Song of Drums and Shakos: Foraging Firefight

Stephen and myself wended our weary way over the Ilkeston Gaming Hut for some Napoleonic action. Beforehand debate had raged about which game to play. Frostgrave meant only I knew any of the rules (never a good position to be in), Lion Rampant was a game General Ballroom had never played, Warhammer was probably beyond the capacity of the still recovering Gen. B. to manage. So it was a choice between Age of Sigmar or Song of Drums and Shakos. I refused to actually suggest AoS (but was happy to play) but Stephen suggested SoDS, so the choice was made.

I came up with a simple scenario. Three objective counters in the centre of the board and the two forces would represent foragers looking to live off the land and encountering the enemy in the process. To move the livestock would require one passed activation each turn to keep them under control and then subsequent activations could be used to move them. The barrels (no doubt filled with Rioja) were heavy and would reduce movement to S.

 The peaceful Spanish village of San Mateo

 Every Voltigeur's dream

 El Plonk

Geese, just ready for a spot of force feeding

Stephen used his elite force of recently painted Voltigeurs. We were all a little taken back that they were 50 points each - but as events would prove they were very much worth that.
In response General Ballroom picked a host of plucky redcoats, supplemented by a pair of riflemen. Both sides came to almost 600 points which was quite large by our standards.

Athletic, elite Frenchmen

The two forces set up, Stephen deploying the French in dispersed formation whilst Gen. B formed his men up shoulder to shoulder - the thin red line. Stephen and I both questioned his tactics but he remained adamant.

Redcoats in fine array

The British began a slow and cautious advance. However the elite Fenchmen leaped forward taking advantage of their special rules and proximity of leaders and NCOs to race across the board.

 Gaston achieves his life's goal

Nice slow beat, drummer boy, please!

British volley fire had little impact on the Frenchmen lurking behind the wall.

Bang! Honk!

Meanwhile the first Voltigeur made off with the goats. General Ballroom appeared to be having some issues controlling his men and firing was sporadic.

Gaston heads to the woods for some special time with the goats

The French took advantage of this and began to make off with the booze as well. Despite shots at his fleeing French backside he made off with the goods.

Seizez vous le plonk, Theirry!

Meanwhile further fighting broke out over the duckpond. The riflemen blazed away, felling a Frenchman, but then failed to reload for the rest of the game.

 Allez! Vite!

 Take Aim!

Fire!

The Voltigeur flag bearer leaped over the wall, clearly eager for foi-gras, but was felled by a musketball before he could make off with the geese.

Reload, lads!

Redcoats raced to gather up either flag or fowl, but surviving Voltigeurs surmounted the wall, gathered up the flag and drove the geese from the compound.

Zis way my leetle feazzered chums!

The British unleashed more lead, but the Frenchmen were off and away.

General Vert would be dining well tonight, whilst General Ballroom would have to make do with bread and water.