One Hour Skirmish Wargames

     My last post was a game using Song of Drums and Tomahawks. What lead me to these rules were John Lambsheads' " One Hour Skirmish Wargames"; a set of rules that using only playing cards to resolve combat. As usual, while listening to Youtube videos on OHSW, I found several videos using the different "Song of.." rules, and was distracted from OHSW.

  I decided to play another game using Song of Drums & Tomahawks. The game was of an Indian attack on farmers working their fields, and the local militia response. The game started  ok, but after a few moves it seemed to me that the game was going to take too long to play out. I was about to break the game down, when I decided to try One Hour Skirmish  Wargames. I figured  to play a couple of turns, and if I  still wasn't happy with the game, I could  always stop.

    I found the game enjoyable. Instead of using two decks of cards for both sides, I used only one deck. I had seen a video of a solo game where the player used only one deck, and it seemed to work well.

  Hopefully soon I can get another game in using One Hour Skirmish Wargames.  

The game setup, with the Indians on the left in the woods, the farmers in the center, and the village militia on the right.

Closeup of the farmers and militia guard.

The Indians attacking through the woods.

The Indians draw first. The Queen gives them 12 actions.

One of the farmers manage to flee with the cart. Unfortunately  the militia wasn't  so lucky. 

The colonists lost 8 men, the Indians 4. Most of the Indians were killed in hand to hand combat.

Song of Drums and Tomahawks

    I keep looking for a wargame to jumpstart my interest in the hobby.  As usual I listen to Youtube on the job. I came across a wargame being played on the King Philip's War, which was fought mainly in Massachusetts in 1676. Living in Massachusetts, this war has been of interest to me. The rules used were " Song of Drums and Tomahawks" based on Andrea Sfiligoi's "Song of Blades and Heroes" wargame rules. 

  I do remember when they first came out. I almost bought them, because they also had supplemental scenarios for the Pequot and Beaver wars. I actually  got so excited for these rules that I also bought the Pequot War and Beaver Wars, Song of Blades and Heroes, and Fear and Faith rulesets.

What's more, I finally managed to play a game. Besides the usual mistakes when first starting play a new ruleset, by the end of the game I think I had the basics down. 

Word comes out of an Indian warband in the woods. Captain Smith leads a band of militia to drive the Indians off.

The indians try to flank the militia. Both sides exchange shots.

One brave engages two of the militiamen. For most of the game, the brave kept these two militiamen from helping their comrades. 

The two militiamen finally put down the brave.

The warband leader, seeing the brave go down, starts charging towards the two militiamen. One militiaman takes a shot, and luckily hits him.

At this point, the Indians have dropped  below over 50%, so the Indians have to roll for morale. One retreats off the board, the second follows the other.