Further to yesterdays post on the setup of the battle of Northampton I am delighted to bring you last night's re-fight. Should you wish to return to the set up please click Here
Before I kick off with the battle report a couple of rules updates.
In previous games we had allowed 'combined' units to split for no penalty during game play. For example a unit of Bills and Bows could separate just before entering a melee. This would of course prevent the double jeopardy of losing both units in the forthcoming combat.
We now understand that 'joined' units are fixed for the game and can only be separated by a Commander special action - ie two orders. We adopted these correct rules last night and once we saw combined units running from the field there was some haste to split these chaps.
Also following on from last week's game we once again found Commanders were less likely to get stuck in given they now had to spend more time leading and rallying their warbands.
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Last nights game was probably the biggest we have fought so far with over 50 units on the table and around 600 figures. Figure ratio was about 1/30
Photos taken by me, Alastair & Mark K.
Mark K and myself would play the attacking Yorkists whilst Alastair and John would defend the King.
With the forces on the table we rolled for the weather, it continued to rain.
Tucked in the corner by St Eleanor's cross the Papal Legate began his chants of excommunication (he rolled a d6)
The priests wailed and cried, "repent sinners for the Lord of Hosts is amongst ye" ...and all that sort of stuff.
As the dice finally settled we all peered into the tray. "A bloody one was yelled", those Lancastrians were clearly are not bothered by a bit of Church magic. One morale token was lost.
Did this augur well for the coming battle?
The Lancastrians jeered from their side of the ramparts - knowing that the Yorkists would suffer under their guns and bows.
The Yorkists jostled forward (Maneuver phase) - piling through the mud and filth. If you recall from the set up post any unit moving twice in a turn automatically became disarrayed due to the boggy conditions.
Thanks to the pouring rain the King's cannons could not fire so the maneuver phase would continue until bow range was reached. This could play into the Yorkist hands as the could plan to get all their troops to hit the barricades at the same time.
The Lancastrian archers kept their bow strings dry. Just waiting.
The Yorkists edged forward....Banners streaming in the stiff wet winds
As a new weather card was drawn the gunners set about preparing their powder.
The rain got heavier !
A deluge - No missile fire at all. Although God's excommunication had barely rattled the Lancastrians, the old pagan gods of rain were doing their best to upset the King's forces.
In the driving rain and no prospect of any defensive fire the attackers charged forwards,
Almost as soon as the rainstorm came it moved on and passed into a soft and persistent drizzle.
Archers quickly knocked their bows and sought out their marks on the field. The captains of archery prepared their forces.
As the Earl of March's battle approached the Lancastrian right flank, the Lord Grey considered his next steps....
Across the field archers let loose at long range, those behind the ramparts faring better than those in the assault.
As sure as the rainstorm had passed a new storm of steel crisscrossed the Northampton fields.
A steady barrage of arrows from both sides over a couple of rounds. Sufficient to dent the limited stocks available
Once more the weather card was drawn and as the clouds cleared the rain stopped.
This was the cue for a battle royale to begin. The Yorkist forces surged forward within assault range of the ramparts.
The cannons spluttered into life - missing everything. In response the archers unleashed another deadly hail shower. The gunners ran for cover.
Over on the far left The Earl of march's banners could be seen by Grey......(below)
With the Yorkists now ready to assault the ramparts would the treachery of Grey reveal itself.
March's men hit the ramparts (below)
Once again a dice was rolled. With both March and Buckingham near Grey their impact was negated. However the Yorkists had lost troops so a factor in favour was added to the King's forces. On a 1-4 Grey would stay loyal, on a 5-6 he would join Warwick and March.
Alastair rolled the dice.....a bloody five !
Grey signalled to his men to help the Yorkists across the rampart.
The Lancastrians were in dismay, would this treachery cost them the battle?
As a result of this switch in sides all of Greys (and Catsby's) forces were subjected to a morale save at -1, a single unit of archers decided they had had enough and routed. The others all became disarrayed.
With the traitors declared and in disarray Buckingham launched a counter attack inside the defences.
Meanwhile over on the Yorkist right flank, the forces of Falconberg were taking some serious missile fire. The Lancastrians were holding the ramparts in a steady methodical fashion.
With the guns finally cleared by archery fire Warwick's battle could press home the attack in the centre.
As more of Falconberg's men fell to the Lancastrian arrows the left flank attack was stalling.
A turn later and some 30% had been pushed back and routed from the field. Things were not going the Yorkist way.
More troops funneled through into the centre with fighting heavy across the smaller second gun redoubt.
Warwick's veteran men at arms assaulted the defending archers of Percy. With the attackers in disarray from crossing the ramparts and the additional save afforded by the barricade the archers clung on in desperation.
The Yorkist archers stormed the major gun redoubt and used their remaining arrows on Buckinghams lone man at arms unit.
Across the field the fight between Grey and Beaumont was heating up. The Lancastrians were holding the breach
As the attritional melee fought on both sides spared no quarter. Finally the Lancastrians had to give ground.
All across the meadows numerous melees were breaking out. This was frantic, chaotic and very heavy in casualties. Both sides were exchanging morale tokens with a regular frequency. It was going to be tight.
At this point both sides had around six morale tokens each - it really could go either way.
Finally the Lancastrian right wing collapsed as Grey's traitors despatched their former friends
The Earl of March forced his men at arms over the ramparts only to be driven off by a unit of Crossbows (should have been archers)
With the clock ticking (about 3.5 hours of play) the forces mustered themselves for another round the game was coming to a close...
Finally Falconberg's men at arms forced their way over the barricades routing Percy's archers
Warwick's forces crossed the ramparts and crashed into the waiting men at arms. The Earl of Shrewsbury lead a gallant defence but to no avail. A single casualty separated the two sides with Warwick winning. The Lancastrians fled and the final tokens handed over.
Victory for the Yorkists !! But is was hard fought and a very close run thing.
Had Grey not turned there was no way the Yorkists could have won.
A thoroughly enjoyable game, it looked epic, it felt brutal and certainly the rules stood up to so many units and figures.
more soon as we march north to Sandal Castle and the Battle of Wakefield.
Next up is a small skirmish at Worksop which can be found
HERE
