Strike Fast ECW Campaign - Week 6

Having secured Edinburgh in the last battle, the English now set their sights on the Covenanter stronghold of Stirling. For this battle the Scots were allowed some fortifications and opted for a fortified manor house as the centrepiece of their defences.

Manor house

Some emergency surgery

The Scottish opted to base their defence on the fortified manor house, packing 6 regiments into the house and outbuildings. They massed their cavalry on the left with a small detachment on the right.

Scottish centre

Crowded conditions!

Scots left

The English adopted a similar plan, massing all their horse on the right for a large attack and placing some in the centre in the hopes of pinning the defenders in the hard cover. This though meant their left had no Horse to oppose the small Scottish force their.
 

English left

English centre

English horse in the centre

Massed attack on the English right

The game opened with the English right pressing ahead with its main assault on the enemy. Seeing themselves out numbered the Scottish Horse wheeled out of line and began to move behind the manor house, seeking to avoid being routed but leaving the infantry on that flank somewhat to their own devices. Thusly exposed they were forced into pike stand while the accompanying English foot advanced on their closely-packed formations.

English cavalry routs the Highlanders on the left

Scots put to flight

More centrally it was more tit-for-tat with the English Horse stationed their catching some Covenanters in line, but the Highlanders countering by beating-back English foot. The English foot on the far left found themselves pinned-down but the small Scottish cavalry forced their, preventing them from supporting the centre.

A classic dog-leg forms 

Highlanders push back the English foot

So it became a game of two sides. On their right the English swept the Scots away and began to threaten the flanks of the main line. On their right the Scots enjoyed similar success with the English pinned in pike stands and the Highlanders making good progress.

Scots flank is turned

English centre begins to crumble

With darkness falling it was clear that neither side would be able to force a victory and so a draw was declared, leaving the Scots in possession of Stirling. 

Doctor in the house

Strike Fast ECW Campaign - week 5

In the last battle Cromwell was thwarted in his attempts to rout the Scottish army blocking his advance towards Edinburgh. So Cromwell sort to out manoeuvre them but found himself blocked again. So it was we undertook the second battle in the Lothian region.

The terrain for this battle was very open. The English had a few low hills within their deployment zone whilst the Scots position was anchored by two small farms. The Scots mingled their cavalry with infantry across the line whilst the English massed theirs on the left with support from the NMA foot. The plans were set with the Scots largely deployed for a defensive action with a few spoiling attacks. The English opted for a major push of their left and delaying action on the right.        

Field from the English left

Field from the English right

The main English attack

English right ready for a delaying action - its commander in relaxed mood

On the English right the Scots decided to launch an immediate attack seeing they out numbered their opponents. Their quick advance caught some English dragoons by surprise and quickly routed them.

English right under pressure

On their left the English launched an attack of their own which quickly drove the Scots cavalry and infantry guarding the flank from the field and opened the way for the NMA foot to advance towards the Highlanders forming the front rank.

Cromwell's horse push the enemy back

NMA foot press the advantage

NMA foot bearing down on their foes

In previous battles the Highlanders have proved deadly but a series of coordinated cavalry attacks and infantry volleys sent them reeling backwards from the advancing English foot. Meanwhile over on the right the outnumbered English proved more resilient than expected as they held-up the Scots attack.

Scots in trouble

English right holding on 

English right under much pressure but holding its own

In a couple of decisive turns the English of the left were able to put much of the Scots opposing them to flight and threaten the raw troops forming the second line.  

Highlanders put to flight

Scots main defensive position on their right falls

With the light beginning to fade the English were 11-3 ahead on routed units and so were able to claim the victory. The post game analysis was that is was actually rather closer than the 11-3 margin suggests but the English had been able to develop their attack much more rapidly that the Scots and so would reach the 13 routers required for outright victory before the Scots could get to 10.  

NMA advance from the Scots view point

The Scots attack 

Royalists last stand

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