again for posting your queries. Great questions  .
1) The Liberator scenario was originally based on an assumption that the captives are still ‘in a very bad way’ after their recent encounter with the barguests and noctelinger. Once released the captives can move and climb on a horse or wagon in an attempt to escape. The captives are so badly injured and weak an attacking Blinder in base contact will automatically re-capture them (they suffer a big penalty!) if a rescuer is not nearby to prevent this. Captives that are ‘in a very bad way’ are not re-armed.
The rule “deduct 3 inches off the ensuing manoeuvre command to bundle a captive onto a horse” was written to reflect an escaped captive’s weak condition.
The aim is indeed for the former captives to be ‘hurried off the board’ to safety.
Alternatively, although the core WG rulebook does not contain rules for re-arming captives a rescuer could perhaps issue them with weapons or a captive could pick up a weapon from the recently deceased (friend or foe) . Liberators will work well if you want some captives to be able to do this and for them to be ‘fighting fit’. If both players agree a roll of a D6 can decide if a captive is ‘fighting fit’ (4+) or in a ‘very bad way’ (3 or less). The ‘fighting fit’ can then be re-armed and act as normal. A Blinder will have to beat a ‘fighting fit’ escapee in an ordinary bout of fisticuffs and follow the rules from Encounter 1 to take them prisoner again. The Master did order the Blinder’s to acquire his lunch.
2) Players are free to agree where the prison wagon will be ‘realistically’ placed. I only recommend the prison wagon is placed in the same place for each of the ‘two games’ of Liberator to keep things fair. The draught horse is usually harnessed to the wagon – but it does not have to be.
I hope you enjoy playing the Liberator scenario and that you find it presents both players with interesting, fun and varied tactical challenges. Please do let us know how your games go.
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drusty
78 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2012 : 10:03:55
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After some delay we managed to play out this scenario for the first time. Briefly, the element of surprise was totally lost by the Witchfinders. Only two of the captives got out of the barn, but didn't get further than the farmyard wall before being cut down by dismounted cavalry. In fact, the cavalry never got mounted, but were still formidable on foot; and Witchfinder casualties were well over 60%. The highpoint of the game had to be when four Witchfinder dragoons, in Loose formation and with the 'on guard' command, let fly at a Blinder cavalryman making a dash from the farmhouse door. It was like the last scene in 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'.
Once again, it was a very enjoyable game for both sides. We like the way that, playing the scenarios in sequence, we're steadily getting to grips with the subtleties of the different types of characters in the game; and the tactical challenges mean the scenarios have high re-play value (at least for those tactically challenged, like me).
There was one query regarding a pikeman in subsequent bouts of Fisticuffs: If a pikeman doesn't get a decisive result at 'Strike First' he loses that advantage at the next bout of Fisticuffs (it's assumed he's dropped pike and drawn sword). But in later bouts of Fisticuffs, can it be assumed the pikeman has picked up his pike again (not least because the model is still carrying one)?
Many thanks |
Edited by - drusty on 25 May 2012 15:19:20 |
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Black Sheep
United Kingdom
263 Posts |
Posted - 13 May 2012 : 11:59:00
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Hello Drusty,
Your interpretation of the rules for pikemen is correct; a pikeman obliged to participate in fisticuffs 'up close' with his sword automatically picks his pike up again if he beats his assailant(s).
I am glad you had fun with your first game of Liberators.
Thanks again for sending photos of your game too, they are superb  . I will add them to the Grim Gallery later this week.
Cheers
28/5/12 I have now added the photos of your games to the new Grim Gallery - album 2 . I particularly like the 'tooled up' apothecary.
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Edited by - Black Sheep on 28 May 2012 23:10:15 |
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drusty
78 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2012 : 15:16:52
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We played this Encounter for a second time the other day. This time the Witchfinders exercised more tactical savvy. In groups of five, they approached the farm from four different directions, but keeping out of sight of the Blinders On Guard until the last possible moment. The Blinder guards were shot down, rather than attacked in Fisticuffs; the rest of the Witchfinders went On Guard, which allowed them to react to the Blinders reacting to the alarm being raised. All clever stuff, which allowed the Witchfinders to win in the end. Try it.
But there were scary moments: when the werewolf rampaged down a line of dragoons behind a hedge; when two of the liberated captives were set upon by the werewolf (but luckily only knocked unconscious, as per rules in the first Encounter). A turn later, the werewolf lost its last Constitution point, and the captives were revived by their comrades and made their escape.
Once again, it was a game that was in the balance until the last turn. |
Edited by - drusty on 25 May 2012 15:18:35 |
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Encounter 3: Liberators
