On The Table Today Is...

View from Bourton Hill

the Battle of Cropredy Bridge.  Well, my interpretation of this notable battle, that is.

Later today, four gamers from the UK join me in a remote game to battle it out for control of Cropredy and Hays bridges as my 30mm ECW collection takes to the field.  The contest will be waged across 6' x 8' feet of my gaming table.

Defending Hays Bridge

Each player was provided a Battle Briefing with my brief synopsis of events leading up to battle, QRS, and OB.

Battle Briefing

The Battle of Cropredy Bridge, 29 June 1644

The King’s army, nearly starved to death while trapped in Oxford.  Breaking out of Oxford in early June, the king was on the march. Waller’s army maintained contact with the King’s Army.  The king and Waller have been marching and counter-marching in attempt to gain a positional advantage over the other.  By 28 June, Waller was at Hanwell near Banbury.  The king, at Brackley, was warned of Waller’s movements and marched on Banbury.  Arriving on the 29th, The Charles spotted Waller’s Army deployed near Hanwell Castle about two miles west of River Cherwell.  Both armies set in motion heading for the high ground at Couch (Crouch?) Hill.  Waller got there first. Deeming Waller’s position too strong to attack, Charles marched north toward Daventry.  The King’s Army marched north along the east bank of the River Cherwell while Waller shadowed the king by marching north along the west bank of the river.

View from the north

Rear elements (about one-third) of the King’s Army became separated from the van of the column when the van moved quickly to intercept reported Parliamentarian horse moving south to join Waller.  This activity went unnoticed by Cleveland and the rear of the column.  While the van was about 1-1/2 miles north of Hays Bridge, the remainder of the army found itself almost two miles behind on the south side of the river.  Sensing an opportunity to defeat part of the Royalist Army before it could be reinforced, Waller struck.  Crossing over the River Cherwell at both Slat Ford and Cropredy Bridge, Waller aimed to isolate a portion of the King’s Army.  To accomplish this task, Middleton would drive toward Hays Bridge to prevent Cleveland’s escape and thwart Charles’ attempts to reinforce from the north while Waller attacked from the south.  Waller’s ambition was to catch Cleveland in a pincer movement between himself and Middleton and destroy it in detail before the King could intervene.

The stage is set.

Initial dispositions

Rules

A Reign Cut Short

Game Duration

The battle begins at the 12pm turn and ends on the 3pm turn.  By 3pm, the King’s van would be arriving back onto the battlefield.  If Waller wants to defeat Wilmot, he must do so before 3pm.  The battle will last ten turns unless a time limit set.

Parliamentarian Army deployed along the Cherwell

Victory, Sudden Death

Break the enemy army.  Parliament’s ABC=10.  Royalist’s ABC=8.

Victory with Turn Limit (10) or with Time Limit (3 hours?)

Set max playing turns or time.  When either turn or time limit reached assess victory as,

ABC differential:

0-1 Draw

2-4 Minor

5+ Major

View behind Cropredy Bridge

Terrain
River Cherwell is in flood and only crossable at Slat Ford, Cropredy Bridge, and Hays Bridge.

Barricades have been put in place at Hays Bridge.  The barricades count as a linear obstacle when charging and cover in fire.

Royalist Center

Terrain Objectives
Hays Bridge is a Royalist held objective.  If lost -2 points from Royalist ABC. Recapture cancels this loss to ABC.

Cropredy Bridge is a Roundhead held objective.  If lost -2 points from Roundhead ABC.  Recapture cancels this loss to ABC.

If Waller’s Army reaches the Ash tree and the tree is within his lines, Waller concludes that the Royalists will be beaten and he releases his reserves.  The two auxiliary foote regiments at Bourton Hill may cross the Cherwell.

Who will be victorious?