The sixth
game in our Wars of the Roses campaign was the battle of Mortimer Cross between
the Yorkist Earl of March (David) and the Lancastrian Duke of Somerset (Rick).
Historically
Mortimers Cross saw the emergence of Edward Earl of March as the most
successful commander of The Wars of the Roses. Edward was a physically
imposing man standing 6' 4" tall with the ability to inspire his soldiers.
He never lost a battle.
At
Mortimers Cross both armies were mostly made up of new recruits although the
Lancastrians were stiffened by a contingent of Welsh mercenaries.
At dawn on
the day of the battle there appeared to be three suns in the sky (a
parhelion). Edward seized the moment and claimed that the three suns
predicted a day of glory for him and his two brothers. The Yorkists
prayed fervently and believed themselves blessed.
Little is
known about the progress of the battle but it appears that the Lancastrian
right wing started the battle by shattering the Yorkist left. A grim
struggle then developed in the centre of the battlefield. The victorious Lancastrian
right tried to outflank the Yorkist centre only to find themselves outflanked
by the returning Yorkist left. The Lancastrian attack failed and fled the
battlefield.
Meanwhile
the Lancastrian left had been waiting to see the outcome of the central battle.
When their right wing fled the Welsh mercenaries decide it was time to leave. A
Yorkist victory.
Remember
this game was not intended as an historical replay. The aim of the opposing
captains was simply to kill as many of the enemy as possible.
Both sides
fielded the same armies they had used during their opening battles. The Lancastrian Duke of Somerset (Rick) put
his faith in a strong mounted force of Men at Arms, Currours and Northern
Border Staves. The Earl of March (David)
included a fourth general in his army and deployed more modern equipment with gunpowder
weapons in prominent positions.
The Lancastrian mounted
element gave them a decisive scouting advantage and despite an initial deadlock
the Yorkists ended up starting the set up.
The battlefield was
generally flat and featureless with a large marsh dominating the the centre of
the Northern board edge. Tucked away in
the extreme North East of the field was the tiny village of Kingsland.
David decided to set up on the
South side of the battlefield. He
started his deployment, by placing his artillery in a palisaded position on his
left centre, creating a large swept area to their front. The guns were
supported by units of longbows under the command of Baron Bonville (David).
The Lancastrians responded with a
mixed force of bills and bows on their right flank under the command of Baron
Hungerford (Adrian).
David then completed the deployment
of his centre placing a strong force of bills to the right of his artillery
park commanded by Baron Fauconberg (Paul).
Rick then set up his centre under
his personal command. Dismounted Men at arms bills and archers were deployed in
his left centre denying David’s artillery any easy targets.
David deployed his right flank
consisting of archers backed up by a single unit of bills and his remaining
Burgundian handgunners commanded by Baron Scrope (Tony).
Rick responded by deploying his
mailed fist, placing his cavalry on his left under the command of the Earl of
Wiltshire (Reg).
Taking advantage of his extra
general David then completed the set up by deploying his mounted knights on the
left of his guns under his personal command. David’s final palisade and his
second camp were left somewhat isolated on his extreme left.
The Lancastrians planned to avoid
the Yorkist artillery and effect a double envelopment, smashing the Yorkist
right with armoured knights and engaging the Yorkist left with billmen closely
supported by longbow fire.
The Yorkists were deployed to meet
the advancing Lancastrians with artillery and bow fire supported by a reserve
of bills and mounted knights.
Having won the scouting the
Lancastrians began the battle with rapid advances on both wings.
Alarmed at the rapid advance of the
Earl of Wiltshire (Reg) the Yorkist right (Tony) responded by extending his
Burgundian handgunners to the right to meet the advancing Earl’s bodyguard. Yorkist defensive longbow fire succeeded in
disordering the main body of Lancastrian knights.
Lord Fauconberg (Paul) also moved
his troops to the right in support of their right wing driving back the
disordered Lancastrian knights.
On the Yorkist left the earl of
March led his knights forward into the centre of the battlefield
Both Lancastrian wings continued to
advance. On their left the Earl of
Wiltshire (Reg) drove the Burgundians from the table. On their right Baron Hungerford’s (Adrian’s)
bills and longbows threatened the exposed Yorkist camp.
Recognising the threat to his camp
the Earl of March (David) turned his knights left and engaged Lord Hungerford’s
(Adrian’s) advancing infantry disordering them and lightly wounding the Baron.
On the Lancastrian left (Reg) their
retreating and disordered knights failed to rally. To make things worse the Lancastrian Currors were
also thrown into disorder by fierce Yorkist longbow fire. The Duke of Somerset (Rick) began to move his
centre in support of his faltering left, presenting a target of opportunity to
the Yorkist bombards.
Baron Scrope (Tony) continued to
press his advantage destroying the Lancastrian Currours and turning his archers
to their right to menace the flank of the Lancastrian Northern Border Staves.
The Lancastrian centre (Rick) now
joined the battle, engaging the main Yorkist line, disordering Baron Fauconberg’s
(Paul’s) archers and providing succour to the Earl Wiltshire’s (Reg’s)
disordered knights who had still failed to establish any sense of order.
On the Lancastrian right flank Baron
Hungerford (Adrian) continued to push his infantry forward advancing the main
body of his infantry and turning his lead units to face the Earl of March’s (David’s)
knights.
The Earl of March (David) countered
by expanded his front to protect the flank of his engaged knights and threatening
the exposed flank of Adrian’s advancing infantry. A desperate battle developed between the
Yorkist Knights and Baron Hungerford’s bills.
Back on the Lancastrian left the
Earl of Wiltshire (Reg) now began to move against the rear of the Yorkist
line. The Northern Border Staves
turned to face the threat to their right and Reg’s bodyguard struck against Scrope’s
(Tony’s) longbows on the end of the Yorkist line destroying them.
Seeing an opportunity to outflank
the Lancastrian bodyguard Scrope (Tony) about faced his bills and moved against
the exposed flank of the Lancastrian bodyguard destroying them.
The Earl of Wiltshire’s (Reg’s)
Lancastrian light horse now charged into the exposed flank of Scrope’s (Tony’s)
bills destroying them and continuing on to destroy the archers beyond them.
Baron Scrope himself was lightly wounded and moved to join his handgunners
bringing them back onto the battlefield.
Perfidious Lancastrian spies now
sowed confusion and dissension amongst Baron Fauconberg’s bills, causing them
to about face and present their rear to the enemy.
On the Yorkist left the struggle
between The Earl of March (David) and Lord Hungerford’s bills (Adrian)resolved
itself in the destruction of the Yorkist knights.
Pressing forward Adrian’s bills
were sent directly to hell by the flame and iron of the Yorkist bombards.
On both flanks the Lancastrians
refused to accept defeat. On their left
the Earl of March (David) withdrew his bodyguard before launching yet another
charge against Baron Hungerford’s leading Lancastrian archers.
On the right Fauconberg’s (Paul’s) bills
pushed back the rampaging Lancastrian light cavalry.
With the Yorkist right wing
shattered, their centre (Paul)
struggling to present a united front against the advancing Duke of Somerset
(Rick) and their left wing (David) consisting of the Earl of March and his body
guard facing off against three Lancastrian
units (Adrian), the battle was declared a Lancastrian victory.
The next battle will be 2nd
St. Albans between Richard Neville the Earl of Warwick (Paul) and Henry Percy Duke
of Northumberland (Doug/Reg)tentatively scheduled for 12th
December. Paul, Reg, Doug will that be
ok?
This will be the first of the
historical grudge matches so each unit destroyed will be worth an extra victory
point.
