Fistful of Lead: Might and Melee

I had a great game of the fantasy version of Fistful of Lead with some of Bodvoc's gaming group. He and I have played some games of Galactic Heroes before, and the other chaps had a little experience with the original Western ruleset, but it was the first time any of us had tried the actual fantasy set.

I provided two human retinues using my Frostgrave collection and Bodvoc made up an Elven group for himself (of course) and a goblin group.  You can read his account here.

The scenario was the first one in the book, where the aim was simply to put as many of the opposition out of action as possible and gain Renown for doing so.

At the end of the first turn my Sons of Empire are skirting the wood held by the elves. A long range crossbow shot from Heinrich Shutz has Shaken one of the goblins who are making their way over the hill. The Norse carefully move round, keeping out of the action for now.

The Sons of Empire wade the stream and take on the goblins in the small wood,

while the Norse assess the situation,

and the elves advance through their wood

Goblins are falling like chaff before the mighty Empire. I even took out the goblin leader.

The elves turn nasty, with unprovoked archery against my men.

The Norse look on, trying to decide where to wet their steel.

Heinrich wounds an elf, purely in self defence. More elves attack my Empire chaps (you'd think they'd welcome my helping rid the woods of goblins), forcing me to decide which was the greater threat

After failing to hit the Norse archer, elf bowman Emyn Lockharn is Shaken in response.

My leader, Heinrich Issacs Balthazar Resinarius turns his back on the remaining goblin to face the elves

The Norse finally decide that the elves present a threat and march forwards

The wounded lady elf charges Heinrich and a long combat begins

Heinrich Issacs is attacked by elves in the front and a goblin to the rear and the Norse move in.

Shutz and the elf continue their fight, in the background the rest of his team slowly fall to the elves and goblins

With the death of Issacs, the elves are whittled down by the Norse

Who also pitch in against the lady elf

Night fell at the end of turn eight, by which time I had one soldier left, Heinrich Shultz.  i think only one or two elves were left standing.  Two goblin rabble and one spear armed goblin slunk off, the latter had taken down Issacs.  All the Norse survived, the benefit of their cautious behaviour early on in the game.

Fistful of lead provided another great fun game, with lots of tense moments and changes of fortune.  I played a '6' several times allowing Shultz to reload and fire in the same turn, and use the relevant queen cards to remove his shock, and one of Issac's  wounds as well.

I'm looking forward to another game, though most of our retinues are a bit weakened, with several troops having to miss the next game, and more than a few have developed unfortunate negative traits.

Having played Frostgrave I do find the post battle injuries a little more punishing, and the cost of replacing lost troops seems high.  Still, it's the same for all of us.  I'll have to think of ways to spend my 9 points of Renown.