Tuesday 10 September 2019

The Battle of Gibbet Hill 1461 - A WotR Batrep


It was War of the Roses time at Reject HQ on Sunday. Surj, Lee and myself turned up for the game, with Postie in charge as per usual.
I chose to play the Lancastrian's, giving Surj and Lee the Yorkists. we had a pretty even army of 19 units each. Surj threw badly, so the Yorkists had to set up everything before me.

Lee's report can be found here!


And here's the set-up
Both sides had 3 Battles that had to be set up in any of the 3 24 inch tiles.we also had to throw for how far each one set up. I throw 18,12 and 12, which wasn't that good, as Postie said I was the attacker.


My left flank, Commanded by the Duke of Northumberland
1 unit of Crossbowmen, I unit of Archers, 1 unit of Men at Arms
1 unit of Retinue Billmen and 1 unit of Shire Billmen.


The Centre (on the hill) was commanded by The Duke of Somerset
Containing 1 unit of Men at Arms, 1 unit of Retinue Billmen, 1 unit of Retinue Archers
1 unit of Shire Archers and 1 unit of Mounted Couriers
and on the right I placed my weakest Battle Commanded by Lord Trollope
1 unit of Men at Arms, 1 unit of Retinue Billmen, 1 unit of Shire Archers, 1 unit of Welsh Spearmen
and 1 unit of Peasants!!!


Well that's lunch sorted for the winner!!


Boooo!!!
The Rotten Yorkists start to move.
Surj gives a new slimline not so BigLee his orders!!


The Yorkists win the first move, which is bad news for me as it also means they shoot first!
So any casualties caused in their turn cannot fire back. I need to win first turn to allow me to attack.


In the centre, Surj moves behind the hedge for some protection.


Surj's archers smash mine, as I move my Crossbowmen into the woods for protection.


My Men at Arms in the centre take heavy casualties from Surj's two Archer units.


Jostling for position on the left.


My centre started at only 12 inches in, if only I'd thrown a 24!
But Surj's archers took a pounding!!


I still haven't moved or fired first.........yet!
So Lee stomps forward


My Men at Arms take more hits, they're not gonna be around much longer.


My CnC the Duke of Somerset


The Earl of Northumberland's Men at Arms


The Centre and right of the field


And the Left


I lose the movement and fire first again, but it's time for me to advance.


My Men at Arms (or what's left of them) move forward too!


There'll be a few charges on the left I think?


I'd like to charge my Curroirs, but the archers would make mincemeat of me!


My archers destroy Surj's archers in the centre, but not before he
virtually destroys my Curriors!!


Not going my way!


Its charge time!
Both side Billmen charge each other. But my Men at Arms fail to reach Lee's archers!


In the centre Surj charged his Curriors against my Men at Arms, while I charged my Men at Arms
against Surj's Billman. This caused a bit of controversy. Both units moved 1/4 moves, which meant my Men at Arms were now out of Surj's Cavalries straight line. So it ended as a failed charge.
Surj wasn't happy!
I on the otherhand was!


Another charge for me.
My Men at Arms hit Surj's German Handgunners, as these are a skirmish unit, they are
destroyed!!!!


The village on my left.


After his failed charge, Surj moves the Curriors up their full move to my Archers.


There's not many men left in the fight.


But I win, and rote Surj's Billmen, then follow up into the Men at Arms


I actually win the melee, but because I go down to a 1/4 left, my unit is removed from the field.
If I'd caused 1 more casualty on Surj, his unit would also have been removed.


My Men at Arms on the left were well beaten and knocked back.


In what turned out to be a very bloody melee, we went from this....


to this!!!


And I lose the melee, and route, straight threw my Welsh Spearmen!


Next turn back over to the left, I fail to win the first turn again.
Surj charges my Men at Arms, they take the charge at the halt.
While our Billmen charge each other.


This was the unit I feared the most the German Pike. I remember them running
 riot in my last game against Richard.
And they did basically the same again. My Shire Bill, throw 10 dice, their front two ranks count in melee, while the Pikemen throw 15 dice, Three ranks count.
There could be only one outcome!


In this mad topsy turvy game, my Men at Arms are destroyed, while I push the Billmen back.


And follow up with another charge.


The Yorkists route.


My Billmen in full flow route, after being mauled by the Pikemen.


At the end of the turn, Postie announced that both sides had reached their withdrawal
numbers losing 6 units each. Which neither side knew????
But I had also lost 1 more unit, which was my fault entirely. Bot me and Lee had tried and failed to fire our useless artillery. On the last turn I managed to fire mine, but the bloody thing blew up, killing all the crew. That was the seventh unit I lost. Giving the Yorkists a very minor win.
Well done Lee and Surj!!!
T'was another cracker of a game, well done Postie. But Congrats have got to go to Lee and Surj, their dice rolling was quite superb, they demolished my army with firepower, it did help that they won the first move and fire for every turn of the game. I did have a few good throws but they were both ridiculous. 10 dice and 9 kills several times over! Not much I could do to be totally honest.
Better luck next time I hope???
But for a dogged fight I was awarded MVP. 


I think Postie was taking the Pi$$!!!
I know I was.



47 comments:

  1. Those Rotten Yorkists!
    You look mighty proud of your MVP award.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely game, enjoyed all the pics. The archers had their way!

    ReplyDelete
  3. As I expected another fine looking game at the rejects hall of fame with great commentary!

    Christopher

    ReplyDelete
  4. Fantastic looking WotR game Ray!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fine looking game and great figures

    ReplyDelete
  6. Now you're talking! Great period for action and intrigue, and some lovely kit on the troops into the bargain. Brilliant stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful armies! You make even defeat seem like fun!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely minis, functional but attractive terrain and jolly mates to game with.
    I hope that you enjoyed the game as much as I enjoyed the AAR.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oooh! What a magnificent looking game!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great write up mate. Hope to have my (truthful) version of events up later today!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Someone has been extracting the urine Ray!

      Delete
    2. I never lie, you should have know that Fran!

      Delete
  11. Lovely looking game and a great result!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
  12. An enjoyable battle report of a(nother) fine game. Not being familiar with the system, I was taken with the range and effectiveness of missile fire. But then again, all the combat seems satisfyingly bloody :) It's always nice to get a trophy at the end of the day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a truly bloody and enjoyable game, cheers Ed!

      Delete
  13. Great pics and write-up Ray :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nice..it´s medieval and I would say nice :-)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Very tricky to spot how Postie screwed you over, but I suspect the dice!
    Great aar and a very good looking battle even though I'm not particualrly interested in the WotR it does look mightil grand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't have any pickle in my sarnie' Joe! That's how he screwed me over!

      Delete
  16. Those two mounted knights look very cool!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Nice game and lovely armies. Well done sir!

    ReplyDelete