First Play Test for Hexenjager

The citizens of Orendorf caught word of a plot by Hargella, the local witch, to poison the water and curse their goats.  A runner was immediately sent to notify Pastor Ulrich and the Chevalier Von Rechten.  Quickly, they assembled a handful of the local regiment and set out for Orendorf.  Their goal was to arrest the witch Hargella and bring her to trial.

Two dragoons were dispatched to secure the water and goat pens.  The remaining soldiers entered the center of town along the main road.

Hargella was indeed approaching with force of scarecrows and venomous imps.  Two greater scarecrows, serving as her lieutenants, quickly sensed the presence of Pastor Ulrich and headed toward that godly man.  The others followed Hargella toward the goats and their water trough.

In the town center, the Chevalier Von Rechten formed his musketeers into a firing line.  They began to exchange fire with the venomous imps while Pastor Ulrich stayed to the rear, giving encouragement.  One of the imp’s poison arrows struck the Chevalier, who dove into a ditch.  For the remained of the fight, these groups would occupy each other with volleys that achieved no decisive result.

Meanwhile the greater scarecrows circled to the right, trying to get at Pastor Ulrich.  One musketeer and his sergeant met them head-on.  At first the frightened soldiers gave ground before the aggressive scarecrows.  Eventually, with some good activation rolls, they were able to gang-up in melee and defeat their enemies, securing this flank and ending the threat to their spiritual leader.

The two dragoons made good use of Long Move to get between the witch and her objective, but things went badly at first.  Hargella cast a withering spell that knocked one trooper from the saddle.  As he hit the ground, he was swarmed by lesser scarecrows.  Failing a fear test, the fallen trooper tried to surrender by promising to serve the Darkness.  In so doing the fool lost his soul in addition to his life.

The second dragoon was made of stouter stuff.  He fought off the scarecrows and made two attempts to take the witch herself.  She escaped his saber and as turn 9 was completed, the game ended.  The authorities failed to capture the witch but the dragoons kept her too busy to reach her objective.  I called that a draw.

Fear and Faith is a fun system.  As with all the Song of Blades and Heroes variants, the activation mechanic presents interesting tactical decisions.  The addition of the fear mechanics adds a welcome level of complexity that rightly makes the fear of evil as decisive as the effects of combat rolls.  There is still a bit to work on with regards to my solo engine that drives the evil forces.