All for One!

 

James has been busy working on a new project, and arranged a game for us using his shiny new 18mm Blue Moon Three Musketeers collection.  We played the game using the 'En Garde' rules from Osprey, a set which my limited experience to date have proved to be quite appealing.

Each of us would take a Musketeer - I got Athos, which was nice! - in an effort to escort lady Constance, with the assistance of Planchet, the loyal servant.  Facing us were 16 of the Cardinal's Guard, determined to ensure the information lady Constance held, was never placed in the hand of the King...

The suburbs of Paris

 Our mission was simple, to get off the opposite side of the board in ten turns or less, but we were heavily outnumbered, speed and stealth would be the order of the day.

En Avant!

 However the Guards had a good idea where we would be, and although initially dispersed the soon gathered on our position.

Most of the Cardinals' men waited in the Marketplace

 The Musketeers moved through the alleyways of Paris, hoping to dash past the Guard, but they soon began to appear in ones and twos before us, and the more bold amongst them soon sought the glory of felling a Musketeer by the sword.

Porthos goes climbing

 His boldness ended with a deft thrust to his heart by Aramis, blessed with speed and skill.  Still his valour bought time for his allies to encircle our heroes.  Athos soon found himself in a brawl with a number of the Cardinals' men, as did Porthos.

Athos distracts a cluster of Red Guards

 Meanwhile, D'Artagnan had no end of trouble providing a distraction for lady Constance; he seemed to have met the finest swordsman in the Guard, and it was only the aid of Planchet that saved his bacon.

D'Artagnan struggles... 

Aramis was scything through the Guards, and helped all of the Musketeers in one way or another.  This permitted the Musketeers to advance, but by now the final Guards had arrived en masse, including the dastardly, and skillful Captain - Count De Rochefort.

Ultimately D'Artagnan falls to the Cardinals' Captain of the Guard

As time ran out the Musketeers gathered at the wall of the Eglise d'St Mary.  Where Rochefort fought D'Artagnan to a standstill, delivering him finally what could easily have been a mortal wound.  Lady Constance had to avoid attacks of the Guards too whilst Planchet too was grievously wounded.  The final Guards were dispatched and Rochefort retired, but his work was done, at great cost,  but the messages of Lady Constance would not arrive in time to save the day.

We were defeated alas, but it was a fun game none the less.  My thanks to my brothers in Arms, Matt, Joe and Charles; and thanks to James for arranging the game.

Here's to a rematch sometime soon...

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