ECW: Braddock Down. 19th January 1643

Braddock Down has been chosen to test the Pike and Shotte rules for the first time. It is a fairly simple battle to play albeit historically very brief. 

Background to the battle

Cornwall had declared for the Royalists with the well disciplined Cornish foot regiments led by the capable Sir Ralph Hopton. Parliamentarians under the overall command of the Earl of Stamford launched an offensive from Devon into Cornwall. A detached force led by the professional Scottish soldier Colonel William Ruthven advanced ahead capturing Liskeard.

A turning point came for Hopton with the capturing in Falmouth of 3 Parliamentarian ships carrying much needed supplies on 17th January 1643. Re-equipped and ammunition stocks replenished, Hopton advanced towards Devon. Ruthven, believing the Royalist force to be a rag-tag bunch of stragglers marched out of Liskeard to intercept him. Ruthven's force was primarily inexperienced Devon Trained Bands who made contact with Hopton at Braddock Down during the morning of 19th January 1643 not realising it was Hopton's main army. 

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Edgehill 1642 The Action

I will break the battlefield down into 3 for ease of following the flow of the game:
From the Royalist perspective; Left Flank, Centre, Right Flank.

LEFT FLANK

The initial exchange between the deployed dragoons on both sides saw the Roundheads get the upper hand with both Royalist regiments suffering the heavier casualties and subsequently falling back.

Wilmot's cavalry took the lead but something close to a disaster struck the Royalists. The first casualty on this flank was Wilmot himself. Leading his own regiment he was struck by a musket ball suffering a severe wound. He will be out of action for the next 3 turns. This unnerved his raw troopers who failed to launch their charge.

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Edgehill 1642

This is a battle I have intended to play ever since my days with ECW re-enactment societies in the 1970's. In those days it was 25mm Hinchliffe and Minifigs but I never seemed to be able to collect anywhere near enough to do it justice. Not to mention the pathetically small number of painted figures!

6mm has finally provided that opportunity without breaking the bank and in a small enough space that will fit in the garage. 

A very brief background to the battle:

King Charles I marched his army on London held by Parliament. The Earl of Essex commanding the main Parliamentary field army of similar size marched to intercept the Royalists with both armies meeting at Edgehill becoming the first major battle of the war. The outcome was indecisive but nevertheless prevented the triumphant entry into London that the Royalists were hoping for.

If King Charles succeeds in defeating Essex in my replay then the course of history will be changed!

The Battle of Edgehill

23rd October 1642

Table Size 6' x 3'9"

Rules - Forlorn Hope

Figure Ratio 1:10

Artillery Ratio 1:2

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ECW - The Battle of Stoke Lane, 1st July 1643

This is the next scenario in the "English Civil War Campaign Scenarios - The 1643 Campaign for the South-West" book.

It is more of a large skirmish than a fully-fledged battle with around 450 involved in total. 

Sir William Waller planned a raid (known as Beating up Quarters) on the Royalists occupying the village of Stoke Lane. The Royalist commander, Sgt-Maj General Sir James Hamilton quartered his cavalry in this village with his dragoons farther to the east.

The Parliamentarian force was commanded by Major Francis Dowet of Waller's regiment of horse. Originally intended to attack just before dawn they were delayed arriving as daylight broke. Luckily for them there was an early morning mist allowing them to approach the village undetected. This is where the game starts.

Rules: Forlorn Hope by Pete Berry

Scale: 6mm Baccus

Table size: 3'9" x 3'0"

Figure Ratio: 1:2

Orbats:

Parliament

CinC Maj Francis Dowet  LV:2
Dowet's Troop                    27 in 2 sections
Capt Pickering's Troop      24 in 2 sections
Capt Richard's Troop        24 in 2 sections
Troop of Dragoons - Maj Edward Carr LV:1
5 sections                          51 in total

Royalist

CinC Sgt-Maj General Sir James Hamilton  LV:2
Hamilton's Troop             24 in 2 sections
Lt Col Carre's Troop        24 in 2 sections
Maj Blunt's Troop            18 in 2 sections
Capt Colt's Troop             18 in 2 sections
Capt Walsh's Troop          18 in 2 sections
Troop of Dragoons - Reynolds LV:1
3 sections                          30 in total

Walsh's troop are dismounted and acting as sentinels with each section covering the opposite ends of the village. The other 4 troops occupy 4 buildings, 3 at random with one in the inn. Historically, the royalist dragoons did not come to their comrades' aid when they learnt of the raid. I have decided to use the optional reinforcements rule and they will dice for arrival along Stoke Lane from turn 6.

The Parliamentarians will be strung out along the road running to the north east corner of the map and initially confined to the roads. 

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ECW The Battle of Chewton Mendip - Part 3 of 3: Turns 7 - 14 (Conclusion)

 Turn 7

The battlefield remains blanketed by mist leading to some startling results. On the left the Forlorn Hope has rallied and as it moves forward a mass of swirling cavalry appears before them. A panic overcomes the dragoons and they promptly flee the field!

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ECW The Battle of Chewton Mendip - Part 2 of 3: Turns 1 to 6

It was my intention to wrap up this AAR in one post, but a combination of available time to play it through and it being rather more involved than I anticipated, I have decided to get part 2 onto the blog rather than wait any longer. So - onto the battle: 

Turn 1

The presence of Waller's dragoons lining hedgerows did not deter the Royalists from seeking to engage the Parliamentarian horse at the earliest possible moment. They were supremely confident of driving them from the field. 

Prince Maurice with his lifeguard leading paid a heavy price for that optimism losing 25% of their number to Waller's dragoons firing into their flank from the hedgerows. Maurice had his horse shot from beneath him removing him from the proceedings for one turn.

The Veteran/Elite troopers shrugged off their losses and continued towards the Forlorn Hope.

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ECW The Battle of Chewton Mendip - Part 1 of 3: Introduction

The Battle of Chewton Mendip is the second battle in my project playing historical encounters from the Campaign Scenarios book - 'The 1643 Campaign for the South-West' by Robert Giglio. Principally written for 'Forlorn Hope' rules it can be used for any.

This is part 2 of a 2-part battle, the first being Glastonbury. There is an option in the scenario to treat both as a mini campaign with casualties carried over from Glastonbury. I decided to replay the action as a stand-alone battle using historical orders of battle.

After Glastonbury, the pursuing Royalist cavalry the same day met the Parliamentarians about a mile before the village of Chewton Mendip "the enemy faced about againe with theire horse" in Chewton Mendip Heath.

The Battle of Chewton Mendip

12th June 1643

Table Size 3'9" x 3'

Rules - Forlorn Hope

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ECW The Battle of Glastonbury - Part 4: Turns 17 - Conclusion

Turns 17 - 19

With Royalist cavalry in the vicinity, the Parliamentarian foot regiments form pike stands. In the foreground, Bennet's Horse ignore the Roundhead foot and gallop headlong towards the baggage train. 

Gould with his own Horse rout pursued by Carnarvon's regiment and Maurice's Lifeguard. They suffer more heavy casualties with Gould receiving a serious wound. Hopton managed to extricate himself from the pursuit (top left) ready to intervene if necessary in what will prove to be the last melee of the game.

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ECW The Battle of Glastonbury - Part 3: Turns 9 - 16

Turns 9 - 12

It is the start of turn 9 when the Parliamentarian foot regiments must retire from the field. Circumstances though are beyond their control and not yet in a position to retire.

Starting with the Royalist left flank, Hungerford's dragoons continue to hold the hedgerows although Hopton's dragoons gradually get the upper hand against the company of Parliamentarians opposite them. Having moved to close range their superior numbers begin to tell. 

Vaughan infuriatingly again fails to motivate his raw troopers into charging the Parliamentarians. 

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ECW The Battle of Glastonbury - Part 2: Turns 1 - 8

Turns 1 - 4

The preliminary turns saw the Royalist foot regiments negotiating the crop fields and hedgerows. Another turn was taken up reforming and it was now turn 3 before they could move into musket range. The yellowcoats of Strode's regiment were the first to open fire. At long range they proved to be of minimal effect. Hertford's redcoats declined to reply knowing that at this range it would be lucky indeed if they scored a single hit. 

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ECW The Battle of Glastonbury - Part 1: Introduction

This scenario is taken from English Civil War Campaign Scenarios - The 1643 Campaign for the South-West.

This battle was a rearguard action by heavily outnumbered Parliamentary forces falling back on Wells. They were involved in holding off the advancing Royalists giving their baggage train time to retreat to safety.

This action occurred on 12th June 1643 and the map shows the starting positions. The Parliamentary baggage train has already left the table on the road to Wells.

The battle will be fought using 6mm figures by Baccus on a 3'9" x 3' board. Forlorn Hope rules to be used.

ORDERS OF BATTLE

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