Test of Honour - the rematch

 

So, having managed a win against my son in last week's game of Test of Honour he was very keen for a re-match and a chance to have a game where practically every roll wasn't a fumble.  We'd both felt that luck (or lack of it) had played a heavy role in the game.  We decided to stick to the 'encounter' scenario we'd played before with a bit of reorganising the table and a chance to re-think our troop choices.  

This time the clash took place at a farm somewhere in the Japanese countryside, although clearly the cherry blossom was still in bloom!  Last time Callum had opted for a lot of single-based figures and hadn't taken up the option of having them organised in groups of 3: this time he added in a couple of groups and some single missile troops.  I'd opted for 2 Nobles and a couple of groups of Ashigaru with only 1 individual commoner.  Both of us had also taken a Banner wielding figure: these give a bonus in defending to units with 6".  My choices meant I had fewer chances to activate but when I did I could use my more powerful groups.

This game was a much more cautious affair than last time. 

The enemy move up through the trees...

...and once again Callum's missile troops immediately climb onto the nearest roof.
This was actually a pretty sound tactic and they stayed there for most of the game

My troops advance, trampling some innocent peasant's precious crops.

Snipers on the rooftops...

The first half of the game was surprisingly bloodless.  We both advanced very cautiously with missile troops taking pot shots without much effect.  Eventually I crossed the stream and  we ended up with a clash between the 2 spear armed Ashigaru groups and our Samurai Heroes.

My Samurai leader was cut down and my spear group wiped out and at this point I thought it was pretty much all over, but my other Samurai, obviously enraged at the loss of his master, charged in and killed the enemy leader and most of the opposing spearmen.

The Samurai clash...

Unfortunately my force was now quite depleted and I fought a gradual retreat.  Apart from my Samurai I only had missile troops left and so we gradually withdrew, pursued by the enemy Ashigaru.  The musketeers and archers managed to inflict wounds on each other but eventually my single archer and then the Samurai were overtaken and cut down, leaving the Musket armed troops to surrender.

This game felt very different to the last one... I suspect both of us were thinking more about the strengths and weaknesses of the different troops after our first game and took a more thoughtful approach.  Very enjoyable and great to get another game on.  I'm stll keen to give the Ronin ruleset another try so there may be a 3rd Samurai game before long.