Lion Rampant - First play through.

After Ashak Rise we had enough time to have a quick play through of Lion Rampant.

This game was put together really quickly - using the terrain from Ashak Rise.

The retinues were:

High Elves (Snake-eyes)

Mounted Men-at-Arms 6pts

Mounted Sergents with bows 6pts

Expert Archers 6pts

Foot Sergents 4pts

Hobgoblins (Steedo)

Mounted Sergents with bows 6pts

3 Fiece Foot @ 4pts

Archers 4pts

The Elven Mounted Men at Arms a top a hill

 The activation mechanism in LR is a nice way to get the fog of war into the game. It does remind me a bit of Song of Blades and Heroes which is no bad thing. The game was the Bloodbath scenario from the rule book. First term for both sides was getting units into position - Snake-eyes probably didn't get his Foot Sergents close enough to the rest of the retinue to make a decisive attacks later in the game. Conversely Steedo didn't get his Archers moving either, but it meant they were well placed at the end.

First blood went to the Hogoblins, when they challenged and defeated the Elven leader!

The aftermath  - a wild charge by the Elves after the death of their leader!

We found the rules quick to pick up and play - which I am pretty sure we were doing right!

Also once units became battered archery was very dangerous as if a casualty was caused a courage test followed which could result in retreat and another figure being removed making the rally check  tougher next turn! 

Mounted Men at Arms - a really tough unit - smashed up at least 3 Hobgoblin units, but got battered and the 12 dice the archers were throwing took their toll.

According to the rules the game ended in draw ..... 

However, we ended playing through to last man standing.....when Snake-eyes says "I can't believe you really think you can win from here..!"

With most surviving units battered and just trying to stay on the table Snake-eyes marches his Foot Sergents at Steedo's Archers - who pepper them with arrows on the long march over .... Causing a courage test just as the Sergents get into attack distance - and Snake-eyes rolls snake-eyes again! Battered and the game is over!

Overall we enjoyed Lion Rampant a lot, quick to play and pick up. There was little fuss involved in playing, always a good sign. Will probably be using Lion Rampant for fantasy games as I don't actually have any historical figures for the period - so I am waiting on Dan Mersey's Rule variations which will be published in one of the wargames magazines in the future....