Pikeman's Lament Goes East

Earlier this week, some members of the club got together to continue playtest of the upcoming ruleset Pikeman's Lament. There were five players, each commanding a Company.
As usual I ran my Swedish Company from Västgöta Ryttare and Västgöta Regemente commanded by the heroic Henrik af Hunneberg, aka 'Henry the Hammer'.

We played a mission called King's Treasure Chest. This involves a convoy of wagons transporting something valuable. The defender's mission is to guard the convoy and bring it to safety, while the attackers win by stealing it.

The setting is Poland in 1625. A small Scottish mercenary company in service to the King of Sweden is escorting the convoy and is taking a break by a nearby river, leaving the wagons on the road. As they are getting ready to depart, a combined force of Poles and Cossacks suddenly appears heading straight for the convoy.

Cossacks and Poles heading for the convoy.....

Scottish Company (16 army points)
1 Unit of Trotters
1 Unit of Pike
2 Units of Shot

Polish Company (24 army points)
4 Units of Veteran Dragoons

Cossack Company (24 army points)
1 Unit of Elite Gallopers (winged Hussars)
1 Unit of Trotters
1 Unit of Aggressive Forlorn Hope
2 Units of Shot

The Poles advance on the convoy as the Scots mercenaries struggle to react

Another Swedish force is marching along the road at the same time and arrives on the scene just as the Poles advance on the convoy.
Most of the Poles and all the Cossacks were mounted and made good time advancing towards the convoy on turn 1. But disaster struck as the Scots seemed paralysed (too much Haggis perhaps?) and utterly failed their command die rolls. They didn't manage to move a single unit to block the enemy advance. Ouch!

To the rescue! Swedes and Flemish enter the battlefield. Will they be in time?

Swedish Company (16 army points)
1 Unit of Elite Gallopers (Västgöta Ryttare, commanded by Henrik af Hunneberg)
1 Unit of Forlorn Hope
2 Units of Commanded Shot

Flemish Company (16 army points)
1 Unit of Elite Trotters (curassiers under the mercenary commander von Kökkenpanne)
1 Unit of Pike
1 Unit of Veteran Shot

Polish Winged Hussars (Gallopers) and Cossacks (Dragoons) in reserve to counter the Swedes and Flemish as the Polish infantry head for the third wagon

Polish Trotters take Control of the first two wagons as the Scot start to react to the sudden threat

The Polish Trotters managed to take control of 2 out of the 3 waggons in the convoy while the Cossack swept forward to provide support and hold off the Scots. The infantry of the Polish force went for the third waggon, but did not get very far.

The Swedes and Flemish moved forward. Unfortunately, command rolls were mediocre and the advance was not terribly swift. Come on, guys!

The Polish Trotters start moving the 2 waggons they've stolen towards home as the Cossacks try to hold off the Scots. But at this point the previously paralysed Scots suddenly wake up and unleash devastating salvoes on the Cossacks while the Scots Pike form into combat formation and advance, pushing back the Cossacks and inflicting significant losses. The Scots Trotters also advance and trade fire with the Cossacks.
The Polish infantry continue advancing on the last waggon while the Winged Hussars wait in reserve.

The Cossack general's unit is hit by a storm of Scottish fire and routs, while the other Cossacks also suffer badly but remain in the fight. At the same time, the dastardly Polish Trotters continue leading the captured wagons to their home base.

Cossack General flees as the Polish Trotters sneak off with the stolen wagons

The Swedes and Flemish advance towards the last wagon to prevent the Poles capturing it. Combined Flemish and Swedish fire quickly routs one of the Polish Shot units, but the remaining Polish infantry doggedly continue their advance.

The Polish Winged Hussars charge the Scots Pike. Not a good idea....

The Polish commander then commits the Winged Hussars to charge the weakened Scottish Trotters and quickly routs them with minor loss to themselves. However, the Polish nobles are an impetuous lot and continue charging into the Scots Pikes but are repulsed with heavy losses.

The dastardly Poles sneak off the table with the stolen wagons covered by the few remaining Cossacks and depleted Hussars

The Cossack and Polish Companies are taking a very heavy beating, but at the same time the sneaky Polish Trotters manage to exit with the two captured waggons, fulfilling their victory conditions.
Ouch!!

At the same time the combined firepower of the Flemish and Swedes routs the second unit of Polish shot and decimates the Polish Forlorn Hope.

Swedish cavalry, led by our hero Henrik 'the Hammer', ride down the Polish Forlorn Hope.

Finally, the Swedish cavalry charges the weakened Polish Forlorn Hope and destroys it.
They then continue charging into one of the Cossack Dragoon units, inflicting heavy casualties and forcing it to flee.

Cossacks flee from pursuing Swedish cavalry, but this victory comes too late...

So at the end of the game, the Poles and Cossacks have suffered very serious casualties, but have managed to steal most of the convoy for a limited victory.
However, Henrik is consoled by the fact that he has now acquired enough Honour to be promoted to Lieutenant!