English Civil War Battle 6
Early November 2023 was the date this game was played at Tom's place. I am grateful to him for the following description.
This game was an English Civil War battle.
The Royalists deploy their best cavalry on their left with orders to advance to the large hill in the centre of the table. Their second cavalry brigade deploys in the centre with the infantry brigade behind them with orders to move forward to take the central objective area. The Northern Horse were positioned on their right with orders to attack the flank of the Parliamentarians advancing to attack the central objective.
The Parliamentarians deploy their forces in the centre of the table with their two infantry brigades in front and their two cavalry brigades deployed behind them. The left hand brigade are ordered to move to the central objective while the right hand brigade are to advance over the central hill then wheel to attack the central objective from the flank.
In the ensuing battle, Rupert’s Horse attacks the Royalist foot on the hill while the elite cavalry, once out of his control, charges the Parliamentary horse as they move from behind the shelter of their friendly infantry. Rupert's cavalry manage to hold back the Parliamentary infantry and cavalry but are almost wiped out in the process.
On the other flank the Northern Horse move round to attack the parliamentary left flank and chase off the dragoons. They overrun the artillery on two occasions before the Parliamentary cavalry move through the wood and chase them off.
In the centre, the Royalist horse move forward with their infantry moving behind them. The cavalry charge the Parliamentary foot and are almost wiped out but this allows their foot to occupy most to of the objective.
At the end of the game almost all the parliamentary horse had been destroyed and the Royalist force was hanging onto the objective but not for long. The game went to the Parliamentary forces.
After the game I need to look into how to handle objectives in early period battle (Renaissance and Ancients) as the objective system used in the later periods does not seem to give the correct result. I think I need to be looking at control of table quarters and line of supply as a more effective way of representing this.