Aylesbury (1642)

This Pikeman's Lament game is loosely based on the battle outside of Aylesbury on November 1, 1642.  Prince Rupert had taken the town of Aylesbury for the Royalists, but received advanced warning of the approach of a Parliamentarian force from Stony Stratford under Sir William Balfour.  Rupert headed north and found Balfour's forces on the opposite bank of the River Thame (a tributary of the River Thames). According to the account of Lord Nugent, despite the River Thame being swollen by rains, Rupert charged across the ford, broke through the first two lines of Balfour's infantry and plunged into the center of Balfour's horse. Sir Lewis Dives came up with Prince Rupert's reserve, and Captain Blanchard with Balfour's.  Rupert was driven back across the river, received a Parliamentarian charge, and was driven back to Aylesbury in confusion.

Starting positions, Parliament on left, Royalists on right.

For a game version, I interpreted this as two armies of equal size of 14 units each.  The Royalists started with their cavalry deployed in front of their infantry, and Parliament started the other way around with their infantry deployed in front of their cavalry.  Both sides had 2 pike and 5 shotte units, all of which were Trained Bands as this was early in the war (so worse morale and difficult to move).  The non-foot was  comprised of 1 dragoon unit, a demi-culverin, a falconet, and six units of horse each (a mix of reiters and harquebusiers for Parliament, and a mix of harquebusiers and over-enthusiastic cavaliers for Rupert).  The middle two sections of the river were fordable at no movement penalty. The rest of the river was a double obstacle.  We were using the "A Pride of Lions" formation and flanking rules from WSS #104 as well.  Play would continue until 14 units were lost cumulative of both sides.  Unit profiles are at end of this post, as are victory points.

Starting positions, view from Royalist side. The skinny sections of the river in the middle are the easy crossing area.

I was the Parliament player and Pete was the Royalists.  My strategy was to move the infantry line up about 12" closer to the river then hold fast, keeping the cavalry in reserve and waiting to see what happened next.  Pete's plan involved Rupert attempting a flank across the flooded river on one side and a flank by the bulk of his infantry on the other side of the ford. 

I guess we'll never really know who had the better strategy because all that poor quality infantry really took its toll on the Parliament side. I consistently could not get my lines in order early on. Things really started to go pear-shaped though when one of my two pike units botched an early Morale test and left the field along with Capt. Blanchard. Rather quickly, I found myself without infantry on my right flank. I made a good show of a counterattack across the middle of the river but poor morale dice rolling undid that.

In the end, Parliament lost 8 units or so to the Royalists' 4, although Rupert did flee the field. Although an entertaining game, especially trying out the flanking and formation rules from the 'Pride of Lions' article, it was hard not to note the rather extreme poor dice rolling by Parliament. 

We really liked the formation and flank rules.  Turning units was a little tricky as the article doesn't go into much detail, so we had to work stuff out on the spot, but it definitely changed the look and feel of the game.  One rule change we would suggest is that pikes and horse units may always be allowed to turn to face an opponent charging them (so they never fight with half dice) (although note that cavalry charged in flank may not countercharge).

Parliament infantry already out of line

 

Capt. Hume's Parliamentarian cavalry moves to protect the left flank

Early in the game and for a second things look okay. To upper right, Rupert is about to cross the Thame, with Parliament firepower awaiting him, and a sizable brigade of Roundhead reiters in reserve.

A lone Royalist cavalry unit charges headlong across the ford.

Photos are a bit of a mess, seeing as they are a combination of mine and Pete's.

This was Parliament's last gambit to spark a little counter-attack across the river and get a pike unit and some cavalry in amongst the unprotected Royalist shotte. They were driven back by musketry and poor morale checks.

End of the game.

UNIT PROFILES:

CAVALIERS

Attack Action 5+ / Att To Hit 3+ / Def to Hit 5+

Move Action 5+ / Move Rate: 12”

Shoot Action / Shoot Rng: / Shoot To Hit

Morale: 3+ / Stamina: 3

Special Rules: Galloper; Counter-charge; Sweeping Advance

HARQUEBUSIERS

Attack Action 6+ / Att. To Hit 4+ / Def. to Hit 5+

Move Action 5+ / Move Rate: 10”

Shoot Action 6+ / Shoot Rng: 6” / Shoot To Hit: 5+

Morale:4+  / Stamina: 3

Special Rules: Counter-charge; Sweeping Advance

DRAGOONS

Attack Action 7+ / Att To Hit 5+ / Def to Hit 6+

Move Action 5+ / Move Rate: 12”

Shoot Act. 5+ / Shoot Rng: 12” / Shoot To Hit: 5+

Morale: 5+ / Stamina: 2

Special Rules: Skirmish

TRAINED BAND PIKE

Attack Action 7+ / Att. To Hit 4+ / Def. to Hit 3+

Move Action 6+ / Move Rate: 8”

Shoot Action / Shoot Rng: / Shoot To Hit

Morale: 5+ / Stamina: 3 

Special Rules: Pikes (+1s already applied above)

TRAINED BAND SHOTTE

Attack Action 7+ / Att To Hit 6+ / Def to Hit 5+

Move Action 6+ / Move Rate: 8”

Shoot Act. 7+ / Shoot Rng: 18” / Shoot To Hit 5+

Morale: 5+ / Stamina: 2

Special Rules: None

REITERS

Attack Action 6+/ Att To Hit 5+ / Def to Hit 4+

Move Action 5+ / Move Rate: 10”

Shoot Action 6+ / Shoot Rng: 6” / Shoot To Hit 5+

Morale: 4+ / Stamina: 3

Special Rules: Caracole

DEMI-CULVERIN

Att Action -- / Att To Hit -- / Def to Hit 6+

Move Action -- / Move Rate: ZERO

Shoot Act. 7+ / Shoot Rng 36” / Shoot To Hit: 5-6+

Morale: 5+ / Stamina: 2

Special Rules
Short Range (0”-9”):   12 dice @ 5+
Medium Rng (9”-18”): 8 dice @ 5+
Long Range: (18”-36”): 8 dice @ 6+ 

FALCONET

Att Action -- / Att To Hit -- / Def to Hit 6+

Move Action 6+ / Move Rate: 6”

Shoot Act. 7+ / Shoot Rng 24” / Shoot To Hit: 5-6+

Morale: 5+ / Stamina: 2

Special Rules:
Short Range (0”-6”):   12 dice @ 5+
Medium Rng (6”-12”): 8 dice @ 5+
Long Range: (12”-24”): 8 dice @ 6+ 

SPECIAL RULES:

• Caracole:  As an Ordered activation, successful on a 7+, the unit may make a half Move and then a Shoot order. If the enemy fails a Morale test due to the Shooting the unit may now perform a free Attack activation (if within range), moving into contact with that enemy unit and immediately resolving an Attack.

• Sweeping Advance:   If this unit wins a melee (where it uses its Attack Value, i.e. an Attack or a Counter-charge) and pushes its enemy back, it must follow up in contact and immediately fight a second melee against that same unit, unless it already has a Blown Horses marker. If the original enemy unit the unit has been removed from play, the attacking unit must choose to attack another unit within a move of its current location; it will not follow up after this second combat. If there is no unit to attack, it moves a full move towards the closest enemy unit. After making a Compulsory Follow-Up, place a marker by the unit – the unit may not make any more Compulsory Follow-Ups the rest of the game.

• Counter-charge: When enemy unit has successfully diced to attack this unit, but before it moves, this unit may test for a counter-charge at 7+. If successful, both units meet halfway between their start positions and both count at Attacking. If test fails, stand in place for enemy charge. May not be used if Wavering.

• Galloper:   When within charge range of enemy cavalry, this unit must test for a Wild Charge at the start of your turn by making an Attack Action.  If the Wild Charge test is failed and the unit does not charge, you may activate this unit as usual during your turn. When this unit of brash cavalry is charged by cavalry, it will always attempt to counter-charge.  Movement increased to 12”.

• Pikes:  A unit of 6 or more models which is not in rough terrain and not Wavering/Disordered with this rule has both Attack and Move at 6+ and the unit Attacks and Defends with +1 to their dice scores. Pike units do not receive the +1 to Defense Value if attacked by another unit with the Pikes rule (so Pikes vs. Pikes is always both sides hitting on 4+ unless one side is less than 6 stamina points). If an Attack ends with both units still in contact, the enemy must retreat (unless the enemy is also has Pikes). If a unit with Pikes enters rough going, no longer contains at least 6 models or is Wavering, it does not receive the Pike bonuses. 

• Skirmish: As an ordered activation test at 7+, unit may choose to make half move and shoot at -1 before or after this movement takes place.

• Wild Charge:  If this unit is in attack range of enemy unit, you must test to activate an Attack; this is the only order this unit can be given. May not charge if Wavering.

SCENARIO RULES:

Scenario is played until half the total units on the table have been removed. Then award points as follows:

• +2 to the side that has had less units removed from the table.

• +2 to the side that has more units on the opposite half of the table than it started on.

• +1 to the side that has lost fewer command stands

• +1 for every duel won