The Leopard Campaign: Scenario Two – The Man in the Wagon

A Spy’s Warning

It all began with a note smuggled out of besieged Plymouth.

The message was brief but alarming. An important Royalist prisoner, Sir Edmund Vine, was to be moved from the city under heavy guard before being transported to London for interrogation. Whatever information Vine possessed, the Parliamentarians clearly considered it valuable. The note also revealed the prisoner’s route and identified the ideal ambush site—a small market square through which the wagon would pass before descending the narrow road leading to the East Gate.

The Leopard’s orders were straightforward: rescue Sir Edmund before he disappeared into Parliament’s prison system.

(For the Leopard earlier adventures - start here.)

Wood Block Cutting of the Lepoard dating from the 1650s

The Morning of 17 March 1643

Before dawn, while most of Plymouth still slept, the Leopard and his companions slipped into position amongst the alleys and buildings bordering the square. In the distance, they could already hear the rumble of wagon wheels and the steady tramp of marching feet.

The trap was set.

Springing the Ambush

As the wagon turned into the square, the Royalists melted deeper into the shadows. Surprise would be their greatest weapon.
The vehicle concealed its precious cargo beneath heavy canvas, but the escort was formidable enough. A burly sergeant led a dozen Plymouth militiamen through the early morning gloom. Once the wagon reached the market cross at the centre of the square, the Leopard struck. Musket shots echoed between the buildings, scattering several of the militia and leaving only the hard-bitten veterans to protect their prisoner. The ambush had worked. For a brief moment, the odds seemed firmly in the Royalists’ favour.
The Leopard and his men surged forward before the escort could recover.

Edgar and Billy - The Other Mission

Not everyone was focused on the rescue. Edgar and young Billy had been tasked with locating a series of intelligence caches left by Royalist agents within the city. Unfortunately, those dead drops lay dangerously close to the fighting. Worse still, shots suddenly rang out from upper windows overlooking the square.

Parliamentarian snipers.

The city authorities had anticipated just such an attack. Or perhaps someone had betrayed them.

Chaos in the Square

Isaac—rarely far from a bottle and never far from trouble—attempted to shoot the wagon driver. As the company’s best marksman, success should have been assured. Instead, the shot flew harmlessly wide.
Whether the fault lay with the musket, the weather, or the previous night’s ale remains a matter of debate. Giving up with the musket, Issac abandoned subtlety, gripping his musket like a club and charging towards the melee. He managed only a few strides before slipping spectacularly on the wet cobbles and crashing to the ground.
The square itself soon became an unexpected ally of the Royalists. One of the wagon wheels struck an uneven cobblestone, jolting the vehicle violently and forcing the driver to halt while he regained control.

The Leopard wasted no time.

His men closed in from all sides, surrounding the stalled wagon before the escort could react.
Unfortunately, the remaining defenders proved far tougher than expected.

I am running a few minutes late; my previous meeting is running over.

At their centre stood Sergeant Hopgood.

A giant of a man and a former blacksmith, Hopgood wielded his halberd with frightening skill. Again and again, he held back both the Leopard and Maarten, his sweeping blows forcing them away from the wagon. Meanwhile, Edgar and Billy searched desperately for the hidden intelligence caches while dodging musket balls fired from the surrounding buildings.

A Runaway Wagon

Eventually, the driver regained control and urged the wagon forward once more. Suddenly. James and Isaac found themselves directly in its path. James threw himself clear at the last moment and even managed to grab briefly at the wagon’s side. Isaac was less fortunate. Still suffering from the effects of the previous evening’s drinking, he reacted too slowly and was knocked sprawling by the vehicle. The unfortunate marksman was left unconscious in the mud.

Recognising the danger, Maarten broke away from his duel with Hopgood and launched himself at the moving wagon. Somehow, he managed to cling to the side before disappearing beneath the canvas cover.

Inside, a desperate struggle erupted.

At the same moment, James seized his opportunity. As the wagon slowed, he hurled himself at the driver, dragging him from his seat. The driver’s whip caught James across the face, but a well-placed thrust forced the man from the reins.
The wagon ground to a halt once more.

The Fighting around the Wagon as it stalls.

The Tide Turns

As the fighting intensified, a sea mist rolled in from Plymouth Sound. Visibility dropped dramatically, reducing friend and foe alike to shadowy figures moving through the fog. The snipers abandoned their positions and moved closer to the wagon, sensing that the battle was reaching its climax.

Yet through it all, Sergeant Hopgood remained immovable.

Time after time, he blocked the Leopard’s advance, swinging his halberd with relentless determination. Although neither man could gain a decisive advantage, Hopgood’s stubborn defence prevented the Leopard from joining the struggle around the wagon. Then faithful Edgar intervened. Creeping through the confusion, he stepped quietly behind the giant sergeant and struck him from behind.

It was not heroic. It was not gentlemanly. It was, however, extremely effective. Hopgood collapsed.

Escape from Plymouth

Rain now began to pour from the darkening skies, turning the square into a treacherous mire.
Inside the wagon, Maarten finally succeeded in freeing Sir Edmund Vane. Escorted by Billy—who had also recovered another intelligence package from a Royalist agent—the rescued prisoner was hurried into the maze of alleys beyond the square.

Church bells began to ring. Shouts echoed through the streets. The alarm had been raised.

But by then, the Leopard and his companions were already disappearing into the narrow lanes, heading towards a safe house and the secret tunnel beyond.
Only Edgar was left behind.

The Angel and the Drunk

Somehow, Edgar evaded capture and eventually staggered into Lord Hopton’s camp. Demanding a drink to ease his wounds, he claimed that a dark-haired angel had rescued him from certain capture before he awoke aboard a cart bound for Saltash.
Whether anyone believed him is another matter entirely.

Post-Game Thoughts

This proved to be an excellent scenario, with momentum swinging repeatedly between the Royalists and the Plymouth militia. At one stage, I feared I had made the rescue too easy for the Leopard. Then Sergeant Hopgood appeared and almost single-handedly turned the battle in Parliament’s favour. He was one of those wonderful emergent characters that occasionally appear in solo gaming—an NPC who unexpectedly develops a personality simply through their actions on the tabletop.
Hopgood will almost certainly make another appearance in the campaign.
Once the wagon had been stopped for the second time, however, the initiative shifted decisively towards the Royalists. From that point, the rescue became increasingly difficult for the defenders to prevent.
The one change I intend to make when running the scenario again is to introduce militia reinforcements immediately after Sir Edmund is freed. That should add a greater sense of urgency to the escape phase and create a more dramatic finish.

Campaign Reflections

The game itself was a success, but the wider campaign structure remains a work in progress.
The Snakes and Ladders campaign map has not performed as well as I had hoped. Despite additional mechanics and dice rolls, it still produces a largely linear sequence of scenarios.
Likewise, while the scenario generator consistently creates interesting ideas, it still requires considerable development before each game and struggles to create a strong narrative connection between scenarios.
These elements will need some revision before the campaign continues.
For now, however, the Leopard has secured Sir Edmund Vane and the intelligence he carries.
The question is what secrets the rescued agent knows—and where those secrets will lead our adventurers next.

Workbench 2026

As we turn the page on another year of gaming, it's time for my annual look back at what's been happening on the tabletop here at Anglian Wargaming HQ.

Looking Back at 2025

2025 turned out to be a pretty productive year, even if I didn't manage quite as many games as I'd hoped. I wrapped up two campaigns that had been running for a while: the pulp adventure 'Tomb of the Serpent' using Pulp Alley, and 'DNA', a superhero romp played with SuperMission Force.

The real star of the year, though, was Midgard. This sandbox game arrived late in 2024, but didn't make it to my table until March. Since then, it's dominated my gaming time and sparked my largest 28mm painting project in years. I've run several Dark Ages games with these rules now, and I'm currently deep into my first Midgard campaign: Mystic Britain. This pits Arthur's Britain against the Durlingar dwarves and their allies. The campaign should reach its climax early in 2026, though after the evil dwarves' latest victory, the outcome is far from certain!




The other campaign I started in 2025 was 'The Spectacular Adventures of the Leopard', set during the English Civil War in the West Country. This follows Edward Clement and his band of followers as they battle against the Preacher and his Parliamentary Forces. I'm using the ever-versatile Pulp Alley rules for this one, with the campaign plotted using a simple Snakes and Ladders board game.

What's Coming in 2026

I've got two new campaigns lined up for the year ahead.

First up is a 'steampunk' superhero campaign in which the Keepers of the Hidden Ways take on the Charnel Society in their inaugural adventure. I've been having great fun developing this alternative London, complete with a female Sherlock Holmes and her colleagues with their supernatural abilities. This will be a straightforward linear campaign with three or four scenarios making up a 'series'. The aim is to capture the feel of comic books, with new supervillain teams appearing in each chapter.

The second campaign is historical: Edward I's conquest of Wales, based on a Charles Grant 'programmed' reconnaissance campaign. Set in 1277, the English probe the Tywi Valley and meet resistance from the Welsh lords of Deheubarth. Historically, these events were a sideshow to Edward's main invasion in the north and led to the region's submission. I'm planning to use Baron's War 2nd Edition rules, with a spring start once 'Mystic Britain' campaigns wrap up. One thing I've learned is that I can only handle two concurrent campaigns – any more and I lose track of the narratives.

Projects and Ambitions

One disappointment in 2025 was not getting more historical simulations to the table, particularly following the refight of the Battle of Pynda using the Strength and Honour rules. These games need considerable research to do correctly, plus there's often significant modelling and painting involved. I plan to streamline this by focusing on 6mm or 10mm miniatures where my collection is strongest. Cynoscephalae is nearly ready for the table, and this time I'm going to experiment with different ancient rules to see how they handle these battles.

Looking further ahead, I'm working on a crusader army list and rules using the Midgard rules. With luck, I'll have something to share by year's end. I'm also converting my trial WoFun War of the Roses figures into a 10mm army, though I'll squeeze in another quick game as the army comes together.

Two longer-term projects are still in the research phase. The first is a Kiss Me Hardy campaign based on the Jack Aubrey novels, though this depends on the new edition of those rules. The second is a Glorantha project based on the wonderful RuneQuest world. The idea is to follow a small group of characters through roleplaying, skirmish games, and finally as part of a unit in mass combat. Plenty of reading and testing ahead on both fronts!

The Blog and Beyond

The blog is starting to get some decent traffic, but I want to develop it further. I'm currently looking at sharing more scenarios and campaign logs. I also write a bit of background material for my games and would like to share my thoughts on wargaming mechanisms more generally. I'm not convinced the blog is the best format for all this material, so I'm exploring Substack as a way to complement the shorter content here. More on that later.

Here's to another year of dice rolling and tape measures!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Ashes and Secrets - The Leopard Campaign Begins

I have finally begun my Leopard Campaign, inspired by the Portable Wargames Compendium and

played—somewhat madly—on a modified Snakes and Ladders board. Traditionally, the system is used for competitive two-player campaigns, but with a few small tweaks, it works beautifully for solo play. The board generates narrative “fortune” events and strategic setbacks—perfect for civil-war skulduggery. 

Some background information on the campaign can be found here.

Orders from Plymouth

The opening entry of the campaign takes place in early March 1643. The Leopard—Royalist adventurer, spy, and occasional trouble-maker—is tasked with recovering a packet of papers hidden in the burned-out shell of Emmington Manor, east of Plymouth.

A favourable die roll landed him on a fortune square, giving him the option to delay departure and acquire aid. Rather than press his advantage and out-move the Parliamentarian patrols, the Leopard opted to recruit Joseph Widecombe, a Level-1 scout with an uncanny knack for avoiding trouble… or at least postponing it.

Marching Through the Mud

The ride to Emmington was quiet. Warm westerlies rolled in, softening the March weather but drenching the countryside with heavy rainfall. After several days of slow riding, the Leopard and his troop sighted the manor below—a charred ruin nestled in a muddy valley, its fields ruined and livestock long gone.

Dismounting, they advanced on foot. The yard was clogged with fire debris, and the thick mud made staying mounted a hazard. Muskets loaded, eyes sharp, the Leopard spotted shadowy figures edging through the distant fields.

The plan was simple: get in, get the papers, get out. Yet plans involving human beings seldom survive first contact. Isaac—still suffering from the previous night's ale—slipped face-first into the mud, punctuating his fall with an enormous fart. The rest of the troop wasn't much better; every step was swallowed by the mud. 

Issac, take the 'hair of the dog' before the battle

Closing Net of the Militia

Despite the mire, the Royalists reached the manor just as the local Parliamentarian militia—led by the Hon. Samuel Massey—began closing in. Fallen beams and half-collapsed walls turned the interior into perilous terrain.

The Leopard crept into the manor itself, while his loyal companion Edgar, formerly a cryptographer and now his most dependable retainer, searched the outbuildings.

Extract from Edgar's Diary — 3 March 1643 

"Mistress Fortune favours fools and Clements alike. The yard is a bog, the house a tomb, and Isaac a menace to nose and nerve. I searched the barn first—old habits die hard; one always checks the margins. There, amid wet ash and pig-sties, I found a loose plank concealing a rusted casket. My heart leapt. But I heard shots then, close. The militia was upon us. I fear today will be an ugly day, and the papers we seek may be the least of our concerns."

Shots in the Yard

Musketry erupted as the militia loosed a ragged volley. The Royalists returned fire with surprising discipline, scattering some of the greener conscripts. Tougher resistance came from the militia advancing through the fields—though here the mud proved to be an ally for both sides, slowing movement and blunting charges.

Inside the manor, the Leopard strained to free a heavy beam pinning an old chest. After a tense struggle, he succeeded, tearing free the bundle of documents. Objective complete… or so it seemed.

Ambush at the Rear 

The militia attack was only a distraction. The militia's captain, Samuel Massey, and a small group had circled behind the manor, cutting off the Royalist escape route. Widecombe was struck down almost immediately in the Parliamentary counterattack. Young Billy, seeking safety over valour, fell back to help hold the yard.

Only Maarten, the Leopard's old comrade-in-arms, remained to block the surprise attack. He met the militia leader in a fierce sword-lock. Though evenly matched at first, Maarten slowly began to press the advantage—each blow struck with decades of battlefield experience.

Across the fields, Isaac—alcoholic haze finally lifted—managed to wound one of Coombs's men. The skirmish devolved into a muddy melee, halberd against musket butt. Yet numbers now favoured the Royalists.

Fate delivered the final blow: Sergeant Coombs slipped in the mud, striking his head against a wall and collapsing senseless. With their leader down, the remaining militia broke.

The Royalists Escape

With the papers secured and the militia in disarray, the Leopard rallied his troop. Despite the mud, the confusion, the flatulent mishaps, and the ambush, the Royalists fought through and escaped toward their own lines. 

A strong start to the campaign—though danger came far closer than the Leopard had hoped. A couple of extra "turn cards" let the Parliamentarians tighten the noose, and despite the campaign rule limiting shooting while moving, the skirmish saw far more musketry than expected.

But in the end, the Leopard's superior blades—and superior 

Follow the adventures of the Leopard in besieged Plymouth - here

Enter the Leopard – Swashbuckling in the English Civil War

Meet Edward Clement, better known as the Leopard – spy, adventurer, diplomat… and perhaps a forgotten pretender to the English crown. He is the star of my forthcoming Pulp Alley campaign set during the English Civil War, and he promises to bring cloak-and-dagger intrigue to the smoke of musket fire.

Edward Clement, aka The Leopard, spy, adventurer, diplomat

 and a forgotten pretender to the English Crown.

But where did this character come from?

The seed was planted when I stumbled across Hans Holbein's famous painting of Sir Thomas More and his family. In the background, half-hidden in a doorway, stands a mysterious young man clutching a scroll. The art historian Jack Leslau argued that this figure was Dr. John Clement, husband of Margaret Giggs, More's adopted daughter, and, more controversially, that Clement was in fact Richard of Shrewsbury, the younger of the lost Princes in the Tower. 

Thomas More and Family with Richard of Shrewsbury

in the doorway to the right.

That idea lit my imagination. What if a descendant of Clement survived into the seventeenth century? A man of mystery, royal whispers in his bloodline, stepping into the storm of the Civil War? Thus, Edward Clement – the Leopard – was born.

The Leopard's Story

Edward Clement was educated in the Low Countries and at Cambridge before entering Prince Rupert's service during the Breda campaign of 1637. When Rupert sailed for England in 1642, Edward followed, quickly catching the attention of Edward Hyde, one of Charles I's most trusted advisors. 

Court gossip puzzled over his sudden rise. Whispers of noble blood surrounded him, but Hyde saw only a helpful agent – if one with dangerous ambitions. By 1642, the Leopard had become an indispensable spy, navigating the murky shadows of the King's quarrel with Parliament. 

In early 1643, he was dispatched west to aid Sir Ralph Hopton, taking up the role of chief intelligence officer. There he crossed swords with an old nemesis: Aaron Bell, the fiery Puritan preacher who had sworn to unmask him.

The Fellowship of the Claw

Of course, no pulp hero stands alone. The Leopard commands a league of loyal companions known as the Fellowship of the Claw – a ragtag band of allies, rogues, and survivors.

• Young Billy – a nimble-fingered street urchin with quick hands and quicker charm. 
• Fletcher – the Clement family's old gamekeeper, a deadly shot when sober, a liability when not. 
• Edgar – the family's secretary and fixer; once a courier of secrets and master cryptographer, now a dangerous old man who knows everyone's business. 
• Maarten van Asbeck – a bastard son of a Dutch noble, long-time comrade of Edward, hardened by the Thirty Years' War. 
• Milo Crumb – the hapless adventurer, often lost, often in trouble… and yet somehow always stumbling into discoveries, such as the coded Parliamentary note he found when his head struck a low beam. 

It's a cast straight from the pages of a penny-dreadful – perfect for pulp adventures.

The Leopard and the Fellowship of the Claw, from the right, Billy, Fletcher, 

Edgar, the Leopard himself and Maarten. Milo had fallen into a hole.

Bringing the Leopard to Life 

This campaign utilises Pulp Alley with only minor tweaks, many of which are inspired by the excellent community on the Pulp Alley Facebook group (special thanks to Ira Gossett and his Three Musketeers adaptation).

The Campaign Board

The backbone of the story will be a custom Snakes and Ladders campaign board. Each die roll pushes the Leopard and his companions closer to their ultimate goal – but hazards, detours, and dramatic trials lurk along the way.

The Scenario Generator

Initially, I wrote a dozen full scenarios to be played in random order, but that proved too rigid and sometimes broke the narrative. A sprawling table system followed, but that became clumsy and overcomplicated.

The final version is much sleeker: a single 3D6 table that generates mission, location, primary objective, and complications all at once. Optional tables for minor plot points and enemy leagues add spice to the game. The result feels flexible, surprising, and – crucially – keeps the narrative flowing.

Testing is underway, and I'll share the draft ideas soon. 

Enter the Leopard

The Leopard is ready to stride into history – rapier in hand, cloak billowing, secrets close to his chest. Over the coming weeks, I'll be posting more about the campaign's mechanics, introducing some other characters, including the stunning and cunning Amelie St. Simon, a noble spy, and her reckless brother, Andre. Then, the villain of our campaign, Aaron Bell, the Preacher, is a Parliamentarian spymaster with hidden ambitions. These introductions will be followed by a series of battle reports where Edward Clement and the Fellowship of the Claw take the stage. 

Adventure awaits. Will the Leopard rise as a hero of the King, or fall as another forgotten pretender? For the first chapter in a story, press here.

Maarten and his love interest, Katie Reed. 

One-time prostitute now a kicken maid in Lady Hopton's household.