PDX Metro Saga Players

Seven of us met up at Guardian Games to play Saga. Almost everyone played two games.  Factions included Irish, Welsh, Anglo-Saxons, Pagan Rus, Vikings, and Crusaders. Good times!

Pikeman's Lament Big Battle

This was intended to be another session of Pike & Shotte, which we have played many times, but instead ended up being a double-sized Scots vs. Royalists game of Pikeman's Lament, with the 'big battle' optional house-rule of no figure removal.  We played the 'Gå–På' scenario although we probably failed to either properly scale it up or did not fully recognize how many units would actually need to be routed or destroyed before only 10 units remained! 

Early portions of the game were enjoyable since units are very easy to move around in PL, but things got tricky later on, with turn-overs increasing in frequency as both sides struggled to engage in musketry.  The Royalist cavalry did the heavy lifting with repeated wild charges (all six units had the 'aggressive' rule, which costs 0 points and increasing the Attack 'to-hit' to 3+ but adds the 'wild charge' rule), routing several Scottish units.  The Scots then got wily by getting their pikes into 'close order' (increases Defense 'to-hit' to 3+) then creeping within 10" of a Royalist cavalry unit, triggering a wild charge and causing the cavalier to fall upon formed pike.  The tactical lesson learned was that all pike should probably form into 'close order' after one or two regular moves.  'Close order' makes Move activation a little more tricky (a 6+) but Attack and Defense 'to-hit' are both increased by 1.

Actual game play was only two and half hours, we think, and Pikeman's Lament can certainly handle the larger forces.  The simple addition of no figure removal gives a 'big battle' feel without changing any other rules.  If the 'Gå–På' scenario is used again, a 'score-board' of some sort that clearly tracks how close the game is to ending would help - we were calculating on the fly!

Below is the moment before the main bodies of foote for both sides came into contact - and a 'hot mess' ensued!

The points for both sides were as follows:

SCOTS

4 lancer units @4 points each: 16 points

2 pike unit @4 pts each = 8pts
4 musketeer units @4 pts each = 16pts
2 light guns @ 4pts each = 8pts
1 frame gun unit (consisting of 2 frame guns, count entire unit as one light gun) @ 4pts

Total: 52 points

ROYALISTS

6 cavalry units @4 each (includes wildcharge +0 pts) 24pts

2 pike unit @4 pts each = 8pts

2 musketeer units @4pts each: 8 pts

2 command shot units @2pts each: 4 pts
1 light gun @ 4pts

Total: 48 points

Both sides, upon rolling double sixes on an activation, subsequently rolled to gain a unit of reinforcements.  The Royalists took a musketeer unit and the Scots a lancer unit.