Water,Water Everywhere And Not A Drop To drink

Wednesday 2nd May

                                    "Come out to North Berwick Tim for a nice North African meal and a severe kicking at Donnybrook"

                                       "Can't wait Dave."
                                       And so my introduction into the world of Donnybrook began which hopefully will be a fruitful experience.More fruitful than the first game no doubt.

The souk of North Berwick.

Local Tesco Home Delivery.

Local ruins.

                                           I headed out to North Berwick and after indulging in a very nice North African themed meal due to the game that was being played and being molested by two and a half dogs I got down to the mechanics of the Donnybrook set of rules.These rules are from the Hilton/Clarence stable with help from Dave himself and so it didn't take long for the rules to be inducted into my mainframe as they just basically consist of rally,move,shoot and fisticuffs which I find is that all is required in a game.

First on the scene and the only ones to be remaining at the end.

                                                     

My not so elite.

The forces of right gather.

  The game was taking place in North Africa,one of Daves's fav haunts gamewise and involved both sides heading for the local oasis in order to fill water casks.What could be more easier.I volunteered to take charge of the English forces whereas Dave took charge of hundreds of locals intending to massacre the infidel,which wasn't far of the truth.

The rabble gather.

The rabble jockey for position.

                                            The forces were chosen and the game kicked off with both sides advancing onto the board in search of the precious water.Being my first game I moved cautiously through the ruins that served as my entrance to test the water so too speak and totally forgetting that Dave would be charging down on me with all his usual aplomb.No sooner had my forces deployed than Dave's locals came charging in horses and arrows to the fore.

Cavalry head around the souk.

Accompanied by their glorious leader..

                                                 My plan was to deploy my pikemen with a unit of musketeers on either side and see of this rabble.Well that was the plan.

Market day.

A little debate.

                                                       The game is managed by the now usual random unit selection used in most games and in this case normal playing cards with a picture of the unit on the front was the order of the day.A good system unless your cards don't appear which in my case was prevalent.My officer moved in the first turn and flatly refused to move for the next three leaving my lads a tad leaderless with severe consequences.

"Sure its old but it is beautiful"King Billy turns up.

Heading for the oasis.

                                          Dave's heathen cavalry were making their way accompanied by their leader round the local souk with the intentions of making a hole in my flank whilst his archers picked away at my frontage.This he done with the consequence of one of my unit of musketeers routing back towards their boats and the pike unit taking a casualty.First blood to the rabble.

Muskets to the fore.

Leading from the rear.

                                               As in all battles I had to do some reorganising meaning turning my pike men towards the cavalry and engaging the foot units with gunfire.My leader had other ideas as he just refused to do anything due to the card turning.

My musketeers about to turn tail and run.

Leaving it to the pikemen to clean up.

                                                     My remaining musketeers took up the slack and started to pick off Dave's archers but after initial success they like their leader refused to motivate and they after a few hits decided also to turn tail.Whilst this was happening Dave sent his javelin armed rabble into combat with my elite grenadiers.Elitium my arseium as they disappeared under a blanket of Arab kaftans never to be seen again.

Dave's Imam

                                         

Dave's leader heads to the market to look for some bargains.

Not getting very far.

Dave now possesses two wagons.

 Thinks were not looking to good as first my cart with the empty water casks was apprehended in the usual Arab way and led off the table before Dave's rabble fresh from their defeat of my elite infantry headed straight for my leader who succumbed horse and all under their weight.Serves him right.

King Billy getting his come uppance.

The gallant few.

                                                      My only success of the evening was my pikemen doing away with Dave's cavalry although his leader had refused to engage the pikemen and had decided to indulge in some skulking through the souk.Obviously an ancestor of Donald Adamson

"And he's down!"

                                                    A great game and a great evening and all thanks to Dave O'Brien for supplying all figs'scenery and scenario.Looking forward already to the next game where I'll be a lot more prepared.
                                   Hopefully see some of you at this weekend's Wartime Experience day at east Fortune museum where Gothenburg Gamers will be putting on a Second World War  invasion game of East Lothian.