English – FC, 3 x TC, 1 x 4 LF, 1 x 4 LH, 2 x 6 LB, 4 x 8 LB, 1 x 6 Kn, 1 x 6 Dr HF, 1 x 6 Undr HF, 1 x 8 HF, 1 x 4 XB
Ordonnance Burgundian – TC, FC, Ally TC, 2 x 6 Kn, 1 x 4 LF HG, 1 x 4 LH XB, 1 x 8 HF, 3 x 8 LB, 2 x 6 LB, 3 x 4 MF XB
My opponent chose the compulsory open field leaving me with the gentle hill. He added 3 enclosed fields and I chose the remaining 3 open fields and a marsh. All of the terrain stayed on the table with the marsh and gentle hill playing very little part in the game. 2 of the open fields fell in the centre of the table and would be the focus for most of the action that followed.
The OB deployed in a linear formation across most of the width of the table whereas my deployment was a little more in depth to give me some more options on manoeuvre. The FC came up trumps again and I had the first move.
English deployment
OB deployment
The OB army included a WoR Yorkist ally - 2 x 8 MF LB and 1 x 8 HF billmen. These 3 BGs occupied the enemy centre and the billmen were the obvious target for my Gascon Knights. I suspect that billmen will be reclassified as polearms in V3 but for now they are HW. My plan was fairly simple. Collapse my left flank and delay the enemy right flank whilst attacking in the centre and right.
My opponent advanced his line but the ally TC could only bring 2 of his 3 BGs in a double move.
His right flank would be delayed by my LH whereas his left flank was opposed by 2 BGs of LB and 1 BG of HF billmen. Realising that he was potentially on a hiding to nothing, the left most Knights turned about to avoid being shot to pieces. On reflection this was probably the turning point in the game. Neither of the OB Knight BGs - over 200 AP - would play a meaningful part in the game.
The withdrawal of the Knights allowed my LB to gang up on the enemy LB. Early shooting was fairly inconsequential but his handgunners lost a base and dropped a level. This would be enough to keep them away for most of the game as well.
In the centre the traitorous English billmen contracted their frontage to reduce the impact of the Gascon charge. Fortunately for me my Gascons failed their CMT not to charge and burst through the screening LF - happy days! The billmen disrupted on impact and in a couple of turns would be routed with no damage taken by the Gascons.
My superior numbers of shooters started to tell with the enemy beginning to shed bases and disrupt across the line. After some fairly average to disappointing shooting dice I was delighted to see 9 hits inflicted on his allied LB BG and he lost 2 bases - I don't think I've ever seen that before.
We weren't having it all our own way though. The OB right wing was making itself felt and weight of numbers were now against me. My left hand LB BG went disrupted to shooting whereupon it was charged by the OB LB. Things went badly very quickly and were compounded by snake eyes on my CT. The subsequent rout disrupted the supporting HF and the Irish LF. Some serious muppetry on my part meant that my routing BG would burst through both of these BGs and another BG of LB. This meant the HF were now fragmented and charged in flank which saw them quickly head off also in rout. A round of shooting was enough to rout the Irish so in a short space of time I'd lost 3 BGs. Not good. I would eventually rally the LF but despite several attempts could not recover either of the other two.
Strangely there is no photographic record of this debacle but it is forever etched in my memory. The remaining photos were poor quality – must do better next time.
Back in the centre the Gascons charged the routing HF again which saw them removed at the end of the JAP. This put the enemy baggage in their sights so they just kept going. We had an enjoyable few turns of the OB XB and HG shooting at the Gascons. I'd go disrupted. They'd miss. I'd rally. I'd go disrupted again etc. But eventually the camp was theirs.
The remaining LB BGs were facing off against each other and as before weight of numbers was the telling factor in my favour.
The OB collapsed in defeat whilst the English lost just 4 AP.
It was a great game with both sides fielding entirely Average armies - not a Superior in sight. I had tried my list with superiors but found the lack of rear support to be a major issue. I didn't feel I'd used my HF very well and was tempted to tweak my list but decided to stick with it. So how did it get on at Britcon?