Skirmish Before Stoke Field - Billhooks Deluxe Game

 

Yorkists deployed on the northern edge of the table

Royalists on the southern edge

German skirmishers head for the woods

German pike reinforcements arrive

Light horse on the Royalists' left flank

On Thursday afternoon Rick and Garry came over and we played a Billhooks Deluxe game out in the shed. The scenario by Andy Callan was in an old issue of Wargames Illustrated and involved a preliminary skirmish before Stoke Field with small Royalist and Yorkist scouting forces advancing down Fosse Way and attempting to gain an advantage. Both sides received 24 points of reinforcements some time after turn two and started the game with 90 point of troops and three commanders a side. Garry and I were the Yorkists and Rick commanded the Royalists. We were all pretty rusty with the rules, as we haven’t played for a while.

The scenario was played on the long table edges from north to south, so the manoeuvre phase of the game lasted quite a long time before the forces came within firing range of each other. A unit of Kern skirmishers were wiped out by bow fire and the Galloglass charged in the centre before they suffered the same fate. Three rounds of combat later they retired in disarray. While reinforcements for both sides arrived on the table, they failed to have an impact. We ran out of time, the game was a draw, the Royalists had the best of it to that point.

Yorkist Kern, Galloglass, bowmen and
billmen advance down Fosse Way

Royalist light horse reinforcements arrive

Shooting commences

Galloglass charge in the centre

Casualties mount

Galloglass retreat in disarray

2mm Roman Cavalry Bases

 

Here are some 2mm Roman cavalry bases that I've finally finished painting. Figures are by Antonine Miniatures. I still have four skirmisher bases and a marching camp to finish for the army. We have a 2mm Strength and Honour game lined up for next week, the scenario is Second Bedriacium/Cremona. I'm still working on terrain for the game but will post photos and a report of it shortly.

A command base, eight bases of legions,
five auxilia and two cavalry bases.

Early Imperial Roman Scorpions Two

 

Here's an Early Imperial Roman scorpion or bolt shooter and crew that I've just finished painting. These are from the new plastic Victrix set Early Imperial Roman Bolt-Shooter. You get four bolt shooters and sixteen crew as well barrels, bolts and stakes. As you'd expect a great kit with lots of options with crew and ready to shoot and just fired bolt shooters. There is a comparison shot at the bottom with Warlord's plastic and metal Early Imperial Roman scorpions and crew.

Warring States Chinese - Han Chariot and Qin Horse Archers

 

Here's a Han chariot and some Qin horse archers that I've just finished painting. The chariot is by Casting Room Miniatures and the horse archers are by John Jenkins Designs sold by Eureka Miniatures. This is the start of my Warring States Chinese Qin and Han armies, mainly I'll be using the brilliant John Jenkins Designs figures but have some of the Casting Room Miniatures Han range as well. An exhibition from China, The First Emperor at the NSW Art Gallery in Sydney in 2010, got me interested initially in this period and when Eureka Miniatures in 2021 released the John Jenkins Designs range based on the Terracotta Army I couldn't resist.

Anglo-Danes versus Normans Arrowstorm Game

 

Normans and Anglo-Danes deployed

Opposite end

Anglo-Dane Huscarls' special tactic is shieldwall

Last Tuesday afternoon I played a solo Anglo-Danes versus Normans Arrowstorm game out in the shed. I reread the rules and increased the size of the game to eighty points. The Normans had the initiative and advanced while the Anglo-Danes waited on the hill. Once fighting commenced it was fairly brutal with units and leaders on both sides whittled down quickly. A really crucial tactic card to claim was the single Rally card combined with careful timing in playing it. The Anglo-Danes were able to save their bacon with a roll of two fives and a six for a successful rally of four battle rating points. The Normans despite early success with their knights were unable to match it in the end and broke.

Normans advance

Anglo-Danes wait on the hill

Fighting commences

Units are whittled down

Normans break