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.