A Clash of Iron - War of the Roses

 Continuing the theme of heavy metal forces pounding each other, Will and I put away the tanks and dug out the medieval figures (after a long search for the cavalry, which were hiding in plain sight in a shoe box!). We used Command and Colors rules for this battle. The cards were to play a devastating hand.

The game was based upon a non-historical theme, having divided the armies into two, consisting of two feuding barons; Baron William and Baron Robert.  The field was largely open with the odd copse and some hedges:

Both sides exchanged fire from their archers, with William pushing his light troops forward.  Initially there was little effect, but eventually Robert's forces gained the upper hand ( I had a card that said 'darken the skies' that gave my archers extra firepower), this with a couple of cavalry charges pushed the enemy light troops back.

William ordered a major attack on Robert's right flank and for a moment things looked difficult, however lady luck played her hand again, seeing Williams heavy cavalry destroyed.  This left the flank open and Robert's cavalry smashed into his infantry, supported by those pesky archers in the woods.

With William's left flank in tatters, Robert pushed his infantry forward in the centre, supported by cavalry.  In the clash that followed Williams remaining cavalry unit is destroyed along with more infantry.

William's forces are checked in the centre as enemy heavy infantry steadily advance.

Robert's cavalry are now free to roam the field and sweep into William's left flank, which crumbles under pressure.

In a last ditch attempt to reverse the situation William himself leads a charge but after some heavy fighting he is surrounded and his best troops are cut down. He drops his sword and kneels in surrender.

It is all over, a short but bloody encounter.  William's forces are smashed with a score of 8 - 3 to Robert. The figures are all 28mm plastics and were originally from the collection of the late Alan Cook.