Harry Flashman vs the Malay Pirates Skirmish Game

Crossposted on: pmcd-mobilisatie.blogspot.com/

I've had a fascination with the Malay Pirates of Borneo since reading George MacDonald Faser's "Flashman's Lady". In the novel Faser's picaresque hero, Harry Flashman reluctantly takes part in a Royal Navy attack on a pirate lair. I converted a Replicants Napoleonic sailor into Flashman. The other figures are from Regal Enterprises, Irregular Miniatures and Britains DSG. The Dyak conversions took the most effort. I used Fistful of Lead Horse and Musket rules, my favorite set of one man equal one figure skirmish rules. In my game, the naval landing party had to set fire to 3 of the 5 pirate buildings to win the game. The pirates began the game asleep and had to roll for activation. The sailors and Royal Marines got a free move off their boats and up the beach before the pirates rolled an early activation. The pirates then began tumbling out of their huts and scored several hits on their attackers. The landing party halted to return fire, but the cover of the jungle and building greatly benefited the pirates. The landing party needed to make progress to come into contact with the buildings so that they could fire them. The player running Flashman's 4 sailors enjoyed playing the part of the cowardly hero and made sure that his figure led from the rear. The landing party successfully set fire to the leftmost building and then tried again on the next closest building but did not succeed in their fire roll. The game turned into an exciting series of hand to hand combats as the pirates threw themselves against the landing party to stop them. With perfect timing, Flashman was able to set fire to the third structure, winning the game.