Two ECW scenarios

Over the past few weeks our Skype games have been ECW affairs.  The first was a version of "The battle of Upper Downington" which I found on TMP (link).  A fairly straightforward scenario with roughly equal armies representing King and Parliament, each aiming to defeat the opposition and drive them from the field.  Below is a photo of the terrain

Steve commanded the Royalists (bottom of photo) and sent one brigade of three infantry regiments against the enclosure.  The second infantry brigade was to hold the centre, and the cavalry was to contain and defeat the Parliamentary cavalry.  Steve's cavalry made good progress and was able to deploy beyond the wood.  The initial cavalry melee went in favour of the Royalists, but their losses were such that they could not follow up their success.

To try and stabalise my left wing I wheeled the reserve infantry regiment to fire against the flank of any further Royalist advance; hoping that this would buy enough time for my battered cavalry regiments to recover.

On the right, the unit advancing through the enclosure was slowed by the heavy terrain and the unit on the extreme right was also advancing slowly, but this was because of a succession of failed command tests.  This resulted in the Royalist infantry reaching the hedge of the enclosure first.  However, a magnificent volley from my raw infantry regiment managed to disorder their veteran opponents and then followed this up with a  charge. 

Slow progress through the ploughed field

The Royalists get there first

The melee lasted several rounds, with both sides taking heavy casualties.

In the centre, the other two infantry brigades were now in musketry range and began to exchange volleys.  Both had artillery support, the Royalists two light guns and the Parliamentarians one medium gun, but neither side achieved a decisive advantage.

On the Royalist right, the cavalry pulled back, keen to avoid the chance of suffering losses from a volley from the advancing Parliamentary infantry.  When this infantry was joined by the reformed Parliamentary cavalry, progress began to be made.  First, one Royalist cavalry regiment was routed by a cavalry charge and then the other failed a command test and didn't fall back, leaving it open to a volley from the advancing infantry.  The resulting casualties were sufficient to rout this unit as well and the flank of the Royalist centre was now 'in the air'.

On the opposite flank, matters favoured the Royalists.  After a tough struggle, the veteran Royalist infantry broke their opponents, routing them from the field.  To their right, the Parliamentary infantry had shaken their Royalist opponents by musketry and attempted to complete the job by charging them.  This attack failed and they fell back in disorder.  They had to had to test for 'friends routing' but managed to hold their ground, even so the position on the Parliamentary right was not promising.

Parliamentary rout

With time running out, we called a halt.  It was decided that with no cavalry, the Royalists would have to fall back, but the level of Parliamentary losses was such that there would be no pursuit.

The game reported on TMP used the "Victory without Quarter" rules, which are free to download.  

Our second game was one devised by Steve, where the Parliamentarians were trying to get a supply train through to a beleaguered garrison.

The view of the terrain from behind the Parliamentary start line; the Royalists had to deploy along the line of the transverse road at the far end of the table.  To escort the three wagons Parliament had; 5 regiments of cavalry (1 large, 3 standard and 1 small), 2 units of commanded shot (1 large and 1 standard) and a unit of dragoons.  As Parliamentary commander I did not know the strength of the opposing forces, but as the game progressed it became clear the Royalists had 3 regiments of cavalry (1 large, 1 standard and 1 small), a unit of dragoons, 2 standard sized 3:2 infantry regiments and a light gun.  The Royalists had two commanders, one of whom could only command cavalry; whilst Parliament had 3, but one was a '7', which affected command.

I deployed with infantry and horse on both flanks.  My plan was to push forward on the left to defeat any enemy forces there while my right would occupy the attention of any remaining Royalist forces. Initially, the large cavalry regiment was to be held in reserve, a mistake which would have some severe consequences.

As the cavalry on my left ( 2 standard regiments and a small one), advanced they saw the Royalist cavalry was coming to meet them.  Steve had deployed his large and standard regiment on his right flank (it was the best cavalry ground on the board) and although the numbers were equal some failed commands meant that I was attacking piecemeal.  

The Royalist deployment

Although I managed to hold my ground in the first round of melee, losses had been heavy and a further round would, in all likelihood see me forced to fall back.  Some reinforcements would have been useful, but my large cavalry unit was trapped on the other side of the wagon train and when the wagons eventually moved far enough forward, the unit failed to respond to a command for three consecutive moves.

The situation on the Royalist right

In the following round of melee the large Royalist regiment routed their opponents, who proceeded to run through the commanded shot who had been moving forward to support them.  Still recovering from this, the commanded shot were then hit by the Royalist cavalry who were in full pursuit.  The other Royalist cavalry unit had already routed one Parliamentary cavalry unit and now took on the remaining small unit.  This also routed, but they had inflicted sufficient casualties to 'shake' the Royalists and prevent them moving any further forward. 

Seeing the mayhem the leading wagon decided that the left hand road was not safe and instead took the next to the right.

Over on the Parliamentary right most of the units had advanced, but once again in a piecemeal fashion.  All except the dragoons who had shot off to the right, round the far enclosure, with the intention of reaching the transverse road.  They had reckoned without the small Royalist cavalry regiment which had been kept in reserve.  The Royalists charged through a gap in the hedge and caught the dragoons before they could deploy.  In a very one-sided affair, the dragoons routed from the field.  

The Royalist cavalry see off the dragoons

When the Royalist cavalry predictably destroyed the commanded shot, two thirds of the firepower of the Parliamentary force had been eliminated; not a good position to be in when there were two infantry regiments to overcome.

At this point it all seemed over, perhaps Steve thought so too as he launched his large cavalry regiment against the remnants of my left wing cavalry which was still trying to rally.  However, my last remaining commanded shot unit had deployed along the road facing the left and when the Royalist cavalry charged past they received a close range volley.  This stopped them in their tracks and forced them to fall back.  By now my large cavalry regiment had decided to take part and had moved across to the left.  Together with the now rallied remnants of my left wing they counter-attacked and drove back the Royalist horse. 

The Parliamentary counter-attack

The Parliamentary cavalry on the right had manoeuvred itself into a terrible position.  One unit faced the Royalist centre unable to advance in the face of an infantry unit behind a hedge with a light gun in support.  The other had charged the small Royalist unit which had destroyed the dragoons.  They had lost the melee and had to fall back, towards the Royalist dragoons who were deployed behind a hedge.  Pushed further back, the Parliamentary cavalry forced their way through a narrow gap and ended up on the transverse road.  However, disordered, shaken and with infantry on both flanks their only route to survival was to leave the field.

The Parliamentary wagons were also in trouble.  One of the Royalist infantry units had advanced and was firing at the wagons, hoping to drive off the crews.

The lead wagon was abandoned, blocking the second wagon and leaving them at the mercy of the Royalist infantry.  Surveying the carnage, the Parliamentary commander decided that he would have to fall back taking the remaining wagon and leaving the others to the Royalists.

This was a very entertaining scenario and we decided to swap sides and run it again.  Steve concentrated more of his cavalry on his left and put both commanded shot units on his right.  Once again the initial cavalry melee went against me, both Royalist cavalry units falling back needing to rally.  The fighting continued, flowing back and forth, but each time the Royalist were that little bit further back.

With one Royalist unit already routed from the field the fighting was eventually taking place on the transverse road.  In spite of the personal intervention of the Royalist cavalry commander, the large cavalry unit routed, carrying him with it.  The one crumb of comfort was that the Parliamentary cavalry routed as well. 

In the centre, the commanded shot were firing at the light gun and eventually succeeded in driving off the gunners.  On the Royalist left the opposing units of dragoons were sniping at each other.  With the Royalist units having to meet multiple probes by the Parliamentary units the defensive line was beginning to fracture

The Parliamentary wagons were now reaching the transverse road and so the Royalist commander had to order the retreat.