The Blandings Plate 1644

A recent ECW game here at GHQ using my own A Crowning Mercy rules. Jon featured as the First Earl Emsworth, loyal to the crown, and to his pig.... I was the Parliamentarian commander, Obadiah Bykleigh, Gentleman ~ no aristocratic pretentions here! Emsworth was charged with escorting his Plate to the king, that it might be melted down and used to supplement the Royal warchest. If he could escort the baggage train off the opposite end of the table he would win the game and, in his Emsworth persona, save his bacon...
Lord Emsworth, ably assisted, or not, by a sister and his son the Hon Frederick plan their course of action ~


Beneath the family banner a strategy is taking shape...

The Blandings Plate is loaded onto a baggage train and makes ready to set out on its journey ~

The Parliamentarian force appears randomly, with an increasing chance in each turn to appear. Just as well, as I could n't throw above 20% for three turns, allowing Jon to get well underway, although he was rather phased by not having a large force to cover all eventualities ~

With no sign of Parliamentary opposition, Emsworth's Horse are moving ahead to scout the road, while Robinson's Whitecoats move up ahead of the baggage train ~

Robinson's Whitecoats

At last my dice luck improves and Parliamentary forces intent on seizing the Blandings Plate begin to arrive on the table, and luckily at the right end too from my perspective ~

Parliamentary Horse and Foot advance to cut off the Plate!

Fierce fighting is soon breaking out as rival Horse clash along the Ludlow road, while Parliamentary Foot hastens into action ~

Taking advantage of Royalist confusion, the Parliamentary horse crashes into a unit of Foot ~

Seen from the perspective of those in the baggage train, the Royalist position looks grim ~

However, in several turns of fierce fighting, after fortunes went first to one side, then to the other, the Parliamentary force is finally broken and leaves the field, as the Plate in its baggage train exits the table to Royalist cheering ~

In all the game lasted seventeen turns in about three hours, with a short break for a cuppa in the middle of a lull in the action. No unexpected outcomes happened and the rules worked smoothly, as we feel they always do. If anything, my troops were rather on their metal in the middle of things, but were outfought at the climax when it mattered. It seemed Parliament's desires for the riches of the Blandings Plate were not as strong as those of the Royalists, who deservedly held the field at the end of the game.