ECW The Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold - Baroque AAR

Lots of games to catch up on we TSOGgers have been very slack on both this 

Blog and I have been very slack on Captain Darling’s one we will eventually catch up! Earlier this year we used Baroque Rules to play a scenario based on the Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold. Regarding the battle for those interested from the net ‘The

last battle of the First English Civil War was the Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold, fought on March 21, 1646. This battle saw the Parliamentarians defeat the Royalists, effectively ending major field operations in the war. The Royalist defeat at Stow-on-the-Wold dashed their final hopes of reversing the tide of the war.’

I did a bit of balancing to make the game worth playing and introduced victory

conditions to ensure a good battle (mainly to make sure the Roundheads didn’t just

sit back in their good defensive position, which historically they didn't!).

Forces;

Royalists

4 x Horse Units

1 x Dragoon Units (see post game discussion re this Unit)

6 x Pike & Shotte Units

2 x Artillery Guns

Parliamentarians

3 x Horse Units

4 x Musketeer Units

4 x Pike & Shotte Units

2 x Militia Units

Victory Conditions (Both Sides)

Capture the enemy's camp or break the enemy's morale with a Unit within 30cm

of their camp.

The Game;

With both sides lined up historically and both needing to capture the opposing sides

‘camp’ they each advanced their cavalry on the flanks. The results for both sides was

not conclusive so a more central battle commenced.

The Roundheads proved more aggressive than the Cavaliers and assisted by their

artillery and Dragoons they started to wear down the Parliamentary Foot that had

advanced.

Once these were defeated they continued the advanced on the

Parliamentarians who remained in the cover of the hedges!

The Cavaliers mounted troops were successful on their right flank and their right they

Held the Roundheads.

The decision came in the centre where the Royalists infantry with artillery in support 

caused enough casualties to break the Parliamentarians morale

which caused them to flee from the field!

Some Pictures;

The armies line up with the Royalists in the foreground both sides

have troops that will enter on turn two!

Both sides advance!

The Royalists Guns are accurate!!

The Roundheads that advanced are defeated by Royalists horse...

Action on the flanks heats up as the Royalists infantry

advance in the centre

Horse versus Dragons on the Royalist left, the Dragoons win!

A Cavalry stalemate results on the Royalists right...

The Parliamentarians Militia literally stumble forward!

The battle for the hedge line , it is crucial and the Roundheads take more casualties

than they dish out, they eventually break ending the game!

More Pike & Shotte infantry!

Hard to get enough of men with pikes!

...and even more glorious Pike and Shotte!

Love these figures!

The battlefield at the moment the Parliamentarians morale broke!

(from their side)

Summary;

A really good game played out with both sides having an opportunity to win. The Cavalry actions on the flanks and the infantry battle in the centre was very intense. We modified the Baroque rules concerning Dragoons to make them reflect how they acted during the ECW, as written they are a powerful cavalry unit that can shoot whereas from what we can glean from period writings they were much more mobile infantry which rarely charged, below is what we came up with and they worked splendidly!

Back soon with more catching up, cheers!