Hundred Years War Campaign Finishes

After the last Hundred Years War game, which was an English major victory, the French forces were forced to retire away from the waiting ships. Leaving the way open for the English army to escape to the waiting ships.

The next campaign moves were going to be critical for the English as their army elements would be reducing in number and exposed to an attack. To move the English need to roll 3+ and French 4+. The dice rolls went the way of the English and two army elements with their baggage successfully boarded the waiting ships, while the third inched (quite literally) closer to escape.

The way to the ships is open 

So would their be a final game? No, the dice favoured the English again and the third, and final, army element made it to the ships. Unfortunate campaign activations have been a fairly consistent theme for the French who on more than one occasion had an opportunity to wreak some havoc on the English army, but for the some unlucky dice rolls. I must confess I was hoping for one more game out of this campaign.

The English army slips away

The book "War Game Campaigns" by Donald Featherstone was the source of inspiration and map for what turned out to be a most enjoyable campaign. The campaign rules were not used from the book, but a much simpler set were made up as the aim was to string together a series of games. Part of the 6x6 challenge to play 6 games using Lion Rampant rules (which did get some modification as the campaign games progressed).

The English ready to board their ships

The main objective of the campaign was to provide context and interest to the games, which they did. Here are some initial thoughts:

• The terrain drawn in each campaign square influenced the number and type of tabletop terrain features. This proved successful and the resulting dice generated terrain posed some interesting choices for the defender who always got to choose the side they wished to defend.
• The game set up worked out. It had the defender always deploying their first line of defence with 50 percent of their available units. The attacker then placed all their units in two lines. Then the defender placed all remaining units in a second defence line behind their first defensive line.
• The campaign stopped me from overloading the tabletop with too many units (a failing of mine). The more interesting games often had the fewest units.
• I allowed myself the latitude to make up some of the rules as the campaign went. For example, what to do with major vs minor victories. Allowing the victor of a major victory to determine the path of retreat for a defender.
• Campaign attrition worked out well. Another rule made up and based on some useful post comments. Where after every 3 games armies could field one less unit, unless the army element was accompanying the baggage (when the rule did not apply).
• The same campaign approach could work just as well with a campaign dealing with a relieving force trying to get to a besieged garrison.

What next? While I am still working through my longish running AWI campaign which is about two-thirds of the way through. I now need to give some thought to a WW1 1917-18 campaign for another 6x6 challenge.