English Civil War at Writtle : Pike & Shotte Rules

Steve C, Allan, Ian and I set up a random game at the club today, just because we could !

An excuse to get out our long neglected ECW armies really (well Allan and mine to be precise).

Here we are setting up, Steve and I on the right

Allan and Ian t'other side (busy chatting with Les)

Allan's cavalry

Allan's foot (commanded by Ian)

their guns being watched by their commander

Our cavalry on the right flank (commanded by Steve)

our cavalry on the left (under my command)

our centre (with guns too)

we get off to a rip roaring start and my cavalry fly across the board to charge Allan's

with some success

Ian has advanced his cavalry to take the side of the village

my cavalry have forced their way past the woods and are still on the offensive

Steve and Ian's cavalry melee

The infantry can't keep up with all this cavalry action !

Steve sends his Green Coats to support the cavalry on the right

What a fine body of men !

My cavalry pile on the pressure and keep the momentum going

a steady if ponderous advance in the centre by our infantry

Steve's Blue Coats have to negotiate the hedges to enter the fields

Slowly, Steve's cavalry get the upper hand in the cavalry melee

Ian's infantry & guns keep their lines moving forward

Both sides have disorders units (indicated by the smoke)

My cavalry are getting the better of Allan's

and the same can be said for Steve's

We gain control of both flanks

Here two of Allan's cavalry units are disordered 

My men press home their advantage

Our infantry now get to the right of the woods

The Green Coats add their weight to Steve's combats

And the Blue Coats get across the fields

Now my Cuirassiers can see the enemy infantry as the cavalry have dispersed

We have three regiments of cavalry marauding on the left now

Allan orders his infantry to form "hedgehog"

to counter the threat of cavalry

Our infantry have charged forwards and been met by the enemy infantry

The Red Coats are forced back to reform

Our cavalry keep the enemy infantry pinned in "hedgehog" whilst the infantry come on again

Here's a close up of Allan's command group

and one of his guns - all of the guns were pretty ineffectual

Steve has forced back the remaining enemy cavalry unit over on his side of the battlefield

Our light guns try to have an effect on the battle

but with one hedgehog routed, nearly all their cavalry gone

and all our units intact

Allan's army admits defeat

All good fun at Essex Warriors !