Battle of Falkirk refight

[richnz]

Hi

Last weekend I ran a re-fight of the battle of Falkirk. It was designed to be a fun, multiplayer scenario, as much based on Braveheart as history.

I had 4 players on each side, and 3 of these had never played FoG before.

The scenario was set out as follows:

English – Order of March

King Edward I of England – Field Commander

• 8 medium foot protected average undrilled longbow swordsmen
• 8 medium foot protected average undrilled longbow swordsmen
• 6 heavy foot protected average undrilled defensive spear
• 6 heavy foot protected average undrilled defensive spear

Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk - Troop Commander

• 4 knights heavily armoured superior undrilled lancers swordsmen
• 4 knights heavily armoured superior undrilled lancers swordsmen
• 4 knights heavily armoured superior undrilled lancers swordsmen

Anthony Bek, Bishop of Durham – Troop Commander

• 4 knights heavily armoured superior undrilled lancers swordsmen
• 4 knights heavily armoured superior undrilled lancers swordsmen
• 4 knights heavily armoured superior undrilled lancers swordsmen

Lord Clare of Ireland

• 8 medium foot protected average undrilled heavy weapon
• 8 medium foot protected average undrilled heavy weapon
• 6 light foot unprotected average undrilled javelins light spear

English - Deployment Rules

• English knights must deploy 15 MU in from their base edge
• Bishop of Durham must deploy on the right hand side of the table
• Earl of Norfolk must deploy on the left hand side of the table
• Lord Clare must deploy against the right hand table edge, and attempt to sack the Scots camp

Notes

• Unknown to the Scots, you have bribed Lord Comyns, and he will quit the field once battle begins

Scots- Order of March

Sir William Wallace , Guardian of Scotland – Inspired Commander

• 12 heavy foot unprotected average undrilled offensive spear
• 12 heavy foot unprotected average undrilled offensive spear
• 4 knights heavily armoured average undrilled lancers swordsmen

Sir John Steward of Bonkill

• 12 heavy foot unprotected average undrilled offensive spear
• 12 heavy foot unprotected average undrilled offensive spear
• 12 heavy foot unprotected average undrilled offensive spear

Sir John de Graham

• 6 medium foot unprotected average undrilled bow
• 6 medium foot unprotected average undrilled bow

Lord Comyns

• 4 cavalry protected superior undrilled lancers swordsmen
• 4 cavalry protected superior undrilled lancers swordsmen
• 6 light foot unprotected average undrilled bow

Scots - Deployment Rules

• Lord Comyns must deploy on right hand side gentle hill
• Sir John de Graham must deploy against the left flank
• Rest of army may deploy as normal

Notes

• Your spearman have devised a new formation- the schiltron. The English are not aware of this innovation. Schiltron formation provides an additional +1POA on impact for the first combat for that BG.
• Scottish full moon. Your men can attempt to goad the English into attacking by presenting their buttocks. You may perform this move at the beginning of your first turn, and all English knights must immediately make a full move towards your spearmen.
Scenario Rules

• At the beginning of each turn, each BG of English knights must make a complex move test. If it fails it must make a full move directly towards the Scots. If it makes this test it may move as normal
• English knights break off from combat 5 MU
• Once close combat has occurred somewhere on the field, Wallace and Edward will compete for the loyalty of John Comyns’ men. Roll 2 dice for each of his battlegroups- if Edward wins then that BG will quit the field

Terrain

• There were a couple of patches of rough terrain in the middle of the table. This meant the English knights had to move around this to engage the Scots, and provide an anchor for the Scots spear. However, the Scots would not be able to defend against the English archers though this terrain
• There were various pieces of rough ground along the English right hand flank, providing a channel for the Irish troops
• There was a big gentle hill to the English left, where the uncommitted Lord Comyns sat with his men.

The Battle

• Almost all the English knights failed their initial checks, and advanced a full move.
• The Scots immediately played their ‘fullmoon’ option, and forced the English knights to move again. The English knights were now well ahead of their infantry and would have to fight a number of turns against the Scottish spear while unsupported.
• The English knights charged in, losing all the impact combats. However, having generals and superior re-rolls meant that the Earl of Norfolk’s command did not lose any cohesion, although they did take some casualties. The Bishop of Durham suffered quite badly, losing bases and 2 of his units disrupting.
• Edward and Wallace diced for control of Lord Comyn’s troops. Depsite an 11, Wallace lost this, and all the Scots nobles quit the field.
• Over the melee phase, the Bishop was killed in the frontline, and 2 of his knight units went to fragmented as a result.
• The English knights broke off, and the extra break off move gave them a couple of turns to bolster. The Scots left command (led by Wallace) advanced towards the fragmented knights, ready to try and charge.
• The English failed to bolster their knights, but Norfolk charged back in, disrupting a unit of Scots spears.
• The English began marching their foot into the action, with Edward leading the way.
• The Scots managed to charge a couple of fragged knights from the late Bishop’s command, 2 of which broke immediately. The remaining unit was slowly ground down until it broke.
• But by now the English foot has come into play. The longbow owned the centre of the table, creating room for the English spear to turn onto the flanks of the spear. The Irish slogged through the rough ground on the flank, before ripping through the Scots archers in 1 turn. The Scots spear formed an orb to stave off disaster from flank charges, but were slowly ground down.

Result

• The Scots army broke, losing most of the spear, all the bow, and Lord Comyns off table.
• The English lost the Bishop of Durham, and 4 units of knights. So a bloody day for the English nobility.
• The Scots spear proved quite resilient against the knight’s charges, but poor melee factors and no re-rolls meant they were ground down quite quickly once the English foot came into play.
• Wallace valiantly fought in the front rank all day, but managed to survive.