I've been posting rarely, as I've got less and less time to paint these days. I've been playing a lot though, so that's all right.
I've had a first test game of Ronin, with the Bushi buntai facing off
against the Ikko-Ikki. We kept the game size small, 100 points, since we
basically just wanted to test everything out. For this reason, we also chose to
play a skirmish scenario without any frills - just good old fashioned beating
at each other.
You'll have to pardon the rather poor pictures, I really
have to start bringing a decent camera to the club and not relying on my phone.
Some of the pictures (the decent ones) are taken by my opponent, Tim, who
played the Ikko-Ikki.
The Ikko-Ikki took to the field led by a Sohei. Besides him,
3 Monto (2 with spears and one with a banner) was joined by a rabble of 6
peasants with improvised weapons.
Opposing them, and looking to raid reconnoiter their
village, was the bushi. Lead by a Samurai, the rest of the force was 2 Ashigaru
archers, a single Ashigaru-Gashira spearman and an Ashigaru-Gashira with a banner.
Our setup was rather simple. After the game we found that we
really hadn’t had enough terrain, but that was part of the reason for trying it
out. I’ll be adding another small building and a larger one to the collection,
and possibly making some walls. I hope that will be enough, if we also include
some more trees.
The first few rounds were uneventful, with the Bushi largely
staying in place and shooting, while the Ikko-Ikki came rushing at them.
Shooting at long ranges were utterly ineffective, however, and the Ikko-Ikki
managed to close the distance before suffering anything worse than a peasant
with a slight headache (a stun result).
After clearing the last copse of trees and the buildings,
this started to change. The Ikko-Ikki split up into two parts, with a Monto
taking a peasant as a human shield and making a beeline for an Ashigaru archer
on the flank, while the rest of the mob started towards the Samurai.
Then, though, my archers pulled through and took advantage
of the shorter range to put an arrow in the leg of the Sohei. Although it was
just a light wound, it would still bring him down to the same initiative level
as my samurai, despite him carrying a naginata.
One of them, on the left flank, wound up in combat with a
peasant, while the rest of the Ikko-Ikki mob charged my samurai, including the
Monto who was previously moving towards my other Ashigaru archer.
Seeing this dishonorable rabble attacking his commander, the
Ashigaru spearman bravely interposed himself and made a beeline for the Sohei –
with me winning initiative for the round, he got to strike first, and before the
Ikko-Ikki could do anything, he had speared the monto though the chest and
killed him.
He didn’t live to see his bravery celebrated however, as the
two Monto promptly killed him in retaliation. In the meantime, the samurai
commander had put up a wholly impressive, but ultimately ineffective, display of
swordsmanship towards the peasant in combat with him. On the flanks, the Ashigaru archers had easily
killed off the peasants who’d charged them.
On the right, the lone archer was engaged by a Monto with
spear. The left archer ran towards him to help, worried that the Yari-equipped
Monto might be able to kill off or wound his comrade before he was able to
strike back, and the banner-carrying Ashigaru-Gashira moved forward to help his
commander fighting a Monto and a peasant.
The left archer hadn’t needed to worry, though. His combat
turn was instead spent trying not to gag at the sight of a Monto being cut to
shreds by a roll of double 6 by the right archer, who had clearly been taking
lessons in slicing and dicing.
Meanwhile, the Samurai had realised he’d dishonour his
ancestors if he didn’t start actually fighting and let the Ashigaru do all the
heavy lifting, and he dispatched the yari-equipped monto, although not before
being stunned in the process. The Ashigaru-Gashira with the banner swiftly
killed the peasant trying to flank his leader.
At this, we ended the game. With only a peasant (and a
stunned one at that) and the Monto with the banner left, the outcome did not
seem to be in doubt.
All in all, a good time was had by both of us. To be honest,
I think the Ikko-Ikki list I’d made for 100 points was a bit underpowered for
this kind of game. It seems like they’d be much more at home with more terrain
and objectives that would force the other player to divide his men, allowing
him to swarm him with peasants more effectively. Part of the reason for my
playing this defensively and allowing the Ikko-Ikki to come to me was our rules
test before the game where we matched the Sohei and 2 Peasants against the
Samurai and a lone Ashigaru with a bow. In that, the higher initiative of the
Sohei with naginata as well as the effect of 2 stuns from the peasants proved
to be decisive, and I was under the impression that as soon as the Ikko-Ikki
hit close combat I’d be in real trouble and basically fold.
As it turned out, this was rather far from the truth. Resolving
combats with multiple participants as 2 or more distinct combats where only one
side has multiple models engaged works really, really well from a gameplay
perspective and helped the game flow much better than it would have otherwise,
but also made it a bit harder to mob the Samurai since the Ashigaru was there
to break up the angry horde of religious peasants. Plus, I was lucky that I managed to take out the Sohei, which was basically the only model with a chance of taking out my Samurai in a fair fight.
For the next game, I’m aiming at either 200 points or at the
very least, far more terrain. I’ll have to see about getting some walls made,
but I’ve also got 2 buildings almost ready. In the 200 point list, the
Ikko-Ikki will be joined by more Monto, a Samurai and a Honsou, which should
bring them up to a much more even standing quality-wise. At least, when facing the Bushi used here. The last Bushi is still being painted, but the infantry is done now:
The only models remaining is 2 high-ranking samurai on warhorses that seems like they'll be absolute beasts on the field.
