Pike and Shotte ECW

The Royalist Army was under the command of Lord Hopton and Sir William Waller commanded the forces of Parliament at this game based on the battle of Cheriton.
  This was our first crack at the Pike and Shotte rules. David was running the game and had a fair grip of the rules but as for the rest of us, next to zip!! This made for an interesting night, all I can say is that it is a good thing we are all mates and have been for many years! It wasn't that bad really!

 In the foreground the Royalists and skulking in the trees are some of Parliaments infantry.

Parliamentary Army

Some of Waller's Infantry

Waller's Cavalry

 The battle began with the Parliamentary army advancing towards the Royalists. The Royalist cavalry, although outnumbered three to two, charged head long into the Parliamentary cavalry on the extreme flank . It didn't really work and the Royalists were pushed back with many loses.

 The front lines were now close enough to exchange musket fire. Again Parliament outnumbered the Royalists but with half of their army either refusing  to move or being very slow to move up this gave the Royalists a slight advantage.

Blue coated Parliamentary troops slowly moving to the flank.

Royalists waiting for the enemy to come within range.

Looking down the Parliamentary line

Royalist command waving the troops forward.

 After regrouping the Royalist cavalry had another go but this time the Parliamentary cavalry attacked them in the flank. This move caused even more casualties to the Royalists but also left them exposed to flanking fire from the near by infantry.

Between the muskets of the infantry and a bunch of dragoons that had dismounted behind a hedge on Parliaments flank, casualties on the Parliamentary cavalry began to rise dramatically. So much so that they were forced to retire.

The Royalist cavalry, although reduced in number, were now free to attack the rear of the Parliamentary lines.

Parliaments cavalry retreat toward the rear.

 Waller now had to force the issue and so a unit of Parliamentary pike charged the Royalist gun.

Although the gun inflicted a few casualties on the pike they still made it into contact.

 Getting late in the night we were running out of time and a decision had to be made. I, of course, could see that the Royalists were gaining the upper hand but the overall decision was that the game should be called a draw .

And so it was called at that and we had completed our first game of Pike and Shotte.

Great to get our ECW troops out of their boxes after so many years being packed away.

Thanks to David for putting up with the rest of us and running the game.

Black Powder Napoleonics

Last weeks game was a little Napoleonic encounter using the Black Powder rules.

With the French starting at one end of the table and the British starting at the other end both were trying to secure various terrain features. These were the hills and the towns and they varied in value from 1 to 6 points and in some cases were of different values for each side.

Cameron Highlanders lead the British towards the French.

The British end.

The French end.

 The French left got off to a good start and were the first to get to the town in the centre of the table.

 The French right were not so fast and could only manage a single move each turn.

 The British centre and right hand brigades advancing towards the town.

French left brigade.

 With numerical superiority in artillery, the French set up two batteries in the centre. These guns took a heavy toll on the advancing British.

 The French had all the good stuff. The high ground, the woods in the centre and the town. From here it was going to be tough going for the British.

 The only gun for the British was this RHA piece. Although shooting well it was outnumbered 3 to1.

 The British spent a couple of turns shooting at the defenders of the town. Unable to make any real progress they charged with the Gordon Highlanders leading the way. The high defensive values of buildings was the difference and the Highlanders were pushed back.

 The French cavalry began on the extreme left and spent the battle trotting across to the right and then charged the lone British cavalry unit.

 With casualties mounting on the British, units started to break and then Divisions.

First the British centre was reduced to just one third of it's starting strength and then their left flank brigade broke leaving the single cavalry unit to cover 3/4 of their front.

The British right was almost at breaking point having tried several times to dislodge the French in the town. There was no hope left and the British withdrawal was now underway!

Thanks to Gav for coming up with the scenario and taking the photos.