Readying for the snap of musketry at dawn...

I'm really looking forward to Sunday morning.  

Apart from the fact that it's a public holiday here in the UK, which doesn't bother me as I'm already on holiday, I'm hosting a game of Once Upon A Time In The West Country, the venerable and excellent ECW skirmish rule set written by Pete Berry, back in the day.

I used to play this a lot and having given up on large scale Renaissance gaming, it seemed a nice way to feed my need for some pike and shot action.

I don't normally play small games, because for the most part, I'm just not interested, but OUATITWC is one of those exceptions which disprove the rule.

I set the terrain up yesterday, and had to really restrain myself from using the whole table. I could have easily filled the entire table to the same degree as I did the skirmish sizewd set up, and as I said, I really had to stop myself scratching the itch to do so.

This is the battlefield for a 4 player game:

The scenario is set a short time after a major battle 'somewhere in England' and a group of Royalists comprising unhorsed cavalry and infantry have, under the cover of darkness, holed up for the night in the in the sleepy village of Stovely-In-The-Mire' finding rest in the empty house of a Gentleman Farmer, who alas, has declared for Parliament and who, was a participant in the recent battle. 

Arriving back in his village with remnants of the local trained band. Seeing light in his home, he decided to lodge overnight with one of estate managers over the river from his own farm.

At first light he sends his servant and another man to scout out the situation, but 2 piquets keeping watch for the Royalists spot them and shots are fired, alerting both said Royalists, the Parliamentarians and the local Preacher, who, hearing the noise and cries of 'Royalist Marauders!' calls the local villagers to take up the pichfork and do 'God's work'.

The scene is set and battle commences...

All of the buildings, walls and bridge are Grand Manner models, the trees and natural features are Last Valley. The teddy fur mat is by the excellent Terrain Mats For Games in Hungary, from whom I have so far bought 180 square metres of mats - TOP quality stuff!

My 6 wolves, required to finish the fantasy project, arrived yesterday and are now paccked along with another 10 kilo package to go to my painter on Tuesday - YAY!

The Memsahib is busy working through around 700 28mm Undead and is already around 5% into it, which given that we are currently two weeks into a busy three weeks of late Summer holiday, is pretty impressive.

Speaking of SWMBO, in two days we will have been married for 30 years - Double YAY!

TTFN