Sharpe's Blood and Steel

 Another Blood and Steel game, but this time out of period - although not by much.

This week we tried the rules for the Peninsular War, pitting a force of French Dragoons against one of Spanish Guerrillas.

The Spanish, led by the notorious Guerrilla leader El Toppo (the hat), consisted of 5 groups of 6 Guerrillas, supported by a group of 6 British riflemen (Sharpe and the Chosen Men).

 For the French, Lt. Plume de ma Tante led 3 groups of 6 Dragoons, supported by 2 groups of 6 Voltigeurs.

The French drew the 'Forage' mission, whilst the Spanish drew an 'Escort' mission. The latter was a modification of the 'Vanguard' mission and required that a British spy (El Mirador) be escorted across the table.

Somewhere in Spain

Another cracking game. How best to sum it up? The Spanish shooting was hot, the French shooting was not, seems to fit the bill. Needless to say, I was the French!

Spanish Guerrillas move up, making the best use of the available cover. 

Voltigeurs oppose the Spanish advance, from the cover of the vineyard. 

French Dragoons gallop towards the right flank objective marker.

Dragoons reach the objective marker and begin foraging. This is going to be easy....

But, on the far flank, El Mirador's escort is creeping forward.

Covered by some crack shooting from the Chosen Men.

Dragoons return to their baseline with the captured cattle - 2 Attrition Points to the Spanish!

 

Dragoons redeploy to deal with the advancing Spanish........

.......only to be shot to bits. El Mirador is half-way there - 2 Attrition points to the French
(including 1 for casualties)

El Mirador is one move away from freedom - but it's the last turn.

However, the French are on 3 Attrition points, through casualties, and must roll a morale test. They fail the roll and the game goes to the Spanish.

The sole Spanish casualty!

The French Butcher's Bill!!

Another great game of 'Blood and Steel' and a severe drubbing for the French Dragoons first on table appearance.

Shootout in Purgatory

This week, it was back to Purgatory for the last of our Western games, using Blood and Steel.

This time around, the two sides were the forces of Law, led by the One-Eyed Fat Marshal, versus local magnate Latham Cole and his gang of ruffians.

Purgatory in all its glory.

Rather than last week's narrative scenario, we returned to using the random missions, from the rulebook. I did, however, tweak them for a more western feel and added a couple of new bespoke missions. The objective markers were reduced to two, the jailhouse and the bank, although, in the end, neither were needed for the chosen missions.

The Law drew the 'Wrong Side of Town' mission: You must make a show of force to reassert the presence of the law on the far side of town. This is really the 'Vanguard' mission, from the book, which involves attempting to move your leader across the table towards your opponent's baseline.

The Ruffians drew 'The Fugitive' mission: Stinky Pete has stolen your secret plans to bring the railroad to Purgatory. You must recover those plans. This is one of the missions that I added. It involves searching areas of terrain, in the opponent's half of the table, until the objective (Stinky Pete) is discovered. The objective must then be carried back to your own table half and delivered to your baseline.

As usual, the first turn is deployment, with both sides trying to guess their opponent's objective, whilst looking for opportunities to fulfil their own. I deployed on a broad front, to maximise potential search areas, but noticed a gap in the Law's deployment, giving me the chance for a run at the Saloon in the centre of the table. Using double actions and command points, the O'Finnigan gang ran across the street into the Saloon.

  

The O'Finnigans race for the saloon. Last one in gets the round in!

The O'Finnigans make it inside, leaving Dravott to threaten the locals. Foolish move, as he appears to be on camera!

Across the street, Indio and his Mexicans cover the move but come under fire from a bunch of Cowpokes, lurking in the shadow of the saloon.

On the left, El Fatti, and yet more Mexicans, make a diversionary move towards the Jailhouse. 

Stinky Pete is apprehended, at the bar, and dragged into the street.

On the right, rather fittingly, a gang of Outlaws are trading shots with the Pinkertons outside the Bank.

Meanwhile, back in the centre, Costner and his Cowpokes pursue Stinky Pete, while the Fat Marshal eyes up his chances of crossing the street (not easy as he's only got one eye).

Stinky Pete is delivered safely to the baseline - putting the Law on 2 Attrition points.

As the lead flies, Miss Belle decides to leave town.

Mayhem in the streets. As the gun battle rages, casualties mount up and the Law is on three Attrition points. But they pass the resolve test and the fight continues. 
At the start of turn 5, the Fat Marshal is one move away from his objective, which will also give the Ruffians a third Attrition point. It's down to who gets the next move. We both bid 10, but I have the Initiative Edge.

Josey Wales steps into the alley and guns down the Marshal - in the back apparently!

A win for the Ruffians but it could easily have gone either way. A great game and another win for Blood and Steel.

Drivin' Miss Belle

Or Belle's End, a tale of inappropriate morality...

Howdy Partner an' welcome back to Purgatory.  Latest news around town is that the Morals Committee has decided to run Miss Belle out of town.  The Cat house is to be closed and turned into a prayer house.  Folks ain`t happy, particularly Swiss, her paramour (and some would claim pimp.)

Purgatory, waiting for the Noon stage

Miss Belle, actin` up

The Euro-trash adventurers intervene to save the shady Lady.  They don't last long.

The Mexicans also get involved.  Some of Belle's best customers.

The less than Magnificent five and the 'Pache raid the other side of town

But the Law wants Belle on that stage,  They get closer.

 

Shooting from the five turns out to be ... pretty magnificent

And Swiss leads Belle's customers in a full scale shoot out with the Law on main street

But the Law nabs Belle and rushes her up an alley.  Hope that kick landed.

The Noon stage

And they put the lady on the stage, quite literally.

The Apache are on a killing spree.  Loads of Cowpokes go down and the Natives don't lose a single man.

Swiss gets too close and Sharon guns him down.

Belle meanwhile kicks the shotgun guard aboard the stage.

The Apache have cleared their side of town, but the narrative objective is to save Miss Belle, not just to kill cowboys.  

The stage makes its turn, and the Mexicans cant stop it.  El Fatti is distraught.

A heavy price has been paid to put the lady on the stage.

And the stage leaves.  Is this the end of Miss Belle... or will she be back?