The 1460 Battle of Wakefield is next up on my gaming table. Battlefield has been laid out and troops mustered for battle. Now, there are many theories on the battle and why the Duke of York attacked out of Sandal Castle against what seemed unfavorable odds. A recent study by Lawson and Grummitt (Battle of Wakefield of 1460 Reconsidered) proposes that there was no battle at all!
Another, more traditional theory suggests that York attacked out of Sandal Castle to counter attacks against a returning foraging party. The foraging party theory is the one that sets the stage for my tabletop battle. To provide York incentive to come to the rescue of the foraging party, Rutland is placed at the head of the column.
Working up a scenario for refighting Wakefield, I needed to field a cart or two to make up a foraging column. The figure collections held no suitable rolling stock in 28mm for the game. Digging into The Lead Pile, I pulled out two ox carts from 1st Corps. These figures jumped to the front of the painting queue and are ready for Monday's first trial of the battle.
As for the battle, the table is set and Battle Briefing written. Despite latest research, a Battle of Wakefield will still be seen on my table.
Those carts are perfect
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteJonathan, surely it needs a castle - or at least a gateway!
ReplyDeleteNeil
While I could have plopped a castle down, I strategically situated the battlefield such that the castle is just off table.
DeleteThey look great... is there anything you don't have in your pile?
ReplyDeleteThanks! Can't say. I have never reached the bottom.
DeleteGreat looking carts Jonathan!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michal!
DeleteVery nice additions Jon -it must be nice to have a "magic lead pile" that always contains the figures you are looking for!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Keith! Having a "magic lead pile" is a luxury, indeed.
DeleteThe ox carts look great Jonathan, and I particularly like the effect you have achieved with the white-coats. They look like they are headed down the road right into danger.
ReplyDeleteThank you! York is hoping these oxen are headed away from danger.
DeleteAh yes, I see now. They had better hurry up then.
DeleteYes, Rutland and the carts are headed back toward Sandal Castle.
DeleteNice looking set up Jon and a different scenario, the ox look good too 👍
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt! You’re likely to see this via Zoom in the future.
DeleteThe carts look excellent, took me a while to track them down on their website, which tonight was running as slow as treacle.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing how Wakefield pans out.
Thanks! I had to look up “treacle” so we both had a bit of searching to do.
DeleteI am curious how Wakefield will play. My opponent chose to command the Yorkist Army. I reckon he is spoiling for an upset of history.
He may need a visit from Lady Luck!
DeleteI agree! But then, he is facing me so all bets are off.
DeleteLoire the blog post title. Nifty looking carts there, look forward to reading of the battle.
ReplyDeleteLike🙄 Goodness knows how it conjured that up.
DeleteThanks! Autocorrect is a fickle friend.
DeleteWas that meant to be "a fickle fiend"? 😁
DeleteGood one!
DeleteGreat looking carts and oxen Jonathan and another win for the Lead Pile!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ben! The Lead Pile is both deep and wide.
DeleteNice work on the carts, look really good. Look forward to seeing the battle report when it is done, not a battle I know very much about.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Really, here is not so much known about this battle and there are those who doubt Wakefield ever happened at all.
DeleteGreat work on those carts Jon and ones that would be useful across a few other periods too I'm sure. Looking forward to seeing how the battles goes as it is an interesting scenario for sure.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Steve! You are correct about the versatility of these carts. 1st Corps list these in their Cape Wars’ range. If you see the battle briefing, you be even more intrigued.
DeleteAlways glad to see carts on a table, realistic and superb!!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteInteresting looking set-up and those carts look brilliant. Your lead pile sounds like Saxony when Frederick the Great compared it to a sack of flour. “No matter how often you beat it something always comes out “.
ReplyDeleteChris/Nundanket
Much appreciated, Chris! Yes, my Lead Pile is much like a sack of flour…and Saxony.
DeleteOOh, deployment emergency fully met. Resources planned for even before you knew you needed. Very Zen.
ReplyDeleteVery Zen.
DeleteGreat work on the oxen treams and wagons
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt!
DeleteNice work on the ox carts Jon. You do have a convenient castle you know....
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, I DO have a convenient castle!
DeleteBaggage trains are an often overlooked part of gaming, nice work!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Baggage trains and limbers are usually the last to see paint here.
DeleteWow! I love these wagons. The ox was so typical for centuries up to the 17th century even for military use.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThe wagons look good; I think whatever the period, we all should have plenty of carts, wagons etc - supply convoys always worth fighting over!
ReplyDeleteBy coincidence over here in UK the Battlefields Trust had scheduled a talk (on Zoom) about Wakefield, it was going to be yesterday (13th Jan) but has been postponed. They do usually record them when they happen, so if it eventually goes ahead it may be available later..
Thanks, David! Let me know if the talk is available later.
DeleteGood looking carts and lucky that early you had prepared for your emergency, well done, still think you could do with the castle model down the side though!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks! Still need a castle model? Hmm. I guess I could plop one down just off playing area.
DeleteFine looking oxen and carts (of course). Such 'extras' always add greatly to the look of the battle (if it is possible to make yours look better!).
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, James
Thank you, James!
DeleteLooks good! Need an extra player?
ReplyDeleteThanks! With holidays passed, I will restart remote gaming shortly.
Delete