Black Hawks Raid - A French Indian War Scenario

With the Saga games taking the focus of attention in the past few weeks I decided that we’d have a change on Monday night and revert back to a good old game of Muskets and Tomahawks. Given the three players had not played the scenario (run at last years BLAM) and that I’d never done a write up of this adventure I thought it was a worthy game for the evening.

Our scenario is based on the Canadian Frontier at the height of the French Indian War. The local Huron chieftain is coming to the end of his days and has decided that amongst his warriors the bravest , richest and smartest should be his worthy successor. With this in mind he has commanded his warband’s to strike fear in the settlers ranged along the blue river, pillage and plunder are the order of the day.

Each player commands a warband of 18 native Indians plus a chief. This is a competition game for every scalp and point of plunder secured by the warband they get points to their esteem, the player that secures the largest number of scalps and secured plunder becomes the next chief.

The Field of Battle

Looking towards the Blue River

The Settlement at the Falls

Parsons Crossing (my new bridge)

Across the blue River lies the settlement of Parsons Crossing. The settlement consists of several dwellings and farmsteads scattered along the river shore. To the South Lies Fort Edward, a place of safety and refuge.

Each dwelling has inside a card, these cards denote the inhabitants raging from old Ma Parker (an aged civilian) to a bunch of tough trappers (irregulars). In addition to the inhabitants there are two plunder cards – placed at random from the deck. Furthermore there are several other ‘plunder zones’ marked on the table – white counters. The plunder ranges from pelts to gold each worth a number of points (1-5). A single figure may carry one plunder card. As Indians die the player must decide if he has an excess of cards versus figures which cards are carried and which are disposed of (left behind for others to retrieve). Some of these cards carry no plunder but this is not revealed til the end. For every settler or soldier killed the Indians also collect Scalp cards. Each is worth one point in the grand tally.

The Settlers mission is to survive, they may try and run for the fort (but will always get caught) or can they hold out until the forts garrison arrives to save the day.

The Indians are striking at dawn – any shooting will alert inhabitants within 2ft of combat. If a building is attacked in silence the inhabitants will be on over watch on a roll of 5-6

Unknown to the Indian raiders is that a unit of British Infantry will arrive on the table in game turn 4

The game has a time limit – From each of the entry points to the fort where the greatest concentration of treasure lies is 5ft. As an Indian can move 6inches per phase (or 2ft per deck of cards(turn) the game limit was set at eight turns. At the end of the game any Indians that can be seen by British troops are assumed not to have escaped. So how did this all pan out....  

The first band of Indians swarm ashore....

A second band encounter the local livestock...

A third band slip through the woods...

Defenders at the falls - soon taken down and scalped

Fleeing Civilians run down by the natives...

The Cabins set fire....

A defence by a few hardy woodsmen...

Fire...

Even the Local Parsons bible can't save him

Approaching the fort under cover

More civilians fleeing - the old lady never made it

To the rescue

Present arms...soon to be wiped out by hidden savages

The last valiant defenders

Looking for spoils...

I have been deliberately evasive in this write up as the scenario will be run during Matakashi's tea party next month so I don't want to give too many clues away...

The result two Indian bands tied on 28 points and one on 24 - a very close run thing...

Until next time...



Terrain Tips

The river & waterfall  http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/big-rivers_21.html

The Bridge: http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/bridge-building-28mm.html

The Fort: http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/man-walls-building-fort-for-french.html

The Cabins:http://shedwars.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/28mm-log-cabins-larger-than-sheds.html