An action from my Petaudia campaign this time, part of the on-going Zalist Wars involving Ethonia and Strymonia. The conflict is essentially one over religion, the Ethonians being followers of the goddess Deva, the Strymonians mostly worshipping Zal, a recently introduced deity. A peasant revolt has broken out in south-eastern Strymonia, which had been captured by the Ethonians a few years earlier. The fighting centres on Castle Roche and its village. For a change, I fought the battle as a skirmish game, using some very simple rules from nearly twenty years ago.

An aerial view of the village. The castle has a garrison of six crossbowmen, five billmen and one knight. A two man guard is at the crossroads. The buildings and castle were purchased so long ago I do not remember the makers, though they are all made from fibre glass. 

Villagers going about their business and a two man guard at the crossroads; Essex Miniatures billmen and Wargames Foundry civilian figures. 

The central group of peasants working their way into the village. As part of their task, the attackers had to check each villager's loyalty and this was marked by a counter: green meant pro-rebellion, red meant anti-rebellion. Those villagers against the peasants had to be collected together and guarded, those for the rebellion had to be protected.

The left group of peasants moving across the hedges and gardens.

The right group of peasants moving around to the right of the castle. Figures are from Essex Miniatures and Wargames Foundry.

The central group of peasants rushed the castle main door, in spite of the fire from crossbowmen on the battlements.

A view of the castle and the three groups of peasants converging upon it.

The main door under attack. The peasants needed a double six to smash it in; they got it on the first roll!

The only crossbowman amongst the peasants proved to be a very accurate shooter. The white counter shows he has fired that turn and cannot the next; the rules only allowed crossbows to be fired every other turn and when stationary.

The knight and his billmen launched a counterattack after the central peasant group broke and ran owing to their losses trying to get into the castle. The left peasant group rushes forward in response.

The right peasant group also emerged from cover to charge the enemy.

The melee in front of the castle.

Realising his mistake, the knight and last surviving billman retreat back into the castle. 

The peasants give up their attack and start to withdraw. Several patrols from the castle had begun to return to the village and the rebels could not beat them as well.

The game was fast and furious. The peasants did not really have a chance to capture the castle, but they made a very good attempt at it. In the end, their losses were too heavy to resist the reinforcements coming to rescue the garrison. They managed to escape with those of the villagers who supported their cause, but had to let go those who were against them.