With Fire and Sword - Game 1

We played another game of Sharp Practice set in the American Rebellion. This time based upon scenario one from Chris Stoesen’s With Fire and Sword book.

Scenario Introduction

Colonel Houseman and a body of Loyalist militia have gathered at Alexander’s Old Field for the purpose of gathering oaths of allegiance to the crown. However, Captain John McClure has gathered his militia and is intent on disrupting the gathering.

This scenario was especially interesting as there were very few leaders present and four flags per side meant that a significant number of random events occurred.

The Loyalists deployed into two formations within the fenced area of the camp.

Captain John McClure marched his men into the woods to the northwest of the camp, with Lieutenant Hugh McClure marching his men along the road, hoping to outflank the Loyalists.

Hearing hear loud noises coming from the woods Lieutenant Abel advanced his men, but were taken by surprise when Captain John McClure and his men emerged from the woods.

Colonel Houseman sounded the recall for his sentries to reform. Unfortunately, two of them had decided to check out the delights of the local whore house (due to a random event). With the rest of his command, he moved to the fence line to halt the advance of Lieutenant Hugh McClure.

Captain John McClure was having the best of the firefight, with one group of Loyalists soon breaking and heading to the rear.

Having halted the Rebel advance along the road, Colonel Houseman now moved his troops into a position to aid Lieutenant Abel,

And soon Captain John McClure and his rebels were running for the hills.

However, Captain John McClure managed to extract himself from his fleeing men and joined up with Lieutenant Hugh McClure. Between them they rallied their men and separated into two groups, with Lieutenant Hugh McClure heading for the camp

and Captain John McClure heading for the fence line to exact punishment onto Colonel Houseman and his men. Things were going well for the Loyalists, with the Rebels having the better of the firefight as they were in cover. However, Captain John McClure’s men got a bit too enthusiastic and charged over the fence only to be met by two volleys from the Loyalists. This resulted in them breaking,

Leaving poor Lieutenant Hugh McClure alone.

At this point it was decided that the Rebels couldn’t achieve their objective and so the game was called as a victory for the Loyalists.

 

The third game in our Wars of the Roses campaign was Ludford featuring the Yorkist Edward Plantagenet, Earl of March (David) versus the Lancastrian Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland (Reg/Doug). 

Historically on the night before the battle of Ludford Yorkist troops began to desert because they knew Henry IV (God's anointed) was with the Lancastrian army and they had been offered royal pardons for their treachery.  Faced with the loss of their army the Yorkist leaders tried to pull a fast one and declared that the King was in fact dead.  

 With the appearance of Henry the following morning this was proved to be a lie and many of the best Yorkist troops defected to the Lancastrians.  The Yorkist leaders, seeing that the game was up, deserted their troops leaving them to their fate. 

 Having swept away the remaining Yorkist forces the Lancastrians simply got on with sacking and pillaging the surrounding countryside.

 Remember this game was NOT meant to be an historical replay.  The aim was to kill as many of the enemy as possible.

 Prior to the game both sides adopted novel approaches to their army selection.  The Lancastrians went for a strong force of double armed (bill and longbow) men-at-arms and the Yorkists chose to go for four Generals rather than the usual three.  The Yorkists therefore fielded four Commands in columns B+C, D+E+F, G+H+J and K+L.

 Both armies relied on their mounted infantry to scout the area and gather intelligence on the opposition, fielding a modest 3 scouting points each.  After some rather half hearted scouting (David drew a 2 chit and Doug/Reg a 3 chit) it was apparent that the Lancastrians had won (just) the scouting.  Edward (David) therefore began the set up.

Edward (David) started by deploying a strong left wing with a front line of retinue longbows behind stakes, supported by billmen and handgunners. This command was led by William Neville, Baron Fauconberg (Mal).  Percy (Doug/Reg) replied by placing a deep formation of billmen closely supported by the army’s cavalry directly opposite them.  This command was under Percy’s (Reg’s) personal command.

Edward (David) then deployed his camps in his centre right deployment zone.  Both camps were heavily defended by artillery and longbowmen behind palisades. The camps were commanded by Baron Scrope (Tony).  In light of the extensive beaten zone of the Yorkist artillery Percy (Doug/Reg) deployed a holding force of shire levy stiffened by a unit of Welsh spearmen on his left flank.  This force was under the command of Baron Clifford (Adrian).

Edward then deployed his centre left command, extending the line of longbowmen on his left flank and backing it up with the remainder of his billmen. This command was placed under the command of Baron Bonville (David).  Against this command Percy (Doug/Reg) deployed another of his deep bill/longbow formations under the command of William Tailboys (Doug).

Completing the deployment Edward placed his mounted bodyguard on his extreme right under his personal command (Tony)

As battle commenced a signal arrow rose from the ranks of the Lancastrian army.  Treachery!  Lord Fauconberg about faced his billmen in the centre of the Yorkist left and made to leave the battlefield.  The Yorkist left was now leaderless and out of command!

Having seized the initiative, the Lancastrians advanced on both left and right wings while their centre inclined right in support of their main assault. 

 The Yorkists replied with longbow and artillery fire.  The first disorder started to appear in the Lancastrian ranks.

Receiving fire from the Yorkist bombards, Baron Clifford (Adrian) soon realised the danger to his shire levies and withdrew them out of artillery range.  Meanwhile, acting on his own initiative, Sir Christopher Curwen (Adrian) led his troops up the extreme left hand side of the table  aiming to stay outside the artillery field of fire and challenge the Yorkist Right flank (Tony).

Percy (Reg) pressed his attack on the Yorkist left, attempting to ride down the handgunners in front of him and forcing them to evade away. The flank of the Yorkist firing line was now becoming dangerously exposed.

The Lancastrian centre (Doug) continued to move forward in support of their right wing.

The Yorkist reserves (David) were now hastening to back up their threatened left wing and to counter Sir Christopher’s (Adrian’s) brave attack on the right.  The treacherous Baron Fauconberg was forced to halt his cowardly retreat as Yorkist billmen streamed across his front.

The Lancastrian cavalry (Reg) continued to drive back the Yorkist handgunners forcing them back across the river Teme but the cavalry were now becoming dangerously over extended.

Baron Bonville (Doug) in the Lancastrian centre now moved into position to engage the Yorkist line in an archery duel. 

On the Yorkist left Sir Christopher (Adrian) moved within archery range of the Yorkist flank guard (Tony).   Baron Clifford (Adrian) and the remaining units of his left wing began a slow lateral move towards the centre of the battlefield and the safety of their camp.

The decisive action of the battle was now beginning on the Yorkist right.  Both armies came together and the subsequent exchange of arrows and blows caused disorder to spread through both forces.

A storm of arrows was unleashed against the Lancastrians advancing through the rolling ground in front of the Yorkist firing line.  Under unimaginable pressure the Lancastrians broke and fled. Despite this the Yorkists were not having it all their own way and the disorder in their ranks was spreading.

 A blast of brazen trumpets sounded from the Yorkist line.  Treachery!  Baron Clifford (who had now successfully moved his troops into defensive positions around the Lancastrian camp) turned to leave the battlefield. His troops were left leaderless.

In addition to this hammer blow the Lancastrian cavalry, struck in the flank by Yorkist bills were driven from the field in disarray.

 At this point it became clear that the Yorkist Flank March stratagem had failed  and that the flanking unit had, apparently, become lost.  Nevertheless the Yorkists were still enjoying success on the field.  Baron Bonville’s (Doug’s) centre column suffered it’s first loss.

Baron Bonville’s (Doug’s) billmen were now coming into action, but was it too late?  It certainly seemed so as the Yorkist flank attack appeared exactly where expected.  Clearly they had not been lost, merely delayed.

As the sun set in the West Sir Christopher’s (Adrian’s) gallant shire levy lost their archery duel against the Yorkist right (Tony) and fled the battlefield. 

Darkness fell drawing a veil over the battlefield and a Yorkist victory.