Matchlocks & Witchcraft

A skirmish wargame of 17th century Puritans facing the reality of their superstitions...

Matchlocks & Witchcraft takes historical accounts of American fears of witches and plays out a "what if" situation. What if a witch had actually kidnapped a Puritan child, how would an encounter between Puritans and a coven of Witches play out at the edge of the New England wilderness.

Using your own 28mm miniatures, a low model count, and a 3'x3' play area you can resolve this encounter over the course of 2 pre-written scenarios. In the first, you and your the older members of your family take chase into the woods in pursuit of a presumed witch that has kidnapped your newborn child. The outcome of this scenario will inform the starting numbers of the second scenario. Back at the farmstead, the remaining goodwives and children take shelter as an armed band of Puritans (and a reverend) from the nearby settlement have come to eradicate the devil's threat spawning from the Wood to save their righteous flock.

An asymmetrical mechanic allowing Witches the use of witchcraft tokens are deployed around the board, they are able to utilize these portals to vanish and reappear, simmulating phantom movement. Puritans have the opportunity to "investigate" these signs of witchcraft and remove them from play preventing this advantage. Once the tokens are gone the witches are stuck in whatever state they find themselves (permanently becoming a rabbit is a possiblility...) Meanwhile defenseless settlers are at risk of possession, influence, or death so ensure your matchlock-toting Puritans prevent the loss of their own.

Terrain rules are based on the Puritan's views on community and farming versus the untamed wilds of the woodlands. Witches gain advantage in the woods while the Puritans gain advantage on their cropfields and in their buildings. Trees are to be individually based in order to better recreate the disorder and densities of New England frontier lands.

But beware of the devil's ambush-like deployment in the form of the billy-goat, Black Bill...