This is a game we were all rather excited about playing, playmobil having made up a big part of our childhoods. Myself, M and M's brother J aimed to play a siege game using our extensive medieval collections, with rules inspired by H.G.Wells' Little wars. Basically the game was going to be a large scale skirmish with very simple dice rolling with, of course, in true Wells style, the addition of fireable artillery! D6s were rolled for combat with assailants rolling off (adding bonuses for weaponry) and then wound (rolling over a certain number depending on the defenders armour - a system inspired by GW's Lord of the Rings strategy battle game). We also had plenty of artillery (5 trebuchets, 5 bombards, 5 cannons, 1 large ballista and 5 smaller (rather useless) ones) with which to knock down our opponents' men. I must confess that this was a rather exciting game, and what promised to be a very fun excuse to roll out the old retainers and retinues soon became very competitive (though without losing the fun!)
The rather loose backstory was that this was a siege of some castle (probably Stirling) in Scotland by the English, during the wars between Edward and Robert Bruce. Bruce himself was in command of the castle's garrison (controlled by me). The main castle was held mostly by Scottish levy pikemen, spearmen and billmen, though they were also supported by the Bruce's men at arms and a contingent of highland and island allies. It also contained a trebuchet, large ballista, two cannons and 3 small ballistas. Either side of this were the tow out forts, each containing a bombard which overlooked all approaches to the castle. The smaller tower was defended by Irish mercenaries, while the larger 'red dragon' castle was held by most of the Bruce's archers and the rest of his men at arms (mostly his crusader comrades). The English force contained the rest of the artillery and was supplemented by three large siege towers, one small one and lots of ladders (though without the men to crew them all and the artillery...) they also had a large number of mounted men at arms (off table) as well as dismounted on table.
The Bruce discusses tactics with the Highland chieftain and the commander of his spearmen.
The English began the siege with their three siege towers heading off to tackle each of the castles. The first casualties occurred when English trebuchet fire took out nearly all the highlanders and islanders in the castle courtyard and three of the men at arms in the keep, including the Bruce's standard bearer.
However as the first English siege tower made contact with the smaller tower they got a nasty shock as a load of Irish, with very large shields, ran from beneath the tower to assail the base of the tower. The English despatched their large contingent of foot men at arms, under Herr Sloschen Boschen, to deal with this. But as they approached the tower the Scots' bombard opened fire taking out Herr Sloschen Boschen with its first shot. It continued to mow down men at arms as the tower's defenders charged out onto the siege tower's bridge engaging the English attackers.
At the main castle the English siege tower advanced, while covering fire from the artillery took out two of the defenders on the wall. However Scottish artillery from within the castle too took its toll and swept the top of the siege tower clean of archers.
As the fight continued by the tower the English bombards nearby took down two Irishmen, but the bombard within the tower continued taking its toll on the advancing men at arms, while one of the 'useless' ballistas in the main castle took out two English archers. Meanwhile the Irish began to climb the back of the tower, while those on the bridge pushed by the attackers.
Inside the castle, the highland and islander chieftain, running to support his remaining handful of men in resisting the approaching siege tower, was killed by an amazing bombard shot ricocheting off the roof, a wall and through the door.
Things were not going as well as could have been hoped for the English. Their artillery had caused little further damage on the castle's defenders while the Scots spearmen were lining up to resist the siege tower, now in place at the wall.
Meanwhile at red dragon fort, their siege tower came quickly into contact and the billmen within swiftly took out the tower's archer garrison. Taking the opportunity the crusaders and knights within quickly sallied forth with banners flying. However they rode right into range of the English artillery which opened fire taking out two knights and another man's horse (the man was killed by an accidental shot from the castle's bombard)
Over by the tower, the attackers had been pushed right back inside the siege tower and the Irish, assaulting from the back, now had them truly hemmed up inside. Behind them however the handful of men at arms who had survived the advance were ready to attack.
With the siege tower almost in Irish hands, a sudden wave of English knights charged onto the field, slaughtering the remaining Irishman in the tower's base.
Over in the castle the siege tower lowered its bridge and a wave of billmen rushed across and into combat with the waiting Scots spearmen, highlanders and islanders The combat was swift, as only one Englishman made it over the wall, a number of the Scots forced their way onto the bridge.
Meanwhile however, the tower's battering ram had been rolled out and had made a breech in the castle's wall! But inside the knights from red dragon force had arrived in the courtyard, supported by some of the Bruce's own men at arms mounted up.
At the tower the Irish continued to fight on, with the remaining Gallowglass taking down several men at arms. However he didn't notice the English crossbowman hiding on the top and was taken out by a shot the back of the head. At the base of the tower the English knights rode round the back.
With the breech open the rest of the English knights charged forward, though some were killed by fire from the Scottish artillery within the castle and the bombard from the tower, dismounting by the tower to assault the breech. On the tower's bridge the English bills repulsed their Scottish counterparts.
As the English men at arms charged in the combat in the castle's courtyard began.
Up in the keep Bruce, now armoured up, stepped out to meet his remaining men at arms and prepare them for the fight ahead.
The fight within continued as the English fought off all comers, though on the walls the last Scots spearmen were pushing across the siege tower's bridge.
Descending into the courtyard, the Bruce and some of his men at arms prepared to mount up. However English trebuchets suddenly hurled shot into the courtyard cutting down a crusader and the Bruce's own horse.
Now mounted up, the Bruce and his retinue piled into the English men at arms within the castle.
The Scots knights annihilated the English assault, while the Bruce himself and his retinue retired back to the keep in preparation for a fresh assault from the English gathering outside the breech. On the walls a wild shot from the bombard in red dragon castle took down the last English billmen, while also killing the remaining Scots pike.
With the courtyard cleared, the Bruce began climbing the stairs to aid the defenders on the gun platform, whilst his men at arms returned to the far side of the courtyard to await the next assault.
The courtyard was stacked high with dead Scots and English, while outside the wall bodies were strewn everywhere. The bombard in red dragon castle shot at the attackers just outside the breech, proving a real menace.
Having regrouped, a long line of English billmen advanced through the breech, preparing to resit a cavalry charge from the Scots
However shots from the Scots cannon and ballista, in the high tower above, broke their ranks and allowed the knights their charge, though one knight was cut down. On the bridge fresh English billmen began to advance.
Over by the out tower, the English men at arms at long last captured the bombard and drove the last Irish defender out. The knights passed by the tower, heading for the breech.
The Scots continue to batter at the English in the breech, one man at arms losing his horse, but continuing the fight.
Now safe from the outwork's bombard the English knights move swiftly on the breech.
But as the last wave of attackers enters the breech, the English artillerymen drop their trebuchets and rush forwards with ladders to aid in the assault.
With the billmen all killed and the breech piled high with English dead, the Scots men at arms retreat to the far end of the courtyard where the Bruce remounts to join them.
Reaching the walls, the English artillerymen begin to pour up their ladders and over, concerned over their vulnerability from the Scots artillery in the tower, the captured bombard in the tower fires at great elevation and miraculously takes out a crewman, reducing the ballista to half speed.
However the cannon still fires, while the Scots archers on the walls continue firing at the oncoming wave of men.
Having had another horse shot from under him, the Bruce and his remaining men at arms retreat to the keep, which his herald had already barricaded up.
Having suffered badly from the remaining two Scottish cannons, and a brave defence from the crossbowmen on the gun platform, the remaining English men at arms wade forward across the piles of Scottish dead, two pushing their way up the stairs to the keep. Seeing a chance for glory, the Bruce darted out of the keep and, swinging down in a bucket, prepared to engage the English men at arms single handed.
However, as the gun platform crew raised their gun to overlook the courtyard it seemed like a barrage of cannon fire might finish the English.
But another well placed bombard shot pounded through the gun platform and took out the cannon, meanwhile the English men at arms forced their way up the stairs to attack the last Scottish line of defence.
Down in the courtyard the Bruce engaged a man at arms and slew him, but quickly sped up the stairs as the other advanced.
On the stairs the Scots fought back the men at arms on the stairs, killing one, while the last English billman was killed in the gun room. However as the Scots advanced down the stairs the last English man at arms cut down the Bruce!
With the keep successfully defended, the remaining man at arms retreated to rally the remaining English forces to the attack. The out tower had been taken out and one of the English bombards had killed the remaining defenders of red dragon castle. Up in the castle's tall tower however, an annoying swordsmaster with an American accent, who's name was two sword Joe had climbed his way up and taken out the Scots' cannon (It was getting late!)
As the English rallied for the attack the Scots prepared their last defence of the keep - the remaining defenders consisted of two spearmen, two crossbowmen, an Irish archer, a man at arms and the herald (and of course the half rate ballista firing from the tall tower.
As the last English entered the castle the ballista took its final toll cutting a couple of them down, while an archer finished off another.
Reaching the keep the last men at arms engaged one another in a long combat - however this eventually ended with the death of the English combatant and the keep was held for good.
As two sword Joe advanced on the keep the crossbowmen peppered him with shots at last taking the last man of the English army down. The Scots had successfully defended the castle... but at a high price.
It had been a long (probably lasting about 6hrs) and bloody game, and the courtyard was now stacked high with Scots and English dead, while bodies and abandoned siege equipment were strewn about outside. It was a great bit of fun, and definitely in the spirit of little wars.
If you have never come across Wells' little wars this is a good article about how his wargames rules (developed in conjunction with Jerome K Jerome of three men in a boat) co-exsisted with his pacifism
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/library/special-collections/exhibitions/current-and-past-exhibitions/remember/war/little-wars
written by B
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