So, the Group have dipped our collective toes into another new period in ‘Pike and Shotte’.

Within the Group Russ, Stephen and Alan have been building armies and with Alan overseas for work, Russ and Stephen bought their forces along.

Stephen is building an English Civil War army with Scottish leanings while Russ is working on a Swedish Army and Alan Royalists.

Russ, Graham and Goldie played the Swedes while Stephen, Rob and Keith were the ECW/Scots. Set up of armies below with the Swedes on the right.

Swedish cavalry with Cuirassier’s skulking in support.

3 units of wee jocks.

Swedish Battalia(thats a Pike block and 2 supporting units of matchlocks.

Stephens artillery.

Swedish Shotte chaps supported with more cavalry supporting.

Very pretty Swedish unit.

Graham was on this Swedish flank and starts to advance.

Another lovely unit by Russ.

Close up of the shootee chaps.

Rob sent his cavalry charging into the Swedish flanking Battalia who succeeded in forming a ‘Hedgehog’ so the cavalry stopped short of the hedge.

However, this did mean they now were going to get hit by Swedish cavalry.

Stephen charged a unit of wee Jocks into a Matchlock/Popgun combo….the Pop gun..popped…and the shootees retired.

Pop gun has popped….shootees have retired…and the cavalry are getting excited.

Ouch….Swedish Cuirassiers into a damaged unit of wee Jocks.

There is even a supporting cavalry unit.

Keith with Battalia of Jocks looking across table at Swedes.

The cavalry shot on the other flank went on for a few turns. The blue dice with 1’s means someone failed really badly to save hits.

A bit further on and a miracle occurred…Robs cavalry managed to beat off the Swedes. Dice can really be random at times!

Now Russ has chewed thru the wee Jocks with his heavies…who now eye up more wee Jocks.

The wee Jocks are no more…so Russ swept into Keiths Battalia. Goldie managed to get his Battalia to move…and charged over table…and just missed reaching Keith! That last inch really counts at times……

The shootees retired from the Cuirassiers…not sure how…..need read rules more……and Pikes turned to face Cuirassiers….so these wee Jocks will be toast sooner rather than later.

We told Graham to just charge…don’t worry about rolling…just get in…so he did…..he probably shouldn’t have as .. but we did get several training combats on Pike v Pike…

And that’s where we called it…… Swedes have a win. Points wise the Swedes had a more expensive force so next game will be a bit more balanced.

The game looked very attractive…..2 well painted armies……a rule set in the family of Black Powder and Hail Caesar so we are familiar with concepts and turn play…makes easier to learn.

Looking forward to next game.

Terry out.