Slitherine

One would certainly hope so.

deadtorius wrote:One would certainly hope so.

Indeed - campaign manager oversight on my part. I totally forgot that the Covenanters are available to Parliament in 1642. I think keeping them north of the border in '42 works, then look at their possible deployment elsewhere. I'm very happy to hear any suggestions based of their historical deployment. I have amended the challenges accordingly for Highlands and Lowlands.

Cheers.

Hi Cromwell,

I'm awaiting your challenge - hopefully it will go better than my other one against the deadly deadtorious ( aka the prattling Puritan ).

Prattling Puritan indeed
The leader of the so called "puking apprentice boys" is pleased to announce that a great victory was achieved today. The Central West Region has been brought under the dour and yet enlightened reign of Parliament. General Ironclads forces have been reaped like fresh wheat and the chaff is spread far beyond.

The final score was Parliament (23%) victorious over the Royalists (53%)
I am hoping that will bring the locals firmly under our kind and guiding boot heals.

To General Ironclad I doff my cap, note that it has a lot less musket ball holes than your own does fine sir. Till we meet again.

In an epic battle lasting till nightfall, the Eastern Association army in East Anglia, under rbodleyscott, faced an army of malignants under Turenne.

Heroically maintaining their positions against a complete lack of withering fire from the enemy, the gallant forces of Parliament gained an almost bloodless victory after one faint-hearted squadron of Royalist cavalry, heeding the righteous discourse of our dragoons and unable to live with the guilt of supporting the tyrant, fled the field, stripping their lace from their bodies, and vowing henceforth to foreswear all singing, dancing and suchlike lewdery.

Night having fallen, the chastened Royalists beat a hasty retreat, leaving Parliament in control of the field of battle.

Victory to Parliament! (0% routed vs 4% routed).

An epic battle where the parliament army stayed with a lot of infantry behind hedges, in villages and so well concealed to the end of the map that the royalist infantry had not the time to reach it. A poor royalist cavalry wandering in the countryside to find some poetry in the english morning was shot by some parliamentarist dragoons acting like cowards and routed (that the 4 %). After plundering all villages around it the royalist army spend a good night (eating, singing, laughing and more.....) in that rebel country.

I bring news of victory from the north of Wales. The canting dissenters under General Waldorf were soundly defeated by the King's loyal troops. While the rebels made some progress against our right, the sight of hats of such floppiness worn at angles of such jaunt upon their left flank unmanned them, as only the display of veteran cavaliers can. Barely had a single spaniel cleared its saddle holster when the rebels soiled their breeks and fled for the nearest jakes.

So, in the real world! My right barely held against Waldorf's left hook and would have been rolled up pretty fast if my left hook of horse, led by veteran cavaliers, hadn't chain-routed his right. Well fought Sir!

North Wales:
keyth 10% beat Waldorf 44%

South Wales is however turning into a damned close run thing with us both currently at 30%!

Waldorf wrote:South Wales is however turning into a damn close run thing with us both currently at 30%!

Indeed, I have a feeling that there will be many spaniels with no-one to feed them come the finish I should be able to put in a turn at the airport this afternoon.

What are people's feelings about scoring for battles that do not meet the 25% / 60% victory margin?

keyth wrote:What are people's feelings about scoring for battles that do not meet the 25% / 60% victory margin?

The game decides the winner. The winner gets 1 point and no bonuses. Seems reasonable to me.

I must say that in the absence of any instructions to the contrary I assumed we were using the game's victory conditions. Otherwise I might have been more aggressive in East Anglia.

However, I think the campaign's bonus points are sufficient to encourage more aggressive tactics, and punish lack of aggression. (What turenne does not tell you is that his army likewise hid among hedges in a secure defensive position, but an initial tentative sally by the Royalist horse resulted in one royalist unit being Routed by dragoons).

I see no good reason to discourage such tactics, they are historical enough. Armies brought into proximity did not always fight if neither side fancied attacking the other's advantageous position. However, in the long run the campaign will be won by the side capable and willing to destroy the enemy forces in the field.

South-East result:

A gallant if foolhardy attempt by the king's lackeys to march on London was repelled in fine style by the Lord Essex's army supported by the London Trained Bands.

The Parliamentarian forces were initially deployed in double column of march on the right hand side of the battlefield, but advanced to take positions on high ground then turned 45 degrees to face the advancing Royalists. The regular units faced off the Royalist infantry, while the Trained Bands faced the strong Royalist right wing horse. The Parliamentarian horse was prudently held in reserve.

Our dragoons having driven off their Royalist counterparts with the assistance of fire from some of our pike and shot, the Royalist left wing horse came under harassing fire from our dragoons and artillery, which several squadrons were unable to withstand.

At last the Royalist infantry advanced into musket range. Exchange of fire between the two infantry lines was followed by push of pike, but the righteous men of Parliament prevailed, while the Trained Bands shrugged off the vainglorious charges of the Royalist cavaliers.

Victory to Parliament (7% routed vs 51% routed - 44% difference).

Thanks Doyley50 for a hard fought game.

rbodleyscott wrote:. Armies brought into proximity did not always fight if neither side fancied attacking the other's advantageous position. However, in the long run the campaign will be won by the side capable and willing to destroy the enemy forces in the field.

And there is another question, armies could be entrenched face to face, but then one of the armies had to move first for whatever reason and that was a dangerously exposing movement , in which some armies of the period were utterly routed.

My Pious Parliamentarians 14% overwhelmed the Revolting Royalists of Doyley50 51%.

Having spent the morning in Our Devotions, we were well-prepared for the approach of the tyrant's hordes. Their Cavaliers, probably because of the absence of the truly effete effeminate Veteran cavaliers, intimidated and abused my staunch Parliamentarian cavalry who ran like frightened rabbits as they were no fair match.
My infantry cowered for a moment at the sight of our running Parliamentary cavalry then bravely met the onrushing Royalist infantry who hoped to overthrow our men defending behind a row of hedges.
Firepower eventually triumphed, and when the bloodthirsty Royals attempted melee they got the worst of it.
A series of routs eventually sealed the fate of King Charles' men.

The South is saved(this time).

Dispatches have arrived advising of a defeat of the Kings armies in the South under Doyley 50, fighting against Shawhan2. A hard fought battle, the
Royalist infantry were faced with a line of Parliamentarian foot in a fair position along a ridge. However Doyley decided that with his inferior firepower the only solution was to come to push of pike at the earliest opportunity. This he did, but Shawhan's infantry took a grievous toll on the foot marchimg up the hill, his line was breached in places, but the decimated regiments of Doyley's foot were unable to withstand the inevitable counterattack. The Royalist horse on Doyley's left became entangled with Shawshanks forces in a wooded area, and on the right, moving to outflank but keep clear of Roundhead shot, they came too late to prevent the debacle. God save the King!

Parliamentarian victory, 14% routed as against 51% Royalist. 37%.

rbodleyscott wrote:

keyth wrote:What are people's feelings about scoring for battles that do not meet the 25% / 60% victory margin?

The game decides the winner. The winner gets 1 point and no bonuses. Seems reasonable to me.

I must say that in the absence of any instructions to the contrary I assumed we were using the game's victory conditions. Otherwise I might have been more aggressive in East Anglia.

However, I think the campaign's bonus points are sufficient to encourage more aggressive tactics, and punish lack of aggression. (What turenne does not tell you is that his army likewise hid among hedges in a secure defensive position, but an initial tentative sally by the Royalist horse resulted in one royalist unit being Routed by dragoons).

I see no good reason to discourage such tactics, they are historical enough. Armies brought into proximity did not always fight if neither side fancied attacking the other's advantageous position. However, in the long run the campaign will be won by the side capable and willing to destroy the enemy forces in the field.

Indeed, it was an open question about something not explicitly covered in the initial brief. I think your points cover it nicely.

Another glorious win for Parliament. Deadtorius (24%) victorious over Blathergut (66%) central East (42% difference)

Another fine show by Lord Deadtorious. I deployed in line with plenty of reserves and began to move out to meet my Royalist counterpart who started moving off the hill and not the plains. Not really sure what the devil he was up to but we made an angled line and waited. Mainly because he had 6 cavaliers on the plains off to my right so I dare not open my flank up to a cavalry cahrge. I send some foot and horse down there to keep the cavaliers busy by sending them much shot, good for target practice. Lord Blathergut brought up his infantry and decided to shoot it out with us so we obliged him and reduced his ranks accordingly. Eventually he charged into my line, breaking some of my hard pressed troops but his men were so badly shot up that many of them auto broke, some taking friends along with them on their rout. Fortunately I had fresh reserves to plug the gaps and the Royalists were not able to make it through my lines. Superior fire power and nerves of steel have once again taken the day. I send Lord Blathergut a new less holy hat and jar of salve for his wounds.
As for Central East region, I think the locals will be quite happy to call us master as we await the visit and crowd waves from our commander Lord Cromwell. To those remaining Royalist I give this advice: come to the dour side, we have Cromwell

Aryaman wrote:

rbodleyscott wrote:. Armies brought into proximity did not always fight if neither side fancied attacking the other's advantageous position. However, in the long run the campaign will be won by the side capable and willing to destroy the enemy forces in the field.

And there is another question, armies could be entrenched face to face, but then one of the armies had to move first for whatever reason and that was a dangerously exposing movement , in which some armies of the period were utterly routed.

OTOH armies frequently withdrew under cover of night, even when they had been properly engaged but not routed.

rbodleyscott wrote: OTOH armies frequently withdrew under cover of night, even when they had been properly engaged but not routed.

True, Lutzen comes inmediately to mind, not easy to come with all the strategic possibilities in a tactical game. My concern is that the game in multiplayer to become one in which both players remain under cover until one dares to send an explorer only to be routed and lose the battle. I have seen this before in other games, namely ACWGenerals2, an excellent solo play game ruined in multiplayer by this issue.

I don't think that's wholly true. Keyth battered me in North Wales, and he definitely charged first .