With week 7 of the campaign completed, we are fully halfway through the campaign. We’re up to more than 850 games logged so far! All these games have sparked a noticeable increase in online discussions of the finer points of the rules. You can join in the conversations on both Discord (Firelock Games server) and the Facebook Group.
Photo from Dexter Heide
Nation Report
Spain continues to lead the way, although their lead slipped a few points to the English this week. Last week the top 5 nations (poor Natives) were within 88 points of each other, this week they are with 78. The English are a solid second place, then with have Pirates 284, France 282 and Dutch 275, all within a few points of each other!
The Scottish effort has ground to a slow crawl, with only 1 game logged this week!
Check out this interesting graph. The Spanish Militia have a massive presence in this campaign! At 111 games so far, they outnumber the combined total of the next two most popular factions, the Brethren of the Coast and French Caribbean Militia. The only 4 factions that haven’t been played are all Legendary forces. Iberville, King Philip, L’Olonnais, and De Graff have all been neglected! Let’s make it a goal to finish off that list and play every faction in the game at least once during this campaign.
Individual Player Report
Jason Klotz has again taken the lead!
The top ten players have 36+ points now and you need 14 points to get into the top 30. A total of 123 players have participated in the campaign so far.
Week 7 Objective Report – Fire on the Frontier Scenarios
Free Play Great Swamp Fight – Photo by Tyler Carlson
This week’s objective was playing a scenario out of the Fire on the Frontier expansion.
Total War – Photo by David Nye
This was a harder objective to fulfill but I hope it pushed people to try some new scenarios and explore new parts of the game.
Ambush – Photo by Paul Chouinard
The stats say of the 96 entries this week, 38 did not do the objective and 58 did fulfill this goal. Ambush was played 24 times and it sounds like there were some dramatic games! I heard of a particularly ambitious Benjamin Church who raced his entire force off the far end of the board, and I heard of quick turn 1 Strike Tests, and I heard of bloody massacres! Its a wild scenario! There were 7 games of Total War (civilians got a beating!), 6 games of the Great Swamp Fight, and 6 games of The Battle of Hudson’s Bay. The remainder used the Landing Parties in Oak and Iron.
Battle of Hudson’s Bay – Photo by Jason Klotz
Week 8 Objective – Tiny Wars!
this is the week for Oak & Iron to shine! Every game of Oak and Iron will earn the extra objective point this week. I know there’s a lot of Blood & Plunder players out there who may have either not picked up this game yet, or picked it up but haven’t played it yet. This is the week to give it a try! It’s a great game.
As a 28mm miniatures game, Blood & Plunder is a big game that requires all the extra trappings of terrain, buildings, unique armies etc. Oak and Iron is much more self contained. Buy the core box and you have everything you need to play. You can add more and bigger ships, but it much easier to learn and enjoy without it taking up your entire gaming life.
Image by Matthew Doerr
The core box has 6 ships, enough to make 2 little fleets and play a solid 1v1 game. Further expansions can add more of those 6 ships to your fleet, or add larger frigates to the game and there’s even Blackbeard box expansion!
You can download the rulebook for free and you can even try out the game on Tabletop Simulator if you like!
Anyone interested in Oak & Iron, noob or old hand, should check out the Timber and Sail website that has an increasing number of articles, reviews, pictures and scenarios for Oak & Iron. Jason is doing awesome work over there!
Natives get stiffed a little this week, but if you really want to play natives at a small scale, Timber and Sail has created a fan-made native faction for Oak and Iron and you can find both cards and STL’s for the ships here.
Weekly Photo Prize Winner
Michael Verity won the photo prize of the Organized Play minis set this week. I thought this shot really caught the desperation and chaos of the Ambush scenario.
Michael wrote up some short, but great battle reports for both the Ambush and Great Swamp Fight scenarios. He graciously let us share one of those reports. You see his reports on the Great Swamp Fight here.
Reminder of End Campaign Objectives – Hardened Mercenary
There are lots of prizes to be handed out at the end of the campaign.A prize of 3 authentic 17th century Fortune Coins will be awarded to the player who has fought under the most flags. Right now there are already a small handful of players who have logged games as all of the nations! That means this prize will come down to who has played the most different factions over the course of the campaign! Right now Colleen Swader, Jason Klotz and Gavin Klotz have played as all the nations, but anyone could still get in on this fight!
Greg Padilla
Commander Reports
Now, here are the important messages from your beloved commanders.
Spain
The Spanish Commander was waylaid painting for Historicon and communication was delayed.
Photo by David Nye
Current Spanish Objectives
- Most Spanish points at end of campaign- Painted Spanish commander
England
Commanders of England,
English Commanders we have been making real gains! It was nice to see the English players taking advantage of the Frontier Wars this week to pull closer to first place! It’s Tiny wars up next! so crack out your Oak & Iron and let’s build on our gains! If you don’t have Oak & Iron no problem just stay the course with your Blood & Plunder matches and pick up points by playing in your local clubs and train a new player!
Thanks for an awesome week!
Congratulations to David Dzwonek for being the big winner of the Benjamin Church model.
Photo by David Dzwonek
Current English Objectives
- Most English points at end of campaign- Painted English commander
- Best painted army at end of campaign – spike defenses
- Most games at end of campaign – wigwam
- Most games played as an English commander during week 7 “Frontier Wars” – painted Benjamin Church model.
- Most games played as an English commander during week 10 “Upgrade the Flagship”- painted Bark rigged with sails and a flag.
- Best English Spirit- Will win 4ground Ports of Plunder Medium Dock Bundle! This commander has to complete most of their matches as the English faction. I am also looking for pics of your matches, videos of sea shanties dressing up in your best English attire etc. Have a lot of fun and be creative! When you post something just tag me in it! I will be picking a winner at the end of the second last week of campaign week 13
Photo by Terry Abbott
France
Corsairs of France,
This week, you are tasked with small battles on the great seas. An auspicious week, as it aligns with the monthly goal of entering Oak & Iron games in the name of King Louis XIV.
The Pirates believe they can reclaim their podium spot. Their grip is so much like their liquid courage – tenuous, and fleeting. Show them the might of French guns!
For myself, I shall be attending Historicon in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I expect to see some of you there, including the scourge of the Natives – Signeur Chris Asche.
Regarding those who will not be attending, know that I – your gallant captain – will stand with you always. French elan demands nothing less than a commander who leads from the front. Therefore, this month and all future prizes shall include the finalized Commander card for Pierre Tullier, Signeur de Marigny.
I shall return in a week, with another dispatch.
Non, apporte-moi l’horizon!
Photo by Andy Hodges
For July, current French Objectives
- Games for France! Weekly objectives for France! A prize will be sent to the player who records the most points for France.
- There is also a prize (and title!) up for grabs to whichever player claims the most Oak & Iron games for France!
- Most French points at end of campaign- Painted French commander.
Photo by Billy McIntire
La fortune sourit aux audacieux!
Netherlands
Dutch Commanders! We have important orders from the very top! Gather your ships as we move out for Fleet Actions against the other powers this week. I’ve been authorized to issue special rewards to all fleet commanders who are able to find and engage an enemy fleet this week.
Photo by Nicholas Basham
Current Dutch Objectives
- Most Dutch points at end of campaign- Painted Dutch commander
- Sink or capture Any Nationality ship this week – reinforcement models
- Prize to any Dutch player who completes the Tiny Wars weekly objective (even if you already got a prize for capturing a ship!)
Native American
Black Kettle sat low in the large birchbark dugout, resting his chin on his fist as he contemplated what was to come. He spared a cursory glance at the seasoned warriors that shared his cherished vessel, many of whom were close family and lifelong friends, and all of whom were seasoned veterans of countless battles. These were not the stiff, brightly adorned soldiers their enemies thought so highly of, but they were no less deadly and doubly motivated.
The soft splash of paddle strokes brought his attention to the other canoe that trailed alongside their larger craft. The braves aboard the sister boat were no less seasoned, and eager to win glory in the coming battles.
The colonists and the armies of their homelands had been busier than a mound of ants throughout the days of summer. As much as Black Kettle had tried to rally The People to resist the Europeans, and despite the song-worthy victories they had achieved, they were simply overwhelmed by the number of troops the colonials were able to bring to bear and the number of battles they were able to support. Their capacity to wage war had proven so prolific that The People were left to be little more than tertiary participants in the conflict.
So many villages had been destroyed, so much territory lost, that The People had begun to despair. Even he, with his choleric disposition and burning hatred of the French, bore the weight of a heart heavy with grief and loss.
Photo by Adam Johnston
Hushed jibes traded between the two crews resulted in a ripple of laughter that brought a smile to the chief’s face despite his dark thoughts and smoldering mood. For all the woes they’d suffered, for all the hardship they’d endured, his men were still in high spirits, and ready to fight, to give their lives for their family, tribe and land. His smile curled into a grim expression that promised death – if this season marked the twilight of The People, then he would make the colonists pay a high price indeed for what they stole, and every foot of land they laid claim to would be soaked in blood.
**I want to thank all of you who have been steadily contributing to the Native cause either as fellow natives of the Americas or our allies. Every contribution is greatly appreciated and I hope I’ve encouraged the lucky few who’ve won bonus prizes to expand your native armies. I look forward to seeing many of you at Historicon, where hopefully the Natives will have a great showing. Remember, never stop fighting until the fight is done!**
Current Native American Objectives
- Most Native points at end of campaign- Painted Native commander
- A random player who logs games against the French (noted in the comments section of the submission form) will win a bonus prize (each participant can only qualify once).
Photo by Robert Guyton El Baron
Pirates
Ahoy there Pirates!
First order of business is to congratulate David Dzwonek for completing my objective! He used a boarding party unit to successfully board a vessel! Check your email soon Cap’n Dzwonek!
Now for the rest of ye! We are not making enough progress! We’ve been neck and neck with the French if all people while England and Spain continue to surge ahead! I understand how the continent of North America is a little far from Nassau, which is why operating out there was a bit difficult. However, this week’s objective is to just play Oak and Iron! Trade that captain’s hat for an admiral’s hat and take the rug. To the seas with fleet actions!!!
This week I have a bonus objective for you scurvy dogs! I need to see one crafty admiral capture a ship of the line! Whomever does will revive either a Gentlemen of Fortune or Men of War Oak and Iron box set to add to their fleet! I need to see pictures and I need a full report on how someone completed such a daring act!
Now get on out there and secure our victory! We can’t have England or Spain claiming the prizes can we?
Your boisterous leader
-The Boyar
Current Pirate Objectives
- Most Pirate points at end of campaign- Painted Pirate commander
- At the end of each month, the pirate with the most played games will receive a 4 man blister
- The first to send a report (with pictures) of a Oak and Iron Pirate ship(s) capturing a Ship of the Line will receive a Gentlemen of Fortune or Men of War Box Set
Photo by Taliesin Reed
Scottish
This week’s native support prize goes to Gary Basham, who played 3 games of unaligned with points given to natives! He will be getting a blister pack to help with his recruitment efforts!
Nobody has claimed the taunting prize yet, so get to it!
Photo by Adam JohnstonThanks for reading! There will be another post featuring more of the great pictures from this past week later in the week. Stay tuned!