Battle of Sedgemoor refight

Monmouth's Rebellion of 1685 culminated in his defeat at Sedgemoor against James II Royal Army.  His all-civilian force had little chance against the Royal Army and so risked a night attack,  An early alarm had the Royal infantry formed up and ready.  While the determined Monmouth supporters made a good try of it, it was a fairly quick defeat historically.

Rebel's 'Red Regiment' facing the Royal Scots with plug bayonets installed.

With the alarm as the key, I had WillB as the Royal commander roll 1d6, 6 having alarm early so the Monmouth forces would have much distance to travel allowing the Royals to redeploy, move or await their cavalry and artillery support to arrive (these take much longer to form having saddles to harness and limbers to attach).  A roll of a 1 would mean very little warning was given and the rebels would be at the Bussex Rhyne (Rhine) a shallow dry irrigation ditch which was a pivotal terrain feature of the battle directly at the start.  Of course, WillB rolls his good dice and I start, as Monmouth, at a great distance to the Rhyne.

The Red regiment supported by the Blue Regiment cross the Bussex Rhine to face the Royal Army

During this refight using a mash of Lion Rampant and The Pikeman's Lament, 'Rampanty' rules, the Rebels did make a show of it, perhaps a bit too much as both the Foot Guard and Dumbarton Regiments collapsed under the pressure of the Rebel onslaught, but to compensate for the very few figures I have for Monmouth's civilian forces, I upgraded them.  Their numbers would be added to only should any early units be eliminated so offering recycling (and given a new color of flag!)

One thing about any of the Rampant rules is the activation - or lack their of - for your units can offer much fodder for the narration of the battle.  Frustrated by the lack of action by the Royal Guard of Horse, I offered the explanation that obviously their colonel was still fluffing his wig and will present himself to lead the regiment once his damnable page would find the correct uniform!  It was another three turns before the correct uniform (read: roll of the dice) was found.
In another instance, WillB ordered "a shuffle to the left" by the Coldstream Guards.  "What the hell order is that?!" must have been the response by their officers as no move was made (another failed activation)

Appears the Green Regiment of Monmouth's army is in trouble.  Once at "half-strength" - indicated by the die - it will need big dice to survival any morale test and will now roll only half dice for combat -  a grave situation indeed  and indicated by the rather dark humour of my grave marker!

The late arriving 'White Regiment' (the destroyed Red Regiment with a new flag!) is ready to face the Royal Army.  Monmouth  mounted beside them is not so sure...

Speaking of dice rolling, both WillB and I seemed to make a lot of double 6 and double 1 rolls for activation early in the game both offering good and bad things to happen.  So many that we noted each time we would roll these results - 11 times in total!  [ for the record WillB at 5 double-sixes, 1 double-ones, myself at 3 double-sixes and 2 double-ones ] At one point early in the game a fully 1/3 of our rolls were one or the other of these results!  ....'usual' rolls are not our style....

Nevertheless the Royals finally prevailed with the final rebel unit surrounded and captured so allowing James II to keep his throne for three more years

The brave but foolish White Regiment while closest to the Royal camp,  faces the Royal artillery to their front , Trewlaney's Queen's Consorts to the right and Kirke's Queen's Dowager's to the left.  They will surrender as Monmouth is no where in sight!

These figures painted back in early 1990's have been patiently waiting for this game. I finally got a go at it.  My wife might now say I can again put them back in the boxes for another decade or so....

a Tercey Campaign battle - St Sullivan's Church

Introduction
We enter our second season of fictional campaigning along the Tercey during the times of the English Civil War.  I am using my very old collection of Foundry figures painted almost 30 years ago rebased and now using the new The Pikemen’s Lament rule  This is a record of my solo play.


Battle of St. Sullivan’s

Nathaniel (with eyeglass) and Archibald Wiser, the latest 'Tawney' commander (mounted),  in conversation

Prologue 

“So, Nathaniel, they cometh? You see them in your eyeglass?”

“Afraid so, Archibald. Looks to be Hampden’s Regiment.  They look good in their green tunics and red breeches”

“Yes, yes leave you sartorial comments til late! Who else? “

“Commanded by the mystery man himself. I see his sedan chair “

“ The Earl?“

“Sir Howard Hewes himself it would appear.  There is a unit of horse moving into the field yon. And a unit of dragoons I think.  Nerne’s poor lads? “

“Probably.  Hopefully their martial abilities have not yet improved for our sake. “

“They still outnumber us.“

“Unless our own Browne’s dragoons got the call “

“There is that; but Ballard’s lads both Shoote and Pike have proven worthy and Blare’s troopers are up to a good fight. “

“Yes, but the damned gun!  With its current…injuries…we cannot afford to be forced to retreat! “

“Ah, poor ‘Sister Margaret’.  She is old and here axle is worn out.  The gunners are trying to repair her mind you.

“Can she be fired? “

“Oh, I doubt it.  It would take a miracle I would think.  Divine dice from above “

“Well, I shall warn Ballard of the danger of the approaching enemy.  I shall have his shotte, who currently reside in the woods to move to its western edge and give fire to the Earl’s horse.  His pike will move up to protect the gun from assault and I rather think Blare would enjoy doing injury to the enemy. From whereth would Browne and his dragoons cometh? “

“ From the north I would think but when is only God’s knowledge“

“Well have the gunners make haste upon the repairs “

Still looking through his eyeglass, Sir Nathaniel Drake muttered to himself: “I would think they would have liked another few hours…. “


The Narrative so far

After their victory at Armoury Hill (previous post) the ‘Tawny’ army moved with “Sister Margaret”  the only cannon large enough to be effective in the siege towards the Earl’s Manor;  but it had broken down near “the old Saxon graveyard” at St. Sullivan’s Church (itself dating from the Anglo-Saxon era).

The Earl of Rockforth, Howard Hewes, not to be trapped in his manor, now leads a small contingent to try again to gain possession of the important artillery piece.
His ‘army’ of 16 points for The Pikeman’s Lament rules advances upon Archibald Wiser’s ‘Tawny’forces

The Earl's advance.  St Sullivan's church in the distance

The Battle

Hampden’s Pike rapidly moved up the road and formed close order upon seeing Ballard’s pikemen deployed on the crossroad.  Hampden’s Shotte moved to their right into the open field of haystacks, followed by Narne’s Dragoons (who surprisingly had yet to fail activation!)

Hampden's Pike

Nerne's Dragoons (lower) and Hampden's Shotte ( middle) move through the hay stacks while Hamden's pike move on the road (upper) 

This was not the case for poor Wingate whose order to move through the wheat field protecting the left flank was met with many activation failures no doubt due to, in large part, by his horses up to their fetlocks in mud which made his transit lengthy. 

[ the Earl…well OK me, as this IS a solo game…obviously failed to remember that rough ground of the wheat field filled with clawing mud from the recent days of rain, caused half movement ]

With six failed activations and counting, Browne’s Dragoons have yet to make an appearance leaving Wiser’s ‘Tawnys’ with only 12 points.  The gun could not be counted upon.

Ballard's Pike at the crossroads.  Their rout will change the battle.

In the middle, with both pike units formed in close order for the inevitable clash and Hampden’s

Shoote and Nerne’s Dragoons moving to the graveyard to flank Ballard’s grey clad pikemen, it came to their shock as Blare’s wild charging horse burst around the corner of the church and galloped against Nerne’s startled mounted infantrymen. Half of Nerne’s lads were casualties in the first round of fighting. The follow up charge had the rest of Nerne’s dragoons fall.  Two of Blare’s troopers were casualties.  Nerne did fight back however causing two casualties on Blare.

Blare's charge against Nerne's dragoons

On the Earl’s turn, the shock of Blare’s attack seemed evident as Hampden’s Shotte failed their activation which did not allow fire upon the close by enemy horse but any response to the attack. It looked grim for the Earl’s army.

However….Blare also held up any attacks as his troopers regrouped. [ They also failed their activation! ]  The stalemate continued for many minutes — as my die rolling again failed both sides for two turns! 

Hampden’s men finally shot upon Blare’s horse causing no hits however!. As they fumbled with their muskets, their regimental counterparts fell upon Ballard’s in a furious push of pike. 

Push of Pike

Casualties were even and so , as the attacker, Hampden fell back but was shocked to observe his enemy stuck with sudden shock and bolt from the field!  [ I rolled double ones for their morale!  Can I NOT roll such dice at critical times in this campaign?! ]

Ballard’s frightened pikemen shoved through the busy artillery men repairing the gun who did not seem the notice the pikemen engrossed in their task  {No doubt as I then rolled 10 for their morale so they ignored the rout through them.  Rather than the 3" rule, if a unit crashes into another, it must take a morale test as usual with the results applied.}

Blare’s horse now charged into Hampden’s Shotte causing 7 casualties after the obligatory pursuit. While battered, the shotte held together, Temporarily.  Obviously the Earl’s reproachful voice from inside the sedan had them feel as they failed their rally roll in ‘dramatic form’ (my poor dice once again!)

Well, Browne’s Dragoons finally arrive on the battlefield but hearing the gunfire halt to take stock of the situation. [ my famous double ones again (!) preventing activation ]. 

Wingate relieved to be finally clear of the muddy field was startled as musket fire fire erupted from the woods on the other side of the road before him. Only one of his troopers fell but the morale of his tired troopers barely passed the test (one less pip and ….)

Wingate's Horse facing Browne's Dragoons (left) and Ballard's musketeers (centre back) just before Ballard's desultory fire.

 With this Wingate was faced with Browne’s unit now rapidly upon his left, Ballard’s musketeers ensconced along the edge of the rough ground of the woods, but looking around calmly (no wild charge rule for him!)  he observed Blare’s depleted horse approaching the rear of Hampden’s pike.  He must try to block their way allowing the pikemen to take the gun. Ordering the charge (passing the Attack activation) he advances and wins the melee and so defeating the last chance for the Tawny to save their gun.

Epilogue

While the Earl of Rockforth’s fled with remnants of Hampden’s shotte , Wingate’s quick action to defeat Blare’s final charge did not save the gun for the Earl.

In a bid to disrupt the Earl’s plans, a brave artilleryman wields an axe and breaks the axle and destroys the touch hole rendering the old cannon dead. In addition the gunpowder went up in a huge explosion.

[ I rolled a 9 passing ‘activation’ of 9+ to have the artillery not repair but destroy the old gun.  The act of blowing up the gunpowder stores also succeeded in might blast of double fives! ]

the axeman destroying "Sister Margaret"

preparing for the explosion

So damaged and without ammunition, the Earl’s confidant and new military commander, Sir Stanley Primrose, remarked,  “Sister Margaret is no more”

The Earl and Primrose

2nd Tercey Campaign - First Battle

Dedication:
 for BillS - thanks for the Osprey

“The Earl of Rockforth is dead, your Majesty”
“Who?”, asks the King.
“Percy Hewes, 4th Earl of Rockforth, Sire.  Holdings along the River Tercey”
“Why doth the name seem familiar?”
“Your quoits partner yesterday?” diffidently suggests the clerk.
“Ah yes”, recalls the King, “hansome young man but not very…Is he dead?”
“Ah, no, Sire, his father;  a great supporter of your divine Majesty”
“Must continue that. Send the young man. Oh and give him a chest of silver.”
“The silver will require a guard, Sire”
“Yes, yes, Hastings will do and also give him that useless Nerne and his dragoons”

Thus Howard Hewes, 5th Earl of Rockforth, escorted by a unit of cuirassiers under Hastings and a unit of dragoons we enter our second season of fictional campaigning along the Tercey during the times of the English Civil War.  I am using my very old collection of Foundry figures painted almost 30 years ago and now using the new The Pikemen’s Lament rules, I hope to record my occasional solo games.


Battle of Henry’s Ford

(prologue)
“My Lord in Heaven, you challenge me so” Hastings muttered as a curse to his misfortune. He was informed that Hewes was ‘indisposed’  within the travelling sedan and thus will be commanding from within its confines.  A rather awkward arrangement but one the new Earl insisted upon (or perhaps more myself wanting to see this model upon the table, and rolling a rather very poorly for the new Earl’s officer traits per the rules….”ineffectual” he is….)

A moment after returning to his unit during this rest at the inn at Henry's Ford near the edge of the shire,  Hastings spotted the mass of riders galloping toward him with raised swords.  He expected little help from the dragoons and hoped his call for assistance would ‘urry.  His mood lightened slightly over this clever pun, but would Edward Urry’s elite cavalry arrive in time?

His opponent, Haribald Blare with his unit of aggressive horsemen, was tasked by Lord Brooke to capture and/or kill the new Earl and obtain the chest of silver reported to be with him.  Blare was given a unit of commanded shot selected from Brooke’s own unit and shortly an elite unit of Lordship’s pikemen would follow.

With the new The Pikemen’s Lament rules in hand, I began my new campaign with a small game  with support coming on a turn decided by dice.

Rather than randomly roll for each officer’s traits per the rules, I have given each of my available commanders a trait from the chart but based upon my own impression upon the look of the figure itself.  While we have discovered Howard Hewes is a recluse in his sedan chair,  Blare is a “careless” officer and will charge any enemy without question ( an automatic wild charge in having a “careless” officer in an aggressive unit! )

Onto the battle:
Rockforth’s Command
Nerne’s : Dragoons with Hewes attached @ 4 points
Hasting’s Cuirassiers : Gallopers upgraded to elite to account for their 3/4 armour @6 points
later: Urry’s elite Trotters @ 6 points

Blare’s Command
His Galloper cavalry @ 4 points with Wild Charge
Brooke’s Commanded Shot @2 points
later: Brooke’s elite Pike @ 6 points

It was thought the advantage in command by Blare would assist in the point differential ....and that my math was terrible..…

the initial clash of Blare and Hastings

The game:

Immediately Blare orders his horsemen into a charge against Hasting’s Cuirassiers ( he being ‘careless’ with a wild charge unit makes it automatic! ).  Hastings order a counter-attack and for two turns, each side in turn attacks with confidence each time, in a frenzy of sword cuts.  Meanwhile, the Commanded Shot of Brooke and the dragoons of Nerne under the ineffectual command of Hewes (giving no additional help to the dice) move to face across the field protected by rock walls. The cattle who rather stared in mute indifference to the actions of the cavalry, bolted upon finally hearing the first firing of shot, weak that it was, and moo-ved away.

the cattle observe the cavalry action

It is at this point my dubious dice rolling comes into serious play as I roll double ones for Blare’s activation and a further roll of a 1 has this unit pull out from the action ( as dictated in the rule’s chart).  At the same time, Hewes’ activation has Urry’s Horse come on with…wait for it…a double six activation roll! Thus Urry’s unit gains a +1 morale bonus.

Brooke’s veteran pike have now entered the battlefield and the Commanded Shot retreat move to its protection as both Urry’s and Hasting’s horse converge.  Nerne’s dragoons again fail their activation - 5 of the 8 attempts during the game!

The recluse Howard Hewes in his sedan chair. His forces win despite his lack-luster leadership abilities 

The pike go into close order while the commanded shot start their desultory fire on Urry’s boys who have moved up and started several rounds of caracole fire on the pike.  The pike hold their own and so the pistolers do not force the issue.  Several minutes silence on the battlefield now commence … all the initial fire activations by both sides failed for three turns in a row!  This stand-off continued until surprisingly Nerne’s Dragoons finally entered into range of Brooke’s immobile pike. While not forcing it into morale failure, it did whittle away causing casualties.

The Rockforth cavalry converge on the Brooke's remaining units. Note the black clad preacher on foot with Urry's horsemen: he is the marker indicating that the unit gains +1 morale due to a abnormally good activation roll a turn or two before.

The units of Hastings (top) and Urry (bottom) along with the dragoons behind the rock wall move toward the resolute pike and Commanded Shot of Lord Brooke

Foregoing the caracole tactics, Urry’s elite trotters attacked the commanded shot virtually destroying them while Hastings unit now at half strength but full of vigour charged the pike who sustained more casualties, forcing it back and out of it’s close order formation after giving Hastings’ cuirassiers many hits from it’s wall of pike.

Showing my new basing for the pike. Note it is only five bases to move but with all possibilities for any amount of casualties.  link to previous post

However the battle was effectively over.  Both Brooke’s units failed their activation, hurt as they were, with the pike rolling double 1’s ( I honestly am the worst of die rollers ) and as a result of the rule’s chart effect, it fled down the road with Urry’s Horse merrily chasing them down.
Thus the initial clash of the 2nd Tercey campaign was a complete Rockforth victory. Howard Hewes the 5th Earl, can now continue in his late father’s footsteps and with the chest of silver safe, to form an army to fight Brooke’s forces in the near future.