Risk a 1798 Game for Xmas

Traditionally we meet up for a short fun game inbetween Christma and New Year. This year chum Chris Charlton volunteered to organise the game. He was given a few instructions, make it fun, make it easy and ensure its finished by 1.30 so we can go to the Pub. Well he didnt let us down in any department.

Unfortuntaely game regular Howard Brady couldnt make it this year due to illness, I am happy to report to all those who know him that he is out of hospital and in good spirits. Best of luck for a speedy recovery Howard, I look forward to a game with you soon.

Chris has been collecting the Trent Miniatures range of Revolutionary French, Irish and British for the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and has ammased quite a collection all expertly painted by chum Steve Shann. I am pretty sure this was their first time on table.

To make it fun and easy to pick up, Chris based his game on the boardgame Risk.

There were six Irish towns on table each worth variable points and Dublin over the river worth more. The four British commanders, Steve, Malcom, John and I had to defend the towns. The Irish, Chris Flowers, Andy, Richard, Simon and Dave had to take them from us. The team with the most points at the end won.

Each turn occuying a town the British rolled 3 D6 on a six we gained a base of figures. The Irish rolled 6 D6 when occupying a hill, a 5 or 6 gave them a base but a 1 removed a base. In a town they rolled three dice but gained a base on a 5 or 6 and no losses on a 1. We chose to occupy each of the towns but were strongest in those that gave us the most points. The Irish chose to group forces together and take the towns one at a time. Their strategy proved to be the most effective.

Unfortunately for Dave his command was two moves away from three towns occupied by Steve, John and I. As cavalry can move two moves we decided to gang up on him with all our cavalry. We learnt the rules as we went along, my cavalry received an ambush from Dave as they charged in and were wiped out. I never got another stand of cavalry all game. However John and Steve made short work of Daves command, within a couple of rounds of fighting his force was annihalted. Sorry Dave.

My cavalry were the nicest on table but lasted only one move

Malcolm held the important town in the centre of table and Richard, Andy and Simon banded together to drive into him. It was a hard fought battle but after numerous rounds of melee Malcolm was also annihalated. Sorry Malcolm.

Next move and a third of Johns force occupying a town was also pounded on, this time by Simon and the town quickly taken.

As a players force was reduced his command stand was moved in the British case to Dublin to recruit and in the Irish case to the furthest hill to do the same.

Steve marched out from his town to occupy the crossroads so the Irish were unable to use this as a recruitung spot.

Next turn and its me for the chop, Chris, Richard and Andy have massed their troops and are marching on my town.

Fortunately for me Andy is the Irishman nearest to me and his recruiting dice are universally awful. In three turns he loses as many as he gains rolling a 5 a 6 and two 1's. In his first turn he actually lost  a base and gained none!

As they march on my town I open fire and decimate the Irish, but there are just too many of them. Andy is left with a single skirmisher base but they have taken the town, I am annihalted and my command stand is removed to Dublin to recruit.

Two more turns and the last two towns are quickly overwhelmed, both Steve and John and destroyed and their command stands removed to Dublin., Its only 12 o'clock we are not eating for another two hours!

Malcom and I manage to pull together a small force of skirmishers and throw them over the river to try and re-occupy the last town, before we get there though the Irish occupy it in force and receive significant rinforcements, we decide that a strategic withdrawal is in order and runaway.

The Irish have taken a beating too but now occupy the whole table except Dublin, a complete victory, but with nearly 2 hours to kill we play on. The Irish pull their scattered forces toward the river crossing so they can mass for an attack on Dublin.

Andy and Simon storm over the river without waiting for the rest of the Irish, eager to finish us off before we can recruit more troops.

Unfortunately for Andy we have managed to amass a bit more force  and a brutal firefight with the mainly pike armed irish sees their forces decimated.

Steve pulls a blinder at this stage a rolls three sixes for reinforcements, unfortunately the rest of us are just rubbish.

A couple of close ups of Chris;s Trent Miniatures artillery crews, particularly like the Royal Artillery Gunner firing with a pistol to his head!

Our remaining troops are now occupying the outskirts of Dublin itself, the Irish mass all of their forces for one final push and Dublin is taken. A free Irish republic is declared and its happy hour with Guiness two for one in the bar.

Corsican Rangers, lots of foreign troops fighting for the British

A thorough kicking for the dastardly British and right laugh for the christmas game. We even get to the pub twenty minutes early and had a lovely meal. Thanks very much Chris for a great game and everyone else for all the banter.

By popular demand I have added the scenario with some basic rules and a map of the game.