Assassins & Templars Scenario: The Ambassador
Will the Templars make it to the safety of the nearby inn with their important charge, in this Assassins and Templars scenario? It shouldn’t be difficult, but there’s something decidedly odd about those pilgrims travelling alongside…
Note: This scenario works best if the Assassin player reads all the rules below, then instructs the Templar player on how the scenario works.
The story so far
A Templar Retinue have been employed to escort Bishop Garnier de Rochefort, Ambassador to the French Court, to a meeting with the King at Jerusalem. The Assassins are keen to stop this meeting as they fear an intervention (possibly a Crusade!) from the King of France, so they will stop at nothing to kill the Bishop.
The escort party have been joined by a small group of pilgrims who are also travelling to Jerusalem. After a long and thirsty day, the Templar troop are approaching a small wayside inn.
The set-up
Players should organise their Retinues into Spears before starting the game (see page 12 of the A&T rulebook). The Captain/Brother Knight and his Spear will escort the Ambassador, who will move with the Captain when he Activates.
The Table - which can be anywhere between 3’ x 3’ to 4’ x 4’ - represents the area approaching the Inn and should have a good covering of appropriate scenery; rocky ground, boulders, dunes, walls, oasis, wells, etc.
To represent the inn, use any appropriate building or simply mark the area with whatever you have to hand. It should be in the centre of the upper table, within 6” of the edge.
The Templars and the Pilgrims begin strung-out along the lower half of the table, within 6” of the edge.
The Characters are all on foot, having left their steeds at the nearby stable. Place a suitable figure to represent the Ambassador in the centre of the Captain’s Spear.
Left-hand side - The inn
Right-hand side - The Captain and his Retinue. The Ambassador and the Pilgrims
[In our game, we kept the Ambassador on horseback, just for the aesthetics; the horse had no role in the game - Ed]
Place the Pilgrims in a cluster adjacent to the Captain’s Spear. The Pilgrims and Ambassador move at the same time and pace as the Captain and his Spear… until the Trap is Sprung.
The Assassin Retinue is not placed on the table at the beginning of the game.
Special rules
The ‘Pilgrims’
There should be around six Pilgrims, these can be represented by Peasants or any suitable figures in the players’ collections. They should move as a group, always staying within one 1” of each other.
Shock horror: the Assassins have infiltrated the Pilgrims and are waiting for an ideal time to strike.
The Assassin Retinue is not initially represented on the table, but the Assassins’ Hero Cards should be in the Hero deck as normal.
The Aha! Deck
The Assassins will spring their trap and appear on the board at some point during the game. They can only do this once the Assassin player has drawn two aces from the Aha! Deck.
The Aha! The deck should be made up of six cards from a standard pack of playing cards. Take two aces, of any colour, and any other four cards. Shuffle these six cards and put them to one side. This is the Aha! Deck.
During each turn, whenever the first Assassin’s Hero Card is turned, the Assassin player takes the top card from the Aha! Deck. If it is an ace, they should 1) keep the card, 2) add a new ace (from a standard deck of playing cards) to the Aha! Deck.
When the Assassin player has two aces in their hand, the Trap is Stung.
Only when the Assassin player has two aces in hand do the Assassin Hero Cards drawn from the Hero Deck get used to deploy and activate figures.
The trap is sprung!
Once a second ace has been drawn, the Assassins’ trap has immediately been sprung! Remove the Pilgrim figures from the table and replace them with the Assassin Hero, whose card has just been drawn, and his Spear. This Assassin Hero may now activate.
After the trap has been sprung, other Assassin Hero cards that are drawn result in the relevant Assassin Hero and their Spear being placed anywhere on the table, but nor within 9” of an Opposing Character. They have emerged from their hiding places and activate after deployment.
WINNING THE GAME
The Templars win if they successfully escort Bishop Garnier to the safety of the Inn. The Assassins win if they kill the Bishop.
Desert Conditions
Fighting in the desert brings with it some very specific challenges. These optional rules will bring the harsh environment of Outremer to your A&T games. Try using them in this scenario.
Assign one of the Happening Cards as the ‘Desert Conditions Card’ and place it in the Hero Deck at the beginning of the game. When it is drawn, the drawing player must roll 1D6 on the “Oh this Accursed Hell Hole!” Table.
Special Character
The Ambassador
The Ambassador is an ‘inert’ Character; he has no Hero Card and is moved when the Templar Captain is activated.
Skills
Averse to Conflict
This Character has a knack for avoiding injury by ducking behind a comrade or simply by not being in the way. If they are within one inch of another friendly Character, that Character will always be in the way of any shot or blow that is aimed at them, even if they are not literally in the way! Make a Blocked Shot/Stroke roll, with the ‘Blocked’ result causing a hit on the other Character.
Peaceful Soul
This Character is dedicated to a Life of Peace and may not cause injury to another Character. They may not initiate Melee.
