This variant is a take-off on the children's story "The Pied Piper of Hamlin." We shall assume that the mayor of Hamlin, having repented, travels to the mountain into which the children had disappeared, carrying numerous sacks of nold. He hones to pay the price the Piper had asked. When he reaches the mountain he is attacked by what appears to be a giant bat, which then carries the sacks of gold into the mountain. Realizing the Piper will not release the children, he calls an army together for war. The various peasants of Hamlin gather, and with them are professional mercenaries. To this force is added a contingent of knights, unmounted as well as mounted, from a nearby kingdom. Powerful siege cannons are also sent. Finally, with the help of a local gypsy, the wizard Merlin is summoned. He arrives in the form of a giant eagle, carrying the legendary sword Excelsior, for the mayor to wield, as well as numerous elves, each one in turn armed with magical weaponry. Upon assembly, this huge force marches towards the mountain of the Pied Piper. Yet they have not caught the Piper unaware, for they hear a great rumbling. The mountain opens, from it comes a sinister voice. It is the voice of the Piper! "Fools!" laughs the Piper. "You think you can ham me? Have your insideous children, see how they have fared in my world!" From the mountain marches fourth a legion of denizens. Goblins, were-bear, and troll, all of them bear down upon the forces of Hamlin. From the sky is heard the hideous scream of a wraith. The peasants of Hamlin shudder. The peasants remember the crippled boy that could not enter the mountain, how he pined away into nothingness, and how an unknown beast desecrated the grave of the boy, carrying his body away. Now they see him, a hideous wraith, followed by four large bats in the sky, diving straight for them. The men in the front lines load their weaponry, the peasants raise theirs towards the sky. Total war will engulf all in seconds!! ORDER OF BATTLE Forces of Hamlin: 30 Light Foot (Peasants with sickles, tridents and shovels, etc.) 20 Heavy Foot (Unmounted knights) 15 Heavy Horse (Mounted Knights) 20 Arquebusiers (Mercenaries) 20 Elvish Footmen (each amed with magic weaponry) 10 Elvish Bowmen ( every arrow shot by them is considered a magic arrow) 1 wizard (Merlin, cannot throw fire or similar substances or stone, cannot become invisible, has power to become Roc (eagle), is subject to limitations of that said creature while he remains that creature) 1 Hero (mayor wielding Excelsior. powers he receives with Excelsior are in addition to powers he receives as a hero) 16 Operators (used to operate the heavy field guns, four operators to each gun) 4 Heavy Field Guns Forces of the Piper 60 Orcs of the Mountains (20 are bowmen) 30 Trolls 20 Lycanthropes (were-bears) 1 wraith (crippled boy) 1 magician (the Piper, powers subject to same limitations as wizard's, can paralyze by touch any peasant up to 12" away due to his flute, Cannot change into animal like wizard) 4 Giant Bats (treated same as Rocs) INITIAL SETUP Forces of Hamlin approach from the South, forces of the Piper emerge from the mountain-gate, at the north edge. CONDITIONS OF VICTORY The forces of Hamlin win if they kill the Piper, in which case all those killed will return to normal, all the monsters will become children (as if there s a difference), and everyone will live happily ever after. The forces of the Piper will win if they kill, or drive off the board, the entirety of the forces of Hamlin. SPECIAL RULES A - It is nightime, rules governing darkness apply. B - Game has no turn ending, continues until victory conditions are met. C - Lycanthropes will not enter area lightened up via wizardly light. D - Rules governing peasants in CHAINMAIL will be ignored. E - Rules governing mercenaries in CHAINMAIL will be ignored. F - Evil creatures caught inside circle formed by spell number eight will be paralyzed until the circle ceases to function or is broken via a counter spell. G. All figures (with the exception of elves and Merlin) killed by lycanthropes will come to life three turns later as a lycanthrope, assuming the same form as the lycanthrope that killed them. H. On the assumption that each turn equals three minutes of real time, and the battle begins at midnight, after one hundred fourth turns daylight comes. Lycanthropes will be forced to flee into the mountain gate, and stay there until nightfall, two hundred twenty turns later)! Back to Table of Contents -- Panzerfaust #64 To Panzerfaust/Campaign List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1974 by Donald S. Lowry This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com