Calway's return...a Tersey campaign game

... another battle in the fictional Tersey Campaign set during the English Civil War c. 1642

Lord Brooke had taken the news of the defeat and certainly the demise of his regiment poorly.  A   rich and influential man, one of some education of the martial ways (at least by book) he would redeem this slight and, perhaps, gain political advancement at the same time. It was thus that he took the partial trained town militia of Somerborough, provided them with his unique purple tunics, give them instruction himself (by reading an instruction manual) and formed them, and Ballard’s regiment together with Wingate’s Horse and a ‘forlorn hope’ (lead by a dynamic young officer as it turns out) and marched toward his glory.

Utterly defeating Calway’s army and indeed capturing the Lord, and now having entered into rather prolonged negotiations for his release/ransom, Rockforth was surprised by this force marching toward him….

Rockforth had kept the unfortunate Calway in Cross Manor where he was gathering his army for the renewed fight.  This included a large gun, Urry’s Horse, Hastings Cuirassiers and some dragoons.

A lone and quite comely milk maiden leading her cow, attracted Rockforth’s attention. She had recently passed by the advancing enemy army and while fending off Rockforth’s unwanted advances, gave him warning.  A popular ballad of the era had the line:

And the Earl begat the maiden whom told him thus ~ I whilst not get the hard thrust …butst thou.

Lord Brooke's army: Wingate's horse (top), Ballard's shot and pike (left) and
Brooke's Own on the hill (right).

The Earl, dumfounded by this statement and the attack [[obviously as he missed his first four initiative rolls !! ]  finally had the gunners ready to fire doing some damage to Brooke’s shotte unit. But the leading ‘Forlorn Hope’ skirmishers had managed to make the stone enclosure of the Manor and give excellent fire and virtually eliminating the artillery crew.The remainder failed their courage.

The Forlorn Hope behind the stone wall about to put fire upon the artillery crew. Note Calway's coach still parked in front of the manor.  The milk maid still in conversation with the befuddled Rockforth; while Hastings cuirassiers do nothing due to failed initiative rolls.

 At this point, the white handkerchief and screams of Calway were noticed and the unit rescued Calway.  (bonus effort as having rolled a initiative of 12!)

Rockforth had now had his prisoner being carted away on one hand and a wall of pike approaching him with shot in support on the other.  His other flank held by the dragoons had now collapsed as the shot from Ballard’s unit had done great harm despite them protected by a stone wall (the dragoons’s armor rating goes up by one ) Yet he hesitates [ My initiative rolls for the Rockforth side were really poor this game —- it was not their day ]

Finally both Urry’s cavalry and Hasting’s armored troopers moved to action.  Hastings had moved to threaten Brooke’s shotte who, wisely moved out of the way to allow Wingate’s charge. Hastings, using the doctrine of the continental horse, choose to stand and fire his pistols at the on coming cavalry.  While it created a empty saddle and gave them the victory, both sides became battered.

Wingate's and Hasting's horsemen clash while Brooke's shotte purdently get out of the way.

It is at this point of the battle that Brooke made a poor decision to advance his pike block.  However by doing so, the poorly trained pikemen could not form a “pike-hedge” ( LR = schiltron )

an abandoned carbine marks the unit as 'battered'

Now active Urry’s horse charged into Ballard’s grey clad pikemen with purpose ( and good dice! ) leaving many grey clad laying in the field.  However this was to really no purpose as the rest of their army was gone and the numerous shotte of the enemy would eventually blast them away.