Halfway To Home

 I managed to start the 1st game today......

Early in the day.....

and after nearly 2/3 of the 'day', the end is still undecided but we should know tomorrow.........  

Rising From My Death Bed and Making Plans

 Alright!  We are back on our feet. (Me and the wee warriors surrounding me.) 

I haven't come up with the next game yet but I have a list of requests and some vague ideas for the last few games of 2025. 

Prince Valiant just might appear in a cameo in the last game of the 2025 but hopefully, there will be one or two more small games in other settings before then. 

Stay Away From My Cows! (2021)

For some reason, I have an urge to revisit the 16thC Rough Wooing collection, doubtless because of the recent additions and the last game, so some sort of answer to that last ambush is called for.  

Ambushed!

There were some requests for another visit to the Land of 4 Winds and while I had considered a return raid on the Wild Folk, the Midlands armies could use some exercise now that they have recovered. 

I'll work on a scenario......

Ambushed!

It was a hot August day in 1548 when an English Magistrate approached Haddington after a long journey from the border.  The town was not under siege at the moment, nor was there open warfare, but a strong escort had been provided for his safety, and it had been needed!  

(Note: click once on the pictures for a closer look, then click on the magnifying glass symbol for an even better close up.)

As the convoy approached a bridge over the river running through a valley, a flurry of arrows flew from a patch behind cover and bands of Highland warriors raced down from the hills, screaming their war cries. The escort infantry deployed to face the enemy while the cavalry spurred ahead to ensure a safe passage to and over the bridge.

Artist's impression of an eagle's view of the skirmish.

With light cavalry and archers threatening any attempt to cross the bridge, the head of the column stopped and waited for infantry to come and clear the way rather than risk exposing the convoy. They just hoped that if the enemy attacked first that the Demilances, and Border Horse, could see them off. 

The English commander had not considered that the fleet footed Scots might wait for the convov to pass  and attack it from the rear. (and I've played this scenario again and again since I got the book in '82! As it was I used 2 blind markers per unit, one real, one false and deployed them facedown until spotted.)

 

The English infantry must have been tired after all that marching because their dice were awful! The fighting was prolonged but the English kept backing up, hoping to catch up the the convoy so as to protect its rear, and maybe improve their dice rolling. 

The sun was getting low in the sky but the wagons were getting close to the bridge and safety and the Highland swordsmen were too far away even if they could break the English biillmen. The Earl of Lennox  decided to risk throwing his border horse and the English Demilances and border horse.
If the charge worked, the wagons would be run over. 

The cavalry charge was a close fought affair, but the Scots cavalry were driven back by their heavier foe. Behind the convoy, the English billmen had suffered horrible casualties but they continued to do their duty and retreat slowly. It looked like the convoy would make it to the bridge.

What either commander hadn't contemplated, was the desire of the Highland archers to be first to reach the loot.  After a lengthy exchange of arrows, they drew  their daggers, swords, whatever they had, and screaming their battlecry, rushed the English archers and, taking them by surprise, scattered them. It was enough, with over 1/2 of the English companies scattered or out of action. the rest of the English soldiers scattered, running for safety. The English Lancers managed to rescue the Magistrate but the rest of the convoy was now loot.   

Rules were used by the latest draft of the updated "Rough Wooing". As soon as the one page Quick Reference is rearranged to give all of each troop type's stats in one place, I'll make it available. 

ps: Any relation to the ambush scenario in CS Grant's "Scenario's for Wargames" is because that was what it was.

So Far...

..so good. About 1/2 done.

1/2 Done.
(Is it just me or does the bald but bearded guy bear an eerie resemblance to Graham McTavish in his role of Dougal MacKenzie.)

I have vague memories of another blogger, or maybe a pre-blog webpage, writing about how weakening eyes and increasingly shaky hands was reducing the pleasure of painting miniatures.  Well, over this last year, its begun, a bit at a time. Luckily, I'm fine with simple painting with less detail etc and have found that the reduction in sight also means not noticing the simpler painting style or all but the worst slips or twitches of the brush, or omissions of some detail etc. 

So: "balance in all things". 

Make For The Bridge! We'll hold them off!

Previously, the Duke of Belmont, recently appointed commander of English garrison at Cheverie, aware of the constant threat of being besieged by the French, had sent out a foraging party under Captain Smith. A short way from the town, there was a stone bridge over the Petite Riviere Bleu where the Duke had established a permanent post. Once the returning party crossed the bridge, they would be safe but the Duke dared not risk more of the garrison beyond the bridge. 

When word came that the convoy was in sight, the Duke himself rode down to the bridge. All seemed clear until the advanced guard neared the little village at the crossroad and the calm was split by the roar of arquebus fire and clouds of smoke.  An ambush!  

Soon French cavalry and mercenaries appeared, the convoy would have to fight their way through. 

(Note: click on the pictures for a larger view)

Quickly Captain Smith deployed his cavalry to screen the convoy and sent some of his infantry to see if they could clear the road through the village. It was clear that the French infantry was arriving more quickly and in greater numbers than his escort could handle.

French cavalry was already deploying in the open fields.  He needed a new plan NOW! The speed of the convoy would be halved if they tried to move cross country but it was probably a better chance then trying to fight through the town.

Charge followed charge and the number of Lancers was smaller after each charge but the English archers seemed to be holding their own against the French light cavalry. There was a tremendous thunder of arquebus fire in the town but the French were being slow to notice that the convoy was avoiding the town and making the slow trek across the fields. They might pull through yet.

Now the English artillery opened up! The French must have worked through the town and be attempting to cut off the convoy from the bridge. Most of the English archers had finally been scattered by the French cavalry and only a few Billmen remained to guard the flank and rear of the slow moving carts. Well, it was beyond Captain Smith now to do anything but hold back the French lancers and hope for the best.

When Captain Smith awoke, he felt a tremendous sense of failure, but then he raised himself and looked around. His lancers were scattered, wounded or dead but to his surprise his French opponents were also out of action and the remnants of the French  light cavalry had pulled back.  All that remained of the rearguard were a few archers taking cover in the small Hamlet they had passed through earlier. Startled by another volley of artillery fire, he twisted around and to his amazement and great joy saw the convoy beginning to cross the bridge with a body of Billmen formed behind them, daring the German mercenaries to do their worst.

Mission accomplished.

(Rules used: Rough Wooing)

Cometh The Hour

I am soooooo looking forward to winter where, apart from the probably excessive snow which is due in Feb-Mar, there should be much more hobby time (but no outside games!). Anyway, I did actually manage to play the scenario earlier this week, 1 or 2 turns at a time over 3 days, with rather  unsatisfactory rules. In the end, the game ended after less than 1/2 the alloted number of turns, but that "one hour" scenario still took me 2-3 hours of actual playing to get through even that small number of turns, 1, or occasionally 2 turns at a time.  That was a little too quick turnwise but too long timewise for me, and the results had largely been a matter of really good English dice vs abysmal Scottish dice, every time it mattered. So, it was back to the drawing board for yet another rewrite of the rules.

The second game was closer to the mark taking about an hour to play in a single session, taking 2/3 of the allotted number of turns but being often on the edge wnd with my decisions having a stronger influence than the dice. There is a story in there somewhere about how this collection began over 20 years ago, why this period is a strong contender for my One Wargame 'Period' if I had to make such a choice, and why its been such a struggle to get it flowing right.....BUT....I'm not going to deal with any of that right now. The  re-re-re-revised draft of the rules worked quite well and the lads should be back on the table and at it again with hammer and tongs ere long, but right now.....

On With The Show! 

The Scenario, was "Unfortunate Oversight" from "One Hour Wargames". The Scots, being canny and on home ground, knew where the unmarked ford was while the English were cozied up in the village inn by the bridge. Red markers indicate a lost English stand, Blue a lost Scots stand. The first army to lose over 1/2 their units retreats (or routs or just plain loses the game).

Dawn breaks and as the morning mists clear, the alarm is sounded!
TO ARMS! Form for battle!! THE SCOTS ARE UPON US!

Notes: Please click on the pictures to see the full size version. If you click the + sign on the full version it will zoom in if you want a closer look at the figures. 
The little dice track hits. A stand is removed for each 4 hits on a formation.
Casualtties: Red markers indicate an English stand removed, Blue for a lost Scots stand,

The Scots army, led by the young Sir William Lennox, grandson of the Earl of  Lennox's 2nd Cousin (nicknamed "Wee Willie" by his men), consisted of 3 stands of light horse, 6 stands of Highlanders (1/2 archers), 7 stands of pike and 2 of arquebusiers.   The English, under Sir Thomas Wight, ( nicknamed 'Ghost Rider of the Borders'), had placed a garrison of 2 stands of bills, and 2 of archers  in the town to hold the bridge, then bivouacked the remaining infantry, 4 bills, 4 bows just out side it with the 3 stands Lancers and 3 of Border Horse behind the town. The English had shown no indication that they knew about the hidden ford so Wee Willie decided to cross the ford, seize the heights  cut off the English and crush them! (Well, it was his first battle after all.)  

The Scots send forward some pike and shot to distract the English garrison  and pin them in place..
The veteran English commander wasn't fooled and quickly moved his cavalry to seize the dominating hill on his left, backed by the Red Coat Bills and Bows.

The English reacted more quickly than the Scots had expected, while the Scots had been a bit dilatory. Still, a pitched battle in the open was better odds than storming a bridge and town before coming to grips with the main enemy body! Luckily, the English were soon in range of the Scottish archers who were able to commence shooting without waiting their turn to cross. 

While the opposing horsemen eyed each other warily, the Scots pike and Highlanders clashed, while bill and pike locked in combat, the Highlanders charged again and again. Casualties were heavy on both sides. 

At last, after heavy losses, the English foot was forced to fallback. Wee Willy immediately sent orders to his left wing commander to send his shot to fire into the English flank and to march his pikes over the ford. to reinforce the main attack.  

Freed up to abandon the town, the White coats advanced to succour the Redcoats, but harassed by arquebus fire and some fierce charges by the Highlanders, they made little progress. In their absence, the Redcoats broke and fled the field.
Upon the hill, Sir Thomas considered sending his demilances in to try to break the obviously battered Scots pike but if it the charge failed, his army might break, and so he hesitated. If the White coats could break those stubborn Highlanders and his cavalry slip past the Scottish horse and disperse those archers, he could still pull this off..... 

Alas for Sir Thomas, while he weighed his options, his enemy advanced onto the critical hill and the Whitecoats, under a galling flanking fire, and  seeing the approach of more Scots pike,  had had enough and gave way. There was nothing to be done but pull back his cavalry to cover the infantry's flight and burn a few farms and villages along the way. 

Wee Willie had just won his first battle!  

Almost There!

 Just have to do 'Last looks', dust the sawdust off, apply a protective coating, and the base.

OK, 4 legs visible on the standard bearer (or the lancer until I get a standard painted) and 3 legs on Himself but if you look carefully at the off-side front hoof which is off the ground, you can just see the hoof on the rear near-side leg.

And two tails!

Now I better paint up a few more light horse to give the wild young Lennox chap a full troop ro command. 

Haddington and a Re-Post From the Archives: A Man-At-Arms for All Seasons

I was pondering a post giving a bit of the history of my Anglo-Scots wars in 3 scales over the decades, when it occurred to me that I might have already posted something on it. Sure enough, checking the 16thC label on the right hand menu I found a brief one from Dec 2011. It was short enough that I just appended it to the end of this post. (Mind you on that same list was the 2010 New Years Eve Anglo-Scots game so I had to stop and look at it too!)  

However, before you get to the repost,  here are scans of some of the prints (Yes, we hadn't all gone digital yet.) of the 2005 Relief of Haddington game taken by co-GM Rob Dean (Sharp End of the Brush blog) with a bit of commentary. (Some of these may have appeared in my article on it for Issue 2 of Battle games Magazine if you have a stack of old magazines that includes it.)

Saturday morning, waiting for the players to gather for the first play through. (We hadn't been able to have a full test game partly because we didn't have a big enough table and partly because we had barely finished building the fortifications in the two days before the Con!)

Who the heck was this tubby young feller in Rob's backyard? Only 17 yrs ago eh? 

And here is the result of those two mad days.
(Well okay, not all day each day, we fitted in some partial play tests and a LOT of talking etc)

Just a favourite shot of some of my guys. They don't look as tired as they do now.... 

The Relief of Haddington game which Rob Dean and I ran at HMGS Cold Wars in 2005, did not win its Best in Show award  for being the most beautiful game, with the best painted figures in the current style and diorama like terrain (because it wasn't any of those). Partly they rewarded us for running something other than the usual, and because of the fun being had by the players, some of whom played more than once and some who shared their command with a friend so they could both play although all 8 spots were taken. 

It was also awarded as an example of creativity, originality and imagination, things that HMGS likes to encourage. Things like practical homemade terrain, simple but effective homegrown rules (inspired by Joe Morschauser's classic 1962 book in this instance, right up there with Jack Scruby as one of the fathers of wargaming in North America),  and for the originality of the armies ranging from converted homecast figures, some from commercial moulds, others from homemade moulds of original sculpts, and even some figures converted from old toys from the '50's and '60's!  (The commander of my French Gensdarmes is my oldest serving wargame figure with over 60 years of service!)

Late in the first game, the French cavalry finally appeared on the field (bottom left) as the convoy approached the gate, well, assuming they could clear out the remaining force of French infantry in the ruined town and hold the Scots infantry back from the wagons.
During the next two games there were no pictures since one us had to answer questions from onlookers while the other GM'd the game. 

(btw the English won through twice and even took the siege lines in one game and sacked the French camp,  while the Franco-Scots manage to block  the convoy once). 

Well, I could probably have assembled and primed and maybe even painted 3 more pikemen in the time this look back in time took, but it was fun for me. Hopefully it wasn't too boring for every one else! 

(btw there are 50+ posts under the 16thC tag on this post or from the suggested groups of posts on the right. I think it may be time to trim the list again to make it more useful.)

_______________________________________

And here is a  "repost" of my December 14, 2011 post touching on my Anglo-Scots wargaming background:

A Man-At-Arms for All Seasons

Opposing Border Horse. Homecast from a Meisterzinn conversion on largely Zinnbrigade horses.

The Early 16th Century is one of those periods that is on my Short List if I ever had to choose just 1 wargame period. It has all the attractions of what Morschauser called the Shock period, pikemen, archers, 1/2 naked barbarians with big swords, axes shields and  javelins (yes those would be my ancestors on my father's side) as well as the classic Knight in Shining Armour. But it also has the muskets or arqubuses and cannon and the professional soldiers of the Horse and Musket period. It can also give some of the Classic East meets West,  exploring the unknown, and technology meets tradition of Colonial gaming when Turks and Cossacks are thrown into the mix, not to mention Aztecs and Cannibals as Europeans cross the Oceans to the Americas and Africa.

Its also a period that I have rather neglected for the the last 2 years. In part, that is because rather than seek out just one period, I have been tackling aspects of all those other periods, which makes it a bit redundant.    

Bills, Bows and Cannon. The English guard the gap. A mix of converted homecast figures and my own original homecasts with 1 lone Irregular. The English gunner in red is actually a Prince August semi-flat 18thC gunner with one of my fully round heads. The head seems to make a big difference to how these fit in.

This is the third 16thC Scottish wargame army I have built. The first one, from my college days,  was based around a Heritage (supposed) fantasy range taken directly pose and all from Almark's book on Flodden. Then during the 80's, a friend, (you KNOW who you are), knowing I had 25mm Scots,  started on Henry VIII's army in 15mm. Now, its hard for a Scot to see an English army left without opposition so I raised a 15mm army based on Pinkie. How I then found myself sculpting 40mm 16thC Scottish and English troops while this century was just getting its legs, is another tale. Old habits possibly. By rights, I should have been by sculpting 16thC Turks to face Rob's Imperials. However, the 1547 Haddington campaign was the first step and now I have small English and Franco-Scots armies.

Having only a smallish Scottish force and only slightly more English, while both Rob and I can now field Landsknechts and Gensdarmes,  the next logical step was Henry VIII in France.  For some reason, since deciding on that course 5 !! ??? years ago, I have produced a grand total of 2 painted Gensdarmes and 2 1/2 painted ones, 8 Landsknechts, and 3 sword & bucklermen. I think more games are called for, nothing like playing a game to inspire painting. I'm hoping that our combined forces will take the field at Huzzah in May.

Seemed a shame to take down the table after only 1 game.....

(End of repost)

----------------

 

Painting a Flower

 A Flower of the Forest that is!

The first painted Triguard Miniatures 40mm Scots pikemen.

Yes I know, two years ago, after the last Anglo-Scots wargame, I said that I was going to focus on Henry VIII's campaigns in France and not add to my Scots. Well, it's not my fault, I didn't start a Kickstarter, I don't even remember how it came to my attention, and after all, it's designed for The Bruce's campaigns! However........they were such nice sculpts, and after all, some bits of armour and fashion either stayed fashionable or were used by those who had to go with granddad's old helmet.

The Triguard figure on the viewers left, my decade old original homecast figures (apart from the officer's stolen head) on the right. A....'slight' :) difference in quality of sculpting but these are some of the first that I did from scratch.

So, I poked about a bit and found that they were going to be added to the  Triguard catalogue who are the new home of the lovely but big Trident AWI figures that I had enjoyed painting a decade ago, as well as Vanguard Medieval's. That gave me hope that this would be a reinforcement that wouldn't make my home sculpted & cast figures look like giants.  They are still a head taller than my castings when they are standing straight but then most people are a head taller than me and more heavily muscled so that doesn't bother me. The heads are a similar size which is what one really notices. I can remember when we would have to doff our headgear indoors and if they went on a table, it was hard to tell the small hats from the big ones till you put one on without checking the name inside and it came down over your nose! 

Of course, they are even more like Darby and the Little Folk when they come up against the Elastolin's, but the English Channel can keep them apart.

So........16th C Scotland is back on the menu boys! I have enough of the new figures that once mixed in with a few more of my homecast ones, I'll have enough Scots for my needs, after all, the plan was never to refight Flodden or Pinkie but rather to set scenarios during the decades of raids, ambushes and sieges.

A quick look at some of the bits and pieces. Some of them came with separate heads and my homemade 16thC wallets fit quite nicely so I will use some of them to help them fit in even though the faces aren't as well done. The green guy was my original Highland archer master whose mould broke early on. He was so much taller than everyone else that I just left it but I might fix him up a bit and make a new mould.

Ok, looking at that pile, and my current rate of assembly and painting, and the need to add some more English, despite my quick paint method,  it's going to take a while for me to get them all table ready, and then Triguard has some Islemen, gallolach etc in the works....but I don't need them all for every game so I'll shoot for sometime in May.

A Minor Scrap

At last various Scots and their weapons were reunited, a wounded highlander with two broken ankles healed, and a replacement for one fatal casualty modified and painted. 

I was ready to play.  

The English objective was to seize the major road exit with a minor victory being awarded if they managed to take the minor road exit. (behind the Highlanders). There was an unmarked ford on the English left. They knew of it but had to find the exact location.

The old Rough Wooing rules still work, as does one of the later versions, but I no longer like their style, especially for solo or multiplayer games. After casting about for ideas, I stumbled on a reminder that for me, the latest version of the Gathering of Hosts rules work just fine for this period. At least they will once a handful of notes are properly written up! So, I went with that.

The Scots artillery and Highland archers took a heavy toll of the English Whitecoats but their archers and artillery served the Highlanders even worse!

The scenario was also improvised. Having drawn a random cloth from the cupboard, it turned out to be the river one and a river crossing as scenario suggested itself. Since my English outnumber the Scots when the French aren't around, I made them attack.

There wasn't much to the scenario. Smaller force on hill line, river with one bridge and one reported, but not yet identified, ford. (Once per turn, the light cavalry may roll one die needing a 5 or 6 to find the ford.) 

I'm afraid both commanders may have been a little preoccupied with non-battle concerns at times as there were some very poor tactical choices made early on by both sides.....(That's my excuse anyway.)

However, despite there being several occasions when one side or the other seemed doomed, the advantage swayed back and forth. 

The Redcoats were plagued by command indecision forcing the Earl of Belmont to ride over in person. 

The various Anglo-Scots wars have a special place in my heart and mind, probably due more to the Classics Illustrated #67, "Scottish Chiefs", (about William Wallace), backed up by reading too many Nigel Tranter novels in my teens, than to some internal conflict between my English and Scottish genes. 

 

As the day light faded, and the Whitecoats began to waver, the Earl sent in his cavalry to sweep away the Border Horse. To everyone's surprise, they threw back the the Demi-lancers.  Both armies paused and stepped back. Neither side was quite ready to flee but neither were willing to attack and both were too low on ammo to continue the contest.
(ie they had lost 1/3 of stands but not 1/2)

The English army was going to have to try again another day or find another route.  

However, while the Anglo-Scottish wars saw some interesting and balanced battles between very different armies, with victory going sometimes to one side and sometimes to the other, the vast majority of the fighting involved sieges, often of small strongholds, and raids which are more of a  skirmish level. Neither of these are my "thing". 

So, the temptation that always arises to add more Scots is best soothed and a return to the continent scheduled. Anyway, the unpainted Landsknechts in my cupboard are getting a bit unruly!   

The Battle of Darcrum Moor (Continued)

Not impressed by the Scots display, the English pressed forward to sweep the handful of Scots from the heights so they could press on to recapture the cattle and inflict a punishment that would be remembered for years.

True to fashion, the Scots retreated as the English pressed forward so the Warden sent a troop of his Border Lances galloping forward. As they approached the crest they were surprised by a fierce volley as a forest of pikes suddenly poked up behind the crest and began advancing. The Lancers turned and fled to safer ground. (Sorry, that was supposed to be "prudently pulled back to report as was their duty".)

"Battle ON!"

Despite earlier losses, the English still outnumbered the Scots by 3:2 and their duty to punish the raiders was clear. The pass was too narrow to allow a full deployment so the Warden ordered the English foot to advance on the right while the Germans were to come forward on the left, leaving their shot to hold back the highlanders.

The Scots fervour showed in their dice!
(English bills hitting on 4,5,6, Scots Pike on 5,6.)

Now the English had bought the best mercenaries that the smallest possible amount of money could buy but with the Italian Wars raging again the pickings had been slim. The "German" pikes pressed forward at the fastest pace that didn't involve rolling higher than a "2" on any of their movement dice. Alas, before they could make their way to the front the Scots had followed up the billmen, shattered their formation and sent the remainder scampering back to England.  

The Italian arquebusiers seemed just a bit shy of chasing highlanders into the hills but they did advance and trade fire while the pikes pressed on. Every arquebusier with an arrow in him seemed to be escorted back by two or three comrades though and soon the hill was bare of all but the Highland archers who turned their bows on the pikes. 

With Highlanders on one side, cavalry and shot to the front and Scots pike threatening the other flank, the German commander ordered his pikemen to form square. With an eye to the re-emboldened Scots horse and the threat to the flank, the Warden ordered his English archers to fall back and clear "the damned hill" to the flank. 

A lull as the players are rearranged upon the stage.

The battle wasn't over yet though. The Warden ordered the Germans to fall back to make room and ordered his lancers to advance and clear off the Scots shot and then the enemy cavalry while the archers drove off the highlanders. The fighting was fierce and the Scots pushed back on both flanks but when Lord Home led his Reivers forward, they once again sent the English flying.

Another bloody repulse but damage has been done and victory is still possible if the Warden can reach his Foe and finish this hand to hand.

There was one chance left. The fight on the heights to the flank was still raging and if the Warden could just reach the Scottish commander before any more of his troops broke,  the day could still be his.

Alas for the English, time ran out when their archers broke and ran. All that could be done was to try and get as many of his levies safely back over the border. At least the Warden wouldn't have to pay the Germans again.

Cum'on Ye Bunch of Sissies

The cattle are long gone and the Scots rearguard have given the English cavalry a bloody check....so.....

...why are they still hanging around taunting the English and their mercenaries to come on?

Stay tuned!