Battle of Bosworth - 15mm

Today saw the Club recreate The Battle of Bosworth in 15mm using Dave's nicely home crafted 'Blood and Glory' Rules. Chris was responsible for organizing the game and based it primarily on Glenn Foard and Anne Curry's book "Bosworth 1485: A Battlefield Rediscovered". As the title suggests it's based on some of the most up to date archeological evidence.

The opposing sides were arrayed with Richard III atop Ambion Hill, Norfolk to the front and Northumberland in the rearward. The Yorkist forces faced to advance down Fenn Lane, off the hill and with the notorious marsh on their left. Henry Tudor and his men were placed with their right flank below Crown Hill and anchoring it to the tip of the marsh. On the left were the Welsh with Rhys Ap Thomas and a French force. The Stanley's were situated in Dadlington and to the back and rear of Henry's extreme right on top of Crown Hill. Both Paul and Rich were playing the Stanley's and naturally were reflecting the part by not yet revealing their allegiance.

Myself, Lawrence and Barry decided on a Yorkist advance that would make use of our numerical strength and hopefully envelope Henry's left wing. Barry as Norfolk pushed the vanguard forward as Gary (Henry) sent Chris and the Welshmen to intercept. In this sense they used their right wing as a pivot to sweep across Fenn Lane and block us (see below).

The Stanley's meanwhile started to shift their men across Crown Hill, but it still wasn't clear if they were intending to engage either side. Nevertheless, as the Yorkists moved to confront the Lancastrian threat, it was deemed necessary to use Northumberland's rearward units to cover a possible threat from them if they decided to cross the marsh.

By this time Norfolk had crashed into the Welsh with some ferocity, and whereas the Yorkists initially received a bloody nose due to some excellent dice rolling from Chris, it was when Norfolk's men started to charge in with their Men at Arms that things looked shaky for the Lancastrians. Added to this was the archery duel now developing between Richard III's main battle and him swinging his cavalry into a gap in the lines ready to punish the Lancastrian crossbowmen.

The Stanley's at this stage started to arrange themselves into a formation that looked ready to attack the Yorkist by way of lining their archers to fire over the marsh. By this time the tension was at breaking point and Northumberland (Lawrence) took the opportunity to pre-empt the strike by loosing his bowmen at them. This encouraged plenty of return fire, as the archers shot back and forth the casualties mounted on both sides. The Lancastrian left flank then started to disintegrate as morale checks left the Welsh running for home and Norfolk's men pushed onward. About this time the Bodyguard of Richard III led by a gallant Earl of Surrey burst into the Lancastrian centre, grinding down two units before getting embroiled in a serious set-to with Henry's own mounted Men at Arms. Luckily both units bounced back after more casualties and withdrew to regroup. However, it came within a sword tip of Henry's own person (history repeating itself?) and Gary decided that the Lancastrian forces would find it hard to carry on and so began to fall back on Crown Hill.