Saturday 5 October 2019

ECW Campaign - Battle of Fernhurst

In September 1645 Parliament was under pressure for a victory having lost control of the West Midlands earlier in the year. They were able to muster an army and marched on the Southern Coast region.
Campaign map showing the planned Parliamentarian advance on teh South Coastal region.
Having forgotten to use the campaign cards in the last game. I opted to draw two cards this campaign move. Parliament received support from Scotland and will gain an extra infantry unit for the remainder of 1644. They also received a Royalist card so this was ignored.


Royalist forces will also receive an additional unit during 1644 as the Queen had been successful at raising funds abroad, but they too have to ignore a card.

Parliament was unable to recruit a large marching force, and was very grateful for the additional Scottish unit. While the Royalist cause was well supported and news of earlier victories having swelled their numbers. The orders of battle are...

Parliament's Forces

  • 4 Foot
  • 1 Commanded Shot
  • 4 Horse
Royalist Forces
  • 5 Foot
  • 1 Commanded Shot
  • 2 Dragoon
  • 3 Horse
  • 2 Guns
Terrain cards were drawn and Parliament, being the smaller force, selected their side first. The only change was made by the Royalist side to rotate a card to place a wood further forward to provide cover.

Terrain cards are dealt.
Parliament selects a side first as the smaller force. While Royalists make a minor change on their left flank.
On to the game...

Units were deployed. The Parliamentarian commander set his centre between to the woods and buildings. On his left flank commanded shot held the woods and on the right flank all Parliament's horse units were combined. His hope was to charge around the woods and attack the Royalist rear.

Recognising the cavalry risk the Royalist commander duly held a large group of foot units in reserve. Other than that his deployment was fairly standard with horse units on each flank supported by dragoons.

Units are deployed.
The Battle of Fernhurst - September 1644
The battle began with Parliament pushing forward their centre and attacking on the right flank with all their horse units. Royalist horse and dragoons were soon engaged on the flank.


Early moves
Cavalry engagement
On the other flank Royalist forces pushed forward to engage the Parliamentarian centre which had moved forward to engage. While their artillery maintained a slow and steady bombardment.

Expecting to lose the cavalry engagement, Royalist reserves position themselves to counter a cavalry attack. 
The Royalist attack on their right flank had mixed results. Their dragoons suffered heavily from musketry by the commanded shot in the wood and were forced to make a hasty withdrawal. Their horse charged Parliament's centre which had been sustained a steady bombardment from their guns, but the centre was able to repulse the charging horse.

Royalist horse charge Parliament's centre.
On the other flank Parliament's cavalry had been successful in winning the cavalry engagement. Their planned move on the Royalist rear was frustrated by well positioned Royalist units. They chose to regroup and retire to their lines.

Royalist reserve units block the path of the victorious cavalry.
Both forces regroup and the battle concludes in a draw.
Both sides flank attacks had failed to provide the results they wanted. It was late afternoon and neither commander wanted to make another attack, and with losses equal the Battle of Fernhurst was a draw.
Battle moves
A draw will mean another battle will be fought on the South Coast as both forces regroup and reorganise.

15 comments:

  1. What determined the settling for a draw? Was it your decision as the player for both sides or was it rule mechanic coming into play?

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    1. In this game it was the player's call as neither side looked like being in a position to seize victory. The Royalist commander could not easily push forward with all his foot units due the threat of Parliament's cavalry.

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  2. Parliament can't afford to lose the replay! Great report Peter.

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    1. Yes, another loss and 1644 will be a bad year for Parliament.

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  3. I am really liking the size of these engagements.

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    1. The use of 10 to 12 units seem to be about the right number for this size of tabletop, and uses about 70 percent of my available units.

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    2. The Rule of 12 in practice. A dozen BMUs per side produces very enjoyable games without becoming overwhelming.

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  4. A technical victory for Parliament. They won the cavalry battle. They should have superiority in horse in the next battle

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    1. Both sides will start with the same forces, but will be able to re-roll on one of their troop types in the hope of improving their order of battle. This will be an advantage to Parliament who in this game rolled badly on dragoons.

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  5. I admire your battlemaps - are they hand-drawn? The handwriting in particular is so clear and regular (mine's atrocious) that I did wonder if you had a true type font?

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    1. Yes, the maps are hand drawn and coloured using textures. And it is my hand writing - I write slowly.

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  6. I'm watching the progress of this campaign with interest.

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    1. Thanks for the support I'm pleased you are enjoying the campaign.

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  7. Excellent stuff, Peter! Your maps are works or art.

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    1. Thank you. There is one typo. I put 1644 and not 1645 by mistake.

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