The new model forest got put into action for the first time in a solo-play action battle using some ECW troops (on their new teddy bear fur bases) and Victory Without Quarter rules set.
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| new layout with forest and 'tufts' to break up the otherwise flat green spaces |
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| new forest |
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| new forest with an older "weeble tree" in front to the left |
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| new trees and a village with gravel road |
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| new trees now with a old foam tree in the photo center |
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| the new trees look great |
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| as a massed forest they look excellent |
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| the village comes off looking better with the rough trees and hedges |
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| a lone copse with a large tree upon a low rise ... |
The 'battle' was to see a 4 horse 2 foot force of Royalists coming out from the village against a Parliamentary force of 3 horse and 3 foot with 2 light guns.
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| overview of table |
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| Royalist lines |
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| Royalist left flank horse |
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| center of the village |
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| Parliament command |
It took a few more minutes to sort out the 'cards' needed to run a game of Victory Without Quarter using the troops given.
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| opening positions, seeing the Parliament rushing to get into position to control the river crossing |
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| as with most battles, the early game is one of maneuver |
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| each 'turn' has a variable number of cards which determine which units or commanders move or take action, one at a time |
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| these early moves were simply photographed from a stationary camera to see the moves |
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| essentially the early 'decks' had more Parliament moves happen than Royalist ... |
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| though a Royalist horse troop did push hard into the line ... getting shot away by a pike and shotte unit |
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| this did not work out well for the Royalist plans |
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| now the Parliament lines could move together |
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| Parliament artillery also actually managed to get a hit! |
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| though the tough blew regiment did not flinch |
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| while the horse (seen in the left of the image) were busy 'rallying' rearward |
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| another deck, limited moves |
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| still another deck, now at least the Royalist left wing horse were on the move (top right of image) |
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| overall command of the Royalists had made efforts to stop the routing horse |
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| only just barely stopping them from fleeing the tabletop |
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| they had halted at the very edge of the village |
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| the lines were facing off now with musketry starting |
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| shotte and pistols in the fore and exchanging volleys to the rear |
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| the Royalist left wing horse took some hits from artillery |
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| this caused a pause in the Royalist plan |
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| Royalist high command re-positioned to be ready to help both wings |
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| the horse were half destroyed, a decision was needed |
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| meanwhile the Parliament forces were pouring on the fire ... |
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| the next deck |
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| a horse unit that was only inches from fleeing ... had turned around |
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| unfortunately the other shaken horse had routed |
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| and routed |
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| so the final remaining horse was going to have to do the job alone ... with the wing commander attached |
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| Parliament now needed to get victory before the Royalist horse could reach to the flank |
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| so the fire fights were going to be vicious |
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| now the battle of maneuver had begun |
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| the deck obliged and managed to permit the Royalist horse to ride deep in the flank |
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| Artillery had been readied ... |
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| while the Parliament commander scrambled to get foot to support that gun |
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| while at the same time routing the Royalist blew foot |
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| now the remaining reds were going to have to hold off twice their number |
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| the Royalist banner can be seen beyond the woods |
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| peek a boo in the trees |
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| next to last deck (I had decided that 20 was the limit for this battle) |
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| the Royalist flank attack had been hit by artillery |
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| the view was just enough |
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| though the morale check was passed since the commander was attached |
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| meanwhile the rest of the army was rushing to cover |
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| in the shadow of the hill more Parliament troops were rushing to the right flank |
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| even as a horse troop of Parliament had failed |
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| scene of three horse clashes, now the reds were being forced back ... |
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| while the blews were finally routed off the table |
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| other horse troops were managing to hold on |
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| army command were called upon to keep the reds in the battle |
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| final deck positions |
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| the last Royalist horse attack |
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| held in check by a pike & shotte unit |
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| more foot were coming |
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| the last acts |
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| with Parliament army commander attached the pike & shotte drove off the Royalist horse |
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| holding at the side of the river ford, the Parliament had seized the river crossing |
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| a Parliament horse unit could not muster up enough courage to charge the last Royalist foote |
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| while more Royalist horse fled the field |
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| it took the brigade command's life and a continuing effort from the Royalist commander to stop the rout of the reds |
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| the battle's end |
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| my home-made quick game deck |
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| losses |
I'll finish off with a few more photos of the table at game's end.
