Flodden-ish

The scenario is based on Flodden 1513, but known details of the battle are so sketchy a simulation is really guesswork.  The basic situation is that the Scots with an army mainly of pikes & highlanders were on a hill.  The English had an army of mostly bows & bills & better cavalry & artillery.  Jim & Chris commanded the English, Mike & Mark the Scotts.

The Scots are on the far side of the table with pikes on each flank, bows in front of highlanders in the centre & cavalry in central reserve.  The English are advancing their bows & artillery with the bills in support & their cavalry as a central reserve.

After the English deployed their artillery the Scots retired onto the plateau behind the crest robbing them of targets.  The Scots also used hidden movement to send their cavalry to their left, only now coming into sight of the English.  The English are moving their archers to the left & right opening up a gap in the centre intending to attack there with their cavalry.

The English have abandoned their plan to attack the Scots centre  with cavalry & are moving their cavalry to take on the much weaker Scottish horse.  The English have extended their left with bowmen leaving bills in their centre in front of the guns. 

The Scottish mounted infantry have dismounted & their cavalry deployed to face the English horse.  On the far flank the Scottish pikes have advanced on the English bowmen. The bowmen withdrew, but a poor command throw made them retire further than intended.  In the centre, the Scottish bowmen also advanced to fire on the English billmen.  The billmen successfully executed a fall back manoeuvre to allow their artillery to fire.  

On the near flank it is clear that the Scottish horse is no match for the heavier English.  But the Scotts are now making a general advance on the English foot while the English cavalry is distracted & far away

On the near flank the Scottish horse is broken & the English horse as formed a column obviously intending to attack the Scottish rear.  The Scotts downhill attack on the English right had some initial success, with 2 English bow units broken, but the bowmen took a few with them & the bilmen behind are fresh.  On the far flank the English bows & artillery are hurting the Scotts who are having command problems with that division (their CIC being in the centre).

The billmen on the English right have stemmed the tide  & are now pushing the Scots back.  The Scottish attack on the far flank is faltering under the English firepower.

On the far flank the Scotts have finally got to grips with the English, but the English line has held.  On the near flank, the English cavalry is still manoeuvring around the wood.  But in the centre, the counterattack by the English billmen has broken the centre Scotts division & the Scottish army then fails its break test giving the English victory.

The rules we are using are our all-period house rules which have had a bit of rejig recently with some fine tuning in the medieval & renaissance periods to make it even easier to play.  This battle took us only 1 3/4 hours to fight & was a very enjoyable battle for all.  The Scotts made some cunning moves early in the battle, but the English modified their plan accordingly & turned it around.