Strike Fast ECW Campaign - week 3

In the first two weeks of the campaign Cromwell had been able to neutralise the Royalist forces in Dumfries and Ayrshire. So this week the English attacked the Covenanter army defending the Borders region.

The field from the Scots right 

From the English right

The Covenanters found themselves with a decent defensive position having a low ridge either side of a small village on their baseline. They opted to mass their Horse on their left and refuse their right flank with guns in support of the infantry.  

Massed Scots Horse

Scots holding the village

More Scots holding the ridge 

The English opted for a more unusual formation. On their left they deployed Horse with dragoons in support, in the centre a regiment of Horse mingled with the foot, and their right the veteran Ironsides with foot in support. Seeking to stretch the Scots defence they placed their victory objectives out wide on each flank.

The unopposed English left

NMA and Horse hold the centre

More troops in the centre 

The English right in an unusual formation

The battle opened with the English Horse in the centre immediately attacking the Highlanders in the front rank. One squadron routed some Highlanders but second squadron bounced back.

English sweep away the Highlanders

On the English right they were immediately attacked by the larger Scottish cavalry, forcing the supporting foot into pike stand. Their blood up, one of Scottish horse regiments charged headlong into the English pikes and were sent reeling back in confusion. Although outnumbered the veteran Ironsides were able to push back some of the remaining Scots lancers.

You;'ll have someone's eye out 

Ironsides make headway 

In the centre of the field a unit of English commanded shot seized a small farm, fired a smart volley into the on coming Scots storming party and overwhelmed the dazed Covenanters in the blink of an eye. They then pushed them straight back through their supporting foot and attacked them too for good measure.

Scots are roughly handled by the commanded shot

Centrally the Scots enjoyed more success, as the Highlanders stationed their charged into the new model army foot and began hacking away at them. The Scots also enjoyed an unexpected bonus as the Dragoons stationed in a wood guarding their right roundly defeated the English storming party.  

Centres clash

Dragoons throw-back the storming party 

With the bulk of both sides committed to the fight there began several turns of grinding combat across the line. Eventually the English Horse overcame their less experienced Scots opponents to secure their right flank. In the centre the Highlanders were slowly gaining the upper hand but too slowly to make the much needed breakthrough.    

Ironsides finally overcome the Scots

Commanded shot still going

NMA under pressure

Back on the English left the unopposed Horse and Dragoons were finally got into a position to outflank the Covenanters position, forcing them into pike stand in front of the advancing English infantry. By now the casualties on the Scots flanks were mounting and despite their success in the centre it was clear they could not win. So an English victory was declared.  

The flank move finally arrives 

Royalists forced into pike stand

 
So with that victory the English had secured significant foothold in Scotland