Battlesworn: border reivers 1585

Set in 1585, the Scottish Hume clan are raiding the English village of little Bigglesworth in the West March. The aim for the Hume reivers is to get as many cows off to Scotland as possible, the localsneed to get the cows into the village. Each side gets one point for each cow saved or reived, in addition, one point for each enemy incapacitated. At the end of the game, one die is rolled for each point and the highest total wins.

The rules are the quixotic Battlesworn by Ganesha games

I created one new class for this game: A pistolier. Is like an arquebus, but adds one die to shooting and two close combat.

 Here is the village of Little Bigglesworth, considered by its inhabitants to be too close to the border with Scotland.

Little Bigglesworth has a fine church, but with an unusually large graveyard, hmm.

These are the outer defences of Little Bigglesworth, from which its defenders will issue, and it cows by protected in.

Outside these walls are more humble dwellings.

This the Bigglesworth bridge, over Bigglesworth tarn. As a Scot myself, I never tire of saying 'Bigglesworth'.

Here are the deadly Hume (only Australians will get that) looking for love and cows. In whichever order.

And here are some of those dear wee beasties

And here is a Hume in close pursuit.

Two English yeoman mount up in response.

An English rider sweeps across the country to save his kith.

Some of the locals have 'gonnes'

The Bigglesworth riders have gone too far, and are engaged by Hume rievers.

More reivers pile in, including the Hume heidman himself.

One Bigglesworth pricker (yes that is the technical term) is down, the other retreats.

Muckle neb Jock Hume moves to guest the bridge, firing his pistol at, and winging an English farmer.

The remaining Bigglesworth rider crosses the tarn and makes friends with some cows.

Here is the inevitable showdown. Henry, the Bigglesworth Land Sergeant  charges muckle neb Jock Hume; here seen brandishing his unloaded pistol.

A farmer joins in, to support the now wounded land sergeant.

In the meantime a lone, brave gonner protects the cows from reiving Scots. But too late, the English living were outnumbered by their injured. The game was over.

In the final dice roll for victory, The Hume clan won. But we spent too much time fighting, and not enough herding cows.

Lesson learned.