Barnet 1471

Chris set up a scenario based on the Battle of Barnet 1471.   Details of the batle are scarce and contradictary as usual for the period, but Chris picked out the critical points.  Bot sides outflanked the other's left.  The Yorkist had more troops.  The Lancs had some hedges to defend.  No one had any cavalry.  Jim commanded the Yorkists with 18 unitss.  Mike had 16 units in the Lanc's army.  Both armies were in 3 battles each half long bow men & the rest a mix of dismounted knights, billmen & spearmen.

 The Lanc's are skulking behind the hedge on the far side of the table.  Edward's centre has advanced & his right under Gloucester has formed columns to speed up their intended manoeuvres. 

The Lanc's have advanced their left.  Edward's centre is going on a flanking march while his right is marching into the resulting gap in his line.  Hastings on his left was supposed to hold back and form to the left, but has blundered forward.

Hasting's blunder-charge  initially had some success, but being outflanked they have fallen back as Cloucester's battle deployed on his right.

Hastings is hard pressed onthe lft, but Gloucester is pushing forward in the centre.  Edward's flank march is going nowhere.

Edward has finally got moving again, but the Lanc's right has fallen back giving him no one to fight while supporting their centre to stop Gloucester's advance.

 Hasting's battle has broken on the York's left leaving Glouster outflanked.  Edward has blundered sideways to give him support.

Gloucester is down to half strength but hanging on grimly as the Lanc's try to bring up more trrops to finish him off before Edward can get at their left.

The revolving door is complete as the Yorkist now occupy the Lanc's starting position.  Both side's lefts are hanging on as their rights try to finish them off.

Edward took his time getting there, but his battle is pushing the Lanc's left back while Gloucester is hanging on in the hedegrow on half strength.

It came down to who's left would break first.  Gloucester was saved by the hedge & it was the Lanc's who lost their second battle first to give the Yorkists victory.   A very entertaining battle which was in the balance right to the end until the last swing of the dice going the Yorkist's way.