Wistanstow: an ECW scenario for PIke and Shotte

 Steve and I played this scenario some eight years ago, the report is here.   Since then our ECW collections have grown and our own version of the Pike and Shotte rules have evolved to incorporate various changes.  With this in mind Steve thought that revisiting the scenario would be a good 'end of season' encounter.  (The game was actually played before Christmas, but it has taken me this long to get around to posting it on the blog).

The Parliamentary forces  under Lt-Col. William Reinking are deployed to hold the village of Wistanstow, just to the north of Craven Arms in Shropshire.  They are being attacked by a larger Royalist force under the command of Sir Michael Woodhouse.  Reinking's objective is to hold the village long enough to enable the parliamentary baggage train to get away and then withdraw in good order northwards towards Shrewsbury with as much of his force as he can.  Woodhouse wants to break through as quickly as possible, capture the baggage and destroy the enemy army.

The Parliamentary position at Wistanstow can be seen in the photo above.  Beyond the road is Mackworth's  regiment of foot, then a field gun covers the road to the south.  Next is Hungerford's regiment and a light gun, with Lloyd's regiment to their right.  The garrison horse cover the right flank with Lloyd's Horse held in reserve at Wistanstow.

Woodhouse deployed Scudamore's horse on his right, with Scudamore's Foot, a light gun and a forlorn hope of musketeers. 

On the road from the south was William Sandy's Horse ready to make a charge straight up the road.  Beyond was the bulk of the infantry, four regiments, deployed in two lines and supported by a light gun.  On the left were Lunsford's Horse and Sandy's Dragoons and held in reserve were the Ludlow Horse.  Woodhouse was also expecting his own artillery train to arrive (this was dictated by die roll).

The close terrain in the centre almost ensured a protracted struggle between the rival infantry forces.  Above can be seen the contest between Hungerford and Crott by the road.  Scudamore had more open terrain to his front and he skillfully managed the coordinated advance of the forlorn hope and Scudamore's foot.  Their fire, ably supported by the light gun sufficed to force Mackworth to retreat to the churchyard and take advantage of it's stone wall

On the Royalist left, Monmouth's regiment was not faring so well.  Their attempt to dislodge Lloyd's foot was repulsed with heavy loss.

The Garrison Horse on the Parliamentary left attempted to prevent Lunsford's Horse and the dragoons from gaining access to the lane which led behind Lloyd and Hungerford.  In the confines of the lane the fight was a long one, but in the end, it was Lunsford who prevailed.

Along the road in the centre Sandy's and Lloyd's horse had been watching each other.  Reinking had moved the artillery to the right to support Hungerford.  That threat removed, Sandy's charged with Lloyd responding.  Lloyd prevailed, but was reluctant to move further forward; a reluctance seemingly justified when the Royalist artillery was observed to arrive and deploy covering the road.

Reinking saw that the horse on the Royalist right was attempting to work around his left and sent his final reserve, the second troop of Lloyd's horse in that direction.  However, his main concern was the increasing pressure on his infantry.  Mackworth was having difficulty holding his position in the churchyard.  The combined fire of his attackers was inflicting increasing losses, even behind the stone wall.  A final, telling volley proved too much and Mackworth's men broke and fled the field.

Reinking's attention was elsewhere, attempting to rally Hungerford's foot .  The regiment had broken when attacked by Crott's foot and had fallen back as far as the northern edge of Wistanstow.  Reinking's appeals to the men to rally had fallen on deaf ears and they had streamed from the field.  Crott's foot had switched their attentions to Lloyd's regiment, but had been driven back when the field gun fired into their flank at close range.

The reprieve for Lloyd's men was brief, as Gerard's foot moved forward and drove them back in rout.

With his infantry driven from the field and his right wing cavalry in disarray, Reinking ordered Lloyd's cavalry to hold off the Royalist cavalry as long as they could so that he could perhaps get his artillery away and give his infantry a chance to reform.

Although an uneven contest in terms of numbers, the terrain does give the Parliamentary commander a chance of achieving his goal of delaying the Royalist advance.  Many thanks to Steve for setting up the game and to Bob for commanding the Royalists.