Wars of the Roses

Jim's Yorkists v. Mike & Steve's Lancastrians

Both sides had armies in 3 battles with a slightly different mix of bows, crossbows, bills, men at arms, sergeants & knights.  We used Hail Caesar with our house rules for the era.  We deployed using the hidden chit system we started using a couple of weeks back.

Both sides put a "battle" behind the ridge at the far end and decoy chits o the near side of the table.  No one was fooled & both hidden "battles" were son brought over the ridges into view.

The Yorkists made a general advance echeloned back from the right.  The Lancastrians cowered on the ridge.

York didn't want the battle to turn into an exchange of archery as the enemy had more archers.  But attacking uphill wasn't that appealing either.  When his right stalled with bad command dice, he decided to use his cavalry concentration in the centre to smash through the Lanc's line. 

This was a double or nothing tactic and despite having a small advantage the attack failed miserably.  Instead of making a hole in the Lanc's line, Richard found a hole in his own full of enemy cavalry.  In desperation Richard personally lead his reserve knights behind his centre in a  counterattack towards the enemy right. Quick success in the charge against tired enemy cavalry could have lead to a flanking charge on the flank of the enemy right possibly turning the battle back in his favour.   But a good morale throw stopped the breakthrough & held Richard's knights until they were hit in flank instead.  Richard escaped the debacle, but the battle was lost.

We played on for a while, but Richard was done for.  There is a hole in his centre, and his left & centre "battles" are on the verge of breaking and outflanked too boot.