Maori Wars Sharp Practice AAR

Steve invited Simon Walker around for a guest appearance and Simon brought some of his lovely Maori Wars collection with him.

The game was based on a historical event that kicked off some off the early fighting and pitted Militia and Constables under me against the Maori commanded by Chris and Steve.

It was also a game with some of the oddest dice rolls I have seen.

The Maori are all Skirmishers so no formations but great for movements and firing and hard to hit. All of mine are in groups of 8 and my initial task is to bunch enough of them together into a formation to get a decent firing line going.

First shot of the game and Chris scores 2 hits on my constables, for effect I roll double six and two are dead, not a great start.

Two more hits on my skirmishers and I roll double one, no effect at all.

Return fire I score three hits on the Maori and Steve rolls triple six, three dead. Bizarre start.

Next shot and 8 out of 9 hits. very odd, we are chuckling but also not.

Chris saves the lot, again bizarre so hoping that the skirmishers can do better.

The skirmishers advance and fire and three Maori are dead. So doing well.

Again the Maori fire and gain the result is two dead. Bizarrely neither side has much in the way of shock, the hits are all dead or nothing at all so far.

Chris puts two hits on me, double one again hes missed.

Finally my main force, a formation of 24 constables is in place to pour a first volley into the Maori on the left.

As I close on Steves Maori on the right he rolls a double one to stop me, as you can see he wasn't best pleased.

Our return fire puts his chief down and we close in to capture him.

Finally a volley from my 24 man formation, above average dice and we score a multitude of hits.

Chris rolls for effect and I have never seen anything like it. 5 sixes leave 5 dead with 3 fives adding some shock. Again bizarrely the lack of shock means that the Maori wont retreat and the devastating volley has no effect on their force morale.

He then rolls for the last unit 3 more sixes and 2 more fives. Crickey, you couldn't write it.

Thats 30% casualties added to the ones already down, but the lack of any shock keeps Chris in the game. In his turn he pulls back into the woods to try and recover.

The inexperience of my militia now shows itself as I fail to bring them under control, and they continue to fire volley after volley into the empty woods.

I have pulled one group with significant shock out of the line to recover, my single unit of Skirmishers is doing well against Steve on the right and the large formation is busily shooting leaves off trees. But you would have to say its looking pretty good for the settlers.

Steves Maori charge my skirmishers, this should be their strength but I drive them off with significant casualties.

The skirmishers promptly follow up and capture the knocked-out Maori chief and I am starting to think I may have this game in the bag.

Finally I bring the formation under control and break a group of 8 away to support the skirmishers against Steve. Meanwhile a second charge from Steve forces my Skirmishers back and re-captures the Maori chief.

My firing dice from the remaining formation is again spectacular.

Chris rolls his effect dice and 2 more Maori are casualties.

My group of 8 advances on Steves troops and inflicts more casualties on the Maori.

The unit I had earlier pulled back is now free from shock and has advanced to support the skirmishers, this now advances on the Maori in the forest.

Steve charges for the third time, this time things are a bit different.

6 dice and 6 hits, so that's all the unit destroyed, the leader destroyed and in a special rule the Maori chief eats my leaders heart and its 3 bad things happen tests, I go from doing reasonably well to losing virtually all my force morale in one go.

With virtually no morale left I try to pull back hoping I can keep the Maori at range and inflict enough shock on them to reduce their force morale, its a forlorn hope.

The Maori catch one of my retreating units and its good night Vienna.

Disaster snatched from the jaws of victory, the settlers have been destroyed and as in the historical outcome the settlers surrender and are taken into captivity by the Maori who exact a revenge upon them.

Great funs, hilarious dice rolls, lovely figures, thank you Simon a great game had by all.