Bonvair

The Bonvair have suffered terribly at the hands of others over the duration of their tribe's existance. Formally slaves and chattels, this unique Aryidannan tribe has finally gained their independance but at a high cost and in a strange and dangerous land. Not just threatened by the spirits and golden-haired natives of the new land the Bonvair have fled to, the brave and hardy maidens also fear persecution from their once mistresses across the Tautha Sound.

Once piece of luck for the damsels of the Bonvair tribe has been the place of their new arrival. A large island off the easter spur of the Tautha continent closely resembles their own homeland; rocky, barren, where only a hard life can be lived, but rich in minable ore and precious metals that can be smelted into sharp weapons. Now that the Bonvair have complete control over the island they are churning out more than enough long bladed Phillix swords to arm themselves and will soon turn to armour.

Traditional Warfare

The Bonvair's tribal lands were along the mountainous coast south of the Dannan heartlands. The two tribes traded closely after indecisive wars and battles of Glamour which neither could prevail: the Dannan could not win the attrition of fighting in the mountains and chasing the Bonvair into the ravines or up the mountain tops and the Bonvair could not force away the Dannan military settlements near their few grazing fields. The problem of raids and skirmishes against small patrols and isolated outposts ended for self-automony, trading rights, and a contingent of damsels provided for the Dannan army.

Because of the geography of the Bonvair homeland, inclined and broken with large boulders, gullies and cliffs, they could not fight in the same manner as their lowland kin: armed and armoured as Hoplites. The Hoplite equipment was too heavy and cumbersome to these free-haired maids who preferred to run and dart, fienting at their foe until an opening was found before striking quickly for the kill with an impressive weapon, the Phillix.

The Phillix is a sword that is both long of blade and handle. Swords are uncommon in the Hellenas, being expensive to procure and seen as less effective than a spear which has greater reach and can be used en-masse. The Phillix differs from an ordinary sword in that its blade is curved and the haft is as long as the blade. The curved blade allows for a degree of hooking or stabbing around or over a Hoplite shield. The long haft gives reach, usefull when ambushing from above or trying to attack those doing so. The weapon's design also allows it to be swung down mightily on the head of a victim and it is not uncommon for a Bonvair Philli to cleave through a Hoplite helm and skull.

When fighting for the Dannan the Bonvair had to change their tactics and suffered heavy casaulties in their first battles. The meadows of Glamour were flatter and less obstructed and their maids lack of armour resulted in many deaths and deliberating injuries from Psiloi hurled stone. The swiftness of their advance allowed them to capture hills or positions quickly or assail an enemies flank but this was never enough for their Dannan mistresses and they preferred to use the Bonvair in straight assaults against the Phalanx.

As shock-maids the Philli were brave and daring enough. Starting spread out to minimise loss to missiles and confuse the enemy as to where they would strike the hardest, the damsels would close to the enemy and then at the signal of one of their file leaders break into a run all towards the same point for a concentrated and powerful assault. The enemy, suddenly outnumbered would buckle under the rain of Phillix blows. As their shields were turned upward to protect their heads other Philli would leap onto them and over and attack form behind, a risky manouver whilst others would slash at the legs and thigh from beneath.

This tactic worked best when quickly followed up by the rest of the Dannan army and their own Phalanx bearing down on the assault point. If the Dannan did not support the Bonvair found themselves surrounded and without protection, in dire circumstances.

Tauthic Warfare

Now that the Bonvair are free and living in a land that resembes their ancestral lands they are able to retur to tradition. However, the foe they are facing across the narrow Straight, hidden behind the green leaves, is greatly different from an Aryidannan maiden. The banshee are as swift as their own and use arrows and javelins in vast quantities that make an attack over open ground suicidal. The Straight that separates the island from the mainland was fortunte for the Bonvair and kept them from being over run by the Tautha in the early days of their landing. Now, whilst partrolled, the Bonvair and the Tautha each send raiding and scouting parties into each others land and this has become the standard, tit-for-tat mode of fighting.

The passing of the first year however has greatly strengthened the Bonvair's hold and the War Maids are becoming more vocal for a strike across the Straight to drive the banshee back deep into the forests. Crops are difficult to grow and only little wild animals can be foraged from the forest whilst it is in the control of the enemy. Ever since their arrival to Tautha, food has been a major difficlty for all the Aryidannan tribes.

The Bonvair feel themselves strong enough to take action and have been arming and training and using the raids to give each maiden important battle experience and to learn the enemies tactics. The banshee have no weapon like the Phillix and one can easily slay a trio of the golden-haired maidens when close. To get close the smithed metal is being flattened into thin sheets as light but durable shields, carried by maids armed with small hooked daggers. The Juveniles practice with their thongs, aided with an unlimited supply of rock whilst Heroines tie into their hair, wigs of poisonous and petrifying snakes seeking to immitate the feared Medusa, which are rumoured to still abode on the island.

Warband Choices

A Bonvair warband can be classified as one of three types: a raiding or scouting party, a warband, or a patrol.

Raiding Party: The objective of the raiding party is to sneak into enemy territory and steal, capture or kill the objective. Its force must be fast, small and experienced and able to protect the Juveniles that accompany each party to gain their battle experience. The Heroine in command is daring and wears her hair free, eager to duel yet will not risk her force for personal Glamour and fame. A core of Philli, back with bow-armed Scouts and Juveniles is the standard composition.

Patrol: The patrol is the opposite of the raiding party. Its aim is to find and defeat any enemy raiding parties and to do this a combination of speed and hard fighting power is required. As Tautha raiders have many of their elite Rangers, a few Shield Maids provide a rally point or walking wall. A patrol has more Juveniles and less Scouts (if any) than a Raiding party but usually just as many Phillis. Heroines are level-headed but will use every opportunity to capture an enemy Heroine for interrogation and personal use.

Warband: A warband is significantly larger than either a patrol or raid. Over three-quarters of the maidens will be Philli, the rest Juveniles. Only a few Scouts would be present and only if the warband is moving into unknown territory. Usually a scout party would be in advance of the warband. As more shields are made the proportion of Shield Maids increases but until then the Philli remains the stock fighting maiden having to rely on her terrifying weapon and speed.

Items: The Bonvair are still limited by the selection of items they have to provide additional capability to their maidens. Shields improve defense, and Glamour can be increased by garter, skirt and stocking. The most impressive items are those reserved for the Heroines such as Snake Hair and Medusa Eyes.

Heroines: There are now more Heroines to lead the Bonvair to victory; glamourous young things how have sprouted up through the ranks to gain renown with their beautiful toned bodies, flaming hair and flashing eyes. Charlemane a young warrioress is the model all Juveniles aspire to become; Verillia a firebrand Philli calling for war is surrounded be adoring flames seeking to be part of her Chosen Band.

Damsel Type

Advantages

Disadvantages

Philli

High Attack. Fast.

Easy to Hit.

Scout

High attack if supported. Hard to hit.

Easy to Hit.

Juvenile

Missile armed.
Cheap.

Easy to Hit or Rout
Low attack.

Chosen Band

As Philli.
Hard to Rout.

Easy to Hit.
Cost.

Shield Maids

Hard to Hit.

Slow.
Rare.

Resources

Bonvair Colours
Read...

Army List

This army list is for battles that take place after the Aryidannan interstrife and the first year of Bonvair independance and completely replaces the Damsel Book One army list in those cases.

Damsel M A D H Notes P Base Fig

Philli

5

5

2

3

Hafted
R

10

8 x 3

3

Scout

6

2/2

2

2

Bow 18"
S, A

9

8 x 3

2

Juvenile

5

1/2

2

3

Sling 12"
S

5

8 x 3

2

Chosen Band

5

6

2

3

Hafted
R, E

13

8 x 3

3

Shield Maid

4

2

4

3

Stalwart

10

8 x 3

3

Damsel Min Max Unit Size

Philli

4

8

2-4

Scout

0

4

2

Juvenile

2

8

2-4

Chosen Band

0

4

2-4

Shield Maid

0

2

*

* Shield Maid Stands must be with a Philli Unit.

A Bonvair warband gets 20 Heroine Points.

Heroine M A D H GLAM Notes P Base Fig

Rophillia

5

5

3

2

2

R

12

4 x 3

1

Selucess

6

3/2

2

2

2

S, A
Bow 18"

12

4 x 3

1

Charlemane

5

4

2

3

3

R
1 Unit must be Juveniles
and Max size

12

4 x 3

1

Verillia

5

6

3

3

3

R
1 Unit must be Chosen
Can only attach to Chosen

15

4 x 3

1

The Bonvair can use any general Items in the Damsel Books, supplements or on this website in addition to the ones below. A Bonvair warband gets 20 Item Points. Split costs (x/y) are for Unit/Heroine.

Couture Description Cost

Garter, Miniskirt & Hosiery

Sheet black hosiery, tight skirt and garter draw eyes to the maiden's toned legs and flat belly with irrestable force. Target 1 Heroine or Unit. Target gets Glamour+1.

5/2

Haft Knife

At the bottom of the Phillix haft a small blade has been bound for an unexpected backswing. Target 1 Heroine or Unit. In a drawn combat, the Target counts as having won by 1. Philli or Chosen Band Units only (incl. attached Shield Maids)

5

Medusa Eyes

As cold and grey as stone the Medusa eyes stare unblinking from between a pair of brozned breasts, a double fatal attraction. Target 1 Heroine. Target's foe in Melee or Duel suffers 1/2 A and D, round Up.

10

Snake Hair (Petrify)

Woven in the red braids dull scale snakes writhe and hiss. A gaze at them freezes the heart, is his maid a monster? Target 1 Heroine. Each Hit in Melee or Duel permanently reduces foe's M-1 to a minimum of 1.

5

Snake Hair (Poisonous)

A tangle of serpents, venom dripping from their sharp fangs, lashes out from the damsels crown. Target 1 Heroine. Each Hit in a Duel causes a permanent H-1 to a minimum of 1 whether the Target won or lost.

5