Blood and Crowns: the Causeway

The campaign in Pigourdy, France 1340

The County of Pigourdy

Background

The Count of Pigourdy was killed fighting the English King in Flanders in the Spring of 1340.  The closest heir in line of succession was his cousin Sir Phallus de Farandole, Knight friend and confidant of King Edward of England.  The French have promoted the cause of Amal Sieur de Phoque, a Knight who had hurriedly and scandalously married the widowed Countess. 

Within the County the French King`s appointee has been grudgingly accepted by all but the Abbot of St. Dongé, who thoroughly disliked  the new Count.  Rumour has it that the Widowed Countess had entered a nunnery before being abducted by the Sieur de Phoqué.

The English Knight is of course furious.  Without seeking King Edward's permission De Farandole has gathered a few ships and made haste from his stronghold in north Durham for the coast of Pigourdy. 

The English have no horses, and limited supplies.

My campaign rules

Several nodes are marked on my campaign map.  These are followed in a linear manner and a scenario is diced as the node is reached.  The scenario will assist in creating a narrative for the game, essentially a back story.  

The implications of this are that the side I don't play becomes randomised, and this is built into the narrative.

Success in the campaign is quantified by honour points accumulated as well as the capture or killing of the enemy's principal character.

The Game

Determine Battlefield Layout by rolling 1d10: 

1-3 Corners 

4-6 Race 

7-10 Battle Lines

Determine Scenario by rolling 1d10: 

1) Ambuscade 

2) Seize 

3) Pillage 

4) Burn 

5) Rearguard 

6) Regicide 

7) Formal Combat 

8) King of the Hill 

9) Defender’s Choice 

10) Attacker’s Choice

Rewards, Characters and traits

Per 5 honour points

Honour points may be rewarded by rolling on the Retinue and traits table below.  A roll costs five honour points.

Roll d20
1 Commanding Presence
2. Battle Hardened
3. Glory Hound
4. Gold Not Glory
5. Discipline
6. Inspiring
7. Martyr
8. Prowess
9. Ruthless
10. Tough
11. Stalwart
12. Stubborn
13. Wanted
14. War Cry
15 -20 Free character added to Retinue
Roll d20 again

1. Master Bowman
2. Artillerist
3. Vintenar (Sergeant of 20)
4. Grizzled Veteran
5. Baronet
6. Mercenary Captain
7. Spy
8. Engineer
9. Courtesan
10. Diplomat
11. Centenary
12. Grizzled Sergeant
13. Flighty Young Squire
14. Thief
15. Rabble rouser
16. Hedge priest
17. Father Confessor 
18. Fletcher
19. Minstrel
20. Fool

The English

249 points
Knight Banneret Phallus de Farandole, of Durham
Retinue 6 Men-at-Arms, Afoot @42 plus Musician @3
Main Battle
6 Archers, English @60 plus Vintenar@5
6 Archers, English @60
4 Spearmen @16

4 Spearmen @16
Vanguard
6 Men-at-Arms, Afoot @42 plus Knight Bachelor @5 Quincy de Lumley

English Army in France 
Crecy to Poitiers, 1345-56 
 main battle 
Archers, English | Footmen  (Spearmen*) 
vanguard 
Men-at-Arms, Afoot | Footmen  (Gascons) | Veteran Footmen (Gascons) | Welsh Archers 
reserve 
Veteran Men-at-Arms, Afoot |  Veteran Men-at-Arms, Mounted |  Men-at-Arms, Mounted | Veteran  English Archers 
Special Rules Chevauchée: This Company may choose to add  +2 to their roll when determining the attacker in  a scenario.
*Spearmen may not take the Polearms upgrade.

The French

250 points
Amal, Sieur de Phoque
Knight Banneret, 6 Veteran Men at arms, Mounted @72

Banner "Phoque Rien" @7

Musician @3
Main Battle
6 Men-at-Arms, mounted @72
6 Crossbowmen, Genoese @54
Vanguard
6 Men-at-Arms, Afoot @42

French Army 
Crecy to Poitiers, 1345-56 
main battle 
Men-at-Arms, Mounted | Crossbowmen, Genoese* | Crossbowmen, Light | Feudal Levy 
vanguard 
Men-at-Arms, Afoot | Esquires  | Footmen | Veteran Men-atArms, Mounted 
reserve 
Veteran Men-at-Arms, Afoot Special Rules *Genoese Crossbowmen have the Mercenaries  special rule

The Descent on Cadzon

Game One, the descent on Cadzon.  I based this loosely on Sir Walter Manny's attack on Cadzand.

Pigourdy Ludo

The English roll a 5 on a d6.  The first game will be well within the bay but still at sea.  

Baie des Turdes: Mini Campaign.
Three games each located after rolling a d6 on the LUDO table.

In the first game...

From the Chronicles of the Abbot of St. Dongé 

Rounding the Isle of Cadzon the Lord Farandolé saw a laden French Merchant ship in the roads of the Baie of Turdes. The Sieur de Phoque's banner was flying over the castle on the Island.  The English decided to strike a blow at the French.

In Game One the English ships seized the French Roundship Edith Piave and its rich cargo.  The Sieur de Phoque was driven off towards the Castle at Cadzon.  De Farandole decided to chase the fleeing Frenchmen.

Game Two

Little Dick, the overly tall Vintenar in Sir Phallus service has taken a group of English archers out onto the causeway between Cadzon and the mainland.  They are confronted by a group of Mounted French Men at arms.

Something of a rules tester game.

The causeway

Turn One  the French Mounted move forward and the Archers volley gets two hits.

One Resolve fail.  The Archers get nervous.  These Mounted guys are now in charge range.

The Men at arms close in.  A defensive shoot by the archers gets three hits but all three are saved.  Men at arms are tough.

The attack sweeps in.  Three hits. Two saves one Resolve point failed.

The men at arms push, gaining a Fatigue.  Only one hit.  

Another Resolve point lost, an additional Fatigue onto the Archers.

The archers fight first in the next round.  Two hits.

The Men at arms lose one to a kill and save one.  They also lose a Resolve roll, shaking them.  The Men at arms retreat.

But on their turn the Men at arms then rally.

And back in they charge at the start of next turn.  The defensive fire hits two.

But the Men at arms have two killed and fail all three Resolve rolls.  If only they had a favour!  Shaken and routed.

Little Dick the tall Vintenar can now loot the dead men at arms, and claim his honour points.
A roll on rewards reveals that Little Dick has fitted himself out with distinctive platemail, courtesy of the deceased French Banneret.  A roll of 14 indicates he will be considered a Thief by the French and attracts rhe "wanted" trait.

And the final game of this series is set up.  The village of Turdés.

For the final game a King of the Hill scenario, as the English attempt to steal the church silverware from the mainland village.  

Turdés is of course famous for its fresh sea air.  The "Healthy smell of Turdés," being an ancient French proverb.