Marsden Moor 1644

We did not attempt to make this a particularly precise simulation, but concentrated on the main features of the battle to make a good balanced wargame.  Both sides had 2 cavalry divisions of 6 units, 2 pike & shot divisions of 6 units & a couple of guns.  The Royalists also had 4 musketeers for a forlorn hope while the North had 2 dragoons & a small pike & shot division of 4 units.

Mike, Chris & JohnS commanded the Royalists.  Mark, Jim & Renfrey the Northern Association.  All troops were standard types with command rating 8.  Rupert, CIC of the Royalists was a 9, Cromwell commanding the Northerners left wing cavalry a 10 (no bias showing there).  Rules: Hail Cromwell - our house ruled Hail Caesar for the era.

The Royalists deployed their forlorn hope behind the ditch & waited.  Cromwell lead an oblique attack from the left.

Cromwell made a measured advance with his cavalry with dragoons on his left & infantry on his right.  In the centre the forlorn hope is doing significant damage to the Northern foot as they force their way past the ditch.

On the left, the Royalist horse has chickened out  rather than fight Cromwell with their flanks under threat.  In the centre the forlorn hope has been pulled back to the main line.

Cromwell has swung round to face the now refused Royalist right.  In the centre, the Royalists are making spoiling attacks as the Northern foot fight poor command dice in their advance.

Cromwell's horse has forced the Royalits to form a hedgehog to anchor their right.  His dragoons on his left are peppering away at the Royalist horse, who are deterred from a counterattack by the dragoon's cavalry support.  In the centre, the Royalists have fallen back to their main line. 

On the near flank, Rupert has tried a cavalry counterattack on Cromwell's horse but was beaten back.  The Northern foot is now attacking in the centre.  Cromwell's attempt to make a coordinated attack on the flank of the Royalist foot failed due to poor command dice.  On the far flank The Northern horse is now advancing with infantry support on their left. 

On the far flank the infantry support gave the Northern horse a critical advantage & Renfrey's dice did the rest.  The Royalist cavalry on that wing has been broken.  The net is tightening around Rupert.

Rupert's position is now hopeless at our 10pm cut-off.

From a parliamentary perspective it was a very satisfying battle.  They had a good plan which came off.  There was some frustration at times when poor Northern dice prevented some potentially devastating charges on the left, but the dice gods balanced the books by giving Renfrey a dream run on the other flank.