Seven Samurai

 Akira Kurosawa's classic movie, Seven Samurai, that later became the inspiration of The Magnificent Seven, is the basis of this game. Using Test of Honor Rules (with a few home-brewed changes from the movie, several of us staged this battle between the Ronin Bandits and the villagers with their hired help (who technically were also Ronin, but we'll refer to them as the Samurai)...

So here is the setting, the peaceful village with four groups of defenders, each at least one hired Samurai attached. One is to the left of the Mill (the left-Ford, left photo); second at bridge (center); third seen upper right (the right-Ford); and the fourth in reserve top left of center). In the film, the defenders blocked off all but one entrance to the village. Here the stream is impassable except by two fords (right and left) and the bridge. "Japanese fences" (bamboo) have been constructed to impede the attackers and to also provide cover, both from melee and shots. (The Bandits have a couple of bowmen as well as arquebus) 

Here we see one of the groups of Bandits forming up to assault the Bridge. The Peasant Reserves with Kambai (the Seven's Leader) and the young Katsushiro at lower left. The right-Ford in in the upper left...

At that previously mentioned ford is the Samurai Kyuzo (the Master Swordsman), with his supporting Peasants...

At the left-Ford, we see Heihachi and Shichiroji waiting for the Bandits' attack (top right)...

At the Bridge, Kikuchiyo (played by the legendary Toshiro Mifune) jumps to the attack, to block the Bandits, one of which he takes down...

At the right-hand Ford, one of the Peasant Bowmen as taken down a Bandit, while their compatriots cross the stream...

At the left-hand Ford, the Bandits have broken through but Heihachi and Shichiroji fill in the gap, taking down one of the bad guys. Look closely at the upper right behind the tree. That is the Village Elder who brings bonuses to the Villagers...

Returning to the right-Ford, Kambai has joined Kyuzo to drop some more Bandits...

and even more Bandits!

More Bandits press across the left-Ford. The blood drops refer to light wounds.  (Heihachi left and Shiehiroji right)...

Another Bandit bites the dust...

One of the Ronin Bandit slips through and strikes down the first Peasant!

At the right-Ford, Kambai takes a light wound, but more Bandits go down...

More Bandits move in but another goes down...

At the Bridge, Kikuchiyo succeeds in taking down a Bandit and a Ronin!

A Ronin Thug breaks through and kills the Village elder!

Heihachi rushes over to take on the Thug, but each defend themselves. Another Peasant goes down to the Ronin...

At the right-Ford, Kyuzo takes a light wound! Then we realize we have forgotten an important aspect of Test of Honor. Following a loss, the unit must take a Reaction Test and if it fails, it must withdraw at least temporarily. We then immediately checked all units, and while one Peasant group failed, four Bandits did likewise! The Bandit Chief called off the attack, and the first day ended.

        

                                                                To Be Continued...