Sharkey's Rogues Finished

 Sharkey's Rogues Finished

So, I can call this project done. Which started as a spin off from making the townscape scenery board which led to redoing the ruffian huts which turn led me to think about finishing off the ruffians and playing the new Scouring of the Shire campaign. I managed to paint up Sharkey's rogues without buying any new figures (except a hobbit). Just had to finish off the original Frostgrave plastic figures and convert a few Grenadier barbarians into wild men and ruffians. The Grenadier barbarians make great wild men of Dunland except they are bit under dressed. So, they were given some rough clothes with green stuff. 

The whole mob

Not many points for a fair number of figures. Never liked the Worm miniature, so i have continued to use my Grima model instead. 

Sharkey & his bosses

Hobbit lackey's

The Grenadier Converts

Bree Refought

We refought the Skirmish in Bree scenario. Which worked much better once the villagers didn’t have a -1 on their attack dice. The ruffians did win (and lost Bill) but it was probably down to the villagers failing to wound once or twice at key moments rather the scenario being completely geared against them. I also kept reserves (three from both sides) off the table from the start of the battle and rolled to see when and where they appeared (On a 5+). I also gave the villagers a couple of archers but in the end, this didn't make much different as both sides had to use their archers in the melee to plug some gaps very quickly. 

The new starting line-up - villagers

Diann the very vintage Citadel thief (lady in green) also, managed to survive to the end. 

The new starting line-up - ruffians

In fact, the melee lasted four to five turns with both sides gaining small advantages until ruffians slowly turned the tide. It also, helped that the ruffians got a couple of their reinforcements one or two turns before the villagers. But arrival of the reinforcements was random so in another game the villagers could have arrived first.  In the end the ruffians lost five of their number including Bill before reducing the villagers below 25%. 

Start of combat

Technical Note: Also, found out in the new edition of the rules that there is no longer a -1 for using a knife which gives a subtle bonus to troops like the halfling archers and Tookish hunters as they are supposed to only carry long knives as a close combat weapon.  So, are no longer penalised in close combat. 

The battle rages. 

All this leads me to conclude that my earlier conclusion as right either GW didn’t playtest this scenario properly or deliberately made it one sided to balance the campaign. Without considering it as a standard alone game. 

First of the ruffian reinforcements (top right)

End game. 

Rob