Return to Bosworth

Bakewell's finest wargamer Simon Wilson contacted me recently to undertake another Battlefield DBA.

Simon, in background is the view toward the supposed Yorkist position and in the far distance  Ambion Hill

After a brief discussion we settled on Bosworth Field. It's nearly half way between us and it offers two sites:

• The excellent Bosworth Battlefield  Centre
• The newly located actual battlefield site given by recent archaeology

Also this is where I first dabbled with Battlefiekld wargaming back when Terry Webb was touring the UK back in September 2012 and I ambushed him with a game of HOTT at the Battlefield visitors centre.

For our first game we spent a little time to discover the spot where  the round-shot from the battle was discovered. Happily this is on a public footpath - though nearby parking is challenging. We followed the Latest view of the battle incorporating the latest archaeology. The lists used and original disposition are shown here.

Stanleys hang back

Overview of the first game

 The overview photo above shows the poorly laid out mess of  my Tudor lines after a series of very low PIP dice. Richard has already brought up the reluctant Northumberland. Meanwhile the Yorkist artillery blew the opposition  artillery and supporting bows away.

With the few PIPs available I sent Oxford around the marsh (as in the original battle) to seize the only advantage 3 vs 2 elements that I could see. However Simon saw the danger and a group of his men at arms waded into the marsh  to head catching my advance in his zone of control.

Richard III and Oxford slog it out 

This proved rather a stalemate so finally I managed to advance the Stanley's toward the Yorkist left which was by now way out of Richards control on the far side of the hill.

This met with initial success Nothumberland's reluctant levies (Horde) pursuing the recoiling Knights. This provoked Richards army into moving off the hill to support the levies who were caught by the "edge of the world" rule. However this move failed as the levy  were destroyed next move exposing the Yorkist left flank to Stanley's contingent

Henry Tudor had to move to the left flank to cover gaps created by Richards's personal intervention. A brilliantly timed 6 for PIPs meant I could hit Northumberland's  Blade in front flank and rear. 3 vs 1 looked like great odds when you only need a recoil result however the dice gods gave a 1-5 so the Stanley knight element was doubled. The outnumbered Stanley Bows then also went down losing me the game.

Richard and Norfolk on the "Rising Ground"

Defeat

Simon and I returned to the Visitor's Centre with the distinctive huge standards of Richard III and Henry Tudor. After a spot of lunch in the cafe we grabbed  a picnic table on which to place the board.

Having seen the actual battlefield we chose to discard the hill (aka rising ground) from the set up. We also swapped sides casting me as Richard III this time.

We both spent early PIPs positioning our allies. There was some hesitation on both sides Simon finally moved his line into Artillery range. I soon discovered why as my Artillery only had a shot at Blades whereas Simon was targeting the far more vulnerable Bow  - ouch!

However the dice seemed determined to defy the odds. I managed to move Norfolk and my right wing troops forward and overwhelmed the Tudor troops there including in the end the Artillery.

On the left Northumberland again faced the Stanleys. Fighting for me, the Horde did well repelling knights even when outflanked. After several attempts the Bow finally took Out a Stanley night giving me the game.

Two excellent exiting games both with a close finish and clear victories for Richard on both occasions,

Victory

 

Tudor Camp

Viewing platform from Ambion Hill toward the actual battlefield