Trial by Fire (and Melee)

After writing about my take-aways from Dr. Jones' presentation on The Challenges and Pitfalls of an "Authentic" Medieval Wargame and the robust commentary that the post generated, I wondered why I began my Wars of the Roses (WotR) project in the first place.  With the compelling challenges laid before me, did I second guess my decision a little bit?  I did.  While the period may offer challenges and pitfalls to the wargamer, Medieval combat offers a style of combat not seen in exactly the same form in other periods.  Besides, I enjoyed building up moderately-sized armies of Perry's handsome 28mm plastic figures.  Despite any reservations and with armies already built, it would be a shame to scrap the project without even giving the period a reasonable effort.

Armies arrayed for battle.

With that, I created a (hopefully) working version of rules to put to the test.  Given the reservations brought up in the discussion in the link above, I wanted to see if the period could be gamed with enough decision points to make for interesting and challenging contests.  Richard (My Wargaming Habit) graciously accepted an invitation to put the rules through the paces in a first trial run.  Richard has posted a battle account of our test game and offered his First Impressions.  Richard's account is a good one.  I recommend visiting his blog to check out his thoughts on the game.  I appreciate Richard's feedback and insights.  Our post-game discussion will filter its way back into my thought process for consideration and possible rules' amendments. 

In this trial run, each army comprised three equal Battles/Wards but leadership was variable.  Before the battle began, we rolled for leader attributes for each command.  Richard chose to command the Yorkists (red dice).  Richard's Yorkists wound up having Inspiring, Brave, and Cautious commanders.  My Lancastrians (blue dice) ended up with Inspiring, Brave, and Timid commanders.

Battle deployment

Let's see how the battle played out.

The Yorkists begin battle all on Reserve orders.  As the Lancastrians advance, the Yorkists hurriedly change orders to meet the Lancastrians.  After an exchange of arrows from the longbowmen, the Yorkist Right attacks.  Passing through their own bowmen, the Yorkists push forward.  The Lancastrian bowmen, now opposite a thick body of enemy, fail to stand in the face of such imposing might.  They fall back behind their melee lines.

After an archery duel, the Yorkist right advances...

and the Lancastrians are pushed back.

The Yorkist melee line crashes into the Lancastrian melee line in close combat.  Lancastrians are driven back with loss, uncovering their own bowmen.  Caught a second time, the bowmen are forced back again.  Stopping their pursuit, the Yorkists hold firm control over the enemy's left having pushed the enemy back quite a distance.

In pursuit, Lancastrian archers fall back
 in the face of the enemy. 

In the middle of the battle lines, the Yorkist Center Battle wins the archery exchange.  Lancastrian archers are compelled to retire behind their melee line.  Without hesitation, the Yorkist commander leads his melee line of MAA and bill through his archers and into the enemy.  Fighting is vicious and many men fall.  Still, the fighting continues until the Lancastrians can take no more.  The Lancastrians fall back but the Yorkists do not pursue.

While the Lancastrian Center is being driven back, an extended archery duel opens on the Lancastrian Right.  With casualties mounting in both bodies of archers, a point quickly comes where Yorkist bowmen have had enough.  They withdraw back through their melee lines. 

Clash of MAA in the center.

Lancastrian Center falls back
 as an archery duel on the right begins.

Current state of the armies.

Now the time has come for the two melee lines to close.  In the initial clash, losses are heavy to both but the Lancastrians are the ones to fall back.  Seems the Lancastrians are being pushed back all across the battlefield!  After a brief respite to regroup, the Lancastrian Right advances back into the fray.  Again, the Lancastrians recoil with the Yorkists in hot pursuit.  The Lancastrian body of MAA breaks for the rear leaving the billmen isolated.  The body of Lancastrian bill holds its ground putting up a terrible fight.  The Yorkist MAA are destroyed before the Lancastrians fall back.  

Melee lines clash in the center...

and on the right.
The Lancastrians fall back.

Lancastrian MAA fall back after suffering heavily.

Lancastrian billmen stand alone.

The Yorkists do not let up.  Forward they come on again.  This time, the Yorkist Left pushes the archers forward to attack the Lancastrian bow.  Discarding their bows, the archers struggle for supremacy.  Finally, the Lancastrians gain the upper hand and the Yorkist archers scatter.  The Yorkist Left breaks!

Yorkist archers attack in an attempt to destroy the enemy.

Yorkist Left Breaks!

Back in the center of the battlefield, the Yorkist melee line goes in against enemy archers positioned in the front line.  Having taken heavy losses earlier, Lancastrian bowmen are trampled.  The bowmen rout but the fatigued Yorkists do not pursue.

Lancastrian archers vanish in the center.

With the Lancastrian Army pushed nearly off the battlefield on both wings and army cohesion showing great stress, the Lancastrian Left attacks!  Fortunately, the Yorkist Right has been roughly handled as well.  In the initial clash, the Yorkist Right loses its lead melee line of MAA.  In a follow-on attack, the Yorkists lose the billmen as well.  The Yorkist Right breaks!  As the Right breaks away from combat and with the Left already broken and disengaging, this battle is over.  The Lancastrians pull off an unexpected victory!  

Lancastrian Left goes in again!

Breaking the Yorkist Right!

Now, looking at the battlefield once the dust settles, we see just how close the Lancastrian Army was to breaking itself.  Had two of the three Lancastrian Wings taken only one hit more, the Lancastrian Army would be the army retreating from the field.

Lancastrians on the verge of collapse.

Wow!  This was a tight game that I figured the Lancastrians were going to lose after seeing initial Yorkist successes everywhere.

Richard's Yorkist Army pushed my Lancastrians around like they had no weight.  With heavy fighting, each encounter weakened us both.  At the end, both armies were teetering on the brink.  Luckily, my Lancastrians managed to get in the final and decisive blow to send the Yorkists reeling.

That was really tense and exciting fun.  Thanks to Richard for his thoughtful play and helpful suggestions along the way.  Game took about two-and-a-half hours with discussion throughout.

Did this feel like a Medieval battle?  Did the rules achieve my goals set out?  I will save those thoughts for a follow up retrospective on the rules, themselves, and the lessons learned from this initial trial by fire.  Foremost, the rules survived First Contact, and I enjoyed the game.  Another test is on deck for next week.