Last weekend we played a war of the roses battle using using a mixture of DBA and Armarti rules (my dad has been play testing by mixing the two together.) it was my first outing using either of the rule sets and I really enjoyed the gaming experience, nothing against impetus in our last WOTR game but I preferred this game as I felt the game mechanics worked better and generally suited my style of wargaming better. Anyhow the game turned out to be somewhat of a brutal affair. Both sides lost a lot of casualties and going into the close of the game both armies were preciously close to our break points. In the last turn I managed to get Henry dragged from his horse in the thick of the melee and somewhat unsportingly I might add, wasn't given any quarter by my dads Men at Arms! This saw my dismounted Knights and supporting men at arms flee which at this stage of the game I felt swung the balance to my dads King Richard force ( just a note at this stage to say the so called King left his fighting ranks to scully off behind friendly lines, obviously very afraid to face Henry in the face of combat). Both our flanks had been smashed, my Knights made short work of my dads infantry on his left flank, my dad promised next time he would bring stakes ha but the other flank saw my infantry eventually flanked by my dads knights and once this happened they wove havoc in my ranks. Both armies had chances in the Battle to push home advantages but some rather untimely command rolls by the both of us put a firm halt to that. Fortunately night fall saved Henry's army from total defeat but my army was now leaderless as it left the battlefield liking their wounds, Richards reign continues to another fight.here are some shots of the action
My knights on the right flank who devastated the archers and men at arms opposing them
My forces push to try and flank Richards central body of infantry
My dads cavalry stutter towards my flank as his infantry force back up my left flank.
My daughter (future superstar wargamer?) infiltrated my dads side of the table and proceeded to roll some rather unfortunate "poor" dice rolls which saw a unit of archers and men at arms flee. Grandad proceed to banish said granddaughter from the Wargames room :-)
The results of my daughters dice rolling ha ha
A shot of the battlefield as the armies ready to engage
My dads knights crush my billman and the writing is on the wall for my left flank
A brutal melle rages in the centre of the table as still clashes against armour
My dads Knights start their sweeping advance along the flank of my infantry
My Foot troops were pushing Richards forces back in the centre but I just couldn't quite break them, the game at this stage is on a knifes edge
Despite some stuff born resistance my Left flank crumbles
Leaving my dads Knights free to roam behind my centre lines..
My cavalry finishes of the remaining infantry but alas they are to far from the action to reenforce my under pressure centre
The defining moment of the battle sees Henry slain and his dismounted foot Knights and billman turn tail and flee
The final shot of the table showing a lot less troops than the opening picture,fair to say a majority draw to my dads Richard army.
