Solden Hill, Another Look

Peter (Grid based wargaming - but not always) joined me in a remote game on Wednesday (Thursday for Peter) to bring the Battle of Solden Hill (see Battle of Solden Hill for scenario specifics) out for an encore performance.  While this was Peter's first crack at the game, he is quite familiar with the OHW scenario.  Peter chose to command the Yorkist Army (blue dice) in this contest.  I commanded the Lancastrians (red dice).

Pembroke, alone on Solden Hill

Somerset and Northumberland

Yorkist army of Edward, Stanley, and Suffolk

The battle opens with Pembroke positioned alone on the high ground of Solden Hill.  Stanley advances on Solden Hill with Suffolk advancing on his right.  The King, Peter, holds back in reserve.  In the initial missile fire, Stanley's archers hit Pembroke's Battle.  In a calamitous way to start the action, Pembroke's archers break under fire and his whole ward retires from the high ground.  I hope this is not a harbinger of things to come!    

Pembroke retires from his dominant position.

Having fallen back so unceremoniously, Pembroke recovers and finds himself in an archery duel.  While Stanley gains a foothold on the hill with his archers leading the way, Suffolk pushes his melee line through his archers and arrives at the foot of the hill, adjacent.  Edward decides that now is the time to make his grand entrance onto the battlefield.  The King moves up on Suffolk's Right.  Looks like the Yorkists are trying to outflank the Lancastrians by putting Pembroke under pressure early.  Somerset marches onto the battlefield from the north to support Pembroke.  As Somerset reaches the hill, Stanley's archers fire into Somerset and then retire back through their melee line.  Stanley's melee line advances up the hill to replace the archers.  

Archery duel.

Stanley and Suffolk move up with Edward in support.

The battle lines close.

While all three Yorkist Battles have come up and formed into line abreast, Northumberland remains to fully come up on Somerset's Right.

Yorkist Army ready to rumble.
Lancastrians not all there, yet!

Choosing not to wait for Northumberland to come into the fray, Stanley charges forward into Somerset.  In a long hack and bash melee, both melee lines are taking casualties and losing cohesion.  Finally, Somerset is forced to retire.  Still despite his losses, Stanley follows up in pursuit.  Somerset is sent backwards once more but in the fighting Stanley's body of MAA is destroyed.

As Stanley and Somerset are locked in extended mortal combat, Northumberland has time to maneuver his Battle inward toward the fighting.  The problem Northumberland faces is that he cannot encourage his ward to go over on to the attack.  When Somerset is driven back and Stanley's MAA scattered, Northumberland finally sees his men take to the attack.  He strikes!  Into the unsupported billmen Northumberland charges.  Standing firm, Stanley's billmen repel the enemy.  Hoorah!  Perhaps, Northumberland was not completely convinced that attacking was the right choice?

Northumberland attacks Stanley's bill...

and Northumberland is repulsed!

Seeing both Northumberland and Somerset repulsed, Suffolk moves up to take command of the high ground while the King swings around on the right.  The two Yorkist Battles face only one Lancastrian Battle.  Peter announces that Pembroke will be on the receiving end of a one-two punch!     

Yorkists poised for a one-two punch against Pembroke.

The King attacks!  Pembroke's archers see the writing on the wall and fall back through their own melee line before the King can close.  The King and Pembroke fight desperately.  Both Pembroke and the King are wounded in the melee.  Poor Pembroke is carried from the field by the enemy!  The King falls back but is determined to fight on despite his wounds.  Seeing the King under pressure, Suffolk's melee line comes down from the heights.  Suffolk hits Pembroke driving him backwards.  Unfortunately for Suffolk, he cannot encourage his melee line forward into pursuit.

Facing overwhelming odds, Pembroke is driven back.

Battle overview

The King has a second body of MAA, however, and those lads are sent into the fray with billmen in support.  This time, the outcome is different.  The King's melee line smashes into Pembroke and Pembroke is pushed back.  Pembroke's archers flee!  Exhausted, Edward does not immediately pursue allowing Pembroke a brief moment to rally.  Brief moment, indeed!  Edward re-energizes his troops and back into Pembroke he goes. The mounting pressure on Pembroke is too much.  Pembroke breaks and quite the field!  

Edward charges into Pembroke...

pushing him back.

Pembroke rallies but Edward hits him again!

Having seen Pembroke off, Edward turns toward the center to finish off these usurpers.  Before the King can swing around to re-enter the fray, Somerset strikes into Suffolk.  Fighting is brutal.  While Suffolk's MAA are destroyed, these men fight hard enough to see Somerset's first melee line off.  Losses are heavy for Somerset.  Somerset commands a second melee line composed of MAA with archers in support.  Passing through his now exhausted first melee line, Somerset hits Suffolk driving him back upon supports.  As Somerset pursues Suffolk back up the hill, Somerset's first melee line is uncovered.  The Lancastrians have regained Solden Hill!  Before Somerset's first melee line has a chance to rally, Edward smashes into them scattering them to the winds. 

Somerset attacks Suffolk!

Edward destroys Somerset's first melee line...

as Somerset pursues Suffolk.

Back on the Lancastrian Right, Northumberland goes in against Stanley.  Using a series of clever tactical moves, Stanley brings his archers to the fore, lets loose a volley of arrows before falling back through his bill as Northumberland closes.  Already much depleted from earlier efforts, Stanley's archers are successful in destroying Northumberland's body of MAA before the enemy can close.  In the following clash, Northumberland's unsupported billmen are scattered.  Northumberland breaks!

Northumberland charges in...

loses his MAA...

and then loses his bill!
Northumberland breaks!

Even though Edward is now in position to mop up the remaining Lancastrians, with two of three Battles broken, the Lancastrian Army has endured enough, Somerset lays down his arms.  This battle is over.

The Lancastrian Army is broken!

Edward's ward poised for more.

With Suffolk looking on, Somerset lays down his arms.

A decisive Yorkist victory!  Congratulations, Peter, for a finely played contest.  Mid-game and even after Pembroke fled the field, I figured the Lancastrians not only held Solden Hill but were in position to deliver heavy blows to both Stanley and Suffolk.  It was not to be.  Northumberland's tardy commitment to battle and some clever tactics by Stanley held Northumberland at bay until he could be destroyed.  Stanley's archers performed marvelously on this day.  Although wounded in the action, Edward retains his crown.

Post-game discussion centered on expanding yet simplifying leader priorities and a future test on a non-gridded table.

Great job, Peter, and thank you for an entertaining contest!  Game duration just under three hours.