The Scottish Wars of Independence
Designers: Jerry Taylor & Tom Dalgliesh
Publisher: Columbia Games, 2002
Players 2
Playing Time varies with scenario
Period Medieval Scotland
Time scale 1 turn equals 1 year
Map scale unequal areas
Unit scale individual leaders and nobles

Components
1 generic black cardboard box
1 full-color box sleeve
1 full-color 22" x 25 1/2" unmounted cardstock map
1 8 1/2" x 11" rules book
1 sheet of 56 self-stick full-color labels
56 wooden blocks (28 blue & 28 red
25 2-color 2 1/4" x 3 1/2" cardstock cards
4 6-sided white on black die

Card Manifest
7 "1"
10 "2"
3 "3"
1 Herald: One noble (except Moray) ma join your side. Roll one die: success o 1 to 4; failure on 5, 6.
1 Pillage: Pillage two steps from one adjacent enemy group - add them to your adjacent units.
1 Sea Move: Move 1 or 2 units by Sea to one friendly (unembattled) area.
1 Truce: Normal enemy turn except no Attacks.
1 Victuals: Distribute Three (3) steps among existing unit(s) of your choice.

Counter Manifest Scottish (28)
2 Leaders (Wallace; the King)
14 Nobles (Comyn; Moray; Angus; Argyll; Bruce; Mar; Lennox; Buchan; Galloway; Ross; Atholl; Dunbar; Mentieth; Steward)
1 Archer (Etterick)
1 Knight (French)
9 Infantry (Douglas; Campbell; Graham; MacDonald; Lindsay; Fraser; Barclay; Grant; Keith)
1 Norse special intervention

English (28)
1 Leader (Edward)
13 Nobles (Comyn; Angus; Argyll; Bruce; Mar; Lennox; Buchan; Galloway; Ross; Atholl; Dunbar; Mentieth; Steward)
2 Archers (Lancaster; Wales)
4 Knights (Lancaster; York; Durham; Hobelar)
8 Infantry (York; Lancaster; Durham; Northumberland; Cumbria; Wales; Ulster; Westmoreland)

What the designers say:

Hammer of the Scots brings to life the War of Scottish Independence. As the English player, you seek to subdue a rebellion led by the Braveheart, William Wallace. The Scottish player must defeat the invading armies of Edward I to win freedom. This entertaining game will give you insight into a fascinating period of Scottish history.

What the reviewers say:

“The game manages to capture the flavor of strategic medieval warfare both with its card activations and its brilliant (but simple) wintering rules. Hammer plays intensely, brutally, and believably (once you’ve consigned the nutty Norse Block to Turn Marker duty).” G. Haggerty in Funagain Games site.

“Initiative changes constantly, and while luck plays its part, the game rewards players who think through what they want to accomplish.” Ted Kuhn in Funagain Games site.

“The greatest thing about this game is a real feel for the medieval period, and a very strategic game that doesn’t require deep studying.” Ron Balla in Funagain Games site.

“The game is well balanced and there are tricky decisions to make every action.” Phil Barcafer in Funagain Games site. “The game is fun and fast, representing with elegance the history behind Mel Gibson’s ‘BraveHeart’.” Rick Young in Funagain Games site.

“This is a good solid game that has a lot of replay value.” Dan Dolan in Funagain Games site.

Players’ value

So the question is this ... what’s a game that was published in 2002 doing in a journal for collectors and accumulators? After all, the reviews published to date can’t be much more than shake-the-box, and it hasn’t been around long enough even to have a decent errata file. In fact, the game is probably still in print. That Kula, he’s finally gone and stubbed his toe, poor guy. But that’s what comes of breathing in all that mustiness for years and years. Worse than asbestos, you know. Frangible and all.

I have always been a fan of the block games, starting with War of 1812, then Quebec 1759, Napoleon, Rommel in the Desert and finally East Front. The graphics are superb, the rules are simple but not simplistic, and the wooden block system is a stroke of genius. Each of the games, with the possible exception of the Front series, has its own character. The block games are the closest thing we have to a cross between traditional board wargames and the eurogames.

Many of you will know me as a Scot at heart. So when Hammer of the Scots was put on the prepublish list, I was one of the first to sign up. And I was one of the first to receive a copy. I merely wanted to record its vital statistics before I played my copy to death.

Collectors’ value

There’s not really an aftermarket for Hammer of the Scots yet, although if it appeared on eBay soon, I would not be at all surprised. The suggested retail price is $49.95, but I have seen street prices as low as $39.95, maybe even less. Clearly, some comparison shopping would be in order, probably even mandatory given the subject matter

Other games by these designers

None by Jerry Taylor, so far (he has indicated that he has a second game in design). But Tom Dalgliesh is another story, with credits including Bobby Lee; Napoleon; Quebec 1759; Sam Grant; Star Lord; and War of 1812 published variously by Gamma II Games, the Avalon Hill Game Company, and Columbia Games.

Other games of this type

Other block games include: Quebec 1759 (1972 GII; 1985 CG); War of 1812 (1973 GII; 1985 CG); Napoleon (1974 GII; 1979 AH; 1993 CG); Star Lord (1978 GII); Maneuver (1979 GII); Rommel in the Desert (1982 Game Preserve; 1984 CG); EastFront (1991 CG); WestFront (1992 CG); Bobby Lee (1994 CG); MedFront (1994 CG); SouthFront (1994 CG); VolgaFront (1994 CG); EuroFront (1995 CG); Sam Grant (1997 CG); Victory (1999 CG); Pacific Victory (2000 CG); Wizard Kings (2000 CG). Other games on the Scottish Wars of Independence: Robert at Bannockburn: 1314 (SPI); Great Medieval Battles (SPI and Decision, includes Robert at Bannockburn); Robert the Bruce (Fusilier); Scotland the Brave (Avalanche Press). And other games on Scotland versus England: the ‘45 (Decision); Charlie’s Year 1745- 46 (Red Sash); Flodden (Perfidious Albion); Flower of the Forest (Charles Vasey).