Who is very interested in the Wars of the Roses? (now available!)

[stockwellpete]

The reason that I am asking is that I have a 2-player text campaign almost ready, to be used in conjunction with FOG2 Medieval, that will create an alternative history for the tumultuous period between 1455 and 1487. I did provide this for FOG1 many years ago and it was successfully play-tested then a number of times. Since then, I have periodically worked on it, read more books about the conflict and then included some updates and refinements.

Back then I actually provided my own scenarios for each major battle. I haven't done this so far this time, but I could be persuaded if there is enough interest. At the moment the campaign can be played using the basic "custom battle" facility in the game. My idea for the scenarios is to make them "short and "snappy" so players can progress the campaign at a decent speed. I am trialling on Towton 1461, which was the biggest of the WOTR battles, and it fits comfortably within a 32x32 battlefield where the armies start in longbow range of each other.

The campaign involves a minimal amount of record-keeping that involves keeping a tally of victory points and who's still breathing among each faction's royal claimants and commanders. Apart from the battles, there are other elements such as pursuits, executions, ransom and succession events. Either wipe out the other faction's royal claimants for a knock-out or score more victory points than your opponent if it goes the distance.

[matt3916]

I'm in.

[Doyley50]

Definitely interested.

[stockwellpete]

OK, so 2 people so far. Once you have expressed an interest just check this thread periodically over the next couple of weeks for updates and a few previews of the campaign. I have started work on the scenarios now.

[stockwellpete]

WOTR 2-player text campaign preview number 1

Royal characters in each faction
The campaign starts with the Lancastrian king Henry VI (1412-1471) firmly on the throne. He is not a military leader and is available in the campaign until 1483. The “order of succession” cannot be altered. Royal characters will succeed to the throne, or become the leading rebel claimant, in the order laid out below. The dates in brackets are the actual historical lifespans of each particular character, but as this campaign provides an "alternative history" then they may die before, or live beyond those dates.

The Lancastrian order of succession to the throne
1) Prince Edward of Westminster, (1453-1471) – available from 1469 to 1487.
2) Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, (1436-1464) - available from 1459 to 1487 (only becomes Duke of Somerset before 1465 if Edmund Beaufort is killed).
3) Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, (1438-1471) – available from 1459 to 1487 (only becomes Duke of Somerset if Henry Beaufort is killed).
4) Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, (1457-1509) – available from 1483 to 1487.

The Yorkist order of succession to the throne
1) Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York (- 1460) – available from 1459 to 1483.
2) Edward Plantagenet, Earl of March, (1442-1483) – available from 1459 to 1487.
3) Edmund, Earl of Rutland (1443-1460) – available from 1459 to 1487.
4) George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence (1449-1478) – available from 1469 to 1487.
5) Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester (1452-1485) – available from 1469 to 1487.

[Karvon]

Always enjoyed Kingmaker; count me in.

Karvon

[stockwellpete]

WOTR 2-player text campaign preview number 2

I am toying with the idea of providing two versions of the campaign - one will be a shorter campaign with just the main battles in it and the other will be a longer campaign with all of the more obscure battles included as well. I could then concentrate on designing the scenarios for the main battles first and then add the others later on.

Updated 21/7

Provisional battle roster for shorter campaign
1. Blore Heath 1459 . . . ready to play
2. Northampton 1460 . . . ready to play
3. Wakefield 1460 . . . playtesting completed, just scenario scripts to add
4. Mortimer's Cross 1460 . . . at playtesting stage
5. St Albans (second) 1461 . . . ready to play
6. Towton 1461 . . . playtesting completed, just scenario scripts to add
7. Barnet 1471 . . . playtesting completed, just scenario scripts to add
8. Tewkesbury 1471 . . . playtesting completed, just scenario scripts to add
9. Bosworth Field 1485 . . . playtesting completed, just scenario scripts to add
10. Stoke Field 1487 . . . playtesting completed, just scenario scripts to add

Definite additional battles for longer campaign
1. St Albans (first) 1455 . . . at playtesting stage
2. Ludford Bridge 1459
3. Ferrybridge 1461 . . . at playtesting stage
4. Hedgeley Moor 1464 . . . ready to play
5. Hexham 1464

[edb1815]

I have hundreds of miniatures for the WoTR, so I am in as well!

[stockwellpete]

WOTR 2-player text campaign preview number 3

One of the areas of the game that will be a bit different in the scenarios for this game will be the way archery and firearms/artillery is handled. I am talking to Richard and Paul at the moment about exactly I want to do and it should be possible for Richard to write a couple of scripts that can be used in all the scenarios. They will possibly include the following ideas . . .

1) there will be no separate longbowmen units
2) the mixed billmen/longbowmen units will have a limited number of shots in the battle (usually quite a bit less than 5)
3) mixed billmen/longbowmen units will not be able to shoot at all once their ammunition reaches zero
4) there will be no missile skirmisher units, apart from hand gunners
5) hand gunners and artillery units will also face similar shooting penalties as mixed billmen/longbowmen units
6) weather bonuses and penalties should be a bit more noticeable for all missile units in these scenarios

The main reason for this approach is that WOTR battles were essentially melee battles, whereas the impact from missile fire from either side tended to be fairly similar. There were a few exceptions to this e.g. Towton.

Edit: the scenario scripts for archery will also penalise moving and shooting in the same turn very heavily.

[stockwellpete]

WOTR 2-player text campaign preview number 4

Here are the commander rosters for the Lancastrian and Yorkist factions. Remember: the Yorkists do have an extra character in their family tree roster.


Lancastrian commanders
1) Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (1406-1455) – available 1455 to 1465
2) Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham (1402-60) – available 1455 to 1465.
3) Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland (1393-1455) - available 1455 to 1465.
4) John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury (1417-60) – available 1459 to 1465.
5) Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter (1430-75) – available 1459 to 1487.
6) Thomas Courtenay, Earl of Devon (1432-61) – available 1459 to 1487.
7) James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire (1420-61) – available 1459 to 1471
8 Jasper Tudor (1431-95) – available 1459 to 1471.
9) Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (1428-71) - available 1469 to 1487.
10) John Neville, Marquess of Montagu (1431-71) - available 1469 to 1487.
11) John de Vere, Earl of Oxford (1442-1513) – available 1483 to 1487.
12) Lord Thomas Stanley, Earl of Derby (1435-1504) - available 1485 to 1487.
13) Sir William Stanley (1435 - 1495) – available 1485 to 1487.

Yorkist commanders
1) Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury (1400-60) - available 1459 to 1465.
2) William Neville, Lord Fauconberg (1410-63) - available 1459 to 1471.
3) Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (1428-71) - available 1459 to 1468.
4) William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke (1423-69) - available 1459 to 1471.
5) Lord William Hastings (1431-1483) - available 1459 to 1487.
6) John Neville, Marquess of Montagu (1431-71) available 1459 to 1468.
7) Lord Thomas Stanley, Earl of Derby (1435-1504) - available 1469 to 1483.
8 Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland (1449-89) - available 1469 to 1487.
9) John Howard, Duke of Norfolk (1421-85) - available 1469 to 1487.
10) John de la Pole, Earl of Lincoln (1462-87) - available 1487 only.

[TomoeGozen]

WotR 'fan' right here
I'm interested too Pete.
cheers,
Dave.

[stockwellpete]

WOTR 2-player text campaign preview number 5

How to win the campaign
. . . the winner of the campaign will be the player whose faction either gains the most victory points by the end of the campaign, or whose faction eliminates all of their opponent’s royal characters before the scheduled end of the campaign. So the welfare of your royal characters is absolutely paramount. Some scenario rules insist that a royal character must fight in a particular battle, but in others you will have the freedom to choose nobles instead. You can win an extra 2 victory points if you voluntarily pick a royal character to lead your army and you win the battle but, of course, there is a possibility that he may be killed or captured instead.

[VenG]

I'm interested too
Cheers!

[stockwellpete]

The archery and missile script for all the scenarios is now done. My thanks to Richard for providing that for us. The next job is to add the scenario-specific scripts that will give additional historical flavour to 7 of the 10 first scenarios being prepared now. Things are developing very nicely at the moment.

[stockwellpete]

WOTR 2-player text campaign preview number 6

Here is the first episode (of twenty four) of the campaign . . .

EPISODE ONE 1455: ST ALBANS
The 1450s saw rising tensions between “Lancastrian” (the peace party) and “Yorkist” (the war party) factions after the final English defeat during the Hundred Years War at Castillon in France in 1453. Margaret of Anjou, the English queen, was becoming increasingly powerful because her husband, Henry VI, was struggling with very severe mental illness. In 1455, Richard of York was removed as Lord Protector of England as Henry had temporarily recovered his faculties, and fearing arrest for treason at a Great Council meeting arranged in Leicester, he resorted to arms and intercepted the King's army at St Albans.

First battle of St Albans (May 1455)
Lancastrians choose 3 commanders, the C-in-C must be the Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, Yorkists choose 3 commanders, the C-in-C must be the royal character Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York.

There are no executions or ransoms after this battle.

Outcomes
1)Yorkist victory - Henry VI captured and Richard of York restored as Lord Protector. Go to episode 2.
2)Draw/Lancastrian victory - Henry VI resumes control and Richard of York is imprisoned for a short period and then later on is released and sent to Ireland. Go to episode 2.

[TomoeGozen]

I'm getting very excited by all this...
I know ,I know.. I need to get out more

[stockwellpete]

I'm getting very excited by all this...
I know ,I know.. I need to get out more

It is not safe outside! Covid, monkey pox, everything catching fire! Stay safe indoors with my WOTR campaign!

[stockwellpete]

Just an update to say that the scenario design is still continuing to make rapid progress. I have finalised the list of scenarios that will constitute the campaign and I will be releasing them all in one go now. Basically, the main job now is to add the specific scenario scripts that add factors like weather, treachery, modified morale status etc.

Updated 29/7

Confirmed battle roster for the full campaign
1. St Albans (first) 1455 . . . ready to play
2. Blore Heath 1459 . . . ready to play
3. Ludford Bridge 1459 . . . ready to play (Yorkists have option to decline this battle)
4. Northampton 1460 . . . ready to play
5. Wakefield 1460 . . . ready to play
6. Mortimer's Cross 1460 . . . ready to play
7. St Albans (second) 1461 . . . ready to play
8. Ferrybridge 1461 . . . ready to play (Lancastrians have option to decline this battle)
9. Towton 1461 . . . ready to play
10. Hedgeley Moor 1464 . . . ready to play
11. Hexham 1464 . . . ready to play
12. Barnet 1471 . . . playtesting completed, just scenario scripts to add
13. Tewkesbury 1471 . . . playtesting completed, just scenario scripts to add
14. Bosworth Field 1485 . . . ready to play
15. Stoke Field 1487 . . . ready to play

[stockwellpete]

WOTR 2-player text campaign preview number 7

Here are some battlefield screenshots for you. The first one is Mortimer's Cross 1461. You will notice the Lancastrian vanguard beginning its flanking manoeuvre (disastrous in the real battle) . . .

Screen_00000007.jpg (539.86 KiB) Viewed 1490 times

This one is Tewkesbury 1471 . . .

Screen_00000008.jpg (625.74 KiB) Viewed 1490 times

And the last one is Stoke Field 1487, where you can see the Tudor vanguard confronted by the massed ranks of the Yorkist rebel army . . .

Screen_00000009.jpg (568.14 KiB) Viewed 1490 times

[davidmac]

Really looking forward to this. Thanks for your hard work.