Scots at the Gates: English Civil War

This is an English Civil War version of the modified Barbarians at the Gates scenario from Hail Caesar we've used before with Romans v. Barbarians (see blogs of 28/03/12 & 09/04/12).  In this version we have the Scots as the Barbarians at the town gates with the New Model Army rushing to the rescue.  The rules are Hail Cromwell - our hybrid of Hail Caesar & Pike & Shotte (mainly HC).

The town wall has been breached, the battery moved to start making another breech and the Scots army is lined up ready to attack when Fairfax's flying column turns up on the Roman road behind them.

The Scots have 3 infantry divisions of 2 pike, 4 shot, 2 cavalry divisions of 4 & a heavy artillery battery.  The English have 1 infantry division in the town of 2 pike & 4 shot.  On the road there is are 2 foot divisions, in the lead 2 dragoons & 2 shot,  followed by a division of 2 pike & 4 shot.  Beside the road is a cavalry column of 2 divisions of 4.  Cromwell's ironsides lead the way.

The Scots have a camp (just off left of pic above) which counts as a division lost in the Army Break Test if taken (they won't like losing their loot).  The Scots can win either by getting a unit into the town, or if the English fail an Army Break Test.  The English win if the Scots fail an Army Break Test.  Both have 5 divisions, so both break if losing 3, or alternatively for the Scots 2 plus their camp.

The English were commanded by Steve and Chris, the Scots by Mike & Steve Daniels (on hols from Canberra).  Jim umpired.

At the far end of the table, the English advance guard has occupied the village.  Their pike & shot are on the road.  The Ironsides have formed up & advanced, and the medium horse have deployed behind them.  The Scots artillery has already madea second breech and 1 & 1/2 foot divisions are advancing to attack the town.  On their left a horse and a foot division are redploying to face the ironsides. On the right their cavalry ahs advanced right down the table edge while 1/2 an infantry division is moving towards the ridge.

In the distance the Scots are attacking the walls without much success.  In the centre their foot is attacking the village and a mixed line of horse and shot has deployed to face the ironsides.  The English medium cavaly was ordered to follow the slow moving ironsides on the right, but instead blundered towards the only enemy in sight, the Scots cavalry on the left, moving in front of their pike & shot.  The intervention of English dragoons from the village is turning the cavalry fight the English way.

In the foreground the Scots horse has been defeated, but the English horse is badly mauled and teh English advance much delayed.  Right of the centre, the combinatin of Scots horse and shot broke the ironsides allowing the Scots foot to make a serious attack on the village.  In the distance the Scots are still hammering away at the town without success.

On the left the English horse is galloping down the flank trying to bypass the Scots foot.  Their advance guard has been on the point of breaking for some time, but has hung on in the village and the pike & shot are now coming to the rescue.  The town is still holding out despite high casualties to the garrison.

The English counterattack in the village has stalled, but on teh right they are driving on.  The English cavalry has got into position to charge the attackers of the town, but their previous losses in the cavalry fight have caught up with them.  The divison is about to be broken by musket fire.

The Scots foot on the left having disposed of the English horse have tried to intervene but were too late.  The Scots last chance to take the town has passed.  The English pike & shot have taken the battery from the rear and are in the rear of the troops attacking the town.  The Scots have lost 3 of 5 divisions and the English have won.

The Scots got the upper hand early gaining plenty of time to take the town, but despite repeated attempts never got the right dice at right time to actually take a breach to win the battle.  They also went within a good dice roll of breaking 3 divisions to win that way, but the dragoons & shot in the village stubbornly hung on.  This was epic battle - it went on for over 4 hours - our longest ever Warlords game, but it never dragged - the result hung in the balance for the whole game.