just talkin'...
A Game of Chance?
Never Mind the
Billhooks, as the author Andy Callan himself declares, is a fun game of toy
soldiers and is not in any way an attempt to simulate actual historical
warfare.
Andy also says “Forget
plans! Never mind the Tactics! Rolling high and drawing the best cards is the
only way to win at Billhooks”. And of course he is right! However, it is worth taking a moment to consider
the composition of your force and the strengths and weaknesses of the various
units in Billhooks and how they may be best deployed. Having played some forty games and participated in all three BASHes here are my thoughts.
.jpg) |
| Front Rank minis- a delight to paint |
But
at the same time games of Billhooks do tend to play out in a way that feels
historically right. The game captures the essence of the period well and while
there are sometimes entertaining routs and slaughters other battles will quite
often be close-run things. The question I always ask my opponent at the end of the
game is, did this feel like it could have been an historical report of a battle
from the Wars of the Roses? The answer, invariably, is yes.
In Nevermind and for Albion in Deluxe, Bows and Bills companies are the meat and potatoes of your army. You can field a decent force that is quite able to win many battles by just using them. The big decision is whether to deploy them in blocks or singly. The deciding factor here is inevitably the ability of your leaders as single units require a lot more orders to be issued. Leader abilities are diced for randomly at the beginning of the game and decide how many orders a leader can issue, which in turn determines how many units he can command. Two units in a block require only one order whereas two individual units requite two orders. Companies in block are stronger in melee but if one unit has to test its morale and fails then both will be affected by the result.
It’s ultimately a question of finding the right balance for your play style If in doubt the Bow/Bill Block is reliable, adaptable, and effective; it
can deal with most threats and is certainly recommended for players who are new
to the ebb and flow of the game.
.jpg) |
| Double de bows is double de arrers! |
Double
Bows? Archer blocks, in line, can be deadly, loosing an arrow-storm
of 48 dice, but they are vulnerable to being charged, so attach a leader to
them that they may choose to evade away from charges
A
double unit of archers can effectively remove a pike block’s ability by causing
enough casualties to reduce its ranks as the Pikes lack their own archers to
screen them from harm. In Deluxe the fast moving, lightly armoured Swiss pikes
are likely to prove more vulnerable to this tactic.
Overall- loose your arrowstorms as regularly and opportunistically as you can. The micro dice tracking a unit’s arrow supply rarely runs out before they get bogged down in melee, are evading trouble, or otherwise engaged in activities that stop them pulling some bowstrings.
.jpg) |
| Bristol boys! De Bare and Mead-land pirates! |
Murder
Machine“These monsters of mayhem, these mothers of murder, these masters of
melee” without doubt Men at Arms are the most reliable, effective slaughter machine on the
field. These are often game winners, particularly if led by a hero. TIP-
shield them with bows or skirmishers from enemy arrow-storms and get them into
combat undamaged by the most direct route you can.
Overall: Heroes on the battlefield, use these armoured
men boldly and count on them to be about the most reliable unit at your
disposal. If you’re going to build a plan around any unit, make it the
Men-at-Arms!
TIP -Try to "get the drop " on your opponents by charging them before they charge you and benefit from rerolling any 1's in your first round of melee.
 |
| Picture courtesy of Mark Taylor |
Don’t
tell ‘em your name… Pikes are the nearest thing to an OP unit in
Nevermind. They cost the same as Bills but can count four ranks in melee. At
BASH 3 Ian Callan’s pike men went on a spree in each of his battles, cutting a
path to the enemy’s baseline and returning by the same route on two occasions.
He did not think it too many.
TIP counter
pike blocks with skirmishers and archers as at the third battle of BASH, the
Yorkist archers and skirmisher shot great blizzards of arrows into the ranks of
pike men and then charged them with an intact company of Men at Arms Picture courtesy of Mark Taylor
TIP always
charge pikes with Men at Arms, if melee is inevitable, to gain the advantage of
rerolling 1’s, and the extra protection in saving rolls from the Men at Arms
heavy armour should carry the day.
Deluxe gives us the mighty pike blocks of the Swiss, fast
moving, hard hitting and fearless! They suffer an extra hit from each shot from
a Great Gonne and have low saving throws so shoot them with your cannon, and
your archers and use skirmishers to harry their flanks.
Deluxe introduces the Herce formation, a combined unit of longbowmen and spears, used by English Armies and Free Companies. The archers in this unit can shoot twice in response to being charged., effectively reproducing the arrow storms of Crecy and Agincourt.
Rock,
Paper, Scissors
Billhooks is a surprisingly subtle game in some aspects. The balance between the different types of units is pretty near perfect. There is a kind of rock, paper, scissors element to the game. For example, artillery are notoriously “swingy”, very often achieving nothing or blowing themselves up, however, they can knock great holes in your Men at Arms as found out at the battle of Bristol Independent Gaming, 3rd March 2021 when the opening shot of the battle killed five of them. Artillery are themselves vulnerable to attack from Light Cavalry or skirmishers. TIP: wait for your opponent to set up his artillery before you deploy your M@A and place them anywhere but opposite them.
 |
| Picture courtesy of Mark Taylor |
Artillery has one weakness tho, apart from spontaneous self-inflicted
explosion of course, in that they have to return fire at any unit shooting at
them. Artillery can only roll half their dice at skirmishers so one tactic to
nullify your opponent’s artillery is to send a band of skirmishers to harass
them. This tactic also has its risks as the skirmishers will be exposed to
shooting from archer units, however, if your opponent places his artillery in
an exposed position, unsupported by archers, as at the first Battle of BASH,
Peters v Harris, where skirmishers were able to harass the artillery crew to
death!
TIP, if possible, negate artillery by skirmishing
them with skirmishers
Artillery has another prime function due to their long range,
they can stop the manoeuvre phase and put an end to any scouting light horse
looking to flank your position. TIP don’t plan for a long manoeuvre
phase if your opponent is equipped with a Great Gonne
Skirmishers,
a Forlorn Hope?
.jpg) |
| Swiss mercenary Harqubusiers-with Pavise |
Skirmishers are a bit
of an historical anomaly, at least in there is no documented evidence of their
existence in the Wars of the Roses yet bands of mercenaries bearing bows,
crossbows and hand guns are known to have been employed universally during this
period and not en masse in formed units, so they are at the very least an
historical possibility.
In game terms skirmishers are never going to be a game
winner. They are frail compared to other troop types and are often wiped out by
a couple of arrow-storms. They are vulnerable to being charged by light cavalry
and will rarely survive a moral test. However, they can be a nuisance and can
keep your opponent under pressure with a steady flow of casualties. As
mentioned, they can nullify artillery TIP use your skirmishers on the
flanks of your opponent’s units outside of the targets 45 degree frontal arc where he is unable to shoot
back
Deluxe
introduces some new armies where skirmishers have a bigger presence, notably
the Portuguese who also use mounted skirmisher bands. It’s hard to predict how
they will perform on the tabletop but I suspect light cavalry will be the
antidote to their hit and run antics
TIP Skirmisher carrying crossbows and hand guns cost
the same points as those armed with bows and have the added advantage of
reducing the saving throws of Men at Arms for no extra points! Say no more
squire!
 |
| 15th C knight, Very heavy armour, no flowing Caparison |
The
Knights Tale Knights are an expensive rarity, however, legend has
it that they have a powerful, unstoppable charge which if used correctly can
destroy enemy units in one swift round of melee. I have never witnessed their
use and the accounts, nay say rumours, that I have heard tell only of their
inevitable defeat. They can be a great liability as their high status means
that all units within 12" will have to test morale if they break.
However, with Deluxe covering the hundred years war and
other knight-heavy periods and with rules for double blocks the knight will
certainly be a force to be reckoned with in future games
A scurrer
by any other name
Light cavalry is a horse of a different colour however. Whether
they are scurrers, prickers, jinetes, ginetes, Besteiros de Garrucha, Stradiots
or just light horse they are all swift and manoeuvrable and can turn on a
groat, they can disrupt your opponent’s plans by their mere presence behind his
lines or by threatening his flanks or the vulnerable Great Gonnes. How to
counter them? Turn to face or ignore them and risk a charge? A single charge
even into an enemy’s rear is unlikely to result in victory but their ability to
“bounce” off their target can lead to a series of consecutive charges that may
eventually bring success.
Unlike most troops, they have a double ability to evade or counter
charge that means they can usually get themselves out of trouble or deliver a
punch in response to threats. They are death to skirmishers or artillery crews
who cannot move quickly enough to evade them. They can tie up several of your
opponents’ units by being in the right place. A word of warning tho, they are
vulnerable to missiles and their high status, can cause multiple routs if they
are broken, as at the second battle of BASH Brease v Peters or third BASH
Peters v Clark wherein both instances, routing light cavalry caused a chain
reaction of routing units that lost the battle for their own side. Deluxe
introduces javelin hurling Jinets and crossbow wielding light cavalry, be it
the Latch toting reivers or the heavier crossbows of the Portuguese.
 |
| The"Plump" Yorkist Prickers deliverd a killer charge at Tewkesbury |
TIP light cavalry can be invaluable, indispensable
even, if your opponent fields them, however, they will not win the battle and
might cause you to lose it. They are definitely best used as an independent
command, under the leadership of a dolt if you have one, as far from your
battle lines as they can reach
TIP light cavalry are vulnerable to missiles, they
have a lower saving throw from missiles than they do in melee so shoot them whenever
you’re able. Like skirmishers they are a small unit and only require four
casualties to take a morale test and, like skirmishers, they only roll one dice
to test morale and will fail half the time.
Kern Up the Volume
I have nothing to say of Kerns as I have not had any
experience of employing or facing them. “Shoot them full of arrows” would seem
a wise historical precedent to follow. However, Steve Woods of Arcane Scenery
has used them often and says “Do not underestimate the power of Kern
skirmishers! I always take a band. They can move quickly and so can out flank
the enemy and if available, skulk in cover out of harm’s way until they are
ready to pounce. They throw 6 dice in hand-to-hand combat and save on a 5 and
6. (they only save on a 6 against archery). This gives them an advantage
against other skirmishers who only throw 3 dice in combat. As they are as fast
as other skirmishers, they can usually catch them if they attempt to evade.
Their shooting is poor, with a range of only 6 inches but if they are behind an
enemy unit, they are a damned nuisance! If they can charge a flank from cover
or within one move, the enemy unit cannot turn and face and so a mixed block of
bill and archers will be fighting with 3 dice against 6! If the dice Goddess is
kind, you can win the combat and force a morale check. They are fragile though
and tend to be a one shot unit as they will pursue a routing unit (even if it runs
off the table) and if they bounce in combat will become disarrayed.”
Be Lucky!
Billhooks is a wickedly capricious, fun game where no two
battles are the same. When you win you can take the credit for your excellent
generalship, when you lose, you can blame your bad luck.
General TIP 1 be aggressive! The game
rewards he who attacks, archery has its place but is unlikely to win many
battles and Bow units caught in melee inevitably come off worse. The rerolling
of “1’s” in attack can make a huge difference.
TIP 2- Use your Leaders attached to units in melee,
the automatic hits they generate are game winners in later rounds when
companies are disarrayed.
TIP 3- Do not camp in your deployment area. If your
units are daunted, they will rout from the table and cost you dear
TOP TIP always use your lucky dice and issue a silent
prayer to the Goddess before EVERY roll.
Deluxe brings new armies and many surprises. The scenarios
add a whole new dimension to the game. The Reivers look like pure fun, Helvetia
is very colourful if somewhat frightening, the Irish give me an excuse to get
those Antediluvian Gallowglasses that I crave and I have no idea how to deal
with a Hussite army but I can’t wait to find out!
Thanks to Mark Taylor for thr pics of Pikes and the Great Gonne, more of Mark's beautifully painted figure scan be see here https://www.flickr.com/photos/rlps/albums/72157716748719937?fbclid=IwAR135iuERuILX2uoaK0NHDdDkelIzCekzoq--YD0BmpmNjxujttgMi0yvEQ/with/50754727042
And thanks also to Steve Woods for his wise words on kerns and the picture of the wild wooly saffron dyed lunatics. A link to Steves blog can be found here https://arcanesceneryandmodels.co.uk/
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
