Strike Fast ECw Campaign - week 4

Now that Cromwell had secured his supply-lines into England he turned his gaze towards Edinburgh. So week 4 saw an attack towards the Covenanter stronghold which was intercepted by the main Scottish army. Following several  lacklustre showings by the Scots we modified the army lists to reduce the Horse, reduce the Highlanders, but increase the pike & shot.

The terrain for this game was slightly unusual - one flank was blocked by a river and some wooded areas. The other flank was pretty open whilst the centre was dominated by a large T-shaped hill.

Table from the Scots right

Finding themselves with the larger force the Scots deployed their infantry 3 ranks deep with the Highlanders in the centre of the front rank. The Horse was split between the two flanks.

Scots left

Scots centre-left

Scots centre-right

Scots right

 The English plan was to focus their more limited, but higher quality, forces against one side and seek to delay the other. So it was they massed most of the Horse and most of the infantry against the open ground on their left. A small all-arms force including the Dragoons and Storming Party would try to hold the weakened right flank.

English left - the main cavalry attack 

English centre-left ready to assault

English centre-right

Dragoons and Horse on the English right

 The Scots had the early initiative and advanced promptly against the outnumbered English right and in the centre with the Highlanders, backed by lowland foot. The force was with the Scots Horse who caught the Ironsides at the halt.

Ironsides hit at the halt

Highlanders lead the advance 

 Cromwell's veteran troopers resisted the early Scots attack and with the help of supporting Dragoons forced them backwards before breaking them to open-up the left flank. In the centre the Highlanders crunched into the first line of English foot whilst of the right both sides remaining Horse traded blows.

Ironsides rout the enemy

Centres clash

English delaying on their right

 In the centre the Highlanders proved their worth pushing back the English foot and so forcing them to deploy reserves to stem the flow. Eventually the Highlanders were routed but the exhausted English foot were then forced to reform and face the ongoing lowland foot.

Highlanders pressing on but a little isolated

Highlanders pushed back

The English right is outflanked 

Over on the English left the Ironsides had routed all the Scots Horse and so turned their attention to some isolated lowland foot. This forced the Scots to close-off their right flank and reform their defensive line.

Scots put to the sword on the English left, opening up the flank

All rather messy in the centre

 Although the English left was going well they were in trouble on the right with Scots cavalry forming on their flank and lowland units pressing forward against them.

Not looking good on the English right 

As darkness began to fall both sides were in danger on their rights but winning on their lefts. Both were also 3 routs from their breakpoint. With the result in so much doubt a draw was declared, which left the Scots in possession of Edinburgh.

Some Royalist supporting lowlanders

English foot face-off against Irish mercenaries

English catch some Scots isolated