Braveheart Revisited

Hammer of the Scots

hammer of the scots 1

Using the Braveheart Campaign which had the unfortunate expected outcome. The game is set in Scotland starting in the year 1297. The English tyrannical rule has caused the Scots to rise up to gain their freedom. The game is set with a distinct disadvantage in force with the English being much more powerful.

The idea of the game is to control eight nobles to win or kill the kings of England or Scotland. The game is set up with each side being assigned nobles depending upon the scenario. Both sides are dealt five cards that are either event cards or movement cards. The event cards have some sort of action on them that must be completed ranging from a truce card to a herald card that allows the player to call out a noble from the other side and roll a die to see if they capture it. The movement cards are played by both sides playing them face down and revealing them at the same time. The higher movement card goes first with the English moving first if there is a tie. The event cards are played in the same manner with the event card going first. If two event cards are played then the year has ended.

To capture a noble or territory, movement cards are used to move the armies into an enemy territory. The two armies battle using dice in to decide the damage per round. The number of dice and the threshold for damage are indicated on the tiles.

Some tiles that are indicated by crosses will upon defeat be removed from the game. The noble title, when defeated get swapped out with the opposing player’s tile for the same noble. The non-noble armies when defeated are placed back into a draw pile.

When winter occurs the nobles return to their home areas, if the area is occupied by the opposing side the noble joins that side. During the winter the English army disbands the knights and archers and they are sent home.

All other forces are sent home for both sides unless they are in areas where there is a castle that can hold them. The forces and noble that are in castle have either their health replenished or have new forces added to the area with them based on the space available.

At the end of winter the English forces are reinforced with half the titles in their draw pile. Eliminating the advantage the Scottish enjoy with wintering.

The following moves are how this tragic game unfolded. With myself playing the heroic Scottish and Brian commanding the unrelenting English armies.

hos 1

Round 1

The Scots- using an event card captured and gain the Noble Comyn

The English- using superior force took Bruce

hos 2

Round 2

The Scots- captured Angus

hos 3

Round 3

The Scots- captured Mentieth

The English- captured Comyn

hos 4

Round 4

The Scots- captured Buchan

Round 5

The Scots- Kept Galloway

Wintering takes place and much of the English forces have returned home and the Scottish return to their lands if possible.

hos 5

End 1297

Round 1

The Scots- regained Comyn but it was a hard fought battle with the Scottish forces losing armies and weakening all their forces

hos 6

Round 2

The Scots- captured Atholl

hos 7

Round 3

The English- Captured Atholl and Hobelars

Round 4

Peace in Scotland

Round 5

Peace again

Winter Brings Atholl back to the Scottish side

hos 12

End of 1298

Two event cards are played at the same time causing the year to end

Winter allows the Scottish to regain strength again

End of 1299

Round 1

The English- captured Buchan by an event card

Round 2

The Scots- capture Buchan back and also capture Argyll

Round 3

The English- kill Wallace removing him from the game. Adding insult to injury Wallace was defeated by Bruce and English forces (like the movie, no cries of freedom sadly the irony was just to cruel)

The turning point has occurred.

Round 4

The English- captured Galloway

hos 14

Round 5

Peace

Wintering again saved the Scottish from being crushed.

End 1300

Round 1

The Scots- captured Galloway and Bruce

The English- the force from Wales went home

Round 2

The English- Captured the Bruce again and captured Galloway

hos 15

Round 3

The English- Retreated their forces to avoid defeat

Round 4

The Scots capture Mentieth

hos 18

Round 5

An event card declares a truce

Winter strengthens the Scottish and weakens the English

hos 18

End of 1301

Two event cards played so winter is coming

Wintering again aids the Scottish

End of 1302

Round 1

The Scots- capture Lennox

Round 2

Peace

Round 3

The English- Captured Mentieth again

Round 4

The English- captured Comyn and defeat the French destroying their resolve causing them to abandon the Scottish cause.

hos 21

Round 5

Peace

And Being the North the Scottish are aided again by winter.

End 1303

hos 23

Round 1

The Scots- Captured Bruce

The English- Capture the Bruce right back (at least it bought the Scots time)

Round 2

The Scots- Captured Comyn again

The English- defeat the Norse making them abandon the Scottish cause.

hos 24

Round 3

The English- captured Lennox

Round 4

The English- Capture Argyll

hos 25

Round 5

Peace

Winter comes again prolonging the inevitable for the Scottish.

End 1304

hos 26

The first four rounds are nothing but Peace and massing forces.

Round 5

The Scots- Attack with a massive force and suffer a humiliating defeat leaving only the noble who retreated alive. (Massive error in plan missed an opening in the English army)

final round of hammer of the scots

End 1305

hos final winter

The English Won because of the death of Wallace with King Edward the first still ruling Scotland.

The Scottish defeat was less humiliating then it could have been with the nobles retreating instead of being captured. For a game that is just little wooden blocks it got surprisingly involved.