Long Range Gaming Group

 

The final game in our Wars of the Roses campaign was Towton.

The Battle of Towton took place on 29 March 1461, near Towton North Yorkshire, and has the dubious distinction of being the largest and bloodiest battle fought on English soil.  The opposing armies may have totalled up to 80,000 men which was around 2% of the population at the time.  Casualties are estimated to have been up to 28000.

The night before the battle was cold and wet, nevertheless both armies were under arms by 9 am.  Following protracted negotiations the battle started at 11am when the Yorkists delivered telling volleys of arrows into the Lancastrian ranks.  The Lancastrians returned fire only to have their arrows, opposed by the wind, fall short.

Stung into action, the numerically superior Lancastrian army advanced to engage the Yorkists. An ambush launched from Castle Hill woods piled pressure onto the left of the Yorkist line.  Outnumbered as they were the Yorkist flanks began to give ground.  Things were looking grim for the Yorkists until the timely arrival of the Duke of Norfolk marching up the Scarthingwell Road.  Norfolk attacked the Lancastrian left causing troops to panic and flee northwards.  Disquiet began to spread throughout the Lancastrian ranks as more and more men fell back towards Towton and the River Cock.  Finally the Lancastrian army broke and multitudes were slaughtered as they fled the field across the Cock Beck.  Edward was subsequently recognised as the one true king and reigned for 22 years despite being required to defend his throne several times.

Remember this game is not intended as an historical replay. The aim is simply to kill as many of the enemy as possible.  This is our third historical “grudge” match and each unit destroyed will attract an additional campaign victory point. 

Both generals stuck with their previous armies. The Lancastrians (Adrian) raised a balanced force of archers and billmen including Welsh and Irish mercenaries.  The Yorkist army (David) featured a preponderance of missile troops including the new fangled bombards and handguns.

 

It was a battlefield of two halves. The Eastern half was very open and the Western half was characterised by low rolling hills on both sides of the battlefield flanked by Castle Hill wood.

 

The scouting battle was closely fought with both sides matching each other blow for blow (they both drew 10 chits!).  The small Lancastrian advantage in light cavalry therefore made the difference and the Yorkists deployed first.

 

The Yorkists (David) started the set up by deploying their static artillery under the command of Baron Fauconberg in a defensive position protecting the first of their camp.  The Lancastrians (Adrian) responded by deploying their right flank in Castle Hill woods.  This force was under the command of the Earl of Devon (Reg) and Owen Tudor

 

The Yorkists then occupied the hills in their right centre.   It was here that Edward Plantagenet (David) raised his standard, daring the Lancastrians to come against them. The Lancastrians countered this defiance by deploying a strong centre in the shelter of low rolling hills and under the personal command of Henry VI (Adrian).

 

The Yorkists (David) then refused their left wing.  This command consisted of two units of bills deployed on the Northern edge of the battlefield.  These troops and the adjacent missiles (artillery and longbows) were under command of Baron Bonville (Tony).

The Lancastrians (Adrian) opposed Bonvilles bills with his cavalry supported by longbows and bills. Jasper Tudor (Doug) and Andrew Trollope were in command.

 

Finally David deployed his right wing made up of longbowmen supported by bills and his handgunners. This flank was under the command of Baron Scrope (Paul) and Lancelot Threlkeld.

 

All however was not as it appeared.  The Lancastrians (Adrian) had hatched a plan to seize a forward position in Castle Wood.   The Earl of Devon (Reg) and Owen Tudor smartly moved their front line forward to the Northern edge of Castle Hill wood.

Not to be outdone the Yorkists also planned a surprise for their enemies.  Unknown to the Lancastrians a unit of cavalry under the command of Sir John Middleton was despatched on a flank march to threaten the Lancastrian left.

With the set up complete it looked like the decisive battle would be fought on the Western, side of the battlefield.

As battle commenced the Lancastrian left charged forward out of Castle Hill woods and engaged the leading line of Yorkist troops. 

The Earl of Devon’s (Reg) knights swept all before them destroying two Yorkist longbow units and forcing their second line to withdraw.  On their right the Yorkist billmen stood their ground disordering the Lancastrians as they charged to contact. Meanwhile on the Western side of Castle Hill wood Lancastrian longbowmen moved to a firing position in support of the main attack. Baron Scrope (Paul) was concerned.

Elsewhere on the battlefield the Lancastrian right wing, under command of Jasper Tudor (Doug), moved to their left closing up with their centre.  In the centre of the battlefield Henry VI (Adrian) ordered his troops to move forward with a view of engaging the main Yorkist line in a long range fire fight.

The Yorkists responded by counter attacking the Earl of Devon’s (Reg’s) leading units. 

Baron Scrope’s (Paul) troops threw the Earl’s knights into disorder with their ferocious firepower. While his billmen scattered their Lancastrian opposite numbers who had sallied forth from Castle Hill woods. 

Freed from the threat to their front Scrope’s longbowmen now turned to engage the rampaging Lancastrian knights destroying the Earl of Devon’s (Reg) personal bodyguard.

As the Earl of March (David) and his bodyguard fell back into their camp the rest of the Yorkist centre held their defensive positions awaiting the inevitable archery duel.  Their cannons opened fire on the Lancastrian right to little effect.

Under strict orders to fight a defensive battle the Yorkist left wing under Baron Bonville (Tony) fell back within the Yorkist defences

Henry (Adrian) now advanced his centre into longbow range of the Yorkists line beginning a lengthy but largely ineffective exchange of fire, and covering the withdrawal of the Earl of Devon (Reg) who had become dangerously overextended.  Jasper Tudor (Doug) continued to move to the left attempting to avoid the Yorkist cannon fire

Baron Bonville (Tony) continued to march in support of his centre.

The longbow duel was now beginning to spread disorder through the leading units of the Lancastrian centre as it came under fire from the Yorkist centre and right.

At this moment The Yorkists sprang their ambush and Sir John Middleton’s cavalry arrived deep in the Earl of Devon‘s (Reg) rear.

The Lancastrian right wing now forming a strong reserve behind Henry’s centre moved against the threatening Yorkist cavalry.  Archers in the Lancastrian centre also turned to face the emerging threat from behind.

With disorder spreading through both armies Yorkist handgunners moved into the northern end of Castle Hill woods

The Kerns valiantly dashed forward to harry the Yorkist line.  In view of the volume of fire now directed against them the lead Lancastrian archers fell back to their start line.

Baron Bonville (Tony) continued to march West taking up his new position in support of the Yorkist firing line.

Concentrated Yorkist missile fire from the flank and front shattered Henry’s bills who had moved in support of The Earl of Devon’s (Reg) knights. 

Forced to take cover in the face of overwhelming odds Sir John’s flank marching cavalry came under determined attack from Jasper Tudor’s (Doug) cavalry.

In a last throw of the dice, Edward Earl of March (David) charged his knights against the Earl of Devon’s (Reg) knights but failed to achieve sufficient impetus.  

 

As the last rays of sunshine sank beneath the horizon Yorkist pressure was being applied against the increasingly disordered Lancastrian front but Sir John and his gallant outflanking force was under severe pressure.

The  Lancastrians had lost two units of billmen (6), and  their bodyguard knights (2).  

Yorkist losses were two longbow units (6).

A singularly indecisive game.  The outcome was declared a draw.

At the conclusion of the campaign standings are

Rick  +39

Tony  +34

Paul +30

David +28

Doug/Reg +17

Adrian +16

The Yorkists won six battles and the Lancastrians only two.  Despite losing the war our Kingmaker is the Lancastrian Duke of Somerset (Rick). Whose brutal style showed him to be a formidable opponent in battle.

The Duke of Somerset (Rick) will now follow his king into exile mayhap to return under the banners of Queen Margaret, Prince Edward or even the Tudors…..

Huzzah!