Battle of St Albans 1455 - 'Never Mind the Billhooks'

 

Following the disastrous defeat at the battle of Castillon, Henry VI of England suffered a mental breakdown. The Dukes of York & Somerset vied to rule "on behalf of" the king and York got the support he needed to take power. Quick sticks he imprisoned Somerset.

Unfortunately for York, Henry VI recovered his wits enough to continue his reign and he released Somerset and convened a Great Council to meet at Leicester. York was no fool and could see the writing on the wall (charges and a quick trip to the headsman) and so he raised a force to block the King & Somerset, on the road from London to Leicester.

Deployment on Yorkist right

The King beat York to St Albans and occupied the town with about 2000 men. The Yorkist army of over 4000 arrived outside St Albans and demanded Somerset be handed over. The King refused and the stage was set for the first battle of the Wars of the Roses.

Our refight was played in 28mm, to "Never Mind the Billhooks", using a variety of figures ranging from Perry's to Foundry and plenty in between.

For the Lancastrians, there was Chris as king, Jason as Clifford and Steve M as Buckingham.

The Yorkists were led by Chas as Richard Duke of York, Andy as the Earl of Salisbury and myself as Warwick the kingmaker. The OBs and set up were borrowed from the excellent work done at:

Shed Wars - The First Battle of St Albans,, 28mm Wargame Part One

The battle started with the Lancastrians surprised, as the Yorkists abandoned the parley and moved on the town in battle order.

House of Lancaster stands firm

Warwick's men approached directly on two roads, with part of York's forces taking the third road into town, whilst the rest of his men swung right to outflank the defences. Meanwhile Salisbury's force went wide of the town on the left.

The Lancastrians reacted to the threat. The king was in the central town square, with Northumberland there to keep an eye on him and use his forces to defend the roads into town. Buckingham moved to defend the left of the line and Clifford took the right.

House of York attacks

My men under Warwick now came under bow fire from the prepared defences blocking the roads into St Albans and one unit of bill fell back "daunted". The rest of my force deployed skirmishers and archers and exchanged arrows, with only Warwick's men-at-arms having the armour to press on.

On our right, Chas got into some fighting near the church, but was forced back, whilst the bulk of his men continued to turn the flank.

Andy's force on our left, met with Jason's men, who had struck out of town to line the hedges. A lively battle ensued. 

Warwick breaks into the town

In the centre I tried to storm the barricades, but was getting the worst of it and all but my men-at-arms fell back.

Chas's flanking force on our right, was getting on better against Steve, but could not force him from the hedges.

Andy was still getting all medieval with Jason, but Jason's men held firm.

Yorkist left breaks through

Suddenly Warwick's men-at-arms broke the bill facing them and were into the town, followed by my and Chas's skirmishers, who made mischief from the buildings.

Seeing their men break, another unit of bill ran from the Lancastrian centre and the king's men-at-arms were forced to take their place in line facing Warwick.

Warwick's men-at-arms were not exactly fresh, so I played the "concealed ditch" card, which gave them a defensive ditch to their front, should they be charged.

Things then suddenly collapsed on the King's side. Andy broke through on their right and Northumberland's men in the centre broke and ran.

Yorkists are pushed back

At this point the Lancastrians threw in the towel and Warwick took the king under his and the white rose of York's protection.

A good game, but I have to say I found some parts of the rules confusing. I could have sworn we were losing and suddenly the opposition morale collapsed and they ran for the hills. Maybe I did not know what was going on ! Not an uncommon occurrence for a medieval commander I guess.

Nice to see so many pretty figures on the table. I was particularly impressed with Jason's "Contrast" painted Perry figures in the centre. So impressed, that I invested in some contrast paints the next day. Anything that speeds up my painting has to be good.

As always, many thanks to all who made it a fun game.

Vince

The Battle of Dunkeswell Down 1488 - The DWG 2014 Xmas Game

This is a DWG - Deus Vult Production of the Battle of Dunkeswell Down 1488

A gathering of the hosts, with the nibbles out and the vanguards of both armies set up

Every now and then we like to go large at the Devon Wargames Group, and our end of year Xmas game always seems to be a good excuse for the club to come together in one game and get all the toys out on the table.

These kind of games are played in a very light hearted spirit, especially at this time of year, and as your humble game reporter, I am often left to come up with a title and background to our clash of arms.

A few last minute conversations before bringing the rest of the forces to the table

So to set the scene, following his victory at Bosworth, King Henry has only reigned for just over two years when he was killed in a hunting accident. All that inbreeding within Royalty finally took its toll as it is rumoured he tried to reload his crossbow the wrong way round with the bolt pointing towards him and well, you know!!

Lancastrian mercenaries

With the unexpected death of Henry Tudor, the whole country braced itself for another round of blood letting to decide who would be King and so it was that two new "wannabe's" emerged from the Houses of York and Lancaster the Duke of Exeter and the Earl of Torbay, cousins from different strands of the Plantagenet line, going back to a common ancestor, the love child of Edward III (1312-1377) and a certain barmaid who worked in the Rose & Crown in Honiton where Edward had his lodgings on a trip to Exeter to cut the ribbon on the new bridge liking the City to St Thomas's.

Archers to the fore with one of Warwick's battles in support

Fact is often stranger than fiction, but it turns out that these two families are still in Devon today and both Andy and Nathan were able to represent them in our game being distant relatives of the two nobles in question and Edward and the Inn keepers daughter. This also explains the unusual DNA discovered in King Richard III's bone analysis earlier this year. Andy and Nathan are involved in the search for Richard's relatives and have both had mouth swab cell samples taken last month.

Loose and darken the sky

So to the clash that nearly re-wrote the history books on the Wars of the Roses. A few notes first will help the reader get a sense of the dynamics at play in this titanic struggle in the Blackdown Hills on the Somerset/Devon border.

First, this battle involved a lot of cousins and close neighbours and the inevitable blood feuds had sprung up during the long years of war. In our re-fight any opposing nobles engaged in fighting units with blood feuds could issue personal combat challenges to decide the fates of the forces in their battle. This was a rule that got used a lot in our game and quite a few old scores were settled and several nobles ended their days as foot stools in their nemesis's campaign tent. In addition, any enemy nobles defeated gave personal honour in the form of points to the victorious noble along with any enemy units driven from the field of battle.

Second, given the nature of warfare in these troubled times, you could never be really sure who was on which side, rather like what goes on in modern politics today. Thus there were rumours circulating that at least one noble in the other camp was liable to change his colours when the opportunity presented.

Yorkist commanders discuss tactics with Sir Thomas, Lord Exmouth. in his unusual black and white surcoat, with his familiar arms, the white snowman.

With the commanders and their forces set up, the respective leaders constructed their orders of march with the van, centre and rear battles nominated. This would be the order that the various battles would arrive on table or be held off on potential flank ambushes.

First contact, Lancastrian billman face off a Yorkist cavalry attack

With Andy (Baron Blackmore) leading the House of Lancaster and Nathan (Baron Goodyear) for York, the units started to arrive on table and it seemed to groan under the weight of all the metal and a few plastics.

The Yorkists made an aggressive thrust at the opposing van with a charge of massed mounted knights into the opposing billmen and archers. The fighting became confused and bloody and both sides struggled to gain an advantage.

The centre is soon engulfed with Yorkist knights at the tilt

As the struggle between the vans continued, more forces started to appear on either side of the fighting units as the opposing lines advanced to support their neighbours or grab important terrain.

The Lancastrian pretender arrives with his battle array

The Yorkist knights start to gain the ascendancy in the middle of the Lancastrian line

With the fighting close to the centre of the Lancastian line at full tilt, the left flank was surprised by a Yorkist flank march of mounted and foot troops.

surprise, surprise, well I didn't expect that!! - the Yorkist flank attack on the Lancastian left

The Earl of Exmouth is caught in the flank by forces under the command of his Son, Lord Thomas, a blood feud indeed!!

With both armies deployed and battle royal joined in the Lancastian centre and left flank, the Yorkist forces had the upper hand. The fighting was fierce as the Lancastian left deployed their "Darken the skies with arrows" tactic. Yorkist archers were decimated in the arrow storm.

Try not to throw 1, 2 or 3 - Oh dear, how sad, never mind!!

Calls of "Yield" were issued by Yorkist commanders as they sought to enforce their advantage.

The Yorkist mounted knights continued to threaten the centre ground 

Warwick tries to contain the situation in the centre of Lancastian lines. Rumours of his death earlier in the war were greatly exaggerated

Both commanders "girded their loin"s and sent heralds along their respective lines promising wealth and titles for one last push.

Baron Goodyear seen "Girding his Loins" during the battle

Desperate to swing the fight in favour of their respective camp, treachery started to reveal it's dark plan. Sir Stephen of Cardiff, a Devon noble banished to estates in South Wales for unnatural relations and concepts in animal husbandry, revealed his true Yorkist sentiments and added to the woes of the Lancastrian centre. In response, the Sir Lancelot of his Peers, Sir Stephen of Lympstone a man who preferred to do most things on the back of a horse suddenly announced, after gutting the Lancastrian centre with his "mounted joustabouts" that he really was for Lancaster and hoped for a spirit of forgive and forget to prevail.

The bloody battle rages between father and son as the Lords of Exmouth engage in mortal combat

The stress of the consequences of failure were starting to tell, or perhaps it was the desire to get down the pub for a Xmas tipple, either way, the personal challenges started to fly. It started with the most personal of blood feuds as Sir Jon, Baron of Exmouth, fuming with rage at the disloyalty of his son, The Honourable Sir Thomas, issued a personal challenge and, although chastising the errant lad with a breath taking display of swordsmanship, left the lad standing and returned to the cheers of his followers. This was to prove a mistake as Sir Thomas, boiling with rage led his men in a fanatical charge breaking two of his fathers units and capturing the old man.

Arrows were flying in all directions

The Lancastian left in trouble

Lancastrian billmen head towards the left flank in a bid to hold it

The day started to lose the light as the fighting broke down into personal little fights all along the line. No quarter was asked or given, noble footstools were being fashioned throughout the opposing camps as personal challenges were decided.

With the battle very much in the hands of the Yorkists, Baron Blackmore decided to make one last desperate roll of the dice. He issued a personal challenge to his opposing contender. Sir Nathan, Baron Goodyear, Lord of the Isles, Protector of the Faith and Lord High Commander of the King's Chamber Pot. The Baron Goodyear, never known to back down from a challenge to his honour, said "no thanks, not when I'm winning and about to get the job of being King".

In the face of such implacable determination, the Lancastrian forces broke contact as darkness fell, quitting the field and headed off towards the rallying point at the Queen's Head.

Warwicks retinue charge into the fight

The day was for York and the honour went to a young noble Sir Thomas of Exmouth who bagged double points for taking his Dad prisoner in a blood feud and breaking two of the enemy units.

Baron Goodyear ignores the catcalls about being frit and prepares to acknowledge the accolade for his victory 

Baron Blackmore, fumes as his personal challenge is refused

So as the dust settled and the armies returned to their camps, it was left to the camp followers to pick over the debris of battle. Their resources had been pillaged by the two opposing sides and their winter supplies entirely consumed as the two forces engaged in this mighty struggle to be known as the Battle of Dunkeswell Down.

It's true, "an army marches on it's stomach"

And what became of the two pretenders to the crown? I hear you ask. Well Baron Blackmore fled to France dying two years later in poverty and madness after his defeat but instilling a burning fire for revenge in his young son who returned to the westcountry, but lost his titles in a game of dominoes, trying to raise funds for a new campaign.

The victor of this tale also suffered an ignoble end failing to get back to Westminster for his Coronation after picking up a dose of the pox after a night out in Exeter to celebrate his recent victory. The rest as they say, is history.

Let the ballads say that much fun was had at the DWG 2014 Xmas game, with much laughter and banter prevailing. Thanks to Gamemeister Chas for pulling the scenario together and managing to herd cats.

Happy Xmas to all and here's looking forward to new games in 2015

The Battle of Whipton Cross - Wars of the Roses

It is a common misconception that the far south west was a quiet backwater during the Wars of the Roses when one considers where the major clashes happened. The battle of Whipton Cross, a hamlet just outside of the City of Exeter must rank as one of the major clashes of this dynastic struggle between the Houses of Lancaster and York.



The Devon Wargames Group have a tradition of pulling together an annual Xmas game to include all club members, and this years event was our fictitious Wars of the Roses clash, where all members were asked to contribute at least one unit of troops and align themselves with one house or the other. The rules chosen to run our big game was Peter Pigs "Bloody Barons", and yesterday saw the two forces fight it out on a three table battle set up with hundreds of colourful troops flying banners for the various factions.


The Lancastrian left with the village of Whipton bottom left

The Centre table

The Lancastrian right - the quiet sector!!

The tables were set up as illustrated and with no apology from the author, captioned from the point of view of the Lancastrian House whom God has favoured.

"An army marches on its stomach"

As with all major campaigns it is really important to make sure your forces are well provisioned, and with the festive season well under way, a good supply of nibbles and mince pies were made readily available to commanders throughout the days battle.

Whilst the terrain was arranged the various troops of each faction were organised into Household, Retinue and Levy contingents, with the die rolls made to determine late arrivals on the field.

The commanders set up their respective forces and then the skulduggery and double dealing was sorted out. Bloody Barons has a set up procedure where the commanders can spend points on various aspects that might influence a Wars of the Roses campaign such as bribery, spying, route of march, supplies etc. depending on what priority the commander gives to these various aspects may give his forces an advantage over the enemy.

Well it seemed that the Yorkists were on their game as my commander none other than the Earl of Warwick found himself away from the field of battle when it all "kicked off". In addition several of our units who were ordered to take up strong defensive positions were led to the wrong parts of the field and found themselves out of position. Oh the fickle Gods of War!!


The forces arrayed on the left

With the forces set up, the battle swung into action. The Lancastrian plan was to hold the wings and smash the centre. The Yorkists went for holding their right, contest the centre and destroy the Lancastrian fores on their left at Whipton Cross moving to support the fight for the centre.

The centre set up

The clash in the centre when it came was fierce and bloody with the advantage swinging one way to the other, but eventually with gaps appearing in the Lancastian line the Yorkist pressure started to take control.



The hard pressed Lancastrian right - they shall not pass!!

Whilst both forces merely skirmished and scowled on the Lancastrian left, Warwick on the right faced an onslaught of Yorkists keen to take advantage of his troops poor dispositions and his apparent absence from the field. However as their forces closed on the Lancastrians they were met by a hail of well place arrows and crossbow bolts severely mauling the lead units.

As his forces were one by one overwhelmed, Warwick finally appeared receiving a roar of approval from his remaining troops. With defeat staring the Lancastrians in the face, honour demanded one final effort of resistance. 

The Yorkists prepare to assault Whipton Cross

The gallant Lancastian garrison of Whipton - Warwick's retinue with mercenary crossbows in support 

Warwick and his Household troops

Gaps start to appear in the Lancastrian centre as the Yorkists close

Desperate defence around Whipton as the Yorkist seek to crush all resistance

With threats of disloyalty and treachery breaking out across the front - we had a simple die roll to test to see if any commander wished to change sides at this point in the battle - Warwick seized the initiative leading his mercenary pikemen in one last desperate attack to dispute the crossing of the Whipton Brook by lead elements of the Yorkist left as they turned to support their comrades in the centre.

Warwick places himself in the front rank as he leads a crashing charge by his mercenary pikes which smash the leading Yorkists as they attempt to cross the Whipton brook.

The fighting here became desperate and bloody as men struggled in the slippery muddy brook to maintain their footing whilst trying to kill the man in front. Warwick plunged into the mass of enemy bill men cutting a swathe through them with battle axe in hand until the Yorkists had had enough and broke in rout to the safety of their side of the brook.

This was but a minor glorious interlude in what turned into a crushing victory for the House of York. Lancastrian resistance in the South West was at end. The field would be left to Henry Tudor to contest, but that as they say is another story.

The day was a great feast of wargaming. Bloody Barons gave a good account of itself when used to run a large club game with over 12 players on three tables attempting to stay in sync with each other as the battle evolved. The club really did itself proud with all members making a contribution to the days fun and our big game provided an excellent close to our games for 2012. We are all looking forward to going bigger and better in 2013.

A happy and safe Christmas to all .