Montrose - Turn 9

Turn 9 begins with the Covenanter / English forces in a dire position. They now only control 3 territories and the Covenanter home territory is under attack.  As they are on the defensive we fought the "stronghold" scenario on both tables. Both sides score for kills with the defenders fortified stronghold counting as 4 VPs.

Game 1 - Montrose vs English

In the first game the Royalists went for a "bulls horns" inspired plan with Irish up the middle, Highlanders to their right and Horse to their left. The lowland militia supported the centre. 

English stronghold

    

The Horse and Highlanders made good progress whilst the Irish looked to grind out a win against the stubborn English foot. Irish fighting prowess eventually prevailed pushing the English back and allowing them to take the tower. Royalist Win. 

Irish attack

Game 2 - Montrose vs Covenater

Game 2 was slightly different in setup. Once again the Irish held the centre with Horse to their right supported by Highlanders. The lowland Militia held the left with guns setup to bombard the stronghold.

In the pre-game phase the Covenanters quickly manoeuvred some Horse to attack and rout the Royalist artillery, thus curtailing the expected bombardment. This prompted the Royalist to switch plans and quickly attack with the Irish.    

Although the Covenanters had scored a win with the routing of the enemy guns it did leave them short handed and at a disadvantage in a protracted cavalry combat on their left, which was eventually won by the Royalists to expose their flank. The Covenanters also lost a general mid game which hampered their ability to issue orders.

Irish take the stronghold

In the centre, Irish were able to take the stronghold and turn the flank of the Covenanter foot, with the Lowland Militia putting pressure on the advancing reinforcements. Royalist Win

Covenanters badly fragmented

Campaign Situation

With two more wins we declared that Montrose was victorious having captured all bar the English home territory. Thus the Kings dominance over Scotland is complete and Cromwell has lots to worry about. 

As with the real battles the Irish were often the decisive factor in the battles. They can generally be relied on the beat the first unit they attack and if they are lucky on the casualties perhaps a second one too. The Highlanders are effective in combat but easily spooked by shooting causalities, and  so need careful husbanding. 

With the main campaign complete we'll do a few historical battles while we finish preparations for our next campaign - ACW in 28mm using Osprey's "Rebels and Patriots".    

Montrose Turn 8

I accidently deleted the material for Turn 7 but I can report it was a win and a draw for Montrose. So the Royalist forces began Turn 8 in a strong position with attacks on the English home territory and one of two remaining Covenanter territories. 

Game 1 - English vs Montrose

In this game both armies are rushing to control three river crossings. The English deployed a force against each bridge but the Royalist plan was more risky with Irish sent on a flank march to crossing further west in the hopes of out manoeuvring the enemy.

Things began poorly for the Royalist as one of the two Highland units attacking the eastern bridge fled at the first artillery fire, leaving only a tiny force to contest that. Luckily on the western ford the Royalist  advanced squadron horse were able to convince two units of English troopers to pursue them off the table, leaving their compatriots to capture the ford. 1-1 early doors with the centre contested.  

Mid-game the English were able to seize full control of the eastern bridge and push the Royalist levies back from the centre bridge - it all now rested on the Irish arriving in time.

Eventually the Irish did arrive and launched an attack but too late to push the English off the centre bridge. So it was an English Win 2-1.

Game 2 - Covenanters vs Montrose

In this game the Royalist were looking to lift a siege and gain control of a vital town. They deploy in the south east quarter and must get units into the north west quarter. The Covenanter defenders begin in the other two quadrants and must rout enemy units to win.     

The defenders split with their infantry in the south west and cavalry / guns in the north east. The Royalist had a roughly matching with the Highlanders supporting the horse.  

The Royalists attacked fiercely and were able to break through for a Montrose Win.  

Campaign Situation

The Covenanters are now down to their home territory and the English have managed to push back but will face renewed attacks next turn. Things still look dire for the forces opposing Montrose with most of Scotland loyal to the King. 

Montrose Turn 6

Just the one game this week but an interesting one - Montrose is encamped around a small hill when he is surprised by a force of English troops. Montrose starts with a risk of Disarrayed troops and must try to kill the enemy. The English are trying to get units into the camp area marked by the stream. 

Royalist camp

English Horse deployed in column

The manoeuvre phase was short with Montrose not wanting to face a long bombardment. So they quickly attacked with their Horse and expanded their perimeter with their infantry. 

Irish attack

The cavalry attack went in favour of the English but did create the space needed for the Irish and Highlanders to attack the English infantry, pushing them back. With casualties mounting, both sides lost units and began to run low on morale coins.

   

Highlanders press forward

The last turn was a tight one with the Irish seeking to push enemy units off the table while the English looked to get their Horse and Dragoons into the Royalist camp. After 5 turns it ended as a 3-2 win for Montrose.

Campaign Situation

With a win for Montrose he continues to expand his territories and now threatens the English and Covenanter starting zones.  

     

  

Montrose Turn 5, August 1644

Following a mixed July Montrose, renewed his attacks on the Covenanter heartlands in Ayrshire and Fife. The setup for both games was a simple one - both sides had to hold their camps whilst trying to secure a hill and raid the enemy camp. 

Game 1

The Covenanters were strong in artillery so formed a battery to dominate the central hill objective. This led to the Royalists focusing their attacks in the west and lurking behind the hill in the hopes of nipping out late game to take it. 

Covenanter battalia holding the camp 

Lowland Militia

The Irish pushed-up the centre and tracked around the west side of the hill with support form the Lowland Militia. Facing a strong Covenanter line they charged-in causing the defenders to fire too soon and do limited damage. Bad news for the defedners!

Irish attack

After some hard fighting the Irish crashed through 2 lines of Covenanters pushing them back. With the centre in trouble the Covenanter's resistance collapsed for a Montrose Win on morale points.   

Game 2

In the game both sides deployed with fast troops in the middle and the face-off meant a clash of English Horse against Highlanders was on the cards. An interesting twist in this game was that the English had a unit of Dragoons on flank march, so they could threaten the Royalist camp. 

Irish attacking

English musketeers hold the camp

The Royalist's attacked quickly with Highlanders and Horse towards the central hill and the Irish skirting to the west to threaten the English camp. A single highland unit guarded the Royalist camp. The Highlanders did well and routed two enemy before becoming exhausted with a major struggle over the hill ensuing. 

Large attack on the hill

The English Dragoons arrived early and set too sniping the Highlanders from range rather than risking contact.   

Royalist camp

The game ended after 4 turns with both camps under threat but not captured the Royalists with slightly greater numbers on the hill. So a close Montrose win 3-2.

Campaign Position

With Montrose winning both games some more yellow is added to the map. Summer 1644 has been good for the Royalist cause.

Poltava - what if?

Poltava (1709) was one of the key battles of the various wars that raged across northern and central Europe in the early 18th Century. It was the first time the all conquering Swedes would lose to the Russians and led to Charles XII of Sweden fleeing into an unhappy exile in the Ottoman Court. 

In history Charles was wounded in the battle and did nt return from exile until 1714. Suppose though he'd been unharmed and had persuaded the Ottomans to attack immediately, while the Russians were recovering from the battle? That's the stage for our "what if" 

Both sides deployed as the attached diagram with the Ottomans attacking as swiftly as they could. With so much calvary on both sides a swirling melee quickly ensued on the east of the field with the Ottomans gradually pushing the Russians back. 

Janissaries assaulting the redoubt at the top 

Russian dragoons ready to attack

In the west the Ottoman infantry advanced. A mistake on how artillery misfire rule should work for large batteries robbed the Russian guns of some of their impact early on, with the gunners not finding their mark until about half way through the game. 

Ottoman eastern flank

With the Russian Horse under pressure the Janissaries assaulted and captured a redoubt after a couple of goes, pushing the shattered defenders out and routing them.  

Russian guns preparing to fire 

We ended the game at the point the Ottomans held one of the redoubts and had cut the road to Poltava. Charles was still alive having mostly chased evading Russian dragoons around the ruins of the old Swedish camp. So a win for the Turks with limited input from Charles.  

Planning ahead

In a recent poll we voted for an ACW 28mm game later in the year, so I've got the paints out to add a few more units to my collection. The Perry plastics are nice and easy to paint so I've quickly completed a unit for each side. 

28mm Union ACW - Perry miniatures

28mm Confederate ACW - Perry miniatures

Still to be completed are some guns, officers and more infantry.

Montrose Turn 4, July 1644

In the last turn the Royalists lost their first battle and were forced to withdraw from Ayrshire. So, this turn they attempted to retake Ayrshire and expand into Aberdeenshire.  Both tables played Stubborn Retreat where the defender deploys half their units forward. The attackers (Royalist on both tables) score for units over the half way line and the defenders for kills.

Ayrshire table

The Covenanters opted to place their Horse in the Van along with some artillery on a low rise. The Royalists stacked over to the west away from the guns with their Horse in the centre.

Outgunned the Royalists opted to keep the bombardment phase short and attacked the Covenanter Horse in the centre. Sadly one of the Royalists squadrons were routed with the Covenanters then charging into the midst of the low landers and also blocking up the highlanders. The other squadrons faired better and routed their enemy before themselves deep into Covenanter territory.    

 

Covenanter grand battery

With both sides main infatry forces entangled with enemy Horse the Irish attacked in the west. One units took heavy fire and was forced back after a bloody combat. The other quickly  brushed aside some Covenanter foot. At this point the locals rallied to the Royalist cause with Clubmen attacking the  Covenanters in the rear -0 the attack was not deadly but did distract them.    

 

Irish attack

The game ended in a 4-3 victory for the Royalists.  

Aberdeenshire table

A different plan on this table with the English infatry deployed in the van and horse looking to catchup. The Irish were massed in the east aiming to take a strategic hill. 

English vanguard

The Royalists push forward while the English rushed to reinforce the van. This allowed the Royalists Horse to get into a flanking position in the west where they engaged the English horse.    

Royalists Horse push the enemy back

 
The centre saw a fierce fight for supremacy which was fairly even. So even in fact the game was a draw.   

Irish take a hill

Campaign situation     

So Ayrshire was narrowly was retaken with Aberdeenshire still contested. As we 're getting quicker on the rules the games are becoming more conclusive.

Royalists pull 6-4 ahead overall