Lion Rampant Wars of the Roses Campaign - Game Four

In an attempt to discover more of his rivals secrets Lord Kerbye has captured one of Ballroom's confidants. However before he can be "persuaded" to talk the wily nobleman has escaped and hidden in nearby the nearby Shar's Wood. Hearing of this Ballroom has dispatched a rescue party while Kerbye send out his men to bring the fugitive back to the safety of a nice, damp dungeon.

Game four and I had my largest retinue at 30 points available. Lord Ballroom had but his standard 24 point retinue. The scenario involved six bits of broken ground where the fugitive would be hiding - with a D6 roll determining if he was found by any group entering.

Unfortunately for me Ballroom had bought cavalry and I hadn't - meaning he'd be able to start searching well before I'd be in a position to interfere...

The Kerbye forces assemble.

Lord Kerbye has hired some feisty Irish Kern to aid his cause.

The Ballroom lads soon make an appearance.

Including some cavalry. Hmmm, they'll move quite quickly...

Kerbye's forces are a long way from the hiding area.

The Irish decided that they'd not been paid enough to actually move.

The skirmishers however made good progress.

Kerbye's men at arms were outstripping some of their less enthusiastic comrades.

The white clad billmen in Kerbye's retinue advanced up the road, nervous of the enemy bow.

Ballroom's men had soon gained entrance to the nearest wood - and immediately located the fugitive!

Kerbye's skirmishers continued to race forward.

As te Ballroom horse prepared to withdraw the rest of the force pushed on.

Kerbye's men were still some distance from the centre of the table, with little hope of intercepting Ballroom's rescue team.

Finally the Kern decided they fancied a scrap and got moving.

Ballroom slowly pulled his cavalry back toward the board edge and sanctuary.

Skirmishers lead the way, with Kern catching up.

With the prize secure in his grasp Ballroom halted at the edge and urged his other men to take the fight to Kerbye.

The Kern lined up a charge.

As archers rained arrows on the Ballroom forces.

On the other flank a drawn out archery duel unfolded.

Arrows were whittling away Ballroom's men.

At last the Kern hitched up their saffron coloured robes and charged home.

Unfortunately, being newly painted, this did not go to plan.

Supported by bow fire the Kerbye men at arms wrought bloody revenge on their Ballroom equivalents.

Kerbye's men carved through their opponents.

At this point with Kerbye cutting through his rearguard Ballroom decided he'd seen enough and his horsemen melted away with the fugitive safe in their care.

An easy victory for General B. Him having cavalry meant he got to the wood very rapidly and then was able to roll a 6 and find the fugitive before half of my army had deigned to move.

Only the fact that he decided to make a game of things by not immediately withdrawing gave me any sort of chance but really he'd won it by the end of turn two. But sometimes, them's the breaks.

The Kern were disappointing - fully owning their "newly painted model" shame.

This now leads us to game five of the campaign with two wins each - unfortunately he's stil got his 30 point retinue available and I'll be using a smaller 24 point force!