Who is going to turn down an opportunity to participate in a second play test of Jonathan's (Palouse Wargaming Journal) Blood n Roses rules for the War of the Roses? I'm certainly not. This report is a little truncated due to a vacation being taken between playing and reporting.
What follows is the scenario from Jonathan - see also his background for the battle here.
Battle of Solden Hill
Jon Freitag
Jon Freitag
SITUATION
An isolated portion of the Lancastrian Army occupies a strategic position on Solden Hill.
Edward IV receives reports of a lone Lancastrian Battle atop Solden Hill guarding the road
north. Edward sets out quickly to seize the hilltop before enemy reinforcements arrive.
ARMY SIZES
Both armies have three Battles. The Lancastrian Army has commands of Somerset,
Northumberland, and Pembroke. The Yorkist Army has commands of Edward IV, Stanley, and
Suffolk.
LANCASTRIAN ARMY
Somerset – 2x Men-at-Arms (CE6), Retinue Archers (CE4), Retinue Billmen (CE5)
Northumberland – Men-at-Arms (CE6), Retinue Archers (CE4), Retinue Billmen (CE5)
Pembroke – Men-at-Arms (CE6), Retinue Archers (CE4), Retinue Billmen (CE5)
YORKIST ARMY
Edward IV – 2x Men-at-Arms (CE6), Retinue Archers (CE4), Retinue Billmen (CE5)
W. Stanley – Men-at-Arms (CE6), Retinue Archers (CE4), Retinue Billmen (CE5)
Suffolk – Men-at-Arms (CE6), Retinue Archers (CE4), Retinue Billmen (CE5)
DEPLOYMENT The Lancastrians deploy one Battle atop Solden Hill, facing south. No Yorkist
forces are deployed at the start of the scenario. Each commander will role for Rating and
Priority after the Lancastrians have placed one command upon Solden Hill.
REINFORCEMENTS
Turn 1: The Yorkist Army arrives on the southern table edge.
Turn 2: Two Lancastrian Battles arrive on the northern table edge, either on or west of the
road.
TERRAIN
Solden Hill and woods are ROUGH ground.
SPECIAL RULES
No special rules apply to this scenario.
GAME LENGTH
Scenario lasts until one army breaks.
INITIATIVE
Yorkist Army has Initiative on Turn 1.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
Be occupying Solden Hill when the opposing army breaks. Otherwise, draw.
INSPIRATION This game derives from Scenario 4: TAKE THE HIGH GROUND in the
outstanding book referred to below. I have made slight modifications to the scenario but the
core concept remains intact – an army attempting to seize a vital objective before enemy
reinforcements arrive.
Thomas, Neil. One-Hour Wargames: Practical Tabletop Battles for those with Limited Time
and Space (pp. 72-73). Pen & Sword Books. Kindle Edition.
I chose to be the Yorkists attacking the hill from the south, led by Edward IV.
The Battle
The Yorkist plan was to overwhelm the Lancastrians on the hill with two of the wards (Suffolk and Edward) while Stanley rushed up the road to delay any help from the arriving reinforcements.
So far so good. Suffolk, who rolled up as a timid commander, started aggressively by charging Somerset's ward defending Solden Hill.
Edward also launched his ward up the hill. However, in a matter of moments and in the swirl of melee England found itself bereft of a king. Edward was cut down.
With the Lancastrian reinforcements fast approaching, the task of taking control of the hill was quickly becoming a much tougher one than anticipated.
Stanley, on the Yorkist left (on the road), fought long and bloody melees with Pembroke's ward while the rest of the Yorkist forces tried in vain to assault the hill and dislodge Somerset.
With Stanley desperately trying to restore order to his troops, the Lancastrian ward led by Northumberland swung onto Solden Hill. Such was the quickly declining condition and tactical situation of the dead king's army that I very nearly ceded the field of battle at this point. However, as this was to test Jonathan's rules, I decided to play on.
With Northumberland on the hill, he quickly threw Suffolk's ward back off the hill in disarray. Only Edward's ward, and Somerset failing to come off defence, stopped a total Yorkist withdrawal from the heights.
However, Stanley managed to rally his troops and started pushing at Pembroke's now depleted ward.
Desperate to not allow Pembroke from rallying his ward, Stanley charged down the road and broke the Lancastrian right. With Northumberland now showing his flank, Stanley turned his ward to take advantage of this unforeseen change of fortunes.
With fortune momentarily swinging in the Yorkist favour, Stanley hurled his troops into Northumberland's exposed flank.
With Northumberland's rearmost troops despatched Stanley's ward, now fired up from their success, charged the rear of the remainder of Northumberland's ward. The victory was swift. In defeat Northumberland's men have nowhere to go and duly surrender.
And so, with two Lancastrian wards broken, a Yorkist victory!
Afterthoughts
That was a really fun and exciting game. There was action, decision-making and frustration throughout.
When the king went down early in the game and then Stanley's ward was almost snuffed out, I thought the battle was lost. However, thanks to Pembroke being equally exhausted and Somerset not being able to change out of defend orders, the Lancastrians were not able to take advantage of the moment. With the changing of orders and the husbanding of troops, Stanley was able to act aggressively when the moment came. The honours for this victory certainly belong to Stanley.
Jonathan's rules worked a treat to create an entertaining game that felt right for the period. His inclusion of leader characteristics and missions gave a different and fun, almost role-playing, aspect to the experience. This is a mechanism that should be a lot of fun in multiplayer games especially. I don't want to say too much about our rules discussion. That is really for Jonathan to conclude on, but I would definitely play these again.
Excellent battle report, Richard! Very enjoyable game but not quite the result I was hoping to see. Well played by you! I am glad you decided to press on after Edward fell. Without that determination, you would have never known what was to come. My version of the day is up on my blog.
ReplyDeleteGreat game. When your troops didn't respond to orders I felt that gave a good feel to the game. After all why would you want to give up the safety of the hill?
DeleteBut I so wanted Somerset to go over on the attack!
DeleteHa ha... your rules Jonathan.
DeleteTrue but Somerset was a cautious commander and demonstrated that caution in spades.
DeleteThat would suggest the rules worked. Good job.
DeleteGreat game Richard that swung both ways before Stanley stole the show
ReplyDeleteStanley was awarded MVP for the battle.
DeleteIt was unpredictable as you might expect.
DeleteFantastic looking game sir!
ReplyDeleteThanks Michal. All down to Mr Freitag.
DeleteThat came across as a close an exciting game Richard. When I read that Edward had fallen I too thought that must have meant the end for the Yorkists.
ReplyDeleteIt was Lawrence. To be able to come back from the brink was very exciting.
DeleteAn entertaining game with a remarkable feel for period I think?
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks Iain. It was on both scores.
DeleteYou certainly pulled that one out of the bag Rich, a minute before you'd won the game, you'd lost!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely out of the bag Ray. I thought that I was a goner!
DeleteAn excellent report Richard and it does sound like the rules work as intended, even if they bit their creator on a tender part of his anatomy in this game! A good demonstration of why you should persevere, even when things appear to be going awry!
ReplyDeleteThanks Keith. I think Jonathan was more severely bitten by his own troops not heeding several requests to change orders.
DeleteI've just read Jon's report and nice to read your's too:). Certainly a game full of action and well done on the Yorkist's for continuing the fight, even with their King cut down in his prime!
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve. It was toe to toe. And when fortunes changed it did so quite dramatically.
Delete