LION RAMPANT: Michael's Birthday Game.

We were celebrating Michael's birthday, and for the occasion, he organised a game using his own boats, miniatures, and scenario. As is typical with his games, there was a catch, which I quickly figured out.

SCENARIO: Michael Schneider
UMPIRING: Michael Schneider

SCENERY: Michael Schneider, Bartek Żynda, SESWC

FIGURES & MODELS: Michael Schneider

1. Forces.

In our game, two Viking commanders, David and Alasdair, led the Vikings. Each commander had two ships and roughly equal forces. On the shore, they faced the Norman forces, which were led by Tim and me. Initially, Michael served only as the game master. The game board featured an abbey and three villages, all abbey properties, each containing a treasure. Players aimed to collect as many treasures as possible by the end of the game.

2. The game.

First, I must acknowledge that I had a significant advantage over the other players. Remembering Michael's previous "special" games and his purchases during the last Claymore, I realised that this would not be a typical game of "reach the building, find the treasure, and escape." I expected supernatural elements, hordes of zombies, or something similar; I was wrong about the zombies. However, I was correct about everything else.

Tim and I divided our forces; I took two units of foot soldiers to defend the abbey, while Tim headed to the shore to fend off an incoming Viking landing. However, this was a ruse: my real plan was to retrieve treasures from two nearby villages, bring them back to the abbey, and hold that position until the end of the game. That's exactly what I did: I sent one unit to the village at the tip of the right-hand headland and the other to the village near the abbey.

My initial assumptions were correct. As soon as I entered the village, the first ghost—an abbey guardian—leapt at me. Instead of fighting it, I grabbed the treasure and ducked into the abbey, only to be attacked by another ghost shortly after. The situation quickly grew dire, as both ghosts were formidable foes. I decided to evacuate the abbey with the treasure. This proved difficult because of my poor activation rolls, while the two ghosts effectively decimated my unit. My numbers were eventually halved, but I finally broke free from the abbey and escaped off the table with the treasure. It wasn't exactly a heroic escape, but that wasn't the main objective.

My second unit's story didn't unfold as successfully as the first. It reached a village on a headland, but on the outskirts, Alasdair's berserkers attacked after he landed his ships on the beach. While some of his forces engaged Tim, others focused their attention on my second unit. I defeated Alasdair's men and entered the village to seize the treasure, only to be confronted by spirits. They wiped out half my unit, but I escaped. At that point, I discovered that the treasure—a golden crucifix—shielded me from the spirits, though it offered no protection against arrows. A second group of Alasdair's men gave chase, raining arrows down on the remnants of my unit and reclaiming the crucifix.

Tim chose a more heroic approach by engaging in a series of battles against David, who had just landed his ships. Instead of focusing on the treasure, Tim concentrated on combat, and before long, his forces were decimated. This left the path to the final village wide open for David, even though he was still quite far away. In the end, I won the game by securing the most treasure. The key to any victory is effective reconnaissance and, at times, sacrificing other players to distract opponents. As the saying goes: LET OTHERS FIGHT — I'LL LOOT IT ALL!

3. Links.

SESWC:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/631841809210352

FLICKR:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720336220118/

SONG ABOUT THE GAME:

https://suno.com/s/JbnonzHdF4RCZZal

R.I.P. Colin Jack.

This week, a man who profoundly shaped my wargaming journey passed away. Fifteen years ago, when I first attended the Claymore convention, he invited me to join his club and took me under his wing. I spent my first game observing, but I jumped into the action the next one. I became a member of the club, and for many years he served as my mentor, guiding me through the hobby's intricacies. Of course, I mean Colin Jack. He played a significant role in introducing me to the worlds of Back of Beyond and Pulp, as well as many other systems and rules, including Bolt Action and Set an East Ablaze, which I still play today thanks to him. My early years in wargaming were deeply inspired by him. 

Over time, health issues limited his ability to visit the club as often, but whenever our paths crossed—whether during games with the Gothenburg Gamers or at various Scottish shows—I always enjoyed rolling dice with him or sharing brief conversations. I spoke with him for the last time this past Sunday; I didn't know then it would be our final exchange. 

Sadly... RIP, Colin—you will be remembered! 

THE OTHER PARTISAN 2026.

On Sunday, October 11, 2026, I finally made it to Newark. Attending a Partisan event had long been a goal of mine, and it finally became a reality. Many wargamers had praised this show for having the best gaming tables in the entire UK—and I wasn't disappointed. What I saw exceeded my expectations; the tables and games on display were simply stunning. The event's organisation was also truly impressive. I particularly appreciated how the show was divided into two sections: display and participation, with various retail stalls surrounding them. A food area, featuring a large canteen and several outdoor food vendors, rounded out the experience perfectly. You could easily plan your visit: explore the show, take a break for a meal, and then return for a closer look at the tables—or, as I did, sit down at a table and join a game.

An event like this is, of course, a great opportunity to meet many wargamers—both the regular attendees and the celebrities of our hobby. I chatted with some people, while others passed by quickly. I also hoped to speak with a few people, but they were engaged in other conversations, so that didn't work out. Overall, I found the event fantastic, and I'll definitely return. Who knows, it might become a regular fixture in my annual gaming calendar. This is especially true because Newark is worth visiting, particularly for its strong historical ties to the Polish Armed Forces during the Second World War.

Here are some photos from the show; you can find more in my Flickr gallery using the link below:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/asienieboje/albums/72177720336157250

During the show, I played a partial game using Simon Miller's new ruleset, Lust for Glory. This game follows his previous work and focuses on conflicts from the mid-17th century to nearly the end of the 18th century. Mechanically, the rules are similar to For King and Parliament, but they include specific adjustments that capture the era's flavour. I found the rules very appealing, and we will definitely be trying them out at our club.

In our game, I took the Sun King's side and commanded our right flank. I had a brigade of infantry and cavalry at my disposal, but I failed to use them effectively, largely because my orders kept failing. Fortunately for me, Geof and Campbell, who commanded the opposing forces, had just as much trouble. It was a different story on our other flank, where Allied infantry drove a wedge into the French lines. By the end of the game, the French had suffered heavier losses, but the outcome was still far from certain. It resulted in a well-deserved draw.

Overall, this was my best show to date. The variety and quality of the games on display exceeded my expectations. While I would still rank Salute higher for shopping opportunities, I would choose Partisan for its impressive gaming tables and the chance to meet interesting people.