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.
new layout with forest and 'tufts' to break up the otherwise flat green spaces |
new forest |
new forest with an older "weeble tree" in front to the left |
new trees and a village with gravel road |
new trees now with a old foam tree in the photo center |
the new trees look great |
as a massed forest they look excellent |
the village comes off looking better with the rough trees and hedges |
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.
overview of table |
Royalist lines |
Royalist left flank horse |
center of the village |
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.
opening positions, seeing the Parliament rushing to get into position to control the river crossing |
as with most battles, the early game is one of maneuver |
each 'turn' has a variable number of cards which determine which units or commanders move or take action, one at a time |
these early moves were simply photographed from a stationary camera to see the moves |
essentially the early 'decks' had more Parliament moves happen than Royalist ... |
though a Royalist horse troop did push hard into the line ... getting shot away by a pike and shotte unit |
this did not work out well for the Royalist plans |
now the Parliament lines could move together |
Parliament artillery also actually managed to get a hit! |
though the tough blew regiment did not flinch |
while the horse (seen in the left of the image) were busy 'rallying' rearward |
another deck, limited moves |
still another deck, now at least the Royalist left wing horse were on the move (top right of image) |
overall command of the Royalists had made efforts to stop the routing horse |
only just barely stopping them from fleeing the tabletop |
they had halted at the very edge of the village |
the lines were facing off now with musketry starting |
shotte and pistols in the fore and exchanging volleys to the rear |
the Royalist left wing horse took some hits from artillery |
this caused a pause in the Royalist plan |
Royalist high command re-positioned to be ready to help both wings |
the horse were half destroyed, a decision was needed |
meanwhile the Parliament forces were pouring on the fire ... |
the next deck |
a horse unit that was only inches from fleeing ... had turned around |
unfortunately the other shaken horse had routed |
and routed |
so the final remaining horse was going to have to do the job alone ... with the wing commander attached |
Parliament now needed to get victory before the Royalist horse could reach to the flank |
so the fire fights were going to be vicious |
now the battle of maneuver had begun |
the deck obliged and managed to permit the Royalist horse to ride deep in the flank |
Artillery had been readied ... |
while the Parliament commander scrambled to get foot to support that gun |
while at the same time routing the Royalist blew foot |
now the remaining reds were going to have to hold off twice their number |
the Royalist banner can be seen beyond the woods |
peek a boo in the trees |
next to last deck (I had decided that 20 was the limit for this battle) |
the Royalist flank attack had been hit by artillery |
the view was just enough |
though the morale check was passed since the commander was attached |
meanwhile the rest of the army was rushing to cover |
in the shadow of the hill more Parliament troops were rushing to the right flank |
even as a horse troop of Parliament had failed |
scene of three horse clashes, now the reds were being forced back ... |
while the blews were finally routed off the table |
other horse troops were managing to hold on |
army command were called upon to keep the reds in the battle |
final deck positions |
the last Royalist horse attack |
held in check by a pike & shotte unit |
more foot were coming |
the last acts |
with Parliament army commander attached the pike & shotte drove off the Royalist horse |
holding at the side of the river ford, the Parliament had seized the river crossing |
a Parliament horse unit could not muster up enough courage to charge the last Royalist foote |
while more Royalist horse fled the field |
it took the brigade command's life and a continuing effort from the Royalist commander to stop the rout of the reds |
the battle's end |
my home-made quick game deck |
losses |
I'll finish off with a few more photos of the table at game's end.