More Billhooks Skirmish: the tale of Nine Fingered Ambrose

 

The Tale of Nine Fingered Ambrose

    On Sunday regular opponent Mark Taylor and I played another scenario of my Billhooks skirmish game which now has the working title of Never Mind the Ruckus, this is it’s fifteenth and quite probably not final name. I suspect it will be forever known as the Billhooks Skirmish game! This time we played scenario 5- I Spy or Nine Fingered Ambrose-I am quite indecisive when it comes to naming things!

“Scenario 5: Ambrose of Longfield has returned from Europe bearing news of a devious plot to usurp the King! Having friends abroad and hearing rumour of this, Sir Blue, as a loyal follower of the incumbent One True King, is determined to find and interrogate Ambrose before he can pass on the wicked plans. Sir Red is just as keen to meet Ambrose and discover how he may help to restore the displaced One True King to the Throne.

However, Ambrose is unknown to either of them, all that is known of him is that he has only nine fingers, having no little finger on his left hand. Aware that Sir Blue is seeking him, Ambrose takes refuge in a nearby monastery donning a habit and cowl and hiding among the brethren who are sympathetic to his cause.

Sir Blue and Sir Red arrive at the monastery at the same time, who will find him first?”

The table is set out as a monastery garden with walled areas containing vegetable plots, herb gardens, orchard, and livestock. There are five monks in the garden, one of them is Ambrose. We made a deck of five cards one of which contained a nine, when a figure moves into contact with a monk, the owning player draws a card, if it’s the nine then Ambrose has been discovered. Ambrose has to be taken off the players starting edge to win the game.

This game was a laugh from the start. The five monks were initially to be placed by the players with one monk being central and the others placed at least 12” from him and from each other. We soon saw the flaw in this, and reset with the five monks in a line cross the centre of the table. Each turn, in the bonus phase, the winning player can take a bonus card or move a monk 6” in any direction. 

We each of us moved our Retinues in to the gardens. Mark was using his hilarious creation Gaston Villa with his main henchman Manual Emmanuelle and Portero Martinez plus the usual retainers.

  I had elected to bring Sir Henry Bevor, Jaques de Malley and Sir Roger Donat. We drew cards for skills. Sir Henry got Valour Exemplified, Fast Hands and Sly Knave a mixed bag, de Malley- Giant of a Man and Mighty Warrior- a bruiser if ever there was one and Donat drew Riposte and Born to Hang a combination to frustrate opponents!

Jaques de Malley moved up the small lane that wends through the garden on his first turn and then stayed there the entire game. It seemed his ploy was to tempt the monks toward him rather than go looking for them.

  

Gaston and Jaques spot a monk in the lane at the same time.  Somehow, both Mark and I knew this monk would be Ambrose!

Mark had won the first Bonus and had moved the monk towards Gaston and his spear.

I won the next Bonus and moved him back. Gaston was in hot pursuit. Sir Jaques card just did not come up and he had to just stand idly by, watching the sneaking Gaston.

How do you tempt the innocent? I have no idea but de Malley succeeded. ”This way m’sieur, there is shade under this tree”

Gaston in hot pursuit! He may be too late, de Malley has drawn the nine of clubs! The monk reveals his hands, he has only nine fingers and declares himself to be Ambrose of Longfield!

Billhooks can be frustrating to play and it’s little spin off brother is no different! De Mally still has not had a turn!

  Gaston catches up with the monk! 

Have at you then sirrah!” assisted by William Mann, retainer, Jacques scores two wounds on Gaston who rather foolishly rolled very low dice. The red counters indicate wounds. Ambrose , who some might say is taking his role too seriously, prays for their souls.

A drones eye view of the action reveals the death and general violence occurring elsewhere in the peaceful monastery gardens

Sir Henry gets stuck into Manuel Emmanuelle! “Look! He’s over there!” cries Manuel. 

“I am not falling for that again!” says Sir Henry “ Not after last week!”

   The micro dice indicates the first round of melee

Arthur Bowman charges into Gastons supporting bill man, the gallant Nick o’ Thyme, depriving Gaston of his support.

 

  A mere bystander, Ambrose counts his fingers

Meanwhile, Manuel has reinforcements in the shape of banner bearer Portero Martinez… a safe pair of hands.

 Arrows fly all through the garden! People are getting hurt!

it is over! Without his supporting bill man Gaston is quickly overcome and his demise brings the game to an end!

  Well that was another fine game! We enjoyed it so much that we set them all up again and played the same scenario, which was just as much fun.

 

  The game evidentially works and this scenario is fun.

We tried another scenario involving mounted characters which did not go as well, partly , I think because I used the wrong tactics, partly because I could only roll 1’s and 2’s and also maybe, because the scenario needs adjusting. The good news was that the rules for mounted characters worked well and probably don’t need adjusting.

 

What’s next? Well, Mark has kit-bashed some excellent Outlaw figures, for which we have rules, so time to research a scenario and i-player have the 1938 classic Adventures of Robin Hood!