Battle of Northefields: 28mm Wars of the Roses
Beginnynge
Rob put on a Wars of the Roses (1455-1487) Medieval game at the community centre on 15 August using Impetus rules and his sumptuous 28mm figures – formerly owned by club comrade Noel. We played a fictional scenario. In what follows I have divided the account into apocryphal turns, as I lost track during the game!
Doug and I were the Lancastrians. We deployed in three ‘battles’, each consisting of a mix of ‘retinue’ (superior) and ‘shire’ (inferior) billmen, with an advanced line of ‘retinue’ and ‘shire’ bowmen, besides artillery and some crossbowmen.
The Yorkists were commanded by Paul B. and our guest Paul S., deployed in three ‘battles’ but in a less regimented fashion.
Turn Ye Firste: Advance!
As the two sides alternated in movement depending on activations, Doug’s Lancastrian left advanced,
As Paul S.’s Yorkist left also moved off…
And Paul B.’s Yorkist right began to move.
Turn Ye Seconde: Opening Shots
Doug’s centre also began to move, and his bowmen on the left destroyed a unit of Yorkist shire archers.
Meanwhile Paul S. moved and fired his artillery but caused no damage to shire archers in the Lancastrian centre.
I also began to move on the Lancastrian right, and Paul S.’s Yorkist centre did too.
Turn Ye Thirde: Exchange of Arrows
A grouping of Yorkist retinue archers in the centre peppered the Lancastrian line with arrows, inflicting three casualties and a disorder on some shire archers.
On the Lancastrian left, retinue archers and artillery fired on Yorkist nobles, but caused no damage.
Doug fired off all the archers in the Lancastrian centre on Paul S.’s Yorkist centre, without effect. So far so bloodless!
Doug’s left wing continued to advance, however, and the Lancastrian archers destroyed a unit of Paul B.’s retinue archers. Doug’s crossbowmen also dealt a hit to the Yorkist right wing.
Turn Ye Fourthe: Yorkists fire and advance
As Paul S. continued to advance from the Yorkist left, his artillery, shire archers and retinue archers all missed. He was more successful against my right battle, where a unit of my Lancastrian retinue archers were disordered, and one of my shire archers units was destroyed.
Paul S. now bolstered his centre with handgunners, nobles, and retinue billmen.
The Lancastrians continued to miss with alarming frequency, and the Yorkists were activating their battles far more often than them. My retinue and shire archers on the Lancastrian right failed to inflict any losses on Paul S.’s Yorkist left.
But now Paul B. on the Yorkist right began to advance in strength against Doug’s Lancastrian left.
Turn Ye Fifthe: Interlude of arrows
Paul S. activated the Yorkist centre and it advanced, the handgunners firing but missing, as did the Yorkist retinue archers against my retinue archers.
Paul B.’s advance with the Yorkist right continued but Doug failed to hit with his archers.
Doug hit the Yorkist handgunners twice with his archers in the Lancastrian centre. But, predictably, my archers missed!
Turn Ye Sixthe: Yorkist Charge!
Paul B. now charged archers on the Lancastrian left with his billmen, destroying the bowmen!
More retinue billmen charged Doug’s retinue archers, and destroyed them too! Now Yorkist nobles charged some Lancastrian crossbowmen, resulting in a drawn combat.
Paul B.’s cavalry now assaulted the Lancastrian artillery, which was duly destroyed!
Things were not going well for the Lancastrians, and it had become apparent that Paul B. was focused solely on the Lancastrian left. Meanwhile Paul S.’s handgunners destroyed some Lancastrian archers in the centre.
Turn Ye Seventhe: Lancastrian counterattack!
However, the Lancastrians now counterattacked. Doug charged some nobles against the Yorkist centre, inflicting 2 casualties and forcing a retreat of some billmen. Doug pursued and followed up.
Another Lancastrian nobles unit eviscerated the Yorkist handgunners in the centre. A third unit of nobles charged but failed to close with some Yorkist shire billmen.
Turn Ye Eighthe: A Battle Royal!
There was mayhem on the Lancastrian left, with blood and brains everywhere, as crossbowmen disordered Yorkist cavalry. While one Lancastrian crossbow unit pulled out of melee with enemy billmen, another unit of Lancastrian billmen charged Paul B.’s billmen, who were pushed back. A last unit of Lancastrian retinue billmen engaged Paul’s retinue billmen in an inconclusive close combat.
On my flank, my Lancastrian archers fired and retired after inflicting two hits on Paul S.’s retinue archers. I then moved up two blocks of billmen for two moves, which Paul S. countered with multiple Yorkist archers and artillery shots.
Paul S. charged his billmen into my right bill block, but I won and pursued.
Ende: Centre Cannot Hold
Final game positions – five blocks of Lancastrian billmen (near side) are about to pierce the Yorkist centre
The Lancastrians had lost on casualties (5 archer units, 1 artillery unit – to 2 archer units of the Yorkists), but were winning on the battlefield by end of play. I really enjoyed this game, despite being new to the rules. The dicing for order of activations worked well for the Yorkists due to poor Lancastrian rolls, but once our billmen went in, the Yorkist left and centre became vulnerable. The rules appear to have quite short movement distances, prolonging advances to contact, but the close combats themselves are decisive, the trick being to successfully organise and activate the ‘battles’ and stick with a cogent plan of action. This period is late Medieval or early Renaissance, but prompts considering a Crusades campaign at the club someday. Thanks to Rob for umpiring and to the players; we hope to see Paul S. again soon. Rob says he might rebase the figures; whether he does or not, Wars of the Roses could well become a club favourite!
