The Nottingham |Cheese Riot of 1766-The Game

In 1766 we had an earlier version of the cost of living crises after a poor wheat harvest put the price of food up. In Nottingham during the annual Goose Fair tons of cheese was being sold in large wheels at twice the price they had been a week earlier in other parts of the country. Disgusted by the prices the mainly women and “rude boys” of Nottingham went on the rampage stealing cheese and looting shops. Because the cheese came in large wheels it was easy to just roll them away. The mayor attempted to restore order and for his efforts was knocked down by a rolling cheese into the mud. The crowd then attacked boats on the river Trent loaded up with cheese and warehouses were looted. The Dragoons were called in and a man was shot dead although he was defending his cheese and was shot by accident. A number of young lads were dragged before the Magistrates who at this time used to perform trials in private homes and pubs. On this occasion it was in a coffee shop. The mob out side began throwing stones at the windows and fearing more violence those arrested where released. This incident is talked about a lot in the museum that I work and we thought it would be interesting to recreate it as a miniature game at a staff social. So I got to work thinking what the best way of adapting the story to the tabletop.

After looking at the loot the town scenario I decided the table would represent the market place with 7 cheese piles to be looted. Each cheese pile was protected by two townsfolk. The players control three teams of looters each made up of two women and a “rude boy” as they were described historically. I would control the townsfolk and other random events as a GM. Players score victory points for achieving any of the following.

1 point for each cheese removed from the table or rival player looters taken out of action.

2 points for taking the mayor or a Dragoon out of action.

2 points for going for the meat stand and beating the butcher and taking the meat. There was a meat riot a few years later so I thought I’d acknowledge that incident with this rule.

A looted cheese can be carried off the board or rolled off to score.

Cheese is rolled 3D6 inches away us 2 for boys and 3 for women. They can also be rolled at a character as a weapon as they were against the mayor. If the range roll reaches the target they are knocked down on a 4+ missing a turn. On a further roll of 5+ they are out of the game.

1. Slippery customer. You slip in the mud and are placed prone. One model in your mob is effected and the rest move as mirmal.
2. I’ve been goosed. The goose fair geese move into contact with the nearest mob and attack all members of the team. Each model is hit on a 5 or 6and pushed back 1inch even if the roll failed leaving the geese free to move again in the future.
3. You can get drunk on tuppence. Play on a rival model. It must immediately move towards the drink stand. Once it makes contact roll 1D6 on a 5 or 6they get drunk. Movement is reduced by 2 and all tests at – 1. They also get a bottle as a weapon.
4. How’s your gout. Choose one townsperson. That mini is forced to sit down and can’t move this turn. It can’t defend a cheese while sitting down.

1. Riot act. When the dragoons arrive, you get to choose which edge they arrive on.
2. Stray shot. Use when you are shot at by a dragoon. Instead of being the target the nearest other model from a rival mob it townsperson is hit instead.
3. Wet powder. Play on any dragoon who is about to shoot. The shot misfires and they need to reload.
4. Raucous behaviour. Play in combat to roll 2 dice and pick the highest result.
5. Butter up. Play before starting close combat. The target has butter rubbed in their face and pushed back 1D6 inches
6. Rude boys. Use on your boy model he taunts a townsperson up to 10 inches away. The target must make a move towards the rude boy.
7. Hard cheese. Play when a model is hit by a rolling cheese. They are immediately taken out of action.
8. Get out of stocks free. Play at the start of your turn to release one of your mob from the stocks and are free to move.
9. A small discount. Play on a rival when they get in close combat with a merchant. Instead of fighting they start haggling over prices. They can’t move until they roll 5-6 then they are free to fight as normal after deciding to steal the cheese anyway.
10. Mighty fine cheese. Play when you pick up a cheese. It is the finest of all cheeses. It is worth two victory points. However everyone will want a piece.
11. Merchants from Lincoln. Play when a rival picks up a cheese. That cheese is removed and placed next to the Lincoln merchant who had got their first.
12. I call it polystyrene. Play on a rival player when they pick up a cheese. The cheese has gone off and removed from play.
13. Gin might help. Use on a model who is taken out of action. They recover and stay in place.
14. Lactose lout. Play on a rival player when they pick up a cheese. They have a reaction to the dairy product and must immediately roll it away. It can be picked up later but not by this model.
15. Stench of the poor. Play when in combat. The enemy must immediately move away 2D6 to escape the smell but the effect only lasts that turn.

The game ended with MOB A wining thanks to the meat and cheese they obtained. Mob B was second thanks to their best cheese. MOB C got no cheese but killed a dragoon. Everyone had fun and  being interested in the history liked the tabletop reprentstion of events. It made me wonder if I could do other historical events. We will play this again in the future and the only change would be making it easier to get cards. I’d like to add more buildings to the table edges and more market stalls because the table looked a bit empty. Other than that I was pleased with how it worked. Maybe next time I’ll do a game on the reform Bill riots of 1831 or the time democratic minded folk got dunked in the river. Who can drench the most innocent bystanders for their political views.