Club Night 17th November

Steve K was kind enough to run a black powder using the ECW modifications from the Yahoo group. These were easy enough and seemed to add enough of a feel without massively changing the rules. I took the Royalists with new member Ben against Mark and another new member called Simon (not the same Simon who joined me at the Fow, we have been very lucky with new members of late).

We had to march from Cuckfield and defeat the Parliamentarians so we could move against Lewes. Ben took the infantry and marched up the main road, deploying so his left flank was anchored against the woods as the enemy infantry moved to meet him and some of their cavalry began to move around their flank We had already considered this possibility and so began to refuse our flank and were prepared to form hedgehogs of required.

On the other flank the Cavalry under my command marched down the road in column as fast as possible to cross the ford and deploy before the Parliamentarians could respond and stop me. I was lucky that I got my men moving quickly while the enemy flank dithered and did not respond so I was quickly across the river and deployed and ready to start rolling up the enemy flank.

My gallopers charged in and saw off a unit of trotters but had taken too many casualties to exploit this, so I sent in my next wave and swept the second enemy cavalry unit away but was then held off as the infantry formed hedgehog, so I contented myself with firing on them with trotters and moving the remainder of the cavalry around to cut to Lewes road and prevent the retreat of the rest of the army.

Meanwhile the infantry began to engage their opposite number, and despite being charged by some cavalry, even one unit in the flank, held and pushed back the enemy. Even where they got pushed back they inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, eventually breaking the infantry and forcing it back. Moving forward they bought their shot to bear on the marauding cavalry and broke this command too as my cavalry rode down the survivors of the other flank command and broke that too.

A great triumph for the forces of the King, now on to Lewes.

The modifications seemed to work well and gave enough of a fell without massive changes and played quickly, and most important, where fun (although I am sure being on the winning side helped!).