Last Thursday we decided to give Lion Rampant a try.  Since I have a number of figures from my Sharp Practice II variant, we decided to make use of them.  While Sharp Practice is intended for much later periods, Lion Rampant is intended for just prior, but a set of alterations and new unit types is available on Boardgame Geek, and they were used for this game.

We rolled for terrain, using another online chart, and for the scenario as per the rulebook.  The rolled the tax collection scenario.  In this scenario, it is tax collection day for the defenders, the people have conveniently left their taxes in 6 piles about the village.  The caches are represented by tokens each representing different amounts hidden from the players.  Unfortunately for the defenders, their enemies have learned of this and come to steal away the goodies.

After setting up the table and placing tokens we rolled for are parts in this play.  The Lancasters were the defenders and the Yorkists were the thieving raiders.

The Yorkists arrived first but as the battle began, they were moving only piecemeal towards the village, their commanding knight was having difficulting activating his force forward.  the Lancasters however came on strong marching straight into the center of the village.

Then fortune waved her fickle finger and matters reversed themselves.  The Lancasters held a strong position with the Shire Billmen in the road supported by Men at Arms and Dismounted knights in their rear, and the Shire Archers defending their flank.  The Yorkist positioned their own German Pikemen into Schiltron and awaited the worst.  It never came.

A withering fire from the better train Welsh Archers of the Yorkist command whittled away at the poor billmen and the Lancaster commander was unable to activate anything for at least 5 turns!  the Yorkists used this time well, to steal gold, to successfully challenge and kill the Lancaster leader and many of his knights.

The most common issue I have heard mentioned with these rules is the challenge of failing to activate.  In my previous battles, I have enjoyed this feature, but this extreme version was NOT fun!  I have read a suggestion online of giving all leaders the commanding skill, which allows a reroll of an activation, plus one additional random skill.  Peter mentioned that someone he has played with house ruled free missile fire of any unactivated units.  Next time I play I will try the free commanding skill option.  I do enjoy this game, but would rather not have either myself or my opponent suffer in such fashion as we did that night!

Thanks to Sir Geoffrey Hummel of the House of York for his fine pictures.

Until next time,

Cheers,

Ron