4 Feb 2009 Scenario 10: The Important Bridge

This game was played solo using 40mm 16thC armies and Rough Wooing

It was back to Scotland in 1547 again for game 10. The French were Blue, the English, Red. I placed 3 companies for each scenario unit. I was short on Gensdarmes (hence the embarrassing temporary bases) so the English got lancers for heavy cavalry and Border horse for mediums. The French rapidly advanced and seized their side of the bridge while their Scottish allies closed in on the far side. The English led with their cavalry which chose to ford the river while their infantry went straight for the bridge.

The English border horse appeared early and clashed with the Scots border horse, both battles being effectively destroyed, the remnants eventually retreating without taking further part. The English cavalry, having moved beyond command range, stalled and suffered heavily from the Landsknecht arquebus fire. The Scots advanced rapidly and the Highlanders getting out of hand, moved through the wood and charged the English archers driving them off before falling back to the woods, hotly pursued by the Red coated Bills. Meanwhile the White coated 2nd English battle arrived and deployed to face the Scots. After a flurry of arrows which did serious damage to the Scots pike, the Bills charged forward driving the Scots back and cutting them down.

On the far side of the table, the French cavalry slowly moved around the wood and dispersed the remnants of the English cavalry then splashed across the river to attack the English archers and artillery. The river must have been deeper than it looked as they also had trouble crossing and suffered heavily from bow and cannon fire. Seizing the opportunity, the English foot charged across the bridge and drove back the German pikes but eventually the losses to arquebus fire, push of pike and lances shook the battle and it retreated. The French cavalry attacked and drove off the remnants but were themselves shaken by losses and retreated off table. Undaunted, the Whitecoats, having driven off the Scots, splashed across the river and attacked the Germans in the centre. After a series of charge and counter charge interspersed with volleys of arrows and arquebus and cannon fire, both sides suffered heavily but the German mercenaries cracked first and the English were left in control of the bridge. Sighhh, I was so sure my Scots and their allies would win this one.....