Scenario design and new findings.

[ZeaBed]

I hope this is not too far off-topic, but it could be considered to have some impact on scenario design, at least on the purely historical side. Although it deals with the Battle of Bosworth Field and the newer excavations and archeological findings, it underscores the changing historical view on ancient and medieval records of many battles.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 329251.stm

[stockwellpete]

Yes, I expect there are many, many similar examples, Zeabed. The Battle of Barnet 1471 from the Wars of the Roses could well be another one. The archaeologists are hoping to do further digs in the not too distant future to see if the current site suggested for the battle is still correct. A lot of the scenarios that are made are much older than the WotR battles and our information is often very sketchy.

Often the most we can do is offer our own interpretation from the limited information available. I have done a version of Bosworth but it is quite possible that I have one of the Stanley contingents in the wrong place. I made the decision to put them as I have done on the basis that it would make a better wargame with the Lancastrians all on the same half of the map. If we could set differential rout directions for the various contingents then I may have made a different choice.

One good thing about the ambiguities associated with many of these battles is that it gives room for designers to provide alternative depictions of them - personally, I think this is a good thing ad adds to the interest of our hobby.

[ZeaBed]

The interesting thing about Bosworth specifically is that according to the diggers it appears that Richard did not fight from Ambion Hill but was in a point much farther south. If this keeps up osprey is going to have to redo many of its battle books!