ECW Campaign Game 7 Report

The campaign year 1642 continues with the Battle of Brecknok. Royalist and Parliamentarian forces are deployed ready for battle close to the River Wye which flows nearby.

Forces are deployed - the river is only crossable by bridge

Map of battle deployment

Having decided to introduce a game clock and with the battle starting at 9am. I found my old game clock to track the hourly turns. However, for the narrative of this report I am not sure the precision of a clock is suitable for an English Civil War game. Instead I have gone with: dawn, early morning, mid-morning, late morning, midday, early afternoon, mid-afternoon, late afternoon, early evening, evening, and dusk.

The game clock was used to track time

Midway through the morning after seeing Parliamentarian forces were in no hurry to make a move, the Royalist commander began moving his forces forward in a general advance.

On the Royalist left flank Parliamentarian cavalry quickly engage advancing cavalry. While Royalist commanded shot move forward on the near river bank.

By late morning the first round of cavalry combat is over. Honours going to the Royalists. Their centre continues to advance with difficulty through the fields.

The Royalist centre traverse fields in a rather disorganised manner. Their cavalry have seen off their opposition, but are in a rather disorganised state after the melee.

Parliamentarian dragoons engage the Commanded Shot as they move along the opposite river bank.

Parliamentarian cavalry reserve rout the Royalist cavalry. 

At Midday both sides had their wins and loses on the flanks and all was looking fairly even.

Along the river bank both sides push forward infantry units to support their dragoons

The reserve cavalry from both sides engage on the flank for a second cavalry melee.

By early afternoon the battle is in full swing with centres of both armies closing for the final phase of the battle.

The Royalist centre begins to move forward while the Parliamentarian commander moves his last unit of cavalry reserve across to the right flank.

The Royalist cavalry rout their counterparts and prepare to receive an attack from the last unit of Parliamentarian cavalry.

Mid-afternoon and the powerful Royalist centre begins its attack.

The Royalist centre now organised after clearing the fields engage in musketry fire.

Both centres close as they run out of ammunition and engage in push of pike.

4pm late afternoon after push of pike the larger Royalist centre overwhelm the Parliamentarians.

After a push of pike Royalists are victorious 

A victory to the Royalist cause and Wales is under their control.

Battle movements