Hundred Years War - Game 4 of 6x6 Challenge

Game 4 of the Hundred Years War has the tail of the escaping English army defending against chasing French forces.

French forces line up. The tent represents their baggage.

The English under the command of Sir John Chewford take up defensive positions.

The French are able to muster a large force under the overall command of Duc Duclos. The English army struggling to escape to their ships was beginning to suffer casualties from the few battles and could only field a small force.

The amended campaign rules reduce the available forces by one unit for both sides after every 3 battles. This is to represent casualties on the field of battle and the campaign conditions of a medieval army the march. The rule does not apply the overall commanders who are moving with the army's baggage. The French get the option to boost the units they field whenever the battle is near a town or village.

From a campaign view point this puts pressure for the English to get to their ships as quickly as possible. While the French want to engage in battle (win or lose) as frequently as they can to wear down the English forces. As they always can draw upon town based forces to bolster their numbers, which will become more telling as the campaign progresses.

French Force
1 x Mounted Men at Arms units
3 x Foot Men at Arms units
2 x Foot Sergeants units
3 x Crossbow units

English Force
2 x Foot Men at Arms
2 x Foot Sergeants units
2 x Bowmen units

The French under command of Duc Duclos start with a two pronged attack on the church in the centre of the English line and towards the nearby town.

A view from the French position

French forces move up and bowmen start shooting at each other on the flanks. The brown felt with lichen represent difficult terrain.

The fighting around the church was a to and fro affair with the defending English units holding off the French attempts to cease control. The flank attack towards the town by a unit of Men at Arms was looking much more promising as they moved forward supported by a unit of Crossbows.

On their left flank French Men at Arms push forwards while their centre attempts to take the church.

The attacking French Men at Arms were proving to be very successful and disruptive to the English defence.

While fighting continued around the town and church French forces were able to move up in an orderly line and prepare for the second assault upon the English line, once their reserves started to be committed.

While fighting was taking place around the church and town, the remaining French forces move up in an orderly line ready for the second phase of attacks.

Constant pressure by the larger French force was beginning to tell. While unit losses were even, the English line had taken quite a few hits.

The taking of the church was not going to be easy as defenders were putting up stiff resistance

Sir John Chewford brings his last reserves into the line to see off the French Men at Arms who had proved their worth on the flank.

With all English reserves committed the French line moved forward to use their numerical strength to their advantage.

All English reserves had been committed into the battle and while unit losses were even at this stage of the battle. The English line of defence was looking tired once the church was captured

The English right flank under pressure.

Once the church was lost the English forces because fragmented and the mounted French reserve was brought into the fighting to help pick off areas of resistance.

French reserves move in and the English fate is sealed

Out numbered by 2:1 and with forces reduced to less than fifty percent. The English opt to retire and not let the French get a major victory. 

The game may well have been a foregone conclusion, but the English were fighting for either a draw  or a minor loss. A major victory to the French would have allowed them to dictate the line of retreat of Sir John's forces which needed to fallback to the main force. So it was an important result for both sides, as it saw the French reverse their previous losses and the English army remain consolidated on the campaign map.